Minecraft wasn't always the enormous franchise that it has become. It has slowly been building popularity since it's creator, Markus Persson, released the game in 2009. So, what is it about this independently created game that made it endure over time?
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It turns out that “Ultra Street Fighter II,” a souped-up version of the 1991 classic for the new Nintendo Switch console, is a certifiable smash hit.
So far, game developer Capcom says “Ultra Street Fighter II” has sold 450,000 copies, reports IGN— despite lukewarm reviews, and the ongoing shortage of the Switch console itself. Now, Capcom says it's planning to release a flurry of new Switch games to meet this apparent demand.
From my perspective as a Nintendo Switch owner, the reason for the runaway success of this game is simple: Every video game ever made is better, or would be better, on the Nintendo Switch. All of them. Full stop.
Let me explain.
What Nintendo does for me
I own a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One, and a whole heap of games to play on them. Still, I don't get a lot of time to play games on the TV, and when I do, it's usually for a matter of minutes, not hours. Lately, I've played many more games on my iPhone or Nintendo 3DS than my fancy-pants TV consoles.
It means that critically acclaimed games like “The Witcher 3” and even the older “Skyrim” have all passed me by. They're probably both great, but I just haven't been able to commit the 40-plus hours in front of my TV that those games would demand from me for full enjoyment.
Back to Nintendo. In case you haven't heard, the Nintendo Switch has a simple, killer gimmick: It's a TV console, like an Xbox or PlayStation, but when you're on the go, you can pick it up right off its dock and keep on playing. It even lets you split one controller into two, for impromptu two-player action.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch can be plugged into a TV, or played on-the-go. Either way, it's great. Ben Gilbert/Business Insider
This has been a huge boon for me, personally. The Switch is a TV console, and a thing I can take with me. All of a sudden, I don't have to choose between playing a console game or something portable. Console games fit into my life, once again. And I suspect that I'm not alone in feeling this way.
So, yeah, of course “Ultra Street Fighter II” sold like crazy, despite being a mediocre version of a decades-old classic. And when “Skyrim,” which first released in 2011, comes out for the Switch later this year, it'll probably sell like crazy, too. The Switch itself makes any game more accessible, and more playable, by virtue of sheer flexibility. (Plus, this early in a console's life cycle, people are thirsty for any half-decent game, which also helps.)
Ultimately, I would urge every game developer out there to consider a Nintendo Switch version of any games they're working on, or even that they've already made. Superhero fighting game “Injustice 2,” for example, would be killer on the Switch.
And, look, I get that the Nintendo Switch isn't as powerful under the hood as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, graphically. Speaking personally, though, I would rather play a version of a great game at a lower resolution, or with slightly diminished special effects, than I would not play it at all.
How can you tell that I'm old?
The answer: I can't stand playing most 3D games on a touchscreen for very long. I love playing “Minecraft,” Microsoft's smash-hit block-building game, on my iPhone with my nephews, but the control feels weird and unnatural to my withered 30-year-old hands. I could play it on PC, naturally, but then I lose the portability.
This is why I was so eager to try “Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition,” the $30 version of the game for the new Nintendo Switch console. I thought, perhaps, this version would strike the perfect compromise:
Because the Switch is a TV games console, it uses a traditional joystick setup, the kind I'm very accustomed to. And because you can detach the Switch from the TV, I can take it on the go.
Well, the game met my expectations, and actually exceeded them. And in so doing, it shows off what's so great about both “Minecraft,” and about the Nintendo Switch itself.
Mining and crafting
The actual experience of playing “Minecraft” is exactly the same here as it is on other versions.
In Survival Mode, you begin alone and unarmed, and are challenged to craft tools and weapons in a blocky, charmingly pixelated world. In Creative Mode, you're freed from the shackles of responsibility, and can zip around the world using the game's amazingly intuitive interface to build massive structures limited by your imagination.
minecraft nintendo switch
The Switch can either be plugged into a TV to act as a normal console, or else used as portable system, as pictured here. 4J Studios
This version's sole twist is a Nintendo-exclusive “Mario Mash-Up Pack,” which optionally lets you play as various Super Mario characters, while also giving a Mario-style makeover to the game's items, buildings, and enemies. If you happened to play the Wii U version of “Minecraft,” it's the exact same here as it was there.
It's a fun addition, but not game-changing (so to speak). If you've ever played “Minecraft” before, and you should, you know what you're getting. One thing I would note is that the game's graphics get just a little worse when the console is in its portable mode, with the distance you can see noticeably diminished. That's a quibble, though.
Playing with power
The real beauty of this version of “Minecraft” comes in the unique stuff that the Switch brings to the table.
Again, I can't get used to touchscreen controls. So having a portable version that supports the Switch's trademark Joy-Con controllers, thumbsticks and all, was a welcome blessing. I found myself playing the game more, and for longer sessions, than I had with other versions of “Minecraft.”
My absolute favorite moment with the game, however, came when I showed it to my nephews. Like the Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game, “Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition” supports a split-screen multiplayer with up to four players, so long as the console is plugged into the TV.
Minecraft (Super Mario)
The game has a pre-built Super Mario world for you to explore. Microsoft/Nintendo
When the Switch isn't plugged into the TV, though, you still keep the power to have two local players. It meant that my nephews could play with each other sitting at the coffee table, while a movie played on the TV. They love “Minecraft;” they love playing “Minecraft” with each other, and they were totally into this idea.
The caveat is that “Minecraft: Switch Edition” doesn't support the Switch's nifty method for turning one of its Joy-Con controllers into two, meaning you'll need a full two controllers to take advantage. That part is a bummer.
Still, to me, it proves two things. First, Nintendo's boasts of the Switch as a social console are well-deserved. Whether it's attached to the TV, or in your backpack on a trip, the Switch really does let you have fun solo or with friends.
Second, “Minecraft” is really an extraordinary game. It's incredibly flexible, and is equally as fun on phones, consoles, and PCs. It's no wonder that the game has had such staying power when it's so easy to get started everywhere the game plays. And when Switch players of “Minecraft” get the ability to join their Xbox brethren later this year, you can expect the fun to get cranked up to 11.
For the first time since the original “Minecraft,” the series is getting a new entry.
It's not a sequel — the game is named “Minecraft: Dungeons,” and it's a dungeon crawler along the lines of “Diablo.”
“Minecraft: Dungeons” is scheduled to arrive on PC in 2019. It's not clear when it will come to other platforms.
For the first time since “Minecraft” arrived in 2011, a new entry in the series is in the works from the same studio that created the original. It's named “Minecraft: Dungeons” — it was revealed on Saturday during an annual “Minecraft” live broadcast known as Minecon Earth 2018.
From what we've seen so far, it looks like a very “Minecraft-y” version of beloved classics like “Diablo.” It sounds lke that, too!
“Dungeons” is described as, “an all-new action-adventure game inspired by classic dungeon crawlers,” in its announcement. Alone, or with a group of up to four friends, you'll tackle, “a ruthless swarm of new-and-nasty mobs” in a variety of locations: “canyons, swamps and — of course — mines.”
Minecraft Dungeons
Like other dungeon crawlers, “Minecraft: Dungeons” appears to feature different classes of character to choose from — from a warrior to a mage, and everything in between. Mojang/Microsoft Studios
The game is said to be a passion project for the folks at Mojang — the Swedish studio that was founded to create the original “Minecraft.” It's the first of several new initiatives within Mojang aimed at expanding the universe of “Minecraft.”
Unlike “Minecraft,” the focus in “Minecraft: Dungeons” is action.
“We wanted to focus on making sure that we made the dungeon crawler part as good as possible,” Mojang creative lead Jens Bergentsen told me in a phone interview last week.
To that end, don't expect to see a lot of the usual mining and crafting.
“I would say that it's a distilled version of ‘Minecraft,'” Bergentsen said. “Building in the game is something that we've talked about a lot, but we were concerned that it would distract from what the game was about. So in ‘Minecraft Dungeons,' it's strictly an adventure game with a story attached to it.”
The game is scheduled to arrive on PC first in 2019 — a beta will precede its arrival, but don't expect anything like the soft launch “Minecraft” had. “Minecraft: Dungeons” is getting a relatively standard beta before a “traditional” release, we're told.
Check out the game's debut trailer right here:
This week’s Xbox Live Deals With Gold have begun trickling in, and there are a number of great deals on titles offered by WB Games.
For instance, Batman; Arkham Knight and Batman: Return To Arkham are available for dirt cheap, which means you can enjoy the full Rocksteady Studios trilogy for a swell deal.
On top of that, several Lego video games are also marked down, including the latest release, Lego The Incredibles, as well as classic favorites like Lego Batman 3, Lego Marvel’s Avengers, Lego Jurassic World and several more. And you can snag Grand Theft Auto V for cheap, too!
The sale prices are good between now and October 2nd at 6 AM EDT, so you’ve got time to do some serious shopping and add games to your library. Let’s take a look at the deals that are on hand!
Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion- $29.99
Beast Quest- $12.00
Ben 10- $15.00
Defunct- $4.49
Divinity Original Sin: Enhanced Edition- $10.00
I, Zombie- $2.67
Lords of the Fallen Digital Complete Edition- $7.50
Mega Man Legacy Collection- $6.00
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2- $11.99
Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 + 2 Combo Pack- $15.00
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2- $8.00
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 Deluxe Edition- $10.00
Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered- $22.49
Road Rage- $9.00
Rock of Ages 2: Bigger and Boulder- $7.50
Shiny- $7.50
Slain: Back From Hell- $6.00
Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 Season Pass Edition- $16.00
The Coma: Recut- $7.50
The Golf Club 2- $12.00
The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA Tour- $37.49
The Surge- $10.00
Transcripted- $4.70
Valkyria Revolution- $26.79
Vampyr- $40.19
Warhammer Bundle: Mordheim and Blood Bowl 2- $16.50
Bastion- $7.50
Batman: Arkham Knight- $10.00
Batman: Arkham Knight Premium Edition- $20.00
Batman: Return To Arkham- $10.00
Cars 3: Driven To Win- $20.00
Dying Light- $14.99
Dying Light: The Following Enhanced Edition- $20.09
Grand Theft Auto V- $19.49
Grand Theft Auto V + Great White Shark Cash Card- $32.49
Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition- $32.99
Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition + Great White Shark Card Bundle- $40.00
Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition + Whale Shark Card Bundle- $55.00
Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition + Megalodon Shark Card BUndle- $80.00
Hyper Sentinel- $10.04
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham- $11.99
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Deluxe Edition- $17.50
Lego City Undercover- $15.00
Lego Jurassic World- $10.00
Lego Marvel Super Heroes- $8.00
Lego Marvel Super Heroes Bundle- $24.00
Lego Marvel Super Heroes Deluxe Bundle- $30.00
Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2- $24.00
Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 Deluxe Edition- $30.00
Lego Marvel’s Avengers- $10.00
Lego Marvel’s Avengers Deluxe Edition- $12.00
Lego Movies Game Bundle- $20.00
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $10.00
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Deluxe Edition- $12.00
Lego The Incredibles- $41.99
Lego Worlds- $20.99
Mad Max- $8.00
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition- $8.00
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War- $24.99
Mortal Kombat XL- $10.00
Scribblenauts Showdown- $20.00
The Elder Scrolls Online- $10.00
The Elder Scrolls Online Collection- $40.00
The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset- $23.99
The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset Collector’s Edition- $35.99
The Lego Movie Videogame- $10.00
The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game- $25.00
The Surge- $10.00
Hurry up and get these great deals while you can!
At this point, there are some of you that finally beat Spider-Man on PlayStation 4. Not 100 percent yet, mind you (save for a few of you), but at least gotten through the story. So you’re probably wondering…what’s next? Well, besides the DLC that will start debuting next month, there’s also a fun side story that’s coming to the comics as well — and we’ve got a first look at which way this version of Spider-Man will be going in this particular universe.
Marvel has released some teaser images for Spider-Geddon #0, which is set to make its debut on newsstands and comic book stores starting September 26, introducing this Spider-Man to this particular world.
The first few pages have an interesting story to tell, penned by writer Christos Gage, alongside Jed MacKay, and artistically created by Clayton Crain, Javier Garron and Israel Silva. You can see all the pages below, but here’s the quick lowdown:
Spidey begins by swinging through the city, listening to J. Jonah Jameson’s latest podcast (to a point, anyway), before Mary Jane decides to give him a call. She explains that some sort of maniac is tearing his way through the city, and the hero goes to confront him.
It turns out to be none other than the Tarantula, who lets loose with a number of mechanical appendages, threatening to crush Spidey underneath them.
After making a joke about copyright infringement, Spidey tries to find a way to stop Tarantula, only to find his webs are ineffective with his electrical shielding. However, he’s able to finally subdue him with the help of a web bomb, leaving him tied up for the police.
But then things get really interesting, as another Spider-Man suddenly appears from another dimension, addressing him as Spider-Man of Earth 1048. He tells him that “he is needed,” in which he’s thrown for a loop. And that’s where the tease comes to an end. Check out the first few pages below!
You can read the rest of the story for yourself in just a few days, so be sure to pre-order your copy when you get a chance!
Spider-Man is available now for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro.