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Nintendo made waves last year when, near the holiday season, it released the NES Classic Mini – a miniaturised facsimile of the original Nintendo Entertainment System, with 30 classic games built-in. Though the console was only available for a few months – with most selling out – before being discontinued by Nintendo as a “limited edition product”, even before its discontinuation, rumours were swirling about a potential sequel based on the NES’s successor console, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System – often shortened to “Super NES” or just “SNES”.
Well fans, the wait is over. Nintendo has confirmed the rumours, announcing that a SNES-flavoured sequel IS indeed in production and will be hitting European and American Nintendo fans very soon!
Official banner showing off the European Super Nintendo Entertainment System, courtesy Nintendo UK (click to enlarge).
Like the NES Classic Mini, the Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a miniaturised replica of the Super NES console, seemingly with the localised styling for its region. For us Europeans, that means the sleek and svelte curved chassis embellished on its top-right corner with the four-colour Super NES emblem; Americans will receive the blocky, squarish design with purple buttons that was released in that region. It’s not yet clear if the controllers – of which two will be included in every pack – will follow suit. Also included in the package will be a HDMI cable, allowing the classic games to be enjoyed in Full HD for the first time; and a USB cable for power. Annoyingly, the European package will NOT include an AC Adaptor in the box, meaning that if you don’t have a powered USB port on your TV, you will need to pay extra for an adaptor to plug it into the mains.
The less sleek, but still attractive US Edition of the SNES Classic Mini, alongside its controllers (courtesy Nintendo of America)
But what about the games? While the SNES Classic Mini will feature a smaller software library to its predecessor – containing just 21 games compared to the NES Mini’s 30, the titles on offer still give a diverse range of single- and multi-player games comprising many of the original console’s favourite titles. All but one of these titles will be available straight off the bat, and all of the titles will be based on their original 60Hz American releases – even in the European edition. For example, Contra III: The Alien Wars, which was remade in Europe as Super Probotector: Alien Rebels, will go back to the original US version for both region’s consoles. Star Fox (originally released as Starwing in Europe) and Final Fantasy III (which is actually Final Fantasy VI in the original Japanese numbering scheme, as the actual 3-5 were not released in US originally) also keep their US names.
Games available from the start:
Contra III: The Alien Wars
Donkey Kong Country
EarthBound
Final Fantasy III
F-ZERO
Kirby Super Star
Kirby’s Dream Course
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Mega Man X
SECRET of MANA
Star Fox
Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting
Super Castlevania IV
Super Ghouls’n Ghosts
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario World
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Super Metroid
Super Punch-Out!!
While all the games listed above are available out of the box, Nintendo has also tucked in one final tasty treat. By playing one level of Star Fox, a twenty-first, exclusive game will be unlocked: Star Fox 2! This sequel to the original Star Fox, also originally intended for the SNES, was cancelled just prior to its original launch in all regions, and although it has since been leaked and made available illegally online as a ROM, the game has never been officially released by Nintendo – until now!
The SNES Classic Edition will hit both Europe and America on September 29, 2017 with a suggested retail price of $79.99 in America; European Retail Price is to be confirmed.
As part of their E3 livestream Square Enix hosted another Live Letter for Final Fantasy XIV yesterday going over one of the new trials, another look at swimming in both old and new areas, post launch content and a short Q&A.
They started with one of the new levelling trials: The Pool of Tribute which is where you fight Stormblood’s original primal: Susano, Lord of the Revel. The normal version was level 63 which implies we will be headed to Orthard (a previously mentioned continent which will pay a pivotal role in the expansion) relatively early on which runs counter to prior expectations where the transition will be around level 65.
Game Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida was going to demonstrate the fight with debug mode… but they forgot to turn it on so he died in three hits several times before moving on to the next segment after it was stated that the success rate of their E3 challenge against Susano had about a 50% success rate, presumably in part due to the slew of combat changes that are taking place with the 4.0 patch as well.
Next they moved to one of the new zones: The Ruby Sea. As the name implies it is a fairly aquatic focused map consisting of a scattering of islands connecting Orthard’s two major landmasses above the waves and various reefs and underwater settlements below.
They explained that surface swimming will be automatically enabled for everyone as soon as the patch hits in all valid bodies of water before they started swimming around the sea and showed off several emotes have been tweaked to also work underwater as well as sprinting.
Next they dived underwater and swam around a bit and explained there was a blue circle on the surface of the water that got bigger the further down you were to help you figure out how deep you were before mentioning the rippling water effect that distorts the screen when underwater can be minimized or turned off.
They then showed fof one of the new mounts which had previously been mentioned to exist: a tiger which for reasons they didn’t explain can fly and swim.
They rounded off the swimming segment by heading over to Costa Del Sol in East La Noscea which as players may remember to be a beachside resort which with 4.0 has been expanded with an array of new islands and a large portion of the sea there has been tweaked to allow for surface swimming. It was here they showed off a few new minions before showing a video titled “Eorzea Collection 2017S” which consisted of player characters performing emotes and abilities in both new and old zones as well as various different minions and mounts some of which had never been seen before.
They briefly showed off the gear from the first raid wing: the Genji set which is inspired by more heavy armour worn by Japanese samurai (as opposed to the post-Edo era inspired gear that Final Fantasy XIV’s samurai will use) before moving on to the Q&A segment, which due to the length will be a separate article.
It’s time for the weekly look into Kickstarter’s gaming campaigns.
Started as always with our previously covered campaigns, there’s a few to cover and unfortunately a lot of it is a tale of unsuccessful campaigns, cancellations and ones that have a lot of fund to make up in little time. There are three of the previously covered campaigns that have now ended without meeting target, but only one of those ended up running out time. This was The Salt Fortress which unfortunately hasn’t seen an update since it failed a few days ago. The other two had their campaigns cancelled before they ran out of time, being Blood Ancestors (the team of which are analysing what went wrong so they can try again having learned lessons) and Badlands: Outpost of Humanity (the team of which admit that they made mistakes and will be trying again in September). As well a few campaigns are struggling, with Two Scoops, Ash of Gods and (surprisingly) Project Rap-Rabbit all running out of time as I write. Indeed, by the time I publish this, the third might even have concluded it has so little time left to it.
However, as always there is so good news to report as well. Pathfinder: Kingmaker has not yet reached its target but it is well along and has a lot of time left so it is almost certain to make it. As well, spaceBOUND has concluded as a success.
First up we have a game that’s very Megaman in art style.
Android Hunter A is described as a “hardcore side-scroller shooter” that aims to bring platforming gameplay back to modern audiences. The game itself is obviously heavily inspired by the Megaman X series and this influence is even noted on the page for the game. There will be fourteen unique stages to play through, with the usual Megaman-esque abilities to upgrade your armour and skills after each victory.
Android Hunter A has a $150,000 goal to reach, with $8,086 made so far and 29 more days to run.
Next up we have a big game with a big name attached to it.
Rumours about deGrasse Tyson’s game were flying around before E3 and now it’s been announced as being a space-based game and the fans and gamers are going to be the ones to help shape it. Questions asked, suggestions made and help with development will all be at the fingers of the people who want to play the game. The game’s foundation will be based in scientifically-accurate gameplay through, so expect the laws of physics to stay unbroken.
Space Odyssey has a goal of $314,159, has 39 days left to run and has made $99,700 so far.
Next is a tactical space-based game based off of a cult classic!
The Infinite Black 2 is a tactical, role-playing game in space in which alien machines have reached humanity and when humanity tried for friendship, instead they were demanded of for flesh, violence and pain else the sun would be imploded and humanity wiped out. The game is a turn-based game, and is sequel to the original The Infinite Black – a game that the campaign page states “spawned many real-life weddings, pregnancies, divorces, parking lot brawls, and maybe a few stints in jail.” Nice to see devs with a sense of humour.
The Infinite Black 2 has 24 days left to go, and has made $13,848 of its $20,000 goal.
Finally we end with something cyberpunk. Hell yes.
Human Interface is a board game of miniatures for 1-5 players, and what is described as an “evocative cyberpunk backstory”. The miniatures come as plastic by default, but it is listed that metal ones are also an option. The aim is that you join together to “escape a high-security, illegal prison (black site) and gather evidence on the unlawful doings of massive corporations.” As suggested, cybernetics play a big role in this game and that makes me happy.
Human Interface: Be a Better Human has a goal of £48,000 which it has already crushed. It has 12 more days to go, so go check it out if this sounds your kinda thing.
After several hints on Twitter Firaxis have announced a brand new DLC for XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. Unlike Shen’s Last Gift and Alien Hunters this is a full expansion with two main overarching mechanics as well as a slew of smaller features.
The first major feature is a group that the expansion is named after: a group of aliens known as The Chosen. This is an elite force of three powerful foes: the Ranger-like Assassin, the long range sniper Hunter and the psionic Warlock. The Chosen are trying to recapture the Commander with each having their own strengths and combat doctrine and each will return again and again growing stronger just as XCOM does until you find and defeat their stronghold much like EXALT in Enemy Within.
To help deal with The Chosen as well as other new threats they have introduced three other resistance factions: the Reapers, the Skirmishers and the Templars. Working alongside these factions and helping them over the course of the campaign will eventually allow you to recruit their members as what are referred to as “Hero” classes.
Reapers specialise in stealth, sniping and sabotage. Skirmishers are stated as being alien-human hybrid defectors who are extremely quick and can perform multiple actions per turn and Warlocks are psionics who charge up their power over time to perform a big play off.
The Chosen are not the only new foes however. So far a new alien, the Spectre who has the ability to create copies of your forces, as well as two ADVENT units have been shown off. The ADVENT Purifier has so far been stated to use explosives whereas the Priest utilises psionics. In addition to this there is The Lost, zombie like mutants found in pre invasion ruined cities.
Ruins aren’t the only new environment however, also confirmed are underground tunnels and xenoformed wilderness.
In addition to the new sub factions Firaxis have put greater emphasis on customisation and replayability. One part of this is that soldiers build bonds with their teammates to gain new abilities and perks. Whether or not they keep these when not with their friends is not clear however although I would doubt it.
Additionally the new SITREP system will dynamically add modifiers to tactical missions which combined with the already existing dynamic mission map generation (which will most likely see new tiles being added) will allow for each operation feeling much more unique.
War of the Chosen is stated for release on the 29th of August on Steam, Xbox One and Playstation 4.
