Switch Weekly - Despite bugs, Pokemon sets records

Web version · Unsubscribe

Issue #‍309 | November 27, 2022 · The F-Zero future we never got...

Hey, issue #309 of Switch Weekly here with your update on everything Nintendo.

So a week on from the launch of the new Pokemon titles and we know two things: yes, the performance issues are bad, and no, it doesn't seem to have hurt things, as the game has sold like crazy. There's plenty of links and follow-up on this in the issue below.

Next week there's around ~25 games coming to the Switch, I've marked a few I like the look of, so be sure to check them out.

That's all from me. Catch you next week.

Cheers,
Chris ✌️

🎮 Currently Playing: The Gunk (Xbox)

▶ Pokémon Scarlet & Violet — Incredibly poor visuals and performance — Digital Foundry's usual tech review highlights the "comprehensive technical failures with a litany of issues" found in these latest games.

Digital Foundry // YouTube

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet sell 10M copies in spite of performance complaints — Absolutely gargantuan launch. This is now biggest game launch ever in Japan.

Nicole Carpenter // Polygon

Unhappy Scarlet & Violet players claim mixed results requesting refunds

Tom Ivan // VGC

Pokemon is never going to get better if we keep on buying it — With 10 million sales already in the bag "the incentive to pump out yet another half-baked generation remains".

Jade King // The Gamer

30 changes we'd like to see in the next Pokémon Scarlet & Violet update

Kate Gray // Nintendo Life

Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto – what we owe the most influential game designer

Keza MacDonald // The Guardian

▶ F-Zero's future: What happened — A neat look at what could have been, including a potential F-Zero project for the Switch. Still waiting on a GX HD port with online....

Did You Know Gaming // YouTube

REVIEW 'Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk' and 'Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk' — These two games "provide a hanuting look at mental illness" handling the topic with deft.

Kevin Cassidy // GoNintendo

REVIEW Donut Dodo

Bobby Jack // Superjump

Missing in action - What happened to these Switch games? — Prime 4, Silksong, Advance Wars, and others...

Kate Gray // Nintendo Life

What happened to Sonic’s roll? — Rolling up and down and all around slopes was core to Sonic’s gameplay, but somewhere along the way, the move went missing.

Brandon Johnson // Superjump

A Pokémon Champion's quest to master the unmasterable

Chris Tapsell // Eurogamer

The 30 best couch co-op games for Nintendo Switch

Nicole Clark // Polygon

🎮 Upcoming Releases

All releases are digital, Europe & U.S. unless otherwise stated.
Release data sourced in collaboration with Switch Scores.

⭐️ = Ones to Watch · 📦 = Physical release · 🎮 = Demo available

Mon

⭐️ Soccer Story — A delightful looking physics-driven adventure RPG, where every problem can be solved with your trusty magic ball. (Nov 29 in U.S.)

Tue

⭐️ The Knight Witch — A spellcasting Metroidvania 'without barriers', mixing shooting and deckbuilding. Devs previously worked on RiME, Moonlighter, and PvZ.

Wed

⭐️ Astronite — A black and white 1bit sci-fi metroidvania.
Elevator Action Returns: S-Tribute — 2D side-scrolling shooter game by Taito from 1995. This version is a reproduction of the home console version released in '97.
⭐️ Front Mission 1st: Remake — A remake of the tactical role-playing game from 1995.
Megalan 11 — Sci-fi exploration-puzzle game. Rescuers have only eleven days to get out of a trap on an abandoned planet.
Tomomi — A lighthearted 2D Metroidvania side-scrolling action game with massive bosses.
Until the Last Plane — WWII aerial sim.
Warp Drive — A pretty cool looking 3D futuristic racer with a teleportation mechanic. (Dec 1 in U.S.)

Thu

Donut Dodo — A light-hearted arcade game with Donkey Kong vibes.
Grisaia Phantom Trigger 07 — Visual novel that you can play with one hand *blinks*. M for mature.
⭐️ Inscryption — A "card-based odyssey" that blends a deckbuilding roguelike, with escape-room style puzzles, and psychological horror. M for mature.
Japanese Escape Games: The Room Without Doors — Solve riddles and escape.
Lover Pretend — Otome game.
⭐️ Papetura — A two-hour point-and-click with a lovely, unique hand made paper look that has to be seen.
⭐️ Railbound — I love the visual style of this train-based puzzler.
Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song - Remastered — A remaster of the remake of this Square RPG.
Sakura Succubus 6 — Romance visual novel. M for mature.
Sword of the Vagrant — Hand-painted fantasy 2D RPG.
⭐️ The Outbound Ghost — Help ghosts ascend to the afterlife in this adventure RPG (with Paper Mario vibes).
⭐️ Work from Home — A co-op party game for four about slacking off behind your bosses back.

Fri

Intrepid Izzy — 2D platformer meets beat'em up adventure.
Siralim Ultimate — Monster catching dungeon RPG.
Super Kiwi 64 — 90s style low poly 3D platformer/collect-a-thon.

Sat

Cyborg Invasion Shooter 3: Savior of the World — A 3D shooter/runner action game with nine levels.

⚡️ Quick Links

Golf is being added to Nintendo Switch Sports tomorrow (Monday 28).
Sakurai hints "it sure would be nice" to play Kid Icarus: Uprising on console.
The Outbound Ghost (mentioned above) launches next week, looks delightful.
This awesome accessory turns your Switch into a portable purple GameCube.
Takaya Inamura (who worked on Star Fox and F-Zero) has a new 16-bit-style sci-fi adventure heading to Switch.
Wanna go out of bounds in Splatoon 3? The latest Boundary Break has got you.
The NX was the codename for Switch. Here's a look at the early boot-up animation / logo Nintendo used during development of the hybrid console.
25 years on, composer David Wise talks Diddy Kong Racing.
Sony: "Microsoft wants PlayStation to become like Nintendo".
Sony will remove Shovelware from the PlayStation Store — maybe Nintendo should take note.
Nintendo sure isn't happy about Switch emulation on Steam Deck.

💸 eShop Bargains

Here's a quick list of some current offers on the Nintendo eShop that caught our eye. Price tracking is provided via Family Gaming Database.

Defunct — ~86% discount.
Snake Pass — 85% discount.
PixelJunk Monsters 2 — 85% discount.
The Gardens Between — 80% discount.

Looking for more? Family Gaming Database has a full list of the Switch games that are on sale right now.

💌 Switch Weekly remains both accessible and sustainable thanks to the ongoing support of my amazing patrons, including:

PC, CapnGoat, SB, FrozenTrout, JR, MindFad, Greg, Michael Fairley, Chris D, Andrew E, Pobble, TomNinetyTwo, and others — why not join them?

Curated by Chris Brandrick

Support Switch Weekly on Patreon

Switch Weekly is sent once weekly. Unsubscribe if you're no longer interested.

This newsletter may contain affiliate links, which help keep the newsletter sustainable.

🌳 In an effort to offset the carbon of sending this newsletter a tree is planted for every issue sent.

Key phrases

A Pokeacutemon Champion next Pokeacutemon Scarlet comprehensive technical failures GX HD port trusty magic ball The Knight Witch influential game designer potential FZero project Elevator Action Returns new Pokemon titles usual tech review biggest game launch amp Violet players The FZero future

Older messages

Pokemon bugs (not that type)

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Web version · Unsubscribe Switch Weekly Issue #‍308 | October 20, 2022 · Modern Day Missingno Hi, Chris here with issue #308 of Switch Weekly — your weekly update on all things Nintendo. I hope you are

Your Nintendo Update

Monday, November 14, 2022

Web version · Unsubscribe Switch Weekly Issue #‍307 | October 13, 2022 · Grind that pepper Tap tap, is this thing on? Hey, Chris here, back with issue #307 of Switch Weekly — your Nintendo update. I

Bayonetta 3 stands defiant in its absurdity

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Web version · Unsubscribe Switch Weekly Issue #‍306 | October 30, 2022 · Murky no more Hello, Chris here with issue #306 of Switch Weekly — your Nintendo update. I hope you are doing well. Another week

Mario + Rabbids Spark Joy

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Web version · Unsubscribe Switch Weekly Issue #‍305 | October 23, 2022 · Slow it down Hey, issue #305 of Switch Weekly here with your Nintendo update. Last week I shared some thoughts with you

Bayonetta's low-ball row

Sunday, October 16, 2022

Web version · Unsubscribe Switch Weekly Issue #‍304 | October 16, 2022 · VA 4K Drama Hello, Chris here with issue #304 of Switch Weekly — your Nintendo update. Hope you've had a great week. The big

NYU Online Film & TV Course