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.

My history with Armored Core started with the very first game on PlayStation. I was enamored by the cover the enticing giant mech on it; and kept it close while I experienced a whole slate of robot-based oddities like G-Nome, and Heavy Gear. From then on, I sought out every subsequent entry, until I finally put it together that From Software – who had also provided me with hours of entertainment with the King's Field series – was responsible for it all. By the time Demon's Souls came out the studio was a worldwide household name, but they were killing it before Souls changed the industry.

With a pedigree like that, you can see why so many people hold Armored Core in such high regard; so I'm happy to report that Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon keeps that legacy going.

[caption id="attachment_398039" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon (PC, PS4, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Released: August 25, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

Just so that you're current, let's take a deep dive into the Fires of Rubicon lore: Coral is a substance that leads to unprecedented technological advancements. Until it doesn't, and there's a massive fire that destroys everything. Following that, there's a recovery period populated with corps and mercs (that's you!), which is where you come in.

You're caught up! No literally, you're caught up.

That's pretty much all the background you need on Armored Core 6, as the crux of the experience lies with earning money, and buying/mixing/matching parts to form your custom-curated machine of destruction. The narrative goes in circles sometimes (especially with some of the listless pre-mission banter), but it's enough to propel you forward into more mech-based combat and keep you guessing. But really, the world of Rubicon 3 is a fascinating character in its own right. All of the biomes you'll adventure through (whether it's a product of artifice or natural beauty) are fascinating to witness, to the point where I'd definitely be interested in seeing more of this specific universe at some point.

Mission variety generally errs on the side of killing, but there are a few forked paths (in-mission) to follow on occasion, and the environments are varied enough to help funnel you into constant action. While some sandboxes are a little too corralled for my tastes, the illusion of freedom is enough, because of how dang good everything looks. On the flip side, the game's invisible barriers do help prevent mission locations from becoming pointlessly big and barren.

It really helps that Armored Core 6 is absolutely gorgeous. From Software's art department has been putting in work worthy of art books for decades, but they really outdid themselves here. One of the very first missions looked like something I haven't seen in any game this year, and helped cement the fact that this is an unforgiving universe that will crush you on a moment's notice, even if you are piloting a huge killing machine that looks like it came straight out of an anime.

[caption id="attachment_398049" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

What I like most about Armored Core 6 is how everything feels like a puzzle: from mech construction in the hangar to moment-to-moment combat in the thick of it, when you're managing your boost meter every so slightly to ensure you have enough to dodge a massive blast coming your way. The quick aerial boost system ties everything together. By pressing a button (Square on PlayStation), you can sacrifice a quick bar of boost to instantly dodge. This can be chained in numerous ways (including weaving it together through a boost dash, even in the air), but all of this finesse is governed by a boost meter.

It really is like a ballet, and you're in control of both the precise movements and the overarching song. If you like tanky builds, you can craft a giant literal tank tread mech that sacrifices maneuverability for staying power. Glass cannon builds are a cinch to create, as are speedsters who zip around and manually dodge everything the game can throw at them. Once you're done tinkering, you need to actually put your creation to the test and figure out the ins and outs of that particular build.

Boss battles are where everything really shines. The variety on offer is frankly overwhelming, from tiny little Kitfox-like creations that zoom about, to foes who can employ active camo, to gigantic monstrosities that can deal a ton of damage in a single shot. I found myself constantly on my toes, having to learn and relearn how I thought my mech worked and push it to the limit. That's exactly the kind of feeling you want in a game like this, where you get to see the fruits of your labor up close and personal.

If you're worried that Armored Core 6 will be insurmountable because you've never played an AC game before (or any mech games, for that matter), don't be. There are a number of levels that From Software has pulled to ensure that you won't be completely locked out, including a full checkpoint system. While you can go for an S-Rank and finesse missions all you want, dying right before a boss, in nearly every instance, will allow you to restart from a closeby checkpoint.

[caption id="attachment_398050" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Going a step further, you can even reconfigure your build from the garage in this checkpoint menu, which feels like a pretty big lifeline for a From Software project. For folks who have limited time to play games, this will be a Godsend, but it's also nice that you're able to repeat missions for cash or have a go at the arena (quick CPU battles). There is a PVP system (co-op is not present at all in any form), but I wasn't able to test it.

From Software also accounted for this with the timed unlock of specific mechanics. You won't be able to fully customize your mech from the start. Rather, you'll need to finish a few basic missions before you can purchase parts, customize them, and spec into specific builds (like kinetic or energy-based damage). You'll also unlock fully-constructed blueprints of mechs that you can use for testing, without fear of "screwing up a build" or overspending.

I was a bit skeptical that From Software would find a way to make Armored Core relevant again after a lengthy hiatus, but they figured it out. The spark of the series is still very much alive without giving up its soul and making it something else entirely, and a new generation will be able to appreciate why these games were so venerated. Just be ready to tinker a bit, and take some Ls.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher, and deals with the single player portion of the game.]}

The post Review: Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon 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.

Gamescom 2023 has had quite a few vague "this exists" trailers, and Killing Floor 3 is one of them.

Look, I really dig the staying power of the Killing Floor series. The second game in particular remained relevant for several years after its initial 2016 debut, well into its release on Xbox One a year later. It's a great take on the typical horde mode formula, and Tripwire Interactive spawned an entire diehard audience out of it. Now, a third entry is in the works.

If you're interested, here's a synopsis from Tripwire to hold you over:

"Killing Floor 3 is the next installment in the legendary co-op action/horror FPS series. The year is 2091, 70 years after the events in Killing Floor 2, and megacorp Horzine has produced the ultimate army: an obedient horde of bio-engineered monstrosities called Zeds. Now, the only thing standing between these infernal creations and the future of humanity is the rebel rogue group known as Nightfall. This intense first-person shooter puts players in the role of a Nightfall specialist, joining forces with up to five teammates as they battle through a war-ravaged, dystopian future, surviving unrelenting waves of Zeds, unlocking new skills, and building the ultimate arsenal."

Okay, an even more futuristic take on the series? I can work with that! It sounds like we could get even more lore tidbits this time around, with the clash between Nightfall and Horzine.

Killing Floor 3 will arrive on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S for sure (with no prior generation console releases planned): but it currently has no release date, or even a release window.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6Yq3fBkDTA

The post Killing Floor 3 is coming to PC and current-gen systems appeared first on Destructoid.

Fallout 76 is gearing up for Season 14, and every time that number gets bigger I just can't believe it. It feels like just yesterday that the disastrous launch took the world by storm, followed by subsequent promises of NPCs and an even bigger focus on microtransactions. But all of that is in the rearview (well, except the microtransactions!), and we're so far removed from that launch mess that it's not even funny. Here's a quick look at what's coming to Season 14.

Here's the full rundown from Bethesda on what to expect for Season 14

The team will continue to drop updates throughout the season, but the big focus right now is on the "Fight for Freedom" season pass track, as well as some upcoming quality-of-life enhancements that will be ready out of the gate.

"Season 14 features a variety of quality-of-life improvements, including lowered Perk Card requirements, streamlined Workbench changes along with a new free cam feature in Photo Mode. Active Fallout 1st subscribers will also receive bonus rewards as they level up."

It sounds small, but someone out there is likely freaking out (in a good way!) about just one of these enhancements.

Here are the main features for Season 14:

• New Ally: Grandma Junko is on a mission to find her grandchildren... she thinks. While her memory isn't what it used to be, she can still cook up a good old-fashioned home-cooked meal for you.
• Presidential Power Armor Skins: Who needs Secret Service when you have Power Armor?
• Oval Office: Create your own base of operations with the Oval Office Rug and Wallpaper.
• Autominer Collectron: This new Collectron does all the mining for you, hunting for Ore!

The post Fallout 76’s Season 14 update will have more quality of life changes 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.

Remnant 2 is chugging along, and based on the reception so far, it has a long future ahead of it. Not only is the game a hit commercially and critically, but the development team is also addressing multiple pain points due to player feedback, which you always love to see. A patch was just released on PS5, and like most of the patches before it (on any platform), there's a lot to unpack. Here are the big takeaways.

Crashes and trophies are fixed

Trophy/Achievement bugs are some of the most annoying glitches out there, especially if they only impact one or two seemingly small tasks. It's not uncommon for AAA games to have a few bugged trophies, which can cause problems with the ever-present chase of Platinum status. Thankfully, this fix is retroactive, so your trophies should "ding" automatically. Note, however, that you will need to interact with the World Stone to pop some of them.

This update also comes alongside performance and crash improvements, which can be extremely crushing for a game like Remnant 2. I even went through some launch week crash woes on PC myself. That's on top of a heap of precise bug fixes.

A focus on quality of life

In the past 10 years or so, dev teams have been laser-focused on community feedback, which can help foster a lifelong relationship between some fans: and Gunfire Games is keeping that tradition alive with Remnant 2. Although the game works just fine there are a ton of things that could be improved, and the August PS5 patch is doing just that.

Big changes include the ability to buy unlocked archetypes from Wallace (an NPC) for all future characters, which is huge for folks who are playing through multiple runs. Some obscene requirements were reduced (like what you needed to do to pick up the Revivalist Trait), and the spawn rate for special rewards from Cass has been increased. No one really likes pointless grinding that potentially exceeds dev intent, so this is a step in the right direction.

You can read the full patch notes below!

Remnant 2 PS5 patch - Full patch notes - 08.15.23

The post Remnant 2 just got a PS5 patch that fixes crashes, trophies, and adds quality of life features 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.

Capcom has unleashed a "Mega Man Summer Pack" on Steam, and it's worth raving about. For $29.82 (normally $134.94) you're getting a massive chunk of Mega Man, spanning multiple Legacy Collections, Mega Man 11, and the Zero/ZX Legacy Collection. If you were to pick up the recent-ish Battle Network re-releases, you'd have a pretty good collection of many mainline Mega-games. You can cross-check that for yourself in the image below, taken from my Mega Man collection (which I started in 1990!).

[caption id="attachment_396110" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo by Destructoid[/caption]

Here are all the games you get with the Mega Man Summer Pack (with reviews!)

While the bundle technically states that you get "six items," it's actually six compilations you're picking up with the Summer Pack. It covers the vast majority of mainline Mega Man history, from the original 1987 classic to 2018's Mega Man 11. Note that like other Steam sales, if you already have access to any included games, the platform will deduct the ones you own from the total price.

And because we're Destructoid, we reviewed them all! Feel free to peruse the links below if you're looking to just pick up a few compilations, but the entire shebang is worth it if you can spare the coin.

• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 2
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2
• Mega Man 11
• Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection

There's a larger Capcom End of Summer Sale going on if you're interested

Mega Man is arguably the best part of Capcom's "End of Summer Sale," but there's a bigger promotion going on at this landing page here (the summer is ending? Man life goes by fast).

Highlights include:

• Okami HD
• Capcom Arcade Stadium
• The Disney Afternoon Collection
• DuckTales Remastered
• Strider
• Dark Void Zero (for $2.49!)

The post The Mega Man Summer Pack on Steam is an insanely good deal 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.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, which arrived at the very start of 2020, is still getting DLC. You know how DBZ games go!

This one is called "Ground Battle," and it's billed as the fifth major DLC for the game. As the name might suggest, you're literally fighting on the ground here, which is a Godsend given how flight-heavy the game is in general. It's silly that this is the focus of a DLC three and a half years after the game's release (and not as part of the base package), but it's here all the same. Sometimes Dragon Ball Z games (or Bandai Namco anime brawlers in general) can give EA Sports titles a run for their money!

Here's a full description of the DLC from Bandai Namco:

"Unleash your power in a new stage, 'Ground Battle' of Dragon Ball Z Kakarot's DLC 5! Experience intense fights with unique rules in the World Tournament. Master epic moves, defeat your foes, and rise to victory! Get ready for non-stop action!'

While Ground Battle was announced several weeks ago, it just got an official date thanks to Bandai Namco's German Twitter account: August 17.

A short history of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DLC

Note that this is all part of the "second battle pass" for the game. The first concluded in June of 2021 with a Trunks-focused DLC, with the second season pass arriving in early 2023. Ground Battle is the second add-on for the second pass (what is this, the 2010s?), and the third and final DLC will presumably come out sometime later in 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JLOD_a7or4

The post Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is somehow still getting DLC 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.

I remember where I was when Blue Dragon was announced. Although I already had an Xbox 360 and was ready for it, some folks I knew bought one just for it given who was involved (Nobuo Uematsu, Hironobu Sakaguchi, Akira Toriyama): as Mistwalker and Microsoft Game Studios made a mad dash to put out more games from Japanese studios on the Xbox ecosystem.

So how did it actually go? Well, it depends on who you ask. For some, it was a dazzling RPG that stayed with them long after the credits rolled (no doubt in part due to famed artist Akira Toriyama's character designs), and helped pave the way for better games just like it. For others, it was a run-of-the-mill project that relied heavily on its presentation, without bringing a whole lot to the table compared to similar games before it. It's also roughly 50 hours long (originally across three discs), so if you aren't into it early on, odds are you'll fall off way before the end.

You can find out for yourself how it all went down with our new Lost in Time series, which will be airing every other week on the Destructoid YouTube channel. It's also still on sale digitally for $19.99 on the Xbox storefront and is playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

If you're interested in hearing more about this often-forgotten RPG, check out the video on it below. The video team is currently looking for feedback on this series and what you might want to see in the future: so let them know in the YouTube comments!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlE0Sbt-jqU

The post Did you play Blue Dragon? Whatever the case might be, it deserves to be remembered appeared first on Destructoid.

I've been around the block with Bungie, having played Destiny since the original Destiny 1 alpha. And let me tell you: it can be rough! Bungie is a fascinating case study, as they've managed to create one of the best-feeling shooters ever made, but haven't been able to figure out how to run a live service game for nearly nine years. Their recent "State of the Game" blog tests that theory once again.

Why are people so mad at the August 2023 Destiny 2 State of the Game blog?

In the aforementioned blog, Bungie essentially delivers their "we're listening, but not doing much about it." It's a classic read-between-the-lines situation for the studio, which has struggled to keep up with player requests, basic quality-of-life additions, and everything in between. The core issue is that folks have been asking for more Gambit and PVP variety: an aspect of the game that has slowed to a crawl with a distinct lack of updates. The answer? "Tough."

Here's an excerpt:

"The most frequent feedback we see is that there is just not enough new PvP content, specifically new maps. To set expectations, our studio structure is built to support more overarching updates to PvP like the ones above, rather than focusing exclusively on maps. When we do focus our resources on building new Crucible maps, it comes with the tradeoff of multiple teams' bandwidth on work that contributes to a variety of experiences that players also hold dear, such as new story or Exotic mission content, core activities that make up the foundation of each Season, or new destinations. Similarly, bringing back reprised maps also involves extensive porting to the latest version of Destiny 2, which requires additional resources to ensure the maps work correctly for multiple game modes and play styles for years to come."

Destiny's rickety code strikes again! Although the team promises "exciting" content coming, it essentially amounts to a map and a few modifiers. The even bigger issue is that Gambit mode (PVPvE) is seemingly dead, as old maps and enemies are being "ported over to the current version of Destiny 2." That idea to vault nearly everything is still biting them.

Beyond PVP woes, the massive blog update manages to technically say a lot, without saying much at all. The "main" Destiny reddit is aflame (more than usual, ha!) with posts like this, which hit differently after a fairly underwhelming expansion drop. Many big content creators are speaking out against the update as well, and when coupled with disappointment from the last expansion; even some of the most fervent Destiny supports are losing hope.

This is to be expected, as a long-time Destiny player. It's no secret that the game waxes and wanes, big sweeping bad changes are made, and the team walks them back to the point where it's "acceptable." The question is: how long can they keep operating like that? Especially with Marathon on the horizon.

The post Bungie’s recent Destiny 2 state of the game is one of its most disastrous 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.

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.

Final Fantasy XIV continues to deliver an info-packed Fanfest live from Las Vegas Nevada, and series producer Naoki "Yoshi P" Yoshida announced some really great news for prospective players: the free trial is getting an upgrade.

Yoshida mentioned that the trial will be coming with the release of patch 6.5, which is expected to go live sometime in September. As is the case with most patches (even smaller ones), Square Enix is very careful in terms of when it provides exact dates (or even windows) of when updates might drop. But even still, it's coming! And we won't have to wait until 2024's Dawntrail expansion to take advantage of it.

[caption id="attachment_394203" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

Square Enix has slowly made its Final Fantasy XIV free trial more generous over the years

Slowly but surely, Square Enix has been adding more expansions into the mix. Originally the free trial only included A Realm Reborn (back in 2014!), but it eventually expanded to Heavensward (in 2019), and now, Stormblood. It would stand to reason that Shadowbringers could arrive at some point. All you free players are in for a treat if that happens!

If you haven't dove into Final Fantasy XIV yet, we have a full guide on how to maximize your free trial here.

The Stormblood free trial is coming to Xbox, too

In case you missed it, Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox platforms will include the free trial:

"Additionally, you may have seen some copypasta lurking around the internet pertaining to a certain free trial… well, rest assured, the Final Fantasy XIV Online Expanded Free Trial will indeed be coming to Xbox Series X|S, meaning you too will be able to enjoy the entirety of A Realm Reborn as well as the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70 with no restrictions on playtime!"

The post Final Fantasy XIV is expanding its free trial to include Stormblood 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.

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.

So this is where we're at.

Amazon dropped their Prime Gaming schedule for August 2023, and it once again includes a host of free games to pick up, amid "new in-game content." Typically this involves cosmetics, loot boxes, or smaller drops, but on occasion, it can get even more micro with tier skips for battle passes. And that's just what we're getting with Diablo 4 (and Overwatch 2, while we're at it): four tier skips.

The first round of Prime Gaming rewards for Diablo 4 were fairly underwhelming, and a tier skip bonus for a battle pass people don't even like is bound to go over poorly. The Diablo 4 skip bonus will go live on August 3.

There are a few other bonuses in tow for August Prime Gaming members too, including 5 tier skips on August 17 for Overwatch 2, and three standard card packs on August 23 for Hearthstone.

Here's the full list of Prime Gaming rewards for August 2023

• Free Games with Prime

  • PayDay 2 + “The Gage Mod Courier” DLC (Epic Games Store)

  • Farming Simulator 19 (Epic Games Store)

  • Blade Assault (Amazon Games App)

  • Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 (Amazon Games App)

  • Foretales (Amazon Games App)

  • Driftland: The Magic Revival (Amazon Games App)

  • In Sound Mind (Amazon Games App)

  • Summertime Madness (Legacy Games Code)

• New In-Game Content for:

  • Black Desert Online

  • Dead By Daylight

  • Fall Guys

  • Overwatch 2

  • Pokémon GO

  • Shadow Fight 3

  • Warframe

The post One of Prime Gaming’s August bonus rewards is Diablo 4 tier skips 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.

Ah, the freshness of a new seasonal drop. In a game like Fortnite, where battle passes are generally done right, it's almost like Christmas. In Diablo 4, it's currently a nightmare: at least, based on what we're getting in the first season. Let's quickly break down why Blizzard fumbled this initial pass so badly.

[caption id="attachment_393403" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The premium currency situation is bonkers

Many games offer premium currency as a reward for finishing up a season pass. In Fortnite, you can actually earn back the V-Bucks (its premium currency) you spent on the pass by completing it, then spend that on the next pass. It's a smart way to keep people invested, and in some live service games, it's known as "going infinite." Diablo 4 on the other hand, just like its leveling process, is far stingier.

After spending $10, if you grind up everything, you'll get 666 Platinum [premium] currency. That's essentially $6.66 USD. Funny right? Well, no. As this Reddit post from user Caddy-Whompus points out, it's not enough to buy the absolute cheapest, bottom-of-the-barrel item in the store (which is 800 Platinum): much less the next battle pass.

https://twitter.com/Rurikhan/status/1682187267425574914

To make matters worse (as Twitter user/streamer Rurikhan points out), Blizzard snuck the "buy premium pass" button in a spot that's extremely easy to click on, which quickly became a widespread concern among the community. Diablo 4 community manager Adam Fletcher responded that a fix for this was coming, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Battle passes have been screwed up more times than I can count

At this point, the battle pass system is a generation old (and change). There's really no excuse for messing things up this badly, but publishers find a way every time to do just that. Years ago, Wizards of the Coast tinkered with battle passes every other release with Magic: Arena, and confused the community as a result. You could literally see it become stingier in real time.

There are people who are paid to ensure that backlash like this doesn't happen, and there are truckloads of studies that folks can use to prevent this from becoming a thing in 2023. But as we've seen time and time again, big publishers will press their luck constantly: until it runs out.

The post Diablo 4’s first battle pass is a complete fumble appeared first on Destructoid.

As we gear up for the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet double-DLC-drops this year, Game Freak and company are doling out more free gifts for the pair of recent mainline games. This time the newest promo involves a dark Tera Type Charizard: and who doesn't love a Charizard?! Especially given that you can't acquire one in Scarlet & Violet through normal gameplay.

Here's how to get the special July 2023 Charizard

We have a full breakdown on how to access the mystery gift system here. In short, it involves finishing up the tutorial (which requires you to get through the academy portion, after the bout with Arven) to fully unlock the required menu.

After you've completed the tutorial, complete the following steps:

• Press X and select “Poke Portal”
• On the Poke Portal screen, scroll down and find the code option and select it
• Enter the code DARKTERA0006

Here are some details for the July 2023 Charizard in case you need to discern whether or not it's worth even booting up the game for:

• Level 50
• Dark Tera Type
• Moves: Crunch, Flare Blitz, Acrobatics, Belly Drum

This promo will run through August 31, 2023, so you have some time. If you're seeking out more information, the original source of this code is straight from The Pokemon Company's site.

[Update: Nintendo has provided a new trailer for the event, which also ties into an "Obsidian Flames" trading card game product]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4-FOvO4ukY

The post Grab a special Charizard in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet for a limited time 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.

Nintendo is no stranger to using the "Switch news channel" to give out items, whether you remember it exists or not. As a refresher, that little red speech bubble icon on the bottom of your Switch home screen is actually an app, which occasionally provides free stuff. Sometimes it'll offer up digital items for core franchises, including some promos for Zelda: Breath of the Wild back in the day. Now they're turning their sights to Tears of the Kingdom, and you can take advantage of it.

The news story in question is called "Whip enemies into shape," and you'll just click right on it and launch Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom directly from the app. After that, you'll log in and get the items instantly.

The items you'll acquire from this news story are:

• A Lizalfos Tail
• A Traveler's Sword

This is just enough gear to allow Link to fuse them together to create a whip. Hence, "whip enemies into shape." Cute, but underwhelming.

Yep, that's it! I warned you they were just "OK." Free is free, but hopefully, Nintendo steps things up and at least provides more unique items: potentially some amiibo stuff folks have missed out on (given the current state of re-releases and stock).

[Thanks John!]

The post You can get some free OK Tears of the Kingdom items through the Switch news channel 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.

It's on the Epic Games Store now

The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is free on the Epic Games Store right now, and it's a pretty fantastic way to spend this semi-lull gaming period if you aren't getting Pikmin 4.

In case you were wondering, this is considered the "standard" edition of ESO and includes both the base game and the Morrowind chapter for $20. The "Necrom" version is $60 and adds in "all previous chapters," which at this point includes: High Isle, Blackwood, Greymoor, Elsweyr, Summerset, and Morrowind.

You can grab Elder Scrolls Online for free right here. This freebie promo will run through July 27 at 11AM ET, so you have time!

Is ESO worth playing?

Absolutely! Especially for free. Although it had its issues at launch, I thoroughly enjoyed running through and exploring this version of the Elder Scrolls universe, and it's only expanded since then with numerous quality-of-life patches. Although, you will have to buy/acquire the expansions that deal with content beyond the base game.

Does ESO have a mandatory subscription fee?

Nope! That's where this free offer comes in handy.

There is, however, an "ESO Plus Membership" that you can buy, which has become increasingly popular since Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) helped usher the scheme into the mainstream MMO scene ages ago.

Here's what it includes:

• Access to all DLC game packs
• Free crowns for the in-game Crown Store [read: microtransactions]
• Access to the Craft Bag
• Double bank space
• Bonuses to progression
• Increased Furniture placement limits
• Costume dyeing
• Double Transmute Crystal capacity
• Exclusive access to unique Crown Store deals

The post You can’t go wrong with getting the $20 base Elder Scrolls Online for free appeared first on Destructoid.

Hee Ho

While Pikmin 4 is very beginner friendly (even from a story perspective!), there are ways you can stretch out more efficiency; which comes in handy if you're ever stuck! Here are some quick ways to smooth out your run.

[caption id="attachment_392866" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Learn to delegate early

Pikmin 4's core tenet is "Dandori," which essentially asks you to delegate which party members gather which items (or destroy certain hazards). This can be as simple as throwing Yellow Pikmin at an electric fence to take it out, while Red Pikmin fight a fire enemy nearby.

As you progress, you'll need to learn to split up your party within each type to ensure you have enough Pikmin for the job. For a particularly big treasure, you may want to toss a few extra Pikmin at it so it gets back to your base quicker (and if you're attacked by an errant enemy, the team doesn't drop the item on the ground).

[caption id="attachment_392860" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Upgrade Oatchi's gathering and exploration capabilities first

As a general rule, Oatchi has two options at their disposal when it comes to upgrading their abilities: combat, and utility.

Combat isn't particularly tough in Pikmin 4, and the game also comes with a handy rewind feature. If, at any time, a battle is so tough that it wipes you out; you can rewind your progress instantly. As such, Oatchi doesn't need to become a combat machine, especially early on.

Instead, when you get the ability to upgrade Oatchi,  you're going to want to go for gathering and exploration abilities initially. This allows you to enter new areas, which in turn will grant you more upgrades (which you can then funnel back into combat if you wish).

[caption id="attachment_392868" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

There's no rush (or overarching time limit)

Don't stress out, and take your time. Despite the fact that each run has a full day and evening cycle (a run ends right before it gets dark), there's no penalty for going back into a level unless you're speedrunning.

If you're just starting out in a new area, get the lay of the land before you attempt to gather everything up. Don't worry too much about trying to get every treasure or captive on the first run.

[caption id="attachment_392871" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Spread out your Pikmin party makeup

You can take three types of Pikmin with you on each run, and the game will recommend the best three for whatever area you're in. That said, you can absolutely deviate from whatever it tells you to pick.

Going even further, make sure you have ample amounts of each Pikmin in your party. Red and Yellow Pikmin are by far the most plentiful types, so balancing an equal amount of those on top of a useful third type will help you clear the majority of the game's puzzles on any given stage.

[caption id="attachment_392858" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

If you're stuck and need to progress - go back and do the dungeons you missed

Dungeons are one of the best ways to wrack up Sparklium: which you'll need to unlock more levels and progress with the story.

If you're stuck, go to the very first level and see if you've cleared every dungeon on the map. Then move to the second level, and so on. You'll be unlocking new stages in no time!

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You won't need to rewind much, but consider it if you lose Ice or Water Pikmin

Early on, Ice and Water Pikmin are paramount when it comes to reaching new areas in existing levels. Many stages follow a Metroidvania-like design, where you'll need to "come back later" with new tricks to actually access some of the trickier portions.

As such, Ice and Water Pikmin are extremely valuable, and you need at least 10 of them to grab specific items and drag them back through water (or freeze said water). If you lose either of those types and go below a total pool of 10, consider rewinding your session just a tad, and let Oatchi and the Red/Yellow Pikmin do the heavy lifting in tougher combat situations.

[caption id="attachment_392880" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

When in doubt, use Oatchi to slam into things

While Pikmin 4 can throw some head-scratching puzzles at you from time to time, there is a limit to that complexity. If an individual Pikmin can't solve a roadblock, fall back on Oatchi.

Use Oatchi's dash ability (hold X and release) to slam into hazards, enemies, objects, and treasures. Often times a dangling object can be loosened by slamming into a nearby wall!

The post 7 beginner tips to get started in Pikmin 4 appeared first on Destructoid.