 Nintendo have released a new video giving us a look at the latest update coming to Super Mario Maker 2 on 5 December, which includes one of gaming’s most famous blades.
As well as legendary swords, the update also introduces a couple of new enemy types that will be available across all styles. There’s Spike, who throws spikey balls at players, and Pokey (who probably should have been called Spike) a moving cactus-like creature that comes in a variety of sizes and occasionally flies.
In terms of building materials, the update adds frozen coins, which, as the name suggests, is a coin that’s been frozen in ice. There’s also P blocks that can be switched on and off, and a dash block (Super Mario 3D World style only) that gives players a boost when jumped upon. Finally, there’s a new mode called Ninji Speedruns that tasks players with registering the quickest time on special courses created by Nintendo. In a rather cool addition, Ninji ghosts of other players run alongside you as you compete for the fastest time and rewards. What do you think of the update? Looking forward to wielding the Master Sword? Let us know below.  Nimble (formerly known as Holospark), have pushed back the release date for the Nintendo Switch version of Earthfall.
Earthfall: Alien Horde features 11 campaign chapters and 5 invasion maps in which players must face off against a variety of extra-terrestrial foes, utilising barricades and 3D printed weapons during periodic choke points in order to survive.
James gave the game a solid 7/10 when he reviewed the Xbox One version last year, noting that while the AI bots might not be the greatest team players, the game is still “ruddy good fun, if a tad disposable.” Earthfall: Alien Horde is out 29 October on Nintendo Switch. Did you play the original? Looking forward to the Switch version? Let us know below.  Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have revealed Pokémon Shield’s latest exclusive ‘mon, a Galar region Ponyta.
“Galarian Ponyta have been found in a certain forest of the Galar region since ancient times. It is said that they were exposed to the overflowing life energy of the forest over many generations, and therefore their appearance became unique in this region,” reads the press release.
“Galarian Ponyta can absorb the life energy of the surrounding atmosphere and store it in its mane. Its mane will become more colorful, and even emit a sparkling glow, if there is an abundance of energy around.” News that Galar Ponyta will be joining the Shield roster as an exclusive Pokémon is the latest big reveal for the upcoming pair of games after Nintendo unveiled Sirfetch’d as a Sword exclusive last month. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are out 15 November on Switch. What do you think of Ponyta’s new look? Let us know below or in the forums.  Blizzard have revealed a new LEGO-themed limited-time event for their multiplayer shooter, Overwatch, called Bastion’s Brick Challenge.
You can also pick up LEGO-themed rewards by sinking a few hours into participating Twitch streams, though you’ll have to link your Blizzard account to your Twitch account first. The video above helpfully shows what steps you need to take in order to do just that.
Once you’re up and running, watching two hours’ worth of selected streams gets you a D.Va spray, four hours Tracer and Widowmaker player icons, while six hours sees viewers receiving two sprays and two player icons for Hanzo and Genji. Will you be trying to collect all the rewards on offer? Let us know below or over in the forums.  Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have revealed a new Galar region evolution for the leek wielding Pokémon, Farfetch’d, which will be called Sirfetch’d.
As well as vegetable-based weaponry, Sirfetch’d also has an exclusive move called Meteor Assault, which you can see in the trailer above. This signature attack sees Sirfetch’d charge its opponent with its leek at great speed, but while it’s said to be “devastatingly powerful”, it also leaves the duck Pokémon “unable to take action” immediately after using it. Here’s a bit more on Sirfetch’d’s background: “In battle, Sirfetch'd uses the sharp stalk of its leek as a lance and the thick leaves as a shield. It maintains this leek over the span of many years and treasures it more than anything. When its leek finally withers, Sirfetch'd will leave the battlefield and retire from battling entirely.”  Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are out 15 November on Nintendo Switch.
What do you think of the latest addition to the Galar region? Have you already picked your starter Pokémon like we have? Let us know below or over in the forums.  Weappy Studios and THQ Nordic have announced Rebel Cops, a new 15-hour game inspired by their cops vs gangsters strategy series, This is the Police.
Rebel Cops features the same XCOM-like, turn-based tactical combat first introduced in This is the Police 2, along with the series’ familiar squad and personnel management.
Despite living outside the ‘law’, your squad are still police officers, so players are given plenty of non-lethal weapons and perks - such as the unlockable ability to arrest people from further away - in order to peacefully takedown criminals. Should things go south, enemies can be taken down with a single shot to the head, whilst other injuries can cause them to bleed out quickly, though the same rules also apply to cops under your command. Your teams’ diminished status means that firearms, equipment and ammunition are harder to come by, so players must therefore search the large sandbox levels for items of value that can either be sold on the black market or used. Players can gain credibility and better relationships with merchants by completing side missions for the Ripton townsfolk, but excessive civilian deaths, or failure to successfully complete a mission can cause trading difficulties or even allies to turn on you. Rebel Cops is out Tuesday, 17 September on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch and PC with an RRP of $9.99 / €9.99. What do you think of the spin-off? Let us know below or over in the forums.  Ports aplenty were promised for Nintendo's portable platform in the latest Direct, alongside the usual batch of new trailers and updates to existing titles.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition launches on the same date and includes all previously released DLC. Other notable ports were briefly advertised, such as Vampyr, which is due in October, DOOM 64 in November and Assassin's Creed: Rebel Collection on 6 December. The latter is a dual pack featuring Black Flag and Rogue along with all previously released DLC. Luigi's Mansion 3 lands on Halloween and every floor of the haunted hotel has a different setting, from the disco-themed Dance Hall to the piratical Spectral Cove. A new multiplayer mode, ScreamPark, sees Team Luigi take on Team Gooigi in a series of party games. More of the two upcoming Pokémon games, Sword and Shield, were showcased, giving us a look at two new Pokémon and some interesting features. Polteageist is a ghost type creature which haunts a teapot and Cramorant is a flying and water type, which does not. You'll be able to hang out with friends at Pokémon Camp where you can cook various curries, filling up your Curry Dex as you "master the art of curry." Look forward to it on 15 November. Those with a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be getting a little more bang for their buck. From today, 20 SNES titles will be available to subscribers at no extra charge. The full list is below with more are to be added in the future.  There's also a replica of the original SNES controller you can purchase for that definitive retro feel. A lot of reveals and announcements were thrown into the busy 40-minute slot, which you can catch in full below. Otherwise, check the Nintendo eShop for the latest demos, pre-orders and free-to-play games. What did you think of the latest Direct? Let us know in the comments or over in the forums.
 Traxmaster Software’s neon-drenched, level-shifting 2.5D platformer, Exception, is now available on PC and consoles.
All the action is set to a futuresynth soundtrack created by some of the genre’s top artists, including Waveshaper and Kalax.
“After five years in development I am stoked to finally release Exception for everyone to enjoy,” said Will Traxler, Founder of Traxmaster Software. “The shifting environment in Exception offers players a new way to experience action platforming while the whole game aesthetic harkens back to arcade nostalgia.” Exception is available now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC with an RRP of $14.99/€12.49/£10.99 Let us know what you think of the game below or over in the forums.  The FPS had its name changed following the (somewhat predictable) threat of legal action from renowned metal band Iron Maiden.
“After careful consideration, we’ve decided to rename our first-person-shooter “Ion Maiden” to “Ion Fury,”” said Mike Nielsen, CEO of 3D Realms.
“A lot of thought went into this, but most importantly it would be a disservice to our loyal fanbase and the fantastic developers, to drag out a long lawsuit. The amazing gameplay, interactivity and pure fun, is what makes Ion Fury a great game. Not the title.” Ion Fury is a retro-styled shooter inspired by classic 90s titles such as Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior and Blood. Created with the Build Engine, which also powered the aforementioned shooters, Ion Fury combines old-school visuals with modern features such as auto saves, widescreen support, map interactivity, improved physics and even headshots. A preview campaign is currently available on PC through Steam Early Access for $19.99 (or regional equivalent). Those who purchased the preview campaign will receive the full game – which will cost $24.99 - as a free update when it launches next month. Ion Fury is out 15 August on Steam. Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Switch versions will be released at a later date. What do you think of the name change? Let us know below or over in the forums. Nintendo announce Switch Lite10/7/2019 
Nintendo have unveiled a new Lite addition to the Switch family.
Switch Lite supports local and online connectivity, amiibo, and will be available in either grey, yellow or turquoise varieties. A special Pokémon Sword and Shield edition has also been announced, and goes on sale in November.
It also appears to have improved battery life, with Nintendo stating on their comparison page that Breath of the Wild can be played for “roughly four hours on a single charge” on Switch Lite, as opposed to the three hours on a regular Switch.
Naturally, only games that support handheld mode – which is most Switch games – can be played on the Switch Lite. Additional Joy-Cons can be connected wirelessly for games that require motion controls, such as 1-2 Switch, Super Mario Party and Nintendo Labo’s Robot, Variety and Vehicle Kits, but these need to be purchased separately. 
Nintendo Switch Lite launches 20 September with an RRP of $199.99. No official UK or European price point has been announced yet.
What do you think of the Switch Lite? Let us know below or in the forums. |
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