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New Switch 2 Update Out Now, Doesn't Do Much
The latest Nintendo Switch 2 firmware update has arrived, but do not expect much in the way of significant changes. Version 20.5.0 launched on September 29 and is focused on stability.
The one-line patch notes state: "General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience."
Social media user OatmealDome, who is known to pore over the files and discover additional details not mentioned in the patch notes, said there is "no info" on what might be hidden in this new update, if anything. However, OatmealDome said the patch "might have some backwards compatibility fixes."
Continue Reading at GameSpotSuper Mario Galaxy And Galaxy 2 Are Still Peak 3D Platforming
The Super Mario Galaxy games are widely considered to be among the crown jewels of 3D Mario platforming. Fans may differ on which Galaxy game is better or if Odyssey is the new apex of the form, but the fact that they're even in the conversation makes them some of the best Nintendo games of the last two decades. That makes it all the more strange that it has consistently been so difficult to play them. You could play on Wii or Wii U, but otherwise the only way to play Galaxy on modern hardware was with the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, a bizarrely time-limited collection that was still missing Galaxy 2. So the remastered Galaxy and Galaxy 2 on Switch and Switch 2 is a treat simply for making these great games available and easy to access--but a handful of improvements make them better than ever.
If you already own the All-Stars release, the remastered version of Galaxy is largely the same, but the new remaster-package version does look noticeably better. It's sharper and the UI elements have been moved ever-so-slightly toward the edges to give you more screen real estate. A new Assist Mode makes the game a bit easier, with more generous lives and the ability to bounce back onto terra firma if you fall off an edge--which is not uncommon in the Galaxy games, since they're centered around small planetoids. Menus have also mostly been revised to allow button-based selection, so you don't need to point the cursor at the screen to proceed to a stage or respond to a dialogue prompt.
Super Mario GalaxyThe cursor functionality is still present, however, for picking up star bits, the little confection-colored pieces that pop up in Galaxy games and largely substitute for coins, which are made more rare than usual. You'll still need to wave the cursor over the screen to grab star bits, or have a second player do it for you, and that element of the Galaxy games has maybe aged the most poorly. I wished there were some way to turn on auto-gathering, maybe at a trade-off of not accurately collecting 100% of the ones that appear, just so I wouldn't have to mess with the cursor at all.
Continue Reading at GameSpotHow To Watch Call Of Duty: Next Today And Get A Free Beta Code, Plus What To Expect
Call of Duty: Next, Activision's annual Call of Duty reveal event, is coming today, September 30, promising news and updates on Black Ops 7's multiplayer, Zombies, and campaign. We're also expecting updates on what's next for the battle royale game Call of Duty: Warzone.
It's a major event for one of the biggest FPS franchises out there, and it'll be streamed live for everyone to watch. Tuning in has a special bonus this year, as Activision is giving out Black Ops 7 early-access beta codes to people who watch for a set period of time.
Below is a rundown of everything we know so far about Call of Duty: Next and how to watch.
Continue Reading at GameSpotNews On Halo's Future Is Coming Very Soon
Microsoft is gearing up to make some kind of Halo announcement. The developer, Halo Studios, has reaffirmed plans first announced in June to reveal "what we've been working on" during the upcoming Halo World Championships event this October.
In a new blog post, Halo Studios said the team will appear on the main state to "talk about it." There will also be a "deep dive" panel lined up that Halo Studios says "you won't want to miss."
These events both take place on Friday, October 24. That's all Microsoft had to say--the company did not even specify if it plans to talk about new games or if the announcement could be something else.
Continue Reading at GameSpotJudas Is Ken Levine's "Biggest Radical Departure" Since BioShock, He Says
Nearly three years ago, Ken Levine shared the first look at Judas, his long-awaited follow-up to BioShock Infinite. Players have noticed some obvious visual similarities between Judas and the BioShock games, but according to Levine, it represents "the biggest radical departure" for him since the original BioShock.
"There are parts of Judas that are more similar to BioShock, and there are parts of Judas that are really really radically different," explained Levine during an appearance on MrMattyPlays' YouTube show. "I'm sure people notice there's a gun in one hand [and] powers [in] the other hand. We have an additional hacking thing which we haven't shown off that much. But the way the game works, the way the game is populated, and the way you choose between these relationships is something we've never ever done before. The way the world is decorated, the way encounters come in, the way you choose paths in the game, those are all so radically different. ... This is probably the biggest radical departure we've made since I did BioShock."
Judas is the name of the game's main character, who finds herself trapped on a generational spaceship called the Mayflower. The Mayflower is carrying the last survivors of humanity, and their fate may be tied to three powerful individuals on the ship and Judas' decisions to befriend or alienate them.
Continue Reading at GameSpot