Nintendo Direct September ‘23 predictions
Nintendo announced a Nintendo Direct for tomorrow, September 14th, and it’s going to be around 40 minutes long. Here are some predictions and wishes.
Predictions
Princess Peach game and Luigis Mansion: Dark Moon
Both games were presented in the previous Direct, however, we don’t know much about that game. The princess peach game doesn’t even have a name. So name and release date would be nice. A release date for Luigis Mansion, as well. I believe, the peach game will be coming in the first quarter of 2024. Luigis Mansion might even be released tomorrow as a shadow drop.
Super Mario RPG
This game is coming out in November and they might want to show more about it.
Wario Ware
This game is coming out soon, so I expect at least a small trailer as a reminder for everyone. Never really played, but also never really cared.
Splatoon 3 DLC - Side Order
We haven’t heard anything about this DLC in a very long time and it was supposed to be released this year. Probably the last chance to announce it in a direct. Nintendo could still announce the DLC later in a separate Trailer on its own, especially, if they have to show a lot of things.
Mario Kart Booster Course Pass - Last Wave
Wave 6 should be coming out this year and we only have like three months left, so I believe a release in December. A good finale for this awesome gaming year.
Apparently, Mario vs. Donkey Kong and F-Zero
Many leakers are saying there is a new game of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series is coming. Same for a F-Zero game. Many will be happy to see this series not dead, anymore.
Wishes
Metroid Prime 2 Remaster
I can imagine an announcement or even a shadow drop of this game tomorrow.
Kid Icarus Uprising HD
Sakurai said or rather hinted at a Remaster at some point.
Not Happening
Now, I would like to list a few things that, in my opinion, are definitely not coming:
Anything related to Switch 2. Nope, nothing. Nintendo will not kill its holiday sales of the current Switch.
Anything Zelda. This year is the year of Tears of the Kingdom. I don’t think, Nintendo will have another Zelda game coming out this year. Next year with the Switch 2 is a better idea.
Metroid Prime 4
Filed a Feedback and it’s fixed!
When you notice a bug in iOS or any other Apple platform, you can file a feedback to let Apple know.
However, according to many developers on social media, these feedback tickets are usually untouched and never get fixed or take years. The process can also be a bit cumbersome. You have to explain exactly what is wrong and optimally why. Moreover, Apple usually requests to capture and attach a sysdiagnose of your device, which is often not relevant just to prove an API in the iOS SDK is broken.
Anyhow, I noticed a bug in iOS 16 in the Maps Framework on iOS / iPadOS, there you can’t set the background color of a marker to transparent, when it was set to a different color before. The use case in my BusTrack app is the following:
When a user taps a Stop icon on the map, the Stop icon is replaced with the big animated Marker, which says BUS on it. Then, when the user deselects the stop (by tapping anywhere on the map), the big Marker is removed with the Stop icon again. Here is a short GIF of how it should look like.
The user tabs the bus icon on the map
The bus icon is replaced with an animated marker that displays “BUS“
The user taps somewhere on the map, the marker is deselected and replaced with the bus icon again.
The initial state (just the bus icon) is restored.
On iOS 16 onwards, the marker does not disappear, because setting the background color to transparent does not work (again). It works the first time, where only the Stop icon is visible, but setting the marker to a different color, e.g. blue, and then back to transparent was broken.
You can see a GIF of the bug and a screenshot of the end result, on the right side.
The non-transparent marker will stay on top of the icon as long as the app lives. The only way to fix this, is by simply removing the annotation and recreating it. That works, because setting the marker transparent works the first time.
It is important to know, that caching via mapView.dequeueReusableAnnotationView(withIdentifier: "bus", for: annotation) must not be used, otherwise the map will simply reload that broken state for that annotation again.
This workaround can result in heavy RAM usage, because caching is disabled and each annotation will be recreated all the time.
The result of the bug, which stays that way until the app is killed and restarted.
I didn’t file a feedback, because I had absolutely no hope that this would get fixed. Until, iOS 17 beta was introduced.
I heard multiple times, that the beta cycle is the best time to file a feedback, because Apple is actively working on removing bugs in the OS. So I checked if iOS 17 still had this bug, and since it didn’t get fixed, I actually filed a feedback.
I’ve put a lot of effort into filing the feedback, since I desperately wanted this bug to be fixed. I wrote a very long text on what exactly was wrong and why it probably happened. Here is the exact text that I filed, in case you were wondering:
Please provide a descriptive title for your feedback:
MKMarkerAnnotationView .markerTintColor = UIColor.clear does not work, after being set previously (iOS 16 and iOS 17 beta)Which technology does your report involve?
MapKitWhat type of feedback are you reporting?
Incorrect/Unexpected BehaviorWhich platform is most relevant for your report?
iOSWhat build does the issue occur on?
iOS 17 Seed 1 (21A5248v)Where does the issue occur?
On devicePlease describe the issue and what steps we can take to reproduce it:
TLDR:Before iOS 16, MKMarkerAnnotationView respected .markerTintColor = UIColor.clear and disappeared, so that .image was visible on the map.
Since iOS 16, .markerTintColor = UIColor.clear does not work and stays on the map in the previously set color, so that .image is hidden behind the empty marker on the map.Description:
I set an image for an annotation to be visible on the map. All other MKMarkerAnnotationView properties are set to nil or UIColor.clear, so that no marker is visible and only the image is visible, like so:
.glyphText = nil
.glyphTintColor = UIColor.clearColor
.markerTintColor = UIColor.clearColorWhen the annotation is selected, I remove the image by setting .image = nil and configure all other properties with custom values, e.g.:
.glypthText = "BUS"
.glyphTintColor = UIColor.whiteColor
.markerTintColor = UIColor.blueColorWhen the annotation is deselected, I reset all these values, so that only the image is visible again, which has worked until iOS 16.
.glyphText = nil
.glyphTintColor = UIColor.clearColor
.markerTintColor = UIColor.clearColor // <- IssueThe marker shrinks, the glypthText is gone, but the marker is still visible, because .markerTintColor = UIColor.clearColor does not work anymore.
Xcode version 14.3.1 and 15.0.0.
Issue is currently available in all iOS 16 releases and iOS 17 beta 1.Example Xcode Project attached, but also available here: https://github.com/gorkemg/iOS17_MarkerTintColorBug
- Run Xcode project on Simulator or Device
- Select the annotation with a bus image on the map
- Tap somewhere on the map to deselect the annotation
You will notice, that the marker does not disappear, staying overlayed on top of the bus image, basically hiding it
As you can see, I started with a two sentence TLDR: paragraph, so the Apple engineer can have a very short overview of what is wrong. Afterwards, I explained with a step by step guide how to replicate the bug.
Besides, I attached a small Xcode project, which only included a single screen and a few lines of code that showed the bug in action.
Additionally, and I don’t know if that actually helped, I’ve uploaded that Xcode project to Github and shared the URL. I thought, maybe the engineer would rather like to checkout the issue via Git, or at least see my effort of getting this bug fixed. 😄 You can checkout the Xcode project for yourself now, if you like.
And sure enough, this bug got fixed a few beta releases later. Yesterday, I received a request by Apple Feedback to check if this bug got fixed in the latest beta (iOS 17 Beta 7). If so, I can manually close this feedback, or if this bug still persists, I can answer and provide new details.
I will now close this feedback and be happy that the bug is fixed in iOS 17.
For users running iOS 16, I will have to use the aforementioned workaround. The workaround is pretty easy, but ugly and will most likely result in heavy RAM usage, since caching is not used anymore.
Luckily, most devices that run iOS 16 will be able to install iOS 17 and fortunately most users update to latest iOS release pretty quickly. Therefore, this bug will become a non-issue in just a few months, probably.
Switch 2 Analysis – Part 3: Launch Games
Nintendo has many very successful franchises and is known for its high quality games. The Switch has one of the, maybe even the best games ever released on a console. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, just to name a few. All of these games even launched in the first year of the original Switch in 2017. Shortly after, more amazing games were released, such as Super Smash Bros.: Ultimate, Animal Crossing and many Mario Sport and Party games.
So what will the launch year of the next Switch look like? Which games will release in the launch window of year one.
Metroid Prime 4
Announced in 2017 and delayed unfortunately, it now seems that this game will be Cross-Gen and might even be the launch game of the new console.
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be a launch game, at least not the only one. Metroid is not a huge franchise to sell consoles. I like the games and they are high quality, but I don’t think many people will buy the new Switch just for that game. However, Nintendo might be fine with that, since they might not have too many produced consoles at the beginning any way.
The Legend of Zelda also wasn’t a huge franchise. I mean it is a huge franchise, but not sells wise. That has changed since Breath of the Wild, though. It was risky for Nintendo to release the Switch with a Zelda game, but they probably also knew that the game was a “game changer” and on another level, so more people will actually buy the console just for that game. However, I don’t see Metroid doing the same thing, unless Nintendo knows again that the game is a masterpiece reaching more players than the usual Metroid fanbase.
I would rather see this game as a holiday title in the first year.
3D Mario
Nintendo usually releases a new console with a Mario game. It is a perfect fit. Mario = Nintendo, so why not sell a new console with a new Mario game. That has worked in the past and can and will work again. This time, it could actually happen. The Original Switch did not come with a Mario game, it was a Zelda game, however, Mario Kart was released just shortly after and right before the holidays Super Mario Odyssey launched.
Since then, we haven’t really had a new 3D Mario game. Though, there was Bowsers Fury, but it was an Add-On for a Remake. So where is Super Mario Odyssey 2, or something completely new? The launch of the console would be a perfect timing to release a new 3D Mario game.
2D Mario
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is releasing this year, so we will definitely not getting a new 2D Mario for the launch of the Switch. Hopefully, we can play Wonder in better graphics and performance on the new console, but I believe, no new 2D Mario for a while then. Maybe two or three years later, also depending on the success of Wonder.
Zelda
Well, we just had The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a masterpiece of a game and it will most likely take another 5-6 years, until we can play a new Zelda game, and that’s ok, actually. I can see DLC being released for TotK and playable on the new Switch, but no new 3D Zelda game for launch.
2D Zelda is a different topic, however. Nintendo hasn’t released a complete new 2D Zelda game since Link between Worlds for 3DS. Links Awakening was an awesome Remake and I could see Nintendo releasing more remakes of older 2D Zelda games. Maybe the Oracle games, that were just released on NSO? A complete new 2D Zelda game or a remake happening shortly after launch of the console is plausible, so launch year game maybe.
You know what would be amazing? The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in 3D in Tears of the Kingdom engine… One can dream.
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing sold over 42 million copies on the current Switch. This is bonkers. Obviously, there was a good reason why. The pandemic helped a lot. It was the perfect game to be released during that time. A feel good game for everyone. I am not sure, if Nintendo can pull that again. The fanbase should be much larger now. My wife never heard of Animal Crossing before and she got obsessed with the game in 2020. She and many others will most definitely get the new game, probably also a new console to play the game. I could see this a launch year game.
Mario Kart 10
This might be the game launching with the console. In my opinion, there is no other game to sell as many consoles as possible. Not even a 3D Mario. In fact, 2D Mario games usually sell better than 3D Mario games. However, Mario Kart always sells really well. Probably the main reason for the Switchs current success.
The only reason this might not be a launch game, is because of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Pass. It will end in 2023 and a new Mario Kart game shortly after might be too much Mario Kart in such a short time. However, not everyone will buy the next Switch at launch, so many will play this next iteration of Mario Kart much later.
Pokémon
Pokémon Games are literal system sellers and Nintendo knows that. Most Pokémon releases are combined with a Pokémon themed Switch (Lite) in order to sell even more consoles.
In my opinion, one of the reasons the WiiU failed, was because it did not feature a single good Pokémon game. They were all 3DS only at that time.
In case GameFreak isn’t ready yet for a new generation of Pokémon game, which it actually might be, since Scarlet & Violet are fairly new, Nintendo could release a Pokémon: Let’s Go game of Gen 2 and sell millions of consoles right at the start, just for that game. Otherwise, it is possible to have another remake of an older Pokémon generation ready for the months after launch. Maybe Black and White?
Actually, GameFreak might have a new generation Pokémon game ready for the holidays of 2024. Scarlet & Violet will be 2 years old by then. It would be very good to have a new generation Pokémon game ready for holidays, since it will sell consoles like crazy.
So Pokémon: launch year.
Splatoon
Splatoon 3 was released in August 2022 and Nintendo promised regular updates for 2 years. A new Splatoon game seems unlikely for the release. However, a new game in year 2 or 3 of the console seams very likely. Since Splatoon 3 will most likely run on the new console, players won’t need a new game, they are already playing a fairly new Splatoon game.
Kirby
There is always a Kirby game. Fans of Kirby must be the happiest fans on earth. Every year, there are multiple Kirby games, all of them great games including some gems like Kirby and the Forgotten Land. I can totally see a Kirby game in the launch year. Not so much as a console launch game.
Yoshi
We haven’t had a Yoshi game in a long time. Yoshi’s Crafted World was released in March 2019, which is almost 5 years ago. Perfect time to release a new Yoshi game, but I think it is rather a year-2 game, not a launch game.
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze is even older. It was originally released on WiiU in 2014, but then an enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch in May 2018. The games are fun, though, also super hard. The difficulty is on another level. I am not sure if Nintendo will release a new Country game. There were many rumors about a 3D Donkey Kong game and I think that sounds really good. However, I don’t see anything related to Donkey Kong in the first few months of release of the console. It is rather a year-2 game to me.
Super Smash Bros
Highly unlikely to get a new Smash game in the first couple of years, however, Nintendo could release Smash Ultimate as a Deluxe version with all DLC characters included for the next console and be done with it. Same game, but maybe polished graphics and as mentioned all characters already included in the retail version. It would be great if the original version runs on that Switch with a performance patch for the new console.
Mario Party and Mario Sports
There is always a Mario Party or Sports game. Launch year game definitely.
Backwards Compatibility and Cross-Gen
The main question will be, if all these games will be Cross-Gen or not. Will these games be playable on the old Switch as well?
For Metroid Prime 4, I think, it would be smart to sell it as Cross-Gen, so that more people can buy the game at release. It was announced for the current Switch after all. Some other games though, could and probably should be console exclusive to force gamers into buying the new console, like Mario Kart 10. On the other hand, sales of that game would skyrocket and could potentially even outsell the ridiculously high sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
This is a tough question and luckily I don’t have to make that decision. If I would have to, here is what I would do:
Games that really need the new performance should be exclusive to the new console. Moreover, games that are system sellers should also be exclusive, so people are actually purchasing new hardware. Games like Mario Kart 10, Super Mario Odyssey 2, Pokemon or Animal Crossing should definitely be exclusive.
Games like Mario Party and Mario Sports games or even Kirby could be released for the Original Switch as well to reach a broader audience and these games are not power hungry.
My prediction
The Super Switch will release with a new 3D Mario game, followed by Mario Kart X just a few months later. Metroid Prime 4 will be released in October and a new generation Pokémon game will be released in November of that year. In between will be many “smaller” games or ports or remakes, such as Smash Ultimate Deluxe or a new Mario Party or a new Kirby game.
Switch 2 Analysis – Part 2: Name and release timeframe
When will Nintendo release new Hardware? What would be the right timeframe for a new console?
Let’s Analyse.
As discussed in my previous blog posts, we assume that the next hardware will be a Switch type console and feature backwards compatibility.
Release timeframe
Possibilities:
Release this year
I believe we can safely assume Nintendo won’t release the next console this year. It is possible, however a bit unlikely. First of all, they stated that there won’t be new hardware this financial year, which ends in March 2024. Furthermore, if Nintendo releases the console this year, then we already know which games it will be released with:
Mario Wonder and Super Mario RPG. Both games look great, though, to me, these are not console sellers. Wonder looks amazing and 2D Mario games are very successful, however, the game does not provide a reason to upgrade.
Besides, it would’ve made much more sense to wait a few more months and release Tears of the Kingdom alongside the new console. The additional few months could’ve been used to optimize for the new console and make it run more smooth or have higher resolution.
Release in 2024
This sounds more plausible. As I analyzed in my previous blog post, there are some DLC passes releasing and ending this year. The Mario Kart Booster Course Waves will end this year, if Nintendo sticks to their plans. Splatoon 3 DLC Pass also ends this year, same as for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC Pass. It seems like a fresh cut at the end of this year with no planned DLCs releasing into 2024. Obviously, it is possible that new DLCs and Passes are announced in a September Direct, which could release in 2024. For instance, Zelda Tears of the Kingdom DLC is highly expected and shouldn’t be announced too late. Everyone is playing the game now and would like to have more content later this year or at least early next year. However, they could announce the passes in September and release them alongside the next console, if the Switch is backwards compatible. Nintendo could, similarly to the original Switch, show the console in January or February and release it a few months later. They will most certainly not announce it before Christmas and kill all potential Original Switch sells. If the console releases in early 2024, it must have a solid game release plan for the following months.
So which games are possible. Only a few come to mind.
Metroid Prime 4
3D Mario Game, maybe Super Mario Odyssey 2
Mario Kart 10 (Mario Kart Tour is considered 9, apparently)
For the same reasons above, the new console could also be released in the summer or fall of 2024. Nintendo could have more time to work on huge system seller games. However, there are two arguments against a later release:
First, Nintendo wouldn’t have to produce too many consoles. The release will obviously require a large batch of consoles, but not as many as is needed for the holidays. Nintendo could have more time to produce enough consoles until Christmas, so that everyone can get one. Moreover, Nintendo can use the time to fix bugs and hardware issues and have a very stable console for Christmas.
Second, a late release requires Nintendo to also sell new games for the old Switch, until the release of the new console. They can’t just stop selling games for the old console.
On the other hand, it is very well known that Nintendo is sitting on finished games, just waiting for the perfect timing. It is more or less a fact that Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD are ready and these games could be released to fill the gap.
2025 or later
For the reasons described above it makes more sense to have the new console be released in 2024. Nintendo would have to release too many games to fill the gap of a whole year and it should at least have 2-3 major games. Games that could be released exclusively for the new console to sell the system.
Therefore, I believe (and I most definitely hope) the new console is releasing in the first half of 2024.
Name
Marketing is super important in the console business and naming is especially important in order to sell many consoles. There are many reasons the WiiU failed and many analysts are sure the name is one of them. People just weren’t sure what the WiiU is. Is it a new console or just an Add-On? What does WiiU even mean? Let’s look at other console names.
Nintendo
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
Nintendo 64
Gamecube
Wii
WiiU
Switch
Sony
PlayStation 1
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
Microsoft
Xbox
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Xbox Series X and Series S
Looking at the names, Sony has definitely the best naming convention of all. While it’s boring, it’s also super effective. Parents know their kids have a PlayStation 4, so they have to buy a PlayStation 5. That’s it. Just remember the number.
Compared to Xbox, where the naming is all over the place. Actually, I have no idea what is happening here. The 360 was released when the PS3 came out, so I was thinking they chose 360 to also have a 3 in the name. Xbox 2 vs. PS3 sounds bad for Microsoft. This is the only plausible reason I can come up with. Xbox One is a real mystery. This was supposed to combine TV and console into One, and that’s why it’s named One? And don’t get me started with their Pro consoles, Xbox One X. This can’t get more stupid, but Microsoft doesn’t disappoint and actually made it worse with the next gen consoles: The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. These names are terrible. All of them.
Nintendo doesn’t really have a naming convention, either. They never number their consoles like Sony does. They rather name their consoles depending on the consoles physical appearance or feature like GameCube or Switch. Another possibility is the consoles performance feature like being 64 bit (N64) or Super NES, which hints at a more performant NES, basically. Or they use something completely random, but short and easy to remember with the Wii. No idea why this worked, and I don’t think it is a good name. Maybe, because it was meant for a broader demographic and the name hinted at Co-Op play (Us, Together -> We -> Wii, to make it trademarkable). They probably know by now that the name WiiU was a bad choice and Wii2 or Super Wii would’ve been much better. Maybe, these names could’ve saved the Wii successor from failing so badly. I hope Nintendo knows that a good name is very important, especially if you are trying to sell a very similar concept and a direct successor. I think Super is good.
With all this being said, I am convinced the Switch successor will release on Friday, April 5th 2024, and be called Nintendo Super Switch. You heard it here first. Mark my words!
So which launch Games?
We will analyze in a future blog post, which games could come to Super Switch at launch and shortly after. Will it have an awesome first year, just like the original Switch had? 2017 is difficult to beat (Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, Splatoon 2, Mario Odyssey, etc.)
Switch 2 Analysis – Part 1: Features
Nintendo didn’t confirm or announce anything yet, but we can assume the next Nintendo console is near and it will probably be a Switch successor. By that, I mean, it will not be something completely different, but rather a new console with a Switch form factor and feature set, namely being able to switch between handheld and TV console.
Backwards compatibility
The Nintendo Switch is the first console since GameCube without backwards compatibility. The Nintendo Wii was able to play GameCube games natively with controller support. WiiU was able to play Wii games natively. Actually, the Nintendo DS also wasn’t backwards compatible. All handhelds afterwards did though. So the DS was the last console to break this rule. Also was a massive success.
So the Switch broke that rule and still was a massive success. Now is the question, does it play any role in order to become a successful console? Does the next Switch have to have backwards compatibility and play older Switch games?
The Switch was released with Breath of the Wild, a game, which was also released for WiiU at the same time. Also, Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2 and ARMS. All games replacing a WiiU game. Besides, the WiiU sold so bad, all these games were super fresh for most new Switch owners. Backwards compatibility wasn’t necessary for the original Switch. Basically, every game was fresh for someone that didn’t own a WiiU.
That is absolutely not the case for the next console. The Switch is a massive success, I am certain, the successor must play Original Switch Games, as well. Actually, this will be a major selling point, if Nintendo can convince developers to release patches for older Switch games to be playable with better performance or better resolution on the new console. It might actually be sufficient, if Nintendo goes ahead and does it for first party games, leading the way. Fans would demand from third party developers to do the same and they probably will.
Besides, who would not want to play Tears of the Kingdom again in much better performance (although the performance is surprisingly good on the current Switch a.k.a. Nintendo Magic).
Controller
Nintendo finally has the chance to fix all Joy-Con issues, by releasing completely new set of controllers. I am convinced the next console will be incompatible with current Joy-Cons, since the console might be slightly different in size. I hope Nintendo will allow usage of older Joy-Cons and Pro Controllers, both as Bluetooth controllers, so we don’t have to buy new controllers for multiplayer again. This can obviously only work if the new console has a similar button layout, but I believe it will.
Performance
The new hardware must come with higher processing power and enable better graphics. There were rumors of a Nvidia Chip that enables 4K graphics just by using AI upscaling, resulting in higher resolutions without sacrificing much more power. This will lead to longer battery life and better graphics.
But when?
The big question is: When will the new hardware announced and released? I will go very deep in a blog post, very soon.
Nintendos Switch Line-Up for 2023 (and 2024)
This year is (mostly) all set, with 2 games confirmed for next year, being Peach game and Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon. Nintendo usually releases a game every month or around 4-6 weeks.
Games
We now know, which games will be released this year.
June - Everybody’s 1-2 Switch and apparently also Pikmin 1&2
July - Pikmin 4
August - nothing so far?
September - nothing, however Detective Pikachu could be considered as Nintendos September release, but releasing a bit late in early October
October - Super Mario Bros. Wonder
November - Super Mario RPG
December - nothing so far, but not unusual to be empty
DLCs
There are still a few DLCs arriving this year, such as Mario Kart and Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Mario Kart Booster Course Wave 5 has been released a few days ago. The final Booster Course Wave 6 is very likely coming in Fall or around the Holidays. Pokémon DLC could arrive in November or December. Super Mario RPG is not for everyone so it might make sense to release something alongside it. Splatoon 3 DLC could also be released in September to fill the gap, but it seems like it will arrive later, since we haven’t seen anything new yet.
The Unknown
We can safely assume there will be a Nintendo Direct in September and just like they surprised us this time, they could easily shadow drop a new game or DLC that day. Maybe it is Metroid Prime 2. There are Zelda rumors, that are not Tears of the Kingdom related, so maybe Wind Waker or Twilight Princess for Switch?
Peach and Luigi’s Mansion
We learned about a game with Peach as the main character. That is super exciting, since Peach definitely deserves a game and my daughter will love it no matter what.
Moreover, Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon, a remaster of the GameCube classic (also remastered for 3DS) was announced in the last Direct, without a release date. This makes me think it is planned for 2024. It could also be released in December this year, but why show the game now without a release date and then release it this year. Actually, it would’ve been nice to have this game as a shadow drop in an upcoming Direct or have it released a month later of it’s announcement.
For some reason, Nintendo wanted the world to know, that there are games for other Mario characters coming, just to fill 2 minutes of the Direct.
2024
So far, 2024 looks empty and that is fine. Nintendo doesn’t have to announce games so early.
However, it is probably the perfect time to release the next console. More on that in a future blog post.
Apple Vision Pro
So many thoughts.
Device
The device looks and probably feels very valuable, expensive and high-quality. I mean it is very expensive, so it should look and feel that way, but Apple devices usually are high-quality and feel like jewelry and that’s one reason people love them.
Usability
After the mouse for the Mac, the finger for the iPhone, the new pointing device is your eye. Using this device must feel like magic.
It was extremely magical to use a finger on an iPhone and just scroll though a long list of songs.
This must the same thing, but even more radical, since nothing is touching the interface. You simply look at it and it is highlighted.
Then you use your fingers to initiate a selection, similar to a tab in the iPhone world.
Use cases
People were mostly using the device alone, which is great. I can’t imagine people using headsets to be in a virtual reality while sitting next to each other. That just sounds and looks ridiculous. However, being alone and using the device seems to me the perfect use case. Watch a movie on a gigantic screen with headphones when the family is sleeping. This is the big difference to the other headsets out there.
The next iPhone?
No. I don’t think so. At least it doesn’t feel like it, right now.
When the iPhone was announced, it fealed extremely special and a decade ahead of all of the competition. Arguably, it was. I wanted it so badly, because I was sick of all the bad phones at that time. I purchased the original iPhone day one in Germany and it was a very special day. A true revolution for the whole phone and smart device industry.
Apple Vision Pro does feel special and also ahead of its competition, but it is doesn’t feel like a revolution.
As a Developer
I think, and I heard this multiple times, that this platform could be bigger for developers than for instance Apple Watch or Apple TV. Only a few Apps work really well on the watch and on the TV, but the majority of Apps on both plaforms are more or less companian Apps of an iPhone app.
That might not be the case for VisionOS. This device is a standalone computer with a giant screen, therefore, more Apps can have their chance to shine.
There will also not be many users in the beginning. The device is fairly pricey and might also be limited in production. Developers might be able to charge much higher prices compared to the iOS and iPadOS App Stores.
Mario is unsafe again
Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks weird. Nintendo now allows Mario to be weird again. That’s something we haven’t seen in over a decade. Let me explain.
Here is a photo of Cat Mario from Super Mario 3D World and Elephant Mario from Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Cat Mario from Super Mario 3D World
Elephant Mario from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
See the difference?? Yeah, obviously.
Cat Mario is just a suit for Mario and Elephant Mario is a complete transformation. This is a very drastic change and an important one. The following Tweet explains it perfectly.
For years, Nintendo gave us “the purest distillation of the safe, bland, corporate mascot“. This Mario was perfect in every way, but for many also very boring, me included. Not the games, though. I mean just the character and its visualization.
The games were really good. I played all of them and loved them. However, they were all mostly the same. They had no magic feel to them. No stark difference.
That was all because of Nintendos strict “Mario is untouchable“ policy. That went so far, that other Mario games were crippled, because no one was allowed to change or adjust Mario characters, even a little bit.
The best examples would be the Paper Mario games, which were awesome like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door from 2004, but then slowly turned out very boring, because no new character was introduced or known characters were not allowed to have different characteristics. The most they were allowed to do, was giving Bob Omb the name “Bobby“.
Nintendo disallowed any changes to Mario. Proof below.
Here is an interview from 2020 that confirms the strict policy: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/interviews/paper-mario-origami-king/
Mr. Tanabe (Producer of Paper Mario) says:
Since Paper Mario: Sticker Star, it’s no longer possible to modify Mario characters or to create original characters that touch on the Mario universe. That means that if we aren’t using Mario characters for bosses, we need to create original characters with designs that don’t involve the Mario universe at all, like we’ve done with Olly and the stationery bosses.
Arlo made multiple great videos about that topic. The following video is about that interview I linked above. Jump to 16:00 for the discussion about that very important quote:
Wonderful Hope
Now, that all might change. Mario might not be “untouchable” anymore and is allowed to be different and weird, again.
The trailer for Super Mario Bros. Wonder surprised many.
First of all, many didn’t really expect a new 2D Mario game so late in the Nintendo Switch life cycle.
Second, the design and visualization of all Mario characters. The mimics and movements in every second of the trailer were different and awesome. It looks really cool and fun.
I hope, with this change, that Nintendo now also allows other studios, that work on other Mario games, like Paper Mario and the Mario Sport games to make Mario different and more fun again. It is possible, that only the mainline 2D and 3D Mario games are allowed to have weird Mario, but there is more hope than every before.
Prime Day Recommendations
It is Amazon Prime Day again and this time there are some really nice offers and discounts, that I liked to recommend. Since I live in Germany, the following list consists only of deals for Amazon Germany.
Fire TV Stick 4K mit Alexa-Sprachfernbedienung (mit TV-Steuerungstasten)
22€ instead of 69€
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - [Nintendo Switch]
49€ instead of 69€
I will update this links when new deals come in.
These are affiliate links, so I will get a share when you purchase through these links. Thank you.
I beat Tears of the kingdom…
It took over 195 hours and I’ve unlocked 62,31% of the game. This game is massive.
When the game told me to beat Ganondorf, the final task, I basically ignored it and went doing anything else, because I didn’t want the game to end and there are so many wonderful side quests and side adventures that I wanted to explore. It was really great.
However, at one point I just wanted to finish the story. The game has so much content and it was really awesome to search and find all the mysteries. But I just wanted to see the end. I was satisfied.
So I did the final task and went for Ganondorf. The end was truly epic. Reaching him is not that easy and full of new story elements. The fight was also well done and all the cutscenes were of high quality. I didn’t expect some of the stuff that happened, so that was great, too.
Truly a great ending to a masterpiece of a game.
Nintendo Direct June 2023
There is no E3 anymore, but the big three gaming companies still put out a showcase showing what we can expect this year and maybe next year.
Nintendo switched to online-only presentations a long time ago and only used the E3 theme to show a direct in June. However, it is now clear that Nintendo simply likes to show each quarter or 3-5 months what they have in store for the next few months and sometimes give a glimpse for the next year. That’s why there is usually a general Nintendo Direct in January/February, then in June and one in September.
This June direct was packed with great games and a few surprises. Have a look if you missed it.
In my opinion, this direct was good. There wasn’t much for me except for a few games, but these games were super surprising and I can’t wait to play them.
The games I am interested in are:
Pikmin 4
Pikmin 1+2
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
All of these games are, unsurprisingly, Nintendo games. The other games were still interesting, like the Metal Gear Solid collection or the Batman games, however, I would rather or even have played these games on my PS4 or my PS5.
Pikmin
Pikmin 4, I already pre-ordered through the great “buy 2 games for 100€” Coupon that Nintendo offers. I preordered Tears of the Kingdom and Pikmin 4 for 100€, which is a steal in my opinion.
Anyhow, Pikmin 4 looks great and what they showed in the direct made me more excited for the final game than I already was. Can’t wait to play it soon
Right after the Pikmin 4 presentation came a big surprise. Pikmin 1 and 2 are coming to Switch and not only that, they shadow dropped both games as a pack available the same day. Seriously, did not expect to see the games on Switch and then also have them available that day. I purchased both games immediately after and am planning on playing the games, right after when I’m done with Tears of the Kingdom
With the release of Pikmin 4, the whole collection of Pikmin games are available on a single platforms, one of the biggest gaming platform ever. A very smart move by Nintendo. Fans are happy and this gives Nintendo the chance to measure the popularity of Pikmin in general. If Pikmin doesn’t succeed on Switch, it’s game over basically, but I believe it has a high chance of selling well and getting even more Fans in the future.
Super Mario RPG
I only heard good things about this game and this Remake looks really great regarding graphics. I will probably get this game, but not on launch. The Fall and Winter is full of games I want to play and I only have a limited amount of time per week for games. Especially when a game called Super Mario Bros. Wonder is releasing a few weeks prior.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
This game was a shock moment for me. I did not expect a 2D Mario at the end of the life cycle of the original Nintendo Switch, but here we are. The game looks amazing and it finally a new art style then what we had previously with the “new” series before that.
I have so many thoughts about that game, which I will cover in a different blog post soon.
It’s basically just about this scene in the trailer:
Elephant Mario
This image means so many things at once. Mario is unsafe again and I will explain that soon. Makes me really happy.
Closing Thoughts
Now that Nintendo showed what they have in store for this year, it’s really interesting to think about what’s next. In the coming weeks I will post about the Switch 2, what it could offer and when it could release. Nintendo has to be careful, because coming from a super popular system was always a struggle for them and now they have the chance to break that.
WWDC 2023
A little late, but here are my thoughts about WWDC 2023.
MacBook Air 15”
To me, this device could have been released via a Press Release. Basically, it is just a bigger size MacBook Air 13”. That’s it. And that is also what Apple is trying to sell. Apple is not saying anything else. People should know that this device is just as amazing as the smaller Air, but bigger. Nothing more, nothing less.
The reason they might have added it to the Keynote is probably for its upcoming impact. This device will sell, a lot, like a shit ton. Maybe even more than the already outperforming 13” Air.
Mac Studio and Mac Pro
Great updates. The Mac Pro is now such a niche device. To me, it is now obvious that Apple wanted to put a M2 Extrem (two M2 Ultras combined), but couldn’t for some reason. Could be feasibility, could be costs, could yield rate, only Apple knows.
However, now, compared to the Mac Studio, the only reason to buy the Mac Pro is for PCI cards. Makes me think if Apple regrets announcing the Mac Pro early in a previous Keynote. If they wouldn’t have announced it early, they could’ve just said the Mac Studio is the replacement.
On the other hand, Apple doesn’t have to ship if it thinks it’s not worth it. They still could have simply said, we’re killing the Mac Pro, the Mac Studio is the future.
I think, Apple is still bringing a M3 or M4 Extreme and the Mac Pro will be the only device with that chip. They simply released the current Mac Pro to finally kill Intel Macs and be done with the ARM transition.
iOS / iPadOS 17
All OS updates were filled with quality of life improvements. iOS 17 looks really great with improved Messages (FINALLY improved Search) and Phone app. NameDrop is so simple with awesome UX. The naming is just perfect.
StandBy mode is also great and I will use that a lot. Same for Interactive Widgets. Can’t wait to implement some.
I am most excited about the improvements for Autocorrect. For me, my Family and many Friends, Autocorrect is just broken. At least in German. It is simply not working for most of the time. Really really bad. It can only get better now and I hope it will.
WatchOS 10
WatchOS 10 is the real star here.
Finally, Apple is refreshing the System and introducing widgets on the clockface is the right call. I can’t wait to try it out and update my WatchOS apps.
Apple Vision Pro
The presentation was really well made. If you missed it, Apple uploaded the introduction separately, as well. I will share more about the Vision Pro in a later Blog post.
Overall, the keynote was great.
Apples short summary Video about WWDC23 gives a good overview.
Here is my recommended configuration if you are planning to purchase a new MacBook Air 15”
Zelda: BotW was super easy
After playing Tears of the Kingdom for over 70 hours I just noticed how hard combats are compared to Breath of the Wild actually.
In Breath of the Wild you have:
Unlimited Remote Bombs (lol)
Grabbing Metal objects and hitting enemies from afar
Freezing enemies just like that and hitting them a million times
Even Cryonis was very helpful in combats
Enemy weapons were very strong right away
Additionally, the powers of the champions were overpowered as well
Revali’s gale obviously helps reaching heights instantly
Mipha’s Grace heals you just like that
Daruk’s Protection blocks attacks and protects you from damage
Urbosa's Fury just hits enemies around you in a massive radius with electrical damage
For instance, in Tears of the Kingdom, you have to collect Bombs and be more careful of how and where to use them. I very often run out of Arrows. Enemy weapons aren’t that strong, either. All of the enemy loots are now very important for fusing strong weapons.
Maybe I’ll change my mind later after finishing the game or replaying Breath of the Wild, but for now, TotK seems much harder.
Happy “Tears of the Kingdom” day
With the launch of this Website and this blog, we are also celebrating the launch of “The Legend of Zelda – Tears of the Kingdom”.
Please enjoy.