Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year

What games will you play over christmas? Anyways enjoy the holidays and I'll see you again next year.

and as always
Thanks for reading

Maxwell or Pascal doesn't matter

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I know I'm pretty late and I know that most of you are probably sick of hearing Switch rumors, but the last piece of news about Nintendos upcoming console needs some addressing. Don't worry I'll make it quick.

So over the course of last week a rumor surfaced via Venture Beat that the Nintendo Switch won't use the actual generation of Nvidia chips dubbed ''Pascal'', but instead the older generation ''Maxwell'' Chips. If you want to read up on the rumor you can do this here at the Source.

Now, as expected, this rumor created a lot of buzz. Fears about repeating the mistake of the Wii-U surfaced. People were quick to jump to conclusions and call the Switch underpowered. And while I can't put your mind at ease, if you fear the same, I hope I can at least give you some insight into the topic.

The Maxwell/Pascal Difference:

First let me say that the difference between Maxwell and Pascal is almost entirely down to the manufacturing process. Maxwell is made on 28nm (TX1 even on 20nm), while Pascal is produced on 16nm.

The actual architectural difference between the two is minimal, and aside from an improved color buffer compression, completely irrelevant for the Nintendo Switch.

Still the article never talks about, or even mentions, the manufacturing process. For a believable leak this is pretty strange, because manufacturing is obviously the defining difference between the two set of GPUs.

Another problem of this article is that it gets the difference between the two chip sets completely wrong. Saying ''Nintendo's box is relatively small, and so it has to fit into the heat profile of a portable device, rather than a set-top box. That's another reason that explains the older Maxwell technology, as opposed to the Pascal's state-of-the-art tech.''

Pascal is literally a more power efficient version of Maxwell, so the incentive would be the other way around.

The auther then says ''we expect the Nintendo Switch to be more than 1 Teraflop in performance'', which is notably higher than even those people, who were expecting Pascal, were considering. If this is a Maxwell chip, then that would mean at least 4SMs (512 ''CUDA cores'') at 1GHz, because they wont be able to push much past that on 28/20nm. This would make the GPU much lager than anyone has expected.

What does this mean?

So does this mean we can all rest easy and the Switch will use the newest Pascal architecture? I'm afraid not. But in my mind there are a few possible scenarios.

The Nintendo Switch uses a custom made Maxwell Chip at 20nm, and simply has a much larger GPU than anticipated to account for the performance.

Nintendo looked at the feature set planned for the Pascal when design started, realized that the new features were largely irrelevant to their vision, and decided that they would save time and just use a Maxwell shrunk to 16nm instead. This would technically be a Maxwell Chip, but performance wise it would be completely identical to a Pascal GPU.

The sources are wrong about the 1 Teraflop performance, the Maxell, or both.

So in the end the only worthwhile thing to take away from this article is this quote:

''We expect the Nintendo Switch to be more than 1 Teraflop in performance.''

A Teraflop achieved by a Maxwell and a Teraflop achieved by a Pascal are identical. And to the customers it's irrelevant if this was achieved via using a lager Maxwell Chip on 28/20nm and at a lower clock or a smaller Pascal Chip on 16nm and at a higher clock.

In the end there was a lot of buzz for nothing, like always when a new Switch Rumour hits the Internet. Let's all hope that this changes at January, 12^th with the final presentation of the Nintendo Switch. And hopefully Nintendo won't be a secretive anymore in the future.

And as always

thanks for reading

First Look: Seasons of Heaven

Hello and welcome to this first look at Seasons of Heaven.

In this feature we take a look at upcoming games for Nintendo systems and the developers behind them. We'll take a look at currently released information and try to get a deeper understanding of the whole project.

For this first iteration of First Look I've chosen Seasons of Heaven.

Seasons of Heaven is the first true Nintendo Switch exclusive that got announced officially on the 8^th of December 2016. And before you ask, no Zelda isn't an exclusive and we haven't got any other official game announcements for the Switch yet.

So today I'd like to take a look at this game from french indie developer Any Arts Production.

The Developer:

Any Arts Production is a french video game studio based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 2014 by Nico Augusto a veteran screenwriter for french television and also the author of the Book Seasons of Heaven.

So far the developer has nothing to show for, which can be quite of worrying for a project this size, but on the other hand there is no baggage weighing them down.

Their official introduction video on Youtube doesn't tell us all too much either. It's much of the obvious PR Fluff often seen in such Videos, but Nico Augusto comes across as genuine. It seems that his project is truly a dream of his, and that is always a good sign.

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There is little information about Any Arts Production. They're Facebook and Twitter presence was quite inactive until several days ago. Of course with the official announcement of Seasons of Heaven this has changed. If this keeps up this is a good sign.

Any Arts Production is a complete dark horse. They don't have any track record in the Video Game Business. Their founder and studio head Nico Augusto however has a background in french television and is the author of the book their game is based off.

What you make from this information is your choice.

The Background:

Seasons of Heaven is based on the novel with the same name written by Nico Augusto. The Book tells the story of the downfall of our civilization and what comes afterward. It tells the story of a young boy named Yann, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, and his faithful companion Ani, a french bulldog. Through telepathy the two can communicate with each other, which is integral to their survival. On their journey they'll meet key players of humanitys downfall and witness their enlightenment or downfall.

That is and excerpt from the official description of the book on Amazon. From this excerpt and statements from Author Nico Augusto you can tell that this book has a very spiritual core. Augustos background in mystic and paranormal TV programs also seems to shine through. It's hard to judge a book by it's cover, but it seems that Seasons of Heaven was self published by it's Author and didn't receive any editorial oversight. I can't say if the french version is better, but the English kindle version lacks some basic formatting.

The Story, however, sounds intriguing and, if told well, could also provide a good basis for the video game.

The Game:

First here is a short Teaser trailer for Seasons of Heaven. The full trailer will launch next week on 19^th of December.

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I have to say this Teaser takes it's name very seriously. What a tease. There is not all too much to talk about, but let us do it anyways.

From the get go the first thing you'll probably notices is the excellent graphical quality of the game. Even at 720p it looks comparable to several high profile PS4 games. But in todays day and age you have to be careful with such first looks. Remember Watch Dogs? Seasons of Heaven looks excellent, showing a high graphical fidelity and attention to detail, but until I see this game running on a Nintendo Switch I reserve further judgment. I trust the ambition of Any Arts Production, but they have to proof they are able to deliver on their promise.

Then what else can we talk about? Well the trailer shows us a very nature based and mystical world. Apart from one strange building there are no signs of a higher civilization. Nature seems to have claimed back much of the land.

Overall it's a very peaceful trailer and if we look at the main character, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, and the general description of the book, it's safe to assume that the game will also follow suit.

So from here on everything is pure speculation.

I think that this game will be comparable to The Last Guardian on PS4. It will be mostly focused on puzzles and exploration. The open areas and wide fields shown in the trailer maybe hint at a open world like structure, but I think that this is pretty far fetched. After all Any Arts Production is a relatively small indie studio. Smaller, but well thought out and designed puzzle sections would be easier to achieve and probably suit the game better.

The telepathic link between Yann and Ani is also predestined to be used as a gameplay mechanic. The Ability to switch between the two characters to explore and solve tasks is a safe bet. I'm sure it will build the core of the gameplay for this title.

The Verdict:

Seasons of Heaven is an interesting sounding project. It looks quite ambitious for a first project from a small indie developer, but I think they are passionate about this game. So for now I would say I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. At the same time I wouldn't advise to get hyped about this game. There are too many unknown factors still. There is a very realistic chance that everything may fall apart.

Seasons of Heaven is a interesting looking game, which still has to prove that it can move beyond it's promise and become what its developer intend.

Source for all images

My Top 5 Ice Worlds on Nintendo Platforms

It's the most wonderful time of the year... to stay at home and give this whole Christmas stuff the finger. Yes I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas. Or at least the commercial side of Christmas. I'm a huge fan of winter however. There is nothing better than sitting at home, drinking a hot chocolate and watching the snow covered mountains slowly getting swallowed by the darkness of the night. But before I delve to deep into corny territories let me tell you what todays Toplist is all about.

Winter and Ice levels/worlds.

As someone, who loves winter, it's only natural that I have a fondness for frosty stages in games. I don't mind ice physics and often welcome them as an added challenge in platforming games. I also love the frosty atmosphere. It just adds something magical to scenery. Especially during the night.

Because of that, and the lack of actual snow outside of my window, I wanted to talk about my Top 5 Ice Areas in Nintendo Games today. As always it's only one pic per franchise. So let's jump right in.

5: Frozen Donkey Kong Island

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I have said it many times before, but Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is without a doubt my favorite game for the Wii-U. At least until Breath of the Wild arrives.

It features five completely new Islands to explore, as well as the returning Donkey Kong Island. But as the title reveals this time there is something a little different. The Snowmads have turned the whole Island into a frozen paradise. Well a paradise only for them because the natural wild- and plantlife is slowly dying.

The Island is on this list because it offers a great variety, while keeping the Ice theme close at heart. From the epic entrance to the World in Homecoming Hijinx to the somber and ''frozen'' atmosphere in Seashore War. It doesn't matter if you explore crumbling ruins or climb the mountain in the midst of a titanic avalanche. Frozen Donkey Kong Island offers a huge adventure for anyone. It is the pinnacle of a great game and one of the most varied ''frozen'' zones I've ever encountered. And that's why it's on this list.

4: World 5 – Yoshis Island

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Another favorite game of mine. This time for the Super Nintendo. All in all I think Yoshis Island is the best Jump'n'Run game ever created. In my opinion it's perfection on a cartridge. And that is why I choose its fifth world as Number 4 on this list.

Yoshis Island revolves around the titular Island and after traveling through Jungles and Forests you finally arrive at the tall mountains in the middle of the Island. From there on you slowly ascend beyond the clouds until you touch the sky. And with such an ascent of course the weather changes accordingly. It starts to snow and before you realize it the former green hills are covered in snow.

From there on out this world is epic. Great enemies. A great usage of the cold enviroment and what's most important Yoshi in Skies. This part of the game alone is enough to elevate Yoshis Island to All Time Great status. The Skiing section is the purest essence of fun.

Finishing Yoshis Island should be on every Gamers bucket list, and with Christmas around the corner and this great world as motivation.. .what are you waiting for?

3: Cool, Cool Mountain

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You can't make a list about Christmas and/or great Snow Stages without this level. And before some of you start to whine, I consider Yoshi Games and Mario Games different series at this point so it's ok to include Cool, Cool Mountain.

This is one of the first stages you'll enter in Mario 64 and damn does it everything right. It's a clear step up difficulty wise from Bob-Omb Battlefield, but it doesn't overdo it. Also its a clever inversion of tropes. Instead of at the base you start this stage at the Mountaintop. But what causes Cool, Cool Mountain to make this list is that this level is pure Christmas to me.

Yes I said earlier that I don't like Christmas (at least the commercial side), but it's hard to keep this up when playing this level. From the get go the atmosphere is pure holiday magic. I mean from the get go the scenery with the small house and the big chimney on a snowy mountaintop doesn't need any further explanation. Also the Penguin Slide is some of the purest fun you can have in this game. Well except for the cheating fat Penguin of course.

And the music... well I don't think it needs further explanation. Just listen.

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2: Phendrana Drifts

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The first three entrants on this list were pretty action oriented. And while the it can get quite heated the Phendrana Drifts have a completely different atmosphere than the entrants before. Of course it's dangerous and there are countless deadly beasts roaming the frozen wasteland. But at the same time exploring this frozen wasteland is some of the most relaxing and at the same time loneliest feeling you can get in Metroid Prime. It was here that I truly got the feeling that I was playing Metroid in 3D for the first time.

Here you truly get the feeling of being all alone. The music plays an important part in this too. It just sounds cold. Whenever I step outside into the Phendrana Drifts a shiver runs down my spine.

The only problem of this Zone is that it offers little variety. Except from the lab area it's mostly the same icy ravines and frozen areas. But it presents this to a perfection hardly ever reached. Phenandra Drifts is the coldest area that I've ever explored virtually. Everything there just feels, and I'm sorry for the lack of a better word, cold.

Makes you appreciate your warm flat all the more.

1: Sylvalum

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Xenoblade Chronicles X is the best RPG I played so far in this Generation. And one thing this game truly excels in, is its world building. Planet Mira feels like a truly alien world. While Primordia, Oblivia and even Noctilum have a somewhat familiar feel to them, Sylvalum is the first time you are truly hit with the realization that this is a completely alien world. From the get go everything on this continent feels strange and unfamiliar. The cold atmosphere and strange glowing plants create an atmosphere that is hard to describe, and absolutely breathtaking.

Especially during the night, when the music becomes even more calm than during the day, and one of the best looking skyboxes in any game appears, you can truly take in the feel of this land. It is one of the most beautiful experiences in any video game currently on the market.

But Sylvalum is also a land of extreme danger. Something that creates a huge contrast to the peaceful visuals and music, but also is part of the allure this strange land has. It's the first time you truly encounter a big presence of the Ganglion (hostile aliens that aim to eradicate humanity). Also the beasts in this land are stranger than anything you've seen before.

But surviving all this dangers is totally worth it, when you can take a look at the land from above during nighttime.

So what are your favourite ice themed worlds or areas in Nintendo Games and beyond? Let me know in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

Lost & Found: Diddy Kong Racing Adventure

Hello and Welcome to todays episode of Lost & Found.

Todays episode is brought to you by the footage of a long lost game, which never saw the light of day. After their huge successes on the N64 and before their acquisition by Microsoft Rare was already working on several titles for the Nintendo GameCube. One of those games was the successor to the critically acclaimed Diddy Kong Racing.
Over the years information surfaced about what the game was all about, but now I can present you with a video from an early build of the game. It looks rough, understandably, but the developers vision for a open world style racing game utilizing animals as vehicles is clearly visible.

It's a nice reminder of what has never been. I hope you'll enjoy it and mourn it a little bit.

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And as always

thanks for reading

Trailer Watch: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Life in the Ruins

There is nothing quite like a new Breath of Wild trailer to get people hyped beyond belief. Saying this game is much anticipated wouldn't do it justice. I'm sure I'm not only one that plans to take several days off of work when this game releases.

Last week the Game Commecials, sorry I mean Game Awards took place and Nintendo treated us with a new trailer for the occasion. A Trailer that should finally shut up the people, who lambasted the e3 Demo for being ''empty'' and devoid of life. Because this trailer focused, as it's name reveals to us, on the Life in the Ruins.

So lets have a look.

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First of all let me say that this trailer is brilliant. Just like the rest of Breath of the Wilds marketing so far. They don't show us much, but what they show us has some weight. Instead of ruining the game via over exposition they'll let us discover Hyrule for ourselves when Breath of the Wild finally launches. But that doesn't mean we're not gonna take a close look at how it is to live in the ruins.

The trailer starts off with a view of the Shiekah symbol. Now as we know the Shiekah Slate will play a huge role in this game and from that we can derive that the Shiekah tribe will too. As long term Zelda fans should know the Shiekah tribe are the chosen people of the Goddess Hylia, tasked with protecting the royal family of Hyrule and the kingdom. The Tear dropping from the Eye represents the suffering the Shiekah people endured to protect the land. And I think this is what these first two pictures shall show us.

The tear drops to the ground and from it springs life. A symbol that the sacrifice of the Shiekah tribe for the people of Hyrule gave them a peaceful life. So in other words the Shiekah an their selfless service gave life to Hyrule. Now this is just a theory of mine, but I think the catastrophe (or whatever happens) that forces Link to put into stasis for one hundred years and gives rise to Calamity Ganon could be linked to the Shiekah tribe. Or better said to their disappearance. If their selfless service gave life to Hyrule, then what happens if they are gone? Without their help Link couldn't defeat Calamity Ganon and Hyrule was ruined.

Anywas let's move on.

In these two pictures we seemingly get the confirmation of changing seasons. And while I agree that this strongly supports this claim, it's not solid evidence. The two pictures show different areas of a forest. And we can't even be sure if it's the same forest at all. So maybe there isn't a natural change of seasons, but rather one forest with green and one with yellow trees. Still with their talk about the dynamic weather system and creating a living, breathing world, I think it's safe to assume that changing seasons will be included in Breath of the Wild.

And now we finally get a view at the main attraction of the trailer. The People of Hyrule. Or whatever remains of them.

The first picture shows us a familiar sight. The twin mountains and the huge gorge separating them are well known by this point. But there is much more in this picture than just some pretty landscapes. First I'd like to talk about the person on the bridge. It's pretty clear that he isn't someone hugely important, but rather a nameless NPC traveler. The important part about him is that he is alone. The general feel of this trailer is to show us how the People of Hyrule have adapted their lifes after the catastrophe hit one hundred years ago. The land is still in ruins and only a handful of people even dare to venture out in the wild.

On the left we also see a ruined guardian. As we know from the e3 Presentation even in such a ruined state some of the Guardians remain slightly functional. But here this is not the case. This Guardian is more of a reminder to the ruined state of the ''old'' Hyrule.

On the right side of the bridge we can spot a flysheet. This could maybe get used by NPC to spend the night, which would give the world an even more alive feeling.

The two last things I want to talk about with this picture are the two structures you can see. The first one directly in front of the left twin mountain.We know that there will be guard towers all across the world, which probably work as a way to quick travel. This looks like it's going to be one of those.

And lastly there is a the structure on the left side of the picture. If you look past the trees you can see a castle like building sitting atop the hills in the distance. I'll think this could be one of the games dungeons. It's size would certainly fit that bill.

In this picture we learn that the traveling NPCs aren't helpless. While it's not the same person as in the picture before they clearly belong to the same faction or tribe. Their clothes are very similar. But this picture also shows us that these characters don't need a hero to safe them. They seemingly engage in fights and defend themselves. While Link is nowhere to be seen on this picture the left persons hairstyle greatly reminds me of Impa.

So what is happening here? To me it looks like these two travelers have probably been seeking shelter from the storm in the ruin behind and now they have to defend this place against two Bokoblin attackers.

And here we finally get our first glimpse at a settlement. In contrast to the other one seen later in the trailer this settlement seems to only consist of one building. Also it's build in the open and has a different style than the other village. From the looks of the building these people seem to lead a life on Horseback. Not only does the huge horsehead on top of the Tent give this away, but also the general look of the tent, as well as the pictures on the side.

That is clearly the picture of a horse just above the side entrance. I think these tents could be found all over the world and serve as sort of trading stations for a tribe of horseriders.

In this picture we also see several people, but the most interesting one clearly is the fellow with the paint brush hairdo on the left. If we take a closer look at his backpack we see lots of brushes hanging on it. Maybe this man is a special vendor. Maybe instead of the Happy Mask Salesman we'll get the Happy Brush Salesman.

But back to the building. We also get a brief look inside in this picture, but sadly nothing too much. To me the wooden structure on the inside mostly looks like a standard shop front.

The general feel of the building comes across like it was inspired by mongolian culture. The round form and colorful flags certainly support this claim.

While the pictures before did show us one solitary building, which could be a trading post or something along those lines, now we finally see our first true village in Breath of the Wild.

The settlement seems to be very sheltered and protected. Something that makes sense if we take the state of Hyrule into consideration. The World is wild and untamed. It's still recuperating from the catastrophe that took place 100 years ago. So in that light it makes sense to seek a very secure and sheltered place to build your village.

What I really like about this scene is that it shows us several cultivated fields and fruit trees. It shows us how the people in this village manage to survive. The buildings, while clearly belonging to the same style, also look slightly distinct. Bigger, smaller, differentiating roof forms. Nothing looks copy&pasted.

And on the backside of the village, next to a waterfall, the main building can be seen. If it's something like a city hall or just the home of the village founder, I can't say.

Another view of the village. Now from a different angle. We can spot several people working on the fields. While the may not be important NPCs this gives the World a huge boost in immersion. We can see firsthand how these people work to survive.

We also get a good view at the village entrance. It certainly is well hidden between the rocks. I really hope we'll get to discover lots of hidden villages during the course of the game.

Like everyone seeing this scene noted Link has the Master Sword. Also he is wearing, what I assume, the traditional blue Shiekah garb.

From what we know Breath of the Wild will contain very few actual cut scenes. During the first trailer we saw Link on a similar platform reacting to, what seemed, Calamity Ganon engulfing Hyrule castle. Now he witnesses something different.

This seems to be a new race of bird people. I don't think these are Orni from Wind Waker, even if they share some similarities. What's most interesting is the scarf and Bow he is wearing. The Scarf has the same color and style as Links Shiekah Garb. And the Bow... well the strange bird folk doesn't seem to have hands or fingers, so what does he use a bow for?

Also interesting in the picture beforehand Link doesn't carry a Bow on his back, whilst in all other pictures of him he has one. So maybe this stranger has stolen Links Bow. It could very well be that these Birds are a race of thief that travel the Land.

Although we learn in the gameplay released by the Treehouse team that there are also friendly specimen of this race.

This picture is interesting. In past Zelda games we already had huge, mystical flying creatures. But never an airship like this. If my thief theory from above proves to be true this most certainly is their base of operations. Maybe it's not an airship, but a robot like the Guardians. Then this could very well be on of the huge overworld Bosses Aonuma was talking about during the first unveil of the game.

This is a very interesting picture. It's clear that the Guardians protected Hyrule. Then why did they fail? Why do they attack Link now? Is he somewhat responsible for the downfall of Hyrule and they consider him an enemy now? Or have the deteriorated so much over time that they attack everything?

Whatever the answer to this question is, her we see the result. Link locked in horseback battle with two guardians. It seems the developers are paying close attention to detail. Link needs to use both hands to wield the axe and his attacks are slow and heavy, while he balances on Eponas back.

But more interesting than the battle taking place in the foreground are the background details. On the right side of the picture we can see Death Mountain. It looks quite menacing and conquering it will take a lot of preparation I'm sure.

At the center, right behind the Guardian we can spot Castle Hyrule. Nothing new to see there.

And on the left side we see a strange mountain with a circle cut out of its side. It looks far to smooth to be natural, so I assume whatever changed this mountain is going to be of at least some significance.

Is this Zelda? Is it a female Link?

Well Aonuma made clear that Link is a man in this game, so I think we can rule out the second alternative. But I think there is a good possibility that this is Zelda. The long blonde hair is a clear giveaway. What is clear is that she's also wearing Shiekah clothes. If the Kingdom of Hyrule did truly fall this makes sense. Just like in Ocarina of Time Zelda may have been hidden away and brought up as a Shiekah. But is this the ''different'' Zelda? After all Link slept for one hundred years, so it can't be ''his'' Zelda. Except if she was also hidden away, which would make sense in order to keep Ganon from gaining the full TriForce.

Whoever this person may be she seems to also wield a Shiekah Slate. The color scheme matches the one Link is wearing on his hip in other pictures and you can even see a faint orange glow between the persons fingers.

Maybe Zelda also travels Hyrule on her own to learn what happened to her ruined Kingdom.

Here we see the absolute destruction Ganon unleashed. This seems to be in close proximity to castle Hyrule. The residual purple energy and black spikes are a dead giveaway.

There is absolutely no life present here. Not even enemies, but I'm sure there will be huge challenges in the game if you arrive in this place. But in this trailer the sombre and dark atmosphere shows us the consequences of Calamity Ganons victory.

This is what seems to be the remainder of Hyrule Towns central plaza.

What is interesting about those two pictures is the fact that the destruction seems to be relegated to, what was once, Hyrule City. What did make Ganon stop? Why doesn't the whole of Hyrule look like this after one hundred years? There has to been something that was able to stop Ganon in some regard. Something was powerful enough to keep Calamity Ganon contained in Hyrule City.

Here we get a full look at Link. What is the reason for the strange glow emitting from him? I don't know, but it may be linked to the TriForce. Maybe Links TriForce of courage is awakening in this scene. This could be the reason why Link was sealed away in the first place. He couldn't awaken the TriForce in the past and wasn't able to fight Ganon because of that.

Also the location with the pillars in the background reminds me of the place where the TriForce is located in A Link between Worlds.

And in the last shoot we see Link kneeling next to a person. Is this Zelda?
I don't think so. At least not completely. Now this theory of mine is just a theory and I don't have any proof so far, but what if this person is Zelda. Just like the women earlier. But this person next to Link is the Queen of Hyrule. The Zelda he knew, who waited all those years for him to awaken from his stasis. Yes that would make her more than one hundred years old, but as we saw with Nico in Spirit Tracks that is more than possible. Now if this women is Queen Zelda that would make the blonde girl from the other pictures her descendant and the current Princess Zelda.

Anyways the clothes of the person next to Link look much more royal than the simple outfit from the other women in earlier pictures. The darker color scheme also gives us the picture of an authority figure. 

But whoever this may be, the fist clench at the end shows us that now, with Link at her side, she is ready to take back the Kingdom.

And that is all I have to say to this trailer. It was great. It got me Goosebumps. And most importantly it didn't show too much.

As always I have probably missed many important details and as always I'm asking you to point out every fail of mine.

Until then let me know what you thought of the trailer and I hope you enjoyed this Trailer Watch.

And as always

thanks for reading.

Picture Source

My Top 5 Game Series, which deserve a new Entry on the Nintendo Switch

I don't know if you recognized this but Nintendo has been around for quite a long time. And with everyone looking forward to the Switch I thought that it's time to look back in order to look forward.

Well that sounded needlessly complicated, but at least it made me look smart. Right?

Anyways as you probably already guessed from the title of this Post the Topic of todays Toplist is five Nintendo Franchises which deserve a new installment.

The Rules are simple. Only games which didn't get a mainline entry in at least six years are allowed to appear on this list. Also the franchise should have had at least some success and/or belong to a genre not often seen on Nintendo platforms.

With the Switch on the Horizon and the immense Hype it's receiving now is also the best time to reintroduce those classic franchises. Coupled together with the iconic and well known Nintendo series this could be a second chance for these characters and their games.

But now let's not waste anymore time and jump right into the list. Here are my Top 5 Games Series, which deserve a new entry.

5: 1080° Snowboarding

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I know it's hard to believe nowadays, but there was a time when Snowboard Games like SSX, where quite successful. It was around that time when people still anticipated a new Need for Speed game. And while the aforementioned SSX series focused on flashy tricks, Nintendo produced their own game with a different focus. First released on the Nintendo 64 1080° Snowboarding set the focus on racing downhill. Of course there where also modes focusing on tricks, but the center piece was definitely the racing modes. Especially in the second installment 1080° Avalanche, which released on the GameCube roughly five years after the first game debuted on the N64 in 1998.

The Games received an overall positive reception with the second installment rating lower than the first. Still sales of Avalanche fell short of expectations, even though 1080° Snowboarding sold over one million copies.

But now I think is a good time to reinvigorate the franchise with a new release for the Nintendo Switch. If Nintendo intends to follow with their promises from the trailer 1080° would be a great fit. Being able to have two player races anytime and anywhere could be a lot of fun. With the JoyCons and the Nintendo Switch this becomes a possibility.

There is also not a lot of competition for that kind of game.

Bringing 1080° back as a budget or download title could work well. Make it a Multiplayer focused title with cool Online and Offline Modes. Add a Singleplayer mode where your character climbs the ladder. I'm sure people would give it a try.

4: Punch Out!!

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Let's got back two and a half years and take a look at the Little Mac reveal trailer for Smash Bros. People were beyond hyped for the character. He was just the perfect fit for the franchise. Another cool thing about his integration in Smash was the fact that it did shine some light on his excellent game for the Nintendo Wii.

Released in 2009 it was the triumphant return of Little Mac... but it was pretty much ignored by the public even though it sold over one million copies. An that is a true shame, because Punch Out is one of the most enjoyable Arcade Experiences one can have on any console.

The Nintendo Switch could prove to be the perfect home for a new Punch Out!! Installment. The portability of the Switch and the arcade gameplay of Punch Out!! are perfect fits. It is the perfect game to enjoy in short bursts. As with 1080° it would work best as a smaller download title. Taking on one or two fighters or maybe even a whole circuit on the go. This can probably fit into a bus or train ride.

And at home you can enjoy impressive Boxing Battles on the big screen. A great fusion of arcade and home console feeling. I'm sure Punch Out!! could pull this off and that is why it deserves a new installment on the Nintendo Switch.

3: Wave Race

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Just like 1080° Snowboarding Wave Race was quite the successful franchise on the N64 and fell short of expectations with the Gamecube. After a very modest start on the GameBoy the series got huge critical acclaim with the entry on the N64. Especially the accurate water physics where quite impressive. Even by today’s standards they still hold up.

The Waves were influenced by other players, yourself and the weather, which resulted in every race being unique. Weather could even affect and change the course layout.

Wave Race received very positive reactions from press and gamers alike.

Just like with the two games before I think a new Wave Race game would work best as a smaller down loadable title. A realistic racing game, which isn't about cars, is quite unique.

A rebirth of this franchise could satisfy the need for some realistic racing games on Nintendo Platforms. Just like with 1080° Snowboarding a multiplayer focus and a career mode would be enough to warrant the purchase of this game. Also it would help to diversify the Line-up of the Switch outside of the standard Nintendo series.

2: F-Zero

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It's if fucking time. And I don't want to hear any excuses like they need some new ideas to warrant a sequel. It has been thirteen years since the release of F-Zero GX. Today Captain Falcon is more known for his Smash Bros. appearance than for his actual day job. And if Nintendo doesn't have the vacancies to develop the game outsource it. It worked for GX, which was developed by Sega and I'm sure it would work for F-Zero Switch. Shin'en showed with Fast Racing Neo that they are more than capable of developing an F-Zero title.

I'm sure F-Zero would become quite the success, if they keep their expectations in check. The long awaited return of Captain Falcon would create quite a lot of buzz. If handled right it could create an incentive for more hardcore oriented gamers to buy the Switch.

A gain a focus on multiplayer is a must.

As a blueprint for a hypothetical F-Zero Switch you don't need to look any further than Fast Racing Neo on the Wii-U.

With the proper tools and support at hand Shin'en could create an awesome experience on the Switch.

1: Metroid

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Yeah I know I'm predictable, but Metroid is one of my favorite gaming franchises of all time. Especially the groundbreaking Prime games. And no I'm not counting Federation Force among them, even though I don't hate the game like the rest of the Internet. It's a fine game, but enough of that already.

A new Metroid would be a perfect title for the Switch because of several reasons.

Samus Aran is one of the most beloved and well known women in video games. Even the catastrophic Other M representation of her couldn't damage that fact. Her return to form would send a positive message in regards to the representation of Women in Video Games. But that is only the most minor point.

Much more important is the fact that Metroid is, A a franchise for Hardcore Gamers, and B universally acclaimed. A new title in the series may not become a huge multimillion Dollar seller, but it would surely attract a lot of dedicated fans. Fans which would then go on to buy other more Hardcore oriented games.

From all the games I mentioned on this list Metroid is without a doubt the one most suited for becoming a system seller. It would create a huge incentive amongst more mature oriented hardcore Fans to buy the Nintendo Switch.

It is definitely time for Samus Aran to return to Glory.

What are your thoughts about that? Which long forgotten Nintendo Series should get the Kid Icarus Treatment next? Let me know.

And as always

thanks for reading

Pokemon Sun/Moon Review

20 years ago a small company made a unique game for the original Gameboy about some Monsters, which you could catch and train. And only 20 years later this small game has developed into one of the biggest franchise on this planet. Calling Pokemon a Juggernaut would be an understatement. Pokemon has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry of its own. But after 20 years, countless spin-offs and six mainline games the formula started to get stale. Eight Gyms, Pokemon League and about 100 new Pokemon.

And while X/Y where huge steps forward in graphics, it was still the same old structure.

When Sun and Moon were announced, from the get go, Game Freak presented them a sort of a new beginning. The biggest Pokemon adventures to date should breath some fresh air into the storied franchise.

Did they manage to pull it off? Or are Sun/Moon stagnating on a high level? Lets find out.

Story:

After moving to the new Alola Region your character is introduced to Professor Kukui. And while the start is very similar to every other Pokemon edition, some fundamental changes show itself further along the road. The Alola Region isn't as developed as other places in regards to Pokemon Battles. On Alolas four island you won't find any gyms and even the Pokemon League is still in the process of getting build .

Instead of traveling from city to city and from Gym to Gym your character is sent to partake in an old Alolaen Tradition. The Island Challenge.

When a Alolaen Child reaches its eleventh birthday it travels the four islands of the region. On this journey it has to master several difficult challenges and finally beat the four Island Kings. In the end it works the same way as the eight gym badges in earlier games, but it still feels fresh and new. GameFreak created a good balance of new things, without losing the familiar essence of the Pokemon Games.

On your characters first evening in the region he (or she) encounters Lillie, the mysterious assistant of Professor Kukui, and her Pokemon Nebbie. During those events your character and Nebbie are saved from a fall by the guardian deity of the first Island Kapu Toko. Of course there more to Nebbie and Lilie and over the course of the adventure the two take a central and important role.

On the next day you then finally get your first Pokemon and can start your Island Challenge.

Over the course of your travels across the four Islands you'll no only encounter the nefarious Team Skull, which steals Pokemon and sells them, but also the mysterious Aether Foundation, which tries to help Pokemon and keep them safe. But that is not all. The Aether Foundation also researches the mysterious Ultra Beasts. Creatures from a another dimension, which spill into ours.

From the get go Pokemon Sun/Moon offer a much better Story than their predecessors X/Y. And while it doesn't reach quite the quality of Black/White, it's still one of the best Pokemon Storys to date. Of course most of it ''Twists'' can be seen miles ahead by observant players, but it doesn't diminish the quality of the overall story. It is well written and very enjoyable, while not leaving the trail set be previous games all too much.

Gameplay:

Gameplay wise not too much has changed, apart from some new features and quality of life improvements. This makes the enjoyable and addictive Pokemon Formula work even better.

It has worked 20 years ago and still works perfectly now. The basic principle of capturing and training Pokemon still creates the old, perfectly oiled treadmill that we all love. I would say they perfected it even further with Pokemon Sun/Moon. Never before my adventure felt as fluent as in the new Alola Region. Some of the new additions just straighten out the gameplay and make the journey much more enjoyable.

Another great use of the Rotom Pokedex is the Pokemon Finder feature. At specific places throughout the world you'll get the hint to use this feature. This allows you to take pics of Pokemon. Yes it's exactly what you think. There is a small Pokemon Snap Minigame built into Pokemon Sun/Moon. Just like with the original Game you'll try to take the best picture possible. It's a lot of fun, but also makes you wish for a true Pokemon Snap follow up.

One of the first new additions, which is also introduced in the Story, is the Rotom Pokedex. It basically functions as a guide, which allows you to travel the Islands much more effectively. I generally found it really helpful, while navigating Alola and I think it's a great addition.

It also helps you during battles by giving you information about your attacks and the Pokemon you battle. Now if you have beaten a Pokemon before, you always see if an attack against this Pokemon will be effective, very effective or not effective.

It also allows you to display information about the attacks your Pokemon knows. Now you can see a quick description of the attack, whether its physical or special, and how much damage it deals with one tip on the touchscreen.

These two additions make battles much more fluent and enjoyable for People like me, who haven't memorized the strengths and weakness of each and every Pokemon.

Another great quality of life change is the fact that GameFreak got rid of the HM system. In older games you were required to have at lest on HM Slave in your team. A Pokemon, which you didn't use for battle, but instead only used because of its ability to learn multiple HM. Now abilities like Surf or Strength are covered by the new Ride Pager, which also replaces the bike. This new item allows you to call different Pokemon to ride. It's such a simple idea, which makes you think why it wasn't used before.

Over the course of the adventure you'll unlock different Pokemon, which all have different abilities. Through this you'll also gradually unlock more and more of Alola to explore. Even on older Islands.

Apart from these two quality of life changes not all to much has changed. You still encounter Pokemon in the tall grass, battle trainer and become stronger.

Still there is one more thing that has changed in battles. Or rather reverted. During my travels throughout the region I hardly encountered any special battles. Things like sky battles, mass battles and the like. It seems as if with Sun/Moon they wanted to go back to the basics. The only exception is the new Battle Royal, but you're only forced to do it once during the main story.

Battle Royal is a mode where four Trainers fight at the same time. Everyone can attack everyone and the battle ends, when one Trainer has no more Pokemon left to fight. It's ok, but in my experience three trainers quickly start to dogpile in one ruining the fun for this Trainer in the process.

Apart from that it's not bad as a battle mode, but I doubt that it will stick for longer than this generation lasts.

The addition of Z-Attacks is this generations defining feature, just like the Mega-Evolutions in X/Y. These attacks work pretty much the same. By giving your Pokemon a special item to carry it can unleash a Z-Attack once every battle. These attacks are extremely devastating and should be used wisely. I personally prefer the Mega-Evolutions. They simply offer more variety design and gameplay wise.

As you can read the core concept hasn't changed much and received only minor quality of life improvements. But it wouldn’t be a new Pokemon Generation if there weren’t several new Gimmicks for you to enjoy. Some of them are improved versions of older minigames and others are completely new.

PokeMonAmie has been replaced by the new Pokemon Refresh. The only real change is that it can be triggered directly after a battle and it doesn't contain minigames any more. Instead the interaction with your Pokemon has been increased. You can't just pet them now, but also clean them and heal them from Status effects after a battle.

Petting your Pokemon, cleaning them and giving them some PokeBeans to eat increases the affection the Pokemon feel for you. Apart from some Evolutions, which require a high level of affection, it also increases the power of your Pokemon in Battle. They will sometimes avoid attacks, strike harder or even hold out instead of fainting after a fatal hit.

The Festival Plaza is a new way to play together with other Players from across the globe. Players from around the globe can join you to battle, trade or just mingle.

Each player visiting you, will also have a request. If you fullfill this requests you can earn Festival Coins, which can be used to increase the rank of your Plaza or buy cool stuff.

As you progress further you'll even unlock the possibility to host special missions for several Trainers to tackle together.

After I took some time getting used to, I have to say that I greatly enjoy the festival plaza. It's a fun little extra that allows you to join up with other people from across the world. Of course the communication possibilities are very limited, but that had to be expected. After all Pokemon is still played mostly by children and Nintendo needs to ensure their safety.

The last new worthwhile addition is the so called Poke Pelago. This paradise for Pokemon in your PC Boxes consists of several islands. More Pokemon inside your Boxes means that you'll be able to develop more islands and activities. Via these activities your Pokemon may grow stronger or bring back some valuable items. It's a nice idea that makes Pokemon not on your team useful. Also it's not in the slightest invasive. It's enough to check Poke Pelago once a day. From all the new features in Pokemon Sun/Moon I think this has the highest chance to stay.

Pokemon Sun/Moon don't completely revamp the Gameplay of the series, but they add enough tweaks and changes to make the whole experience feel fresh again.

Presentation:

It can be said that the world of Pokemon has never before felt this alive. But it also has to be said that the limitations of the 3DS can be felt quite clearly. On the positive sight of things the Alola region is absolutely phenomenal. It's a joy to explore it. If X/Y were a test for a 3D Pokemon Mainline adventure, these games are the generation to truly leap into it. This time the characters look much better. The new lean look clearly trumps the half-hearted chibi style from X/Y.

It just feels great traveling around the Alola region.

On the other hand this game clearly shows the limits of the 3Ds hardware. During battles there often after clearly noticeable frame drops and slow downs. As well as long loading times on the regular 3DS. I can't say if this is fixed on a New 3DS.

There is also the fact that the 3D is turned off for the entirety of the game. It is a shame that even Nintendo games don't use the features of their console, but I think it would have been impossible for Sun/Moon to run on 3DS otherwise.

On the Audio front there is nothing to complain or praise especially. The themes are quite catchy and fit the island vibe perfectly.

Conclusion:

Pokemon Sun/Moon are called the best games since the series debut. While I don't agree with that statement (The best games are still Silver/Gold/Crystal) it can't be denied that Sun/Moon have been the most enjoyable Pokemon experience in a long time for me. The new additions made the whole game even more accessible and streamline, which isn't a bad thing. Small improvements and the new Island challenge shake up the Gameplay Formula without abandoning the roots of the series. Newcomers and Veterans alike will enjoy the new start in Alola, while there is still enough familiarity for returning players to not completely get lost.

The new Z-Attacks often come across like a cheaper version of the cool Mega-Evolutions from the previous generation. But they still work in creating some unique battle strategies.

Like in every generation there are many new additions, which are quite enjoyable, but never get past the stage of Mini-Game.

Graphically the games are the most beautiful to date. The Alola region is beautiful, diverse and a lot of fun to explore. Some graphical hiccups tarnish this slightly, but overall it's not enough to bring the game down.

Sun/Moon are the best Pokemon Games in a long time. Simple as that.

Conclusion (One Sentence):

Pokemon Sun/Moon don't reinvent the wheel, but they tweak enough to make the Pokemon Machine run well again, and in the process create the best Pokemon Games in a long time.

Pictures ©Nintendo