A new preview update of Blazor WebAssembly is now available! Here’s what’s new in this release:

• Read configuration during startup
• Configure HTTP fetch request options
• Honor existing web.config when publishing
• Attach tokens to outgoing requests
• Support for time zones

Get started

To get started with Blazor WebAssembly 3.2.0 Preview 5 install the latest .NET Core 3.1 SDK.

NOTE: Version 3.1.201 or later of the .NET Core SDK is required to use this Blazor WebAssembly release! Make sure you have the correct .NET Core SDK version by running dotnet --version from a command prompt.

Once you have the appropriate .NET Core SDK installed, run the following command to install the updated Blazor WebAssembly template:

dotnet new -i Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.WebAssembly.Templates::3.2.0-preview5.20216.8

If you’re on Windows using Visual Studio, we recommend installing the latest preview of Visual Studio 2019 16.6. For this preview, you should still install the template from the command-line as described above to ensure that the Blazor WebAssembly template shows up correctly in Visual Studio and on the command-line.

That’s it! You can find additional docs and samples on https://blazor.net.

Upgrade an existing project

To upgrade an existing Blazor WebAssembly app from 3.2.0 Preview 4 to 3.2.0 Preview 5:

• Update all Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.WebAssembly.* package references to version 3.2.0-preview5.20216.8.
• Update any Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.WebAssembly.Runtime package references to version 3.2.0-preview5.20216.1.
• Remove any calls to set WebAssemblyHttpMessageHandlerOptions.DefaultCredentials and instead call SetBrowserRequestCredentials on individual requests (see “Configure HTTP fetch request options” section below).
• Remove the redirect parameter from calls to TryGetToken on AccessTokenResult.

You’re all set!

Read configuration during startup

Configuration data is now available during app startup in Program.Main using the Configuration property on WebAssemblyHostBuilder. This property can now be used both to add configuration sources and to access the current configuration data.

You can see this feature in action in the project templates when you enable authentication with Azure AD, Azure AD B2C, or an OpenID Connect provider of your choice. The authentication settings are stored in appsettings.json and then read from configuration when the app starts up:

Program.cs

public class Program

{ public static async Task Main(string[] args) { var builder = WebAssemblyHostBuilder.CreateDefault(args); builder.RootComponents.Add<App>("app"); builder.Services.AddTransient(sp => new HttpClient { BaseAddress = new Uri(builder.HostEnvironment.BaseAddress) }); builder.Services.AddOidcAuthentication(options => { // Configure your authentication provider options here. // For more information, see https://aka.ms/blazor-standalone-auth builder.Configuration.Bind("Local", options.ProviderOptions); }); await builder.Build().RunAsync(); }

}

appsettings.json

{ "Local": { "Authority": "https:login.microsoftonline.com/", "ClientId": "33333333-3333-3333-33333333333333333" }

}

Configure HTTP fetch request options

HTTP requests issued from a Blazor WebAssembly app using HttpClient are handled using the browser fetch API. In this release, we’ve added a set of extension methods for HttpRequestMessage that configure various fetch related options. These extension methods live in the Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.WebAssembly.Http namespace:

HttpRequestMessage extension method	Fetch request property
SetBrowserRequestCredentials	credentials
SetBrowserRequestCache	cache
SetBrowserRequestMode	mode
SetBrowserRequestIntegrity	integrity

You can set additional options using the more generic SetBrowserRequestOption extension method.

The HTTP response is typically buffered in a Blazor WebAssembly app to enable support for sync reads on the response content. To enable support for response streaming, use the SetBrowserResponseStreamingEnabled extension method on the request.

Honor existing web.config when publishing

When publishing a standalone Blazor WebAssembly app, a web.config is automatically generated for the app that handles configuring IIS appropriately. You can now specify your own web.config in the project, which will get used instead of the generated one.

Attach tokens to outgoing requests

Configuring authentication now adds an AuthorizationMessageHandler as a service that can be used with HttpClient to attach access tokens to outgoing requests. Tokens are acquired using the existing IAccessTokenProvider service. If a token cannot be acquired, an AccessTokenNotAvailableException is thrown. This exception has a Redirect method that can be used to navigate the user to the identity provider to acquire a new token. The AuthorizationMessageHandler can be configured with the authorized URLs, scopes, and return URL using the ConfigureHandler method.

For example, you can configure an HttpClient to use the AuthorizationMessageHandler like this:

builder.Services.AddSingleton(sp =>

{ return new HttpClient(sp.GetRequiredService<AuthorizationMessageHandler>() .ConfigureHandler( new [] { "https://www.example.com/base" }, scopes: new[] {"example.read", "example.write"})) { BaseAddress = new Uri("https://www.example.com/base") };

});

For convenience, a BaseAddressAuthorizationMessageHandler is also included that is preconfigured with the app base address as an authorized URL. The authentication enabled Blazor WebAssembly templates now use IHttpClientFactory to set up an HttpClient with the BaseAddressAuthorizationMessageHandler:

builder.Services.AddHttpClient("BlazorWithIdentityApp1.ServerAPI", client => client.BaseAddress = new Uri(builder.HostEnvironment.BaseAddress)) .AddHttpMessageHandler<BaseAddressAuthorizationMessageHandler>(); // Supply HttpClient instances that include access tokens when making requests to the server project

builder.Services.AddTransient(sp => sp.GetRequiredService<IHttpClientFactory>().CreateClient("BlazorWithIdentityApp1.ServerAPI"));

You can use the configured HttpClient to make authorized requests using a simple try-catch pattern. For example, here’s the updated code in the FetchData component for requesting the weather forecast data:

protected override async Task OnInitializedAsync()

{ try { forecasts = await Http.GetFromJsonAsync<WeatherForecast[]>("WeatherForecast"); } catch (AccessTokenNotAvailableException exception) { exception.Redirect(); }

}

Alternatively, you can simplify things even further by defining a strongly-typed client that handles all of the HTTP and token acquisition concerns within a single class:

WeatherClient.cs

public class WeatherClient

{ private readonly HttpClient httpClient; public WeatherClient(HttpClient httpClient) { this.httpClient = httpClient; } public async Task<IEnumerable<WeatherForecast>> GetWeatherForeacasts() { IEnumerable<WeatherForecast> forecasts = new WeatherForecast[0]; try { forecasts = await httpClient.GetFromJsonAsync<WeatherForecast[]>("WeatherForecast"); } catch (AccessTokenNotAvailableException exception) { exception.Redirect(); } return forecasts; }

}

Program.cs

builder.Services.AddHttpClient<WeatherClient>(client => client.BaseAddress = new Uri(builder.HostEnvironment.BaseAddress)) .AddHttpMessageHandler<BaseAddressAuthorizationMessageHandler>();

FetchData.razor

protected override async Task OnInitializedAsync()

{ forecasts = await WeatherClient.GetWeatherForeacasts();

}

Support for time zones

Blazor now infers the user’s time zone and uses it in date and time calculations. In addition, APIs on System.TimeZoneInfo that previously returned incomplete results now report correct results.

Help improve the Blazor docs!

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to give feedback on how we can best improve the Blazor docs!

If you haven’t already, please join in with helping us improve the docs by doing the following:

• As you read the Blazor docs, let us know where we should focus our efforts by telling us if you find a topic helpful or not using the helpfulness widget at the top of each doc page:

  

• Use the Feedback section at the bottom of each doc page to let us know when a particular topic is unclear, inaccurate, or incomplete.

  

• Comment on our Improve the Blazor docs GitHub issue with your suggestions for new content and ways to improve the existing content.

Feedback

We hope you enjoy the new features in this preview release of Blazor WebAssembly! Please let us know what you think by filing issues on GitHub.

Thanks for trying out Blazor!

With a new iPhone SE occupying Apple’s entry-level price tier, the question of which budget-friendly iPhone to buy has gotten a bit harder. We’re here to help.

The second-generation iPhone SE packs a lot of device into a $399 price tag, but it’s still missing some of the key flagship features users have come to expect from modern Apple handsets.

Though it still retains some years-old design elements, like a Home button and significant bezels, the new iPhone SE offers some extremely competitive specifications for the price, especially when compared to the other cheaper device in Apple’s lineup.

Let’s take a closer look at how the iPhone SE, iPhone XR and iPhone 11 stack up.

	iPhone SE (second-generation)	iPhone XR	iPhone 11
Price	$399	$449	$699
Dimensions (inches)	5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29	5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33	5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33
Weight (ounces)	5.22	5.84	5.84
Processor	A13 Bionic	A12 Bionic	A13 Bionic
RAM	3GB	3GB	4GB
Storage	64GB, 128GB, 256GB	64GB, 256GB, 512GB	64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Display type	4.7-inch Retina HD	6.1-inch Liquid Retina	6.1-inch Liquid Retina
Resolution	1,334 x 750 at 326ppi	1,792 x 828 at 326ppi	1,792 x 828 at 326ppi
True Tone	Yes	Yes	Yes
Biometrics	TouchID	Face ID	Face ID
Connectivity	Gigabit-class LTE Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 6	Gigabit-class LTE Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 5	Gigabit-class LTE Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 6
Rear Cameras	Single-lens 12MP Wide camera	Single-lens 12MP Wide camera	Dual-lens 12MP Ultra Wide and Wide Cameras Night Mode Bright True Tone Flash
Front Cameras	7MP FaceTime HD Camera	7MP TrueDepth Camera	12MP TrueDepth Camera
Battery Size	Video playback up to 13 hours	Video playback up to 17 hours	Video playback up to 17 hours
Colors	Black, White, (PRODUCT)RED	Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, (PRODUCT)RED	Purple, Yellow, Green, Black, White and (PRODUCT)RED

Basic overview of the iPhone SE, iPhone XR and iPhone 11

The iPhone SE may seem like the biggest outlier here, but it has similarities to both the iPhone XR and the iPhone SE, depending on the exact specification.

For example, the overall footprint of the iPhone XR and the iPhone 11 are very similar, with virtually no differences in dimensions or weight. The iPhone SE has a vastly different form factor than current iPhones, with a 4.7-inch display, relatively large bezels and a Home button.

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Both the iPhone SE and the iPhone 11 pack an A13 Bionic chipset, meaning that their performance is going to outpace the older and slower A12 Bionic in the iPhone XR. It’s a similar story for connectivity, with the iPhone SE and iPhone 11 featuring support for Wi-Fi 6. The trio do feature the same Bluetooth specification and 4G LTE support, however.

When it comes to cameras, the iPhone SE and iPhone XR are fairly evenly stacked, with a similar single-lens rear camera. The iPhone 11 has the best camera setup with a dual-lens system that includes an ultra-wide-angle lens and next-generation Smart HDR.

The TrueDepth Camera in the edge-to-edge iPhones offers some competitive advantages and access to features like Face ID.

None of the displays here are OLED-based. While the two edge-to-edge displays use Apple’s Liquid Retina LCD technology, they all have the same pixel density. The only difference is the iPhone SE’s resolution, which is lower due mainly to its smaller screen.

The biometrics are different, of course, with the new iPhone SE retaining a Home button and Touch ID. All three devices sport dual-SIM capabilities thanks to Apple’s embedded eSIM, as well as support for Qi wireless charging.

Which of the trio you should buy

As mentioned earlier, the iPhone SE has quite a few flagship-like features hidden underneath its older iPhone form factor. It’s going to be an extremely attractive choice for the price, compared to both mid-range iPhones as well as Android devices.

It could also act as a good stepping stone to a modern iPhone for users who have held onto their old devices for some time. It’s a familiar form factor, despite having some of the latest updates inside of it. Fans of the 4.7-inch, or those avoiding the newer designs, may want to give it a hard look.

The iPhone XR occupies a slot somewhere in the middle, though it actually has the slowest processor and several other features that lag about a year behind its 2020 stablemates.

While it’s going to offer a similar experience to the iPhone 11, its hardware and internals are slightly older. It’s probably best for users who want the cheapest way to get Face ID and an edge-to-edge display.

Apple’s iPhone 11 is representative of the company’s current flagship. It’s essentially the whole package, with the best cameras, and is the best phone out of the bunch —but at a cost premium.

Even though it’s missing a few features compared to the iPhone 11 Pro models. It is, of course, the most expensive. And a $700 price isn’t exactly friendly to every budget.

Demonstrating tremendous diversity in thought, our six Imagine Cup World Finalist teams offer innovation for social good in many different areas. For example, one team created a robot that can help Kenyan farmers weed their large-scale farms, eliminating the need for environmentally destructive herbicides. Another is building a tool that will make it easier for Parkinson’s patients to have a doctor’s visit, saving them time and money. These are just a few ideas from the six teams that were chosen as finalists, creating tools that change the way we see and solve problems in our world.

For the 18^th annual Imagine Cup, thousands of student teams from around the world submitted impactful tech innovations. The teams were challenged to bring life to an idea that tackles a local or global issue, using Microsoft Azure. One former finalist described Imagine Cup as the “Olympic Games of Student Technology,” providing students the chance to not only share their idea with industry professionals, but also gain a $100,000 prize and the opportunity to receive mentorship with Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella.

This year’s six finalists have created projects that touch on topics such as the environment, mental health, accessibility, and healthcare, with an overarching focus on inclusivity. Taking on the challenges they have seen in their own lives, they are bringing focus, passion, and ingenuity to our world, pushing the envelope on what is possible.

Meet the six final teams and learn more about their projects:

Team Deeptector: US, University of Missouri

Team members: Caleb Heinzman, Kolton Speer, and Imad Eddine Toubal

Projects: Deeptector.io

Team quote: “As with any revolutionary technology, as the benefits of artificial intelligence grow, so does the potential for harm. Our goal for Deeptector is to use AI to help protect the world from the harmful effects of AI.” – Caleb Heinzman, Deeptector

Their project: Deeptector.io is a web app that detects deepfakes, an increasingly common method for propagating misinformation. Using the same AI methods that generate state-of-the-art deepfakes, Deeptector aims to protect journalists and the public from the damage of misinformation. The algorithms that Deeptector uses are commonly known as deep neural networks, which train themselves to differentiate between real videos and fake ones by looking at thousands of examples of each. The team uses Microsoft Azure virtual machines, Storage, and containers, in addition to Twitter API, Python, Flask, and Pytorch.

Their inspiration: The negative consequences of misinformation within society, and Alan Turing

Who can use it? The web app is designed to be as accessible as possible for everyone.

————–

 

Team Hollo: Hong Kong SAR, the University of Hong Kong

Team members: Piyush Jha, Natalie Lee, Cameron van Breda

Project: Hollo

Team quote: “The younger generation would like to be heard and for their problems to be seen, and we’re here to help them do that.” ‒ Cameron van Breda, Team Hollo

 

Their project: Hollo is a digital, mental health companion and therapist, used to enhance practices by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and therapists through an AI chatbot. It leverages Big Data and AI to introduce youth to therapy and counseling practices through online gamified journaling and mindfulness activities. Data from the AI chatbots and journaling can then be collected to generate actionable findings. This scalable model aims to cut the heavy cost of mental health care for youth and supplements existing self-help techniques and therapy practices.

Why it’s important: According to the team, the current model of counseling is not reaching the younger generation. Hollo is making huge strides in becoming a product to help this generation.

Future plans: The team aims to launch within the year to place Hollo in institutions all over Hong Kong and possibly expand to other countries around Asia within a couple of years.

——————-

Team The Knights: Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Team members: Kenneth Gicira, Michael Mwaisakenyi

Project: Weeding Bot

What’s important to The Knights? They want to highlight the problems Kenyan farmers face with weeds on a larger scale in order to bring more visibility to the issue, and how their technology can offer a solution.

 

Their project: The autonomous weeding bot uses AI (and four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering) to discriminate between weeds and crops achieved through cameras as sensors gathering input from the environment. The vehicle uses the cameras to navigate rows of crops. It encompasses a robotic arm for weeding in between the crop row and a ploughlike weeding tool that is dragged by the robot as it passes in between the rows of crops to remove interrow weeds. Microsoft Azure technology that the team uses includes App Services for mobile and web, Storage, analytics, and Cognitive Services.

Their inspiration: Elon Musk, solving problems on a global scale

Who can use it? The robot can be used by anybody and does not require technical skills to operate. The team made sure that the farmer needs only to place the robot at a given part of the farm, and it will do the rest.

————–

Team RedWalls: Tunisia, National Institute of Applied Science and Technology

Team members: Mohamed Said Fayache, Achraf Feydi, Meriem Zhang

Project: I-Remember

Team quote: “Everyone says that there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or a way to slow its progression yet. But as Robert A. Heinlein said, ‘Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done.’ Today … the only thing that can make us abandon our fight with this disease is believing that it’s incurable.” – Achraf Feydi, Team RedWalls

Their project: I-Remember is a two-part mobile application designed for the well-being of both the Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. The patient interface includes task reminders, live facial recognition, labeled photos, emergency location, and call assistance, in addition to memory games to help evaluate and train the user’s memory. The caregiver interface provides the same, but with supervisor features. The team uses Microsoft Azure Storage, containers, and Cognitive Services.

Who can use it? Anyone with a phone can download it for free.

Their inspiration: The movie Still Alice, about a linguistic professor who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, sparked the team’s interest in how technology can be applied to help people.

————–

Team Syrinx: Japan, the University of Tokyo

Team members: Jaesol Ahn, Kunhak Lee, Masaki Takeuchi

Project: Syrinx

Team quote: “Syrinx will be a device for not only laryngectomy or tracheostomy patients, but also people all over the world.” ‒ Masaki Takeuchi, Team Syrinx

Their project: Syrinx, a neck wearable EL (electrolarynx) device, restores the ability to speak for people who have lost their voices. Leveraging Azure Notebooks technology, Syrinx’s device vibrates the user’s throat to create the sound that matches the movement of the user’s mouth, then uses neural networks to learn the lost voice characteristics and restore it. Previous systems were robotic, whereas Syrinx provides both female and male voices.

 

Future plans: Team Syrinx plans to improve the quality of the device voice by incorporating Microsoft Azure Machine Learning, noise canceling, and making it applicable to anyone with a need or interest in this type of voice technology.

How they met: At a summer program for society-based projects at the University of Tokyo, where they set out to “solve a problem for people with a disability”

————–

Team Tremor Vision: US, University of Washington

Team members: Janae Chan, Drew Gallardo, and Robert Minneker

Project: Tremor Vision

 

Team quote: “I grew up in a rural, low-income household in Eastern Washington, where I lived with my disabled brother. A major challenge we faced as a family was driving over 150 miles to get my brother to his regular doctor’s appointments, oftentimes in terrible weather conditions. With the help of telehealth platforms, like Tremor Vision, we could eliminate the need for patients to travel vast distances for routine clinic visits and increase access to quality healthcare.” ‒ Drew Gallardo, Team Tremor Vision

 

Their project: Tremor Vision is a web-based tool that enables physicians to detect early-onset Parkinson’s and quantitatively track patient progress throughout a prescribed treatment plan. By using a touchscreen device connected to the internet, users send clinical results to their physician. The platform empowers patients to save the time and money required by routine clinical visits and increases a physician’s reach in screening for early signs of Parkinson’s. The team uses Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services, MATLAB, and Microsoft Visual Studio.

Their inspiration: Pioneers using technology in innovative ways to contribute to human health and well-being

Why it’s important: Parkinson’s is the second most-common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. There is no standardized way of evaluating the spiral test, one of the most commonly conducted tests to detect early-onset Parkinson’s and track its progression.

————–

The safety of our community is top priority, and in light of global health concerns due to COVID-19, we have moved this year’s competition to a virtual format. Please join us in wishing all the teams best wishes on the final stage of competition and follow the finalists’ journey on Twitter and Instagram as they head to the World Championship to compete during the Microsoft Build digital event in May.

Producing believable, satisfying voice acting for your game is tricky business. Perversely, the work of voice actors and directors seems to be one of the most neglected aspects of game design; the topic is too rarely discussed within the industry, and it only bubbles up in popular media when a game includes particularly effective — or disruptive — performances.

With that in mind, Gamasutra reached out to voice director, creative consultant and game industry veteran Khris Brown to better understand how high-quality voicework in games comes together from a developer perspective.

Brown has been involved in the business of video game voice acting for over twenty years. While we get into her experience and past projects a bit in the ensuing interview, you should know that she currently serves as both the creative director for Ubisoft Montreal’s Narrative Talent Group and Double Fine’s in-house casting & voice director. She most recently worked on games like Child of Light, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Broken Age, and in the following edited correspondence with Gamasutra she shares some practical insights from her work alongside teams both large and small.

How did you get involved with voice acting, and the game industry in general?

KB: The first game I ever played was called Wumpus in about 1976. The first game I ever programmed was on a PET computer in 4th grade. We saved them on cassette tapes. I was working in what was supposed to be a summer job at Lucasfilm Games in 1990 and David Fox asked me to stay. My first credited game is Monkey Island 256 — because 256 colors warranted a “Special Edition” at the time. We were just beginning to explore the concept of “Talkies,” and we officially launched the Voice Department in 1992. Our first test recordings were of Noah Falstein as “Bobbin” in Loom.

One of Brown’s earliest credits is for her performance as hotline operator Chester in Monkey Island 2.
Some of my first casting “finds” were people like Roy Conrad for Ben Throttle in Full Throttle and Nick Jameson for the voice of Max in Sam and Max. We also used Mark Hamill in Full Throttle because he auditioned for us, and we were floored by his incredible acting ability. We were lucky to have been able to work with some of the most well known people today at the beginning of their careers, such as Steve Blum (whose first video game role was as “Sid the crazy biker” in Full Throttle) and Tara Charendoff (now Tara Strong, famous as Harley Quinn in Batman and Twilight Sparkle in My Little Pony).

I left LucasArts in 1998 to work as a consultant on the Star Wars prequels, and began to take on other clients such as EA, THQ, Microsoft, Sony, and film-related studios like Skywalker Sound and Pixar. I’ve been casting and directing actors and consulting on story and character for a little over 24 years and feel incredibly lucky and grateful every day.

How do you go about helping actors deliver their best work?

It’s all about creating trust and a safe place for the actor to find or create whatever memory or moment they need in order to be true to the script. Technically, I ensure that I’m in a comfortable studio and have plenty of time to work. I use engineers I trust who have recorded voice for games and animation for years. They understand actors’ rhythms and needs, and have no desire to be center stage.

It’s always worth the extra 50-100 percent an hour rate to work with experienced, ego-free

“My job is to say without words, ‘It’s safe. I’m with you.'”

studios. In a windowless, sometimes dark, sometimes small room for hours, misunderstandings will happen and “vibes” can pile up fast. I keep it light, and am always ready to laugh things off or be the first to apologize, and to move on. We limit the voice on the talk back mic to only one: mine (okay, maybe two if the engineer needs a technical adjustment.)

If I have a panel of clients (writer, creative director, producer) in the room, they’ll tell me what they think and I will translate it for the actor. This helps retain a consistent emotional lifeline, as the booth can feel quite isolating, even to the pros, and a single voice prevents “opinion dog-piling” that will confuse the actor. I never say snide things like, “That was great. Now can you do it with acting?,” or yell at the actor to create a “real moment.”

Sometimes I’ll model the desired energy (which sounds very hippie-ish but is quite real) by telling a story about how I felt in a similar situation. My job is to say without words, “It’s safe. I’m with you. Here’s a candle. Let’s walk through the dark.”

Brown recommends this Broken Age behind-the-scenes promo clip as an example of the sort of friendly, light atmosphere developers should cultivate in their recording sessions.
An essential part of this is also understanding every detail about the world and the script, so that if the actor has a question, I can immediately explain my request. This also allows me to assess whether their interpretation of a line, if it’s new and surprising, might even be better than what I or the rest of the team had imagined.

In short: know your stuff, be supportive, have no ego, and be ready to laugh. Do not give up after 3 takes. Do give up after 10 takes. We had 27 takes of Indiana Jones saying, “It’s a cup full of lava.” The actor was exhausted, and we ended up Frankensteining the line anyway (pasting two takes together to create our ideal).

I also save “sound sets” (yelling/deaths/battle) for Friday from 4PM-6PM. The actor may have a car commercial that will pay them $60K on Wednesday afternoon. I’m not going to expect them to ruin their voice for $2K on Wednesday morning. Give respect, get respect.

So what would you recommend to your fellow developers looking to improve the vocal performances in their games?

Good performance comes from 3 things: good writing, good casting, and supportive directing.

Everything begins with the script. I try to get the writers involved in the process as soon as a game idea is green-lit. Even if the game is very simple, the writer must intimately understand the rules of the world. This gives them the freedom to play with that world’s boundaries, and those edges can be where the most powerful moments of characterization occur.

Throwing writers at a design at the last minute with the pressure to fill in some type of negative space with narrative is pointless. As a player, I’d rather have no narrative than bad narrative. Supporting the writers by involving them at the outset has a greater chance of giving the actors powerful, interesting material to bring to life.

With casting, the saying that “directing is mostly casting,” is true. I solicit auditions with sides (audition copy) for each individual character with greater than 20 lines. I don’t cast from demos (a cut-together sample reel of the actors’ previous work) unless I know the actor extremely well. For Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, it was a 5-minute casting because I just plugged in favorite

“Do not get caught in the ‘more lines per hour is better’ trap. Quality trumps quantity. Cut your line count and make them good.”

people who I knew could do the job: Grey Delisle Griffin, Phil LaMarr, etc. It worked because I’ve known them for 15 years and because Dean Evans, the creative director, was amazing at describing exactly what he wanted.

With most other games, casting is iterative, and requires at least a single audition, and at most a studio callback followed by an in-person callback to see how the actor responds to direction (or to the other actors if we’re recording “ensemble”, which is all the main actors in the room at once). Often, listening to or seeing the auditions will inspire the writers and creative director to go in a different direction with the character. It’s an exciting process of both exploration and honing — you can not direct an actor who does not know who they are into any type of powerful performance.

Supportive directing is a long topic. The brief version is to stop worrying about anything related to what people think of you in the role of the director. I often see people at two extremes: indecisive and intimidated (the, “I’m too scared to tell you what I want, so I’ll just keep asking for more takes” director) or overcompensating and intimidated (the, “I think a director wears jodhpurs and carries a bullhorn and a riding crop, so I’ll be bossy and insulting” director). Both are unnecessary. Take time to review the script (even doing table reads) with your writer(s). Ensure that everyone who will be present (including the actor, if you have time to rehearse with them) knows the “journalism answers” about the script: who, what, why, when and where. The actor must be able to ask the director questions any time about anything.

Do your research and be prepared. Understand the emotional motivations of each character.

Do not get caught in the “more lines per hour is better” trap. Quality trumps quantity. Cut your line count and make them good.

Lastly, if you don’t have a VO director on staff, hire a professional video game voice director. They are few, but worth it. They will ask a hundred questions about the script that will often make the narrative, as well as the level design and therefore the game as a whole, more cohesive and compelling.

Fair enough, but many of our readers are small-scale developers who are working with rudimentary recording equipment and casting novice actors, friends and family members. It sounds like good writing and compassionate direction goes a long way, but are there any specific techniques you can recommend, or common mistakes you’d like to help developers avoid?

As you noted, strong writing is essential. Most players bond with interesting characters rather than feeling compelled by a typical 3-act plot structure (as they would in a linear narrative). Good characterization from the writer will give great support to whomever is performing the voice, even if that actor is a beginner.

For auditions, with a lower budget, I’d seek out and audition local theater students who are looking for credits on their resumes. Have people audition in person to gauge if you get along well and can co-create together. Directing is mostly casting, and the rest of the performance will only be good if mutual trust exists. If someone is a great actor, but a pain to work with, the session will not flow naturally, and the result will be lower quality.

“A quiet room with insulation is crucial. Many voice actors nowadays will record auditions in a hotel room under the bedcovers with an inexpensive iPhone mic.”

Avoid people who are exclusively focused on impressions, mimicry, or accents — these are not the same as acting. Target people who, in their reads, make you feel something personal and emotionally resonant. If you find yourself evaluating someone intellectually (e.g. “I can see how he made an interesting choice with X”), you’re wasting time. Saying, “Holy cow, that person made me feel [happy, sad, creeped out, etc.],” when it’s a match for the feeling you want for that character – that’s the vein of gold to mine. Most humans innately know when a dog or other person feels “sketchy” or dangerous on the street. Follow that instinct, rather than over-intellectualizing.

Once the project is cast, do at least one table read to iterate on the script, but have only one ultimate decision-maker about final line changes, if any. Actors should always be paid for their workshop and recording time, even if it is only $20/hr. Try as hard as you can to find a low-cost but reasonable-quality professional recording studio and engineer. Many community colleges have broadcasting programs — see if one of the engineering students has a space where voices can be recorded inexpensively. Do a test recording in that space first (even 15 minutes with your own voice), and integrate those samples into the game to ensure there is not too much room tone or other technical issues.

In the studio, performers and directors should focus on the actors behaving in a way that feels natural for them. Rather than trying to “act with a capital ‘a’,” acting is about believing you are who you’re portraying, and then being that person wholeheartedly — resonant performances are honest performances. An actor should not pretend or imagine what it would feel like if their character is heartbroken — an actor should remember a heartbreak from their past, live in it, and then say the line.

I heard an actor say to a director once, “Wait, do you mean that you want me to feel this way in the scene, or in real life?” The director said, “Why do you think there’s a difference?” Truth can not be faked. It’s dangerous work, and requires courage. Allow for improvisation and natural language changes in the studio, and allow the actor (within reason) to try a few different versions if an alternate read feels more natural for a few lines (not all lines). Don’t be married to the way the writer or director “heard” the line in their head. Keep clean, well organized notes in the studio of your “selected takes.” They will save many editorial hours. If you’re recording a conversation between people, recording “ensemble” (with the actors in the same room at the same time) can be a great way to keep the conversation natural, as long as the actors do not speak over or interrupt one another.

I think new voice actors can benefit greatly from the advice of well-known actor Dee Bradley Baker on his Studio Etiquette page. New directors can benefit greatly from an excellent book written for stage directors, Notes On Directing, which has many tips applicable to directing for any medium.

Regarding doing good voice on poor equipment or any equipment, a quiet room with insulation is crucial. Many voice actors nowadays will record auditions in a hotel room under the bedcovers with an inexpensive iPhone mic. Dee Bradley Baker’s page is definitely my “go to” for how to record under extenuating circumstances, although the myth that we listen to auditions in our car is not accurate for video games and animation — we’re sticklers for audio detail.

So when it comes to voice acting in games, what could we be doing better?

Before we decide to hire actors, we need to figure out if we’re really committed to character and narrative in a game, and to be very honest with ourselves about how or if it’s truly serving the design. If we’re truly committed, then all the steps mentioned above will help. If it’s just something to put on the back of the box, I don’t believe it’s worth the expense. That’s coming from someone who was a founding member of the first professional VO department in the industry.

I love voice more than anything. I want it to be done well, because it can be life-changing — I have the letters, and I’m not the only one. But when it’s done poorly, it can destroy the experience. Better no voice at all than poor voice. Costume Quest is a great example — we could have done voice and we chose not to. I still think it’s one of the most endearing games of the past few years.

A hot topic at the moment is celebrity voice in games. Because I’ve personally worked with so many celebs, people often assume I’m automatically in favor, but it depends on the situation. A long time ago, someone in a AAA publisher’s marketing group did a study about whether having celebrities in games if they weren’t already attached to a brand (e.g. John Madden in Madden or Patrick Stewart in Star Trek) was worth the cost. The answer was, “no.”

The “butts in seats” model (whereby an A-list celeb in a film guarantees a certain amount of box office proceeds) simply didn’t apply to games. When celebrities are perfect for a role, the results can be amazing. When they’re not, there’s a danger that the industry can be seen as trying to take narrative and characterization shortcuts by hiring typecast actors instead of doing the hard work of creating innovative, powerful characters of our own. It can also make us look as though we’re trying to assign ourselves borrowed credit and glamour by hiring celebrities. This can backfire doubly when they’re wasted on rushed scripts or uncertain direction.

If we truly believe in our art, we don’t need any external validation. When we put story and character first, the best actors will knock down our doors, and the best scripts will be recorded with laughter and joy.

The latest Nintendo Download update for Europe has arrived, and it’s bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!

Switch Retail eShop – New Releases

Code: Realize ~Future Blessings~ (Aksys Games, 23rd Apr, £35.99 / €39.99) – The Romance(s) Continue! – Experience new scenarios taking place after the main story as well as more in-depth looks at events that happened in the shadows of Cardia’s previous adventures. Further your relationships with the charming literary figures of the first game. Choose to deepen the connection with your previous beau, or explore exciting new relationships with gentlemen you bypassed the first time.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4 ROAD TO BORUTO (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, £44.99 / €49.99) – The latest game in the Ultimate Ninja Storm series is finally here for Nintendo Switch! It features all DLC, including the latest “NEXT GENERATIONS” DLC Update Pack. Relive the Fourth Great Ninja War that unfolded in Naruto Shippuden, and experience the story of Boruto: Naruto the Movie featuring Naruto’s son, Boruto Uzumaki. Plus, choose from 124 ninja—the most in the series! Join in action-packed battles, whenever and wherever you want!

Trials of Mana (£44.99 / €49.99) – A remake of the (previously Japan-only) third entry in the Mana series. When the world was shrouded in darkness, the Goddess of Mana drew forth the Sword of Mana to smite the eight Benevodons, monsters of destruction. She sealed the horrors inside the eight Mana Stones, bringing the realm back from the brink. Weakened from rebuilding the world, the Goddess changed herself into a tree and fell into a deep sleep for many years. – Read our Trials of Mana review

Switch eShop – New Releases

Animal Fun for Toddlers and Kids (winterworks, 23rd Apr, £5.99 / €6.99) – Tap the different animals to interact with them and hear their common sounds or other funny noises. Some animals and little surprises are hidden within the game. Can you find all secrets? The game features FIVE different locations: FarmAntarcticaNorth AmericaAfricaAustralia The game makes use of the touch screen functionality only. So the menu and every scene can be played with touch controls only.

Arcade Archives TUBE PANIC (£6.29 / €6.99) – “TUBE PANIC” is a shooting game released by Nichibutsu in 1984. It is considered to be the first game circuit board to have a 3D rotation function.
A mysterious tube net appears before the command ship Marcus as it cruises through space.
Use 360 turning to battle enemy ships hiding in the depths of each stage, and face off with the mother ship’s fleet waiting at the end.

Archaica: The Path Of Light (£13.49 / €14.99) – As the Light Bearer, your quest is to walk the legendary Path of Light and explore an ancient and beautiful world. The light is the key to open the secrets of this mysterious civilization. You have to understand how various devices work to manipulate the lasers and direct them into the right triggers.

Broken Lines (Super.com, 23rd Apr, £22.49 / €24.99) – Broken Lines is a narrative-driven tactics game where a group of soldiers ends up deep behind enemy lines after their plane crashes. In this alternate version of WWII, enemies are both mysterious military units and the soldiers’ own hopes and fears as they confront the mental and physical horrors of war during their struggle to return to friendly territory.

Damaged In Transit (Everook, 23rd Apr, £12.19 / €13.59) – Split your attention in Damaged In Transit! This brain-splitting action-puzzler will leave you cross-eyed! Simultaneously pilot your two drones and help them deliver their precious cargo. Spikes, pitfalls, flamethrowers and enemy robots will threaten your shipment as you trek across 125 levels of desert oases, coal mines, ports, oil rigs, and the core of the Earth! Deftly pilot your drones around the map and use the items you find to open pathways and get those packages delivered safely! Embrace the miracle of automated delivery!

Debtor (£4.99 / €4.99) – Did you just wake up in the afterlife? The only thing you know is that you’re tasked with a strange mission – collect all your debts! Pick all the coins in 30 levels full of riddles, lethal traps, ruthless enemies… and time pressure! Be smart, be fast and make the best use of your hero’s assets: a rock-solid head that can crush blocks and some good ol’ explosives. You also need to take advantage of your environment by pushing and placing boxes in a clever way. Just like in the golden days of gaming, enjoy some nice chiptune music, silly characters and pixel graphics and challenging puzzle-platforming action.

eSports Legend (Coconut Island Games, 23rd Apr, £9.99 / €10.99) – Esports Legend is an Esports club simulator. You are here to make an unknown amateur team world-famous within several seasons! Hundreds of members with unique personalities and skills are waiting for you to recruit! Else than the four major leagues, there are dozens of cups to challenge. Be the winner, win the prize and make your team legendary!

Guard Duty (£9.99 / €9.99) – Tondbert, loyal Guard to the Castle of Wrinklewood has a lot to answer for. Under his watch someone has snuck into the kingdom and kidnapped the princess — an event that will have consequences well into the future. A thousand years later, humanity is on its last legs before being wiped out by an evil dark force.

Hang The Kings (QUByte Interactive, 23rd Apr, £0.89 / €0.99) – Hang The Kings is a chess-inspired puzzle game. – 100 hand-crafted levels with increasing complexity. – Originally composed music to help you focus and relax while solving the puzzles – A fun chess puzzle available to everyone (even to those who never played chess)

Help Will Come Tomorrow (Klabater, 21st Apr, £17.99 / €19.99) – Game focuses on the survival of the characters: meeting their needs, gathering resources, expanding the camp, exploring surroundings. In order to win the player needs to learn the personality of the characters and work out relations between them, mitigating conflicts and taking care of the morale. Manage scarce resources and stay alive in the frosty wilderness of Siberia before help arrives.

ITTA (Armor Games Studios, 22nd Apr, £13.49 / €14.99) – ITTA is a bullet-hell adventure set in a world filled with monstrous bosses. When Itta wakes up and finds herself surrounded by her dead family, her only guide is a strange spirit that takes the form of the family cat who gifts her a glowing revolver for protection.

Legends of Amberland: The Forgotten Crown (Pineapple Works, 20th Apr, £16.19 / €17.99) – Nostalgia strikes true with this 90s-inspired, old-school, western RPG dungeon crawler in which you command a party of up to seven characters! Its grid-and-90-degree-rotation-based movement system evokes the classics of the dungeon crawler genre. The game tells many little stories, that help make it’s vast, open-world feel very much alive.

Little Busters! Converted Edition (PROTOTYPE, 23rd Apr, £40.49 / €44.99) – Since its humble beginnings as a PC game, the “Little Busters!” visual novel has continued to evolve. In the past decade, we have seen spin-off games and console adaptations, as well as the release of comic, novel, and anime adaptations. It’s easy to see why; the underlying theme of friendship in this romantic adventure game has had players hooked from the very start. Now, get ready to laugh and cry your way through the “Little Busters! ” story as the game comes to Nintendo Switch!

MetaChampions (Octobox Interactive, 22nd Apr) – MetaChampions is a turn-based strategy game. Experience classic auto battler gameplay on Nintendo Switch! It’s the best strategy battler! A strategy is key, but luck also plays a role! Create your elite formation from a roster of 45+ heroes and be the best player in 8 player online matches. [Fast Matches] Matches that last 10-20 minutes are fully packed with multiple strategic decisions and tactical adaptations to the situation on the battlefield.

MotoGP™20 (23rd Apr, £39.99 / €49.99) – Rev up your engines for a new chapter of the MotoGP series! With MotoGP20, experience all the thrills of the more-complete-than-ever Managerial Career mode and decide whether to join a 2020 season team and race together with the official riders or join a totally brand new team. Discover more realistic physics, improved graphics, new 3D models of riders and face scans of official MotoGP™ team managers, plus new animations.

PICROSS S4 (JUPITER, 23rd Apr, £8.99 / €9.99) – This is the 4th Picross S Series on the Nintendo Switch! There are brand new puzzles for you to enjoy in all four familiar game modes: Picross, Mega Picross, Color Picross, and Clip Picross. We’ve also added bonus Extra puzzles which are dedicated for Picross S series veterans! There are two 30×30 large Picross puzzles for you to solve. Link the play data from Picross S, Picross S2, and Picross S3 to unlock an even larger 40×30 Picross puzzle for each series played, up to a maximum of three.

Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope (Yacht Club Games, 20th Apr, £13.49 / €14.99) – Enjoy the original standalone adventure that launched Shovel Knight on his quest to discover the true meaning of shovel justice. Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope is a sweeping, classic action-adventure game with awesome gameplay, memorable characters and an 8-bit retro aesthetic. It’s a hot mashup of new and old! You play as the eponymous Shovel Knight, a small warrior with a huge quest.

SmileBASIC 4 (SmileBoom, 23rd Apr, £19.99 / €21.99) – (This is the version of “SmileBASIC 4” without Server Tickets. In order to upload your works to the server or unlimited downloading of the published works, you need to purchase Server Tickets in the game. ) This is the programming software, “SmileBASIC 4”, that allows you to create and play games with Nintendo Switch!

Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition (Digerati, 23rd Apr, £14.39 / €15.99) – LOSE YOUR MIND. EAT YOUR CREW. DIE. Take the helm of your steamship in a Victorian Gothic roleplaying game of discovery, loneliness and frequent death. Find your father’s bones. Determine London’s destiny. Defy the gods of the deep sea. Build up your story across generations of zailors who braved the sea and lost. Real-time combat against ships and Zee-beasts, spider-crewed dreadnoughts and sentient icebergs.

TaniNani (22nd Apr, £4.49 / €4.99) – TaniNani is a puzzle game where you move parts of the level around to help the characters find the crystal and each other. Explore a unique puzzle experience in your own pace, test your brain with optional challenges and unlock cute outfits for Tani & Nani.

The Copper Canyon Dixie Dash (Black Dragon Studios, 23rd Apr, £5.99 / €6.69) – Help Dixie Davies get her Dad’s western robot theme park back under control. The robots have gone wild! Sheriff Bolts and his deputies have all malfunctioned and taken over. Fight through the town, the canyon and the mines to get to the menacing robot Sheriff and reclaim the park. The deputy robots can be dismantled and destroyed with some swift and well-placed shots from a choice of weapons. Use the special “dash” mode to disarm and destroy the mad robots even quicker! Use the sniper rifle for pinpoint accuracy. Be ready though, for battling that robot Sheriff, he is a really tough one!

Valfaris & Slain Double Pack (Big Sugar, 23rd Apr, £14.39 / €15.99) – Experience two of the most metal games ever made in this gore-drenched double-pack from Big Sugar and developer Steel Mantis. This bundle contains cult hit Slain: Back From Hell, and the critically acclaimed Valfaris. Slain: Back From Hell: A heavy metal inspired arcade combat game with stunning pixel art visuals, challenging old-school gameplay, and a brutal soundtrack. Fight through a Gothic world and face the deadly overlords that reign over each of its cursed realms.

Where Angels Cry (Ocean Media, 23rd Apr, £8.99 / €9.99) – Strange events are taking place in an isolated medieval monastery, set high in the Alps. Monks are vanishing without a trace, mysterious persons are being sighted running through the dark passages of the monastery in the still of the night, Templars have now been assigned to stand watch and there are even reports that a statue in the centre of the village is crying the tears of blood! A Vatican Cardinal has chosen you to travel to the monastery, undercover, to investigate these bizarre occurrences.

Yumeutsutsu Re:After (DEGICA, 23rd Apr, £44.99 / €49.99) – To answer the requests of the fans, here are five new stories of what happens After. Yumeutsutsu Re:Unification: Follow Ai and Kokoro as they find themselves in charge of the creation of a fan disc for their successful game. This time, Ai is tasked with the SD arts, while Kororo is tasked with the plot!

Yumeutsutsu Re:Master (DEGICA, 23rd Apr, £58.49 / €64.99) – Yumeutsutsu Re:Master is a girls-love adventure game set in a small Japanese game studio. The story is set in the town of Koenji, not far from the imperial capital of Tokyo, where a small game studio called Eureka Soft has set up shop. The heroine Ai, a country girl, joins her sister Kokoro who works there, after receiving a mysterious email from studio head.

3DS eShop – New Releases

War & Romance Visual Novel (£10.79 / €11.99)

Switch eShop – Demos

Switch eShop – Special Offers

Switch eShop – Pre-Orders

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix (SEGA, pre-order from 20th Apr)

Golf With Your Friends (Team17, pre-order from 21st Apr)

Book of Demons (505 Games, pre-order from 23rd Apr)

So that’s your lot for this week’s Nintendo Download. Go on, be a sport and drop a vote in the poll above, and comment below with your hot picks!

The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it’s bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region. As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!

Nintendo Switch

Trials of Mana (Square Enix, Fri 24th April, $49.99) A remake of the (previously Japan-only) third entry in the Mana series. When the world was shrouded in darkness, the Goddess of Mana drew forth the Sword of Mana to smite the eight Benevodons, monsters of destruction. She sealed the horrors inside the eight Mana Stones, bringing the realm back from the brink. Read our Trials of Mana review.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road To Boruto (Bandai Namco Entertainment, Fri 24th April, $49.99, Fri 24th April) Pre-order NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4 ROAD TO BORUTO and get the following content: – Early unlocks for 11 ninja costumes from the Boruto era – Early unlocks for 22 playable characters – Early unlocks for Momoshiki and Kinshiki Otsutsuki.

Switch eShop

Moving Out (Team17, Tue 28th April, $24.99) Are you ready for an exciting career in furniture? As a newly certified Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician, you’ll take on moving jobs all across the town of Packmore. Smooth Moves may not be the biggest moving company, but there’s no task too dangerous or strange for this busy team of go-getters.

Picross S4 (Jupiter, Today, $9.99) This is the 4th Picross S Series on the Nintendo Switch! There are brand new puzzles for you to enjoy in all four familiar game modes: Picross, Mega Picross, Color Picross, and Clip Picross. We’ve also added bonus Extra puzzles which are dedicated for Picross S series veterans! There are two 30×30 large Picross puzzles for you to solve.

Active Neurons – Puzzle game (Sometimes You, Wed 29th April, $4.99) By controlling the power of thought, you must charge the neurons. The more the neurons are charged, the healthier the brain becomes. The healthier the brain becomes, the more of a fully-fledged life the person will live. It may seem simple, but it won’t be as simple as it seems.

Animal Fun for Toddlers and Kids (winterworks) Tap the different animals to interact with them and hear their common sounds or other funny noises. Some animals and little surprises are hidden within the game. Can you find all secrets?

Archaica: The Path Of Light (Drageus Games, Fri 24th April, $14.99) As the Light Bearer, your quest is to walk the legendary Path of Light and explore an ancient and beautiful world. The light is the key to open the secrets of this mysterious civilization. You have to understand how various devices work to manipulate the lasers and direct them into the right triggers.

Broken Lines (Super.com, Today, $24.99) Broken Lines combines a tactical RPG with story-driven gameplay. As your soldiers battle the mental strain of war, you’ll need to command them in combat— will they avoid the enemy, or go head to head with their foes? Combat is similar to that of a turn-based tactical RPG, but soldiers move only when the action phase starts.

Code: Realize Future Blessings (Aksys Games, Today, $39.99) The Romance(s) Continue! – Experience new scenarios taking place after the main story as well as more in-depth looks at events that happened in the shadows of Cardia’s previous adventures. Further your relationships with the charming literary figures of the first game. Choose to deepen the connection with your previous beau, or explore exciting new relationships with gentlemen you bypassed the first time.

Damaged In Transit (Everook, Today, $14.99) Split your attention in Damaged In Transit! This brain-splitting action-puzzler will leave you cross-eyed! Simultaneously pilot your two drones and help them deliver their precious cargo. Spikes, pitfalls, flamethrowers and enemy robots will threaten your shipment as you trek across 125 levels of desert oases, coal mines, ports, oil rigs, and the core of the Earth!

Debtor (Drageus Games, Fri 24th April, $2.99) Did you just wake up in the afterlife? The only thing you know is that you’re tasked with a strange mission – collect all your debts! Pick all the coins in 30 levels full of riddles, lethal traps, ruthless enemies… and time pressure!

Dread Nautical (Zen Studios, Wed 29th April, $19.99) Your cruise was so relaxing until the monsters from another dimension showed up to kill everyone. A tactical turn-based RPG with roguelike elements, Dread Nautical combines immersive gameplay with a cartoonish—yet captivatingly eerie—tone.

eSports Legend (Coconut Island Games, Today, $11.99) Esports Legend is an Esports club simulator. You are here to make an unknown amateur team world-famous within several seasons! Hundreds of members with unique personalities and skills are waiting for you to recruit! Else than the four major leagues, there are dozens of cups to challenge. Be the winner, win the prize and make your team legendary!

Guard Duty (Ratalaika Games, Fri 24th April, $9.99) Tondbert, loyal Guard to the Castle of Wrinklewood has a lot to answer for. Under his watch, someone has snuck into the kingdom and kidnapped the princess — an event that will have consequences well into the future.

Hang The Kings (QUByte Interactive, Today, $0.99) Hang The Kings is a chess-inspired puzzle game. – 100 hand-crafted levels with increasing complexity. – Originally composed music to help you focus and relax while solving the puzzles – A fun chess puzzle available to everyone (even to those who never played chess)

Little Busters! Converted Edition (PROTOTYPE, Today, $44.99) Since its humble beginnings as a PC game, the “Little Busters! ” visual novel has continued to evolve. In the past decade, we have seen spin-off games and console adaptations, as well as the release of comic, novel, and anime adaptations.

MotoGP 20 (Milestone, Today, $39.99) Rev up your engines for a new chapter of the MotoGP series! With MotoGP 20, experience all the thrills of the more-complete-than-ever Managerial Career mode and decide whether to join a 2020 season team and race together with the official riders or join a totally brand new team.

Offroad Racing – Buggy X ATV X Moto (Microids) Offroad Racing offers a huge choice of all-terrain vehicles to get away from everyday life. Bomb along in a quad bike, buggy or motocross race and enjoy the change of scenery as you explore immersive offroad tracks.

SmileBASIC 4 (Smileboom, Today, $24.99) (This is the version of “SmileBASIC 4” without Server Tickets. In order to upload your works to the server or unlimited downloading of the published works, you need to purchase Server Tickets in the game. ) This is the programming software, “SmileBASIC 4”, that allows you to create and play games with Nintendo Switch!

Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition (Digerati, Today, $19.99) LOSE YOUR MIND. EAT YOUR CREW. DIE. Take the helm of your steamship in a Victorian Gothic roleplaying game of discovery, loneliness and frequent death. Find your father’s bones. Determine London’s destiny.

Telling Lies (Annapurna Interactive) Four private lives. One big lie. Search through secretly recorded video conversations to discover the truth. The successor to the acclaimed Her Story.

The Copper Canyon Dixie Dash (Black Dragon Studios) Help Dixie Davies get her Dad’s western robot theme park back under control. The robots have gone wild! Sheriff Bolts and his deputies have all malfunctioned and taken over. Fight through the town, the canyon and the mines to get to the menacing robot Sheriff and reclaim the park.

Where Angels Cry (Ocean Media) Strange events are taking place in an isolated medieval monastery, set high in the Alps. Monks are vanishing without a trace, mysterious persons are being sighted running through the dark passages of the monastery in the still of the night, Templars have now been assigned to stand watch and there are even reports that a statue in the center of the village is crying the tears of blood!

Yumeutsutsu Re:After (DEGICA, Today, $49.99) To answer the requests of the fans, here are five new stories of what happens After. Yumeutsutsu Re:Unification: Follow Ai and Kokoro as they find themselves in charge of the creation of a fan disc for their successful game.

Yumeutsutsu Re:Master (DEGICA, Today, $64.99) Yumeutsutsu Re:Master is a girls-love adventure game set in a small Japanese game studio. The story is set in the town of Koenji, not far from the imperial capital of Tokyo, where a small game studio called Eureka Soft has set up shop.

So that’s your lot for this week’s North American Nintendo Download. Go on, be a sport and drop a vote in the poll above, and comment below with your hot picks!