Top Releases:

After years of speculation, rumors, leaks, fake images, and people still saying Nintendo should be a software-only company, the Switch 2 will arrive this week on Thursday, June 5th to what the Big N is hoping will be a record breaking launch. It’s been eight years since the first Switch launched and, in that time, it has become the third best selling video game console of all-time, with over 152 million units sold. That is only two million away from the Nintendo DS, and eight million away from the Sony PlayStation 2.

As we’ve seen with the last console releases, 2020’s PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the traditional launch titles have changed a bit. In the past, it was customary to launch your new console with a slate of brand new games that showcased the power of your device, as well as a killer app that you hoped would drive sales. Today, while there is still a “killer apps” at launch, a lot of the launch library is filled with ports from the previous console generation, as well as upgraded versions of recent titles.

Switch 2 (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Series X|S) – Releases Jun. 5th^th

Further, all of the launch titles are available digitally, making it almost unnecessary to purchase a physical copy along with your new console. Normally, this isn’t that big a deal, as the biggest titles will get a physical release. However, the Switch 2 is shaking things up in this space by allowing publishers to release their physical games in two different ways. The first is that the physical game will act just like before, in that the entire game is available on the cartridge, called a “Game Card”, and you can play it out of the box. The second is the brand new “Game-Key Card”, which is a physical cartridge with nothing on it but a key that allows you to download a digital copy of the game. Nintendo have clarified that they do not plan on using Key Cards for their first party titles, for what it’s worth, but third party devs, especially those releasing smaller games, may likely go the Key Card route. This information will be displayed on the cover of the game, so keep an eye out for it.

It has taken over twenty years, but consoles are likely headed the way of the PC, by making all of their games digital downloads. It’s too early to tell how this will all pan out but, I mean, it’s pretty obvious that this is the route we’re going to take in the future. Sony & Microsoft both have consoles that are digital-only, and I would not be surprised to see them slowly phase out their disc-drive based consoles in the near future. Okay, so, this is all a long winded way to say that the Switch2 is, like the PS5 and Series X|S, a “modern” launch. We’ve got a smattering of actual NEW games, an absurd amount of ports, and a couple of Switch to Switch 2 upgrades. Let’s check them out!

New Games:

Mario Kart World (Switch 2) – Releases Jun. 5^th

The biggest new release for the Switch 2 is, of course, Mario Kart World. This is the ninth mainline Mario Kart game, which began all the way back in 1992 with Super Mario Kart. For the last 32 years, Mario Kart games have stuck to the same formula of picking which tracks you want to race on, either singularly or in a Cup, and then, well, racing. It’s not rocket science, it’s track selection, race, finish, track selection, race, finish, and so on, and so on.

With Mario Kart World, while you can still pick track to race on and take part in Grand Prix Cups, instead of going back to a menu after completing a race, players will be able to drive around a massive open world, exploring the map in search of hidden costumes and other goodies. Fans of the Forza Horizon series and The Crew will understand this concept right away, as those games allow you to explore a massive world where you can jump in and out of races. Mario Kart World is sure to be a massive seller for Nintendo and probably the perfect game to launch with, based on how well Mario Kart 8 sold for them.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (PC/Switch/Switch 2) – Releases Jun. 5^th

The biggest new game not published by Nintendo is probably the RPG/farm sim Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (which is also releasing on PC and Switch 1…do we call it Switch 1 now?). As with previous Rune Factory games (which are a spin-off of Story of Seasons/Harvest Moon), players will travel around a fantasy world fighting monsters in order to save the world from evil. In between the monster killing, players need to maintain a small farm, selling crops and other farm related items, like you would in Story of Seasons. However, one of the big changes in Guardians of Azuma is that players will now have to rebuild an maintain an entire village, giving this game a bit of an Animal Crossing vibe.

Deltarune: Chapter 3 + 4 (PC/PS4/PS5/Switch/Switch 2) – Releases Jun. 4^th

Our next big launch title is a bit of a cheat, as it is both a port AND a new release, Deltarune. Separated into four chapters, the first two have been available on PC, PlayStation, and Switch since at least 2018. Now, the long awaited Chapter 3 + 4 are going to arrive on June 4th for PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch, with all four dropping on the Switch 2 the next day. For those unware, Deltarune is an RPG from Toby Fox, the creator of Undertale. Both games are experimental in nature, with Fox subverting players’ expectations about how RPG’s should be played. Undertale is a cultural phenomenon, and Deltarune Chapter 1 + 2 have gotten rave reviews from critics, I’m sure 3 + 4 will receive the same as well. While you, like me, might have thought this was the full game, it isn’t. There will be, when all is said and done, seven chapters; maybe 5 + 6 + 7 will be PS6 launch titles.

With the big guns out of the way, we can focus on some smaller launch titles for the Switch 2. The most baffling, to me, is the game Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a digital-only title that walks players through the new features of the console by guiding you through the inner workings of the Switch 2. If you’re thinking that sounds kind of neat and not at all weird, I agree with you there; what I find weird is that Nintendo is charging ten bucks for it! This is, ostensibly, a tech demo and probably should have been bundled for free with the Switch 2. This new nickel & dime situation from Nintendo is troubling, we’ll see how it plays out over the lifespan of the console.

From Konami, we’ve got the game Survival Kids, a…uh…survival game, in which you and your friends must explore a deserted island and try to, you know, survive. The original 1999 Game Boy Color game, which this is based on, was recently released on the Nintendo Switch Online service. This game was also the basis for the Lost in Blue series, and I hope we see those games eventually get modern ports.

Rounding things out, we’ve got FAST Fusion, a racing game that is not unlike the F-Zero and Wipeout games. If you purchased the Switch at launch, back in 2017, you might remember that it too had a similar launch title, FAST rmx. I assume that the developer, Shin’en Multimedia is hoping that they’ll get some of that same love they got back in 2017. This might be more difficult, though, as the Switch 2 launch line-up is far larger than the Switch’s was. I guess we’ll see how strong the FAST franchise name really is.

Ports:

In this modern era of gaming, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise, anymore, that the vast majority of launch titles for the Switch 2 are ports of older games. Not only retro re-releases like Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer (which will also be on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch), but also remasters Suikoden I & II HD (which is already available) and Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD (a brand new remaster launching on Switch 2).

We’ve also got fancy versions of various games that have come out over the last few years. There’s Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which contains the base game as well as the Phantom Liberty expansion. There’s Hitman: World of Assassination – Signature Edition, which contains some cosmetic items exclusive to Switch 2. For you strategy nerds out there, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening – Complete Edition is arriving with six new scenarios, new traits for generals, all of the game’s released DLC, and mouse support (the game will also be available on PS5).

Continuing with fancy versions of previously released games, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut is coming to Switch 2, now with English voice acting, if that does anything for you. Aside from that, there are also new cut scenes in the game and an online co-op mode where you team up with friends to fight in large scale brawls. 2020’s Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is releasing an “S” version that comes with a new game mode called “Puyo Tetris Doubles” that allows players to use the Switch 2’s joy-con mouse (can we call these mouse-con’s?). Our last fancy re-release is Street Fighter VI: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition (also coming to PlayStation and Xbox), which contains some Switch 2 exclusive content, local wireless play and a joy-con gyro battle in which you compete to burn the most calories. Aside from that, players will receive all of the year 1 & 2 content for Street Fighter VI.

Closing out the ports, we’ve got our standard, run of the mill releases that may or may not have various Switch 2 exclusive features; Civilization VII, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Fortnite, Hogwarts Legacy, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Sonic X Shadow: Generations, and Split Fiction. Oh, and I can’t forget the last set of ports. Coming to Nintendo Switch Online, classic GameCube games will start to become available to subscribers. The first three games to be announced are The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur II, and F-Zero GX.

Switch 2 Upgrades:

Similar to ports, we’ve got two launch titles that are Switch 2 upgrades for existing Switch games. While we can expect many of these to arrive over the next few months, the first two games to receive these upgrades are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Both games can be purchased on their own or as an add-on for people who already own the games on Switch. Each game will feature enhanced graphics, shorter load times, an additional save slot, and will connect to the brand new “Zelda Notes” app.

With the app, players can gain assistance with finding Koroks and shrines, track their progress, listen to NPC memories, share autobuild creations from Tears of the Kingdom, share items with friends, edit photos taken in the game, receive daily in-game bonuses, and earn the opportunity to use your amiibo’s more than once after using them five days in a row.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and tons of games to choose from. Personally, I will be getting Mario Kart World and nothing else. I’m a little wary on the system’s performance so I’m not sure I want to drop cash on Cyberpunk or Yakuza 0 just yet (besides, I already own both and don’t have the desire to grab them again). What are you picking up? Are you even getting a Switch 2 at launch? There are some really cool games coming down the pipeline, like Donkey Kong Bananza, Shadow Labyrinth, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A, just to name a few.

Whether you think Nintendo is just now entering the current generation of consoles, or they’re starting a new one, I think we can all agree that the lines between each gen is starting to blur and, I can only assume, that one day it won’t even matter.

Everything else:

With Switch 2 dominating the release cycle you can imagine that most other publishers have avoided releasing big games this week. Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone is staying away, there are new games to check out if you’re avoiding the Switch 2. We’ve got an expansion for the game Atomfall called Wicked Isle, allowing you to explore even more of the UK’s apocalyptic wasteland. I’m also really intrigued by Rise of Industry 2, a cool looking building sim that will probably be on Switch 2 in six months to a year. I predict that the mouse-con’s are going to open the flood gates for strategy games on Switch 2

• Atomfall: Wicked Isle (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Series X|S) – Releases Jun. 3^rd
• Kaodi (PC) – Releases Jun. 3^rd
• Rise of Industry 2 (PC/PS5/Series X|S) – Releases Jun. 3^rd
• Demon of the Time (PC) – Releases Jun. 5^th
• Tour de France 2025 (PC/PS5/Series X|S) – Releases Jun. 5^th
• Covenant of Solitude (PC/PS4/PS5/Switch/Xbox One/Series X|S) – Releases Jun. 6^th
• Zenless Zone Zero (Series X|S) – Releases Jun. 6^th

Notable Releases from 10, 20, and 30 years ago:

I know we’re all very excited for the Switch 2 launch so I won’t spend a ton of time on these, but let’s find out what game, movies, and music were kicking of our Summer’s in 2015, 2005, and 1995!

Games:

From 2015, we’ve got the tactical strategy game Massive Chalice from the highly renowned studio, Double Fine. Development on the game was led by Brad Muir, a studio veteran who had previously led the production on the Double Fine game Iron Brigade. In Massive Chalice, players take on the role of an immortal being, “the ruler”, who takes guidance from a magical, massive, chalice. The ruler’s kingdom is constantly under attack from an evil entity called “The Cadence” and must hold them at bay for 300 years, which is the amount of time it takes the massive chalice to store enough energy to defeat the monsters.

Over time, players must keep their kingdom in good running order and forge deals tend to their heroes over the course of 300 years. As these heroes are not immortal, players must keep their best fighters alive, marrying them off and ensuring they sire children that can continue their legacy. When done strategizing, players then send their heroes into combat against The Cadence, rising and repeating this process until the 300 years are up.

Massive Chalice was the second Double Fine game to be funded through Kickstarter, earning $1.1 million It was a smaller sum than their previous Kickstarter game, Broken Age, but more than enough compared to its goal of $725k. After releasing a demo for backers in October of 2014, the game released for the public on June 1st, 2015, to mixed reviews. Critics were appreciative of how simple and accessible Massive Chalice was, but felt that the lack of compelling gameplay quickly made things slow and tedious.

The muted critical reception to Massive Chalice was made somewhat better when it was nominated for “Outstanding Achievement in Game Design” but it would fail to win the prize, losing to The Witcher 3. By the end of 2015, Brad Muir would leave Double Fine to join Valve, where his first project was as a programmer on the game Artifact, and it seems he’s still there today (according to his Twitter account). Hopefully we get another out of the box idea from him in the future.

From 2005, we’ve got the Game Boy Advance title Yoshi Topsy-Turvy or, as it was known throughout the rest of the world, Yoshi’s Universal Gravitation. Developed by Artoon, a now defunct Japanese studio that created the Blinx series, Topsy-Turvy was one of the unique GBA carts that came with a built in tilt sensor. By tilting the GBA left and right, players can manipulate the game world, swinging objects and revealing platforms that allow you to advance through the various stages.

Like Massive Chalice, Yoshi Topsy-Turvy received mixed reviews from critics. They felt that the tilt controls were awkward to use, giving the game a “graceless and clumsy” feel. The overall sin of Topsy-Turvy appears to be that the game was just kind of boring. What could have been a decent side scrolling platformer was marred by poor controls, a short completion time, overly repetitive gameplay, and substandard level design. You can’t find this game on any modern Nintendo consoles, while the tilt controls make this a difficult game to emulate. It doesn’t sound like we’re missing much, if the critics are to be believed.

Our last game this week is 1995’s EarthBound, the cult classic RPG from Nintendo. Known as Mother 2 in Japan, EarthBound was created by Shigesato Itoi at his studio, Ape Inc., for publisher Nintendo. Ito’s goal with EarthBound, and the Mother series in general, is to help make RPG’s more accessible to the mainstream audience. Using simple graphics, a modern setting and, at times, very literal answers to puzzles, EarthBound was a hit with Japanese audiences.

With an idyllic view of the United States, bordering on parody, EarthBound gave Japanese players a chance to experience a stereotypical American life, and then see it get upended in wacky and unpredictable ways. With EarthBound being such a huge success in Japan, the feeling was that the game would do just as good, or better, in the US. Nintendo spent $2 million to promote the game with commercials, print ads, in-store promotional items, the works. There was no way it could fail, right?

As you might have guessed (or already known), EarthBound was a massive disappointment for Nintendo, with the game only selling about 150,000 copies in the US. Sales were so poor, and the near the end of the SNES’ lifespan, that it didn’t even receive a European release. While coming in near the end of the SNES’ lifespan may attribute some of the poor sales, the game’s simple graphics and modern setting were likely a turn off to US audiences, while Nintendo ill-advised “gross-out” marketing campaign failed to sway consumers. A scratch & sniff ad in GamePro magazine was so revolting that it caused their mail box to be flooded by angry customers who couldn’t stand the smell.

However, word of mouth began to spread around the US about EarthBound and it would eventually become one of those games that certain segments of the gaming community would use as a litmus test to determine how much of a “real gamer” you were. Was I, your lovely writer, one of these insufferable jag-off’s? Yes, yes I was. The only real movies were foreign or directed by David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, or Kevin Smith, the only real music was 1980’s New Wave like Talking Heads, Oingo Boingo, Devo, or from punk rock bands released on independent labels, and the only real games were EarthBound and any RPG released on the Sega CD, which you probably hadn’t heard of.

Nintendo, for its part, had no idea that EarthBound was so highly regarded by the so-called video game taste makers (why would they), but it wasn’t just them, RPG fans who missed out on the game’s launch also wanted to play it. While a-holes like myself regarded the game as a Sacred Cow, it was that passion that drove players towards it, especially as RPGs became more popular in the 2000’s. Finally, after almost 20 years, Nintendo would release EarthBound on the Wii U virtual console, with the game playable today through the Nintendo Switch Online service.

With such a low print run, physical copies of EarthBound can fetch a high price on the secondary market. I remember selling my copy on eBay in 2013 for a cool $100 bucks. Let’s see how much a loose cartridge goes for today…$375! Fuck.

Movies:

Onto notable films, 2015 saw the release of the action comedy Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy and directed by Paul Feig. A critical and commercial success, Spy was one of the top grossing comedies of the year, pulling in over $235 million, worldwide. While it failed to gain any Oscar nominations, it would receive a nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes (losing to The Martian) and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for McCarthy (losing to Jennifer Lawrence in Joy).

From 2005, we’ve got the movie Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan’s take on the titular Dark Knight, reinventing the character for a new generation of movie goers. However, the film did not open #1 at the box office, coming in 3rd behind another new film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and holdover Madagascar. You might be shocked to here that but, at the time, Batman was box office poison. The last film in the franchise, Batman & Robin was a critical dud that just about killed the franchise. The idea of getting audiences to come back to the theatre and a Batman movie was an insane idea.

It’s a good thing, then, that Warner Bros. picked a talented director like Nolan to bring the caped crusader back to the cinema, with his eye for detail, his love of mystery and misdirection, and a desire to make the kind of Batman movie he would have wanted to see when he was 11 years old. By giving respect to the Batman comics, as well as embracing the darker tone of the character and his world, Batman Begins allowed audiences to be reintroduced to the character without any of the baggage of the previous films.

After opening in third, Batman Begins would bounce back the next week, shooting straight to #1, holding on to that spot for two weeks in a row and staying in the top 10 for an impressive seven weeks. It would gross $373 million worldwide, a solid amount, but would fail to match the $411 million of Tim Burton’s 1988 film. The film’s two sequels The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, however, would do incredible numbers, grossing over $1 billion each.

The success of Batman Begins, and its sequels, would have a profound effect on filmmaking in the 2000’s, with many studios trying to get their own “gritty reboot” success story. Comic rival Marvel would see the success of Batman Begins and do their slightly more lighthearted version with 2008’s Iron Man. While not a serious in tone, it gave respect to the source material, and the fans of the comics, making it a worldwide phenomenon. Love ’em or hate ’em, comic book movies came into their own with Batman Begins, and we can all thank Christopher Nolan for that.

Moving to 1995, we’ve got another would-be blockbuster that failed materialize, Congo (and, yes, that is Bruce Campbell in the above clip). Like EarthBound, Congo was supposed to be a massive hit backed by a multi-million dollar marketing campaign. Congo had all the right ingredients, based on a novel by Jurassic Park’s Michael Crichton, a screenplay by Academy Award winning writer John Patrick Shanley, and directed & produced by Star Wars veterans Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy. What could go wrong!

Well, critics could hate the movie, and they did! Congo was, according to critics, one of the worst movies of 1995 and was derided as being “Spielberg lite”. All of the markings of a Spielberg-esque action film was there except for the good directing, engaging story, and heartfelt whimsy that, you know, make up a Spielberg movie. It was surprising, then, when Congo opened at #1, beating Casper, but it would quickly drop out of the top ten.

Still, the film grossed over $100 million, worldwide, on a budget of $50 million, but the stain of failure was written all over Congo. While there are fun moments in the film, and I personally find some enjoyment in the movie (especially Tim Curry’s over the top acting and scene chewing), Congo was not the Jurassic Park level phenomenon that distributor Paramount Pictures was hoping for. The film would receive seven Razzie nominations, including two for the animatronic ape, Amy, as well as my boy Tim Curry (fuck you Razzies). It wouldn’t “win” any of the awards as an even worse movie than Congo came out in 1995; Showgirls.

Albums:

In notable albums, Muse put one out in 2015 called Drones; did you know that? I didn’t! They did, though, and it was actually a huge hit, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Five singles were released, all were major international hits, and Drones won the Grammy for Best Rock Album. Meanwhile, I only listen to “real” bands like Oingo Boingo and NOFX.

Moving on to 2005, we’ve got the album Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes. An experimental album, Satan found The White Stripes deviating from their kind of garage rock roots. While the album didn’t have immediate, mainstream bangers like “Seven Nation Army”, it did find commercial success with “Blue Orchid” and critical success with “My Doorbell”, which was nominated for a Grammy.

A third single, “The Denial Twist”, would hot on the Billboard Alternative chart as well and featured talk show host Conan O’Brien in a music video directed by Michel Gondry. Satan was not a successful, commercially, as the bands previous efforts, Elephant and White Blood Cells, but it did well enough to make it their third best selling album. It would also go on to win the Grammy for Best Alternative Album, so that’s nice.

Closing things out this week, from 1995, we’ve got the album Tales from the Punchbowl by the band Primus. Following the commercial success of 1993’s Pork Soda, Punchbowl would debut at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 which, when you think about how weird Primus are, is pretty amazing. Punchbowl’s commercial success was driven by the single “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver”, which was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the Grammys (it would lose to Pearl Jam’s “Spin the Black Circle”).

While Primus have maintained a steady career these last 30 years, Punchbowl would be their last mainstream hit album, with none of their follow-up albums reaching Gold Record status by the RIAA. The success of “Wynona” got the band gigs on both Late Night With Conan O’Brien and The Late Show With David Letterman. Apparently, on the Letterman show, Primus came dressed up as penguins and it really upset the staff of the show and they were given the cold shoulder. Primus’ lead singer & bassist, Les Claypool, called it one of the worst experiences of his life. Kind of a bummer.

Massive Chalice (PC/Xbox One) – Released Jun. 1^st, 2015

Yoshi Topsy-Turvy (GBA) – Released Jun. 13^th, 2005

Earthbound (SNES) – Released Jun. 5^th, 1995

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