First Impressions of the ARMS Roster


Over the past two weekends, I’ve been participating in as many ARMS Global Testpunch events as I could. At first, it was to see if ARMS was the real deal. Since then, it’s been a matter of wanting to play as much of this game as possible because it’s really fun.

I’ve had a chance to play with all eight of the characters that were available in the beta. Since Kid Cobra and Bark & Byte weren’t available, write-ups on them will have to come later. For now though, here are my thoughts on the characters we got to play with so far.
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Nintendo’s Recently Announced Paid Online Service Revealed

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Days before E3, Nintendo pulled the lid off of their Nintendo Switch Online service. For $20 a year, you’re getting online play, lobbies, voice chat, eShop deals, along with a new Classic Game Selection offering that could be the gem of this whole service.

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Ultra Street Fighter II Review

Street Fighter II is back! Again! For the last time! Yeah, probably not the last time, but whatever.

After a countless number of iterations over the last few decades (!), Capcom rolls out the latest version of its signature fighting game franchise with Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers on the Nintendo Switch. Is this a worthwhile addition to the franchise and to your collection?

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Hori’s Nintendo Switch Headset Could Be a Sign of Continued Dark Times for Nintendo’s Online Experience

Nintendo has been riding high off of the success of the Switch in recent months. While the system isn’t perfect, it certainly proved to be a step in the right direction in most regards. However, the console’s online infrastructure has been largely nonexistent, as Nintendo has said it will roll out in full alongside of a phone app. Well, if Hori’s headset and adapter combo is any indication, online communication is still going to suck on a Nintendo platform.

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Arms Global Testpunch Impressions

Arms has been no stranger to skepticism. As a 3D arena fighter with motion controls isn’t exactly what you would want or expect from Nintendo. Nightmares of Wii Boxing came rushing back when I first saw this, leaving me scratching my head as to why Nintendo would want to go back to this concept.

Having now played Arms as part of the Global Testpunch, I now see that this isn’t another motion controlled waggle fest. Arms is the real deal.

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Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment Review

Following the success of Shovel Knight, Yacht Club Games released Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows. It was a free downloadable campaign that allowed you to play through the existing levels as Plague Knight. While I appreciate the level of effort that went into making the Plague Knight experience differ, it came at the cost of Plague Knight not being as fun of a character to play as.

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment seems to have learned from the mistakes of the past. This time, you play as a new character that moves with a fluidity that Plague Knight sorely lacked. You also get to use this new character in heavily revised levels that are tuned to match their play style. One could even argue that the end result might be better than the original game.

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NBA Playgrounds Review (Nintendo Switch)

[NOTE: This reviews the current version of the game that does not have online play. It was not available at this point in time and based on recent comments from the developer, it’s not coming in a timely manner. As such, I’ve chosen to publish the review without online play.]

Coming out just as my beloved Toronto Raptors get bounced from the playoffs yet again, NBA Playgrounds arrives just in time to ease the pain of another failed attempt at the championship. Unlike the simulation-based NBA 2K series, NBA Playgrounds is a throwback to the arcade insanity of NBA Jam. Is this new take on a classic play stile a somersault slam dunk?

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Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows Review

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows is the first piece of downloadable content for Shovel Knight. This time, you take on the Enchantress and the Order of No Quarter as Plague Knight, one of the bosses from the original game. While it uses the same levels, the experience of playing as Plague Knight gives the game a different, more challenging, and arguably not as fun game.

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The Promise of the Nintendo Switch is Real

When Nintendo first revealed the Switch, they did so by showing off a myriad of different scenarios for when the product would be useful. From showing how quickly the game could transfer from your screen to the unit, to showing off a woman bringing her Switch to a rooftop party to play with friends, Nintendo pitched this as providing a quality gaming experience everywhere you go.

At first, I didn’t buy it. Sure, the novelty was neat, but I didn’t see the ability to play the same games at home or on the go as a revelation. Now that I’ve had the console for a few months, I realize that its selling point is the real deal.

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Coming Soon: NBA Playgrounds Review

For the last few days, I’ve been playing NBA Playgrounds on the Nintendo Switch. I’ve been working on a review, but I don’t feel comfortable publishing it until online play is activated on the Switch. When that goes live, I’ll give it a go and finish the review.

What I can say for the time being is that it’s fun, but highly flawed. The game’s shooting mechanics make shooting 3s too easy and 2s too difficult. The AI is unbalanced, as it will steal the ball from you every two seconds, but can’t stop a long range shot to save its life. Unless you’re a fan of the sport with an unshakeable urge to play a modern NBA Jam, you can probably pass on this one. Full review coming soon!

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