Modojo Rewind: Cardboard Has Never Been So Exciting
This edition of the Modojo Rewind reaffirms Nintendo's dominant hold on the portable gaming scene.
Guys, we almost did it — we almost had a week where Nintendo was able to *completely* dominate Modojo @ Shacknews headlines. It's not surprising, really; with the sad, ever-growing decline of the PlayStation Vita, Nintendo essentially has a monopoly on portable gamers' time and money. That's totally fine from where we're sitting, because the 3DS and the Switch continue to see some of the better game releases of the past few months. Still, we owe it to ourselves and the dedicated mobile and portable gaming realm to seek out more than just what Nintendo has on offer.
This week we take a look at Big N's latest scheme to fill up our game rooms with a variety of inexpensive and varied game accessories through the new Labo range of cardboard-based peripherals.To keep things on the level, we're also touching on the latest updates in Pokemon Go as well as fresh developments for some of the bigger names in mobile gaming.
Nintendo Labo - A New Way To Play
Ol' Nintendo likes to keep us on our toes, and the company did so this past week by alluding to a then-upcoming presentation where they'd reveal a new way for players to enjoy Nintendo games. There was all sorts of speculation, and none of it really came close to the truth — that Nintendo had been developing a number of cardboard cutout peripherals that players could use to do everything from play the piano to twist the throttle on a mock set of motorbike handlebars.
It's kind of cool, kind of weird, but still 100 percent Nintendo. After all, the company long ago filled players' rooms up with loads of plastic-based peripherals that were only good for one or two games, so why not print funky designs onto cheap-as-dirt cardboard to achieve the same effect?
It's not all cardboard remote-controlled trinkets, though. Nintendo has also put three new games into the Select library of 3DS titles, including Super Mario 3D Land, Ultimate NES Remix, and A Link Between Worlds, the title players suspected might get a Switch re-release. The Switch has also recently gained support for Sony's free-to-use PhyreEngine game engine, further narrowing the gap between mobile developers and Switch developers. We also took a fresh look at some of the best free 3D-printed Nintendo Switch accessories, little trinkets that can help boost the adaptability of an already immensely-flexible console.
Release Dates, Updates, and Hot Takes
We've gotten some news about game updates this week that should please fans of top-tier mobile titles: Warner Bros. Interactive Studios has put together a new update for Middle-earth: Shadow of War Mobile that adds new boss battles and an all-new four-player cooperative gameplay mode. Niantic has also been working on a new Pokemon Go update that should help players stay more organized and more connected. Beyond that, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has also recently gained a way for citizens to craft their own clothing.
Players have also gotten news on several imment and upcoming game releases: Strikers 1945 II, the classic-era vertical shooting title, is just about to land on the Nintendo Switch, and Korg is gearing up to release the Korg Gadget music composition software on the Switch, too. Tactical RPG series Mercenaries Saga is getting a three-pack collection for Nintendo's hybrid handheld, too, which is certainly nice. With all this intellectual property landing on the Switch, one would think just about everyone wants a piece — however, Netflix still seems uninterested in the Switch.
Lastly, entertainment juggernaut Disney has decided that it's time to approach the mobile gaming scene with proper respect, and the company has developed a new strategy that sees it partnering with four established mobile game development studios. We don't yet know which intellectual property will be worked on first, but we like to think the company will at least try to avoid some of its past mistakes.
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