@oh_bibi is proud to present… BEAST: Bio Exo Arena Suit Team!

Welcome to the show!
Play exclusively on @AppleArcade starting February 1!https://t.co/o1M8ee5fxt pic.twitter.com/Z75ECcgSvN

— BEAST: Bio Exo Arena Suit Team (@BeastOBB) January 4, 2024

While not really my favorite genre, I’ll give BEAST: Bio Exo Arena Suit Team a shot when it launches. I’m more interested in Words in Progress to see how another developer tries to do something interesting with word games. The puzzler includes asynchronous multiplayer, multiple language support, an endless mode, and more when it launches. Apple has also announced updates for Crayola Create and Play+ coming January 12th, Jetpack Joyride 2 getting the Hamster Ball Vehicle, and other content updates planned for Cut the Rope 3, Snake.io+, Puzzle & Dragons Story, Cityscapes: Sim Builder, stitch., WHAT THE CAR?, Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go, and more coming.

You can sign up here for Beast Bio Exo Arena Suit Team and here for Words in Progress to be notified of when they are available to download or to have them downloaded when available depending on your setting. I hope we see more games added each month because this seems a bit less than expected. What do you think of today’s releases and the February 2024 announcement?

I’ll update this with our new forum threads when they go up.

The song is so good, it got me to re-download Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition on PS5 for a replay, and also the base game on Steam Deck to play on the go once again. Since you’re here, you may as well also listen to Bury the Light from Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition below:

Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat releases on January 10th, 2024 for iOS and Android. If you’d like to play it with a controller, watch the Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat video showcasing controller support here. You can pre-register for Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat on the official website here and pre-order it on the App Store for iOS here. Pre-registering will get you different rewards like gems, red orbs, potions, and more as detailed on the official website. Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat’s App Store page has a list of some of the different in app purchases like seasonal cards, gift packs, and different sets of devil gems included in the game. What do you think of today’s Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat theme song and are you motivated?

The App Store Great for the month (seemingly) is Blackjack by MobilityWare+ that arrives with no in app purchases or additional purchases required. This means unlimited play with free chips, new travel tables, and more. You can download it here on Apple Arcade. Alongside the new games, Red Games Co’s Crayola and Solitaire Stories have been updated. The former has you ringing in the new year with the Winter Rainbow Rush, Crayola Creativity Week, and the Year of the Dragon celebrations. Solitaire Stories promises a new year of Solitaire with new stories, skills, and more. This includes the new Grown Ups story, Aurora Borealis event, Kitties and Caviar event, and Vault Events feature. With the updates and new releases done, check out our forum threads for Cornsweeper here, Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom here, and Blackjack by MobilityWare+ here. For all Apple Arcade things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of the games and updates in 2023?

Wyrmspan is currently set to launch later this month on Stonemeier Games’ website. A digital release has not been announced, but I hope Monster Couch works on one in the near future and brings it to iOS as well. This isn’t compatible with Wingspan, and is a standalone game with unique elements. If you’ve not played Wingspan yet, read my review of the iOS release of Wingspan here. Check it out on Google Play for Android here and on the App Store for iOS here. Head over to our forum thread for the game here. Check out the official website for the game here. What do you think of Wyrmspan so far and will you be getting the physical game?

So far, the recent updates have been good, but I’m still not sold on Hunt-a-thons. They need to balance them for solo play for those living in parts of the world without many Monster Hunter Now players. If you are planning to start playing the game, I put together some (newly updated) tips and tricks for the game, details on the weapons, special skills, the current monsters list, my wishlist for future update monsters, and more. You can grab Monster Hunter Now on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The in app purchases include different sets of gems and upgrades. Check out the official website here. What do you think of Monster Hunter Now if you’ve been playing it and did you try a Hunt-a-thon yet?

The best upcoming Nintendo Switch games for 2024

SaGa Emerald Beyond

Why is SaGa in this list as well? I mean if you’ve read TouchArcade for a while now, you know we love SaGa, and will be making sure more folks try the series. After adoring SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions, we all want to play SaGa Emerald Beyond, and I likely will get it on Switch as well since it has a physical release there. I can’t wait to see what the developers have in store for us when SaGa Emerald Beyond launches on consoles, PC, and mobile in a few months.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Daybreak

While I’m not sure the Switch version of The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Daybreak will be the one I play to 100% completion, I will be playing it on Switch because I’ve played every Trails game on Switch. Trails into Daybreak is shaping up to be the best modern entry point into Falcom’s amazing series, and I’ve heard the soundtrack far too many times already. I hope NIS America announces a release date soon for Trails into Daybreak on Switch, PS5, PS4, and PC.

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II

Experience Inc are masters of dungeon crawlers, but also fantastic at horror adventure games. Death Mark and NG were superb, and I have high hopes of Death Mark II from the Spirit Hunter series. The aesthetic has always been strong, and after two games, I have no doubt in Experience Inc. and Aksys Games delivering a brilliant suspense horror experience here.

Penny’s Big Breakaway

I rarely enjoy 3D platformers. Most of them just bore me, and I’ve not really gone back to replay any outside of Super Mario Odyssey. Evening Star (Sonic Mania) are releasing Penny’s Big Breakaway in 2024, and the upcoming 3D platformer is the first in the genre since Mario Odyssey that has me interested with its gorgeous aesthetic and awesome gameplay based on everything shown so far.

Another Code: Recollection

I love when Nintendo gives some of its smaller and older franchises a shot in the spotlight on Switch like we saw with Famicom Detective Club. While Another Code: Recollection has a demo on Switch, I’m looking forward to playing the full adventure game package in January when it releases bringing the DS and Wii game to Switch with redone visuals and more.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a game I’ve been told to play about a thousand times at least, and I’ve resisted in the hopes of a port or remake. We are finally getting one on Switch, and I’m excited to see what my friends say “feels made literally for me". I hope it ends up delivering and that Nintendo gives it the polish it seemingly deserves.

Unicorn Overlord

Vanillaware and Atlus are releasing a game I didn’t know existed until recently with Unicorn Overlord. The tactical RPG exploration game looks like another win for the developer, and after adoring 13 Sentinels, GrimGrimoire, Dragon’s Crown, and more from them, I’m excited to play this when it launches in a few months. I also enjoy playing Vanillaware games on a portable, and the Switch is the only portable version for this game.

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island

The combination of my love for Shiren 5 and Shaun’s preview of Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island has me hyped to play this when it launches in February in the West for Nintendo Switch. This has the potential to be one of the system’s best exclusives of the year.

Gunvolt Records Cychronicle

Inti Creates’ Gunvolt series has always been worth playing through its games and most of its spin-offs, but the music is always excellent. I didn’t think they’d do it, but we are now getting a Gunvolt rhythm game with Gunvolt Records Cychronicle, and I will be there no matter what to play it on Switch. I’m just a bit concerned about how the music packs and DLC will be handled.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake

I love Koei Tecmo’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms games so much that I bought the untranslated ones on Steam to try and play on Steam Deck. Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV with its expansion pack was awesome, and I never played Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 which many consider the best. I hope this remake delivers and is a good port on Switch when it launches later in 2024.

With my list done, I’m curious what you’re looking forward to playing on Switch in 2024. There are a few games I will be checking out, but I’ve not looked into them much like Princess Peach: Showtime!, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and more. 2024 is shaping up to be a great year with how many releases we are getting in the first half, but I’m curious about Nintendo’s remaining slate. If you think I missed something notable, let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

The best upcoming PC games we want to play on Steam Deck in 2024

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is my most anticipated game of 2024 by far, and I can’t wait to see how RGG Studio managed to improve upon the base laid by Yakuza: Like a Dragon. I already sampled Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on Steam Deck and PS5 through the free demo, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes in the full RPG when it launches at the end of January on Steam and all consoles.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

I actually wasn’t sure if I should include Dragon’s Dogma 2 on this list because I’m not sure how it will run on Steam Deck. It looks really demanding, but that hasn’t stopped me from trying anything on Deck. I loved Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen on every platform, and hope Dragon’s Dogma 2 not only delivers, but also includes a version of “Into Free" playing somewhere. I believe in Itsuno and Capcom.

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition

Guerrilla’s Horizon Forbidden West was a technical showcase for the PS5 despite being a cross generation release, and I’m very curious to see how the base game and the awesome Burning Shores expansion end up looking and running on Steam Deck. Horizon Zero Dawn was a bit rough on PC until a few patches, but I hope Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition delivers from the start.

Persona 3 Reload

Persona 3 Reload is already Steam Deck Verified as of a few months ago, which I found quite surprising. I haven’t really seen many games get Verified months prior to launch, but here we are. This is a full remake of the original Persona 3, that has seen different ports and re-releases already through Persona 3 FES and Persona 3 Portable that was ported to current consoles and PC last year. Persona 3 Reload on Steam Deck will also be the only portable version of the game, and I can’t wait to experience the original Persona 3 story in an all new remake when it releases next month.

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes

I actually delayed writing a new feature on the best fighting games to play on Steam Deck so that I could try out UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes when it launches on Steam and consoles. I loved UNICLR and played it on everything. I hope UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes delivers another fantastic fighter from French Bread and Arc System Works when it launches in a few weeks. The team is yet to let me down, and every new bit of info the official account posts on Twitter has me more excited for the fighter.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak

This inclusion is kind of cheating because I’ve already played 18 hours of The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak in Japanese (don’t ask) through NIS America and PH3’s superb PC version. I’ll be replaying it and starting from scratch once the English localization is added, but The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is one game I’m super hyped for on all platforms in 2024. It will be the new modern entry point into this amazing series, and I’m going to go back and listen to the music right now.

Earth Defense Force 6

I can’t believe D3 Publisher keeps delaying English releases of its awesome Earth Defense Force series, but I’m glad we are finally getting Earth Defense Force 6 in the West on PS5 and Steam this year. I’ve enjoyed dipping into past games for mindless fun with friends and going through the campaign as Wing Diver when possible. I played all prior localized games, but I keep hearing how Earth Defense Force 6 is the best in the series. Hopefully it ends up being my obsession for a month when it releases.

Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16 is planned to launch on PC, but there isn’t really a release window. I adored it on PS5, and put in too much time soaking in the world and replaying specific parts of the game. I assume the PC version of Final Fantasy 16 will arrive with all DLC included, but I don’t know if it will be on Steam or Epic or what at this point. I just know I want to play Final Fantasy 16 again, but will not be doing a third playthrough until it comes to Steam. Hopefully it runs well on Steam Deck as well given that the PS5 version still has some issues.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Despite some rocky development, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is finally here, and it looks like a lovely blend of what I like about Granblue and Monster Hunter. I hope the co-op works well, and it looks like a game laser focused on my tastes right now. It is going to be interesting to see how it runs on Steam Deck as well, but given it is releasing on PS4, I’m not too worried.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is a boomer shooter from KillPixel, 3D Realms, and Fulqrum Publishing that I’ve enjoyed in Steam Early Access so far. It hits 1.0 in February, and I can’t wait to play the full game. This will likely be in my next boomer shooter article as well. If you own a few other games in the genre on Steam, you can grab the WRATH Aeon of Ruin + Ion Fury + GRAVEN Complete Your Set bundle at a discount, or just grab the bundle to get three games worth playing.

I didn’t include Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy here because I’ve already been playing it on Steam Deck, and I wrote about it a bit already here. I hope the games featured here do end up releasing in 2024 in the West and that they run well on Steam Deck. I’ve already played some through early access or Japanese releases, but will still be playing them all when they release in 2024. As the Steam Deck gets into its third year, I hope Valve keeps improving it through software updates. Things will likely get even better, and I’m curious what you are looking forward to playing on Steam Deck this year?

The best upcoming mobile games we want to play on iOS in 2024

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

This was set to release by the end of 2023, but was sadly delayed. Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding is a unique and incredible experience with its atmosphere, addictive gameplay loop, superb music, and stunning visuals. I can’t wait to see how it looks and runs on iPhone 15 Pro when it launches in early 2024, and hopefully I get to play it using the new Backbone controller.

Katana Zero

Katana Zero arrives soon via Netflix Games, and it will bring the stylish action platformer with excellent music and gameplay to mobile for the first time. I’ve played this multiple times, and will be replaying it on iOS to see how it feels with touch controls. It is a game I see myself coming back to for years, and I hope we get a release date for the game and DLC soon.

SaGa Emerald Beyond

I’m trying to avoid reading too much about SaGa Emerald Beyond, because I want to be surprised when I finally play it. I can’t believe we are getting a new mainline SaGa game this year, and one that ships on just about every console, PC, and mobile platform together. Hopefully it manages to reach the highs or surpass SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions which remains one of the most unique and interesting RPGs in years.

Art of Rally

Art of Rally was also set for 2023, but was pushed to early in January. It is an elegant, relaxing, and stylish racing game that is getting a mobile release through Noodlecake Games with the DLC included. This one potentially could be one of the best looking racing games on the platform, and I will be playing it as soon as possible.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Assassin’s Creed Mirage was announced for iPhone 15 Pro alongside Death Stranding and the Resident Evil games. After Ubisoft released super long RPGs, the team went back to the basics for Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and it is a great take on the classic Assassin’s Creed formula by all accounts. I’m mostly curious about this one to see how Ubisoft’s engine scales on iPhone 15 Pro. Hopefully we get a release date soon and Ubisoft considers bringing Immortals Fenyx Rising to iOS as well.

Warframe

Digital Extreme’s Warframe keeps getting better with each update, and 2023 saw it finally get cross platform saves and more. This year, Warframe hits iOS, and I’m excited to play it with my progress carrying over, and also potentially having the best portable version to complement playing it on PS5 and Xbox Series X. Hopefully this ends up getting a good port.

Devil May Cry Peak of Combat

While I’m not sure how much I’ll play it, I’m curious to see how Devil May Cry Peak of Combat translates Devil May Cry’s stylish combat to a touchscreen, and also how it manages to bring over the characters I love from the series to a new game. I didn’t bother playing the betas so the final release in a few weeks will be the first time I play Devil May Cry Peak of Combat.

Hades

Supergiant Games’ amazing Hades comes to iOS through Netflix Games in 2024, and I’m excited to play it for dozens of hours once again. I already did almost everything the game has to offer on Switch and Steam Deck, and have been replaying it on PS5 and Xbox since those versions were released. Hades might be one of Netflix’s best additions if it is a good port.

Zenless Zone Zero

HoYoverse’s action RPG Zenless Zone Zero has been fun to play through its recent beta, but I’m looking forward to its full release so I can properly get into it on console and mobile together. I’m not sure how I’ll manage playing it, Honkai Star Rail, and Genshin together, but Zenless Zone Zero has a lot of potential. In a lot of ways Zenless Zone Zero reminds me of Bandai Namco’s Scarlet Nexus which I loved, and I hope this one delivers.

Braid Anniversary Edition

Braid was one of the early indie game successes, and it is going to be interesting to revisit it through this enhanced version on mobile via Netflix Games. There have been many puzzle games I’ve ended up rating higher than Braid, but I’m curious to see how this feels after all these years, and to check out the new content.

Bonus

No Man’s Sky

Come on Sean. Please just release No Man’s Sky on iOS this year. I’ve been waiting patiently since the announcement back in 2022. No Man’s Sky hit macOS already, and I’m hoping it comes not only to iPad, but also to iPhones this year. A date hasn’t been announced yet, but I feel like we will see it at an Apple event in the future with it also coming to iPhone. Let’s see if I’m right about that.

I can’t wait to see what else we get on mobile in 2024 through standalone releases, iPhone 15 Pro series games, potentially more ports, Apple Arcade releases, Netflix Games, Crunchyroll Game Vault releases, and more. What are you looking forward to playing on mobile in 2024?

You can try Peglin on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. It is a paid game on Steam, but a free to start release on mobile with a one time full game unlock purchase. We featured it as our Game of the Week when it launched. Check it out on Steam here. Head over to our forum thread for more impressions and discussion around the iOS version. Red Nexus Games also announced its new game Fowl Damage which you can wishlist on Steam here. Have you played Peglin before on mobile or PC?

/／
重大発表
＼
お待たせしました！たくさんのご要望をいただいておりました、#スイカゲーム のスマホ版アプリ（iOS版）を公式にリリースしました

家の中でも外でも気軽にスイカゲームをお楽しみいただくことができます

ダウンロードはこちらhttps://t.co/1s1xs9pBWU pic.twitter.com/6niMlpWeIU

— 【公式】スイカゲーム (@SuikaGame_jp) January 1, 2024

If you’d like to play Suika Game on iOS right now on the Japanese App Store, buy it here for 240 Yen. In addition to no word on an international release, there is no mention of Android yet. Suika Game originally released in Japan on Switch back in December 2021, and it finally saw an international release a few months ago for $2.99. Suika Game was the most downloaded game on the Japanese eShop for 2023 as well. Check out the official Japanese website for Suika Game here. If we do get word on an international release or plans for one, I’ll make sure to cover the news as soon as possible. I hope the wait isn’t too long. Have you been playing it on Switch?

The best Steam Deck games of 2023

Octopath Traveler II

While I know some didn’t enjoy Octopath Traveler as much as I did, it has stuck with me ever since I beat it on Switch a few years ago. For Octopath Traveler II, I was all in, and bought it on PS5, Switch, and Steam. I ended up adoring it all the way, and it is best on Steam Deck. This is Square Enix’s best JRPG since the PS2 days, and it might be one of my all-time favorites with its superb gameplay, stunning visuals, brilliant soundtrack, and amazing characters.

Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush went from being a game shadow dropped by Tango Gameworks and Bethesda to one of the best action games of all-time in the span of a few hours when I just started playing it in January. It perfectly blends amazing visuals, superb music, excellent gameplay, and memorable characters together to be a game I keep going back to months later on Steam Deck and Xbox. This is Xbox’s best game alongside Pentiment for sure.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is my most-played game of 2023 across PS5, Xbox Series X, and Steam Deck. It is the complete package from Capcom with no compromises. I can’t recommend it enough with its superb online, amazing single player content, brilliant training modes, and beast mode baby. It is the best fighting game in years.

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society

NIS’ dungeon crawler Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk ended up being one of the best in the genre when it launched a few years ago, but the team exceeded it in spades with Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society. This one is special, and it overtook even Etrian Odyssey for me as the pinnacle of the genre with its story, twists, gameplay, and more.

LIVE A LIVE

Seriously? Am I really including a game from last year that only saw a port on PC and PS5 this year? Yes, LIVE A LIVE from Square Enix is one of the best games of the year, and it is at its best on Steam Deck delivering a handheld experience with no compromises. LIVE A LIVE is the second HD 2D game in this top 10 if you’ve been paying attention as well. LIVE A LIVE is a brilliant remake that brings a SFC classic to the West for the first time in the best possible way. This one has a demo so give it a shot. There’s nothing else like it. GO GO STEEL TITAN.

Dave the Diver

When I kept hearing about Dave the Diver, I thought it would be another one of those Steam games that people hype up for a month and then forget. I was wrong. Very wrong. Dave the Diver successfully blends a few interesting gameplay ideas and delivers a charming package with an addictive gameplay loop. I haven’t had time to play the DLC yet, but Dave the Diver is special, and a must play for every Steam Deck owner.

Lies of P

Lies of P is another game that I wrote off for being yet another soulslike. It turns out Lies of P is everything every other soulslike failed to do, but more. It is the closest any game has been to a FromSoftware level release, and it managed to do a bit more on its own with its superb music, polished gameplay, and amazing package on every platform. If you ever wanted more games like Dark Souls and Dark Souls III, Lies of P is absolutely worth your time.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

FromSoftware’s Armored Core VI is not only one of my favorite games from the developer already, but a damn fine action game with superb mech customization, great music, and a surprisingly good story. The boss fights are spectacular, and it is the rare FromSoftware game that actually has an amazing PC release that plays perfectly on Steam Deck both online and offline.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie

If you’re new to Falcom’s Trails series, do not get The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie. That might sound like a weird way to begin writing about one of the best games of 2023, but I don’t want you to make the mistake of starting here. If you’ve played prior games or even have played them all including this one, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is fantastic, and the PC version is the best port we’ve seen a JRPG get on the platform without a doubt. I adore this series and The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie with its stellar PC version earn a spot on this list.

Baldur’s Gate 3

I bet you were wondering where Baldur’s Gate 3 was weren’t you? I’ve been slowly playing through it with cross save on Steam Deck, macOS, and PS5 since those versions all released, and the game is spectacular. I think it needs a bit more polish in the later areas when it comes to optimization, but Baldur’s Gate 3 is a Larian masterpiece with its writing, characters, music, freedom, and more. I think I’m going to be playing it for a very long time.

Bonus

Diablo IV

I wasn’t sure if I’d be featuring Diablo IV in any end of year list after the first update hit for it, but the team has fixed all my issues with the game. With its Steam release and it being so good on Steam Deck, I think this is a fantastic action RPG with a great campaign, amazing music, and its superb atmosphere. I just wish it wasn’t an online-only game, and yes, I will not let that one go. That is why it isn’t in the top 10 and included as a bonus or as number 11 if you may. I can’t wait to see how much it evolves in 2024.

I know 2023 was a special year for game releases, and I hope you find something you like out of our picks for the best 10 Steam Deck games of the year. If you loved something I haven’t featured, let us know in the comments below so we can check it out. Thanks for reading!

The best iPhone game controller in 2023

Backbone One USB-C (2nd generation)

When Apple announced the iPhone 15 series had moved over to USB-C, Backbone was ready with updates for its existing USB-C controllers. The company even released a new generation version with a magnetic adapter to fit phones with specific cases and more. This is now the best iPhone 15 series controller, and it is available in the ABXY black or PlayStation Edition white variants with a new carrying case. If you have an iPhone 15 series device, this is the controller to get right now from the ones we’ve tried. Keep in mind the subscription locks certain features behind a paywall though. I’m looking forward to checking out the GameSir G8 in the future as well.

The best iPad game controller in 2023

DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller

This will vary by your own controller preference if you already play on consoles. I prefer the DualSense and the DualSense Edge over the Xbox Wireless controller, but Jared likes the latter more. You can’t go wrong with either option here, and if you are new to using any sort of console controller on iPad, I would recommend the Xbox Wireless Controller since most games show ABXY button prompts on iOS and Apple Arcade games. If you do have a PS5, I can’t recommend the DualSense Edge enough. I love everything about it, and it is worth the price. I don’t recommend getting it solely for iPad play though.

The best Nintendo Switch game controller in 2023 – Docked and Handheld

HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact – Handheld

The official Joy-Cons are uncomfortable for games like Splatoon 3 or Monster Hunter Rise, and pretty awful if you run into drifting issues like I have across five different Joy-Cons since 2017. I ditched using Joy-Cons for the Hori Split Pad Pro back in 2021. That was a bit bulky, and Hori released an amazing update with the Hori Split Pad Compact this year. It is an essential if you play anything that requires fast analog movement or a functional d-pad, and I’ve not looked back since. You do miss out on HD Rumble, NFC / amiibo, and gyro support though so keep that in mind. I love the turbo functionality for some arcade games, and the paddles for when playing Monster Hunter Rise. There are a few color options or designs available, with more releasing in a month. I got the White and Yellow variant, and want the Dragon Quest model if it ever comes back in stock.

8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller with Charging Dock – Docked

As for the best controller to use when your Switch is docked, having gone through multiple Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers including the limited edition ones like the Monster Hunter and Splatoon variants that also started drifting or failing on me, the best and most reliable controller I’ve used is the 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller with Charting Dock. You lose out on NFC / amiibo scanning, but it does have rumble which works well and full gyro support. This released last year, but it still is the best controller for Switch, and it has Hall Effect sticks so you don’t need to worry about drifting.

The best Steam Deck game controller in 2023

Razer Kitsune

Yes, this one is kind of cheating because the Razer Kitsune isn’t a traditional controller, but an arcade controller. The Steam Deck doesn’t actually need an external traditional controller since the system itself is very comfortable, and it offers paddles and more. Instead, I’ve chosen an arcade controller that I’ve been using for fighting games, rhythm games, and arcade games. You can read my review of the Kitsune here.

Bonus: 8BitDo NeoGeo Wireless Controller

As the runner-up, I’ve chosen 8BitDo’s NeoGeo Wireless Controller which I’ve been using to play SNK’s older ports and some other classics on the Steam Deck. The click-style joystick is super satisfying to use, and the controller feels excellent for its price. You can use it as a general controller, but I recommend grabbing it if you play Garou, KOF, Metal Slug, and the like on Steam Deck.

There you have it. I hope you end up finding something useful from the controllers featured here. If you ended up liking a specific controller a lot this year, please let me know in the comments. I’m looking forward to seeing what hardware manufacturers end up doing in 2024 across all platforms with potentially getting a new Razer iPhone controller, more Switch third party controllers to replace the mediocre Pro Controller reliability, and more arcade controllers for Steam Deck. Thanks for reading.

The best hidden gems on Nintendo Switch in 2023 – essential Switch games you might have missed

Meg’s Monster

Meg’s Monster is a fantastic narrative experience that I still think about today after playing it on Switch and Steam Deck. It is one of those games that delivers competent RPG gameplay, but that isn’t the draw of the experience. You’re playing this for the story, characters, presentation, and more. Just don’t let the little girl cry because the whole world will die.

Ib

Ib is equal parts unsettling, creepy, and incredible. The music, art, and narrative carry this experience, and it remains an essential for every horror adventure fan on Nintendo Switch. I know it hit PC before, but I adored playing Ib on Switch this year. The less you know about it, the better. Just take a journey into the museum and enjoy the art.

Astlibra Revision

Having already seen the genius of Astlibra Revision on Steam, I loved revisiting it on Switch recently through its amazing release. This really is an outstanding game through its long runtime that never lets go. If you like action-RPGs, this one is worth your time and money. I don’t think we will see anything that comes close to how crazy Astlibra gets in every aspect for a long time.

Jack Jeanne

Jack Jeanne is easily the best otome game you can play right now, if you’re ok with rhythm gameplay. I love rhythm games and good quality otome games, so Jack Jeanne feels tailor made for me. If you enjoy rhythm games but haven’t been able to get into the otome sub genre yet, this is for you. It might be one of Aksys Games’ best releases in a while, and I hope we see more like this.

This Way Madness Lies

If you enjoy magical girls, JRPGs, and Shakespeare and want a game that doesn’t waste your time, This Way Madness Lies is an easy recommendation on Switch. Its low asking price definitely helps, and I think it does a few things better than Cosmic Star Heroine from Zeboyd Games, though that remains my favorite release from the developer.

Saltsea Chronicles

Saltsea Chronicles surprised me constantly through its gorgeous visuals, excellent Switch port, and narrative. It is a game I see myself returning to often, and I hope it gets a physical release in the future. I liked Mutazione quite a bit from developer Die Gute Fabrik, but Saltsea Chronicles is just superb in every way.

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is the perfect game to unwind with this season thanks to its amazing writing, charm, and great soundtrack. It isn’t too long, but is absolutely worth the asking price on Switch for the memorable experience it will give you. This might not be for everyone, but I’m glad the set of games arrived on consoles with such a fantastic release.

The Case of the Golden Idol

The Case of the Golden Idol is an incredible experience that not only respects the player’s intelligence, but also one of the most rewarding games you will play. Combined with The Spider of Lanka DLC, The Case of the Golden Idol is absolutely essential, and it is a joy to play on Switch with touch controls.

Silent Hope

In a lot of ways, Silent Hope feels like a long-lost 3DS game resurrected for modern platforms with its aesthetic, music, charm, and core gameplay loop that come together perfectly. It isn’t going to be for everyone, but I’d recommend trying out the demo if you are remotely interested. I like having this installed on my Switch to just play as a break from other games.

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails

Despite its age, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails on Switch is a fantastic action RPG that is a reminder of Falcom’s earlier games. There’s a lot to say about where it fits in the Trails series, but I recommend just playing it if you enjoy action RPGs with great music. Falcom fans should definitely not miss this one.

So those are our picks for the best hidden games for the Nintendo Switch in 2023, but how about yours? Do you have a game you want us to play that we missed out on covering? Please comment below so we can all get in on that. Hopefully this list helped you find something you end up liking. Thanks for reading!

The best Steam Deck games of 2023 across different genres and categories

Best action game on Steam Deck in 2023

Hi-Fi Rush

Runner-Up: Armored Core VI

Hi-Fi Rush is a superlative blend of rhythm and action games with its brilliant aesthetic, excellent use of licensed and original music, and lovely characters like Korsica and more. I’ve played this too many times already, and it shines on Steam Deck. This one was close, but Armored Core VI just missed out on being the winner here. I adore both these games though.

Best action-adventure game on Steam Deck in 2023

Like a Dragon Gaiden

Runner-Up: Resident Evil 4 Remake

Despite being a budget-priced release bridging the gap between a few games in the series, Like a Dragon Gaiden is a brilliant experience for fans of Kazuma Kiryu, and it also shines with its plethora of side activities. Just like the category above, I wasn’t sure which would be the winner, but Like a Dragon Gaiden edges it out just by a hair. Resident Evil 4 Remake is Capcom’s best remake yet, and the best version of Resident Evil 4 by far.

Best adventure game on Steam Deck in 2023

A Space for the Unbound

Runner-Up: Coffee Talk 2

I ended up liking A Space for the Unbound, and its storytelling quite a bit when I played it on Switch and Steam Deck. While a few of the gameplay portions in the middle dragged a bit too much, A Space for the Unbound is one of the best narrative driven indie games I’ve played. Despite not having been to Indonesia which inspires the setting, the storytelling, characters, and atmosphere all felt perfect. Coffee Talk 2 also delivered a fantastic narrative, but I feel like it didn’t do enough to feel new compared to A Space for the Unbound.

Best puzzle game on Steam Deck in 2023

The Talos Principle 2

Runner-Up: Cocoon

The Talos Principle 2 and Cocoon are both superb puzzle games, but the former just edged a victory for managing to surpass its predecessor in every way while costing less. I still feel like there’s a catch, but The Talos Principle 2 is just that damn good, and it will be a puzzle game people talk about for years to come. Cocoon nailed its concepts and is a strong contender for the best of the best, but I ended up liking Talos more.

Best action RPG on Steam Deck in 2023

Fate/Samurai Remnant

Runner-Up: Remnant II

I promise I didn’t include both of these here just because of the names. Fate/Samurai Remnant not only is the best game based on Fate, but it is one of Omega Force’s best action RPGs yet. Even if you’re new to Fate, this one is worth grabbing, and it was a joy to play it on Steam Deck, the best portable version. I loved Remnant II, but it falls short a bit on Steam Deck and even on consoles. It is a bit too demanding on all formats. Barring that, I loved my time with it, and can’t wait to try the DLC when I’m able to.

Best DRPG on Steam Deck in 2023

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society

Runner-Up: Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection

Some might think it is blasphemy to give the award to anything but Etrian Odyssey, but here we are. I’m sure I’ve played and own more versions of Etrian Odyssey than most people, but Labyrinth of Galleria was just too good on all fronts. If this was a new Etrian Odyssey release, things might have been harder, but for now, I recommend grabbing both, but definitely prioritizing Labyrinth of Galleria if you want a quality dungeon crawler.

Best CRPG on Steam Deck in 2023

Baldur’s Gate 3

Runner-Up: Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader

Baldur’s Gate 3 was obviously going to win here, but I feel like this category was a bit unfair to Rogue Trader. I love Owlcat’s games, but Rogue Trader just isn’t as polished as Baldur’s Gate 3 right now. I find Baldur’s Gate 3 more approachable as well. The bottom line is both of these are fantastic CRPGs barring a few issues, but Baldur’s Gate 3 just feels like a once in a generation experience right now. I hope Rogue Trader can improve a bit more, and I’ll go into detail about why it is worth your time in the near future in my review.

Best JRPG on Steam Deck in 2023

Octopath Traveler II

Runner-Up: The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie

Both of these games are essentials for JRPG fans, but Octopath Traveler II edges out the victory for improving on its predecessor in every way while being Square Enix’s best JRPG since the PS2 era. Trails into Reverie is the same tier for Trails fans, but not as much for newcomers. Trails into Reverie does shine with its superb PC conversion that makes it the best platform to play the game on.

Best SRPG on Steam Deck in 2023

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless

Runner-Up: Persona 5 Tactica

Disgaea 7 took the base laid by Disgaea 6 and finally delivered a game worthy of the Disgaea franchise. It is over the top, insane, and addictive. Persona 5 Tactica feels like a long lost 3DS game rebuilt for modern platforms, and a fantastic first SRPG Persona game.

Best strategy game on Steam Deck in 2023

Age of Wonders 4

Runner-Up: Railgrade

I didn’t play Railgrade when it was on Epic, but got around to it on Steam Deck after it got Steam Deck Verified and the wait was worth it. I love train games and Railgrade is superb. Age of Wonders 4 from Triumph and Paradox wins by just a margin thanks to its more polished gameplay. I know both aren’t exactly comparable, but Age of Wonders 4 even without its DLC made a strong showing this year.

Best simulation game on Steam Deck in 2023

Dave the Diver

Runner-Up: Luck be a Landlord

Dave the Diver is a dangerous game that I almost deleted because I kept playing it on Switch and Steam Deck. I ended up adoring it, the restaurant management, diving, and the hilarious cut-scenes. Luck be a Landlord is an addictive slot machine simulator that is worth playing despite that description. Dave the Diver is best on Steam Deck, and while Luck be a Landlord plays well there, I would grab it on mobile if you have the option.

Best farming game on Steam Deck in 2023

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life

Runner-Up: Fae Farm

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a remake of the original game for all modern platforms including Steam Deck. I don’t know why Valve has marked it as unsupported because it ran fine for me whenever I played it. Fae Farm feels like a lovely game inspired by Story of Seasons with its own charm. A Wonderful Life may not have all the features, but it is a more polished and charming experience. Fae Farm with all DLC will likely be close, but right now it is a bit short of Story of Seasons.

Best cross genre game on Steam Deck in 2023

Mosa Lina

Runner-Up:Affogato

Another category where I kept flip flopping on which to have as runner-up. I finally decided on Mosa Lina (puzzles, platforming, adventures, and more) for doing more with its genre blending, and delivering an unforgettable experience. I’m glad someone I follow posted about this because it is worth going into blind and is super worth its low asking price. Affogato similarly blends genres I love like JRPGs, barista simulation, and more together to be one of the better indies of 2023.

Best racing game on Steam Deck in 2023

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged

Runner-Up: Disney Speedstorm

Hot Wheels Unleashed was a lot of fun, and I didn’t think we’d get a sequel this soon. If you played the original a lot, this might not hit as hard, but I’ve enjoyed it quite a bit. Disney Speedstorm from Gameloft might be one of the better kart racers with a combat focus. While it isn’t as nice as Dreamlight Valley, Gameloft did a good job here. While we don’t usually do “most disappointing" awards for any category, nothing in gaming has disappointed me more in 2023 than Forza Motorsport.

Best sports game on Steam Deck in 2023

Subpar Pool

Runner-Up: AEW Fight Forever

Blending pool and golf together ended up working out really well in Subpar Pool. While I played it most on iPhone and iPad, Subpar Pool on Steam is worth playing for those who don’t want to play on mobile, and it plays great on Steam Deck. AEW Fight Forever feels like a long lost wrestling game from many years ago resurrected for modern platforms and I mean that in the best possible way.

Best digital board game on Steam Deck in 2023

Wingspan: Oceania Expansion

Runner-Up: NA

Wingspan’s Oceania Expansion finally hit the digital version from Monster Couch, and I love it. I’ve slowly been playing it and seeing how the game balance has been changed, but I think this is an essential expansion to an already amazing adaptation. I still need to write my full review, but have loved the Oceania Expansion additions and changes on iOS and Steam Deck so far.

Best deckbuilder game on Steam Deck in 2023

Phantom Rose 2 Sapphire

Runner-Up: Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap finally got a proper interface for PC and Steam Deck this year after feeling like it was just a mobile game being played before. It is our runner-up while Phantom Rose 2 Sapphire, a surprise for me, is the winner. I didn’t even know about this series until I got sent a code for this release, and I love the aesthetic and gameplay. This is definitely worth trying if you’re looking for something new in the genre, and it even had a huge update release recently.

Best horror game on Steam Deck in 2023

Paranormasight

Runner-Up: Little Goody Two Shoes

Both the winner and runner-up in this category are from Square Enix. Paranormasight is one of the publisher’s most interesting and unique releases in years in its narrative, while Little Goody Two Shoes is a fantastic indie horror adventure game that I adored playing. Both of these are on multiple platforms as well so grab them anywhere, but please play them.

Best Vampire Survivors-like on Steam Deck in 2023

Halls of Torment

Runner-Up: Death Must Die

Vampire Survivors continues to improve and bring in more quality content while being in my daily rotation, but the many games that have been released following it are now getting better as well. Halls of Torment is like Vampire Survivors meets Diablo, and it plays brilliantly on Steam Deck. Death Must Die, our runner-up, is in early access right now, and it is already shaping up to be a special hack and slash roguelite that brings in elements from Hades as well.

Best party game on Steam Deck in 2023

KarmaZoo

Runner-Up: Party Animals

KarmaZoo from Devolver is a hilarious co-op platformer where you can solve puzzles, play as dozens of unique characters, and more as you try and help others. It is our winner for the best party game to play on Steam Deck in 2023. Party Animals is a flawed but hilarious game to play with friends that is held back by some awful maps and control issues. It is still worth checking out, but likely will be better in a few updates.

Best citybuilder game on Steam Deck in 2023

Against the Storm

Runner-Up: Terra Nil

I discovered Against the Storm when I saw a lot of people on my Steam friends list buying it. I had no idea it existed, but it exploded in popularity when it launched on Steam a few weeks ago. I didn’t buy it then because it didn’t play well on Steam Deck, but a recent update added controller support and saw it getting Steam Deck Verified. I’ve been addicted to the dark fantasy citybuilder since then. Our runner-up is Terra Nil, a reverse citybuilder meets puzzle game about transforming a barren world into a gorgeous living and breathing ecosystem.

Best fighting game on Steam Deck in 2023

Street Fighter 6

Runner-Up: Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

Street Fighter 6 is Capcom’s best fighting game since Third Strike, and one of the best overall packages we’ve ever seen in the genre with its robust singleplayer modes, flawless online, and gorgeous aesthetic. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising fixes every issue the original game had, and it is only our runner-up and not winner by a hair at this point. Both of these are stupidly good fighters, but Street Fighter 6 is our winner.

Best metroidvania game on Steam Deck in 2023

TEVI

Runner-Up: YOHANE THE PARHELION -BLAZE in the DEEPBLUE-

TEVI from the Rabi Ribi developer is just too good in its current state. Just like Rabi Ribi, the developer went above and beyond with this release to deliver one of the best metroidvanias in many years. Inti Creates YOHANE THE PARHELION -BLAZE in the DEEPBLUE- is our runner-up because while it is very well-made, it lacks the oomph I need from Inti Creates releases. It might hit the same highs after an update or two.

Best platformer game on Steam Deck in 2023

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Runner-Up: Sonic Origins Plus and Superstars

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is stylish, fun to play, and perfect on Steam Deck. Team Reptile delivered a superb and polished experience from start to finish with brilliant music here. Get it. Our runner-up is a combination of Sonic Origins Plus and Sonic Superstars. The former because it was actually fixed this year in a free update, and the latter because a new 2D Sonic is excellent, but it has a few annoying issues holding it back. I’m confident in Superstars improving with updates if it gets the support Sonic Frontiers got.

Best visual novel on Steam Deck in 2023

Slay the Princess

Runner-Up: Videoverse

My favorite visual novels of 2023 are Slay the Princess and Anonymous;Code. The latter doesn’t work properly on Steam Deck despite what Valve says unless you do this. The former is a game you should go into with as little prior knowledge as possible. Just know that the hype is worth it and I won’t say more. Slay the princess. The runner-up is Videoverse, a game that will hit hard for a few folks but not others. The ones that do resonate with it, like myself, will think about it for a long time. This one is essential if you grew up with the early days of the internet.

Best multiplayer game on Steam Deck in 2023

Exoprimal

Runner-Up: Lords of the Fallen

Exoprimal has a lot of potential, but Capcom hasn’t managed fixing the opening hours of the experience or adding cross platform parties. Barring those two, I love the time I put into it with friends and randoms on Steam Deck and PS5 where I’ve made the most progress through the game’s story and other modes. Lords of the Fallen needs a bit more work in its optimization, but the multiplayer has been a joy on Steam Deck. Grab it if you want a new big budget soulslike.

Best former EGS exclusive on Steam Deck in 2023

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Runner-Up: Darkest Dungeon 2

This is one of the more fun categories here. But this is my feature and I’m a do things my way (or the highway). Speaking of my way, Stranger of Paradise hit Steam this year following its launch on consoles and Epic Games Store last year. It is a fantastic blend of Final Fantasy and Team Ninja action game goodness with a lot of heart. Darkest Dungeon 2 almost missed this list, but the recent update with full Steam Deck support made it well worth recommending.

Best console port on Steam Deck in 2023

Dragon Quest Treasures

Runner-Up: We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie

Dragon Quest Treasures on Steam Deck is a massive upgrade over its Switch release from last year with performance and visual upgrades across the board. Including We Love Katamari Reroll here is kind of cheating, but it deserves a slot as a remake of the best Katamari game that shines on Steam Deck.

Best remake on Steam Deck in 2023

Live A Live

Runner-Up: Dead Space

Live A Live’s remake in the Octopath Traveler HD 2D aesthetic hit Switch last year, but it was released on Steam and PS5 this year with big visual and performance upgrades. It is a stunning remake and an essential JRPG. Dead Space’s remake not only delivered a stellar remake, but it runs and looks shockingly good on Steam Deck.

Best game not on Steam that I wish was on Steam Deck in 2023

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

Runner-Up: Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

I played and loved both of these on Switch and also played Theatrhythm Final Bar Line on PS4 again. I have a feeling both of them will hit Steam at some point, but for now they are the best games from this year that I wish were on Steam Deck.

Best game I wish ran better on Steam Deck in 2023

Wild Hearts

Runner-Up: Starfield

Wild Hearts from Koei Tecmo is the first proper hunting game that could’ve been competition for Monster Hunter. It sadly was let down by bad marketing and an awful PC port. Everything else was great. I hope Koei Tecmo gives it another shot in the future because I like it more than most Monster Hunter base games. It runs beyond abysmally on Steam Deck. Starfield is the first modern Bethesda Game Studios release that wasn’t a buggy mess or just boring to play like Fallout 4. I hope Starfield can improve its super bad load times and performance on Steam Deck because I think it has a lot of potential.

Best ongoing game on Steam Deck in 2023

Final Fantasy XIV

Runner-Up: Vampire Survivors

I’m putting Final Fantasy XIV here because I spent a ton of time playing Heavensward and its updates this year after finally reaching the expansion before. It got a few notable patches this year, but I didn’t get to experience that story content yet. I did enjoy playing it a ton on Steam Deck though. Vampire Survivors has gotten its amazing Adventures update this year, and is our runner-up as best ongoing game.

Best game DLC or expansion on Steam Deck in 2023

Resident Evil 4 Separate Ways

Runner-Up: Dusk HD

Resident Evil 4 Remake is amazing, and Resident Evil 4 Remake DLC where you play as Ada Wong is exactly what I wanted. Separate Ways over delivered in its quality and value for its asking price, and it is essential and our best DLC of 2023. The runner-up is Dusk HD, a free HD remaster of New Blood’s masterpiece.

Best boomer shooter on Steam Deck in 2023

Turbo Overkill

Runner-Up: Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer

Turbo Overkill got its full release this year, and it has sublime movement, chainsaw action, amazing music, and is just a fantastic game overall. It is our best boomer shooter with the runner-up being Slayers X. Slayers X is the most 90s thing ever. More than MTV. That’s all you need to know.

Best shoot ’em up on Steam Deck in 2023

Graze Counter GM

Runner-Up: Ray’z Arcade Chronology

A friend of mine recommended I check out Graze Counter GM, and I’m glad he did. I ended up loving the bullet hell shoot ’em up that forces you to take risks in its gameplay. It has a lovely aesthetic, and I’ve gone back to it often. The runner up is Ray’z Arcade Chronology that came to Steam this year following its PS4 and Switch release. M2 never misses and this was a lovely package to discover Taito’s Ray series.

Best monster collecting game on Steam Deck in 2023

Cassette Beasts

Runner-Up: Dragon Quest Treasures

Both Cassette Beasts and Dragon Quest Treasures on Steam Deck were amazing games. The former in particular does everything better than the genre leader, and it even had a pretty good DLC release. Dragon Quest Treasures, while not as focused on the monster collecting aspect as DQ Monsters, is still a fantastic experience on Steam Deck. If you’ve been a Pokemon fan looking for a more polished and modern experience, grab Cassette Beasts as soon as you can.

Best cooking game on Steam Deck in 2023

Venba and Thirsty Suitors

Runner-Up: Cook Serve Forever

I ended up loving both Venba and Thirsty Suitors for different reasons, but they excelled in making me think of the food I love. Venba even got me to improve my own idli making technique, and Thirsty Suitors was a fresh blend of a few genres with a lovely addition of cooking. I know this is cheating but it got you to read about two amazing games that showcase brilliant food so why not? The runner-up is Cook Serve Forever that is still in early access, but has the potential to be amazing. Right now, it just falls short a bit.

Best retro game collection on Steam Deck in 2023

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

Runner-Up: The Making of Karateka

Capcom’s newest Mega Man collection is also one of its best ones, delivering a ton of quality content and introducing this side of Mega Man to me for the first time. Digital Eclipse’s first Gold Master Series release in The Making of Karateka is only held back by it being based on Karateka which is more of a curiosity than a game I enjoy replaying. It is our runner-up because Digital Eclipse did so much here, and I’m blindly going to buy every single Gold Master Series release from the team. It is that good.

Best game from 2022 we are still playing on Steam Deck in 2023

The King of Fighters XV

Runner-Up: PowerWash Simulator

This is a fun category because I’m still playing games from a few years ago. The King of Fighters XV got its final announced DLC and cross play this year making it even better. I enjoy playing it on all platforms, and while the new DLC characters are great, it is awesome to see the online so active whenever I try getting a match. I hope it gets more DLC. PowerWash would’ve been the winner here if the recent DLC didn’t disappoint compared to prior paid content. I have put in a ton of time into it though regardless this year.

Best fighting game character DLC on Steam Deck in 2023

Guilty Gear Strive – Elphelt Valentine

Runner-Up: Guilty Gear Strive – Johnny

Having played and enjoyed so many fighting games this year, there is no way I wasn’t going to do a separate category/genre for just fighting game DLC. This one was close between Elphelt and Johnny, but Elphelt has been more fun to play so she wins it. Johnny is the runner-up. Just Lean.

Best remaster on Steam Deck in 2023

Pocky and Rocky Reshrined

Runner-Up: Rise of the Triad Ludicrous Edition

Pocky and Rocky Reshrined hit PC and more-recently Xbox (through the XBOX ININvasion program) this year following its debut on PS4 and Switch. I loved it on Switch, and it has aged like the best wine in its Steam and Xbox Series X releases. Tengo Project did a superb job with this remixed remake remaster hybrid of a classic, and it is gorgeous. Rise of the Triad Ludicrous Edition brings a 90s classic to all current platforms with a stellar release that serves as a history lesson and a fantastic shooter.

Hopefully you enjoyed this slightly different take on our genre awards with many new fun genres and categories. I know Shaun’s Switch list will be a bit different, but I hope with so many genres and games listed, you find something you like here. Forgive me if a game wasn’t in the genre you’d place it in. What did you enjoy playing on Steam Deck this year, and have you found yourself trying out more games ever since you got a Steam Deck or a Steam Deck OLED? Thanks for reading!

Square Enix will have events going on until the servers are shut down on February 29th though. The reason for the game shutting down is apparently because the team couldn’t maintain the experience going forward after delivering for two years. Dragon Quest Tact is free to play and if you’d like to try it before it shuts down, you can download Dragon Quest Tact on the App Store for iOS here and pre-register for it on Google Play for Android here. Check out the official English website here. Did you play Dragon Quest Tact since launch, and did you enjoy it?

Check out a screenshot of Ruan Mei in Honkai Star Rail version 1.6 from the App Store story below:

If you missed the recent 2.0 update news for the game, read this. I’m interested in seeing when the many visual improvements showcased with the iPhone 15 Pro event are released for the game. I assume they will be up with 2.0. If you’ve not gotten Honkai Star Rail yet, you can download it on the App Store for iOS here, on Google Play for Android here, and here on the Epic Games Store in addition to its regular PC version. Check it out here on PS5. Have you been playing Honkai Star Rail regularly since it launched on mobile, PC, and PS5?

Company of Heroes Collection

Company of Heroes Collection saw the beloved entry in the series hit consoles for the first time on Nintendo Switch. I was surprised at how good it felt with a controller. While it is still best on iPad, there’s no denying how good Company of Heroes feels on Switch thanks to Feral Interactive’s new release. I can’t wait to play the multiplayer when it arrives in 2024.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure

While many Falcom games hit Switch in middling conversions, The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure on Nintendo Switch is actually the gold standard of how an older JRPG should be brought to Nintendo’s hybrid system. It has massive improvements and upgrades over the PS4 version, and the developer even brought in features we’d only see in PC ports. This is the best console version of an essential JRPG.

Metroid Prime Remastered

Metroid Prime Remastered is an essential for every Nintendo Switch owner. It brings one of Nintendo’s best games ever to Switch in a brilliant conversion at a budget asking price. It almost feels too cheap for the quality on offer, and I hope we see Metroid Prime 2 and 3 also come to Switch like this. Go buy it now.

Persona 4 Golden

After Persona 5 Royal hit Switch with a few technical issues, I was a bit worried about Persona 4 Golden. Despite being based on the PS Vita release, we’ve seen some ports of games from weaker systems hit Switch in less than desirable conversions. Thankfully Persona 4 Golden sees one of the best JRPGs of all time get a stellar port on Switch. I have no complaints about this release barring it not having a physical release available to buy worldwide.

Red Dead Redemption

Even if you already played or own Red Dead Redemption on PlayStation 3 or Xbox, the Switch version is a fantastic release that is a joy to play on the go. The lack of gyro aiming is disappointing, but everything else is better than I expected given this is Red Dead Redemption‘s first ever re-release. This is the best portable version of Rockstar Games’ classic release, and a brilliant game in its own right.

Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection

It took many years, but Atlus’ most consistently great franchise returned with the Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection on Switch and Steam earlier this year. The new HD remasters bring incredible games to Switch with quality of life features, visual enhancements, and more. They even support multiple input methods and are the best versions of the classic DS games. Atlus even added accessibility options to make them more approachable by newcomers to the genre.

Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors on Switch is everything I hoped for in a port and more. While it has some frame rate issues, which version of the game doesn’t at this point? Vampire Survivors is a perfect fit for Switch, and I can only hope we get updates on time for future content. That’s my only complaint with it right now. Otherwise, this will be your next obsession on Switch, and poncle needs to do a physical release with all DLC included in the future.

GrimGrimoire OnceMore

While most people know Vanillaware for Dragon’s Crown or 13 Sentinels, the developer’s 2007-released RTS game GrimGrimoire has always been worth playing. GrimGrimoire OnceMore, a remaster of it with new features, hit Switch and PlayStation this year in the West, and it is the best version of the game by far. It also got a superb Switch port offering the ability to play this Vanillaware classic on the go.

The King of Fighters XIII Global Match

I’m glad SNK finally brought The King of Fighters XIII to modern platforms with netcode that makes it actually worth playing online. Despite the few UI issues, The King of Fighters XIII Global Match on Switch is an easy recommendation as long as you don’t try playing it with the pitiful d-pad on the Joy-Cons. Hopefully this is the start of the modern SNK re-releases finally hitting Switch as well. If you’ve never played KOF13 before, this is the version to get.

Risk of Rain Returns

Risk of Rain Returns does enough to feel fresh, but manages to nail what I loved about the original with my rose tinted memories of it from back in the day. On Switch, performance isn’t perfect during the late-game, but everything else is superb. I’ve had a ton of fun playing it online and offline on both Switch and Steam Deck. This is how a classic indie game should be revived for modern platforms, and I hope it gets a physical release on Switch.

Bonus

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana

I included Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana as a bonus because it hasn’t been released in the West yet, and I played through it in Japanese. Ys: The Oath in Felghana is one of my favorite games of all time, and I’ve played it multiple times on PC and PS Vita over the years. I wasn’t going to wait for an English release for this one, so I grabbed it from the eShop to play. It is the definitive version of the game with rock solid performance, great visuals, and new features. I hope it comes to the West in 2024.

Each year more and more people kept convincing themselves that a Switch Pro would be releasing, and it is good to see many competent developers and publishers release quality ports, remakes, and remasters on the current Switch. I’m looking forward to see what 2024 has in store for the current Switch through re-releases and more. What do you want to see in 2024 and what were your favorite releases on Switch this year?

The best hidden gems on Steam Deck in 2023 – essential PC games you might have missed

Endless Monday: Dreams and Deadlines

Endless Monday: Dreams and Deadlines is a visual novel about procrastinating, projects, burgers, great characters, excellent art, and catchy music. While there is a benefit to knowing some of the characters through the hcnone’s (the developer and artist) work, it is still worth experiencing on its own if you like the art in the screenshots on Steam. If you’ve been looking for a new visual novel to chill with, this is it.

Air Twister

I enjoyed playing Air Twister on Apple Arcade, but I liked it even more on Steam Deck thanks to the ability to play it docked at 144hz with flawless performance. Don’t come into Air Twister expecting a massively innovative rail shooter though. it feels like a love letter to the best in the genre with its wild presentation, crazy soundtrack, and more. I hope we see more like this from Ys Net in the future.

RoboCop: Rogue City

RoboCop: Rogue City ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the year. Not only is it a great RoboCop game, but a damn fine and fun experience throughout. This one is an easy recommendation if you want a competent RoboCop game, and enjoyed the original movies. While Teyon delivered a good experience with its Terminator game, RoboCop: Rogue City is on a whole other level and a game I want to replay soon. It also was super fun to play on Steam Deck despite the visual cutbacks compared to PS5.

Crymachina

Furyu’s games usually do a few things well, but fail at others resulting in a middling package. With the Caligula games, I enjoyed them, but don’t really recommend them without big gameplay caveats. With Crymachina from Furyu and NIS America, I ended up liking the heartwarming narrative a lot, the visuals, the music, and the gameplay. I think this is Furyu’s best overall game yet, and is worth your time on Steam Deck for the best portable version of this action RPG.

Videoverse

While Videoverse might not hit as hard for you if you weren’t around back then, it absolutely delivered in making me think fondly of the past, and delivered a heartfelt story with the closest time capsule experience to the early 2000s internet there has ever been. I can’t wait to see what developer Kinmoku does next because this release has been special throughout. If the premise sounds interesting, just grab it. You won’t regret it.

Touhou Artificial Dream in Arcadia

Touhou Artificial Dream in Arcadia is an excellent dungeon crawler that will hit even harder if you’re familiar with Touhou or older Shin Megami Tensei games. If you aren’t familiar with either of those, it is still a superb old school experience that has been awesome to play on Steam Deck. Try out the demo on Steam if you aren’t sure it is for you.

Sanabi

I wasn’t sure whether to put Sanabi in the hidden gems list or the best games list, but considering I haven’t seen much coverage for it since launch, I decided to put it here. I didn’t get much time to play it around launch as I was waiting for the Switch version, but having finally played it on Steam Deck made me regret not jumping into the stylish platformer sooner. Come for the stylish action and stay for the emotional storytelling.

Moonring

Moonring is a fantasy turn-based retro RPG roguelike hybrid that I keep thinking about. I genuinely don’t know why it is free because it feels too good to even be priced low, let alone cost nothing. It has tons of enemies, bosses, dungeons, and great music. I’ve been wanting to write about it ever since a friend of mine recommended it, and I hope to be able to do more in 2024 with it. For now, download this immediately and play it. It is worth your time.

Lunacid

Lunacid finally left early access recently, and has been a great window into FromSoftware’s older games as a throwback to King’s Field by the developer. While this dungeon crawler is amazing in its own right and worth the asking price, it has not only made me a fan of developer Kira, but convinced me to eventually try more of FromSoftware’s older games.

Void Stranger

System Erasure released the awesome shoot ’em up Zero Ranger a while back, and it is excellent. When the developer announced and released Void Stranger, a friend of mine just told me to blindly buy it and play it without looking at much. It was good advice, and I think Void Stranger is one of the best games of the year. It is a lovely blend of puzzles, adventure games, and frustration. There’s nothing else like it.

Those are our picks for the best hidden games for the Steam Deck in 2023, but I’m curious what you played that you think more should know about. Have you got a game you want us or anyone else to play on Steam Deck that hasn’t been mentioned? Please let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

The Best Nintendo Switch Physical Releases of 2023

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie

NIS America continues to impress with its Trails standard releases on Switch and PlayStation. Trails into Reverie might not be an amazing experience on Switch compared to other platforms where it is top tier, but it is a massive JRPG that has been ported to Nintendo’s hybrid system intact. The physical standard release has a reversible cover, game on cartridge, bonus digital soundtrack code, and a small art booklet.

Dead Cells Return to Castlevania Edition

Dead Cells has gotten a few physical releases so far, but the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania Edition is notable for including all paid and free DLC on cartridge from the get go and having an amazing Castlevania-style reversible cover. Not only did it do a cool cover for Switch matching the original game, but the PS5 edition I also got aims for a cover themed after Symphony of the Night. They really went the extra mile for this physical release. It is still available quite readily if you want the best current version of Dead Cells and the superb Return to Castlevania DLC together.

Rune Factory 3 Special

Xseed Games and Marvelous’ Rune Factory 3 Special includes the game on cartridge, reversible art, and a booklet. The publisher also did a lovely limited edition, but the standard editions Xseed Games releases put most limited editions to shame. This also had a budget price.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure

Another Trails game? I almost included three Trails games on this list because NIS America absolutely nailed the physical releases. That game was The Legend of Nayuta, but I opted to include Trails to Azure here. It has a similar physical release to Trails into Reverie, but it completes one of the best duologies in gaming (Trails from Zero), and the Switch version is the best way to play it on console. It has the full game on cartridge, reversible cover, digital soundtrack code, and an art booklet.

Sea of Stars (Japan import)

I wasn’t going to wait till 2024 for Sea of Stars to get a local physical release, so I grabbed the Japanese release with English support a few weeks ago. This has the game on cartridge, acrylic stands, the soundtrack on CD, art cards, and more. It also somehow costs less than the standard game does on the eShop.

Ib and Drainus (Japan import)

Playism’s releases of Ib and Drainus in Japan from earlier this year had excellent bonuses like an artbook or soundtrack included, but I wanted to highlight both of these because more people need to start looking at how easy it is to buy Switch physical games with English support from places like Amazon Japan or AmiAmi for a lot less than they’d cost to buy locally. Both Ib and Drainus are two of my favorite indie games of the year as well, and I love the physical releases I got.

Drainus (Non import)

Shaun wrote about Strictly Limited Games’ recent sale already, but this version of Drainus is also quite cool. If you haven’t already figured it out, you need to play Drainus if you enjoy shmups, and I’m glad it got 2 lovely physical editions. This one is also available to buy from Strictly Limited Games, but the game hasn’t gotten a North American physical release yet if you were wondering.

Silent Hope

Silent Hope feels like a hidden gem right now given its bad release timing, but I’ve enjoyed dipping in and out of it ever since finishing it for review on Steam Deck and Switch. The Switch physical is called the Day One Edition. It has a booklet, game on cartridge, soundtrack, outer box, and reverse art for the standard case.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life

The Story of Seasons franchise has had quite a resurgence on Switch and other platforms lately, but Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is the best entry point available on modern platforms. The physical release from Xseed Games and Marvelous has the usual booklet, reverse art, and game on cartridge, but the publisher even did a bit more for the limited edition bundle pictured below. I really wish we either had more physical games released through Xseed Games, or had other publishers putting as much effort as they do.

Red Dead Redemption and Fashion Dreamer*

Red Dead Redemption’s physical release isn’t special compared to everything else on this list in its physical contents, but it is notable because Rockstar Games and Nintendo (they handled the physical release distribution) shipped a complete game on cartridge with no download required. The GTA release also handled by Nintendo at retail required a download just like LA Noire did a few years ago. Red Dead Redemption is a polished port that shipped complete on cartridge and is worth highlighting just for that. You might think this is a low bar, but we see too many publishers cheap out for retail releases on Switch time and time again.

Speaking of Nintendo handling distribution, Nintendo of America handled the retail release for Marvelous and Xseed Games’ Fashion Dreamer. This is notable because syn Sophia developed Fashion Dreamer and the developer previously did Nintendo’s Style Savvy games. Fashion Dreamer is basically a spiritual successor to Style Savvy in many ways. The downside to Nintendo distributing is that we didn’t end up getting a booklet like we do in Xseed Games and Marvelous’ other releases above. This is included here more to let readers know that Nintendo does handle physical releases for games they don’t publish once in a while. I do wish Fashion Dreamer got a nice booklet or poster as a bonus though.

Cuphead – Superdeluxe Games (Japan)

Last year, I featured Cuphead’s physical release because it was a lovely standard edition release with reversible art, DLC on cartridge, collectible art cards, and more from iam8bit. This year, I grabbed Superdeluxe Games’ Cuphead release from Japan, and I’m floored at how good the first print edition is. It includes a lovely soundtrack package in a hardcover case with artwork from the legendary Yoshitaka Amano, a premium outer slipcase, magazine included, and a trading card. Some of this might not still be available, but I was glad I could get this before it sold out.

Bonus: The Worst Switch Physical Release of 2023

METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION Vol. 1

While I love the METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION Vol. 1 even with its flaws, the Switch physical release is embarrassing. It is just one step above having a code in box. You need to download just about everything, and it takes up a ton of space as you can see from the back of the case above. With everything installed, the games included take up 12.7GB (MGS1), 12.4GB (Bonus Content), 12.3GB (MGS2), 618MB (MG and MG2) and 17.8GB (MGS3). Obviously this wouldn’t fit on a 32GB cartridge either, but Konami could have at least included one complete game from the big ones on a cartridge given this was selling for $59.99.

With 2023 done and 2024 likely being the last year for the Switch before things move to the successor, I want to know what you thought of the Switch library this year across digital and physical releases. It feels like we are getting more physical releases than ever before despite many people claiming physical media is dead. With many interesting ports and retail releases, what were your favorite releases of the year and did you grab any of the physical releases highlighted in this feature?

(Special thanks to my friend @thoraxes for help with photographs for Silent Hope, Rune Factory 3 Special, Fashion Dreamer, and Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life.)

Backbone x Kojima Productions. Dropping January 2024. pic.twitter.com/ukVgKfroYq

— Backbone (@backbone) December 22, 2023

If you’ve not kept up with Backbone lately, read my interview with Backbone CEO Maneet Khaira about the updated controllers, customer feedback, subscriptions, and more here. The current universal Backbone USB-C edition has new magnetic adapters and other improvements. Details for the available models are here. If you do use the controller, make sure to try the Backbone App (Free). I’m still working on covering the new 2023 USB-C model with my iPhone 15 Pro, but you can read my thoughts on the lightning model of the Backbone One PlayStation Edition for iPhone here. What do you think of this limited edition Death Stranding Director’s Cut Backbone controller?

Steam Deck Game Impressions & Reviews

Custom Mech Wars Steam Deck Review

When D3 Publisher announced Custom Mech Wars, I thought it would be an interesting game I’d likely need to import on PS5 eventually. I didn’t expect a localization, but was glad to see it confirmed for a global worldwide release on not only PS5, but also Steam. I love D3 Publisher’s Earth Defense Force games, and Custom Mech Wars felt like it channeled some of EDF with a blend of Gundam Breaker. Could Custom Mech Wars deliver on the addictive gameplay loop from those games while delivering in deep mech customization? The answer is mostly yes, with some caveats.

The narrative in Custom Mech Wars is pretty standard stuff. It gets the job done, but you’re here for the loop of going into a mission, taking down mechs, getting new parts, customizing your mech, and getting to the next one. You can also opt for higher difficulties to get better rewards. There are drops you collect for either parts or buffs as well. I know the dev team isn’t mentioned in any marketing material, but I’d be shocked if this wasn’t the EDF team or at least them involved in a big part of Custom Mech Wars.

One of the highlights of Custom Mech Wars is the sheer nonsense you can do with customization. You can make the funniest mechs possible, and still be a war machine. This plays a big part of the gameplay loop, and I imagine the game won’t hit as hard for folks who just want well-designed missions with a story focus. I think Custom Mech Wars complements Armored Core VI really well this year. While it isn’t as polished or fun, I enjoyed my time with Custom Mech Wars on PS5 quite a bit, and have loved revisiting missions on the go on Steam Deck even before the recent patch hit. This patch fixed the audio not working on SteamOS. Barring that, there’s nothing you need to do to play Custom Mech Wars on Steam Deck. It just works, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it get Verified soon. It just needs a demo since I don’t think many will take a chance on it right now, and it will be easier to recommend once it gets a price cut or has the DLC included in the base price.

On Steam Deck, Custom Mech Wars allows you to change resolution (720p, 1080p, and 4K), frame rate target (60fps or uncapped), toggle anti-aliasing, adjust shadow quality, adjust texture quality, toggle motion blur, toggle fog, and toggle SSAO. When playing on the Deck itself, it shows Xbox button prompts. Using my DualSense controller shows PlayStation prompts correctly. The performance isn’t perfect, but it isn’t even perfect on PS5 based on what I’ve played. I would recommend turning a few things down to aim for 60fps with drops. Just like in EDF, I didn’t bother going for a locked frame rate here. If you enjoy EDF games, you know what to expect. I do wish the load times were a bit better though.

While the lack of an English dub isn’t a dealbreaker for me in most games, I’m not a fan of the constant flow of dialogue during missions because I want to focus on the gameplay and not reading subtitles. This reminds me of how Koei Tecmo’s Warriors games are with important information constrained to subtitles during missions. If the game had English voices here, I could just focus on the mission at hand, combat, and enemies. The Earth Defense Force games are good about this.

In its current state, I feel like Custom Mech Wars should’ve been priced a bit lower or have the EDF DLC included in its asking price. The missions and enemies don’t get as crazy as that, but for a game focused on customization and mechs like the name suggests, it does the job well. I’ve enjoyed playing it quite a bit on PS5 and Steam Deck. With the latest update, the audio issues are also finally fixed on Steam Deck, and I recommend getting it if you are a fan of Earth Defense Force style gameplay, mechs, and customization.

Custom Mech Wars Steam Deck review score: 3.5/5

Double Dragon Advance and Super Double Dragon Steam Deck Review

I was initially going to do separate reviews for Arc System Works’ recent releases of Double Dragon Advance and Super Double Dragon on PC and consoles, but having spent a few weeks with both of them, I have similar thoughts so I’m doing a combined review. Having only played the original trilogy years ago, I hadn’t actually tried these two games until Arc System Works released them on PC, Switch, and PS4 worldwide as new ports.

Double Dragon Advance launched in 2003 on the GBA as a remake of the original game, but this release also featured things from future entries and ports. It feels like a remixed remake in ways, and it has been excellent playing it for the first time through this PC release. If you’ve played the original 1987 game many times, this will be a surprisingly good experience, and if you’re new to the game like I was, it will feel like a trip down Double Dragon memory lane. While I am happy to see the co-op feature included here, the lack of Remote Play Together hurts though.

Super Double Dragon released in 1992 on the SNES, and it feels pretty bad to play compared to other entries I’ve tried. The speed is sluggish, and I’m glad there’s an option to adjust the game speed without having any audio affected here. This version of Super Double Dragon on PC, PS4, and Switch also includes Return of Double Dragon that feels like a much better game overall. Playing more of Return of Double Dragon reminded me of how different platforms sometimes had completely different takes on a game. As a curiosity, this has been worth the purchase, but it also ended up impressing me once I dug into it more.

While they both run without issues on Steam Deck, the lack of Steam Cloud support and the game speed tied to monitor refresh rate is disappointing. On the Deck itself, the 60hz target or cap is fine, but when I played on my 144hz monitor, I couldn’t cap the frame rate in-game at all, so both games ran too fast. I hope this can be fixed in an update. I’d also love for higher resolution support since both games are capped at 1080p.

Double Dragon Advance and Super Double Dragon are both worth buying at the low asking price individually to play on Steam Deck, but I hope the few PC-specific issues can be addressed in updates. Right now they are both good on Steam Deck, but will have issues if you play on your PC or dock the Steam Deck on a high refresh rate display like I do.

Super Double Dragon Steam Deck review score: 3.5/5

Double Dragon Advance Steam Deck review score: 3.5/5

SteamWorld Build Steam Deck Impressions

Shaun recently reviewed SteamWorld Build on Switch, and I also wanted to cover how it is on Steam Deck. He already went into detail about the game itself, but if you’re curious about how it plays and looks on Steam Deck, read on.

As a huge fan of the SteamWorld games, SteamWorld Build has been an interesting and different experience. It isn’t what I wanted from the series, so I was quite disappointed when it was revealed. Having played it, I’m glad I gave it a chance. It feels like a perfect blend of the charm of SteamWorld with a genre I didn’t think it could fit into. It also happens to play almost perfectly on Steam Deck.

SteamWorld Build on PC lets you toggle button prompts between Xbox and PlayStation, adjust frame rate target, resolution, v-sync, texture quality, shadow quality, depth of field, LOD quality, ambient occlusion, bloom effects, and use a few quality presets for all the settings. I left everything on default barring the shadows which I turned down a bit, before trying to increase certain options. SteamWorld Build looks excellent and supports the Deck’s 16:10 aspect ratio.

If you were hoping to play SteamWorld Build on Steam Deck, barring some text and UI sizes being a bit too small on the device’s screen, I have no complaints with it. Once those are fixed, this will be the best version of the game by far. I just hope we don’t have to wait too long for the update.

Tekken 8 Demo Steam Deck Impressions

Since Tekken 8 is a current-generation console-only game, I was curious how it would look and run on Steam Deck. After Tekken 7 disappointed me in general, I’m glad that Tekken 8 seems to be going in the right direction based on the time I spent with it on the PS5 demo. Tekken 8 on Steam Deck is interesting. It checks the system when you boot it up and automatically adjusts settings, but I feel like the benchmark results are a bit conservative. Even after turning a few things up, I could get 60fps during matches which is all you need in a fighter. The one problem is some cut-scenes don’t have audio playback on Steam Deck right now. I tested on Proton Experimental (bleeding edge) and a few versions of GE with no luck. I hope this can be fixed for launch.

If you were hoping to play Tekken 8 on Steam Deck, download the free demo and see how it feels. I also recommend trying different upscaling methods from the settings, but not using FSR 1.0. Someone will no doubt do more testing and come up with the best Tekken 8 Steam Deck settings to use, and I’ll be trying different things out myself here in the demo and in the full game in a few weeks. I’m looking forward to playing more of the demo later this week.

News

Despite 2023 nearly wrapping up, there’s quite a bit of news to cover. I’ll begin with SEGA releasing character-focused trailers for one of my most-anticipated games of 2024, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. There are quite a few trailers up in the full playlist here, but I’ve linked the trailer for one of my favorite characters from Yakuza: Like a Dragon below:

Dark fantasy city builder Against the Storm has been exploding on Steam, and I recently grabbed it to play on Steam Deck with its new big update adding controller support and more for the platform.

Atlus had two bits of news and trailers this week. The first is a new behind the scenes video for the upcoming Steam Deck Verified RPG Persona 3 Reload. This one has the voices of Mitsuru, Akihiko, and more featured. Watch it below:

Atlus’ upcoming JRPG from 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio has gotten new details and screenshots about its world, characters, and story. The highlight of this one is the combat system, but I’m interested to see how this team tackles new characters and a new IP after working on Persona for a while.

Bandai Namco Entertainment’s upcoming action RPG Sand Land based on the classic manga got a new gameplay trailer recently alongside a new dev diary. Watch the gameplay video below:

Cuisineer from BattleBrew Productions and XSEED Games got quite an interesting update this week. It lets you pause time in menus, has changes to the fridge, interface improvements, and new customers visiting during teatime.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon added Ranked Matchmaking this week in its newest major update that also added new parts, new PvP maps, and more. Watch the trailer below:

Makaroll and Playism’s deckbuilding roguelike Phantom Rose 2 Sapphire got its first major content update this week bringing in a new game mode, skins, cards, balance adjustments, and more. I’ve been playing and enjoying this quite a bit on Steam Deck.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Volume 1 hit PC and consoles a little while ago, and it had a few issues. Thankfully, Konami has begun addressing them, and fixed Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Version already on PC by allowing players to disable the ugly smoothing option. It looks crisp and as it should now.

About a day ago, Koei Tecmo released a huge update for Fate/Samurai Remnant with new difficulty levels, playable servants, and more.

New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week

• Against the Storm – Verified
• Burnout Paradise Remastered – Playable
• Capcom Fighting Collection – Verified
• Cultist Simulator – Verified
• Cyber Knights: Flashpoint – Playable
• ENDLESS Dungeon – Verified
• FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS – Playable
• Football Manager 2024 – Playable
• Golf With Your Friends – Verified
• House Flipper 2 – Verified
• Inkulinati – Verified
• Last Train Home – Playable
• Layers of Fear – Verified
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 – Verified
• Pinball M – Playable
• Sonic Generations – Verified
• Spells & Secrets – Verified
• SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection – Playable
• Furi Demake – Verified
• TEVI – Playable
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition – Verified
• THE FINALS – Unsupported
• The Talos Principle 2 – Verified
• Valfaris: Mecha Therion – Verified
• Wayfinder – Playable
• Wizordum – Playable

Steam Deck Game Sales & Discounts

Yesterday, the big Steam Winter Sale 2023 began with tons of discounts. I already grabbed some games through the sale a few days ago that had City Connection’s shoot ’em ups and some games from Playism. Be sure to check out my best Steam Winter Sale 2023 Steam Deck game highlights feature on the site and your own wishlist on Steam for any new deals in there or in your discovery queue.

That’s all for this week’s edition. As usual, you can read all our past and future Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great day, and thanks for reading.

Chained Echoes ($18.74 from $24.99)

Chained Echoes remains one of the best surprises in recent years, and is my favorite throwback JRPG-style indie game. I love the music, story, gameplay, and pacing, and remain impressed at how much fun it is to go back to on multiple platforms for replays. Chained Echoes is a game that understands why people love JRPGs and delivers in spades. I have no hesitation in recommending it, and it is shockingly good for the asking price. I know there are loads of throwback JRPGs that just focus on the presentation and turn-based combat, but few manage to reach the absolute highs that Chained Echoes does. It is a damn fine experience that deserves its spot with the greats.

Elden Ring ($35.99 from $59.99)

Elden Ring is one of FromSoftware’s best games ever, and it is shockingly good on Steam Deck. The world, boss design, and immersion is incredible in Elden Ring, and it was worth more than full price. I liked it enough to buy it on all platforms, and it is an absolute steal at 40% off. While the gorgeous world is a sight to behold on a nice TV or monitor, I enjoyed dipping into it on the go thanks to the Steam Deck and can safely recommend it there.

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Master Edition ($19.78 from $59.98)

With Monster Hunter Wilds set for release in 2025, now is a great time to jump into the best Monster Hunter game alongside Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate with Monster Hunter World Iceborne Master Edition on Steam. This includes the base game and the superlative expansion together, and the game has been seeing an online resurgence on PC recently. If you’re new to the genre, there’s no better way to jump in, and the discount price makes it an even better deal than before.

Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition ($51.04 from $89.98)

Cyberpunk 2077 launched in a pretty rough state, but has been fixed since. It is one of those mind blowing things to see running on a Steam Deck, and the developers did a great job translating the open world RPG to Valve’s handheld. The Phantom Liberty expansion is icing on the cake with its narrative. If you held off on the game or own it on console, cross save and the discount now makes it an easy recommendation on Steam Deck.

Fate/Samurai Remnant ($44.99 from $59.99)

While Fate/Samurai Remnant doesn’t have a huge discount, it is one of my favorite games of 2023 across PS5 and Steam Deck. This is the first time it has been discounted on Steam, and is one of Koei Tecmo’s better games in recent years. If you’re new to the Fate franchise or a longtime fan, Fate/Samurai Remnant is excellent from start to finish, and it has been a joy replaying it recently. I can’t wait for the DLC to arrive in the future.

Persona 5 Royal ($29.99 from $59.99

Just like Elden Ring, I feel like Persona 5 Royal is the next game everyone I know has been playing on Steam Deck since it launched. I’ve played Persona 5 through its base release on PS4, then Persona 5 Royal on PS4, then Persona 5 Royal on Steam Deck and Switch. I love it, and this version of the game includes all prior paid DLC at no added cost. It also happens to be a great showcase for the Steam Deck OLED if you have one. Either way, Persona 5 Royal is best experienced on Steam Deck when looking at portables, and I can’t recommend it enough.

God of War ($24.99 from $49.99

Sony’s God of War hitting PC was still a huge deal, and it brought one of the platform holder’s best games ever to PC with a stellar conversion. It impressed me on replays on my laptop, but I adore it on Steam Deck. It also is the best way to sample one of the best PlayStation games ever on Steam Deck with its massive discount. Even if you played it on PS4 or PS5 before, the PC version is worth grabbing to replay on Steam Deck.

Diablo IV ($41.99 from $69.99)

I’ve written about how awesome Diablo IV is on Steam Deck a few times now, and the game has improved quite a bit since launching earlier this year. The only caveat is that it is an online-only game so keep that in mind if you want to play on the go outside your house. I usually tether my Steam Deck to my phone to play Diablo IV outside the house. With all of its updates and the awesome campaign, Diablo IV is worth your time, and the discount makes it well worth considering if you skipped it before. Diablo IV has full cross play and cross progression so you can even treat this like a way to play on the go while you play on your TV via console at home.

Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition ($13.49 from $44.99)

While everyone is likely obsessed with (for good reason) Baldur’s Gate 3 right now, Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition is an essential regardless of platform. I played it on every platform, and think it shines the most on a modern iPad or Steam Deck. It controls perfectly and even supports cross save with iPad and Switch on Steam. Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition might be one of the best RPGs of all time, and is Larian’s most polished release yet with all its updates and features. The asking price is too low to not buy right now.

Street Fighter 6 ($39.59 from $59.99)

Another Steam Deck feature, another mention for the best damn modern fighting game available today. I’m literally playing Street Fighter 6 right now. Well, I have it paused on my PS5 while I write this feature before getting back to it to play online. Street Fighter 6 is Capcom’s best fighting game since Third Strike, and a superlative package overall. It was always worth full price and shines on Steam Deck, but the discount gives me another excuse to get you to try it out. There’s a demo available if you want to see how it looks and runs before buying.

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Complete Edition ($12.49 from $49.99)

Despite Cyberpunk 2077 with Phantom Liberty being the new(ish) hotness, CDPR’s The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is incredible, and I adored finally playing it on Switch and PC when it hit the platform. Since it has cross save, I brought my save to Steam Deck, and have found my favorite version of this masterpiece of an RPG. The Witcher 3 is a once in a generation experience that I recommend to everyone with all of its updates and DLC available right now.

HADES ($12.49 from $24.99)

Supergiant Games’ Transistor might be my favorite game from the studio, but HADES is close. The roguelike dungeon crawler has amazing gameplay, magnificent music, brilliant characters, and Supergiant’s signature style all over the place. It is an essential at full price, and has never been easier to recommend at its discount and with how good it plays on Steam Deck.

Vampire Survivors ($3.74 from $4.99)

Vampire Survivors should just be pre-loaded onto every Steam Deck by now, but it still hasn’t happened. The game is already really cheap and delivers immense value across the base game and all expansions, but now is a great time to get it all if you haven’t already. Vampire Survivors is the Steam Deck killer app despite being available on just about every platform. I can’t recommend it enough, and it is best on Steam Deck as well with full 16:10 support.

Octopath Traveler II ($41.99 from $59.99)

Octopath Traveler II is Square Enix’s best JRPG since the PS2 days with its stunning HD 2D aesthetic, amazing narrative, superlative music, and brilliant combat. It improved on just about everything from the original game, and is a completely standalone experience despite the name. This one has a demo as well, and you need to see how good it looks and feels on Steam Deck yourself. I liked this one enough to buy it on all platforms before, and I’m confident anyone who even has the remotest interest in turn-based RPGs will adore Octopath Traveler II.

No Man’s Sky ($29.99 from $59.99)

No Man’s Sky is the gift that keeps on giving, and it is a game I own and play on every platform. Just like Street Fighter 6, I’ll be recommending it every chance I get, because it is that good, and continues to improve with each content update. While the launch state of the game wasn’t ideal, it now has at least three or four games worth of quality content, and is one of the most relaxing games available. I jump into it a few times a week and have it installed on every platform. On the portable side, it shines on Steam Deck, and is worth grabbing.

Hi-Fi Rush ($22.49 from $29.99)

Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush is a game I haven’t stopped thinking about since finishing it back in January. It feels like an all-timer, and I’ve played it multiple times across Steam Deck and Xbox Series X since launch. If you enjoy action games and rhythm games, Hi-Fi Rush will be your new obsession. Get it now.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles ($15.99 from $39.99)

Capcom’s Ace Attorney franchise is legendary, and I always enjoy revisiting the games across ports. Out of all of them, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is my favorite, and one of Capcom’s best releases in years. This duology should basically be considered the best single adventure game release in terms of quality and value in ages, and is the best entry point into Ace Attorney. It is amazing regardless of where you play it, and it shines on a portable. Grab it on Steam Deck and Switch while you, like me, wait for an iPad version.

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Bundle ($20.23 from $34.98)

Dead Cells with its Return to Castlevania expansion hit all platforms, but the game remains best on Steam Deck thanks to it getting updates first, and also because it has literally no issues on the system. Every other version has some sort of performance issue or a caveat. Dead Cells on Steam Deck is perfect, and is more than worth full price. With its discount now, you owe it to yourself to grab one of the greats.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero ($29.99) and Trails to Azure ($35.99)

While the PC platform has Trails in the Sky, the best entry point, the modern ports of Trails from Zero and Azure together form my favorite duology ever in RPGs, and these two serve as another fantastic entry point into this amazing JRPG series from Falcom with their superb stories, memorable characters, brilliant music, and more. Out of all versions of these games across platforms, Steam Deck and Switch are the best ways to play these two Falcom masterpieces.

Pentiment ($13.39 from $19.99)

While most people love Obsidian Entertainment for games like Fallout New Vegas or the amazing Pillars of Eternity, the historical narrative-driven Pentiment is my favorite by far. It has a stunning aesthetic, great music, and superb storytelling. It also feels perfect on Steam Deck, and I can’t imagine playing it on another platform now. Make sure to read my lengthy interview about Pentiment with the legendary Josh Sawyer here. This one’s beyond special.

Bonus

The Yakuza Collection Bundle ($42.00 from $139.93)

I promise I’m not just including this to convince Jared to start playing the games, but with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (the 8th mainline game) arriving next month, now is a great time to stock up on prior games if you don’t have them. The Yakuza Collection Bundle includes Yakuza 0 (the best entry point), Yakuza Kiwami (a remake of Yakuza 1), Yakuza Kiwami 2 (a remake of Yakuza 2), Yakuza 3,4,5 (remastered), and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (best on PC) for a very low asking price. You obviously won’t be able to beat them all by next month, but let this serve as a reminder to consider getting into SEGA’s best franchise. Yes, I don’t regret saying that.

As usual, you can read all our past and future Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great day, and thanks for reading.

If you haven’t gotten it yet, Mr Traffic is free to play with optional in app purchases, and it has gotten a lot better since launch through many updates not only in content, but also monetization. You can grab it on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Head over to our forum thread for Mr Traffic here for discussion around the game and even posts from the developers about new updates, future content, and designs. Have you played Dashy Crashy or Mr Traffic from Dumpling Design yet?

Asphalt 8+ brings in new cars including the DEUS Vayanne, Pagani Imola, Lotus Emira, and more. New decals have also been added with all players getting the Lotus Elise Cup 260 as a free gift. Crossy Road Castle’s Jingle Jump event is with the Rainbow Rift ultra hard mode now added to the game. What The Car? has two events on with Ice to Meet You letting you go driving on frozen roads and more. The Oregon Trail has gotten a huge update with full party customization supported in most Journeys, trait selection, food prioritization, and more today. The final update is Easy Come Easy Golf bringing in the Expanded Shot Camera, new outfit colors, added Tour Mode content, and more.

With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go here, Prune here, Prune+ here, Hanx101 Trivia here, Kingdoms: Merge and Build here, Asphalt 8+ here, Crossy Road Castle here, What The Car? here, The Oregon Trail here, and Easy Come Easy Golf (previously Clap Hanz Golf) here. For all other Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of Apple’s newly released games and updates recently?

As we near the end of 2023, many iOS and iPadOS games have been discounted on the App Store. These include the usual suspects, new games seeing discounts for the first time, historic low prices for some premium games, and more. This big iOS games sale list for 2023’s holiday season includes many games I enjoyed, and some I’ve bought after missing out on them first time around. As usual, we will likely see many game deals rolling out over the next few days. This post will be updated with more deals daily and cover the noteworthy games that are discounted on the App Store. Here are some great deals on iOS games:

• 7 Billion Humans ($4.99)
• Ace Attorney Trilogy ($14.99)
• Alien: Isolation ($14.99)
• Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair ($6.99)
• Danganronpa S Ultimate Summer Camp ($6.99)
• Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony ($6.99)
• Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc ($6.99)
• Don’t Starve ($4.99)
• Don’t Starve Shipwrecked ($4.99)
• Donut County ($4.99)
• Door Kickers: Action Squad ($2.99)
• Door Kickers ($4.99)
• Down in Bermuda ($1.99)
• Dungeon of the Endless Apogee ($7.99)
• Endling ($9.99)
• Five Dates (IAP discount) (Free)
• Flower ($4.99)
• Gorogoa ($4.99)
• GRID Autosport ($9.99)
• Hidden Folks ($4.99)
• Human Resource Machine ($4.99)
• Kingdom Rush Origins HD TD ($2.99)
• Kingdom Rush Origins TD ($2.99)
• Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD ($4.99)
• Luck be a Landlord ($4.99)
• Mega Man X ($2.99)
• Mia and the Dragon Princess (IAP discount) (Free)

• Old Man’s Journey ($4.99)
• Paranormasight ($12.99)
• Raycrisis ($4.99)
• Rayforce ($2.99)
• Raystorm ($3.99)
• Resident Evil 4 Remake (IAP Discount) (Free)
• Resident Evil Village (IAP discount) (Free)
• Roundguard ($6.99)
• Rusty Lake Hotel ($1.99)
• Rusty Lake Paradise ($2.99)
• Rusty Lake Roots ($2.99)
• Sentinels of Earth-Prime ($17.99)
• Star Survivor: Premium ($2.99)
• Street Fighter 4 CE ($2.99)
• Suzy Cube ($3.99)
• Telling Lies ($6.99)
• Ten Dates (IAP discount) (Free)
• The Complex (IAP discount) (Free)
• The Isle Tide Hotel (IAP discount)
• The Shapeshifting Detective ($4.99)
• Towaga: Among Shadows ($2.99)
• Undead Horde 2: Necropolis ($9.99)
• Who Muted Uncle Marcus? (IAP discount) (Free)

• 2112TD: Tower Defense Survival ($1.99)
• A Memoir Blue ($3.99)
• Absolute Drift ($2.99)
• Descenders ($9.99)
• Dragon Quest Builders ($17.99)
• ELOH ($2.99)
• Florence ($2.99)
• Gone Home ($4.99)
• Hindsight Game ($4.99)
• If Found… ($4.99)
• Iron Marines RTS Offline Game ($2.99)
• Journey ($4.99)
• Leo’s Fortune ($1.99)
• Niffelheim ($4.99)
• One Deck Dungeon ($6.99)
• Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remastered ($17.99)
• Sentinels of the Multiverse ($6.99)
• SpongeBob SquarePants: BfBB ($4.99)
• The Legend of Tianding ($3.99)
• The Past Within ($2.99)
• The Stillness of the Wind ($4.99)
• The Unfinished Swan ($4.99)
• The White Door ($2.99)
• Valkyrie Profile Lenneth ($8.99)
• What Remains of Edith Finch ($4.99)



• Actraiser Renaissance ($9.99)
• Adventures of Mana ($6.99)
• Chaos Rings III ($9.99)
• Chrono Trigger ($4.99)
• Collection of SaGa FF Legend ($9.99)
• Dragon Quest I ($1.99)
• Dragon Quest II ($2.99)
• Dragon Quest III ($6.99)
• Dragon Quest IV ($9.99)
• Dragon Quest V ($9.99)
• Dragon Quest VI ($9.99)
• Dragon Quest VIII ($14.99)
• Final Fantasy Dimensions II ($6.99)
• Final Fantasy Dimensions (Free)
• Final Fantasy III 3D Remake ($7.99)
• Final Fantasy IV 3D Remake ($7.99)
• Final Fantasy IV The After Years ($7.99)
• Final Fantasy Tactics War of the Lions iPad ($7.99)
• Final Fantasy Tactics War of the Lions ($6.99)
• Legend of Mana ($13.99)
• Little Inferno HD ($4.99)
• Romancing SaGa 2 ($3.49)
• Romancing SaGa 3 ($6.49)
• SaGa Frontier Remastered ($12.99)
• SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions ($8.99)
• Secret of Mana ($3.99)
• Trials of Mana Remake ($11.99)

Update: New discounts as of December 22nd are below:



• Bad North: Jotunn Edition ($3.99)
• Battle Chasers Nightwar ($9.99)
• Chameleon Run ($1.99)
• Final Fantasy IX ($9.99)
• Final Fantasy VII ($7.99)
• Final Fantasy VIII Remastered ($9.99)
• Finding Paradise ($3.99)
• FTL ($2.99)
• Hero Emblems II ($2.99)
• Hero Emblems ($1.99)
• ICEY ($1.99)
• Juicy Realm ($1.99)
• Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut ($4.99)
• King of Dragon Pass ($9.99)
• Kingdom 80s ($4.99)
• Kingdom New Lands ($4.99)
• Kingdom Two Crowns ($6.99)
• LEGO Bricktales ($4.99)
• Meteorfall Krumit’s Tale ($6.99)
• Moncage ($3.99)
• One Hand Clapping ($9.99)
• Say No! More ($5.99)
• Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out ($9.99)
• Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind ($9.99)
• SteamWorld Heist ($4.99)
• To the Moon ($1.99)
• Townscaper ($4.99)
• Unreal Life [apprice url="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/unreal-life/id1575502642"]Wreckfest ($9.99)

Update: New discounts as of December 25th are below:



• Darkest Dungeon Tablet Edition ($4.99)
• 20 Minutes Till Dawn Premium ($4.99)
• Afterplace ($6.99)
• Alto’s Adventure ($7.99)
• Alto’s Odyssey ($7.99)
• ATOM RPG ($9.99)
• Bright Reappear ($1.99)
• Candy Disaster TD Full Version ($4.99)
• Convenience Stories ($2.99)
• Daggerhood ($2.99)
• Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition for iPad ($9.99)
• Dungeon Village 2 ($3.99)
• Fran Bow ($9.99)
• Game Dev Story ($1.99)
• Kero Blaster ($2.99)
• Legend of the Skyfish ($3.99)
• March to a Million ($2.99)
• Morphite ($7.99)
• Pascal’s Wager ($3.99)
• Pocket Academy ($1.99)
• Pocket Skate ($3.99)
• Pocket Stables ($2.99)
• Ravensword: Shadowlands ($6.99)
• Rip Them Off ($3.99)
• Severed ($0.99)
• Shiny Ski Resort ($2.99)
• Swim Out ($2.99)
• The Deer God ($4.99)
• The Ramen Sensei ($2.99)
• The Room Old Sins ($4.99)
• The Room Three ($3.99)
• The Room Two ($1.99)
• Tomb Toad ($3.99)
• Tropical Resort Story ($3.99)

As usual, if you spot a deal I missed, post in the comments and I’ll add it here when I update the list. I’m not sure how many more games will be discounted each day, but I will be updating this with more noteworthy deals. Happy holidays and thanks for reading!

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/21/best-app-store-games-2023-discounts-christmas-deals-iphone-ipad-game/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/disney-dreamlight-valley-apple-arcade-edition-review-vs-switch-steam-deck-pc-online/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/disney-dreamlight-valley-apple-arcade-edition-review-vs-switch-steam-deck-pc-online/#respond Wed, 20 Dec 2023 20:09:07 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316351 Continue reading "‘Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition’ Review – A Rift in Time, Switch and Steam Deck Comparisons, and More"
]]> Back in September last year, Gameloft released Disney Dreamlight Valley on consoles and PC platforms as an early access release only available as a purchase with different tiers of founder’s packs. It was initially planned to be a free-to-play release when it exited early access, and has been getting updated quite a bit on consoles and PC. I played it on Switch, Steam Deck, and Xbox Series X last year, and dipped into this year again before it was announced for Apple Arcade. A lot has changed since, and Disney Dreamlight Valley finally exited early access and is available as a premium game on PC and consoles. Alongside that standalone release, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition released on Apple Arcade, and it is one of the more interesting additions to the service for a variety of reasons.



Before getting into the differences and platform-specific details, if you’ve never played Disney Dreamlight Valley in any form or even heard of it, think Animal Crossing meets Disney and Pixar. Yes, that’s reductive since Disney Dreamlight Valley has a ton of quality of life features over Nintendo’s massively popular series, but I’m sure more folks have played Animal Crossing than not by now. If you haven’t, Disney Dreamlight Valley is a life simulation and adventure game that lets you create your own avatar and then jump into the magical world. The core gameplay gives you quite a bit of freedom, and is very relaxing. You can fish, cook, harvest items, decorate your house, use magic, and so much more.

There are enough guides and articles on Disney Dreamlight Valley itself since the game hit early access last year. Instead of going into detail about them, I’m going to focus on whether Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition is worth your time as an Apple Arcade subscriber, whether it is the game that will push you to try out the subscription, how the Apple Arcade version compares to the premium release, and more. I’m approaching this as someone who isn’t a huge fan of Disney and Pixar, but I know enough about the characters included, and I also love Animal Crossing on 3DS. Animal Crossing New Horizons on the other hand disappointed me, so I was glad to see other life simulation genre games deliver on what I wanted, including Disney Dreamlight Valley.



You can play Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition offline, but since it supports cross platform play with other non Apple Arcade platforms, I recommend playing with online support. I was curious how it would feel to control with touchscreen controls, and Gameloft did a great job here. After a few minutes, I had no trouble playing it on my iPhone 15 Pro. When using a DualSense controller to test, it also showed PlayStation button prompts. I didn’t try it much on macOS yet with keyboard and mouse controls, but it felt fine.

Being on Apple Arcade, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition comes with some huge advantages, but also a few caveats. The good news is there’s no extra purchase needed. This is the full Disney Dreamlight Valley experience with the paid expansion, A Rift in Time, which sells for $30 on other platforms all included for Apple Arcade subscribers. There is no premium shop or star path here, so that means some cosmetic items might not be available yet or at all. I’m not sure how this will be handled, but I imagine we might see some content released slowly through free updates like we do in other Apple Arcade games. Either way, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition offers stupidly good value for newcomers. It also supports cross platform play.



The downside is that there is no cross progression outside the Apple Arcade ecosystem. Your progress is on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS, but you cannot bring your old progress or take this progress to other platforms. This might not be a big deal for some, but I’m worried that someone’s potentially hundreds of hours long save file might not carry over to something else if Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition ever leaves the service. Some developers have made it so progress is still usable on non Apple Arcade versions, but this is something to keep in mind before investing a lot of time into a fantastic game, when you might be better off getting it on another platform.

Speaking of another platform, how does Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition compare with Disney Dreamlight Valley on PS5, Xbox Series X, Steam Deck, and Nintendo Switch? Based on what I’ve played last year and this year, I’d say my favorite version of Disney Dreamlight Valley is the PC version on Steam Deck followed by Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition. I love playing life simulation games on a portable, and the Steam Deck version of the full game runs and looks excellent. The Switch version is not as good with much longer load times, worse performance, and menu lag. It looks fantastic on my high resolution display when I play the Xbox Series X version, but the cross save means I never lose progress there. I’ve been jumping between Xbox, Switch, and Steam Deck already.



Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition on iPhone 15 Pro has a few issues. I was surprised to see it not run at 60fps, and I hope this can be added in an update. The only other issue is the text size might be a bit too small for some people in a few menus, and some of the touch targets are too small on the phone screen. These need to be tweaked for touchscreens. It runs at full screen on both iPhone 15 Pro and iPad Pro (2020) thankfully, and progress syncs seamlessly between them and my MacBook Air.

The Apple Arcade version, like the main game, is a bit buggy though. This is in a much better place compared to the early access release, but still worth noting with some things seemingly being stuck in the ground, a character being out of bounds until I reloaded the game, and things like that. Nothing gamebreaking, but keep this in mind.



Disney Dreamlight Valley’s A Rift in Time expansion is pretty amazing so far. I haven’t played much of it on Apple Arcade, but have been checking it out on other platforms. If you enjoy the base game which you bought on other platforms, Disney Dreamlight Valley A Rift in Time is more of the good stuff with some notable upgrades. I would definitely grab the bundle with the expansion if I was looking to buy Disney Dreamlight Valley outside Apple Arcade. The new locations, characters, Royal Hourglass tool, and more just work so well together. I feel like the bar has been raised so much with this expansion that I don’t know if potential future ones will match.

Since Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition is basically an Apple Arcade Original release, it will get updates, and I hope the bugs and interface issues can be addressed soon. Beyond that, I’d love for high frame rate support on newer devices at least. I’d even opt for turning down some settings to play this at 60fps on iPhone 15 Pro. One other thing I want fixed is with character naming and how it is handled in this release compared to the game on other platforms. I’m not sure how it works exactly, but it seems like you get locked into a name or no name based on whether you agree to play online or not in the start.



If you have Apple Arcade, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition is one of the best additions to the service in a long time despite a few issues. The game itself is great, and while I hope some aspects can be tweaked on iPhone and iPad, I have no hesitation in recommending you play it assuming you’re ok with the ecosystem lock in for progress. If you’d like some more flexibility on that front, I recommend buying it on Steam Deck or any other platform you prefer. In an ideal world, I’d be able to bring my progress over to Apple Arcade instead of having to start over, but this won’t be an issue for newcomers. If you’re new to it, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition is excellent.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/disney-dreamlight-valley-apple-arcade-edition-review-vs-switch-steam-deck-pc-online/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/resident-evil-4-remake-free-download-out-now-iphone-15-pro-max-ipad-macos-launch-discount-unlock/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/resident-evil-4-remake-free-download-out-now-iphone-15-pro-max-ipad-macos-launch-discount-unlock/#respond Wed, 20 Dec 2023 14:05:28 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316346 Continue reading "‘Resident Evil 4’ Remake Now Available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad, and macOS With Launch Discount"
]]> Resident Evil 4 Remake (Free) from Capcom is now available on iPhone 15 Pro series, iPad (M1 and later), and macOS (M1 and later) as a free to start release. Read my review of the iPhone 15 Pro version here. Resident Evil 4 Remake launched on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam earlier this year priced at $59.99 with extra DLC and an expansion that released recently. For the Apple device launch, Capcom has a launch discount until January 17th bringing the unlock price and DLC to match the PC and console sale price. Watch the new Resident Evil 4 Remake Apple Devices launch trailer below:

Resident Evil 4 Remake’s full game unlock is 50% off and the DLC bundle (to upgrade to the Deluxe Edition on PC/console) is 25% off. This brings the full game unlock to $29.99 and the DLC bundle to $14.99. The full game unlock also includes some bonus pre-order content. The Separate Ways price is $9.99 just like on other platforms. If you’d like to try it and have a supported device, grab it here on the App Store. Resident Evil 4 Remake is a universal purchase including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS together with save syncing. If you haven’t already, read my Steam Deck review of Resident Evil 4 Remake here and Separate Ways here. Will you be trying out Resident Evil 4 Remake on Apple devices today and what did you think of Resident Evil Village if you tried it on iPhone and iPad?

Update: Added new launch trailer and early purchase bonus information.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/resident-evil-4-remake-free-download-out-now-iphone-15-pro-max-ipad-macos-launch-discount-unlock/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/geometry-dash-version-2-2-update-download-out-now-iphone-android-steam-ios-mobile-pc-patch-notes/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/geometry-dash-version-2-2-update-download-out-now-iphone-android-steam-ios-mobile-pc-patch-notes/#respond Wed, 20 Dec 2023 10:13:44 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316334 Continue reading "‘Geometry Dash’ 2.2 Update Finally Available on Mobile and Steam Bringing New Game Modes, Levels, Music Library, and Tons More"
]]> Six years after its last major update, the legendary Geometry Dash ($1.99) has gotten its long-awaited 2.2 update bringing in new game modes, levels, music, collectibles, icons, and more. This update has been in the works for a while now, and was set for launching a few months ago before seeing a bit of a delay. All that is now behind us because Geometry Dash 2.2 is out now on iOS, Android, and Steam. It should have rolled out worldwide by now, but it is out on iOS and Steam in all regions already. The update also brings in new art, 30 new Gauntlets, new shards, new secrets to discover, 100 new achievements, shader effects, and so much more. Read the full list of additions in the patch notes on the Geometry Dash Steam page here. Watch the Geometry Dash 2.2 update launch trailer below:

If you’ve somehow not gotten Geometry Dash yet, it is available on the App Store for iOS here, Google Play for Android here, and PC via Steam here. I’m glad the update managed to ship before the holidays because there no doubt will be delays in patches on certain platforms over the coming days as everyone takes a holiday break. The update seems to be doing amazing on Steam already as shown here. If you’ve been playing Geometry Dash from the start or are new to it, let us know what you think of the game in the comments below. If you also want a blast from the past, check out our massive forum thread for the game here. Once you do get around to playing the new update, let me know what you think of it in the comments or in our forum thread.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/geometry-dash-version-2-2-update-download-out-now-iphone-android-steam-ios-mobile-pc-patch-notes/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/new-super-mario-run-event-wonder-flowers-toad-rally-golden-goomba-stamps-iphone-android/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/new-super-mario-run-event-wonder-flowers-toad-rally-golden-goomba-stamps-iphone-android/#respond Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:02:51 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316323 Continue reading "New ‘Super Mario Run’ Event Brings In the Wonder Flowers From ‘Super Mario Bros. Wonder’ for a Limited Time"
]]> Super Mario Run (Free) recently celebrated the launch of the brilliant Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch game with a free unlock campaign on iOS and Android that ended last month. Today, Nintendo has announced (thanks to MondoMega on Twitter for the tip) a new celebration event for Super Mario Run from now until March 15th, 2024 bringing in the Wonder Flowers from Super Mario Bros. Wonder into Toad Rally. This event has been added with today’s 3.1.0 update, and it will have a meter filling up as you perform certain actions in Toad Rally. Once the meter fills up completely, the Wonder Flower appears and it transforms coins into Golden Goombas. You can use these to unlock stamps and get special buildings in the Kingdom Builder mode. Check out the Wonder Flowers in Super Mario Run Toad Rally in the gameplay video below:

If you haven’t played Super Mario Run in a while, now is a good time to try it on iOS and Android with this new event ongoing. The in app purchase full game unlock is the only purchase available for the game on iOS and Android. Grab the game for free here on the App Store for iOS and here on Google Play for Android. If you’d prefer playing a premium experience over Super Mario Run, you owe it to yourself to play the superlative Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Read my review of it here. Have you been playing Super Mario Run recently and did you play Super Mario Bros. Wonder?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/new-super-mario-run-event-wonder-flowers-toad-rally-golden-goomba-stamps-iphone-android/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/ghost-trick-ios-version-delisting-2024-hd-remaster-release-date-capcom/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/ghost-trick-ios-version-delisting-2024-hd-remaster-release-date-capcom/#respond Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:42:51 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316316 Continue reading "‘Ghost Trick’ on iOS From Capcom Will Be Delisted on March 25th, the HD Remastered Version With No Save or Purchases Carrying Over Will Be Released"
]]> Surprising almost no one, Capcom has announced that it will be delisting Ghost Trick (Free) on iOS on March 25th, 2024. Purchasing the game or in-app content will no longer be supported after that date. If you already own it or grab it before then, you should be able to play it and unlock achievements or re-download. One thing to note is compatibility with future versions of iOS isn’t guaranteed. Ghost Trick in particular out of Capcom’s mobile releases has been delisted on iOS many times to be updated for new versions of iOS and fixed. This version debuted back in 2010 so it will have had 14 years of support (not counting when it was delisted multiple times before of course), so a new HD version arriving is a good thing assuming this one will be supported.



After how the publisher brought the new version of the Ace Attorney Trilogy to mobile replacing the original game, I knew this would happen to Ghost Trick as well, and fully expect the remaining Ace Attorney games to follow this pattern in 2025. If you’ve not kept up with the news, Ghost Trick hit Switch, Steam, and other consoles earlier this year as a full remaster and it is fantastic. Read Shaun’s review here. I like this version a lot more than the current iOS version, but it is still disappointing that there’s no upgrade path or save transfer offered. Watch the trailer for the new version of the game coming to iOS in the future below:

With Ghost Trick confirmed to come back to iOS after it is delisted in March 2024, I hope Capcom can bring The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles to iOS and also I have not forgotten about Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. While Capcom has recently been great on iOS with the premium ports of Resident Evil 4 Remake and Resident Evil Village, hopefully the publisher remembers to bring some of its other IP to mobile as well through ports or resurrecting older games. A price point for the new HD version hasn’t been announced yet, but it is priced at $29.99 on console and PC right now. I expect the iOS price point of the new release to be about $20. Did you play Ghost Trick on iOS, Nintendo DS, or any of its modern platform versions?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/20/ghost-trick-ios-version-delisting-2024-hd-remaster-release-date-capcom/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/best-nintendo-switch-game-remakes-remasters-list-top-10/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/best-nintendo-switch-game-remakes-remasters-list-top-10/#respond Tue, 19 Dec 2023 20:37:22 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315854 Continue reading "The Best Nintendo Switch Remakes – SwitchArcade Special Edition"
]]> Over the last few years, we’ve published many features covering the best games in specific genres on Nintendo Switch. I’ve enjoyed putting together our end of year posts focusing on the best ports and remasters quite a bit. With Super Mario RPG out now, I decided to put together a list of the best remakes on Nintendo Switch. This will cover games available on older platforms that have been redone for Switch. Note that I’m avoiding basic ports here regardless of how good they are. This list will cover both first and third party games, and it isn’t in any particular order.

Before getting into the games, I want to cover what makes a remake good or even great. While a lot of remasters and remakes aim to bring older games to modern platforms, my favorite ones also make said games feel good enough to play for newcomers. I experienced many of the games below for the first time through the new remakes, and then checked out the originals when possible to see how things changed for the better. Let’s get into it then.

Metroid Prime Remastered ($39.99)

Despite the name, Metroid Prime Remastered is basically a remake of the GameCube classic with redone visuals, new control options, smoother performance, and more. This release is notable for also being a budget-priced title. We’ve seen publishers charge a lot more for remakes or remasters that do a lot less. Metroid Prime Remastered feels like an anomaly in a good way, and an essential for anyone who owns a Switch. It is that good, and I hope Nintendo lets us experience Metroid Prime 2 and 3 on Switch in similar releases in 2024 or 2025. Metroid Prime Remastered is an action adventure masterpiece.

STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R ($49.99)

Square Enix, that’s a name you will be seeing a lot here. Despite the publisher releasing many remasters and remakes across platforms, I feel like the ones we’ve gotten in recent years have been better than ever before thanks to games like STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R. A full remake of STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY for Switch and other platforms brought a new aesthetic that blended 2D with 3D, offered multiple music and portrait options, and delivered a stunning action RPG for modern platforms that is not only a great entry point for newcomers, but also a brilliant STAR OCEAN game on its own.

Famicom Detective Club: The Two-Case Collection ($59.98)

Both Famicom Detective Club games in the single Two-Case Collection package are surprisingly great adventure games. While some elements of the gameplay are a bit obtuse, these are gorgeous releases with fantastic music and a great story. I’m glad Nintendo took a chance and released this globally for the first time through the Nintendo Switch remakes, and still hope they do a physical release for North America in the future. A lot of the games in this list have been discounted, but the Famicom Detective Club: The Two-Case Collection is yet to see a single discount. Trust me. It is worth full price.

LIVE A LIVE ($49.99)

Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler saw the company strike gold with a superb JRPG that I still think about today for its music, visuals, and characters. That HD 2D aesthetic was taken and applied to an unlocalized SNES gem with LIVE A LIVE for its Nintendo Switch remake simply titled LIVE A LIVE. LIVE A LIVE with its varied stories, fantastic payoff, and superb aesthetic shines on the Switch OLED screen. It also has one of Yoko Shimomura’s best soundtracks. This one has a demo and I urge you to try it out to see how creative it is.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined ($29.99)

Pocky & Rocky AKA Kiki Kaikai, was another SNES game I didn’t know about until its remake was announced. Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, a fantastic remake of the run and gun shooter debuted on PS4 and Switch before coming to Steam and also Xbox platforms recently. Now, some folks who played both versions will likely already be a bit annoyed at me calling this a remake, when it does things differently, and becomes its own new game in ways. After gorgeous recreations of classic elements, it changes things up. Reshrined in a lot of ways could also stand for remixed or re-arranged while also remaking things. Splitting hairs aside, Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is fantastic, and I will call it a remake for this list. Out of all the versions, I’ve been revisiting it on Switch and Xbox Series X quite a bit lately. It really is a gem. I’ve linked the Digital Foundry analysis video showcasing how much better this version is above.

Super Mario RPG ($59.99)

The most recent release on this list is Nintendo’s Super Mario RPG. I had heard so much about this one over the years, but never played it. As a huge fan of the Mario and Luigi games on DS and 3DS, I figured I’d end up enjoying Super Mario RPG when I got around to it. I waited and experienced it directly through the Switch remake. In a lot of ways, I wasn’t sure if this was worth including because it didn’t do much extra over the original based on what I was seeing, but as a faithful remake that brings a classic to modern times with a fresh coat of paint, Super Mario RPG is absolutely worth it. It even serves as a nice introduction to the genre for newcomers. Now that Super Mario RPG’s remake is out, hopefully Nintendo and Square Enix can add the original to Nintendo Switch Online in the future so both versions are playable on modern platforms.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn ($49.99)

Square Enix’s Tactics Ogre: Reborn, an enhanced remaster/remake of Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together which itself served as a remake of the SNES game, was one of the more shocking releases from the publisher in a good way. It felt like a ton of care and attention was put into making it feel great for newcomers and veteran fans. Tactics Ogre: Reborn on Switch is also the rare Square Enix remake that has no issues at all. It just feels perfect to play in handheld and docked, and fits the hybrid nature of the platform. Tactics Ogre: Reborn is one of Square Enix’s best releases in years, and an essential for tactical RPG fans.

STORY OF SEASONS: A Wonderful Life ($49.99)

Marvelous has brought quite a few Story of Seasons and Rune Factory games to Switch, but some of them have suffered technical issues. STORY OF SEASONS: A Wonderful Life, a remake of the GameCube and PS2 game, arrived on Switch and other platforms earlier this year. I hadn’t played the original release, so STORY OF SEASONS: A Wonderful Life felt like a brand new game for me. Not only is it a lovely remake, but it also serves as the best entry point into this legendary series on Switch.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe ($59.99)

After Kirby Star Allies disappointed me, I longed for a return to form for the series’ 2D entries from the 3DS days. When I played Kirby and the Forgotten Land, I was blown away by how good it was, but I still hoped to have a great 2D entry. When Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe released, it was my first time playing the game, and it felt like the successor to the 3DS 2D games I always wanted, despite being a remake of a Wii game. The new content is also great, and Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is one of my favorite Kirby games.

Risk of Rain Returns ($14.99)

Risk of Rain Returns does enough to feel fresh, but manages to nail what I loved about the original with my rose tinted memories of it from back in the day on PS Vita. I adored playing Risk of Rain Returns on both Switch and Steam Deck recently, and it is the best version of a true indie classic for modern platforms. I hope it gets a Switch physical release soon, and can’t wait to play more of it over the years just like I did the original.

There are still so many great remakes like Blaster Master Zero, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, and more. I’d likely have been able to put together 25, but I wanted to keep this to just the best 10. With so many newer remakes as well, hopefully you found something you hadn’t played yet. If you think I missed something notable, please let me know in the comments below. As always, thanks for reading.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/best-nintendo-switch-game-remakes-remasters-list-top-10/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/vampire-survivors-emergency-meeting-dlc-review-iphone-steam-deck-xbox-series-x-among-us-switch/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/vampire-survivors-emergency-meeting-dlc-review-iphone-steam-deck-xbox-series-x-among-us-switch/#respond Tue, 19 Dec 2023 19:12:56 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316292 Continue reading "‘Vampire Survivors’ Emergency Meeting DLC Review – Another Essential Purchase"
]]> Both Vampire Survivors (Free) from poncle and PowerWash Simulator (not on mobile yet) from FuturLab are games that delivered an immense amount of value, and kept going with free and paid content. While the former has had two superlative DLC packs, the latter has started faltering recently as we saw with the Back to the Future pack. When poncle announced the Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC, the first collaboration DLC, I was a bit concerned. Vampire Survivors continues to feel too good to be true with value and fun, so I keep thinking it might falter somehow. Would the first collaboration be that? Thankfully not. This review will cover the iOS, Steam Deck, and Xbox Series X versions.



On paper, the Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC was already worth it at just $2.49 even if it only added the one big map. The fact that it brings in 9 new characters, 15 new weapons, new music, and even and Adventure is just icing on the sus cake. As someone who hasn’t played much of Among Us, I was curious how I’d find this DLC. It turns out, it is still superb, and I feel like the possibilities here are even crazier than before just in the Adventure, let alone main modes.

In many cases, developers release DLC and expect you to only access it after playing a significant amount of the base game. With the Vampire Survivors DLC, you get access to the new maps directly thankfully, so if you’ve not played a lot of the main game, you can still access the new stage, Polus Replica. This is where you begin with whatever character you’ve unlocked from the base game, and work your way to unlocking the new content.



Developer poncle has made things better with it being very easy to see what you need to do to unlock new content. You no longer need to constantly keep a tab open on your browser for some guide. The new stage features new enemies, bosses, and a plethora of possibilities as you mix and match new and old items. Things get a bit too crazy, and I wish Valve had fixed the Steam Deck capture so I could show you how much the frame rate can drop after a complex run towards the end. Either way, I love how fun things are with the characters and weapons in the Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC.

Out of the new weapons and characters, Imposter Rina is definitely my favorite followed by the Scientist Mina. The Science Rocks and Vent are the funniest new items for sure, but the evolutions in this DLC really elevate it to a whole other level. I definitely recommend experiencing it through the Adventure when you can, because the team did a fantastic job with that.



Visually, Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC almost seamlessly transitions Among Us content and animations into its aesthetic. It just works and makes complete sense when you play the DLC level and start unlocking characters. While I haven’t played much of Among Us, the new music in Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC is really great. This soundtrack continues to be the gift that keeps on giving just like the game. It is complemented by the lovely new sounds for the weapons and items included in the DLC.

If you’re new to Vampire Survivors and haven’t gotten the prior DLC yet or played it in co-op, read my co-op impressions of the Steam version here, my Nintendo Switch review here, Steam Deck review of Vampire Survivors 1.0 here, Legacy of the Moonspell DLC review here, iOS review here, and Tides of the Foscari DLC review here. I’m a big fan, and I’m glad to see poncle continue the high quality free updates and DLC with 1.8 and the paid Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting collaboration DLC.



Even if you don’t care or know about Among Us, the Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC is an essential purchase. It is just wild and crazy in the funniest possible ways while delivering so much through the characters, weapons, stage, and adventure included. I can’t wait to see what poncle does next for collaboration DLC, and Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting is something I’m going to play a ton over the coming weeks as I try and unlock everything on all platforms. If you’ve not played Vampire Survivors in a while, grab this DLC (and prior DLC) and get back. Vampire Survivors deserves it. Hats off to poncle for this one. Both figuratively and in-game.

Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC review score: 5/5

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/vampire-survivors-emergency-meeting-dlc-review-iphone-steam-deck-xbox-series-x-among-us-switch/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/river-city-girls-mobile-review-iphone-ipad-pro-crunchyroll/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/river-city-girls-mobile-review-iphone-ipad-pro-crunchyroll/#respond Tue, 19 Dec 2023 17:21:51 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316269 Continue reading "‘River City Girls’ Mobile Review – A Good Port, but Needs Updates"
]]> After Apple Arcade and Netflix, Crunchyroll entered the game subscription service party (?) with its Crunchyroll Game Vault for mobile bringing premium games to mobile as value adds for subscribers. The launch games included some older titles now a part of the Crunchyroll Game Vault, and also WayForward’s River City Girls (Free) which saw its mobile debut through this service. Shaun already reviewed the game on Switch here, and I agree with basically all of that. For this review, I wanted to cover how the game has aged with the sequel out on other platforms, and how the port is through the Crunchyroll Game Vault.

If you’ve never heard of River City Girls, it is actually a new entry in the Kunio-kun/River City franchise from Arc System Works, but one that has you playing as Misako and Kyoko instead of Kunio and Riki. It excelled for its style, music, voice acting, and most of the gameplay when I played it on Xbox a few years ago. The Switch version was plagued with some performance issues, but is in a better place right now. It did have co-op, and I always felt like the game was balanced around that rather than being accessible to solo players.

There’s quite a bit of freedom in River City Girls through its open-esque locations with shops, enemies, and more. As a beat ’em up, it isn’t as polished as something like Streets of Rage 4 if you’ve played that, but I still think fondly of how much I enjoyed River City Girls and still love its characters. Moving from location to location and eventually getting to memorable boss fights (some sadly aren’t fun), and upgrading and unlocking more for your characters. This is one area I wish the team went back to balance better. If you play solo like I did both originally and now, the game feels too tedious with enemies having what feels like inflated health pools. After unlocking and upgrading a bit, things become a lot more fun, but it is still challenging even on normal difficulty. I couldn’t test the online on the mobile version, but the game itself only supported local co-op. I hope if WayForward does bring River City Girls 2 to mobile, it includes the online multiplayer as well with cross platform matchmaking.



Now, River City Girls on iOS on my iPhone 15 Pro and iPad Pro (2020) has performance issues. It also looks excellent in most parts. The few issues I ran into have to do with how the aspect ratio of certain things has been handled causing cropping or elements hidden behind the home bar in parts. Some of the touch targets are also too small with tiny text in menus. These usually are the tabs you’d swap between in the menu using the shoulder buttons on the controller, but they need to be tweaked for iPhone and iPad. One more thing I’d like to see is proper cloud save support. I logged into my account on both iPhone and iPad and my progress did not sync across for the game.

Speaking of controls, River City Girls has controller support, and it works great. It does only show Xbox button prompts in my testing at least. When using touchscreen controls, you sadly cannot adjust the positions or size of these touchscreen buttons unless I missed something. They work well on iPad, but feel a bit cramped on the phone. I hope a future update can add options to adjust these like we’ve seen in the Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal release.



Barring the few control and interface issues, River City Girls still has the flaws of the original game with regards to balance for solo play and some bosses not being as much fun. This version is updated though, so you don’t mistakenly end up changing location when you’re attacking enemies near a door or something. I did enjoy revisiting it a few years later though, and still prefer it to the sequel in many ways.

Whenever I review a game that’s only in a subscription service, it is worth looking at whether the game offers enough value to warrant subscribing to said service. River City Girls is priced at $29.99 on Nintendo Switch, and while it being “Free" for subscribers is fantastic, it isn’t enough to justify subscribing. Maybe when there are more games, but right now this is a good value add for existing subscribers. If you don’t have a Crunchyroll membership, details about subscription pricing are here on the official website. You need the Mega Fan tier ($9.99 per month) or the Ultimate Fan tier ($14.99 per month) to also access the games in the Crunchyroll Game Fault.



If you already have River City Girls on another platform, there isn’t anything of note with this release to warrant replaying it. If you don’t, and have a Crunchyroll subscription that includes the Game Vault, it is absolutely worth playing. I always liked River City Girls despite its flaws, and while I hope the iOS version gets patched to improve controls and its interface, it is a good port. River City Girls itself is gorgeous with an amazing soundtrack, and I still prefer it to the sequel.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/river-city-girls-mobile-review-iphone-ipad-pro-crunchyroll/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/alien-isolation-mobile-price-discount-iphone-ipad-grid-autosport-feral-interactive/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/alien-isolation-mobile-price-discount-iphone-ipad-grid-autosport-feral-interactive/#respond Tue, 19 Dec 2023 09:57:42 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316266 Continue reading "‘Alien: Isolation’ for iOS Down to $9.99 From $14.99 for the First Time, ‘GRID Autosport’ Also Discounted"
]]> Ahead of the holidays, Feral Interactive’s superb iOS versions of Alien: Isolation ($14.99) and GRID Autosport ($9.99) are discounted. While there’s no mention of a discount on the App Store or socials, I’m unsure if this is a price cut or a limited time discount so keep that in mind. This is seemingly the first discount ever for Alien: Isolation on iOS. If you’ve not gotten it yet, read my glowing review of it here. We featured it as our Game of the Week as well when it launched. Watch the trailer for Alien: Isolation on mobile below:

Alien: Isolation on mobile includes all seven DLC packs in its usual price of $14.99. It is now down to $9.99. I don’t know when the price will or will not change, but now is a great time to grab it if you haven’t already. GRID Autosport is down to $7.99 from $9.99. Both are excellent showcases for your new phones if you’ve bought an iPhone 15 or 15 Pro series device recently. I enjoyed the former on iPad Pro quite a bit. You can buy Alien: Isolation on the App Store here. Check out our forum thread here. You can buy GRID Autosport on the App Store for iOS here. Have you played either of them on mobile yet?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/alien-isolation-mobile-price-discount-iphone-ipad-grid-autosport-feral-interactive/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/tiny-wings-2023-game-update-iphone-apple-arcade-new-levels-birds-unlock-missions-dlc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/tiny-wings-2023-game-update-iphone-apple-arcade-new-levels-birds-unlock-missions-dlc/#respond Tue, 19 Dec 2023 05:28:58 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316262 Continue reading "New Surprise ‘Tiny Wings’ Update Brings In Over 100 Multicolored Birds To Unlock, 15 New Missions, and More"
]]> Back in 2021, the legendary Tiny Wings ($1.99) got its 10th anniversary update bringing in the new Manta Island to Flight School with 5 new levels, modern iPad support, and more. 2021 was also when Andreas Illiger’s classic released on Apple Arcade as Tiny Wings+. Today, it has gotten a surprise update with over a hundred multicolored birds to unlock, 15 new missions, new AI for the Flight School portion, and more. The update also adds an optional in app purchase to the standalone game. Watch the original gameplay trailer for it from many years ago below:

If you’ve still not played this somehow and own an iOS device, read our original 2011 review of it, the massive version 2.0 update from 2012, the Tuna Islands update from 2014, and the arrival of the Apple TV version from 2016. There are loads of amazing iOS games from a decade ago and now, but Tiny Wings remains timeless. It is great to see it still get support all these years later. It is worth trying if you haven’t already. Check it out on the App Store for iOS here and on Apple Arcade as Tiny Wings+ here.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/19/tiny-wings-2023-game-update-iphone-apple-arcade-new-levels-birds-unlock-missions-dlc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/gta-vice-city-definitive-edition-mobile-review-controller-classic-lighting-cheats-iphone-15-pro/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/gta-vice-city-definitive-edition-mobile-review-controller-classic-lighting-cheats-iphone-15-pro/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 23:13:43 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316121 Continue reading "‘Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition’ Mobile Review – The Best GTA Game Returns, Again"
]]> I almost gave up hope on Rockstar Games’ remake/remaster of the classic GTA trilogy ever making it to mobile after multiple delays. When it was confirmed for mobile through Netflix Games, I thought Netflix would finally have its killer app despite the release’s issues on PC and consoles. Fast forward to a few days ago, and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition hit mobile as three individual games available through Netflix and also as premium standalone releases priced at $19.99 each. I’ve been playing them on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad Pro (2020), and I also redownloaded the games on Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X to see how this new release compares. I’m surprised by how much better Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is on mobile despite a few annoyances. I’m going to be covering all three games, and this review will focus on GTA: Vice City – Definitive ($19.99) and GTA: Vice City – NETFLIX (Free).



The original GTA: Vice City is one of my favorite games of all time. I’ve played it on everything, and own almost every version of it including multiple regional variants like the PS2 Japanese release I got a few months ago. I adored it when I played it years ago, and loved revisiting it on iPhone through its 10th anniversary edition. I still get chills with that trailer. I love the game so much that I even bought that awful PS2 on PS4 version they released when Sony was trying to get developers to bring PS2 classics to PS4 with trophy support. So when the trilogy was announced to get a remake, I was excited but nervous.

The collection hit PC and consoles including Nintendo Switch back in 2021, and it wasn’t great. Read my review of the trilogy on Switch here. Since then, the games have improved, but many issues still remain. For the mobile release, I didn’t expect much, but this release surprised me. When I launched GTA: Vice City – Definitive on Netflix and finished the 1.27GB download in-game, I thought I was imagining things, but the actual game looked different. I played a bit more and wondered why it looked better than I remembered from my time with the Definitive version on Xbox and Switch. I booted up those versions and forgot the lighting was different there. Then I noticed GTA: Vice City – Definitive has a new Classic Lighting option which looks so much nicer. GTA: Vice City – Definitive now felt like GTA: Vice City. I was ecstatic to have the vibe back, but there were some issues I noticed.



Without looking into the game’s settings, I was surprised at how blurry it looked on iPhone 15 Pro. I checked the options and found a setting for the resolution. I turned it up to max, and it looked a lot nicer. For some reason, this doesn’t save and you need to turn it up manually each time you boot up the game. Barring that, the game seems capped to 30fps which is disappointing. I hope both of these can be fixed in future updates. The graphics tab is where you can enable or disable Classic Lighting. I recommend trying both options if you’re familiar with GTA: Vice City. Once you manually fix the resolution, GTA: Vice City – Definitive looks excellent with fullscreen support on all iOS devices I tested it on.

On the control side, GTA: Vice City – Definitive includes the new modern control options, and I tested it with both touch and controller. I used my DualSense controller, but the game seems to only have Xbox button prompts. The touchscreen controls work well, and the game is responsive enough. There are camera sensitivity options, movement options to play with modern or classic controls, and more here. I was glad to see a haptic feedback option here.



Since these are a huge part of the experience for me after I finish the story, I wanted to highlight how GTA: Vice City – Definitive includes cheat codes. You can either use a controller and input the controller cheats with button combinations, or go into accessibility and input the PC cheat codes. Both work.

Yes, I know I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the port and features, but GTA: Vice City itself is incredible. I don’t care what you use to play it, but it is one of the all-time greats, and right up there with GTA V and Red Dead Redemption II as Rockstar Games’ best. The story is amazing, dialogue memorable, radio stations despite cuts are still excellent, and it has gameplay that remains fun even today thanks to control enhancements.



I don’t own GTA: Vice City – Definitive on Steam to test on Steam Deck, but GTA: Vice City – Definitive on Netflix and iOS is massively better than the Switch version. Not only does the Classic Lighting option drastically help, but the game loads much quicker on iOS compared to Switch while looking a lot better. The Xbox Series X version runs at a higher resolution with 60fps support though, but I still don’t see myself going back to that until we get the mobile improvements. Speaking of improvements, I’ve been noticing little things like some models being better on mobile, animation improvements, and more.

The only real issues GTA: Vice City – Definitive has on mobile now are the frame rate cap, resolution not saving for some reason on iPhone 15 Pro or iPad Pro on the Netflix version, and the few issues I have with the game like the one super annoying mission that remains the only annoyance in GTA: Vice City itself. While this game (and the trilogy in general) deserved better, I think we are finally at the stage where the Definitive part of the name is actually applicable. This mobile version of GTA: Vice City – Definitive is great, and can be even better with a few updates. The screenshot below shows the Classic Lighting (right) versus the PC and console lighting (left):



While I’d say the original mobile release on modern iPhones and iPads is the best version of GTA: Vice City even now, GTA: Vice City – Definitive complements it nicely and is something I see myself dipping into for years to come, just like the original. GTA: Vice City – Definitive is worth buying, but I think this is the first actual killer app Netflix has to get people onboard its games initiative. Having the original GTA: Vice City would have been enough, but this release is actually better than the PC and console versions in almost every way. I don’t even think I’ll go back to those versions without the Classic Lighting option. The original game is a timeless classic, and my favorite GTA game, so I’m glad we now have a great version of the remake on mobile alongside the original which is still available.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/gta-vice-city-definitive-edition-mobile-review-controller-classic-lighting-cheats-iphone-15-pro/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/resident-evil-4-remake-iphone-15-pro-gameplay-review-mac-cloud-save/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/resident-evil-4-remake-iphone-15-pro-gameplay-review-mac-cloud-save/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:00:07 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316129 Continue reading "Resident Evil 4 Remake iPhone 15 Pro Review (in Progress)"
]]> After releasing Resident Evil Village on iPhone 15 Pro and supported iPad models a few months ago, Capcom has released the superlative Resident Evil 4 Remake (Free) on not only iOS and iPadOS, but also macOS as a universal release for Apple platforms. Thanks to early access from Capcom, I’ve been playing Resident Evil 4 Remake on my iPhone 15 Pro and MacBook Air (M1) over the last few days. While I need a bit more time for the full review, this Resident Evil 4 Remake iPhone 15 Pro review in progress will cover my early thoughts on the mobile conversion. I’ll be updating this later in the week once I’ve played the public build and also tested out more.



Having already covered Resident Evil 4 Remake on Steam Deck and its DLC, I will not waste too much time discussing the game itself. After Capcom’s superb Resident Evil 2 Remake, many were disappointed in Resident Evil 3 Remake. Having never played the originals, I loved both of them, and my only complaint with Resident Evil 3 Remake is that it shouldn’t have been a full priced game. Resident Evil 4 is a legendary game that changed the industry, so remaking it was risky for Capcom. Thankfully, the developer and publisher pulled it off in spades delivering the best version of Resident Evil 4 by far. Resident Evil 4 Remake debuted on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and PC. It has not been ported to anything else yet, but is now on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad (M1 and later), and macOS (M1 and later) as a universal release. While I expected this port to be similar to Resident Evil Village on iPhone 15 Pro, it is different in quite a few ways, and I’m not sure if the final build releasing this week will be the same.

On first launching Resident Evil 4 Remake, you’re prompted to download about 12GB of data. If you don’t download this, the game closes. After this required download, you can sample the opening of the game for free. If you do end up buying the one time unlock for the full game or any DLC, there’s an additional download required. The final install size with everything downloaded and updated is about 31.3GB on iPhone 15 Pro. For comparison, the macOS version on my MacBook Air is about 65GB, the Steam Deck version is 69GB, and the PS5 version is about 78GB with all DLC installed. The screenshot below is with the DLC filter enabled.



On the graphics side, Resident Evil 4 Remake on iOS in the build I have, does not let you adjust anything of note barring HDR. I tried every menu both in and outside a loaded save file, and could not find any graphics options on iPhone 15 Pro like there were in Resident Evil Village. I’m not sure if this is Capcom tuning it for the device directly, or this build not having them yet. This is why I wanted to wait for the App Store build to play before putting a score on this review. On the PC version, there’s a tab in between Display and Language to adjust graphics. This is absent on iPhone 15 Pro in the build I have. I was curious to see if setting things low and trying out different upscaling would let me try out different frame rate targets, but it seems like you can’t right now. Performance isn’t perfect right now, but it looks very good on the phone’s screen with HDR enabled. I’ll be testing more of it and comparing it with the MacBook Air M1 version for the full review in the coming days. Right now, it is capped at 30fps on iPhone 15 Pro, and the frame rate is sadly not a perfect 30fps.

When it comes to the controls, the same issues as with Resident Evil Village apply here. I noticed Resident Evil 4 Remake defaults to showing PlayStation button prompts with the touchscreen controls and when an external controller is used. This is like the PC version. You can change it to display Xbox button prompts in the settings. One disappointing aspect is Capcom didn’t work on adding a similar haptic feedback or responsive vibrations like in the PS5 version on the iPhone 15 Pro version when using the DualSense controller. There is vibration, but it falls short of how awesome the experience is on PS5.



A lot has been said online for Resident Evil 4 Remake costing “$60" on mobile. The horror. I’m going to give some context to the pros and cons of this price. Capcom so far, has not been great at maintaining its older premium games on mobile. Some games have been broken until years later when they get fixed. While it is likely these new Resident Evil ports will be supported for a bit at least given Apple’s heavy advertising, I will not forgive Capcom for Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on iOS going away. So far, I can see hesitation in supporting these releases. Back to the actual price of the full game unlock and DLC, Capcom is matching the current console and PC including discounts by offering a launch price for mobile bringing it down to $29.99 for a limited time. Over the years, we’ve seen some games hit premium prices or match other platforms, and I’m confident in saying Resident Evil 4 Remake is easily worth the asking price given its port compared to something like Civilization VI.

Since Resident Evil 4 Remake is a universal purchase supporting iPadOS, iOS, and macOS, it includes the ability to upload and download your data from iCloud Drive in the server tab of the menu. This didn’t seem to be a seamless sync like we have in Apple Arcade games. Also, while I could upload without issues from iPhone 15 Pro, macOS uploading never worked regardless of the three networks I tried.



Resident Evil 4 Remake is a game you will likely replay. These remakes are great to replay, and it is one of the big reasons I try to keep both Resident Evil 2 Remake and Resident Evil 4 Remake installed on my consoles. I just wish Capcom put in more effort into the touchscreen controls. A good recent example is Hitman: Blood Money which has an amazing conversion on mobile. Not only does it support controllers as you’d expect, but it also has superb touch controls and keyboard & mouse support. Resident Evil 4 Remake’s touch implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

In its current state, Resident Evil 4 Remake is an easy recommendation if you have a controller despite the visual cutbacks. The Backbone One or a DualSense controller for iPad and macOS are basically essential. Think of this like those Steam releases that have “controller required". Those don’t let you use keyboard and mouse, the default input options on PC, but force you to use a controller. Resident Evil 4 Remake on iOS does not force a controller with touchscreen controls available, but I would not recommend them right now. Capcom has done a fantastic job so far in bringing this masterpiece, and definitive version of Resident Evil 4, to Apple devices. I hope we see more RE Engine games arrive in the future, including Resident Evil 2 Remake and Resident Evil 3 Remake.



Just like Resident Evil Village, I recommend downloading Resident Evil 4 Remake for free if you have a supported device to see how you find it. I love Resident Evil 4 Remake, and it has been amazing re-experiencing it on iPhone 15 Pro. Capcom is also continuing the tradition of bringing Resident Evil 4 Remake, like the original game, to loads of platforms. Having already played Resident Evil 4 Remake on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Steam Deck, I’m very impressed with a lot of what I’ve played of the game and Separate Ways on iPhone 15 Pro, but hope Capcom improves it with updates.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/resident-evil-4-remake-iphone-15-pro-gameplay-review-mac-cloud-save/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/monster-hunter-now-happy-hunting-new-year-event-pink-rathian-black-diablos-boosted-appearance-rate-events-zinogre-huntathons-bundle/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/monster-hunter-now-happy-hunting-new-year-event-pink-rathian-black-diablos-boosted-appearance-rate-events-zinogre-huntathons-bundle/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:46:34 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316217 Continue reading "‘Monster Hunter Now’ Happy Hunting New Year Event Announced With the Return of Black Diablos, Pink Rathian, and Zinogre Hunt-a-thons"
]]> Niantic and Capcom just revealed a new event in Monster Hunter Now (Free) on iOS and Android to bring in 2024. If you’ve not played the game in a while, they recently added Hunt-a-thons which are raid-like experiences balanced for multiplayer, but playable solo. This was around the time Radobaan, Banbaro, Barioth, and Zinogre were added to the game in the first major title update. The Monster Hunter Now Happy Hunting New Year event sees a boosted appearance rate for Zinogre hunt-a-thons and the return of Pink Rathian and Black Diablos. Pink Rathian will be coming back from December 23rd at 9 AM until December 31st at midnight while Black Diablos will be returning from January 1st 2024 at 00:00 until January 8th 2024 at midnight.

Zinogre’s hunt-a-thons will see boosted appearances throughout. The highlight of the event for me is more monsters appearing in shorter intervals between 1 PM and 6 PM from December 23rd until January 8th. There will also be some new in-game bundles available to buy. Details are here.



If you are planning to start playing the game, I put together some (newly updated) tips and tricks for the game, details on the weapons, special skills, the current monsters list, my wishlist for future update monsters, and more. You can grab Monster Hunter Now on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The in app purchases include different sets of gems and upgrades. Check out the official website here. What do you think of Monster Hunter Now if you’ve been playing it and did you try a Hunt-a-thon yet?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/monster-hunter-now-happy-hunting-new-year-event-pink-rathian-black-diablos-boosted-appearance-rate-events-zinogre-huntathons-bundle/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/death-stranding-directors-cut-iphone-15-pro-release-date-delayed-early-2024-ipad-pro-m1-macbook/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/death-stranding-directors-cut-iphone-15-pro-release-date-delayed-early-2024-ipad-pro-m1-macbook/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 10:55:05 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316141 Continue reading "‘Death Stranding Director’s Cut’ Release Date for iPhone 15 Pro, iPad M1, and Mac Delayed to Early 2024"
]]> At Apple’s iPhone 15 event, it was confirmed that Resident Evil 4 Remake and more games including Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding Director’s Cut are coming to the iPhone 15 Pro series of devices. Kojima Productions then confirmed that Death Stranding Director’s Cut would also hit M1 powered iPad and Mac devices. Originally set for release by the end of this year, Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now set for early 2024 as confirmed by publisher 505 Games in a Tweet which you can view below:

Here at @505_Games and @KojiPro2015_EN, we are excited to launch #DeathStrandingDC on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We just need a little more time!

Stay tuned for a new release date in early 2024.

We can't wait to welcome more Porters to DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT. pic.twitter.com/zCa9Tcecd4

— 505 Games (@505_Games) December 15, 2023

Death Stranding Director’s Cut pricing has not yet been revealed for iPhone and iPad, and it is unknown whether it will be free to try like the new Resident Evil releases. On Steam, this version is priced at $39.99 while it is $49.99 on PS5. I’m very curious to see what pricing it uses, but I expect it will match Steam with some launch discount. How this scales on iPhone 15 Pro since it uses Guerrilla Games’ Decima engine is also going to be interesting. Speaking of how it scales, I was impressed with it on Steam Deck, and I included Death Stranding Director’s Cut in last year’s best Steam Deck games article which you can read here as well. Have you played Death Stranding on any platform yet?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/death-stranding-directors-cut-iphone-15-pro-release-date-delayed-early-2024-ipad-pro-m1-macbook/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/vampire-survivors-among-us-dlc-adventures-update-download-out-now-iphone-android-price/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/vampire-survivors-among-us-dlc-adventures-update-download-out-now-iphone-android-price/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 09:33:27 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316199 Continue reading "Vampire Survivors Among Us DLC Out Today on Mobile With Adventures Update Included, Switch Update Coming Later"
]]> Developer poncle recently announced the first collaboration DLC for Vampire Survivors (Free) with the Emergency Meeting Among Us pack that was announced for xbox and PC release today. The Switch and mobile versions were to get the update later. poncle confirmed that iOS and Android will be getting the DLC today, and it should be rolling out now for $2.49 with a discount on select platforms. This DLC adds a big map, 9 new characters, 15 new weapons, and of course new music as well. Vampire Survivors on iOS and Android also gets the big Adventures Update today. If you’ve not tried it on any platform yet, here’s how to access the new content. Watch the Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC launch trailer below:

The Vampire Survivors DLC is up as an in app purchase on iOS and Android, but it won’t be available in-game until the big update has rolled out. Grab it on Steam here. The full FAQ about the DLC is also live here. If you’ve not played the game in a while, read my co-op impressions of the Steam version here and my Nintendo Switch review here. You can also read my Steam Deck review of Vampire Survivors here, Legacy of the Moonspell DLC review here, iOS review here, and Tides of the Foscari DLC review here. We featured it as our Game of the Week as well when it launched. You can get Vampire Survivors on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Check out our forum thread here for more discussion and impressions around the game. Have you been playing it recently on any platform?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/vampire-survivors-among-us-dlc-adventures-update-download-out-now-iphone-android-price/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/gta-san-andreas-vice-city-gta-3-cheats-definitive-edition-netflix-mobile-iphone-android-ipad-guide-how-to-use/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/gta-san-andreas-vice-city-gta-3-cheats-definitive-edition-netflix-mobile-iphone-android-ipad-guide-how-to-use/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 07:25:00 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316134 Continue reading "How To Use Cheat Codes in ‘Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – the Definitive Edition’ on Mobile With a Controller and Touch Controls – San Andreas, Vice City, and GTA III"
]]> Last week, Rockstar Games’ remake/remaster of the classic trilogy finally hit on iOS and Android through Netflix Games and as standalone releases for $19.99 each. This got me nostalgic about the good old days when games had cheat codes. Remember those? It turns out Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition for mobile and Netflix does support cheat codes, and there are two ways to input them. This guide will cover both, but will not list all the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition mobile cheat codes. The cheats are the same as before. Yes, that includes “PROFESSIONALTOOLS" and “NUTTERTOOLS" in Vice City, “WHOATEALLTHEPIES" and “INEEDSOMEHELP" in San Andreas, and “GUNSGUNSGUNS" in GTA III.



How to use cheat codes in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition?

This part covers touch controls. Once you’ve loaded your save and are in-game, you need to tap the map on the corner of the screen. Then tap options and go to the accessibility tab on the right. Below the Color Blind Mode, there’s an Enter Cheat Code button. Tapping this brings up the keyboard and you can use the same PC cheats from years ago. I haven’t tested them all, but the ones I remember all work.



How to use cheat codes in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition with a controller?

This is a bit easier. Once you’ve loaded your save and are in-game, you can input the same button combinations as before for the console cheat codes. This can be used for cheats like “250k money, full health, and armor" in San Andreas by inputting: “RB, RT, LB, A, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up" on an Xbox controller. You can also use the same method for the PC ones, but you will have to type using the on-screen keyboard. The screenshots included will make it easier for you.



If you’d like to play Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition and have an active Netflix subscription, you can grab Vice City here, GTA III here, and San Andreas here. If you want to buy them standalone for $19.99 each, check out Vice City here, GTA III here, and San Andreas here. The discounted bundle for the original releases is also available on iOS. What do you think of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition if you played them on PC and consoles before and will you be trying them on mobile?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/gta-san-andreas-vice-city-gta-3-cheats-definitive-edition-netflix-mobile-iphone-android-ipad-guide-how-to-use/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/genshin-impact-version-4-3-update-download-size-preinstall-resource-package-iphone-android-pc-ios/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/genshin-impact-version-4-3-update-download-size-preinstall-resource-package-iphone-android-pc-ios/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 06:40:43 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316179 Continue reading "‘Genshin Impact’ Version 4.3 Update “Roses and Muskets” Pre-Installation Is Now Live, Download Size Revealed for Mobile and PC"
]]> The next major Genshin Impact (Free) update is due this Wednesday for iOS, Android, PS5, PS4, and PC platforms, and pre-installation has just gone live on mobile and PC. Genshin Impact 4.3 “Roses and Muskets" will bring in Navia and Chevreuse, reruns (Ayaka, Raiden Shogun, and Yoimiya), the Fontinalia Film Festival, new Fontainian features for the TCG, quality of life improvements, and more. If you’re on mobile and PC, you can predownload the update now. The download size is 2.3GB on iOS and about 12GB on PC. In addition to the update, HoYoverse showcased the full Shanghai Performance Recording of the concert. I’ve linked it below the trailer. Watch the Genshin Impact 4.3 Navia character trailer below:

Watch the “Genshin Impact Orchestral Concert 2023" Official Shanghai Performance Recording full video below:

If you’ve not gotten it yet, you can download Genshin Impact for free on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The PC version is available on the official website here and the Epic Games Store. If you play on iOS, with iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5 and later, you can use PS5 and Xbox Series X|S controllers to play Genshin Impact. We featured Genshin Impact as our Game of the Week when it released and awarded it our 2020 Game of the Year. I also featured it as one of the best iOS games to play with a controller. What do you think of Genshin Impact 4.3 so far from what’s been shown and will you be watching the concert?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/18/genshin-impact-version-4-3-update-download-size-preinstall-resource-package-iphone-android-pc-ios/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/17/resident-evil-4-remake-iphone-15-pro-discount-price-launch-ipad-macbook-m1/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/17/resident-evil-4-remake-iphone-15-pro-discount-price-launch-ipad-macbook-m1/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 04:24:48 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316130 Continue reading "‘Resident Evil 4’ Remake Launch Discount Price Revealed for iPhone 15 Pro, iPad Pro, and macOS"
]]> Over the weekend, Capcom released a new promotional video for the upcoming Apple device port of Resident Evil 4 Remake (Free) ahead of its launch on December 20th worldwide. Resident Evil 4 Remake debuted on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam earlier this year priced at $59.99, and the unlock price on mobile was confirmed to be the same with similar DLC pricing. This new video from Capcom confirms a release celebration sale for the unlock pricing on the App Store. Resident Evil 4 Separate Ways is also confirmed to be released on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. If you haven’t already, read my Steam Deck review of Resident Evil 4 Remake here and Separate Ways here. Watch the new Resident Evil 4 Remake Apple Devices promo video below:

Resident Evil 4 Remake’s full game unlock will be 50% off and the DLC bundle (to upgrade to the Deluxe Edition on PC/console) will be 25% off. This brings the full game unlock to $29.99 for a limited time. An end date hasn’t been revealed yet. Resident Evil 4 Remake launches on Wednesday. I’ll be reviewing this and comparing it to the Steam Deck and console versions of the game soon. You can pre-order it here on the App Store for free. Resident Evil 4 Remake is a universal purchase including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS together with save syncing and more. The additional DLC is the Separate Ways, DLC bundle (weapons and cosmetics), and upgrade tickets just like on PC and consoles. Will you be trying out Resident Evil 4 Remake on Apple devices this week and what did you think of Resident Evil Village if you tried it on iPhone and iPad?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/17/resident-evil-4-remake-iphone-15-pro-discount-price-launch-ipad-macbook-m1/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/one-punch-man-world-release-date-3d-online-action-game-opm-crunchyroll-games/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/one-punch-man-world-release-date-3d-online-action-game-opm-crunchyroll-games/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:44:37 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316096 Continue reading "3D Action Game ‘One Punch Man: World’ From Crunchyroll Games and Perfect World Launches on January 31st for Mobile and PC With Cross Progression"
]]> One Punch Man: World () from Crunchyroll Games and Perfect World will launch on iOS, Android, and Windows beginning January 31st, 2024. The game is an adaptation of the first season of One Punch Man the anime, and it includes Saitama, Genos, Mumen Rider, and more playable characters. The free to play 3D action game also has multiplayer support with cross platform play and progression. This version is set to launch in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and more. Watch the new One Punch Man: World trailer below:

If you’d like to play it at launch, you can pre-order or pre-register for it now. It is free to play with in app purchases, and the various pre-registration reward tiers are detailed on this page on the official website. You can pre-order One Punch Man: World on the App Store for iOS here, Google Play for Android here, and the official website for Windows PC here. The 3D online action game launches on January 31st, 2024 through Crunchyroll Games. What do you think of One Punch Man: World and will you be playing it next month?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/one-punch-man-world-release-date-3d-online-action-game-opm-crunchyroll-games/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/apple-arcade-holiday-2023-christmas-event-games-updates-list-hello-kitty-cooking-mama-cuisine/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/apple-arcade-holiday-2023-christmas-event-games-updates-list-hello-kitty-cooking-mama-cuisine/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 14:34:22 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316070 Continue reading "Apple Arcade Weekly Round-Up: Major Updates and New Events for Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Jetpack Joyride 2, Angry Birds Reloaded, Cityscapes, and More Are Out Now"
]]> Over the last few days, a few notable Apple Arcade games have gotten updates and events on the service. In a few weeks, Apple will release a trio of games on the service. If you’ve not seen what’s coming next, read this. These include Hello Kitty Island Adventure () which has its Give & Gather Celebration on right now, the Lighttime Jubilee, and new visitors on the island. This update also brings in exclusive clothing rewards from the Reward Calendar. Jetpack Joyride 2 has its Save Christmas event on that has you rescuing Santa’s reindeer, a new powerup, and more. Cut the Rope 3 brings in 18 new levels, 6 new Nommies, and Apple Pencil support today.



SEGA’s Angry Birds Reloaded adds in 30 new snow-themed levels, Ice Bird and Matilda getting new skins, and a new seasonal song with this week’s update. Simon’s Cat – Story Time version 1.33.0 has 50 new levels coming, rewards for finding tree-toppers in the gardens, and visual improvements added to the game. Sneaky Sasquatch, a regular in Apple Arcade update round-ups, brings in a hospital to let you work as a doctor, an ambulance, new music, sasquatch damage, and some surprises with more updates coming soon. Gear Club Stradale brings in the Acura NSX in the Super Carta Stradale today. A huge update for Cityscapes: Sim Builder brings in the holiday season with snow appearing on maps, special holiday messages, performance improvements, and more today. The final notable update is Cooking Mama: Cuisine! with its holiday event on from now until 2nd January with a new event-exclusive ingredient and daily presents.



With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Hello Kitty Island Adventure here, Jetpack Joyride 2 here, Cut the Rope 3 here, Angry Birds Reloaded here, Simon’s Cat – Story Time here, Sneaky Sasquatch here, Gear Club Stradale here, Cityscapes: Sim Builder here, and Cooking Mama: Cuisine! here. Make sure to head over to our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussions on the new and older releases on the service. It is going to be interesting to see more of what arrives on Apple Arcade following January’s new games. What do you think of the state of Apple Arcade right now and do you play games on other services like Netflix and Crunchyroll?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/apple-arcade-holiday-2023-christmas-event-games-updates-list-hello-kitty-cooking-mama-cuisine/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/honkai-star-rail-version-1-6-release-date-free-character-dr-ratio-ruan-mei-banner/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/honkai-star-rail-version-1-6-release-date-free-character-dr-ratio-ruan-mei-banner/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 12:58:07 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316082 Continue reading "‘Honkai Star Rail’ Version 1.6 Release Date Set for December 27th, Brand-New Area and Characters Included"
]]> HoYoverse just detailed the upcoming Honkai Star Rail version 1.6 update titled “Crown of the Mundane and Divine" in a livestream, while confirming that all players will be able to recruit Dr Ratio for free. This update will bring in a brand-new area, the Herta Space Station’s Seclusion Zone, alongside a Critter Pick Scavenging event, a new event within the Simulated Universe, Ruan Mei (5-star), Dr. Ratio (5-star), Xueyi (4-star), Kafka, and more. If you missed the recent 2.0 update news for the game, read this. Watch the new Honkai Star Rail version 1.6 “Crown of the Mundane and Divine" update trailer below:

If you’d like to watch the full livestream, check it out below:

Honkai Star Rail won Apple’s App Store Award for iPhone Game of the Year and it won best mobile game at The Game Awards 2023. If you’ve not gotten Honkai Star Rail yet, you can download it on the App Store for iOS here, on Google Play for Android here, and here on the Epic Games Store in addition to its regular PC version. Check it out here on PS5. Have you been playing Honkai Star Rail regularly since it launched on mobile, PC, and more recently on PS5?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/honkai-star-rail-version-1-6-release-date-free-character-dr-ratio-ruan-mei-banner/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/saga-emerald-beyond-release-date-gameplay-stream-iphone-android-switch-steam-ps5/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/saga-emerald-beyond-release-date-gameplay-stream-iphone-android-switch-steam-ps5/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 12:20:41 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316077 Continue reading "‘SaGa Emerald Beyond’ Launches on April 25th, 2024 Worldwide for iOS, Android, Steam, Switch, PS5, and PS4"
]]> During the Square Enix SaGa Glimmerfest 2023 Livestream, the company announced the release date and showcased more of one of my most-anticipated releases of 2024. Square Enix’s brand-new SaGa game, SaGa Emerald Beyond, launches in April 2024 for mobile, Switch, Steam, PS5, and PS4 worldwide with pre-orders going live (I assume for select platforms) from later today. SaGa Emerald Beyond includes 17 worlds that can be explored in any order. If you’re new to the series, grab SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions. It is available on everything but Xbox right now.

If you missed the stream, you will be able to watch it featuring developers Masanori Ichikawa and Akitoshi Kawazu and also localization director Neil Broadley. It will go up on YouTube and Twitch. As of this writing, pre-orders and pre-registrations are not up on mobile, but you can wishlist SaGa Emerald Beyond on Steam here. Read Shaun’s reviews for Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remastered here, Romancing SaGa 2 here, Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend here, Romancing SaGa 3 here, SaGa Frontier Remastered here, and also SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions here if you’re curious about the mobile versions. Have you played a SaGa game before on any platform, and what do you think of SaGa Emerald Beyond so far?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/saga-emerald-beyond-release-date-gameplay-stream-iphone-android-switch-steam-ps5/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/20-minutes-till-dawn-new-character-katana-unlock-christmas-update-iphone-android/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/20-minutes-till-dawn-new-character-katana-unlock-christmas-update-iphone-android/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 10:04:30 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316053 Continue reading "Vampire Survivors-Like 20 Minutes Till Dawn Adds Katana as a New Playable Character Today in Its Christmas-Themed Update"
]]> The Vampire Survivors-like 20 Minutes Till Dawn ($4.99) recently got a major update on mobile bringing in three new weapons with unique evolution paths and more. Today, it has added in a new playable character: Katana and some Christmas-themed festivities in-game in addition to bug fixes. Katana’s special is summoning a Magic Sword that deals 22 damage and lasts for five seconds after reloading. It is great to see 20 Minutes Till Dawn still get updates on mobile. It is one of the better games in the genre, and I can’t wait to see what it adds next:

If you haven’t gotten it yet on mobile, 20 Minutes Till Dawn is available on the App Store for iOS here, Google Play for Android here, and also on Steam here. If you’ve already played this to completion and want more, there’s a new 20 Minutes Till Dawn series game in the works as well. Check it out here. I hope 20 Minutes Till Dawn: Emberpath hits mobile alongside or soon after the Steam version releases. Make sure to head over to our forum thread 20 Minutes Till Dawn here for more discussion around the game on mobile. Have you played 20 Minutes Till Dawn yet on any platform?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/15/20-minutes-till-dawn-new-character-katana-unlock-christmas-update-iphone-android/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/bomb-rush-cyberfunk-interview-game-director-dion-koster-career-soundtrack-vinyl-physical-release-switch-iam8bit-skybound/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/bomb-rush-cyberfunk-interview-game-director-dion-koster-career-soundtrack-vinyl-physical-release-switch-iam8bit-skybound/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:58:53 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315609 Continue reading "‘Bomb Rush Cyberfunk’ Interview – Team Reptile’s Dion Koster on His Career, Game UI, the New Physical Release, Soundtrack, & More"
]]> A few months ago, Team Reptile finally released Bomb Rush Cyberfunk on consoles and PC platforms. Many consider it a spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio, and it does a lot to look and feel amazing and fresh throughout. I’ve played it on multiple platforms, and it is a superb experience for portables that shines on the Steam Deck. While Bomb Rush Cyberfunk was a digital release at launch, it screamed for a good physical edition. That finally happened with iam8bit and Skybound Games. Following that launch, I got to chat with Team Reptile’s Dion Koster about his career, the game, music, his dancing, the future, and more.

TouchArcade (TA): For those unaware, tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do at Team Reptile.

Dion Koster (DK): Hello, I am Dion Koster, game director and co-founder of Team Reptile. I’m hands-on with many facets like character design and modeling, gameplay design and programming and writing the story. For the rest, I provide direction to the team and pick the music for the soundtrack and such.

TA: How has the Dion Koster who worked on Awesomenauts back in 2012 changed from the one who directed Bomb Rush Cyberfunk?

DK: Now that is a question I did not expect! It’s true, I worked on Awesomenauts as a game design intern. Although it was in mid-development in 2009, before Team Reptile started in 2011. The best way to describe it is that at that time I kept my personal style and life mostly separated from work, it only subconsciously seeped in. From a young age, I have been dancing, skating and writing graffiti, over the years it became a theme in my work before finally becoming the subject with Bomb Rush Cyberfunk.



TA: As Game Director, what was your core philosophy during the project’s development?

DK: Formulated into an interview answer there is not enough room for nuance, but I strongly believe we should make things that are loudly personal. The uncomfortability of loudness only needs to be limited by the point of frustration. As long as it then actually comes from life and self expression it will have a high impact.

TA: While the aesthetic and graffiti art is all amazing, the one area I want to highlight is the user interface. This is one area a lot of games falter on, but Bomb Rush Cyberfunk absolutely nails it. Tell us a little bit about how the interface evolved over the course of the game’s development.

DK: Thank you for the kind words! Sem Graham is an amazing artist who does the graphic design. Think billboards, props, all the mascots. He had designed a preliminary version of the UI, but well, it turned out too ‘videogamey’. Looking at the first illustrations I did of the game, I remembered my obsession with fluid dynamics. These marbling patterns took the style away from simply retro and added a dreamy, brain fluid-like layer that spoke of the themes in the story. Realizing this I had Sem and programmer Niels Vriezen make it a recurring motif throughout the game.

pic.twitter.com/EyzYqwiDu0

— Team Reptile (@ReptileGames) June 28, 2023

TA: I’ve seen clips of your dancing used in-game. Was that mo-capped during development?

DK: That is correct. I just danced on my own when I was young, but started getting into it around the end of 2003. So by now, I have been dancing for 20 years. It is breaking and locking that I do most and basically my whole circle is involved in street culture. Downstairs in our Team Reptile office ‘De Bass’ there’s a studio where there are dance sessions every week and we do some recording. Everybody is happy to provide mocap of course and I had to jump in myself too.

TA: While obviously these are important for all games, I feel like art, music, and gameplay feel even more important for a game like Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. How did you approach curating the soundtrack for the game?

DK: I wanted the music to have some technologic or cyber elements mixed with funk or hard beats and preferably really danceable. So I let my dance ear guide me a lot. Only some tracks were made specifically for the game, most of them were already out there. Which is another thing I went for, music that says something more than just ‘this is a videogame’. It has its own voice. People often came to me with music inspired by the game and I had to reject them sadly. Because then the layer of extra meaning is removed and the whole thing is flat.



TA: Obviously the game is in an amazing place right now, but do you want to do more with it?

DK: Before Bomb Rush Cyberfunk we made Lethal League and Lethal League Blaze. Both these titles were online and competitive. Of course, this required a lot of attention constantly. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk stands in stark contrast being a singleplayer game with an ending – a rarer thing these days. I believe that its story has been concluded and there is no artistic reason to reanimate it. There are many more experiences to be expressed, but they would shine only in a completely new game.

TA: How have you felt about the response and feedback from players and the media?

DK: I am very happy to receive so much positive feedback. But there is one thing that goes above and beyond. It is when people tell me they have picked up skating, dancing or going out because of the game.

TA: We are now getting two Bomb Rush Cyberfunk physical releases through iam8bit and Skybound. Did you always plan to have a physical release?

DK: I think we presumed it, but when you are working hard to finish a game, it is sometimes difficult to step back and actually make moves to get it sorted.



TA: How did you decide what to include in the physical release and in the vinyl soundtrack?

DK: Adding stickers was one of the quickest decisions to make. It just fits in line with the idea of the game. I felt like the graffiti booklet in the iam8bit Exclusive Edition was also really good to show that there are voices behind all the styles we are featuring. They stand on their own too, you know. And the vinyl, of course vinyls are actually represented in the game. Both in and outside the game I wanted the records to look like proper club-spun records. Fun fact: on the cover is a photo of a big fungus we found.

TA: Digital Foundry mentioned great keyboard and mouse controls in Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (on Steam). This isn’t a game I’d expect to have good keyboard and mouse support at all, so I wanted to know how much work went into optimizing it for multiple control options.

DK: In the early days of Team Reptile it was way easier to release on PC than consoles, even though we liked making action arcade-like experiences. So we became used to dealing with keyboard and mouse for our type of games. Still, during healthy development the input layout switches around so we had a bunch of that too. My decision to remove all important actions from the face buttons on gamepads and replace them all with just tricks and jumping was a big one. Same for the mouse buttons. But it worked cause even if they weren’t the most important, it is the stuff you are doing most of the time.



TA: What were your major gaming influences for Bomb Rush Cyberfunk outside of the obvious Jet Set Radio.

DK: Honestly I could fill the page with influences outside of gaming! But if you are going to limit it like that… I looked a lot at the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series, SSX and many other trick games. Grand Theft Auto too. If I stretch the definition, I can mention the graffiti minigame is inspired by a phone unlock screen. Story-wise, Ghost Trick is the greatest of all time, it might not be apparent, but I think it has influenced my work too.

TA: What have you been playing this year?

DK: I feel like there have been a lot of mid releases this year for me personally. I have more so been enjoying myself watching my girlfriend do interior design in Sims 4.

TA: What’s next for Team Reptile after the physical launch of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk?

DK: We are already creating the next game to be honest! Making Bomb Rush Cyberfunk was really fun so we are doing more in the same vein. Leveled up and wilder. At this moment it is mostly pre-production. There are so many things to show and stories to tell when it comes to the meeting of futurism and street culture, I am excited!

I’d like to thank Dion Koster from Team Reptile and Jordan Boyd from fortyseven communications for their time and help with this interview.

You can keep up with all our interviews here including our recent ones about Sonic Dream Team, Football Manager 2024, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and more.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/bomb-rush-cyberfunk-interview-game-director-dion-koster-career-soundtrack-vinyl-physical-release-switch-iam8bit-skybound/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/grand-theft-auto-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-mobile-download-iphone-android-netflix-games-standalone-premium-price/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/grand-theft-auto-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-mobile-download-iphone-android-netflix-games-standalone-premium-price/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:34:57 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316039 Continue reading "‘Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition’ Now Available on iOS and Android As Standalone Premium Games and Also via Netflix Games"
]]> After multiple delays and me almost giving up hope for them to hit mobile, Rockstar Games’ remake/remaster of the classic trilogy is now available on iOS and Android through Netflix Games and as standalone releases for $19.99 each. Yes, I’m as confused as you are. All three games were to be Netflix exclusives or at least it seemed that way, but they can be bought standalone as well from today. As a value add to the service, this is easily the biggest get for Netflix Games on mobile so far. This trilogy was released in a rough state on consoles and PC, but has since been improved a lot on everything but Switch. It isn’t terrible on most platforms anymore, but some still prefer the originals.



As of this writing, the original games (non “Definitive") are still on mobile and have not been delisted. I’m looking forward to digging into Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition on iPhone and iPad later today. Note that you may need to download additional data within the games after grabbing them from the App Store. Today, GTA: Vice City – NETFLIX (Free) , San Andreas, and GTA III with their new engine remake are now out on mobile. Read my review of the trilogy on Switch here. I’ll definitely be reviewing these new mobile versions soon. Check out the trailer below:

If you’d like to play Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition and have an active Netflix subscription, you can grab Vice City here, GTA III here, and San Andreas here. If you want to buy them standalone for $19.99 each, check out Vice City here, GTA III here, and San Andreas here. The discounted bundle for the original releases is also available on iOS. Read our reviews of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas for the standalone original releases. What do you think of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition if you played them on PC and consoles before and will you be trying them on mobile today?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/grand-theft-auto-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-mobile-download-iphone-android-netflix-games-standalone-premium-price/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/mega-man-x-dive-offline-free-demo-download-android-steam-iphone-price-discount-capcom/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/mega-man-x-dive-offline-free-demo-download-android-steam-iphone-price-discount-capcom/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 07:23:12 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316011 Continue reading "‘Mega Man X DiVE Offline’ Free Demo Now Available on Android and Steam, Game Discounted for the First Time"
]]> Back in September, Capcom released Mega Man X DiVE Offline ($19.90) on iOS, Android, and Steam worldwide. Mega Man X DiVE Offline an offline version of the free to play online game with most of the game’s content included in its base premium release. This includes Zero, Proto Man, Bass, Sigma, and Mega Man.Exe and over 900 stages, fan-favorite bosses, and more. Today, Capcom has released the free Mega Man X DiVE Offline demo on Android and Steam letting people sample the game. The game itself is also discounted for the first time on mobile and Steam bringing it down to about $20 or regional equivalent. Watch the new Mega Man X DiVE Offline demo trailer below:

If you’d like to grab the demo, it is available on Google Play for Android here and on PC via Steam here. Check out the official Mega Man X DiVE Offline Demo website here. Hopefully an iOS demo releases soon. Check out the official website for Mega Man X DiVE Offline here. You can buy Mega Man X DiVE Offline on Steam here, on the App Store for iOS here, and on Google Play for Android here. What do you think of Mega Man X DiVE Offline so far if you’ve played it, and will you be trying the demo?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/14/mega-man-x-dive-offline-free-demo-download-android-steam-iphone-price-discount-capcom/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/art-of-rally-mobile-release-date-delayed-2024-iphone-android-australia-dlc-noodlecake/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/art-of-rally-mobile-release-date-delayed-2024-iphone-android-australia-dlc-noodlecake/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 04:00:03 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=316003 Continue reading "‘Art of Rally’ for iOS and Android Has Been Delayed to January 18th, Includes Australia DLC"
]]> Funselektor’s Art of Rally () was announced for iOS and Android recently through Noodlecake Games, and it was set to launch today. The gorgeous racer recently saw new paid DLC arrive on PC and consoles as well. A few hours ago, Funselektor announced that the mobile release date has been delayed to January 18th, 2024. This delay is to improve controls and fix some bugs according to the announcement. What’s worth noting, is that the mobile release of Art of Rally includes the Australia DLC as well. I’ve been playing Art of Rally on Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch in anticipation of the iOS version. Watch the mobile trailer for Art of Rally below:

If you’d like to try out the gorgeous top-down and stylish racing game, you can pre-order Art of Rally on the App Store for iOS here for $4.99. Pre-registrations are currently live on Google Play for Android here for it. Check out the official Art of Rally website here. You can grab it on Steam here as well. I’m looking forward to checking out the iOS version when Art of Rally hits mobile in about a month. Have you played Art of Rally on any platform yet?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/art-of-rally-mobile-release-date-delayed-2024-iphone-android-australia-dlc-noodlecake/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/hitman-blood-money-reprisal-nintendo-switch-release-window-frame-rate-mobile-features-iphone-android/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/hitman-blood-money-reprisal-nintendo-switch-release-window-frame-rate-mobile-features-iphone-android/#respond Wed, 13 Dec 2023 18:10:24 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315611 Continue reading "‘Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal’ Interview – Feral Interactive Discusses ‘Hitman’, Nintendo Switch Performance, Future Mobile Ports, and a Lot More"
]]> Following the recent launch of IO Interactive’s Hitman: Blood Money on mobile as Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal ($14.99) through Feral Interactive, I had a chance to talk to Feral about why they chose this game as the team’s next mobile release, the Switch release date, prioritizing features for mobile, learning from prior releases, Nintendo Switch resolution and frame rate targets, future game teases and more. If you’ve not read our other interviews with Feral Interactive, I spoke to the team about Company of Heroes on Switch and also Sid Meier’s Railroads this year.



TouchArcade (TA): Tell us what led to picking this as Feral Interactive’s next major project for mobile and Switch?

Feral Interactive (FI): We’ve had a long history of working with IO Interactive, starting with Mini Ninjas almost 15 years ago on Mac. Before that many of us played the original “Hitman: Codename 47” when it was released, and we’ve been fans of the franchise ever since.

When the opportunity arose to bring Hitman to mobile and Nintendo Switch the first choice was Blood Money. It is one of the most loved games of the series, and we believed that there were some interesting opportunities to enhance it with some of the modern features from the World Of Assasination games.

TA: A lot of Hitman fans consider Hitman: Blood Money the best game in the series, but it hasn’t really been very accessible on modern platforms outside that HD version for PS4 and Xbox from a few years ago. The PC version doesn’t even have proper controller support natively. What were your priorities when approaching Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal’s feature set?

FI: We reviewed the game’s features and functionality and how users interact with it. When you think of the great games you have played, your memories will be of the game, and not about how you controlled things. So we put a lot of time and effort into designing, developing and tuning the controls so that the game would be equally fun regardless of whether you are using touchscreen, gamepad or keyboard and mouse.

Beyond that, we also looked at what features might be lacking when compared to later releases in the series. The most obvious features we have added are Instinct Mode and the on-screen mini-map, but a lot of our time was actually spent on all less obvious improvements that combine to enhance the entire experience. For example, we optimized traversing through windows, hiding bodies and the strangling takedown, all of which were tricky to trigger or time consuming in the original game.



TA: The modern Hitman World of Assassination trilogy is amazing, and I’m glad to see some useful features from those games included in Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal. Was there any rebalancing done on each difficulty for those playing with the new quality of life features compared to how the original game was back in the day?

FI: We feel that this an important distinction to make, so we’re glad you asked! The modern quality of life features in the HITMAN games are primarily designed to help the player get the information or items more quickly.

For example, in the original game you might walk up to every window or drainpipe to see if you can interact with them, in Reprisal you can use Instinct Mode to look around the area and see if they are interactable. This will save time searching, but the actual tactical decisions remain the same. For the purists who’d like the original experience we’ve made the larger quality of life features – such as Instinct Mode and the mini-map – optional.

There is also a second set of changes related to the game now being played on a mobile device. We have auto-aim, auto-reload and weapon hotswap features that are designed to help the experience when playing on touch screen devices. As before, if players don’t want to take advantage of them they can be disabled in the game’s options.

The one balance change we implemented is to the “Last Stand” mode. In the original game it could be difficult to succeed in headshotting three enemies before time runs out. With Reprisal we have implemented a sliding scale, so the easiest difficulty only needs one headshot, scaling up to the original game’s three headshots on the hardest Pro difficulty.

Other than that we did not touch the existing difficulty settings, instead we focused on making the game more accessible to new players, providing additional options that allow for a gentler learning curve, while maintaining the same peak difficulty as the original.



TA: Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal includes quite a few control options as I covered on TouchArcade already. It even displays PlayStation button prompts when I use my DualSense controller on my iPad. Can you discuss how you approached the touch controls in Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal compared to your other games with controller support like Alien: Isolation.

FI: Every game builds on what we learned from our prior releases, plus a constant review of other mobile games for good solutions. We felt the system we had for Alien: Isolation was a good starting point for the core elements, but it needed to be adapted for the different gameplay of Hitman. We also had a number of improvements based on feedback from Alien: Isolation players.

For touch controls in Reprisal, we focused on giving players greater freedom and ability to customize. This includes making the UI as context-sensitive as possible, so that it does not clutter the screen with too many buttons.

For keyboard and mouse controls, we offer two options – Classic and Modern – and stay as close as possible to the original mappings for both so that they are familiar to all players.

For gamepads we kept to that principle and again offer two options, Classic and Modern. Beyond that, we just followed our usual principle of testing all the major gamepads and making sure that they work correctly and have the correct on-screen button prompts.



TA: Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal also includes multiple graphics options depending on the device. Performance+ targets 90fps, but I was curious if the new M2 iPads can do 120fps without issues. I don’t have one to test, but played the current build on my iPhone 15 Pro in Performance+ mode and on my iPad Pro (2020) in Performance mode. I was wondering if there were plans to add any additional anti-aliasing or texture filtering like the HD version on PS4 and Xbox One.

FI: Texture Filtering on the mobile version is set to the maximum settings the game supports (16x Anisotropic Filtering).

Most iOS devices will be running at native resolution, so Anti-Aliasing is less important, but we don’t rule out a future patch with additional improvements should the technology allow it.

TA: Can you tell us how Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal looks and runs on Nintendo Switch compared to modern mobile devices? Will it have a 60fps mode?

FI: The Nintendo Switch shares the same Blood Money HD codebase as the mobile game, so it is very similar in terms of visuals. However, due to Nintendo Switch not being as powerful as modern mobile devices, we’ve optimized the visuals at a locked 30fps and it doesn’t have the 60fps performance mode that the mobile release has.

On Switch, the title runs at a native 720p in handheld mode and 1080p when in docked mode.

Feral Interactive also confirmed to us that Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal will launch in late January 2024 on Nintendo Switch.

TA: Are there any plans for a Switch physical release?

FI: We are aware that there is always a demand for a physical release on Switch. Unfortunately the economics are tricky, but it is under active consideration.



TA: Did you work with IO Interactive in any way during the development of this project? Did they have any input in the enhancements and improvements?

FI: We have a long and happy history of working with IO Interactive and they have always been very supportive. We had discussions about the quality of life improvements and discussed updating the experience for the modern World Of Assassination player.

TA: Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal feels like one of Feral Interactive’s most impressive conversions yet making it yet another case where mobile has the definitive version of a PC and console game. Were there any features that couldn’t be implemented in the launch version that will be added through patches?

FI: We don’t have any major features planned post-release. We try to make sure the initial release has everything including final polish.

That is not to say the game won’t be patched, but that will be mainly directed by user feedback, or even new functionality that might not have been possible when the original development was happening. For example, our Rome: Total War update to use Metal instead of OpenGL, or our addition of extra graphics modes to GRID Autosport. Both of these updates took advantage of new features that became available after the initial release.



TA: It won’t be a Feral Interactive interview on TouchArcade without me asking about future plans so let’s get into that. Are there any unannounced games from Feral Interactive planned for release in the first quarter of 2024 on mobile or Switch?

FI: Yes! We can give TouchArcade the exclusive news that Feral do have games planned for early 2024… but we’d be tempting fate if we said any more.

TA: Is there any chance Hitman World of Assassination is a project Feral Interactive would bring to mobile?

FI: Interesting suggestion… let’s see how Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal is received.

TA: Are there any plans to bring Reprisal to macOS?

FI: No plans right now, but we have had some requests, so we may see.

TA: Are there plans to bring Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal to PC in any form? The PC version right now is really not fun to play compared to Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal.

FI: No plans right now, but we see the requests across our social media channels.



TA: Tell us what you’ve been playing recently and what games you’ve enjoyed this year so far.

Edwin (Design): I’ve been working through my backlog recently completing Borderlands 3: Game Of The Year and most of the way through the first game of the Mass Effect Trilogy. I’ve also been playing a little bit of Mario Wonder with my daughter.

Sam (Design): I recently completed a co-op play-through of Wasteland 3 as well as the LASO Challenges on Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Though I’ve been constantly revisiting Deep Rock Galactic when I’m a bit low on time! (Rock & Stone!)

Sam (Dev): Destiny and Factorio have probably taken most of my time this year. A few of this year’s highlights have been Shadow Gambit and Chants of Sennaar, and most recently I’ve been revisiting Dark Souls 3.

Valeria (Design): I have not played any new games recently but I have been playing a lot of HITMAN games for inspiration.

I’d like to thank everyone at Feral Interactive for their time here.

You can keep up with all our interviews here including our recent ones about Sonic Dream Team, Football Manager 2024, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and more.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/hitman-blood-money-reprisal-nintendo-switch-release-window-frame-rate-mobile-features-iphone-android/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/sonic-mania-plus-mobile-release-date-2024-netflix-games-game-dev-tycoon-iphone-android-cozy-grove-camp-spirit/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/sonic-mania-plus-mobile-release-date-2024-netflix-games-game-dev-tycoon-iphone-android-cozy-grove-camp-spirit/#respond Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:00:30 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315970 Continue reading "Netflix Reveals Even More Games Coming in 2024 Including Sonic Mania Plus, Game Dev Tycoon, Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit, and More"
]]> If you’ve not kept up with Netflix Games in a while, we have the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition finally hitting mobile tomorrow through the service. 2024 will see Hades, Katana Zero, and more arrive. Today, Netflix revealed even more games coming to the service in 2024 including some surprises. Today’s announcement has four new reveals. Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit, the sequel to Cozy Grove hits mobile through Netflix in 2024 bringing new ghost stories and more. The highlight port announcement is the brilliant Sonic Mania Plus coming to mobile through Netflix in 2024. This version includes the Plus encore DLC pack from the get go. This will be one of Netflix’s best additions yet.

Game Dev Tycoon is already on mobile, but it will also be available now through Netflix. The final announcement is FashionVerse letting you become a trendsetter in an AI-enhanced 3D mobile fashion game. I probably won’t play this one, but I will definitely be using the mobile port as another excuse to replay Sonic Mania. No specific dates are available, but the four games will be out in 2024 alongside Hades and more. Netflix continues to impress with its selection of ports, and I can’t wait to play most of these games. What do you think of the Netflix announcements?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/sonic-mania-plus-mobile-release-date-2024-netflix-games-game-dev-tycoon-iphone-android-cozy-grove-camp-spirit/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/granblue-fantasy-versus-rising-steam-deck-review-pc-port-online/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/granblue-fantasy-versus-rising-steam-deck-review-pc-port-online/#respond Wed, 13 Dec 2023 14:59:41 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315708 Continue reading "Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Steam Deck Review – A Superb Follow-Up and Brilliant Fighter"
]]> When Cygames announced Granblue Fantasy Versus, a fighting game developed with Arc System Works for PS4 and PC, I was excited even as someone who didn’t play Granblue Fantasy on mobile back then. I trust Arc System Works fighters, and Granblue Fantasy Versus ended up becoming a fantastic game held back by its online. It was accessible, gorgeous, and packed with single player content. It also excelled in its music and aesthetic. When Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising was announced, it seemed to be addressing all complaints I had with the original. I’ve been playing Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising on Steam Deck and PS5 for over a week now, and it is fantastic in just about every way.



If you’ve already played Granblue Fantasy Versus, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising feels like a blend of an enhanced re-release and a sequel combined. In Guilty Gear terms, to me this feels like going from Xrd Sign to Xrd Rev 2 directly. There are visual upgrades, gameplay enhancements, new characters, story content, and a ton of modes offline and online. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising also includes the full story from the original game so this is the version to get if you’re new to the series.

On the single player side of things Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising includes an arcade mode, versus mode, training mode (with a lot of useful data options in the UI), story mode (including the original game’s story), replay mode, journal (gallery), and a figure studio letting you pose specific characters for screenshots in different situations. The arcade mode also has its own requirements to unlock another path which I will not spoil here.



Before playing the second open beta to test the online on PS5, I wasn’t sure how different Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising’s gameplay would feel. I’m glad the team added enough to make things fresh with the Brave Point system for the Raging Strike and Brave Counter mechanics, and how it makes you strategize on the fly with its risk system. This is all complemented by the meter changes and dash system as well. It really feels like Arc System Works managed to get everything they could to Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. After spending a week playing Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, I tried playing Granblue Fantasy Versus with a friend. It was quite a difference.

I’ve now tested the online in the final build on both PS5 and Steam Deck for a few days. Everything is holding up well, and the only issues I’ve had, are to do with some lobby instability against a handful of fights out of the many I’ve played so far. There are no Mortal Kombat 1-like high ping issues, or anything. The online feels great, and I’ve even tested against friends and randoms in different countries over a wired connection on Steam Deck. The Grand Bruise Legends mode is a lovely blend of Fall Guys-style gameplay with Granblue, and it has its own unlock system. Barring that, you can create a lobby or opt to do ranked/casual matches. You can also create your own room to invite friends and more. My one complaint is the lobbies have 30fps movement that doesn’t feel good at all. I hope this can be fixed for PS5 and PC.



Granblue Fantasy Versus was already a gorgeous game, but the developers have outdone themselves with Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. I adore how it looks and feels to play. The skill animations, character designs, cut-scenes, and stages look fantastic. It also runs really well on Steam Deck and PS5. Revisiting the original game alongside this one really shows how polished Rising feels. It isn’t a huge change, but has improvements in many areas.

I was also glad to see this release continue to offer an English dub option. I played both English and Japanese voiceover options equally in the original, and stuck to English so far. The new character voices are at par with the rest of the characters. This is definitely one of the better dubs in a Japanese fighting game. Barring the voices, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising continues to have amazing music. Despite a lot of older songs, I love the soundtrack. The one oddity that I kind of expected, is the Uma Musume partner characters like Gold Ship who I immediately unlocked when servers went live, do not have dubs. I was curious if Cygames would dub them, but right now, it seems like there is no dub for the Uma Musume partner characters. Also make sure you claim the rewards so you can unlock Gold Ship immediately like I did. She’s beyond amazing with her dialogue here.



Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising’s PC graphics options include resolution (864×486 to 1440p for my monitor), display mode (fullscreen, borderless, windowed), v-sync, graphics quality presets, resolution scaling (20-100), anti-aliasing quality, post-processing quality, texture quality, shadow quality, and VFX quality. These quality settings go: low, mid, high, and highest. You can also use the optimize display settings option for the game to auto detect for your PC or Steam Deck.

On Steam Deck, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising has no issues running and looks great in every mode I could test barring the pre-rendered cut-scenes in story mode. I tested these on default Proton, Proton Experimental (bleeding edge), and 3 versions of GE including 8-25 with no luck. GE gets them to display a static image at least, while the others show a color bar pattern. Barring that issue, it plays flawlessly, and I even used my Hori Fighting Stick Alpha and Razer Kitsune on it wired. On the visual side, if you play at 720p, everything at high will result in no performance issues. I forced 1080p and downsampled, and saw some dips in performance during special moves only. The actual gameplay had no issues in my testing, but I will be doing more testing on this front through the week. It feels like it was made taking into account handheld PCs, and I hope the cut-scenes can be fixed in updates or by Valve.



If you own a PS5 and Steam Deck, having played it on both, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is better on PS5 visually and has faster load times. Barring that, the experience holds up brilliantly on the small Steam Deck screen, and this setup is great for portable play with or without an arcade controller. I got the original Granblue Fantasy Versus on both PS4 and Steam, and would do the same here given the option. Since there’s a free version, I’d recommend trying it out on your PC and PS5 to see where you find it better. Since the game has crossplay, there’s no real disadvantage to the online population.

Having now seen the launch day DLC available, I’d recommend buying the Deluxe Edition if you want to buy the full game. Getting the standard edition now and then upgrading will cost a lot more. I know some publishers encourage you to buy more expensive editions rather than standard and then upgrading, but this price difference is much higher than I’ve seen with other fighting game publishers.



Having now tested the netcode and multiplayer modes on Steam Deck, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is chock full of amazing gameplay, characters, music, and a robust online experience. This feels like the complete package right from the get go, and is a great new option for any newcomer to fighting games with its low barrier of entry. If you aren’t sure if Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is for you, give the free version a shot. In its current state, I can see myself playing this for a long time on Steam Deck and PS5. Cygames and Arc System Worked nailed everything I had hoped for here, and delivered one of the best fighting game day one releases in years.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Steam Deck review score: 5/5

Update: This review has been updated to reflect the online experience on Steam Deck.

As usual, you can read all our past and future Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great day, and thanks for reading.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/granblue-fantasy-versus-rising-steam-deck-review-pc-port-online/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/metal-slug-2-aca-neogeo-android-iphone-download-now-available-hamster-snk/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/metal-slug-2-aca-neogeo-android-iphone-download-now-available-hamster-snk/#respond Wed, 13 Dec 2023 06:39:13 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315949 Continue reading "1998-Released Classic Run and Gun Game ‘Metal Slug 2’ ACA NeoGeo From SNK and Hamster Is Out Now on iOS and Android"
]]> Last week, I missed posting about it, but we had the awesome KOF 97 hit iOS and Android through Hamster’s ACA NeoGeo series. Check it out here. This week, the 1998-released classic run and gun game Metal Slug 2 [appprice url=""] has released on iOS and Android as the newest ACA NeoGeo series release. We had Metal Slug ACA NeoGeo recently, and Shaun reviewed it here. Metal Slug 2 lets you choose Marko, Tarma, Eri and Fio t otake on Morden’s Rebel Army. This release added laser guns and more in addition to the Heavy Machine Guns and Shotguns from the prior release. Watch the trailer for Metal Slug 2 ACA NeoGeo from its console release below:

You can buy Metal Slug 2 ACA NeoGeo on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. As with prior releases on mobile, this costs half of what it does on consoles at $3.99. If you aren’t sure if this one is for you, I’d recommend going with one of the games Shaun recommended in his best games list. If you’ve not played an SNK re-release from Hamster you can read Shaun’s article here covering the 10 best games in the series on mobile.



Shaun has reviewed most of the releases so far in the ACA NeoGeo series on iOS. Check out his older reviews for Sengoku 2 here, Top Hunter Roddy & Cathy here, Samurai Shodown IV here, Alpha Mission II here, Metal Slug 5 here, Shock Troopers here, NAM-1975 here, ZED BLADE here, PUZZLED here, The King of Fighters 2002 here, Big Tournament Golf here, King of the Monsters here, Last Resort here, Aero Fighters 2 here, Burning Fight here, Robo Army here, Mutation Nation here, Twinkle Star Sprites here, Aero Fighters 3 here, Prehistoric Isle 2 here, Sengoku 3 here, Samurai Shodown III here, Ghost Pilots here, Stakes Winner here, Baseball Stars Professional here, Top Players Golf here, Ninja Combat here, Riding Hero here, Savage Reign here, and The Super Spy here. Check out the official website for the series on mobile here. What’s your favorite recent ACA NeoGeo release and are you grabbing today’s release?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/13/metal-slug-2-aca-neogeo-android-iphone-download-now-available-hamster-snk/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/wingspan-oceania-expansion-digital-download-out-now-iphone-android-switch-xbox-steam-deck-pc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/wingspan-oceania-expansion-digital-download-out-now-iphone-android-switch-xbox-steam-deck-pc/#respond Wed, 13 Dec 2023 04:30:01 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315937 Continue reading "‘Wingspan’ Oceania Expansion Now Available on iOS, Android, Switch, Xbox, and PC"
]]> Following its release date reveal, the digital version of Wingspan has finally gotten its newest expansion from Monster Couch with the Oceania Expansion. This is now live as DLC or an in app purchase on iOS, Android, Switch, Steam, and Xbox platforms. The expansion brings in nectar, a new board, nearly 100 new birds, challenges, and more. It follows the European Expansion. On PC and consoles, there’s a new bundle available to get the game and all DLC at a discount. On mobile there’s no bundle, but the game is discounted if you haven’t grabbed it yet. Watch the Wingspan Oceania Expansion launch trailer below:

I’m looking forward to trying this on Switch, Steam Deck, and iPad later today. If you’ve not played the base game yet, Wingspan based on the original physical board game designed by Elizabeth Hargrave, is available on consoles, PC, and mobile. Read my review of the iOS release of Wingspan here. You can buy the Oceania expansion on Steam here. Wingspan is usually priced at $9.99 on mobile and $19.99 on consoles and PC platforms with it being discounted rightn ow. Check it out on Google Play for Android here and on the App Store for iOS here. Head over to our forum thread for the game here. Check out the official website for the game here. Have you played Wingspan yet on any platform yet?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/wingspan-oceania-expansion-digital-download-out-now-iphone-android-switch-xbox-steam-deck-pc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/john-romero-sigil-2-download-doom-mobile-iphone-android-switch-xbox-ps4-pc-bethesda/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/john-romero-sigil-2-download-doom-mobile-iphone-android-switch-xbox-ps4-pc-bethesda/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 18:16:29 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315924 Continue reading "John Romero’s SIGIL II Now Available as a Free Add-On in ‘DOOM’ and ‘DOOM II’ To Celebrate DOOM’s 30th Anniversary"
]]> If you missed the excellent 30th anniversary stream for id Software’s DOOM ($4.99) featuring the legendary John Romero and John Carmack and former TouchArcade author and now documentary maker, author of many books, and more David L Craddock yesterday, it is absolutely worth watching. John Romero released SIGIL II, a free nine level episode for both DOOM and DOOM II on mobile and all platforms where the current build of the game is available: Xbox One, PS4, Switch, and PC including PS5 and Xbox Series X through backwards compatibility. You need to be signed in to Bethesda.net to get this add-on, and the download size is small as usual.



Bethesda also interviewed John Romero here about SIGIL II’s story, where it fits into the universe, and much more. It is worth reading. If you’ve not gotten the game yet on mobile, the iOS version also supports 120fps gameplay and is great to play even now. I played a bit of SIGIL II and it is amazing as expected. SIGIL II follows The Troopers’ Playground for both DOOM and DOOM II. Read about it here. Did you play DOOM back in the 90s or more recently and what’s your favorite memory of this legendary game?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/john-romero-sigil-2-download-doom-mobile-iphone-android-switch-xbox-ps4-pc-bethesda/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/apple-arcade-january-2024-new-games-best-games-of-2023-according-to-apple/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/apple-arcade-january-2024-new-games-best-games-of-2023-according-to-apple/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:09:18 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315918 Continue reading "Apple Reveals January 2024 New Apple Arcade Games and Top Apple Arcade Games of 2023"
]]> Apple has revealed the new Apple Arcade games for January 2024 and also the top games of 2023 on the service today. Next month on January 4th, 2024, two Apple Arcade Originals will arrive alongside one App Store Great. The previously-delayed Cornsweeper is finally launching next month bringing a blend of classic gameplay with a new aesthetic, lo-fi inspired music, and more. I really like how this looks and will definitely be checking it out. You can sign up to be notified and have it download here on Apple Arcade. The other Apple Arcade Original is Bandai Namco Entertainment’s Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom () which actually had its name revealed in a trademark. This adventure game promises many locations in the world of Tamagotchi, Tamagotchi friends, customization, decorations, and more with content set to be added regularly. I’m curious how this plays because I figured it would just be a small simulation game based on being a Tamagotchi game.



The App Store Great for next month is Blackjack by MobilityWare+ which joins many other games by the developer on the service. This launches on January 4th, 2024 as well. Sign up here to be notified and have it download if you’ve set your system to auto download. Just like MobilityWare’s other Arcade games, this is the full game without any extra purchases.

Apple also today revealed the top Apple Arcade games. Check out the list below:

• NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition
• Cooking Mama: Cuisine!
• Bloons TD 6+
• Angry Birds Reloaded
• Sneaky Sasquatch
• Warped Kart Racers
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure
• Snake.io+
• Fruit Ninja Classic+
• Solitaire by MobilityWare+

For all Apple Arcade things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of Apple’s newly revealed games and the top games of 2023 on the service?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/apple-arcade-january-2024-new-games-best-games-of-2023-according-to-apple/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/little-nightmares-mobile-download-iphone-android-price-available-now-controller-support/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/little-nightmares-mobile-download-iphone-android-price-available-now-controller-support/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 12:59:25 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315912 Continue reading "‘Little Nightmares’ Mobile Is Now Available on iOS and Android"
]]> The critically-acclaimed puzzle adventure horror game Little Nightmares ($7.99) was announced for mobile back in September last year. After a bit of a delay, it has now launched worldwide as a premium release on iOS and Android. Little Nightmares was originally developed by Tarsier Studios and released on consoles and PC back in 2017 through Bandai Namco Entertainment. I enjoyed my time with it on Switch. Little Nightmares for mobile has a revamped interface, Game Center achievement support, controller support, iCloud, and more. Watch the mobile trailer for Little Nightmares launch trailer below::

Little Nightmares is priced at $8.99 on mobile after its launch discount ends on December 19th. The launch / pre-registration discount was 30% off bringing it down to $6.99. You can now buy Little Nightmares on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Little Nightmares is not be the first time this series has been on mobile. We saw Very Little Nightmares, a made-for-mobile spinoff released in 2019, developed by Alike Studios. Hopefully today’s launch does well enough for Playdigious to bring the sequel to mobile as well. Have you played Little Nightmares before on any platform and will you be checking it out on mobile today?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/little-nightmares-mobile-download-iphone-android-price-available-now-controller-support/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/monster-hunter-now-gifting-system-friends-item-box-expansion-new-purchase-iphone-android-xmas/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/monster-hunter-now-gifting-system-friends-item-box-expansion-new-purchase-iphone-android-xmas/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 10:41:08 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315905 Continue reading "New ‘Monster Hunter Now’ Update Out Now Adds Gifting for Friends, Additional Item Box Expansions, and More"
]]> Niantic and Capcom pushed out a new update for Monster Hunter Now (Free) on iOS and Android following the recent Fulminations in the Frost title update. If you missed that update, it added in the two weapon types: Lance and Dual Blades, new monsters: Radobaan, Banbaro, Barioth, and Zinogre, and much more. Today’s update adds a new gifting system, additional item box expansions available for purchase, and more. The gifting system right now lets you buy a Potion Gift Set or a Paintball Gift Set for friends. The store also has a new gift tab for these purchase. It is unclear if new ones will be added regularly. Watch the Monster Hunter Now Fulminations of the Frost Zinogre update launch trailer below:

If you are planning to start playing the game, I put together some (newly updated) tips and tricks for the game, details on the weapons, special skills, the current monsters list, my wishlist for future update monsters, and more. You can grab Monster Hunter Now on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The in app purchases include different sets of gems and upgrades. Check out the official website here. What do you think of Monster Hunter Now if you’ve been playing it so far on iOS and Android?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/monster-hunter-now-gifting-system-friends-item-box-expansion-new-purchase-iphone-android-xmas/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/honkai-star-rail-version-2-0-new-features-black-swan-character-demo/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/honkai-star-rail-version-2-0-new-features-black-swan-character-demo/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 09:12:28 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315888 Continue reading "New ‘Honkai Star Rail’ Version 2.0 Features Detailed, Black Swan Showcased for Upcoming Update"
]]> This Friday, HoYoverse will detail the upcoming Honkai Star Rail [app version 1.6 update titled “Crown of the Mundane and Divine". Ahead of this stream, we also have details on upcoming 2.0 update through a new Developer Radio blog post. A few of the recent features revealed will be arriving with 2.0 as well. These include the Relic system optimization launching, new universal path material, the orlay crossroads system to check past missions on a tree diagram, new light cone manifest store items, and more. You will be able to watch the Honkai Star Rail 1.6 program below:

HoYoverse also revealed Black Swan, an upcoming character for a future update. Check out the reveal and Tweet below:

"Extraterrestrial Satellite Communication" Black Swan

"If I can identify and encapsulate a fragment of memory before it's unveiled to the world, those solitary moments of delight are my most favored and unique memories."
A Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection. A mysterious… pic.twitter.com/TLeK5fnjTx

— Honkai: Star Rail (@honkaistarrail) December 12, 2023

Honkai Star Rail won Apple’s App Store Award for iPhone Game of the Year and it won best mobile game at The Game Awards 2023. If you’ve not gotten Honkai Star Rail yet, you can download it on the App Store for iOS here, on Google Play for Android here, and here on the Epic Games Store in addition to its regular PC version. Check it out here on PS5. Have you been playing Honkai Star Rail regularly since it launched on mobile, PC, and more recently on PS5?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/honkai-star-rail-version-2-0-new-features-black-swan-character-demo/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/skullgirls-mobile-version-6-1-update-patch-notes-marie-full-release-iphone-android-free-login-holiday-bonus/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/skullgirls-mobile-version-6-1-update-patch-notes-marie-full-release-iphone-android-free-login-holiday-bonus/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 07:01:33 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315882 Continue reading "Skullgirls Mobile Version 6.1 Update With Marie’s Full Release, Economy Changes, Quality of Life Improvements, and More Is Out Now"
]]> A few months ago, Marie joined Hidden Variable’s Skullgirls Mobile (Free) on iOS and Android alongside a major update. The road from Marie’s announcement, gameplay videos, and release month confirmation wasn’t too long, but it was great to see her debut happen through Skullgirls Mobile. In addition to Marie’s full release, this update brings in economy changes, a holiday event, special login rewards, quality of life improvements, and more. Full patch notes are available on the official forums here. Watch the Skullgirls Mobile Marie gameplay showcase video below:

This update also brings new monthly fighters and lots of combat and other fixes as detailed on the link above. You can grab Skullgirls Mobile on iOS and Android right now. Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on PC and all consoles including Xbox through its most recent release. I included Skullgirls 2nd Encore in my feature on the best fighting games to play on Steam Deck, and while I play that version the most, I’ve been dipping in and out of the Xbox and Switch versions as well. Will you be trying out Marie in Skullgirls Mobile today?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/skullgirls-mobile-version-6-1-update-patch-notes-marie-full-release-iphone-android-free-login-holiday-bonus/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/spongebob-squarepants-the-cosmic-shake-mobile-frame-rate-120fps-fov-slider-graphics-android-iphone-15-pro-ipad/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/spongebob-squarepants-the-cosmic-shake-mobile-frame-rate-120fps-fov-slider-graphics-android-iphone-15-pro-ipad/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 05:20:35 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315874 Continue reading "‘SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake’ Is Now Available on Mobile as a Premium Release Through HandyGames With 120fps Support and More"
]]> Last month, HandyGames announced that it was bringing Purple Lamp’s SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake ($9.99) to iOS and Android as a premium release. SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake debuted on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC as a new 3D platformer, and it eventually got current generation ports on PS5 and Xbox Series X. It is considered a spiritual successor to the excellent SpongeBob SquarePants – The Battle for Bikini Bottom. Read Shaun’s Switch review of SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake here. I skipped it to potentially play it on mobile or grab it on PS5. It is out now on mobile, and is excellent so far. I’ve played it for about an hour trying out the various graphics options and such on my iPhone 15 Pro. You can watch the SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake mobile trailer below:

On iPhone 15 Pro, it has a 120fps option which I toggled on, and also an FOV slider. I haven’t done a ton of testing, and I’ll wait for MrMacRight on YouTube for a full analysis, but SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake feels great so far on iPhone 15 Pro with touch controls. I’ll likely be reviewing this and playing it on iPad Pro (2020) as well. Check out the graphics settings menu below:



Check out the 120fps support option below:



Once you finish the initial download on iOS, you need to download about 4.1GB within the game for the full experience so keep that in mind. SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake is available for $39.99 on consoles and PC. The iOS version is priced at $9.99. You can buy SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake on the App Store for iOS here for $9.99 and pre-register for it on Google Play for Android here. It isn’t up on Android yet, but will go live in a few hours as usual. I am curious to see how SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake on mobile compares with the Steam Deck version. Did you play SpongeBob SquarePants – The Cosmic Shake on any other platform or will you be playing it on mobile today?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/12/spongebob-squarepants-the-cosmic-shake-mobile-frame-rate-120fps-fov-slider-graphics-android-iphone-15-pro-ipad/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/apollo-justice-ace-attorney-trilogy-steam-deck-pc-preview-gameplay-tga-2023-news-recap-verified-games/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/apollo-justice-ace-attorney-trilogy-steam-deck-pc-preview-gameplay-tga-2023-news-recap-verified-games/#respond Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:30:46 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315696 Continue reading "Steam Deck Weekly: Apollo Justice Ace Attorney Trilogy PC Preview, New SEGA Trailers, Coral Island Deck Review, and More"
]]> Welcome to another Steam Deck Weekly that is earlier (or later?) than expected. Thanks to a very early code from Capcom, I’ve been playing Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy for review and preview on Steam Deck. That’s the highlight of today’s feature, but there has been a ton of news from The Game Awards, and more. There are also quite a few newly-Verified games on Steam for Steam Deck. Let’s get into them.



Steam Deck Game Impressions & Reviews

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy Steam Deck Impressions

It took a while after Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy hit Steam and consoles, but we finally have (or will have soon) Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy bringing the remaining mainline games in the series to modern platforms. The first trilogy has made its way to mobile twice now, with the recent release being the current PC and console versions of Ace Attorney 1, 2, and 3. For Apollo Justice, Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice (6), and Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies (5), we already have new mobile ports, but Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy feels like the definitive version of these games so far.

I’ve been playing Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy on Steam Deck over the last few weeks, and it is shaping up to be another essential from Capcom for Ace Attorney fans. Before getting into this package and the games, if you’re completely new to the series, the other two collections are better entry points, but you can still enjoy this as a newcomer.



My experience with the series prior to this collection is playing the original trilogy multiple times, playing Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice on 3DS, and nearly finishing Apollo Justice and Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies on iOS. Until now, I considered the iOS releases the best way to play these three games, but this collection is shaping up to be special. I forgot how much I liked the opening bits of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney and also some of the over-the-top elements in Spirit of Justice.

I won’t dig too much into the games themselves right now, since we will be doing a review as well, but I wanted to use this preview to highlight the collection and its features. The menus are excellent with smooth animations and great music. You can even jump straight into different episodes and trial segments from each game.



The Museum will be the real highlight for longtime fans. It includes the Orchestra Hall with audio performances of classic tracks, the Art Library (illustrations, key art, character models, backgrounds, and movies), Animation Studio letting you create your own hilarious situations using characters and animations from the games, and the accolades menu that tracks achievements and more.



In terms of PC features, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy has controller support (only Xbox button prompts) and keyboard support. You can also adjust text box transparency, disable screen flashes (thankfully), adjust some text speed related settings, and also enable a Story Mode. This will not let you earn some accolades in-game but it basically treats this like a video and answers questions, presents evidence, and more for you. There’s also the Consult option for the 5th and 6th game letting you consult your partner for help if you fail a segment. On the display and graphics side, you can adjust resolution (up to 4K), window mode (Borderless or Windowed), toggle v-sync, and toggle anti-aliasing. The game is capped at 30fps as expected.



While Shaun will be covering the Switch version, I wanted to test out the touchscreen support on Steam Deck. It works great with touchscreen controls. You can play the whole thing with touch as well so far. When you tap the screen, the button prompts change to keyboard ones, but it doesn’t really affect anything while you actually play. I prefer playing the Ace Attorney games with touchscreen controls. You can even tap and drag evidence around on Steam Deck. It works as it should.

Overall, I can’t wait to dig into Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy more on Steam Deck leading up to its launch on January 24th, 2024 for Steam and consoles. Not only does it look and run perfectly on the system out of the box, but it has been fun revisiting Apollo Justice and also digging deep into the bonus content.

Wizordum Steam Deck Early Access Review



If you remember my boomer shooter articles on Steam Deck and Switch, I’m constantly on the lookout for great games in the genre. Since writing those two features, I’ve been slowly putting together a new feature, but a game I was planning to cover was released on Steam Early Access about a week ago from developer Emberheart Games. That game is Wizordum. A reductive way of describing Wizordum’s aesthetic would be calling it Octopath Traveler for 90s fantasy FPS games. Obviously that isn’t completely accurate, but the more I played Wizordum, the more I adored how it blended modern techniques while still feeling 90s as heck in the best possible ways. It is still in early access, so I won’t be doing a score, but it is fantastic so far.

Wizordum’s gameplay involves multiple melee and magical weapons, solving puzzles, traps, tons of secrets, collectibles, and great levels. If this first episode is a sign of things to come, Wizordum will be special. With a lot of early access games, I’m unsure how they will feel on Steam Deck, but Wizordum plays almost perfectly. I say almost, because some menus require using the touchscreen or mouse using the trackpad. Barring that, the gameplay is great with a controller. I’d recommend using an external mouse for the level editor though.



Wizordum on Steam Deck runs great out of the box barring the few menus that require using the mouse or touchscreen depending on your preference. Right now, the PC poort offers resolution and window mode options with an FOV setting. There is also a lighting toggle, but no other PC-specific settings. It has Steam Cloud support and full 16:10 support as well. I’m hoping the controller support can be improved as it gets more early access updates. I have no complaints with Wizordum at all right now, and it might end up becoming one of my favorite retro shooters if each episode pushes things further.

Right now, even as an early access game, Wizordum has tons for the player from its superb gameplay in the first main episode, level designer, and more. I love the aesthetic, music, gameplay, and premise. Wizordum is the real deal, and I can’t wait to keep revisiting it as it gets updates over time. It looks gorgeous on Steam Deck as well, and really makes me wish I had a Steam Deck OLED right now. I urge you to download the demo and see how good it is for yourself.

Wizordum Steam Deck review score: TBA / Early Access

Coral Island Steam Deck Review



The more I saw of Coral Island pre-release, the more excited I got. I usually avoid playing early access games unless I’m specifically covering said version for work, so I was looking forward to the 1.0 launch to see how Coral Island played on Steam Deck, and also how it felt on console. I’ve been playing it since launch on both Steam Deck and PS5, and have come away impressed with many aspects of the life sim, but also disappointed in others.

After spending a few hours with it, Coral Island kept reminding me of Stardew Valley in a new perspective. Don’t raise your pitchforks, because I’ve played every single Story of Seasons and Rune Factory game since 3DS till date, but Coral Island specifically feels like a take on Stardew Valley rather than the Story of Seasons games. I have no problem with that, but Coral Island feels unfinished in parts that become obvious as you go deeper into it. I feel like it left early access a bit too soon to hit consoles and ship before the holidays. Since the game is considered 1.0 and is being sold as that, this is a scored review, but I will definitely revisit it in 2024 once the promised updates hit.



Coral Island takes place in a fixed camera perspective with 3D visuals bringing a plethora of colorful characters, life simulation elements, loads of customization options, a decent farming implementation, fishing, and more. It also has diving and mining. I initially thought diving would be the core draw, but balancing both is important to the flow. Speaking of the flow, there are many accessibility options and the ability to change how fast in-game time moves, letting you tweak the experience further. I love stuff like this. The asking price seems low given the massive production and polish it has in many areas, but it is still a bit buggy, more so on console, which is something to keep in mind if you are planning to get it on PS5 or Xbox Series X rather than playing the PC version on Steam Deck or your gaming PC.

When I started unlocking and seeing more of what Coral Island offered, I was surprised at how much it includes right now in almost every area, and almost feel like some things should’ve been cut for updates rather than having so many in-game systems and mechanics that aren’t all fully realized. Either way, Coral Island is polished, memorable, and gorgeous even on lower settings playing on Steam Deck compared to PS5. The customization and freedom you get in-game make this the perfect game to chill with after work or any other intense game. I’ve been enjoying dipping into it as a break from everything else I’ve been playing over the last month.



On Steam Deck, Coral Island has some trouble running at a locked 60fps even on the lowest preset. I ended up trying the medium preset with some tweaking, and still had drops from 60. Going for 30fps is much easier with dramatically better visuals. The load times are good on Deck though. I’d also recommend using the font size modifier and HUD scale options for playing in handheld mode. On PS5, Coral Island isn’t perfect, and it has some frame pacing issues. Other than that, it plays great and runs well.

The PC port lets you adjust resolution, frame rate cap (30-unlimited), toggle v-sync, anti-aliasing, temporal upsampling, texture quality, shadow quality, post-processing quality, effects quality, view distance, plants, ambient occlusion, motion blur quality, and more. On the controls side, it has support for controller and keyboard & mouse inputs. I was pleased to see the option to force PlayStation button prompts when playing on Steam Deck. It even has Switch prompt options if you prefer those in addition to the usual Xbox prompts.



There’s clearly a lot planned for 2024, and it will be in a much better place by then. Coral Island has the potential to be one of the best in the genre, but right now it still feels like it has a bit more to do to feel complete. It may sound like I’m down on Coral Island, but I genuinely love what I played despite the issues. Coral Island could’ve been a home run that feels like a fantastic genre addition for fans and newcomers, but the state of some elements means there are caveats to the praise.

Right now, Coral Island has a fantastic base to build on, but it feels lacking in ways that become obvious as you play more. I know it left Steam Early Access to hit 1.0 and launch on consoles, but it still feels like it needed a bit more of its roadmap before I can recommend it without caveats. The asking price is lower than I expected given everything it has right now, and if you’re ok chipping away at it slowly and taking your time, you will find a lot to love here. Despite the few technical issues, it is a joy to play on Steam Deck, but I feel like it left early access prematurely.

Coral Island Steam Deck Review score: 4/5

News

There’s almost too much news, so I’m going to focus on my favorite announcements since the last feature. The biggest news was Capcom revealing the sixth mainline entry (going by the logo etc) in the Monster Hunter series with Monster Hunter Wilds. Monster Hunter Wilds is coming to Steam and current consoles in 2025, and you can watch the trailer below. I’m looking forward to putting thousands of hours into it.

House House, the developers of Untitled Goose Game, announced Big Walk for 2025 release on Steam. Big Walk lets you explore with friends to solve puzzles and more as you try and communicate as a group. It looks super funny, and will be a rare co-op multiplayer game I try day one. Watch the trailer for it below:

Don’t Nod announced Lost Records: Bloom & Rage for consoles and PC with a late 2024 release window. This is a new story driven universe from the team behind Life is Strange set in 1995. I love Don’t Nod’s games, and will be playing this one for sure.

Sega revealed a new trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth focused on Kazuma Kiryu. This trailer titled the Bucket List trailer showcases Kiryu meeting old friends and more. I can’t believe we are a few weeks away from the newest mainline Like a Dragon Game.

SEGA actually had three sets of news at The Game Awards. The first is a new initiative for its classic IP bringing back Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, and more through new games. More details will be shared soon, but this is exciting news.

Sega and Atlus showcased a new trailer for Metaphor: ReFantazio, the newest JRPG from the Persona 5 team and also featuring Koda Kazuma (NieR: Automata) as concept artist and Ikuto Yamashita (Neon Genesis Evangelion) on mech designs. Metaphor: ReFantazio looks like it has a combat system inspired by Falcom’s Trails into Daybreak which is great to see. Metaphor: ReFantazio launches Fall 2024 on Steam and consoles.

Sega and Atlus’ final reveal was a new Persona 3 Reload trailer. I’m very excited for this remake, and it keeps looking incredible. Watch the new “Meaning of Life" gameplay trailer for Persona 3 Reload below:

If you’ve been reading the site for a few years now, you know how much we love Thumper. The developers of Thumper are back with a new cosmic racer Thrasher. Thrasher debuts on VR in 2024, but will see non VR versions later on. It looks superb.

In a bit of a surprising announcement, Xseed Games has gone and updated its amazing PC version of Falcom’s classic game Ys Origin. Ys Origin now supports English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish with the new update. This is an amazing entry point into Falcom games, and a brilliant action RPG.

The recently released brilliant action game Ghostrunner 2 was updated with hardcore mode and its first DLC in the Ice Pack a few days ago. This is sold separately or included in the Brutal Edition and the Season Pass. More packs are coming through 2024.

505 Games announced a surprise remake of Brothers: A Tale Of Two Suns for Steam and consoles coming February 28th, 2024. This remake is in Unreal Engine 5, and it looks as stunning as you’d expect.

Warframe had a huge announcement at The Game Awards 2023 with the cross platform save account finally being added to the game. This is a part of Whispers in the Walls arriving beginning December 13th. I’m looking forward to merging my Switch, PS5, and Steam accounts for playing and then eventually picking up on iOS as well.

EA revealed a new colorful action adventure game about reclaiming your father’s spirit in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU from Surgent Studios. This was one of the highlight announcements from The Game Awards. I likely will play this on Steam Deck and Switch.

The final bit of news is that Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty will get its final DLC tomorrow in the form of Upheaval in Jinxiang. I will be reviewing it in the near future on Steam Deck. This DLC includes a new location, demons, a new weapon, a new divine beast, and more end game content. Wo Long is definitely a game any action game fan should try and it is Steam Deck Verified as well.

New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week



New Steam Deck Verified games for the week

• AOISHIRO HD REMASTER – Playable
• Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy – Verified
• Dungeons 4 – Playable
• Fate/EXTELLA LINK – Playable
• Flashback 2 – Playable
• Forgive Me Father 2 – Playable
• Iron Marines Invasion – Playable
• Knuckle Sandwich – Playable
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Master Collection Version – Unsupported
• Metal Gear Solid 3 Master Collection Version – Unsupported
• Mosa Lina – Playable
• Mystery Chronicle: One Way Heroics – Playable
• NARUTO X BORUTO Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS – Playable
• Ray’z Arcade Chronology – Verified
• The Expanse: A Telltale Series – Playable
• Tormented Souls – Verified
• Twinfold – Playable
• Under The Waves Steam – Unsupported

That’s all for this week’s early edition. There’s more Steam Deck coverage happening this week since I skipped last week. As usual, you can read all our past and future Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great day, and thanks for reading.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/apollo-justice-ace-attorney-trilogy-steam-deck-pc-preview-gameplay-tga-2023-news-recap-verified-games/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/doom-30th-anniversary-interview-romero-carmack-david-craddock-stream-wolfenstein-quake/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/doom-30th-anniversary-interview-romero-carmack-david-craddock-stream-wolfenstein-quake/#respond Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:52:56 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315795 Continue reading "‘DOOM’ 30th Anniversary Stream Featuring John Romero, Carmack, and Former TouchArcade Author David L Craddock Now Available"
]]> id Software’s DOOM ($4.99) celebrated its 30th anniversary over the weekend. While I didn’t play it literally when it launched, I adored the shareware version I played hundreds of times until I finally got the full game. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of DOOM, the legendary John Romero and John Carmack got together for a live stream moderated by former TouchArcade author and now documentary maker, author of many books, and more David L Craddock to discuss DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein and a lot more. The stream is a little over an hour long, but is well worth your time if you’re a fan or interested in DOOM. Watch it below on John Romero’s YouTube channel:

If you’ve not kept up with DOOM in recent years, it got a re-release alongside DOOM II on mobile, console, and PC platforms bringing official add-on support and many modern features. The iOS version also supports 120fps gameplay. About a week ago, id Software added another official add-on, The Troopers’ Playground for both DOOM and DOOM II. Read about it here. If you own either of the new versions of DOOM or DOOM II on iOS, Android, console, or PC platforms, you can grab the Arrival add-on for free. Note that you need to be signed into your Bethesda.net account in-game to be able to access this and any other add-ons. Did you play DOOM back in the 90s or more recently and what’s your favorite memory of this timeless game?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/doom-30th-anniversary-interview-romero-carmack-david-craddock-stream-wolfenstein-quake/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/shadowverse-worlds-beyond-new-digital-card-game-2024-release-date-iphone-android-pc-cygames/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/shadowverse-worlds-beyond-new-digital-card-game-2024-release-date-iphone-android-pc-cygames/#respond Mon, 11 Dec 2023 06:09:05 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315782 Continue reading "‘Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond’ Is a New Free To Play Digital Card Game From Cygames for iOS, Android, and PC Coming Summer 2024"
]]> At its Shadowverse Next 2024 event, Cygames announced Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond for iOS, Android, and PC. This new game will have many new features including a lobby system that allows you to play Mahjong, go fishing, and more. If you ever wanted to play Mahjong in Shadowverse, Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond will let you do just that. Cygames calls this a new Shadowverse game, and it will be releasing with support for multiple languages from Asia, Europe, and North America. Basic features will remain the same but there will be new features like Super Evolution, Engage, and also characters. The new characters are Dreizehn and Lovesign. Watch the full Shadowverse Next 2024 showcase below:

As of this writing, Cygames says the distribution platform for the PC version hasn’t been decided. It will launch on iOS, Android, and PC in Summer 2024. Check out the new English website for Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond here. Until this new game launches, Shadowverse is available on iOS, Android, and PC. If you are on Switch, the Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle game is really good and worth trying. Cygames also announced a new Shadoverse World Tournament with a 10 million Yen prize for the winner. This tournament is set for early 2025. The current Shadowverse game will continue to run alongside this new one according to the official post. What do you think of Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond so far?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/11/shadowverse-worlds-beyond-new-digital-card-game-2024-release-date-iphone-android-pc-cygames/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/football-manager-2024-interview-sports-interactive-apple-arcade-nintendo-switch-touch-features-cross-save-physical-release-dlc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/football-manager-2024-interview-sports-interactive-apple-arcade-nintendo-switch-touch-features-cross-save-physical-release-dlc/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 20:13:19 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315605 Continue reading "Football Manager 2024 Interview – We Talk to Sports Interactive About Game Features, Working With Apple Arcade, Switch Physical Releases, and a Lot More"
]]> Last month, SEGA and Sports Interactive released Football Manager 2024 on Apple Arcade (Touch), Netflix (Mobile), consoles, PC, and even Game Pass. If you missed my detailed review covering many versions of the game, read it here. Following the launch, I had a chance to talk to Sports Interactive about features on different platforms, working with Apple Arcade, cross save, Switch physical releases, and a lot more. The focus will be Football Manager 2024 Touch, and I spoke to Producer Neil Harper and PR & Content Executive Andrew Sinclair from the team here.



TouchArcade (TA): This year, Football Manager 2024 ships on more platforms than ever before. How do you decide what features to prioritize adding into each platform when development begins?

Neil Harper (NH): Speaking from my experience in the Touch and Console teams, we consider a number of factors when deciding which features to introduce in a given year. These include the vision of our Design team, player habits & analytics data, player sentiment and feedback from both our QA teams and Studio Director Miles Jacobson. We also consider the work that the PC team have committed to and then look to tailor some of their additions to ensure they fit the various Touch and Console platforms from both a gameplay and practical functionality perspective.

TA: Football Manager 2024 Touch’s standout feature from the get go is the interface optimized for iPhone screens. This year, it feels like a proper game tailored for iPhone as well as iPad rather than being a tablet game ported down. How much work went into the iPhone side of things here?

NH: We reviewed feedback from Football Manager 2023 Touch and understood the frustrations of some users with the size of the menu options available.

We were keen to make the iPhone version of the title as accessible as possible and therefore a lot of time was spent to ensure that this was an improvement on last year’s version while also ensuring the best iPhone experience with both touch and controller input.

As a team we always try to remain agile and responsive, so we’re already looking at the feedback on this year’s changes and discussing how we can drive further improvements to the interface in the future.



TA: Has there been any additional work for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max?

NH: When we are developing new features for our Touch games, we always consider how this will look and function on an iPhone.

This means both older models and the latest and greatest. With the newer models of iPhone, for example, we have to consider and cater for the Dynamic Island and ensure that there’s enough space within our user interface.

TA: If we go for a reductive way of differentiating the versions of Football Manager 2024, you have PC followed by Console followed by Touch and then Mobile with features and complexity reducing in that order. Do you think we will reach a point where you have one version of the game on all platforms with just the interface changing?

Andrew Sinclair (AS): We have done a lot of user research over the years and we understand that each of our four titles all serve very different audiences with differing needs and playing personas.

So, our priority as a studio is ensuring that we continue to serve all of those people by ensuring that each edition of Football Manager is optimized to be the best version possible for that format and audience.



TA: What is your favorite feature in Football Manager 2024 Touch that makes it stand out compared to the last few years for those who haven’t played the game in a while.

NH: That’s a tough question and not an easy one to answer!

I’d probably say the new Dynamics feature. This has been present in the PC version of Football Manager for a few years but we’ve introduced it to FM24 Touch in a wholly different way.

Being able to set your own principles from the first day you take a job is a unique touch and the feature is wholly immersive, with your actions throughout the seasons being reflected in how your players buy-in to your vision and ultimately how they perform in training and on Matchdays.

TA: How has it been working with Apple and the Apple Arcade team for two years in a row now on the game.

NH: Working with Apple for the past two years has been an incredible opportunity. Both the Production and Marketing teams at Apple Arcade strive to ensure that the best game possible is released on their platform and are always receptive to our features and plans for the Football Manager Touch series.

The relationship between our team and theirs has gone from strength to strength since we first began on this venture.



TA: Are there plans to ever offer Switch and Apple Arcade save syncing since both are the same Touch version?

NH: Not at this time.

TA: Are there any plans to do a physical release on Switch?

AS: We have released a physical version of our Switch title in the past and we’re doing so once again with Football Manager 2024 Touch. This is only going live in selected Asian territories though, with some launching in early December and then Japan’s launch following in January 2024.

TA: What are the challenges at Sports Interactive for the developers working on multiple versions on a yearly franchise?

AS: It’s a big undertaking, certainly, but as we have specialized, dedicated teams working on each of these titles it’s actually more streamlined than you might anticipate from a development point of view.

There is a challenge for our Marketing team because they have to ensure that their strategy effectively communicates the new features and key information about all four editions. Our Customer Support team has to be agile too in understanding the complexities of each version across various devices in order to adequately support players who might have encountered bugs or are having technical issues.

The key for both of them though is constant communication internally with the relevant platform teams throughout the year, meaning that they know the feature set early and have access to builds and production updates.



TA: Is there a dedicated team working on each version or are there shared staff members?

AS: We have dedicated teams for all four versions of FM that we release on a yearly basis – FM, Touch, Console and Mobile. These teams include dedicated Quality Assurance Testers as well as producers and designers focused on delivering the best product possible on their specific platforms.

Some teams across the studio, such as our Research group, work with each of these individual platform teams throughout the year.

TA: How do you balance game features in Apple Arcade where there are no microtransactions while the console versions have those?

NH: We do have a number of in-app purchases available in Football Manager 2024 Console but these are designed to be fun extras without being essential to progressing in a save.

With FM23 Touch, we ran a series of events that offered players one-time use items such as a Dream Transfer that they could utilize within their saves. Look out for these once again with FM24 Touch.

TA: Are there plans to bring the in-game editor or pre-game editor to Apple Arcade in the future?

NH: Not at this time.



TA: So the game has controller support, but does it also have full keyboard mouse support on iPad?

NH: Yes, there is full keyboard and mouse support for people playing FM24 Touch on iPads.

TA: What would you like to add to FM Touch that you couldn’t add this year?

AS: While we would always love to add even more to each of our releases, we’re proud of the feature set in Football Manager 2024 Touch. From our perspective we feel that we have introduced things that will impact and improve everyone’s saved games, whether that’s carrying forward your career from FM23 Touch or setting up your new manager principles, and the feedback we’ve had so far from our players backs that up.

I’d like to thank Sports Interactive’s Producer Neil Harper and PR & Content Executive Andrew Sinclair and also Jennifer Tam from Apple for their time here.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/football-manager-2024-interview-sports-interactive-apple-arcade-nintendo-switch-touch-features-cross-save-physical-release-dlc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/apple-arcade-new-game-updates-list-outlanders-fm24-touch-junkworld-new-stage-disney-spellstruck-levels/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/apple-arcade-new-game-updates-list-outlanders-fm24-touch-junkworld-new-stage-disney-spellstruck-levels/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 14:45:48 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315672 Continue reading "Apple Arcade Weekly Round-Up: Updates for Outlanders, Football Manager 2024 Touch, Junkworld, Disney Spellstruck, MasterChef, and More Are Out Now"
]]> We just had a huge content drop on Apple Arcade earlier this week with Sonic Dream Team, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Puzzles and Dragons, and more hitting the service. Today (and as of a few days ago), many notable games on the service have gotten content updates and events. Let’s get into them. Outlanders adds four new characters in six new levels with today’s update bringing in Volume IV of Outlanders Chronicles: Home is Where the Heart Is. These levels are also available in sandbox mode. Football Manager 2024 Touch brings in AI improvements to team selection, quality of life features, match engine improvements, and more today. Zookeeper World has its Christmas 2023 event on right now to unlock themed rewards. The Disney SpellStruck Stickers and Sorcery event is on with Jack Skellington arriving with today’s update.

Today’s update for MasterChef: Learn to Cook! from Tilting Point brings in the Christmas Baking Bash content with Chef Battle changes, new ingredient sets, special setups for the holidays, solo mode improvements, and more. Junkworld has gotten its first major update since launch bringing in new stages, new missions, new enemies, new music, and a lot more. Kingdom Rush Vengeance+ has gotten its recently announced new campaign and more today as well on Apple Arcade alongside the standalone game. Charrua Soccer adds in Santa with new daily challenges, Christmas gifts, and more. The final notable update of the week is What The Golf? bringing in the New Year New Golf update with new levels and fixes.



With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Charrua Soccer here, Outlanders here, Zookeeper World here, Football Manager 2024 Touch here, Disney SpellStruck here, MasterChef: Learn to Cook! here, Junkworld here, Kingdom Rush Vengeance+ here, and What The Golf? here. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of this month’s releases so far?

[applink

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/apple-arcade-new-game-updates-list-outlanders-fm24-touch-junkworld-new-stage-disney-spellstruck-levels/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/genshin-impact-version-4-3-roses-and-muskets-release-date-live-concert-2023-official/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/genshin-impact-version-4-3-roses-and-muskets-release-date-live-concert-2023-official/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 13:15:01 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315663 Continue reading "‘Genshin Impact’ Version 4.3 Update “Roses and Muskets” Release Date Announced With New Trailer Featuring Furina, Navia, and More"
]]> Following two trailers during The Game Awards 2023, HoYoverse has more news today with the next major Genshin Impact (Free) update detailed for all platforms. Genshin Impact 4.3 “Roses and Muskets" follows the recent 4.2 update that brought in the climax of Fontaine’s main storyline, new characters (Furina, the Hydro Archon, and Charlotte, the ace reporter), two new regions with a high tower (the foggy forest and roiling lake) and more. Version 4.3 will bring in Navia and Chevreuse, reruns (Ayaka, Raiden Shogun, and Yoimiya), the Fontinalia Film Festival, new Fontainian features for the TCG, quality of life improvements, and more. In addition to this update, HoYoverse also confirmed that Genshin Concert 2023 will air on December 22nd. Check out the official website for it here. The concert will be free on channels like YouTube and more. Watch the Genshin Impact 4.3 “Roses and Muskets" announcement trailer below:

As usual pre-installation will go live a few days prior to the update’s launch on mobile and PC platforms. If you’ve not gotten it yet, you can download Genshin Impact for free on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The PC version is available on the official website here and the Epic Games Store. If you play on iOS, with iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5 and later, you can use PS5 and Xbox Series X|S controllers to play Genshin Impact. We featured Genshin Impact as our Game of the Week when it released and awarded it our 2020 Game of the Year. I also featured it as one of the best iOS games to play with a controller. What do you think of Genshin Impact 4.3 so far from what’s been shown and the concert?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/genshin-impact-version-4-3-roses-and-muskets-release-date-live-concert-2023-official/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/arknights-endfield-ps5-gameplay-tga-2023-technical-test-pc-iphone-android/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/arknights-endfield-ps5-gameplay-tga-2023-technical-test-pc-iphone-android/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 10:05:38 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315636 Continue reading "‘Arknights: Endfield’ From Gryphline Gets New Trailer at The Game Awards 2023 for Mobile, PC, and Now Also Coming to PS5"
]]> Last year, Arknights developer Hypergryph announced Arknights: Endfield for mobile and PC platforms. Arknights: Endfield is a 3D real-time RPG with strategic elements set in the world of Arknights. At The Game Awards, the new global publishing label Gryphline announced that Arknights: Endfield is also coming to PS5 alongside mobile and PC platforms. This announcement also revealed that an international technical test is planned for PC. The new trailer for Arknights: Endfield showcases a boss battle, the combat system, visuals, and more. Watch the Arknights: Endfield TGA 2023 and technical test trailer below:

If you’d like to sign up for the Arknights: Endfield PC technical test, head over to the official website here. I’ve not played Arknights in a while now, but will be checking out Arknights: Endfield when it does launch on mobile. As of now, there is no release date or window for Arknights: Endfield. It is interesting seeing a lot of these free to play games initially planned for mobile and PC also now coming to PS5. We saw it with Honkai Star Rail, Tower of Fantasy, and more following the hugely popular Genshin Impact. Have you played Arknights recently and what do you think of Arknights: Endfield so far?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/arknights-endfield-ps5-gameplay-tga-2023-technical-test-pc-iphone-android/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/zenless-zone-zero-2024-release-date-iphone-android-pc-console-tga-2023-trailer-gameplay/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/zenless-zone-zero-2024-release-date-iphone-android-pc-console-tga-2023-trailer-gameplay/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 07:01:28 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315622 Continue reading "‘Zenless Zone Zero’ TGA 2023 Trailer Confirms 2024 Release Date on iOS, Android, PC, and Consoles"
]]> During The Game Awards 2023, HoYoverse had two trailers. The first was a quick recap video for Honkai Star Rail with a tease of things to come next year. It continues to look superb. The highlight was urban fantasy action RPG Zenless Zone Zero getting confirmed for release in 2024. The TGA 2023 trailer had new characters, combat, bosses, and more showcased in addition to Hollow Zero, the final boss. I’m still wondering why we haven’t had the console platforms announced for the game. Either way, watch the new TGA 2023 trailer for the game below:

Watch the Honkai Star Rail TGA 2023 trailer below:

Honkai Star Rail also won The Game Award for best mobile game. I’m not too shocked at that since it is awesome and won Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year as well. With a 2024 release date confirmed, Zenless Zone Zero is set for iOS, Android, and PC with it also set to launch on unannounced consoles. Check out more about the game on the official website here. I’ve been enjoying the second closed beta on iPhone 15 Pro quite a bit. What do you think of it if you’ve been playing it and also did you end up watching The Game Awards?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/zenless-zone-zero-2024-release-date-iphone-android-pc-console-tga-2023-trailer-gameplay/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/world-of-goo-2-release-date-2024-platforms-unannounced-tga-2023/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/world-of-goo-2-release-date-2024-platforms-unannounced-tga-2023/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 05:13:21 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315616 Continue reading "‘World of Goo 2’ Announced for 2024, No Platforms Revealed"
]]> After releasing a remaster of the classic first game on Netflix, Tomorrow Corporation just announced World of Goo 2 at The Game Awards 2023. There isn’t much to go with aside from the trailer since platforms haven’t been announced, but World of Goo 2 looks exactly like a new World of Goo game, and that’s all we need anyway. World of Goo is one of the best iPad games you can play even today, and I can’t wait to play World of Goo 2. I’ll try it on anything, but I hope it comes to iPad at some point. I think Steam is likely the only safe bet for launch with maybe a console. We shall see. It might even be a Netflix launch if Netflix is serious about the IP. Either way, watch the World of Goo 2 trailer below:

Check out the official World of Goo 2 website here for more info including an FAQ with some vague answers about platforms. They also mention how this is the biggest game the team has made featuring the same folks who made the first one with a squad of talented friends. If you’d like to grab the first game’s remaster on iOS and Android and have an active Netflix subscription, get World of Goo Remastered on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Check out our new forum thread for it here. Have you played World of Goo before and are you looking forward to World of Goo 2?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/08/world-of-goo-2-release-date-2024-platforms-unannounced-tga-2023/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/backbone-controller-interview-ceo-maneet-khaira-usb-c-iphone-15-controllers-subscriptions/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/backbone-controller-interview-ceo-maneet-khaira-usb-c-iphone-15-controllers-subscriptions/#respond Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:03:44 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315475 Continue reading "Backbone Interview: CEO Maneet Khaira Talks Updated Controllers, Customer Feedback, Subscriptions, and More"
]]> Over the last few years, we’ve been big fans of the Backbone One controller and the Razer Kishi V2 for playing on iPhone. Backbone recently updated its USB-C BackBone One controller to add iPhone 15 series support, and also released a new updated universal USB-C controller. We then had a Backbone One Carrying Case release. Following the launch of the updated controller and carrying case, I had a chance to talk to Backbone’s CEO & founder Maneet Khaira about the company, the new controller, customer feedback, subscriptions, and more.



TouchArcade (TA): Tell us a little bit about yourself and Backbone.

Maneet Khaira (MK): I am the CEO and founder of Backbone. I founded the company in 2018 during my senior year at Columbia University while working at Google. Seeing a gap in the market, I wanted to develop a more cohesive way for people to play games on their mobile devices, which led us to our core product, an attachable gaming controller for phones. We officially launched Backbone at the end of 2020 and were thrilled to announce our $40 million Series A funding round led by Index Ventures in 2022. Some of our other investors include Ashton Kutcher’s Sound Ventures and gaming creators Nadeshot, MrBeast, and Preston.

TA: How has the response been to the new carrying case?

MK: We’ve been thrilled about the demand for the new accessories products. The team really obsessed over all the little details and it really shows in the final product.



TA: Has there been any additional work done in the new updated USB-C controller to accommodate people using their iPhone 15 with a case?

MK: Over the past year and a half, we have spent considerable time delving into customer feedback on Backbone One. One area of opportunity was helping users play with their phone cases. Over the last year, we have developed this magnetic adapter system that allows users to play their games on Backbone with compatible cases. Every updated device comes with two sets of adapters—large and small. The device comes pre-installed with the large adapters for case-free play, but users can quickly swap out the large adapters for the small adapters and enable play with a large variety of compatible cases.

TA: One of my favorite things barring the comfy grip is the face buttons on the Backbone One. What were your goals with the face buttons and analog sticks on the controller compared to the competition?

MK: I’m really glad to hear you like it. Designing game controllers can be incredibly hard. Gamers are perhaps more perceptive than any other consumer–they really care about every aspect of gameplay, and they can immediately pick up on even the most nuanced of ergonomic details. It sounds absurd to say, but if there’s one overarching thing that 4+ years of extensive human factors and ergonomics research have taught, it’s that even a difference at the level of a hundred microns on a given surface can radically change the overall gameplay experience in a player’s hands. The current generation of devices is informed by years of human factors and anthropometric research that help ensure that they’re comfortable for a litany of hand sizes and postures. There are some awesome articles online chronicling the development of the Steam Deck and Stadia controller to name a few that provide a glimpse into the complex and iterative development process for products like these.

In our case, designing devices is perhaps even more challenging because they are bound by additional constraints: not only do they have to be comfortable to play on but they must also maintain an incredibly small and lightweight form factor. 4+ years of extensive research have brought us to the current form factor, which we believe is the most optimal balance among these constraints for long-term gameplay. The combination of opposing constraints means that every aspect of our device designs undergoes careful deliberation and rigorous play testing from our internal human factors and UX research team. Ultimately, the objective with all of our input devices is to make them feel invisible–we want to render the connection between your mind and the game seamless. I’m constantly blown away by the team’s amazing attention to detail in developing our products–many of them have previously shipped awesome consumer products like the iPhone, Google Home, and Meta Quest as well as amazing software like Twitch, Pokemon Go, and the Google Play store. Their continuous R&D efforts have yielded an extensive patent portfolio across devices, software, and services.



TA: Back to the Backbone App (Free), it is an amazing experience, but there’s been quite a bit of discussion around the subscription that locks some features that people would expect, behind a paywall. How do you decide what to offer free and what to have behind the premium subscription?

MK: Last holiday season, the Backbone app, which is free for all Backbone users, was one of the top 25 apps overall on the App Store. It’s typically one of the top apps in the social category as well. Over the past few months, we’ve refreshed the look and feel of the app for a rich and interactive experience when discovering games across all kinds of gaming: remote play, cloud gaming, and app store. We’re excited to see what happens this holiday season as more users come onto the platform.

The Backbone+ service also offers a combination of 20+ additional premium app features, up to 50% off on Backbone products, as well as in-game rewards and perks–all at an accessible price of less than four bucks a month. Our product teams are constantly investing heavily in developing new features and capabilities to enrich the overall experience.



I’d like to thank Maneet Khaira and Sarah Schwab for their time here.

If you’d like to grab any of the controllers or learn more about the Backbone One models, check out our post with all the controllers here and the official Backbone website here.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/backbone-controller-interview-ceo-maneet-khaira-usb-c-iphone-15-controllers-subscriptions/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/how-to-unlock-adventure-mode-in-vampire-survivors-version-1-8-guide-dlc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/how-to-unlock-adventure-mode-in-vampire-survivors-version-1-8-guide-dlc/#respond Thu, 07 Dec 2023 08:07:12 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315562 Continue reading "Vampire Survivors Version 1.8 Guide – Here’s How To Unlock Adventure Mode and What’s Included"
]]> The major Vampire Survivors version 1.8 update with Adventures went live earlier today on Steam and Xbox platforms, but will be out on mobile and Switch soon. This big free update brings in the Adventure Mode. Adventures are self-contained stories that remix content from the base game. This mode while free, isn’t available from the start. This Vampire Survivors Adventures guide will cover the adventures available right now, how to unlock the mode, and more. Poncle says the aim of this mode is to give you an excuse to replay Vampire Survivors when you’ve unlocked everything. I haven’t unlocked everything, but have gotten very close. Watch the Vampire Survivors Adventures trailer below:

How to unlock adventures in Vampire Survivors

To unlock adventures, you need to collect the Atlas Gate relic in Boss Rash at minute 7. To do this, pick a powerful character you’re comfortable with like Queen Sigma or Red Death, and survive until the seventh minute. Collect the relic from the middle of the arena. You can now either survive or quit the stage. This unlocks adventures or Adventure Mode in Vampire Survivors.

How to unlock Boss Rash mode in Vampire Survivors

If you’ve not unlocked Boss Rash yet, it is the third challenge stage. You can do this by unlocking hyper mode for all the normal stages, or using the cheat code: ‘peakgamedesign’ without quotes in the Forbidden Scrolls menu.



What adventures are available in Vampire Survivors

Right now, there are three adventures available: A Garlic Paradise, World of Light and Dark, and Legacy of the Moonspell. The first two are for all players, but the third one requires owning the DLC of the same name.



Vampire Survivors Adventure Mode achievements

Right now, there are no platform-specific achievements for adventures, but you can unlock base game achievements from within adventures and adventure mode.

Vampire Survivors Atlas Gate

Right now, there’s no achievement for the Atlas Gate, but a future patch will add some achievements including the Atlas Gate one.



When will Vampire Survivors get new adventures?

On the official FAQ page, poncle confirmed that the team is planning on new adventures alongside future free updates and paid DLCs.

If you’ve not played the game in a while, read my co-op impressions of the Steam version here and my Nintendo Switch review here. You can also read my Steam Deck review of Vampire Survivors here, Legacy of the Moonspell DLC review here, iOS review here, and Tides of the Foscari DLC review here. We featured it as our Game of the Week as well when it launched. You can get Vampire Survivors on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Check out our forum thread here for more discussion and impressions around the game. Hopefully this guide helps you get the most out of adventures in the game.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/how-to-unlock-adventure-mode-in-vampire-survivors-version-1-8-guide-dlc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/hero-emblems-2-new-update-version-2-0-food-consumption-new-colors-iphone-ipad/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/hero-emblems-2-new-update-version-2-0-food-consumption-new-colors-iphone-ipad/#respond Thu, 07 Dec 2023 06:34:40 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315537 Continue reading "‘Hero Emblems II’ Major 2.0 Update Adds the Food Consumption System, New Hero Outfit Colors, and More"
]]> Developer HeatPot has released a surprise major update for Hero Emblems 2 ($2.99) that finally released on iOS last June. I say finally because we’ve been covering both HeatPot’s Hero Emblems and its long-awaited (really long) sequel for many years now. Read Shaun’s glowing review of it here. The premium match-3 RPG series has now gotten its major 2.0 update bringing in a new Food Consumption system to make the game easier through buffs and enhancements to character abilities. This system also will speed up battles. The other additions include an equipment management system at branch nodes within stages letting you rearrange gear, change skills, replenish items, and more. Each hero has gotten a new color scheme for outfits. The final notable additions are new optional accessories to make the game more accessible with money and experience increases. Check out screenshots from the update below:



Hero Emblems 2 is priced at $6.99 on iOS. You can grab Hero Emblems 2 here on the App Store for iOS. We featured Hero Emblems 2 as our Game of the Week when it launched. Check out the original Hero Emblems ($1.99) which we also chose as our Game of the Week and loved it in our review. Check out our forum thread that has been going for years now, for Hero Emblems 2 here. Check out the official website here for more information and some screenshots. Have you played the original and what are you expecting from Hero Emblems 2 when it finally hits next week?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/07/hero-emblems-2-new-update-version-2-0-food-consumption-new-colors-iphone-ipad/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/monster-hunter-now-zinogre-update-download-hunt-a-thons-raid-release-date-iphone-android/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/monster-hunter-now-zinogre-update-download-hunt-a-thons-raid-release-date-iphone-android/#respond Thu, 07 Dec 2023 03:04:33 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315511 Continue reading "Monster Hunter Now Zinogre Update Now Available Including Lance and Dual Blade Weapon Types"
]]> Niantic and Capcom just released the first major update for Monster Hunter Now (Free) on iOS and Android with the Fulminations in the Frost title update out now. This update brings in the two weapon types: Lance and Dual Blades, new monsters: Radobaan, Banbaro, Barioth, and Zinogre, and much more. Urgent Quests will be present as a part of a new Special Quest for the new monsters. After that Zinogre will only be included in Hunt-a-thons, which launch beginning December 15th. The update brings in the sleep element as well from Radobaan, new balance adjustments for other weapons and monsters, and a lot more. The biomes now have a snowy aesthetic and new music to celebrate the holiday winter season. There will also be new small monsters. Watch the Monster Hunter Now Fulminations of the Frost Zinogre update launch trailer below:

With this update, Hunt-a-thons have also been added. The first one begins on Decembr 15th until December 17th letting you hunt five monsters in succession. The large monsters here are stronger than usual so Niantic recommends hunting with others. I’m not sure if this will be balanced for solo play or not though. A new medal will be available here alongside exclusive quests. The first one recommends ice-element weapons to hunt Zinogre. You need to be HR 11 or higher for Hunt-a-thons. You will need to buy a Hunt-a-thon Ticket instead of waiting after you complete one Hunt-a-thon. The tickets cost 150 gems, but you can wait for 180 minutes for the next one according to Niantic.



If you are planning to start playing the game, I put together some (newly updated) tips and tricks for the game, details on the weapons, special skills, the current monsters list, my wishlist for future update monsters, and more. You can grab Monster Hunter Now on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The in app purchases include different sets of gems and upgrades. Check out the official website here. What do you think of Monster Hunter Now if you’ve been playing it so far on iOS and Android?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/monster-hunter-now-zinogre-update-download-hunt-a-thons-raid-release-date-iphone-android/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/vampire-survivors-among-us-crossover-dlc-release-date-price-pc-iphone-android-switch-xbox/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/vampire-survivors-among-us-crossover-dlc-release-date-price-pc-iphone-android-switch-xbox/#respond Wed, 06 Dec 2023 19:22:36 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315503 Continue reading "Vampire Survivors Among Us Crossover Emergency Meeting DLC Release Date Announced for PC and Xbox, Mobile and Switch Later"
]]> Day of the Devs The Game Awards 2023 Edition just aired, and there were a plethora of announcements of great indie games and updates. I’ll have a round-up of the ones I liked the most in the SwitchArcade, but poncle just announced the first collaboration DLC for Vampire Survivors (Free) today with the Emergency Meeting DLC coming December 18th for Xbox and PC. This DLC will come to mobile and Switch soon after. The DLC arrives soon after today’s major Adventures update on PC and Xbox. Hopefully today’s 1.8.0 update also hits mobile and Switch soon. This new paid DLC brings 9 new characters, 15 new weapons, a new stage, and of course new music as well. I’m definitely going to be reviewing this DLC and playing it on every platform as usual. Watch the Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC announcement trailer below:

The Vampire Survivors Emergency Meeting DLC is priced at $2.49 and will be launching on December 18th for Xbox and PC with mobile and Switch to follow. Wishlist it on Steam here. The full FAQ about the DLC is also live here. If you’ve not played the game in a while, read my co-op impressions of the Steam version here and my Nintendo Switch review here. You can also read my Steam Deck review of Vampire Survivors here, Legacy of the Moonspell DLC review here, iOS review here, and Tides of the Foscari DLC review here. We featured it as our Game of the Week as well when it launched. You can get Vampire Survivors on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Check out our forum thread here for more discussion and impressions around the game. Have you been playing it recently on any platform?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/vampire-survivors-among-us-crossover-dlc-release-date-price-pc-iphone-android-switch-xbox/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/refind-self-the-personality-test-game-mobile-review-iphone-ipad-steam-deck-pc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/refind-self-the-personality-test-game-mobile-review-iphone-ipad-steam-deck-pc/#respond Wed, 06 Dec 2023 17:31:01 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315474 Continue reading "‘Refind Self: The Personality Test Game’ iOS Review – How You Refind Me"
]]> The last two months have been so busy that I’ve not been able to make time to play many games until recently. There are still new games coming out even as we head closer to the holidays, but I finally managed to play Playism and Lizardry’s recent adventure game Refind Self: The Personality Test Game ($3.99). Before I saw the screenshots or the trailer, I thought the name would mean this is one of those games where you just answer some questions to get a result and share it. I was wrong, and Refind Self: The Personality Test Game ended up being one of the nicest surprises of the year so far.



Lizardry developed 7 Days to End With You which was self-published on mobile, and I had my eye on that thanks to its aesthetic. When I got to know Lizardry was behind Refind Self: The Personality Test Game, I expected good art, and it delivered with its aesthetic and music. Adventure games live and die by their story, and I found the smart storytelling and structure here great, but the characters and introspection aspects really elevated it to something special.

Once you get past the name, Refind Self: The Personality Test Game begins with a grave. You control an android near the grave which happens to be of the doctor who created you. You now have the freedom to do anything or go anywhere more or less. As you make decisions including small ones like how long you sit on a bench all contribute to your personality which is being analyzed. Despite the name and structure, you’re playing this to discover the narrative and secrets more than finding your own personality.



Barring the decisions you make in dialogue or for how you want to spend the limited time you have, you get to see a glimpse of your personality and a part of the overall story. The limited time depends on the analysis happening with each decision you make while playing. A single playthrough will take about an hour or a bit more, but you can’t see everything Refind Self: The Personality Test Game has to offer without at least three playthroughs. Once it is all complete, you get to share your ID with others. It is interesting seeing how others responded to specific things in-game as well.

Despite the simple gameplay, I found myself enamored with the world here, and ended up loving the characters and mini-games quite a bit. Lizardry is definitely worth paying attention to for all future projects. I hope each game tries something different like this one did with its structure. The only aspect some might take issue with, is the length. I have no problem with the asking price of $3.99 for a three or four hour long experience, but keep that in mind before grabbing it if you were hoping for something longer.



While I like the pixel art and character designs a lot, I want to give a special mention to the soundtrack. It was another lovely surprise with how much it manages to accomplish in elevating the narrative moments and mini-games. I haven’t seen it up on streaming, but it is available on Steam here.

I’ve been playing Refind Self: The Personality Test Game on both iOS and Steam Deck. While it looks and runs fine on Steam Deck, it has no native controller support. To play it here, I’d recommend using the controller layout that lets you use the left stick to simulate WASD and then using the touch screen for click interactions. Without that, grab an external mouse if you want to play it. On iPhone 15 Pro and iPad Pro, there is no controller support, but I had no issues with Refind Self: The Personality Test Game barring some slight scrolling jitter in parts. It feels great on touch. It also looks great and loads quickly on my devices. If you have the option, play it on iOS or PC with a mouse over Steam Deck right now. Hopefully we get proper controller support in an update on both Steam Deck and iOS.



If you enjoy touching stories and adventure games with a focus on characters and introspection, you will love Refind Self: The Personality Test Game. I think many folks will skip it thinking it is one of those throwaway test-style games, but I ended up enjoying my time with it a lot across iOS and Steam Deck. I can’t wait to see what Lizardry does next, and look forward to seeing results from more people when they play Refind Self: The Personality Test Game.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/refind-self-the-personality-test-game-mobile-review-iphone-ipad-steam-deck-pc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/disney-dreamlight-valley-mobile-download-apple-arcade-iphone-ipad-mac-apple-tv/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/disney-dreamlight-valley-mobile-download-apple-arcade-iphone-ipad-mac-apple-tv/#respond Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:18:53 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315467 Continue reading "‘Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition’ Now Available on Apple Arcade With the Major ‘A Rift in Time’ Expansion Included"
]]> After a bit of a delay, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition () is now available on Apple Arcade worldwide. When Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition hit early access on PC and consoles including Nintendo Switch, I always assumed it would eventually hit mobile in some form. I didn’t expect Apple Arcade, but here we are, and this release is quite an interesting one. I say that because being an “Apple Arcade Original" means it supports all Apple platforms with no microtransactions or extra purchases required. In fact, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition also includes the paid A Rift in Time expansion in its release from the start. I played Disney Dreamlight Valley on Switch, Steam Deck, and Xbox over time, but enjoyed it the most on Steam Deck. With the Apple Arcade version, I’m going to revisit it for a full review covering them all. Stay tuned for that. Watch the Disney Dreamlight Valley A Rift in Time trailer below:

Alongside Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition, this week also saw Sonic Dream Team, a new Puzzles and Dragons game, and Turmoil+ hit Apple Arcade. Read Shaun’s review of Sonic Dream Team here. Disney Dreamlight Valley A Rift in Time is priced at $29.99 on other platforms. It brings in new story content, three new villagers, three new biomes. the Royal Hourglass tool, a board game, and more. If you’d like to play Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition, grab it here on Apple Arcade.Check out our forum thread for Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition here. Head over to our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. Are you going to play Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition or will you be checking it out on PC or consoles?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/06/disney-dreamlight-valley-mobile-download-apple-arcade-iphone-ipad-mac-apple-tv/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/devil-may-cry-peak-of-combat-global-release-date-iphone-android-ipad-controller-support/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/devil-may-cry-peak-of-combat-global-release-date-iphone-android-ipad-controller-support/#respond Wed, 06 Dec 2023 04:17:53 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315462 Continue reading "‘Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat’ Releases on January 10th, 2024 for iOS and Android"
]]> It feels like we’ve been covering Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat (), the mobile entry in the superb Devil May Cry series, for as long as we were waiting for Devil May Cry 5. After trailers revealing gameplay, characters, controller support, betas, and more, we finally have a release date for Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat. During a stream today, Capcom and Nebula Joy announced that Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat will release on January 10th, 2024 for iOS and Android. If you missed the most recent news, watch the Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat video showcasing controller support here. Watch the new Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat live stream with the release date and a lot more below:

If you’d like to play it at launch, you can pre-register for Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat on the official website here and pre-order it on the App Store for iOS here. Pre-registering will get you different rewards like gems, red orbs, potions, and more as detailed on the official website. The App Store page for Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat has a list of some of the different in app purchases like seasonal cards, gift packs, and different sets of devil gems. I’m looking forward to trying out Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat when it launches next month. This isn’t the first entry in the franchise to hit mobile either. We had a version of DMC 4 on the platform years ago. What do you think of today’s Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat and will you be trying it next month?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/devil-may-cry-peak-of-combat-global-release-date-iphone-android-ipad-controller-support/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/nba-infinite-mobile-pvp-basketball-preorder-app-store-release-date-android/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/nba-infinite-mobile-pvp-basketball-preorder-app-store-release-date-android/#respond Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:47:02 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315433 Continue reading "PvP Basketball Game ‘NBA Infinite’ Announced for iOS and Android From Level Infinite and Lightspeed Studios"
]]> Level Infinite and Lightspeed Studios just announced a new real-time PvP basketball game for mobile in the form of NBA Infinite (). NBA Infinite includes solo modes as well, collecting and upgrading current NBA players, managing teams, and more. It will be free to play as expected. NBA Infinite doesn’t have a definite release date yet, but pre-registrations are now live on both iOS and Android. Pre-registering nets you in-game rewards and fan rewards with a chance to win tickets to a 2024-25 season game, and more. Watch the NBA Infinite announcement trailer for iOS and Android below:

If you’d like to play NBA Infinite at launch, you can pre-order it on the App Store for iOS here and pre-register for it on Google Play for Android here. The App Store has a February 29th, 2024 date listed which should be considered a placeholder date until we get an official announcement. The game is free to play, and the App Store lists in app purchases of different MVP passes and bundles of IC which likely is the in-game currency. What do you think of the NBA Infinite announcement trailer and will you be trying it when it releases on iOS and Android?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/nba-infinite-mobile-pvp-basketball-preorder-app-store-release-date-android/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/dysmantle-mobile-local-multiplayer-coop-2-player-controller-support-iphone-ipad-android-dlc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/dysmantle-mobile-local-multiplayer-coop-2-player-controller-support-iphone-ipad-android-dlc/#respond Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:10:39 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315429 Continue reading "New ‘Dysmantle’ iOS Update Adds Co-Op Mode Using Two Controllers"
]]> We recently had a major update hit mobile for the open world survival and crafting adventure game Dysmantle ($9.99) from 10tons Ltd. Dysmantle was one of our favorite games of 2022, and with all of its paid DLC and updates, it is even better. Following its recent update bringing in the Pets & Dungeons DLC, the iOS version has been updated to add in local co-op multiplayer support for up to 2 players using controllers. You need both controllers connected to the device for the co-op option to be usable in-game. I don’t own the Android version so I’m not sure if this was included there already, or whether it will come in a future update. Watch the Dysmantle Pets & Dungeons DLC trailer below:

If you’ve not gotten it yet, we featured Dysmantle as our our Game of the Week when it hit iOS. Dysmantle has you trying to escape the island by breaking everything for materials, fight creatures, survive, build outputs, and more. You can grab the iOS version of Dysmantle for $9.99 (or regional equivalent) usually with it being discounted once in a while. If you’d like to play Dysmantle on iOS, you can grab it here on the App Store. It is available on Android here. Check out the official website for Dysmantle here. Make sure to head over to our forum thread for more discussion around it here. Have you played Dysmantle yet and will you be trying out the co-op?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/dysmantle-mobile-local-multiplayer-coop-2-player-controller-support-iphone-ipad-android-dlc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/goat-simulator-3-mobile-download-now-available-android-iphone-price-multiplayer-coop/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/goat-simulator-3-mobile-download-now-available-android-iphone-price-multiplayer-coop/#respond Tue, 05 Dec 2023 10:02:44 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315419 Continue reading "‘Goat Simulator 3’ Mobile Now Available on iOS and Android Worldwide"
]]> Coffee Stain Publishing and Coffee Stain Malmo, the new mobile publishing studio have just released Goat Simulator 3 on iOS and Android as a premium release. Goat Simulator 3 debuted on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms. This is the second main game in the series despite its name, and the direct sequel to Goat Simulator. Goat Simulator 3 ($12.99) was announced for mobile, and even had pre-orders live, but it was delisted until its launch today. Goat Simulator 3 is now available as a premium release with co-op multiplayer support and more bringing all the PC and console features to mobile. Watch the Goat Simulator 3 mobile launch trailer below:

If you’re interested in playing it, you can get Goat Simulator 3 on the App Store for iOS here on Google Play for Android here. It is priced at $12.99 on mobile compared to $29.99 on consoles. I never ended up playing this on PS5 or Xbox but did download it on Xbox Game Pass on my Xbox Series X. I’ll definitely be playing the iOS version soon. Have you played Goat Simulator 3 on any platform before or will you be trying it on mobile today?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/goat-simulator-3-mobile-download-now-available-android-iphone-price-multiplayer-coop/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/mini-motorways-aurora-borealis-update-new-map-download-apple-arcade-switch-pc-steam-deck/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/mini-motorways-aurora-borealis-update-new-map-download-apple-arcade-switch-pc-steam-deck/#respond Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:25:08 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315405 Continue reading "‘Mini Motorways’ Huge Aurora Borealis Update Now Available on Apple Arcade, Steam, and Switch"
]]> Mini Motorways on Apple Arcade, Nintendo Switch, and Steam has gotten a huge update today with the Aurora Borealis patch bringing in Reykjavik, new achievements, challenges, iCloud improvements on Apple Arcade, and more. Mini Motorways remains one of the best additions to the subscription, and it continues to get updated regularly. We featured it as one of our favorite Apple Arcade games as well. In time for the holidays, this winter update takes players to Iceland with the north lights-inspired hues and more. Check out a screenshot from the new Mini Motorways Reykjavik map below:



If you’ve not played Mini Motorways yet and subscribe to Apple Arcade, you can grab it here on the service, on Steam here, and on Nintendo Switch here. Head over to our forum thread for Mini Motorways here for more discussion around it. For all other Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of today’s major Mini Motorways update and do you play the game regularly?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/05/mini-motorways-aurora-borealis-update-new-map-download-apple-arcade-switch-pc-steam-deck/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/hifi-rush-anniversary-interview-john-johanas-sequel-hi-fi-rush-2-physical-release-licensed-music-soundtrack/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/hifi-rush-anniversary-interview-john-johanas-sequel-hi-fi-rush-2-physical-release-licensed-music-soundtrack/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2023 19:19:40 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315092 Continue reading "‘Hi-Fi Rush’ Anniversary Interview: Director John Johanas on His Career, the Importance of Hi-Fi Rush’s Song Choices, the Possibility of a Sequel, and More"
]]> Back in January, Tango Gameworks and Bethesda released one of my favorite games of all time with Hi-Fi Rush. As someone who adores character action and rhythm games, blending both together seemed like a perfect fit for my taste, but Hi-Fi Rush did so much more. I’ve played many times already across Steam Deck and Xbox Series X, and I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with John Johanas of Tango Gameworks about Hi-Fi Rush, his career, a potential sequel, Korsica content, using licensed music in games well, the games he enjoyed recently, and a lot more. With Hi-Fi Rush’s one year anniversary next month, I knew it was time to chat with John. This interview was conducted on a video call for the most part. It was then transcribed and edited for brevity in the case of some portions.



TouchArcade (TA): For those who don’t know you, tell us a little bit about yourself, and your role at Tango Gameworks.

John Johanas (JJ): My name is John Johanas. I’m currently a game director, creative director, whatever you want to call it. We just call it director here at Tango Gameworks, and I joined the company when they started around 13 years ago. I’ve been there since the very beginning, working on basically every project. I had no experience working on games before this. The first game I ever worked on was The Evil Within, then I was in charge of the DLCs and the sequel, and then after that, I started working on what became Hi-Fi Rush.

TA: So how did you get into Tango Gameworks then, since you mentioned you didn’t have any experience before?

JJ: Yeah, I literally just applied on the website, and was very open about the fact that I had no experience, but was just very interested in making, this was 13 years ago, like the PlayStation 3 era. There was this weird kind of time in Japanese game dev stuff where a lot of people were saying, you know, these games are too Japanese for Western audiences. It was this kind of running narrative. And I was like that’s not, I don’t think that’s the case. And if it is, maybe it’s a localization thing, maybe it’s just the way some features of the game are implemented that aren’t as user friendly. So that was kind of like my pitch. Essentially when I was talking about getting involved, I was like I don’t like this perception because I grew up playing Japanese games. I was living in Japan at the time, and I was like I’d just love to help out for whatever we’re making to make it so that is not the case for what the studio decides to make. That’s just based on me being a fan of games and playing games my whole life.



TA: Was there any specific game you played at that time which told you in your head that you need to get into the industry now?

JJ: There wasn’t a specific game that’s like, wow, now I need to get into the industry. Actually it was a little bit circumstantial. I actually didn’t even plan on this being like a career choice at all. I wasn’t pursuing it. I was planning to almost go on to higher education, like graduate school, and I just stumbled upon this site and was like, hey, you know what, why don’t I just throw a resume there and see what happens, you know?

Worst case, I have a great story to tell a couple years later that either I applied to this studio and didn’t get a job, or I applied to this studio and then got fired right away because I have no experience, but it’ll be a good story to tell.

I think at the time when I was living in Japan, I was just playing. I think I just got a PS3 late into when it was out and I was just going through the catalog of games, and I was obviously very impressed by modern gaming at that point. Just how, how complicated and also how the fidelity and the scope of them was getting so big. It was very interesting to me, but I obviously didn’t know how they were made. That was a mystery.

TA: Since you mentioned you joined from the start at Tango Gameworks, how was it working with Shinji Mikami?

JJ: It was great because he’s a person who is very hands on with development. You sometimes hear about directors or project leads, they’re in like an office, and it’s very top down, and they give orders, and you just do things. He’s very proactive in letting people get involved in having ownership over the things that they were doing, even if they made mistakes. And then he would know to jump in and help out, or kind of let you fail, and see your own mistakes and things like that.

You could think of it almost like a mentorship in a way. You’re learning a trade by kind of watching and doing. It wasn’t like classes that I was taking to learn his method or something like that. It was just understanding that a lot of the game development is chaotic. It’s learning while doing, it’s trying, failing. And you got to see that not from a person in the office, but from someone who’s literally sitting next to you who is a director of a project, but still makes these mistakes and finds a solution and things like that.

In a good way it kind of took away the sort of mystique of this like an invincible director who knows everything. It almost humanized the experience.When I work on my projects, I make sure to keep that tradition, or those lessons I learned alive by making sure that there’s ownership, and making sure that you’re involved at all levels. It doesn’t feel top down and just sort of handing out orders.



TA: You worked on The Evil Within, then you directed the DLCs, and then you did The Evil Within 2 also in that same position. Then came Hi-Fi Rush. Out of these projects, which was the most fun so far, development wise.

JJ: I would probably say Hi-Fi Rush slightly actually exceeds the DLCs from the first game for some reason. The DLCs were kind of fun in a different way because they had a short development time, but we got to try something new, and try to do something different. We failed a lot and did a lot of stuff quickly, but we also kind of did what we wanted to do. So it was fun to have like, I almost felt like running, like a Sprint, in that sense, and to get see it done and to get out there very quickly.

Hifi Rush in general was a very, very fun game to make because of just how ridiculous it is, and how fun it is to play. But it was a very long process of making it, and it was very, very complicated to make. So sometimes there were a lot of smaller details that were a little bit overwhelming at times. But at the end of the day, when we were playing the game, it was just incredibly fun just as developers to play and enjoy your game, which is kind of rare because you usually get sick of a game that you’ve been playing for years. But we did enjoy it.



TA: I keep hoping every few months that there will be some new DLC or something which will give me an excuse to replay it. Since launch, there have been some notable updates with game modes, fixes, and there have been three paid cosmetic DLC packs. There’s been an Amazon Prime DLC thing as well.

At this point, I asked John if there were plans for an update to celebrate the first anniversary of the game. He said the team is looking at player feedback but can’t announce anything. I then asked how the team felt about the unanimously positive feedback to the game from launch.

JJ: It was a little bit weird, because we’re used to seeing a good mix of, you know, positive feedback, just general negative feedback. People just don’t like the game, or a lot of things they want improved. But it felt so bizarre to us because our development was so much done in the dark that no one knew about this game. There wasn’t any sort of preview cycle. So it was coming out, and we were wondering about the stuff we put in, and whether players were going to like it or not. And like you said, this sort of almost unanimously positive response, almost caught us off guard in a way because we thought, we have the stuff that we wanted them to say. Everyone seems to be saying. The sort of positivity around the game in general, these are all like bullet points on our initial draft of when we’re pitching the game. We wanted people to say this and it was our goal for the game, and people were just saying that. It’s almost like we’re looking through the comments for anything that could give us help to figure out what we do wrong? And most of the negativity that we did see was honestly like “this game just isn’t for me, but I can tell it’s very well made, very well crafted. It’s just not for me." And we’re like, that’s fine.

It’s refreshing from a game developer perspective to have that positivity, and not be always thinking like oh we should have done this. So there’s not a lot of regret, and more just kind of excitement that comes from that.



TA: When I was playing the game, the only criticisms I saw was not even that, but just people who don’t like or aren’t good at rhythm games not enjoying or being able to play it. But then I think the accessibility stuff improved quite a bit with parry through the updates. So even people who don’t like those things now can just play it like an action game. I’m wondering how that is from your perspective when you see this game designed in a specific way. Do you think the accessibility options for rhythm gameplay lessens the overall impact since some won’t get the full experience with all the mechanics?

JJ: I think with accessibility stuff like that, if the end goal is that someone just enjoys the game because it’s there, I don’t think it’s our place to say that that’s an inherently wrong way to experience the game. I think that we designed a game around that there’s a way that we intend you to play it, but if there’s a way that allows you to play it in a way that may be easier, like like again, maybe there’s someone who’s just not rhythmically inclined and has difficulty with like the parrying sections. We thought that we were kind of doing our best. We did a lot of kind of behind the scenes work to sort of cover for people who maybe have difficulty with it. But looking at the feedback, we added in the sort of auto parry system, so essentially it removes all difficulty from let’s say like the Korsica boss battle for example.

So that was something that internally when we were first going through it, we’re like, well, you know, this is a test we want you to kind of experience this because if you can just glide through it then the next sections you’re going to get caught up on it. But then we realized that if someone’s, this is legitimately preventing someone from enjoying the game, then it’s an option that you can turn on. We have no issue with that. We did design it with a lot of accessibility in mind. Even though it’s an audio game, everything has the visual element in a sense. The idea was that even if someone who’s hard of hearing was playing the game, they could directly play because there’s a visual aspect to everything as well. We’re very sort of proactive in making sure that it was accessible to people who need accessibility things, but also from just a general game perspective you can understand how to play the game. It wasn’t too difficult, but if you wanted it to be difficult, you can raise the difficulty as high as you can. So we were very conscious about that.

A lot of people are very sort of protective over things like this is the intended way a game should be played. But when you’re just trying to make a game that’s about having fun, you don’t want to make anything that could prevent people from enjoying it.



TA: So Hi-Fi Rush runs at 1440p 60fps on Xbox Series S and 4K 60fps on the Xbox Series X. I played it on the latter and on Steam Deck where it looks and runs amazing. I wanted to know if the team considered a 120fps mode on Xbox consoles.

JJ: I think there was a brief moment where we spoke about it. So the issue in general, the reason why we targeted 60fps, I think people have that kind of misconception when they think about frame rate stuff. It’s like when you target to hit a frame rate, it’s not something that just the programmers do. It’s something that the entire team has to work on. They have to work on all the assets in the game to make sure that they are made so that they run at a certain spec. We were at a point like early on where we were kind of figuring out what we would need to do to make it run at 120fps, and if we wanted it to do that, it would have to be solid for us. If it isn’t, what happens is audio desync occurs which would affect the gameplay experience.

We kind of saw what we need to do to maybe reduce fidelity to get it to run at 120fps. It wasn’t just for example, just lowering the resolution. It would be like turning off various shaders, like changing the graph, like the polygon counts on lots of things. A lot of work to do that, and we weren’t sure that it would hit 120fps solid the whole game as well. So that would be an incredible amount of work to hit that. I think it would be great to have, but from a limited dev aspect we needed to sort of like draw the line and for us 60fps was a very clear goal that was achievable.

PC users can’t actually go up that high. So we do that. But when we’re dealing with various system specs, we wanted to ensure that we got the experience that we wanted out of that console.



TA: When I played it, another thing I noticed is that the game has a very good rumble on the Xbox controller. I wanted to know if the team considered implementing PlayStation DualSense functionality in the PC. I thought a game like Hi-Fi Rush would dramatically benefit from haptic feedback on that controller on PC.

JJ: I know we didn’t consider when we were making it only because I know that there are lots of issues in general with making sure that controller support is working on Steam. Basically with how we’re developing with sort of basically this maybe Xbox first mindset in that sense, we were looking at making sure that it worked with that controller set, I actually don’t know. This would be a better answer for the programmers. I don’t know what tool set is required to make it run okay on PC with the haptics with, but I know that it specifically didn’t come up.



TA: Ok now let’s talk about Hi-Fi Rush merchandise. When are we getting Korsica merchandise?

JJ: Well the merchandise stuff isn’t up to us as developers. We have a great licensing team at Bethesda who works on stuff and they kind of look at what people want. So I think if there’s certain stuff you want to see, make sure you’re telling Bethesda what you think is great. Obviously we’d love to have cool merchandise for all the characters and we’d love to have all this. But yeah, you can tell me. Of course, I’m on your side. I want tons of cool stuff.

TA: When I played the game in January, I was hoping to see a vinyl soundtrack and a physical release. The former happened. Is there any news on the latter?

JJ: I don’t have any news for you. I do think the physical release is something in general that we know that there’s a huge demand for. I can obviously see that there’s just like general trends where some games are now just getting digital only releases like that. We’re always open to the idea of maybe or maybe doing something like that if the opportunity arises.



TA: I also wanted to know if there were or are plans for an artbook because the art in the game is amazing.

JJ: It’s not as easy as just making an art book for this stuff. It’s a lot like licensing and things like that. Obviously the team loves the art, and you know they did a great job of making a compilation of all the models, and not everything, but because we have an insane amount of original art for this game. Each individual artist put up on their ArtStation profile online, which is great to see a good scope of that. Having it in a physical form like that I think would be great. I know we did it for the first Evil Within. We had an art book that’s really cool and I think the colors, just the art in this game is incredible. So again, something we’d love to explore if the opportunity rises for this game as well.

TA: There has obviously been a ton of fan art and a lot of really good stuff. One of my favorite pieces of fan art for the game is actually from a friend of mine, and I think you replied to them on Twitter about Futurama and its influence.

Alright. It's Saturday night. I have no date. A two liter bottle of Shasta, and my all Rush mix tape. Let's rock. #HiFiRush pic.twitter.com/JIKjgCykLb

— Virtua Sanus (@SegaUranus) February 5, 2023

JJ: I do remember this. I thought this is great for multiple reasons. A, just because it’s like it is just a good piece of art. But also because you know, Futurama itself was like a big influence on the game, like the feel and the vibe. Especially when I was pitching the idea of Chai, people were saying like you can’t have this character, this main character who’s not smart and is not like a hero. I use Futurama as an example of like, look at Fry. He’s definitely not the smartest person in this group, and maybe he does some clever stuff sometimes, but he kind of like falls into it, and and so I had had a lot of people on the team watch that show so they can get like the the understanding of this sort of like feel that we’re going forward.

So to see people pick up on that, and be like hey this is like a Fry-type character, and I was like yeah that’s exactly how I brought up to the team has mentioned it. I think that sort of that sort of weird sort of like loser you know hero thing, maybe is was a little bit of a cultural thing where I think me growing up watching shows like that, you see the little bit more and maybe American culture, and Japanese culture especially with games they try to push for heroes like very very strong character with few flaws, but like you know maybe dark past, you know is it’s the only thing. But I was like no, he’s just like a goofball. So it’s gonna be fun.



TA: I can’t believe we’ve spoken for almost half an hour and I haven’t even brought up the superlative music in Hi-Fi Rush. How important was it for you to get the licensed music that ended up in the final game?

JJ: While I wouldn’t say it was an absolute necessity in achieving the game’s goals, there is just something so satisfying about hearing a licensed track come in and land perfectly with a scene. With the concept early on being based on the game feeling like “a music video being edited around you,” having licensed music, in general, let us make that concept more literal. It also lets us play around with gameplay since instead of the tracks evolving around YOUR playstyle, it lets us set you up to sort of play against the track.

As for the song choices, I just felt that they would convey the vibe and gameplay situations correctly, so I fought hard on pursuing them and I am so happy we were able to use the tracks that we did. Some initial music choices had issues (and in the way we had to use the songs, there were A LOT of ways that would make the song either not approved or not able to be used), but I think every licensed song opportunity we used in the game we made sure it counted so it didn’t just feel like background music.



TA: The original score for the game is Bethesda’s best ever across its long history and franchises. How was it working on the soundtrack and lyrics?

JJ: While I absolutely love our original soundtrack, that’s quite a statement to call it Bethesda’s best ever (and a dangerous one to say out loud, so be careful laughs). My direct contributions to the soundtrack were honestly minimal (just the vocals on 3 songs), but I worked with the sound team to curate the sound styles for the stages to ensure a creative consistency with the mood of the game, the eventual segways into the licensed music, and how they would work with the story beats. It was more like a producer role which is still giving me too much credit, in my opinion. However, after giving guidance, hearing the demos and then evolving them into the version in the game, from Shuichi Kobori, Mastoshi Yanagi, and Reo Uratani for the in-game tracks, was an amazing experience. I would hear the demos which would get myself and the team excited about the section we were designing and then when it was working in-game, it literally would bring those sections of the game to life. And at the end of production is when the sound team would go the extra mile and add in all these neat flourishes and transitional elements to make each stage just feel so amazing and fun; it was just stacking these good vibes on one after another. They all did such an amazing job.

Hilariously, the lyrical sections were literally one of the last things we did and even the ending song started as a goof of me joking about the game when listening to the finished instrumental in the studio. We laughed, so then decided to take a vocal version of it. It wound up being a bit more sincere than the original “joke track” but I think it bookends the experience perfectly.

TA: If you could make a Hi-Fi Rush 2, would it be about Korsica and what bands would you like featured?

JJ: Hi-Fi Rush intentionally ends in a way that’s almost conclusive yet also feels like a pilot of a TV show in a “where do we go from here?” feel. So, in this theoretical magical world where you suggest the series continues on…I don’t really think anything is set in stone on what could happen, but just as the original game was such a surprise, I wouldn’t want to get anyone excited about what might or might NOT happen, you know?



TA: What are you currently playing, and what are your favorite games of 2023?

JJ: I played Spider-Man 2 and that was fantastic. I’m currently playing through Alan Wake 2, which is also fantastic. There are so many fantastic games this year that it’s like it’s hard to keep up with them. Those were the two recent ones. I just had to jump in and play, because they hit exactly the type of thing I was looking for.

I’d like to thank John Johanas, Elizabeth Gabriel, Adam Simon, and James Morton for their help and time during this interview.

Hopefully you enjoyed this extended interview with John Johanas of Tango Gameworks. Check out all of our interviews here.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/hifi-rush-anniversary-interview-john-johanas-sequel-hi-fi-rush-2-physical-release-licensed-music-soundtrack/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/sonic-dream-team-resolution-frame-rate-performance-iphone-15-pro-ipad-mac-apple-tv-4k-video-gameplay/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/sonic-dream-team-resolution-frame-rate-performance-iphone-15-pro-ipad-mac-apple-tv-4k-video-gameplay/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:37:49 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315390 Continue reading "New ‘Sonic Dream Team’ Performance Analysis Video Showcases the Game Running on a Plethora of Apple Devices Including Older iPads"
]]> Sonic Dream Team (), the brand new Apple Arcade exclusive 3D Sonic action-platformer releases tomorrow. Read my in-depth interview with SEGA HARDLight here covering the game, future plans, potential 120fps, playable characters, the narrative, and more. Today, the excellent MrMacRight has uploaded a new performance analysis video covering Sonic Dream Team on a plethora of Apple devices including new and old ones. He even tests it on Mac and Apple TV if you’re curious about those versions. Watch the complete video below with timestamps for different Apple device categories:

Stay tuned for Shaun’s full Sonic Dream Team review tomorrow. If you’d like to play Sonic Dream Team at launch tomorrow, you can sign up here on the App Store to have it downloaded or to be notified when it is available. Head over to our forum thread for the game here for more discussion around the game. The App Store description mentions completing missions, fighting bosses, and finding toys of Sonic characters for your collection. I’m curious to see what we get for our first post-launch update whenever that launches. What do you think of Sonic Dream Team so far if you’ve played it since it has released in some regions?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/sonic-dream-team-resolution-frame-rate-performance-iphone-15-pro-ipad-mac-apple-tv-4k-video-gameplay/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/new-zenless-zone-zero-gameplay-trailer-nicole-cunning-hares-iphone-android-pc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/new-zenless-zone-zero-gameplay-trailer-nicole-cunning-hares-iphone-android-pc/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2023 12:46:49 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315376 Continue reading "New ‘Zenless Zone Zero’ Trailer Showcases Playable Character Nicole From the Cunning Hares"
]]> I missed this late last week, but HoYoverse released another playable character trailer for the upcoming urban fantasy action RPG Zenless Zone Zero. We’ve had a few trailers so far for playable characters, but the newest one focuses on Nicole Demara from the Cunning Hares. Nicole has been the focus of most of the promotional artwork for the game, and I’ve enjoyed the Cunning Hares so far in the closed beta which I’ve been playing on iPhone 15 Pro. It looks stunning, and I can’t wait to see how the full game ends up being. If you’ve not kept up with Zenless Zone Zero, it has you taking on the role of a Proxy trying to uncover the mysteries of New Eridu. Watch the Zenless Zone Zero Nicole Demara character trailer below:

If you missed the prior trailers, watch the Billy Kid and Anby Demara character trailers below:

As of now, the game is confirmed for iOS, Android, and PC with it also set to launch on unannounced consoles. A release date or window is not available as of this writing. Check out more about the game on the official website here. I’m interested to see how Zenless Zone Zero is showcased next, and whether we get a new trailer for it at The Game Awards 2023 later this week. What do you think of Zenless Zone Zero so far, and do you play Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail from HoYoverse regularly?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/new-zenless-zone-zero-gameplay-trailer-nicole-cunning-hares-iphone-android-pc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/disney-dreamlight-valley-arcade-edition-a-rift-in-time-expansion-new-features-details-download-iphone-ipad-apple-tv/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/disney-dreamlight-valley-arcade-edition-a-rift-in-time-expansion-new-features-details-download-iphone-ipad-apple-tv/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2023 09:49:55 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315363 Continue reading "‘Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition’ reveals more details about the major ‘A Rift in Time’ expansion"
]]> Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition () launches beginning Tuesday worldwide on Apple Arcade bringing a new version of the game without any passes or microtransactions. While that itself is a huge bonus for Apple Arcade, the fact that Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition also includes the paid A Rift in Time expansion right from the get go makes it even better. Over the weekend, Gameloft revealed more details for this expansion that is being sold for $29.99 on other platforms. Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition A Rift in Time brings in new story content, three new villagers, three new biomes. the Royal Hourglass tool, a board game, and more. The board game can be played with Disney and Pixar characters. Disney Dreamlight Valley itself felt like a great take on the Animal Crossing formula with its own charm. Check out screenshot of it running on iPhone from the showcase last month below:



If you’ve not kept up with the upcoming Apple Arcade release, Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition will be cross play, but not cross save with other versions. Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition will not have any paid consumables, season passes, or the premium shop. This release arrives tomorrow alongside Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition hitting 1.0 on other platforms. I’ve played it on everything but PS5 so far, and will definitely be covering it on Apple Arcade to compare with the Switch and Steam Deck versions. If you’d like to play Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition from tomorrow’s launch, sign up here to be notified when it releases and to have it auto downloaded. Check out our forum thread for Disney Dreamlight Valley here. Head over to our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. Are you going to play it from tomorrow on Apple Arcade and did you try it on any other platform before?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/disney-dreamlight-valley-arcade-edition-a-rift-in-time-expansion-new-features-details-download-iphone-ipad-apple-tv/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/urban-legend-hunters-2-double-adventure-game-english-release-playism-iphone-android-steam-pc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/urban-legend-hunters-2-double-adventure-game-english-release-playism-iphone-android-steam-pc/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2023 07:47:49 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315347 Continue reading "Adventure Game ‘Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double’ Is Getting a Global English Release on iOS, Android, and Steam Through Playism"
]]> Over the weekend, publisher Playism announced a localization of the Toii Games-developed adventure game Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double for iOS, Android, and Steam. Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double is available on mobile already without English and Japanese support. Playism will be localizing it into those languages, and it is unclear if the current App Store and Google Play versions will be updated, or whether this is going to be a brand-new release. Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double features interesting exploration mechanics, an immersive phone interface for interactions, and more. It is based on Taiwanese urban legends like the “double". This legend says that if you meet someone who looks exactly like you, one of you will be replaced by the other and your “double" will inherit your memories and more living your life without anyone noticing. It tackles the question of how you know that you aren’t someone else’s “double". Watch the Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double trailer below:

The immersive adventure game Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double is available now on the App Store for iOS here and Google Play for Android here without English and Japanese support if you’d like to check out mobile screenshots and impressions from those who played the original release from last year. The English and Japanese localizations of Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double is due Spring 2024 / Q2 for iOS, Android, and Steam. Check out the Steam page here and official website here. A price point has not been announced for the Steam version, but the mobile versions will be $5.99. What do you think of Urban Legend Hunters 2: Double and did you play the first game?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/urban-legend-hunters-2-double-adventure-game-english-release-playism-iphone-android-steam-pc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/stardew-valley-version-1-6-update-progress-new-feature-big-chest-storage-update/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/stardew-valley-version-1-6-update-progress-new-feature-big-chest-storage-update/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2023 06:10:25 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315342 Continue reading "‘Stardew Valley’ Creator Has Made a Ton of Progress on Version 1.6, New Big Chest Can Store Almost Twice As Much"
]]> Stardew Valley ($4.99) game creator Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) has been posting about the upcoming major Stardew Valley 1.6 update on Twitter with reveals for new features, content, and more. Over the weekend, Eric Tweeted that a ton of progress has been made on Stardew Valley 1.6, with the reveal of the Big Chest that can store almost twice as much as the regular one. This is something many including myself have wanted in-game for a long time. Eric also has been responding to questions about why Stardew Valley keeps getting updated long after fulfilling all promises. Eric responded saying it will never be perfect but he wants to keep improving it as it is his life’s work so far, and he cares about it a lot.

A ton of progress on 1.6 last month, it's (self-imposed) extreme crunch mode, nose to the grindstone (raw nose) mode. Heres' one of the many additions in 1.6. Keeping mostly everything secret pic.twitter.com/cFT3Nks8z0

— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) December 1, 2023

If you’ve not followed the game in a while, the upcoming Stardew Valley 1.6 update is planned to bring in 8 player multiplayer for PC, two mini festivals, new late-game content, winter outfits for all villagers, a new reward type for billboard requests, 100+ new lines of dialogue, and a lot more. If you haven’t tried Stardew Valley yet, read our original review. We even featured it as our Game of the Week. You can buy it on the App Store for iOS here and for Android here on Google Play. If you own a Nintendo Switch and an iOS device, I compared both versions of the game to help you find the best platform to play it on. Here’s our forum thread on the game for more discussion. Do you play it on mobile through its standalone premium release or Apple Arcade regularly?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/04/stardew-valley-version-1-6-update-progress-new-feature-big-chest-storage-update/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/tales-of-arise-beyond-the-dawn-steam-deck-review-december-verified-games-list-pc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/tales-of-arise-beyond-the-dawn-steam-deck-review-december-verified-games-list-pc/#respond Fri, 01 Dec 2023 19:02:16 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315267 Continue reading "Steam Deck Weekly: Tales of Arise Beyond the Dawn Review, Tons of Game News, New Deck Verified Games, and More"
]]> Last week, there was a ton of Steam Deck coverage over here focused on the Steam Deck OLED. I wrote about the best accessories, the best games to show off the screen, and also the best indie games to play on your new Steam Deck OLED. With all that happening and the Steam Autumn sale that ended recently, I decided to skip the Steam Deck Weekly last week. It is back today with a review of Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn, tons of news, many Steam Deck Verified games, and more.



Steam Deck Game Impressions & Reviews

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn DLC Steam Deck Review

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn is one of the weirdest DLC releases I’ve seen in a long time. Not in its quality, but its timing, how you access it, and what carries over. When Tales of Arise was released back in 2021, it was a fantastic entry in the series, and was only second to Tales of Berseria in quality. I enjoyed it a lot on PS5, and even bought a lot of its cosmetic DLC back then. Fast forward to last month, Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn was released as a big expansion for the base game, but it feels like it should’ve been released early last year rather than now. Either way, I took this chance to play the expansion, and also the base game on Steam Deck. I wanted to wait for SteamOS 3.5 to hit as well to see if it made any difference. In this Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn DLC review, I’m going to cover whether the DLC is worth grabbing now, the state of Tales of Arise on Steam Deck, and more. Note that there will be no spoilers for Tales of Arise or Beyond the Dawn in this review.



When I mentioned Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn being one of the weirdest DLC releases, the fact that it does not pick up anything from the base game of note barring giving you some bonuses depending on your main story save progression makes me think this was planned to be either a sequel or a standalone expansion before it was brought over to the base game as paid DLC. This aspect worked out better for me as I never finished Tales of Arise on PC and had about 20 hours played on my last save. Thanks to that, I jumped straight into the expansion since I beat the game on PS5.

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn’s story focuses on Nazamil as the main newcomer, but there is a lot of banter between the lovely cast from the base game. The story here ranges from being at par with the base game, to having a bit too much padding through side quests. I loved Tales of Arise and was happy to dig deeper into the world, but this definitely isn’t of the same quality as Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s Future Redeemed release. What I found really surprising, is how nothing from the main story in terms of levels or skills carried over. You begin with preset characters and have to unlock skills again. Like I said before, this was good for me on another platform, but had I played Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn on PS5, I’d have hoped my save and party setup all carried over.



So while the story is new, and I love the characters and their new interactions, the actual new gameplay content in this DLC pack is lacking. Even the dungeons are all familiar if you played the base game to completion, and there are no new artes (skills). This long after the base game is out, I expected more from the team. The bundle with the base game and Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn together is absolutely worth it, but I feel like longtime fans who supported the game before are getting the short end of the stick here.

On Steam Deck, Tales of Arise and Beyond the Dawn both run very well out of the box. Tales of Arise is Steam Deck Verified, and has always been a game I wanted to revisit on a powerful handheld. 40hz seems to be the sweet spot for great visuals and stable gameplay. I don’t recommend attempting 60fps here unless you’re ok turning down a lot of things including resolution. I also tested Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn on Xbox Series X, and my only complaint there remains the visual pop in being too much. Tales of Arise and Beyond the Dawn both look stunning on the Xbox. On the Steam Deck’s screen, I have no complaints, but don’t bother getting Tales of Arise for Steam Deck if you want to play docked and have access to another console.



Having now played Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn and thinking back on Tales of Arise itself, it remains just one step below Tales of Berseria even today, and a super fun action RPG experience despite the few issues I have with both the base game and the expansion. If you didn’t enjoy Tales of Arise, this expansion will not change your mind. It is very much one for the fans, and does a lot good for those who enjoyed the base game. It just should’ve been priced a bit better, or had the new costumes included.

If you’re new to the world of Tales of Arise, the bundle of Tales of Arise with Beyond the Dawn is an essential. If you already have Tales of Arise and beat it back in 2021 or last year, this DLC is very good if you’re dying to spend more time in the world and with the characters. I like the cast a lot, and while this DLC feels a bit too disjointed as a part of the full package, it is still a good time. I wish the new costumes were included in the asking price though because the $30 for Beyond the Dawn was already a bit much. Having those additional paid DLC costumes included would make this an easier recommendation.

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn DLC Steam Deck review score: 3.5/5

News

There has been a ton of news since I last did the Steam Deck Weekly. I’m going to focus on the highlights from before, and also the recent announcements from this week. My favorite announcement is definitely Dragon’s Dogma 2 getting a confirmed release date. It launches on March 22nd worldwide for Steam and consoles. Watch the new trailer below:

Speaking of new trailers, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth had a new story trailer released with the English dub. After the demo

Capcom also pushed out a huge update for Street Fighter 6 today in addition to releasing the new costumes for all base game characters. Watch the trailer for the new costumes below. These are available for fighter coins right now in-game, and will cost a lot if you want more than a few. Unfortunately for me, I play the game on all three platforms so I likely won’t bother with more than just one or two.

A Dragon Ball FighterZ public beta test is now available on Steam to let players try out the rollback netcode. This is available from now until December 11th, and you can try it using the instructions here.

The excellent Warframe from Digital Extremes is getting cross platform saves (finally), and the developers also teased a new look for the big Whispers in the Walls update coming to the game. More will be revealed at The Game Awards next week, but you can watch a teaser below. Speaking of The Game Awards, if you watch them live on Twitch with a linked account to Warframe, you can receive a built Sevagoth Warframe as a Twitch Drop.

Homeworld 3, the newest entry in the sci-fi RTS series, will release on March 8th, 2024 for PC via Steam. I wasn’t sure whether to include this news since I have no idea if or how Homeworld 3 will run on Steam Deck, but I’m excited to try it, and will be checking it out on Deck as soon as I can. Watch the new trailer below.

PQube Games is bringing the classic dungeon crawlers to Steam and consoles through Class of Heroes 1: Anniversary Edition and Class of Heroes 2G: Remaster Edition. The games will be released separately on Steam (here and here), and also available in a physical bundle for consoles. I love DRPGs and will definitely be playing this on Steam Deck and Switch.

Dwarf Fortress is getting a major free expansion in April 2024 bringing in Adventure Mode. This is the RPG campaign for the main game letting you create a character and play through a simulated world you made in the main Fortress Mode. You can also play in a new generated world.

NIS America is bringing Furyu’s 3DS game The Legend of Legacy to Steam and consoles as The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered, and it launches on March 22nd globally. I liked this on 3DS despite its issues, and will be revisiting it on Steam Deck for sure. Even if you don’t bother getting it, listen to the sublime soundtrack.

Stop motion handmade adventure game about friendship, Harold Halibut, had its release window confirmed for early 2024 with a new trailer. I Hadn’t seen much of this before, but the trailer sold me on the game. Check it out below:

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader from the amazing developers of the Pathfinder CRPGs got a new combat trailer, and it looks incredible. I can’t wait to see how it plays on Steam Deck.

The final bit of news is more Persona 3 Reload news with a new trailer showcasing more of the new English cast and gameplay. This new behind the scenes video is below. If you missed prior news, Persona 3 Reload is already Steam Deck Verified, and it launches in February on Steam and consoles.

.

New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week

Valve definitely has increased the pace of checking games, or at least games I care about. The lists below includes all the new Verified, Playable, and Unsupported games from Valve since the last feature. Hat tip to TouchArcade reader Mor for letting me know about Silent Hope and Disgaea PC.



• Amnesia: The Bunker
• Slime Rancher 2
• From Madness with Love
• Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
• Dream Town Island
• Beat Hazard 3
• Bluey: The Videogame
• Mediterranea Inferno
• Howl
• Gunhead
• Disgaea PC
• Silent Hope
• Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue
• METAL GEAR & METAL GEAR 2: Solid Snake



• Alien Hominid Invasion (Playable)
• Beyond Sunset (Playable)
• Radiant Silvergun (Unsupported)
• Risk of Rain Returns (Playable)
• Double Dragon Advance (Playable)
• Final Fantasy VIII (Original game) (Playable)
• SteamWorld Build (Playable)
• Death Must Die (Playable)
• Wandering Sword (Playable)

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 (Unsupported)

Steam Deck Game Sales & Discounts

Not much of note on discount since we just had a Steam Sale end, but I’d recommend Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition and Rabi Ribi from the big discounts on right now.

That’s all for this week’s edition of the Steam Deck Weekly. As usual, you can read all our Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck and the OLED model, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great day, and thanks for reading.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/tales-of-arise-beyond-the-dawn-steam-deck-review-december-verified-games-list-pc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/saga-emerald-beyond-battle-theme-song-kenji-ito-music-square-enix/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/saga-emerald-beyond-battle-theme-song-kenji-ito-music-square-enix/#respond Fri, 01 Dec 2023 10:02:21 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315226 Continue reading "‘SaGa Emerald Beyond’ From Square Enix Gets New Videos Showcasing the Game’s Title and Battle Themes"
]]> One of my most-anticipated releases of 2024 is Square Enix’s brand-new SaGa game which was announced during a Nintendo Direct. SaGa Emerald Beyond will launch next year for iOS, Android, Switch, Steam, PS5, and PS4 featuring 17 worlds that can be explored in any order. I loved SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions, and will definitely be playing SaGa Emerald Beyond on multiple platforms. The SaGa games also have amazing music, and I was glad to see Square Enix start promoting that aspect of SaGa Emerald Beyond as we get closer to 2024. The publisher revealed the game’s title theme and the battle music. Watch both videos with the themes below:

Bop your head to one of the battle themes of #SaGaEmeraldBeyond with whatever is happening on screen, regardless if it is a simple punch or slicing an enemy in perhaps the rudest way possible! pic.twitter.com/4HLqWpHWD6

— SaGa Series (@SaGaGame) November 30, 2023

Immerse yourself in the Emerald Wave! Composed by the legendary Kenji Ito take a moment to listen to the title theme of #SaGaEmeraldBeyond! pic.twitter.com/gvIjpwOKCQ

— SaGa Series (@SaGaGame) November 29, 2023

(Update) Square Enix also announced the SaGa Glimmerfest 2023 Livestream set for December 15th featuring developers Masanori Ichikawa and Akitoshi Kawazu who will be present with localization director Neil Broadley and more. This event on YouTube and Twitch will take place from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM with new information on the game and Romancing SaGa Re;Universe revealed.

If you’re new to the series, the best entry point into SaGa remains SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions ($8.99) for me. If you’d rather get another game and want to know how the ports are, read Shaun’s reviews for Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remastered here, Romancing SaGa 2 here, Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend here, Romancing SaGa 3 here, SaGa Frontier Remastered here, and also SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions here. Have you played a SaGa game before on any platform and what do you think of the title them and the battle music?

Update: Added information on the SaGa Glimmerfest 2023 Livestream.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/saga-emerald-beyond-battle-theme-song-kenji-ito-music-square-enix/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/apple-arcade-lego-brawls-samba-de-amigo-holiday-updates-warped-kart-racers/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/apple-arcade-lego-brawls-samba-de-amigo-holiday-updates-warped-kart-racers/#respond Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:40:39 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315232 Continue reading "Apple Arcade Weekly Round-Up: Updates for Samba De Amigo, LEGO Brawls, Patterned, Solitaire Stories, Warped Kart Racers, and More Are Out Now"
]]> This week, there is no new release for Apple Arcade, but many notable games have gotten updates ahead of next week’s holiday set of games. If you haven’t followed it, we are getting a brand-new 3D Sonic game exclusive to Apple Arcade on December 5th, and more games. Read my Sonic Dream Team interview here. Let’s get into today’s updates. Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go () from SEGA adds three new songs and Sonic customization items today. The songs include Baka Mitai from Yakuza 5 and more. LEGO Brawls brings in the Jingle Brawls holiday season with a holiday game mode, 50 presents, and more. Watch the LEGO Brawls trailer below:

Red Games Co’s Crayola Create and Play+ and Solitaire Stories both have new updates today. Crayola Create and Play+ brings in the holidays with the Creativity Countdown, Winter Wonderland, festive decorations, and more holiday-themed goodies in-game. Solitaire Stories adds in the Winter Thief story, Build a Snowman event, Decorate Cookies event, Light the Candles event, and more today. Patterned adds in more than 125 holiday patterns through Daily and Hidden puzzles. Gameloft’s SongPop Party brings in support for the January, February, and March content drops including the 80s, dance fever, and pop playlists. The final notable update is Warped Kart Racers with its overcharge modifier, new December multiplayer with winter and Christmas rewards.



With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go here, LEGO Brawls here, Crayola Create and Play+ here, Patterned here, Solitaire Stories here, SongPop Party here, and Warped Kart Racers here. For all other Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of Apple’s newly released games and updates recently?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/apple-arcade-lego-brawls-samba-de-amigo-holiday-updates-warped-kart-racers/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/honkai-star-rail-1-5-phase-2-release-date-argenti-gameplay-trailer/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/honkai-star-rail-1-5-phase-2-release-date-argenti-gameplay-trailer/#respond Fri, 01 Dec 2023 06:49:39 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315228 Continue reading "New ‘Honkai Star Rail’ Version 1.5 Phase 2 Trailer Released Showcasing Argenti Ahead of Next Week’s Launch"
]]> The major Honkai Star Rail’s 1.5 update “The Crepuscule Zone" recently released on all platforms bringing in the Fyxestroll Garden new location in the Xianzhou Luofu which features many paranormal cases, players forming a ghost-hunting squad, support for three new playable characters (Huohuo, Hanya, and Argenti), additional events like helping March 7th restore her cherished photographs to their original conditions, a Guest Book feature letting players check on the visiting history of their friends in the Astral Express, and more. Argenti is in phase 2 of the update, and we have a new character trailer showcasing Argenti today. Before that, Honkai Star Rail won Apple’s App Store Award for iPhone Game of the Year. Read about all the winners here. Watch the Honkai Star Rail version 1.5 phase 2 trailer for Argenti below:

I ended up deleting Honkai Star Rail on PS5 because I ran out of space on the SSD, but I play it more on iPhone 15 Pro now. I’m not sure I’ll bother with next week’s banner, but Argenti’s trailer is up there with Kafka as the best character trailers we’ve seen for Honkai Star Rail. If you’ve not gotten Honkai Star Rail yet, you can download it on the App Store for iOS here, on Google Play for Android here, and here on the Epic Games Store in addition to its regular PC version. Check it out here on PS5. Have you been playing Honkai Star Rail regularly since it launched on mobile, PC, and more recently on PS5?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/12/01/honkai-star-rail-1-5-phase-2-release-date-argenti-gameplay-trailer/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/sonic-dream-team-apple-arcade-exclusive-interview-sega-hardlight-rouge-cream-playable-story-iphone-ipad/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/sonic-dream-team-apple-arcade-exclusive-interview-sega-hardlight-rouge-cream-playable-story-iphone-ipad/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2023 17:38:25 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315138 Continue reading "‘Sonic Dream Team’ Interview – Studio Creative Director Dan Rossati on the Game’s Vision, Cream and Rouge Being Playable, Platform Choices, Working With Apple, and More"
]]> The Sonic Dream Team Apple Arcade announcement was very exciting for a few reasons. I’m always excited to play a new Sonic game, but I was curious about this new 3D entry because I loved Sonic Frontiers and have played that on every platform now. Sonic Dream Team has been developed by SEGA HARDLight who have done some amazing PC and console ports over the years, and I figured now was a great time to chat with the team about Sonic Dream Team, playable characters, platform choices, and the game’s vision. I had a chance to talk to Dan Rossati (Studio Creative Director) at SEGA HARDLight about those topics and more.



TouchArcade (TA): Tell us a little bit about yourself and SEGA HARDlight.

Dan Rossati (DR): I feel it’s best to start with the studio – HARDlight has been working with the Sonic IP for well over a decade, and in that time, we’ve gained a lot of experience with the brand. For instance, Sonic Dash is ten years old and still going strong today, and along with its sister game, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, we’ve had over a billion downloads of our games. In general, HARDlight is home to many classic SEGA fans, many of whom are long-time Sonic fans, including myself.

In 1991, I was six years old when Sonic first launched and already completely obsessed with physics and the beauty of motion. Seeing the speed, momentum, attitude, and pinball-inspired physics struck a chord that made me love the franchise ever since. Now, I find myself in the driver’s seat, crafting a Sonic game that fits pretty closely with the Sonic games I’d dreamt about as a kid. It’s not lost on me how lucky that makes me and how lucky I am to have found a home in a team that shares my vision and passion for Sonic.

TA: We’ve had quite a few Sonic releases in the last few months with Sonic Origins Plus in June, Sonic Frontiers’ updates, and Sonic Superstars. How long was the development time for Sonic Dream Team?

DR: It’s been a packed year for the franchise. On top of everything you listed, we had LEGO release their awesome Sonic kits, the brilliant April Fools’ surprise of The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, Season 2 of Sonic Prime, and the outstanding Sonic Symphony World Tour.

As a Sonic fan, I feel like there’s a lot of choice for everyone to enjoy Sonic in multiple formats; it’s genuinely a cross-media brand, with something new happening all the time, which I love.

As for our development time, we made Sonic Dream Team in just under two years. The team worked exceptionally hard and put their all into it. It’s incredible what they were able to pull off in that time.

TA: When discussing Sonic Dream Team, a friend of mine brought up something interesting about the playable characters. I was wondering what led to Rouge and Cream being playable in the game, and whether the team also considered others like Shadow or Blaze at some point?

DR: All of us have been inspired by the positive reaction to the addition of Cream and Rouge; it’s exhilarating. A few narrative reasons for their inclusion will become clear once you play the game. They pair up nicely with the male counterparts of their skill set. Rouge climbs and glides the same as Knuckles, and Cream can fly just like Tails.

HARDlight is also home to a lot of Cream fans, so much so that in Dash and Forces, we did our version of Cream called Unicorn Cream, which turned out to be immensely popular with the fans. We’re all particularly proud of it, so we felt that everyone would appreciate her inclusion in a proper narrative adventure. For Dream Team, I was able to shape the story around Cream because I wanted it to feel natural to have such a young character in harm’s way, with the reason being circumstantial rather than due to poor or out-of-character choices. Similarly, Shadow and Blaze require more existential-level threats to turn up than the starting point for Dream Team allowed. Blaze must be pulled in from the Sol dimension, so the threat must be felt at that scale. My director brain likes things to make sense and stay in line with how you’d expect the characters to act. That said, Cream and Cheese’s involvement may have been overthought as we all joke in the fandom about how they’re the most powerful force in Sonic’s Universe. I say joke, but if you know, you know.

TA: I’ve seen people say Sonic Dream Team looks like a successor to Sonic Adventure. What are your thoughts on that and what Sonic games did the team treat as inspirations for Sonic Dream Team?

DR: I can understand the comparisons based on what little information is out there, but that is not our intention with Sonic Dream Team. The vision was to make a game that allowed players to get into an exhilarating flow state. Early on, I was waving my hands around, emulating rollercoasters and halfpipes, while enthusiastically trying to communicate what I meant by flow. On top of that, we knew that we’d be catering to both touchscreen and controller, so the controls had to be as accessible as possible while allowing the player maximum control at high speeds.

We did reference many of the past games, Adventure 1 and 2 included, but didn’t copy any of them directly, as we wanted Dream Team to become its own thing. We were also lucky to be able to work alongside Takashi Iizuka. He’s dedicated three decades of his life to Sonic, and there isn’t much he can’t answer regarding the franchise. He was an excellent guide for the entirety of the project.

From the outset, the goal was to allow players to get to grips with the controls and, with a little bit of practice, be able to do speed runs, expressing themselves through free-flowing movement without too many snagging points.

To achieve this, we considered skate parks and bobsled runs with rounded corners so you can easily transition from floor to wall, keeping your flow. We also added in the boost, which, if you find a good line through the levels, you should be able to chain them to get some amazingly fast run-throughs.

We’re looking forward to seeing what the speed run community can do with the gameplay on offer this time.



TA: Will there be any iPhone 15 Pro and iPad Pro 120hz support in Sonic Dream Team?

DR: Not in the initial launch, but it runs very smoothly at 60hz on the higher end devices. We do have an experimental branch with runs at 120hz but there’s still some bugs to work out to make sure the physics plays nicely at that speed. It does look amazing though, so if we get to it, we’ll try and add it in future. The team definitely wants it for sure.

TA: How was it working with Apple Arcade once again with Sonic Dream Team?

DR: Amazing. We’ve worked on Apple Arcade since the beginning of the service, and our team has loved it each time. The folks at Apple Arcade are great to work with and Arcade as a platform is set up to focus on quality, which is music to our ears for developers. In the studio, we felt trusted and respected, and the Arcade staff encouraged our ambition for the game.

TA: What led to Sonic Dream Team being an Apple Arcade exclusive rather than on all consoles PC?

DR: When Apple Arcade launched, we were delighted it brought about the conversation of getting a true 3D Sonic platformer into the lineup. Having worked with Apple and the Apple Arcade platform previously for Sonic Dash+ and Sonic Racing, we knew that Sonic Dream Team would be a great fit for our next game on iOS. We can’t wait to see fans, both new and old, hop into Dream Team and the franchise as a whole.

TA: Are there plans for post launch content updates like other Apple Arcade games?

DR: Yes definitely, we’re shaping said plans right now.



TA: What should players expect in terms of replay value or the post game in Sonic Dream Team?

DR: Packed around the main story and beyond, there are a lot of missions and some very cool collectibles to unlock via challenges. The levels were made for exploration, so players will only find some things in the first few passes. As you unlock the characters in the flow of the story, you’ll be able to get to new areas and find different routes, too. The game’s structure is designed with replay value in mind, so it should feel organic. We also plan to add and update the game as we go, keeping the game fresh.

If you happen to be a bit more hardcore in how you play, the game does have a pretty high skill ceiling in terms of fast-speed runs, so trying to find the most optimal routes through levels is where I think the most replay comes from for advanced players.

TA: I know Tee Lopes composed the theme for the trailer with Jonny Atma. What should we expect from the game’s soundtrack? Will it be by them as well?

DR: We were so lucky to have both Tee and Jonny alongside the legends of Tyson Hesse and Powerhouse Animation in one project. I think when fans get to experience everything in full, they’ll go wild. In my whole career, this project is something I’m most proud to be a part of. Everyone was effortless to work with, especially thanks to Yukio Kusumoto, the Senior Animation Director, and his team here at SEGA. All of the production was taken care of seamlessly, as I could write, say, or doodle what was in my head, and this group of insanely talented people made it a reality.

For the in-game music, we got to work with long-time HARDlight collaborator and incredible composer Michiel van den Bos, known for his groundbreaking work on Deus Ex and Unreal Tournament. Michiel understands what we’re trying to do, and I think players will appreciate how he crafted the music to fit each of the different mission types. I really feel he outdid himself for the final Boss music though, I think fans are going to love it!



TA: SEGA Hardlight has done many amazing projects for SEGA over the years. What are your favorites?

DR: I’ve only been at the studio for three and a half years, but before that, I was a studio fan for a while. In fact, outside of Sonic Dash, I was drawn to them for Crazy Taxi: City Rush, which I enjoyed, so that one is up there for me. I also love the version of ChuChu Rocket! HARDlight did; I played that a lot, so that’s up there, too. Honestly, I think Sonic Dream Team is a good contender for the best game from HARDlight, and most importantly, from a dev perspective, it’s given us an incredible leap forward in the complexity of games we can create due to our substantial code base. So, as cool as it is to look at our back catalog, I’ve got to say I’m incredibly excited for HARDlight’s future.

TA: Unrelated to Sonic Dream Team, I wanted to thank you for the superb Valkyria Chronicles 4 PC port. Are you interested in revisiting that franchise?

DR: That was a little before my time here, but the team that did work on it will be thrilled that you liked it. Generally speaking, I think most of SEGA’s IPs are exciting to us; a lot of the time, it comes down to opportunity cost as to what we go with next.

TA: Is there anything you’d like to say to the TouchArcade readers who know your work through mobile games?

DR: We appreciate everyone who takes the time to check out our games. There’s a lot of choice out there for what to play, so it’s heartwarming to see how large the audience is for our work. I hope everyone who plays Sonic Dream Team when it goes live on December 5th enjoys it. It was made with love, by fans, for fans.



We’d like to thank Dan Rossati, SEGA HARDLight, SEGA, and Jennifer Tam from Apple for their help and time here.

If you’d like to play Sonic Dream Team at launch, you can sign up here to be notified when it launches next week on Apple Arcade.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/sonic-dream-team-apple-arcade-exclusive-interview-sega-hardlight-rouge-cream-playable-story-iphone-ipad/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/hitman-blood-money-reprisal-mobile-review-iphone-15-pro-ipad-frame-rate-controls/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/hitman-blood-money-reprisal-mobile-review-iphone-15-pro-ipad-frame-rate-controls/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:13:08 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315090 Continue reading "‘Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal’ iOS Review – Superb and One of Feral Interactive’s Best"
]]> Many years ago, I remember seeing a few copies of the Hitman Absolution collector’s edition in stores. Those didn’t end up selling out and were discounted heavily. I was not familiar with the series at that point, I just remember hearing a lot of folks lament the changes that game made to the formula. I didn’t bother playing it. When Hitman (the first game in the new trilogy) hit PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2016, I ended up playing and adoring it. I was a fan, and couldn’t wait to play more from IO Interactive. Fast forward to today, the World of Assassination trilogy is superb, and I’ve bought those games multiple times across all platforms. I even ended up getting the HD collection on Xbox that included Hitman: Blood Money, but not playing it really. When Feral Interactive announced Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal ($14.99), I knew this would be the way I experience this beloved IO Interactive classic. I also didn’t want to play prior versions to see how I feel about the game through Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal directly. In this review, I’m going to cover why the game is special, what makes this one of Feral Interactive’s best games ever, and more.



As I said in my preview, I’ve come into Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal after loving the newer games, and it still holds up very well thanks to the wealth of quality of life features and improvements. What really surprised me is how much freedom is available to the player for approaching the different situations in Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal. This adds a ton of replay value, and while it isn’t as much of a sandbox experience as the complete Hitman World of Assassination package on PC and consoles, it is hard to find fault with the gameplay in Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal and in how polished and modern it feels on newer devices. I almost titled this review “Franchise Killer", but that would lead some to think the game is bad, rather than knowing it is a reference to the plot of the game. The mission structure perfectly suits portable play as well. In fact, the fast loading and save syncing makes this even better to play on the go. Boot it up for a quick mission or two while on the commute and I can’t imagine anything better.

A lot of my praise for Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal is due to the features from the newer games being seamlessly brought back to Hitman: Blood Money. The instinct mode and minimap are the stars here. If you are a longtime fan of the original game though, you can play without any of the modern conveniences and experience it as it was back on console over a decade ago. Feral Interactive’s mobile conversions are usually fantastic for bringing classics to modern portable platforms, but Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal rivals the developer’s release of Company of Heroes for iPad Pro with how impressive everything is.



Having looked at prior games and what I own on Steam, I then learned how much Hitman: Blood Money brought to the series. It was definitely a huge turning point for the franchise, and it makes me appreciate the superlative missions even more. A lot of them are very memorable, and while Sapienza from the new Hitman games remains my favorite sandbox, Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal is definitely close overall. There just is so much variety and freedom, and yes, the coin is also included to basically break the game if you’re good enough with it.

Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal feels so good with touch controls on iPhone that I almost didn’t feel like playing it with a controller at all. I hope someone at Capcom pays attention to Feral Interactive’s work to see how console games can be adapted for mobile rather than dumping every single controller button on the screen. That tangent aside, Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal plays surprisingly well with touch controls. I ended up sticking to touch controls on my iPhone 15 Pro, and using my DualSense controller on iPad. The iPad touch controls are very good, but I’ve found myself not enjoying touch on iPad unless it is a point and click experience or touch-focused game.



Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal also comes packed with tons of control options. I was hoping to test the keyboard and mouse support on my iPad Pro, but the external keyboard I ordered to use on iPad has not arrived yet. I will make sure to cover it once it does arrive and when I post about potential updates Feral Interactive releases for this game.

Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal is obviously not a huge visual overhaul like say the Demon’s Souls remake on PS5. Think of it more as an enhanced remaster making everything look and feel as crisp and smooth as possible on modern iOS devices. This has led to some lower quality textures or assets than you’d be used to. On the performance side, I’ve had no trouble with the game on iPad Pro (2020) and iPhone 15 Pro. I played in either Performance mode or Performance+ mode. I did test out the 120fps, but didn’t stick with it. I’ll leave that for MrMacRight on YouTube to do in his detailed performance videos which Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal likely will get soon.



Audio design in stealth games is very important, and I am pleased with how Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal sounds across the board. Yes, including the voice acting which I found hilarious because of how different the dialogue is in this compared to modern games in the series. While not directly related to sound and audio, Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal features great haptic feedback on iPhone 15 Pro. I love when games do this in iOS releases.

There isn’t much I dislike about Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal. Those hoping for a full visual remake will be disappointed, but Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal has always been an enhanced remaster with many gameplay improvements in my eyes. The only things I hope to see added in future updates are better texture filtering, improved shadows, and anti-aliasing. Barring those things, Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal excels above all prior versions of the game by a big margin.



Feral Interactive is known for going above and beyond in post-launch and paid DLC in games so this is more of a want than something I expect, but I’d love for the team to bring over Hitman: Contracts with the same care and attention Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal got. This could be either paid DLC for Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal or a standalone release. I’d also love for this version to come to macOS and Steam Deck. The PC version is not in a great place if you want to play on Steam Deck.

Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal is one of the easiest recommendations ever. I finally see why many consider it one of the best games ever, and while it is too soon to say if it is my favorite Hitman game, it is close. If you’re new to the franchise and want a great way to taste the world of Hitman on mobile, there isn’t anything close. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal on mobile and Hitman: World of Assassination on PC and console platforms are both the best entry points into the series, and both masterpieces. If you have a newer iPhone or iPad, don’t even think twice. Just go buy Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal.

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/hitman-blood-money-reprisal-mobile-review-iphone-15-pro-ipad-frame-rate-controls/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/final-fantasy-7-ever-crisis-steam-release-date-holiday-event-cloud-weapon-exclusive-iphone-android-pc/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/final-fantasy-7-ever-crisis-steam-release-date-holiday-event-cloud-weapon-exclusive-iphone-android-pc/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:56:49 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315155 Continue reading "‘Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis’ Holiday Event Now Live Featuring Special Packs, Steam Release Date Announced"
]]> Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII compendium game Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis (Free) for iOS and Android recently collaborated with Final Fantasy IX. Today, it has begun a holiday event in the form of The Holy Flame’s Gift. Thsi event lets you earn items to unlock the Cloud-exclusive weapon Holiday Cheer and character-specific memories. The event is on from now until Christmas day. Alongside the event, special holiday packs are on sale as detailed here. Square Enix confirmed the Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis Steam release date as well today. You can wishlist it now here ahead of its December 7th release date. Check out the trailer for the event below:

Event Coming Soon

Get ready for the event The Holy Flame's Gift, starting Nov. 29 6:00 PM PST!
*Please check the in-game notice for details.#FF7EC #FF7EverCrisis #FF7 pic.twitter.com/X2wxAdWPhC

— FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS_EN｜FF7EC (@FFVII_EC_EN) November 29, 2023

If you’d like to play Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis on mobile, you can download it on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Check out the official website for Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis for more information about events and updates. I’m curious to see how the game scales on Steam and whether it runs on Steam Deck at all with whatever online functionality it includes. Will you be trying this new Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis event today and are you going to get it on Steam?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/30/final-fantasy-7-ever-crisis-steam-release-date-holiday-event-cloud-weapon-exclusive-iphone-android-pc/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/29/app-store-game-of-the-year-2023-apple-winners-honkai-star-rail-unpacking-lies-of-p-mobile-hello-kitty/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/29/app-store-game-of-the-year-2023-apple-winners-honkai-star-rail-unpacking-lies-of-p-mobile-hello-kitty/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2023 04:00:24 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315140 Continue reading "App Store Award Winners 2023: Honkai Star Rail, Unpacking, Lies of P, Lost in Play, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and More"
]]> Earlier this month, Apple revealed the App Store Award finalists across various categories on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Today, Apple has revealed the winners for both apps and games. I’m covering the games in this feature. Honkai: Star Rail (Free) unsurprisingly wins iPhone Game of the Year for Apple while Lost in Play (Free) (Which I need to finish) wins iPad Game of the Year. On the Apple Arcade side of things, Hello Kitty Island Adventure (Free) wins Game of the Year. The macOS Game of the Year is the brilliant Lies of P which I reviewed on Steam Deck here.

Apple also revealed specific Cultural Impact winners for their ability to drive positive change. These include a few games. These are Pok Pok, Unpacking (review here), and Finding Hannah. Interesting choices for sure despite a few obvious winners here. Lies of P on the macOS side is the most interesting release for Mac gaming in a while since it was a day one launch, and is very polished and awesome. I hope it eventually gets ported to newer iOS and iPadOS devices. What do you think of the Apple’s selection of 2023 App Store Award winners here?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/29/app-store-game-of-the-year-2023-apple-winners-honkai-star-rail-unpacking-lies-of-p-mobile-hello-kitty/feed/ 0 https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/29/monster-hunter-now-lance-dual-blades-weapon-release-date-zinogre-barioth-banbaro-radobaan-iphone-android/ https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/29/monster-hunter-now-lance-dual-blades-weapon-release-date-zinogre-barioth-banbaro-radobaan-iphone-android/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2023 03:14:24 +0000 https://toucharcade.com/?p=315142 Continue reading "Monster Hunter Now Zinogre Update Gameplay Trailer Released, Lance and Dual Blades Revealed"
]]> Niantic and Capcom just released the first trailer for next week’s major update for Monster Hunter Now (Free) on iOS and Android. This update will release on December 7th and so far had only confirmed that Zinogre was joining the game. Today’s new trailer confirms that Lance and Dual Blades will be the new weapon types joining in, and also reveals four monsters in total arriving next week. I speculated whether we would start seeing things from Monster Hunter World Iceborne with the update and I was right. Capcom and Niantic are bringing in Radobaan, Banbaro, Barioth, and Zinogre with next week’s update. Watch the Monster Hunter Now Fulminations in the Frost update trailer below:

If you are planning to start playing the game, I put together some (newly updated) tips and tricks for the game, details on the weapons, special skills, the current monsters list, my wishlist for future update monsters, and more. You can grab Monster Hunter Now on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. The in app purchases include different sets of gems and upgrades. Check out the official website here. What do you think of Monster Hunter Now if you’ve been playing it so far on iOS and Android?

]]> https://toucharcade.com/2023/11/29/monster-hunter-now-lance-dual-blades-weapon-release-date-zinogre-barioth-banbaro-radobaan-iphone-android/feed/ 0