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Train2Game News Nintendo Direct February 2022

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The future for Nintendo Switch players in 2022 and beyond holds so many possibilities!

In the latest Nintendo Direct video presentation, Nintendo announced a diverse lineup of new games and content arriving for the Nintendo Switch system throughout this year. Nintendo also shared new details about previously announced games, including when players will be able to get their hands on them.

The Nintendo Direct featured footage and info about the next games in franchises like Xenoblade Chronicles 3; Nintendo Switch Sports, which is a new iteration of the Wii Sports series with online play; Mario Strikers: Battle League; and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. There was also news about the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass, featuring the addition of 48 remastered courses to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from throughout the Mario Kart series, accessed at no additional cost with a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass membership or as paid downloadable content.** Plus, details were shown about the next wave of co-op mode Salmon Run in Splatoon 3, along with the announcement of its summer launch window. The classic RPGs EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings were also announced as coming to Nintendo Switch Online … later today!

 In addition, the presentation highlighted many games from Nintendo’s global publishing and development partners, including MLB The Show 22 on Nintendo Switch, a pair of reality-warping puzzle-platform games in the Portal: Companion Collection, and the high-octane, free-to-play Disney and Pixar combat racer Disney Speedstorm. The presentation also featured a number of remakes and remasters of classic games from SQUARE ENIX like CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION, FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake and FRONT MISSION 2: Remake, and, releasing for the first time outside of Japan, LIVE A LIVE!

“Looking at our announced 2022 launch calendar so far, Nintendo Switch players have a nearly back-to-back lineup composed of franchises starring familiar faces, popular favorites and exclusive originals to look forward to,” said Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser. “We hope this lineup of games from Nintendo and our development and publishing partners brings smiles to the faces of everyone who owns a Nintendo Switch system, or anyone who’s thinking about picking one up.”

To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety, visit https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/02-09-2022/. Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:

  • Nintendo Switch Sports: Swing, kick and spike your way to victory with a collection of sports that puts you right into the action! Play together in person*** or online* with family and friends, or challenge friendly competitors near and far in the new iteration of the classic Wii Sports series. Turn your real-world actions into in-game movements using Joy-Con controllers and compete in six sports, including Soccer, Volleyball, Bowling, Tennis, Badminton and Chambara (swordplay). You can even use a Joy-Con with the Leg Strap accessory included in the physical version to kick the ball in a Soccer Shoot-Out! Plus, a seventh sport is planned to be added via a free update this fall – get ready to Golf! Get active and get into the game when Nintendo Switch Sports launches on April 29! Pre-orders begin today in Nintendo eShop. An online play test will also be available for Nintendo Switch Online members on Feb. 18, Feb. 19 and Feb. 20. Visit https://nintendoswitchsports.nintendo.com for more details.
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass: A total of 48 remastered courses from across the Mario Kart series will be coming to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as paid downloadable content! Eight courses will be released at a time over six waves by the end of 2023, which can all be played locally** or online.* You can enjoy the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass at no additional cost with a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership or purchase it on its own for $24.99. Courses such as Wii Coconut Mall, N64 Choco Mountain and Tour Tokyo Blur will be included in the first wave.**** The first wave of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass will launch on March 18. Pre-orders for the DLC begin today in Nintendo eShop.
  • Xenoblade Chronicles 3: A vast world awaits in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the next game in the acclaimed RPG series from developer MONOLITHSOFT. Players will step into the roles of protagonists Noah and Mio amid turmoil between the hostile nations of Keves and Agnus. Six characters hailing from those nations will take part in a grand tale with “life” as its central theme. Explore a new world that will connect the futures of both Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, launching for Nintendo Switch in September 2022.
  • Mario Strikers: Battle League: Prepare for Strike, a five-on-five soccer-like sport with no rules – do whatever it takes to win! In this game, you can tackle, use items and activate special shots. Up to eight players – four players on each team – can compete against each other on one Nintendo Switch system.*** In addition to individual matches, online* play will let 20 players join up and compete to become the world’s top club. The main rule in this sport is to rule the field! Mario Strikers: Battle League launches for Nintendo Switch on June 10. Pre-orders begin today in Nintendo eShop.
  • MLB The Show 22: For the first time ever, the MLB The Show series is coming to Nintendo Switch! In MLB The Show 22, players can experience modes like the fan-favorite RPG mode Road to the Show and online card-collecting mode Diamond Dynasty at home or on the go. Face your friends with cross-platform play*, and with cross progression, continue your progress and earn and use content on other console platforms where MLB The Show 22 is available. MLB The Show 22 launches for Nintendo Switch on April 5. Pre-orders are available now in Nintendo eShop.
  • CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION: A remaster of the acclaimed RPG CHRONO CROSS is coming to the Nintendo Switch system! A number of enhancements have been made to this RPG classic, like the ability to turn off enemy encounters and a newly refined soundtrack. Plus, RADICAL DREAMERS is included! Experience the origins of CHRONO CROSS in this text-based adventure. Two worlds cross when CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION dashes and slashes its way onto Nintendo Switch on April 7. Pre-orders begin today in Nintendo eShop.
  • Portal: Companion Collection: In the award-winning games Portal and Portal 2 from Valve Software, the Portal Gun is your key to surviving imprisonment in a mysterious lab. Create portals and warp to other areas and possibly find … cake? You can pass through portals – and so can cubes, lasers and robots with unnerving levels of personality. Portal 2 adds in local***, online* and split-screen multiplayer*** modes. You’re in for a puzzling treat when Portal: Companion Collection warps onto Nintendo Switch in 2022.
  • Splatoon 3: Get ready to make a splash with the next game in the Splatoon series. A new trailer showed off the next wave of the Salmon Run co-op mode in Splatoon 3, which will include fresh new features. A giant Salmonid, one that’s never been seen before, can also be spotted at the end of the trailer. Will the Inklings and Octolings ink or swim? Find out when Splatoon 3 launches on Nintendo Switch this summer!
  • Kirby and the Forgotten Land: A new trailer for Kirby’s latest unforgettable 3D platforming adventure introduced Mouthful Mode! With Mouthful Mode, Kirby can inhale real-world objects and transform into a car to zoom around, a vending machine to attack with juice cans … or even become a piercing cone, to name just a few examples. If Kirby evolves his copy abilities at Waddle Dee’s Weapons Shop, which is located in Waddle Dee Town, his appearance will change and he’ll become even more powerful. Can Kirby rescue the Waddle Dees and restore peace to this mysterious world? Find out when Kirby and the Forgotten Land launches for Nintendo Switch on March 25.
  • Disney Speedstorm: Get set for a high-octane Disney and Pixar combat racer! From the creators of the Asphalt series comes rip-roaring racing action with a legendary roster of characters and high-speed Disney- and Pixar-inspired racetracks. Disney Speedstorm is a free-to-play game with new seasons added regularly, bringing more exciting Disney and Pixar characters, circuits and karts. Plus, enjoy cross-platform play, as well as split-screen*** and online* multiplayer modes. Disney Speedstorm races onto Nintendo Switch this summer.
  • No Man’s Sky: Explore an infinite universe where every star is the light of a distant sun, each orbited by planets filled with life, and you can go to any of them you choose! Build anything – from small outposts to complex multi-planet colonies. Scavenge for resources, recruit allies and fight to survive. This infinite, procedurally generated universe has unique places, creatures and more for you to discover. No Man’s Sky lands on Nintendo Switch this summer.
  • EarthBound / EarthBound Beginnings: Join Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo in their quest to fulfill an age-old prophecy to stop the wicked Giygas (and maybe catch a Runaway Five concert along the way) in the fan-favorite Super NES classic EarthBound. In addition, travel back to 198X for EarthBound Beginnings, a localized version of the original Famicom Mother game. Both EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings are coming to Nintendo Switch Online … later today!
  • Metroid Dread Update: A free update launches today for Metroid Dread! Getting hit even once causes a game over in the brutal Dread Mode difficulty. And if you’re new to the Metroid series, take advantage of increased recovery with the newly added Rookie Mode difficulty. A second free update in April will add a Boss Rush mode, in which you’ll battle bosses continuously, one at a time.
  • Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp: New intel has arrived from the frontlines! Advise a memorable cast of Commanding Officers, now voiced, through two wild and charming Campaigns. You’ll encounter unique characters and diverse terrain, requiring you to develop strategies to succeed in battle. Beyond the campaigns of Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, go for high scores in the War Room, create and share custom maps in the Design Room, and battle friends and frenemies in Local and Online Multiplayer. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp marches onto the Nintendo Switch system on April 8.
  • STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed: Unleash the power of the Force in this classic Star Wars action-adventure. As Darth Vader’s Secret Apprentice, you’ll use devastating Force powers and lightsaber combos as you hunt down Jedi Masters on familiar planets. Use button controls, or opt for motion controls*****, enhanced from the original Wii version. You can also duel locally with a friend to determine who is the galaxy’s most powerful Jedi. STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed launches on Nintendo Switch on April 20. Pre-orders begin today in Nintendo eShop.
  • Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection: The complete saga of legendary assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze awaits in three acclaimed Assassin’s Creed games. Explore Renaissance Italy and 16th-century Constantinople, interact with historical figures and discover secrets of the Creed across three games, two bonus short films and DLC. Plus, take advantage of enhanced features for the Nintendo Switch version on the go, including touch-screen controls, HD rumble and optimized on-screen display. Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection launches on Nintendo Switch on Feb. 17.
  • Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course: Another helping of Cuphead action awaits in the paid DLC Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course! This time around, Cuphead and Mugman are joined by Ms. Chalice for a rollicking adventure, where you’ll explore the new Inkwell Isle and use some of Ms. Chalice’s new moves like double jumps and rolling dodges. Defeat a bevy of new bosses with their own distinct personalities, not to mention wild and monstrous attacks. Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course wallops its way onto Nintendo Switch on June 30.
  • Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival: The latest Taiko no Tatsujin game is coming to Nintendo Switch! Drum to 76 boppin’ beats, including an orchestral version of the main theme from The Legend of Zelda, as well as “Gurenge,” “Feel Special” and “Racing into the Night.” Face off against each other in the new mode, Great Drum Toy War, or put on a live concert with friends in DON-chan Band. Plus, a paid in-game subscription service that gives you access to over 500 songs will be available at launch. Drum to your heart’s content when Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival launches on Nintendo Switch in 2022.
  • Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes: Join Fire Emblem: Three Houses characters as you engage in massive battles across a war-torn Fódlan. Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude and other Fire Emblem: Three Houses characters return to put their combat expertise on display. Unleash devastating combos and stunning special moves in action-packed, real-time combat. Cut through hordes of enemies as characters from the Fire Emblem: Three Houses game. Take down dozens of foes with Edelgard’s axe or Dimitri’s lance, or blast enemies from a distance with Claude’s bow. Slash, swing and spear your way to a brighter future for Fódlan. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes launches for Nintendo Switch on June 24.
  • LIVE A LIVE: Previously unreleased outside of Japan, the RPG game LIVE A LIVE is releasing on the Nintendo Switch system in the HD-2D style! Seven different stories featuring different protagonists, time periods and gameplay styles await. In the Wild West, a wanderer with a bounty on his head fights for his life. In the Twilight of Edo Japan, a shinobi undertakes a secret mission. Experience these tales in any order you choose – the adventure is yours to control. A journey of discovery awaits you when LIVE A LIVE launches for Nintendo Switch on July 22. Pre-orders begin today in Nintendo eShop.
  • TRIANGLE STRATEGY: The tactical RPG TRIANGLE STRATEGY is almost here, and a new demo that lets you play from Chapter 1 to the end of Chapter 3 is available now in Nintendo eShop. Save data from the demo can be transferred to the full game once purchased. The protagonist Serenoa and his allies will be engulfed in the conflict among the three nations. Your choices and conviction will determine their fate when TRIANGLE STRATEGY launches for Nintendo Switch on March 4.
  • FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake / FRONT MISSION 2: Remake: A full remake of the first FRONT MISSION game is storming onto Nintendo Switch! In this tactical RPG, you’ll pilot weaponized machines called Wanzers and lead your battalion to victory. Gain the upper hand in battle by aiming for enemy parts to destroy and uncover the great storyline of this classic game. Prepare for battle when FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake launches on Nintendo Switch this summer. The sequel FRONT MISSION 2: Remake will also launch on Nintendo Switch in the future.
  • Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series: Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil are coming to Nintendo Switch! Run, jump and hover while firing Wind Bullets to grab and throw enemies across dreamy side-scrolling levels, using each level’s surroundings to your advantage. Take on great adventures when Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series launches on Nintendo Switch on July 8.
  • GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon: Death is not the end: Defeat infernal foes until you die and carry on the fight with your eternal soul and memories in a new body! GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon combines intense Ukiyo-e style roguelike action with a stunning dark fantasy world, brought to life through traditional Japanese art. While death is not the end, the world of Hell lives and breathes, presenting new layouts and challenges to overcome with each attempt. GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon launches for Nintendo Switch … later today!
  • SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE: Strange incidents called Breaks are occurring across the GUNDAM universe. Find out what’s causing them and restore the proper timeline in SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE. You’ll lead three Mobile Suits in dynamic action-RPG battles, with the ability to enhance each suit with Parts to improve their power. You can also battle alongside friends in online co-op multiplayer. SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE launches on Nintendo Switch in 2022.
  • KINGDOM HEARTS INTEGRUM MASTERPIECE for Cloud: From the very first KINGDOM HEARTS to KINGDOM HEARTS III and the + Re MIND (DLC), three KINGDOM HEARTS collections are coming to Nintendo Switch as cloud versions that can be played while connected to the internet. Relive fond memories from previous playthroughs or get to know these heart-filled adventures for the first time alongside Sora, Donald and Goofy on Nintendo Switch. KINGDOM HEARTS INTEGRUM MASTERPIECE for Cloud, containing all three game collections, soars onto Nintendo Switch on Feb. 10! Each collection will also be available individually to purchase in Nintendo eShop.******

The Nintendo Direct presentation also featured a montage of upcoming Nintendo Switch games, including LEGO Brawls, a fast-paced LEGO take on multiplayer*** platforming launching this summer; Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles, an exhilarating arena fighter launching on June 10; Two Point Campus, the campus-building simulation game launching on May 17 with a full courseload of joie de vivre; and Zombie Army 4, a pulse-pounding sequel in the ultimate undead action series, launching for the Nintendo Switch system on April 26.

Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/.

Train2Game News The Biggest Game On The Smallest Space

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Langel Bookbinder is presently developing a video game for the original 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System.

GunTneR, an open-source “shoot-em-up” project, has a simple goal: try to make the biggest gaming experience with the smallest programming space ever available for the console.

To help make this endeavor possible, a Kickstarter was launched upon the Earth.

The campaign was fully funded within 25 hours and continues to exceed expectations.

Bookbinder, infamous for running chiptune website Battle of the Bits for 16+ years, is applying all their retro gaming and software engineering skills to this project for the next six weeks or “until it feels done.”

GunTneR’s Kickstarter campaign has just entered its final week for pledges.

Kickstarter campaign link here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/langel/guntner

Train2Game News Pokémon Legends Arceus Out Now

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An all-new adventure filled with mystery and discovery awaits Pokémon Trainers in the Hisui region, the backdrop of the Pokémon Legends: Arceus game, which is now available exclusively on Nintendo Switch systems.
 
Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes Trainers through the Sinnoh region of old, when it was called by a different name—Hisui—and in a time when it was rare for humans and Pokémon to live in close harmony.

Players will embark on an adventure to help complete the region’s first Pokédex by catching, surveying, and researching the wild Pokémon that live there.

Rich in nature and with Mount Coronet towering at its heart, the Hisui region is unlike anything Trainers have experienced before.
 
As a member of the Galaxy Expedition Team, players will stay in Jubilife Village, a bustling settlement that serves as the Galaxy Team’s base of operations.

After receiving an assignment or a request, Trainers will set out from the village to study one of the various areas of the Hisui region. After they finish their survey work, Trainers will return to Jubilife Village to prepare for their next task. Whenever Trainers leave Jubilife Village to set out on an excursion, their first stop will be one of the base camps that serve as an outpost for their research. These base camps are more than just starting points—Trainers can stop to rest during an excursion and recover their Pokémon’s health or use the base camp’s workbench to craft items.
 
For more information about Pokémon Legends: Arceus, please visit Pokemon.co.uk/LegendsArceus.

Train2Game News N64 Classics Coming To Switch Online Expansion

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Banjo and Kazooie and … Link?!

No matter what form your favorite heroes take, adventures both hilarious and perilous are ahead when Banjo-Kazooie™ and The Legend of Zelda™: Majora’s Mask™ make their way to the Nintendo Switch™ system!

Launching today, experience a magical adventure with an unlikely duo when the Nintendo 64™ game Banjo-Kazooie Beak Bombs its way onto Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Switch Online library – available to everyone with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.

Join a honey bear named Banjo and a breegull named Kazooie as they fly, swim and fire eggs across a multitude of wild locales on their mission to rescue Banjo’s sister Tooty from the wicked witch Gruntilda in this action game. Originally released in 1998, this marks the first time this title has appeared on a Nintendo system in over 20 years – guh-huh!
 
In the Banjo-Kazooie game, you’ll venture forth with the titular (sometimes-squabbling) pair on a journey that will take you from the top of Spiral Mountain, along the shark-infested Treasure Trove Cove to the icy hazards of Freezeezy Peak and back. Luckily with Kazooie spending most of her time inside Banjo’s backpack, they’re like two heroes in one! With the two of them (and you, of course) working together, nothing can stand in your way.

Play the original Banjo and Kazooie adventure with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership today!
 
An ominous fate also awaits you next month – unless you can avert it, that is – when the Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask game makes its time-twisting debut on Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Switch Online library in February.

In this Nintendo 64 classic, Link has just three days to save the world before the moon itself comes crashing down, destroying Termina and everyone inhabiting it.
 
The new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership plan features all the same great benefits of a Nintendo Switch Online membership, but with access to classic Nintendo 64 and SEGA Genesis games with added online play, as well as access to the Animal Crossing™: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC* at no extra cost.
 
Members in both Nintendo Switch Online plans can enjoy online play and the Save Data Cloud feature in a large selection of compatible games, along with access to over 100 classic NES™ and Super NES™ games, a smartphone app that enhances features of supported games, and the competitive online battle game PAC-MAN™ 99.
 
Both plans also provide a great way to connect and play compatible games online with friends and family around the world.

With online play in compatible games like Mario Golf™: Super Rush, Animal Crossing™: New Horizons, Pokémon™ Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon™ Shining Pearl, Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate, Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe and many others, a Nintendo Switch Online membership can help you experience everything Nintendo Switch has to offer.
 
For more information about all the benefits and services available with the Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack memberships, and to learn about a free seven-day Nintendo Switch Online trial, go to the Nintendo Switch Online section on the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu or visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/online-service/.

Train2Game News Knights Of The Old Republic Comes To Switch

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Aspyr and Lucasfilm Games have announced that the original, critically acclaimed, award-winning RPG legend Star Wars™: Knights of the Old Republic™ is available today on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop for $14.99|£11.29|12,49€.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer who has yet to discover this genre-defining adventure, you can experience one of the greatest Star Wars™ RPG classics ever made at home and on the go in HD fidelity with upgraded resolution, textures, UI and cinematics.

Four thousand years before the Galactic Empire, countless Jedi Knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless Sith, and now you are the last hope of the Jedi Order. Can you master the awesome power of the Force and save the Republic? Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side? Hero or villain, savior or conqueror… you alone will determine the fate of the entire galaxy!
 

Key Features:

  • Journey through the original Star Wars RPG classic, set in an era long before the rise of the Empire and filled with unique characters, creatures, vehicles and planets.
  • Choose your own path with customizable characters and meaningful decisions that will impact your squad, your story and your destiny.
  • Wield your own lightsaber and harness the power of the Force with over 40 different abilities.
  • Adventure through eight enormous and iconic Star Wars worlds, including Tatooine and Kashyyyk, in your own daring starship, the Ebon Hawk.
  • Choose your party from and build everlasting bonds with nine unique crewmates, including Twi’leks, droids and Wookiees.
  • Experience the legend in incredible HD detail with upgraded resolution, textures, UI and cinematics.

Star Wars™: Knights of the Old Republic™ is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.

Enjoy The Launch Trailer: https://youtu.be/6K63VBysgU0
 

Train2Game News More Details For The Upcoming Pokémon Games

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The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo have revealed more details for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, including all-new trailers.

  Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of the Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version games, bringing Trainers back to the Sinnoh region, where they will meet Professor Rowan, battle against Team Galactic, and explore the Grand Underground. For those setting out through Sinnoh for the first time, plenty of new encounters and surprises await.

  The all-purpose Pokétch
The Pokétch is a handy gadget players receive on their in-game journey that’s loaded up with various apps. This all-purpose tool has apps for all sorts of situations, such as the Dowsing Machine app, which can be used to locate hidden items. In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, the Pokétch also allows players to call on wild Pokémon to help them out by using hidden moves like Cut to chop down obstructive trees or Rock Climb to scale steep cliffs.

  Have fun with Pokémon in Amity Square
Amity Square in Hearthome City is a relaxing place where Trainers can spend time with their Pokémon. They’ll be able to walk with up to six of their Pokémon at a time, so long as they are among the list of Pokémon permitted in the park. While inside Amity Square, players can also adjust the camera angle and zoom level to take commemorative photos and videos with their Pokémon. Photos can be taken by pressing the Nintendo Switch system’s Capture Button, while short videos can be recorded by pressing and holding it.

  Make some Poffins!
Poffins are snacks that can raise Pokémon’s conditions, such as Coolness or Cuteness. By raising these conditions, players can get higher scores during the Visual Evaluation of Super Contest Shows. In Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, it was only possible to make Poffins in the Poffin House, but now players can make them in Amity Square as well.

  Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will be released on November 19, 2021. Both games are currently available for preorder, with special early purchase bonuses available.

  For more information about Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, please visit Pokemon.co.uk/DiamondPearl.

  Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Legends: Arceus brings players to the vast Hisui region. This is the Sinnoh region as it existed in the past, long before the familiar towns and cityscapes of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl were established. Rich in nature and with Mount Coronet towering at its heart, this is a Sinnoh unlike anything players have experienced before, and they’ll embark on a journey to complete the region’s first Pokédex.

  Your Arc Phone will be your guide
Early on in the adventure, players will get a device called the Arc Phone. Its distinctive appearance might lead one to suspect it has some connection to the Mythical Pokémon Arceus. This device seems to contain some sort of strange power, and it will apparently help guide players on their journey.

  Special Pokémon with mysterious power
During their expeditions, players may run into Pokémon that are larger than normal and have glowing red eyes. These are known as alpha Pokémon. They’re stronger than their regular counterparts, and they’ll be quite aggressive in chasing and attacking players that stray too close.

  There are also special Pokémon in the Hisui region that have received some kind of mysterious blessing. Some of these Pokémon are particularly powerful and have come to be known as nobles, while others are said to willingly assist the people of the region. Each one of these Pokémon seems to hold power not held by regular Pokémon. People known as wardens are tasked with looking after these Pokémon by performing duties such as making sure the nobles’ territories remain unviolated or providing offerings of food and water.​

  These Pokémon nobles are revered by the people of the region, but some strange phenomenon is now causing them to suddenly fly into a frenzy. The cause of these incidents is still shrouded in mystery. Once frenzied, these Pokémon are incredibly difficult to rein in, which forces the people of Hisui to turn to the Galaxy Expedition Team for help. As part of the Survey Corps, you will be called upon to quell the frenzies of the nobles.

  Kleavor
Category: Axe Pokémon
Height: 5ʹ11″
Weight: 196.2 lbs.
Type: Bug/Rock

  Special minerals found in the Hisui region cause Scyther to evolve into this Pokémon. Parts of its body have hardened into stone. The stone parts often get chipped during fierce battles, and Kleavor that have survived many battles will display larger chipping across their bodies. It is said that the people of Hisui once used pieces of stone that had fallen from Kleavor to craft tools.

  Race across sprawling untamed landscapes while riding Pokémon
During their adventures, players will receive a Celestica Flute. This is a mysterious instrument that has been passed down through generations of Hisui’s people. Play the flute anywhere to summon special Pokémon that will let you ride them. Riding these Pokémon will allow players to move faster on land or cross bodies of water or even soar through the skies.

  • Wyrdeer​: Wyrdeer has powerful, sturdy legs, and riding upon it will allow players to gallop across the land at great speed and jump to leap over obstacles.
  • Basculegion​: Basculegion can carry players on its back, allowing for travel across bodies of water. Basculegion is also able to launch itself from the water’s surface, letting players leap effortlessly over obstacles in their way.
  • Hisuian Braviary: Hisuian Braviary will let players soar through the skies. From up in the air, players will also be able to get a good look at what kinds of Pokémon live down below and what kinds of items might be found.

Check out the facilities of your home base, Jubilife Village
Players can prepare for their survey work at Jubilife Village, and there are also facilities that can help make the adventure even more fun.

  • The clothier and hairdresser: Players can mix up outfits and hairstyles at the clothier and the hairdresser to choose their look.
  • The photography studio: Players can take pictures alongside their Pokémon at the photography studio.
  • The general store and craftworks: If players used up their items on a previous excursion, they can replenish their supplies at the general store. They can also use in-game currency to buy new crafting recipes and materials from the craftworks.
  • The pastures: The pastures are where players can leave Pokémon that have been caught. Many Pokémon will need to be caught to complete the Pokédex, but only six Pokémon can be taken along in a party. Players will want to choose the right Pokémon for each mission before heading out on surveys. At any of the various base camps, players can change which Pokémon they have in the party or send Pokémon to the pastures.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be released on Friday, January 28, 2022. It is currently available for preorder.

  For more information about Pokémon Legends: Arceus, please visit Pokemon.co.uk/LegendsArceus.

Train2Game News Nintendo Direct September 2021

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Nintendo Switch owners are in for quite the year ahead!

In the latest Nintendo Direct video presentation, Nintendo detailed a wide variety of games coming to the system this year and into 2022 – with some games launching later today!


The video outlined something for everyone, including:

“Heading into its sixth year, Nintendo Switch and its wide variety of games continue to offer experiences for various types of players,” said Nick Chavez, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Communications.

“In this latest Nintendo Direct, we are looking ahead to a year packed with new games in well-known franchises, as well as unique and exciting titles from our development and publishing partners.”

To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety, visit https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/09-23-2021.

Train2Game News Pokémon 25 The Album Release Date

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On October 15, Pokémon 25: The Album will be released by Capitol Records as part of a massive, yearlong music campaign from The Pokémon Company International in partnership with Universal Music Group.

See below for the full album tracklist, which was revealed today as the preorder launched.

Preorder Pokémon 25: The Album here.

The 25th anniversary celebration kicked off with Post Malone’s “Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)” surprise cover of the Hootie and the Blowfish smash ’90s hit, performed during Pokémon’s P25 Music virtual concert in February 2021. Pop icon Katy Perry unveiled her anthemic, original, lead single for the album, “Electric,” in May. New songs by Vince Staples (“Got ’Em”), Cyn (“Wonderful”), and Mabel (“Take It Home”)—collected on The Red EP—followed in August, along with Louane’s “Game Girl.” Individuals who preorder the digital album will instantly receive each of these six songs. The compilation will also feature new tracks by J Balvin, Lil Yachty, Jax Jones with Sinead Harnett, Yaffle (Japanese artist/producer based in Tokyo), and Tierra Whack, plus ZHU’s alternate versions of the songs of The Red EP, which were featured on The Blue EP, released last month.

Speaking about working with Pokémon and being one of the final artists to announce a track on this anticipated album, Lil Yachty says, “I’ve always been a huge Pokémon fan, and I jumped at the opportunity to be on the album. I love the record I did for it, called ‘Believing,’ and I hope it inspires my fans to chase their dreams.”

 “P25 Music has been an incredible journey in which we’ve been able to collaborate with so many amazing musicians to help us celebrate 25 years of Pokémon,” said Colin Palmer, Vice President of Marketing at The Pokémon Company International. “As we count down to the launch of Pokémon 25: The Album and the culmination of this yearlong adventure, we’re looking forward to Lil Yachty, Tierra Whack, and Jax Jones joining the party and adding their own unique sounds and fresh takes on Pokémon-inspired songs to this celebratory compilation.”

Fans can keep up with the latest news for P25 Music and more celebrations across the franchise on Pokémon’s 25th anniversary website at Pokemon.com/25.

Pokémon and music fans are invited to join the conversation online with @Pokemon and #Pokemon25.

Pokémon 25: The Album Tracklist

  1. Katy Perry—Electric
  2. Jax Jones—Phases (with Sinead Harnett)
  3. Mabel—Take It Home
  4. Lil Yachty—Believing
  5. J Balvin—Ten Cuidado
  6. Cyn—Wonderful
  7. Vince Staples—Got ’Em
  8. Louane—Game Girl
  9. Tierra Whack—Art Show
  10. Post Malone—Only Wanna Be With You (Pokémon 25 Version) 
  11. Yaffle – Reconnect (feat. Daichi Yamamoto & AAAMYYY)*
  12. Mabel—Take It Home (ZHU Remix)*
  13. Cyn—Wonderful (ZHU Remix)*
  14. Vince Staples—Got ’Em (ZHU Remix)*

Train2Game News The Switch Collector

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Hagen’s Alley Entertainment today announced a reprint of The Switch Collector: Volume One, a full-color, comprehensive guide to every game physically released in the first year of the Nintendo Switch™ console.

The initial Kickstarter campaign for The Switch Collector: Volume One was funded within hours of launch and only 500 additional copies will be made available to pre-order on today at 11:00 AM EST at https://premiumeditiongames.com/products/the-switch-collector-volume-one?variant=34303995543685.

Additionally, there will be a surprise with this printing along with a free upgrade feature for all Volume Two copies.

Created by noted video game historian and writer Jeffrey Wittenhagen, the unlicensed and unofficial The Switch Collector is a comprehensive “Switchopedia” Collector book series that will cover all the physical releases for the Nintendo Switch™ along with the must play digital-only releases we would like to see come out physically. 

This initial volume, titled “Volume One” is the first of its kind about the system and covers the first year of the Nintendo Switch™ from the launch all the way to its first year anniversary. From Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey to indie favorites like Retro City Rampage and Azure Striker Gunvolt, there is a ton of ground to cover in the first year alone!

The Switch Collector: Volume One is a perfect 8.5″ x 11″ size that matches every other hardcover release by Hagen’s Alley and is an industry standard, using high quality binding and glossy page stock to create a stunning book. This ensures that each and every full color page will be of the highest quality. Each book comes with two bookmark ribbons, blue and red, which matches the original release joy-con colors. The hardcover book also mimics a Nintendo Switch™ box release with a red spine and white text so it can be displayed with your collection flawlessly!

You can view the original campaign for book specifics at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thesubcon3/the-switch-collector-year-one.

“In addition to the wealth of information compiled in these books, my favorite part is the Contributor Switch Stories,” said Wittenhagen. “Sharing personal stories with other gamers is the heart of this hobby, so we wanted to make sure to include them in our Switch Collector editions and respect the historical impact of this console.”

Jonathan Polan, founder of JP’S SWITCHMANIA and co-founder of Premium Edition Games, has contributed his expertise to this volume, exploring variant packaging, collector’s editions and more. 

With anticipated shipping in time for the 2021 Holidays, this is the ideal gift for any passionate Nintendo fans on your list. WIth only 500 copies available, be sure to pre-order now!

Train2Game News Classic 90’s Games Return

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In collaboration with Piko Interactive, these classic 90’s games have been revived and restored back to life!

Funstock have listed these two nostalgic titles for pre-order, throwing it back to the good old days. 

Jim Power: The Lost Dimension and Stone Protectors are both retro-style games available in a standard and a limited edition for various retro platforms, providing gaming enthusiasts with a bigger range to choose from.

It is a very exciting time for Funstock as we continue to grow our retro collection and introduce new titles for avid video gamers! 
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Jim Power: The Lost Dimension

Jim Power: The Lost Dimension
Jim Power is a shoot ’em up game similar to Mega Man, Turrican, Contra and other similar genres. Earth has always blocked “The Lost Dimension” and now alien guardian, Vaprak, threatens to annihilate earth to free its brethren in the dimension.

In Jim Power: The Lost Dimension, lead character Jim Power is an intergalactic soldier, who travels to a 5th dimension to stop evil monster Vaprak, from invading and destroying earth. Armed with your upgradeable blaster, spaceship, and jet pack, you will blast and jump your way across “The Lost Dimension” taking down it’s inhabitants before they take your life! The game soundtrack features rock music composed by Chris Huelsbeck (Turrican, Gemx, Apidya, Tunnel V1). 

Both the standard and the limited editions are available for the NES, SNES, and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. Piko Interactive have only manufactured 1,000 units of the limited edition for each platform; Funstock have acquired half of these units.

The Limited Edition version of Jim Power includes:

  • Physical game cartridge
  • Limited Edition box with special edition artwork
  • Poster with special edition artwork (11 in x 17 in)
  • CD Soundtrack
  • Coloured instruction manual with key art

Available to pre-order now through Funstock.co.uk for £74.99 each for the Limited Edition versions and £44.99 each for the Standard versions. 

Stone Protectors ­ Stone Protectors:
Stone Protectors is an action game featuring 10 levels where rock band heroes, Clifford, Cornelius, Chester, Maxwell, and Angus, have just performed at a New York City club, and find five magical stones…these stones give them troll-like appearances and special skills. This puts them at odds with the music-hating Zok and his henchman Zink, collectively known as The Protectors.

The Stone Protectors must battle the predators throughout their mission to retrieve Zok’s crystal and bring them all back to the kingdom. Weapons can also be acquired but only used by certain characters. Depending on the difficulty setting, the game’s ending scene also features different music in which the Stone Protectors are seen performing as a band.

Both the standard and the limited editions are available for the SNES and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis – this is the first time ever that the game is available for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.

The limited edition includes:

  • Physical game cartridge 
  • DVD box set (13 episode series) *
  • Coloured instruction manual with cover art
  • Cardboard box with game artwork

*The Stone Protectors DVD Box Set will feature all 13 episodes (including 5 never seen before episodes!) in Standard Definition. 

Available to pre-order now through Funstock.co.uk for £74.99 each for the Limited Edition versions and £44.99 each for the Standard versions.