Welcome my friend, come on in and enjoy another entry in the weekly Handheld Gaming News with a Cuppa. Not trying to bring you all the handheld gaming news: that would take many pages these days with the Switch being a handheld device. No, it’s the news that stood out to me this week!
What has been going on on the site
First though, a new writer and gaming veteran has joined the ranks. ChamZen. She has played all the major gaming consoles and handheld devices and nowadays she has retreated to the 3DS and the Switch. She has a lot of gaming experience to look back on, so it’ll be fun to read her thoughts on games. Here is her intro.
Several reviews have been published this week. One of them, Sleep Tight, is a review based on the Steam game, but the game is available on the Switch as well:
Evriun published another entry in the Soundtracks We Love series, this time about Kamiko, a game that was published on the Switch last year. The soundtrack works brilliantly with it’s pixel graphics and keeping the retro feel going. And what’s even more important, it adds energy and atmosphere to the levels. If you want to read about the soundtracks Evriun covered in the past weeks, here is the collection.
Paige started with a new series of article, Video Games Animated Adaptations. And what better way to start then with those cute little Pikmin! You can find the first entry here, more to come!
So now let’s get to the gaming news. Get yourself a nice cuppa and enjoy!
Persona Q2 coming to the 3DS
When there’s some news on the 3DS, I can hardly pass it right? Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth was revealed. It will release in Japan on November 29, no date yet for the west.
The Persona-users will find themselves trapped in the world of movies and there’s one girl who holds the key to everything. The story starts out when the Morgana Car suddenly goes wild in Mementos. The group then get sucked into an unknown area, a mysterious town full of enemies they’ve yet to see.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu heads to the cinema
I guess we could have seen this coming with all well known actors lending their voices to the characters. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu will be in movie theatres in the Summer of 2019. This was confirmed during the Pokémon World Championships. Here’s the logo thanks to Resetera.
Is there still life in the PS Vita?
Hong Kong based developer EastAsiaSoft, who is know for Rainbow Moon and currently working on Rainbow Skies for the PS4 had an interesting question this week on Twitter. They encouraged developers of upcoming Vita games to send them a pitch email if they would want to see their game released physical too in 2019. Good initiative, the Vita needs all the support it can get!
Cuteness in Neko Tomo
A couple of years ago a sim game called Teddy Together was released. I did a short review of the game. A very cute game but really aimed at kids. Now Japan gets a new game in the series, Neko Tomo. How cute can a game get? This time it’s all about kittens.
You have to teach them words, cook with them and of course, bond with them. The game is available on the 3DS and the Switch on November 1.
Grandia and Grandia II coming to the Switch
This winter, RPG series Grandia and Grandia II will make it’s way to the Switch. These are older games, from 1997 and 2000. Gungho Online Entertainment America announced them both. I don’t know them, I only read that they are a rival to the Final Fantasy series. Should be nice then!
Luigi’s Mansion has a release date on the 3DS
Yes: Luigi will be back in the spotlight with a remake of the original GameCube game. Luigi’s Mansion is coming to the 3DS on October 12 in America and on October 19 in Europe!
This updated version of the game includes the same classic adventure, but with some added features perfect for Nintendo’s popular portable systems. Using the bottom touch screen on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, players can view the mansion map. In the new Gallery Battle Mode, exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS version of the game, Luigi will have the ability to re-challenge boss ghosts that were defeated in the game.
New DLC for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on Switch: Torna
If you haven’t had enough of this brilliant game, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, then go for the upcoming DLC Torna – The Golden Country. In the DLC, to be released on September 14, You will uncover the full history of Jin and the fall of his homeland that took place 500 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. See the capital city of Coeia fall overnight, sinking beneath the clouds with the rest of the Titan.
Here’s the trailer Nintendo released:
InkyPen app on the Switch for graphic novels and comics lovers
Interesting development: InkyPen, a brand new subscription service for Nintendo Switch, will be the first world wide media application on the Switch. It allows comic book and graphic novel fans to read what they want, when they want. Just download from the Nintendo eShop, subscribe and start reading.
A large catalogue of graphic novels and comics will be available from all over the world. The subscription-based service gives users access to the full catalogue for 7.99€ / 7.99$ a month and will be available in November 2018.
Here’s the top-40 most popular Atelier series characters
Remember the poll I mentioned some time back? We could all vote for our favourite Atelier characters from the 20 year history of Atelier games.
Well, here are the results:
- Sophie Neuenmuller
- Totooria “Totori” Helmold
- Rorolina “Rorona” Frixell
- Ayesha Altugle
- Logix “Logy” Ficsario
Surprising, Sophie first. I have gone for Ayesha, but I’m happy with a fourth place. I’m going to leave you with an image of the entire top 40.
For now, thank you for reading this Handheld Gaming News, and I hope to see you again next week!
Funny, Ayesha is also my favourite Atelier Character. ^^ Not that I know a lot of them, mind you; but lovely Ayesha is definitely the one that I loved the most.
And Ayesha seems to be the most responsible one somehow. The others can be such…airheads!
Vita does need all the support it can get. I still play mine, but it feels like a losing battle to keep it alive. Very sad to hear that Bloodstained won’t be coming to the system after all.
The last game I played on mine was Dragon Quest Builders, no need to buy that again on Switch. It is sad