fire emblem Archives - Churape's Dungeon and Stuff

I am a bit late to this coverage, but I thought I’d share it anyways. The Nintendo Direct just came out and there is a bit to unpack. It is looking to be a great year for the switch when it comes to not only retro gaming, but a few Nintendo classic titles like Pikmin and Zelda.

Pikmin 4 ($59.99)

Coming in as possibly the cutest entry from the Direct is Pikmin 4. This sequel to the cult classic comes with a new cute protagonist on her own adventure with the help of her little Pikmin friends. This game introduces new companions and abilities. Game releases on July 21,2023. Pre-orders are now open!

Samba de Amigo: Party Central (TBA)

If you are a fan of rhythm games, Samba de Amigo is a cute little title to add to your list. The game seems to take advantage of the Joy Con’s motion controls as you shake them to the groove of a pretty diverse collection of music. You can play by yourself, challenge your friends, and there is even online play if that is something that is important to you. The game is scheduled to release in June 2023.

Disney Illusion Island ($39.99)

For all you Disney fans out there, get ready for this cute little platformed. Take control of Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, and Donald as you travel through a new world in search of some magical books. The game releases on 7/28/23. Pre-orders are now open.

Advance Wars 1+2:Re-Boot Camp ($59.99)

To the fans of the original titles, the wait is finally over. This classic RTS was first announced and then delayed, but we finally got a release date. There are new modes, two playable stories, and online PVP. If you are feeling creative, you can even make your own maps! The game releases April 21, 2023. Pre-orders are now open!

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ($69.99)

Zelda fans got another glimpse at Tears of The Kingdom and it looks to be another epic adventure over a new open world. They announced a collector’s edition, but good luck getting your hands on one:

and a cool new Link Amiibo ($15.99)

You can preorder yours at Best Buy or Game Stop

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases May 12, 2023. Preorders are now open!

Beyonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon ($59.99)

For all you Beyonetta fans out there, we are now getting some back story! Hopefully this ones better than 3. The game comes out March 17, 2023. Preorders are now open!

Metriod Prime Remastered ($39.99)

You can grab a digital copy today! Physical copies are available on February 22, 2023.

Maybe there will be a trilogy in our future.

Octopath Traveler II

I have already talked about this game. I am super excited. The game comes out February 24, 2023. For those of you interested in the title, there is a demo available for download in the Eshop.

Omega Strikers (Free to Play)

For those of you looking for an online battler, Omega Strikers is free to play 3v3 footbrawler coming to the switch April 23, 2023.

Etrian Odyssey Orgins Collection ($79.99)

I am very excited for this remaster of a classic collection I missed growing up. With updated graphics, modes, and gameplay, this collection of dungeon crawlers is sure to take up a nice chunk of my life. The game releases June 1, 2023. Preorders are open today!

Beten Kaitos I & II HD Remastered (TBA)

Another glow up to a classic card battler I missed growing up. The game is set to release in the summer of 2023. Make sure to add it to your wishlist!

Sea of Stars (TBA)

This is a cool looking turn-based RPG that I will be checking out. I love the pixel art and I could always use another RPG in my life. The game is set to release on August 29, 2023. You can download the Demo on the Eshop today!

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (TBA)

For those who missed it, or want to relive the fun of this cult classic, its coming out in the summer of 2023! You can wishlist it today!

Fashion Dreamer (TBA)

Be the influence you’ve always dreamed of being in this other life simulator game. The game is releasing sometime this year.

DECAPOLICE (TBA)

Level 5 is coming at is with a other cool looking RPG set in the future. It promises an open world as you fight crime in a futuristic city. The game is set to release sometime this year. You can wishlist it today!

Fantasy Life: The Girl Who Steals Time (TBA)

I loved the original Fantasy Life on the DS. It was cute and relaxing. This looks like it is promising an updated experience and I am here for it. The game comes out sometime in 2023. You can wishlist it today!

Tron: Identity (TBA)

This title caught me by surprise. I didn’t expect for Tron to come back. This is a puzzle game where your choices matter. The game comes out in April 2023, but you can add it to your wishlist today!

Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE (TBA)

It seems like this is the year of detective games. The art looks cool and the gameplay seems neat. I’ll be keeping this on my radar. The game comes out on June 30, 2023. You can add it to your wishlist!

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie (TBA)

If you like visual novels, the art looks cool and the story seems intense. I just hope it has voice acting. The game comes out in June 2023. Add it to your wishlist!

WBSC eBASEBALL: POWER PROS ($.99)

For you baseball fans out there, this cute little game will sure to delight you. For $.99, it couldn’t hurt to give it a try. It is available now!

The Gameboy is coming to the Switch

It looks like this is a great year for retro gaming. They are porting a number of classic gameboy titles to the switch for those of you who have the Nintendo Online subscription.

DLC: In No Particular Order:

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass – February 15, 2023 ($29.99)

Splatoon 3 1st Wave of the Expansion Pass arrives in spring 2023 (24.99)

Mario Kart 8 Wave 4 Booster course pass ($24.99)

Fire Emblem Engage Expansion Pass ($29.00)

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania March 6, 2023 ($9.99) Pre-orders open!

I know this was a lot, but I wanted to collect it all in one place. Hopefully the format isn’t aweful and I didn’t miss anything. I know I didn’t talk about everything, but I didn’t want this to be too overwhelming. I wanted this to be a resource so I didn’t add any affiliate links or any other marketing. This was a pretty great direct that has me very excited for my year of gaming. Let me know what you are most excited about.

Image by Sharan Vijayagopal from Pixabay

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Traditionally, I haven’t been a fan of strategy games, but with age, I find myself coming around. I have never played a Fire Emblem title before, and when I saw the ads for Engage, I thought this would be a great time to start. I loved the art style, and the animation looked very cool. I was not disappointed by this title, and Engage quickly became one of my obsessions. I recommend this game to anyone looking for a new game to play, even if you don’t like the genre.

Fire Emblem Engage is a strategy JRPG for the Nintendo Switch where you play as Alear and her allies as they fight against the evil ancient dragon Sombron and try to stop him from taking over the world. With the help of the spirits of great warriors, you and your allies fight against formidable foes in decisive battles that can change everything. Can you collect all the emblems and defeat Sombron before it is too late?

I found the story for this title a bit generic and predictable. It leans heavily on anime tropes, and I found some of the character development a bit lacking. That said, the story is good enough for the casual experience this became for me. It isn’t a bad story, but I have a feeling that there are better stories in the series that I will be exploring in the future.

The gameplay is a bit of a mixed bag. There are elements of the gameplay like the combat that I loved, but there are other elements that felt like they bogged the game down, like the training mini-games. What sets Engage apart from other strategy games I’ve played is its social mechanics You are encouraged to make friends with your allies through a series of activities you complete in-between battles. You can eat, train, and talk with allies to unlock additional backstory and small buffs. This was an interesting concept that quickly became a chore as the stories I sat through stopped being as interesting, and the minigames stopped being fun. I just wanted to beat the next chapter, but I also wanted to make sure I collected all the available buffs. If you like the characters you interact with, this might not feel as much of a chore.

I loved the combat in this game. I played this game on normal difficulty and on casual because I couldn’t handle the permanence of death. There is a mode in this game where death is permanent. Units that die in combat die in the story, and you no longer have access to them. This is a very cool mechanic, but one that I wasn’t ready for at the start of my adventure. I found the normal difficulty challenging enough for my abilities, but the options are available from the start for those of you who need the extra challenge. One thing to note about the normal difficulty is that it is very easy to over-level. I can’t speak for harder difficulties, but you don’t really need to grind much on normal to beat the story.

So is this game worth it? Yes. Although it has its flaws, it serves as a fantastic introduction to the series. As someone who has never played another Fire Emblem game, I am left wanting more. I went into this title blind without knowing anything about the series, and never felt lost with the lore. The mechanics were easy to pick up, the story is good enough, and the animation is very cool. There are settings in this game to speed up combat by turning off animations, but I left them on because I loved watching the combat. If you are looking for a fun strategy game that isn’t a huge commitment, check out Fire Emblem Engage.

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Tag Archives: fire emblem

Nintendo Direct 2/9/2023