switch Archives | Page 2 of 27

Nov 28 2018

Nintendo Switch Becomes Best Selling Nintendo Console in History

Posted by Eric Watson | News, Switch | No Comments

As we predicted in our Holiday Gift Guide, the Switch is the hottest gaming product this holiday season. Nintendo has officially confirmed that the Switch became the best selling console in Nintendo’s history over the five day Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales weekend (Nov. 22-26) in the U.S.

Thanks to online stat-tracker tool Adobe Analytics, Nintendo has announced that the Switch was the top-selling video game product, and one of the most purchased items online during the sale period, beating out even the Wii motion control craze from a decade ago.

In total sale-savvy shoppers spent over $250 million on Nintendo products, including consoles, games, and accessories.

This year’s sales for Nintendo were a huge increase compared to last year, to the tune of 115%. First party Nintendo games sold a million units, an increase of 78% over last year. The big new sellers included Super Mario Party, which surpassed one million units since its launch in October, becoming the fastest-selling Mario Party game and the fifth Switch game to reach the million-seller tier.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! also sold very well, reaching over 1.5 million units sold combined. (read our review).

Nintendo’s mini classic consoles also sold well again this year. The Super NES Classic Edition reached 2.5 million units, with its older brother NES Classic Edition reaching 2 million units.

Nintendo helped lead the way on a record-setting Cyber Monday, which saw consumers spend $7.9 billion in online shopping, making it the single biggest shopping day in U.S. history.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime had previously told Yahoo Finance that the holiday sales season is critical, making up about 60% of the company’s yearly revenue.

Nov 27 2018

The LEGO Movie 2 Game Launching with the Film in 2019

Posted by Eric Watson | PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One | No Comments

WB Games and TT Games have announced an official video game adaptation of the upcoming sequel, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame will launch on Feb. 26, 2019 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Switch (physical Switch version on 3/26/19). The film is out Feb. 8, 2019.

While the game will be based on events from The LEGO Movie 2, it will feature characters and events from the original LEGO movie as well. Over 100 characters will be playable from both movies. Budding Master Builders will be able to rebuild Brickburg, changing the landscape and rebuilding roads and structures. Building special LEGO objects will unlock new areas and rewards.

“Packed with fan-favorite and exciting new characters, mysterious locations and action from both the sequel and the original blockbuster The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame is a wild adventure for kids to explore,” said Arthur Parsons, TT Games Studios.

The LEGO Movie 2 (not yet rated) reunites the cast of Chris Pratt (Emmet), Elizabeth Banks (Lucy/Wyldstyle), and Will Arnett (scene-stealing LEGO Batman). It takes place five years after they saved their world from Lord Business (Will Ferrell). Now LEGO Duplo have invaded Brickburg. The heroes will have to travel to far off worlds to save their own.

The video game sequel has not yet been rated by the ESRB. The original was rated E10+ for Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief. The original The LEGO Movie was rated PG.

Nov 26 2018

Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! Review

Posted by Eric Watson | Reviews, Switch | No Comments

Available On: Switch

Pokémon GO’s incredible popularity on mobile phones introduced a whole new audience to the already stalwart Pokémon franchise. The Pokémon Company has leveraged that popularity for Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!.

On the surface the Let’s Go games are glossy, 3D remakes of the first generation of Pokémon (Red/Blue/Yellow) with the much simpler Pokéball throwing mechanics borrowed from Pokémon GO. Despite its relative simplicity compared to recent mainline games like Sun and Moon, Let’s Go includes several brilliant new features that make journeying through Kanto again rewarding and memorable.

Nov 23 2018

Black Friday Gaming Deals 2018

Posted by Eric Watson | News, PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One | No Comments

Black Friday has become a bit of a misnomer, as the formerly one-day sale event has not only extended though the weekend, but now into Thanksgiving week itself. The gaming sales are some of the best you”ll find all year.

Arm yourself with which games to go after from our Holiday Gift Guide, then check below for the best deals from publishers and retailers.

Note that most sales run through the weekend and include Cyber Monday. Also note that we’re skipping an Amazon section with the caveat that you should always check Amazon for everything you’re interested in, in case it’s on a timed Lightning Deal.

GameStop

GameStop is offering a $50 Gift Card when purchasing new consoles. That includes Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 (though not the spiffy new PS4 Spider-Man bundle).

You can get some crazy good deals on games, even recent games that just released earlier this year, like God of War ($17), Assassin’s Creed Odyssey ($27), and Starlink: Battle for Atlas ($39).

If you want to clean up on older titles, you can take advantage of their Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale on last gen used games, including Wii U, 3DS, and Xbox 360.

If you want to avoid the crowds, you can get Free Shipping on orders over $35.

Nintendo Switch

There are a number of Switch bundles to choose from, including Diablo 3, Pokémon Let’s Go, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, though none of them save you any money, save one. The Mario Kart Switch bundle may be one of the single hottest selling items this holiday season, as it includes a fantastic game (Mario Kart 8) for the same price as a Switch. You can find it at Target, Best Buy, Warlmart, GameStop, and Amazon.

A nice 2DS deal is also available that includes Super Mario Maker for $80. It plays all 3DS games, which is an amazing library, though Nintendo has all but discontinued it with the Switch’s arrival.

The Nintendo eShop has a nice sale though next Wednesday (11/28) if you’re looking to clean up on Switch games, especially indie games. Skyrim ($30), Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate ($44), Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($24), and Valkyria Chronicles 4 ($30) are among the best deals.

Sony PlayStation

If you’re looking to get a regular PlayStation 4, the Spider-Man bundle is the best deal around ($200), and you’ll find it at most retailers, and could easily be the second hottest holiday gaming item after the Switch Mario Kart bundle.

If you have a PS4 this may also be a good year for jumping into VR with the PlayStation VR Bundle, which includes two of the best VR games, Astro Bot and Moss, for $200.

If you play games online you’ll want to take advantage of the sale on a year’s worth of PlayStation Plus, currently just $40, a $20 savings.

You’ll find plenty of deals on games on the PlayStation Store as well, though none quite as impressive as GameStop’s so far.

Microsoft Xbox One

The Minecraft bundle is a solid gift for younger gamers, and comes in at the very attractive price of $200. Microsoft is heavily invested in its Game Pass program, a sort of Netflix for games, and you can one month’s worth for only $1. The Game Pass sale actually lasts throughout the end of the year, making it a no-brainer for anyone getting an Xbox One this holiday season.

You can save up to 65% on Xbox Games in the Windows 10 and Xbox stores, and Xbox Live Gold members can save an additional 10%.

Steam

PC gamers always have Steam to rely on for regular seasonal sales. The Steam Autumn Sale runs through next Tuesday (11/27). Find deals on ARK: Survival Evolved ($20), Monster Hunter World ($40), Divinity: Original Sin 2 ($30), Civilization VI ($18), and Dragon Quest 11 ($41) just to name some highlights.

EA

Electronic Arts hasn’t had a great year, especially if you don’t really care about sports games. You can find deals on Madden, FIFA, Star Wars Battlefront 2 and The Sims 4. Titanfall 2 maybe be the best deal here, at 75% off ($5) on Origin.

Ubisoft

Recent Ubisoft releases like Far Cry 5 ($20) and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey ($40) are all on sale for Black Friday. If you purchase directly through the Ubisoft store and spend at least $40, they’ll throw in Rayman Legends for free. Other good deals include Assassin’s Creed Origins ($16), and The Division ($12).

Activision Blizzard

If online PC gaming is your jam, look no further than Overwatch ($15), World of Warcraft ($40), Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 ($48), and Destiny 2: Forsaken ($30), all on sale for Black Friday until Nov. 26.

Good hunting!

Nov 20 2018

Skybound Games Hires Original Devs to Finish The Walking Dead

Posted by Eric Watson | News, PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One | No Comments

It’s been a tumultuous time for The Walking Dead and Telltale Games fans (and much worse for the developers). In September Telltale Games shut down all game production and laid off the majority of their employees. This happened just days before the release of the second episode of the final season of The Walking Dead, leaving it half-finished.

Skybound Games, owned by Robert Kirkman (creator of The Walking Dead) swooped in to save the game. It’s taken a few weeks to iron out the details, but Skybound has officially announced they are picking up the pieces to finish The Walking Dead: The Final Season, including using the original developers.

“After Telltale shut its doors, the game was, unfortunately, unable to be worked on and hence the release dates of Episodes 3 and 4 have been delayed,” the announcement states. “But, we’re excited to let you know that many of the talented, passionate team members who originally worked on the game are resuming development efforts today!”

The final two episodes of the four episode game will be delayed due to the transition. Previous Telltale Games have been pulled from digital stores as well, though Skybound reassures they will be back soon. If you previously purchased the full season pass for The Walking Dead: The Final Season, it will still work for the remaining episodes. Release dates for episodes three and four are coming soon.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season is the fourth episodic adventure game in Telltale’s The Walking Dead series. The original was a critical and commercial success, catapulting Telltale into the public eye. The sequels were not as well received, and Telltale had floundered in trying to recapture that 2012 success. The Final Season is meant to finally end Clementine’s story, a journey that has been six years in the making.

The Walking Dead adventure games are rated M for Mature.

Nov 19 2018

Pixelkin 2018 Holiday Gift Guide for Gaming Families

Posted by Eric Watson | Feature, PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One | No Comments

When the most popular game on the planet is free to play on every available platform, including phones, what’s a parent or relative shopping for games to do?

Despite its popularity, Fortnite isn’t the end all of video games. This year saw huge new franchise releases in a variety of genres, such as Assassin Creed Odyssey, God of War, Dragon Quest 11, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Digital gift cards such as the Nintendo eShop gift card make easy and effective gifts (and fine stocking stuffers) as indie games continue to fill the in-between gaps, including Dead Cells, Celeste, Two Point Hospital, Moonlighter, and Octopath Traveler.

And 2018 marked our first full year with the Switch, adding dozens of high quality indie games as well as first party releases such as Super Mario Party and Pokémon Let’s Go. Nintendo is also the only major game company truly thinking outside the box with the release of the Nintendo Labo kits.

Below you’ll find links to our 2018 gaming gift recommendations, organized by system and age rating: Young Kids (under 10), Kids and Teens (10-16), and Mature Teens (17+).

For the first time this year we’re also adding a board game category, recognizing the rising popularity of tabletop games for kids and adults of all ages. In an age of increasing reliance on digital distribution, opening a physical board game for the holidays would make for a very satisfying gift.