Handheld Gaming News week 21

Well, hello my friend, come on in! It’s that time again, time to chat about Handheld Gaming News.

Did you know the first ever Handheld Gaming News, which had a different name then, was published on here on in September 2015. I called it Friday’s Gaming Cup of Coffee, later changed to just Gaming Cup of Coffee. Thinking back on the past couple of year it’s weird to see how much the device that the handheld games are played on have changed.

The articles used to be much about 3DS and PS Vita games. Let’s just say that I decided a year ago that Switch games were just as much handheld games. A good thing too, otherwise I wouldn’t have had much to write about anymore! New 3DS games are scarce, and I suspect that new Vita games will be even harder to find in future.

Developers flock to the new hybrid console where they used to develop for the 3DS or Vita. Add to that, that the Switch lends itself perfectly to play games on that were released first on mobile. Just look at yesterdays article with all the new releases this upcoming week: a huge list of Switch games!

Anyway, get yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea, and let’s get back to the Handheld Gaming News.

Happy Birthday demo in eShop

The demo for Happy Birthdays is available in the Switch eShop! The game is slated for release on June 5 on the Switch, but this allows you to take a peek before that time.

You can try four “cubes” called Stone Plains, Greenlands, Fiery Earth and Frozen Grounds. The demo lets you play either until reaching 1.5 million years of in-game time or until primitive man is born. The save data from the demo can be imported into the full game when it launches.

It’s a quirky game that might not be for everyone, but be sure to take a look!

Persona Q2 still in the works for a Nintendo device

Persona Q2 was originally announced for 3DS in August last year. It has been pretty quiet since. One has to wonder if Atlus has switched the development over to the Switch.

Here’s what Kazuhisa Wada, gameplay and character designer at Atlus, had to say in Dengeki PlayStation, a Japanese gaming magazine:

“We are working on mid-to-long term plan, including new numbered entries, so that fans can continue to enjoy the Persona series after this year.”

Aside from Persona Q2 I wonder if we just might someday see Persona 5 on the Switch!

3DS HOME Menu Zelda themes on My Nintendo

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition was recently released on Nintendo Switch, and if you are a huge Zelda fan, you can now get various themes for the HOME menu in the 3DS. My Nintendo is now offering The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask: Dire Moon theme for your points.You can redeem your points up to five times to receive up to five codes for this theme.

My Nintendo is also offering discounts on select Zelda games, including a 30-percent discount on The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD.

My Girlfriend is a Mermaid…..must be Prince Eric saying that

Sekai project announced that visual novel My Girlfriend is a Mermaid?! is coming to the Nintendo Switch in Europe and North America. I don’t know about you, but hearing Mermaids, I instantly think of Ariel!

Here’s the details about the visual novel via Kitsuga:

“My Girlfriend is a Mermaid features the story of a protagonist who lives out in the city but one summer decides to return to his rural hometown and it is there he once again meets his childhood friend, Ion… who is now a mermaid!? Soon after he also meets Petakko, a mermaid who has lost her memory and Rin, a priestess who looks after mermaids but also has a split personality.

It is these encounters that brings our protagonist in contact with the legend surrounding mermaids. Together with Ion, who is at the center of this mysterious legend, as well as Petakko and Rin, our protagonist’s strange summer vacation begins. My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? is the first new release from Sekai specifically targeting the Nintendo Switch platform. This version features enhancements over the original mobile version including new scenario content, Live2D animation and a new opening theme sung by the three main heroines of the game.”

E3 2018 is coming up

If you are a gaming enthusiast like I am, you will know the yearly E3 is getting close. The event takes place from June 9, kicking off with an EA conference and last until June 12.

It will be interesting to see what news Nintendo brings, riding on the waves of success from the Switch. They have announced that their major video presentation will take place on 12th June at the following times:

• British Summer Time: 5 pm
• Pacific Time: 9 am
• Estern Time: 12 pm

Studio Brownies working on a new title for Switch.

This one caught my attention, because I had such fun playing one of their games on mobile. I spent a lot of time on holiday playing Egglia: Legend of the Redcap.

Now there’s confirmation that was made to Source Gaming in an interview that they are making a game for to the Switch. They said that it’s going to be something more unusual like 2017’s Egglia: Legend of the Redcap. I’ll keep an eye on it.

Second Nintendo Switch Set

Some people have been hoping for a smaller and certainly cheaper for of Switch. But I’m thinking this isn’t what they mean. Nintendo is now selling the ‘Nintendo Switch 2nd Set’ in Japan, which is essentially a fully colour-customisable Switch without a dock.

This new bundle costs ¥ 26,978 (including tax) on the Japanese store, while the original complete bundle costs ¥32,378. This is a price difference of roughly £35 / $50 but then you wouldn’t have the dock, Joy-Con grip controller, AC adapter, and HDMI cable.

Europe get two new 2DS XL

On June 29, 2018, Europe gets two new color variations with a pre-installed game.

The one model is a New Nintendo 2DS XL Black + Lime Green system. It is a black system with green accents on the edges and buttons. Mario Kart 7 comes with this bundle.

The other is a New Nintendo 2DS XL White + Lavender model. This one is white, with light purple accents on the lid and buttons. Its pre-installed game is Tomodachi Life.

Mii Studio lets you change how your Mii looks

Mii Studio is up in your browser, to be accessed through this link. Don’t expect too much though, it’s basically the same that you can do in the Mii Maker on the 3DS. No cute clothes or accessories. Makes me miss MiiTomo all over again!

Demo Sushi Striker available for the Switch

Frantic puzzler Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido will come to the Switch and the 3DS. If you want to give the game a try, you can now get the demo in the Switch eShop. Unfortunately, there’s no demo available for the 3DS version.

Chaos is coming with Lego

A teaser website for a new Lego video game has opened. It is a Warner Bros. and TT Games site that notes “Chaos is coming” in about one week. The images released so far for this new Lego project point to it being Lego DC Villains.

One on TT Games’ Twitter account shows the Joker’s silhouette in front of graffiti hinting at the game, showing the Riddler’s symbol and mentioning, “It’s good to be bad.” See the pictures of Batman and other DC Heroes that seem to have been vandalised by the Joker!

Guess this is enough for now, right?

I see you have finished your cup, and we have to get back to everyday life. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again next week.

Happy Gaming Weekend!