Top 5 Nintendo Summer Games

Summer is great. Well not for me because I hate the heat, but for pretty anyone else. Still even a Winter friend like me can appreciate the great atmosphere that comes along with summer. Just enjoying a sunny day by the water or go hiking in the mountains... there are countless great things about summer. Lucily for people like me there are videogames, which allow us to escape into warm summer worlds, even whil sitting in a nice cool basemant.

The summer has many faces, altough the classic beach theme is, of course, the most dominant one. Luckly the same goes for the world of videogames. So today I would like to take you an journy through five games, which would be perfect holiday destinations. So grab your swim shorts and bikinis, put on your sunglasses and enjoy the summer. And if the weather doesn't play nice then enjoy these virtual summer dreams.

5: Pokemon Sun/Moon

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For a moment I thought about including Pokemon X/Y instead of Sun/Moon. France, or Kalos as it's called in the games, is a beautiful region, rich with culture and awesome sights. But to be honest the Alola region from Sun and Moon is nearly unbeatable in the summer category. Even though Hoenn comes close.

But Hawai, which is the real life inspiration for Alola, is one of the first things that come to mind, when anyone mentions summer and holiday.

Beautiful girls in hawaian dresses dancing between tiki torches while you enjoy a cold drink at the beach. Doesn't that sound like the perfect summer? And if your stay is filled with adventure and discovering new Pokemon then it's even better.

The Alola Region works because it offers nearly everything. You can even find a snowy peak on one of it's island. If the need to cool down ever arises. Apart from that there a beautiful beaches and lush jungles. Also there is the local Malasada speciality.

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The Sight alone is enough to make my mouth water.

Alola simply offers everything from adventure to delicous treats and also it's very kid friendly. There is no better place for a family vaccation than the Alola region.

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4: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakter

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The sun above and the water beneath you. Nothing but the endless sea in front of your boat. The flooded Hyrule from the Wind Waker made me long for the island life, even as a young boy in 2003. Experiencing the busy ''city'' life on Windfall island, the mysterious forest on Forest Haven or just relaxing at the beach on Outset Island. There is an activity for everyone on this huge ocean.

Also who doesn't like to feel like an explorer when discovering new Islands. The Ocean from Wind Waker also offers that. From frozen Islands to an acitve volcano the Ocean offers many unique sights to see. There are even rumors about a ghost ship appearing in clear, starry nights.

Some may call the long travel times by boat boring, but to me they are a chance to relax and simply enjoy the water and fres salt-breeze. The Wind Waker is your own adventure holiday. You are the captain of your own ship and you decide where you head too. And yes Breath of the Wild offers an even bigger freedom, but it doesn't have the same summer feeling. The blue sky above and the blue ocean beneath. That is what summer is all about. And all of that you can find in The Wind Wakers Hyrule.

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3: Yoshis Island

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Now if you're searching for a complete package than look no further. Lush forrests and Jungles? Check. Snowy mountain peaks? Check. Flower fields? Check. Beaches and water fun? Check.

Yoshis Island simply offers everyting. As long as you can overlook the insane Magikoopa trying to steal your baby. It even features some old castles to satisfy your need for some culture and history.

Of course like all vaccation destinations on this list this place isn't for the faint of hear. There is lots of action to be had on this island with lots of different activities. Be it skiing downhill, go cave diving or monkeying around in the jungle. There is something for everyone.

And while you enjoy the beautiful sights this island has to offer you, maybe you'll even topple down a spiked tyrant in still one of the most epic battles of all time. Talk about active holidays.

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2: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

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Earlier I called a holiday in Alola kid friendly. In that case this place is the complete opposite. It's brutal, hard and absolutely amazing. But let's talk about the landscape first. A tour across the six islands of Tropical Freeze is probably the most varied vaccation you could have. You love the mountains? Well Autumn Heights has you covered. Want a Safari throug the African Wilderness? No problem just head over to the Bright Savannah. Just want to have fun at the Beach? Here's Sea Breeze cove for you. You love snow? Luckily the Snowmads have frozen over Donkey Kong Island creating the perfect winter wonderland for you to enjoy. There is even a jungle full of giant fruits and huge factories to satisfy your needs for something extraordinary.

Of course, just as I stated earlier, this amazing adventure isn't for everyone. It's an action vaccation by every definition. If your're looking for a relaxin holiday this isn't the place for you. But if you're searching for a satisfying experience head over to the nearest Funky Flights or simply jump into the next best rocket barrel.

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1: Super Mario Sunshine

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Of course the Number One spot could only go to a game, which has Holiday and vaccation as it's main theme. Isla Delfino is THE Holiday paradise and if you, or a doppelganger, who looks like you, dosn't cover the whole Island in paint the locals actually are very welcoming. And Isla Delfina has a lot to offer. From a four star spa resort (Ghosts inclusive) over a amusement park all the way to the countless beautiful beaches the Island is the ultimate summer holiday location. Of course it doesn't offer the geographical variety some of the earlier entries had, but everything here is made with one thing in mind. Vaccation. And because of that it can't be beaten.

Isla Delfino is the perfect place to forget your daily troubles. It may not be a huge island hopping adventure, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to do here. You can even clean the teeth of a giant eel, which will really scare the crap out of any one with deep water phobia. Or maybe you simply prefer to play with some watermelon at the beach? No matter what your preferences are Isla Delfino offers something for everyone.

So just sit back and relax. Enjoy the sun because you won't find any rain here. Theres always great wether and perfect conditions to fully enjoy your vaccation. All 365 days of the year.

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So what games get you into the summer mood? What is your favourite virtual holiday destination? Maybe you prefer something really left field. Whatever it is let me know in the comments below.

And as always

thanks for reading

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 Games of 2016

It's a New Year, yes it is!

I hope all of you, my dear readers, had a splendid New Years Eve and a good start into 2017.

During my christmas break this year I took the time to replay some games from 2016 and reflect on the Year. And while I think gaming wise the past year has been generally good, as a Nintendo fan it was quite rocky. The Wii-U support reached a new low and even the 3DS is slowly declining. There were some very enjoyable experiences on both consoles, but it's a sad truth that there were time periods in which I didn't turn on my Wii-U for several weeks.

But with 2017 officially started and the Switch on the Horizon the future looks bright for Nintendo. So today I wanted to look back at 2016 one last time the only way it makes sense. With a Toplist about the Five best Nintendo games of the last year.

Yes this is the arbitrary games award show, which everyone does around this time. So I hope you enjoy my pics.

5: Paper Mario: Color Splash

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A game that got a lot of hate from the community from the get got managed to pull itself into the Top 5 Games of the year? This means this year was truly terrible... or maybe the game wasn't so bad after all. Color Splash has some very obvious weaknesses, but during my playthrough I didn't mind them, because this game has also a lot of charm. The only true complain I have subjectively is the endless stream of Toad NPCs instead of a diverse cast.

Objectively you also have to criticize the battle system and the general simplicity of the game, but this doesn't deprive the game of its fun.

Paper Mario Color Splash is a good game. It's not outstanding and it's weaker than Thousand Years Door, but it is still a good adventure game.

Especially the music and level design are top notch. It's a lot of fun to explore the different stages of the game. The handcrafted paper look of the series truly shines in HD.

If you can overlook the shallow combat system and the copy pasted Toad NPCs you'll find Paper Mario to be a game with a lot of charm and thought put into.

Maybe the path to a truly great new Paper Mario lies somewhere in the middle. Fans should be more open to changes, but at the same time the developers shouldn't forcefully try to fix what isn't broken. We don't need another Thousand Year Door, but a new game that carries the spirit of the GameCube classic, while also stepping forward. Also, an that can't be denied, we need Paper Mario to return to its Roleplaying roots.

Until then we have an enjoyable experience in Color Splash, that doesn't manage to reach the same heights as it's predecessors, but is a good game nonetheless.

4: Fire Emblem Fates

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And now to a truly great game that would be deserving of an even higher place on this list, if it wasn't for one huge hiccup.

If you're lucky enough to own a Japanese copy of this game, you can ignore the following criticism and put Fates as the number 2 on this list. As for the rest of us. Fuck Censorship.

Fire Emblem Fates has become synonymous for Nintendo (especially Nintendo of Americas) desire to remain child friendly at all costs. And in the process they butchered the translation of this great game. I don't want to recount the whole drama surrounding this release, but by inserting political messages and memes into the translation they made Fire Emblem Fates worse. It is a saddening example of translators hampering the work of the creators. And it is also a reminder that Nintendo doesn't value it's customers as much as it should.

But on the other hand it's also one of the best tactical RPGs of the last years. Since Awakening the Fire Emblem series rose from the Ashes like a phoenix. It's unique style of tactical and round based strategy makes it a worthy pic for this list. Fire Emblem Fates is a great game. Which makes it all the more painful, that I couldn't enjoy this game during it's release. (I only played it second hand by borrowing it from a friend.)

It tells a great and deep story about two vastly different kingdoms at war. And while having two Versions of the game to experience both sides of the story may leave a bad aftertaste, both, Conquest and Birthright, are excellent games with a lot of content.

If Nintendo did have more confidence in its consumers and products this game could have competed for the Numer One spot on this list. Sadly they thought otherwise. Even though I'm sure the West would have been ready for petting your Anime Waifu...

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3: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

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Yes your eyes are not deceiving you. Number 3 is a remaster of a ten year old game. It is a great game with a Metacritic of 95 (96 for the GameCube version), but it's a remaster nonetheless.

The remaster is technically sound and it is a clear visual improvement over the original. The Colors don't look as washed out and the world looks more vibrant and alive. Everything looks crisp and detailed. So in that department the remaster was a full success. And as opposed to Wind Waker HD Twilight Princess HD even offered some new content. Granted it was only a cave of ordeals especially designed for Wolf Link, but it still was quite enjoyable. And the fact that you can safe your result on the Wolf Link Amiibo and then carry it on to Breath of Wild to summon him as companion there, even makes the whole thing worthwhile.

Twilight Princess HD generally uses the Amiibo quite well. Especially the Ganondorf one. Using him will strengthen all monsters and increase the damage they deal, coupled with the integrated Hero Mode, which doubles the damage of all monsters, this creates the most challenging Zelda experience since Zelda 2.

Apart from these changes Twilight Princess HD is the same game as the original from ten years ago. It's still the biggest Hyrule to date, and even though the Overworld often feels empty, I always greatly enjoyed exploring it. The Dungeons are high quality, as you'd expect from a Zelda Game. But while the Story was obviously planned to be much darker than in previous Zelda games (and it is) it lacks some of the impact Majoras Mask had. Also Ganondorfs involvement is rather half handed and it feels like has been tacked onto the end.

But apart from theses small flaws Twilight Princess is a great Zelda game, which will provide you with hours upon hours of entertainment. And Twilight Princess HD is the best possible version of the game.

2: Tokyo Mirage Sessions#FE

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When this game was announced it didn't think much of it. I had never played Persona and wasn't to big on Fire Emblem either. And after it's long development I had already mostly forgotten about this game. But when it finally surfaced with a trailer it immediately got my attention. The unique blend of Japanese Pop Culture and classic Fantasy RPG was quite interesting. It was also batshit crazy Japanese, but that was part of its appeal. Sadly this game was also damped by some Censorship, even though it wasn't as bad as with Fire Emblem Fates because the dialogues were left mostly alone. Still it was another reminder that Nintendo doesn't truly care about their adult customers. Changing revealing outfits did greatly diminish the appeal of a game mostly centered around the Japanese Idol Scene.

But apart from these censorship issues I hardly found anything to criticize with this game. The Story is unique and fun, and perfectly fits the Idol theme. And it's surprisingly epic at the end. Especially the characters, though they are quite stereotypical, are very enjoy- and likable.

The only thing that is bothering me about this game is that there is too little side content... in a way. There are lots of side quests and stories to uncover, but apart from that there is not a lot to do. Persona games often have a plethora of mini-games or activities to simulate the normal every day life of it's protagonists. This is something I missed with Tokyo Mirage Sessions#FE.
However I don't miss it very much, because the game is just too much fun. Especially the dynamic battle system, which, even though its round based, feels very intuitive and direct through the great session mechanic. Also it's quite hard and you have to keep your enemies strengths and weaknesses in mind at all times.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions#FE was a treat. It's a very Japanese game. Something we don't get too see all to often on the Wii-U. It was a breath of fresh air in a year that desperately needed it and I can wholeheartedly recommend it. And if the censorship bothers you, try to find a used copy as I did.

1: Pokemon Sun/Moon

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It was quite obvious that these games would claim the Top Spot. Sun/Moon created and unbelievable Hype and they delivered. In a year with some very huge disappointments it's great to see a game delivering on it's promise. Some even go as far as calling Sun/Moon the best games since the series debut. And while I would put Gold/Silver/Crystal above them, it's hard to wholeheartedly disagree. Sun/Moon are just that good.

After 20 years GameFreak truly shook up the Pokemon Formula without completely revamping it. The games felt new, but also familiar enough for old timers to feel immediately at home.

There are some good new Pokemon Designs and especially the Alola Forms of older Pokemon are great.

Presentation wise these are the best looking Pokemon Games so far. It's clear that the 3DS is at its limits, but it is certainly worth it. Never before has the World of Pokemon felt bigger.

The Formula shake up did wonders. Traveling across the four Islands, completing diverse Insel challenges and fighting the four Island Kings is much more rewarding than simply going from Arena to Arena.

I can't give these games higher praise than to say that I truly felt like a ten year old again, while exploring the Alola Region. And from the record breaking sales of the games it looks like I'm not the only one. All I can say is well done GameFreak. Pokemon Sun/Moon are the best Nintendo Game of 2016 and for me they are also the best overall game of this past year.

So what Games did you enjoy the most this last year? Anything that truly blew you away? Or was the year overall disappointing?

Whatever your opinion about Nintendos past year is, let me know in the comments.

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

The Future of Pokemon

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Now that I had enough time to play Pokemon Moon thoroughly (btw thanks Nintendo for releasing it five days later in the EU) I can wholeheartedly say that the Game is excellent. But more on that tomorrow when my review launches.

Today I want to talk about something that has been on my mind since Pokemon X and Y launched. And that is the question of Pokemons Future. We already have crossed the 800 mark for Pokemon, which is a lot from the original 151. And even though they released less new Pokemon with Generation six and seven the complaints about bad design have been growing louder.

First let me say that I don't share these feelings. I don't think the Pokemon design overall has been getting worse. Even in the first Generation there have been some very uninspired designs. Grimer and Muk come to mind.

What's true is that the Pokemon designs have become more outlandish and cartoon like. While the original 151 were mostly looking like animals in the newer generations many Pokemon got an extremely cartoony design. This makes them harder to classify for people and often causes some backlash against the design. But wit over 800 released Pokemon it becomes harder and harder to create something that isn't either a slightly remade version of an already released Pokemon or too outlandish to work in the context of the game. And this problem won't go away. So what is the Future of Pokemon? What can GameFreak do to keep the franchise afloat after 20 years on the top?

Take your time:

2013 we got X/Y and now in 2016 we got Sun/Moon.

Three years is a good time frame for a new Pokemon Generation, but I would even go a little bit further and make it four years. If you overstretch a franchise with to many consecutive releases it burns out, as evidently shown by Assassins Creed or Call of Duty, but if you give your Fans some time to recharge you can avoid the much dreaded franchise fatigue. A new Pokemon Game every four years, with a remake sprinkled in between, should be the perfect time frame to ensure the franchise still exists in 20 years.

Use the new Generations to introduce new Concept and then expand on those which worked in the Remakes. This way GameFreak can create a flow of creativity, which doesn't tire its consumers with countless releases.

Reduce the amount of new Pokemon:

This has been something that they have been doing for the Past couple of generations. Sun/Moon added 81 new Pokemon, while X/Y added only 72. However X/Y also added several Mega Evolutions. Speaking of Mega Evolutions. I think this is the path GameFreak should follow. This way they can reduce the amount of new Pokemon while also increase it at the same time. What I want to say is that instead of creating a completely new Pokemon they can ''bring back'' a classic by giving it a Mega Evolution. Something they did perfectly in X/Y and OR/AS. They invigorated some of the older and less used Pokemon. It's also easier than designing new Pokemon because the base Form of the Mega Evolution gives you an anchor where you can ground the design.

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It's a shame that Sun/Moon don't add any new Mega Evolutions, but instead focus on the new Z-Attacks, which don't have that big of an impact in my opinion.

For the Future they need to bundle their creativity and focus on a few new Pokemon, while also giving some older ones Mega Evolutions to increase the diversity in viable Team Compositions.

Open up the World of Pokemon:

Generation seven did a good job in freshening up the franchise. Instead of traveling from Gym to Gym you now explore the four islands of Alola and try to beat the different trials of the Island Challenge. These Tasks can vary a lot and bring a fresh feeling to the old concept. Of course in the end the Pokemon League awaits, but some customs shouldn't be changed.

This concept of the Island Challenge is something that GameFreak should build upon in further releases. It opens up a lot of possibilities for a truly open Pokemon Game. In Sun/Moon the path you take is still very linear. You can't progress unless you beat a specific challenge first. Of course this is to ensure that there is a smooth challenge curve and you don't meet Pokemon or Trainers you aren't ready for yet, but it's also pretty restricting.

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How about instead of taking a specific path across an Island it was totally open from the get go? What if you'd like to tackle the Fire trial before the Water one? This way players would get much more invested. The Problem with encountering Pokemon and Trainer, which are much higher than yours, could be solved in two ways.

Either make them scale, so that you'll always encounter Pokemon around your level or, and I would prefer that solution, give the player a warning if he enters an Area which is too high level for him. And if he ignores it he has to deal with it or fail.

With the step into full 3D Pokemon opened up its world and now is the time for the next step and create a truly open Pokemon Adventure.

These are the three main points, which would keep the next generation of Pokemon fresh and interesting. GameFreak have the comfortable Position that they created a franchise with a timeless concept, so they don't need to change any fundamental things about Pokemon. But they also shouldn't rest on their laurels. Pokemon is a huge franchise, but it isn't a no-brainer as the rise and fall of Pokemon Go did show us.

What are your ideas for the future of Pokemon? How do you think they should keep the franchise fresh? Let me know.

And as always

thanks for reading

My Top 5 Pokemon Spin-Off Games

I hope all of you are enjoying Pokemon Sun and Moon. For the past week I have been playing non-stop and I really love the new path they took with the seventh generation. It really felt similar to playing Red and Blue for the first time. Well except the feature that wild Pokemon can now call for Help during a battle. That feature can burn in the deepest depths of hell.

After 20 Years Pokemon has grown into one of the most successful and biggest franchises in the history of video games. The Mainline games excite young and old and with Pokemon Go the franchise created an unreal hype this past summer. Over the years Pokemon has grown from a simple video game into a multi-genre titan. Movies, TV-Series, Toys and everything else under the sun are created under the brand. However this is first and foremost still a video game blog. That's why I'd like to share my five Pics for the best Pokemon Spin-off games.

While looking into this topic I realized again how many of those games are out there. Pokemon truly has ventured into nearly every genre there is. And so it wasn't easy to narrow the pics down to only five.
The incredible diversity in Spin-Off games just shows the potential of the franchise. When a Fighting Game and a (kind of) Rail Shooter are released under the same brand, and both feel like a natural fit, you truly have a goldmine at hand.

But now don't lets waste any more time. Here are my Top 5 Pokemon Spin-off Games.

5: Pokken Tournament

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When this game was announced I was pretty puzzled. Could this work? Should this work? Well the answer is quite simple. Absolutely!

While the absolute ruler of fighting games on the Wii-U is undoubtedly Super Smash Bros. this game offered fans of more complex fighting games a great alternative. It got quite the deep fighting system with a lot of great combos and offers a high skill cap. It's the perfect game for fans of Tekken or Street Fighter, which want to truly master a game like that.

The selection of Pokemon is great. They managed to include not only the obvious choices, but also freshen things up with several unusual fighters. They even made Chandelure work.

It is a shame that only the Arcade Version of the game got several new characters so far, but I still hope that we'll see them as DLC for the Wii-U Version along the line.

So if you always dreamed of Pile Driving Gardevoir with a Pikachu dressed as a Lucha Libre, then this game is what you have been waiting for. Fans of Tekken and Pokemon got the ultimate Franchise Mix Up. A very good fighting game with some very unusual fighters.

4: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon:

The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series puts you into the shoes of a Pokemon. I was always wondering why it took them so long to release a game like that, but since Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red and Blue we got a steady supply of those games.
They take the well known Pokemon Formula and replace it with a Dungeon Crawler style of gameplay, which is quite refreshing and a great fit for those games.

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After choosing which Pokemon you'd like to play, you're thrust into the world. As newest Member of your respective rescue team your job is it to help other Pokemon, recruit them for your team and explore the dangerous dungeons.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is an entertaining Action Adventure series and it's success over the years is testament to that. It may lack the polish of the main line games, but if you like the Diablo like gameplay then these games are surely worth a buy.

3: Pokemon Trading Card Game

Like I said earlier Pokemon has grown into a multi-million dollar industry of its own over the course of twenty years. There have been some hit and misses, but one of the most successful franchise spin-offs was and is the Pokemon Trading Card Game. After all this years it's still going strong with regular tournaments and so forth.

But for this list I'm not talking about the physical Trading Card Game.

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During, what many consider the height of Pokemon, when Silver and Gold where just around the corner, Nintendo released a GameBoy Color Version of the Trading Card game. And it was brilliant.

It included all of the original 151 Pokemon and a lot of Trainer Cards. And while this number may seem a little bit small in comparison to today’s 801 Pokemin, but it was more than enough to build fun and diverse decks. Combined with the ability to battle your friends via Link battles this created just the same addicting fun as the main line Pokemon Games. It also offered a relative cheap version to play the Trading Card Game without investing hundreds of dollars for booster packs.

I'm sure a true successor with all currently released cards would be a huge success.

2: Pokemon Snap

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I'm still kinda pissed that this game didn't get a successor on the Wii-U. There was no console in history that was better suited for a Snap game, but Nintendo really dropped the ball with this one. Well at least we got the excellent original on the Virtual Console.

By todays standard it may seem a bit lackluster and small, but during it's initial release it was a groundbreaking next step for the Pokemon. After all it was the first time you could see your favorite Pokemon in 3D. Even before the release of Pokemon Stadium.

And what was even better it allowed you to spectate them in their natural habitat. Something that was never truly seen before.

The gameplay itself is easy to grasp, but still a lot of fun. Trying to capture that perfect picture for a better score was a great driving force. It may seem vain, but there have been countless hours spend just to get that perfect picture of a Pokemon. Of course this only seems vain to people, who have never played Snap.

Pokemon Snap, just like my Number One Pic, was released during the high time of Pokemon. The first generation created a never before known worldwide Hype and the second generation was right around the corner to drive it to new unknown heights. Nintendo and Game Freak tried to spread the franchise onto other genres and consoles and thanks to that we got one of the best and most unique N64 games. And of course we also got...

1: Pokemon Stadium 2

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While the first Stadium did lay the groundwork, the second installment perfected it. This is the perfect console Pokemon Game. Yes Colosseum and XD were great in their own right, but Stadium was better. Simply because it did it's own thing and didn't try to emulate the Mainline games. Instead it offered something that wasn't possible on the Handheld. Fully rendered 3D Pokemon Battles.

But these games did so much more.
Once again you could transfer your Pokemon from the Handheld to the Big Screen via the Transfer Pack, but this time you could also use all Pokemon from the second generation. Seeing your hard trained Feraligatr on the Big Screen defeating a Charizard is a feeling you can't describe.

But like I said the 3D Battles in the Stadium, while being the heart piece of the game, weren't everything. You could challenge the difficult to beat Gym Leaders or you could play the Mainline Games on the Big screen. There was even a possibility to run the games at twice or three times their normal speed. Then there was the trainer academy and of course the hidden stars of Pokemon Stadium 2. The Mini Games.

Who needs Mario Party if you have Pokemon Stadium 2. The Mini Game Tournaments are one of the most entertaining things you can play. Period. Even though I suck at them, I love to see the despair on my friends face when I overtake them during the last meters of Tumbling Togepi.

From all the games on this List the Stadium series is most in need, and most deserving of a new installment on the Switch. Make it happen Nintendo.

And that were my Top 5 pics for Pokemon Spin-Off games. What are your thoughts on that topic? What games did or do you enjoy the most? Let me know.

And as always

thanks for reading