Week: End Game: On 08.05.2017

It’s the weekend once again, and there’s no better time to sit down and relax with some video games! Check out what the staff plans on getting up to this weekend!

Marc Deschamps

For me, this weekend is all about the Splatfest. While I was eagerly anticipating Splatoon 2‘s release a couple weeks ago, I think I’ve been even more excited for the game’s first official Splatfest. I love the way the community comes together while also splitting in half and I love the insanely good artwork people come up with to pledge support for their team. It’s such a testament to the structure of the game that something this competitive can also be this wholesome. It rarely matters what the competition is over (Team Ketchup FTW), this is the game at its most endearing.

Lately, my Switch has remained almost exclusively in handheld mode. As the parent of a toddler, video game time happens when I can find a few free minutes. Luckily, Namco Museum has proven to be a strong title to play in short bursts. The compilation’s classic arcade games are perfect for killing 15 or 20 minutes on my lunch break at work.

When I do have some time to sit down with my consoles at home, my PS4 has been getting a little love, as well. I got Resident Evil VII for my birthday, and it really does live up to its reputation. I’m not very far in, but somehow this game has proven to be more unsettling than the majority of its predecessors. While I’m a gigantic George Romero fan, I think shifting the influence from zombie films to movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Blair Witch Project was a much-needed breath of fresh air. It’s probably a good thing I don’t have a ton of video game time, though. Sitting through the game for long lengths can be kind of hard, even for a seasoned horror-buff like me!

I haven’t been buying many new Switch games recently, which isn’t actually a problem though as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still blows me away whenever I play it in handheld mode. Truthfully, the game doesn’t really offer much new as a console Mario Kart game but, as a handheld game, it is a massive step up from Mario Kart 7. It’s definitely going to take me a good few months to get over the level of graphical fidelity that is now possible on the go!

Beyond that, it’s all about PC gaming for me this weekend. I’ve been nurturing a new Athenian super power in Total War: Rome II (taking down Macedon was a particular highlight) and enjoying some old-school games with the SEGA Mega Drive & Genesis Classics collection. Unfortunately, that’s now got me thinking again about how great a Virtual Console would be on Switch. Hmm…

Kevin Knezevic

It’s always a struggle of find enough free time to jump into any video games, so I’ve been spending my spare moments playing a few rounds of Splatoon 2 here and there. What can I say about the game that hasn’t already been said? It’s not as surprising as the first Splatoon, sure, but that hardly matters when the gameplay is this fun and addictive. Turf Wars never get old, and I’ll be doing my best to defend ketchup’s honor in the Splatfest this weekend. I do miss the Splattershot Jr.’s Bubbler special, though. The Ink Armor has its own advantages and drawbacks, but the Bubbler got me out of some literally sticky situations back in the day. I’ll never forget you, my friend.

I also try to squeeze in a few matches in Arms whenever I have a chance. Truthfully, I wasn’t too keen on the game the first time I played it during the Global Testpunch beta; it is so unlike any other fighting game that it was difficult to wrap my head around the mechanics. Now that I’ve put in some more substantial time in it, however, I can see how deep and enjoyable it actually is. There’s a lot more strategy involved than you might initially think, but it’s also immensely satisfying to take down a particularly challenging opponent. I don’t know how long I’ll be compelled to return to it, but for now it’s a fun alternative to Splatoon when I have a free moment to play Switch.

On a non-Nintendo console, I’m finally nearing the end of my journey in Yooka-Laylee on Xbox One. I actually backed the title on Kickstarter for Switch, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait long enough for that version to be released, so I purchased a physical copy for Xbox when it came out back in April. I have to say, I’m still really enjoying it! It certainly feels like one of Rare’s long-lost N64 platformers, for better and sometimes worse. It has a tendency to succumb to some of Rare’s more frustrating design decisions (namely, the game relies a little too heavily on timed challenges that leave very little room for error), but man, playing it makes me feel like I’m 12-years-old again. I’ve nearly collected all of the items in the final world, and I’m almost a little sad to be nearing the end of the game. It’s been a heck of an enjoyable nostalgia trip so far, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who has a soft spot for Banjo-Kazooie or Donkey Kong 64!

It’s been insanely busy the past few weeks. A ton of games and even a new piece of hardware have all kept me preoccupied. I’m continuing to get to know my New 2DS XL. I’m really enjoying it so far. It has solid battery life and the overall build of the unit is very solid. If there’s one thing about 3DS that never quite felt right to me, it’s that the various models always felt too delicate. Not in a cheap junk sort of way, but rather that they felt precious. I was afraid to breath on one of them the wrong way on the off chance that I might scratch the thing.

I might be alone in this, but I’m hyper paranoid about keeping my stuff in the best shape possible, so 3DS has always kept me on edge. The New 2DS XL is sturdier, overall, and the design is more in line with what I like in a handheld. Hopefully I’ll have my review up very, very soon!

Beyond that, I’m wrapping up Hey! Pikmin. I’ve really enjoyed my time with it so far. This reimagining of Pikmin as a 2D platformer is very quaint and creative. It’s like a less bombastic Kirby game with some light strategy elements mixed in. I’m also cranking away at Miitopia. It’s quirky, like Tomodachi Life, but the RPG elements give it more staying power. So far, a couple of genuinely enjoyable experiences!

What games are you playing this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!