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Games Inbox: Is Mario Kart World better than Mario Kart 8?
Games Inbox: Is Mario Kart World better than Mario Kart 8?

Metro

time6 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Metro

Games Inbox: Is Mario Kart World better than Mario Kart 8?

The Monday letters page thinks that Sony has become the single format future, as one reader believes Microsoft is wise to delay the Fable reboot. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Close rivals I know they're both two quite different games, but this is the internet, so I want to see my favourite things fight. So I ask the question that I don't think I've seen a solid answer for: which is better out of Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart World? I do like World but I feel you have to be surprisingly picky in which game modes you play in order to get the same level of fun out of it as 8. I would say that if you compare content at launch than World wins, because all the Knockout Tour courses are different and there's a certain amount of randomness depending on how you link them together. But there's so many perfect courses in 8, where I literally can't see a flaw. The word perfect is all over the game and that's even before you add the DLC to the competition. So, I think 8 is the best. World might inspire a tenth game that takes the crown, but at the moment I don't feel it's quite there. The other question I've seen come up, with my friends and family, is if the Switch 2 has had as good a launch line-up as the Switch 1. Switch 2 has more games but I'd say Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Snipperclips wins out over Mario Kart World and… nothing. Rory Money on the table I understand all the negativity around Xbox at the moment, and I do agree with it in terms of the basic facts, but I also feel they're more sensible than a lot of people give them credit for. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Yes, they do still go on about Halo and Gears Of War as if they're the biggest thing ever, and it's still 2006, but they kind of have to. Those are the company mascots and it's not like they're going to admit they're tired and probably should have a rest. But I do think they're being sensible by delaying Fable and not talking about it too much. Halo and Gears Of War get endless second chances – or at least a lot of them – but Fable has got one chance to knock it out the park, especially given how much Microsoft must've spent on it, since it's been in development so long. Vendar PS: While I'm on the subject, why was there never a Halo vs. Gears of War crossover? Seems like that would've been easy money when both were at their peek. Proven plan I'm a little unclear on how exactly the PlayStation 5 has been so much more profitable than the others. They had to set things up with the PS1, and I guess they were securing their win with the PlayStation 2, then PlayStation 3 was a mini-disaster. But the PlayStation 4 was firing on all cylinders so I guess, since it's not really that different, they had an easier time making the PlayStation 5 and could see all the ways to save money on design and manufacturing with that. I imagine they won't ever tell us but that is such a massive difference between the generations it must make them so confident that they're doing everything right at the moment. Bugnut GC: It's presumably that, yes. You could also argue that by making less games they've saved money and made more profit. Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Slow start I appreciate GC tying up their Nintendo Switch 2 launch coverage with the round-up on Friday. I can definitely see how they lack of review codes must've upset both website and publishers hoping for a bit of free publicity. I doubt Nintendo thought about that side of things for a second. The console wasn't even out yet and already Nintendo was upsetting third parties. If some of them don't bother again then Nintendo will only have itself to blame. I will wait for reviews of Donkey Kong Bananza to make a final decision, but I think I will wait until next year to get a Switch 2. There's absolutely nothing in the launch line-up, other than Mario Kart, for me to be interested in, not even a little indie game or anything. It's very poor and while I understand the business reasons I think it's a disappointing start for long-term fans. Tacle Affordable retro Popped into CeX yesterday and safe to say, I think my money was well spent. After using my £6 store credit voucher it was overall a total of £12, for copies of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Kingdom Hearts. What do you say GC? Good haul? Shahzaib Sadiq GC: It's certainly hard to imagine them being cheaper. Unknown author Hot damn, Donkey Kong Bananza looks absolutely smashing. Remember that bit at the end of Super Mario Odyssey, where you briefly possess Bowser and proceed to wreck things up as you escaped with Peach? It's like Nintendo looked at all the frenzied fun that could be had from that exhilarating sequence and took the hulking destruction aspect to the nth degree. Therefore, I'm 80 to 90% certain at this point that the same developers, EPD, are behind the bonanza of joyously malleable, tactile and ambitious ideas seen here. Also, how gorgeous does the fur and facial expressions on the avid ape look? Galvanized Gamer PS: Bit of a long shot this, but what the heck: Inbox magic for Donkey Kong Jungle Beat to receive a ravishing refresh on the Switch 2, boisterous bongo accessories and all. It's time this marvellously manic platformer got the love it deserves! GC: The current rumour is that Bananza is by a new team (there are already around a dozen) within EPD, but Nintendo still hasn't said. Different scales I don't know how the rivalry between PlayStation and Xbox is going to play out, as I think the last two or three years have seen things nobody would've predicted even just five years ago. PlayStation games on PC? Xbox games on PlayStation? They would've locked you up! However, I can only imagine Sony execs hoping and praying that Microsoft do go all in on portable gaming, because if their idea of a good plan is a rebranded ROG Ally, that costs more than £500, I don't know what to tell you. Other than it could be 10 times more popular than the original and still not be a blip to the PSP, let alone anything from Nintendo. Loomis Don't panic! I agree with the Reader's Feature over the weekend, that said success has spoiled Sony. For years everyone sensible had said that without Xbox, or an equivalent, Sony would get lazy and exploitative and that's exactly what's happened. In a way, I can't even blame them. There's no business on earth that would be charitable enough to do anything different, certainly not Nintendo – as we saw in the NES days. If it wasn't for the Switch, and now Switch 2, being wildcards we'd now be in a situation where the fabled one format future actually came true. And it would have bene awful. Imagine Sony as they are now but with even less competition. Absolutely no one else doing similar things and nothing to push them or measure themselves against, and nothing to compare prices with. I don't know what Xbox is going to be like the in the future, given they're basically third party now, but PlayStation fans should hope more than anyone that they pull themselves together. You don't want them to dominate, you don't want anyone to, but that's not exactly been a problem for the last 25 years and I doubt it will be in the future. They don't have to win, they just need to pose a threat to keep Sony on its toes. Nintendo is not going to provide that. The Switch 1 outsold both the PlayStation 4 and 5 and yet we're in the situation we are now because Sony didn't care and didn't change anything as a result of it. If the Xbox had outsold both consoles, you can bet they would've pushed the panic button years ago. Instead, we get the anti-panic button, where they basically tell everyone to put their feet up and do whatever, because it doesn't matter. Melchett Inbox also-rans I can just imagine the call that Nintendo in the UK must've got from Japan on Friday, after that Metroid Prime 4 blunder. As usual there was no secret, it was just a dumb mistake. It's always just a dumb mistake. Fury Just starting playing Stellar Blade on PC and I really like it. That's good for me but it does seem like yet another reason not to buy a PlayStation 5. Don't really understand Sony's plan, even if it benefits me. Symode More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: What is the hardest video of modern times? MORE: Games Inbox: Is the next gen Xbox a console or a PC? MORE: Games Inbox: What is the worst modern video game?

How to buy the Nintendo Switch 2: Latest stock updates at Target, Best Buy, Walmart and more
How to buy the Nintendo Switch 2: Latest stock updates at Target, Best Buy, Walmart and more

Engadget

time15 hours ago

  • Business
  • Engadget

How to buy the Nintendo Switch 2: Latest stock updates at Target, Best Buy, Walmart and more

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been available in the US for more than two weeks — but good luck finding one. While millions of people have been able to snag the $450 console since it officially went up for sale on June 5, online inventory dried up fairly quickly at most stores soon after launch and remains difficult to find today. Target and Best Buy restocked shortly after launch, but those didn't last long, and the latter required in-store pickup. You may also be able to grab a bundle at Costco if you're a member there. Otherwise, it's been slim pickings. As of today, we're not seeing any availability — though you may have different luck in your locality when checking inventory, online or in person. To that latter point, people had a bit more luck on launch week by venturing to a physical retail store. We can't guarantee you'll still be able to snag a Switch 2 the old-fashioned way, but it's worth checking if a local Target, Best Buy, Walmart or GameStop — the four official retailers Nintendo lists on its store page — still has consoles in stock. For now, you can skip Amazon, though: For whatever reason, the biggest online retailer doesn't even have a product page for the Switch 2 (but it does seem to be selling games and accessories). All that said, if you're still on the hunt, we've rounded up all of the latest information we could find on how to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 and where you can pick one up. Walmart began online purchases at midnight ET on June 5. Currently, both the Mario Kart World bundle and the standalone console are "available" via third-party retailers, but listed for much higher than their standard $500 and $450 price tags — with limited quantities available. We wouldn't recommend buying these; instead, wait for the console to be listed at its regular MSRP. Naturally, the world's largest retailer is also selling the console at its brick-and-mortar locations, though the company has noted that quantities are limited and inventory will vary by location. Best Buy started selling the Switch 2 at its retail locations on June 5. It previously said it wouldn't sell the handheld at its online store during launch week, but it made additional consoles available on June 11 around 12PM ET. That restock lasted for the better part of an hour and required in-store pickup, but the device is now sold out again. Target had the Switch 2 in stores on June 5 and restocked its online inventory for at least a couple of hours starting around 3:30AM ET on June 6. It then had another restock on June 12 around 2:30PM ET, but that appears to have died out in less than an hour. It still looks to be fully sold out as we write this, but you should see if there's any stock at the stores closest to you just to be safe. GameStop has advertised in-store availability, though exactly how much stock your local store may have will vary by location. Online, the device has been unavailable for the past week, with the listings for the base console and Mario Kart bundle now pointing to a "Find a Store" page. We saw a $625 bundle that includes Mario Kart World , a microSD Express card and a few other accessories pop up a bit more frequently than the standard SKUs, but it's no longer listed (and it was kind of a raw deal anyway). You may still have some luck at certain membership-based retailers. A Mario Kart World bundle at Costco that includes a 12-month Switch Online subscription has gone in and out of stock since launch day. Sam's Club has had a bundle without the Switch Online sub as well, though it's out of stock now. We also saw the console at BJ's early on June 5, but it's no longer live there. Verizon briefly had the Switch 2 available on launch day, but that's dried up, and only those with Verizon service were able to order. Amazon hasn't had any form of Switch 2 listing on its website, nor has it listed Mario Kart World . The company didn't take pre-orders for the Switch 2 either, so it's unclear if and when it will sell the device. You can, however, find some Switch 2 games. Newegg has listed the Switch 2 on its site for several weeks, but it's given no indication as to when it'll begin sales. It previous showed a couple listings from a third-party seller, but at massively inflated prices. With all of these stores, we've seen the Mario Kart World bundle available in greater quantities online than the base console, which costs $50 less. But given that Mario Kart is the Switch 2's biggest launch game and retails for $80 on its own, that may not be the worst thing. Nintendo, meanwhile, is only offering the Switch 2 via an invite system. This requires you to have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of Switch 1 playtime as of April 2. It can't hurt to sign up if you meet the criteria, but don't expect it to bear fruit immediately — it's taken weeks for many people who registered in April to receive their invite. You can find a list of every Switch 2 retail listing we could find below. Just be aware that this is meant to be a reference, not a rundown of everywhere the device is available right this second. Where to buy Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle: Where to buy Switch 2: Nintendo is selling a number of Switch 2 accessories alongside the console, from its (pricey) Pro Controller to cases to cameras for the new GameChat feature. Most of these became available on June 5. The same goes for games like Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom . Another big Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananza , won't be available until mid-July but is still up for pre-order now. As of this publication, just about all Switch 2 games are broadly available. Stock for the accessories remains a little spottier, but most devices are still available at multiple retailers. Nintendo's official Switch 2 carrying cases have been the main exceptions, so you may need to look to third-party alternatives if you want some protection for your console right away. Mario Kart World ($80) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Donkey Kong Bananza ($70) Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Costco (membership required) Additional Switch 2 games Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 bundle ($95) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Pro Controller ($85) Switch 2 Camera ($55) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera ($60) Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($40) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) ($25) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case ($85) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector ($40) Nintendo (invite required) Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($120) Nintendo GameCube Controller for Switch 2 ($65) Nintendo (Switch Online required)

Next AIIB president, 'Summer Davos,' Switch 2 in Southeast Asia
Next AIIB president, 'Summer Davos,' Switch 2 in Southeast Asia

Nikkei Asia

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Nikkei Asia

Next AIIB president, 'Summer Davos,' Switch 2 in Southeast Asia

Welcome to Your Week in Asia. The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the independence of which was again questioned recently, will choose its next leader, while businesspeople and policymakers will descend on China's Tianjin for the "Summer Davos." In the latter part of the week, Nintendo's Switch 2 will finally be released in three Southeast Asian countries after a strong debut in other territories. Get the best of our coverage of Asia and much more by following us on X, where our handle is @NikkeiAsia. We are also now on Bluesky. Our handle is @ MONDAY Data: Singapore consumer price index, India flash purchasing managers index TUESDAY AIIB picks next president The AIIB begins a three-day annual meeting in Beijing, where the lender will elect a successor to founding President Jin Liqun. He is due to step down next January after serving two five-year terms from the bank's inception. The favorite to replace him is China's nominee, Zou Jiayi, who is one of the more than 200 elite members of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee. 'Summer Davos' in Tianjin The annual summer meeting of the World Economic Forum returns to Tianjin, near Beijing. Among the speakers at the three-day forum are Richard Liu, founder and chairman of Chinese online retailer Dai Houliang, chairman of China National Petroleum; and Faisal Alibrahim, the minister of economy and planning of Saudi Arabia. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on a first visit to China as prime minister from June 22 to 26, will also speak at the forum. NATO summit Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung aim to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump as they attend the NATO summit in The Hague. But a meeting is far from certain -- Trump abruptly left the G7 summit last week due to the conflict between Israel and Iran, which has only escalated since. Data: Malaysia CPI WEDNESDAY Korean War anniversary The 75th anniversary of the Korean War will be marked as the region continues to feel the conflict's legacy. South Korea's new president has extended an olive branch to the North by stopping propaganda broadcast across the Demilitarized Zone, which Pyongyang responded to by turning off its own loudspeakers. However, it remains to be seen if such actions can lead to further reconciliation. Nikkei-Financial Times energy summit Nikkei and the Financial Times are hosting Energy Transition Summit Asia in Jakarta on Wednesday and Thursday. The conference will discuss aligning national policies with international commitments to promote sustainable energy. Policymakers and leaders from energy companies set to attend the event include Eniya Listiani Dewi, director general of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation at Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and John Anis, CEO of Pertamina NRE. Bank of Thailand monetary policy meeting Bank of Thailand policymakers will meet to further discuss the economic impact of tariff-related uncertainties. The central bank delivered a 25 basis-point cut in its previous meeting in April. In an exclusive interview with Nikkei Asia in late May, bank Gov. Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput warned that the tariffs could impact a wide range of industries in Thailand, ranging from tires to furniture. THURSDAY Switch 2 launch in Southeast Asia Nintendo's Switch 2 goes on sale in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. The successor to the Switch was launched in Japan, North America, Europe and some other regions on June 5, and quickly smashed records to become the company's fastest-selling console. In Singapore, Nintendo has set up a pop-up shop at the Jewel Changi Airport retail complex. Data: Singapore manufacturing index

I've played 8 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — here's the best one you (probably) skipped but really should buy now
I've played 8 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — here's the best one you (probably) skipped but really should buy now

Tom's Guide

timea day ago

  • Entertainment
  • Tom's Guide

I've played 8 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — here's the best one you (probably) skipped but really should buy now

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been in the wild for more than two weeks, and after sampling more than half a dozen of the system's launch games, I'm having a blast with the new hybrid console (and said as much in my very positive Nintendo Switch 2 review). A VGC report this week suggests that third-party Switch 2 game sales are pretty slow off the bat, and while I'm a little disappointed at this news, I'm not entirely surprised. It's little wonder that Nintendo published software like Mario Kart World and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition are dominating the play time of early adopters. Cyberpunk 2077 is reportedly the exception that is bucking the trend and seeing strong sales. However, much as I love Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 (I named it one of the launch games you need to play first), there's another third-party title that is quickly becoming one of my go-to Switch 2 games at this very early stage of the console's lifecycle: Hitman World of Assassination. I've seen it knock around the bottom of the best-selling charts on the Nintendo eShop, but otherwise, it's not a launch title that many Switch 2 players appear to be talking about. This could be because the majority of Switch 2 owners have already played it on other systems where it's been available for several years, but I think the Signature Edition on Switch 2 makes a compelling case for double-dipping. Here's why you shouldn't skip Hitman WoA on Nintendo Switch 2 (assuming you have access to a solid Wi-Fi connection). Hitman World of Assassination Signature Edition brings the complete IO Interactive trilogy to Nintendo Switch 2. In this action-stealth game, you play the world's most lethal killer, Agent 47, as they travel the globe eliminating high-value targets in a multitude of creative ways. Each mission is highly replayable, and this Signature Edition also comes with a wealth of extra content. The Hitman World of Assassination trilogy (which packages the three Hitman games developed by IO Interactive between 2016 and 2021) is a known quantity at this point, so I won't harp on about the basics of what the game actually is. There are plenty of reviews covering all three games in the series already, many of which successfully highlight why they represent not only a new high watermark for the long-running franchise, but also why Hitman in this current guise might just be the most polished stealth game ever. Instead, let's specifically talk about the Nintendo Switch 2 port, officially known as the Signature Edition. The first thing to note is you're getting a ridiculous amount of content here. For starters, you get the full campaign of 2016's Hitman, 2018's Hitman 2 and 2021's Hitman 3, alongside the two extra chapters released as DLC for Hitman 2. That's enough to last you dozens of hours, as it's 21 total locations (Hitman's name for individual open levels), and each is purposefully designed to be replayed several times over. Plus, they're all stitched together into a single seamless campaign that can be enjoyed from start to finish with no hitches. Alongside that, you get plenty of additional game modes like user-created Contracts, a rougelike offering called Freelancer and a fiendishly challenging Arcade mode. That's not all; you can also dive into side campaigns like Seven Deadly Sins and Patient Zero. There's also The Sarajevo Six, though this latter one does unfortunately require an additional purchase. These separate modes remix content from the base games in surprisingly inventive ways, changing levels you might have played dozens of times already in often substantial ways. There's also limited-time Elusive Targets, which right now include a tie-in event with James Bond, which features Mads Mikkelsen reprising his role as Le Chiffre from 2006's 'Casino Royale.' Plus, I haven't even touched on the Sniper Assassin mode, which is a totally different spin on Hitman. Here you find Agent 47 perched in a watch tower, and eliminating targets from afar using, you've guessed it, a powerful sniper rifle. None of this content is exclusive to the Signature Edition; it can also be found in Hitman World of Assassination on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, but I've found the Switch 2 platform ideally suited for the Hitman experience because of its portability. Hitman is a great game for shorter sessions. Because each level is highly replayable and designed to be mastered through repeat play, once you've got some knowledge of a location, you can hop in and complete a few challenges within just a matter of minutes. It's the perfect game for playing in shorter bursts, and that approach suits the Switch 2 hardware. The downside is that on a technical level, Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo Switch 2 isn't up to the same graphical or performance standards as you'll get playing on beefier hardware like the PS5 Pro or a powerful gaming PC. But that's really to be expected with a Switch 2 port. Ultimately, this isn't a highly compromised port. The visual downgrades are well within my tolerance levels, and I suspect most players will feel the same. The unlocked frame rate does dip a little more than I'd like, but it's far from a major issue, and when played in handheld mode, Hitman: WoA showcases the increased graphical power of the Switch 2 pretty well. Like many Switch players, I'm okay making some visual sacrifices in the name of portability. Unfortunately, there is one major issue with Hitman World of Assassination on Switch 2, and it's severe enough that it could serve as a dealbreaker for a significant number of prospective players. The game is ostensibly an always-online title. Now, it's not technically always online, because you're not fully locked out of the game without an internet connection. However, the 'offline mode' places several major restrictions and prevents you from accessing certain modes, making it a highly undesirable way to play. When playing offline, you can't make proper progress as none of your unlocks carry across, and you don't even get a mission score upon completing a level (which is a fundamental part of the Hitman WoA experience). You also can't work through the location Challenges, which is another key pillar of the experience. You're limited to playing each campaign level in its most basic form. That's still pretty fun, but you're basically getting half the game. Making matters worse is that you can't even hop between offline and online, and just tolerate the restrictions. You cannot access online save data when offline, and any progress made won't transfer across. Offline mode is a completely separated and seriously less-than-ideal way to play. Basically, if you don't have a reliable connection, do not buy Hitman on Nintendo Switch 2. Considering that being able to play Hitman on the go is the biggest selling point of the Switch 2 edition, it is a pretty major flaw. And it means that as much as I enjoy Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo's new platform, it won't be a game I turn to on flights or trains. However, I'm still glad the phenomenal sandbox stealth experience has been ported over to Nintendo Switch 2. And if IO Interactive could tweak the way offline play works, then it would be a game I recommend without any caveats. Sadly, that looks unlikely, so my recommendation comes with an asterisk.

Engadget review recap: Switch 2, Playdate games and a Framework laptop
Engadget review recap: Switch 2, Playdate games and a Framework laptop

Engadget

time2 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Engadget

Engadget review recap: Switch 2, Playdate games and a Framework laptop

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been all the rage around the Engadget HQ for the last few weeks. Even the editors who didn't write the official review have had their hands glued to their new toys. Of course, we've been testing other things too, mainly a repairable laptop that's design for student use. Read on to catch up on the reviews you might've missed over the last two weeks. With the Switch 2, Nintendo improved everything we liked about the original while retaining its sleek and portable design. $449 at Walmart Nintendo Switch 2 finally made its way to gamers this month and several of us have been putting the portable console through its paces. Senior reviews reporter Sam Rutherford wrote our full review, noting that the company managed to take everything that make the original model so good and make it better. However, there's still room for improvement, especially with regards to battery life. "The Switch 2 has everything that made the original so great, but now there's more of it to enjoy," he said. "Granted, Nintendo's latest console commands a higher price, but as the successor to the iconic system that revived handheld gaming, this thing is worth it." The Switch 2 Pro controller is clearly the most refined gamepad Nintendo has ever made. It's just a shame that it's so expensive and doesn't have Hall effect sticks. $85 at Best Buy A new Switch means a new Pro Controller, so senior reviews reporter Devindra Hardawar took a deep dive on Nintendo's new accessory. Despite being "the most refined gampad" the company has ever made, he took offense to the price and the lack of advanced design features. "As much as I like the Switch 2 Pro Controller, it's undoubtedly an extravagance at $85 when 8Bitdo's Ultimate gamepad offers even more features for $50," he explained. "But if you're a dedicated Nintendo fan, or you just can't accept third-party controllers, it's also one of the best gamepads you can buy today." Framework's 12-inch laptop is an alternative to low-cost laptops, but it is too expensive to compete. $799 at Framework The Framework Laptop 12 takes the company's familiar spin on modular, repairable machines and puts it in a smaller body with students in mind. However, the price is an issue and overall performance isn't good enough. "The limited performance and battery life here gives me pause and I'm not sure a machine that, right now, needs a stretch to run Fortnite would be too popular," senior reporter Dan Cooper wrote. "My gut tells me Framework had intended to sell this for less before tariffs pushed the prices up beyond what made sense." Weekend editor Cheyenne Macdonald recently proclaimed that there haven't been any flops at the halfway point of Playdate Season Two. The two newest additions are Long Puppy and Otto's Galactic Groove!!, two games that are fun but still offer a challenge. You can also revisit her thoughts on The Whiteout and Wheelsprung or the initial column on Fulcrum Defender and Blippo+.

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