Splatoon 2 Review

It was during e3 2014 that Nintendo introduced us to a strange new project of theirs. A group of young developers had assembled and created their own vision of a new game, without interference from more senior staff. This new game slowly took form and then it was finally unveiled to the public as Splatoon. A new kind of Multiplayer Shooter that would cover the saturated genre with a fresh coat of paint.

Upon first seeing the game I wasn't sure what to think, but then the gameplay demonstration from the Show floor and reports from people, who had tried the game firsthand, started to show up. And from then onwards I was hooked. Just like most of Wii-U Owners. So far Splatoon sold an incredible 4.83 Million copies on an install base of only 13.56. That is an impressive 35% attach rate. Especially in Japan there was and still is a huge Hype surrounding the lovely SquidKids.

So it came to no surprise that Nintendo announced Splatoon 2 earlier this year as one of the launch window games for the Switch. Still some concerns did arise. Did they manage to create a good sequel in only one year of time? After all the development of Splatoon officially ended in 2016 one year after the games launch. And what improvements would Splatoon 2 bring to the table?

Story:

Just like with the first game the second installment also arrives with surprisingly fun single player. But while it was a surprise the first time around, this time this was expected. The story follows the principle of all Nintendo games in that it's basically the same thing as last time with some minor tweaks. But here I didn't mind because Splatoon is a very gameplay driven experience. Even in Single Player. In one way or another it was very refreshing to experience a callback to some of earlier FPS games with a simple story and platform driven gameplay.

Just for competitions sake here is the Story of Splatoon 2. Two years after the defeat of DJ Oktario by the hands of Agent 3 the great Zapfish, source of all energy in the town of Inkopolis, has disappeared once again. But what's even more troubling is that Callie, one half of the popular Squid Sisters Idol Group and also secretly Agent 1, is also missing. And because Captain Cuttlefish and Agent 3 are on vacation it's now up to Agent 2, also known as Marie from the Squid Sisters, to recruit a new Inkling and venture once again into Octo Canyon to solve this mystery.

As you can see the Story is more on the light side in this game, but once more let me stress that this is not a problem.

One thing that also returns from the first game are the sunken scrolls. One of them is hidden in each level of the single player campaign and finding them unlocks some nice trivia about the Inkling world, as well as some background story. But it's nothing really knew and if you played the first game you already know the surprisingly dark backstory behind the world of Splatoon. So for a veteran, while nice, the scrolls offer nothing new or interesting.

Gameplay:

The Gameplay formula in Splatoon 2 follows the same idea as the story. Don't fix something which isn't broken.

Up to this day Splatoon remains one of the few games that truly got Gyroscopic aiming right and the second installment also delivers in that regard. Everything feels fluid and intuitive. Once again you can switch between Squid and Kid form with the press of a button. The former allows you to swim quickly through your own Ink, even up walls, but also makes you more vulnerable, while your humanoid form is used for battle.

The single player once again features a variety of Mario Galaxy style levels. What I mean by that, is that levels consist out of several floating platforms of varying size. Each of these Islands consists of one ore two challenges and after beating them you can progress to the next one. And once more the Single Player proves to be the hidden gem of the game. The levels are extremely varied with each one offering a new idea or at least an extension of a previously encountered one.

One of the biggest changes is that now there are several different weapons, which you can use during your missions. Well to be honest that is not completely true. During the first playthrough of a level the weapon you have to use is preset. But afterward your free to choose. This is a big improvement over the original game where the Sniper and Roller weapon were locked as special challenges behind Amiibo. One accompanying effect of this new weapon variety is that the game in general feels harder. Especially the bosses. For example the second boss is really easy if you use a ranged weapon, but when you fight him the first time you have to use the Roller. So later on when you have access to all weapons for a level you can individually adjust the difficulty of your playthrough via the weapon you choose.

Apart from that the Single Player hasn't changed much. You still collect Salmon Roe as a sort of currency to upgrade your weapons. One thing that is new is a resource called Sardinium. One of these is also hidden in each level and they are also used to purchase upgrades.

One negative aspect of the Single Player is that it feels much more grindy than the first campaign. To 100% the game you need to beat every level with each of the 9 weapons. Also while the Salmon Roe you collected in the first title on your way to the last boss was easily enough to upgrade everything this time I didn't come even close.

If you just want to finish the single player then the campaign is once again a very enjoyable experience, but if you want to complete everything it becomes a grind pretty fast.

But in a game like Splatoon the single player is, of course, only the complementary course. The heart of the game lies in it's different multiyplayer modes. All of them are still 4on4 Matches against an opposing team of inklings. Except for one, but more on that later. Once again the game distinguishes between Turf War and Ranked battles. As you need at least rank 10 to participate in the latter, let us focus on the former for now.

The goal of Turf war is to cover as much of the map with your own Ink. Walls aren't counted for points, but can help you traversing the terrain faster. With a match lasting only 3 Minutes the frantic, fast and fun mentality of this mode is perfectly enhanced. The concept of Turf War is easy to grasp, but it will entertain you for several hours. It's perfect for quick match after work, as well as extended hour long sessions. At least I have yet to grow tired of these quick and entertaining battles.

At the end of each round you'll then earn experience points and money based on how well you performed during the battle.

Ranked battles are unlocked once your reach rank 10 and pit you against other players in one of three battle modes.

The first one, called Splat Zones, is a simply king of the hill style of mode. You and your team have to capture a point somewhere on the map (most of the time right in the middle) by covering it in your own ink. And then you simply have to defend it while accumulating points.

Next up is Tower Control. Here the goal is to capture a tower in the middle of the map, which then starts to move towards your enemies base. If it reaches the base your team wins, but if the enemy manages to capture it instead it starts to move towards your base.

And lastly there is the rainmaker mode. This mode is easily the most fun, but also needs the most coordination between you and your teammates. The goal here is to get the mighty rainmaker weapon int your enemies base. This weapon can be picked up by any player, but it slows you down. It also fires powerful, but slow bombs, which are easy to dodge. So to be successful you need the support of your team.

All three ranked modes require some coordination between you and your teammates. Because of that it can feel rather frustrating if you're stuck with group of bad randoms, but if you manage to play it with some friends it's a great deal of fun.

And because of this, once you reach at least A rank in Ranked battles, you can then participate in so called league battles. Join up with one friend to form a two man team and get paired with another two man power trip or ask three friends to form a full squad. Then you battle against others. At the end of each Legaue Battle (it ends when the stages rotate) your results will then displayed and you'll get to see how well you ranked in comparison with other players.

The last of the multiplayer modes is the newly introduced salmon run. Here you team up with three other players to work for the dubious Grizzco Industries and collect fish eggs for them. It's basically a horde mode, like so many shooters offer nowadays, but that is not keeping it from being loads of fun. Your team has to work together to survive on one of two maps against a seemingly endless stream of strange fishlike creatures called Salmonids. Just like most horde modes Salmon Run is incredibly addicting and fun. Not only are the enemies really varied and cool to fight, but there are also eight boss Salmonids, which need special tactics to be brought down.

The mode may rise and fall with your teammates, but that is true for every multiplayer focused game. As far as it concerns me I think Salmon Run is the best addition Splatoon 2 made to the game. Because of that it's even more bewildering that Nintendo once again choose to restrict your freedom on how you want to play the game.

With that let us head towards the negative points. One of them returns from the first game, albeit a little bit improved. Once again Splatoon 2 features a map rotation. That means for multiplayer you can't choose which map to play. You can't even vote for one out of the selection of stages. Instead you get to play tow maps for two hours before they change again. This means that if you plan on an extended session of Splatoon 2 you'll get the same two maps over and over again.

Even worse is the treatment Salmon Run got. Because Grizzco Industries isn't hiring all the time Salmon Run is only playable during specific time periods. That means if you have a worklife or other commitments on some days you simply won't be able to play this game mode, because it was only available from 2.am til 2.pm. This is simply unacceptable. If I pay full price for a game I expect to play all it's modes during all times of the day. It's especially bad because Salmon Run is the hidden star of the multiplayer in Splatoon 2. Also there are some sweet rewards like new equipment.

And that brings me to the next point. Inkopolis is still a very style driven metropolis. And because of that it's not only important to be good in battle, but also to look good in battle. Like in the first game you can equip your Inkling with Shoes, headgear and Tops. And once again these pieces of stylish clothing not only look good, but also help you in your fights. Each piece can hold up to four secondary benefits. These can range from quicker Ink regeneration to more movement speed in Squid form all the way to a quicker respawn after getting killed.

And once again you are able to re-roll these random benefits until you finally have crafted the piece of equipment that is perfect for your gameplay style. With that you're then finally able to jump into battle.

But to kill your enemies you need weapons. Luckily Sheldon has you covered. The charismatic shellfish once again sells you all the hottest stuff to efficiently destroy your enemies. With each rank up you unlock more and more weapons.

Like in the first game weapons always come as packs of three. One main weapon, one secondary and an ultimate. For balancing reasons this is fixed, so you'll always know that someone who uses a specific weapon will always have the same ultimate.
Weapon wise the game hasn't changed much. Most weapon types from the first game make a comeback, but there are also some new ones like the new Dualie weapons.

Probably the biggest change affected the ultimate weapons. They aren't as powerful as they were in the first game and are now much more situational in their use. But in the right hands they sill prove to be absolutely devastating.

Splatoon 2 once again uses the updated principle from the first game, which also is used in ARMS. That means the game shipped with a, to be honest, ridiculously small amount of maps and general content, but over the course of the year it will receive free updates adding new equipment, weapons, maps and maybe even game modes. Nintendo choose this model to ensure the longevity of Splatoon 2. Instead of dumping all on you at release they keep updating the game in order to have the player come back again and again. It proved to be a success with the original Splatoon and I'm sure it will work here again.

On the other hand some players may have the feeling that they get their full moneys worth only after one year when the Updates have finished.

Presentation:

On the first glance it would be hard to tell Splatoon 2 from its predecessor. In fact the game looks exactly the same. This isn't a bad thing however, as the first title already had a pretty unique art style. Again Nintendo doesn't need to fix something which isn't broken, but visually its exactly the game as the first one.

Apart from that the worlds are once again lively and colorful. Of course the Comic style helps with creating memorable scenes without having to add too much detail, but calling Splatoon 2 anything but a beautiful game would be a bold lie.

The stronger aspect of the presentation is, just like in the first game, the musical score. It accompanies the game perfectly. Both remixes from the first title as well as new songs fit perfectly into the colorful world of Inkopolis, where everything has to ''fresh'' and cool.

The new Band Off the Hook (Tentacles in Japanese) provide some really interesting songs. And even though Nintendo opted to use a gibberish language once more, that gibberish actually sounds really good.

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It doesn't matter if it's in single player or during the frantic last minute of Turf War. The music always perfectly captures the feeling of the game and enhances it. In that regard it's a job well done.

Conclusion:

Splatoon 2 is a by the books sequel. It's the embodiment of the Don't fix what's not broken mentality. As a second installment in, what's hopefully going to be a long running franchise, it gets away with a lack of innovation, but at some places the ink is starting to run thin. With basically no changes and only new maps, weapons and one new game mode Splatoon 2 often feels more like an add-on to the original game.

However this doesn't change the fact that the game is pure additcing fun. From a great singleplayer where every mission is pure enjoyment to the quick and easy to grasp Turf Wars each and every game mode of Splatoon 2 is fun. I don't think there is a bigger achievement for a game. Or any game in that matter.

That is why some of the decisions Nintendo made hurt so much more. Not being able to play the excellent Salmon Run whenever I want really dampens my enjoyment for that mode. And the map rotation still is, and always will be, a dumb concept.

It's a testament to genius game concept that is Splatoon that despite all of this I can wholeheartedly recommend the game to all of you. It's full of charm and details.

If you loved the first one and own a Switch it's definitely worth the purchase, but if you own the first one Splatoon 2 won't offer anything truly new to you. At least not enough to buy a new system just for it.

Conclusion (One Sentence):

Splatoon 2 often feels more like a 1.5 edition of the base game than a full blown sequel, but the genius game concept is so much fun you won't mind this fact.  

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The Switch Online Rant

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Nintendo is a strange company. On one hand they create one of the best and most addicting Online Games in Splatoon 2 and on the other they actively try everything to keep you from playing online with your friends. On one hand they are stuck in the past and on the other they try to forcefully implement Smartphones and anything new and exciting into their products.

So this time let's talk about the absolute idiocy that is the Nintendo Online Smartphone app.

One Step Forward, One Step back:

With the launch of the Switch Nintendo also announced their new plans for their Online infrastructure. Originally it was planned that it would start in the fall of this year, but now Nintendo has pushed back the start to earyl 2018. But what are the key data of their new Online service?

Well first and foremost it's not free anymore. Like with X-Box and PlayStation Nintendo will now charge a yearly fee for Online Play. It's considerably lower than the competition, with only 20$ a year, but the value is also not the same. Of course you'll get to play online, but instead of an big title from a year ago or an actual Indie Game for free, like on X-Box or PlayStation, Nintendo will only offer a NES Game each month. Originally you couldn't even keep the games. It was planned that after, for example, July ended, you'd loose access to the game of that month even though you were still paying for the Online Service. Luckily Nintendo changed that after a lot of complaints. So not everything's bad I guess.

But that's only half of their new online infrastructure. The other half is, to put it bluntly, stupid as hell. Because thing like Online Lobbies or Friendlists have been outsourced to a smartphone app. That means that if I want to play Splatoon 2 with my friends I have to download the smartphone app, start it on my phone and then add my friends there. It's needlessly complicated. Totalbiscuit released a sceenshot of what is necessary if you want to play with some of your friends.

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That's is ridiculous.

Another thing is that as long as the app is running you can't do anything else on your phone. Got a message and want to check it? Not possible.

I'm sorry, but there is no justification for this. Especially as fans we should not put up with such lackluster execution.

Sadly this proves once more that Nintendo has absolutely no idea how online is working. To me it seems like if they tried to lessen the load on their Online Infrastructure via outsourcing. Still they want us to pay for it.

Splatoon 2 is a great game, but this online nonsense has really damped my enjoyment of the title. Sadly there isn't much we can do except for telling Nintendo directly how we feel about the situation. Maybe the listen.

Maybe...

and as always

thanks for reading

Nintendo Q1 Financial Results

I hope you all are enjoying Splatoon 2 as much as I do. If you managed to get hold of a Switch that is. But the launch of the sequel to one of the most addicting and fun online shooters in decades was not the only thing noteworthy that happened in the last couple of days.

Because today Nintendo released their Q1 financial results reports. With that we have up to date information about the sales figures of all Nintendo Platforms and games. The Quarter covers everything sold from the 1^st April until the 30^th June. So without further ado let's take a look at the data.

• Net Sales: ¥154,069 Million
• Operating Income: ¥16,208 Million
• Profit: ¥21,260 Million

• Total Switch Hardware: 4.70 Million
• Total Switch Software: 13.60 Million
• Total 3DS Hardware: 67.08 Million
• Total 3DS Software: 335.10 Million
• Total Wii-U Hardware: 13.56 Million
• Total Wii-U Software 99.97 Million Units

• Smart Device, IP related income: ¥9,062 Million
• Earnings from Pokemon Go: ¥3,286 Million

So all in all we're looking at quite the successful quarter for Nintendo. And to think what could have been possible if the Switch wasn't plagued by constant supply issues. But there is on big thing that I would like to direct your eyes to. The insane attach rate Mario Kart 8 and Breath of the Wild have. Nearly everyone who owns a Switch owns those games. This once again proves the Power Nintendo IP has to sell software, but also poses a great danger. If Nintendos first party offerings are too successful 3^rd Party developers may feel discouraged to bring their games onto the system. Nintendo has to actively work against this, not by releasing inferior games, but by encouraging and fostering relationship with other publishers. Lets hope they've learned their lesson from the Wii-U.

Anyways these numbers are great and prove that the Switch Hype is far from dying. Let's hope they can keep that momentum until the holidays, but with Super Mario Odyssey on the Horizon I have little doubts that they'll manage.

And as always

thanks fro reading

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Top 5 upcoming Nintendo Games

2017 proves to be an interesting year for Nintendo. The Nintendo Switch launched with great success, but supply shortages and a lack of big titles have seen it slow down somewhat. Of course it's still far from being a Wii-U. Everytime a new shipment of consoles hits the shelves they are sold out in a matter of hours. At least where I live. And with the release of Splatoon 2 the small software drought that plagued the console through April and May seems to be finally over. Also the future is looking more than bright.

On the other hand we have the 3DS, which, despite being at the end of its lifespan, still gets great new releases. It even got a new iteration with the New 2DS. It seems Nintendo really is standing by their word to support their dedicated handheld and don't see the Switch as a replacement.

Now focusing solely on the Software Nintendo has had a good year so far. ARMS, a completely new IP, launched with solid sales and scores from game critics and The Legend of Zelda has blown every person and their mother completely out of the water. But this year is far from over and if we take a small peek into the future we still have an exciting line-up on the Horizon.

So today I'd like to talk about the 5 Games upcoming Nintendo games you should get most excited about.

5: Mario & Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

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For a long time I wouldn't believe that this game actually existed. I couldn't believe it.
I'm not a big fan of the Rabbids and I probably won't get this game for exactly that reason, but despite that we all should still get excited for that release. First and foremost because the game looks really good. Well apart for the damn Rabbids. Most importantly the gameplay looks polished and like it could be a lot of fun. I'm not the first one to state that, but it strongly reminds me of X-Com, which is never a bad sign. The combat seems to be very strategical, but still the presentation makes it look really fast paced and action driven.

The Gameplay, however, isn't the only thing that looks exciting about this game. It's the implications that Mario & Rabbids: Kingdom Battle has. This is the first in a long time that Nintendo has given one of their IPs to another company. Not only that but they allowed this company to create their own crossover game. Now I'm not saying that from now on Nintendo should hand out the rights to develop their titles left and right, but if they are willing to give Mario to Ubisoft, so that they can develop a strategy game including him, they may be willing to do the same with other IPs. IPs which could truly benefit from a new angle or even just a new game in their franchise. If Nintendo is unwilling or unable to create a new entry then why not give it over to another Publisher, so that they can develop a game for the Switch. Mario & Rabbids: Kingdom Battle proves that this is now a possibility and that makes me very excited. My fingers are crossed for an Advanced War revival.

Also just look how proud the creator of the game is.

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4: Pokemon UltraSun/UltraMoon

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Probably the last proper Pokemon Games released for the 3DS these will surely be great experiences. I'm feeling that with the transition towards the Nintendo Switch Pokemon will surely change. It will be just as groundbreaking as Zelda and Mario transitioning into 3D during the N64 era. Anything less would be disappointing.

And because of that I think that UltraSun and UltraMoon will be the last hooray for the Pokemon series on dedicated Handhelds. GameFreak will cram everything they can into these titles. I have the feeling that UltraSun and UltraMoon will be the Ultimate Pokemon experience.

3: Xenoblade Chronicles 2

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The first Xenoblade Chronicles was one of the best JRPGs of all time. And it's spiritual successor Xenoblade Chronicles X was my personal game of the Year in 2015. So when Nintendo announced Xenoblade Chronicles 2 during the Switch event in January I couldn't believe my luck. And when they announced that the game would launch this year I lost it.

First of all the game looks great. I really love the kind of open worlds Monolith creates. And I think the decision to go full Anime style with the characters instead of a mixture like in X was the right one. Also I'm sure they'll fix the FPS issues and rough edges until release.

I'm simply looking forward to exploring this world. Because while Breath of the Wild created probably the greatest open world of all time (up until now), one thing that that the Xenoblade titles have, that Breath of the Wild lacks, is something truly unique. Don't get me wrong I love Hyrule, but something like Noctilum or Sylvalum you can't find in any other game. Monolith are experts in creating unique and alien worlds. Stepping foot into the Noctilum for the first time and hearing the amazing overworld score will forever be one of my greatest gaming moments.

And with Xenoblade 2 I'm sure Monolith will deliver once again. The trailers alone make me wanna experience this world. Just like Mira these new world simply feels awe inspiring. And it also helps that all Xenoblade Games so far were also pretty good in the gameplay department.

It's a shame that Xenoblade 2 launches in a year with Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild. Otherwise I'm sure it would be one of the main contenders for my game of the year spot.

2: Metroid: Samus Returns

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It's a new Metroid title. A new 2D Metroid title. Forget that it's a remake of the GameBoy game. Just look at this and tell me you're not excited.

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Forget Peach, Zelda and Co. For me Samus will always be the first Lady of Nintendo. And to see her (hopefully) return to form is just great.

Metroid has had it rough in the last couple of years. Metroid Other M, while mechanically good, was a storyline mess and did a lot of damage to Samus as a character. And while Metroid Prime: Federation Force may have been an okay game it cam at completely the wrong time. It felt more like an insult towards Metroid fans.

But now Nintendo seems to be back on track and intends to bring Metroid back into the spotlight were the series belongs. With the renaissance of the the MetroidVania genre in the last couple of years, mostly thanks to indie developers, this is the perfect timing to bring back one of the founders of the whole genre.

Also if the gameplay from the Nintendo Treehouse is anything to go by we don't need to be concerned for the quality of the game. Samus Returns looks and plays amazing.

1: Mario Odyssey

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Of course this game is number 1. After Breath of the Wild this is the biggest game of the year for anyone owning a Nintendo Switch. And while Link returned to his 2D roots with his newest game, Mario chooses a different direction. It's also a return, but instead of going all the way back it's a return to the leveldesign of one of the most important games of all time. When Super Mario 64 launched it wowed its audience with worlds that seemed endless. Super Mario Sunshine also followed in the same vein, but with Mario Galaxy 1&2 and Super Mario 3D World Nintendo steered 3D Mario titles into a different direction. The focus shifted more onto the platforming, instead of exploring spacious worlds. Of course this wasn't a bad thin, and in the end it served to make the announcement of Super Mario Odyssey all the more special.

Just like with Breath of the Wild one year before Mario just stole the show during this years e3. And once again Nintendo proved that if they change the formula of one of their established franchises, then they truly intend to knock it out of the park.

Super Mario Odyssey is a game that is fun even when you're just watching someone else playing it. The levels look so vibrant and colorful that you just want to jump in and start adventuring.

Mario has always been great, but this is the first time since the original Galaxy that I felt a rush of excitement, when watching a Mario game. Odyssey surely has the potential to be a true game changer.

So what are your most anticipated games for this year? Let me know in the comments below.

And as always

thanks for reading

Top 5 Nintendo Franchises which should be adapted into series/movies

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Nintendo produces Video Games. This is a long standing truth and I hope nothing will change that in the upcoming years. Luckily with the huge success of the Swith it seems as if Nintendos main business area is secured. But we don't live in the same world as twenty or even just ten years ago. With the rise of Smartphones everything has become interconnected. Nintendo is slowly giving in and is starting to adapt, but there is one field were they're still hesitant to do so. Maybe it is because they've seen countless of their rivals fail and maybe it's because their own tries in the early 90s have been colossal failures, but Nintendo has always shied away from adapting their IPs for the TV-Screen.

One of the last decisions of the late Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has been a stronger focus on Cross-Media Projects. The idea is to heighten awarness for Nintendo products via partnerships outside of Videogames. The announced collaboration with Universal Studios and opening of a Nintendo Land in their parks is one of the results of this strategy. And now CoroCoro announced a Splatoon Web Series, which will launch on the 12^th of August on their Youtube Channel. Of course these is just the beginning, but slowly Nintendo begins to realize that there is a huge portion of their fans out there, who have grown up with their games, but, as their adult lives moved on, can't or won't find the time to play countless video games. Still most of them harbor many nostalgic feelings towards the products that made their childhood awesome. Projects like Pokemon Origins have proven that a mature adaptation of their properties can prove to be a huge success.

The recent release of the Castlevania series on Netflix proves that adaptions of vidoe games can succeed. If they are done by people with passion and love. Nintendo should utilize this and not only create merchandise for their products but once again try to bring their franchises to the screen. It doesn't have to be a full fledged cinematic universe with several movies leading to the inevitable team-up in the Smash Bros. film. It doesn't even have to be a cinema project. Netflix, Amazon Prime and Co. prove that in todays environment TV-Series can be just as big as movies. So today I'd like to talk about the five Nintendo IPs that should be adapted as a TV-Series or Movie.

5: Star Fox:

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I said it nearly every time I talked about Star Fox Zero, but that game was a huge missed opportunity. Not just because the Gameplay was a constant battle against oneself, but also because the story was boring. It was just a simple rehash from Star Fox 64.

I'm still convinced that Star Fox would be perfect as a dramatic Space Opera with big set pieces and even bigger stakes. We even got a glimpse at this with the animated trailer for Star Fox Zero. It was beautifully done and gave the characters a deeper personality beyond needing constant saving or telling you to do a barrel roll.

I think an adaptation as Anime would work best for the Character Design of the games. Anthropomorphic animals may be huge in the animated industry (looking at you Zootopia), but the over the top action and characteristics of Star Fox would work better in a dawn environment. Also I would prefer the adaption to be a TV-Series instead of a Movie.

This gives the creators enough time to build the team and it's characters. And with that we don't have to waste our time with a origin movie, but can hop right into action, telling the origin stories of different characters along the way via flashbacks. Also the TV-Series style of Story Telling lends itself better to the idea of a grand space opera, filled to the brim with betrayal, intrigue and mystery. Just make it a Netflix series so I don't have to wait weeks after the cliffhanger ending of the last episode.

4: Fatal Frame (Project Zero):

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I'm a huge Horror Fan. I love Horror Movies, Horror Stories and Horror Games. Project Zero is a favorite of mine, simply because in this day and age the series still provides classic horror feeling, just like in the days of the original Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Another one of my favorites is Stranger Things. And I think you can already see where I'm going with this.

The plotlines of Project Zero Games would lend themselves perfectly to a mystery series on Netflix. And unlike Star Fox I strongly advice against making this an Anime. Of course it could work as one, but using real actors would serve a Horror/Mystery Series better. Even though there are some very unsettling Horror Animes out there, I always find them not affecting me as much as other works. Maybe it's because I subconsciously think drawn images aren't that threatening I don't know, but I'm sure that a series with real actors would just work better.

As for the Story they could adapt on of the games (2 or 5 would be best I think) or try to tell a new story. Project Zero is a series that heavily relies on atmosphere, which is great for a series because you don't need many expensive shots of the threat at hand. And the ghosts also wouldn't need a huge CGI-Budget like a, for example, the mutants from Resident Evil would.

Project Zero would be the perfect Mystery/Horror series. Done right I'm certain it would grow a good following, which wonders what happens next after each episode. Also apparently there is already a Hollywood movie adaptation in the works, so let's see where this is headed. 

3: Fire Emblem

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Ok now everyone who watched the Game of Thrones premiere raise your hand. While many great series have gathered a big following over the last couple of years, it can't be denied that Game of Thrones creates the largest hype. Now I've heard lots of wishes to adapt Zelda in the same style, but I don't think it's the right franchise for that. Zelda is a colorful adventure focused on its three main characters. Yes it has lots of cool side characters, but the ones driving the plot are always Link, Zelda and Ganondorf. I just don't see it lending itself to a sprawling series filled with many different plotlines and characters.

Luckily Nintendo owns a series, which does exactly that. Before its Anime Overhaul in Awekening the Fire Emblem series always told a grand story influenced by the European middle ages. And even in Awakening and Fates it's still the story of waring kingdoms, love and hate, betrayal and sacrifice. A Fire Emblem Series could built upon those strengths and build a huge world, filled with plotlines and memorable characters.

Also the prominent perma-death feature from the games is a perfect template for a series filled with unexpected and dramatic deaths. Also Fire Emblem is a series filled with iconic sights, so the creators wouldn't have to follow a specific game to create memorability. Just seeing a Pegasus Knight will make fans hearts beat higher.

This would give them the freedom to truly create their own vision of the series without being shackled by pre-existing games. It could work either as a gritty Game of Thrones style series or a classic high fantasy adaption, but I'm sure it would work.

2: The Legend of Zelda

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Whenever someone talks about Nintendo IPs, which should be done as a movie Zelda is the first to be mentioned. And even through so far I've been advocating for TV-Series as means of adapting Nintendo franchises, here I agree. Zelda deserves a movie. The franchise will always be a story concentrating on the three bearers of the TriForce. (And Yes I know there have been expectations.)

A Zelda movie would be huge. Nearly everyone knows Nintendo. And nearly everyone, who knows Nintendo knows Zelda. Of course it would also be a high risk project capable of burying video game movies forever should it flop, but that's why it needs to be done carefully. Find Producers, who are really passionate about the project. Just look at the Castlevania series. They had a producers, who loved the games, and the series turned out great.

The Legend of Zelda should be it's own story, but with strong ties to the games. Every inch of this series is filled with iconic bits and pieces, so the movie would be a treat for easter egg hunter. As for the story I would either choose Breath of the Wild or Ocarina of Time as template. But I would change one thing. Make Zelda an actual character, who accompanies Link on his travels. (Or he on hers)
Maybe even incorporate the Champions or Sages into the story. Make the Princess and her knight gather allies before they take on Ganondorf.

But now matter in which direction they decide to take the story, it should be done on the big screen. Zelda deserves this.

1: Metroid

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Now with Zelda on the second place this leaves only one obvious choice for Number One. And of course it's not Mario. Now I know that Metroid would probably the hardest property to do right as a movie or TV-Series, but if done right it would be absolutely phenomenal. The producer of the Castlevania Netflix series has already attested his interest in doing a Metroid adaptation next, and if I take a look at how great his first outing is, I'm confident that he would be the right man for the job. Also a violent and dark Metroid series just appeals to me.

A Metroid adaptation would be especially hard to pull of because a huge part of the atmosphere in those games is the fact that Samus is alone. She is the lone hunter on this hostile alien worlds. Metroid is a prime example of a game were the gameplay creates the atmosphere. Adapting that into a non-interactive medium would be pretty hard.

But such a series would be the perfect opportunity to expand the lore of the Metroid Universe. And hopefully better than Other M did. The producers could focus on the Galactic Federation and Space Pirates, fleshing out those two waring factions. Also I think Mother Brain and Ridley deserve some deeper character work. Even though the Manga adaption already steered in that direction.

Also one thing I'd like to see from a Metroid adaptation is the attempt on making a completely silent episode. Just Samus alone on a hostile planet. No inner monologue or other characters to converse with. Just the best bounty hunter of the galaxy doing her job.

Now what do you think? Which games deserve a movie or TV-Adaptation? In in what direction should it go?

And as always

thanks for reading

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - The Master Trials Review

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Breath of the Wild was a new start for the series in many ways. It was a return to the roots of the Zelda series, but at the same time the next step in its evolution. After years of repeating the Ocarina of Time Formula of a semi-Open World Breath of the Wild, for the fist time since the first game, offer a truly open Hyrule. From the get go you could go anywhere you wanted. The only restricting factor was you.

But this open approach to the game design wasn't the only way in which Breath of the Wild broke with Zelda tradition. Earlier this year Eji Aonuma announced that this would be the first Zelda title to receive paid DLC. And the reception to this was... mixed.

And understandably so. The initial announcement was kept very vague. We only knew that the first part of the DLC would arrive in Summer and the second one, containing a new Storyline and Dungeon, would come around the end of this year. And then we were told that you only can purchase both DLCs together as a season pass for 20$.

This is quite the heavy investment for something we know so little about. Luckily over time Nintendo unveiled more and after e3 we had a pretty good idea of what to expect. And while I'm really looking forward to the second DLC The Champion's Ballad, which will serve as an epilogue to the main game, the first offering The Master Trials still looked somewhat sketchy.

It released on June 30^th and after checking it out thoroughly let's find out if it is enough incentive to return to Hyrule once more or if you'd better wait until you spent your hard earned money on it.

The Master Trials: 

We'll start with the cold hard facts. The Master Trials consists of two big pieces of content surrounded by several smaller additions and quality of life improvements.

Master Mode serves as this games Hero Mode, but instead of simply upping the Damage Monsters deal and maybe mirroring the game world, like in older games, it does a lot more. Of course the higher damage is still a core part, but in addition the game also shuffles monsters around. For example you'll now encounter a Lynel right there on the Great Plateau. Also nearly all monsters in the game have been upgraded. This means instead of red Bokoblins you'll encounter the Blue Version from the get go. Also all Monsters now have regenerating health. So no hit and run tactics. And lastly the Mode introduces a new type of foe. Golden Enemies are even stronger than the silver variant. Fighting a Golden Lynel is an incredible feeling and the surest way to breaking all of your weapons trying to empty it's massive health bar.

All in all Master Mode makes an already challenging game even more challenging, but for me it's not really an incentive to start a new playthrough immediately. It doesn't add anything truly new to the game, which alters the experience. Since its launch I have spend over 300 hours in Breath of the Wild and just adding a higher difficulty isn't enough to spend another 300. At least for me.

Also it sill leaves a bad aftertaste that a feature that was included in older titles from the start is now sold as DLC, even if Master Mode is better than the older Hero Mode.

The other huge new addition to the game is the Trial of Sword. After installing the DLC and starting the game a voice informs you that Link is now ready to finally unlock the true power of the Master Sword. Of course you have to acquire the Master Sword first. When returning to the Deku Tree after receiving the message, he'll tell you about the Trial of the Sword. To enter this challenge you'll simply have to return the Sword to it's pedestal.

The Trial itself takes place in an interesting environment. It's clearly inside a Shiekah Shrine, but there are also pieces of the Overworld inside. This creates a really cool artificial looking place. Having the futuristic looking walls coupled with trees and Bokoblin Camps is a cool visual.

But I have completed Breath of the Wild, found all 120 Shrines and have all Armor upgraded to the maximum, is this Trial even challenging for me? Well if you ask yourself this then I have good news. Yes it absolutely is. Because it uses a simple, yet effective little twist, that already created on of the best Hidden Shrine Quests in the Game.

You see once you enter the Trial of the Sword you'll be stripped of all your equipment and inventory. Link starts this challenge completely naked. You have to complete the challenges ahead with only the items you find on your way. And the challenge ramps up pretty quickly. Soon you'll face black Lizalfos, Hinox and so forth. And with no armor these enemies will hurt you a lot.

The Trial of the Sword is great content and a lot of fun, simply because it's the quintessence of what makes Breath of the Wild so great. You continuously need to adapt to your surroundings using only your wits and the items you find along the way.

Because of that I don't think it's fair to compare the Trial to the simple gauntlet style challenge caves of older games. These could be ''outleveled'' to some extent. Here you'll have to truly master the game in order to complete the Trial. And even the reward is not too shabby. After beating the Trial of the Sword the Master Sword will unlock it's true power. From that Moment on forth it will always deal it's full 60 damage even when you're not fighting Guardians. It still has to recharge after some time, but now it's actually a very powerful weapon all over the World.

Apart from this two bigger features the DLC also includes the new Heros Path feature, a teleportation rune and new outfits for Link to wear.

The Heros Path is a cool feature that maps the path you have taken while traversing the vast world of Hyrule. It's especially helpful in narrowing down places you haven't visited and should be a great help in finding the last couple of missing Shrines. But this feature shouldn't be sold as a DLD, period.

The Traveler Medallion is in the same vein. It allows you to place down a rune anywhere in the World to which you then can teleport. With 120 Shrines and 15 Shiekah Towers there are enough places to teleport too already, but nonetheless this rune is a welcome improvement. It can help in a lot of cases, especially with those hidden shrine quests which can only be solved at specific times.

But both these features have the problem that they should have been included in the base game or at least be patched in for free. Quality of Life improvements should never be sold separately. This is maybe acceptable in Free to Play games, but not in a title which is sold at full price already.

The last part of the Master Trials are several new outfits for Link. These include Tingles Outfit.

Majoras Mask.

Midnas Helmet.

Korok Mask.

And the Phantom Armor.

What I really liked about the new outfits was how they got included. You don't simply get them handed over to you, but you have to find them first. This suits the kind of game Breath of the Wild is extremely well. It starts with side quests appearing in your logs. These then lead you to a journal in which you find hints on where to find the armor pieces.

Including DLC Armor this way is perfect, because it creates a new incentive to venture out in the world and explore it again. It was a lot of fun tracking down the Treasure Chests and figuring out the hints. My only gripe is that the Treasure Chests containing the Armor pieces could have been spread better across the whole map. They are pretty concentrated in one area.

Conclusion:

Since starting the practice Nintendo has been pretty hit and miss with their DLC. For every Mario Kart 8 or Hyrule Warriors we get a New Super Mario Bros. 2 or Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia. And sadly I have to say that the Master Trials falls into the latter category. Both big features of the DLC have been part of the base titles in the past. And even though the Trial of the Sword and Master Mode are superior to their counterparts, the Cave of Ordeals and the Hero Mode, in older titles the Upgrade doesn't justify the price. The same goes for the Heros Path and the Travelers Medallion which both are Quality of Life improvements, which shouldn't be sold to you after already paying full price for the game. So the only part of the DLC that I fully can get behind are the new costumes, which were perfectly included. A new incentive to once again venture into Hyrule and explore the beautiful landscape is always welcome. Sadly the other parts of the first DLC Breath of the Wild offers to us don't do that for me.

Now before you misunderstand me. I'm not saying that the DLC is completely bad. Master Mode is brutal and the Trial of the Sword dungeon is a great expansion of one of the most entertaining Hidden Shrine Quests in the regular game. But still the Master Trials offers mostly features that have been part of the base game in the past. And because Nintendo decided that you can't buy DLC for this game separately, I'll have to treat as if it cost's 10$. And when I look what Mario Kart 8 offered for 12$ I have to say that Zelda falls short... by a lot.

With this the second DLC launching later this years has to really outperform my expectations and maybe I'll change my opinion. Maybe with the full package the DLC will be worth the 20$ you pay for it. But for now I only can recommend it to Hardcore Zelda fans, who don't have enough of the game and are looking for even more challenges.

Conclusion (One Sentence): 

The Master Trials mostly offers features which have been part of the base game in older titles and doesn't feel like it's truly worth half of the 20$ you pay for the DLC, but it offers a new challenge for Fans which still want more out of the world of Hyrule.

And as always

thanks for reading

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