Switching to the Second Year - My Experiences

 The first year of the Nintendo Switch gave me plenty of great experiences. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild hooked me into the game and further into the Zelda lore than I had before. Super Mario Odyssey proved to be a great game, as did Splatoon 2. There were twelve games bought in total for that first year, and the second almost hits that amount again.

The second year for Switch might not have been to everyone’s tastes, but for me it gave just as many greats as the first. Dragon Quest Builders I count among that number, along with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Skyrim [even if they are both games I owned on other systems, it’s the experiences I had with them on the Switch that count]. So just what did I get up to with the Switch’s second year?

Kirby Star Allies is an interesting one. Much the same as The Legend of Zelda, most of my experience with the series was through Super Smash Bros., and much like with The Legend of Zelda I had been toying with getting a game in the series and seeing it through to the end. Star Allies was my choice, and as much as I did enjoy my time with it, it didn’t grab me enough for me to try everything. Perhaps like Skyrim and many other games I’ll go back to it one day and see the true hook of it, but for now Kirby’ll forever be waiting just before that final boss on the main campaign.

Rogue Aces was bought purely because I was wanting a flight combat game. And for these smaller games, that’s kind of the reason I bought most of them this year. Rogue Aces didn’t provide the flight combat I was after, but I did find a good game. Not one of the greatest of the second year, but a good game that provided a number of hours of arcade mayhem in planes and a good feeling of one more go.

E3 came around and gave a very in-depth look at Smash Ultimate, but it also gave the shadow-drop of Fortnite coming to the Switch. I’d already had a good play of it on my Xbox One, but having it on a portable access as well would be good. It barely got played as not long after I dropped the game from play. I’d had my fill, and a portable version couldn’t convince me to keep playing. I have recently returned to in in this last month, though, and am enjoying it once again.

I’ve always been talking about Nintendo making a game that allows a player to go exploring Wuhu Island, with access to sports and other activities they can freely play. Turns out, a game like that already existed on the Wii, and got ported to the Switch in August. Go Vacation offers four islands to freely explore, with plenty of things to do within them. Sure, a few of the activities were basic and most that required motion wouldn’t ever fully work in handheld mode, but it still proved a good game to play and makes me wish even more for Nintendo to try their hand at such a thing.

Not long after I got my hands on that, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate released. I’d spent a good amount of time on 4 Ultimate on the 3DS, and this looked to be a better prospect as I wouldn’t have to be dealing with that little nub of a c-stick for camera control. And I certainly am happy with it. Diverse environments, tough monsters, and plenty of weapons and armour sets to be working towards.

E3 gave plenty of games to look over, with one of those being Starlink: Battle For Atlas. A toys-to-life game that made the toys optional – by allowing everything to be bought digital. And it’s digital the way I went. And I’m glad I did. Starlink offers a beautiful amount of worlds to explore and a compelling gameplay hook. The characters all have unique personalities, reacting to the planets they visit when you play as them. And the Switch version has the bonus of including Star Fox content – with more of that coming in a future update. When this game released, plenty of people were saying how this was a better Star Fox game than what Nintendo had put out with Zero on the WiiU.

And that is true. While I’m not the best person to really say anything about such – having only played the 3DS remake of 64 – it does seem that the series tried different things which didn’t work, and has now put it in a place where each entry is set to fail based on what new thing it offers. For a first run of Starlink, I played mostly as Fox, right up until the end. And it did feel as though Starlink could be a worthy direction for Fox to take. I’m sure others would disagree, though.

A day before the Pokémon Let’s Go games released, the update of the Switch eShop brought a number of games. It was around that time I was wanting to find a tower defence game to really get stuck into. And that’s where Swamp Defence 2 joined the ranks of my games – for free, thanks to the numerous amount of gold coins I’d saved. And it was classic tower defence as I knew it, and I was having plenty of fun with it. Unfortunately, that fun was cut short when progress was halted right at the start of the third area. It was simply a corruption of the level design itself that would crash the game after a few seconds. It was quickly uninstalled soon after.

No matter, as Let’s Go, Eevee! was a great experience in the world of Pokémon. I’ve already talked about it in my first impressions post, but the rest was just as great as the beginning. Now on a second run, I won’t be using the starter Eevee just to compare experiences. After all, they did make the starter an overpowered monster.

Once again I found myself going for a small game not long after Let’s Go’s release. Still within the strategy genre, this time is was business management with Hot Springs Story. This one is a fun business management game. Basic, but fun. It has a fixed end where you can see how well you managed the business within that time frame, giving the feeling of wanting to beat that previous score on a new run. But there's plenty of opportunity to get different results each time as you prioritise who you invite and where you choose to invest your money.

Another one I’d given a first impressions on was Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which is definitely my best in the series. Though it could do with a few extra modes, what is there is a great game. Stamina battles are fun and easy to access, and all the quality of life changes make getting into a game easier than ever. Even online, unless you want a specific type of match and don’t want to join an arena.

The last game is one I’ve been waiting for for quite some time. Advance Wars is seemingly never getting a new entry, but here comes Wargroove as a perfect fit for those who crave what Advance Wars gave. And the Switch is the perfect fit for it. Just like with Advance Wars, I’ve spent most of my time creating and playing my own creations, but the actual strategy of the adventure mode is fun to crack and get three stars on. The extras are nice as well. And even though it’s a small game in terms of being an indie, there’s a lot on offer here that very nearly matches what Advance Wars offered.

The third year of Switch is looking a lot better than the second. The mainline Pokémon games of Sword and Shield recently got announced. Animal Crossing is coming this year. The Dragon Quest games of XI and Builders 2. Super Mario Maker 2. And plenty of others that look to make up a spectacular year on par with the first. Those games are sure to be added to my collection and become a part of the great games I already own. And based on my 3DS play time, I can already tell that the Switch’s will be looking very similar at the end of its third year.

Nintendo Switch - The First Year [Gaming]

October 2016 gave us a first look at Switch, after months upon months of ‘NX’ rumours all trying to give an account of just what this new console of Nintendo’s would be. One thing most agreed on was the hybrid nature of the system. That was certainly the case with it’s showing, with a trailer that’s probably still sat at the top of most entertaining console reveal of all time list ten years from now. Huge exaggeration, sure, but the fact is this trailer hit home the message of the Switch – Play Anywhere, Anytime, With Anyone. It also gave hints at the games we’d be playing, such as Mario Zelda, Skyrim!, and a number of others. Come January, we got the details of the system and an outline of the games. Cue March 3rd, when the console launched.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild hit hard, becoming an instant hit with many people – including those who were casual fans and even those who had never played a Legend of Zelda game before. In fact, such was the popularity of the game, it was easy to forget the other games that launched alongside it. Just Dance, FAST RMX, Snipperclips, Shovel Knight, Skylanders, Bomberman, among a few others helped make sure it wasn’t just the Breath of the Wild machine. Plenty of releases the days and weeks after also made sure of that. If you’ve read my thoughts on the release month, you’ll know much of what I’m about to say. I instantly preordered Breath of the Wild with the Switch as soon as it became available, and upon release, I eagerly set it up and set to playing. It was pulling me in with how open it was, allowing exploration how the player wants to do it. I explored, and explored, and then got on with the main quest. FAST RMX was the second game I bought, giving a lot of skill to the racing genre as you control the super-fast vehicles around a number of tracks. I enjoyed what I played of it, though as soon as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe came around, it was pretty much forgotten. Snipperclips was the third game, a week later, with a second set of Joy-Con. It’s been fun to solve the puzzles solo, but that sort of game needs two players. These co-op puzzlers are more about the experience than the puzzles themselves. It’s why Human Fall Flat is such a popular one. Snipperclips also features a competitive mode for up to four players, expanding the range of things to play around on with friends.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at the end of April brought the game from Wii U with a few small changes and a rather big one in the form of a completely revamped battle mode. Even with the near 300 hours put into the Wii U version, having one of the best Mario Kart games in a portable form has certainly kept me playing. A fact that is true for a number of these games.

Released on the same day as Mario Kart was Puyo Puyo Tetris, with Minecraft on Switch following from that in May, as well as Ultra Street Fighter 2 and Disgaea 5 Complete. June also saw a few releases, such as Shantae: Half-Genie Hero and Mighty Gunvolt Burst, but it was day 16 of June that gave the big release.

ARMS had been getting focus in the E3 Treehouse stream before it’s release, and that certainly seemed to have helped in terms of exposure. After all, a tournament featuring professional players is definitely a way to create hype – especially if the game in question releases the day after. At first, I found the game had minor flaws that affected enjoyment, but with patches, nearly everything has been sorted out. Improvements to the game also meant there was new content to enjoy – even if such updates have come to an end. The fighting was fast and fun, though just like most arena fighters, my interest dropped to occasional plays pretty quick. There’s just something to the more technical fighters that can never hold my interest, it seems. Despite that, it certainly is a great game that fans of the genre can enjoy. Even if it did get overshadowed by Nintendo’s next big release.

July saw the release of Splatoon 2, and again it shook the world into a frenzy. A solo mode that expanded on the first, a new wave-based multiplayer mode, and the multiplayer modes brought back from the first allowed this to be as good as the 2015 game. New subs and specials replaced the original roster, making sure the tactics of play changed. A special four-hour Splatfest Testfire appeared on the eShop a week before release to hype everyone up. Content updates are going strong – the same with Splafests – with numerous returning stages from the first game having been added, and even more new competitive modes to be added. This time around there has been a music update, adding even more battle themes to the game, and I honestly think Splatoon 2 has the best music of the two. I’ve been loving the game, sticking with my trusty Splattershot Jr.’s for the multiplayer, and having actually finished the solo campaign in the second game where the firsts didn’t really interest me as much. It’s definitely one to play, though for me has been side-lined by other games both on and away from the Switch.

I’m a fan of minigolf, and the games are no exception. I remember Planet Minigolf on the PS3, and to hear that ZEN Studios were to be releasing a new minigolf game on Switch was great news for me. Infinite Minigolf was great to play, but had a flaw in its controls that was soon corrected in a patch. Since then it has been a lot more playable, and with new themes added to the game, it has expanded quite a bit since release.

I’m not much of a fan of the classic Sonic games, with Sonic 2 being the only one I’ve really enjoyed, but Sonic Mania looked to expand on that game, so I was in. The drop dash was easy to forget about, but the flow of the game was great. The special stages are the only ones I really enjoy from the entire series, bringing a Sonic R feel to them that makes me wish for another game in that style.

While I haven’t played it, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle seemed weird at first, which is why it was probably a good thing the rumours flying around got us used to the idea. Ubisoft saw success with it, and this is probably the first of many crossovers and third-party handling of Nintendo IP in a line of them.

Pokkén Tournament DX and Fire Emblem Warriors released to favourable reviews, but my next game didn’t come along until the beginning of October with Stardew Valley. It had released on other platforms in 2016, but with knowledge that it was coming to the Switch, I held off. Just like with Sonic Mania, I wanted the game on a handheld as I felt it fit the spirit of the game better. A farming simulation going back to the old versions of Harvest Moon, it felt like a great game to play for a bit at a time and then find you’ve lost hours to it. While it has been good, I find myself not returning to it due to the art style and controls feeling slightly off.

Super Mario Odyssey. The Switch’s next hype game. Since Zelda had taken the focus of E3 in 2016, E3 2017 was jumping in the air without a care with that wonderfully crafted vocal song accompanying the trailer of the next 3D Mario game. We’d already seen it in action from January, but the amount of content that came out of E3 for it made it one of the most hyped games and managed to make it massively popular. When it released, I loved it, and having remained free from spoilers found the ending to be such a blast. And with the new Balloon finding mode added, exploration of the worlds within the game has increased – with me finding areas I didn’t even know were around in some of them.

Back when this one originally released, I never really gave it much of a chance. Skyrim was a one play and forgot game back then, and for a while it looked as though that was to happen again. Having played it once on the Switch version’s release, it was forgot about until a month later, where I picked it back up and lost many, many hours in exploring the world and getting invested in the connections I was making with it. Sure, combat was frustrating me, but it didn’t stop me playing. I was too invested to give it up. And it continued like that until 2018.

It wasn’t until February that my first 2018 Switch purchase was made, and that was Dragon Quest Builders. I’d seen it as a novel idea, having a JRPG-like sandbox, and while the RPG elements weren’t exactly sandbox, the exploration and building definitely were. The building tools weren’t limited, and each of the four chapters were like self-contained episodes leading up to a climactic finale. Happy to say it succeeded in getting me away from Skyrim with a new world to explore. With a second game soon to be released, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the second as much as I have the first.

As for the rest of 2018, we know of Kirby Star Allies and the new Yoshi game. Kirby will be my next purchase, and from what I’ve seen of it, I’m sure I will be enjoying my first mainline Kirby title. Yoshi I’m not so sure about, but it looks enjoyable from what’s been shown. Mario Tennis Aces is set to launch soon, and expands on everything that Ultra Smash gave us. Nintendo Labo – the cardboard creative set of accessories – is to come in April, and starts off what looks to be the first in new ways to play. While I can’t say much of it, it does look to give some interesting ideas.

Nearly everything else is a mystery, but we know of a new Fire Emblem. Smash Bros. on Switch seems almost certain, and considering the numerous ports of games, it seems expected that Smash 4 will be making its way over. Just like with the other ports, new things are likely to be included. I’ve always been parading the idea of expanding the Miis and Wuhu Island, and I think the Switch is the perfect place to do that. A new Pilotwings would be great, with a Wave Race also being a sought-after return. Both of these and more could be a part of Wuhu Island game. All-in-one, a game-as-a-service, as it were, but with the objective being to not make money with each new addition. No microtransactions either. A game sold at full retail price should remain a one-price-only game. If it were free, that would be a different case, but then would Nintendo really want to expand into a social-gaming service that Sony tried with its Playstation Home?

A Party-type game is more than likely coming, Animal Crossing is surely coming – whether this year or not is a question that needs answering sooner rather than later. It could be expected that a new Mario Maker will be coming, as well as a few other WiiU ports.

And of course, the big one that I’m hoping will be the main focus of E3 this year. Pokémon on Switch. Many an idea has been asked for with this one. Open world design like Skyrim or Breath of the Wild. Full-3D Kanto remake. Revision of the battle mechanics. There’s been loads of ideas going around, including region ideas, starter ‘mon ideas, and new mechanics.

Nintendo have had a very good first year with the Switch, beating out the lifetime WiiU sales in just one year. If the second can keep that momentum going, it could be a very successful console in the future. I’ve been loving it, though now is the time to bring the features. The eShop could also do with a bit of work, and bringing more themes – and a bit of a refresh – to the home screen would be good as well.

There’s a lot to be said for a gaming machine that serves as both handheld and home console, and I’ve certainly been enjoying it as both. Here’s to many more years of Switch.

Nintendo Gamecube Virtual Console for Switch? Some Game Ideas [Gaming]

Nintendo Switch has yet to gain its Virtual Console service – where old games are emulated for play on newer systems – but one of the most requested systems to appear on the service is Gamecube. The Gamecube is quite possibly one of my most favourite systems, with a fair few series available on it that I feel have only been narrowly beaten by later entries, and some which still remain my favourites.

Take Mario Kart, for instance. Despite numerous entries after Double Dash, I would always say it was my favourite. Even when Mario Kart 8 came out – though it was a very tight call. With the Deluxe version of MK8 on Switch though, Double Dash has finally been beaten. For Pokémon spin-off games, Colosseum and Gale of Darkness are still my all-time favourites, and I’m hoping that when the main series comes to Switch, that game borrows some of the better elements from the two Gamecube games. You’ve probably heard quite a bit about this one, but Sonic Heroes is my all-time favourite Sonic game. For years I was undecided on Generations, Adventure 2, or Heroes, but the one I haven’t finished the last story for is the one I’m saying is my favourite.

However, this post isn’t meant to talk about my favourite games, it’s here to talk about bringing games to the Switch’s Virtual Console [if it arrives in the fashion we hope]. The only requirement for these games I’m talking about is that the game had to have been exclusive to the Gamecube. If we start talking about any game available, the list would be quite long.

Of course, to start off, we have the big games. Super Mario Sunshine is a game I’ve seen people ask for in other lists about the Gamecube, and while I’ve never played it myself, Mario games are always one of the most asked for games. While this one might struggle a bit with controls [analogue versus digital triggers being the main point], I still feel there can be a bit of a workaround with that. With Super Mario Odyssey coming October, and the Switch’s Virtual Console surely to come in 2018, Sunshine would be a good game for people to remember the older Mario games with. The game differed a bit from Super Mario 64 in that you had a water gun named FLUDD that helped you clean up Isle Delfino of ink and also added to the range of moves Mario could perform.

When talking of big games, the name that usually gets mentioned next to Mario is Pokémon [sorry Link]. Which is interesting to note, as the Gamecube had two rather main series-like Pokémon games released for it. The first – Colosseum – starred Wes, a member of Team Snagem who defected after a change of heart, taking the snag machine with him. The second – XD: Gale of Darkness – starred Michael, a part of Professor Krane’s research facility, as he uncovered the deeper plot of the Shadow Pokémon. See, these two games were different in that they featured very little in way of wild Pokémon [Colosseum having none at all], and having a deeper plot that didn’t involve a league. Instead, it was solely on taking down the evil organisation. Oh, and both games primarily focused on double battles. Adding new monsters to your team was done through the Shadow Pokémon. These were ‘mon who had been artificially altered to close all emotion from said ‘mon and turn it into a cold-hearted fighting machine. By using the snag machine, you could capture them from other trainers and use them as your own, eventually being able to restore them to their normal self. With a main series entry said to be coming for the Switch, these two games would be perfect if said game wasn’t appearing until 2019 to fill the gap.

Luigi’s Mansion was a brave game, starring the partner of Mario as he tried out for the next member of the Ghostbusters. Or something to that effect. It was a simple game, with the player having to capture ghosts across one of four stages. Some ghosts were within portraits, while others couldn’t be captured without collection of special medallions. There was also treasure to collect, which formed the basis for how big the mansion would appear at the ending scene. While a sequel did hit the 3DS some time ago [expanding upon the first greatly], having the original available on the go as well would be a perfect bonus.

There’s no other way to say what this next section is all about in any other way – it’s racing games. And the Gamecube certainly had a number of exclusives in that area. The first obviously being Mario Kart: Double Dash, which in my opinion was the greatest of the lot until, as I said above, it was beat by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch. Now, if the Switch already has a Mario Kart, why would it need another? Double Dash is what many would consider the black sheep of the series, with many of its features never showing up in another title again [though some were reworked for 8 Deluxe]. The main feature being two-character racing. While any two characters could be selected, they were shown in pairs on the select screen. Mario and Luigi, Toad and Toadette, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, for example. Each of these pairs had a special item unique to them, so a giant shell resembling Bowser for himself and his son, a chain chomp for Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. The driving physics were looser, getting hit by obstacles hardly impeded the speed of the kart, and with enough skill red shells were able to be dodged without use of an item. And speaking of items, you weren’t allowed to hold them behind the kart. If 8 Deluxe isn’t getting any download content, then the next best thing would be getting the black sheep of the series available for all.

Now, the next two racing games I haven’t played, but there is certainly a calling for one of them. The other – Kirby Air Ride – was the precursor for a mode that featured in Super Smash Bros. 4 3DS. Smash Run was similar to City Trial, so it would be good for people to experience the game where that mode originated. City Trial had you driving around a city stage with several other sections, while grabbing upgrade items for your vehicle. Vehicles themselves were scattered around the map, allowing players to swap vehicles. Random events would happen during the trial, mixing up the playing field a bit. Once the countdown had ended, a small competition between racers would happen, whether that be a drag race, fights, glides, or laps on one of the game’s race courses. While normal races and top-down races were also part of the game, City Trial is obviously the main event of the game. With Mario Kart and the other game I’ll mention also being out around the time of this game’s release, it was considered the throwaway of the bunch, possibly due to its simplicity.

That other game being F-Zero GX, the super-fast futuristic racer developed by SEGA and the last 3D F-Zero game to date [GP Legend would be the last worldwide 2D release, while Climax released exclusively in Japan]. GX had thirty racers competing on twisting tracks, all at high speed, with a health and boost meter keeping things in check. The series, as well as other futuristic racers, has always been a difficult to master genre, but there’s an extra bit of character that this series provides in having characters along with the racing machines. The tracks are well worth playing the game for, but with newer futuristic racers such as FAST RMX and Redout making a mark in the genre, it makes one question whether this game would make an impact among them. Those calling out for a new F-Zero will surely jump at the chance to prove they want a new game if this became available, and in a way this game completes the trio of racing types. Kirby, the simple racer. F-Zero, the more core racer. And Mario Kart, the racer for everyone.

Those are the main six [well, seven] games the Gamecube had, though of course there’s still a few missing. These are the few that will be unlikely to appear. Super Smash Bros. Melee, for example, while a good game, possibly won’t see a release until after a likely port of Smash 4 releases, if at all. The game was the most technical of the series, still being featured in fighting tournaments to this day. How a re-release would be received is anyone’s guess, but having two Smash games available on one console would surely help with organisation. Of course, if the port isn’t perfect [and let’s not forget the fighting crowd preferring the Gamecube’s controller out of everything Smash Bros.], it will be left in the dust for the original console.

Another unlikely game would be Animal Crossing. The series has evolved so much since this version came out, that aside from the nostalgic value it holds, there is little on offer that hasn’t already been improved on. And with a Switch game sure to expand on everything the 3DS’ New Leaf gave us, there would be even fewer reasons to grab the Gamecube game. However, there is the nostalgic reasonings to consider, which is where the Virtual Console usually thrives.

The Star Fox games of the Gamecube are rather hit or miss in whether a Virtual Console release will happen. On the one hand, Star Fox Zero was a rather ambitious effort with a difficult to master control scheme, in effect spoiling the rather neat revival the series had with Star Fox 64 3D. On the other hand, if Star Fox 2 can get revived from cancellation due to fan demand, it must prove the series still has the staying power. Releasing more favoured games would be preferable, but at this point the general consensus seems to be that the games are getting similar in story, with Zero expanding on the maps and progression of 64 3D – even if it did add a lot more in terms of mechanics. As such, Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox: Assault could bring a greater sense of exploration back to the series.

Wave Race: Blue Storm is another racing game, but this time on water. 1080 Avalanche is a snow-sports racer. Both series saw their last on the Gamecube, and re-releases could help revive interest in both. While Custom Robo, an RPG about miniature robot fighting figures, saw a release on DS, the Gamcube game only saw a release in the west in America. Bringing it to the Virtual Console would allow more people to experience it.

Battalion Wars… The real-time tactical strategy game is a part of Nintendo’s Wars series, which also includes the Advance Wars games [which I’m more familiar with]. Featuring a more cartoonish style of visual, and a lighter tone than strategy games usually offer, the game still had enough depth to gain a positive reception when it first released. While the sequel on Wii might have improved on the original, the first is still the one that could use the greater exposure.

The Mario sports games feel like they are slowly declining, but that only really started from around 2011. The Gamecube had three Mario sports games, two of which were new sports the Mushroom Kingdom hadn’t seen before. The popular choice of sport, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour had sixteen playable characters, with seven courses and various modes to play. While it felt a bit similar to the previous game of the series, it was still a stand-out entry. Mario Superstar Baseball is one of the new sports, with traditional matches of baseball mixed up with Mario characters. The challenge mode has players moving up the ranks after beating various teams to face the final match against Bowser. There’s a bit more depth than I’ll go into here regarding the mode, but other modes were also available in the game. The last of the three was Super Mario Strikers [or Mario Smash Football for Europe]. A five-on-five game of football again takes characters and themes from the Mushroom Kingdom and places them into a sport, again mixing things up with power-ups and special moves. Reviews do point out a smaller solo-play offering than other games, but that’s likely due to the nature of the sport itself.

Continuing on with those three games, Superstar Baseball and Smash Football did receive sequels on the Wii, but both have since been missing in action as standalone games. The 3DS collection of Mario Sports Superstars included all three of the sports mentioned, along with tennis and horse racing, though all the sports seem to have lost the fantasy wackiness previous Mario games have excelled at. Releasing all three Gamecube sports games on the Virtual Console for Switch might prove that the sports need this wackiness to remain relevant as a series, and indeed different from the more realistic offerings from the likes of EA.

There’s a fair few other games Gamecube exclusive that I haven’t mentioned. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is highly regarded as the best Paper Mario RPG, though with a Mario and Luigi game already being remastered for the 3DS, it is entirely possible for the same treatment to be had for Paper Mario on Switch. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has already seen a remaster on Wii U, so a port of that version is more likely I would imagine [though in a few years’ time after Skyward Sword has had a chance]. There was also Four Swords Adventures, but again it would be better as a remaster [in fact I’d say that game would need it considering how it was played].

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg was a one-off game [due to SEGA not wanting to risk a sequel] where the gameplay revolves around finding and hatching eggs by rolling them around. These give improvements to the player character which help in his quest.

These are all games I wanted to highlight as potentials for the Switch Virtual Console, but I cannot end this off without mention of two games that will possibly never see a re-release. The Star Wars: Rogue Squadron games. Here’s hoping EA can make a series of air-combat games that channel the spirit of what the Rogue Squadron games were.