Items tagged with Nintendo
If there is a knock to be had against the Nintendo Switch, it is that reports of drift issues affecting the Joy-Con controllers have been a persistent problem. We have even experienced this ourselves, prompting us to send them off for replacement. The web is home to multiple remedies you can try if you are having drift issues as well, one of which includes an incredibly simple mod. Like, really, really simple. This has been a bit of a sensitive and frustrating issue for those affected. Back in 2019, a report surfaced suggesting Nintendo had sent a memo to customer service agents instructing them to fix any Joy-Con controllers with drift issues, free of charge. Part of the memo is said to have...
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When an extremely copy of The Legend of Zelda fetched a whopping $870,000 at auction last week, it set a record for the highest price every paid for a video game. This led us to wonder what would eventually dethrone it, and we did not have to wait long for an answer—a near-immaculate copy of Super Mario 64 just sold at auction for $1.56 million. For any old school basketball fans out there, we're reminded of the time Kevin McHale set a scoring record for the Boston Celtics when he dropped 56 points in a game against the Detroit Pistons, way back in 1985. Not to be outdone, Larry Bird reclaimed the record just nine days later, when he went on a scoring barrage against the Atlanta Hawks,...
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In just under three months from now, the upgraded Nintendo Switch OLED will release to retail for $349, and though some people have been disappointed that it is not a bigger hardware refresh, we have little doubt it will be one of the hottest tech items around when it arrives. Your best chance at grabbing one is to secure a preorder. If that is your plan, you might be able to place one as early as this week in the US. Here's the thing—Nintendo so far has only said the Switch OLED will release on October 8, 2021, but did not say when preorders will actually go live. There were reports that some retailers in the UK had opened up preorders for the upcoming game console, but as of this writing,...
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The winning bid for what is believed to be the earliest sealed copy of The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) checked in at $870,000. Not too shabby for a cartridge that sold for $39.99 back in 1987. Even if accounting for inflation ($39.99 in 1987 is equivalent to around $95 today), that's a massive haul. It is also the biggest haul ever for a video game, a distinction that previously belonged to a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. that fetched $660,000 at auction just a few months ago. What is it exactly that makes these games of yesteryear so valuable today? It is a combination of factors, like still being sealed and in mint condition. What truly sets them apart, however,...
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The many rumors about Nintendo's updated Switch with an OLED display that pelted us over the past few months were accurate, but the timing of the announcement was a bit off. The company surprised us all this morning by announcing the new OLED model without any fanfare. As expected, the new display panel measures 7 inches diagonally versus 6.2 inches for the original Switch. While earlier rumors had indicated that the new Switch would support up to 4K resolutions, Nintendo brings us back down to earth by confirming that it only supports up to 1080p when docked. So, unfortunately, the hopes of gaming with the Nintendo Switch at 4K resolution with NVIDIA DLSS have gone up in smoke. Given that...
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It can be tough to play games with friends if they are spread across various competing platforms, but this is a problem of the past, thanks to cross-play functionality. Now, Overwatch is adding the feature so you can game on with friends across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo networks. Earlier today, the Overwatch Twitter account announced that cross-play has finally arrived around the globe. All players must create a Battle.net account and link their console accounts to start cross-playing to gain access to this. In celebrating this feature, anyone who logs into Overwatch before the end of 2021 will receive a promotional Golden Loot Box to pick up at least a legendary skin. Cross-Play has...
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Today was Nintendo's E3 event, and much was covered in the 1+ hour Nintendo Direct show. Now that everything has wrapped up let us look at some of the big game announcements below… Life Is Strange If you are a fan of the Life Is Strange series, Nintendo's E3 event held several announcements that should have you excited. First out of the gate is the Life Is Strange Remastered Collection that will be arriving in Q4 2021. It will bring both Life Is Strange Remastered and Life Is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered with better visuals and animations to "breathe new life into the great cast of characters and gripping stories." Also, a "bold new era of the award-winning Life is Strange begins"...
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We've heard plenty of rumors about the alleged Nintendo Switch Pro in the past few weeks, with the most recent information suggesting the console could be revealed in the days leading up Nintendo Direct event at E3 2021. Today, we're getting a bit of insight into what SoC could be inside the Switch Pro to give it the power necessary to tackle more graphically intense games with NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) enabled. According to reliable NVIDIA leaker Kopite, the SoC for the Switch Pro carries the internal designation T239. For reference, the Tegra X1 SoCs found in the original and refreshed Switch consoles are referred to as T210 and T214, respectively. This is a preliminary picture...
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Back in 2006 when Nintendo first launched the Wii, there were three games worth playing: Wii Sports, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (also on the GameCube), and Rayman Raving Rabbids. Ubisoft's title was the first third-party attempt at motion controls and was a blast in multi-player. The series featuring weird rabbit-like creatures and mini-games has persisted over the last fifteen years, and Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle on the Nintendo Switch was a big leap forward, featuring a crossover with Nintendo's most famous franchise and revamped, meatier gameplay. It's no surprise that a sequel is in the works. What is a surprise, is that Nintendo set a Mario + Rabbids 2: Sparks...
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Yesterday, we were presented with some new information on the upcoming [alleged] Nintendo Switch Pro, namely that it will be unveiled before E3 2021. Today, we're learning even more about Nintendo's "flagship" Switch, which could feature a $349 or higher price tag. The news comes to us from the Spanish website Vandel, which claims to have received information from Nintendo partners tasked with creating accessories for the Switch Pro. First of all, there's confirmation that the Switch Pro will feature a larger OLED display (rumored to measure 7 inches diagonally) with smaller bezels. The size of the console is reportedly a close match for the original [standard] Switch, and the detachable Joy-con...
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We're starting to get more clarity on the upcoming Nintendo Switch Pro, which may just be right around the corner. According to a new report, Nintendo could reveal its latest handheld gaming console before June 12th, the first day of E3 2021. This would allow game developers to show off their games optimized for the Switch Pro during E3. According to the Bloomberg report, production of the Switch Pro will kick off in July, with availability during the September to October timeframe. Even though the Switch debuted over four years ago, global demand remains high for the console. In fact, the Switch and Switch Lite have enjoyed record sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with the incredible...
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During the pandemic, many people have had nothing better to do than play video games in their downtime, and the market is showing that trend. Console sales are up tremendously, and even though there has been a lasting chip shortage affecting production for all brands, the Nintendo Switch is outpacing both the PlayStation 5 family and the Xbox Series X|S. For Q1 2021, Ampere Analysis reports that Nintendo Switch’s sell-through volume has hit 5.86 million units which is up roughly 12% compared to this time last year. However, this momentum may stagnate when Q2 comes around. This is because of how sales were affected during the pandemic and the massive launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons,...
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Although the Nintendo Switch is now four years old, that hasn't cooled off interest in the portable game console. The Switch launched to much fanfare in March 2017 and has since become one of Nintendo's fastest-selling consoles and could soon eclipse the iconic Wii. However, demand from the COVID-19 stay-at-home crowd has resulted in even stronger demand for both the Switch and the cheaper Switch Lite. As a result, Nintendo could be boosting production of the console for its current fiscal year, which runs March 2021 through March 2022. During that time, Nintendo will produce 30 million Switch consoles, according to a new report from Nikkei Asia. Nintendo Switch To put those numbers into perspective,...
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After a full year of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we wondered if Nintendo would keep the same old holiday celebrations or wrap them up in a fresh coat of paint. It's pretty unusual for a game with not much multi-player appeal to captivate gamers for more than 12 months, but that's exactly what Nintendo's modern classic has done for us. If it hasn't done so for you, there's no time like the present to dust off your Nintendo Switch and get back into its adorable island escape. While the egg-themed Bunny Day celebration didn't really change this year from the previous, the maze-focused May Day event is new for 2021. How To Cash In On May Day Fun With Mazes And Prizes Just like before, Animal...
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If you are of a certain age, the Nintendo Game Boy was likely a constant companion during childhood. The original was powered by four AA batteries, could easily be slipped into a pocket, carried along for long car rides (if it wasn't too dark outside), and generally provided hours of gaming fun. As its name implies, the Game Boy was a relatively small device for its time, but one Nintendo fan made a supersized version of the console. Witness the Game Man, which skipped straight over adolescence into adulthood, and is the brainchild of a gamer named Grumpy Modeler. While the original Game Boy stood 5.8 inches tall with a monochrome display that measured 2.6 inches across, the Game Man's off-the-shelf...
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The 20-year span between 1985 and 2005 saw the release of literally hundreds of classic game titles that were -- and are still -- beloved by millions of people around the world. From Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda, to modern classics like Halo and Metal Gear Solid, most of gaming's biggest franchises spent their formative years on consoles plugged into standard-definition cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions, the warm glow and rounded geometry of which would provide countless hours of fun. If there's one problem with those consoles, however, it's that it can be difficult to get one running -- and more importantly looking good -- on modern HD television sets. Don't worry, though....
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Battle Royale games are some of the most popular out there right now, with popular titles such as Fortnite and Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds. Since these games came out, companies have been trying to twist the genre, and Nintendo is the latest to shake things up. In the new Pac-Man 99, players can show off their “chomping chops” against up to 99 other players simultaneously. When you think of the typical battle royale game, you may think of all the players being in the same lobby and competing in the same location. With Pac-Man 99, however, players play on their Pac-Man maze while trying to mess up opponents via power-ups and be the last Pac-Man standing. You can see how...
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Listen up folks, if you want to score a mammoth payday in the future, start being a pack rat. Remember all those comic books, baseball cards, and collection of original Garbage Pail Kids you had as a kid, and got rid of long ago? Some of them might have been worth a mint. So goes for an individual who managed to hold onto an seal copy of Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and just sold it at auction for a cool $660,000. Original NES games are fetching big money these days, like an also-sealed Super Mario Bros. 3 cartridge that sold at auction for $156,000 last year. Like that game, the first Super Mario Bros. game is not exactly rare by any stretch, or even expensive....
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Most people would never consider trying to mine Bitcoin (or any cryptocurrency) on an original Game Boy, a handheld console released by Nintendo over three decades ago. But would it be a feasible mod if someone paired a Game Boy with Raspberry Pi Pico, which is less than a year old? The answer is still no, but someone did it anyway. For the most part, Bitcoin miners have turned their attention to specialized ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) hardware these days. These devices are capable of mining north of 100 terahashes per second (100TH/s). Remember that figure, because we are going to circle back to it in a moment. But first, let's talk about the Game Boy mod. YouTube user "stacksmashing"...
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Late last year, a copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 for NES went up for auction with a starting bid at $62,500. After 20 different bidders got in on the auction, that price rose to a whopping $156,000, which beat out the previous record of $114,000 for an NES game. Now, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. is up for auction, and it is currently sitting at $310,000 with seven days left. This auction could beat out the most expensive video game collectible of all time in base value. Though it may be one of the most common video games out there, it is fairly rare to find an NES copy of Super Mario Bros in near-mint condition. Wata Games is a renowned gaming grader who gave this copy of Super Mario...
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Earlier this month, a significant report alleged that the Nintendo Switch Pro is launching in late 2021. Today, the original story source is back with new information on the hardware featured inside the upgraded gaming console. The big news is the alleged addition of NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), which uses a GPU's tensor cores to run neural networks to upscale a game's resolution. For example, developers could use a lower 1080p target on the Switch Pro and employ DLSS to render scenes closer to native 4K resolution. While the results aren't 100 percent perfect, the increase in rendering quality is quite noticeable. It also doesn't result in the big performance hit that...
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Can you imagine what life would be like without Super Mario, perhaps the world's most famous plumber? Neither can we, nor do we want to. In celebration of the iconic character and his upcoming Mario Day—not his birthday mind you, but March 10, or MAR10 (get it?)—you can save up to 35 percent on a bunch of Nintendo Switch games (and even more in at least one instance). Mario continues to look quite spry for his age. His first appearance came in 1981 as jumped over barrels tossed at him from Donkey Kong, another iconic character, and then in 1983 he debuted in his own game, Mario Bros. Now four decades later, he and many of Nintendo's other characters comprise some of the most popular...
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