Is your Nintendo Switch Pro Controller dead? Well, thanks to this post on reddit by imnotgoats that's been gaining traction this week (update note: not actually this week), you? might have an option before sending it off to Nintendo for repair.

If your Switch Pro Controller is dead, try the sync button

Although Switch Pro Controllers have a fairly good reputation, it isn't foolproof. Some folks, even after years of ?use, have reporte?d that their controllers have entered a weird state where they seem completely dead. As in, the battery seems to be out of operation, and no amount of charging will work (the charging light won't even come on).

As the reddit thread points out, even swapping docks/cables might not solve the issue. However, up?on pressing the sync button, the controller "sprang to life," and hasn't had the same issue. It's such a simple little fix but it's not something a lot of folks wouldn't think of in the moment. I mean logic would dictate that plugging it into a perfectly working cable and dock and not having the charging light come on indicates a critical battery issue, but there is one last ray of hope with the sync button.

Som??eone in the post even mentions they've had one that's been sitting on a shelf for at least a year with this problem! Another good point is that a lot of folks play with it permanently plugged into a PC, and wo??uldn't even think to ever press the sync button for any reason.

2024 Update: It could still actually be the battery

It's been a couple of years since this was first written, so I'd like to add to this PSA with a PSA of my own; it's getting to be about time to check the batteries in your most trusted controllers. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries like the ones in Switch controllers (not just Pro Controllers) don't last forever. After frequent recharging and especially if it tends to g??et hot in yo?ur gamer mits, the battery can start to bloat.

A bloated battery might still work. In fact, it will probably still work until it hits a certain point. Ho??wever, if that battery cracks or becomes pierced, it can let out the gas that is causing it to swell. It can also explode or catch fire. ?Obviously we don't want that. So, if you've had a controller since 2017 (or whenever) and it's not working, this is something you'll want to check into.

Thankfully, the casing of a Switch Pro Controller is translucent. You can see the battery through the back. It's not the best vi?sual, but the rows of text on it can give you a decent indication if things are starting to bloat in there. If you're not sure, then checking up close isn't too much of a chore. If you have a small enough screwdriver, the handles are held on by Phillips screws, once they're off, there are four more screws and the back battery cover will come off without needing to get too far into the controller's more sensitive parts. You can then check to see if the battery is bloated. If so, take it out, take it to a place where you can recycle batteries. Usually, Best Buy or Home Depot offers drop-offs. You can then talk to Nintendo about repair or replace it yourself with a CTR-003 Battery.

You definitely want to try the sync button method first. Even for old controllers, battery bloat isn't a certainty. However, making a visual inspection of the battery through the casing is a good best practice. You want to catch a bloated battery before it becomes a problem.

The Switch Pro Controller is still incredible

The Switch Pro Controller might be my single favorite device of this generation, just because of how stable it is. It holds a charge for...forever, to the point where I just don't even need to think about it. Plus, the Monster Hunter Rise special edition Pro l?ooks gorgeous, so I get to look down every once in a whil??e and enjoy the design. Functionality and flair: win-win!

The post PSA: If your Switch Pro Controll??er seems dead, there m??ight be an easy fix appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter were both released in 2014 and allowed player??s ??to move Pokémon between games. However, it’s been a decade since then, and things have moved on somewhat in that time. 

Now, moving Pokémon between current-gen games is remarkably easy thanks to Pokémon Home, but t??hat doesn’t mean you can’t transfer Pokémon from previous g?ens if you’ve still got the software and consoles to hand.

Current status of Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter

Sadly, the ability to download both Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter ended when the Nintendo 3DS store ??was shut down in March 2023. This means that if you’ve just come into possession of a 3DS and were hoping to utilize the software, you’re out of luck. 

However, if you’ve got an old 3DS that already has the software installed or is ready to re-install it in the library, you’ll still be able to use it by following the steps below. When the 3DS Store closed, Pokémon Bank became a free s??ervice rat??her than a subscription service, so you can now transfer as many Pokémon as you like entirely for free, provided you have the software.

Pokémon Home was released back in 2020, essentially replacing both Bank and Transporter? and can work t??ogether with the two apps to bring past generation Pokémon into more recent games. 

Which Pokémon games are compatible with Bank, Transporter, and Home?

This is where t?hings start to get a ?little complicated, so you might want to set aside some time if you’re hoping to start moving your Pokémon between games. 

To ?start with, here’s the full compatibility of all games, including brief details about how the transfer works. Don’t worry, we’ll go more into detail below:

It’s worth noting that games that require the additional use of either Pokémon Bank or Poké Transporter cannot be transferred back to their original games. Pokémon games that were released for the Nintendo Switch and only require the use of Pokémon Home, however, can be transferred back to their or??iginal locations.

How to transfer Pokémon using Bank, Transporter, and Home

For ease of reading and for lack o??f a better idea, let’s break this rather long and convolute??d process down into individual steps. If a step doesn’t apply to you, then just skip over it until the information becomes relevant. 

Step one: Third gen to fourth gen

This step applies if you’re transferring Poké??mon from any of the following third gen Game Boy Advance games:

• Ruby or Sapphire
• Emerald
• FireRed or LeafGreen

To complete this step, you’ll need to own one of the following fourth gen games o??n Nintendo DS:

• Diamond or Pearl
• Platinum
• HeartGold or SoulSilver

With two of the aforementioned games at your disposal, you’re ready to transfer Pokémon. This step is actually rather easy, and all you need to do is plug both games into the DS in their respective slots. Then, boot up your chosen fourth-gen game, and you’ll have the option to “Migrate from (insert third-gen game name here).”�?/p>

You’ll be here a while, as you can only transfer six Pokémon at once, but you’ll eventually end up with third-gen Pokémon in your fourth-gen game. To find them, head to the Pal Park, which can be found on Route 221 in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum, or in Fuchsia City in HeartGold or SoulSilver.

Step two: Fourth gen to fifth gen

You’ll need to do this if you’re wan??ting to get any Pokémon from your fourth-gen game into your fifth-gen game, including any that you transfe??rred from a third-gen game in the previous step. 

In order to complete this step, you’ll need two Nintendo DS or DSi co?nsoles and a copy of one of the fo?llowing games:

• Pokémon Black or White
• Pokémon Black 2 or White 2

Plug your chosen game into one of the DS consoles, and then head to the Poké Transf?er Lab on Route 15. Talking to the scientist inside will prompt you to connect another DS through Wireless Communications. 

On the second DS, choose “DS Download Play�?from the menu, and then you’ll be free to transfer Pokémon. There’s a min??i-game involved, and you’ll need to capture the Pokémon you want to transfer, with any that are caught going to your? PC Box. 

Step three: Fifth gen into sixth gen using Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter

This is where the first two apps come into play, and things start to get convoluted. You’ll need both Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter installed on your 3DS to proceed.

First, insert the fifth generation game that you’re hoping to transfer Pokémon from into the cartridge slot, then open it up and place any Pokémon you want to transfer into “Box 1�? Poké Transporter will only transfer P?okémon in this box, so if you’ve got a large collection, you’re going to be here a while. 

It’s also worth noting that items held by transferred Pokémon will be automatically sent to your bag, but if it’s full, the item will vanish. To avoid losing precious items, make sure that y??ou have enough space in your bag for possible new additions. 

Once you’ve got everything prepared, open up the Poké Transporter and select the game you want to transfer from. Confirm your choice, and Poké Transporter will take all of the Pokémon from Box 1 and move them to Pokémon Bank. 

Step four: Sixth or seventh gen Pokémon directly to Pokémon Bank

Once your chosen Pokémon is successfully transferred into your sixth-gen game, things start to get a little easier. Both sixth and seventh-generation games allow you to transfer Pokémon directly into the Pokémon Bank. 

This includes:

• Pokémon X or Y
• Pokémon Omega or Ruby
• Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
• Pokémon Sun or Moon
• Pokémon Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon

To transfer Pokémon from any of these games, all you need to do is insert the cartridge and then open up the Pokémon Bank app. Once that’s open, you can take your time going throug?h your boxes and transferring any Pokémon you want. ;

Step five: Transferring Pokémon from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon Home

To transfer Pokémon between Pokémon Bank and Pokémon Home, you’ll first need to have a paid subscription t??o Pokémon Home, which costs the following:

• Monthly: $2.99 USD
• Quarterly: $4.99 USD
• Annually: $15.99 USD

As long as you have that, you have two choices:

If you used the same Nintendo Account on both devices, you don’t even need to still own your Nintendo 3DS. Download Pokémon Home, login using your Nintendo Account details, and then press the 3DS icon, then select “No Nintendo 3DS�? The app will search for your corresponding Pokémon Bank account and then instantly transfer all of the Pokémon held there into Pokémon Home. 

If you do have your 3DS but used different Nintendo Accounts for each device, things are a little slower but it can still be done. First, make sure that both devices are fully updated, then open the Pokémon Bank app on the 3DS. Find the option to “Move Pokémon to Pokémon Home�?and open up Pokémon Home on the Switch. 

Select the 3DS icon and then “Begin Move,�?giving you a code that you’ll need to enter on the 3DS before allowing you to transfer any or all Pokémon into Pokémon Home. 

Transferring Pokémon using Pokémon Home

Now we’re all up to date, and Nintendo has given us the gift of simplicity. Any game that was released for the Nintendo Switch allows you to transfer Pokémon directly to Pokémon Home. 

As long as you have Pokémon Home installed on the same Sw?itch that you use to play the following games, you’ll be able to transfer Pokémon between them:

• Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee! or Pikachu!
• Pokémon Sword or Shield
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl
• Pokémon Legends: Arceus
• Pokémon Scarlet or Violet

Simply open up the Pokémon Home app on your Switch, select “Pokémon,�?and choose the game you want to transfer from. You’ll find all the Pokémon from that game listed and ready to transfer. 
The worst that can happen here is that you may need to update a game before Pokémon Home allows you to transfer Pokémon, but once that’s done,?? it’s as easy as moving Pokémon between boxes.

The post How to transfer Pokémon using? Pokémon Bank, Transporter, and Home appeared first on Destructoid.

The latest update for Pokemon HOME is adding a Mystery Gift reward system. You know, because we trainers needed more reasons to catch them all. This mechanic offer??s rare Pokemon as prizes to Pokemon players who complete specific goals, and the first one up for grabs is a Shiny Meloetta.

This, to put it plainly, is a big honking deal. Until now, the only way trainers could get themselves a Shiny variant of this elusive Mythical Pokemon was by hacking a fifth-generation or beyond Pokemon game. Thanks to the new Pokemon Home update, however, casual Pokemon players and d?ie-hard Shiny Hunters alik??e can finally add this musical-themed 'Mon to their collection without getting gobsmacked by Nintendo's well-loved ban hammer.

How to download Pokemon HOME

If you're one of the many Pokemon players who hasn't created a Pokemon HOME account yet, now's the perfect time to do it. You can download Pokemon HOME onto your smartphone or your Nintendo Switch, and the account-building process is a little different for each system. Let's walk through how to get started on Pokemon HOME.

How to download Pokemon HOME on Nintendo Switch

• Download Pokemon HOME from the Nintendo eShop
• Launch Pokemon HOME from your Switch's Home menu, using whichever Switch account you want to transfer your Pokemon to and from.
• Progress by hitting any button.
• Pick your Language, then hit "Start."
• Read the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, then agree to it by hitting "Yes."
• When asked if you plan to use Pokémon HOME on your mobile device, select "Yes." If you plan on using Pokemon HOME on mobile, of course.
• If asked if you have linked a Nintendo Account to the mobile version of Pokemon HOME, hit "Yes" or "No," then go through the tutorial

How to download Pokemon Home on a smartphone

• Download Pokemon HOME from your phone's app store.
• Start the app.
• Choose your language, then hit "YES."
• Choose your region and country, then hit "YES."
• Enter your date of birth, then hit "Yes." You can't change this once you've put it in, and certain features of Pokemon HOME are only available to players over the age of sixteen.
• Read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, then hit "NEXT."
• Review the info that pops up, then hit "I Agree."
• Select "Link your account" to link the same Nintendo Account you're using with Pokemon HOME on Nintendo Switch. The last thing you want is to lose that Shiny Gholdengo you worked so hard to get because of a network error.
• Click "Yes," then follow the on-screen instructions to link an existing Nintendo Account or create a new one.
• Click "Yes," again to confirm the Nintendo Account link and complete the tutorial.

How to get Shiny Melotta from Pokemon HOME

Before you get your Shiny Meloetta from Pokemon HOME, you'll have to complete the Paldea Pokedex, the Kitakami Pokedex, and the Blueberry Pokedexes. These Pokedexes encompass all the Pokemon found in Pokemon: Scarlet & Violet and its two-part The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC. All 843 of them.

Filling in all three Pokedexes is no simple task, especially since Pokemon HOME won't let you put a Pokemon in a Ninth-Gen Dex slot unless you caught it in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Luckily, we have some fantastic guides on where to find some of Paldea's rarer Pokemon. Your hunt will be difficult, but it shouldn't be imp?ossible.

Once you've transferred all the Pokemon you need to fill the Pokedexes, you'll be eligible to receive a Shiny Meloetta. Click the "Mystery Gift" option in the app's menu, then hit "Search for Gifts." As long as you have a solid internet connection, you'll receive a Shiny Meloetta of your v?ery own.

The post How to ge?t a free Shiny Meloetta from Pokemon HOME appeared first on Destructoid.

A 3D version of the ridiculously popular board game, Monopoly, is now available on Nintendo Switch.

Ubisoft, in partnership with Hasbro, has launched Monopoly on the Nintendo Switch. Monopoly is the updated, digital version of the game that Ubisoft claims offers improved graphics and gameplay, and comes ten years after the launch of Monopoly Plus on the same platform.

Monopoly, the original board game, was first launched in 1936 and based on a game titled The Landlord’s Game, designed by anti-monopolist Lizzie Magie. Today, there are more than 300 variants, including Star Wars Monopoly and Game of Thrones Monopoly as well as hundreds of local variants. It has also been turned into a card game, in Monopoly Deal, and the mobile game Monopoly Go! is an extremely popular digital version.

In 1998, Hasbro Interactive released a version of the board game on Microsoft Windows that used a? three-dimensional top-down depiction of the board, paving the way for modern digital iterations. These digital variants have made their way to most platforms including, most recently, the Nintendo Switch.

Monopoly is the latest version of the popular board game, publis??hed by Ubisoft in partnership with Hasbro. It utilizes a three-dimensional city and claims to offer improve?d visuals compared to earlier versions. As players progress around the board, they can watch it come to life through 3D visuals. Even the time of day changes as the play progresses.

Players that are losing can flip the board to quit, before trying again. Although the gameplay sticks mostly to the original rules, there are additional features like hidden tokens. Monopoly can be played by up to six people and includes couch co-op? using a single controller. There are different game var??iations, including Fast Mode, to offer some variation.

The post Monopoly Launches On Nintendo Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo has dropped four new games into the Nintendo Switch Online SNES catalog. It’s quite a s??urprising lineup, especially if you’re digging the Japanese games on the service.

The one that I assume the most people reading this will recognize is Battletoads and Double Dragon (or just Battletoads Double Dragon; the logo isn’t clear). It’s another early Rare game for the pile. As the name implies, it crosses over Technos�?Double Dragon with Rare’s Battletoads. It was developed by Rare with very little input from Technos, but they sort of tried to find a mid-point between the two series. I did a full write-up of it a while ago, but I think this summarizes it: “It’s not a great Battletoads title (if one happens to exist), and it’s not a very good Double Dragon game, but there are enough appreciable factors here to keep it from being a bad game.�?/p>

The other three games are Japan-only titles. There’s an SNES port of Big Run, a raster racing game that was originally released in arcades in 1989. It’s based on the Paris-Dakar Rally event. By many accounts, it’s not great, but I have a soft spot for raster racers. There’s also a falling block puzzle game called Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle. It’s a cute falling blocks-style puzzle game It was also originally an arcade game (19??92). I have less context with this one, but the trailer mak??es it look cute.

Finally, there is Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo: Zen’in Shūgō! This is sort of one of Super Dodgeball’s sequels. As a Kunio/Nekketsu/River City/Downtown fan, I actually have the Super Famicom cartridge for this. It’s�?Like, it’s Super Dodgeball but on more powerful hardware. As such, it’s still fun, but the single-player is massively unbalanced. You assign skill points to your team, and it’s incredibly easy to overpower your team. On the plus side, it’s four-player, and if I remember correctly, you can play the main ca??mpaign coop.

These four games are now available on the Nintendo Switch Online Super? Nintendo app.

The post Double Dragon and Bat??tletoads among four games added to the NSO Super Nintendo catalog appeared first on Destructoid.

As I previewed The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, there was a moment where the first line ever spoken in the series came back to me. The famous quote from an old man in a cave takes on a strange reflection in Z??elda's solo outing?.

"It's dangerous to go alone," the old man began. We know it well. Those iconic words led to our hero of legend taking up the imparted sword to save the land of Hyrule and its princess, Zelda. The roles are reversed in Echoes of Wisdom, with Zelda taking on the mantle of hero for the first time (let's just say?, officially). And as with the first game, she's not going at it alone.

The Adventure of Zelda

I got to play a couple of small sections in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom while at PAX West. I experienced the start of the game not long after Link and a chunk of Hyrule and its populous get swallowed by mysterious purple rifts. The preview also included the first dungeon, which showcased Echoes of Wisdom's distinct take on puzzle-solving and combat.

Echoes of Wisdom begins at the end of a Link-led adventure. Ganon is defeated once more, but the celebrations have to wait. The spear he wielded caused rifts to spread, taking Link who barely managed to break Zelda free of Ganon's magic. The demo I played took place soon after the intro, where, in a twist, Zelda is blamed for the rifts and is tossed into jail faster than a typical Elder Scrolls protagonist.

Tri this on for size

This is no A Link to the Past, and Zelda can't rely on Lin?k to break her free from her cell. But help still arrives. It's here you're introduced to Zelda's new partner, a small yellow fairy named Tri, whom only the princess can see. Tri offers Zelda a magical tool called the Tri Rod, which can create copies �?called echoes �?of objects and creatures.

But there are catches, of course. You can't copy every object; the ones you can shimmer with a gold light. Creatures can only be collected after defeated. You can also on?ly create so many echoes at once, indicated by the number of yellow triangles floating behind Tri. If you place one more than wha??t's allowed, the first echoed object disappears.

I was given only a small handful of these triangles to start, but it was enough. The first object I added to my collection was a wooden table. Stacking three tables like a small sta??ircase allowed me to break out of my cell and make for t??he exit.

On my way out I was stopped by Impa, who handed me Link's blue cloak for a disguise (which worked for all but three seconds) and a logbook with gameplay info and a map. Reading the logbook also clues you in on how to use echoes you've attained. Once you're equipped with the cloak, pressing the 'R' button makes you twirl. Doing so lets you shred grass as easily ??as Link could with a sword �?and it's just as fun. You can also use it in the water for a short boost.

It became established ??that the king of Hyrule is a phony, hence Zelda's surprising incarceration. The meeting with Impa was short, and I left to continue my escape while she went off to ninja-kick some guards. No matter the timeline, Impa still rocks.

Puzzle smarter, not harder

The castle basement is the training ground for the Tri Rod. Rooms filled with guards and puzzle challenges stand between you and sweet, sweet freedom. Zelda is no warrior in Echoes of Wisdom (sorry, Sheik fans). Against platforming puzzles and dea??dly enemies, her success relies on not being strong, but clever. Stacking tables will only get you ?so far.

Tri is Zelda's constant companion in the game, offering thoughts and instructions. With Tri's help, you soon expand your list of objects from tables to beds, boulders, crates, and much more, giving you multiple options on how to approach puzzles and navigation challenges. Boulders and potted trees can grant a vertical boost, while ?wooden crates or beds help you cross bodies of water.

Sneak Queen

Tables give you a step up, but they can't exactly span over a lengthy gap. Horizontally stacking a few Old Beds, however, might give you just enough reach. The Old Bed does have an amusing second purpose. Hopping on top and pressing the 'A' button lets you sleep, which slowly heals you over time. I was told that, yes, you can heal to full, but it takes longer depending on how much health you've lost. Hearts can be found ?in the typical clay pots and tall grass, sure, but I love the idea of Zelda completely zonking out in the middle of a dungeon on a magic bed.

The castle also introduces the game's stealth mechanics. Patrolling guards wandered throughout the castle basement, where shelves lined with items or books created a maze-like path?. I did have some trouble, sadly, and I ended up getting caught a few times. But using echoes of the Hyrule Castle Pot, I managed to get past by shattering said urn?s and hopping over shelves. Soon, freedom was mine.

Dungeon delving

Once I managed to escape, the Nintendo rep quickly whisked me off to the next section which takes place not long after the castle. I found myself actually inside a rift, called the Still World, which wasn't anything like the Dark World I expected. Chunks of land floated in?? a sea of swirling miasma, with c??aptured Hylians trapped frozen in time.

Here was the location of the game's first dung??eon: Suthorn Ruins. In the starting room was a waypoint marker, a strange-looking object that lets you fast-travel both in dungeons and in the overworld. Bey??ond the door, I learned Tri's other neat trick.

In a bit of a Bind

By sending Tri into objects and creatures, you can manipulate them to open up new paths or solve puzzles in a method called "Bind." If a massive stone is in the way, use Bind and then walk to move it. Binding makes an object match your vertical height. Jump and the object will mimic the movement. For those statues that Link would normally need to push onto a button, Bind lets you slide them over easily. Is a button on top of a raised platform? Using Bind and a few stacked tables may b??e the? key.

You can also hold the 'R' button while bound to follow along with moving objects such as mobile platforms and enemies. Yes, this means you can create an echo of an enemy that can climb walls then Bind and "follow" it up vertical cliffs. Binding is a remarkable new tool for Zelda games, and I'm excited to see jus?t how much it'll blow open world exploration.

New challenges await

The castle may have introduced the concepts, but the dungeon is where I was put to task. Puzzles were harder to figure out, demanding a bit more thinking power to complete them. Echoes of Wisdom certainly feels like a Zelda game for fans of the series' puz?zles. More than once I had to stop and rub my chin for a moment before going at a puzzle from a different angle. Thankfully, with the Tri Rod and a stable of echoes, there is no one way to solve a problem.

There were harder, optional puzzles to face in the dungeon. I was assured that critical items such as keys could be attained with the righ?t echoes and some time. The tougher challenges typically result in a chest containing some other reward, like a cache of Rupees.

Unlike the castle guards, the dungeon enemies weren't in any capturing mood. You must use echoes to defend yourself against foes. Summoning?? a Moblin echo to chuck spears is certainly a good play against smaller beasts like slimes and bats. But when I went against a heavily armored Darknut, I needed a different approach.

As mentioned, you must outthink not jus??t puzzles but also Zelda's opponents. The Darknut is resistant to blunt weapons, but not against fire. By capturing an Ignizol, a fire enemy, I was able to distract and damage the brute. You can't directly control your echo warrior, but holding the 'ZL' button lets you target an enemy, sending your fighter their way. Using fire and some rocks I heroically hurled in its direction when its back was turned, the Darknut went down and a new echo was mine to claim. Just in time, too, as I was about to face a stronger, sadly familiar foe.

"Take this"

Imagine my shock when I entered a room to come face to face with an old friend... or so I thought. Shrouded ??in a purple mist and sporting red eyes, Dark Link, or maybe Rift Link, appeared as a mini-boss, wielding his sword and trademark shield.

Defeating the angry doppelganger wasn't a cakewalk for our weaponless Zelda. Even a Darknut echo seemed to have trouble dealing with the more nimble foe. But it served well as a shield and distraction. As the two warriors fought in mortal combat, I ran around the arena chucking pots and boulder echoes at the anti-Link. After I moved into the tall grass that lined a path between two rock platforms, Link lost track of me for a moment. But doing so gave me enough time to bring out another Darknut and con??tinue the fight.

He went down eventually, leaving his sword planted in the ground. The "Mysterious Sword" did apparently belong to the real Link, as his name was carved into it �?likely a nod to the opening act of Link's Awakening.

It was here that the quote flashed across my mind. "It's d??angerous to go alone," the old man said. "Take this." Nearly 40 years after the original game, I found it strangely poetic for Link's sword to at last end up in the hands of the protagonist whose name is on every game in which he's starred.

Taking up the blade

The sword lets you activate Swordfighter form, during which Zelda glows blue while wearing Link's cap, tunic, and shield. Swordfighter allows you to fight enemies as Link, and also slash?? through slime-like obstructions blocking paths. It gives yo??u all his basic abilities, such as the spin attack and defending with the shield.

But it's not permanent. The form uses energy, shown as a blue bar underneath your health. It drained rapidly after I activated it, giving me only a few moments before it burned out. You can press the activation button to cancel it and save energy. Filling the bar require??s you to collect blue bits of energy in the Still World or dropped during battle. In the demo, the blue bar had "Lv. 1"?? written on the side, suggesting it can be upgraded.

The Swordfighter form came in handy later against the dungeon's boss, Seismic Talus. Pairing up with a Darkn?ut echo running a distraction, I chipped away at the boss' glowing weak point with boulders and the Swordfighter's blade. Each phase dropped a healthy supply of energy as well, making the fight feel like a real brawler.

Out into the world

The boss' defeat announced the end of the demo, which was quickly turned off to prevent cutscene spoilers. Oh well. I was given a chance to briefly check out some of the overworld, though. Doing so also allowed me to really soak in the game's gorgeous visuals. Echoes of Wisdom uses the Link's Awakening remake engine, complete with its charming toybox-like visuals and depth-of-field blur when th??e camera moves to an isometric angle.

The game is just as beautiful as its top-down precursor. I also noticed it ran at a mu??ch more consistent framerate with slowdowns rarely occurring, noticeable only when I paused or unpaused the game. Zelda, with her determined face and blue cloak, is positively adorable, and I gleefully navigated her through the demo.

There are puzzle challenges and more to discover in the game's overworld. Treasure chests perched high on platforms gave off Breath of the Wild vibes. I managed to get one by stacking a couple of boxes and using a trampoline for the extra oomph. Various crates reveal Rupees and also fruit such as Refreshing Grapes. Also seemingly influenced by Breath of the Wild, you can gathe?r and eat food for health o??r combine it into smoothies for greater effect.

Before I finished my time with the game, I found one last blast from the past in Echoes' growing list. While out and about, I was able to use a meat echo that baited Moblins �?a humorous nod to the origina?l game.

Sadly, I wasn't able to experience everything Echoes of Wisdom has to offer. I didn't discover a town, spend Rupees at a shop, or complete any possible quests. ?And that irks me! The time I spent with it wasn't nearly enough. I wanted to ask for a little more time. Just let me check out the Bind system some more... or make a smoothie! What happens when I stack two trampolines? Gah, I should have tried that.

I was excited already for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, but the wait for its September 26 launch date is now much more difficult. So far, the Tri Rod is a brilliant idea for a Zelda-led odyssey. ??Using it to tactfully solve puzzles and fight enemies felt natural and engaging.

My time with Echoes of Wisdom was regretfully short. I came away feeling it could end up being not just a great Zelda adventure, but one of the year's most memorable. W?e only have a few short weeks to find out.

The post Hands-on: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom puts the prin??cess in the spotlight while paying homage to the past appeared first on Destructoid.

To say there are a lot of powers to collect in Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow would be putting it light??ly. Every single enemy you fight has a power that can drop. However, if you want that sweet 100% collection, there are a few secret souls you'll need to collect.

These souls belong to creatures referred to as "UMA," or Unidentified Mysterious Animal. In more common terms, you've probably heard them referred to as Cryptids. These are creatures that are said to exist but have no concrete proof that they do. In Dawn of Sorrow, three cryptids are known to roam the villain's hideout. You'll need to use information from the UMA News articles to?? find and ?attract a Yeti, Flying Humanoid, and Mothman.

Where to find Yeti's Soul

You'll find the Yeti lurking about in the very first "room" of the game. It's actually an outdoor area, and he'll be skulking in the forested background. You can't reach back there and get him; you'll have to lur?e him out with some delicious fo??????????????????????????od.

To lure him out, you'll need to get the soul from a Waiter Skeleton. They're mostly found in the Demon Guest House. Waiter souls are hard to obtain because the cowardly bone bags will throw a plate of food at you and run away. You'll need something to either stop them, like a petrifying ability, or a heavy club to crush their weakness. Once you have a good system, it's time to kill the??m over and over again until one of them drops their soul.

With your new power, go back to that opening area in The Lost Village. Use the Waiter Skeleton soul to throw some delicious curry down onto the ground. The Yeti will smell it immediately and leap out of the background to grab a bite. The only problem is that the food is too spicy! The Yeti will take damage trying to eat it, and then immediately retreat to the background again. Attacking him before he gets the curry will also spook him off. You'll have to use a similar tactic on him as you did with the Waiter Skeleton. He is weak to fire, so if you have a flame sword or ?ability, that should help take him down.

Yeti's soul is a unique Guardian power that summons a... "white orb of dark power that grows as it rolls." It's a snowball. It makes a snowball that you ca??n move along the ground, and it gets bigger as you go. It's not the most useful, but it is pretty fun!

Where to find the Flying Humanoid's soul

The second soul b??elongs to a creature referred to as the Flying Humanoid. It's difficult to get a good look at exactly what it is. However, it shouldn't be too hard to miss it drifting in the sky behind the clock tower. At the top of the Cursed Clock Tower, between the Save Room and Boss ?Room, you'll see a small figure flying in the distance. It appears to be vulnerable to sonic attacks, and so you'll need the help of the Mandragora Soul to defeat it.

The Mandragora soul is best found s??cattered around the Garden of Madness. They look like Une and Corpseweed until they pop out of the ground. They'll quickly let out an ear-rupturing scream ?and explode. Sadly, you only get kill credit if you defeat them BEFORE they self-destruct. The best place to farm them is on the map below because they share a room with another soul you need later. Farming both Mandragora and the lightning bird Rycuda is a great time saver. But more on that in the next section.

Once you have the Mandragora, take it back to the top of the Cursed Clock Tower and summon the screaming root. ??It'll cause the Flying Humanoid to explode in the distance, sending its soul spiraling towards you. You can technically farm this soul, but it doesn't get more powerful past the ??first one.

The Flying Humanoid's soul is a Guardian type that gives you an Intellect and Luck bonus when activated. Soma will sprout some cool-looking wing?s to let you know when it's active, but it drains your mana rather quickly. It's a helpful tool when farming souls and rare items off of enemies.

Where to find Mothman's Soul

My personal favorite cryptid, Mothman, is a bit more elusive than the other two souls. It's a little less obvious where he's hiding, as you don't see him until he's summo??ned. To do so, you'll need that Rycuda soul I mentioned earlier. It grants you the abili?ty to throw lightning bolts around, which is both a great weapon and a useful tool.

Mothman is a late-game soul found in The Pinnacle of the Castle. There's a long hall under the biggest room in the area. You'll know you're in the right place if there are two Final Guards in it. You can find a generator and a large spotlight sit?ting dormant between them. You'll have to use Rycuda's lightning power to restore the machine to working conditions. If it doesn't work immediately, make sure to hit the machine with the lightning's tip. Doing so summons the Mothman, allowing you to acquire his soul. He should drop it on the first kill.

Moth??man's soul grants you a buff to your EXP. Combine it with the Shaman Ring for an extremely quick level gain!

The post Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow – How to find all UMA Souls appeared first on Destructoid.

An unexpected update was recently released for Vampire Survivors, with a surprising amount of content. It contains the first few cards in the new "Dark Arcana," serving as the groundwor??k for some incredibly powerful ??abilities.

There's more: A new stage, some new secrets, and a new character are also awaiting you. We're here to make sure you know how to find and unlock everything in Vampire Survivors' Darkasso update.

How to unlock the new stage

The first thing you'll need to start on the path to unlocking everything is the new stage. While the clue might be obvious, we'll still explain the detai?ls. The stage unlocks when you "cast a spell" called "forbiddenbox." As long as you've collected the Forbidden Scrolls of Morbane, you'll have a main menu option called "Secrets." Go there, and navigate to the "Cast Spell" box. Type out the spell's name, "forbiddenbox." But be prepared, you'll immediately drop into the new level with a random character!

This is the surprisingly ?spooky new stage, Room 1665. You'll need to navigate south by killing enemies until the door opens. I wouldn't worry about build outside of assisting whatever character you're dealt. Just get your most powerful weapons and survive. When you hear a strange laugh, the next? door will open.

When you see a little treasure goblin w?alk across the stage, aim for them, as they will drop a treasure chest. The corridors between?? rooms have candles in them for supplies like floor turkey. The stage is a shorter one, only 20 minutes long. As long as you reach the bottom room, however, you'll have everything you need for now.

Sadly, characters who can pass through walls cannot skip the door?? mechanic. You have to wait through each room, of which there ar?e 16 in total.

Getting to the end of the stage unlocks the Darkasso: Rhe Dark Arcana used to mix up your runs. You'll have Number ?VI - Moonlight Bolero by default. It causes an extra treasure boss to spawn every minute. The treasures it carries might allow you to have more Arcana cards or Passive Weapons than you can normally carry. It's incredibly powerful in beefing up the back half of your run while helping level all your weapons faster.

How to unlock each of the new Dark Arcana in Vampire Survivors

There are five new Dark Arcana cards? total, all incredibly powerful. They are still subject to change based on feedback from the players.

You'll start with the Moonlight Bolero?? once you unlock the Dark Arcana so that one is out of the way. The next one you'll want is the Sapphire M??ist, which requires you to reach a Cooldown Bonus of -85% with Space Dude. If you don't have him, you'll have to survive 20 minutes in the Space 54 stage.

Once you have him, I recommend playing on The Library, as it has an Empty Tome you can pick up. You'll need this as part of the challenge. Before you start, I also recommend using as many Seals as you can to lock away as unevolved weapons. When you start your match, you'll want to pick Arcana XX - Silent Old Sanctuary. It grants you extra Rerolls, Skips, and Banishes. But the more important aspect is that it gives you 20% Mi??ght and -8% Cooldow?n for each active weapon slot left empty.

As you play, you'll need ??to always Banish weapons, and only ever pick up Passive Weapons. As long as you have five empty Weapon slots, you should have a -85% cooldown. The trick to unlocking this is that you have to f?inish the stage with this cooldown reduction. Once you do, a powerful new Dark Arcana will be yours.

For Hail the Future, you'll need to play as Santa Ladonna. If you haven't unlocked her, you'll need to survive 20 minutes on the Laboratory stage. Santa Ladonna has a passive ability that trigger??s a Rosary when her health reaches a critically low level. As far as I could tell, you just need to trigger this ability to unlock the Arcana.

Forcing it to trigger by taking damage was the only unusual thing I did for the stage when I played her. The same applies to the next card, Crystal Cries. Except you'l?l use the character She-Moon Eeta. She's unlocked by surviving 20 minutes in Whiteout. She-Moon has a similar low-health ability that triggers, though hers freezes enemies for 10 seconds. Force yourself to take damage until it triggers, and you sh??ould be all set.

For the final card, you'll need to reach +665 Max Health with Bat Robbert. You can unlock him by unlocking his weapon, which itself is unlocked by beating over 160,000 bats. If you need help with this, play Bat Country a few times. Bat Robbert gains +32 Max Health whenever his health reaches a critically low level. Between this and the Hollo??w Heart item, it shouldn't be difficult to get him to max.

I recommend taking some Revive passive items and Arcana to help protect yourself if your health gets too low. You'll have to trigger it multiple times, so keep an eye on the pause menu to see what? your health buff is. If it goes ov??er 665, that's okay.

How to unlock the new character Bats Bats Bats

To unlock Bats Bats Bats, y?ou'll have to follow one of the most cryptic clues in the game. "It's as easy as ABC, find the Ring of Rings." The "ABC" in this clue is a reference to the stage Bat Country, which features a secret set of lettered tiles that let you play with the background visuals. You'll need to find the "Ring of Rings," which is more literal than it sounds. In Bat Country, there is a circle made of the Golden Ring item on the right side of the map.

Be careful when you acquire them - not only are they cursed items, but each of the six rings has an Atlantean Ring Wraith protecting it. Once you collect the items, you'll hear? the unlock sound effect and Bats Bats Bats will be available from the character select screen.

Bats Bats Bats starts with ?a special version of the evolved form of the Pako Battiliar, the Mazo Familiar. Its Damage and Amount are affected by your Max Health. The original item requires the Hollow Heart to evolve ?into the Mazo Familiar, but it's still a good idea to pick it up for the bonus damage. Bats Bats Bats's version continues to grow stronger when you level up. Also, if you revive during a match, it increases the weapon's Amount and gives you a follower bat. He's incredibly powerful when teamed up with the IV - Awake Arcana and the Tirajisu.

How to unlock new old characters

Two classic characters, Poe Ratcho and Im?elda Belpaese, have new versions that can be unlocked. To do so, you'll need to clear their respective Adventure Mode campaigns. If you already have, but you do not see these characters unlock, try opening up their Adventure Mode menus and see if that prompts the achievements to collect.

Once unlocked, you can select these new versions of the characters from the Character? Select screen. You'll have to select the originals and then select their alternate appearances. Select the character, then press Left on the D-Pad from the Start button. You'll be able to p?ick from the normal, the original sprite, and the new versions. The new versions also come with level 5 versions of the Passive Weapon that evolve their default item.

The post How to unlock everyth??ing in the Vam?pire Survivors Darkasso update appeared first on Destructoid.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will have amiibo support, and a list of compatible toys-to-life figures has been revealed. Some even include the Smash Bros. interpretations of the Zelda characters we know and love.

Every Echoes of Wisdom amiibo that works with the game

According to a translation of the game's official website spotted by Nintendo Life, the Echoes of Wisdom amiibo include the following:

• Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Zelda (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Link (Tears of the Kingdom)
• Zelda & Loftwing (Skyward Sword)
• Link (Link's Awakening)
• Young Link (Smash Bros)
• Urbosa (Breath of the Wild)
• Daruk (Breath of the Wild)
• Mipha (Breath of the Wild)
• Revali (Breath of the Wild)
• Link (Skyward Sword)
• Link (Twilight Princess)
• Link (Majora's Mask)
• Guardian (Breath of the Wild)
• Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
• Bokoblin (Breath of the Wild)
• Link Rider (Breath of the Wild)
• Link Bow (Breath of the Wild)
• Zelda (Wind Waker)
• Toon Link (Wind Waker)
• Link (Ocarina of Time)
• Link (The Legend of Zelda)
• Wolf Link (Twilight Princess)
• Ganondorf (Smash Bros)
• Sheik (Smash Bros)
• Toon Link (Smash Bros)
• Zelda (Smash Bros)
• Link (Smash Bros)

The unlocks from each amiibo will vary. They'll give Zelda different items, similar to how Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom work. Additionally, we'll also gain different colors of c??lothing for the princess. It would be cool to see a Wolf Zelda variant, but that seems just a dream. When you look at the list, it's quite astonishing how many Zelda-related amiibo figures have been released over the years.

There is no word yet on whether or not there will be amiibo specifically for Echoes of Wisdom. It seems unlike?ly, as we're just a month out from the game's launch as of the time of writing.

The post All compatible Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom amiibo appeared first on Destructoid.

The Emio Famicom Detective Club demo will creep into the Nintendo eShop on August 19, with additional free chapters to follow until August 27. Those disappointed with the initial reveal of Emio being a part of the Famicom Detective Club can give it try before its August 29 release.

Strangely, the Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club demo will be released in installments. You'll be treated to the Prologue and Chapter 1 on August 19, Chapter 2 on August 22, and then Chapter 3 on August 27. All three sections of the free demo will launch at 6 pm Pacific Time (9 pm Eastern). As you may expect, your progress from the first three chapters will progress into the full game when it launches later this month.

Nintendo has released a trailer, showing new footage of this murder mystery. It shows the strang?e criminal approaching a victim and saying, "I can give you a smile that will last forever." After killing them, they then place a paperbag with a drawn grin on it. Creepy!

Throughout the adventure, you'll play as a prior character featured in the series A?yumi Tach?ibana for the first time during sections of the story. For most of it, you'll be an assistant private investigator, solving a crime that repeats the actions of a disturbing string of murders 18 years ago.

Nintendo teases that this will be an "intense story of suspicion, isolation and fragility" as you dive deeper into th??e narrative. We'll discover if this Detective Club can b??e successful when the game launches on August 29 for the Nintendo Switch. You can pre-order it for $49.99. It will be one of very few times that Nintendo releases a Mature-rated title.

The post Emio �?The Smiling Man: F?amicom Detective Club demo stal??ks the Switch next week appeared first on Destructoid.

Yesterday, a cryptic series of patch notes and social media posts released for Vampire Survivors h?inted at a quiet update made to the game. Patch 1.11.1 contains a my??sterious new stage with a boppin' track, a new character, 9 new achievements, and 5 new arcana cards. The update is out now on all platforms except PlayStation, where it will release with the whole game on August 29.

The biggest part of this content drop, which we now know is called "The Darkasso Update," is the experimental "Dark Arcana" cards, which come with bizarre effects. The Moonlight Bolero, as an example, spawns an additional stage boss every minute, who might carry special treasure chests that let you gain additional Arcana or Passive Weapon past your max capacity. In the patch notes, the devs are requesting feedback on these new arcana to inform further ??designs down the road.

As another part of this update, you can get n?ew variations of Imelda Belpaese and the garlic-loving Poe Ratcho. To unlock these, you need to complete their respective Adventure Mode campaigns. If you've already beaten them, you may need to sel??ect "Adventure Mode" on the main screen to activate the achievements.

This entire update came unannounc?ed, outside of the sudden cryptic messaging a day before its drop: It was never on any roadmaps or anything. It's the kind of fun, weird updates you love to see from indie developers. And the fact that there's more room for new Dark Arcana down the road is a great sign that we'll be getting plenty more updates for this incredible game fo?r a while.

The post Vampire Survivors releases ominous “Darkasso” update appeared first on Destructoid.

After making a mark on several platforms, such as mobile, Xbox, and Playstation, Stumble Guys is ready to launch on Nintendo Switch. The 32-player party royale has officially locked in a date for its Nintendo deb??ut.

After a few months' wait since its February 2024 reveal, here is the release date and pre-order rewards for Stumble Guys on Nintendo Switch.

What is the release date for Stumble Guys on Switch?

Stumble Guys is officially making its Nintendo Switch debut on August 20, 2024. The best way to get access to the game for anyone is through the Nintendo eShop, which will be free after the release. It also supports ??10 different languages. You can also pre-order the game, and your reward will be an exclusive Founder's Pack.

Stumble Guys pre-order rewards for Nintendo Switch

Upon pre-order, you can get several rewards from the de??veloper, Scopely. Here is the list of rewards that are in the Founder's Pack:

• 'Oh Yeah' Victory animation
• Hi Sp33d P0rtia Mythic Stumbler
• 2000 gems

Not only that, you will also be provided with a starter pack, which will contain t?he following rew??ards:

• 'Crimson Skull' Legendary Stumbler
• 'Skeleton' Footsteps
• 1600 gems

Does Stumble Guys support cross-progression for Switch?

This game does not support cross-progression for Switch, which ??means that you cannot play with the same account across different platf?orms. However, you can play against other players from different platforms, as cross-play is available in this game.

Not only that, there will be no syncronization in Stumble Pass and store offers between Switch and other platforms at the beginning of the launch. However, you can expect it to get synced in the future??.

The post When does Stumble Guys launch on the Ninten??do Switch? Release date and pre-order rewards appeared first on Destructoid.

We knew Fall Guys content was heading to Fortnite's creative mode, but now a unique obstacle course looms over the island in Battle Royale, as the bumbling bean obstacle stages just dropped today. The crossover is ready to rewar??d eager players with loot for their swift Bean parkouring skills.

Players will need to find Golden Bean statues on the island in order to get started. You'll then be whisked away from the murder and mayhem of Battle Royale for a brief run through the obstacle course. Conquer the courses as fast as possible to get better loot to take back to the island! Of course, once The Storm moves in, the course becomes off limits. Completing quests while running the obstacle course can also earn you a unique Fall Guys back bling and music track.

Looking the part - Fortnite characters get Bean makeovers

The cute thing about this is that your skin will be "Bean'd" when you visit the obstacle course. A large number of the Fortnite original characters have been given Bean forms to take into both this fun crossover, and the full Fall Guys islands you can visit elsewhere in Fortnite. These operate ?similarly to the Lego versions of characters, with the results being extremely mixed.

Epic has also added a bunch of Fall Guys Islands that play more like traditional modes of Fall Guys. The team at Mediatonic Labs helped make these, similar to how Psionix helped make the Rocket Racing levels.

So, what's next for Fall Guys?

As for the future of Fall Guys at large, it's been an incredibly rough time for the team at Mediatonic. Publisher Epic Games laid off hundreds of employees in 2023, and while an Epic statement to Kotaku clarified the entir??e team at Mediatonic wasn't laid off, it's clear the studio wa??s still hit hard.

Given the nature of both games are so compatible here, one would hope Epic values the team over at Mediatonic, and has more plans for the Fall Guys folks going forward.

The post Fall Guys drops into Fortnite: Battle Royale with new crossover?? event appeared first on Destructoid.

Fortnite recently added Fall Guys content into its Battle Royale mode. An obstacle course looms over the snowy northeast corner of the map, ready to be tackled. Completing several quests on this course will grant you some unique ??rewards, so grab them before the event ends on August 15.

How to get started

When you dive out of the Battle Bus, you might be tempted to just glide over to the obstacle course. That won't work, however! You'll be rifted ??away immediately. To access the obstacle course, you'll need to find one of several Golden Bean statues around Classy Courts.

Only 8 people can be on the course at once. You ca?n see how many are active by looking at the numbers hovering over the statues. Once there's room, interact with the statue and you'll be teleported to the course.

Each quest and how to complete them

Fortunately, these quests aren't terribly difficult, though they might sound vague at?? first. There's some goals for completing them, granting unique rewards for this event. Remember, when you're teleported to the island, you have 90 seconds to complete the course. The faster you do, the better your rewards.

• Complete 2 "Where we Fallin' Quests" - Fall Guys Icon
• Complete 4 "Where we Fallin' Quests" - "Everybody Falls (Chill Mix)"
• Complete 6 "Where we Fallin' Quests" - Pink Plushie back bling

The post How to complete Where We Fallin’? quests in Fortnite appeared first on Destructoid.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is putting players back in the shoes of Max Caulfield, the iconic protagonist of the original Life is Strange. And as if that’s not exciting enough, this time she’ll be armed with an ??all-new power: the ability t?o enter alternate timelines in which certain characters are still alive. 

From the trailers and teasers that Deck Nine has given us, we know that Max will use her new power to solve the mysterious murder of her friend Safi. However, the ability to enter alternate timelines opens up seemingly infinite possibilities for other Life is Strange characters to return. It also leads us to ask the all-important question- will Chloe be in Double Exposure? We’re pretty su??re Deck Nine is playing their cards close to the chest and has some exciting surprises in store for us.

10. Joyce Price

Even if you chose the Bae over Bay ending to the first Life is Strange, the powers that Max has in Double Exposure could theoretically allow for key characters from her past to ma??ke a return. Though Joyce is Chloe’s mom and not Max’s, she is still an important figure in Max’s childhood. A few texts, emails, or postcards from Joy??ce could be a good way to link the new game with the classic one. 

9. Chris Eriksen

Chris is the imaginative main character of The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit who also plays a key role in Life is Strange 2. We don’t have any confirmation on exactly when Double Exposure takes place, but he might now be about the right age to be a college student at ??Caledon University, where Max is a photographer-in-residence.

8. Skip Matthews

Skip Matthews is a security guard at Blackwell Academy in Before the Storm who makes music on the side. Hopefully, his band PissHead made it big, and Max will hear their tunes on the radio. It would certainly bring back some of that classic Life Is Strange spirit and would be a nice lighthearted touch.

7. Max’s Parents

We don’t know much about Max’s family; they only appear in the original Life is Strange via text messages. But Double Exposure has the opportunity to open up the mystery of their characters a bit more, as ??it might give Max an even more complex backstory. Regardless of the choices you made and the ending you selected, it seems most reasonable for them to still be? in contact with Max and want the best for her.

6. Alex Chen

The main character of Life is Strange: True Colors is a deeply empathetic, caring person who has a personality that would blend well with Max’s. It would be nice to find out more about what’s happened to her since the events of True Colors, and even if her appearance is just in the background, it would likely aid in establishing a more fully intertwined Life is Strange timeline.

5. William Price

Chloe’s dad William is a key figure in the Arcadia Bay chapters of Life is Strange, despite the fact that he passed away before the games began. If we’re opening up alternate timelines, we’d love to see one in which Chloe and William are both present together- though maybe that�?�s just wishful thinking. If we do see William again, Deck Nine has to be careful to ensure that his return doesn’t retract the importance of the original game’s story.

4. Hawt Dog Man

Hawt Dog Man is an icon of the Life is Strange franchise who’s in every game and timeline. There’s no way his mustard-loving self won’t return in so??me form or another, and no way he wasn't going to nab a spot on this list.

3. Rachel Amber

Major spoilers for the first game ahead- no matter how you play the original Life is Strange, you can’t save Rachel Amber. Her presence, however, hangs over the entire game to the point where Max can almost feel it, despite never having met her. In the Life is Strange comics, Max is able to meet Rachel in an alter??nate reality. What if a similar scenario was possible with Max’s new power? I’d love to see how the two wou??ld interact.

2. Kate Marsh

Kate Marsh is a fellow student that Max cares deeply about in the first game, and so it would, of course, be great to see her or hear from her again in Double Exposure. Her storyline is also the first to truly show players just how powerful Max’s rewind powers are and how much of a difference your choices make in the Life is Strange universe.

1. Chloe Price

And now for the question we all want answered- will Chloe be in Double Exposure? In one of the preview scenes for Double Exposure, we find out that Max is keeping a photo of Chloe close but that her friend Safi doesn’t know Chloe. This implies that Max might be keeping her past a secret or that she hopes to escape it. Perhaps the latter is more likely since we now find Max on the other side of the country from where she grew up. Years have passed since the first game, and I think it’s fair to say that Double Exposure's Chloe, if she appears, wil??l have to be a very different character than the one we saw in Arca??dia Bay. 

We’re excited to see what Square Enix and Deck Nine have in store for us when Double Exposure releases on October 29th, 2024.

The post 10 Life is Strange Characters We Want to See ??Return ??in Double Exposure appeared first on Destructoid.

Gaming’s indie horror scene has hit it off strong in 2024 with the likes of Crow Country and Withering Rooms making ?a great impression among critics and players alike. But the second half of the year is stacked with even more excellent looking horror games on the horizon from smaller publishers and independent development teams.

The following games have been lurking in the shadows for long enough. Here's a s??potlight on what's to come for indie horror fans during the rest of 2024.

CONSCRIPT

Unlike any of the other games listed here today, CONSCRIPT does not feature supernatural entities or undead ghouls. Instead, it focus??es on t??he atrocities of war, and the toll it takes on the soldiers ordered to conduct it. The game is played from the perspective of a French soldier during World War I attempting to survive in the trenches over the course of the years-long conflict.

Inspired by the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, CONSCRIPT adapts the combat and puzzle mechanics from classic survival-horror games in its portrayal of the historical horrors. After seven years in the making, CONSCRIPT is finally available now ?as o?f July 23, 2024, as well as a demo currently available on Steam.

Zoochosis

Anybody yet unfamiliar with Zoochosis would have thus been unable to draw obvious comparisons, so now is as good a time as any to head that off at the pass: if John Carpenter’s The Thing was set in a zoo, you would have Zoochosis.

With that established, this first-person simulation?? game casts players as a night-shift zookeeper while an infectious disease spreads among the animal residents, causing them to undergo a macabre metamorphosis into hostile, disfigured abominations. Job responsibilities involve socializing with the animals, feeding them, cleaning up their spaces, and monitoring them to ensure they don’t grow an excess of limbs and scale the walls of their enclosure. Standard procedure.

In order to prevent further loss of life - be it the animals or their own - the protagonist must d??evelop vaccines to spare the animals from transforming. The player’s decisions will affect whether or not they can be saved in time, as ??well as which ending they receive.

Prepare to capture all the grisly body horror through the body camera lens when Zoochosis is freed from its cage on September 23, 2024.

Post Trauma

With its unsettling designs and focus on psychological horror, Post Trauma is shapin?g up to be a very promising debut title from Red Soul Games.

Our protagonist, Roman, is a heavy-set train con??ductor in his late 50s, who finds himself trapped in a warped subway system inhabited by disturbed creatures and infested with malignant tendrils, lining the dismal tunnels the deeper he explores.

The cryptic puzzles and fixed-camera angles are inspired by classic horror franchises, with the setting in particular evoking the opening hours of Silent Hill 4: The Room. Post Trauma is on schedule for a fall 2024 arrival, but for those eager to get on board, a demo for the game is available on itch.io.

Clock Tower: Rewind

The Clock Tower series has a storied history as one of the original gaming horror franchises that ended up fading into obscurity. The premier game in the series, Clock Tower, was released for the Super Famicom in 1995 by Human Entertainment, but now WayForward is debuting it outside of Japan for the first time with Clock Tower: Rewind, an enhanced port for modern platforms.

This point-and-click adventure horror title puts players in the role of a young girl named Jennifer, who is among a group of orphans that have recently been adopted and sent away to an old Norwegian mansion. However, shortly after their arrival, the children find themselves pursued by a half-pint killer wielding a set of sc??issors twice his stature. With the aptly named Scissorman stalking the manor halls, Jennifer must locate the rest of her adoptive siblings while evading the murderous prowler.

Get your oversized scissors ready, the ribbon cutting for the game’s release is set for October 31 in Japan, with other regions listing a October 11 - November 11 shipping window.

Bye Sweet Carole

Developer: Little Sewing Machine - Meangrip Studios
Publisher: Maximum Entertainment
Platforms: PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, Switch, PC (Steam)
Release: 2024

On the subject of Clock Tower, this twisted take on a classic Disney animation blends the run-and-hide gameplay and side-scrolling perspective of the former with the aesthetic of Snow White or Alice in Wonderland. From the creator of the Remothered series, Bye Sweet Carole’s authentic hand-drawn presentation appears pleasant and inviting, starkly juxtaposing its dark themes and viole?nt imagery.

When a young girl named Carole goes missing from an orphanage, her fellow resident and friend Lana goes searching for her, and in the process finds another world unlike her own full? of strange creatures and homicidal hares that will hunt Lana throughout the game.

Be ??prepared to get lost going down this rabbit hole when the game releases later in 2024.

Hollowbody

At first glance, Hollowbody presents itself as a sci-fi noir story, starring an illegal smuggler named Mica in search of their partner Sasha, who went missin??g on a dangerous job in a restricted area alone. Mica attempts to follow after her, but upon entering the restricted airspace, her flying vehicle malfunctions and crash lands amid a dilapidated suburb hidden beneath the clouds. With the futuristic-cyberscape veneer stripped away, Mica is left stranded in a morose town full of plague-ridden monsters.

Emulating the aesthetic of a PS2-era horror title, Hollowbody features a mix of dynamic- and fixed-camera angles along with traditional survival-horror combat and p??uzzle solving.

Hollowbody will only be roughly three hours long, aiming to be a short-story, but pl??ayers that are on the fence can try out a newly updated demo on Steam before the game releases later this year.

Sorry We’re Closed

A vibrant standout from the pack, Sorry We’re Closed is no less rife with macabre creatures, rustic e????nvironments and unholy imagery.

A curse has been placed on our protagonist, Michelle, that threatens to cut her life short in a manner of days; however, the demon that inflicted the curse barters an opportunity to lift it if Michelle ventures into the dangers of the demon world to fulfill their bidding. Sorry We're Closed is played from a fixed-camera perspective and, with the use of a Third Eye granted to her, Michelle can peer into the parallel reality of the demon world. This vision can also expose weak? points on enemies, allowing her to dispose? of enemies in first-person combat.

With numerous diverse characters to engage with and influence, player’s choices will lead to multi?p??le outcomes in determining the fate of Michelle’s story.

A demo is available on Steam now?, with the full relea?se expected for some time in 2024.

Echoes of the Living

Perfectly encapsulating the visuals and atmosphere of the Resident Evil (2002) remake, Echoes of the Living is a love letter to the classic franchise, with two playable characters, zombie filled streets, fixed camera angles, and e?laborate puzzles.

The plot is a direct homage to Resident Evil 2, right down to the dual protagonists of a young lady looking for her brother father and a new guy in town looking for a fresh start right before a zombie outb??reak sweeps through a small town, all set in the late '90s.

While it may not be an original idea, it is certainly a welcome one if it can pull off the same level of tension and design as its inspirations. A playable demo was previously available during the October 20??23 Steam Next Fest, so hopefully the game will receive another demo prior to launch, which is listed for release in 2024.

Tormented Souls 2

Keeping in theme with Resident-Evil-like games, the original Tormented Souls from 2021 garnered attention for its traditional approach to survival horror, including restrictive fixed-camera explorati??on and comba?t paired with perplexing puzzles, all set in a detailed and claustrophobic hospital.

Tormented Souls 2 retains these core elements as it furthers the story of protagonist Caroline Walker, who now must seek out a cure for a supernatural illness that plagues her younger sister, Anna. Her search brings her to the South American town of Puerto Miller that harbors a deranged cult with a dark and storied history.
Although details are still scarce, this up-and-coming horror franchise is set to arrive later this year.

Fear the Spotlight

As part of the Blumhouse Games publishing initiative for smaller horror projects, Fear the Spotlight?? leads ??the pack with an impressive start. This polygonal adventure garbs itself with a retro aesthetic, but features a modern third-person perspective with a fully voice-acted narrative.

The sto?ry follows a young girl named Vivian, who has been convinced by her friend Amy to break into their school after dark in order to perform a hokey séance for fun; that is, until actual spirits are summoned forth, and Amy’s demeanor changes from thrill-seeking teen to an indoctrinated acolyte of dark forces. Now pursued by a spotlight-head monster, Vivian must hide from its gaze to survive, all the while solving puzzles, uncovering mysteries, and trying to find Amy to escape the school with their lives.

Although Fear the Spotlight was originally released in?? 2023, the developers removed this version in order to undergo a major overhaul of features and content before re-releasing in 2024.

The post 10 promising ind?ie-sized?? horror games slated for the second half of 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

I have endless affection for the NES. I’ve trodden on much of the c?onsole’s catalog, so I’m always looking for new ways to experience it in new ways. A little competition never hurts.

If you’re not familiar, the Nintendo World Championships was? a competition held in the US (which isn’t actually the world) in 1??990. People from around the country competed in qualifying rounds, hoping to reach the finals in Universal Studios Hollywood.

Since then, Nintendo occasionally circles back to the concept, having held updated versions of the Nintendo World Championships in 2015 and 2017.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is more-or-less the home version of the idea?, allowing you to compete?? with other players around the world or on your couch in a different selection of challenges each week. It’s the same idea with less excitement.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: July 18, 2024
MSRP: $29.99

Let me be clear right off the hop: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a speedrunning game. It’s not an alternative to NES Remix, which ha?d speedrunning challenges alongside additional challenges that actually changed gameplay around in? sometimes inventive ways. These are NES games presented as untouched wilderness; exactly as they were back in the �?0s and �?0s, but you have to play them as fast as possible.

??Most importantly, it’s competition ?focused. You can play by your lonesome, but it’s most entertaining in its multiplayer, whether you’re competing directly or not. 

There’s a purely single-player mode where you’re given a growing selection of game excerpts that grade you based on your time. However, if that’s what you’re looking for, I wouldn’t recommend it. Most (not all) of the challenges are clipped from the first few stages of the games they represent. I don’t know about you, but I’ve played the 13 included games repeatedly throughout the years, so it wasn’t difficult burning through the offered challenges, eve?n without much speedrunning experience.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition was a weird one to review. Whe??n I started, the online modes weren’t available, and the servers only went up a couple of days before the embargo. The timeframe wasn’t a problem, but it obviously wasn’t designed for someone to just play the speedrun mode.

Each new challenge in speedrun mode is unlocked by spending coin??s. However, the coins you get back for compl??eting a challenge are invariably much less than it costs to unlock one. If you pull off an S-rank on your first try, your winnings still won’t cover unlocking the next challenge. In order to get through it, I had to start grinding challenges to build up my coin stockpile. It wasn’t an ideal experience.

It was a d??ifferent story once the servers went up. There are two online modes: World Championships and Survival.

World Championships is pretty straightforward. There’s a selection of games represented that you can play repeatedl??y to try and get the fastest time possible. Then, at a specified date, you’re compared against different categories to see how well you did.

Survival mode is more like the offline, multi-player party mode. You’re ??stacked up against seven other players to?? compete for the fastest time across three rounds. The game selection is pre-determined and set into two divisions, with the games rotated out after a certain date. 

Survival mode isn’t a live competition. The runs are done by real players, but you’re only facing off against their ghosts. This means that you can keep retrying a division until you get a set of players who all fumble the events. This also means that if you get placed against a player who is an actual speedrunner, you can try your luck again for a set of dilettantes more your level. I know that when I saw a player complete a Super Mario Bros. 2 by hopping across Beezos, my blood ran cold. That’s fi??ne, as Survival mode is more for your own entertainment as a stand-in for the local multi-player.

And that’s largely it. There are plenty of speedruns across the 13 included games. The World Championship changes weekly, meaning there’s always something to do. But ?that "always" is always speedruns.

What’s interesting is that this wasn’t even how the real Nintendo World Championships even worked. The real events were score-based, featuring tweaked versions of the games, whereas NES Edition is entirely time-based. Consi??dering its mission statement is to bring the experience of the Nintendo World Championships to people who weren't able to experience them, it's a bit of a strange decision to just make them solely speedrun challenges. I assume it was formatted this way so Nintendo could automate the competitions, but there are probably more creative ways to have d??one this.

It feels very low effort. There are some nice touches, like the sound of an audience while? you’re playing in competition, unlockable pins and avatars, and other ways to introduce yourself to your competitors, such as the ability to choose your favorite game from all the officially released titles across the NES and Famicom libraries. Another more appreciable extra is the strategy guides that you can view for the last challenge in each of the games. While, they're not always nec??essary, they offer challenge-specific hints in a format that evokes strategy guides of old.

But when it comes to actual gameplay, it feels very drab. There’s nothing really creative, like some sort of campaign progression. You don’t get new ways to experience the classics like NES Remix. If you’re not into speedrunning, then all of these games are already available on Nintendo Switch Online’s NES service. A??t least then, you won’t be interrupted every few seconds.

The end product feels like something that’s for a niche within a niche. It’s not something that is for fans of the NES, it’s for fans of speedrunning. Even then, it’s probably most on target with people who love speedrunning and have a large group of retro-minded friends.

For everyone else, the competitions are enjoyable; I just don't see them holding anyone's attention for long. You can log in each week, do your best, and then, I don't know, go and play the full?? games.

It feels like it would fit better as an additional mode to some sort of NES Remix compilation. And that’s ignoring the fact that NES Remix 2 already had a mode based on the Nintendo World Championships. Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition is a celebration of the classic? console; it’s just one that lacks excitement and is ?too exclusive for its own good.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition appeared first on Destructoid.

It looks like Zelda won't be alone when The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launc??hes this fall.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom was a surprise drop during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. A brand-new adventure reimagined in the style of 2019's Link's Awakening remake, fans were st??oked to discover players would control the franchise's titular Princess Ze??lda rather than longtime hero Link.

But Link may not be completely out of the picture. The game's ESRB rating has been revealed, and while it is not a surprise rating (a fairly stan??dard E 10+, for Fantasy Violence), the description does seem to reveal that Link will be playable after all.

"This is an adventure game in which players assume the role of Zelda as she attempts to dispel rifts throughout Hyrule and rescue Link." the ESRB summary reads. "From a ¾-overhead perspective, players explore various environments while fighting stylized enemies (e.g., humans, creatures). As Link, players use a sword and arrows to defeat enemies; Zelda can use a magic wand to summon creatures (e.g., wind-up knights, pig soldiers, slime) for battle. Som??e enemies can be defeated by being set on fire; other creatures dissolve into mist when defeated. Battle sequences are somewhat frenetic, with several enemies attacking/fighting at once."

It's a bit disappointing for fans who were looking for a Ze?lda-centric adventure. Despite being one of the most recognizable and popular characters in the history of gaming, Zelda herself has only starred in two games, both of which are part of the infamous Zelda CD-i trilogy.

There is some glimmer of hope for fans in that we don't know how much Link will be in Echoes of Wisdom, though. It may be closer to a cameo or even just controlling him for the intro before Zelda takes the lead. The trail??er shows Zelda stepping up after Link's efforts to save her get him trapped in another dimension.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will be released exclusively on Nintendo Switch on September 26. You can pre-order the game and its gorgeous Switch Lite tie-in now.

The post Looks li??ke Link is playable in Echoes of Wisdom after all appeared first on Destructoid.

Life in Stardew Valley is about so much more than planting potatoes and building fences. If you’d like some additional company on your farm?? besides the chickens and cows,? you might want to consider the possibilities of dating and marriage.

Married villagers can help you by watering crops, feeding animals, and making breakfast. They’ll also give you a Stardrop, which permanently increases your energy. In multiplayer, you can also craft a wedding ring and give it to your favorite Player 2. Cue the Princess Bride references.

All Stardew Valley Marriage Candidates

If you’re playing single player but you’re tired of being single, there are six eligible bachelors in town: Alex, Elliot, Har??vey, Sam, Sebastian, and Shane.

There are of course six? eligible bachelor??ettes as well: Abigail, Emily, Haley, Leah, Maru, and Penny.

Each of Pelican Town’s?? marriage candidates will have two hearts greyed out in the social menu, whereas other characters will already have ten hearts unlocked. Same-sex dating and marriage is available.

The Stardew Valley Dating Scene

To get started, you’ll first need to get eight friendship hearts with the partner of your choice. To do this, greet them each day an??d give them two of their favorite gifts per week. Inviting them to the movie theater and completing item delivery quests will also aid in increasing your connection.

The day after reaching eight hearts with your potential partner, you’ll rec??eive a letter in the mail from Pierre, who will let you know that his shop now has beautiful flower bouquets in stock. How timely! Drop by his shop at your earliest convenience and purchase one for 200g. Then, give the bouquet to your partner, who will of course be delighted. In the social menu, you’ll notice that the character has now become either your girlfriend or boyfriend, and that their last two hearts are now unlocked. 

Marriage and Proposals

Once you’ve worked your way up to ten friendship hearts with your intended, you’ll get a letter from Mayor Lewis, who tells you you’ll need to give your partner a Mermaid’s Pendant if you want to get married. The pendant costs 5000g, and to purchase one, you’ll need to upgrade your farmhouse at least once. You’ll also need 300 wood to upgrade the bridge on the right side of the beach. The bridge leads to the tide pools, where you’ll find the Old Mariner, who will appear and sell you the pendant on rainy or stormy days. You can’t buy the pendant in Winter unless you have a Rain Totem.

Once you’ve purchased the Mermaid’s Pendant, give it to your boyfriend or girlfriend to get engaged. The wedding will take place three days after engagement, unless there is an event happening in town, i?n which case it will take place th??e day after. A room dedicated to your spouse will now appear in your house, and you’ll be able to take your relationship with them all the way up to fourteen hearts. Now that’s commitment! 

How to Get a Wedding Ring in Stardew Valley

To propose marriage to another player, you’ll need to craft a wedding ring. First, purchase the recipe from the Traveling Cart that appears in the for?est area south of your farm on Frida??ys and Sundays. The recipe costs 500g and requires five iridium bars and one prismatic shard. These are unfortunately not the easiest items to come by. 

Iridium bars can occasionally be purchased from the Traveling Cart or found in Golden Fishing Chests. However, the fastest way to get them is to craft them by smelting five iridium ore and one coal in a furnace. While iridium ore can occasionally be found on the lowest levels of the Mine, it drops most often from Omni Geodes and the rocks and monsters of the Skull Cavern. These same sources also drop the coveted Prismatic Shard, though at lower rates. For a more complete rundown of where to find this nice shiny rock, check out our guide on how to get Prismatic Shard in Stardew Valley. 

Once you’ve crafted the wedding ring, give it to your partner to get engaged. Just like in single player, the wedding will take place three days ?after the engagement starts. Don’t forget to dres??s up in your finest clothes!

The post How to Get Married in Stardew Valley appeared first on Destructoid.

Dracula has returned, and the vampire slayer must once again journey to his castle and put an end to his tyranny and thirst for blood. That’s the basic formula for the Castlevania video games, which have won over countless fans with stunning gothic atmosp?heres, a huge cast of iconic characters, and genre-defining gameplay. 

In this list, we’re taking a look at the best Castlevania games on Switch. These titles are mostly divided between the Castlevania: Anniversary Collection and the Castlevania: Advance Collection, with one outlier acc??essible through Nintendo Switch Online. 

10. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

Circle of the Moon has a solid story, but its controls hold back the game. The momentum of Nathan Graves' movements can be tricky because he has a slow walking speed yet an enormous jump distance. Even with the dash boots item, which you'll find early on in the game, you still need to double-tap every time you want to run. Once you get a handle on the controls, though, you’ll definitely have a good?? time. The dark and moody graphics are suitably gothic, and the spells you can cast by collecting cards from monsters are fun to work with, especially in boss fights.

9. Castlevania Legends

Unlike the other Castlevania games for Switch, Legends is not a part of the Anniversary or Advance collection, most likely because the story takes place in an alternate timeline. The main character, Sonia Belmont, was originally the first vampire killer in the Belmont family, but this changed when Lament of Innocence was released nearly six years later.

Legends introduced 'soul weapons,' which give special spell powers that replace the franchise's norma??l sub-weapons. However, the game features a 'burning mode' as well, which gives Sonia invincibility to all traps and damage and allows you to skip through difficult areas that would normally require a sub-weapon anyway. There are also a handful of branching paths that don't lead to anything meaningful and poorly reward the player for exploring. As a result, the game ranks lower on this list.

8. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

The main highlights of Harmony of Dissonance are the game's colorful environments and mysterious story. Juste Belmont, the heir to the Vampire Killer whip, sets out on a quest to save his fri?end Lydie and uncover the truth behind the absence of his friend Maxim's memories. As he explores Dracula's castle, Juste discovers two versions of the castle, just as there are two versions of Maxim himself.

Though the two dimensions of Dracula’s castle are great from a storytel??ling perspective, they can also make exploration repetitive since the two castles are mostly mirror images of one another. There are also several points where the chaotic nature of the music can become a bit grating. While it fits the dissonance theme found elsewhere in the game's colors and story, it might also make you want to turn the sound off for a bit.

7. Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge

Belmont’s Revenge is the second Game Boy title in the Anniversary collection. It significantly improved on the earlier Game Boy title Castlevania: The Adventure?? by returning sub-weapons to the fold and cleaning up pl??ayer movement.

Right when you boot up the ga??me, you'll be presented with a choice of paths, allowing you to select which of the game's four castles you want to travel to first. Each area features a distinct elemental theme in its environmental design, such as plants or crystals, which helps differentiate levels. It's a shorter and more simplistic game than others on this list, though still worth? revisiting.

6. Castlevania: Dracula X

Dracula X is the American remake of Rondo of Blood, in which Richter Belmont takes the reins. The character movement is more in line with the original NES titles rather than the GBA games that make up the rest of the Advance Collection. You'll only be able to use Vampire Killer two-directionally, but walking and jumping, of course, feel much smoother than they do in Dracula's Curse.

The graphics in Dracula X look fantastic, with exciting flame effects in the first stage's background, impressive transparent water effects later in the game, and some truly menacing and imposing boss models. The only thing that prevents Dracula X from climbing higher on this list is the game's difficulty. Dracula himself can be?? particularly nig?htmarish because the fight takes place over a bottomless pit, and a single hit can push you over the edge.

5. Castlevania

Even today, the original Castlevania is absolutely worth playing. The game is linear, with a classic level-by-level formula, but that doesn't detract from the experience. The first Castlevania gave us much of what makes this franchise great, from Simon's legendary whip 'Vampire Killer' and iconic sub-weapons like the holy water and cross to the outstanding soundtrack and epic showdowns with the likes?? o??f Dracula and Death.

4. Castlevania Bloodlines

The historical backdrops and tie-ins with Bram Stoker’s Dracula set Bloodlines apart from the others right off the bat. Unlike other titles on this list, the game was originally released for the Sega Genesis. The action is excellent, with unique level design and stunning visual effects. The stage in which you climb? the tilting tower all the way up to the dizzying final boss at its peak is one of my favorite? set pieces in the franchise.

3. Super Castlevania IV

Super Castlevania IV retells the original game's story but with more colorful graphics, smoother controls, incredible atmospheric details, and 8-directional motion for Simon's whip. It’s perhaps the best Castlevania game to start with if you’re new to the series, first because of its classic story and second because of the ease of gamep??lay. The longer whip, which you can use to swing between platforms in addition to fighting, makes it significantly easier to reach enemies.

2. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

Of the classic Castlevania games on NES, Dracula’s Curse is the king. In addition to playing as Trevor Belmont, the game's branching paths allow you to find and take control of three playable characters - Grant, Sypha, and Alucard- all of whom have become iconic members of the Castlevania cast over the years. In Dracula's Curse??, each unlocks further combat and traversal mechanics to help you c?onquer the night. Sypha's spells are particularly handy for defeating bosses, while Alucard's ability to transform into a bat can let you skip past entire rooms.

1. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Aria of Sorrow is the most recent of the Advance Collection’s GBA games and probably the most similar to the coveted Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which many consider to be the best Castlevania game. 

In Aria of Sorrow, you'll play as Soma Cruz, a student who enters Dracula's castle during a solar eclipse. As you explore the castle and uncover the truth about Soma's arrival at the castle, you'll build a collection of tactical souls that unlock a huge range of extra attacks and abilities for both combat and traversal. As Soma's newfound powers grow, so does the mystery of his origins. The final plot twist after the face-off against Graham, in which Soma is revealed to be the reincarnation of Dracula, is one for the ages. Of the Castlevania games on Switch, Aria of Sorrow is undoubtedly the best. 

The post The 10 Best Castlevania Games on Switch, Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Pocketpair CEO Takuri Mizobe has poured cold water on the idea of a Nintendo Switch port of Palworld, just days af??ter the company teased the development of a PlayStation version.

In an interview with Game File, Mizobe didn't totally rule out the idea of it coming to th??e console, but st??ated that doing so could be difficult due to the technology differences between PCs and current-gen consoles compared to the Nintendo Switch, which is now seven years old.

He explained that the graphical and technical demands on Palworld on PC ??are higher than what the Switch can produce, saying: "Maybe it's hard to port to Switch just for technical reasons."

Of course, the highly anticipated successor to the Nintendo Switch may be able to manage the demands of Palworld, but i?t could be March 2025 before we even get an announcement about the new system, and there's no real timelin?e for its release.

It looks like Nintendo will be the only one of the "big three" console makers to miss out on Palworld, at least for the foreseeable future following the teasing of a PlayStation port by the game's community manager on June 22.

It would definitely be interesting to see Palworld on Nintendo systems though, especially when you consider the fact that the game has been labeled "Pokemon with guns." The creatures are reminiscent of characters from the Pokemon world, and Nintendo is notoriously strict about how things?? related to their IP are handled.

While Palworld on Nintendo Switch may not be happening right now, there's still plenty for fans of the game to look forward to thanks to the Sakurajima update which drops on June 27, bringing a new island, new Pals, another raid, and a higher ?level cap.

The post Palworld dev explains why creating a Nintendo Switch version would be ‘hard’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Fans of Crypt of the Necrodancer don't have the biggest catalog of games that bear strong similarities, but Freaked Fleapit is a new title that appears interested in being that, and then some. Two weeks ago, the demo released for this title, and it seems like Freaked Fleapit might be onto something.

The premise of Freaked Fleapit is simple, at least for a video game. Andy just died and went to Hell. He wants his soul back, and has to fight through 9 circles of Hell to reclaim it.? In the meantime, he? can chat with the stylized anime girls who also happen to be there, and pick one to join him in his attempt to escape.

Fleapit aims to entice its players with procedurally generate??d levels and exploration that leads to the discovery of secret rooms, side quests, and mini games. Side quests lead to the opportunity to take the player's preferred "Lady of the Fleapit" on a date. And then there's the combat.

Freaked Fleapit has players tap to the beat, and developer Finch Bird Studio has consistently noted the game's Multilayered Music System, which appears to function similarly to games like Crypt of the Necrodancer. The music also dynamically shifts based on the situation the player is in, such as the type of room and combat. There is rogue-ish progression similar to Enter the Gungeon and The Binding of Isaac, where players can customize a build based on upgrades they pick up each run, such as a skill that multiplies damage by x1.5 when health is at down to one, or another tha??t unleashes AOE damage every hit you take.

The style of this game is hard to overlook, which can be attributed to the talented team of artists working on the game, such as the game's lead artist, a popular digital artist known as Mr.Psina, flashy pixel art done by Todo Asano, and excellent music by Magnetude.

Additionally, Freaked Fleapit features a stacked cast in both English and Japanese. The English cast includes the likes of LilyPichu, as well as Chloe Eves, Sarah Ann Williams, Crystal Lee, Melissa Medina, Kelsey Jaffer and Steven Kelly. The Japanese cast has well known actors like Jun Fukuyama, Shiori Izawa, Ami Koshimizu, Sayaka Ohara, Yumi Hara, Rie Kugimiya, and Uesaka Sumire. Japanese-speaking players seem to be loving the localization, too.

Crowdfunding for Freaked Fleapit closed after an Indiegogo campaign raised �?4,606 EUR, and while the exact release date is unknown, publisher Critical Reflex plans to release Freaked Fleapit on PC and Switch. A demo is available on Steam.

The post Freaked Fleapit is an interesting spin on the Necrodancer style of rogue-rhythm ??dungeon crawling appeared first on Destructoid.

UEFA's Euro 2024 football tournament is in full swing, and while the players are all wearing the latest and greatest cleats during matches, Albania's Jasir Asani caught the eye of gamers everywhere with his special Super Mario-themed boots.

Asani, who players his club football in South Kor??ea with Gwangju FC, sported a pair of teal Puma boots, with Mario himself featured on his left foot, his red hat and mustache instantly recognizable. On it, h??e's jumping into the air with his fist up, with coins flying around him.

It should come as no surprise that his right foot showcased Luigi, also jumping for joy, while the inside of both b??oots featured more gold coins to show how successful the brothers have been.

The boo?ts were designed by Swithadot, and clearly worked their magic, with Asani conjuring up the assist for Albania's first goal in their 2-2 draw with Croatia on June 19. Clearly, Asani is a big fan of the franchise and?? showed off his love on one of football's biggest stages.

And what better time to do it too, with a brand-new game in the franchise announced during June 18's Nintendo Direct. Mario and Luigi reunite for the first time in nine years in Brothership, with the trailer showing off the new world, mini-games in battles, and the clas?sic platforming experience that we expect from Nintendo's flagship.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership releases worldwide on Nintendo Switch o?n November 7. Let's hope that Asani finds time to play it as the K League 1 reaches its conclusion.

The post Albania’s Jasir Asani wore Super Mario-themed boots at Euro 2024 and they are awesome appeared first on Destructoid.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel’s release date for Japan has been announced. Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, annou??nc?ed ahead of the Nintendo Direct that the movie will be released on April 26, 2026 in Japan.

The announcement came via a Twitter/X post where Miyamoto added, “We are working with the Illumination team to make it a fun movie, so please continue to look forward to it.�?/p>

This confirms that the Mario sequel will actually be released in Japan after its release in the US and other regions. Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri revealed back in March that the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be released on April 3, 2026, in the US and other select regions.

It may not come as a surprise, given that The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released first in the US on April 5, 2023, before releasing in Japan on April?? ??28, 2024.

While plot details are still anyone’s guess, Miyamoto had said back in March that the team is “thinking about broadening Mario's world further, and it'll have a bright and fun story.�?/p>

The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel will b?e directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, and the script will be? written by Matthew Fogel. The movie will be co-produced by Melendandri and Miyamoto. Universal Pictures will be distributing the movie globally.

Nintendo and Illumination’s Mario ??movie was a blockbuster hit as it grossed $1.36 billion at the global box office, made a? $559 million profit, and became the most successful video game movie adaptation of all time.

The post The Super Mario ?Bros. Movie 2 gets a release date in Japan appeared first on Destructoid.

During the 2024 Nintendo Direct, Douze Dixiemes and Focus Entertainment revealed a first look at their latest upcoming game, MIO: Memories in Orbit. MIO: Memories in Orbit is a 2D Metroidvania that is plan?ning to be released in 2025 a?s a Nintendo Switch exclusive.

In the beautiful, vast landscapes of space, Mio: Memories in Orbit has your character, the android MIO, set out to explore the g??alaxy and its wonders. As MIO breaks out of its wire-covered vessel and steps foot into the world, you'll battle enemies, use your grappling hook-like abilities to climb around the terrain, and avoid various deadly obstacles to discover new areas in the universe and save your spaceship from a growing hostile force.

Diving into its gameplay more, the world premiere reve??als multiple terrain traversal methods you'll use, from a light beam acting as a grappling hook to pull you th?rough the air to gliding, multi-jumps, and basic combat attacks. You'll use these various mechanics to defend and evade against enemies as well as avoiding challenging traps that require careful navigation.

Mio: Memories in Orbit will be av??ailable on the Nintendo Switch in 2024. No exac?t release date or time is currently known.

This story is currently developing.

The post Mio Memories in Orbit?? l?aunches on Nintendo Switch in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

Closing out the Latin American Games Showcase was an impressive new trailer for the gorgeous pixel-art hack-and-slash Mariachi Legends, w??ith a mixture of live-action scenes and high-fidelity side-scrolling action.

You’d be forgiven for overlooking the Latin American Games Showcase last weekend. Let’s face it, with over a dozen unique showcases over the span of a few days, it is unlikely most audiences will catch them all, particularly whe??n the shows are each focused on a specific niche.

But this show in particular was littered with beautiful works and inventive concepts, a description no less fitting of the presentation’s final game, Mariachi Legends from Halberd Studios, which was unveiled at last year's PC Gaming Show.

Opening to a hazy sunset, the trailer begins with a live-action sequence introducing the fictional town of Santa Mascota and the lead character, Detective Pablo C?ruz, who has been assigned by Lady Death to delve into the Realm of the Dead and collect a mystical? amulet that is compromising her rule over the underworld.

This is no simple task, as the group of beings known as the Mariachi Legends protect this dominion at all costs. In order to stand a chance against them, Pablo must don the powerf??ul garment, La Sombra, which grants him otherworldly strength and abilities.

With a transition to gameplay, it makes an immediate impression with its smooth and fluid animations, such as Pablo brandishing his pen and notebook with a flourish when taking investigation notes and trotting around with a swagger that closely resembles Castlevania’s Soma Cruz.
Although these two protagonists may share a last name and running animation, ironically what they do not have in common is being part of the ??Metroidvania genre.

Unlike the studio’s previous work, 9 Years of Shadow, which was a full-fledged metroidvania, Mariachi Legends describes itself as a branching beat-em-??up platformer, with bounding, swinging, and dashing along platfor??ms to navigate the game’s levels and an emphasis on extravagant combo-centric combat.

Pablo dual-wields a set of sabers and a pair of flintlock pistols, firing off point-blank barrages before effortlessly eviscerating his enemies in a spinning cyclone of carnage. He has a variety of s?pecial abilities as well, including a noxious ??face-cracker whip that melts flesh from the bone and morphing into a spectral skull enveloped in a sickly green flame to consume enemies whole.

The end of the traile?r blends more live-acton cuts with gameplay, this time to the kitchen to demonstrate the cooking component to the game. Pablo can spice up his special abilities by dishing up recipes he learns along his journe?y.

Mariachi Legends will be available for Switch and Steam, with a 2024 release windo??w listed on the store page.

The post Don’t miss the live-a??ction gameplay hybrid tra??iler for Mariachi Legends appeared first on Destructoid.

Taking a glance at the sky islands in Tears of the Kingdom, you might have noticed a massive storm that's looming over the bottom right section of Hyrule. Perhaps you've made your way over to that section in the map, only ?to discover that there are islands hidden in the clouds.

Navigating said islands is a dangerous task due to the fact that Link can't see 10 feet in front of him. However, there's a way to remove the storm from the island, letting you explore this new location to your heart's content. Here's how to clear Thunderhead Isles and remove the storm in TotK.

How to Remove the Storm Over the Thunderhead Isles

To clear Thunderhead Isles, you'll need to progress the main quest in TotK. Eventually, you'll end up speaking with Tauro and Calip about ??the Zonai Ruins. After that, you'll need to put a Zonai Charge on an altar to clear Thunder??head Isles.

To begin the process of clearing up the Dragonhead island s?torm, you'll need to complete all four Regional Phenomona quests around Hyrule. Once this is complete, heading back to Lookout Landing will call you to complete the mini-dungeon in Hyrule Castle.

After you escape Hyrule Castle, you'll complete Regional Phenomena, and unlock the Quest, "Find the Fifth Sage". If you happened to stumble upon Kakariko Village during your travels throughout Hyrule or perhaps on your trek to Hateno Village, you might've noticed some ruins floating on the side of town. Before the co??mpletion of Regional Phenomena, y??ou were banned from exploring them. Now with the quest being completed, you'll be able to check them out.

Investigate the Floating Ring

Speak to Paya and Tauro in Kakarko Village, and they'll open the structures up for you to investigate. To locate these characters, head to the coordinates (1814, -0940, 0112.) Use the nearby Makasura ??Shrine to ?get there faster.

Going to this location will unlock the Secrets of the Ring Ruins quest in TOTK, which helps clear the Dragonhead Island storm.

Head up to the ?floating part of the Ring Ruins, and use Ascend to get inside the floating ring. You'll find a ladder just past Paya, Tauro, and Calip, taking you higher up the area. Just follow the pathway of the wooden platforms to reach the floating ruin.

Once inside, you'll find a slab with some text on it that T??auro and Calip were? talking about when they let you investigate. Snap a picture of it with your camera, and show it to Tauro. After deciphering the message, they'll mention the Zonai Ruins in Faron. Tauro and Calip will make their way to the Popla Foothills Skyview Tower; follow them to continue the quest.

Finding "Dragon Land"

Once you've made it to the Popla Foothills Skyview Tower you can speak with Calip, who's mentioned that Tauro is headed towards Dracozu Lake. Walk southeast from the Skyview tower, you can spot Tauro's camp by the campfire, still lit. Its coordinates are (0939, -2524, 0009).

On the table will be a jo?urnal, where you can find he's gone into the ruins across the water from where the campsite is. Inside, you'll find Tauro once more, who gives you a rid?dle to solve.

Secrets of the Ring Ruins Tauro riddle solution

Tauro will read aloud the riddle, stating, "Wear the electric garb hidden at the long-necked dragons along the wide-mouthed forest serpent," followed by "Offer a Zonai charge to the altar at the tail". The first part of the riddle will require you to wear a Charged Armor set, which can be found nearby.

Tauro will point you in the direction of a Zonai chest containing the Charged Shirt. What the game is asking you to do is make your way down the river (which looks like a dragon), find the complete Charged Armor set, and offer a Zonai Charge to the altar at the end.

Completing the Ritual

To complete the ritual in the Secrets of the Ring Ruins TOtK quest, you must locate the two other Charge?d sets: One set of Trousers and a Headdress.

Secrets of the Ring Ruins Charged Trousers location

Start making your way down the river, staying on the right side. Be careful, as there are Lizalfos in the water. Eventually, you'll come across another set of ruins, much like where you met with Tauro. The coordinates of the first ruins are (0980, -2691, 0007). These are blocked off by some rock, which can be easily broken with a? Rock Ha?mmer or Bomb Flower. Inside the ruins, you'll find the second piece of the Charged Set: the Charged Trousers.

Secrets of the Ring Ruins Charged Headdress location

Continue working your way down the river until you see another set of ruins. This time, on the left side. Looking to your right, you might see some Zonai Soldier enemies waiting for a fight. Avoid them for now, and head into these new ruins for the Charged Headdress. The coordinates of the ruins are (0968, -2801, 0007).

Once all three pieces have been acquired, head out and make your way down the path right across from the ruins. Doing so will lead you to the Zonai Ruins, where the altar is. However, you'll have to fight some enemies along the way. You'll reach a clearing in the path where three Lizalfos will be hiding. Hidden along the stone wall behind them is another set of ruins. Their coordinates are (0686, -2743, 00014).

Head inside wearing the entire Charged Armor set and take out a Zonai Charge. Place the Zonai Charge on the altar in the back and watch as a cutscene plays out, clearing the storm from Thunderhead Isles. This lets you access the Thunderhead Isles and Dragon??head Island with clear vision! Check your sky view map (switch perspectives) to see the Thunder Isle map.

Calip and Tauro will meet up with you once again, thus concluding the Secrets of the Ring Ruins main quest. You can also check out the new areas to unl?ock the Joku-usin Shrine.

The post How to Remove the Storm Covering the Thunderhead Isles in Tears of the Ki?ngdom appeared first on Destructoid.

The NES library has north of 700 games on it. That’s a lot, but in terms of successful consoles, it’s kind of in the mid-range. It still makes it difficult to choose any number of the best games. That’s probably why no one has been brave enough to make a Top X NES games list. I’m not saying I’m the b?ravest person in the world, but I am saying I have no shame.

One thing to note is that while I’ve played a staggeringly wide range of the NES library, I haven’t played everything. For example, I haven’t played Bases Loaded 3, and I’m ope??n to the possibility that it’s the apogee of the NES library. This also isn’t about which games were most popular or influential. That’s another topic. These ones are the best for a myriad of other reasons.

I’m also not including Famicom exclusives, though I’d love to. If I was, just know that Metal Max would be stomping all over these games. That and Kunio-Kun. But, alas, here are the top 18 NTSC NES games.

18. Super Mario Bros. (1985)

I mentioned that this is not a list of the most influential games on the console because, if it was, Super Mario Bros. would top it each time. The NES is essentially a console built on the back of Super Mario Bros.?, and it's impossible to overstate its impact on c?onsole games.

Also, it's still an extremely fun game. While its vintage ensures that the gameplay remains ra?ther basic with little variety in enemies and obstacles, it makes up for it with sheer creativity in its level design. From World 1 to World 8, it stretches its mechanics in new and interesting ways. Improvements in t?he technology within NES cartridges would enable its predecessors to push new boundaries, the original holds its own through sheer craftsmanship.

17. Maniac Mansion (1990)

NES ports of home computer games were often rather lackluster due to differences in capabilities. However, it feels like no compromise has been made with the NES port of Lucasarts' seminal point-and-click adventure, Maniac Mansion.

What makes Maniac Mansion such a unique and exciting game among point-and-click titles is the more freeform nature of solving its puzzles. You select three characters and your path to the finish line changes depending on the combination you put together. The time it takes to get from start to finish in this game is extremely short, but it's unlikely you'll reach it on your first attempt. Maniac Mansion is a game that you'll play o??ver and over, and surprisingly for a point-and-click adventure, it remains fun each time.

16. Mega Man 6 (1993)

You're probably expecting to see at least one or two Mega Man games on this list. If multiple mega men are listed, you are probably expecting two specific titles to be here. I'm not going to spoil it, but Mega Man 6 is my choice for the second-best in the?? se?ries. To be fair, all six titles are pretty much just one game repeated, but each brings its own wrinkles that either add to or detract from the series.

What Mega Man 6 adds it the ability to couple the blue bomber with his dog in a number of transformations that remain unique to the series. What it detracts is essentially any challenge. It has some grea??t levels with branching pathways enabled by the Rush transformations. However, it also has no teeth. It's up t??o you whether or not diminished challenge bothers you, but for me, it's not all that much.

15. Duck Tales (1989)

While we have some big-named licensed games these days, most games based on movies or cartoons during the 8-bit years weren’t very good. Some of them were extraordinarily terrible. Capcom, on the other hand, had a good track record for making some terrific games based on Disney licenses. One of their early endeavors was Duck Tales.

There were a lot of directions you could go with a game based on Duck Tales, since it wasn’t purely an action show. Capcom chose to do hop-and-bop with a twist. You play as Scrooge McDuck who can somehow use his cane as a pogo stick, allowing him to eliminate enemies. The platforming was fine, but the real treasure was, er, searching for treasure. Not only were you rewarded with gems for messing with the environments, but there were also ?secret treasures located in each stage.

14. Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)

Originally released in 1987 on the Famicom Disk System as Yume Kōjō: Dokidoki Panic, Nintendo tweaked and rebranded it as a Mario game for North America because the real Super Mario Bros. 2 is kind of butt. It’s difficult, but in a reall?y unfair and cruel way.

The Super Mario Bros. 2 that we got is a whimsical game about throwing dudes into other dudes. It doesn’t have much in common with the original game, but if you didn’t know about the Japanese release, you probably wouldn’t guess. It’s a challenging platformer with a jaunty soundtrack. It is, in my opinion, better than even the first game and miles better than the Super Mario Bros. 2 Japan received.

13. Kirby’s Adventure (1993)

I often say that I enjoy the idea of the Kirby, but don’t necessarily love the games. Kirby’s Adventure is an exception to that. It was a late release in 1993, and it kind of shows. Beyond having a lot of technical trickery, Kirby was given the ability to consume his en??emies and adopt their powers. It’s not a terribly difficu??lt game but it manages to be entertaining the whole way through.

12. Metroid (1986)

I totally get that some people don’t dig the original Metroid. The floaty controls, annoying enemies, and unforgiving life system can really be abrasive when you first approach the game and don’t get me started on the massive passwords you use to save your progress.

However, if you get acclimated to the enormous friction Metroid puts up front, there’s a lot to like underneath. It’s a challenging game with a great progression. It was also very influential,?? with the impact of its gated exploration formula being immediately felt on the console. It can be hard to get into today, but it’s still worthwhile.

11. Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse (1989)

Not far off from the original is Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse. Some would probably rank this one above the original, but I feel it has some areas where it’s not nearly as tightly designed. Difficulty is one such area, as changes were made in the North American version that aren’t in the Japanese version, Akumajou Densetsu. In particular, ??the damage the player takes is more of a linear increase and is less fair.

Nonetheless, Castlevania 3 contains a lot of the original’s terrific sense of style and control. It adds? branching ro??utes to the end, multiple characters to recruit and partner with, and a better variety of obstacles and challenges. All in all, it’s a great follow-up.

10. Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)

This is going to be the top pick for a lot of people, and it’s here because I do love Super Mario Bros. 3; it just doesn’t get my thighs grinding. There’s a lot to love about it, though. For one thing, it plays like something that belongs to another console generation, effortlessly pulling off 4-way scrolling and fast movement. The level of variety on hand is insane, the level design is practically in a class of its own, and there’s a tonne of extras and secrets tucked away. Decades later, it still stands as one of the plumber’s best house calls. The fact that there’s such a night and day difference between Super Mario Bros. 3 and the first Super Mario Bros. while them both ??belonging to the same console is impressive.

9. Dragon Warrior (1986)

You can feel free to substitute your personal favorite Dragon Warrior (or Dragon Quest) game, but the original still feels the best to me. I prefer its simplicity and open design. Final Fantasy and the three subsequent games in the Dragon Warrior series take the formula in interesting directions, but if this list tells you anything, it’s t??hat I value focus and polish over scale.

I love the twists Dragon Warrior throws at you, and I’m happy it can be completed in, like, ten hours. Its cheerful design makes it a bit more inviting than CRPGs at the time, and its simplicity makes it a great fit for consoles. Really, I love the complete NES run of Dragon Warrior games, but if I had to pick just?? one, it’s the original.

8. Contra (1988)

In arcades, Contra was a merciless quarter-muncher. It was difficult to see even a fraction of it without giving up most of your allowance. In its home 8-bit form, it’s still extremely brutal, but at least it took all your money upfront. Contra on the NES is the seminal run-and-gun shooter, and it made a home for the series on console. It’s smooth, easily readable, varied, and nicely polished. Plus, its soundtrack is pretty kic??king on top of it.

Contra would be followed up by Super C, which is fine but not quite as excellent as the first. This would lead to console-exclusive titles in the series, like Contra 3: The Alien Wars and Contra: Hard Corps. None of those are as good as Metal Slug, but we had to start somewhere.

7. Batman (1989)

Batman: The Video Game has very little to do with Batman the 1989 movie. It has more to do with Ninja Gaiden and Castlevania, but you play as purple Batman and spend most of your time in sewers fighting robots.

The thing about Batman is that it’s like Ninja Gaiden if it was better designed. There’s wall jumping and gadget throwing, but it never resorts to simply spamming enemies at you and completely changing the rules just to screw you over. It’s one of the most difficult games I’ve completed, but I feel like I earned it. Learning to time tho?se jumps in the clock tower, mastering everything on the utility belt, and somehow to?ppling Joker made for a satisfying conquest.

6. Mega Man 2 (1988)

The first Mega Man title sold in North America about as well as a box of live wasps. Thankfully, Capcom reluctantly green-lit a sequel, and even more thankfully, they tried it again over here. With an easier difficulty and uglier box art. Look, Mega Man 2 is already one of the breezier of the original 8-bit titles, but if you’re playing on “Normal�?difficulty, it’s stripped of all challenge. The inappropriately named “difficult�?is the way the Gods of Thumbs intended, and I’m not just saying that as a flex. It’s? actually equivalent to the Famicom version’s s?etup.

When you’re on the proper difficulty, Mega Man 2 has it all. Great soundtrack, solid level design, and memorable boss battles. A lot of people prefer Mega Man 3 to this title, but I think that’s bupkiss. Mega Man 3 is too long, and I find it has the visual flavor of wallpaper paste. A?we??some opening song, though.

5. Punch-Out!! (1987)

I respect Punch-Out!! because I feel it’s a solid idea perfectly executed. Technically, it’s a port of a game that was released in arcades years earlier, but the mere fact that it was refocused to not just being a quarter-munching monster makes it a lot more enjoyable on console. As long as you’re on a setup without horrendous input lag, the visual cues and timing all make for a perfect challenge. Well, until you get into the top tier of boxers. I still can’t actually topple Mike Tyson, because when my a??ttention span faces off against consistently getting my ass kicked, my attention span never makes it three rounds.

4. The Legend of Zelda (1986)

I often associate the original Legend of Zelda as the game that got me into gaming. I was extremely young at the time, but watching my father play through it gripped my mind. However, there are a lot of formative games from my youth that I rarely return to, and Legend of Zelda isn’t one of them. For whatever reason, I’ve developed a habi??t of returning to it almost ann??ually for another playthrough.

Zelda had a massive impact on the direction of game development, but, as I’ve stated, this list isn’t about influence. Stripped of that, The Legend of Zelda is an open game that respects your abilities as an inquisitive human. Maybe a bit too much, but somehow I was able to figure out which bushes to burn, and tha?t’s my mind isn’t letting that go.

3. River City Ransom (1989)

With the severe graphical memory limitations of the NES, beat-’em-ups were a tricky genre to pull off. However, we did get a few gems, including some of the most ubiquitous ports of the Double Dragon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games. Those are fine, but I think Technos�?weird experiment in the Kunio-Kun series stands as the best.

Upgrading your character through food and items, River City Ransom has as much to do with shopping as it does with fighting. When fists go up, it becomes a ridiculous brawl, taking full advantage of its expressive art style. It’s one of the few games I can n??????????????????????????ame that allows you to use the second player ??as a weapon.

I would include more Nekketsu/Kunio-Kun games on this list if they weren’t Famicom exclusive. Check out the Double Dragon & Kunio-Kun: Retro Brawler Bundle if you’d like a taste of what we missed in th?e west.

2. Gun*Nac (1990)

The NES had some great shoot-’em-ups in its library, though many of them were ports of arcade titles, and many more didn’t even make the journey to our front-loaders. Gun*Nac is a major exception, and it’s easily the best on the console.

Featuring amazingly fast scrolling and near-flicker-free graphics, it’s a technical masterpiece. To add to that is an unending variety of enemies and a slew of weapons and bombs to clear the screen. Gun*Nac is unbelievably robust, especiall?y considering its 8-bit trappin??gs. If you haven’t tried it or even heard of it, you’re missing out.

1. Castlevania (1986)

There’s no question in my mind that Castlevania is the best game on the NES. From both an aesthetic and design standpoint, it’s flawless. Featuring tightly refined controls, perfect enemy placement and behavior, a stiff but fair challenge, and a surprising amount of variety, I still consider it to be the best in the series and on the system. Considering the Castlevania series already has enough banger titles to fill its own highly subjective top 18 list, I think that says it all.

Don’t think this is an off-the-cuff decision, either. When my NES library explorations finally reached Castlevania, I knew I had reached the peak. Now that I’ve dug even further, I’m even more certain of it. Castlevania is what 8-bit perfection looks like.

The post Top 18 best NES games of all time, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Stardew Valley is supposed to be about farming but often ends up being about anything else. Killing monsters, romancing townsfolk, and, yes, standing by a pond for days upon end catching fish. The go-at-your-own-pace is part of its charms �?you can approach Stardew Valley however you'd like.

However, the game does lock certain milestones behind dabbling in a little bit of everything, so even for those with the greenest of thumbs or the bloodiest of swords, there will be a time when tools must be put down and fishing rods picked up in their place. Instead of turnips or slimes, your new target is the common Carp, a fish that's not the hardest to come by, but you may need a little help, so here's where and how to catch a Carp in Stardew Valley.

Where to catch Carp in Stardew Valley and its Seasons

The Carp is among the many fish in Stardew Valley you??'ll encounter. Carp have both some seasonal and location-specific restrictions for catching it. Thankfully, this fish has more than one window, more bountiful to come by for its many uses.

Carp Fishing Locations and Seasons

• Mountain Lake - Spring, Summer, Fall
• Wilderness Farm - Spring, Summer, Fall
• Secret Woods - All Seasons
• Sewers - All Seasons
• Mutant Bug Lair - All Seasons

The Mountain La??ke is where most players will go to catch Carp, as it is accessible from the start of the game, and the fish is ??fairly common there.

For those a little later in the game, the Secret Woods has the highest spawn rate of Carp in the game, as well as having them spawn during every season. ??To reach the Secret Woods, players will need to have at least upgraded to a Steel Axe. In the Northw??est corner of the Cindersap Forest is a log that can be removed with a Steel Axe, granting access to the Secret Woods.

What quests require Carp, and how many?

Several ?Help Wanted board quests in the village require Carp for completion, along with a Community Center Bundle.

• Lake Fish Bundle Community Center Bundle

  • 1 Carp required

• Townsfolk Help Wanted Quest

  • 1 Carp requested during Spring, Summer, or Fall

• Fishing "Help Wanted" Quest

  • 1-5 Carp requested during Spring, Summer, or Fall

• Fish Pond Upgrade Quest

  • 2 Carp required

The post How To Catch Carp in Stard??ew Valley: Carp Locations and Seasons appeared first on Destructoid.

Little Kitty, Big City kicked off the Nintendo Indie World Showcase wi?th exciting new features and a release date. Double Dagger Studio ??confirmed its city-fairing kitty will be available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, and PC on May 9, 2024.

The showcase revealed a trove of adorable content. As ?a player, you'll roam about as a curious feline, journeying through the wonders of the big city. The heartwarming goal is to help the kitty find its way back home after an unexpected tumble during a nap.

The trailer features a myriad of fun-filled activities, from spotting a chameleon to aiding the sleep-deprived mayor and even unleashing your artistic side. And, of course, what's a cat game without a little mischief? Knocking things over is a feature that can ea?rn you an exclusive cat-chievement, adding a playful twist to the game.

To add a personal tou??ch, kitty customization is also a key feature. ??With a range of hat cosmetics, you can transform the feline into a bunny, apple, or banana, allowing you to create a cat that's uniquely yours.

So, if you're a cat lover, stay tuned for Little Kitty, Big City's release on May 9, 2024. Pre-orders will be available later today.

The post Little ??Kitty, Big City purrs in a May release date appeared first on Destructoid.