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presents Nintendo switch 3

Contents

Contents

06 Joy Division
Part console, part
handheld: can
Nintendo Switch put
the house of Mario
back on top?

Game previews
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 20 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 64

Super Mario Odyssey 29 Snipperclips 67

Skylanders Imaginators 34 Has-Been Heroes 68

Splatoon 2 38 Stardew Valley 70

Sonic Mania 42 Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers 72

1-2-Switch 44 Fast RMX 76

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 46 I Am Setsuna 78

Super Bomberman R 48 Rime 80

Puyo Puyo Tetris 51 Shovel Knight 82

Just Dance 2017 52 Redout 85

Arms 54 Disgaea 5 Complete 86

Yooka-Laylee 60 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 88

Lego Worlds 62 Steep 90

4 presents Nintendo switch

 Contents

106 The Making

92 Switch Round-Up Of The Legend

110 The Link List 112 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

100 A-Z The

Legend Of Zelda:
Breath Of The Wild
After our extensive hands-
on, let us walk you
through the essential
details of The Legend Of 118 The Legend
Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Of Zelda: The
one letter at a time… Wind Waker

124 The Legend Of 130 The Legend Of 136 The history

Zelda: Twilight Princess Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Of Nintendo

presents Nintendo switch 5

Joy division

d i v i

6 presents Nintendo switch

 Joy division

s i o n
Part console, part
handheld: can
Nintendo Switch
put the house of
Mario back on top?
By Nathan Brown
presents Nintendo switch 7
Joy division

he first real moment of magic comes,

inevitably, in Breath Of The Wild.
Disappointed as we are by Nintendo’s
decision to set Link’s Switch coming-
out party in the same area of the game
as E3 2016’s Wii U demo – this is our
fourth playthrough of the new Zelda
game’s opening section – that’s not
really what we’re here for. After
pottering around as Link, using the
new Pro controller, for a few minutes,
it is time: we slide the Switch from its
dock and, instantly, the biggest Zelda
game to date is running on a 6.2-inch
screen in our palms. We have played
big-screen games on handheld
displays before, of course, but the
transition has never been so elegant,
the results never so natural in the hands. A few
minutes later the process is reversed, the tablet
returned to its base station, the action returning
seamlessly to the TV, resuming as quickly as we can
pick up the Pro controller.
This, we had thought prior to Switch’s unveiling,
was its central hook, its USP. Yet Breath Of The Wild
is the only game we see at Nintendo’s London event
that even shows off the feature. Indeed, around half
of the Breath Of The Wild demo units are locked
away behind Perspex casing, preventing plenty of
showgoers from even experiencing what we had
assumed to be the console’s headline feature.
Instead, this event has been designed to show
everything else Switch can do.

Joy-Con tricks
It can do an awful lot. The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe area,
for instance, has wireless multiplayer on eight
networked consoles in handheld mode, a two-player
Battle Mode throwdown using the new, endearingly
dinky steering-wheel peripheral, and another two-
person setup played with the detachable Joy-Con
controllers and the handheld screen propped up on
its kickstand, which Nintendo calls tabletop mode.
Elsewhere are games playable only in tabletop, or
with players using a Joy-Con each, or pairs of them.
There’s nothing at the event to show it off, but
Switch has a capacitive touchscreen in handheld
mode, too. The overall impression is of a console,
and a company, that is in a bit of a muddle about
what it wants its new system to be, and has decided
that it should be everything. And this unveiling
suggests, whether by accident or design, that in fact
Switch’s greatest trick isn’t its much-hyped hybrid
blend of portable and big-screen consoles after all.
Instead, it’s the Joy-Cons that are brought to the
fore. In hindsight, we were foolish to think that
Nintendo would focus solely on a new console’s

8 presents Nintendo switch

 Joy division

output method, without also seeking to innovate

when it came to designing its input device. While we
knew the Joy-Cons could be detached from the tablet
screen and held side-on for on-the-move
multiplayer, we had no idea about what Nintendo
calls ‘HD Rumble’. Showcased best in launch title
1-2-Switch (see p44), it offers a depth and variety of
feedback that makes Xbox One’s buzzing triggers
and even the Steam Controller’s excellent haptic fizz
feel positively old hat. It says much about Nintendo’s
justified confidence in the feature that all of
1-2-Switch’s minigames are played without looking
at the TV screen, the developer secure in the
knowledge that the controller itself will
communicate everything you need to know.

Feel the Joy

It means Switch can offer that rarest of multiplayer
videogame experiences: eye contact. The inescapably
masturbatory Milk is all the better for it – though we
don’t necessarily recommend it for family get-
togethers – and Wild West quick draws and bank-
heist safe-cracking are similarly elevated by being
able to look your opponent squarely in the eye. The
readiest comparison to what 1-2-Switch offers is
Johann Sebastian Joust; the fact that so many
attendees felt compelled to reference a four-year-old
Danish indie game whose impact was largely felt on
the conference circuit speaks volumes about the way
Nintendo has contravened expectations by making a
console that offers a way to play that, while perhaps
not entirely new, is at least new enough.
The Joy-Cons solve plenty of problems for
Nintendo. When docked to
the handheld screen, they

“the joy-cons mean switch offer traditional, dual-

analogue controls,

supports multiplayer out of ensuring that even the

most complex 3D games

the box, without the need for are playable without

compromise when on the

additional controllers.”
move. When detached and
shared between two
players, they mean Switch
supports multiplayer out
of the box, without the need for additional
controllers, both within and without the home.
Built-in gyroscopes mean Nintendo can return its
gaze to motion controls, something that always felt
like a fudge on Wii U, where motion could only ever
be an optional extra, rather than the de facto
standard, relying on users to dig out their old Wii
Remotes. HD Rumble, meanwhile, offers the
platform holder the new-way-to-play hook that feels
so essential to each new piece of Nintendo hardware.
However, that’s an awful lot for one controller to
do – even if it is, in fact, two controllers in one. The

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Joy division

left Joy-Con on its own offers up an abundance of

buttons: two on the inside edge that slots into the
tablet unit, serving as shoulder buttons when the
controller is held sideways; two triggers on the top;
an analogue stick; pause and screenshot buttons;
and a set of face buttons that doubles up as a D-pad,
a necessary, but oddly inelegant, solution from a
company whose controllers have always seemed to
have been designed to simply melt into the hand.
Throughout our lengthy hands-on Switch sessions
we’re unable to escape the feeling that, by reaching
for a D-pad direction and instead finding a button,
we are somehow doing it wrong.

Hold everything
They’re a touch too small, too, an unavoidable
consequence of their needing to sit flush with the
handheld display. We see the commendably patient
staff on hand to demonstrate Arms continually
having to stop play to remind players of how the Joy-
Cons should be held – side-on, with the inner edge
pointing towards the screen – and playing
1-2-Switch’s Milk right-handed using the left half of
the Joy-Con is just baffling, despite our repeat visits
to the booth after urging fellow attendees to indulge
in its uniquely onanistic style. Are we supposed to
While Breath Of The hold it upside down? Back to front? Maybe both.
Wild is the only game Either way, it never feels intuitive, and for perhaps
that we see
showcase Switch’s
the first time ever, we find ourselves grateful for the
display-swapping assistance of a demo bod’s trained pair of hands.
feature, every game The resulting impression is of a console that, by
for the system will
support it. It’s as offering so much, has been forced into a series of
much a new compromises. Its controllers are detachable from the
Nintendo handheld
as it is its new tablet screen, so are a little too small; they can be
home console. shared by two players, so the D-pad must instead be

10 presents Nintendo switch

 Joy division

a set of face buttons; they can be held in multiple its Skyrim and Splatoon – were going to be the rule,
orientations, so none ever feels quite right in the rather than the exception, in Nintendo’s Switch-era
hands. Across its history, Nintendo’s hardware has software strategy.
tended to be defined by a single goal: N64’s analogue Perhaps Switch will fulfil the undeniable promise
stick, Wii’s motion controls, 3DS’s stereoscopic of its core premise in time, but it seems unlikely to
display, or Wii U’s offscreen play. We thought Switch do so at launch. Given the contents of the
was going to be a smart convergence of its maker’s announcement video, and the timing – Switch’s
previously separate console and handheld public debut was timed just seven weeks ahead of its
businesses. Instead, we leave Switch’s first public release – many expected that Nintendo was going to
showing thinking about the old gag about the real make us all an offer we couldn’t refuse. In the
definition of a camel: that it is a horse designed by absence of concrete information from the platform
committee. Switch is, as pledged, a hybrid handheld holder, the rumour mill span into overdrive,
and TV console. But it is also a Trojan camel for predicting a launch lineup for the ages, and it
motion controls, for touch, for flighty, fun but seemed plausible enough.
forgettable games such as 1-2-Switch, rather than Yet this is the most slender day-one offering
the lustrous, indulgent, full-fat games we thought, Nintendo has ever served up, if not in terms of
based on the reveal trailer – with its Mario, its Zelda, volume then certainly in terms of quality. Third-

presents Nintendo switch 11

Joy division

The Pro controller adopts a partially

translucent design, and also
includes gyroscope technology for
motion support.

12 presents Nintendo switch

 Joy division

party support is even worse than at Wii U’s launch, buys the fan of videogames an awful lot in 2017. Add
when the big names were at least prepared to give it an extra tenner and it will get you PS4 Pro or PS VR
a go. The remake of Mario Kart 8, and the deceptively hardware. You could buy a Slim PS4 with Uncharted 4
named Splatoon 2, had seemed like bankers for and keep £140 in your pocket. You could get an Xbox
launch day, designed to lure in those who never One S with similar cash to spare, or leave it all in the
bought a Wii U. Instead they are being used to pad bank and put it towards Microsoft’s Scorpio – which,
out a miserably barren release schedule leading up to as its maker is so keen to remind us, will be the most
the holiday-season launch of Super Mario Odyssey, powerful console in the entire known universe.
which some had suggested would launch alongside Or, most worryingly for Nintendo, you could carry
the console in March. It’s especially frustrating given on playing free games on the smartphone or tablet
that, knowing Nintendo, Odyssey is already all but you already own, and forget about the new console
finished, but will sit in a drawer until winter, when from the company that got you into games in the
its maker has decided it will be most useful. We were first place. Nintendo has said that its belated move
led to believe that, as a consequence of joining up its into mobile would be a handy way of introducing the
console and handheld businesses, Nintendo’s planet’s largest videogame market to the unique
development teams would be able to work at a faster appeal of Mario et al; that giving people games for
lick. On this evidence, little has changed. free would be a small price to pay if it meant being
able to sell them full-price software, playable only
The cost of innovation on hardware of its own design, later on. Judging by
the state of the comments we received in the days
Odyssey will be here for Christmas and will no doubt following the event, Nintendo has failed even to
be brilliant. But by then it may be too late. A UK persuade many of its long-serving fans that Switch
launch price of £280, without even a bundled game justifies its required investment at launch. What
to sweeten the pill, is a good deal higher than we’d chance of it convincing an audience that has been
hoped – and a 330 price tag on the continent means trained to expect everything for free? Suffice it to
we can’t even blame Brexit. The £60 levy for a Pro say that Nintendo stock ended the day of Switch’s
controller and eye-watering £75 for an extra Joy-Con full unveiling down by almost six per cent. Worse
set is even more painful. Yet it is the software may be to come.
pricing that truly takes the biscuit. The Switch
version of Breath Of The Wild will run you £60 on Switchcraft
launch day, a £20 markup over the Wii U release.
Ultra Street Fighter II, a gently updated port of an Still, we depart choosing to focus on the positives,
eight-year-old remaster of a 23-year-old SNES game, even if there are caveats to almost all of them.
is priced in Japan at the equivalent of £35. Switch is a fascinating piece of hardware with
1-2-Switch, novel and enjoyable as it is, contains tremendous potential for play, whether indoors or
minutes of actual gameplay, and out, alone or with others. There is magic in this
will cost £40. Mario Kart Deluxe, console: the witchcraft of changing displays; the
with its handful of extra playful, flexible functionality of the Joy-Cons; the
characters and complete absence intriguing new twist of HD Rumble. The Legend of
of new tracks? £50 to you. On top Zelda: Breath Of The Wild still astounds, and while
of that there will be a new, paid- it’s a big investment, it runs better than the Wii U
for online service, which finally version in TV mode, and offers parity with it on the
offers voice chat – but only handheld. This, it seems, is the most flattering way
through an app on smart devices, to look at Switch: while it may disappoint when
not via the console itself. You’ll considered as a home console, it’s a brilliant
also get one free game per handheld, powerful, generously well-featured, and a
month, including NES and SNES true generational leap over 3DS that can be
titles featuring all-new online connected to the family TV for a hefty bump in
play. Inevitably, however, there’s resolution and performance. Viewed from the other
a catch. The game is only free for direction, it’s a fully portable Wii U that supports
that month, meaning you lose multiplayer gaming and motion controls straight out
access at the end of the period of the box. It is too expensive, certainly, its first year
unless you cough up. of software looks patchy, and it lacks the singular
These are bad decisions in clarity of purpose that we associate with Nintendo’s
isolation that only look worse in a most successful past hardware. Perhaps there are
wider context. At launch, a better ways to spend your money in 2017, but
Switch with Breath Of The Wild nothing else on shelves may offer quite so much
will set you back £340, and that potential to surprise.

presents Nintendo switch 13

Joy division

The Switch’s Joy-Con

controllers are packed
with inputs. While a
necessary design given
the way they can be
shared between two
players, this is a far cry
from the minimalist,
accessible design
of the Wii Remote.

Left stick

L button

Directional buttons,
which mimic a D-pad in
single-player mode and
face buttons in
multiplayer

Sync button

Capture button,
for taking screenshots

SR button

The Minus button, which

lets the user pause the
game in two-player mode.

SL button

Player LED.

ZL button

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 Joy division

ZR button

R button

A, B, X and Y face buttons

Plus button

Right stick

SR button

The Home button doubles

up as an NFC reader for
Amiibo support

SL button

An infrared motion
camera, which can detect
simple hand motions
(Nintendo showed it
being used for a game of
rock, paper, scissors) and
will be able to record full
video in future

presents Nintendo switch 15

Joy division

Q&A: Eiji Aonuma

E
iji Aonuma is one of the most important
people at Nintendo. As a senior member
of creative staff, he’s been involved in
the design of Switch since the concept
was in its infancy. And as producer of
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The
Wild, he’s helmed development on a
game that is both the star of Switch’s
launch lineup and Wii U’s software swansong. Here,
he reflects on Switch’s development, on the
reception to its unveiling, and on why it always
seems to fall to him to make a game for two
generations of hardware.

How does making Breath Of The Wild

for Switch and Wii U compare to your
experience of making Twilight Princess
across GameCube and Wii?

With Twilight Princess, the hardware was very

similar, so there weren’t many problems. This time,
comparing Wii U to Nintendo Switch, the hardware is
Eiji Aonuma, series
completely different in terms of structure and producer for The
functionality. So we thought that we might Legend Of Zelda.
encounter some difficulties there, but actually the
programmers said it was easy. One area where we
had to put a lot of effort in was the controls. We with you and continue to play. That core concept
wanted to make use of the touchscreen functionality really was there from day one. The smaller and more
of the GamePad for the Wii U version; for the Switch detailed aspects like the Joy-Con were added during
version, we needed to consolidate that down into a the process, but even the idea of having the Joy-Con
one-screen display. That required a lot of effort. slot into the sides was there from a very early stage.
In terms of the development of the hardware it’s
Do your bosses see you as the guy they been, conceptually at least, quite smooth, and not
call when they need a game made for much has changed from the original idea.
two generations of hardware?
The final product packs in plenty of
I don’t really think I’m thought of that way within Nintendo innovations from down the
Nintendo! Zelda is an extremely popular franchise, years. Portability aside, what do you
and one that, when we have a new system, we know think is its most important feature?
will grab people’s attention. In an ideal world, as a
developer, I would look forward to carefully planning I think a very important point about the Switch is
and creating a game that I could focus on just tabletop mode – being able to set up a local
developing for one platform. I’d love to do that in the multiplayer game wherever you are.
future, maybe for Nintendo Switch.
That’s been your goal for years, right?
You were involved in Switch’s You’ve been trying to make handheld
development from very early on. How gaming more social since the Game Boy.
did it evolve from the initial concept?
That’s right. A handheld system is quite a personal
It started from the core concept of being able to play thing; handhelds naturally lend themselves to
the game on the TV, then just pick it up and take it single-player. We wanted Switch to be about sharing:

16 presents Nintendo switch

 Joy division

“I’m not overly worried by any

negative reaction, because I’m
convinced that over time it can
be converted to positivity.”

you can take not just the single-player experience convinced that over time it can be converted to
out of the living room, but the multiplayer positivity, when more people have had the chance to
experience as well. That’s important for us, and play with the hardware and see what it can do.
something we’ve wanted to achieve [for a long time].
How about speeding up development
The reception at the Switch event was processes? Does the Switch architecture
largely positive among people who had mean you can unify your handheld and
hands-on opportunities, but there’s a lot console software teams?
of concern over the price, and the
release slate. What’s your response to There’s an element of that, but it doesn’t
those sentiments? automatically mean things will happen more quickly
or easily. Plus, Nintendo 3DS still has plenty of titles
There will always be negative reaction to anything in development. The concept of the Switch is that
that you do in life. With Switch, the people that are you have a home console that you can take with you
getting it in their hands understand its appeal, and on the go, and in that respect it is both home console
how good it is. I’m not overly worried by any negative and handheld, but it doesn’t mean for us that the
reaction that might have come out, because I’m concept of a dedicated handheld will disappear.

presents Nintendo switch 17

game previews

Game previews

29 Super Mario Odyssey

20 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

44 1-2-Switch

34 Skylanders Imaginators 46 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

18 presents Nintendo switch

 game previews

1-2-Switch 44

Arms 54

Disgaea 5 Complete 86

Fast RMX 76

Has-Been Heroes 68

I Am Setsuna 78

Just Dance 2017 52

Lego Worlds 62

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 46

Puyo Puyo Tetris 51

Redout 85
Rime 80

62 Lego Worlds Shovel Knight 82

Skylanders Imaginators 34

Snipperclips 67

Sonic Mania 42

Splatoon 2 38

Stardew Valley 70

Steep 90
Super Bomberman R 48

Super Mario Odyssey 29

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 64

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 20

Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers 72

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 88
64 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Yooka-Laylee 60

presents Nintendo switch 19

The legend of zelda: breath of the wild

20 presents Nintendo switch

 The legend of zelda: breath of the wild

Link’s
REAWAKENING
Breath of the Wild is
Nintendo’s most
ambitious game in years

B
ounding emphatically out of the mouth of a
mountain – from a tomb encased in stone –
Link once again finds himself proving the
old idiom true: you can’t keep a good hero
down. The young hero quickly finds himself
standing on the edge of the world; his eyes weary
from a hundred-year sleep. They settle on a
beautiful, sprawling vista quite unlike anything he
has seen before across his adventures through time.
Luscious green fields and forests greet the distant
horizon, the calm blue sky unfazed by the calamity
occurring beneath it. Silhouettes of ancient Hyrulian
landmarks, such as the Bridge of Eldin, Death
Mountain, Hyrule Castle and the Temple of Time,
cast long shadows against the expansive landscape;
relics of an old world in need of restoration. Link’s
memory of the kingdom may have vanished, but its
legend survives on the breath of the wind.
All of this space is yours to conquer. The untamed
wilds of Hyrule are yours to explore, their mysteries
waiting to be uncovered by the brave and the bold.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild’s opener is
a stunning statement of intent from Nintendo, quite
unlike anything we’ve ever seen from the series or
studio. It’s an immediately striking moment and the
sheer (almost daunting) scale of the world is worth
taking pause in. All of this was built by long-
standing Zelda manager Eiji Aonuma and his team at
Nintendo EPD, a group that has long been criticised
for failing to stray from the beaten track.
But no claims of resting on familiarity could be
made in regard to this upcoming Wii U and Nintendo

presents Nintendo switch 21

The legend of zelda: breath of the wild

Switch release, as Breath Of The Wild introduces left to explore the open world at your own pace,
mechanical upgrades and systemic innovation to just directed by your own initiative. Whether you decide
about every aspect of Zelda. It all spirals out of the to follow the story, visit the villages, or head out in
colossal overworld, some 12 times the size of the one pursuit of dungeons is your decision – Nintendo is
found in 2006’s Twilight Princess. That revelation done with hand holding.
may cause some concern, and justifiably so, as some Which makes Breath Of The Wild something of an
gamers feel Twilight Princess’ vast Hyrule Field is a oddity among modern Nintendo releases. It’s a
hollow façade; something that looks impressive but difficult game, obstinately challenging at times in
fails to engage in any real tangible sense. But it’s fact. Zelda veterans will have no trouble getting into
clear that – even at this early stage – this iteration of Breath Of The Wild – the basics of its real-time
Hyrule has countless secrets to discover, dungeons combat largely unchanged – though mastering it is
to explore and creatures to encounter. clearly going to take some time.
Given the open-ended nature of the game, every
A deep Breath moment of Breath Of The Wild feels like a puzzle in
and of itself. Your control over Link has been
The Great Plateau, an area that represents just two upgraded, as the hero is now able to manoeuvre
per cent of the total map space, was the playground himself around the environment freely with a
in which we could run wild in our lengthy hands-on dedicated jump button. You can scramble up just
session with Breath Of The Wild, and it felt more about any surface too, from trees and mountains to
expansive than anything we’ve seen before in a even the bodies of some of the larger enemies – all
Zelda game. The tragedies of this land’s past may of which is governed by a stamina gauge. Link can
have been obscured by the unchecked aggression of swiftly paraglide from great heights and even use his
nature, but rich environmental storytelling ensures shield to surf down hills or slopes, firing arrows as
that there’s always something impressive to be he skims across the environment.

“given the open-ended nature of the

game, every moment of breath of the
wild feels like a puzzle in and of itself.”
marvelled at. It’s easy to be left awestruck by the You could stumble onto an enemy encampment at
scope of Nintendo’s vision and simultaneously just about any time and it’s upon finding one of these
difficult to understand how Breath Of The Wild has outposts that you’ll start to push the game, to see
been patchworked together to run on the Wii U. what will bend to your will and what will break it –
Exploring led us to stumble upon Shrines, mini- though *spoiler alert* it seems Nintendo has
dungeons of sorts, which you are free to enter at any thought of just about everything. You can crouch,
time and in any order. Over a hundred of these are utilising stealth to sneak up on targets; enemies’
scattered across Hyrule. Entering one could reveal actions change depending on the time of day. You
unique treasures and items to be used during your could scale a building and attack from above,
adventure, while diving deeper will eventually lead pushing Bokoblins into a state of chaos as they
to a mysterious Sheikah monk. A Spirit Orb is the struggle to locate you. Or, of course, you can charge
reward for overcoming the Shrine’s intricate puzzle straight in with sword held high and alert all the
rooms, though the use of such a powerful item is enemies to your presence.
still unknown. The usual dungeon-sized trials are
out there to be discovered too, though they proved to Swing when you’re spinning
be far too elusive during our time with the game.
That’s not for want of trying, either, but Breath Of Link is still able to hack at enemies through a press
The Wild has a purposefully open design. Looking at of the attack button, and holding it down will still
the mountain ranges and fields, corrupted castles enable Link to unleash his signature spinning attack,
and farmers’ huts, enemy encampments, and hidden though combat now has a sharper edge. It doesn’t
dungeons, it’s clear that this game has more in matter what weapon (or shield) you’re holding: be it a
common with 1986’s The Legend Of Zelda’s design straight sword, fiery twig or overbearing enemy
than any of the games that have followed it. While battle axe, it will deteriorate and eventually break.
the map highlights a few points of interest, you are Your sword could crumble to ash in the middle of a

22 presents Nintendo switch

 legend of zelda: breath of the wild
the Legend

Combat is familiar,
though deteriorating
weapons now give it
a tactical edge. You’ll
have to rely on
swords and shields
you find in the world,
stumbling across
new ones or stealing
them from enemies.

presents Nintendo switch 23

The legend of zelda: breath of the wild

Where does Breath Of The

Wild fit into the timeline?
Which of the three timelines does this adventure slot into?

Fallen Hero Young Link

Ganondorf defeats Link at Link reverts back to his younger
the conclusion of OOT self after defeating Ganondorf

The Fallen Hero timeline essentially chronicles Hyrule falling There is plenty of evidence that Breath Of The Wild could
further and further into disarray following Link’s failure in indeed slot into the timeline after Twilight Princess. At a
OOT. We see the Temple Of Time standing in ruin and basic level, the Amiibo support for Twilight Princess’ Wolf
Calamity Ganon has overtaken Hyrule Castle – a shadowy Link is either dysfunctional fan service or a hint of what’s
force to be contained, a threat not unlike the one to come, while Nintendo still affirms that returning to
teased during the fail-state of Link’s Adventure. the game will prove useful for fans of the lore when
Nintendo keeps referring back to the original Breath Of The Wild is released. Then there are
Legend Of Zelda and how it has worked tirelessly recognisable locations, such as the Bridge of Eldin
to recreate its famous imagery; this version of to consider – is this the link (ahem!) to the past
Hyrule is beautifully barren, an open wasteland we we’ve been searching for? Perhaps, but
not unlike the one found in the first game, there are inconsistencies, such as the
while the presence of the Sheikah is telling. condition of The Temple of Time. It was in
Could the Link we see waking from a 100- complete ruin by Twilight Princess.
year slumber be the one we first played
as 30 years ago?

Convergence

Elements from all three timelines can be seen in Breath Of The

Wild. That’s leading many to consider that this new instalment
is a convergence of the parallel universes. There has been
a strong insinuation that the Link we are playing as is
one we have spent time with in the past, so which
one is it? Is this the Hyrule ravaged in the Fallen
timeline or the one swallowed by the sea in
the Adult variant? Nintendo should
probably have left the timeline
bickering to the fan theorists; the
introduction in 2011’s Hyrule
Historia has only given the
firm more headaches –
is this the way it
finally clears this
(awesome)
mess up?

Adult Link The placement of Koroks and the discovery of an Hyrule after the sea, as the Deku Tree prophesied,
item called Rock Salt in the mountains, which swallowed it? Adult Link disappeared after the OOT
Ganondorf is
supposedly originated from an ancient sea events – leaving a new hero to emerge in Wind
sealed away
receding, makes a strong case for Breath Of The Waker – could this be the original MIA for 100 years?
following Adult Wild being set in the Adult Link timeline. Could this Then again, Spirit Tracks has the hero searching for
Link’s triumph be the Great Sea from The Wind Waker? Did the a new land to replace Hyrule, which seems to throw
evolved Koroks succeed in their plight to rebuild this theory into the sea.

24 presents Nintendo switch

 legend of zelda: breath of the wild
the Legend

battle, or your shield could snap leaving you

defenceless, forcing experimentation with split-
second accuracy. Do you attempt to quickly equip a
backup weapon from your bag by utilising a handy
pop-up menu (controlled by the D-pad), or do you
make a dash towards the corpse of a fallen enemy
and appropriate its weapon? Do you make a swift
retreat, using a bow and arrow to snipe at an enemy
from afar or attempt to use the environment against
them, kicking boulders down from a height to crush
everything in its path? Never quite knowing whether
you’ll have the tools to take on a foe, especially when
you come up against some powerful and strange new
threats, is genuinely thrilling, as is finding a
powerful weapon that makes you a (temporary) force
to be reckoned with.

Modern warfare
Much like Breath Of The Wild’s open-ended design
structure and staggering open world, this approach
to combat feels less of a nuisance and more of an rupees; now you’ll need to spend time foraging and If you want a real
awakening; it’s made Zelda feel refreshingly preparing for… well, anything that the game may challenge, you can
play through Breath
modern. For 30 years, Zelda’s combat has revolved throw at you. Of The Wild as a
around a now-iconic structure: at the centre of the You are going to need to rely on food that you have nearly-naked Link,
forgoing the option
experience is Link’s trusty sword and shield, beyond found and cooked to keep you going, not only in to wear any armour
that is an array of tools which can double up as battle but during exploration too. Fruit can be found at all. Saucy!
weapons that you can collect as you progress through and gathered from bushes, while hunting a pack of
the linear narrative. Of course, Wind Waker toyed boar will fill your pouch with uncooked steaks.
with the idea of picking up and utilising enemy Enemies will sometimes leave behind other
weapons back in 2003, but Breath Of The Wild is all consumables, along with their weapons and armour,
in; a dramatic and welcomed change to the dynamic. that you can gather too. You’ll need to find a fire to
Each weapon has its own stats (which are light a cooking stove, put the ingredients together
incredibly easy to parse), attack animations and from the pouch and then sit back and watch through
durability. It’s different, but fluid in a way we haven’t an adorable animation as Link whips it all together.
seen demonstrated from the studio in some time. It’s Not everything will combine to become a tasty
as if Nintendo has taken the standard found in every dish, though smart assembly of your ingredients will
other action-RPG currently on the market and produce hardier meals. Potions and elixirs that have
simplified it. It’s increased the fun factor without application outside of health regeneration can be
diluting the inherent challenge such systems impose created this way. One may boost your speed while
on a game experience. Basically, it’s largely others will make you quieter. Some may even bestow
impressive stuff. a temporary health boost – increasing the amount of
These changes also apply to the loot and resource hearts you have is perfect prep for a boss battle.
systems too. No longer are you able to slash through We’ve even managed to whip up an elixir that
long grass to find rogue hearts or break pots to find provided benefits outside of combat entirely, helping

presents Nintendo switch 25

The legend of zelda: breath of the wild

us to explore further and deadlier parts of Hyrule

than we would have been able to with our basic
equipment. During Link’s time in stasis, nature has
reclaimed the world, and that means that the natural
elements hold all the power. Venturing into snowy
mountains will make you freeze, while heading into
heat will also have an adverse affect on your
survivability; both noise and temperature factor into
how Link reacts (and survives) his surroundings,
each monitored by an on-screen gauge. To combat
this, certain elixirs will increase your aversion to
“Breath of the wild
heat or cold, or you can dress Link up in a wardrobe
of different items. That’s right, the classic green
starts you off with
tunic is gone – or it isn’t the standard attire, at least.
Take thermal clothing into the snow, you’ll stay
literally nothing –
warmer for longer or – if you are happy to risk
putting your weapon away – strike a twig against an in shorts, no less –
open flame and you’ll be able to turn it into a torch.
and then leaves you
If you can’t stand the heat…
Of all of the core changes to the Zelda formula being
to survive.”
made in Breath Of The Wild, cooking was perhaps
the one that worried us the most. It’s an abrupt
upgrade, changing a principle of play that we have
grown accustomed to over 30 years. But just like the
alterations made to combat, it only helps immerse
you deeper into the adventure. The system is far
simpler and faster than it looks or sounds – think of
it as a streamlined version of Monster Hunter’s
preparation system. You need to prepare all of the
items that you think you’ll need to tackle a situation
and just go for it. If it turns out you’ve forgotten
something, well, you’ll have to find a solution on the
fly or die trying. Breath Of The Wild starts you off
with literally nothing – in shorts, no less – and then
leaves you to survive; the survival theme permeates
through every new mechanic in the game.

Link’s 30- Meat & Mushroom Skewer Hasty Elixir

Second Meals 1 x Steak
1 x Hylian Shroom
1 x Bokoblin Fang
1 x Frog
Cooking is an integral part of Breath Of Restores three red hearts, perfect for a jolt of Found yourself lost on a mountain with no way
The Wild. Putting ingredients over an health when you need it most. down? This elixir speeds up Link’s movement
open flame or (preferably) a stove will speed for two minutes and 40 seconds, perfect
provide you with game-altering elixirs Hearty Steamed Meat for a quick clamber.
and hearty foods to get you back in the 1 x Steak
fight. The game doesn’t expressly tell 2 x Hearty Truffles Spicy Elixir
you what food combinations will and 2 x Hearty Radishes 1 x Bokoblin Horn
won’t work, but we managed to discover Full health recovery and eight bonus yellow 1 x Sizzlewing Butterfly
a few Hylian ingredients that hearts, ideal for those occasions where you’re In the cold without a jumper? This warms your
complement each other nicely. facing a tough boss. body from its core for little over three minutes.

26 presents Nintendo switch

 the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

the environment, and it gives you the chance to kill

enemies in inventive ways.
There’s another Rune called Stasis, which lets Link
lock certain objects in time for a short period. It’s
perfect for overcoming certain puzzles, though it can
even be used as a way to gain momentum; freeze an
object, whale on it with a weapon and watch as the
object breaks free of its stasis and unleashes a huge
wave of built-up kinetic energy. There’s a Rune that
lets you summon Amiibos into the world, such as
Twilight Princess’ Wolf Link (the timeline is in
tatters) and, finally, there’s a Rune called Cryonis
that replaces the Ice Arrows of old, giving Link the
ability to create pillars of ice from water to help
create platforms and lift up certain objects. Runes
are clearly going to have a huge impact on Breath Of
The Wild, though we still don’t know how many of
them are waiting to be found – they are treasures to
be earned from those Shrines we mentioned earlier.

Breath of fresh air

Ultimately, Breath Of The Wild feels like a huge
transformation for The Legend Of Zelda. Much of
what we played and saw during our time with the
game was hugely innovative for the series, even if
many of the concepts are incredibly common in
other action-RPGs. The influence of Skyrim, The
Witcher III, Monster Hunter and, yes, even Dark
Souls to an extent, is clearly felt, in both its open
world and with Link himself being more adept and
customisable. Then again, the influence the original
The Legend Of Zelda had on the aforementioned
Speaking of themes, Legend of Zelda games have games is pretty clear. This is a Nintendo we haven’t
traditionally been named after a central object or seen for a long time, drawing inspiration from
character – Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, Ocarina Of standardised practices in the industry and
Time… we’re sure you get the gist of it. But Breath Of streamlining them to create its own masterpiece.
The Wild has been named to pull focus onto the Sure, Breath Of The Wild looks beautiful, but it’s
world itself, which means it can be all too easy to the way in which the game ties so many ideas
overlook the biggest new addition of them all: the together that it truly shines. From its emergent
Sheikah Slate. Multiple items and abilities are tied to world design to its intuitive exploration systems,
this new mysterious tablet gadget, which also Zelda feels fresh and innovative in a way that it
happens to replace a number of classic Zelda items. hasn’t for years. The combat and AI is built to be
The Slate has basic applications – the telescope of reactive, always forcing you to be aware of your
the past has been replaced with its scope, for surroundings and opportunities, and suddenly Zelda
It’s actually possible
to skip over most of example, allowing you to tag enemies and mark feels peerless. Breath Of The Wild has the potential
the story, if you want points of interest on the map. But the Sheikah Slate to be the Zelda game many have been waiting 30
to. Should you know
where to head, you can also be imbued with Runes (we know of six so years for, where you are free to go in any direction
can take a direct far), and this is where it gets interesting. Gone is the and to any dungeon from the outset, just to see what
shot at the final boss bomb bag, as the Slate can summon two types of happens. Where you are free to forge your own
from the start of the
game, though you’ll explosives (a Round and a Square Bomb) into the adventure and improve your play experience by
be woefully under- world on a whim after you’ve acquired the learning from your mistakes. Imagine how The
geared and
underprepared. appropriate Rune. Each of these bombs operates with Legend Of Zelda must have looked and played on the
a short cool down and is triggered remotely. There’s NES back in 1986 – impossibly reactive, fresh and
a Rune for Magnesis, which allows you to pick up and innovative. Breath Of The Wild is all of these things.
manipulate metallic objects. Better still, when you It’s is a new dawn for Link, his most important
move objects with Magnesis they abide by the laws awakening yet; the Hero Of Time is back in action,
of physics; it’s a very entertaining way to play with just when Nintendo needed him most.

presents Nintendo switch 27

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 Super Mario Odyssey

Super
Mario
Odyssey
If Nintendo gets it right, Odyssey
could be Sunshine meets Galaxy
Developer Nintendo  Publisher Nintendo  Release Q4 2017

presents Nintendo switch 29

Super Mario Odyssey

T
hey say 30 is the Super Mario 3D World is fine.
new 20. They also It’s a party game. It’s fine. Super
say 40 is the new Mario Maker is great, but that’s
30, and 50 is the mostly down to the imagination
new 40, and of the community making the
perhaps we should levels. And smartphone game
be concerned about Super Mario Run? Meh. So when
whether or not Super Mario Odyssey was
these people understand announced during the Nintendo
numbers, but the point is this: if Switch preview event, people
you think you’re confident and were understandably sceptical.
put together at 20, just wait a Will this game usher in the
decade and you’ll be surprised at second Mario renaissance we’ve
how wrong you were. been waiting for, or be another
Mario, the plumber who’s never relative disappointment for our
actually plumbed in his entire rotund friend?
career, is 32 this year, and despite
looking every bit his age, he’s Super Mario Real World
currently experiencing that ‘30 is
the new 20’ renaissance (just Well, we won’t know more fully
don’t call it a quarter-life crisis, until this winter, when the game
okay). After a difficult few years is due to release – barring any
as a teenager, during which the delays between now and then. But
somewhat contentious Super from what we’ve seen already, it
Mario Sunshine came out, Mario looks like it’s going to be a
hit his stride in his early 20s with modern update of Super Mario 64,
Super Mario Galaxy, a game that but instead of a castle hub world
stunned us all with its intelligent and magical paintings that hide
and inventive level design. It was new levels behind them, it’ll be a
the Mario game we’d all been bit more like Skyward Sword
waiting for: a Super Mario Bros for meets Super Mario Galaxy, as you
the new age. It’s also been ten fly between levels in an airship. because New Donk City is not a
years, ten whole years, since We know a fair bit about the place that has ever existed) which
Super Mario Galaxy came out – hub world, and not all of it is raises a lot of interesting and
and, let’s be honest, Mario has good. For starters, it takes place slightly philosophical questions.
lost his way since then. in a real city (not a real city, The city is populated by humans,
actual humans, who are twice the
height of Mario and much more
well-proportioned. Is Mario
human? What do the other people
think of this cartoonish, chubby
Italian man running around their
city? Can Mario get run over by
the taxis? What happens if he
jumps off the top of a building?
We can only predict that many, if
not all of these questions will be
answered by vigilant YouTubers,
because Mario’s arrival in the
real, human world makes for one
hell of a good meme.
In the trailers, we can see Mario
climbing lampposts and traffic
lights, vaulting off skyscrapers
and bouncing off cars. Though
this is only a hub world, it’s not
too hard to imagine that there
will be things going on here, too –

30 presents Nintendo switch

 Super Mario Odyssey

Hat-tastic
We’ve only seen one of Mario’s hats in
the trailers, which serves as a bouncing
platform and Frisbee. But what other
hats could we see? A hat that makes
Mario fly, like in Super Mario 64? Or a hat
that turns him into a wall-climbing cat,
like in 3D World? There will definitely be
new abilities in this game – so what
about a hat that makes Mario look like all
the regular humans in New Donk City,
allowing him to live out a peaceful
human life like a normal guy? Meet a girl
who doesn’t keep getting kidnapped,
raise some kids, rent an apartment you
can’t afford and work as a genuine
plumber. That’s the dream!

there’s a bit where Mario plays

with a skipping rope with some
random faceless women, which is
certainly interesting, though it’s
not entirely clear if that’s an
actual useful thing to do in the
game or not. Will the city area be
like a Mario version of Assassin’s
Creed, where you’re constantly anthropomorphic food; and a
trying to figure out how to climb bright Dia de los Muertos-style
up to the next area, or will it be desert town that looks like
more like Lego Marvel something out of a Western.
Superheroes, which is set in New Those might not be all the worlds,
York City, and only lets you climb but they’re certainly a good start
certain buildings? – even if the colour palettes are a
Of course, the hub world leads little jarring when compared
to other exciting and incredibly directly to each other.
weird levels, in traditional Super But what’s the actual plot of
Mario style. The billboards and this game? Though you can
signs around New Donk City hint assume the usual (Peach gets
at the places you’ll go. There’s kidnapped, Bowser has a
Kogwald, a factory-like place with dastardly plan, several minions
dark colouring that’s reminiscent have to be defeated before you can
of Banjo-Kazooie’s Rusty Bucket get to the big boss himself) it’s a
Bay and Clanker’s Cavern; there’s little different this time round.
a really lovely-looking, neon- Firstly, Bowser is forcibly
pastel world that’s filled with marrying Peach, which is really

presents Nintendo switch 31

Super Mario Odyssey

quite creepy. Yes, kidnapping is The urban setting of that a Rare game will be
creepy enough, but there’s Odyssey appears to mentioned, which makes the Rare
have a bunch of fun
something unpleasantly non- references to Mario’s comparison seem like it might
consensual about the whole first appearance as even be on purpose, especially
Jumpman in Donkey
marriage thing that, eh, is maybe Kong, such as all the given the upcoming Yooka-Laylee
best left in the 1900s. This is 2017, girders and (see p60), but the hat looks like
construction gear
after all – can we not have a plot something out of Banjo-Kazooie.
you’ll see around.
in which people don’t want to It’s even got those trademark Rare
marry Peach? It doesn’t even googly eyes, which is fine, but
make that much sense. Marriage considering that Banjo-Kazooie
is a social construct, which came out nearly 20 years ago, it’s
doesn’t change the fact that she a weird nostalgia piece.
Either way, this cap seems to be
an evolution of the hat mechanics
“Bowser stomps on Mario’s in Super Mario 64. As a plain old
iconic red cap, apparently hat, it’ll give you something to
jump on, and seemingly functions
rendering it useless… but in as a frisbee, maybe for attacks? It
exchange Mario gets a new also seems like you’ll be able to
hat – one that’s alive.” upgrade the hat or buy new
versions of it, as there are weird
purple tokens in each level that –
doesn’t like you, dude. She’ll just and we’re maybe speculating too
run away again. You don’t own much here – could be used to
her. Anyway. purchase hats, since that seems
Another new part of the plot is to be a big part of this game.
the subtraction and addition of a There are billboards for a hat
hat. Bowser rather unkindly shop, ‘Crazy Cap’ , in New Donk
stomps on Mario’s iconic red cap, City, and later in the trailer Mario
apparently rendering it useless as is seen going into one of them.
a hat, but in exchange, Mario gets Maybe those hats will then
a new hat – one that’s alive. This unlock new areas or abilities?
is the second time in this preview Who knows.

32 presents Nintendo switch

 Super Mario Odyssey

The strange thing is that we climbs up a skyscraper, King The common theme Mario games had something
don’t actually see in any of the Kong-style, presumably to fight of hats is a striking unique about them, whether that
one with Mario’s new
trailers what the actual game is. Mario as well. There’s also a very sentient headgear was location, mechanics or pitch-
Sure, we see Mario jumping short section where Mario chases and Bowser’s snazzy perfect level design. Putting eyes
top hat, but Mario
around, collecting mysterious a small pink rabbit with a turnip – also appears to fly on a hat is not enough if you won’t
purple tokens and doing other there were rabbit chases in Super around in a hat show us what that means.
house to get from
things like jump rope and dancing Mario 64, but they were Super Mario Odyssey may
one stage to another.
to a beatbox, but none of those frustrating, so a return to those How TARDIS-like is represent the more stable years of
things are the actual game. What wouldn’t exactly be the most that titfer inside? the Super Mario franchise, and
will we be collecting? How will we exciting thing. here’s hoping it does. There’s not
be beating Bowser? much to go on – that hat likely
It’s a safe guess to assume that Epic mystery plays a big part in what makes
there will be some kind of system Odyssey unique, but we won’t
similar to Stars or Shine Sprites at But, still, it would have been nice know more for a while – but this
the end of each level, probably in to know what needs doing in this could be a return to a more
a similar way to Super Mario new Mario world. Just an idea of a complicated Mario after years of
Sunshine, which had Shine central mechanic – Super Mario resisting that direction. A Mario
Sprites as rewards for cleaning up, 64 explored the platforming genre world that’s full of things to do,
winning races, beating mini- in 3D for the first time, Sunshine secrets to find, and, uh, stuff to
bosses and various other quests. It focused on graffiti-cleaning and jump on, rather than the Super
looks like there will be bosses, too Super Mario Galaxy had self- Mario 3D World approach of
– some menacing-looking rabbits contained levels that you had to keeping things simple, limited
turn up halfway through the perfect as well as complete. and obvious. Odyssey could be the
trailer, and Mario is seen fighting Odyssey looks fun to explore, but game Sunshine might have been
one a few seconds later. There’s whether or not it has substance is if it were more confident, and that
also a mad caterpillar thing that unclear. The other great Super would be truly special.

presents Nintendo switch 33

Skylanders Imaginators

Skylanders
Imaginators
Make your own hero

A
s Skylanders slowly Developer
conquered the world, Toys For Bob
gamers have come to Publisher
know its heroes as their Activision
very own. There’s Release March
Spyro, the purple dragon who
moved away from his own series
of videogames to kickstart the
Skylanders adventures. There’s
Washbuckler, the bubble-
shooting octopus who acts as a
pirate. There’s Stink Bomb, who
uses his own smell to hide
himself and launch sneaky stealth
attacks on enemies. But now
Skylanders Imaginators is letting
you do something the series has
never allowed before – you can
create your own hero. Ultimate categories, the ideal goal Bandicoot, who even has his own
When creating these being that you create an all- Thumpa Wumpa Islands level.
Imaginators, you have full control powerful, all-conquering The venerable orange marsupial
over every aspect of the character. Imaginator made with Ultimate is up against his old rival Dr Neo
You can choose their battle class parts and show it off online to Cortex, and to make sure he fits
(knight, swashbuckler, brawler, your friends. Called Poop Lord. in properly with the Skylanders
etc) and elemental class (earth, Or Bantersaurus Rex. It’s entirely series, the developers changed
water, fire, and so on). Then you up to you. the life mechanic and even gave
choose their names, voices, It adds a new dimension to him a spin attack. So it’s just as
Imaginators, as finding parts he used to be! Except with much
becomes the main incentive to better graphics.
“Skylanders is letting you do play. As a nice added touch, you There is some bad news,
can even take a selfie of your however. Skylanders Imaginators
something the series has Imaginator at certain points in on Switch won’t support traps or
never allowed before – you the game. But whether you use an vehicles, both of which were

can create your own hero.” Imaginator or one of the classic

Skylander heroes, the Skylanders
prominent parts of previous
games Skylanders SuperChargers
gameplay is the same mixture of and Skylanders Trap Team. On the
appearances, colours, size, and solving puzzles, platforming, and plus side, Skylanders Imaginators
powers. Or you could be lazy and fighting that it’s always been. The does offer something the other
have the game create a random levels have been spiced up with versions don’t have – a digital
Imaginator for you. There are lots of cool gimmicks, such as 2D library of more than 300 toys
hundreds of bits and pieces to platforming sections or rail- taken from the series. What’s
create your Imaginator from but grinding. The variety keeps it more, you can store them directly
once you’ve assembled your interesting, as you bounce on your Switch. If you can handle
warrior, you can replace its parts between different gameplay the pain of not seeing the actual
with any new ones you find styles throughout. figures standing on your shelf,
during the game. These are split One nice extra is the return of it’s a perfectly feasible solution
into Common, Rare, Epic, and former PlayStation hero Crash to the problem.

34 presents Nintendo switch

Skylanders Imaginators

The developers
added tribal
markings to
Chopscotch, so she
didn’t look too cute
and had an air of
menace about her.

presents Nintendo switch 35

 FREE
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Taking you
closer to
the games,
movies and
TV you love

Don’t miss our coverage of

the Nintendo Switch launch
on March 3rd, with reviews of
the release line up, tech tips,
deals, videos and more

gamesradar.com
Splatoon 2

38 presents Nintendo switch

 Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2
Can the all-ages
shooter stay fresh
Developer
Nintendo
Publisher
Nintendo
Release

the second time out? Summer 2017

presents Nintendo switch 39

Splatoon 2

A
s one of the few Dualies’ for more on that). Special
highlights of Wii U’s moves are all brand-new, and
brief shelf life, Splatoon we’ve seen a few fun ones so far –
was an unexpected the Tenta-Missiles that snake
success that stood out through the air before splatting
from Nintendo’s other first-party their target with an enormous
offerings. Not only did it utilise a amount of ink, and the String Ray,
brand new IP to successfully put a a narrow long-distance blast that
family-friendly spin on the is powerful enough to pierce
competitive shooter, but it was a walls. Nintendo has revealed new
predominantly online-focused sub-weapons, and there are
game from a company not brand-new stages to wage warfare
traditionally known for making in, but we’re not entirely sure how
them, and it sold an impressive many of each are included yet.
4.5 million copies as a result. Moving away from the Wii U
Splatoon 2 can’t be the surprise gamepad hasn’t done any harm to
hit that its predecessor was, but the game, for the most part –
everything we’ve seen so far gyroscopic aiming remains
suggests that the game will offer responsive whether you’re using
plenty of worthwhile upgrades the Switch itself or the Pro
over the original experience. Controller. However, losing the
The core gameplay mode of permanent presence of the
Splatoon 2 remains the Turf War, touchscreen map is a tad
a four-on-four battle in which disappointing. While you can still
teams compete to cover the bring it up and ‘super jump’ to
surface of the stage with their assist teammates at the touch of a
colour ink. All of the weapons button, it’s never quite as
from the first game return, seamless as it was on Wii U,
including the Splatling and where a quick glance between
Slosher types introduced in the thumbs could tell you the next
long-term DLC support. We’ve area in need of your colours
also only seen one new type of without any substantial
weapon so far (see the ‘Splat interruption to the fun.

40 presents Nintendo switch

 Splatoon 2

Splat Dualies
The only new weapon on show during
our time with Splatoon 2 was the
intriguing Splat Dualies – a pair of low-
damage, high-speed handguns that do
the most damage when your target is
centred and thus in range of both your
targeting reticules. While using these,
your Inkling character gains the
secondary ability of an evasive combat
roll, which can be used twice in
succession. However, the most
spectacular ability of the Splat Dualies is
the special weapon mode, the Inkjet –
your Inkling fires both guns straight at
the floor with sufficient speed to lift itself
into the air, covering the ground below
with ink and doing major damage to
anyone foolish enough to wander
beneath you.

Despite the fact that

Switch has a bit
more graphical grunt
than Wii U, Splatoon
2 doesn’t show much
evidence of this – in
fact, it looks near-
identical to the
original game both in
stills and in motion.

Improvements beyond that are will go a long way to making this while before moving on, as we’re
largely structural. One of the worthwhile for hardcore fans of unsure how far it can differentiate
most surprising decisions with the original. itself from the original game.
the original game was the lack of What’s more, Nintendo is Right now, it feels largely like an
communication options; this has promising that Splatoon 2 will expansion pack for the original,
been rectified with Splatoon 2, receive substantial post-launch offering a very similar experience
which will offer voice chat via the DLC support, just like the first with a variety of added bonus
smart device app that Nintendo game received ongoing updates elements – but in part that’s
has placed at the centre of its with extra stages and weapons, so because we don’t know what the
online offering. Also welcome is the game that exists on day one is final balance will be between new
the increased focus on offline unlikely to resemble the one we’re content and returning content,
multiplayer – while the original playing after six months. not to mention any additions to
game only offered one-on-one While existing fans are likely to the first game’s short-but-sweet
Battle Dojo matches, Splatoon 2 love it and the players who missed single-player content. If Nintendo
allows for full eight-player Turf Wii U will have no reason not to, does prove able to keep things
War matches over a local wireless our concerns with Splatoon 2 are sufficiently fresh, Splatoon 2 is
network. The simple presence of mostly centred on those who likely to be one of the first great
voice chat and local multiplayer enjoyed the Wii U version for a Switch exclusives.

presents Nintendo switch 41

Sonic
The Legend
Maniaof Zelda: the wind waker

Remember Dr
Robotnik at the end
of Green Hill Zone?
This is the revamped
version of that
classic boss
encounter.

42 presents
presentsNintendo
Ninetendo
switch
switch
 Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania
Gotta go fast…

S
onic is going back to his Developer Sega forward, see the first ring box, heads attacking Sonic and Tails in
roots!” are words every Publisher Sega bounce on the first mechanical a similar manner. If this seems
Sonic fan has come to Release 2017 crab, run across the bridge where like a lot of talk about Green Hill
dread. This phrase is piranhas snap at your heels, race Zone, it’s because Sega’s gentle
usually wheeled out by through the loop-the-loop, and reworking of a classic level is
Sega before it foists another half- roll into speed tunnels. This isn’t symbolic of the Sonic Mania
hearted outing starring the blue just a simple retread of one of project overall.
hedgehog onto the world, usually gaming’s most famous levels, There are new levels as well.
one that completely ignores his though. Sonic has his brand-new Studiopolis Zone is one such
roots. In recent times we’ve had Drop Dash move, where he can example. Set in a high skyscraper
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (glitchy come out of a jump into a at night, it looks and plays like a
mess), Sonic Unleashed (Sonic spindash. He also has items that cross between Chemical Plant
turns into a werehog), and Sega were introduced in later games, Zone and Casino Night Zone, both
Superstars Tennis (well… it’s from Sonic 2. The neon lights, the
tennis). But Sonic Mania does quick changes of speed, the clever
actually seem to be recapturing gimmicks sprinkled in
what made Sega’s mascot famous.
“It feels fresher and faster, throughout the level – it’s a world
Play through Green Hill Zone, without losing any of the away from the straightforward
the classic opening level of Sonic
gameplay that made Sonic blitz through Green Hill Zone. But
The Hedgehog, and it hits the even though it’s an entirely
right notes of nostalgia. You run a classic to begin with.” different level, it still feels and
plays like classic Sonic. Another
new zone, Mirage Saloon, goes
such as the electricity shield from even further. Themed after the
Sonic 3. Most of all, Sonic has his wild west, it has a pistol that fires
sidekick Tails with him, a foxy Sonic into new areas, piano keys
chap who can carry him across to bounce on, and indoor saloons.
gaps and help attack enemies. Again, through all this, it keeps
The level has also been tweaked the traditional Sonic gameplay –
slightly, with ramps in new places fast, simple, instinctive, fun.
and floating platforms bridging That’s the key. Sega knows what
gaps, so it’s not quite being a makes Sonic work but rather than
replica of the original’s blueprint. adding to the classic platforming
It feels fresher and faster, without gameplay and causing the
losing any of the framework to buckle, it’s working
gameplay that within it. Nothing here drastically
made Sonic a moves Sonic away from what
classic to begin made the original games great to
with. Remember begin with. Sonic Mania is like a
the boss at the end whirlwind visit through the
of Green Hill Zone, hurrying hedgehog’s greatest hits,
Dr Robotnik refreshing classic levels from
swinging a deadly years gone by while using that
ball and chain to same design philosophy to create
and fro? That new ones. It’s no wonder Sonic
challenge has also fans are excited. For the first
returned in time since the series began, Sega
tweaked form, might actually be keeping its
with two giant promises and taking Sonic back
spiky Robotnik to his roots…

presents Nintendo switch 43

1-2-Switch

1-2-Switch
Cracking safes, milking cows, and eating lunch

C
ompetitive milking is the Developer Another favourite from our don’t even need to look at the TV
unlikely star of this Nintendo hands-on is Ball Counting, in for the most part with games like
motion-controlled game Publisher which you tilt the Joy-Con to work these, as sound and haptic
compilation because, Nintendo out how many virtual balls are feedback from the Joy-Con give
well, when was the last Release 3 March inside. It’s the best example of the all the info you need. A table
time you milked a cow in a game Switch’s HD rumble – so clear that tennis game, for instance, is
– or in real life, in fact? Exactly. you’re sure you can hear each ball playable entirely by listening to
Milk is, we are supremely rolling around. Another great the ball whistling through the air.
unqualified to tell you, eerily rumble demonstration is Safe 1-2-Switch is a system showcase
close to the actual process. Crack: rotate the Joy-Con like a in the vein of Wii Sports and
You grip one Joy-Con upright safe’s dial until you feel tiny Nintendo Land, and the test will
like a teat and jiggle it mechanical tremors, then hold it be how many microgames (you
rhythmically, pressing and in place to unlock the door. couldn’t call these minigames) it
releasing the SL and SR buttons to contains. Nintendo has revealed
squeeze out that precious white Smooth moves sandwich eating, plate spinning,
gold. Your Joy-Con vibrates with shaving, yoga, pose holding, and
each tug, and the sound of Then there are Quick Draw and more, although we doubt
sloshing fluid accompanies Samurai Training. In the former anything will beat the experience
successful extractions. Whoever you face a partner with Joy-Con of competitive milking.
fills the most cups with liquid lowered and lift it when you hear
calcium by the time the bell rings the prompt; in the latter you
is the winner. It’s slight, if basically play schoolyard slapsies
strangely satisfying, and a much – one person slashes their Joy-
easier way to break the ice at All the joy of eating a Con down and the other quickly
sandwich, apart from
parties than leading an actual cow little things like clasps both hands around theirs
into your flat. flavour and nutrition. in a bid to ‘catch’ the blade. You

44 presents Nintendo switch

 1-2-Switch

You don’t have to dress

up as a farmer to play
Milk, but Nintendo
strongly advises it.

presents Nintendo switch 45

LEGO Worlds
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Wii U’s number one bestseller revs up its engines ready to make the Switch

O
ne of the big problems Developer flawlessly in the Switch’s a bunch of new characters has
with the Wii U’s poor Nintendo handheld mode – this ‘Deluxe’ been added to the already hefty
sales has been that Publisher version actually adds a few new roster. Dry Bones, Bowser Jr, and
many of its best games Nintendo features, most notable of which is King Boo return from previous
ended up reaching a ETA 28 April the return of a proper battle Mario Kart games, and Splatoon’s
smaller audience than usual. mode. Mario Kart 8 already has a Inkling Girl and Inkling Boy make
Mario Kart 8 is a perfect example: battle mode, but it’s a rubbish one their karting debuts (along with
although it sold, fittingly, eight which uses the game’s normal their own battle arena). The fact
million copies worldwide, it’s still tracks instead of special battle- that Nintendo has also included
a fraction of the 37 million that only arenas. This time Nintendo’s all the DLC from the Wii U game –
Mario Kart Wii shifted. seen the error of its ways and 16 extra tracks and seven
That’s a shame, because Mario characters, including Link and the
Kart 8 is arguably the best entry Animal Crossing villagers –
in the series. But thankfully it’s “Nintendo’s added four means that this is now the biggest
now coming to Switch, meaning
that those Sad Goombas who
custom levels to host Mario Kart game ever.
Let’s be honest, most of us
missed out on the fun the first the two battle modes: would rather have a brand-new
time around will get another Balloon Battle and Mario Kart game than a port of
chance to take it for a spin. one released three years ago. But
Bob-omb Blast.” these things take time, and
Luxe interior having the best Mario Kart so far,
added four custom levels to host on a console we can play on the
Although a straight port of the the two battle modes: Balloon move, will probably keep us
Wii U game would have been good Battle and Bob-omb Blast. happy for now – especially if
enough for us – especially To keep things interesting for Nintendo can build a strong new
considering it already runs anyone who owns the Wii U game, online community around it.

46 presents
presentsNintendo
Ninetendo
switch
switch
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The Feather and Boo

items from the
original Super Mario
Kart on the SNES
make their return in
battle mode.

presents
presentsNinetendo
Nintendo switch 47
Super Bomberman R

Super Bomberman R
A blast from the past makes an unexpected comeback

T
here was a time back in Developer across a variety of arenas and
the day when Konami using different gimmicks to blow
Bomberman was Publisher Konami one another to smithereens.
considered the king of Release 3 March As you’d expect, there’s a lot of
multiplayer gaming. fun to be had here, but there’s
Don’t believe us? Back in the last also a major issue: you can only
century, Bomberman ’93 on the really play multiplayer on a TV.
TurboGrafx-16 was a multiplayer We tried a two-player match
must-have – just the thing when using the Switch’s ‘tabletop’ mode
you had a bunch of pals over. (where you prop it up with the
Over the years, though, kickstand) and it was nearly
Bomberman’s star has faded, and impossible to play properly
these days the series only sees the because the characters are simply
light of day in an occasional too small. Both of us were
digital release. It’s safe to say that squinting and trying to get as
Bomberman hasn’t been doing close to the Switch as possible to
too well for himself. What he see what was going on, and that
was with just two people: with
eight of us it would have been a
“Battle mode is the star complete shambles.
Will it bother people that
attraction, with every player multiplayer Bomberman isn’t
dumped into an arena and really making the most of

armed with unlimited bombs.” Switch’s portability? If it doesn’t,

this has the potential to be a
return to form for the flatlining
needs is a new home – if only series, and the addition of a
there were a console that came 50-stage solo campaign makes
with multiplayer support straight sure we can still have a blast,
out of the box… even without our mates.

Fighting fire with fire

Konami has decided the Switch is
the place to resurrect
Bomberman, and it’s made the
right call on where to focus the
action. As in the previous
releases, R’s battle mode is the
star attraction, with every player
dumped into a square arena and
armed with an unlimited supply
of bombs. The aim, as always, is
simple: to blow holes in the walls
so you can reach your opponents,
then try to force them into the
path of your explosions, picking
them off until a sole survivor
remains. Up to eight players can
take part this time, fighting

48 presents Nintendo switch

 Super Bomberman R

Dinky, square arenas

lead to frantic
multiplayer fun. This
is set to be a
couchplay classic.

presents Nintendo switch 49

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 Puyo Puyo Tetris

Puyo Puyo Tetris

Building walls – the perfect way to make friends

D
rake and Josh. Knife and Developer Sonic to allow for mixed chains; Swap
fork. Gravity and idiots. Team switches the gametypes after a
There have been many Publisher Sega set length of time; Solo Arcade
great pairings Release Spring contains matches and endurance
throughout history, but against the CPU; and Sprint tasks
this remaster of the 2014 Japan- you with clearing a certain
only mashup might well stack up number of lines from your game
to be the best. On one side of the within a time limit.
screen: Puyo Puyo (which you
might know under its original UK Opposites attract
release name, Puyo Pop). On the
other: Tetris. Whoever scores the As in the best combinations, the
most points in their game wins. subtle differences between Puyo
Up to four players can join in, Puyo and Tetris complement one
and several game modes vary the another. The former is chaotic,
action. Fusion drops tetrominos like scooping water from a
into your puyo field and vice versa sinking boat, the latter’s ordered,
like demolishing a block of flats
with a hammer and chisel. It’s a
“On one side of the screen: killer combo, with Switch-only
Puyo Puyo. On the other: Tetris. additions including online A worlds-colliding
support, new characters, new story sees Amitie
Whoever scores the most skins for puyos and tetrominos,
and co team up to
solve the case of the
points in their game wins.” and fresh backgrounds. falling tetrominos.

presents Nintendo switch 51

Just Dance 2017

The dance moves are

appropriate for the
style and tempo of
each song, so Justin
Bieber dances are
different to Maroon
5, for example.

52 presents Nintendo switch

 Just Dance 2017

Just Dance 2017

Kick off your shoes and dance

J
ust Dance 2017 is a game Developer have to pull that move off – in momentary lapse into marketing
that needs no introduction. Ubisoft Paris time, as accurately as you can. You speak. Just Dance 2017 packs a
Not just because the last Publisher Ubisoft have to shuffle around, flail your truckload of songs (and yes,
outing, Just Dance 2016, Release Launch arms, spin around, punch the air, ‘truckload’ is an officially
sold roughly 87 million and do all sorts of moves that recognised unit of measurement).
copies (possible exaggeration). No, expose a near-criminal lack of Examples of songs included with
it’s because the series is called rhythm and co-ordination. the game are “Can’t Feel My Face”
Just Dance. That’s what you do in However, Just Dance 2017 is by The Weeknd, “Don’t Wanna
the game. Dance. In the same way lenient with its scoring, so you Know” by Maroon 5 and “Sorry”
that Mario could be called Just won’t feel bad about it. In fact, by Justin Bieber. If you’re
Jump or Street Fighter could be it’ll just push you to do even particularly sharp, you’ll have
called Just Fight, there’s nothing better next time, with a score at noticed ‘songs included with the
complicated about what you have the end of each song letting you game’ is an odd turn of phrase,
to do in Just Dance. You… well, track your performance. and that’s because you also get a
you just dance. You don’t need to buy any fancy free three-month subscription to
More to the point, you have to peripherals to play Just Dance. Just Dance Unlimited. This music
copy the dance moves on the You don’t even need an extra Joy- service adds over 200 tracks,
screen. A small boogieing including ‘How Deep Is Your Love’
silhouette in the corner indicates by Calvin Harris. New songs are
what the exact move is, and you “Six of you can dance at the added to the service all the time –
hence the name Just Dance
same time to the same song Unlimited. Ubisoft definitely got
without having to shell out the art of naming things spot on

any extra money.” here, didn’t it?

Switch yourself fit

Con. Thanks to voodoo magic cast
by the technological sorcerers Because Just Dance has been
who work at Ubisoft, you can use around for a while, Switch owners
your phone to play. You download will benefit from the developer
an app and it somehow, someway, having had time to add all sorts of
knows what your dance moves new bells and whistles to the
are. It means six of you can dance series over the years. You can
at the same time to the same song create ‘Sweat’ playlists so you can
without having to shell out any get fit while you dance, as the
extra money. You can take game tracks your time spent
pictures of the six of you in dancing and total calories burnt.
action, slap some fun filters on Or you can get serious about
the result and share them on your art. You can take on other
Facebook and Twitter to be dancers around the world via the
praised/mocked depending on online World Dance Floor mode,
your dancing skills. And if you or even collaborate and form a
really want to show off to the dance crew. There are
world, you can submit your tournaments you can take part in
dancing videos to Ubisoft, which and special prizes for the winner.
features the best efforts in a Whether you’ve got the moves
Community Remix video every like Jagger or you’re a budding
two months for all players to see. Bieber, Just Dance 2017 gives you
There’s no way to make a list of all the tools you need to turn your
songs exciting, so pardon the living room into a dancefloor.

presents Nintendo switch 53

arms

The most surprising

fighting game
of the year
launches this
spring

54 presents Nintendo switch

 arms

presents Nintendo switch 55

arms

T
en years since Wii’s Developer at the same time and you’ll
arrival, Nintendo has Nintendo attempt a grab; bring both hands
proved that motion Publisher together, as if offering up two fist
Nintendo
controls and depth bumps, and you’ll block incoming
needn’t be mutually ETA Spring attacks. When your meter’s full, a
exclusive. It turns out the answer tap of either trigger launches your
was staring – okay, smacking – us super, which gives you a few
in the face all along: the fighting seconds to unleash a frantic flurry
game is where austerity means of punches.
strategy, where a sparse selection Those are the building blocks,
of inputs is able, in the right the required fundamentals for the
hands, to give rise to spectacular, rock-paper-scissors design that
deeply tactical action. So it is with has powered the fighting game
Arms, Nintendo’s first new IP across the decades: block beats
since Splatoon, and a game that attack beats grab beats block.
puts a similarly silly, and There’s a simple kinetic thrill in
effective, spin on established just successfully performing these
genre conventions. basic moves – a punch that lands
The game is played with a Joy- feels all the better when you’ve
Con in each hand, and puts two actually thrown it – and the fact
characters in a succession of that you and your opponent are
enclosed 3D arenas. As is using motion controls adds a
tradition, each fighter has a delicious layer of tactical
health bar, and a super meter that awareness to proceedings, since a
fills as they deal and take watchful player will see an
damage. You move by tilting the incoming blow before the
controllers; the left shoulder on-screen animation has begun.
button performs a quick dash, and That’s assuming you can take
the right one a jump. Push a hand your eyes off the screen,
forwards and your character admittedly. While Arms is far
throws a punch with the from the fastest-paced fighting
appropriate arm; push both hands game around, it feels a lot more

56 presents Nintendo switch

 arms

Character
count
There may be only five spring-
sporting brawlers in the demo build
we played, but they’re varied even
before you start thinking about your
arm loadout. Springman is an all-
rounder with a lofty jump; Ribbon
Girl ticks the fast-but-weedy box;
and Master Mummy has a large
health pool, and can refill it while
blocking. Our early favourites,
however, are Ninjara, whose Blink-
like air dodge is a brilliant escape
option, and Mechanica, who blends
Overwatch’s D’Va and Marvel Vs
Capcom’s Sentinel: this mech-suited
girl can jump multiple times in
succession and even fly for a time.
All are unified by identical movesets,
including their combo-flurry super
moves – a sharp point of difference
from the command lists of
traditional fighting games.

presents Nintendo switch 57

arms

Jumping feels more powerful than in traditional

fighting games, due in part to the fact that you
can initiate a grab attempt on a grounded
opponent while airborne from just about
anywhere on screen.

The maps we see in

our demo are basic
in nature; this
staircase is about as
complex as they get.
Perhaps Nintendo
will experiment in
the final game but,
for our money, these
spaces’ austerity is
an asset.

58 presents
presentsNintendo
Nintendoswitch
switch
 arms

dynamic than it is, since your punching motion launching a Splatoon and Virtual On, among
quick little real-world jabs are blow that arcs out, then back in, others – nothing quite hits the
translated into lengthy making it harder for an opponent mark. This is a singular game,
animations as telescopic arms are to counter. The distance of Arms’ easy to understand but deeply
flung across the arena. While engagements also means tactical, the blend of accessibility
presumably designed to mask any Nintendo can be creative in and complexity that is the
delay between the start of a weapon design: each character fighting game’s holy grail. We
player’s punch and it being can choose between three punch leave our demo reluctantly,
replicated on the screen, it also types for each hand, the selection hungry for more.
affords little tweaks to the going from spring-loaded boxing In a running theme for Switch’s
fighting game’s tactical formula. gloves to homing missiles via software lineup, content is a
If two punches meet in mid- lobster claws and buzzsaws. concern. Just five characters are
screen, they’ll cancel each other The results are intoxicating, and available in the build we play, and
out, like projectiles clashing in a while comparisons as we go to press Nintendo has
game of Street Fighter and spring to mind – yet to confirm if more will
fizzling out. The same will Punch-Out, feature in the final
happen if both players try game. With that in
to throw at the same time. mind, price becomes
As such, movement is key, an issue, especially
since a dash or jump can given the fact that
change your angle of playing Arms in local
attack, reducing the threat multiplayer will
of a punch being cancelled necessitate the
out and countered. purchase of an extra set
There are further of expensive Joy-Con
benefits to fighting from controllers. The game is
such range, ensuring this playable without motion,
is more than just a game using the sticks and
in which two powered- buttons of a Pro controller
up Dhalsims do battle or Joy-Con, but it simply
in silly costumes. wouldn’t be the same.
Punches can be bent There is no more resounding
like football free- endorsement of a motion-
kicks, a curved controlled game than that.

presents Nintendo switch 59

Yooka-Laylee

Yooka-Laylee
Has Playtonic crafted the feelgood hit of the spring?

O
riginally penned to Developer later release date. Those who know exactly what we mean.)
launch on Wii U Playtonic Games preorder on Xbox One, PC or PS4 Then there are the myriad puns,
alongside versions for Publisher Team17 now will be given access to the quips, single- and double-
other consoles in April, Release 2017 Toybox, a prototype world entendres that litter the script –
developer Playtonic designed to showcase the game’s even if it’s not quite the barrage it
Games has changed plans and is controls and systems, which was was in earlier builds. Writer Andy
now working on a version for previously available only to Robinson describes the editing
Nintendo Switch. The game owes Kickstarter backers. It’s a bold process as “slightly soul
a debt to the 3D platformers built choice in many respects, but it destroying” , but admits that a
by its makers when Rare was in also demonstrates Playtonic’s little dad-joking goes a long way.
its N64 prime, and the studio’s confidence in the core of its new Exchanges are now brisker and
much-anticipated, part- game. Few players, once they’ve less self-indulgent, and funnier as
crowdfunded debut feels like it spent some time rolling and a result, while some near-the-
truly belongs on a Nintendo leaping around this inchoate knuckle gags have been excised.
platform. After spending some sandbox, will be asking for their
time with the latest PC build, money back. Collection point
we’re confident that less capable It feels good, then, which is half
hardware would surely have the battle with a platformer. And Otherwise, Yooka-Laylee is
meant technical compromises. it undeniably captures the spirit defined less by the Rare favourites
Gamers who backed the project of its late-’90s forerunners, from it resembles, and more by how
for its Wii U incarnation will be the cast of outlandish characters much it builds upon their classic
offered the game on another Poor old Dr Puzz and their babbling speech shared formula. Yes, there are
here had an accident
platform. You can opt to get it on with her DNRay. patterns to the custom typeface various collectibles, but finding
PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac or Linux However, she’s the used for dialogue. (Long-term them gives you more than just a
boffin who helps
on 11 April, or to Nintendo Switch, Yooka and Laylee Nintendo fans with fond virtual pat on the back. Quills
though that version will have a transform. memories of Banjo-Kazooie will aren’t just squirrelled away in
hidden nooks, but scattered in
places designed to draw the eye or
to encourage feats of skill. The
HUD is conspicuous by its
absence; collectibles will be
acknowledged in the top right of
the screen when you grab them,
but otherwise it’s refreshingly
clutter-free. As such, you can take
in the full scale of these sprawling
stages, which combine size and
detail in a way that would’ve been
impossible on N64.
The lack of a mini-map is
another surprise. Anyone
accustomed to being led by the
nose will be shocked that there
are no giant flashing mission
markers, glowing breadcrumb
trails or waypoints to help guide
them. Playtonic is confident that
its players are smart and curious
enough to find their way around.
That naturally extends to how you

60 presents Nintendo switch

 Yooka-Laylee
xxxxxxxxxxx

“Exchanges are now brisker

and less self-indulgent, and
funnier as a result.”

progress through the game – which you’ll exchange for Pagies

whether you spend the Pagies with an unscrupulous banker.
you’ve obtained to unlock later We’re keen to see more, but
worlds or maximise the current Playtonic is playing coy. It’s not
one; whether you’re a casual about hiding weaknesses, creative
This fellow takes his
tourist or a die-hard completist. lead Gavin Price insists, but role as a one-armed
You’ll be able to take things at maintaining the element of bandit a little too
seriously. Each of the
your own pace, in other words, surprise for backers who’d rather casino’s machines has
but we discover that’s not entirely go in cold. its own quirks, which
you’ll have to learn
true when a developer is keen to Not everything works so well.
before they’ll pay out.
show you the highlights: An angry golem, the boss of first
Robinson intervenes more than world, Tribalstack Tropics, gives
once when we spend a little too us some trouble until we realise
long hunting down Quills. Yooka’s uphill momentum can be
A whistle-stop tour around a arrested, increasing the height of
later level, a tackily extravagant his jump: a counterintuitive
casino, demonstrates a pleasing moment. It still looks great,
willingness to vary the pace. though. We’ll be waiting for the
Here, you’ll earn tokens by Switch version, because this feels
completing games and activities, perfect for a Nintendo console.

presents Nintendo switch 61

LEGO worlds
Lego Worlds

Lego Worlds
Traveller’s Tales builds on Lego’s creative side

T
hink of the ideal Lego Developer any kind of survival element, of player feedback; its controls
game and it’s likely that Traveller’s Tales which rather confused players at and features have been greatly
none of the instalments Publisher Warner first. Instead, exploration was refined, and a good deal of new
in Traveller’s Tales’ long- Bros Interactive largely driven by finding items content, from tools and weapons
Entertainment
running series of block- which, once found, appeared in to biomes and blocks, have now
ETA Feb 24
smashing 3D platformers fits the players’ menus of objects they been added.
bill. Not to take away from their could place in the world. Steam Still, Lego Worlds feels of the
incredible success, but the games players soon complained that same lineage as Lego Star Wars. It
have only barely scratched the there wasn’t enough to do, that has the same floaty jump and
surface of the creative medium on the game lacked direction, and punch controls, four hearts, and
which they’re based. Then that there were no threats or that beguiling plasticky rattle as
Minecraft came along and seemed crafting systems. you collect studs. Despite its debut
to beat Lego at its own game. Early Access has been a critical on Steam, Traveller’s Tales has
But on June 1, 2015, Lego Worlds process for a game that has kept its eye firmly on the players
was simultaneously announced imposed a very different way of who have appreciated Lego titles
and released on Steam Early working upon Traveller’s Tales. most so far: the parent and child.
Access. This open sandbox game, It’s taken three years to make, “There aren’t that many games
set in procedurally generated compared to under a year like the that do it still,” executive producer
worlds, allowed free shaping of developer’s other Lego titles. Loz Doyle tells us.
the land, placing prefab Sophisticated tech had to be But Steam players’ call for a
constructions such as houses, and developed that could manage greater sense of direction have
bespoke, brick-by-brick hundreds of thousands of bricks caused one important course
constructions. While this focus on in the world, all of which could be correction. Traveller’s Tales was
building seemed to place it close removed, added to, or blown up. quick to quash any hopes for a
to Minecraft, its intentions were The game has undergone constant survival game on the game’s
quite different. It entirely lacked iteration and updating as a result forums: “It wasn’t right for this

62 presents
presentsNintendo
Ninetendo
switch
switch
 LEGO Worlds
lego worlds

“You might be asked to

build a castle, and there
are procedural dungeons
to be discovered too”

Lego Worlds features local multiplayer for two people

on console and PC, with support for four players online
on PC. Online play on consoles will be limited to two
from launch, with more set to be added later.

game, for the way we wanted to golden bricks, the key to the
go, for kids to do what they want,” progression system. You start the
Doyle says. But quests and game on a small island which
progression systems are coming, takes only 30 or 40 seconds to
all procedurally generated. “So traverse, but with golden bricks
the player has to work for them a you can power up your rocket and
bit more, rather than just walking blast off from this world to a new,
up to a character,” Doyle says, larger one, with the ultimate aim
giving the example of coming of becoming a ‘master builder’.
across a wizard who might want With so many months in Early
you to give him a dragon’s egg. So Access under Worlds’ belt, it’s
you’ll need to defeat a dragon, but doubtful it’ll have put a foot
that’s only possible if you can get wrong for what it’s trying to
a gold sword. achieve. It’s a Lego sandbox in
Or you might be asked to paint a which you can build and play with
house or build a castle, and there the same blend of accessibility
are procedural dungeons to be and promise that underpins the
discovered, too, featuring locked greater Lego series. And it’s not
chests and traps to avoid. Succeed simply a Minecraft clone. For
and you’ll be rewarded with that, it’s all the stronger.

presents
presentsNinetendo
Nintendo switch 63
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder
Scrolls V: Skyrim
From the dungeons to the mountains…

F
US-RO-DAH. Skyrim’s Developer blunt-force warrior. You can
famous war cry unites Bethesda develop other skills too.
anyone who has ever Publisher Blacksmiths can create their own
picked up a pad, as all Bethesda armour, for example, while
gamers recognise it as the Release Q3 2017 alchemists can make their own
sound of the powerful in-game potions. Do you want to use
spell that blasts away anyone and strength potions to punch your
anything in your path. It became way through the entire game
the soundtrack to a thousand viral using your bare hands? It’s
videos, the crescendo of the epic difficult, but it can be done.
title theme, and the concussive It’s not just the gameplay that’s
force that sent your followers varied either. Your adventure is
tumbling down a snow-specked too. You’ll journey across reaches
mountain when playing Skyrim far and wide, battling skeletons in
itself. Bellowing FUS-RO-DAH, in dark dungeons, defending small
case you haven’t worked it out, is towns from dragon attacks,
a lot of fun. scaling mountains to reach monk strangely appealing. Yet there’s
Nintendo fans will get to FUS- sanctuaries, and wading across bigger news here besides a
RO-DAH their way through giant rivers when you’re too lazy portable version of Skyrim
Skyrim’s world for the first time, to find the bridge. If this all making its gaming bow. It also
thanks to its Switch release. sounds a bit too sober and serious helps that this will also be the
Skyrim is the story of you versus for your tastes, the moment-to- Special Edition of Skyrim. It
an enormous dragon known as moment gameplay provides lots means Switch owners will be
Alduin, also known as the World- of laughs. You can attack a giant getting the enhanced graphics of
Eater (because as a name, Alduin and lead it to a bandit camp, the recent rerelease on Xbox One
obviously doesn’t make it clear before hiding and watching the and PS4 rather than the slightly
how powerful he is). You discover chaos unfurl. You can put buckets worn, slightly tattered original.
on the heads of shopkeepers, so The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has
they can’t see you stealing apples. rightfully earned its place in
“Skyrim’s huge world, epic You can lead your loyal followers gaming’s hall of fame. Its huge
into traps and pratfalls in world, epic storyline, and
storyline, and unpredictable dungeons, just because you can. unpredictable gameplay make it
gameplay make it an Skyrim’s world is a giant medieval an all-time classic. Most of all,

all-time classic.” sandbox to play around in. It

might be powered by the drama of
Skyrim has a bittersweet,
enchanting atmosphere that no
its world but you’ll stay glued to games outside of series can
your true lineage and unlock your the pad by the way it consistently match. The world is packed with
dormant powers throughout the rewards your curiosity and life but achingly lonely, as you
game, which means you also get ambition with surprising results. venture through by yourself. The
the chance to shape your “We can play Skyrim on the music is uplifting but sad, hinting
adventurer. This is where the move!” was one of the loudest at the turmoil and tragedy
initial hook of Skyrim lies. As you reactions to Bethesda’s RPG being inflicted on the world. It makes
find your feet in its massive announced for Switch, and the Skyrim an unusual game in
world, you can take your first thought of playing Skyrim on the Nintendo’s bright and colorful
tentative steps as anything from bus/toilet/slumped on the sofa universe, adding a new dimension
a powerful sorcerer to a distant covered in crisps shards (delete as to your Switch library alongside
archer to a sneaky thief to a appropriate, we won’t judge) is the worlds of Zelda and Mario.

64 presents Nintendo switch

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Images courtesy of PS4/Xbox One version of Skyrim

There’s a massive
world to explore in
Skyrim, with lots of
areas that each have
their own distinct
history and
personality.

presents Nintendo switch 65

 Snipperclips

Snipperclips
Chop till you drop in this crafty co-op puzzler

Y
ou and a friend control Developer the right place to snip the correct
Snip and Clip, two shapes Nintendo bits – thankfully you can reset
with an apparent death Publisher your body if it goes wrong by
wish. You see, when they Nintendo pressing the D-pad left. Then you
overlap you can press the Release March rotate your bodies using SL and SR
D-pad right and make them cut and both get into position to
chunks out of each other. This create the shape demanded by the
deleted area can be anything from level, such as a heart or a toucan.
a thin sliver to a massive slab,
leaving behind little more than a Cut scene
pair of cowboy boots. But there’s
a bigger, friendlier goal here – It gets rather more devious when
you’ll use your new gaps to solve the physics puzzles come along.
puzzles together. Each level adds new challenges,
Things start off such as having to dunk a very
straightforwardly. You busy bouncy basketball in a net. First,
yourselves with overlapping in we duck down to allow our friend
to jump on our head and slice, the
shape of his rounded bum
“We duck down to allow our forming a basketball-sized
The cutting is just
friend to jump on our head and groove. Now we can catch the ball the start – the real
in that dent, gently walk right, fun comes when you
slice, his rounded bum forming and jump to throw it. A fun co-op
interact, working
together to lift, push,
a basketball-sized groove.” game that makes the cut. or throw.

presents Nintendo switch 67

Has-Been
The Legend
Heroes
of Zelda: the wind waker

Learning to rotate
lanes between your
party members at
the right time is the
key to success in
Has-Been Heroes.

68 presents
presentsNintendo
Ninetendo
switch
switch
 Has-Been Heroes

Has-Been Heroes
Put your thinking helmets on

S
witch’s library caters for Developer down the screen and you have to adapt rapidly because Has-Been
every type of gamer. Frozenbyte rotate your party between each of Heroes is a rogue-like game,
Those after high-speed Publisher the lanes to defeat them. which means permadeath. When
thrills can play Fast RMX. GameTrust It sounds easy enough, and character dies, they’re gone.
Adventurers can choose Release March 28 certainly seems easy enough to Forever. All that time you spent
between The Legend of Zelda or begin with, as you move party levelling them up, pouring
Skyrim. Switch owners who want members around when it’s their experience points into them…
to lay the smackdown on their turn to attack. The difficulty lost. It makes Has-Been Heroes a
friends have Ultra Street Fighter comes when stronger monsters really tense affair when you head
II. But what about those who love appear and you begin to feel the into a difficult battle.
to use their brains as much as pressure, as the screen fills with
their virtual brawn? Which game more and more enemies for you to Beens means fights
caters for the armchair generals take out. You encounter enemies
who prefer strategy as their who can attack from distance, You do have help on your side. The
weapon of choice? plus enemies that are only weak game auto-pauses every time you
Has-Been Heroes has taken up to certain attacks or spells (such attack, which gives you a chance
the quest of filling that niche. It’s as the yetis made from ice, who to review your tactics and assess
not a serious game by any means the situation. Or, more often than
– the plot is that you have to not, just to take a breather from
escort the King’s twin daughters “The difficulty comes when the action. You also have a wide
to Princess Academy – but it’s range of special moves on your
definitely a challenging one. The
stronger monsters appear side, depending on your hero. The
game takes place in three lanes, and you begin to feel the mage, for example, can use debuff
with a mage, a thief, and a warrior
each taking position in a lane.
pressure as the screen fills.” moves such as Curse of Frost,
which freezes an enemy in place
Waves of monsters slowly amble for five seconds following a
you encounter in the mountains) successful attack, or Doublestrike,
and before long, you’ll start losing which allows for a stronger
hair through the stress of trying follow-up attack. Keeping in line
to keep up with it all. And that’s with the ridiculous plot – don’t
before you even get to bosses, forget, you’re escorting a pair of
who have the nastiest tricks of junior royals to Princess Academy,
all, such as summoning shadow not saving the world from
versions of themselves who can menacing evil – some of the
kill you in one hit… spells are ridiculous. The warrior
Has-Been Heroes isn’t designed can throw a hot potato at the
as a game where you can enemy, which burns them for a
memorise what’s coming next few seconds. Because why not?
and learn to plan in that manner. Has-Been Heroes doesn’t have
Each map is randomly generated, the looks to compete with the
so you’ll never get the same upper tier of Switch titles, nor
experience twice. As you play, does it have the flashy combat to
you’ll also discover over 300 get disbelieving eyes popping out
spells and 200 items to use, with of skulls. But very close to the
12 heroes to choose from for your console’s launch it fills a niche
party. So the trick isn’t that no other Switch title does
memorising what’s coming next and with the developers
but learning how to be flexible, so promising 300 hours of gameplay,
you can quickly adapt to any you should definitely get your
situation. You need to learn to money’s worth.

presents Nintendo switch 69

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley
Outstanding in its field

W
ho knew farming Developer outside. Eventually this leads to continuing to push out further
could be so much ConcernedApe you buying seeds to plant, and further into the reaches of
fun? No-one. Even Publisher watering crops, and then selling Stardew Valley.
farmers didn’t know. Chucklefish Games the fruit and vegetables that grow.
The thought of Release 2017 So far, so simple. Yet these Pick yourself a winner
waking up before 6am to head humble beginnings lead to a
outside and shovel dirt to dig much bigger adventure. The more you explore, the more
crops in is abhorrent to… well, As you earn money, you can buy fascinating secrets and side
just about everyone who doesn’t more equipment for your farm, stories you discover along the
wear overalls and a straw hat for a more seeds, then earn more way. From bears in the woods to
living. And yet somehow, Stardew money. You can explore the world UFOs, from the ancient fruit
Valley has taken laborious of Stardew Valley, meeting the greenhouse to the journey of the
farming and turned it into one of eccentric residents of the town, prairie kings, from hidden Santas
the most compelling, addictive who all have their own stories to to the mystery of the merpeople,
games ever made. tell. Some of them will ask for Stardew Valley is stuffed with all
But how? The opening of your help and completing these sorts of goodies for enterprising
Stardew Valley doesn’t give much side-quests will yield rewards. players to pick out. And
away about the captivating You can even romance residents underneath it all is the farming
adventure that lies ahead. You of the town and marry them if that brings you back time and
start by inheriting a run-down you give them enough gifts – how time again, as you learn to
farm from your grandfather. It’s life-like! You build your own manage the seasons, the day/
falling apart and surrounded by house alongside your farm, filling night cycle, and your own energy
soil overrun by weeds. Your first it with furniture of your choice level. It’s not just planting crops
task is to breathe life back into (including rare one-off items if and watching them grow either –
broken farm, slowly repairing it you manage to find them, such as there’s fishing, foraging, looking
and digging up the ground a crystal chair), all while after livestock, and mining too.
You learn how to craft new items
with the resources you find,
whether it’s an aesthetic addition
for your farm or a sword to tackle
monsters in distant caves. There’s
always something to do in
Stardew Valley, and that’s what
made it a surprise smash hit when
it was first released.
What’s more remarkable is this
has been painstakingly put
together by just one man, Eric
Barone. Eric was inspired by his
love of the Harvest Moon series,
and with no new Harvest Moon
games on the horizon, he set
about making his own farming
game. After many years of hard
work – coding the game, making
the graphics, working out the
mechanics, doing literally
everything – the end result is
Stardew Valley. It might not have
the epic scale of The Legend of

70 presents Nintendo switch

 Stardew Valley

“It’s not just planting crops and

watching them grow – there’s
fishing, foraging, and mining too.”

Zelda or the high-end drama of

Although it doesn’t
Skyrim but Stardew Valley feels have powerhouse
like a more personable adventure. graphics in the
traditional gaming
You get to craft your farm as you sense, the attention to
see fit, and soon you feel like detail makes Stardew
Valley look pretty.
you’re having fun in a playground
crafted by your hand.
There aren’t any new additions
for the Switch outing of Stardew
Valley but arguably, it won’t need
them. This isn’t a game that lives
and dies on a plethora of game
modes or by pushing
technological boundaries. Stardew
Valley is a game that proves
sometimes, the best things come
in small packages.

presents Nintendo switch 71

Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers

Ultra Street Fighter II:

The Final Challengers
Round two… fight!

M
ultiplayer gaming Developer hilariously-named Violent Ken. Ken, sports a wicked grin and
doesn’t get much Capcom Unless you are really into fighting rocks wild stumbled-out-of-bed
better than fighting Publisher Capcom games, to the point where you live hair. In terms of story, he’s been
games. Two players, ETA 2017 in practice mode and call brainwashed by M.Bison and now
one stage, best of crouching light kick “c.LK” , then has M.Bison’s Psycho Power
three rounds. It’s a genre that has Evil Ryu will play much like flowing through him. In terms of
been around almost as long as regular vanilla Ryu. He’s picked gameplay, Violent Ken has a
gaming itself. So long, in fact, up a few tricks from Akuma, in brand-new command dash, which
that Ultra Street Fighter II: The the form of a teleport, a fancy lets him slip past fireballs and
Final Challengers isn’t as new as new air hurricane kick, and stay in his opponent’s face, while
it might initially seem. Final Akuma’s notorious Raging Demon his super move is a rush of
Challengers is a new version of attacks that ends with a flaming
Super Street Fighter II Turbo shoryuken. Violent Ken has
Remix, which itself was a modern “If you’re not sure which cropped up before, bringing his
update of Super Street Fighter II wild hair and devilish grin to
Turbo, which was originally
fighter you prefer out of Evil fighting game curio SNK vs
released back in 1994. In gaming Ryu and Violent Ken, you Capcom: Chaos, but this is the
years, this is the equivalent of
Ryu’s teacher Sheng Long, a wise
can use them as a team.” first time we’ll be seeing him in a
mainstream Street Fighter game.
old grand master returning to If you’re not sure which fighter
show the young pretenders just super, but he’s still largely the you prefer out of Evil Ryu and
how it’s done. same fireballing, shoryukening Violent Ken, you can use them
The main addition to this outing warrior he’s always been. Just both as a team. Dramatic Battle
are the two new faces, the Final evil. Obviously. has been brought in from Street
Challengers referenced in the Violent Ken, as opposed to who Fighter Alpha 3, and this mode
game’s title: Evil Ryu and the we can only assume is Peaceful pits two fighters versus one at the

72 presents
presentsNintendo
Ninetendo
switch
switch
 Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers
xxxxxxxxxxx

Street Fighter II has endured

this long for a reason – it is
multiplayer perfection.

same time. It’s something of a that help make Ultra Street

novelty mode, because it removes Fighter II easier to play, rounding
the strategy in favour of it into a more appealing package
throwaway chaos, but it’s still fun for newcomers. Don’t worry
to play around with Dramatic about how you’re going to play it,
Battle because of the new combo either. While Street Fighter pros
potential it opens up. Think about will opt for Hori’s upcoming
Evil Ryu on one side of your arcade stick for Switch, Ultra
opponent, Violent Ken on the Street Fighter II works just as well
other, and the sort of combos you with single Joy-Con, both Joy-
can do when your opponent is Cons or the Pro Controller.
unable to block. It will almost It might be an updated version
certainly be the bedrock of crazy of an old game but it doesn’t look
combo compilations on YouTube. or feel like it. From its new
Street Fighter veterans will characters to its Dramatic Battle
notice other slight changes under mode to the time-tested
the hood. You can tech out of multiplayer fun of the gameplay
throw attempts, which wasn’t itself, Ultra Street Fighter II: The
possible in previous versions, and Final Challengers has something
the combo window has been everyone can enjoy. It even has
widened. Neither of these are evil and violence. How many
huge changes but they’re ones fighting games can boast that?

presents
presentsNinetendo
Nintendo switch 73
 the k ids
ge t olved!
inv PACKED
FULL OF
REE
F TS!
GIF

d
Learn to buiL
Like me!

E n O w !
On S A L
myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/kids
 New issue on sale now
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Try two free issues of the iPad edition today – search “Edge” in the App Store
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and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
Fast RMX

Fast RMX
F-Zero in all but name

W
hen Nintendo had its Developer the futuristic racer genre (not that
glitzy Switch event Shin’en Multimedia the genre is crowded these days).
to show its new Publisher If anything, Fast RMX takes its
console off to the Shin’en Multimedia cues from PlayStation’s famous
world, the Release Launch WipEout series rather than
company’s fans had their fingers, Nintendo’s F-Zero series. If you’ve
toes, eyebrows, and everything played Fast Racing Neo on Wii U,
else crossed for a new F-Zero. The you will notice a lot of tracks have
futuristic racer set pulses racing returned alongside plenty of new
on SNES and GameCube but has circuits, bringing the total
been dormant since Game Boy number of tracks to 30. The studio
Advance’s F-Zero Climax for says it’s rebuilt the game from the
2004. Switch’s event yielded a ground up to take advantage of
brightly coloured racer, where you Switch’s power, and that’s clear in
blaze around futuristic tracks at the huge number of visual
eye-peeling speed, but it isn’t improvements made since Fast
F-Zero. It’s a brand-new game Racing Neo popped onto Wii U’s
called Fast RMX. digital store.
It’s the third game in the Fast
Racing League series, following The frame game
Fast RMX is going to be an easy
“A brightly coloured racer, choice for Switch owners looking
for a game that make quieten
where you blaze around cynics about the console’s power.
futuristic tracks at eye- It runs at 60fps and 1080p when owners are likely to spend most of

peeling speed.” docked, switching to 720p when

playing it on the move. That’s
their time. The developer says it
spent a year working on the
fairly impressive, given the controls to make sure racing feels
on from Fast Racing Neo on Wii U blistering speed of the Fast RMX right; that’s tricky to do when
as an evolution of that game. One gameplay, but that’s not what there’s no real-world equivalent
gameplay mechanic that makes really stands out here. Fast RMX of a race-car that hovers around
Fast RMX stand out is colour also supports four player split- the track. There’s also the
switching. Each track has dots or screen, while keeping the action benefits of the Switch hardware
strips that are coloured blue or running at 60fps. That’s the sort itself, as HD Rumble means you
orange. You need to match the of technological sorcery that can ‘feel’ where the bumps and
colour of your engine to the colour would have you throwing your collisions are coming from. The
that you’re driving over for a Switch into the nearest duckpond slick control and HD Rumble
speed boost. Get the colours to see if it floats. It’s an absolute should make the online modes
wrong, and you’ll slow down marvel, and particularly praise- more engaging, as you can
instead. Imagine a racing game worthy given split-second is concentrate on your battle against
take on Ikaruga and you can see something of an afterthought (if other players without anything to
how panicked and frantic colour- we get it at all) in most games distract you.
changing will become when these days. As further proof of It might not be F-Zero, but Fast
you’ve already got the track how much effort has gone into it, RMX doesn’t have to be. It has its
layout, aggressive opponents, and each player in split-screen can own unique gameplay identity, a
your own ridiculous speed to customise their own controls. plethora of game modes, and
contend with. There are also track Not that online modes have some of the hottest graphics on
hazards you need to avoid, been neglected: the eight-player Switch. What else could you want
something that isn’t often seen in online racing is where Fast RMX from a launch title?

76 presents Nintendo switch

 Yooka-Laylee
Fast RMX

Not only does Fast

RMX support four
players on split-
screen, it keeps the
action running at
60fps too.

presents Nintendo switch 77

I Am Legend
The Setsunaof Zelda: the wind waker

Exploring
underground tombs
and caverns will
yield treasure, if
you’re prepared to
search every nook
and cranny.

78 presents
presentsNintendo
Nintendoswitch
switch
 I Am Setsuna

I Am Setsuna
Back to the old-school

R
PGs are lavish games. Developer despite being an RPG, I Am pore of the game, conveyed by the
They’re multi-million- Tokyo RPG Factory Setsuna is nothing like that. heroine’s planned doom, the
dollar projects that Publisher That is precisely why it’s so isolated world, the haunting piano
encompass epic stories, Square Enix appealing. I Am Setsuna is music, and the muted colours. It
huge battles, and Release Launch stripping back the excess of the doesn’t blow you away with
cutscenes that would make modern-day RPG in a throwback bombast or draw you in with its
Hollywood directors flush with to the genre from ye olde SNES upbeat drama, nor does it push
envious anger. When you play era. Without an enormous world you towards the next expensive
one, you could find yourself to get lost in or eye-melting set-piece, eager to strap you into
exploring enormous underground graphics to rely on, I Am Setsuna a linear rollercoaster of cutscenes.
caverns teeming with creepy puts its faith entirely in its story, Instead, it allows you to soak up
skeletons or tackling enormous its characters, and its gameplay. its unique atmosphere at your
dragons on cloud-piercing Those are the three essential own pace, as you poke and prod
mountains. RPGs are the biggest, pillars that form the basis on any around I Am Setsuna’s lonely and
boldest games around, designed good RPG, no matter what era it’s mournful world.
to make publishers’ accountants from, and it’s refreshing to see an
look at their development budget RPG that displays such confidence Guess your wait
spreadsheets and cry. And yet, in the foundations of the genre.
I Am Setsuna is also a throwback
to older RPGs with its gameplay
“It doesn’t blow you away mechanics too. The tried-and-
tested Active Time Battle system,
with bombast. Instead, it where you wait for a meter to fill
allows you to soak up its up before you can attack, cast

unique atmosphere.” magic, or use a special combat

ability, has been brought in for I
Am Setsuna. Instead of attacking
The story follows Setsuna, a straight away when your meter is
maiden who has been selected as full, you can wait for a team-
a sacrifice to appease the angry mate’s meter to fill as well, so you
demons who are attacking a can combine both of your abilities
snowy island. Accompanied by a for a stronger attack. Is it worth
mercenary, a traveller, and a risking holding off on a normal
soldier, Setsuna has to journey to attack for a stronger combined
the far reaches of the world where attack? Learning when to attack is
the sacrifice will take place. It’s one of the keys to mastering the
no spoiler to say her journey isn’t combat in I Am Setsuna.
straightforward, as you slowly If you’ve just plucked your
learn more about Setsuna, her factory-fresh Switch from its
companions, and the world you’re packaging and want an RPG to
trying to save. make your new console sweat, the
Because I Am Setsuna hasn’t mind-boggling ambition of The
been made on an eye-watering Legend Of Zelda or sweeping,
budget, it’s given the developers dragon-baiting drama of Skyrim
more room to try something a are better choices. But if you are
little different. In this instance, after something different from
they have made I Am Setsuna a the genre, something that keeps
‘sad’ RPG, one that has a its gameplay low-key and
sorrowful atmosphere. The nostalgic, I Am Setsuna will
melancholy seeps through every definitely fit the bill.

presents Nintendo switch 79

rime

Rime
Back to the island

I
t’s perhaps unfortunate for Developer fox, which will help you along seconds later. Some puzzles will
Rime that it will be released Tequila Works your adventure, among other only unlock during the night,
so close to the blockbuster Publisher Grey animals and strange ruins. It’s while others will need the light of
that is a new Zelda game – Box Games not yet totally clear how the fox the sun for a solution, adding an
after all, the two games look Release TBC 2017 will help you on your adventures, extra level of depth.
similar, feature a young but we suspect he’ll act both as a There are also platforming
adventurer exploring a lush land, partner in some of the puzzles, sections mixed in with the
and feature puzzles and and as a hint system, to help to puzzles, odd machines powered
exploration extensively. However, point you in the right direction if by who-knows-what, a peculiar
what excites us about Rime isn’t you get stuck. We suspect that figure in a cloak that pops up
its similarities to the Zelda will happen a fair amount, too, repeatedly in the game’s trailer,
franchise; it’s the differences. after seeing some of the more and beautiful views to just sit and
The game will undoubtedly be than 500 puzzles that the ruins gaze at adoringly. The island’s
likened to Zelda – if not Breath of provide. At the centre of these design was inspired by
the Wild for its colour, then to The strange ruins is a huge, Mediterranean landscapes, and
Wind Waker for its island foreboding tower that might just beautiful, serene music will make
location. But Rime promises to be hold the secret to the island, and you wish you were actually there,
a much more intimate, more to why the boy washed up there… running along a beach in the sun.
isolated experience. It tells the To reach it, you’ll use sound, It’s packed with secrets, too –
tale of a young boy mysteriously light and perspective to change artefacts and collectibles are
shipwrecked on an island with the world around you. Some dotted across the island, and
more strange structures and puzzles will only reveal while collecting them will be
This is the young boy
buildings that you can shake a that you control in themselves from the right angles, totally optional, finding them will
magical conductor’s baton at. Rime. The only way while others will be activated uncover more of the boy’s story.
to find out more
As you explore the island as this about him is through with a shout. Most interesting of We already know we’ll spend
young boy, you meet a friendly exploration. all are the interactive elements hours looking for these, just to
that control time itself – as you find out who the boy is and how
push a boulder around a circular he came to be washed up in such
platform, you’ll realise that you a strange place.
are literally fast forwarding the Few games have kept fans
clock as the moon flies past waiting as long as Rime. The
overhead and the sun rises game was originally announced in
2013 as a PS4 exclusive, but almost
immediately it went totally off the
radar. Then, in 2016, Sony pulled
its publishing deal, and we started
hearing about the game again.
Now we finally know that Rime is
going to be a multiplatform
release, and is scheduled to land
on Nintendo Switch some time in
2017 – unfortunately we still don’t
know exactly when, despite it
releasing on Xbox One and PS4 in
May. We’re happy to wait a little
longer if needed, though; we’re
just excited at the prospect of
playing what is shaping up to be
one of the best puzzling
adventure games of the year.

80 presents Nintendo switch

 rime

“There are platforming

sections mixed in with
the puzzles… It’s packed
with secrets, too.”

Some puzzles will

literally fast forward
or rewind time,
allowing you to solve
different puzzles.

presents Nintendo switch 81

shovel knight

Shovel Knight
Can you dig it?

I
n the absence of a certain Developer tricky jumps and tough boss game and its expansive DLC
Italian plumber at launch, Yacht Club Games fights will test even the most packs. On other consoles, players
Switch is looking surprisingly Publisher Yacht seasoned players when you push could purchase Shovel Knight,
light on the platforming Club Games up the difficulty. and then got access to all the DLC
front. Thankfully, Shovel ETA March 2017 The story in the main campaign for free. To date, we’ve seen two
Knight will help you scratch that will be unchanged for the Switch story-based expansions from
itch with some delightfully old- release, following Shovel Knight Yacht Club Games, each adding
school design. as he attempts to defeat the evil new levels, and allowing you to
This isn’t exactly the biggest Enchantress and save his love, explore parallel storylines from
news – Shovel Knight has Shield Knight. Along the way he some of Shovel Knight’s dastardly
already been released on must face off against The foes. The first, Plague of Shadows,
pretty much every console Order of No Quarter, a was released in 2015, and saw
you can think of – but it’s collection of other knights players take on the role of Plague
certainly a bonus for those who have been dispatched Knight. In March, alongside
worried about the quality of by the Enchantress to stop Switch’s release, players will also
Switch’s launch lineup. him. Along the way, he be able to play through the
Shovel Knight was one of meets a colourful range of Specter of Torment campaign as
the games of the year in characters, digs up a dragon- Specter Knight.
2014, combining classic pleasing amount of treasure, However, with the launch of
gameplay and beautiful and can buy upgrades to help Shovel Knight on Switch, Yacht
pixel graphics to create him survive. Club Games is changing the way
an experience that took The Switch version of the game is distributed entirely.
us right back to our NES the game brings The original game will be
days. Everything from the with it a new renamed Shovel Knight: Shovel Of
world map to the enemy way to buy Hope, and players will be able to
design ooze character, while and play the buy it on its own. Each DLC pack

82 presents
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Nintendoswitch
switch
 shovel
xxxxxxxxxxx
knight

The Plague Knight

DLC offers a whole
new character, with
unique moves and
new levels.

will also be available as a separate coming to the Switch version of

game, so if you’ve already played Shovel Knight – previously this
Shovel Knight’s main campaign was limited to the Wii U version
and just want to explore the DLC of the game, but it’s the perfect fit
stories on your Switch, for for Switch when you consider the
example, you can choose to just two Joy-Con in the box. Without
buy those you want. Alternatively, any extra kit, you’ll be able to
you can buy all of the above (and jump into the campaign with a
future expansions) in one, in the buddy, which is pretty cool. Add
form of Shovel Knight: Treasure in the Battle Mode DLC that will
Trove, for $24.99. be available later this year and
Oh, and in case all of that isn’t you’ve got a really decent pack of
confusing enough for you, there content making its way to Switch.
are a few other updates that will If you haven’t played Shovel
be released for the game. The first Knight already (where have you
is a ‘Body Swap’ mode, which been?), this is a great time to dive
includes redesigned sprites and in, but even if you have there’s
animations for body-swapped probably a DLC pack you’d be
versions of the main characters. interested in when the game
Two-player co-op will also be launches in March.

presents Nintendo switch 83

 THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE
SCI-FI AND FANTASY MAGAZINE

NEW ISSUE
ON SALE NOW!
myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/sfx
 LEGO Worlds
redout

Redout
Who needs F-Zero?

E
very Nintendo event is a Developer
chance for the Japanese 34BigThings
company to announce a Publisher Nicalis
new F-Zero game, and yet ETA Spring 2017
every time Captain Falcon
and his futuristic friends get
passed by. The last F-Zero game
was made in 2004, and wasn’t
even released outside of Japan. If
you ever wanted an example of a
series that was due a reboot,
F-Zero is it. But fans of the damage your rocket-powered take part in an endurance sprint
franchise (and there are lots of vehicle. Your car (or space ship, or across multiple maps without
them) do have some hope on the whatever the hell it is) has a set dying, add some welcome variety.
horizon. Redout is the spiritual energy reserve, and if you boost it As you progress you unlock new
sequel to both F-Zero and will eat through some of this abilities and skills that you can
PlayStation’s WipEout series, and energy. Energy recharges over activate as you race to slow down
it might just be even quicker than time, so the risk/reward system other racers or improve things
both of them. can mean a boost might win you like handling. Whether the game
The racer feels like a child of the race, or see you explode in an has the same depth as the titles
both games, and one that has impressive ball of fire. that inspired it remains to be
been dunked into a bucket of neon There are plenty of modes, too. seen, but we’re just pleased to see
paint to boot. The courses swerve Aside from the obvious race an impressive, fast-paced racer
and twist through futuristic mode, you’ll find ones that ask landing on a Nintendo console.
cities, with kilometer-long leaps you to stay above a target speed to We just wish it had the Blue
and energy barriers that will knock seconds off your time, or to Falcon in it.

presents
presentsNinetendo
Nintendo switch 85
Disgaea 5 Complete

Disgaea 5 Complete
It’s all about finding the right person for the job

I
n the dizzying world of RPGs, Developer jobs available, and this is where
there are plenty of sub- Nippon Ichi Disgaea 5 excels. We’ve seen RPGs
Software
genres to consider as well. with Warriors and Thieves before.
There are JRPGs, which Publisher But how many games can you
NIS America
stands for ‘Japanese RPGs’ name that let you play as Skulls,
Release Q2 2017
and usually means linear games Maids, Celestial Hostesses, or
like I Am Setsuna (p78). There are Pirates? Each job has its own
action RPGs, which are games like distinct playing style too, so the
The Legend of Zelda (p20) that tilt unusual jobs here aren’t just
towards action over turn-based standard RPG classes with an
battling. There are MMORPGs, unusual name. Maid can use her
made famous by World of variety of teas to buff allies’
Warcraft. One sub-genre that movement, for example, while
doesn’t really get enough love is Pirates have ‘Accelerated Shot’ ,
tactical RPGs, and the Disgaea allowing their guns to do more
series has long stood at its damage over range.
summit with an addictive blend
of strategy and humour. Work smarter
First, a quick introduction. special effects should make the
Tactical RPGs take place on a There are 40 races and jobs to smaller screen sing. Neither do
choose from and finding out how screenshots convey the humour of
these classes synchronise and the game, which ranges from
“The Switch version will work with each other is an enemies squabbling over their
important part of the game – you curry being stolen to the main
include all the DLC content might want to use Maid to help characters pretending to
that bolstered the original Pirates gain more distance from understand art.
enemies, so they can do more There’s a wealth of content here
release – seven side-stories damage with Accelerated Shot. too, as you’d expect from a game
and seven new characters.” You can even unlock Alliance called Disgaea 5 Complete. The
Attacks if you prove adept at Switch version will include all the
battlefield divided into squares. fostering relationships within DLC content that bolstered the
The trick to combat is learning your party. There’s also Revenge original release, which means
the range of your attacks, the Mode, which is new to the series, Switch owners will get seven
range of your opponent’s attacks, and gives your characters bonus extra side-stories and seven new
and then moving around the stats when they see their allies characters, such as Nisa and
battlefield to attack your enemies taking a beating. Kunoichi, for free. That’s without
from a safe range. There’s just as Screenshots don’t do justice to taking into consideration the size
much emphasis on where you are Disgaea 5’s looks. It’s not the sort of the main game, which has
in combat, as there is on what of game that demands its difficulty spikes that stop you in
you’re actually doing in combat. screenshots are printed out and your tracks unless you’ve been
Disgaea 5 is a game that exposes hung in an art gallery but in paying close attention to your
you to lots of difficult situations. motion, it looks glorious. Attacks team’s formation. With the huge
Whether you’re battling against a fizz and pop with neon colours, number of jobs to play around
giant or a giant army of enemies, smooth animation breathes life with on top of that, Disgaea 5
fighting on a wide-open into the art, and every location is Complete should keep RPG fans
battlefield or a narrow map, you rich with detail. It’s the sort of happy for a long, long time. There
need a team that’s flexible and game that should thrive on Switch might be a dizzying number of
efficient. A big part of the tactical when it’s removed from the dock, RPG sub-genres out there but at
RPG appeal is creating your own as the visual combination of least the choice is clear when it
team from the sheer number of razor-sharp detail and explosive comes to tactical RPGs…

86 presents Nintendo switch

 Disgaea
Yooka-Laylee
5 Complete

Finding the right

combinations of jobs
is important to
succeeding, as you
need to account for
lots of different
combat situations.

presents Nintendo switch 87

Xenoblade
The Legend Chronicles
of Zelda: the
2 wind waker

You can ride animals

to speed up your
exploration of the
vast plains in
Xenoblade
Chronicles 2.

88 presents
presentsNintendo
Nintendoswitch
switch
 Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Xenoblade Chronicles 2
When nature and technology collide

W
hat would science Developer ambitions grow larger and larger The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the
fiction look like if Monolith Software with each outing. The original Wild will. It’s worth noting that
you could measure it Publisher Xenoblade Chronicles was the developers have had a much
and somehow crank Nintendo released for Wii in 2010 as a spin- closer look at Nintendo’s famous
it up to 11? A Release 2017 off of sorts from the main series than any other studio in
ridiculous question, you may be Xenoblade series. Critics gushed the world. Nintendo brought in
thinking, and you’re right. But over its battle system, open world Monolith Soft to help with the
that’s just our elaborate and and smartly-designed quests. A ‘graphics and other artistic
slightly unusual way of saying spiritual successor, Xenoblade elements’ on Skyward Sword,
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a game Chronicles X, was released for Wii and Nintendo has called on the
that takes sci-fi concepts and U in 2015. Again, the open world studio’s help again with Breath
pushes them as far as they can go. drew praise from all quarters, Of The Wild.
Floating cities, colossal moving with the power of Wii U added What is clear, even from the
structures, combat mechs, some visual muscle to the series brief tease, is that Xenoblade
planet-dwarfing ships, all set that matches its gameplay. Chronicles 2 will keep the
amid lush green fields for a Despite the name, we don’t elements that have made the
nature-vs-technology backdrop. know if Xenoblade Chronicles 2 series such a draw for Nintendo
Nintendo has done little more fans. The open-world shows
than tease the forthcoming verdant fields stretching out for
Xenoblade Chronicles 2, with a “The Xenoblade series has miles, with towering structures
trailer that doesn’t give too much and colossal enemies looming
away, but that’s enough to get
always had the conflict menacingly in the distance.
Switch owners salivating. The between technology and Airborne cities show off the
Xenoblade series has slowly
grown in status from a hidden
nature at its heart.” ambition and the scale of the
game, with the action taking
left-field RPG gem to an explosive place among the clouds as well as
action RPG extravaganza, and its will follow on from the original’s on the ground. Meanwhile, there
storyline, which ended with are already intriguing elements to
protagonist Shulk becoming a Xenoblade Chronicles 2, such as
god. Shulk won’t return for the enormous whale-like creature
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – an that drifts past in the distant sky.
as-yet-unnamed hero will be Is this a ship? An animal? A
replacing him – and all we know mixture of both? The Xenoblade
about the return is that it focuses series has always had the conflict
on the hero’s quest to reach between technology and nature at
Elysium. It will also take place in its heart, and it looks like this
a brand-new world and will sport game will keep that theme.
a fresh art style, with a cutesy There’s a long way to go yet, as
‘chibi’ art style over the gritty Xenoblade Chronicles doesn’t
realism of the previous Xenoblade even have a release date at the
Chronicle outings. time of going to press, while the
What we do know is that finer workings of its combat and
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will keep gameplay are being kept under
the trademark open-world wraps. But one thing is clear – the
gameplay that powered history of the series, the talent
Chronicles and Chronicles X. In involved, and the dizzying
fact, it will be the first open- ambition in what we’ve seen so
world RPG for Switch, pushing the far have already made Xenoblade
freedom it gives the player to Chronicles 2 one of the most
explore even further than even exciting games on Switch.

presents Nintendo switch 89

Steep

Steep
Falling with style

S
ome people love skiing Developer
and snowboarding, but Ubisoft Annecy
throwing yourself down a Publisher Ubisoft
mountain that is entirely Release TBC
covered with a cold,
slippery substance isn’t
everyone’s idea of fun. And even
if you are in love with winter
sports, they’re an expensive,
seasonal pastime. With Steep,
though, the stress of skiing or
snowboarding melts (ha!) away, straight port, bringing over the top of a slope to the bottom.
leaving you to throw a virtual same mountain and (hopefully) Wingsuiting is undoubtedly the
person down a virtual mountain the same DLC as the original. highlight – you’ll need fast
from the comfort and warmth of In a world where SSX and 1080 fingers to avoid rocky outcrops,
your home. Snowboarding titles are just fond dive through crevasses, and skim
Steep has been available for PS4 memories, we have to say that it’s right over the surface of the snow
and Xbox One for a few months great to finally see another winter as you race your friends. Skiing
now, and is gaining praise for its sports game debuting on a and snowboarding offer the
varied challenges, and the joy Nintendo console. Steep expands classic gameplay that you’d
that emanates from purposely on those classic titles by adding expect, as you weave your way
making your character leap of a skiing, paragliding, and down slopes that certainly live up
clifftop and launch headfirst into Pulling tricks isn’t wingsuiting (in which you to the game’s title. The
a giant boulder. While details on the main focus of the basically glide like a sugar glider) paragliding is a far more sedate
game, but you can do
the Switch version are sparse, it some awesome flips to the mix, giving you more ways affair, as you sail over the mass of
seems that the game will be a as you ride. than ever before to get from the Mont Blanc with only the sound of
the wind, and the flaps of your
paraglider, to distract you.

Billy snow mates

What really sets Steep aside from
similar games, though, is its
multiplayer aspect. Join with up to
three friends and you can explore
the mountain together,
completing challenges and races,
or just heading off in opposite
directions to explore. This side of
things makes for some
entertaining distractions – you
may not even bother with the
game’s central challenges, and
instead may delight in simply
seeing who can get the furthest
down the hill by crashing and
tumbling, as your in-game avatar
screams, “Not in the face!” If
there’s one thing that Switch is
built for, it’s social gaming –

90 presents Nintendo switch

 xxxxxxxxxxx
Steep

Customise your outfit

in ridiculous ways so
your friends can spot
you easily online.

playing with three others in the challenges – in some, the

same room, each with a Switch in mountain itself will speak to you,
their hands, is sure to be great telling their stories as you follow
fun. Even if you don’t have three ghostly riders. Others will have
friends who own the game, you destroying snowmen, finding
though, you’ll see random online treasure, or even flinging your
players dotted around the body into church bells to summon
mountain, which makes the game a singing fir tree. No, we aren’t
feel more alive – it’s a small making this up. The tonal shift
thing, but it works really well. can be a little jarring after you’ve
The game mixes things up with spent an hour pulling gnarly
unique challenges, too. Yes, you’ll stunts on your snowboard, but it
find the standard races and time offers welcome variety.
trials in there, but there’s more There’s still no word on exactly
depth here. Some will challenge when this will be available for
you to get as low as possible while Switch, but we suspect we may
wingsuiting without crashing, have to wait until the end of the
while Mountain Stories are in a year now – we don’t imagine
whole realm of their own. These many people will be thinking
sections offer totally off-beat about skiing in mid-August.

presents Nintendo switch 91

Switch Round-Up

The rest of the great games coming soon to a Switch near you

The Binding Of Isaac: Afterbirth+ Lego City Undercover

Release date 3 March  Genre Roguelike Release date Spring 2017  Genre Open-world

What is it? A grotesque-yet-cute, relentlessly tough, top-down dungeon What is it? A port of the surprisingly delightful open-world Wii U game.
crawler that’s still fun and challenging after hundreds of hours.  Why it’s so interesting? So no-one bought Wii U, and Warner Bros. has
Why it’s so interesting? You’re probably familiar with the sad, this really great Lego game that basically ten people played. Rather than
sacrilegious story of Isaac, a naked tot thrown into the randomised, Zelda- let it languish in obscurity, Lego City Undercover is getting ported to
dungeon-esque confines of his basement with only his weaponised tears Nintendo’s new system, and you really shouldn’t let it pass you by this
to fight back against legions of fæces-themed horrors. Being a baby is time. It’s an open-world game in the vein of Grand Theft Auto, only
tough. And though you might have braved these dark depths on Wii U and featuring kid-friendly Lego. As policeman Chase McCain, you’ll explore a
3DS before, Afterbirth+ adds even more content to the staggeringly sprawling metropolis made out of plastic bricks, take on missions for
extensive item, enemy, and room variations, ensuring that no two people, solve puzzles, and much more. It’s also legitimately hilarious,
permadeath runs will be the same. We’re talking years of incremental sending up cop dramas and general pop culture in equal fashion. It’s the
updates and new twists crammed into one deluxe, diabolically difficult, rare kind of family game that is just as much fun for the kids as it is for the
darkly humorous package. parents, and it’s finally getting the second chance it deserves.

92 presents Nintendo switch

 Switch Round-Up

Project Sonic 2017

Release date Winter 2017 
Genre Platformer

What is it? A new 3D-rendered

Sonic game, developed by Sonic
Team (the same folks who made
Sonic Generations and Sonic Colors).
Why it’s so interesting? We don’t
know much about this new Sonic
game beyond its cinematic trailer,
but what’s there checks out: the
blue hedgehog is running and spin-
dashing past incoming debris at
breakneck speeds. It also brings
back the dynamic duo of double
Sonic we got in Generations, where
classic Sonic teams up with his
modern Adventures counterpart.
Sonic Team’s track record more or
less guarantees that this won’t be a
Sonic Boom-level disaster, so there’s
already far less chance of getting
burned by excitement for Project
Sonic 2017.

EA Sports FIFA Farming Simulator NBA 2K18

Release date 2017  Genre Sports Release date 2017  Genre Simulation Release date 2017  Genre Sports

What is it? A Switch version of the world’s What is it? The hook’s right there in the title: What is it? The premier basketball game is
biggest sports franchise, getting rid of an simulate owning your very own farm, where you coming to Nintendo Switch.
attached year entirely for what could possibly need to till the soil, plant and harvest crops, and Why it’s so interesting? The last time NBA 2K
be a continuously updated platform. raise livestock to turn a profit.  showed up on a Nintendo platform was at the
Why it’s so interesting? Though we have scant Why it’s so interesting? Rather than the light- Wii U launch with NBA 2K13, so it’s exciting to
few details on this new FIFA (and no visuals as hearted stylings of Harvest Moon, Story of see it back in the limelight. It even got
of yet – this screen is from last year’s game), the Seasons, or Stardew Valley, Farming Simulator prominent placement on Nintendo’s first reveal
fact that it doesn’t come with a number aims for complete realism, where your trusty trailer for Switch back in October. It’ll be pretty
attached is pretty exciting. Imagine not having tractors (replicated from real-life brands) drive similar to the other versions of this year’s NBA
to buy another version of FIFA each year, and at exactly the sluggish speed you’d think they 2K game, but portable and with some
instead owning a consistently updated tentpole would. These sorts of sim games certainly aren’t interesting use of the Joy-Con. There are no
game (like Street Fighter V) that’s reinvigorated for everyone, but for Switch owners who want concrete details yet, but if that video was any
with more modes and refreshed player rosters to build a farm up to prosperity without actually indication, you could play local multiplayer with
as time goes on. Sports fans should definitely getting up at 5am and getting their hands dirty, both Joy-Con, or sync multiple systems together
keep an eye on this one. Farming Simulator should be just the thing.  for four-player action.

presents Nintendo switch 93

Switch Round-Up

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2

Release date TBC  Genre Fighting

What is it? Choose one of many iconic Dragon Ball Z characters, or create your own, and kick the
crap out of everyone you meet.
Why it’s so interesting? Dragon Ball Xenoverse was a huge surprise when it launched, giving DBZ
fans a chance to explore their favourite locations, play as their favourite characters, and even create
their own warrior, customise their super moves, and do battle against the forces of evil. Dragon Ball
Xenoverse 2 is largely the same, but more – more characters, more quests, bigger locations, a better
hub city, and more things to fight. Whether you go it alone or strike it out with a buddy online, Syberia 3
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is basically the best fan service anyone could ask for. Release date TBC  Genre Adventure

What is it? The long-awaited third entry in the

cult steampunk adventure series.
Why it’s so interesting? There’s a good chance
you’ve never heard of Syberia, as the first two
chapters were released in the early noughties
during a minor renaissance of European point-
and-click adventure games. The series follows
lawyer Kate Walker as she travels to a sleepy
French village to finalise the takeover of a toy
company by a multinational conglomerate. Her
journey leads her to cross paths with an
eccentric inventor, steamwork contraptions, and
the fabled existence of Earth’s last remaining
woolly mammoths. Announced back in 2009,
Syberia 3 was meant to close Kate’s story, but a
series of platform changes and financial
troubles caused the game to undergo numerous
delays. 2017 looks to be finally be the year
Syberia 3 sees the light of day, though, and it’ll
be heading to Nintendo Switch then.

Project Octopath Traveler

Release date TBC  Genre RPG
Minecraft
Release date TBC  Genre Survival What is it? An all-new JRPG from Square Enix.
Why it’s so interesting? Besides the weird
What is it? If we need to tell you, where have you been? It’s the global phenomenon that lets players name (which may be a mistranslation of the
create, build, explore, and battle in procedurally generated worlds. Eightfold Path and not, you know… octopi), not
Why it’s so interesting? It’s Minecraft. It’s the world’s premier crafting/survival sim, and it’s much is known about Project Octopath Traveler
enchanted millions of kids with its charming presentation and limitless creative potential. It seems yet. What we do know is that it’s made by the
like such a natural fit for a Nintendo console, but it only showed up on Wii U in 2015, well after the team behind the Bravely series on 3DS, and
system had lost its momentum. While the mobile version on phones and tablets is a smashing sports a very PS1-era look, blending 3D
success, it’s also an incomplete version of the full game, allowing the Switch version of Minecraft to environments and watercolour-inspired sprite-
potentially have a leg up on the competition. based artwork.

94 presents Nintendo switch

 Switch Round-Up

Fire Emblem Warriors

Release date 2017  Genre: Hack-and-slash

What is it? An action-packed take on the classic

strategy franchise.
Why it’s so interesting? Having already shown
that it can successfully turn just about anything
into a chaotic action game, Omega Force – the
developer behind the popular Dynasty Warriors
games – is back to do exactly that to the Fire
Emblem franchise. As well as showing this
brawling title off at the Switch reveal event,
Nintendo also confirmed that a ‘proper’ Fire
Emblem title is in development for Switch, which
will come as good news if mashing buttons to
kill hundreds of dudes in a few seconds isn’t
your idea of a good time.

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition

Release date TBC  Genre Platformer

Minecraft: Story Mode What is it? The ex-Wii U exclusive is getting an update on Switch.
Release date TBC  Genre Adventure Why it’s so interesting? Funny story, Rayman Legends was originally a Wii U exclusive set to release
a few months after the system’s launch. Ubisoft delayed it for months to release it alongside PS4 and
What is it? A Telltale adventure game set in the Xbox One versions. Now we come full circle, as Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition comes out some
Minecraft universe. time this year. In addition to taking advantage of four-player Joy-Con action, it’ll feature some
Why it’s so interesting? It’s Minecraft, but additional content, including new gameplay options for its raucous competitive multiplayer mini-
different. Telltale has a history of crafting taut game, Kung Foot, and touch controls if you’re using Switch in its portable mode.
stories around a handful of colourful, realised
characters within various licensed properties.
Somehow the studio did the same for Minecraft, Shin Megami Tensei (title TBC)
a game that has no story or characters. This Release date TBC  Genre: JRPG
version will include all five episodes from the
first season, along with the additional three What is it? The next entry in a series of JRPGs
Adventure Pass episodes released last year. set at the end of the world, where you partner
up with various demons and together do battle
against an assortment of terrors. Basically
18-rated Pokémon.
Why it’s so interesting? The long-running
apocalyptic JRPG series is coming to Nintendo
Switch, following its previous two successful
entries (Shin Megami Tensei 4 and SMT4:
Apocalypse) on 3DS. Like a lot of games on this
list, details are scarce – all we’ve had to date is a
single reveal trailer featuring of some of the
series’ more iconic demons hanging out in a
derelict building. Heck, we don’t even know if
it’s coming to the West yet. Hopefully we’ll get
some confirmation soon.

presents Nintendo switch 95

Switch Round-Up

Snake Pass
Release date 2017 
Genre Puzzle-platformer

What is it? A simple-sounding

slither-’em-up where a snake takes
on an obstacle course.
Why it’s so interesting? Platform
games are typically all about
jumping, so an entry that doesn’t
even involve leaving the ground
instantly interests us. Instead,
you’ll wrap Noodle the snake
around objects to try and climb
them, with a little help from
hummingbird friend Doodle, who
is apparently strong enough to lift
a fully grown snake thousands of
times its own weight. But hey,
videogames. Looks like it should
be a lot of fun and the developer is
known for its eye for quality –
Sumo Digital previously gave us
Out Run 2 and Sonic & All-Stars
Racing Transformed, after all.

* Image from mobile version

1001 Spikes
Release date 2017 
Genre Hardcore platformer

What is it? An insanely difficult

platform game in the vein of Super
Meat Boy.
Why it’s so interesting? It’s been
out for a few years on other
platforms already, but we’re all for
more people having the chance to Derby Stallion
frustrate themselves silly with this Release date TBC  Genre Sport
absurdly tough retro-style
platformer. You’d think 1,000 lives What is it? A new title in the long-
would be more than enough to get running horse racing series.
through a game, but that number Why it’s so interesting? The
falls so rapidly that you’ll soon franchise has been running since
start to worry, and the catacombs the Famicom/NES era, and while
steadily get even harder it’s popular in its home country, it’s Constructor
(somehow) to truly test your skills. never been given a chance to Release date April  Genre Real-time strategy
Nicalis will also be bringing classic travel overseas. While that’s
platformer Cave Story to Switch – unlikely to change in the case of What is it? A city building sim with a difference – it’s all about driving the
if you’re a fan of platform games, this latest in a long line of horse competition out of business.
Switch definitely looks like it’ll be racing games, the fact that Switch Why it’s so interesting? This fan favourite is actually 20 years old this
the best place to play. is region-free means that would-be year, and developer System 3 is celebrating with this full-on remake. It’s
jockeys will still be able to import kind of like a more hands-on Sim City, with players building up their town
the game if they so desire. It’s before inviting in various ne’er-do-wells to interfere with the operations of
played pretty straight – not like the rival construction firms by rioting, stealing and sabotaging. There’s
bonkers hilarity of Japan World nothing else quite like it on Switch – and not a lot like it out there in general
Cup – but its loyal following means these days, to be honest – so it should certainly scratch any strategy/city-
it must be doing something right. building itches Switch owners might have.

96 presents Nintendo switch

 Switch Round-Up

Cube Life: Island Survival Dragon Quest Heroes I & II Minna De Wai Wai! Spelunker
Release date Spring 2017  Genre Survival Release date 2017  Genre Hack-and-slash Release date 2017  Genre Platform

What is it? A blocky open world to explore, craft What is it? Colourful and over-the-top action What is it? An update of PS4 release Spelunker
and survive in. Sound familiar? fighter from the Dynasty Warriors developer. World, with F2P elements stripped out.
Why it’s so interesting? Originally released on Why it’s so interesting? Omega Force is a Why it’s so interesting? While it might look and
Wii U to fill the gap left by Minecraft’s absence, studio that likes to keep busy, and its main feel like a Spelunky rip-off, this tricky platform
this looks and feels more than a little similar to hobby seems to be turning other games into series actually dates back to the ’80s, as should
the popular survival game. That’s something Dynasty Warriors. It’s at it again with this be clear from its punishing mechanics. It’s
that is being addressed with this new updated content-loaded double pack that brings unclear whether or not Minna De Wai Wai!
version of the game, however, and a host of together the original game and its expanded Spelunker will get a global release – the game
more realistic textures, physics and effects now sequel, which is currently only out in Japan. it’s based on, Spelunker World on PS4, didn’t
give this a more original feel, although the core While there’s a clear focus on classic Dragon ever launch in Europe – but as Nintendo Switch
gameplay loop remains the same – build, break, Quest characters and enemies, you don’t need is region-free means, fans of the challenging
fight, craft, survive or just generally mess to be a fan of the series to enjoy this. You’ll franchise will still be able to play this one even if
around in the cube-based open world. certainly get more out of it if you are, though. it doesn’t get released globally.

Wonder Boy: The

Dragon’s Trap
Release date 2017 
Genre Platform/RPG

What is it? An 8-bit classic remade

for modern consoles.
Why it’s so interesting? The first
of two upcoming updates to the
beloved Master System adventure
of the same name (see p98 for the
other), Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s
Trap gives the classic adventure a
fresh lick of paint. It’s seemingly
just a visual overhaul, but we’re
fine with that – the original isn’t
exactly the best-looking game but
its mechanics and structure hold
up just fine, so there’s no need to
fix what isn’t broken in this case.
The more people that get to play
this classic game, the better!

presents Nintendo switch 97

Switch Round-Up

World Of Goo
Release date 3 March  Genre Puzzle

What is it? Physics-based

construction puzzles galore!
Why it’s so interesting? While it
might be almost a decade old now,
this indie favourite is just as much
fun today as it was when it was
originally released. The object is to
get a certain number of goo balls
to the exit, achieved by using those
selfsame blobs as makeshift
construction tool to create bridges,
towers, or anything else that may
help reach the goal. Efficient use of
goo is critical, as any blobs used in
structures aren’t counted towards
your final score – clever planning
and creative building are key.

Monster Boy And The Cursed Kingdom Graceful Explosion Machine

Release date 2017  Genre Platform/RPG Release date Spring 2017  Genre Shoot-’em-up

What is it? A spiritual successor to the Wonder Boy games, with the series’ What is it? Resogun’s colourful, angular long-lost cousin
creator on board. Why it’s so interesting? Some of the best indie games in the business
Why it’s so interesting? Whereas The Dragon’s Trap (see p97) is a take their cues from the shooters you’d once have seen in arcades, and
straight-up remake of an older game, Monster Boy picks up where the this bright and bold side-scrolling offering is looking to take its place
series left of to deliver the same kind of experience but with all-new alongside modern classics like Resogun and Geometry Wars. With four
content. Wonder Boy creator Ryuichi Nishizawa (who is also helping out unique weapons (blaster, missiles, energy sword and sniper beam) always
with the remake) is involved in creation to help ensure that the game stays available, you’ll need to quickly react to each situation and answer
true to the design and feel of the games it is based on. True to form, there accordingly. Using the best tools for the job will help you score big and
are a bunch of different animal powers to collect and use as you switch rack up huge combos, perfect for when you’re chasing leaderboard
between characters, with their abilities aiding in combat and exploration. supremacy. And you will be chasing it.

98 presents Nintendo switch

 Switch Round-Up

* Image from Wii U version

Oceanhorn: Monster Of Uncharted Seas Taiko No Tatsujin
Release date 2017  Genre Action-adventure Release date TBC  Genre Rhythm-action

What is it? A seafaring adventure that’s more than a little similar to The What is it? The taiko drum equivalent of Guitar Hero.
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Why it’s so interesting? You might have seen Taiko No Tatsujin (or Taiko
Why it’s so interesting? When it first launched on iOS back in 2013, the Drum Master, to give it its Western title) as a centrepiece in an arcade, and
best thing about Oceanhorn was that it offered a Zelda-like experience on while its huge drum controller isn’t the easiest thing to replicate in the
a platform that didn’t have the real deal. That’s no longer the case as the home, Bandai Namco has done a solid job in the past. Home versions of
game sails onto Switch – where Link will be ready to rock from day one in the game have been bundled with a shrunken version of that giant arcade
Breath Of The Wild – but that’s not to say this colourful adventure isn’t drum controller, but more recent handheld releases have instead used
worth trying. While it makes no secret that it takes inspiration from Wind touchscreen controls, and given Switch’s portability, we expect that to
Waker, the new Zelda game’s focus on open-world adventure means this continue here. It’s not quite the same as bashing away on a drum
solid homage won’t feel too much like it’s stepping on Link’s toes. controller, but the games are still great fun.

* Image from Tales Of Berseria

Romance Of The Three New Tales Of… (title TBC) Tank It!
Kingdoms XIII Release date TBC  Genre Action-RPG Release date 2017  Genre Action
Release date 2017  Genre Strategy
What is it? A brand-new entry in Bandai What is it? A more political World Of Tanks.
What is it? The latest in a long line of historical Namco’s popular RPG series. Why it’s so interesting? While so many
strategy games. Why it’s so interesting? There was never any military games glamorise weapons and
Why it’s so interesting? Allowing players to doubt in our minds that Switch would have warfare, this anti-war game is taking a
recreate and relive some of history’s greatest great game support from Japanese third somewhat different approach. Its goal is to
battles has long been the main appeal of parties, and with this announcement sitting drill home the message that war kills,
Creative Assembly’s Total War games, but Koei alongside that of Dragon Quest XI, Switch is although doing that in a game where a
is no slouch either when it comes to adding a already the home of two of the three biggest remotely controlled tank ploughs through
dash of strategy to the past – in this case, JRPG franchises in the world. Details are scant everything in its path – terrorists, civilians,
second-century China. We’d usually doubt right now – which is hardly surprising, given that buildings, flora… whatever, basically – seems
whether a Western release would happen as the game doesn’t even have a proper title yet – like an odd way to put that message across.
only a handful of the many games have been but we wouldn’t expect it to deviate too much We’ll have to wait until we get our hands on it
localised, but as this came out worldwide on from the anime-style action RPGs the Tales to see just how well the panzer of peace
PS4 and PC last year, we haven’t given up hope. series is known for. succeeds in its mission.

presents Nintendo switch 99

the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

TO

After our extensive hands-on, Let us walk you

through the essential details of The Legend Of
Zelda: Breath Of The Wild one letter at a time…

100 presents Nintendo switch

 the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

A
Arson
You’re pretty much a pyromaniac in Breath
Of The Wild. Anything that looks like it’ll
burn – dry grass, bundles of twigs, the
loincloths of flammable foes – can and will.
Infernos blaze and can spread until areas
the size of tennis courts go up in flames. Ignition comes
CCooking
Welcome to Actual
Chef Ben Griffin’s
Cookery Corner. I,
D
Dungeons
Themed puzzle chambers form the
backbone of Zelda games, usually
taking a good few hours to complete.
While they’re not going away any time
soon, there are now around 100
smaller challenge shrines in addition that take roughly
15 minutes apiece. These shorter, punchier locales are
set underground and often pivot on a single puzzle,
from striking flint, launching blazing arrows, or throwing Actual Chef Ben such as solidifying a body of water and raising it to
burning branches, and wind direction affects the ensuing
Griffin, have prepared bring up a sluice gate. The fact most are entirely
a three-course meal
fire’s course. During our hands-on, we box in a group of using ingredients optional means players will have differing experiences
hand-picked from – one shrine contains an iron sledgehammer we
Bokoblins by setting the field behind them aflame and Breath Of The Wild.
cutting off all escape routes. Upper hand safely wouldn’t otherwise have found.
established, we’re free to charge in like a mad firebug and
take them down. Truly, it’s a pleasure to burn.

Starter
Diced Hylian Shroom Ecosystem
on a bed of raw Spicy The great outdoors is stuffed with
Peppers. A pinch of
Rock Salt on request.
Editor’s taste test: Literally the
E more rogue wildlife than a pet-
hoarder’s apartment, and includes
boars, birds, lizards, toads, bats,
hottest thing I have ever tried to eat.
pike, ducks, deer, squirrels, and
dragonflies. And that’s just in the early forest area.
Everything interacts with each other as
Attenborough intended, and this is neatly
demonstrated when we swat a hive hanging from a
branch and send swarms of angry bees buzzing
after Bokoblins. All of it has a function, whether it’s
brewing Keese wing in a stamina potion or roasting
boar rump for a health-replenishing skewer.

Main
Lightly seared Bokoblin
Liver, with a whole Hearty
Radish, garnished with
Hyrule Herb.
Editor’s taste test: What? Ben, this
isn’t liver. This is rice pudding.

Fishing
Bokoblin The Game Boy

B
These bad tempered, bat-faced
footsoldiers made their debut in Wind
Waker and form your rank-and-file
F classic Link’s
Awakening introduced
us to what has since
foes in the early stages. They come in become Zelda tradition, and while we
several colours and classes, some haven’t yet discovered a dedicated fishing area in Breath
wielding chunky clubs, some poking at us with spears Of The Wild, the fish we see in rivers and lakes are a
strong hint there will be angling on offer, especially
carved from tree boughs, some playing defensively
with rusty broadswords and wooden shields, and some
Dessert when you consider how the Ocarina Of Time version
waiting atop lookout towers, arrows nocked. They’re Burnt Apple encased came about. Its creator, Kazuaki Morita, said in an
more reactive than ever – the imp-like infantry jealously within a Chu Jelly interview with former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, “I had
guarding treasure chests in camps, resorting to rock- prison and slathered in a model of a fish for putting in an empty bottle. I
throwing if you’ve knocked their weapon away, and Courser Bee Honey. borrowed that and had it swim in the pool in the
even dozing at night with sleepy bubbles (eww…) Editor’s taste test: Please stop dungeon, and when I saw it swimming around, I thought,
emanating from their noses. cooking and shouting. You’re not a chef ‘Oh! I can go fishing!’” If there’s fish, there’s fishing.
and we have a magazine to write.

presents Nintendo switch 101

the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

Guardian
The massive, arachnid-like, tentacled stone sentinels that

G burst out of the ground are called Guardians, and they

make a strong case for being Link’s most fearsome foes
yet. We have a hostile encounter with a derelict one
half-buried in dirt, and even that’s enough to
give us some serious problems. We’re forced to quickly
take cover behind a wall in order to dodge a one-
hit-kill laser and target its eye (which is also
the source of the lethal beam) with bomb
arrows before running up and slashing
away. Hyah!-rrifying.

Hero of Time
Some Zelda games portray Link as a

H successor, and others as the same

mythical figure awakening from
hibernation. The Link here seems to
be the latter, as the opening
cutscene references him sleeping for “100 years”. His
adventure is likely the timeline’s most recent, as the
Temple Of Time and Bridge Of Eldin look a little
worse for wear, and the Master Sword is absolutely
battered. It’s almost certainly post-Wind Waker, as an
ingredient called rock salt references the game’s
Kinesis
‘ancient sea’, and its forest guardians, the Koroks,
The stasis power

K
return. It’s implied they created this post-Hyrule
has huge
Hyrule using the same seed-planting methods
implications for
employed in Wind Waker.
Hyrule, letting
Link freeze a
specific object or enemy in place,
Infinite bombs spam the attack button to rack-
Bombshell! As anyone who has ever

I
up considerable kinetic energy,
played a Zelda game before will know, then unpause time and deliver all
explosives have always been a finite that damage at once. This usually
commodity in the series – players results in whatever soaked up all
either needed to buy them, find them those hits flying way off into the
in chests, or loot them from enemies. Not so here. distance. One example sees us
Because they’re made from the same mysterious blue use the power on a boulder
energy powering your multipurpose Sheikah Slate blocking our path, whacking it
tool, Link’s bomb supply no longer runs dry, so all you with a hammer, then starting
have to do is wait ten seconds for the meter to time to send it cannoning away
recharge before you can drop or throw them. We use like a pinball.
them to blow apart cracked walls, and explode red
barrels to trigger massive screen-filling blasts.

102 presents Nintendo switch

 the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

Nature

L
Whether it’s wildlife, enemies, drifting

N clouds, or swaying trees, there’s

something moving within Link’s field
of vision at all times. This captures the
spirit of the very first Legend Of Zelda,
which had creatures milling about on the opening
screen. Indeed, environments are freshly vibrant
thanks to a host of visual touches, like dappled
sunlight cast through treetops, and singing birds
Little darting about overhead. There’s tons to pick up and

Touches interact with, too, like apples, mushrooms, nuts, and

nightshade. It’s Hyrule at its most idyllic.

Zelda games have always been

packed with delightful detail, and
Breath Of The Wild is no exception.
If you kick a metal chest, Link now
winces and grabs his foot in pain as
it cracks open. His face flushes
when you experience frigid
Jumping temperatures. If you jump into a
For the first time ever, you can make body of water from high enough,

J Link leap on command using the X

button, so you’re no longer restricted
to hopping automatically whenever
the pointy-eared wonder fluidly
enters a diving animation on his
way down. If you screw up cooking
Opal
In-game text for the opal details how
you approach a ledge. This
immediately opens up the environment, turning it into
an actual world, rather than a series of constrictive
you’ll create a ‘dubious’ green gunk
that’s so embarrassingly putrid and
unsanitary as to be blurred out.
O it’s “traded for rupees but can also be
used in accessories”. This almost
certainly points to the existence of
channels. Dive into pools of water, hop onto a wall for merchants in towns who you can flog

M
a better vantage point, and jump straight off a cliff to this to, although the opal’s role in crafting is unknown
witness the fairy boy’s new, disturbing, ragdoll death. at this point. We do know they’re rare, however. Across
our numerous playthroughs we only discover one
hanging off a rock formation which we have to smash
apart. There are other gems too, such as topaz,
sapphires, and rubies, each selling for a high price and
bestowing unique properties through crafting, such as
electric, ice, and fire.

Map Paraglider
This item functions just like the
At a whopping 12 times larger than
Twilight Princess, this is the
biggest, broadest landmass in
P sailcloth, Deku leaf, or flapping Cucco
of past Zeldas, allowing you to glide
through the air. It’s mandatory if you
Zelda history. What’s more ever want to escape the Great Plateau,
impressive is that everything which is much too high to climb down from. To get
you’ve seen and read about Breath your hands on it you must complete four shrines and
Of The Wild – by that we mean exchange the spirit orb you acquire with a mysterious
everything journalists have been fellow known simply as ‘Old Man’, who may or may not
given access to – has taken place in turn out to be the King Of Hyrule in disguise (same
an area representing roughly 2% of bushy white beard you see). Cool bit: if you glide over
the overall world. The titles of Zelda fire, the hot air actually propels you upwards. The
games usually refer to a magical paraglider gives you a helpful way down in a game
item (Ocarina Of Time, Minish Cap, where climbing is prevalent.
Majora’s Mask etc), but such is the
heightened sense of place here,
Breath Of The Wild refers to a
location. Specifically, um, ‘the wild’.

presents Nintendo switch 103

the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

Riding
Equine fanciers will be overjoyed to know Link’s faithful steed Epona returns

R in Breath Of The Wild. She’ll be crucial in galloping the grand expanse of

Hyrule in good time, but if you’d prefer to have a break and saddle-up on
some other horses, there are also wild ones you can tame. Your riding
exploits aren’t just limited to nags, however. Link can brace a shield under his
feet and slide down hills, which is especially awesome on snowy mountains, turning the game
into a sort of fantasy SSX. Firing arrows as you shield-surf is a highlight – take that, Legolas.

Question Mark
Nintendo borrows a page from Metal

Q Gear Solid’s guide to game design by

adding question marks above the
heads of enemies. This subtle visual
indicator enhances stealth, because
now there’s a clear signifier for how aware foes are
of your presence. Question marks indicate their
blissful ignorance, while exclamation marks show
that they’ve discovered you and are likely on their
way to smash your face in.

Sheikah Slate
This super useful, multi-

S functional device is
essentially Link’s stone
smartphone. He receives it
at the beginning of his
adventure, shortly after waking in the Shrine
Of Resurrection. The Slate acts as a map
(routes can be marked with multiple
waypoints), an enemy scanner that can
safely assess an opponent’s hit points before
you engage, and it’s also where Runes are
housed. Mostly acquired by successfully
navigating trial shrines, Runes unlock
magical abilities, like these three examples:

Cryonis Magnesis Stasis

Create pillars of ice from water. Harness the power of Freeze specific items in time.
These can be climbed to reach magnetism and manoeuvre Handy when faced with moving
otherwise inaccessible areas, metallic objects like Magneto. traps, or for shifting large
provide cover, and to lift Pick metal up! Throw it around! objects – ‘frozen’ items can be
objects submerged in water. Create bridges! Drop heavy hit and when unfrozen react
Also good for annoying ducks. metal objects on your foes! accordingly to being battered.

104 presents Nintendo switch

 the legend of zelda: breath of the wild

Threads
W Weapons X
X Marks The Spot
OK, so X doesn’t mark the spot, but we
couldn’t think of anything Zelda-
related beginning with X (give it a go,
it’s really fun). What marks spots in

T
Link can don a variety of clothes, and Breath Of The Wild are skulls. If you see
they’re not just for looking cool. His A vast array of a skull on the map, you know there’s something
champion shirt, for instance, gives him hitty-stabby waiting there, whether it’s the bouldery boss Steppe
six points of damage resistance, while implements await Talus, a staff that shoots gym-ball-sized fire orbs, or a
his quilted shirt only offers four points camp of Bokoblins guarding rare crafting materials.
but, on the upside, it’s lovely and warm and resistant to
cold – so, when worn, it means Link can explore icy
areas without freezing. If you feel inclined, you can
remove your tunic and trousers and gallivant around
the Great Plateau in your pants. Full suits of armour
Tree Branch
offer better protection, obviously.
Damage: 2
A branch. From a tree. The least
Up effective melee ‘weapon’ in the game,
but it is organic and locally sourced.

U
Link’s grippy hands can scale mostly And you can set it on fire.
anything, and at any angle, with the
only thing preventing him from
ascending out of the world being a
stamina meter (which can be extended
Farmer’s Pitchfork
by certain food and potions). Climbing to a high position Yellow heart
isn’t just used for navigation, either. One way to defeat Damage: 2 Link’s health is divided into two
the stone miniboss, Steppe Talus, is to climb up his back
and hack away at the brittle rocks on his shoulder.
Weird - and this is a game where you
can use a pot lid as a shield and a leaf
as a weapon. Popular with angry mobs.
Y portions: red hearts and yellow
hearts. Red hearts can be
replenished, and yellow hearts
cannot. Think of them more as
temporary armour. They make you stronger while
they’re there, but when they’re gone, they’re gone
Bokoblin Arm for good. Well, until you get more yellow hearts by

Damage: 5 cooking food or making potions. Somewhat

realistically, you can no longer scythe grass or
Skeleton Bokoblins come out at night. smash pots to find hearts, although this is a game
Send them back to bed by whacking
them with their own arms. in which deer drop perfect meat medallions upon
death, so it depends on your definition of realism.

Soldier’s Spear
Damage: 10
This has the best moveset of the lot,
letting Link keep foes at bay and poke
from range like the world’s tallest and
most annoying boxer.

Iron Sledgehammer
Zelda
Voices Damage: 12 Look to the north and you’ll see what

V
In another exciting first for the long-
running series, along with jumping and
cooking, the normally quiet
Now we’re talking. Discover this
Norse-looking noggin-basher in a
shrine and find out why Thor wouldn’t
leave home without his.
Z appears to be Hyrule Castle in the far
distance, and at the top, a twinkling
light. This is where we think Princess
conversationalists of Hyrule have Zelda is, held captive in her tower by
gained the power of audible speech. the dark malicious spirit of Calamity Ganon, who’s
Not all characters have been bestowed with adequate circling like a shark. “You have been asleep for the past
vocal chords, mind – Link is still incapable of making 100 years,” says a voice (likely Zelda). “When the beast
any intelligible utterances which could pass as actual Soldier’s Broadsword regains its power, this world will end.” Whoever the
words – but as you explore the world you’ll often hear Damage: 14 voice does belong to, she’s your guiding Navi-, Fi-, or
fully voice-acted lines. The very first line is spoken, for Along with the spiked Boko Bow and King Of Red Lions-type figure. At one point we enter
example, so hopefully the story starts as it means to Soldier’s Shield, this is the very best the ruins of the Temple Of Time and she tells us we’re
weapon we find. We decide to use it
go on. Even if its plot beats are still bottled up tighter wisely by hitting frogs with it. not meant to be there yet. Oops.
than a trapped Poe soul at this point.

presents Nintendo switch 105

The MAking OF the legend

The
making
of the
Legend
How far the Zelda series has come in its 30 years
is itself one of gaming’s greatest stories. Join us
as we look back at how the adventure unfolded

T
he Hero Of Time has and pushing into the unknown.
humble beginnings. In “When I travelled around without
1985, as Nintendo toiled a map, trying to find my way,
on the first Mario game stumbling on amazing things, I
for Famicom (later realised how it felt to go on an
released over here as the NES), adventure,” says Miyamoto in the
three men sketched extra puzzles 1993 book, Game Over.
and dungeons on graph paper and Where Mario was linear, Zelda
bound them in a folder labelled was open. Where Mario was
‘Adventure Mario’. They were immediate, Zelda let players find
Takashi Tezuka, Toshihiko their own action. This was a title
Nakago, and Shigeru Miyamoto, so ambitious it was originally
and this was the groundwork for slated for arcade cabinets, a
an epic 1986 adventure called The format hosting Nintendo’s most
Legend Of Zelda. successful title at this point
It’s easy to see Miyamoto as (Donkey Kong), but the Japanese
Link’s co-dad, but he’s more like giant’s intent to conquer living
Link himself, the lifelong Ninty rooms gave it the drive to cram
dev drawing from his own Zelda onto Famicom and break
childhood adventures in the small new ground. Innovation was
town of Sonobe, Kyoto, exploring everywhere. This was among the
caves, rambling through fields, first virtual worlds to have an

106 presents Nintendo switch

The MAking OF the legend

Hey!
Listen!
Miyamoto named Zelda
after the wife of American
novelist F Scott Fitzgerald.
Why? Just because he liked
the sound of her name.

presents Nintendo switch 107

The MAking OF the legend

in-game economy, an inventory Link To The Past and 1993’s Link’s

system, a vast multi-route world Awakening (the series’ first
(you could actually work your way outing on a portable console),
to end-boss Ganon without ever struck an almost perfect balance.
finding a sword), and most Then N64 arrived and gave
important of all, save files. everybody an extra dimension to
deal with. But Miyamoto’s guiding
Saving the day hand was always there to steady
the course. During a series of videogame ever (2.5 million units
You could record your progress, in-house interviews called Iwata in its first month). Fast-forward
giving your ongoing quest a Asks, late Nintendo president past two more milestone releases
persistence other games lacked. It Satoru Iwata questions Zelda – Majora’s Mask (2000) and Wind
was pure coming-of-age – you’d designers on Miyamoto’s habit of Waker (2002) – and to the latter
return to a scary dungeon that sending teams scrambling to stages of development on 2006’s
gave you trouble earlier and find it implement changes. Zelda Twilight Princess, where
trivial in light of your amassed character designer Keisuke Miyamoto’s tea-table-turning
experience. Exploration was an Nishimori says how he “worked continued. Take, for instance, his
alien concept at the time, on the final adjustments to games request players spend three days
however, and Nintendo feared while living in constant fear of getting to grips with the game in
without direction players might Miyamoto ‘upending the tea the starting village rather than
become stressed – or worse, table’” – a reference to the classic one. This sent shockwaves
bored. They used a Japanese Japanese comic and animated through staff who had to
compound word to describe it: series, Star Of The Giants, in drastically alter the script,
omotsurai, a combination of ‘fun’ , which a strict father flips out over localisation, NPC placement, and
omoshiroi, and ‘painful’ , tsurai. dinner. For Ocarina Of Time quantity of items in the level at
But the Legend Of Zelda was co-ordinator Mitsuhiro Takano short notice.
Nintendo’s first million-selling it’s “like playing Reversi against Whether it’s coming up with a
console game. someone who really knows what slingshot to ease players into the
The second instalment, Zelda II: they’re doing. You think you’re practice of firing arrows, or the
The Adventure Of Link, released winning at first, but before you clever touch of slowing down time
in Japan in 1987, and possibly know what hit you, all the pieces so they could line up shots,
tipped a little too far into the are black”. Miyamoto approaches
realm of tsurai, introducing tough development with the enthusiasm
side-scrolling stages. Subsequent Big time of a player. According to Twilight
entries, however, such as 1991’s A Princess scriptwriter, Aya
The two analogies capture both Kyogoku, Miyamoto would
Nintendo’s keen eye for detail and regularly send emails describing
the sense of the bigger picture things he wanted to add to the

The Try Force necessary to make 1998’s Ocarina

Of Time the fastest-selling
game, and how their current
absence made him sad. “In the
The masterminds behind Zelda’s success

Eiji Aonuma
Manager of The Legend Of Zelda series. From
Ocarina Of Time dungeon designer to either
director or producer for every Zelda game since
on both console and handheld. Eiji ‘The
Authority’ Aonuma lives and breathes Link.

Shigeru Miyamoto
As well as being the man behind Mario, the
peerless Nintendo designer created Zelda and
remains the series’ key steward, birthing it from
his own adventurous childhood and driving it
on with his still-insatiable curiosity.

Takashi Tezuka
He may be the least known of the Zelda trio, but
he’s worked on every game in some capacity. He
made his series directorial debut on Game Boy’s
Link’s Awakening, and he delivered expected
quality in unexpected packages.
Concept sketches for the original Zelda. Some nice felt-tip pen work here – 8/10.

108 presents Nintendo switch

 The MAking OF the legend

Honour
Role
Six unforgettable moments
from the legendary series

The Legend Of Zelda

As Link stepped out onto the first screen of
the original Zelda way back in 1986, Hyrule
brimmed with possibility, intrigue, danger,
and excitement.

later stages of development, there that sense of the feel of the

was a sob story email every ground under their feet when
night!” Kyogoku recalls. they control Link.” Touches like
No-one can fully define Zelda, these make him feel human (even A Link To The Past
The game’s map was already massive, so it
but they’ll know it when they see though he’s an elf). caught everyone by surprise when they
it. “During development, you discovered they could enter a whole second,
evil-tainted version of it called the Dark World.
would hear the phrase ‘that’s just Roam free
not Zelda-esque’ all the time,”
says Takano. “On occasions, If you had to reduce Zelda to its
someone would lose their temper essence, however, it’s the
and say something like ‘what is exploration of a fantasy world
Zelda-esque anyway?’ No one packed with authenticity, one in Link’s Awakening
could give an answer to that! But which actions carry appropriate One of the most heartfelt moments in all of
Zelda sees our silent protagonist chilling on a
whenever someone came up with reactions. A cracked wall can be sunny beach with his romantic love interest,
Marin, as she daydreams aloud to him.
a good idea, you’d hear ‘that’s it – blown apart with a bomb. A floor
that’s Zelda!’” switch can be pressed by dragging
A perfect example of something a big pot over it. Nintendo planner
‘Zelda-esque’ would be the classic Kentaro Tominaga believes
jingle that plays when you solve a focusing on the right kind of
puzzle. “We’re actually changing realism is key to this authenticity:
it, little by little,” says Eiji “I don’t mean the kind of realism Ocarina Of Time
Aonuma, producer of multiple where each individual strand of Entering the Temple Of Time and turning the
clocks forward transformed you into Adult Link
Zeldas. “But we can’t change it hair is accurately depicted, but and offered a frightening glimpse of future
Hyrule, desolate and in ruins. Thankfully, you
too much. If we changed it rather the fact that a shop owner could revert back to childhood.
drastically, it would turn into is not likely to give a hearty
something completely different. welcome to a child that comes
They’re like a venerable into their shop in the middle of
restaurant’s secret sauce. And the night.” It’s more than giving
we’ve inherited them.” you a space to roam – it’s making
Some of the series’ huge appeal that roaming rewarding.
has to be attributed to Link – he’s Breath Of The Wild is next and, Wind Waker
You head out onto an azure ocean, unfurl the
inherently relatable. Twilight from what we’ve played so far, it’s sails, the wind catches, and the Great Sea
Theme strikes up. Duh doo doo duh duh! It’s
Princess art director Satoru going to be the most divergent enough to reduce actual adult people to tears.
Takizawa explains how the green- Legend Of Zelda experience ever.
clad character is purposely And, yet, it’s the same. Because,
designed to not look too cool: “We when you think about it, a series
thought he should retain a kind of encompassing 2D platforming,
unsophisticated air, a certain lack top-down dungeon-crawling, cel-
of style. For instance, compared to shaded sailing, and steam train
illustrations of Link, the actual exploration, really boils down to a Twilight Princess
Saddling up on trusty steed Epona and
character in the game has slightly simple story of an inquisitive kid galloping through a more expansive, more
realistic take on Hyrule Field, and engaging in
shorter legs. The legs are only just investigating the unknown, like mounted combat against Bokoblins on
long enough to give the player Miyamoto all those years ago. boar-back. Truly thrilling!

presents Nintendo switch 109

the link list

the link list

Over 30 years we’ve seen more than a few Zelda games…
But how many on our comprehensive list have you played?

LINK’S The Legend Of Zelda

Format NES Year 1987
The
AWAKENING MINISH CAP
Matt Sakuraoka- Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link James
Format NES Year 1988
Gilman Zelda Game & Watch
Nouch
Format Game & Watch Year 1989

The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past

Why do I always pick Format SNES Year 1992
this as my favourite The Legend Of Zelda Game Watch
Zelda? Partly it’s down to the Format Wristwatch Year 1992
great dungeon design and The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
incredible soundtrack (Tal Tal Format GB Year 1993

Heights remains one of the Link: The Faces Of Evil

best Zelda tunes ever), but it’s Format CD-i Year 1993

also because this was the first Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelon
Format CD-i Year 1993
one I finished. There’s
something about holding the Zelda’s Adventure
Format CD-i Year 1995 Development of The
whole world in your own two Minish Cap may have
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
hands, along with the Format N64 Year 1998 been spearheaded by
dreamlike themes, that The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX Capcom, but the game
makes it extra special. Format Game Boy Color Year 1998 retains just about everything
The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask that made the 2D Zeldas so
Format N64 Year 2000 elegantly playable while
The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons introducing a gorgeous
Format Game Boy Color Year 2001
new art style. Add a
The Legend Of Zelda: preoccupation with hats,
Oracle Of Ages
Format Game Boy Color Year 2001 and you have a game
The Legend Of Zelda: that ticks all my boxes.
The Wind Waker
Hey! Format GameCube Year 2003

Listen! The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To

The Past & Four Swords
A glitch in A Link To The
Format GBA Year 2003
Past using the Pegasus
Boots lets you access a The Legend Of Zelda:
mysterious secret area Ocarina Of Time Master Quest
called ‘Chris Houlihan’s Format GameCube Year 2003
Room’. The Legend Of Zelda:
The Minish Cap
Format GBA Year 2004

The Legend Of Zelda:

Four Swords Adventures
Format GameCube Year 2005

The Legend Of Zelda: Hey!

Twilight Princess Listen!
Format Wii, GameCube Year 2006
Crazy Tracy, the flirty
The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom potion-brewer from Link’s
Hourglass Awakening, cameos in
Format DS Year 2007
off-kilter Wii adventure
Captain Rainbow.

110 presents Nintendo switch

 the link list

Hey!
Listen!
There’s a caged shark at
the bottom of a lake in
Ocarina Of Time, said to
represent Ninty’s dislike of
the GameShark.

OCARINA OF
TIME 3D
Link’s Crossbow Training Ben Griffin
Format Wii Year 2007

Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland

Format DS Year 2007

Tingle’s Balloon Fight DS

Format DS Year 2007

The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Format DS Year 2009

The Legend Of Zelda:

Skyward Sword
Hey! Format Wii Year 2011

Listen! The Legend Of Zelda:

Ocarina Of Time’s Malon Ocarina Of Time 3D
wears something special Format 3DS Year 2011 I never completed the
on her neckerchief: a The Legend Of Zelda: N64 classic as a kid. I
bronze brooch of Mario’s Four Swords Anniversary Edition rinsed this one. Not only is
famous rival, Bowser. Format DS Year 2011
Link’s adventure extra
The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between immersive in 3D (I felt like I was
Worlds
Format 3DS Year 2013 in the world, just behind him),
The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD but the passing of time from
Format Wii U Year 2013 idyllic youth to responsible
Hyrule Warriors adulthood was all the
Format Wii U Year 2014 more meaningful.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Format 3DS Year 2015

The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D

Format 3DS Year 2015
MAJORA’S The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Enough of our jibber-jabber: it’s time
MASK 3D Format Wii U Year 2016 for you to tick off the list and work
out which of the Zelda games is
Robin Valentine Hyrule Warriors Legends
your favourite. (Choose Ripened
Format 3DS Year 2016
Tingle’s Balloon Trip Of Love and
My Nintendo Picross: you’re either a terrible fibber or
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Format 3DS Year 2016 terrifyingly warped.)

How did you score?

With its Groundhog

Day time travel and
Only in Japan
The ones that never made it to the west…
transformative masks,
Majora is a Zelda game like BS The Legend Of Zelda
Format Satellaview Year 1995
no other, a wonderfully weird
The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets
experiment. As a child I Format Satellaview Year 1997
thought I’d never see Ripened Tingle’s Balloon Trip Of Love
anything scarier than that Format DS Year 2009
moon. Little did I know Too Much Tingle Pack
Nintendo would one Format DS Year 2009
day make it 3D…

presents Nintendo switch 111

The Legend of Zelda: MAJORA’S MASK

The Legend of Zelda

MAJORA’S
MASK
112 presents Nintendo switch
The Legend of Zelda: MAJORA’S MASK

How do you follow

the greatest game
of all time?
By messing with
time itself…

N
intendo writer Mitsuhiro Takano
describes Majora’s Mask like this: “The
characters look familiar but something is
different somehow.”
That’s putting it mildly. Because this
sixth addition to the Zelda family is The Weird One.
The game’s early title of ‘Zelda Gaiden’ , meaning
‘sidequest’, was spot-on, because from the very first
screenshots, it was clear that everything in Majora’s
Mask is off to one side, all strangely left-of-centre
and surreally tilted, as though we are looking at the
Ocarina Of Time universe in a wobbly funhouse
mirror. It is also, of course, absolutely brilliant.
The Mask of Majora itself, though? Despite kicking
off the plot by turning a Skull Kid into a
megalomaniacal little monster, the mystical
facecovering is a red herring. Talk to anyone who’s
played the game and they’ll rock back and forth and

presents Nintendo switch 113

The Legend of Zelda: MAJORA’S MASK

weep as they remember the

game’s true villain: the moon.
KEY ELEMENTS Wherever you are on the game
This game’s sprite stuff… world’s surface, you can look up
and then shrink back as megatons
of grey rock, angry eyes and even
Magic Beans angrier teeth stare back. The
Returning from Ocarina Of Time, moon is truly terrifying: an
these sprout into platforms when unusually evil moment of
planted and watered. Fair enough Nintendo design brilliance. And it
– but in a lovely bonus touch, they
is on a collision course for Clock
also burst into life immediately
Town, the capital city of the
when it is raining.
game’s parallel world of Termina.
It will take three game days (just
Goron’s Mask a few real-life hours) to crash
It takes a lot to make riding Epona down, taking Link and everyone
seem boring. But this mask’s fuel- else with it.
injected rolling does the job, But here’s the trick: with a few
letting you tear around Termina
toots on the Ocarina, Link can
Field like a missile with a face.
repeatedly turn back time to day
one. That buys you time to solve
Little Brother Beaver dungeons, smash bosses and,
Nintendo’s character designers ultimately, save the world. But it
were clearly getting too much also means Nintendo have
coffee and not enough sleep. That cleverly given us Groundhog Day:
thing on his tummy actually spins
The Game, building a gratifying now so close its terrifying face
around, you know.
set of puzzles around studying the filled the sky.
habits of Termina’s citizens, who Director Eiji Aonuma – in his
Real Bombchu innocently go about their same first time helming a Zelda game –
From a distance, Zelda’s cuddliest three days of business, over and is the master of melancholy.
enemy. From less of a distance, over again. There is a heartbreaking moment
belligerently explosive suicidal And who, over and over again, where you free a young girl’s
vermin. Makes you wonder why rat
are horribly doomed. Majora’s father from a zombie curse, but,
poison hasn’t been invented in
Mask is sad. Every day begins even as they are tearfully reunited
Link’s universe.
with a thunderous full-screen in a rare moment of joy, you know
Caption Of Doom telling you how that none of it actually matters
Wart many hours remain. Every day because these poor souls were
Much fiddly sword/hookshot sees worried characters rue the eventually going to die in a
switchery required to pop this past and fear the future. On day flaming moon inferno. To this day
boss’s bubbles and reach the three, everyone flees, and you are Majora’s Mask remains the most
vulnerable eye. You’ll never look at
left wandering through an eerily tummy-punchingly emotional
bubblewrap the same way again.
empty ghost town, under a moon Zelda game.

Fierce Deity’s Mask

Us: “We’re getting a bit tired of
child Link now.” Nintendo: “Okay,
how about Link as a two metre-tall
glowing-eyed energy-spitting bad-
ass?” Us: “Mummy!”

5 Legendary
Ice Arrows
You can almost hear the
moments Anju and Kafei
Zelda saw in the new millennium One of the series’ most heroically
developers chuckling when you
with these brilliant bits that still involved and long-winded side-
stumble on this weapon’s crafty
make us tingle. No, not that tingle… quests sees you acting as
secret: it can freeze water to make
go-between for this pair of cursed
impromptu floating platforms.
lovers, rushing to meet 13 separate
appointments in three days.

114 presents Nintendo switch

 The Legend of Zelda: MAJORA’S MASK

The Great Bay Coast

– you eventually get
to swim in it.

But, like we say, the game is When he puts them on, Link than its actual gameplay. But Rolling around as a
weird too. It was put together in literally becomes a bouncing Deku what dungeons there are prove to Goron is always
going to be fun.
record time by core Ocarina Of Shrub, a rolling Goron, a be mind-bending caverns of pure
Time coders: we’d barely learned swimming Zora. And other masks gaming wonder, intricately
about Majora’s Mask in mid-1999 – fairies and bombs and crying interlocking jigsaw puzzles that
before the gold cartridge was in faces and bunny ears – trigger remind you why you got into
our hands. They pulled it off by insane but meaty sidequests and videogames in the first place.
reusing its predecessor’s subplots where aliens abduct cows Nintendo even threw in a hernia-
characters, scenery and items, but and marching chicks inducingly complex water temple
tweaked with new names, new spontaneously transform into for old time’s sake.
roles and new stories. As such, it full-grown Cuccos. So it’s a wonder that gamers
is downright odd meeting all But, odd as it is, it is The Legend were ever worried Majora’s Mask
these old friends who not only of Zelda through and through. would turn out to be a thin,
don’t remember you, but who The focus is less on dungeons and rushed imitation of Ocarina Of
don’t remember themselves. more on mini-quests, so Majora’s Time. It’s the moon they should
The 24 wearable masks cement Mask will always be remembered have been worried about.
the game’s off-centredness. more for its strange atmosphere Oh god. That moon…

Mountain Village Elegy of Emptiness The surface of Majora’s Wrath

Zelda’s first real snow world is a In keeping with the game’s off- the Moon Ganon seems about as frightening
shiveringly spectacular sight, and kilter feel, this song creates Ahead of the final battle, you are as a pet teacup pig after this
marks the return of Ocarina Of horrifying Link statues with unexpectedly transported to this battle. The mask turns into a
Time faves, the Gorons. Finishing soulless eyes. They come in handy surreal, dreamlike field. One huge terrifying whip-armed stick-figure
Snowhead Temple brings for depressing switches. And for tree, and no music – just a gentle nightmare who’d be right at home
springtime melting. depressing generally. breeze. Stunning, unforgettable stuff. in a Silent Hill game.

presents Nintendo switch 115

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The Legend of Zelda: the wind waker

The Legend of Zelda

the wind
waker
The game that saw
the Zelda series sail the
ocean blue – and take on
the cartoon visuals that the
next generation of DS owners
would come to adore…
118 presents Nintendo switch
The Legend of Zelda: the wind waker

presents Nintendo switch 119

The Legend of Zelda: the wind waker

I
f there’s one treasured
moment that all Wind Waker
players remember, it’s the “Sail a stretch of
feeling you get when you see
that you have mail. It’s the ocean peppered
little details that count in this with islands to
game, you see, and when you
cruise into an island’s harbour
explore.”
and see a jaunty red post box
bouncing excitedly from side to
side it genuinely warms all four
pieces of your heart.
Everything in the game is
beautiful, cheery and fabulously
presented – from the ‘schnaaay?’
noise a Fishman makes as he
scribbles local islands on your
small fry map all the way up to
the final showdown with a
puppet-themed Ganondorf. While
the clouds of animated purple
smoke that billow as you slice
Moblins make it feel like a Disney
cartoon, the boomerang, bombs
and bow make it feel like home.
These days it’s strange to think
that the game’s iconic cel-shaded
look was so controversial, but it
took purists a frighteningly long happens to look very Zelda-ish, The story posits this new Link
time to convert. What it brought doncha think?) through cheeky/ as an ancestor of Ocarina’s Hero
to the game, however, were vicious smiles, winks and proud of Time in a stretch of ocean
characters and animation with strutting is unforgettable. peppered with islands to explore,
more life, vitality and humour Likewise the hilarity as Link is oddities to bash with his sword,
than the series had ever mustered catapulted in a barrel towards and piglets to rescue. The plotline
before. The face of Link’s certain doom in the Forsaken runs deep in every sense of the
grandmother as he first departs Fortress, painfully bounces off word, with a familiar castle that
from Outset Island is still one of ancient walls upon the has been frozen in time lurking
the most heart-breaking appearance of the Tower Of The within the depths, yet despite the
Nintendo images, while the Gods or looks nonplussed after usual Triforce presence it feels
character invested in the sparky plucking something rubbish out very much a separate story to the
tomboy pirate leader Tetra (who of a chest is priceless. Zeldas that preceded it.

5
Legendary
moments One moment in time Meet Link the pig Seagull mind trick
Wind Waker’s high spots are
Hyrule Castle sits on the ocean Forget boring old Cuccos; in Wind Ever wanted to stare viciously at
personal – times when the
wind fills your sails and you floor: forever monochrome and Waker’s opening you hunt piglets, the world and steal children’s ice-
are bouncing full-pelt on the frozen in time. Spooky grey and the one you collect is cream? Through the Hyoi Pear,
waves in pursuit of adventure. baddies stand like statues until, of summarily named after you. Link can take over gulls’ minds,
There’s still plenty to course, Link retrieves the Master Return later to find he’s got much using them to hoover up rupees
reminisce about, though… Sword. Cue carnage. bigger, and hungrier… and slam into high switches.

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 The Legend of Zelda: the wind waker

KEY ELEMENTS
Wind waking ingredients

Ganondorf
After his puppet form, the true
Ganondorf comes out to play,
and ultimately the last
remnants of Hyrule are swept
away beneath the ocean. He’s
a scary chap, with quite the
temper on him.

Makar
Makar’s a lovely chap. He’s a
leaf-faced Korok, and a
somewhat itinerant musician
who can’t stop getting himself
into trouble. He’s late for a vital
ceremony, so, of course, it’s
Link to the rescue…

The Pirate Gang

A group of swarthy pirates ably
led by a small (and rather
bossy) girl. Tetra took over the
family’s nautical robbery
business after the sad loss of
her mother. They have a soft
side, but don’t like admitting it.

Tott
Tott’s a strange one. He dances
non-stop on top of a grave
trying to turn day into night,
Link’s boat, The King Of Red Lions, was Wind Waker’s Epona.
and describes himself as “The
World’s Charismatic Dancer
Extraordinaire”. Amazingly,
it’s a feat he achieves with
your help.

Stained class
wonder
Cel-shaded toon stylings aren’t
Beedle’s about Deadly Medli the only art ingenuities in Wind
Beedle is a big-nosed topless This duck-billed Rito moonlights as Waker – beautifully imagined
salesman. His finest moment comes the Sage of Earth – meaning that she stained glass windows and
when hard graft shopping has finally finds herself under your control in wood carvings also help tell the
earned you a Complimentary ID in the Earth Temple as she flutters story. This is one church we’d
his store. It gets you… a compliment around and twangs her light- go to every Sunday…
from Beedle. deflecting harp.

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The Legend of Zelda: the wind waker

Welcome, traveller… to Windfall Island!

Take a break from your relaxing Great Sea cruise by docking at this buzzing island metropolis!

Mingle!
Pursue young ruffians
The Killer Bees around
town, and demand that
they return to school!

Photograph!
Befriend old men and become a paparazzo with a
Deluxe Picto Box! Take sneaky photos of ignorant
townsfolk, or simply Lenzo’s favourite coastlines!

Shop!
Meet a man who wears an
Eskimo suit on even the
sunniest day! Buy a sail
from him, and possibly
much more besides! Ride!
Take a ride on
the wind-
Bomb! powered ferris
wheel. And,
Buy bombs from Windfall Island’s
very own bomb shop, then explode while you’re up
them at your leisure! What are you there, why not
looking at? That’s totally normal! ignite the
lighthouse? Fun
for all the family!

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 The Legend of Zelda: the wind waker

A Link to
the GBA
The cel-shaded stylings were a clear
innovation, as was the way that
Link’s wide eyes would drift towards
items of note in his surroundings. A
fascinating, if under-used, tool was
the way the game could link up with
a Game Boy Advance. Once rescued
from prison on Windfall Island,
Tingle presents Link with the
Tingle Tuner – which meant
your GBA could give tips on
your progress and give you
extra map information
when you were
delving deep in
dungeons.

Hero’s Clothes… too warm, and Link was hoping for something red.

Wind Waker’s greatest joy is in discover ghost ships, secret caves Tingle was allowed to effectively
sailing. Much like the very first and treasures to be dredged up hold the world to ransom in
time you galloped Epona over from the murky depths. exchange for deciphering some
Hyrule Field, taking Link’s boat This isn’t, however, a perfect maps. (After this incident many
(called The King Of Red Lions) Zelda. Despite a later ability that gamers would never be able to
into the open seas is a revelation. can fast-travel Link away to other trust him again.)
The seagulls soar as high as the areas on a sea-tornado, many The Wind Waker remains,
music as you bounce over waves gamers tired of the sea however, an outright Zelda classic
and (later on) begin to fend off navigation, and the game’s – a worthy forefather of the
vast Octos surrounded by occasional focus on stealth (hello, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit
whirlpools and purple shark-like Forsaken Fortress!) is misjudged Tracks games that would continue
Gyorgs. The game works on a 7x7 and mishandled. Above all, its story on DS. The high seas
grid – meaning that there are 49 however, the game’s rushed bring a spirit of open adventure to
areas to explore and the sense of development led to two major a familiar template and, amid the
discovery and completion as you dungeons being dropped from the delights of dungeons like the
tick off each one is electric. A end game – and it shows. The Tower Of The Gods and Dragon
central gimmick is that you can Triforce was instead put back Roost Cavern, is as pleasant to
change the direction of the wind together in an inelegant and rest your eyes upon on as it is
– filling your sails to take you in deathly-dull fetch-quest, while to actually play. Piracy isn’t all
your favoured direction to green-suited man-child moron bad, it seems.

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The Legend of Zelda: twilight princess

124 presents Nintendo switch

 The Legend of Zelda: twilight princess

The Legend of Zelda

TWILIGHT
PRINCESS
The biggest Zelda
ever made – and
quite possibly the
best, too…

T
he cynics would have you believe that
Twilight Princess was a step backwards for
Zelda: a return to trusted and traditional
ground after the divisive cartoon style of
Wind Waker. In a sense, that’s true:
Nintendo blamed Wind Waker’s slightly sluggish
sales on the public’s perception of its child-friendly
visuals, and Twilight Princess was a concerted effort
to court the older gamer by rooting the game in a
darker, more ‘realistic’ world. You only have to look
back at the reaction to the first trailer, unveiled at
Nintendo’s 2004 pre-E3 press conference, to see what
a successful move this was: grown men cheered as
Link charged on-screen, fighting Moblins from
horseback and galloping across a detailed Hyrule
Field. This is what the fans wanted, right? The cynics
would have you believe otherwise.
Time has, quite rightly, reconsidered Wind Waker’s
stature, and its astonishing, expressive visuals

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The Legend of Zelda: twilight princess

remain timeless – unusual for

videogames, a medium in which
KEY ELEMENTS each generation of console
This game’s sprite stuff… hardware makes the games from
the last one look outdated and
creaky. Twilight Princess, in the
Link years since its release, hasn’t
Early in the game, Link is just a fared quite so well: some of its
humble farm boy, resigned to a textures are a little rough and
quiet life of herding goats and ready; TP’s Kakariko Village will
being the object of adoration
never be Nintendo’s finest
for his young friend Colin. A memorable joust on the Bridge of Eldin,
graphical moment; the motion which disappears at one point.
controls – a legacy of the game’s
Midna transition from GameCube to Wii the series’ best-ever dungeons.
The greatest Zelda supporting – aren’t as comprehensive as was From the dank, deep secrets
character ever? We say yes. originally hoped; the side-quests of the Lakebed Temple to the
This mischievous and powerful are frankly meagre; it takes a heaven-bound strangeness of the
imp is a fantastic creation, and
while to get going, with the first City in the Sky, Twilight Princess’s
not quite what she seems…
dungeon – the superb Forest dungeons are rammed full of
Temple – not coming along until a incredible sights, brilliant fights
Agitha few hours in. and some of the best puzzles
This insect-obsessed freak lives Nintendo have ever constructed.
in Castle Town and gives you Princess perfect Who can forget walking on the
one of the game’s few side- ceiling using the Iron Boots and
quests – to collect golden bugs But these are the only criticisms the magnetic rock structures in
so she can live out her fantasy
of that can be made of Twilight the Goron Mines, or using
of being the “Princess of bugs”.
Princess, and the cynics are cannons to smash apart icy walls
wrong. Twilight Princess is, quite in Snowpeak Ruins, or using the
King Bulblin possibly, the greatest Zelda game Spinner to revolve entire rooms in
This giant Bulblin kidnaps ever made (until, of course, Breath the Arbiter’s Grounds? Here
Link’s friends Ilia and Colin, and Of The Wild comes to town). Any Nintendo outdid itself, with even
later Link fights him several faults you can level at it are the the majesty of Ocarina of Time’s
times, including a memorable
result only of its gloriously sky- Forest Temple fading into the
joust on the Bridge of Eldin.
high ambition. Twilight Princess background.
is certainly the biggest Zelda ever But the dungeons are just one
Skull Kid made. It is a colossal affair, and part of a glorious whole. Every
A disturbing and frustrating it’ll take a good 50 hours or so to Zelda game since Ocarina of Time
creature who leads you see and find everything in it. If has been a rebalancing of that
through the Lost Woods, Skull not longer. The Hyrule present game’s main-quest-to-side-quest
Kid’s presence is announced by
here is an enormous land mass, ratio. Majora’s Mask went
the glow of his lantern.
containing myriad hidden areas radically far in the side-quest
and some of direction and proved to be a
Ball And Chain
Although you really only use it
in Snowpeak Ruins, this
magnificent item is hugely
satisfying to use, smashing
through ice and enemies
with ease.

5 Legendary
Spinner
Of most use in the Arbiter’s
moments
Grounds, the Spinner allows With the biggest Hyrule to date, Hyrule Field
there’s so much to see and do As ever, venturing out on to Hyrule
Link to move speedily along
in Twilight Princess that it’s Field for the first time is a magical
wall-mounted rails to get to
mind-boggling… moment, with lush fields rolling out
hidden destinations.
before you and Hyrule Castle
visible on the horizon.

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 The Legend of Zelda: twilight princess

Deku Babas are nastier than ever.

If you get trapped by them, do a
spin attack to get free.

distinct and different experience unlike any other. Just when you and a frankly belief-beggaring
to its predecessor. Twilight think you might be on the home amount of items to collect and
Princess, by contrast, left most of stretch, you’ll enter the Twilight use, including many that made
the side quests behind and offered Realm to for a surprise dungeon. their Legend of Zelda debuts in
a truly epic main quest. You’ll When you’ve defeated the villain this game, such as the Double
collect golden insects, hunt down Zant, you’ve then got Hyrule Clawshots for scrambling up
Poes and spend entire days Castle to negotiate before you vertical surfaces.
searching for hidden heart pieces, even get to Ganondorf – and then
sure, but the meat of the game is you’ve got a massive, multi-stage Combat rocks
a frankly enormous adventure. fight to end all fights to get stuck
There’s no time-twisting here or into. Twilight Princess is a game Then there’s the combat,
other clever narrative tricks, just that gives, and gives, and gives which refines and
a (relatively) straight ahead and some more. It’s colossal, and expands the glorious fighting
exhaustive journey into a world awash with wondrous set-pieces found in Wind Waker to

Lake Hylia Cave Of Ordeals Snowpeak Wolf Action

You can always gauge the quality In the Gerudo Mesa you can enter Snowboarding Early in the game you’re forced to
of a Zelda by its sunrises – and this punishing trial-by-combat: 50 To get to Snowpeak Ruins – a fantastic traverse the cursed twilight
watching the sun come up over floors of relentless fightiness that icebound mansion – you’ll need to version of Hyrule in the form of a
Lake Hylia is a breathtakingly culminates in a hardcore ruck with surf down Snowpeak Mountain in a wolf. It’s hugely atmospheric and
beautiful moment. three Iron Knuckles! race against a Yeti. True! very, very spooky.

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The Legend of Zelda: twilight princess

Hey! Listen
“To me Zelda is a game that isn’t really a game. It’s really a
place that you go – a place where you go to touch things
in the world and interact with them and you explore and
you experience this vast world all around you. And that’s
really what it’s about.” – Eiji Aonuma on Twilight Princess

a remarkable degree. Link can world, one just behind your design, colour and lighting. Long
find and learn special moves that television screen. As a simple after the fight has been done,
add several dimensions to the travelogue, Twilight Princess you’ll be revisiting Twilight
basic, robust swordplay, and the outstripped everything its Princess to see the sights of its
elegant, bloody dance that is predecessors had done. From the Hyrule, and marvel constantly at
fighting an Iron Knuckle – the gorgeous tranquillity of Lake the glory of its environs.
armoured giants that prove to be Hylia to the heat-shimmered So, then. Twilight Princess is
Twilight Princess’s toughest bad sands of the Gerudo Mesa, from the biggest and arguably the best
guys – is exciting and tense the serene beauty of Zora’s Zelda yet. Some people may prefer
beyond measure. Domain to the frosted elegance of Skyward Sword, with its more
But perhaps most of all, Snowpeak Mountain, this Hyrule compact and packed gameworld,
Twilight Princess simply nails the has sights and sounds to enthral but it’s definitely less expansive.
one thing that Zelda has always and astound, and behind the So until Breath of the Wild arrives
done best: the sense that you’re classic visual style lies a subtle in our sweaty hands, it’s
exploring an entire fantastic and entirely glorious sense of something we can all savour.

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 The Legend of Zelda: twilight princess

World of Wonder
Join us as we take you on a magical mystery tour through the wonders of Twilight Princess’s Hyrule

1 Kakariko Village 2 Zora’s Domain 3 Arbiter’s Grounds

This is your first port of call once you leave A simply gorgeous area, this. A water-filled This desert dungeon is a spooky affair, home to
Ordon Village. It’s a dusty, flyblown frontier canyon with a glistening waterfall, home to the sand-strewn skeletons and rooms where you
town that contains the gateway to Death aquatic Zora. Watch the sun set here for a truly physically turn the walls to proceed. Mind-
Mountain and the Gorons. magnificent sight. bending and marvellous.

4 Lakebed Temple 5 Snowpeak Ruins 6 Secret Stuff

Deep beneath Lake Hylia is this Zora dungeon, An unusual dungeon, this, in that it’s a Secret areas abound in Twilight Princess, such
where water flows need rerouting to allow ruined mansion rather than a subterranean as this hidden cavern to the side of the Bridge of
access to deeper areas. Home to a hugely network of rooms. This snowy abode is also Eldin. You’ll need all sorts of items to access
impressive fish-boss. home to a friendly Yeti couple. them and their treasures.

7 Temple of Time 8 Cucco Flight!

You can get here from the rustic, ruined Want to get to Lake Hylia? Then you’ll need
beauty of the Sacred Grove. Here you’ll find to get there by Cucco. Pay Falbi 20 rupees,
the Dominion Rod, with which you can grab a Cucco, and enjoy a gentle flight down
control statues. to the sun-dappled shore. Lovely.

presents Nintendo switch 129

The Legend of Zelda: ocarina of time

130 presents Nintendo switch

 The Legend of Zelda: ocarina of time

The Legend of Zelda

Ocarina
of Time Welcome to a living,
breathing Hyrule.
See how one hero’s
journey into a 3D
land redefined the
gaming landscape…

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The Legend of Zelda: ocarina of time

V
ideogame history is and the idea was canned. Yes,
divided into two Mario’s dad can get it wrong.
periods: BO and AO. What emerged in 1998 was the
Before Ocarina and result of every key Nintendo brain
After Ocarina. In 1998 throwing in their two cents. At its
(BO), gaming was a different core there’s a simple yarn about a
place. Super Mario 64 had little boy trying to save the world.
majestically transformed He becomes a big boy in the
Miyamoto’s flat gauntlets into 3D process – thanks to the Master
playpens, but it still spoke with a Sword – but this is hardly
2D tongue: levels, stages, courses. Dickens. No, the game’s real
By Christmas ’98 Ocarina had magic is in the world itself.
taught us new words: living, Hyrule, so squat and dinky viewed
breathing, world. Let Mario enjoy from above, was injected with
his perfectly-oiled fun house. N64’s graphical oomph. Mountain
Link stepped into a universe tops rose and lake beds sank.
where the sun rises and sets. Rolling plains rolled on and on
Where monsters emerge at night and dark caves wormed into the
and people risk coming out during ground. All the imagining we had
the day. Where past decisions to do in 2D, Nintendo now did for
impact on future worlds. Ocarina us, leaving our minds to marvel at
changed everything. the scale of it.
Talking of past decisions,
Ocarina was nearly an altogether Curiouser and curiouser
different game. While Nintendo
put the finishing touches to Miyamoto says Zelda was born in
Mario’s 3D ’tache, a smaller team a childhood spent exploring hills
hammered out Link’s 3D future. and caves in his surrounding
They desired cinematic countryside. Ocarina taps into the Poor old King Zora. windmill. Ocarina has more
First his son gets
swashbuckling, based on same sense of curiosity. See the mysteries than seven seasons of
gobbled by their
traditional samurai movies, or mountain in the distance? Climb ceremonial whale, Lost combined. The difference is,
‘chanbara’. How to achieve this it. See the shiny rupees at the then his aquatic Nintendo is willing to let you find
palace freezes over.
was up for debate: one dev pitched bottom of a watery abyss? Dive to Sucks to be you, your the answers.
a polygonal remake of Zelda II, them. Cracks can be bombed, soil majesty! All this works because of
while Miyamoto suggested a first- patches sown with magic beans Hyrule’s unmatched sense of
person perspective. He imagined and rapids ridden from source to place. Give players the same free
exploring Hyrule in an FPS, watery end. Local characters rein in, say, Croydon, and they
flipping to third-person in the catch your attention with hearsay: wouldn’t be bothered to leave the
event of combat. Thankfully, noises in the graveyard, well- house. Sightseeing in Hyrule is a
Link’s 3D character model was dwelling scientists and game in itself, making your way
considered too good to hide away mysterious organ-players in the from Link’s leafy home to the

Field of dreams Sunny delight Sworded affair

5 Legendary When Link stepped onto the Once Hyrule Field weeping Claiming the Master Sword skips

moments
sprawling Hyrule Field, 3D gaming subsided, watching the sunrise over Link seven years into the future.
changed forever. It seems small by Lake Hylia set us off again. Day/ Not only does he fast-forward
What, we only get five? Ocarina is modern standards, but back in night cycles were technological through the embarrassment of
40 hours of legendary gaming! Oh 1998 all that virtual grass made witchcraft; the resulting orange puberty, he can now play with
well, here goes… grown men weep. hues truly beautiful. grown-up weapons.

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 The Legend of Zelda: ocarina of time

KEY ELEMENTS
Packed with goodness

Ocarina of Time
It ages heroes, summons
storms and turns night into day.
Ironically, it was this innocuous
tooter that allowed Ganondorf
to seize power. Bet Link wishes
he’d kept up the recorder.

Navi
Link’s fairy helper pushed most
gamers to the brink of madness
with her endless shrill requests
to “Listen!” and “Watch out!”
She just about redeems herself
with boss fighting tips.

Hookshot
Dragging Link from point A to
point B, the hookshot is the tool
of choice for the lazier hero. It
also let Nintendo flex its 3D
ferocious magma lakes atop Death there’s an actual game. And what
muscles creating vertiginous
Mountain – a location so hot, Link a game. Zelda’s dungeons are
spires to yank your way up.
can only survive for one minute what 3D was made for – that extra
without a fire-retardant tunic. dimension giving architects
And the time travelling mechanic elbow-room to do elbow-drops on
– hopping Link seven years into our cerebral cortex. Eureka Sheik
the future – means you see follows eureka: realising wooden Harp-plucking stranger stalks
everything twice. Spotting how combat staves can burn, feeding adult Link and teaches him
tiny childhood changes alter the bombs to armoured lizards, songs. That stranger your mum
always warns you not to talk
future is like starring in your own sinking into a whale’s stomach
to? Yeah, this is him/her/it.
version of Back To The Future. lining to reach new organs,
Believe it or not, amid gawping learning to defeat Link’s exact
at forests and weeping at sunrises, mirror image… we could fill this
Bongo Bongo
Named after the giant bongo
drum he rhythmically pummels
intruders on. Link has to wield
the lens of truth to reveal this
shadowy cad.

Poe
Named after the poet, not the
Grand slam Link? LIIIIIIIIINK!!! Teletubby, the ghosts of
Ganon’s phantom doppelgänger Sneaking around Gerudo Fortress’ Hyrule’s deceased rise from the
guards the Forest Temple and must fearsome lady guards is like Metal grave at night. In a sick twist,
be beaten in a game of lightning Gear Solid without the five-hour Link can bottle them up and
tennis. Time Link’s sword swings phone conversations about Godzilla sell them for a tidy profit.
precisely to thwack energy bolts and cherry blossoms. And we think
straight back in his ugly mug. it’s all the better for it.

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The Legend of Zelda: ocarina of time

they toot horses, don’t they?

Forge a bond with Epona as child Link, and as an adult you can make her yours

1 Epona’s Song 2 Toot toot! 3 Pay the man

Child Link visits Epona (who’s only a foal at this And seven years later, tooting Epona’s Song as an Seven years ago Ingo was a lowly ranch hand.
point) and learns Epona’s Song. This creates a adult will call the steed to your side. Alas, she’s He’s since risen to power and now hires out
musical bond set to last seven years. currently held captive by weasly rancher Ingo. horses for extortionate prices.

4 Dangle that carrot 5 Win the race 6 Bad loser

Get to grips with riding before making a bid for Impressed by your jockey skillz, Ingo challenges Trounce Ingo once and the rotter demands a
freedom. Regulating speed boosts (carrots) Link to a horse race. Utter cad that he is, he gets rematch, this time wagering Epona. Win this
prevents Epona running out of steam. an unfair head start. second race and Epona is yours…

7 Trapped! 8 Jump for freedom

Er, if you can escape Lon Lon Ranch, that is… Only joking. This is the Hero of Time we’re
Ingo locks the front gate, dooming Link to a life talking about here. Hoof it towards the gate
of trotting among the chickens. and Epona bounds it in a single majestic leap.

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 The Legend of Zelda: ocarina of time

Link must creep entire Switch special with his foes messier farewells, but blade and a flashing red damage
through the descriptions of Ocarina’s puzzling he’d still be fighting diddy indicator gave every wallop a
Garden of Zelda,
roamed by the majesty. We won’t, though – minotaurs if it weren’t for Link. tangible heft. When time comes
Princess’ stern robbing Zelda newcomers of That’s the problem with coming to spank Ganon, the spank is one
royal guards.
Ocarina’s lightbulb moments fresh to Ocarina in 2017 – so for the ages.
would be a heinous crime. much has been borrowed it seems The magic of Ocarina is in no
surprisingly familiar. single element. Rather it is the
Big, bad bosses Luckily for Link, there’s a feel outcome of the finest gaming
to his fights that remains his minds on the planet putting their
And as a reward for your own. Combat is acrobatic and heads together to decide how an
cleverness, Nintendo allows Link deadly, turning swiftly from adventure should look, sound and
to get his head caved in by some Cirque du Soleil graceful to Conan feel in 3D. In giving gamers their
of the best bosses in the business. the Barbarian stabby. By first taste of a living 3D world, it
Ganondorf may be the big bad, but anchoring combat around a created an appetite that has
the route to his castle is littered revolutionary target lock-on, defined the form to this day. The
with the corpses of bigger, if not fights resemble the one-on-one Legend Of Zelda pursues the
badder, bads. Bongo-thumping duels that fill our cinema screens. revolutionary as a matter of habit.
ghosts, lurid spider queens, Somersaulting around lizard men Ocarina Of Time achieves it on
elemental witches – Ocarina on platforms teetering on a lava every level. We loved the world it
invented the blockbuster field is about as good as combat showed us, and we benefit from
spectacle that defines triple-A gets. The combo of Link’s helium living in a world it shaped.
titles to this day. Kratos may give yelps (“Hai! Har! Hoo!”), an arcing Legendary indeed.

presents Nintendo switch 135

The history of Nintendo

the history of

nintendo
Join Damien McFerran as he digs deep into the
past, present and future of one of the best-known
videogame companies on the planet

T
he games industry has undergone iconic and noteworthy challenger in the interactive
seismic levels of change over the past entertainment arena.
few decades, but since the 1980s one Nintendo may have joined the videogame industry
name has stood out as a constant in around the same time as companies such as Sega,
the ever-shifting sands of interactive Namco, Taito and Atari, but it has a history that far
entertainment: Nintendo. At one outstrips those of these firms – and every other
point, Nintendo was a brand totally major player in the videogame arena. “Nintendo was
synonymous with videogames as a founded in 1889 as manufacturer of playing cards,”
medium, such was the company’s domination of the says Erik Voskuil, founder of Before Mario, a site
console market. devoted to covering Nintendo’s early history.
Since the glory days of the NES we’ve seen the Established by Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto, the
Nintendo rollercoaster dip and rise; systems like the company would focus almost exclusively on the
SNES, Game Boy and Wii have achieved the kind of production of Hanafuda cards for the first 70-odd
critical and commercial success that their rivals years of its life.
could only dream of, while missteps such as the By the ’50s, Fusajiro’s grandson Hiroshi had
Virtual Boy and the Wii U have proved that, despite ascended to power and became aware that sticking
its legendary status, Nintendo is just as prone to with playing cards was limiting Nintendo’s potential
mistakes as any other corporation. Arguably one of for expansion. He signed licensing deals with Disney
the most influential companies operating in the to maximise the appeal of its range, but by the ’60s
videogame space, Nintendo has sold over 670 million sales had dipped dramatically, forcing a rethink. “In
units of hardware and 4.23 billion units of software an attempt to grow business, Nintendo started
to date, and despite the less-than-stellar branching out in a wide range of other markets –
performance of its most recent home console, is still mostly short-lived endeavours including instant rice,
a creative force to be reckoned with. a taxi company and opening a ‘Love Hotel’ – before
settling on toys and games,” explains Erik.
Firm foundations It was the arrival of Gunpei Yokoi in the ’60s that
took Nintendo in an exciting new direction. “Yokoi
With the company already making waves on provided Nintendo with its first original toys and laid
smartphones with Super Mario Run and, at the time the foundation for what would eventually become
this magazine hits the shelves, just about to launch known as Nintendo’s approach to product design,
its latest innovative console, now is the perfect time practised to this day,” explains Erik. “It was no
to look back on its illustrious history and chart the surprise that his design philosophy was embraced by
highs and lows which have made Nintendo such an Nintendo, as his inventions became million-sellers,

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The history of Nintendo

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The history of Nintendo

earning the company lots of cash to fund further

growth and more innovations.”
Yokoi’s first best-seller, the Ultra Hand, was
created during his initial role as a lowly maintenance
engineer. “His role in catching the eye of President
Hiroshi Yamauchi cannot be overstated, effectively
kicking off the move into videogame entertainment,”
says Nintendo Life’s Thomas Whitehead. The Ultra
Hand was the firm’s first million-selling product,
and the follow-up, a baseball pitching device called
the Ultra Machine, would be even more successful.
The period that followed was packed with
innovation, with Yokoi dreaming up products which
captured the imaginations of people of all ages.
1969’s Love Tester gave young couples the means to
‘prove the strength of their relationship’ , while the
Kousenjuu lightgun toys allowed
the normally withdrawn
Japanese public to live out their
“1981’s Donkey Kong cowboy fantasies in the privacy
was Nintendo’s last of their own homes.

throw of the dice, Despite initial success, these

products couldn’t give Nintendo
but thankfully it was the long-term commercial
a triumph” stability that it craved. Given its where the real money was to be made at the time.
penchant for electronic toys, it is Now-iconic titles like Space Invaders and Pac-Man
unsurprising that when the had turned into money spinners, and Yamauchi was
home TV gaming revolution began, Nintendo was keen to muscle in on this lucrative market. Nintendo
one of the first Japanese firms to release a product. It wasn’t totally wet behind the ears when it came to
distributed the Magnavox Odyssey in 1974, and would location-based entertainment, though. “Nintendo’s
produce its own console – the Color TV-Game – first arcade games, launched at around the same
three years later. It is at this point that an important time as Atari’s Pong in the early ’70s, they weren’t
figure enters the story. Design student Shigeru videogames but electromechanical lightgun games
Miyamoto was fresh out of college when he joined that incorporated film and later video footage,” says
Nintendo in 1977. One of his first tasks was to design Erik. “These were original games, based on
the casing for one of the Color TV-Game variants. Nintendo’s own very early lightgun toys for use at
home, but had no commercial success.”
Entering the arcade The company’s first true arcade title was EVR Race
(designed by Genyo Takeda, who is still with
While Nintendo’s first forays into the world of Nintendo today as a technology fellow), and clones of
domestic gaming were significant, the arcades were Breakout and Space Invaders followed. None of these

Nintendo Key Players

Fusajiro Yamauchi Hiroshi Yamauchi Shigeru Miyamoto Gunpei Yokoi

Yamauchi founded Nintendo in The grandson of Fusajiro The creator of some of the most Responsible for some of Nintendo’s
1889 as a playing card business. Yamauchi, Hiroshi became the iconic games – including Super most successful ventures. He came
The company grew rapidly. third president of Nintendo in 1947 Mario, Zelda and Star Fox – up with the Game & Watch, Game
Yamauchi would retire in 1929, and would guide the company Miyamoto joined Nintendo in 1977 Boy and produced many famous
leaving his son-in-law Sekiryo away from playing cards and his breakthrough success was games. He was killed in a traffic
Kaneda in charge of the business. and into videogames. the smash hit Donkey Kong. accident in 1997.

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gave the company the smash hit Yamauchi wanted, by Miyamoto has been hugely influential in many Super Mario Bros.
was a huge success
and 1979’s Radar Scope almost proved to be the final ways, including being the first platform game to use
for Nintendo, and
nail in the coffin. The game had performed well in a jumping character – a jumping character who helped sell its NES
Japan but had flopped in North America – the market evolved into one of the most enduring videogame console to the
masses.
Yamauchi was desperate to crack – and Nintendo was icons.” Erik is, of course, referring to Mario, who has
faced with the prospect of disposing of unsold Radar gone on to become one of the most recognisable
Scope cabinets. As resourceful as ever, Yamauchi faces in entertainment.
proposed using the inventory for a new title, and the
relatively inexperienced Miyamoto was tasked with The golden years
creating the concept. 1981’s Donkey Kong was
Nintendo’s last throw of the dice, but thankfully it Donkey Kong was a turning point for Nintendo, and
was a triumph and has gone on to become one of the elevated the company’s status in North America –
most famous videogames of all time. arguably the biggest market of them all for
“Donkey Kong was very important,” states Erik. “It videogames. Home conversions quickly followed on
was a huge arcade hit that established the company the popular consoles of the period, earning Donkey
as a worldwide player in videogames and put Kong and its maker even more fame. Nintendo’s next
Nintendo Of America on the map. The game design venture was with games you could effortlessly slip

Minoru Arakawa Howard Lincoln Satoru Iwata Tatsumi Kimishima

Hiroshi Yamauchi’s son-in-law and Lincoln assisted Nintendo in its Iwata started as a programmer at Mintendo’s current president,
the founder and former president legal case against Universal HAL Laboratory. In 2000 he joined Kimishima was president of
of NOA, Arakawa was instrumental Studios in 1981. He would join Nintendo and two years later NOA from 2002 to 2006. His
in making the NES a success in the Nintendo in 1983; by 1994 he was assumed the role of company background is in banking, but
US. He is also credited with giving chairman. He is the current CEO of president. Iwata sadly passed away he has been with Nintendo
Mario his name. the Seattle Mariners baseball team. after a battle with cancer. since 2000.

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The history of Nintendo

Ten innovations into your pocket. Inspired by the sight of a

Nintendo improved on businessman idly tapping away at his pocket

calculator while on the train to work, Yokoi created
How Nintendo helped shape the games industry the Game & Watch line in 1980. While they used
crude LCD visuals and were limited in terms of
scope, the range was a massive commercial success
Digital control and sold over 80 million units between 1980 and
Joysticks were the input method for gaming of the ’70s and 1991. It also inspired a flood of copycat releases from
’80s, but were too bulky to be used on portable devices. the likes of Tiger and Bandai.
Nintendo came up with the D-pad and used it on the Game & “A lot of people were building battery-powered
Watch version of Donkey Kong. It became an essential control
handheld game systems, but they tended to revolve
method, and has been used ever since.
around rudimentary display hardware such as grids
Kiosks could be used to put new games of LED lights,” says Rare’s Paul Machacek. “While the
on old ones images on the LCD screens that Nintendo used were
The Famicom Disc System is another Japan-only peripheral, pre-baked rather than very low resolution software-
and Nintendo introduced kiosks which allowed users to wipe driven pixels, they were immersive and packed
discs and write new games to them for a reduced fee.
tightly enough to take you beyond noticing such
Wireless data transfer limitations and really get engrossed in the gameplay.
The Game Boy Color came with an infrared port on the top The twin-screened units, preceding Nintendo’s DS
which was pretty much only useful for one thing – exchanging handheld by decades, seemed particularly futuristic
data in the popular RPG Pokémon. It was another example of at that time.”
Nintendo leveraging cheap and common tech in new and
Erik adds that gameplay was the driving force
interesting ways.
behind the success of this range. “They were
The Game Boy Advance e-Reader playtested and fine-tuned until the result was a fun
Using special bespoke cards and the GBA e-Reader device, it and challenging game,” he says. “The graphic design
was possible to access special content for certain games. Sadly and quality finish also played a role. They looked
the peripheral was not a success, but the curio lives on as a desirable and provided a lot of value, which attracted
collector’s item.
customers and made them come back for more.”
The Game Boy camera Game & Watch was also notable for introducing the
Today, we’re used to having a camera at all times thanks to world to another innovation – the Directional Pad, or
smartphones, but back in the ’90s Nintendo caused a storm by D-pad, as it is now known. Used on the 1982 Game &
releasing a monochrome snapper for the Game Boy. The Watch adaptation of Donkey Kong, the pad has since
pictures were terrible, but they have a strange appeal to them.
become an ubiquitous feature on pretty much every
Memory management gaming controller you could mention.
PC owners are used to adding RAM to improve performance,
and Nintendo applied this to the N64. Demanding titles like Home Famicom-forts
Donkey Kong 64, Perfect Dark and Zelda: Majora’s Mask
worked with the 4MB RAM pack to offer better visuals. Growing in confidence, Nintendo decided to push
Rewrite, not fade away forward in the home console arena with a new piece
The 64DD – or ‘Bulky Drive’ as it was known – never saw release of hardware. 1983’s Family Computer, or Famicom, as
outside of Japan, but the idea was genius. To combat the high it was more commonly known, launched just as the
cost of N64 cartridges, 64DD games would come on magnetic videogame industry in the West was about to
discs which were cheaper and could be written to.
implode. The crash of 1983 destroyed Western
Touchscreens consumer and retailer faith in home gaming, but it
Sure, touch panels existed prior to the launch of the DS, but didn’t reach Japan, where the Famicom became a
Nintendo’s handheld really popularised the technology, commercial success. By the end of 1984, it was the
introducing it to a new generation of gamers and paving the nation’s most popular home console. “Nintendo’s
way for smartphones and tablets.
first-party titles were a big attraction – Super Mario
Motion control Bros., Zelda, Metroid – combined with many
The Wii might have been underpowered compared to its peers, fantastic third-party releases, such as Final Fantasy,
but the inclusion of motion control helped set it apart in the Dragon Quest and Mega Man,” Erik comments.
console war at the time. Nintendo opened up gaming to casual “Nintendo was also lucky with the timing. Entering
players and sold over 100 million Wii consoles in the process.
the market with a new system after the crash was
Auto-stereoscopic 3D risky, but once it succeeded Nintendo had a
The 3DS introduced glasses-free 3D to the masses in 2011, monopoly for many years. In this period playing
taking cutting-edge tech and planting it into the handheld. The videogames and playing Nintendo were synonymous.”
New Nintendo 3DS refines the tech by using a camera to sense When Nintendo revealed its plans to repackage the
the position of the user’s head.
Famicom as the NES (Nintendo Entertainment

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0% 0%

7%
Virtual Boy NES

7%
Wii

Wii U GamePad
30%
GameCube

Your
favourite
Nintendo
controller

40% SNES

16% N64

System) for release in

the west in 1985, many
assumed this upstart Japanese
firm was crazy. In North America,
home consoles were seen as a dead end, but
Nintendo persevered and soon enjoyed a near-
complete domination of the US market – a mirror of In the days before Nintendo invested in Rare, the
its overwhelming triumph in Japan. It is during this latter used the former as a sort of guide for game-
time that the company began a relationship with making quality. Whenever outside games were
tiny UK developer Rare. Paul, a Rare employee since brought into the developer’s studio for inspection
1988, reveals that the company was set up to fully and analysis, Rare’s founders – the legendary
exploit the success of Nintendo’s hardware in the US Stamper Brothers Tim and Chris – encouraged the
and Japan. “Just as Ultimate Play The Game had staff to have a hands-on with Nintendo’s offerings.
largely been a success in the UK and was not hugely “We largely only brought in other titles on Nintendo
known in those distant territories, so Rare was to platforms in the early years because I think Tim and
conquer abroad where the NES was strongest, and Chris wanted everyone to see that market, and
not have the visibility in the UK that Ultimate did for understand what worked and why,” continues Paul.
a while,” he remembers. “So we were all exposed to a sort of Nintendo ethos –

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The history of Nintendo

the Super Mario series was the true ‘North Star’

Franchise Starters that guided us.”
Nintendo would complement the all-conquering
Nintendo has created some of the industry’s most NES with the Game Boy in 1989. This handheld
enduring series – see how many games there are in each console was a direct successor to the aging Game &
Watch line. Another Yokoi masterpiece, the portable
system became a cultural icon and must-have
The Legend of Zelda 17 Super Mario Bros. 21 gadget, with many comparing its popularity to that
of Sony’s Walkman. However, as the ’90s dawned it
was becoming abundantly clear that Nintendo no
longer had the global games market all to itself.
Japanese rivals such as Sega and NEC launched viable
challengers, such as the Mega Drive and PC Engine,
at the end of the ’80s, and these began to slowly but
Metroid 11 surely chew away at the market share of Nintendo’s
8-bit system. In the US, this encroachment was felt
especially keenly; an aggressive Sega attacked the
NES via a combination of savvy marketing, licensed
sports titles and arcade conversions, eventually
managing to become the nation’s best-selling home
console – an event which would have been
Pikmin 3 Donkey Kong Country 12 Fire Emblem 14 unthinkable just a few years previously. New blood
was needed, and it came in the form of the Super
Famicom, or Super Nintendo as it was branded over
here in the West.

The births of legends

Regarded by some as Nintendo’s best console and
Mario Kart 9 F-Zero 6 one of the most acclaimed home systems of all time,
this 16-bit powerhouse played host to some of the
period’s most critically-lauded videogames: hits
such as Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A
Link To The Past, Secret Of Mana and EarthBound.
When it became clear that 3D visuals were slowly
overtaking 2D graphics in terms of popularity,
Super Smash Bros. 4 Nintendo was smart enough to make sure that the
SNES could stay the course. It introduced the Super
FX chip with 1993’s Star Fox, and gave the console a
massive shot in the arm in its battle against the
Mega Drive. “Everything came about because of a 3D
demo I had developed for the Game Boy,” recounts
Dylan Cuthbert, former Argonaut staffer who worked
Famicom Wars / Pilotwings 3 Star Fox 7 on the iconic title. “Jez San, my boss at the time, was
Advance Wars 9 showing the demo around at the CES show in
America and a Nintendo Of America exec saw it and
realised the potential of new technology and hooked
everything up very quickly to Nintendo Japan. They
flew us to Kyoto and we had lots of meetings, out of
one of which, the FX Chip was born.”
Dylan set up shop in Nintendo’s Kyoto HQ for some
Kirby 23 Pokémon 22 Warioware Inc. 7 time afterwards, and is ideally placed to explain
what made the company such a magical place during
this period. “Nintendo was a peak point,” he says.
“The cost of games development was so low and
teams so small, yet each game was selling millions
and at quite a high price. It helped it have a lot of
freedom.” Dylan also got the chance to work

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alongside the legend that is Miyamoto. “It was a lot While its competitors switched to cheaper and Shigeru Miyamoto
and Takashi Tezuka
of fun,” he recounts. “We went to lunch with him higher-capacity disc-based media, Nintendo
have been
every day for most of the development of Star Fox, stubbornly stuck with cartridges, claiming that they instrumental to the
primarily because he wanted to learn English, I avoided long load times and prevented piracy. While success of Nintendo.
think. We were quite a novelty for Nintendo at the both of these points were true, carts were expensive
time and probably the first group of ‘gaijin’ to be to produce and couldn’t hold as much data as a disc,
located there for so long.” Argonaut and Nintendo and many publishers turned their backs on the
arguably pushed the SNES to its limits, and today console as a result – notably Squaresoft, which
Dylan has a soft spot for the console. “It was simple, switched development of Final Fantasy VII from the
and fairly easy to do a lot of interesting things on,” he N64 to the PlayStation. To make matters worse,
smiles. “The sound chip was amazing at the time, Nintendo’s focus was weakened by the Virtual Boy,
giving games a richness that was beyond the simple the company’s most noteworthy hardware failure.
sprites and colourful backgrounds.” Released in 1995, it tanked and Gunpei Yokoi
apparently left the company under a cloud of
The decline shame, his legacy seemingly tarnished due to a
single failure. He would be tragically killed in
The success of the SNES was tempered by the fact a traffic accident in 1997.
that Nintendo now had a powerful rival in the form The N64 was host to some of the most
of Sega, which had pushed Nintendo hard in the influential videogames of the time, such as
West. To make things more complicated, other firms Super Mario 64, GoldenEye 007 and The
were entering the arena with their own hardware. Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (see
3DO, Atari, Philips and Sony all made inroads during p.130), but it failed to replicate the sales
this time, and Sega leveraged its arcade lineage to performance of the NES and SNES. While
produce the 32-bit Saturn, which used CD-ROM for former rival Sega stumbled with the Saturn
game distribution. Sony’s PlayStation – a system and eventually bowed out of the hardware
born out of an earlier agreement with Nintendo, arena with the Dreamcast, Sony was unstoppable,
which was cancelled in dramatic fashion when and its PlayStation became the NES of its era. As
Nintendo decided to ditch Sony at the last minute – the next console war loomed, Nintendo had to deal
also utilised CDs, and was perhaps the most with the presence of yet another challenger in the
worrying rival. Nintendo’s new console, the form of Microsoft, which announced it was entering While the 3D could
Nintendo 64, was announced around the same time the games arena with its own games console, the be gimmicky, the
actual 3DS boasts
but delayed until 1996, by which point both Sony and Xbox. Nintendo’s 2001 offering, the GameCube, was some incredible
Sega had gobbled up many consumers. arguably the one and only time that the company games.

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10

11
1

4
8

has bowed to industry trends and tried to produce was apparent from the initial sell-through of Mario
hardware that emulated that of its rivals. Aside from Kart that the company was in uncharted territories.”
using smaller discs and the odd-looking controller, The titles Roger had to promote were indicative of
the GameCube was dancing to the same tune as the the new direction Nintendo was moving in. “Like
PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but with three systems on many others, I have grown up on Nintendo products
the market, something had to give. The GameCube and I was extremely excited to be involved with the
came in third after its rivals, despite offering company,” he says. “I did not, however, get to work
amazing games like Super Mario Sunshine and The on titles such as Zelda and Mario straight away.
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (p.118). Instead my time was focussed on many of the Touch
Generations titles, such as Brain Training, More
Resurrection Brain Training and Cooking Guide – not what I had
originally envisaged! But, to me, it was incredibly
Although Game Boy remained dominant throughout exciting, as we were marketing Nintendo product to
the ’90s and early noughties, casting aside rivals families and to older demographics, some of which
such as the Sega Game Gear, Atari Lynx, Neo-Geo may of never even thought to play a game before. We
Pocket, and Bandai WonderSwan, Nintendo was had a product in the Wii that was accessible to the
finding it hard to remain relevant in the home arena. whole family and the DS had such a wide variety of
However, its next home console would flip the titles we could appeal to the 55+ demographic as
industry on its head and ultimately emerge successfully as we could kids. We were very lucky to
victorious in the next console war. The Wii – joined have such incredible products covering such a wide
by Nintendo’s already-successful handheld, the range of audiences at the time.”
innovative dual-screen DS – established a new For Thomas, the company’s ethos of marrying
period of mobile gaming success for the firm. software with hardware came to the fore at this
“I joined Nintendo UK the week that Mario Kart time. “The funny thing is that this approach didn’t
Wii was released,” says former Nintendo UK brand seem prominent in the NES and SNES era, but
manager Roger Langford. “At this point both Wii and arguably became more relevant with the N64, with
DS platforms had already begun to take off and it iconic games like Super Mario 64 utilising the

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 The history of Nintendo

Nintendo smartphones arrived the DS became redundant, as it

console was more convenient to play apps on phones.” The
history Wii U, however, has been a shocking dud for the
Your instant company. “Timing can be everything, and when Wii
guide to U was released technology had moved on since the
Nintendo’s launch of Wii,” says Roger. “The idea of the GamePad
9 many consoles
was and still is revolutionary, but I do not feel that a
and how much
they sold killer title ever nailed the use of it. With the Wii, Wii
Sports was a great demo of how to use Wii and really
set a positive benchmark for the system. Wii U never
Nintendo DS
1 really had this.”
series 2004
154,000,000 Thomas feels that the Wii U is a great platform
Game Boy that was simply dealt a bad hand. “The more I
2
series 1989 consider the Wii U, the more I think it just got caught
154,000,000
out by bad circumstances,” he says. “I imagine at the
6 Wii design phase – when tablets were only just gaining
3
2006 popularity, the Wii was dominant – the idea of the
101,006,000
name, GamePad and approach would have seemed
Game Boy right. Unfortunately the GamePad concept just
4
Advance
series 2001 wasn’t exciting enough to many, and the controller
81,510,000 also contributed to the system being too expensive.
The graphical power of the console also meant that
Famicom/NES
5 those with a PS3 or Xbox 360 won’t have rated that
1983
61,910,000 aspect, while third-party developers of various types
Nintendo 3DS were starting to look at the more powerful
6
series 2011 technology of PS4 and Xbox One. It struggled to
54,340,000
appeal to anyone beyond core fans. Nintendo
Super systems sell at their best when they’re affordable
7
Famicom/ luxuries, cheaper and more creative than rivals. The
SNES 1990
49,100,000 Wii U was at a premium price when it launched and
lacked a killer app, so only dedicated fans were
Nintendo 64
controller and technology in amazing ways,” he says. 8
1996
willing to take a punt.”
“Particularly since the Wii and DS era, this design 32,930,000
approach of producing hardware and software in
GameCube
Switch on for the future
tandem has delivered some memorable, game- 9
2001
changing experiences. Nintendo made touch gaming 21,470,000 Nintendo has already learned from its experiences
popular before smartphones rose to prominence on Wii U with the 3DS and Wii U. It made its first move onto
10
the DS, and had millions of ‘non-gamers’ playing 2012 smartphones with free app Miitomo, and launched
Tennis on Wii Sports or doing exercise with the Wii 10,730,000 Super Mario Run in December 2016. While many
on Wii Fit. It ultimately benefits customers because Virtual Boy feared that Nintendo’s smartphone venture could be
11
this approach can deliver distinct, wonderful 1995 seen as grim tidings for the veteran, Thomas had a
770,000
entertainment, and it benefits Nintendo as it helps positive outlook from the start. “All roads point to
the company to stand out.” [Switch] and key releases on smartphones, and if
both work together there’s potential for iOS and
Uncertain times Android to make the company a lot of money while
[Switch] maintains the dedicated gaming business.
While the Wii and DS have sold in excess of 250 Regardless of its lows, Nintendo has brand power
million units combined, Nintendo found that the and recognisable IPs. Those trump cards can see
market had changed by the time it launched their Nintendo make a comeback. Let’s not forget times
successors. The rise of smartphone and tablet were a little tough in the GameCube era, and Wii and
gaming has had a marked impact on the handheld DS changed the whole picture – when Nintendo
arena, and while the 3DS has managed to shift more misreads trends it can often recapture them. I think
than 50 million units globally, it is way behind the 2016 could be hugely exciting.” And for anyone
performance of the DS, which clocked up three times asking whether Switch can have any impact on the
that figure in its lifespan. “I feel smart devices have current gaming scene: “I seem to remember such a
had a huge impact,” says Roger. “DS really caught fire question being bandied about ten or so years ago and
before smartphones were around and it was the then they launched the DS and Wii,” chuckles Paul.
norm to see people playing out and about. When And now the doubters have been proved wrong.

presents Nintendo switch 145

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