Month: August 2019

The first free DLC update for Nintendo Switch exclusive Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, is only a few days away, and Marvel has now revealed which new costumes are included.

During the latest episode of the Marvel Minute YouTube series, Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit, Planet Hulk, and a Ms. Marvel suit for Captain Marvel were all announced as part of the August 30 free update. This also includes the first new character additions to the roster in the shape of the X-Men’s Cyclops and Colossus.

This is just the first of Ultimate Alliance 3’s free costume DLC, with more to come through early 2020. If you have a hankering for more new characters, however, you’ll have to purchase the Premium Pass. Blade, Moon Knight, Morbius, and Punisher are set to debut in the first paid DLC pack arriving on September 30. The Fantastic Four and more X-Men characters are also planned to be added at a later date, launching sometime in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

In our Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order review, we said, “More so than its predecessors, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order excels because of its character diversity and the ways its disparate heroes work together. For this reason alone it’s an ideal co-op game, whether you’re playing with another friend in the same room or with three friends online, but the AI more than holds its own if you’re playing alone, too. It falters in places, but there’s still nothing quite like the Ultimate Alliance series, and this long-awaited third entry makes it a triumphant return for a superhero brawler that feels more relevant than ever.”

This might be the last time we see Spider-Man team up with other Marvel heroes on screen for a while. The recent split between Disney and Sony means the days of Spider-Man in the MCU are likely over. Star Tom Holland has spoken about future post-Marvel Spider-Man products, and Jeff Goldblum’s reaction to the news was suitably Goldblum-esque. At least we’ll always have Ultimate Alliance 3 for all our Spider-Man related team-ups.

Last month, Nintendo pulled back the curtain on the Switch Lite–a smaller, more affordable iteration of its popular hybrid system. Unlike the standard Switch, which is able to function as either a handheld or home console, the Lite is tailored specifically for portable use. As a result, it’s missing some of the system’s most distinctive features: It isn’t able to connect to a television, it has no built-in kickstand, so you can’t set it up for tabletop play without an additional accessory, and it eschews detachable controllers in favor of a solid body design.

That Nintendo is releasing a newer version of the Switch should come as no surprise. The company has a long history of refreshing its gaming hardware every few years. However, these revised systems have generally supplanted their predecessors; the DS Lite, for instance, was an all-around upgrade over the original DS, while the New 3DS boasted slightly more powerful hardware than the standard 3DS, as well as a second analog nub–a feature 3DS owners had long been clamoring for.

The Switch Lite, by comparison, feels more akin to the toast-shaped 2DS; it utilizes the same internal components as the base Switch but in a more compact (and kid-friendly) form, and it removes extraneous elements in an effort to reduce the system’s price. All of that is to say that the Switch Lite won’t appeal to everyone.

Still, the system certainly has its charms. We recently had a chance to check the Switch Lite out at a demo event in New York, and now that we’ve gotten some hands-on time with it, we have a much better understanding of its benefits and tradeoffs. We’ll post our full review of the new console closer to launch, but in the meantime, if you’re on the fence about picking one up, here are some pros and cons to consider to help you decide if the Switch Lite is right for you.

It’s Literally A Smaller Switch With Fewer Features

Whether this is a pro or a con will come down to personal preference, but the Switch Lite is very much the same piece of tech, just in a smaller form factor. The system interface and menus are identical to the standard Switch, and while you can’t physically attach controllers to the console, pairing them works the same way–you’ll need to go into the Controller menu and press the synch button on your Joy-Cons or Pro Controller.

Games also seem to run just as well on the Switch Lite as on the standard Switch. We got to play three titles on the system at the demo event–Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Maker 2–and noticed no discernible difference in terms of performance during our hands-on time. However, there were a couple of control quirks, particularly when playing Super Mario Maker 2, that we’ll elaborate on further below.

PRO: It’s Lightweight And Comfortable

The Switch Lite is designed strictly for portable use, and it certainly succeeds in that respect. Thanks to its smaller size, the system is easier to tote around than a standard Switch. Because it forgoes detachable parts for a solid body, it also feels sturdier than the base model, and it’s much lighter and more ergonomic, conforming to your hands better.

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch Lite

Specs	Original Switch (original)	Original Switch (new)	Switch Lite
Screen Size	6.2 inches	6.2 inches	5.5 inches
Resolution	720p (undocked)	720p (undocked)	720p
Dimensions (H x W x D)	4″ x 9.4″ x 0.55″	4″ x 9.4″ x 0.55″	3.6″ x 8.2″ x 0.55″
Weight	0.88 lbs / 399 g”	0.88 lbs / 399 g”	0.61 lbs / 277 g
Battery Life Range	2.5 – 6.5 hours	4.5 – 9 hours	3 – 7 hours

The system also offers some control improvements over a regular Switch. Much has already been made about the Switch Lite’s proper D-pad, which is certainly a boon when playing some games like the aforementioned Mario Maker 2, but its analog sticks are also a little bit larger and more flexible than those found on the Joy-Cons. As a portable device, the Switch Lite is all-around more comfortable to use than a standard Switch.

CON: You’ll Need To Buy Separate Controllers If You Want To Host Multiplayer Games

Because of its emphasis on portability, the Switch Lite doesn’t lend itself nearly as well to hosting local multiplayer gaming sessions. With the original Switch, you could set up an impromptu match in, say, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate effectively anywhere by flipping the system’s kickstand out and passing one of its Joy-Cons to another player, but the Switch Lite lacks both of these features.

Despite these omissions, it’s still technically possible to host these kinds of multiplayer sessions on the Switch Lite, but you would need to jump through a number of hoops to get there, and the experience seems like it would be less than ideal. First, you would need to prop the system up somehow, be it by purchasing a stand for it or leaning it against another object. You would also need to own separate controllers for each player to use, offsetting any of the money you would save by springing for the cheaper Switch model.

Of course, if you and your friends own a copy of the same game, you can still play with them wirelessly using the Switch Lite. However, it’s clear the system is intended to be more of a personal device than a communal one like the standard Switch, so if being able to set up a multiplayer session anywhere is an appealing feature to you, then you’d likely be better served by the original model.

CON: Some Games Aren’t Suited For It

Since the Switch Lite doesn’t come with Joy-Cons, it lacks those controllers’ unique features, namely HD rumble and the IR camera. There are also some games that won’t work with the system at all, such as the Nintendo Labo line. The DIY titles require you to slot the system into the Toy-Cons you construct, but the Switch Lite’s size and lack of detachable controllers means it won’t fit into the cardboard peripherals.

Another thing to note is that a few games, such as Super Mario Party and 1-2-Switch, don’t support handheld mode. If you’re really interested in those titles, you would need to purchase a pair of Joy-Cons and find some way to prop the system up in order to play them on a Switch Lite.

Beyond those few exceptions, most games should work just fine on the system. As previously mentioned, however, Super Mario Maker 2 has a unique control quirk: the game plays differently in handheld mode than when docked. In handheld mode, you can only use the touch screen to edit levels in the Course Maker; you can’t use the system’s buttons to lay down parts or select on-screen icons, so the only way to do either of those on the Switch Lite is to use your finger or pick up a stylus for the system. It’s certainly not a deal-breaker, but it is something to be aware of.

PRO: It’s Very Pretty

This is an entirely superficial point, but dang is the Switch Lite very pleasing to look at. The system is launching in three colors–yellow, turquoise, and gray–and all of them look lovely in-person, as you can see in our Switch Lite photo gallery from Gamescom. You may not have the freedom to mix and match Joy-Con colors as you could on a standard Switch, but the Lite’s solid body contrasted with its white buttons make it much more eye-catching.

Conclusion

The Switch Lite lacks the versatility of the standard Switch, which makes its appeal much narrower, but it does have some benefits over the original model for those looking for a strictly portable experience. The system launches alongside The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake on September 20. In addition to the three launch colors, Nintendo is also releasing a special Pokemon edition Switch Lite on November 8, a week ahead of Pokemon Sword and Shield. For more information about the console, including where you can reserve one, be sure to check out GameSpot’s Nintendo Switch Lite pre-order guide.

As the popularity of digital games increases, it’s clear retailers are doing what they can to make physical copies more appealing to gamers who might prefer the convenience of a download. For Amazon and Walmart, the answer has been to drop the price on games at release, offering new titles for $49.94 when they would normally go for $60.

From Mortal Kombat 11 to Fire Emblem: Three Houses, we’ve seen this pattern emerge in a big way over the course of 2019. Now, Remedy’s new action-adventure game Control is the latest to receive the release day discount treatment–the title is already on sale for $10 off (PS4 and Xbox One only) at Walmart and Amazon.

At Walmart, you’ll find the PS4 version selling for $50.94 and the Xbox One version selling for $49.94. Both come with free two-day shipping. At Amazon, the PS4 version is listed at $50.94 but is temporarily out of stock; however, Amazon will still let you order the game at that price if you’re willing to wait a bit longer for delivery. According to Amazon, you’ll be notified by email with an estimated delivery date, and you won’t be charged until the item ships.

The Xbox One version, fortunately, is still in stock at Amazon for $49.94, and you can even get free one-day shipping with your purchase if you have Amazon Prime.

Get Control on PS4

See deal at Amazon See deal at Walmart

Get Control on Xbox One

See deal at Amazon See deal at Walmart

The game earned an 8/10 in GameSpot’s Control review, in which Peter Brown praised the game’s gorgeous art style, stylish combat, and intriguing approach to complex concepts. “It’s not often that a game invades my thoughts the way Control has,” he wrote. “I’m at the point where I want to consume every last thing it has to offer. And if I’m honest, it also makes me want to go back and replay Remedy’s past games, too. Sure, it’s a faulty metroidvania in some respects, but there are so many exceptional qualities afoot that Control handily deflects any momentary ire. I can’t wait to take part in discussions about the game, to see what others have figured out, and to better understand where it all fits into Jesse’s story.”

During E3 2019 earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it had acquired Brutal Legend and Psychonauts studio Double Fine and created another brand-new studio to focus on developing the Age of Empires franchise. As it turns out, the latter, newly-formed studio isn’t directly making games and is actually more of a production outfit overseeing other studios’ work on the Age of Empires franchise.

The new, as yet unnamed, Microsoft studio, helmed by veteran producer and former Xbox Game Studios general manager, Shannon Loftis, will have a responsibility to ensure Age of Empires games from other studios are going in the right direction. That’s according to Microsoft creative director, Adam Isgreen, who spoke with PCGamesInsider.biz.

“We do have an internal team but we’re really providing oversight to our wonderful development partners–our team at Forgotten Empires that made Age of Empires: Definitive Edition and is working on Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, but we also have a group in Australia–Tantalus Media–that’s working on Age of Empires III,” Isgreen explained.

“We have Relic up in Vancouver. But they’re also helping each other out with all the games, too. Our role at Microsoft is to enable these great developers to make Age products and to be the overseers and the ones making sure that we’re on-message and on-brand for delivering what we believe to be great Age of Empires experiences. They’re accessible, for all ages and you may learn something about history whether you want to or not. That kind of approach, a game that’s accessible that is really meant for a large audience, across the world. We have a wonderful userbase from all across the globe that plays Age of Empires games every month and we want to make sure we can bring everybody in, not just from specific cultures.”

Microsoft announced the remasters for Age of Empires II and III back in 2017, along with the Relic-developed Age of Empires IV–the first new entry in the series in 14 years. Last week saw Age of Empires: Definitive Edition surprise-launch for Xbox Game Pass on PC during Gamescom.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is set to launch on November 14 on PC with crossplay across Windows 10 and Steam.