What’s on your bookshelf?: Supermassive and Niantic narrative designer Anastasia Dukakis

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! As is customary, I must jam my new cat into every article. I’ve tried to offer her several books, but she’s failed to turn even a single page so far. What a big dumbo. The best dumbo. The sweetest, smartest dumbo in the world, yes she is. Ahem. This week, it’s Supermassive, Niantic, and Sensible Object narrative designer and Limit Break mentor, Anastasia Dukakis! Cheers Ana! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

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Review: WitchSpring R (Switch) – A Tasty Slice Of Whimsical RPG With Some Sour Notes

The longest journey for a slice of strawberry pie.

Would you battle fearsome monsters for a homemade strawberry pie? If so, you’re in good company. WitchSpring R is a whimsical, story-driven RPG that follows the story of Pieberry, a talented young witch who’s grown up in the woods by herself.

As the name might suggest, Pieberry is a big fan of pies. And strawberries. The story starts off calmly enough, with Pieberry attempting to leave her magical forest home to track down a strawberry pie like the one she ate as a child, all while trying to understand why she was seemingly abandoned by her parents. It spirals from there, with a vast world and vibrant roster of characters, ranging from pudding monsters and lightning lions to witch hunters and celestial beings. It’s a narrative-driven experience, but the gameplay switches from turn-based combat to fun puzzles quickly.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel – Astro Boy: Omega Factor

Let’s Rocket!

We are back, back, back for another edition of Box Art Brawl!

Last week, we took a look at a trio of Contra: Hard Corps covers for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. Despite three rather sweet designs (by our eye), the vote wasn’t even close. You lovely lot crowned the North American variant the clear winner with 64% of the vote, leaving Japan and Europe to pick up the remaining 29% and 7%.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Crash Team Rumble Was Reportedly In Development For Switch But Got Cancelled

A Crash 5 project featuring Spyro also got axed.

In a new ‘DidYouKnowGaming’ video, game historian Liam Robertson has shed light on ‘Crash Bandicoot 5‘ as well as a Switch version of Crash Team Rumble.

The full video is well worth a watch, but if you want a quick recap, Toys for Bob reportedly had plans for a Switch version of Crash Team Rumble. It was supposedly in development but got cancelled by Activision due to the lukewarm reception of the game on other platforms.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Daily Deals: Apple iPad, SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P, Monster Hunter Stories Collection, and More

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, August 24, below:

2021 9th Gen Apple iPad 10.2″ 64GB for $199

Amazon is offering the 9th gen (2021) Apple iPad 10.2″ Wi-Fi 64GB tablet for only $199. This is the best price we’ve ever seen for this particular model, and right now, it’s $100 cheaper than the newest 10th gen model. This is the most affordable iPad model you can get brand new with a warranty.

Monster Hunter Stories Collection for $39.99

The recently released Monster Hunter Stories Collection includes both Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. This marks the first time that players can experience the first game with the Japan-exclusive Title Updates, in addition to full voice acting. Jump into the world of Monster Hunter in a new light with this collection!

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P Gaming Headset for $109.99

Best Buy has heavily discounted the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 FaZe Clan Limited Edition wireless gaming headset for PlayStation 5 and PC. Right now you can grab it for only $109.99 after a hefty $80 instant discount. That’s 43% off and the best price we’ve seen for an Arctis Nova 7 series headset so far this year. We deemed the Arctis Nova 7P as the best wireless PS5 gaming headset of 2024. Do note that this headset is only compatible with Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Xbox users will need to look elsewhere.

Arcade 1Up PAC-MAN Arcade Game Projector for $189.99

Right now, you can save 29% off this neat Arcade1Up PAC-MAN Arcade Projector. This device allows you to take the all-time classic arcade game with you anywhere you go! As long as you have a wall, you can play anywhere. The projector has a light capacity of 21,000 Lumens, and you can easily swap the control decks to play different games. In total, 12 games are included with this system.

iBUYPOWER PC (AMD Ryzen 7 7700, 32GB RAM, RTX 4060 Ti) for $979.99

Best Buy currently has this great iBUYPOWER PC bundle for $979.99. Included with this build is an AMD Ryzen 7 7700, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and an RTX 4060 Ti. You’ll have no problem running any of the latest games with excellent performance.

Save 48% Off the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX ATX Midi Tower PC case

If you’re in the market for a new PC case, this be quiet! Case might be perfect for you. be quiet! is best known for its high airflow but low noise designs. The front and top of the case feature a mesh design to allow for maximum airflow. Additionally, both the front and the inside of the case even feature ARGB LEDs.

Save 23% Off Lenovo Legion Go

Amazon currently has the Lenovo Legion Go for $542.03, which is 23% off the MSRP of $699.99. This device includes the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. If you’re on the lookout for a solid handheld gaming PC to play through your PC library, the Lenovo Legion Go can be a great choice.

Guide: Metroid Prime: The Story So Far – Everything You Need To Know Before Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

It’s just a Phaaze.

Metroid Prime Trilogy, the Wii compilation of Retro Studios’ first-person take on the Metroid series, launched in North America on 24th August 2009, exactly 15 years ago.

In honour of that sparking release (well, a little less sparkling than the originals in some places due to a few missing effects), we’re taking the opportunity to recap Samus’ story so far in the Metroid Prime games while we wait for the fourth numbered entry…

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (24th August)

All the water.

Right, the weekend is here again, which means it’s time to see what we’re all going to be playing over the next couple of days. Before we do so, however, let’s recap some of this week’s more interesting goings on the in the world of Nintendo.

First off, Nintendo held a new Direct broadcast, but perhaps not the one that many would expect. The company gave us a unique insight into the upcoming Nintendo Museum and even announced when the attraction would be opening.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Aspyr Publisher Switch Sale, Up To 95% Off – Star Wars, Tomb Raider & More (US)

“Sale ends soon”.

Aspyr – the developer behind re-releases on the Switch such as Star Wars: Bounty Hunter and the Tomb Raider trilogy remaster, is currently hosting a sale on the Switch eShop in the US. This sale ends on 27th August 2024 in the US, with some of these games also on sale in other locations, such as the UK.

“Race across the galaxy as Anakin Skywalker or follow Lara Croft as she unravels some of the world’s most dangerous myths! A variety of games (and savings) are available today in the Aspyr Publisher Sale! Whether you’re hunting bounties,ancient secrets, or deals, you’ll find all of that and more in the #nintendo publisher sale! Save up to 95% off today! Sale ends soon!”

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Minecraft’s New SpongeBob SquarePants Add-On Is Now Available On Switch

Are ya ready, kids?

Minecraft has played host to all sorts of collaborations and crossovers, and the latest one sees SpongeBob Squarepants, Patrick Star and the rest of the gang from Bikini Bottom return in new add-on.

It’s priced at 1510 Minecoins and is available now on the Minecraft Marketplace. Here’s a bit more about it, along with a look:

Read the full article on nintendolife.com