So, here we are, my final Weekender update. To be fair, I think the weekly columns will continue in some form, as Glen was quite supportive of the idea and they always do bring in good traffic. TouchArcade has always had their big ‘Here is Everything Ever’ lists but I always enjoyed the process of whittling the weekly releases down to the most interesting new titles, as biased a concept that is.

This isn’t the last you’ll hear from me before I go – the handover to Glen and Sean will take place sometime next week, and I’ll be doing a final community post next week to say my proper goodbyes as well as any last minute things you’ll need to know about the relaunch.

Meanwhile, in the world of mobile games…

New App Releases

It’s actually a pretty interesting week in terms of releases, one of the best we’ve seen in 2020 to date, so let’s take a look at what’s out.

Charterstone: Digital Edition (iOS & Android)

ACRAM Digital released their digital adaptation of legacy board game Charterstone yesterday. There is a central campaign which is spread across twelve games, each one having its own unique rules and influencing and changing future games. The app can be played online or locally in multiplayer, or solo vs. the AI.

You can save your map and your campaign progress at any time and come back to it later, theoretically allowing you to have several campaigns running at once, and there’s also a ‘single-game’ mode for quick matches. It’s 100% consistent with the table-top rules. We haven’t had a chance to try it out for ourselves, and given the handover is imminent I’m not sure when the review for this will get done, but it’ll be interesting to see how this game fares vs. the physical legacy game. At the time of writing, the Android release has been delayed, but it’s due ASAP.

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Missile Command: Recharged (iOS & Android)

Atari’s surprise remake of the iconic Missile Command also dropped this week. If you’ve never played it before or don’t know what it is, you essentially have to defend your land-bound basses from endless waves of missiles, making use of abilities and power-ups to keep everything intact for as long as possible.

There will be a review of this one, as I commissioned Jarrett for the job quite early in the month, and it will be one of the first reviews to go live on the relaunched version of PT, which is exciting. Keep an eye out for it sometime next week.

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Snake Core (iOS)

Orangepixel’s latest game, Snake Core also released this week, taking the classic ‘Snake’ formula and turning it into an action-fuelled and colourful romp that looks highly entertaining, if a little bonkers. We weren’t as sold by his previous venture, Space Grunts 2, but there’s no denying Mr. Bestebroer has talent, and we hope his latest release proves to be a hit.

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Other releases of note:

• GWENT finally released on Android (it’s so good -ED)
• Game of Thrones: Beyond the Wall released on iOS this week, with Android to follow late next week.
• War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius also released on iOS & Android. Think of a free-to-play Final Fantasy Tactics, and that seems to be what’s on offer here.

App Updates & News

Given there was so much to talk about in terms of new releases, I’ll keep this brief. The real app update of note is Plague Inc. As free update, the developers are introducing a mode where you’re instead fighting to save the planet, instead of destroying it:

Players will have to balance managing disease progression and boosting healthcare systems as well as controlling real-world actions such as triaging, quarantining, social distancing and closing of public services,” the blog post explained. “We are developing this game mode with the help of experts from the World Health Organisation, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network and more.

Given how inventive this mode seems to be, I’m surprised they didn’t try doing it sooner.

Free & Discounted Mobile Games

With a couple of exceptions, I thought I’d concentrate on free games this week. Nothing beats being trapped indoors amidst a global pandemic than free games, and there’s some pretty decent ones on offer:

In terms of interesting games that are discounted, the hilariously expensive Disgaea 1 Complete is down to $23.99. This is the first discount since launch, so technically it’s the best price to date. The other game we saw was Kingdom Rush Vengeance, which has been discounted to $0.99.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this column, and hopefully we’ll see it continue in one form or another going forward. I remember when Tof Eklund first pitched it to me as something that PT readers had enjoyed in the past, and when they moved on the reigns were handed over to Nick, and then finally I started taking care of it myself.

As always, if you’ve seen anything else you’ve liked the look of, or played anything we’ve talked about above, let us know in the comments!

By Malcolm Owen
Saturday, March 28, 2020, 01:56 pm PT (04:56 pm ET)

The iPhone has shown its usefulness in one unusual work-from-home situation, with NBC Today Show host Al Roker revealing the use of two iPhones and an iPad as part of his remote broadcasting setup.

Al Roker’s iPhone setup for outside broadcasts (via @alroker/Twitter)

The coronavirus has forced many businesses and organizations to keep their employees at home where possible, with those affected being set up to do their jobs remotely. While many office-based roles can easily traverse to home-working environments, broadcasters are having to work out alternate ways to get their stars on-air, and sometimes broadcasting live.

In a Twitter post on Friday, Al Roker revealed his setup to broadcast for NBC’s “The Today Show,” filming live from outside his home. Roker appeared on-air live during the show, which appeared to operate as a typical outside broadcast to onlookers, but the tweet showed it was not a normal setup.

Roker advised he used a pair of iPhones to film his segments, with one iPhone 11 Pro used as the main camera while the other was a “return.” Using applications such as LiveU, the live feed from the iPhone’s camera was sent directly to NBC’s server, with the return iPhone showing selected video streams and clips provided by production, allowing Roker to have visual contact with other members of the team.

As well as the dual iPhones, pictured on stands, Roker also used an iPad as a prompter, an LED light panel, and a combination of a Sennheiser microphone and iRig hardware to provide audio.

LiveU is a live video transmission and streaming platform, one that NBC has extensive experience using. After becoming a shareholder of Euronews in 2017, NBC News and Euronews discovered they both used LiveU systems, and have since started to share video files between the organizations on the platform.

Given the video quality afforded by the iPhone’s camera, as well as services like LiveU, it is probable that NBC has used similar iOS-based setups for outside broadcasts in the past, or at the very least, will consider doing so in the future.

As for home users who may live-stream on services like Twitch or film vlogs for YouTube, the tweet demonstrates that a relatively small collection of consumer-grade hardware can achieve high video production values.

So, we’ve reached the end of yet another hectic week full of sneaky, surprise Nintendo Directs and a whole bunch of people who have been angrily slating Animal Crossing. Thankfully, then, it’s finally time to have a quick rest.

Members of Team Nintendo Life have shared their gaming plans for the weekend below, and we’d love for you to join in via our poll and comment sections. Enjoy!

PJ O’Reilly, reviewer

This weekend I’ll be attending the grand opening of my Animal Crossing island’s very own museum. I know, I’m lagging way behind with my progress but it’s hard when you spend your entire play time refilling all the holes your kids have dug everywhere while you weren’t looking.

I’ve also jumped on the Panzer Dragoon: Remake, which I’m not 100% sold on just yet, and the amazing Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, which is the best Star Wars game in my opinion, here’s hoping this is a solid port. There’s also that Bravely Default 2 demo to take a look at…luckily we’ve all got quite a lot of spare time on our hands right now. I hope everyone is keeping safe, staying inside and doing ok. Have a good weekend!

Ryan Craddock, staff writer

This weekend I’ll be playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and if my experience with the game over the past few days is anything to go by, it looks like I might be playing it for the rest of time, too.

This is my first time really getting stuck into an Animal Crossing game and I’m absolutely in love with it. I’ve been making sure to squeeze an hour or two out of each day to play it and am really enjoying that unexplainable, happy feeling it gives you. I never thought I’d really ‘get’ Animal Crossing, but I’ve been proven entirely wrong.

Gavin Lane, staff writer

This week I took delivery of a beautiful custom backlit Game Boy from Gameboy Shack, a specialist UK-based retailer that we spoke to last year when the Game Boy turned 30. Having unwrapped the console, I promptly plundered its innards and transplanted them into my original DMG-01 case to create the dream machine I’ve always wanted with a brand new, spotless glass screen and a couple of new replacement buttons. I had been prepared to add the backlight myself – it seems simple enough with the right tools – but I opted to save time and do it this way instead. Having a duplicate system means that I also have the unit’s ‘stock’ components which I put back in the custom case, meaning I’ve got a second Game Boy for hot multiplayer action.

So, this weekend I’d like nothing more than to sit down with a collection of classics and drain a bunch of AAs! I won’t, though. Those bugs and fish aren’t going to catch themselves, you know.

Ollie Reynolds, reviewer

Like most people, I’ll of course be spending some time on my very own Overlook Island (how very apt in this period of isolation.. if you know, you know) in Animal Crossing: New Horizons! I’ve just unlocked Nook’s Cranny, and I’m currently laying out plots for 3 new residents, so I’m very excited to see what, and indeed who, the weekend brings.

I’m also getting to grips with the newly released Good Job! and finding it to be an absolute joy so far. I need a bit more time with it, but be sure to check out my review very shortly!

Austin Voigt, contributing writer

I’ve got a lot of – you guessed it – Animal Crossing: New Horizons to play this weekend. I believe I’ve directly convinced at least 8 people now to purchase the game, who otherwise wouldn’t have, and they have each convinced others to as well. So not only do we have a lot of social distance-playing to do together, but I’m also determined to get terraforming and waterscaping unlocked this weekend. I know what you’re thinking: ‘Austin, that’s not even cool, everyone’s already unlocked that and you’re so lame and far behind, you’re supposed to be the Animal Crossing Guru!’. YES, and as such, I also take my time and enjoy my Animal Crossing games at a slower pace in order to make that joy last as long as possible. So leave me alone! I’m going back to my island now.

Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer

While the entire staff (and indeed the world) surrenders to the OCD nightmare Animal Crossing: New Horizons, I continue to shift around specialized squads of mecha in SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays. However, all weekend plans were given a large boost by a certain (not-so) mini Nintendo Direct. After a large exchange of coin at the eShop this weekend, things will be brightened with Panzer Dragoon, Shinsekai, Hyperspace Delivery Service, Chaos Code, Dogurai and a beautiful Bravely Default II demo.

My game of the week is the stellar Good Job!, an alarmingly close approximation of my professional life turned into a video game.

As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to leave a vote in the poll above and a comment below with your gaming choices over the next few days…

Trials of Mana is every bit one of those ‘lost classics’ that bafflingly never made it outside of Japan until recent times. The ‘90s were a fantastic time for RPG’s, yes, but their popularity on western shores was still not an entirely dependable factor, leading to developers not deeming it worth the cost of localizing many titles for English-speaking players. Although Secret of Mana was a big hit with western players, Seiken Densetsu 3 – now called Trials of Mana – didn’t make it over until 2019’s Collection of Mana. Evidently, Square Enix saw enough potential in its reception there to justify a remake, which is due to come out on all platforms next month. Fortunately, Square has seen fit to release an early demo of the game to give players a head start, and we’ll be basing our impressions on that.

What’s immediately apparent form our experience is just how surprisingly stunning the new graphical update proves to be. Whereas the recent (*cough* disappointing) remake of Secret of Mana opted to keep the top-down perspective while using 3D models, Trials of Mana just goes full on into the 3D realm in a way that feels exceedingly similar to Dragon Quest XI. It’s a move that pays off, however, giving environments a new kind of depth and scope that the initial release wasn’t quite able to capture. The bright, rounded graphics fit great with the tone of the story, and we found ourselves reaching for that capture button on more than a few occasions as we kept coming upon new environments. Though we’ve yet to see the rest of the game, it’s clear that Square Enix has put plenty of time into strong environmental design and art direction; something which bodes well for the dozens of hours that are likely yet to come.

As for the combat side of things, we were exceptionally pleased at how easily accessible and snappy the mechanics feel. Battles unfold in real time and can start at the drop of a hat right there on the map, with no loading screens or slowdown in sight. Attacks have a suitable amount of weight behind them when they land, and though the demo hasn’t allowed us to get too deep into the weeds of optimizing team setups, the early moment to moment action bodes well. Battles don’t overstay their welcome and, most importantly, they’re simply fun as you whack away at monsters and dodge roll to safety when they bite back. We especially enjoy, too, how additional experience boons are handed out at the end of the fight based on your performance, such as defeating enemies under a certain time limit or not taking a single hit.

That being said, our main concern with the combat system thus far is that it doesn’t feel like there’s enough to differentiate party members from each other. This is likely due to the fact that we’re still in the early game and haven’t been given adequate time to specialize party member, but it’s still something worth mentioning. Whether you’re playing as Duran the Soldier or Riesz the Amazon doesn’t seem to make much of a difference early on, you still use the same button combos and the same attacks, making for a rather homogenous feel to combat. We’d imagine this issue will fade as the hours roll, but even if it doesn’t, it feels more like something that would be a missed opportunity than a game breaking shortcoming.

The main reason we believe that combat will diversify more as time passes is due to how the character progression system indicates a lot more depth is coming. After each level up, you can put points into one of five different skill trees for each character. Each tree offers up a variety of stat buffs and new abilities to benefit the character, and some of the abilities can even be shared between characters. Considering that each character has their own unique setup for how their skill trees pan out, we can easily see how mixing and matching the sharable skills and unique buffs can lead to some interesting team compositions. It’s promising, to put it simply, and we’re eager to see where this goes.

Otherwise, we’re very pleased with the way the storylines and exploration are paced out. Environments have plenty of rabbit trails to follow off the main path that can lead to treasure chests and extra goodies, but it has yet to feel exhausting. Environments aren’t as sprawling as, say, the worlds of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but the more intimate and layered approach is still welcome and comfortable to play. Coming across new party members, too, allows you the option to participate in a ‘flashback’ that fills you in on their backstory and explains how their paths cross yours. Each character is likable in their own way and has a clear catalyst for why they set out on their own adventure, and while we’ll have to see how well all these subplots ultimately play out, we’ve been sufficiently hooked by their beginnings.

Aside from that concern about party diversity, it’s difficult to think of anything in Trials of Mana that disappoints or otherwise drags down the overall experience. First impressions are always subject to change, but this release is proving itself thus far to be an exceptionally enjoyable adventure that mixes together a satisfying blend of live action combat, exploration, and lighthearted storytelling. We’re eager to see how this one pans out and hope that the demo will lead to more people talking about it; this is shaping up to be a surprisingly high-quality release and it deserves more attention from the Switch fanbase.

After the monumental success of the Splatoon franchise, many folks were quite rightly expecting some copycats to appear. Given the high accessibility of the games and their family-friendly nature, some – this writer included – even encouraged more of the same from other developers. But we’re not sure any of us were expecting this monstrosity. Pooplers is absolutely awful; an incomprehensible mess of a game that we can’t imagine will appeal to anyone other than youngsters who think flatulence is the funniest thing in the world.

You can play either via online multiplayer, or against AI bots. Either way, the aim of the game is the same – whichever baby covers the most ground with poop before the end of the match wins. It’s fairly straightforward, and there’s no deviation from this objective at all. You crawl around the environment at an incredible slow pace with the analogue stick, and expel your fluorescent waste by holding down A (or Y if using a single Joy-Con), effectively creating a trail of poop in your wake.

Random power ups appear throughout the course of matches, which grant you perks such as speed boosts and an explosive bomb of… y’know, gas. But there are also adults patrolling the area, and if you get too close to them, they’ll pick you up and chuck you back in your cot, costing you plenty of time while the other babies fart their way to victory. That’s really about it – the amount of poop you manage to lay on the ground is designated via percentages dotted around the corners of the screen, so you can easily see how you’re doing in comparison to everyone else. Of course, you can also crawl over your competitor’s poop and cover it with your own poop (and we can’t quite believe we’re writing these words).

Graphically, the game is very barebones, and looks like a game from the early 2000s. Nevertheless, it’s colourful enough, and runs just as well as you’d hope (although we did notice some instances of babies getting stuck in the environment). On the flip side, the sound design is quite simply an assault on your ears. There’s a constant – and we mean constant – flurry of fart noises throughout the duration of the matches. Let’s put it this way, Pooplers isn’t really a game you’d want to play in public.

We’re sure there are people out there that would get some enjoyment out of this game, but quite frankly, we’re struggling to believe that might be true. Its gameplay is sluggish, the graphics are poor, and the general premise is just baffling. It may be cheap, but we’d much sooner encourage everyone to save their pennies and go for the real deal instead. This game is a load of poop.

This last weekend, I was looking at a few of my new Trials weapons and thinking, “Huh, I wonder if these have good rolls. Who do I trust to give me a weapon review with multiple points of view that could help me come to a decision?”

I think it’s only right that this cool guy gets a bit of spotlight in our Community Focus series. Maybe you’ll find a few weapon reviews to help you understand perks, stats, and more! Enter: CoolGuy.

So, CoolGuy, what makes you so cool aside from these weapon reviews? Who are you, what do you do for a living, and what inspired your callsign? 

CoolGuy: Hello everyone, I am CoolGuy. I am a Radiologic Technologist. I have worked in emergency rooms, operating rooms, clinics, and more. In 2014, I came across a game called Destiny, made by one of my favorite developers, and I liked it so much I made a YouTube video using my Xbox. The thought of making a video hadn’t crossed my mind until Destiny, so initially I was just making content as a hobby. Fast forward five years and add an awesome community who supported me and helped me see this as a possible future, and now content creation is my day job.

The CoolGuy moniker was given to me back in high school. I always got along well with everyone, regardless of their hobbies or backgrounds. I played videos games, varsity golf, pool, enjoyed all kinds of music and concerts, etc. One day somebody called me a “cool guy” and it stuck. I first got on Xbox Live in 2009; naturally, CoolGuy was taken. Hundreds of other variations of CoolGuy were also taken (MLGCoolGuy, SnipeMasterMLGCoolGuy, C00LGuy, XI CoolGuy IX, etc.). After a while, I decided to let everyone know that “I am CoolGuy” (the one and only).

What brought you to start doing weapon breakdown videos specifically?

CoolGuy: I ended up having a passion for it. I was fortunate enough to be included in the early days of Planet Destiny with Patrick Casey (Holtzmann). For me, his breakdowns really set the bar and, like many now look to me, I always looked to him to help me improve my game. Like we all do, I imitated the style of content I gravitated to as a player so, when I started creating my reviews, I based them loosely on how he broke down weapons.

The goal with my channel is to put out unbiased information. I always share my opinions throughout, but the ultimate goal is to educate the player and help them understand what something is doing and how it works so they can then apply that knowledge to their game. From day one, it was incredibly important to me that my channel and the comments section provided a judgement-free zone. Your skill level doesn’t matter; we’re all improving daily, and when you better understand the mechanics of the game, it really opens up what’s possible for you however you like to play. At the end of the day, we all share the same passion for games and they’re a hell of a lot more fun when we’re doing well in them.

It’s been awesome seeing you and your channel grow with each Season. Two weeks into Season of the Worthy, what’s your favorite loadout? 

CoolGuy: I’m a bit of a weapon wayfarer, meaning there aren’t too many I find myself solely attached to. I really do use them all—one of the perks of my job I guess – because I’m always hunting to review the new weapons and gear, I’m constantly playing the game in very different ways. If I had to choose, my favorite way to play is as a Hunter with Oathkeepers. Le Monarque and a rampage Duke is the combination. That unlimited bow draw guarantees you always get poison damage. Just hold the bow draw and, when you see an enemy, aim down sights and shoot. With how the total damage works out (poison included), if you land a headshot with the bow, all you need to do is land a shot with Duke. If you land a body shot with the Bow, you need a headshot with the Duke. After you clean them up, Duke will be at Rampage x1 doing 100 damage to the head, allowing you to two-shot your next opponent.

I can tell you no one suspects the Le Monarque/Duke – I take it all the way to Legend in comp.

A close second favorite is probably anything Chromatic Fire on the Warlock… because explosions.

Season of the Worthy did bring me something I will forever be attached to, though. It’s what my friends call the “CoolGuy emote.” I love that it says “CoolGuy looks Cool.”

Ah, good ol’ Duke. One of my coworkers loves it so much, it’s their call-sign. Of any weapon in Destiny or Destiny 2, which is your favorite?

CoolGuy: My favorite weapon of all time is Ace of Spades. For all of us, there are certain aspects of the game that define what Destiny is for us and how playing it makes us feel. For me, Ace encompasses everything a Destiny Exotic weapon is. It sounds cool. It looks cool. When you land a headshot, you get that fast reload and a cool animation. The headshot final blow makes explosions and then you get to hold extra damage in the magazine after you get a kill. The whole shooting experience is just top notch. I feel like a gunslinger with Ace in my hands.

Cayde would be proud of every single word you just said. Brings a tear to our eyes! Where do you find yourself most active in Destiny right now? Favorite Crucible playlist?

CoolGuy: I spend most of my time in the Crucible, the Mars Core Terminus lost sector, and the Tribute Hall. Okay, the last two aren’t by choice, they are just really good testing areas. I am glad Season of the Worthy has taken steps to really address PvP players. Trials of Osiris is something I can’t get enough of. I am already back to refreshing Twitter every second to see what the map is on Friday afternoon. Seeing a high-stakes 3v3 game mode like this come back gives me hope that this is only the beginning and a great foundation for future possibilities.

Do you have a Last Word to share before signing off? Hah! Get it?! I made a weapon pun! You make weapon reviews! But seriously, any words of wisdom before you go?

Thanks for stopping by. Don’t be a stranger, and we’ll be watching for your next review. Cheers!

We hope you enjoyed this week’s Community Focus. If you’d like to follow CoolGuy, here are a few places you can find their content:

Cheers,

-dmg04

I hope everyone is enjoying the latest snapshot!  If you’ve been experiencing some issues well Mojang has come out with a snapshot to fix a few bugs.

• MC-175177 – Exhausting, breaking or obstructing the respawn anchor creates ghost blocks in the overworld when breaking blocks
• MC-175988 – Dying without a valid spawnpoint causes a softlock
• MC-176004 – Cannot interact with the world after dying in the end or the nether without a valid spawn point

Happy crafting folks!