Remember Samba de Amigo? No longer relegated to serving as a racing game cameo who was once prominently featured in a franchise of old: the monkey with attitude returns in Samba de Amigo: Party Central on Switch.

Sea of Stars is also out on August 29, and fascinatingly, serves as a prequel to Sabotage Studio's wild 2018 project The Messenger. Blasphemous 2 (which we reviewed!) is out today, rounding out a pretty strong showing for the Switch eShop, with three brand new games this week. That explains why the rest of the lineup is smaller (relative to other weeks).

Nintendo Download: Samba de Amigo

• Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case – Available Aug. 29
• Alice Escaped!
• Arcade Archives DARK ADVENTURE
• Ashina: The Red Witch – Available Aug. 25
• Crypto Miner Tycoon Simulator
• Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils
• Giant Wishes – Available Aug. 25
• GINSHA
• Golf: Hole in One – Available Aug. 29
• Heart Chain Kitty: All Screwed Up – Available Aug. 28
• Hello Engineer
• Hidden Paws Bundle – Available Aug. 28
• Little Devil: Foster Mayhem – Available Aug. 25
• One-Two Combo Bundle: Punch Club Franchise
• Plumber Bundle 3 in 1
• Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles – Available Aug. 29
• Rocket Car : Ultimate Ball League Machines – Available Aug. 25
• Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate
• Sphereout – Available Aug. 29
• Stack Ball Run!
• The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation – Available Aug. 30
• The Nightmare: Serial Killers
• Wildagotchi: Virtual Pet – Available Aug. 25
• Word Search Puzzle: Find the Words!
• Xtreme Sports
• Zombie Outbreak: Survival in Ancient Egyptian

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Nintendo Download: Samba de Amigo: Party Central appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo has announced that the next game joining the Nintendo Switch Online (Expansion Pack) line-up. Excitebike 64 will be arriving on August 30.

Excitebike 64 is generally remembered as being a better-than-expected motocross game. It was a rather strange title where, if you looked past the rather generic visuals and excess of dirt, you’d be rewarded with a lot of strangeness. This includes a soccer mini-game that the internet likes to call the original version of Rocket League and an endless desert.

It also got an unexpectedly awesome trailer:

https://youtu.be/mVHhNyEQeio?feature=shared

I rented Excitebike 64 back in the day and loved it. When I reunited with it years later, I couldn’t find that same spark. I pick it up every now and then, trying to remember why I loved it so much, and still can’t do it. There’s too much dirt. Too much bike. Not enough excite. Still, remember when Nintendo had its own line of sports games that didn’t involve Mario? I prefer Mario sports games over real ones, but I also love variety.

This is the fourth of five games Nintendo promised us for 2023. Many have been pointing out that somehow Mario Party 3 is currently the one left out. Considering the first two Mario Party games were released in 2022, it’s kind of strange that they aren’t in more of a hurry to complete the trilogy.

It would also be nice if they added more non-Nintendo titles. The Star Wars games, maybe? The Goemon games? Hybrid Heaven? It doesn’t really matter to me, personally, since I have an extensive N64 collection. However, there’s more to experience on the console than just Nintendo’s contributions.

Excitebike 64 will be arriving on the Nintendo Switch Online N64 app on August 30.

The post Get ready for dirt bike soccer, Excitebike 64 gets added to Nintendo Switch Online on August 30 appeared first on Destructoid.

When playing through Pikmin 4, I generally didn't want to stop. The joy of treasure hunting, discovering new areas, and taking breaks to hang out at the home base (or go on Castle Defense-esque night missions) was too enticing: and now its existence has spawned a real-life treasure hunter.

A self-described "clay artist with a love of Pikmin," Twitter user ZatchMehr is trying to eventually locate and acquire every in-game Pikmin 4 treasure in real life. They've noted that they started their quest roughly three days after the game came out, and it's taken them about a month to get this far.

If you're curious, they've even been chronicling their journey with tweets of individual collections, in a near 1:1 recreation of the in-game collection screenshots:

• Recreation Collection
• Hands of Fate
• The Rescue Command Post tutorial
• Newly Nostalgic

As a reminder Pikmin 4 has 239 treasures (that are uniquely designed): so there's still a ways to go.

https://twitter.com/ZatchMehr/status/1694121307129127421

How many treasures do you have?

In terms of the electronic stuff, I own that exact Wavebird, the small Game and Watch portable, the GameCube Wave Race disc, the SNES mouse, the red/blue Switch Joy-Con set, and that blue GBA SP. It was a blast going through Pikmin 4 and pointing at the screen like that Leo meme: the idea of collecting Earthly "treasures" during your adventure is genius.

The attention to detail is impressive, as some of these items are exact replicas, and many come as close as humanly possible without resorting to making a Pikmin-specific Etsy store. As for the food items, ZatchMehr explains that "fake fruit comes in clutch," so don't worry about it spoiling!

[Thanks Jeff]

The post Amazingly, someone is trying to actually collect every Pikmin 4 treasure appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo has announced that the longtime voice actor of many iconic Mario characters is stepping back from the role. In a Tweet today, they made the announcement that Charles Martinet is instead moving into the role of “Mario Ambassador.”

Charles Martinet has been in the role of Mario since 1994’s CD-ROM version of Mario Teaches Typing. Beyond the red-shirted plumber, he also went on to voice just about every other male character in the Mushroom Kingdom, including Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi. However, the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie cast Chris Pratt in the role, and trailers for Super Mario Wonder had many people questioning if Martinet had been replaced. That’s still kind of up in the air.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1693624002982314108?s=20

The post made by Nintendo doesn’t address the reasons for Martinet stepping back. However, it says that he will continue to travel to promote the character. They plan to follow up with a video featuring Charles Martinet and Shigeru Miyamoto, which will hopefully provide more information.

It’s a bit of a curious thing. Mario hasn’t been the most vocal character, so it shouldn't be that jarring to have another actor in the role. However, Martinet has been almost inseparable from the character for a long while now and had previously stated in 2021, “I want to voice Mario until I drop dead.” Really, I’m just hoping that agreeable circumstances led to him leaving the role.

I also hope Nintendo isn’t planning on taking Mario games into a more dialogue-reliant direction, but that’s a personal preference.

Nintendo did not state if Martinet will still be playing his roles in upcoming games, such as the Super Mario RPG remake or Super Mario Bros. Wonder. More information is forthcoming.

The post Charles Martinet is stepping down as voice of Mario appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo is hardly the worst company when it comes to localizing their games, but considering how many great titles they have, any single game that an audience doesn’t get is a real blow.

Leaving a game unlocalized wasn’t very common in the early days when there was less text in games. Mostly we missed out on games like Famicom Detective Club and Fire Emblem, both titles that eventually received translations and re-releases. Mainly, the number of unlocalized titles bloated out in the early 3D era, then retracted again once we hit HD and the world became better connected through the internet.

However, there are still a number of titles that Nintendo has yet to localize, and I would like to bring them to your attention. Maybe we just need to make a bit of noise, and we’ll finally get to see them in English.

[caption id="attachment_397404" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (1988, Famicom Disk System)

Both the Famicom Grand Prix games remained in Japan and never got the cartridge treatment. Frankly, I’d love to see both of them get a tongue-swap, but of the two, the biggest standout is Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally.

It’s a bit like Outrun but more off-road. You drive one of three cars piloted by Mario and Luigi across branching tracks. It’s not a terribly big game, but it’s one of my favorite retro raster racers. The effort to translate this one would be rather minimal. There isn’t much Japanese text outside the menus. It wouldn’t be a bad choice to just release as-is on the Nintendo Switch Online NES channel.

[caption id="attachment_397406" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Famicom Wars (1988, Famicom)

The precursor to Advance Wars, Famicom Wars has been superseded by newer entries in a lot of different ways. However, I still love it as a curiosity. With fewer complexities and a fun campaign, I still think the original Famicom Wars is worthwhile.

Heck, we briefly got a re-release of the original Fire Emblem, and that’s a game that has been remade on DS. Famicom Wars would be easier to translate, as there isn’t really any dialog. On the other hand, I think Nintendo is terrified of cannibalizing sales. With Advance Wars Reboot Camp 1+2, freshly released, they might be afraid that people would start with the original and never move onto their shinier, more expensive modern remake. A ridiculous hypothetical, but you won’t stop me from speculating about the sort of evils that cigar-chomping corporate executives get up to.

[caption id="attachment_397407" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Joy Mecha Fight (1993, Famicom)

Joy Mecha Fight is an odd one. It came out late in the Famicom’s lifespan and seems to be an attempt to cash in on the arcade fighter boom. However, Nintendo had already secured Street Fighter II for the Super Famicom, so it almost seems irrelevant.

Nonetheless, Joy Mecha Fight is a pretty solid arcade fighter. It’s one of the few to ape the Street Fighter II formula on the 8-bit console outside of bootlegs. It also has an interesting single-player mode that has you unlock new robots as you go. There is a bunch of dialogue, but not a ridiculous amount. I imagine the only reason Nintendo didn’t localize it back in ‘93 is because the NES was already on the way out.

[caption id="attachment_397438" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via MobyGames[/caption]

Custom Robo (1999, N64)

The Custom Robo series felt like it was on the cusp of being something big. While Nintendo eventually got around to bringing the series westward with Custom Robo on the GameCube, the N64 originals never found their way over here.

Custom Robo is a pretty fitting name. You customize a robot, then enter them in arena battles. You collect parts, rise the ranks, and continually improve your killing machine. There was another Japan-exclusive sequel, Custom Robo V2, which added tag-team battles.

Both of the Custom Robo titles are available on Nintendo’s Switch Online N64 channel, but once again, only in Japan. We’re way past due for an official English release.

[caption id="attachment_397431" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via MobyGames[/caption]

Densetsu no Stafy (2002, Game Boy Advance)

We eventually got a single game from the Densetsu no Stafy series in 2008: The Legendary Starfy. However, there were four extremely well-received titles that came before it that have never been released outside of Japan. Developed by Tose, the Densetsu no Stafy series is a cutesy platformer similar to the Kirby games.

Actually, I don’t have a better way to describe Densetsu no Stafy aside from saying it’s a cute platformer. But the series is somewhat renowned – even in North America – as extremely good platformers. It’s kind of surprising that we only got the very tail end of the series and nothing else. But maybe it’s time for a Densetsu no Stafy collection. I mean, I don’t own any of the Stafy games. I’m just saying that I’m not opposed to owning all the Stafy games, Nintendo.

[caption id="attachment_397429" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via MobyGames[/caption]

Giftpia (2003, Gamecube)

I don’t think anyone has suffered more from Nintendo’s reluctance to localize some of their pre-HD titles than Skip, one of the offshoots from the legendary Love-de-Lic. Giftpia was the first game they put out after becoming established. It’s also the title that most resembles the classic Love-de-Lic formula.

You play as a kid who misses their own ceremony to advance into adulthood. They’re subsequently thrown in jail for their irresponsibility and has to make amends by making the inhabitants of their island home happy. It’s the same idea as games like Moon: Remix RPG and Chulip. It’s an important addition for fans of that very specific flavor, which makes it frustrating that we never got it over here.

[caption id="attachment_397435" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via MobyGames[/caption]

Mother 3 (2006, GBA)

I don’t feel like I even need to explain this one. Mother 2 was localized in North America as Earthbound on the SNES. While it didn’t make much of a splash when it was first released in 1994, it found an extremely devoted cult following that gradually spread its influence to the point where it’s still closely emulated today.

Fans have fought tooth and nail to get Mother 3 localized going as far back as its initial release in Japan back in 2006. A high-profile fan translation helped soothe the pain, but we’re still waiting for Nintendo to finally bring it to us in an official capacity. I’m not certain there has ever been a game with more demand for a localization than there is for Mother 3. Yet here we are. Coming on 20 years later with only a fan translation.

[caption id="attachment_397436" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via MobyGames[/caption]

Captain Rainbow (2008, Wii)

Here’s another Skip game built on the classic Love-de-Lic philosophy of creating games about making people happy. You play as a super-hero who has lost his powers. You wander an island, helping people, with the goal being to become popular again.

Captain Rainbow was extremely interesting in that it’s a real Nintendo fan’s game. Of the characters you interact with are such faces as Little Mac from Punch-Out!! and Birdo from Super Mario Bros. 2. The sort of characters who kind of sit to the side of more popular ones like Mario and Link. But, I guess there are no Nintendo fans in the West.

[caption id="attachment_397413" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Okaeri Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Ōsōji! (2009, DS)

This one is a real sore spot for me. The original Chibi-Robo on Gamecube is one of my absolute favorite titles on the console. However, Skip never really returned to the original formula, except for once. That’s this game, Okaeri Chibi-Robo.

While most Chibi-Robo sequels still have an emphasis on making people happy, Okaeri Chibi-Robo was the only other title in the series to cast you as a house-cleaning robot. You’re employed by Jenny, the daughter in the first game, and you’re let loose in her house to not only keep it clean, but to also upgrade it to give the family the life they deserve. Along the way, you once again assist the toys and ultimately help bring an end to the household’s pain.

The most recent game in the series is 2015’s Chibi-Robo Ziplash on the 3DS. I bought it for the Chibi-Robo Amiibo that came packed with it, because I really didn’t have much interest in the side-scrolling game that came with it. What burns me is that producer Kensuke Tanabe said that Ziplash might be “the last chance” for Chibi-Robo. Excuse me? You staked Chibi-Robo’s future on a game that is merely a sidescroller with the character in it? Nobody asked for that? We want Okaeri Chibi-Robo!

[caption id="attachment_397423" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Buddy Mission BOND (2021, Switch)

I mentioned that a game not being localized by Nintendo is a rarity these days. Well, here is one of those rarities. Buddy Mission BOND was released for Switch in 2021. It’s mostly a visual novel with action segments. You select a pair of buddies who go out and investigate, find clues, and interview suspects. Afterward, it’s time to bust into the bad guy’s base. The route you take through the action scenes depends on what you found during the investigation.

It kind of surprises me that Nintendo went to the work of Famicom Detective Club, but seems to have no intention of localizing Buddy Mission BOND. It’s maddening because it sounds exactly like the sort of visual novel that I want to play. Maybe the success of Square Enix’s Paranormasight will convince Nintendo that there’s a market for visual novels in North America.

The post 10 games Nintendo needs to localize appeared first on Destructoid.

We knew that Red Dead Redemption II would be coming to Switch, and now it's finally here! Whether it's actually worth the (checks notes) $50 Rockstar is charging for it is one thing: but at least it comes with the Undead Nightmare DLC, which is one of the silliest romps the studio has ever created.

In other Switch eShop news, Quake II was surprised-released, and we even reviewed it (on PC)! This classic still holds up, but if you want something newer, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is out on August 18. Here's the gist of this extremely Jet Set Radio-looking game: "Red is a graffiti writer who lost his head and instead has an AI robohead. In search of his roots, he joins the Bomb Rush Crew, Tryce and Bel, who are aiming to go All City. Together they discover who it was that cut off his head and how deeply Red’s human side is linked to the graffiti world."

If none of those catch your interest, there's, as usual, a ton of other stuff to sift through.

Nintendo Download: Quake II Edition

• A Castle Full of Cats
• Aery – Flow of Time
• Airplane Race Simulator – 2 Player Game – Available Aug. 18
• Arcade Archives MAD SHARK
• Arcade Snake Go!
• BOKURA
• Brave Bow Archer: Princess Rescue Simulator! – Available Aug. 22
• Candle Fire Run!
• Cat’s Cosmic Atlas – Available Aug. 18
• Chrome Wolf
• Die After Sunset
• Duck Race
• Embraced By Autumn – Available Aug. 18
• Forklift 2024 – The Simulation
• FRMaster – Formula Racing Simulator – Available Aug. 19
• Funny Jokes
• Gauntler
• Hidden Shapes: Cat Realm + Trick or Cats
• Luck Breaker
• Marble It Up! Ultra
• Neko Journey – Available Aug. 18
• Quantum: Recharged
• Rescue Team 911 Simulator - Ambulance,Police, Firefighter – Available Aug. 19
• Sable’s Grimoire: Man And Elf – Available Aug. 18
• Satay Shop Tycoon
• SHINOBI NON GRATA
• Skateboard Drifting with Maxwell Cat: The Game Simulator – Available Aug. 19
• The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
• Tsugunohi
• Vampire Survivors
• Virgo Versus The Zodiac – Available Aug. 23
• Vostok 2061
• Wizards Legacy – Nightmare Park Manager Simulator
• Wroom Wroom Puzzles

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Nintendo Download: Quake II appeared first on Destructoid.

For the most part, I don't have a dog in the hut when it comes to Splatoon 3 Splatfests. I mean sure, sometimes it might be important for Ganondorf to beat out Link and Zelda (he has real edgy Venom/Shadow energy that should be celebrated) when I have nothing better to do that week. But the results for this particular Splatfest are too spicy not to share.

According to a tweet from Nintendo over the weekend, Money beat out Fame and Love to take the golden crown. There's something utterly terrifying about seeing the phrase "Money Wins!" popping up in a cute little paintball game featuring squid kids. At least it wasn't a blowout! As a reader has pointed out Love has won twice in the past in the wholesome Splatoon-verse: but money winning (in any context) isn't surprising.

https://twitter.com/SplatoonNA/status/1690919098958462976

Here are the final results for the August Money/Fame/Love Splatfest

• Money - 33p
• Fame - 12p
• Love - 12p

How is Splatoon 3 as 2023 rolls on?

Well, it's steady.

I don't think anyone expected Epic Games/Fortnite-level support for this third iteration, but things have slowed down considerably after Nintendo announced the Inkpolis DLC roughly five months after launch. Until that point Splatoon 3 was sitting pretty, riding on the wave of ranked play, Salmon Run, and Tableturf Battle. At launch, Splatoon 3 had a decent spread of modes that kept people playing throughout the holiday season, bolstered by the aforementioned Splatfest events. Afterward, the cracks began to show a bit, which Nintendo has addressed somewhat with quality-of-life patches. A bonafide tournament system is also on the way, as is a second campaign-focused DLC called Side Order.

What will Splatoon 4 bring to the table? (Update)

It'll be interesting to see how Nintendo handles a potential Splatoon 4. It feels like (creatively at least) they need to go the spinoff route at this point, as they've likely squeezed all the juice they can out of the basic format introduced in Splatoon 1 all the way back in 2015. But as this recent Splatfest reveals, money talks!

Sales-wise Splatoon 3 is holding incredibly strong, so maybe we'll get another iteration with a new campaign and city, on top of a new mode that backs up Salmon Run and Tableturf. Either way, I'm sure the fans will be satisfied. Splatoon has carved a nice little profitable niche out for itself, and has cemented itself as one of Nintendo's premiere franchises.

The post Unsurprisingly, money beats fame and love in newest Splatoon 3 Splatfest appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will soon be receiving DLC called The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero to expand the main game. The first half of the DLC is titled The Teal Mask, and it is set to release on September 13 while the second half, titled The Indigo Disk, will be available in Winter.

In the lead-up to the launch of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, a trailer has been released that teases a 19thTera Type. Not much has been revealed about it, though it has the potential to shake up Pokemon battles.

[caption id="attachment_396558" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Game Freak.[/caption]

Lots to discover in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero

All we know so far is that the symbol for the new Tera Type is rainbow-colored and features six pentagons surrounding a hexagon. As it currently stands, Terastallizing a Pokemon strengthens moves of the same type. Though it is unclear how the 19th Tera Type works, it does appear that it may be related to the new Pokemon Terapagos, which also has a hexagon surrounded by pentagons on its shell.

https://youtu.be/0VLPfiX5VJU

The latest trailer primarily focuses on The Indigo Disk. Taking advantage of nostalgia, the upcoming DLC will feature several past Starters, with critters such as Froakie, Piplup, Totodile, and Bulbasaur making an appearance, to name a few. A couple of new Pokemon moves are also showcased in the trailer. Gardevior is seen using Psychic Noise, a harsh attack that deals damage while preventing the target from healing, while Hariyama is seen using Upper Hand which allows it to strike before a target's priority move.

Two new Paradox Pokemon and their moves are also showcased. The giraffe-necked Pokemon named Raging Bolt is based on Raikou, and it can learn a new Electric-type move called Thunderclap. Iron Crown is a Paradox Pokemon based on Cobalion, and it learns a new move called Tachyon Cutter which is guaranteed to strike twice in a row.

There's more Pokemon on the way beyond the generational DLC

In addition to The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, fans have a few more Pokemon events to look forward to this year. Detective Pikachu Returns launches on October 6, while the animated web series Pokemon: Paldean Winds will debut on September 6.

The post Pokémon teases vague 19th Tera Type for Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

In a bizarre move, Red Dead Redemption will be available on Nintendo Switch for $49.99 on August 17, and uh, the reaction to that price has been "mixed," to put it lightly! I mean, I guess it does have the Undead Nightmare DLC and the Game of the Year bonus content, but you can get all of that and more for much cheaper on other platforms. The Switch version (alongside the upcoming PS4 edition) also does not include multiplayer capabilities. In any case, the choice is yours.

Moving Out 2 is the other major release, and that's out on August 15. This is a day-and-date release with other platforms, which is always nice to see. Oh, and there are tons of other things out if you want to comb through the below list!

• A Castle Full of Cats – Available Aug. 17
• Acceptance – Available Aug. 11
• Ace Antigravity Combat Racing
• Aery – Flow of Time – Available Aug. 17
• Anthology of Fear
• Arcade Archives BARADUKE 2
• Astro Flame: Starfighter – Available Aug. 15
• Ball Master Up!
• Black Skylands – Available Aug. 15
• Bright Lights of Svetlov – Available Aug. 11
• Chickenoidz Super Party
• Chrome Wolf – Available Aug. 17
• Cinderella: Interactive Book
• Cooking Arena
• Creepy Tale: Ingrid Penance – Available Aug. 16
• Death Becomes You
• Detective Agency: Gray Tie 2 Collector’s Edition
• Die After Sunset – Available Aug. 17
• Draknek and Friends Puzzle Bundle
• Elypse
• Farm Frenzy: Refreshed
• Female Nation Takeover - 女性国家乗っ取り計画 - 盗賊の俺が王になる -
• Hamster on Rails
• Idle Zoo Park
• It’s Puzzles: Wild Nature
• Marble It Up! Ultra – Available Aug. 17
• Mondealy
• Monster Prom 3: Monster Roadtrip XXL
• Moolii’s Dreamland
• Mouse Trap – The Board Game
• Mysterious Adventure of Michael
• Neon Blight
• Organ Trail Complete Edition
• Pipe Dream
• Prison Life Simulator Jail – Gangster Escape Games Scary Architect Battle – Available Aug. 11
• Pups & Purrs Pet Shop
• Puzzle Boys
• Quantum: Recharged – Available Aug. 17
• Rainbow Skies – Available Aug. 11
• SHINOBI NON GRATA – Available Aug. 17
• Slime Girl Smoothies
• Sonar Beat
• Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
• Summer Valley Hike – Available Aug. 15
• Sven – Completely Screwed
• The Rewinder
• TOW TRUCK Driver Simulator 2023 – Available Aug. 12
• Ultimate General: Gettysburg
• Vampire Survivors – Available Aug. 17
• Wash Simulator – Clean Garage, House, Cars Business Tycoons
• Wild Legion
• Witch’s Garden
• World Spin
• X-Force Under Attack
• Zombie Soup

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Nintendo Download: Red Dead Redemption appeared first on Destructoid.

While the recent August 2023 Pokemon Presents stream was a disappointment for some, Scarlet & Violet fans at least had a little bit to chew on. Amid the announcement that this generation's first expansion was just around the corner, we also got word that Mewtwo would be coming to the game in September via a Tera Raid event. That's neat at least!

Before that actually happens, you can do some extra prep work if you're not ready to go. The good news is that The Pokemon Company is making that easy with an event that's live right now through the next week or so: so even lapsed players can dive in without having to make up for weeks (or months) of lost time.

All the info on the August 9 through August 17 Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Tera Raid event

From now through August 17, you'll be able to catch three Pokemon designed to counter Mewtwo. You can find all of the event info here on the official Japanese Pokemon site.

Here are the three Pokemon you can catch:

• Blissey
• Scizor
• Hydreigon

As you may have noticed from all the fanfare, all three of these will help you take out Mewtwo in some form as part of a larger party. You'll also get stat-raising items, as well as TMs that will help you conquer the psychic-wielding creature.

If you're on vacation or missed out, there's another event on the way

If you missed the first round of the event through August 17, you can still catch the second-chance one that runs from September 1 through September 17. Conveniently, that's when the Mewtwo event is running as well!

The post The next Pokemon Scarlet and Violet raid event is designed to help you take down Mewtwo appeared first on Destructoid.

Typically Nintendo rolls out My Nintendo rewards for upcoming or recently-released first-party games, but this time they're returning to July 2022's Xenoblade Chronicles 3, which just hosted a newish DLC. The reward is a coaster set priced at a whopping 700 Platinum Points, and it comes with four coasters and two sticker sheets.

Here's the full description of the set from Nintendo:

"This set of four coasters features artwork of characters Noah, Mio, Eunie, Taion, Lanz, Sena, Riku and Manana from the game. The coaster set also comes with two sheets of character stickers. These coasters work well when relaxing with a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, just like when you're at a Rest Stop in the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 game. Each coaster features a cork underside and a laminated top. The set comes in an adventure-ready metal container."

To be fair to its higher point-based price, it also has those stickers, and a metal container. It's important to note (as the description says) that the coasters themselves aren't metal: they're cork/laminated on top. Still, that's far better than some of the past My Nintendo paper coaster offerings that practically melt after a few uses.

Need Platinum Points?

As a reminder, if you want physical rewards, you can find our full Platinum Point guide here, which has been updated with details on weekly missions: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward. A handful of points is incredibly easy to get, as that’s basically just 15 minutes with Super Mario Run, or a quick sign-on to the 3DS or Wii U 3Shop. Also remember that any shipments are bundled together, so you can pay a flat rate for multiple items instead of paying it each time. Just know that items go out of stock on My Nintendo frequently, and some are never restocked

The post Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Camping Coasters are the next My Nintendo reward appeared first on Destructoid.

People can't get enough of Yoshi. He's happy, he's an incredibly useful power-up from time to time, and he's cute. What more could you want out of a companion? Well, more official artwork would be a start! New art of the adorable dino popped up on the Nintendo UK Twitter account this week, showing off a straw-hat-donning Mario with a yellow Yoshi pal. Nintendo is calling it an "Original Mario wallpaper" work, celebrating this very-hot summer of 2023.

We're big Yoshi fans in my household. Not only do we constantly relive games where Yoshi is playable, but we also can't help but smile every time he turns up. I also spent an inordinate amount of time in Yo'ster Isle in Super Mario RPG and will do so yet again when the remake arrives later this year. I'm really feeling the vibe of this artwork, though my summer experience doesn't look anything like this!

Where to download the Mario and Yoshi Summer 2023 wallpaper

You can find the original source here on Nintendo of Japan's site, which includes the following resolution options:

• 1080 x 1920
• 1200 x 1920
• 1242 x 2688
• 1536 x 2048
• 1920 x 1080

Note that you will need a Nintendo account to download the wallpaper directly, though there isn't a Platinum Point/My Nintendo requirement/cost associated with it.

The post Nintendo just shared super cute Mario and Yoshi wallpaper art appeared first on Destructoid.

The first DLC excursion of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have a release date. Part 1, The Teal Mask, arrives on September 13, and its follow-up The Indigo Disk arrives in winter 2023.

A trailer shown during today's Pokémon Presents dove into what we can expect from Scarlet and Violet's two-part DLC, both set to arrive this year. The Teal Mask follows two trainers, Carmine and her younger brother Kieran, as we get wrapped up in a festival and local folklore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QiLe4pTHAE

Of course, there are new Pokémon to catch. Dipplin is a dipped version of Applin. It looks like some special Pokémon are also tied into the folk tale surrounding the Festival of Masks we can attend.

Perrin, a Pokémon photographer, will also be around to give players missions to snap shots. A racing minigame will also garner Mochi, which lets you train Pokemon as you want. A Roto Stick upgrade also gives players  some new photo mode options. All of that is part of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's The Teal Mask DLC, arriving on September 13.

The BB League awaits

For The Indigo Disk, the second part of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC, the player heads to the Blueberry Academy as an exchange student. Here, you basically get wrapped up in a battle anime plot, as the students seem to like battling in their own BB League.

[caption id="attachment_395423" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via The Pokémon Company/YouTube[/caption]

There's also a new open area with different biomes, new classes to take, and a special trial that will let your Koraidon or Miraidon fly instead of glide. A few other neat features await in The Indigo Disk, including new Pokéball throwing styles and a way to hang out with trainers from Paldea.

All of the DLC adventures lead back to where Pokémon Scarlet and Violet concluded in the base game: Area Zero. As the entire DLC pack is called The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, it looks like there will be more mysteries to uncover in that deep crater.

Though the base game arrived a bit rough, I'm still interested to see where Game Freak takes the story from here. Area Zero was one of the most interesting parts of Scarlet and Violet, and these two DLC packs seem to be leaning into some strong areas. It'll be interesting to see how these additions come together.

The post Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s first DLC The Teal Mask arrives on September 13 appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokémon fans should mark their calendars, as a new Pokémon Presents event has been announced.  You can watch it on YouTube at 6 PM PDT on August 8. The presentation will be a full 35 minutes long, which gives plenty of opportunity for some big presentations and announcements.

Though there has yet to be any word on what fans can expect, some reasonable guesses can be made. It had been previously revealed that DLC titled The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is in the works for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It will be released in two parts, with part 1 The Teal Mask, scheduled for Fall. Part 2, titled The Indigo Disk, will hit stores in Winter.

https://twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1687449174021660672

Pokémon Presents comes at the right time

With the release window creeping nearer, it is likely that the DLC will make an appearance in the upcoming Pokémon Presents event. Thus far, we know that The Teal Mask will take players to the Kitakami region as part of a school trip. Some new Pokémon have been showcased, including a trio consisting of a dog-like creature called Okidogi, a monkey-like critter called Munkidori, and a bird Pokemon called Fezandipiti.

There are a couple of spin-off titles that could also make an appearance. Detective Pikachu Returns is slated for an October 6 release. It will serve as the sequel to 2018's Detective Pikachu which spawned a film. Updates and announcements for Pokémon Unite and the recently released spin-off Pokémon Sleep could also pop up.

There is also plenty going on in the world of Pokémon TCG. The upcoming Obsidian Flames expansion could show up, though it is far more likely that the Pokémon 151 and Classic expansions will get the spotlight. These highly anticipated expansions return to Kanto to showcase the original 151 Pokémon.

Of course, there is every possibility that The Pokémon company could reveal something entirely unexpected. This could include a new remake or Nintendo Switch port, or new spin-off titles. We'll find out more on August 8.

The post A new Pokémon Presents is airing next week appeared first on Destructoid.

Recently, a Nintendo Switch game called The Last Hope: Dead Zone Survival caught the internet's attention, particularly because it looked like a shoddy knock-off of The Last of Us. Well, it turns out this poorly received title has now been pulled from Nintendo's eShop.

According to a report from Eurogamer, VG Games' open-world post-apocalyptic shooter is no longer available on the storefront. In fact, attempting to go directly to the download page for The Last Hope will only return an error. Searching for it won't do any good either, proving that the Last of Us clone has all but been erased.

https://youtu.be/NVRAItS4a18

The report goes on to say that the game's removal was the result of Sony issuing a copyright strike, though at the time of writing, the PlayStation manufacturer doesn't appear to have made any statement about this. It also appears as though trailers are being taken down, though you can still find some on YouTube, along with gameplay footage.

Even the developer doesn't acknowledge the game

For those who haven't seen it, The Last Hope unashamedly takes inspiration from Naughty Dog's critically acclaimed series. Proof of this can be seen in the young girl who's pretty much the spitting image of Ellie.

According to Wikipedia, the game's plot follows Jason Lee (no, not that one), who's been "sent to the future as part of a governmental investigation on an inevitable zombie outbreak." Along the way, he happens upon a young Eva (or possibly Eve) who needs to be escorted across the city. Digital Foundry reviewed the game a couple of weeks ago, deeming it "one of the worst" releases they'd ever played.

As for the studio itself, it doesn't appear as though there's any trace of its game on the developer website or any of its social media channels, save for maybe one promotional image. There's certainly nothing to suggest The Last Hope was front and center in any case.

It's easy to speculate why VG Games may have been quiet about this game in the first place, or why all traces of it are being quickly scrubbed from the internet. No comments have been made from Nintendo, Sony, nor VG Games as of this writing, but it certainly is an oddity.

The post The Last of Us clone ‘The Last Hope’ is taken off Nintendo eShop appeared first on Destructoid.

WrestleQuest is the big game on offer this week for Nintendo Switch, which provides an RPG-like format for arcade wrestling action. I just recently replayed some WWE games and let me tell you: I'm in the mood for a good brawler! Brotato is another featured game from Nintendo coming your way and features some classic Robotron/modern Vampire Survivors horde-style action.

You have plenty of things to choose from! It's a good week for indie variety on the eShop.

• A Guidebook of Babel
• Action SuperCross
• Adore
• Alchemy POIPOI SS
• Arcade Archives GROWL
• Backbeat + Hexagroove Music Strategy Bundle
• BATSUGUN Saturn Tribute Boosted
• Brain On: Dot Physics
• Brotato + Space Gladiators Bundle
• Chickenoidz Super Party 
• Contraptions 3
• Cooking Arena 
• Counter Delta 2: Eastern Crisis
• Cricket Captain 2023
• Death Becomes You 
• DELTAZEAL
• Farm Frenzy: Refreshed 
• Fluffy Milo 
• Flutter Away
• GigaBash
• Heist Force
• Hyper Torque Racing
• Leafy Trails
• LEGEND BOWL
• LOST EGG 3: The Final
• MistWorld the after
• Nova Strike
• Puzzle Boys 
• Running Fable 
• Secret Summoner
• Side Decide
• Skabma – Snowfall 
• Slime Girl Smoothies 
• The Entropy Centre
• The Scientists’ Secret – Hidden Object Game
• Tiny Thor
• TRAPPED in The Kanal
• Ultimate General: Gettysburg 
• Unidentified Falling Objects 
• Wash Simulator – Clean Garage, House, Cars Business Tycoons 
• Windstorm Double Pack
• Wizardry School: Escape Room
• Would you like to run an idol cafe? 3
• X-Force Under Attack 

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Nintendo Download: WrestleQuest appeared first on Destructoid.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launched to widespread critical acclaim, and it currently sits as one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic. It was predictable that this would be accompanied by strong commercial success, but we are now getting an even clearer picture of just how impactful Breath of the Wild’s sequel has been.

As revealed in the latest financial report from Nintendo, Tears of the Kingdom has already sold 18.51 million copies. Thanks to the high sales, the company has seen strong financial performance for its first quarter.

[caption id="attachment_394907" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Tears of the Kingdom drives hardware sales for Nintendo

Released on May 12, Nintendo claims that the latest Zelda game "has made a major contribution to Q1 sales in the current environment." Though many of the players were returning from Breath of the Wild, the report notes that a growing percentage of customers haven’t played Tears of the Kingdom’s predecessor.

To put the success of Tears of the Kingdom into perspective, the report claims that "sell-through of this one title constitutes approximately half of the first-party software sold this fiscal year." It is also a massive success when compared to Breath of the Wild. Released in March 2017, it took until August 2020 to sell 20 million copies.

Nintendo’s financial report paints an overall positive picture for the company. Though the Switch may be dated, it continues to bring in a steady income through hardware and software sales. Nintendo has also been profiting from non-gaming media, with the company attributing its financial success, in part, to "royalties and income from visual content related to The Super Mario Bros. Movie."

The report gives a roadmap for the company going forward. October will be a particularly busy month, with Detective Pikachu Returns releasing on October 6, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder releasing on October 20. November will be equally packed, with WarioWare: Move It! hitting shelves on November 3 followed by Super Mario RPG on November 17.

The post The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has sold over 18 million copies appeared first on Destructoid.

It looks like the follow-up to the Nintendo Switch is almost here. According to a new report from VGC, the successor to the Switch is likely to release in the second half of 2024.

In the report, several key partners to Nintendo have claimed to have received development kits for the new console. Development kits for consoles are typically sent out well before the retail release so developers learn the new hardware and ensure some titles are ready to launch on the new platform.

The sources went on to share some alleged details on the new system. Like the Nintendo Switch, the next-gen console will have portable mode. Furthermore, the console will launch with an LCD screen rather than an OLED screen to reduce costs.

Those worried about the digital revolution need not worry as, allegedly, the new console will also accept physical games via a cartridge slot.

[caption id="attachment_384302" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

No word on backward compatibility support

Unfortunately, there has been no indication if the new console will have backward compatibility support with the Nintendo Switch. With over 100 million Switch units sold, backward compatibility support is going to be a huge deal. Nintendo will look to convert as many Switch owners as it can, and backward compatibility will certainly make that easier. However, adding a chip to enable such compatibility can further increase the cost of the system, which Nintendo may be trying to avoid in order to keep the price down.

Honestly, the second half of 2024 makes sense in terms of a new Nintendo system release. Sales for the Switch have been in decline for a few years now. Usually, that's an indicator there's room in the market for a new console release. Also, if the Switch successor were to release in the second half of 2024, that puts the Switch life-cycle at a little over seven years. That's par for the course for Nintendo's competitors, as the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One all had a similar life cycle.

Are you ready for a new Nintendo console? I'm definitely not against the idea. I really do hope it's backward-compatible, though.

The post Nintendo Switch successor reportedly planned for 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

More options are always a good thing, especially in the world of gaming, and particularly in regions that don't have many choices of where to buy the latest games and hardware. Thankfully, Nintendo just opened up their services in Australia.

As pointed out by Vooks.net, My Nintendo Australia storefront is now selling physical games (as well as hardware). Previously the system would just provide rewards and exclusives, but now you can shop with them directly. There's 46 games for sale at the time of publication, as well as multiple variations of the Switch (including the OLED and Tears of the Kingdom OLED), on top of Pro Controllers and Switch Lite models.

Vooks notes that this is also a big deal because Nintendo hasn't sold Australian customers games directly before. The only catch is that the minimum free shipping order has been bumped up from $80 to $100.

My Nintendo stores are actually pretty robust, so this is good news for Australia

I don't know if you've ever looked at your respective My Nintendo storefront, but in some regions, it has a massive/surprising amount of inventory and SKUs. The US version has games, hardware, merch, and exclusives: they even sell accessories like the Pokemon Go Plus+ (ha, I still can't get used to this name).

Some lines (like Pikmin) even have a full section, with multiple games and pieces of merch. It's not always the best option, but it's an option nonetheless that I use a few times a year.

The post My Nintendo Australia is selling physical games now appeared first on Destructoid.

Super Smash Bros. has cemented itself not just in fighting game history, but the gaming pantheon as a whole. It's not just an all-star fighter; it also has a ton of heart to it, and redefined just how far crossovers could go in the industry. As a result, series boss Masahiro Sakurai feels a justifiable sense of ownership of it, as evidenced by his many talks in recent months via his semi-new YouTube series.

The almighty question is: what happens next? Not even Sakurai knows for sure if his new video is any indication.

Sakurai talks about the uncertain future of Smash Bros.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MammcQ3XkpY

In a new video posted to his official YouTube account titled "The Team Behind Super Smash Bros. Brawl [Grab Bag]," Sakurai talks at length about Brawl, and exactly how it came to be behind closed doors. He recalls how then-president Satoru Iwata mentioned that if Sakura was not involved, the scope would be significantly smaller; as there were "unique difficulties and challenges" behind developing the game. As a result, Sakurai joined up so it was done right.

At the five-minute mark, Sakurai perks up and gets serious, in an attempt to answer "What happens next time?" As in, how another Smash Bros. entry after Ultimate would pan out.

Here's what he had to say:

"One option would be to separate the series itself from the original creator. But for now, at least, I can't really imagine a Smash Bros. title without me. You might think that's a natural stance for someone in my role, but I say so speaking objectively. I feel the same way President Iwata did when we formed the team for Smash Bros. Brawl. At present, we don't have someone who can simply take the reins."

Well, that's a pretty comprehensive answer! Sakurai follows up by noting that it's a massively popular series, "so it's fair to assume there will be another one at some point." He would "like to keep working with Nintendo however [he is] able."

The post Sakurai says he has no current Smash Bros. successor, “can’t imagine” another entry without him appeared first on Destructoid.

After a decade-long hiatus, we finally have a new mainline Pikmin mainline entry in our hands. The adorable plant creatures are back, and this time they are joined by Oatchi the lovable rescue pup. Though the series has struggled a bit in the past, Pikmin 4 has made quite a splash since its launch, managing to reach the top of the Japan sales charts.

[caption id="attachment_394079" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Pikmin 4 has a successful launch

As revealed by Gemastu, Pikmin 4 has sold 401,853 physical copies in its first week. This strong opening surpasses the first-week sales of all three prior games combined. Nintendo has been doing a great job of keeping players Pikmin-crazy all year, as the Pikmin 1+2 bundle was made available on the Switch in June.

With Pikmin 4 at the number one spot, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom slides to second place on the Japan sales charts after several weeks at the top. Despite this, Link’s latest adventure still manages to sell exceedingly well, with 15,616 physical copies sold in Japan between July 17 and 23. This brings up the lifetime physical sales in Japan to 1,775,035.

For context, you can find the complete list below. Lifetime sales in brackets if applicable:

1: Pikmin 4 (Switch) – 401,853
2: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch) – 15,616 (1,775,035)
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) - 10,749 (5,385,022)
4. Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening (Switch) - 10,633
5. Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening (PS4) - 10,434
6. Minecraft (Switch) - 7,512 (3,200,000)
7. Splatoon 3 (Switch) - 6,337 (4,066,350)
8. Nintendo Switch Sports (Switch) - 5,784 (1,131,645)
9. Final Fantasy 16 (PS5) - 4,904 (401,376)
10. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch) - 4,844 (5,239,500)

As usual, the Nintendo Switch dominates the sales charts. Though some are eager for a successor to the handheld, the charts illustrate that players are still getting plenty of life out of it.

The post Pikmin 4 tops Japan sales charts, dethroning Tears of the Kingdom appeared first on Destructoid.

The time has come once again for another fabled third party Switch exclusive to hit the eShop, and this time, we're getting Disney Ilusion Island. We actually have a full review up for it, so if you're interested, check it out! It's a particularly interesting game in that it offers up four player co-op with difficulty sliders for individual players. In other words, it's made for the whole family.

Other bigger releases include Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons (which we also have a review for!), as well as Venba (which is described as a "wholesome narrative cooking game set in the 1980s," which is going to ignite a lot of interest).

Nintendo Download: Disney Illusion Island Edition

• 100 Doors Games: School Escape
• 3 minutes Mystery
• A Short Tale
• AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed Director’s Cut
• ALIEN WAR 2 DOGFIGHT
• Animal Farm Parking
• Anime Clock
• Arcade Archives KING & BALLOON
• Barony 
• Calm Waters
• Classic Pool and Cyber Pool Bundle
• Demonic Supremacy 
• Don’t Lie Pack 1
• Don’t Lie Pack 2
• Ducky’s Delivery Service
• Eden’s Last Sunrise
• Ferris Mueller’s Day Off –
• HYPER METEOR
• Hypertension
• Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara
• Last Mage Survivors 
• Luna & Monsters Tower Defense -The deprived magical kingdom-
• Mega Ramp Moto – Dirt Bike Stunts Simulator 
• Mirrored Souls
• New York Mysteries: Power of Art
• Operate Now: Hospital
• Patrick’s Parabox
• Pixel Game Maker Series Angel’s Gear
• PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe
• Police Cop Hot Pursuit – Car Racing Driving Simulator Real
• PSYCHIC 5: ETERNAL
• Punch Club 2: Fast Forward
• Raccoon Adventure: Animal City Simulator 3D Farm Super Deluxe 
• Radiant Tale
• Sword & Fairy Inn 2
• The Forgotten Room 
• The Master’s Pupil
• The Red Exile – Survival Horror 
• This Way Madness Lies
• Venice 2089
• Veritas 
• Watch
• Witch’s Pranks – Frog’s Fortune
• Working Hard Collection 
• World of Machines – Tanks War Operation
• YEAH! YOU WANT “THOSE GAMES,” RIGHT? SO HERE YOU GO! NOW, LET’S SEE YOU CLEAR THEM!
• YGGDRA UNION ~WE’LL NEVER FIGHT ALONE~
• Zombie Hunter: D-Day
• Zoo Park Story

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Nintendo Download: Disney Illusion Island appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo live service games often launch without a bevy of features, especially when it comes to the competitive scene. But it looks like they're going to rectify that mistake post-launch for Splatoon 3, if this new announcement pans out.

Buried at the bottom of this Splatoon 3 feature page (spotted by Twitter user OatmealDome) is a new listing for a "Tournament Manager," which is essentially a private tournament facilitator. Currently "in development," the manager would serve as a link between Splatoon 3 itself and the SplatNet 3 app, which will allow tournament organizers (TOs) to create and control their own tournaments, which includes bracket creation (!), and the automatic creation of lobbies, as well as automatic reporting (cutting down on a lot of the administrative work running tournaments).

This is a fairly big deal for the Splatoon 3 community, as it allows anyone to run local tournaments with ease, and instantly create communities without having to manually do all of the legwork involved in the competitive scene. Currently, there is no timeline for the project's completion, but Nintendo will "release more details" when they arise. All of this info is coming in as a result of a new patch drop, so things are looking up for Splatoon 3.

You can find all of the info at this link. Again, you'll need to scroll all the way to the very bottom. Like, the very, very bottom!

Splatoon 3 Tournament Manager info

We’re developing a service called Splatoon 3 Tournament Manager to help support the creation of private tournaments using the Private Battle feature in the Splatoon 3 game!

The service will link both the Splatoon 3 game and the SplatNet 3 service together to help players create and manage tournaments on demand.

The following features are currently planned (subject to change):

• Tournament-bracket creation and round-progression support.
• Automatic generation of Private Battle rooms used for tournament play.
• Automatic reporting of match results.

We’ll release more details when development is complete.

The post Nintendo is working on a game-changing tournament system for Splatoon 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

I miss Club Nintendo, but My Nintendo is the new reality. Gone are the days of elaborate statues for physical rewards, and annual loyalty bonuses (which, most of the time, ruled!). That said, My Nintendo does surprise us from time to time, and lately, they've been cooking up a ton of rewards to coincide with the summer release calendar. With all of the Zelda, Kirby, and Pikmin rewards on the My Nintendo marketplace at the moment, I figured it was worth reminding people that yes: your points do expire. Here's how to do a quick scan and see when everything will fall off.

[caption id="attachment_393208" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

How to check when your My Nintendo points are expiring

• Head to the My Nintendo website
• Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and click on the "point summary" link
• At the top of the screen, look for the "points expiration" link and click that

From there, you'll be able to see an itemized rolling total of when all of your points are going to expire month-to-month. That includes Platinum points, as well as individualized mobile game points.

This is an important screen to check every so often (I just did it and splurged on the new Pikmin rewards!), as you'll want to dump points into rewards if they're going to expire at the end of the month anyway. It's a sneaky way for Nintendo to create point churn, and prevent folks from just playing through Fire Emblem Heroes, amassing thousands of points, and saving them for big-ticket rewards.

The post PSA: A lot of My Nintendo rewards are active, so make sure you check when your points expire appeared first on Destructoid.

Mastering the art of Dandori

When you’re not out collecting treasures and finding new Pikmin, you can participate in Dandori Battles which have you racing against an opponent to gather the most items. You can play them solo or with a friend. The battles are more challenging than they may initially seem, and it’ll take a fair deal of strategizing to come out on top.

If you want to up your game, learn these tips for winning Dandori Battles in Pikmin 4.

[caption id="attachment_393179" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Don’t spread yourself too thin

At first, Dandori Battles can be overwhelming. There are several items to collect, a timer is running, and you also need to worry about hostile creatures. Things get a little easier if you have a good idea of what plates you need to keep spinning. These are the tasks that you need to complete with your Pikmin:

• Carrying items - to win Dandori Battles, you need to score the most points by collecting items and bringing them back to your base
• Defense - you need the Pikmin and Oatchi to take on any creatures that cross your path
• Overcoming obstacles - sometimes obstacles will stand in your path. Use your Pikmin to get around them.

Ensure you have enough Pikmin to delegate to each of these tasks. It may be tempting to have all your Pikmin carrying items, but you’ll soon find that it leaves you very vulnerable.

[caption id="attachment_393180" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Take advantage of Oatchi

You have the adorable pup Oatchi to help you out. You can use the dog as a mount, allowing you and your Pikmin to travel faster and jump over obstacles. Oatchi can also charge at enemies, which can be devastating to them. When you’re low on Pikmin, the pup can also carry items.

Cleverly using Oatchi’s abilities will allow you to increase your efficiency. Be careful when taking on enemies with the dog, as it can only handle so much abuse before its health fully depletes and it has to recover before it can be used again. Upgrade Oatchi as much as possible by speaking to Shepherd and spending your accumulated Pup Drive.

[caption id="attachment_393178" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Attack your opponent

You and your opponent share a battlefield, allowing you to sabotage their efforts. This can be done by throwing your Pikmin their way and stealing items they are carrying, or by dropping off Sneak Bombs at their base. Your opponents can also interfere with you, so be prepared to defend yourself against hostile attacks.

[caption id="attachment_393181" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Go big or go home

Although playing things safe and collecting items closest to your base is a solid strategy, sometimes it pays to be daring and go for the bigger treasures. These will net you more points though you’ll need lots of Pikmin to carry them, and you’ll have to beware of enemies and your opponent that could both sabotage you on the way.

In addition to Dandori Battles, there are also Dandori Challenges to complete. You’ll have to accumulate a certain number of points in a given time to win these challenges. Of course, this means plenty of treasure collecting and monster hunting.

The post Tips for winning Dandori Battles in Pikmin 4 appeared first on Destructoid.

Get them through July 27

My Nintendo is cycling through icons yet again, and this time, it's Pikmin 4's time to shine. Well, the whole Pikmin series really, because while Oatchi (the adorable dog and mascot of the game) and a few Pikmin 4-exclusive art pieces are on full display, several also represent Pikmin in a general sense dating all the way back to the start of the franchise many moons ago.

Here's a look at what you can pick up!

[gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="392934,392935"]

Full list of all My Nintendo Pikmin icons

• Ice Pikmin (Pose 1)
• Ice Pikmin (Pose 2)
• Yellow Pikmin (Carrying a cherry)
• Blue Pikmin (On dice)
• Red Pikmin (Carrying a button)
• Oatchi (Pose 1)
• Oatchi (Pose 2)
• Winged Pikmin
• Rock Pikmin
• Purple Pikmin/White Pikmin

There are also five backgrounds and five frames to choose from.

More Pikmin icons are on the way

Note that this is just the first wave. Wave 2 is coming on July 27, and will run through August 3. Wave 3 will begin on that same day, and ends on August 10. Teases for that wave include Glow Pikmin, a Bulborb, and stylized Pikmin pictures.

I have a feeling Oatchi is going to be pretty popular! I wish Nintendo released data on which icons were the most purchased.

The post My Nintendo just added Pikmin 4 Switch icons, and more are on the way appeared first on Destructoid.

Featuring Matt Cook from the Destructoid.com website

There is a terrifying, morbid curiosity that envelopes someone when they discover Pikmin gummy candies exist.

In her brilliant review of Pikmin 2, Destructoid’s Zoey “Stromboli” Handley discusses the empathic approach some take to the Pikmin series. Sure, the plant creatures in Nintendo’s franchise are disposable to an extent. But their tiny dying sounds and the little ghosts that fly away upon death fill me with deep sorrow. I planted those Pikmin. I plucked those Pikmin from the earth. And if I can’t keep them safe from the jaws of bizarre ladybug monsters, then did I even deserve their companionship to begin with? Every lost unit hurts my soul.

So you can imagine my reaction when I saw that certain retailers in Japan were stocking gummy candies based on the Pikmin franchise. Titled “Pikmin Can Be Eaten" gummies, there is no ambiguity that you are, in fact, playing the role of the monster by purchasing them. Fortunately, these candies are Japan-exclusive, so I shouldn’t even feel tempted to eat them. I mean, living in the United States, I would have to pay an exorbitant markup to import a pack of these. Or, even more extreme, we’d have to get someone to travel to Japan to try these gummies.

Surely that would be a silly amount of time and money to spend just to tell you how some Pikmin gummy candies taste, right?

[caption id="attachment_392744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image by Christian from Pixabay[/caption]

Two writers spend a silly amount of time and money to tell you how Pikmin gummy candies taste

Honestly, I can’t even summarize the series of events that turned eating Pikmin into an intensive journalistic feat. All I know is that it ended with me spending money to have these candies shipped across the world to me. Meanwhile, our own Matt “Quack Attack” Cook visited Japan to give us an exclusive look at where one could buy these firsthand.

To be fair, Matt was already in Japan when I started planning this story. However, I like to imagine Matt preemptively knew we'd want to run a story about these and visited strictly for that reason. I have a wild imagination, okay?

For context about our subject, the Pikmin Can Be Eaten gummies originally debuted all the way back in 2021. While these attracted buzz at the time, the release of the critically acclaimed Pikmin 4 has naturally reinvigorated the Pikmin brand. As a result, select stores in Japan have gone all-in on not only restocking these candies, but a ton of related merchandise as well. I’d explain more, but fortunately, I don’t have to.

I’ll turn it over now to Matt “Kersplat” Cook, coming to us with on-scene coverage from Japan. I don’t know why I’m introducing him like the weather segment on the local news.

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Hunting for Pikmin in Tokyo

Matt: When I went to Japan earlier this month, I had it on my list to find all of the Pikmin 4 launch tie-ins that I could. One of the best things about any big game launch in Japan is how thoroughly it's embraced across the country. Even if you have no idea what a Pikmin is, you'd find it difficult to be completely unaware of the Pikmin 4 launch.

One of the first things I did when I got to Tokyo was go to a Family Mart convenience store by my hotel. Convenience stores are pretty much everywhere you look in Japan, and Family Mart is one of the biggest chains. It was there, at the very first stop, that I noticed a big Pikmin 4 poster in the window. Family Mart was selling download cards for the game and Pikmin-themed Nintendo gift cards. It also had a lottery where Family Mart members could win limited-time goodies and, most impressively, Pikmin-themed food for the month of July.

Given the level of promotion, I thought I'd found the Pikmin gummies at my very first stop. But alas, the gummies were nowhere to be found. Over the next few days, I checked every convenience store, Family Mart or not, for the gummies. However, I couldn't find them anywhere. It wasn't until I went to the Tokyo Nintendo store that my luck changed.

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Pikmin celebration at Tokyo Nintendo

Predictably, the Nintendo store celebrated the launch of Pikmin 4 in a big way with shelves upon shelves of adorable merch. They had everything that any Pikmin fan's heart could desire, from plushies, dolls, and socks, to, yes, the gummies.

The massive variety was somewhat overwhelming. With limited suitcase space, I bought three packs of the gummies and entered the Pikmin 4 raffle hosted at the store. Raffles often accompany big game launches. You pay a fee - in this case, 700 yen ($5) - and you're guaranteed a prize which ranges from something small like a keyring up to some really cool plushies or even the game itself. I won a purple Pikmin keyring which I was pretty happy with since the purple Pikmin is obviously the best one.

As for the gummies, they're predictably delicious. Each one tastes, rather morbidly, how you may expect a Pikmin to taste. Purple is a very good grape flavor, red is apple, yellow is orange, and blue is blueberry. If there's one complaint I have about the gummies, it's about the rare strawberry and lemon white Pikmin. This one, as it says on the pack, is a rare sour gummy that you can only find if you're lucky. Unfortunately, as with many of life's rarities, it's far and away the best one! I was supremely disappointed after trying it to find that there was only one in the pack. When I found four of the rare sour gummies in my next pack, I felt like I won the Pikmin candy lottery.

If we get sequel gummies, I hope they release some all-sour options. I'd eat those every day on my next trip to Japan.

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Back to Tim as he tests his gummy luck

Tim: Thanks Matt for the exclusive look! Had I known you would be in Japan, I might have reconsidered importing these things for myself. Not that I would have expected you to think “I should really let Destructoid Guide Editor Timothy Monbleau know I’m in Japan in case he’s interested in an extremely specific Japanese candy review on this video game website.”

Also, Matt probably does not call me "Destructoid Guide Editor Timothy Monbleau" in his internal dialogue, but I digress.

Anyway, after placing an order with a friendly eBay seller, I received a pack of Pikmin gummies in about ten days. It’s, appropriately, a tiny pack of candy. That said, the packaging illustrations look elaborate compared to the usual promotional candies we get in the States. The front obviously looks pretty cute, but even the bottom crease has a ton of… words about each Pikmin (pictured above). We probably should have chosen someone with even a cursory knowledge of Japanese for this assignment.

Opening my own package after reading Matt’s thoughts, I… okay, let me put it this way. Have you ever played a gacha or loot-based game where you get absolutely nothing but garbage, but your friend is rolling .01% luck odds? Because guess how many rare sour candies I got in my bag? Literally zero.

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My full distribution of gummies was five blue, three red, two yellow, and one purple. The fact that I didn’t get any of the best-tasting gummy was a real bummer. Meanwhile, Matt, can you remind me how many sour gummies you walked away with?

Matt: I found two more in the third pack.

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Tim: Either you have an amazing luck stat or mine is a negative number.

All this means is that the Pikmin gummies have a lot to prove because it’s time for -

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The official Destructoid Pikmin gummy candy review

What you gotta know about me is that I’m no slouch when it comes to gummy candies. Since I was a kid, gummy candies have been my favorite variety of sweets. My palate has tasted many snacks, so the Pikmin Can Be Eaten gummies really need to impress if I can’t even taste the best flavor.

That’s why I’m here to tell you that after trying these gummies, my cynical verdict is they…they taste really good.

The first thing I noticed about the gummies was, weirdly, the smell. These things have a strong juice scent to them that candy generally lacks in the United States. Considering my sense of smell is - to use the clinical word - terrible, I can’t stress enough how unique this is. I can smell them now as I type this, even though the gummies sit on a table next to my desk.

As for the taste, they’re just plain pleasant. Even after flying across the world, they have a soft, chewy consistency that really lets you savor the flavor. They're honestly both sweeter and less abrasive than many gummies I've had. The word “clean” came to my mind as I ate them, even without any context of its ingredients.

I will say each Pikmin didn’t taste particularly different from each other. They all do look different, which is fun. Sorting them out to grab pictures reminded me of how I used to play with animal crackers and Pokemon gummy candies as a kid. But if you put a blindfold over my eyes, I wouldn’t be able to identify which flavors I consumed. I do think I liked the purple one the best, but probably only because that was my rarest gummy. It’s like only getting the guaranteed SR unit in a gacha ten-pull.

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We have become monsters

So overall, what have we learned from this experience?

First, obviously, is to let Matt "Luckinator" Cook buy lottery tickets.

Second, the Pikmin Can Be Eaten gummies are so good that they straight-up spark an existential crisis. I think Pikmin are precious and must be protected. However, now that I know they taste good, I understand the enemies that consume them. If I were hungry, struggling to survive, and saw a bunch of innocent yet delicious creatures approaching me, would I eat them? For the sake of my sanity, I can’t ponder the question any further. I’m afraid of the answer.

I should note that I’m not an expert on Japanese candy. These could taste no different than the usual snack, I just lack that context. Regardless, I must admit these gummies surprised me. Would I pay a 600% markup to have them shipped to me again? Probably not. But if there wasn’t a price disparity and I saw them at my local convenience store, would I choose these over other gummies? Definitely yes.

So overall, I must admit that, while thematically horrifying, the Pikmin Can Be Eaten gummies were a smash hit. The question is, on a scale of A Link Between Worlds to ten, how would I rate them? Well, it is my pleasure to award these candies a score of 9.5/10. That’s right, they're better than Pikmin 1, better than Pikmin 2, and arguably better than Pikmin 4. Geoff Keighley, I hope you’re taking notes for The Game Awards because I'm willing to bet Tears of the Kingdom doesn't taste nearly as good as these.

And I didn't even try the sour ones.

The post We tried Nintendo’s Pikmin gummies, and they’re distressingly good appeared first on Destructoid.

Also, EA Sports FC 24

The time has come for another big fanfare-filled first-party release week! Nintendo is dropping Pikmin 4 on July 21, and there's quite a bit of ruckus being made compared to prior entries. Nintendo is going all-out for this one, with tons of merch, promotions, and advertising. And given our review, it wasn't all in vain!

As a bit of counterprogramming, EA Sports FC 24 is also out, along with all of the games below. The eShop is on fire this week! It's about time given some recent slow periods, and the storm of Q3 is imminent.

Nintendo Download: Pikmin 4 Edition

• Aery – Heaven & Hell
• Arcade Archives STRATO FIGHTER
• Armored Lab Force VULVEHICLES
• Beauty and The Beast: Interactive Book
• Cross Tails
• Crowded Mysteries
• D-Corp 
• Doomsday Hunters
• Forest Fire
• Frank and Drake
• Ghosty
• Haunted Hell House
• Hollenburg ‘Hell Castle’
• Hospital Doctor – Fix me up for KIDS (Boys & Girls) 
• Legends of the Eternal Flame
• Lucy Got Problems
• Mage & Monsters
• Masquerade Kiss
• MetaDude
• Metal Storm X
• Might & Magic – Clash of Heroes : Definitive Edition
• Moto Racer Simulator GT Games
• Mr. Run and Jump 
• NightmareScape
• NOBUNAGA’S AMBITION: Awakening
• Oaken
• OMNIMUS
• Otoko Cross: Pretty Boys Breakup! 
• Punch a Bunch
• Puzzle by Nikoli S Hitori
• Ramp Car Racing 
• Ring Racer 
• Road Bustle 2
• Sailing Era
• Sephonie 
• Skeljump 
• Snow White: Interactive Book
• Summer Party Time
• Super Dinoblasters 
• Super Intern Story 
• Sweets Pusher Friends
• Sword of Glory 
• Takoyaki Party Survival
• THE KITTY in The Spaceship
• The Snow Fable: Mystery of the Flame 
• Wathitdew Record Game Studio BATTLEFIELD
• Whispike Survivors
• Wood Cube Block: Classic Casual Puzzle
• Words Of Wisdom

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Nintendo Download: Pikmin 4 appeared first on Destructoid.

Version 2.1.0 also has some DLC bug fixes

With the street date for the Pyra and Mythra amiibo approaching (July 21), Nintendo managed to update Xenoblade Chronicles 3 right on the cusp of that dual-figure release. Version 2.1.0 is now live, and it adds in amibo functionality for the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 duo, which arrives in the form of cosmetic sword skins (two forms of the Aegis Sword). To the delight of many Nintendo has been pulling back hard requirements for amiibo unlocks, so there is another way: to acquire them in-game, you'll need to head to the Llyn Nyddwr Camp in the Fornis region and speak to the Nopon Miibomii.

The new amiibo additions are the main event, but there are also a few bug fixes for the recent Future Redeemed DLC. You can check out the full patch notes below!

Remember that there's more Xenoblade amiibo on the way, as Noah and Mio were recently announced.

Xenoblade Chronciles 3 Ver. 2.1.0 (Released July 19, 2023) - Full patch notes

Additional Functionality

• Added amiibo functionality to the game for “Pyra” and “Mythra” amiibo. By scanning the amiibo in “System” > “amiibo” in the Menu Screen, you will be able to use the following special clothing items.
  • Pyra amiibo - Aegis Sword: Pyra (Limited to Swordfighter)
  • Mythra amiibo - Aegis Sword: Mythra (Limited to Swordfighter)
• A Nopon NPC, Miibomii, has appeared at Llyn Nyddwr Camp in the Fornis region. Meeting certain criteria while playing the game will also let you obtain the aforementioned Pyra and Mythra amiibo items from Miibomii.

Bug Fixes for “Future Redeemed”

Fixed the following issues for Expansion Pass Wave 4, “Future Redeemed”.

• Increased the percentage chance to re-acquire Battle Manuals, Tactics Manuals, and Strategy Manuals.
• Fixed an issue where players were unable to re-attempt the final battle after experiencing a party wipe.
• Fixed an issue where some players were unable to complete the Chapter 2 quest, "Pursue Glimmer”, who's thought to have headed north-west.

The post Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was just updated to add more amiibo support appeared first on Destructoid.

Gearing up for Pikmin 4

Just in time for our Pikmin 4 review, Nintendo has released an official interview with key Pikmin team members, which helps shed a bit of light on this previously niche (but now fairly ubiquitous) series. In it, we hear from a few familiar faces like Shigeru Miyamoto, as well as Nintendo director Shigefumi Hino, manager Masamichi Abe, programmer Yuji Kando, and art director Junji Morii.

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Even in a controlled environment like a Nintendo-published interview, these sorts of glances behind the curtain are fascinating. The team talks about how one of the original ideas for Pikmin involved an AI theme (no, not that "AI/LLM!"), where creatures would gradually increase their "chip capacity" over time to provide new functions, while also maintaining emotional capabilities like grumpiness. Apparently, Junji Morii cracked the code with sketches of the plant-based Pikmin we know now, and the rest is history.

So that's why Pikmin can get really creepy

Curiously, Junji Morii provides us with the juiciest tidbit of all: Tim Burton helped influence some of the eerier elements of the series. Here's what Morri had to say on that matter, providing a killer sketch to back it up:

"Back then, I really liked the world of Tim Burton, so I wanted the designs to not just be cute, but also give a sense of eeriness, or some emotional weight. That's why I was drawing the sketches like this, with a style that layers scribbling lines."

Yeah, I can see it! Especially with some of the more out-there enemy designs, which are inherently created to scare the pants off of you and your Pikmin. The film Fantastic Planet was also named a big influence on the franchise, as the team all watched it together to get in gear for the series' creation; in addition to Richard Dawkins' book The Selfish Gene.

The whole interview is worth reading even if you aren't a Pikmin fan. It's a great insight into the creative process and a reminder that it takes a village to create something of this scale.

You can check out part 1 here, and part 2 here.

The post Nintendo talks Tim Burton influences in new Pikmin interview appeared first on Destructoid.