Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King in now out in stores, so Nintendo has released a launch trailer for the game. Check it out below.
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 Professional
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 Professional will be out in Japan on February 9 for 3DS, so Square Enix has released some new details on its special monsters, the Incarnus.
The details have been translated by Gematsu, and show the four basic Incarnus as well as their respective upgraded forms.
Windyo
– Wind based
– Small white tiger
– Turns into a large tiger, Emperor WindyoFreysha
– Looks like a small owl
– Despite its cute appearance, it controls flames
– Turns into a fierce owl, Empress FreyshaGaogaia
– Earth based
– Looks like a small bear
– Turns into the Righteous Emperor GaogaiaAckle
– Water based
– Resembles a turtle
– Specializes in defense
– Turns into War Emperor Ackle
Screenshots of these Incarnus monsters have also been shared, which you can find in the gallery below.
Dragon Quest Heroes I-II
Dragon Quest Heroes I-II will be released at launch date of the Switch in Japan, with the two Dragon Quest Heroes games included in one package. However, Square Enix is introducing new content and making improvements to them, so the company shared more details about that during the Nintendo Switch Experience 2017.
One of the new aspects is the introduction of HD Rumble, allowing you to feel vibration from the Joy-Con when slashing enemies, and it will differ for each monster. If you slash a Slime for example, it gives off something like a jelly feeling, and if you slash a Golem, a rough / hard vibration will be felt. Also, when slashing through a group of enemies, you’ll be able to notice that a Metal Slime is hidden somewhere in the crowd due to that difference in rumble effect.
The difficulty level and game balance has also been adjusted for the Switch release of Dragon Quest Heroes. Elements that were improved or introduced in Dragon Quest Heroes II will now be applied to the first game as well. More details about it will be announced during a live stream just before the release.
Finally, Square Enix has also stated it’s including Ragnar McRyan from Dragon Quest IV as a new playable character, and Malroth from Dragon Quest II as a boss.
I Am Setsuna
Square Enix has recently shared a new commercial for I Am Setsuna in Japan. You can watch it below.
Furthermore, it has been announced that the Switch edition of the game will feature a new player-vs-player mode through free DLC. Once downloaded and the player reaches a certain point in the main scenario, the player can then upload or download data and battle against other players’ parties in the “Arena of Time”. Various character customization options will be included too. The following two screenshots were issued to illustrate this content.
Project Octopath Traveler
Square Enix has launched a teaser site for Project Octopath Traveler which you can access here. So far it only has some music to listen to and the debut teaser trailer.
Besides that, the game’s producer and team from Square Enix have also launched an official Facebook page you can visit here. The team, led by producer Tomoya Asano, will be sharing behind-the-scenes looks in that page as the title develops, so it’s worth keeping an eye on it. Asano wrote the following introduction post:
This is Square Enix producer Tomoya Asano.
It’s my pleasure to finally announce our newest project, the fully original role-playing game Octopath Traveler!
While we can’t reveal any specific details quite yet (keep an eye out for promotional media in the near future), we’d like to share with you a behind-the-scenes look at the development process in the meantime.
A long road lies ahead of us, but we hope that you’ll come along for the journey!
Minna de Waiwai! Spelunker
Square Enix has now announced that Minna de Waiwai! Spelunker will release on April 20 in Japan for Switch. The game will cost 4,980 yen.
It is a cave exploration game, developed by Tozai Games, that will see players diving deep into various caves for treasure, assembling items from scattered pieces, and befriending pets.
Monster Hunter XX
Monster Hunter XX is receiving yet another collaboration, this time with mangaka Hiro Mashima, the creator of Fairy Tail.
The collaboration involves the inclusion of a Long Sword named Uranometria. The sword blade is drawn with a sparking sky of stars, and the scabbard’s silhouette will look like an ancient key. It shares its name with a spell from the Fairy Tail series.
During one of the latest episodes of Capcom TV, Monster Hunter XX gameplay involving Uranometria and Mashima was shown, which you can take a look at below together with some artwork and screenshots.
Capcom also uploaded another video where the Alchemy Style and Beast Hunting Style for Prowlers are shown, with commentary from Monster Hunter XX producer Shintaro Kojima and general deputy manager Satoshi Inoue. Check it out below.
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers
Capcom has now revealed that Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers will include online play unlike the original title.
IGN also got to interview Street Fighter series producer Yoshinori Ono about the game, and he talked about why Capcom decided to bring that game to the Switch, including two art styles in it, how the team is approaching game balance, when it’ll be released, and the mix of older and younger staff working on the project. You can read the whole interview over here.
Finally, you can take a look at another piece of off-screen footage below.
The Great Ace Attorney 2
In a recent 15th anniversary event held in Japan, Capcom shared a new trailer for The Great Ace Attorney 2, confirming it will be an exclusive for 3DS. You can take a look at the trailer in question below.
Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission X
Bandai Namco has announced it has been developing a new Dragon Ball Heroes game for the 3DS. Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission X, will be arriving in Japan on April 27, and first print copies of the game will include five collectible cards: Tokusei Hero Avatar, Son Goku: Xeno, Vegeta: Xeno, Darkness Majin Towa, and Vegito (Super Saiyan Blue).
An Amazon listing has also revealed further details about the game. Fans can expect Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission X to be the series’ definitive entry. The game lets players make a team using a maximum of five cards from a total of 3,300 cards and then face off in five-versus-five battles in this card battle adventure game with 3DS-original elements. Bandai Namco is including all eight Dragon Ball Heroes missions, all 10 “Galaxy Missions”, all eight “Evil Dragon Missions”, and all 10 “God Missions”. Over 240 characters are also included, which is in fact the highest number in the series. New characters will be featured in this title as well.
You can take a look at some screenshots from the Amazon page below.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 was recently revealed to be coming to the Switch, so Bandai Namco has now shared the first screenshots of the game running on the console. Check them out in the gallery below.
Pro Yakyuu Famista Climax
Bandai Namco has announced Pro Yakyuu Famista Climax for 3DS, which launches in Japan on April 20.
Pro Yakyuu Famista Climax is the 30th anniversary title in the series, for which the main phrase is “Create, Raise, Battle!”.
With acknowledgement from the Nippon Professional Baseball organization, data of actual pro baseball athletes is being used as of the 2017 season, so some new elements will be present for the first time in the series.
The game adds members of the Meikyu-Kai (Golden Players Club) such as Sadaharu Oh and Shigeo Nagashima, plus female athletes from the JWBL (Japan Women’s Baseball League). Team mascots will also be included as playable characters.
Existing game modes will be enhanced, such as Team Raising mode, Famista Quest, and online versus.
A download code will also be given for Famista Retro, during a limited time. This contains data of the 2017 season athletes from 12 teams. There will also be a second code to obtain the legendary athlete Masahiro Yamamoto, who is the main promotion character of this game and will appear on Namco Stars team as Yamamomo.
You can watch the game’s first preview trailer below.
Puyo Puyo Tetris
Below you can find some off-screen footage of Puyo Puyo Tetris taken by GameXplain. Check it out.
Etrian Odyssey 10th Anniversary
The Etrian Odyssey series recently celebrated its 10th Anniversary on January 18. The first game was released in Japan for the DS on January 18 2007.
In order to celebrate this anniversary, series character designer Yuji Himukai shared the illustration you can see below on Twitter.
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence
Koei Tecmo has announced that it will be releasing Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence with Power-Up Kit for the Switch on March 3 in Japan.
The Switch edition includes some original elements, such as new additions to the story and all DLC on the cartridge. The motion IR camera in the Joy-Con controller is also used to create warlords based on things such as the target’s form and feel.
You can take a look at a trailer and some screenshots from the game below.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII
Koei Tecmo is also bringing Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII with Power-Up Kit to the Switch on March 30 for 9,800 yen in Japan.
The Switch version features a new officer creation mechanic that uses the Joy-Con controllers’ motion IR camera. When pointing the motion IR camera towards a target, officers will be created based on things such as the target’s form and feel. The Switch version also has touch-based controls, letting players can use the screen to zoom in, zoom out, swipe, move units during battle, and activate officer strategies.
You can take a look at the game’s trailer below.
Attack on Titan: Escape from Certain Death
New screenshots from Attack on Titan: Escape from Certain Death have been shared by Koei Tecmo. These show off various scenes of character interaction and dialogue between the members of the Survey Corps, as well as the new “Battle Act” system. This system is made up of a series of quicktime events that occur when you encounter a Titan, where pressing the right buttons within the time limit is necessary in order to escape unharmed, or even defeat the Titan itself. You can take a look at the screenshots in the gallery below.
Yo-Kai Watch 3: Sukiyaki
Yo-Kai Watch 3: Sukiyaki has now been updated to version 2.2 in Japan.
Level-5’s new update consists of the addition of two new Mystery S Rank Yo-kai, Shivarak and Nostradamus, and the distribution of some special quests that were previously only available at Universal Studios Japan. Players will also receive either one or two 5-Star Coins when the game is updated, depending on if you’re updating from version 2.0 or not.
Some artwork was released with the news, which you can find in the gallery below.
Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns
XSEED Games has announced that Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns will debut in North America on February 28.
It also confirmed that the costumes and headgear based on Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad originally included in the Japanese version will be available in the west. They have the following effects:
– Mario’s Outfit and Hat: Mama mia! The iconic plumber’s signature red and blue uniform gives your running speed a boost.
– Luigi’s Outfit and Hat: Luigi’s costume will improve your luck at fishing. Others will be green with envy!
– Princess Peach’s Dress and Tiara: This regal dress and tiara will make you better friends with other characters. Sweet!
– Toad’s Outfit and Hat: The tireless Toad’s outfit causes your stamina to recharge automatically over time.
An overview of the game and a trailer were also provided, and you can find them below.
“In celebration of the upcoming 20th anniversary of the longest-running farming and life simulation series, the beloved Bokujo Monogatari franchise – now known as STORY OF SEASONS in the West – returns with its biggest adventure yet in STORY OF SEASONS: Trio of Towns. Settled on a homestead in the middle of three distinct and uniquely themed locales, players can explore a diverse landscape as they search for new ways to grow their farms and friendships. Extensive customization and gameplay options are on offer in Trio of Towns, with each village offering its own variety of regional crops, lads and ladies to romance, animals, festivals, furniture, decorations and more. More ways to play sprout up as players connect to one another locally or via the internet to chat, trade, and enhance items on a mysterious multiplayer island.”
Finally, XSEED’s third Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns localization blog is now out too. The latest post covers the many cats and dogs that can be had in the game. Unfortunately, the post also confirms that the Hamtaro pet hamster collaboration won’t be featured in the western version. You can read up on the post over here.
Suda51’s Speech at Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017
If you had trouble understanding what Grasshopper Manufacture CEO Goichi Suda said during the Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 about the system and Travis Touchdown, despite the best efforts of his interpreter, you can now watch a translation of his speech by YouTuber iYakku below.
Creeping Terror
Sushi Typhoon Games has now released a second trailer for its new 3DS eShop game Creeping Terror, which is not out in Japan. You can watch it below.
Yooka-Laylee
Playtonic has recently shared a new Yooka-Laylee trailer showing off eight player multiplayer games included in the game. You can check it out below.
The developers have also confirmed that the game has a co-op feature where a second player can take control of the Bee Team, and is able to grab quills, collect and store butterflies, stop traps, and more.
Also, for those who are still looking into changing their backer copy from Wii U to Switch, you probably won’t have to wait much longer. Playtonic has said on Twitter that this should be possible by the end of the month. There may potentially be news about a physical version for Switch as well.
Minecraft: Wii U Edition
A new update for Minecraft: Wii U Edition now out, through which the developers have addressed three small issues within the game.
You can find the patch notes below.
– Fix for Mob Spawners not spawning anymore, and showing a Pig inside them.
– Fix for previously created signs being censored for players with restrictive Privacy settings.
– Fix for being able to escape the boundaries of the world by exiting a Boat at the edge.
Rayman Legends Definitive Edition
Ubisoft is bringing Rayman Legends Definitive Edition to Switch, so Michel Ancel recently participated in an official interview video to talk about the game, among other things. He speaks about his reaction to Switch, why the game is coming to Nintendo’s new system, and what’s in store for this specific version. Ancel also teased “several surprises” for the Switch version of Rayman Legends Definitive Edition. Check out the video interview below.
Furthermore, Ubisoft updated its official web page for Rayman Legends Definitive Edition, where new details about the game are shared.
The game will feature wireless local multiplayer, with which up to four players can experience the game together. Additionally, much like in the video above, Ubisoft says new features will be included in the Kung Foot mini-game.
The page then mentions the usage of Switch’s touch screen and gyroscope features:
“Rayman Legends takes full advantage of the Nintendo Switch and its new controllers capabilities. Undock your Switch device and use the touch screen to take out enemies, manipulate platforms, cut ropes to clear a path and much more. With the gyroscope technology, you can move rotating platform and there are many more surprises to come!”
Finally, GamesIndustry has published a new interview with Xavier Poix, the boss of Ubisoft’s French studios. He commented on the audience for Switch, Ubisoft’s initial lineup of games and why they were chosen, the company’s approach to development, and why he thinks the system will be more successful than Wii U. You can read up on the interview over here.
Constructor
System 3 has now put up an official announcement for its Constructor remake, which is also coming to the Switch on April 28th (yes, the announcement below had a mistake according to them, so that’s the date). You can find it below.
System 3, the world’s longest running privately owned publisher and developer of market-defining PC & Console titles, proudly announces that its long-awaited Constructor will be released on the hotly anticipated Nintendo Switch™ console.
The release of Constructor on Nintendo Switch™ marks the 20th Anniversary of the multi-million-selling city builder and is testament to System 3’s ability to keep up with the rapidly-changing world of gaming hardware.
Using the Nintendo Switch™, Constructor fans will be able to seamlessly take their construction empire with them, allowing players to build, sabotage, and cause construction chaos anywhere. Caught short and need to lay some pipe during Constructor? Undock your Nintendo Switch™, take your place on the porcelain throne, and continue building your empire in uninterrupted comfort. Just remember to flush.
Constructor also utilises the wireless play of the Nintendo Switch™, allowing up to four mates to effortlessly play against each other in the many multiplayer Constructor challenges.
“The drive and ambition to bring products to the world’s most dynamic gaming systems has stood System 3 in good stead over its 35-year existence. The Nintendo Switch is the latest example of hardware allowing us to bring our unique vision to the market. You’ll now be able to build and run your construction empire anywhere you like – you’ll never stop building!“, said Mark Cale, CEO of System 3.
Constructor will be released on launch day for Nintendo Switch™, and 28th February for Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, & Steam players.