There’s a Switch Lite on the Way (Pros, Meet Cons)

Posted on July 10, 2019 by geelw

So, Nintendo is going to be releasing a slightly smaller and lighter version of the Switch called (what else?) Switch Lite specifically for handheld play starting on September 20, 2019 with a $200 price tag (plus tax). While I’m not planning on getting one (despite my little Dawn of the Breakers fetish), this is going to be grand news for a certain group of players who may do a load of traveling, aren’t interested in connecting the new handheld to a TV of any type, or just want to snap up this all-in-one unit for any number of other reasons.

I said I wasn’t going to buy one… but I may change my mind.

Oddly enough, not being able to switch to TV play makes the name a bit wacky, but Nintendo wasn’t going to NOT use the Switch name here.Also, this isn’t going to replace the 3DS Xl or 2DS at all, so those of you worrying it will have nothing to fear (yet). Nintendo is still making a chunk of cash from those handhelds, and games made for them although it’s possible we’ll see even those still popular units get phased out over the next few years, specifically is Nintendo ever figures out how to get them ported over to some other system with the dual screen functions intact.

Don’t expect the cost of the current Switch model to drop, either, as Nintendo rarely price drops its hardware (especially on a model that’s as selling extremely well as the original Switch). As for games that won’t run on the Lite, well, it’s only going to be any titles that require docked play from what I can gather from info on the official site. Also, no HD Rumble may tick off some gamers used to it, but I think that won’t stop the Lite from becoming a big deal must buy for parents with kids, casual users and new people who want in on the new thing with the rather large (200+ games and counting!) library.

-GW

PlayStation Store’s Sale of the Dead Brings You Some Scary Good Bargains…

Posted on October 25, 2014 by geelw

(shakes fist at monitor)… Stupid Sony. Having another PSN sale on some stuff I might want just when I’m poking around for something light and kind of fluffy to play between bigger games. Yeah, I got Dead Nation (finally) for under 4 bucks, but stopped there because I do have some things to take care of here outside the gaming sphere. Anyway, check out the long list of games, movies and TV shows (okay, mostly movies and TV shows, as the game presence is a bit limited this week) for some decent deals if you’re looking to stock up on content for one of your consoles or that Vita you’re not telling anyone you own for some oddball reason.

Or, hell… at least get Dead Nation if you own a Vita. It’s a ton of fun so far and I just may want someone around to hop online with in the not too distant future…

Nintendo Tries To Be Funny, 1DS Joke Falls Flat (and Probably Confuses Some)…

Posted on September 3, 2013 by geelw

Ay, Carumba! OK, Nintendo, just stop it. STOP IT. Seriously. People thought the 2DS was a big fat joke because it had been done to death as a joke meme when the 3DS was announced, but you guys ended up taking that back with last week’s official 2DS announcement. Of course, that led to MANY Nintendo 1DS joke images that got lame after the first dozen or so images, but here comes Nintendo, pulling off the biggest joke with an actual fake site for a nonexistent device that will to some people who think it’s actually a great idea, something they’d actually want to buy. Duh. Yeah, and yep, there’s a disclaimer on the site that’s worth a chuckle, yet insulting at the same time to anyone not used to Nintendo’s way of following their own path and ignoring the mobile market (for now).

Anyway, yuk it up while you can, people – when your fans start clamoring for that 1DS, you’ll wish you’d never cooked up this shortsighted gag…

Meet The Nintendo 2DS (Yes, It’s Real!), Wii U Deluxe Cut $50 on 9/20

Posted on August 28, 2013 by geelw

As usual, Nintendo certainly isn’t following the crowd or path some would expect as yet again, they’ve whipped out some big surprises to get more money rolling into their hefty coffers. The latest eye-popper is a new handheld system, Nintendo 2DS, which is basically a fully functional 3DS with all the same features except the 3D slider (in other words, it will run everything the 3DS and 3DS XL does just fine, but not in 3D).

Its paradoxically chunky but slim form factor is clearly geared towards younger gamers (and collectors of Nintendo systems, of course), 2DS will launch on October 12 in the US for $129 (a European model also arrives on the same day) and is sure to get families with younger children snapping these up as gifts. While it looks bizarre (at least to me), reports from a few lucky journalists who’ve gotten some play time reveal 2DS is lighter and has a extremely sturdy construction (Nintendo is known for its nearly kid-proof handhelds) and that price point is quite attractive.

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Borderlands 2 Is Vita Bound. So Much For Anything Resembling Free Time in 2014…

Posted on August 21, 2013 by geelw

Buried under all that PS4 news yesterday was the really nice “surprise” that there’s a portable version of one of the best games of 2012 in development and set for a 2014 release. This is a great thing for anyone who has yet to play Borderlands 2 as well as an even better thing for those who loved (and still love) the game for all its crazy fun and loot drops galore. 2K Games has only sent out this teaser image (boo!), but we’ll definitely be keeping a collective eyeball peeled for more on this one.

Actually, it’s a good thing it’s coming out next year, as my calendar of games to play is quite full (and then some!)…

VGA 101 Gallery/Review: NEOGEO X Gold – 90’s Nostalgia Reimagined Almost Flawlessly

Posted on December 28, 2012 by geelw

A few days later than expected, but yes indeed, my NGX Gold has arrived. I also got a few other games as you can see in photo 1. Journey: Collector’s Edition (which is a great set of games non-gamers out there need to check out), my other copy of The Walking Dead (Best Buy screwed up and sent me the standard edition and not the BB version with the poster) alongside the Telltale version with the sticker on the case. Eh, whatever. It was the same price and I have no room here for anything on the walls but games) and The Glory of Heracles, which I couldn’t pass up for five dollars new. It didn’t get knockout reviews, but I played it for about half an hour and found it pretty amusing. I have a Heracles no Eikou game for the Super Famicom here in the library, so it’s nice to see that old series continue in the present day. OK, let’s get even more nostalgic and take a look as what’s in the box…

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NEOGEO X Update: Core Unit Revealed, Still Packing Software Heat

Posted on September 13, 2012 by geelw

In case you were somehow thinking SNK Playmore was going be silent about their new baby, here’s a new update. There will indeed be a standalone NEOGEO X handheld sold and yes, it’s still coming with all 20 free games the Gold units are bundled with. The core unit is $129.99 and looks quite sexy, don’t you think? Could this be the start of a handheld resurgence that has fans snapping up these units out of pure nostalgia plus the hope that it’s entirely possible that we may see SNK use the X as a launcher for its long line of classic arcade and home games? I sure hope so. Bumpy economy aside, it’s really been a damn great year for gaming, that’s for sure!

-g.

NEOGEO X GOLD: It Lives, it Breathes, It Has A Release Date (And A Damn Good Price)!

Posted on August 13, 2012 by geelw

“Great game consoles don’t die; they’re just reborn in much more affordable and convenient packages,” said Tommo CEO Jonathan Wan. “The NEOGEO X GOLD is a love letter to one of my favorite consoles of all time, and working with SNK PLAYMORE to acquire the NEOGEO license, Tommo Inc. looks to provide gaming and entertainment enthusiasts with a classic arcade experience both at home and on the go.”

Holy cats – not only was I right about the price of the unit NOT being the outrageously misreported nonsense other sites had listed a few months back, this is turning into a rather SUPERB value for SNK fanatics. Here’s a pic of the NEOGEO X GOLD In all its glory:

Not only do you get a handheld unit with a 4.3″ screen, expandable card slot, built-in stereo speakers and a headphone jack, the NGX GOLD comes with a base unit and arcade controller modeled after the original AES console allowing you to turn the handheld into a home system! Spectacular, and at $199.99 US, it’s a steal, and a great one at that. December 6, 2012 is the launch date and I expect this one to be a huge holiday hit this year. So much so, that it’s the first entry in this year’s Holiday Gift Guide. What’s in the box are the fun stuff above and 20 pre-installed games listed below the jump (and clipped from the press release, as I’ve been up too long working on some stuff and am about to keel over with a big grin on my face at this fantastic news).

Oh yeah, memo to SNK Playmore: If you can get as many NEOGEO Pocket games as possible AND Samurai Shodown RPG on the NGX GOLD at some point, you’ll make a LOT of fans very, VERY happy. Get on it (please!)…

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