Jon Cousins
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Time Extension
Writer, photographer and illustrator. Making @iamyoursgame and 🎤🎸. Slowly getting back to life and back to reality.
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Articles by Jon Cousins
Cat-Based Metroidvania A Purrtato Tail Is Clawing Its Way To Switch Next Year
We like potatoes and we like cats, so when we were told by Colorado-based Drunk Robot Games that its upcoming adventure game about cat-potatoes, A Purrtato Tail, is headed to Nintendo Switch alongside other consoles and Steam in 2019, we were understandably excited. A Purrtato Tail is an open-world puzzle adventure about a race of potato cats – the Purrtatoes – on the Isle of Moar.
Gallery: The Best Cosplay From The Tokyo Game Show 2018
Mario! Link! Toad?! by Jon Cousins Mon 24th Sep 2018 As is often the case at Japan's premier gaming showcase, this year's Tokyo Game Show had some great cosplay from a variety of Nintendo (and non-Nintendo) franchises. All of the big names were represented, including some of the company's most famous faces - and a few cult favourites, of course. Here is some of the best cosplay from the event for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy, and let us know your personal fave by posting a comment below.
Nintendo Wins Big At TGS 2018's Japan Game Awards
While Nintendo has been increasing their presence at consumer events in Japan - including Kyoto’s Bitsummit indie game show as part of their ”Hello Indie World” campaign - the company has never had an official showing at Japan’s flagship gaming event, the Tokyo Game Show. In 2018, things appear to be changing; not only was Nintendo a sponsor of the event, it also found itself front and centre at the Japan Game Awards, presented on Thursday night.
Feature: Velocity 2X Dev Opens Up About Publishing Woes And Chances Of A Sequel
Side-scrolling shooter hybrid Velocity 2X comes to the Nintendo Switch this week, after receiving critical acclaim when it was initially released back in 2014. Things took an interesting turn last month, however, as developer FuturLab suddenly became very vocal and honest about their publishing struggles in a series of posts on social media.
Feature: Creating A New Generation Of Indie Gems With YoYo Games' GameMaker Studio 2
The Nintendo Switch has already become the place to go for indie games, with the recent prominence of Nindie Showcases maintaining the attention of both players and developers. Furthermore, the announcement that YoYo Games' robust engine GameMaker Studio 2 has been licenced on the console in March was welcomed by all. Fast forward to August, and the open beta is in full flow, along with the arrival of hit titles made with the software such as Hyper Light Drifter, Minit and Undertale.
Big In Japan - Investigating The Phenomenon That Is Monster Hunter - Feature - Nintendo Life
The popularity of the Monster Hunter series has been spearheaded globally this year by the incredible success of Monster Hunter: World and the release of Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate on Nintendo Switch.
Feature: Doing The Rounds With The Videokid, A Paperboy And '80s Inspired Nostalgia Trip
Inspired by score-chasing arcade classics and a heavy dose of popular culture, The Videokid skates onto Nintendo Switch next week. As you perform tricks and combos to earn crazy scores and bonuses, you can hitch and grind your way around town on your trusty skateboard while trying to deliver your pirate video round and meet up with your girl.
Feature: A Day In The Life Of Manual Samuel With Dev Perfectly Paranormal
With an interesting combination of slapstick humour and dark themes, hilariously bonkers animated adventure Manual Samuel releases on Nintendo Switch today, 16th August. By performing everyday mundane tasks such as getting dressed and going to work, as well as basic human functions, Manual Samuel will test players' accuracy and improvisation while progressing through an increasingly surreal narrative presented in a vivid 2D hand-drawn art style.
Feature: Let's Go On A Parade With Pikachu And Eevee In Yokohama, Japan
The annual Pikachu Outbreak event held in Yokohama, a Japanese city south of Tokyo, had extra significance this year with the release of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! coming up on Nintendo Switch in November. It should come as no surprise then, that the games' mascots Pikachu and Eevee were front and centre, involved in a number of themed public parades, musical skits and plastered onto event-exclusive merchandise.
How The Messenger Aims To Fuse Ninja Gaiden, Metroid And Castlevania On Switch
"This is truly the best I can do" Announced during Nintendo's Nindies Direct in March, side-scrolling action platformer The Messenger has caught our eye by keeping a retro feel but subverting player expectations, using classic graphical styles to compliment a time-travelling narrative. When a small, isolated village is attacked by an army of demons, the task of carrying a sacred scroll across a cursed world falls to you - a young ninja student.
Gallery: Splatoon 2, Super Mario And Nintendo Switch Take Over A Balmy Tokyo
The Nintendo Switch has been doing gangbusters all around the world, but none more so than in the console's backyard, Japan. Furthermore, 'pop up' stores are very popular among prominent franchises and dedicated fans alike, with Kirby and Pokémon regularly having exclusive goods available for a limited time, as well as ’megastores’ in the main cities. Summer has hit Tokyo pretty hard, but Nintendo has a few cool things going on to keep fans happy.
Review: Super Destronaut DX (Switch eShop)
Some say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and one of retro gaming's founding fathers Space Invaders has endured plenty of sycophancy over the last four decades.
Feature: Concluding An Epic Trilogy With Banner Saga Developer Stoic
The Banner Saga trilogy is almost as epic as the development of the games themselves, from starting out as a Kickstarter campaign six years ago to the series concluding with the release of The Banner Saga 3 at the end of July. With an interesting combination of multiple characters, detailed narratives and tactical role-playing, The Banner Saga 3 looks set to both surprise and satisfy fans and newcomers alike. We spoke to Arnie Jorgensen, creative director at Stoic about the series.
Review: Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded (Switch)
Ah, The Touhou series. Well, depending on your experience and exposure, the ‘project’ is either a long-standing production line of ‘Danmaku’ (curtain fire) bullet hell shmups, a vast array of parody and homages ranging from Castlevania clones to 3D fighters (in the form of Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle), or a vast, labyrinthine journey through literally thousands of fan-made media pieces, from music to literature.
Feature: Taking A Trip To Another World With Creator Éric Chahi
Plenty of games are getting the re-release treatment on Nintendo Switch, and while some definitely don't deserve a second shot at stardom, one recent addition to the console's library definitely does: the sci-fi adventure that is Another World. It was well ahead of its time when it originally launched in 1991, and it's managed to stand the test of time thanks to various re-releases over the years.
Feature: Fighting For The Featherweight Title With Pato Box
Comic book violence collides with the world of boxing in Pato Box, an unusual one-two that's made it one of the most intriguing indies to hit Nintendo Switch this year - in fact, we rather liked it in our review. But with a memorable anatine lead character and a twisted story to tell, we just had to find out more. So we took the chance to have a quick chat with the game's director Antonio Gutiérrez from Mexican developer Bromio.
Review: Mushroom Wars 2 (Switch eShop)
Considering the influx of titles to the Nintendo Switch, one genre that is very under-represented so far is real-time strategy. Normally associated with PC and popularised recently on mobile devices, the balance of depth and accessibility to attract both veterans and newcomers is a lucrative combination and one that’s arguably even more tricky to achieve on consoles. Despite its quirky subject matter, Mushroom Wars 2 offers a solid interpretation and an ideal fit for Switch.
Feature: The Past, Present And Future of Geek Chic with iam8bit
Stemming from a love of art, video games and popular culture, Californian video games merchandising company iam8bit are continually collaborating with artists and developers to produce items that are beyond just physical software releases.
Review: PixelJunk Monsters 2 (Switch eShop)
PixelJunk Monsters first appeared in 2008 and was instrumental in Kyoto-based developer Q-Games and talisman Dylan Cuthbert establishing a ’brand’ that would spawn several titles across different genres. After taking a break to develop the glorious remake Star Fox 64 3D on 3DS in 2011 as well as releasing Monsters Deluxe on the Wii U in 2016, Tikiman and friends are back with a sequel that manages to feel both reassuringly familiar and contemporary.
Review: FRAMED Collection (Switch eShop)
It has become inevitable that ports of mobile games will continue to come thick and fast to the Nintendo Switch eShop. If you’re accustomed or well versed in playing games on your smart device, chances are you’ve already dug deep and come across the odd gem among all the clones and shovelware. Originally released on iOS in 2014 to critical acclaim (Hideo Kojima loves it, apparently), FRAMED and its 2017 pre-sequel have snuck onto the eShop - but should you give this collection the time of day?
Feature: Nicalis On The Timeless Allure Of Physical Games And Bringing More Treasure Titles To Switch
American publisher Nicalis has been around for longer than you might think, and has recently gained recognition for its efforts to publish physical versions of Switch games with extra treats for fans. Such goodies often include delightful trinkets such as soundtrack CDs or retro inspired instruction manuals; Nicalis is collaborating with developers both young and old to keep physical games sought after, and that's something worth celebrating.
Feature: Unravelling The Crossover Fisticuffs Of Blade Strangers
Studio Saizensens new fighting game, Blade Strangers, brings together a diverse and interesting mix of established characters in their own respective universes, but are new to the fighting game genre.
Soapbox: Why A Nintendo 64 Classic Edition Might Not Be Such A Good Idea
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, our 'Man in Japan' Jon explains why Nintendo continuing the ‘classic mini’ line of retro consoles with the N64 may be one step too far... First things first, I loved the N64. It was the first console that I bought games for with my own money.
Resident Evil 7 Coming To Switch In Japan
It’s fair to say that Resident Evil 7 surprised the gaming community back in early 2017. As well as being a dramatic departure and reinvention of the franchise, what was more interesting to most was that it was actually really good. More than good. Developer Capcom has been a strong supporter of the Nintendo Switch, not least in the coming months, with two Mega Man collections and a Street Fighter collection, along with Okami HD dropping in August.
Resident Evil 7 Is Coming To Nintendo Switch In Japan
It’s fair to say that Resident Evil 7 surprised the gaming community back in early 2017. As well as being a dramatic departure and reinvention of the franchise, what was more interesting to most was that it was actually really good. More than good. Developer Capcom has been a strong supporter of the Nintendo Switch, not least in the coming months, with two Mega Man collections and a Street Fighter collection, along with Okami HD dropping in August.
Feature: Lumines Remastered Is Music To Our Ears At BitSummit
At last weekend's Bitsummit indie games event in Kyoto, Japan, Tetsuya Mizuguchi of REZ and Child of Eden fame showed off his latest project - a remaster of beloved music-puzzle game, Lumines. As advocates for using the interaction between music and games in pioneering ways, it was great to play the new version and catch up with him to discuss the potential of Nintendo Switch and his vision for future titles. Nintendo Life: How has your Bitsummit been for you so far?
Feature: PixelJunk Monsters 2 Developer Q-Games On Nintendo-Like Design And Future Switch Projects
In the heart of Japan's former capital Kyoto, Q-Games founder and former Argonaut programmer Dylan Cuthbert and his team are putting the finishing touches to the sequel to popular tower defence game PixelJunk Monsters. Ten years since the original title and several ‘canon’ games later, PixelJunk Monsters 2 is a gorgeous mix of lush organic environments, cute characters and unique charm, and brings the series right up to date with fully rendered areas and creatures in high definition.
Feature: Hands-On With Playdough Platform Puzzler Semblance At BitSummit 2018
At Kyoto's Bitsummit indie games festival, we had the chance to have some hands-on time and chat to the developers of ‘playdough’ platform puzzle game Semblance, from South African developer Nyamakop. The demo was all about the realisation of what was possible from one puzzle to the next, as the world and various platforms are altered and other elements are positioned to collect orbs and traverse the beautiful landscape.
Okami HD Release Date Revealed For Japan
Japan's weekly gaming magazine Famitsu has revealed that the Switch version of Okami HD will be released on 9th August. A limited edition, priced at ¥3,990, will be available alongside the standard edition (priced at ¥2,900). Sadly, there's no news on whether this special edition will be making it to the West just yet. For those new to the title, Okami is a beautiful 'Sumi-e'-style adventure, where you take control of the sun god, Amaterasu.
Feature: Having A Sneaky Word About FRAMED Collection With Developer Loveshack
Stylish and multi-award-winning noir puzzle games FRAMED and FRAMED 2 sneak on to the eShop this week as part of the FRAMED Collection, and while visiting Kyoto's BitSummit indie game show over the weekend, we had the chance to talk to the game's director and designer, Joshua Boggs. Nintendo Life: When was the decision made to bring FRAMED and the entire collection to Switch?
Feature: Nintendo Of Japan Stamps Its Mark On BitSummit 2018
As previously reported by the lovely Alex, many games from western indie developers are coming not only to Switch, but also to make their mark in Japan, which came to fruition under the new Nintendo umbrella 'Indie World'. A cute pixellated world exhibiting both existing hits and upcoming titles, the initial reveal recently wasn't as clear how literal that idea would turn out to be.
Feature: Hollow Knight On Switch "At The Finish Line" Says Developer Team Cherry
Team Cherry made a big name for itself with its atmospheric yet adorable Metroidvania platformer Hollow Knight when it realised on Steam in February last year. The game has since generated a huge amount of publicity, not only since its initial Switch reveal, but also since its delay and unfortunate absence at the March Nindies Showcase.
Hollow Knight On Switch "At The Finish Line" Says Developer Team Cherry
Team Cherry made a big name for itself with its atmospheric yet adorable Metroidvania platformer Hollow Knight when it realised on Steam in February last year. The game has since generated a huge amount of publicity, not only since its initial Switch reveal, but also since its delay and unfortunate absence at the March Nindies Showcase.
Review: Goetia (Switch eShop)
For Abigail Blackwood, all is not as it seems. As the deceased former resident of a desolate town, you will be revisiting and exploring a once tranquil mansion and township on a quest to recall memories from nearly 40 years ago to figure out just what happened to you after you fell out of a window and were inexplicably brought back. Goetia is a 2D, point-and-click adventure set at the turn of the 20th century (and during the 1940s).
Feature: Up The Wall With Etherborn Developer Altered Matter
Etherborn is a beautiful exploration platformer from developer Altered Matter, and is coming to Nintendo Switch this year. With a combination of environment-based puzzles and gravity-defying traversal, Etherborn looks very promising. We talked to Samuel Cohen and Carles Massó from Altered Matter about the creative process behind the game. Nintendo Life: Could you introduce yourselves to the good folks at NL?
Job Listing Reveals Nintendo Has Already Begun Working On The Next Zelda
It’s no secret that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful titles of the last few years, so it makes perfect sense that Nintendo would be right on the case with the next instalment. Proof has surfaced with Nintendo posting job listings on its website for design roles related to everything from dungeons and enemies to planning and implementation. What would you like to see from a new Zelda game? More dungeons, akin to Ocarina Of Time?
Gorgeous Gravity Defying Platform Puzzler Etherborn Is Coming To Switch
Barcelona based-indie developer Altered Matter has confirmed they are bringing their beautiful title Etherborn to the Nintendo Switch. An intriguing exploration-based puzzle platformer, Etherborn's partially-human female protagonist traverses the mind bending landscapes searching for her own voice while changing both physics and perspective. By solving gravity shifting and environmental puzzles to progress, Etherborn looks to be both challenging and beautiful all in one tidy package.
Shuntaro Furukawa Is Nintendo's New President
At Nintendo's financial report in Tokyo this afternoon, it has been announced that 68 year old Tatsumi Kimishima will step down in June after nearly three years as President of the company. He will be replaced by board member of both Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, Shuntaro Furukawa. Furukawa joined Nintendo back in 1994, and has been Outside Director of the Pokémon Company since 2012.
Topper Hat And Topper Suit Added To Super Mario Odyssey
Haven't gone back to SMO since day 1 of the balloon races, but the more of these they release the more they'll have to put on the box when they release the GOTY Edition for Christmas, so it makes sense. Anybody else look at that pic and think ti was an amiibo? I would have sworn it was an amiibo. Edit - For the record I only saw the amiibo article after posting this.
Feature: Scratching Beneath The Surface Of The Floor Kids Soundtrack With DJ Kid Koala
Rhythm action game Floor Kids floored us in December of last year with its trendy hand-drawn art style, expressive freedom and incredible soundtrack. You check out our review right here. With its amazing soundtrack set for release on 27th April on vinyl, DJ and musical maestro Kid Koala took some time out from his extensive tour to talk to us about the creative process behind his foray into video games and collaboration with animator JonJon.
Review: Zotrix: Solar Division (Switch eShop)
From wars to foxes, there’s nothing like a good old battle among the stars. In the wake of more cinematic titles such as Manticore: Galaxy on Fire and the upcoming Everspace, Zotrix: Solar Division has snuck on to the eShop in an attempt to carve out its own hybrid take on intergalactic altercations.
Prepare To "Zoom Infinitely" With Bizarre Puzzle Adventure Path To Mnemosyne
We here at Nintendo Life Towers like a good puzzle, as well as a scare or two. Alicante-based indie Devilish Games is fusing both in its creepy adventure game Path to Mnemosyne, and it's coming to the Switch. Immerse yourself into Path to Mnemosyne, a hypnotic adventure created within an infinite zoom! Walk the path, explore your mind, and recover all lost memories by solving dozens of imaginative puzzles.
Gallery: Japan Goes Absolutely Potty About Nintendo Labo
Whatever you think of Nintendo’s latest and wackiest creation, Labo has been pretty indicative of the company's aggressive marketing in the weeks since its brief yet impactful reveal in January. With a combination of Nintendo’s fitting mantra of ‘thinking outside the box’, utilising the console's many new features and tapping into the universal appeal of creating and customising, Labo looks to be yet another feather in the Switch’s increasingly impressive and diverse cap.
Feature: Enjoy The Cardboard Craziness Of These Nintendo Labo Creations
Since its January reveal, the question on many people's lips has been can Nintendo Labo's cardboard construction kit survive the novelty factor and wear 'n' tear of younger audiences to genuinely engage creative minds beyond customisation? If early indications are to be believed, the answer is, emphatically, yes, as Japanese and American Switch owners put the depth and obscurity of Nintendo Labo through its paces (we Switch owners in the EU have to wait until later this week).
Feature: Taking To The Skies With Rogue Aces Developer Infinite State
Nintendo fans have always been partial to a good dogfight or two. From the barrel-rolling shootouts of Star Fox 64 to the trench-running action of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, we've always been up for leaping into a virtual cockpit. However, the skies have been unusually quiet on that front as of late, but a slew of indie developers are stepping in to fill that void once more.
Review: Sally's Law (Switch eShop)
As Nintendo Switch enters its second year, the influx of ports from mobile and Steam continue to increase and show no sign of slowing down. We’ve seen lazy ports as well as serviceable ones and even great ports of games from across the spectrum, but it’s only now we're starting to see developers make the most of Switch's unique hardware. While Sally’s Law originally appeared on Steam and mobile in August 2016, it has been given significant aesthetic and technical upgrades en route to Switch.
Sega Announces AGES For Nintendo Switch, Mega Drive Mini Console
During a live Twitch presentation in Tokyo this morning, Sega announced that a download-only selection of 15 titles under the name SEGA AGES will be making their way to Switch in the summer. These include company mascot platformer Sonic the Hedgehog, Thunder Force 4, Phantasy Star and more to be announced. It's unclear if these will be retro only, or whether the company will deliver more recent titles.
Feature: Chatting To Fishing Cactus About Shift Quantum Ahead of EGX Rezzed
With a combination of mind-bending puzzles and an intriguing cyber noir setting, Belgian developer Fishing Cactus’ second title Shift Quantum has been on our radar for a while. By transforming barriers into escape routes and manipulating negative space in the monochromatic environments, Shift Quantum will flex mental and physical muscles with user-generated content and a dystopian story. We chatted to the team about the game before EGX Rezzed begins this weekend in London.
Feature: Escaping An Alien Invasion Any Way We Can With Mugsters Developer Reinkout
Mugsters is a quirky action puzzler focused on 'saving everything' from a robot alien invasion. We had some hands-on time with the title, and suffice to say it's shaping up to be a very interesting experience. As a tasty little extra, Finnish developer Reinkout sat down with us to explain the game in more detail. Enjoy! Nintendo Life: Congratulations on bringing Mugsters to the Nintendo Switch.
Feature: Game Bar Space Station - Osaka's Gaming Paradise
While Tokyo may be the first stop on many gamers' lists due to its numerous arcades and the famous Akihabara area, other parts of Japan also have their own little pockets of gaming heaven for locals and tourists alike. Located in Amemura - just a few minutes walk from the Dotonbori river and Namba train station just off of the Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street - is Osaka's retro gaming paradise, Space Station.
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