By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Take your pick!
Just an upfront disclaimer: This article isn't going to be an exhaustive list of every interesting game on sale right now. If there's a game you think you're interested in... just look around the store listings. It's probably on sale. Unless it's something like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But there are a number of first party Nintendo games on sale right now! Along with third party. So many of those. Including from Activision Blizzard, despite that company being deserving of a boycott.
Anyway, Nintendo put out a Cyber Deals news release with a video showcasing the games they REALLY want you to know are on sale right now until December 1 at 2:59 AM Eastern. Remember, this is their Cyber Deals list, so it's Nintendo eShop and digital downloads. There are many additional games not on sale on the eShop but are pretty universally on sale at retailers that will sell you physical copies of games, and I'll get into that as well in this article. But back to the Cyber Deals... while this article won't exhaustively list every game on sale, I will, for posterity, list the games in Nintendo's sales video that I don't think I can embed but it's just a montage of game footage so you're not missing much:
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity—30% off ($60→$42)
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe—30% off ($60→$42)
- MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order—30% off ($60→$42)
- Persona 5 Strikers—50% off ($60→$30)
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim—50% off ($60→$30)
- Monster Hunter Rise—25% off ($60→$45)
- Super Mario Odyssey—30% off ($60→$42)
- Kirby Star Allies—30% off ($60→$42)
- Among Us—20% off ($5→$4)
- Bravely Default—30% off ($60→$42)
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2—30% off ($60→$42)
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country—30% off ($40→$28)
- Subnautica—50% off ($30→$15)
- Little Nightmares II—33% off ($30→$20.09)
- Cyber Shadow—20% off ($20→$16)
When you look at physical game retailers, perhaps the most notable sale is Ring Fit Adventure is on sale for about $55, down from $80. (About 31.25% off.) It's super worth it at that price. Keep in mind that the discounted game still comes with the Ring-Con and Leg Strap peripherals. Buy it. Play it. You won't regret it. I certainly haven't. (And if you haven't noticed, KoopaTV is probably the number one website when it comes to Ring Fit Adventure content creation. I haven't... looked around the scene, but I dunno how anyone can top KoopaTV Fitness Fridays.)
You can also find games like Paper Mario: The Origami King at 33.33% off ($60→$40), while it's still full priced on the eShop. I'm a fan of the game. How much? You'll have to wait for my eventual review. When is that being written? ...I dunno, whenever I decide to be competent and take the long-standing reader request that's been sitting since February. At this point I've already forgotten several details about it, but I do know that it has a great soundtrack and script, at least.
Physical retailers also have very popular first-party games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses on sale for 33.33% off... as well as more unpopular games. Check it out for yourself.
But my top recommendations would be the Ace Attorney series (including The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles at its full $40 price...) and Ring Fit Adventure (assuming, if you have been following me week after week, you're okay with me having spoiled all of the game to you already).
Ludwig doesn't plan to actually... buy anything on sale this time. You can convince him to scrap his non-plans in the comments section, however. Also, shout-out to the on-going KoopaTV Loyalty Rewards Program round, which will provide skillful (and one lucky) readers with funds to be able to make these kinds of purchases—which do get stretched in times of discounts. Learn more about the KoopaTV Loyalty Rewards Program here.
If you want more information on why Ring Fit Adventure is worth it, Ludwig published a pseudo-review a day later.
Ludwig wrote the Paper Mario: The Origami King review a month later.
See Black Friday 2022.
Thank you for letting me know Ring Fit Adventure was on sale. I ordered from Nintendo's Official Store along with the Metroid Dread Hoodie. They have free shipping for purchasing over $20.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteI'm actually surprised that Ring Fit Adventure was on sale there because... a lot of the other games that are broadly on sale aren't on sale there. But RFA is.
So far I have only bought Guardians of the Galaxy on PS4 since it was on sale for $25 and I've heard great things about it. As for the Switch, I'm considering downloading a Donkey Kong Country/Rayman inspired game called Kaze and the Wild Masks. It has pretty solid reviews and should fill the void until another DKC game releases.
ReplyDeleteIt's 33.33% off, I guess!
DeleteAfter completing Kaze, here's my mini review. I 100% the game on regular mode and also got the optional gold medal speedrun on each level and optional no damage run on each level and boss fight in a total of ~11 hours. As mentioned previously, the game is heavily inspired by DKC. In fact, the first 2 bosses are similar to ones found in Tropical Freeze. However, the fights are harder due to only having 2 hearts and no chance of recovery, at least on normal mode. The regular stages each feel unique on their own including the bonus stages in each level. Unlike the last 2 DKC games where each bonus stage is basically the same, the ones in this game may have similar objectives but they are all different from one another thanks in part to the 4 masks in the game. There is a eagle mask that allows you to fly and shoot at an angle, shark mask that allows you to swim fast and boost into enemies, cheetah mask that gives you a quick dash and ability to climb walls, and a dragon mask which is used in 3 auto run stages and 1 moment in the final boss fight that allows a double jump and quick dive. These 3 stages are definitely the hardest as they require a lot of trial and error, especially if you are going for all the collectibles. Speaking of which, there are the four letters KAZE in each main stage, at least 100 total gems you have to collect in every stage, and the two bonus stages hidden in each main stage mentioned earlier. These will unlock an extra stage in each of the 4 worlds, the true ending, and extra artwork, respectively.
DeleteAs for the controls, I thought that they sufficed. Besides the mask abilities, there is also the basic jump and spin attack. The latter unfortunately cannot be used continuously like the roll in DKC. The music gets the job done, but also does not compare to the soundtracks in the DKC series. Then again, it would be hard to match the talented David Wise. There is a story that is presented at the beginning and throughout the artwork that is unlocked as well as the bonus cutscene. It's nothing major, but one doesn't play these games for the story anyway.
To wrap it up, I think Kaze and the Wild Masks is a great game and is one of my favorite indies I played this year. It has a few downsides but also some strengths that even match or supercede the DKC games. The devs also recently announced the game would receive DLC sometime in 2022, so I'm looking forward to it. My final verdict is 8.5/10.
Forgot to mention there is also a hover ability that is similar to Diddy Kong, but it lasts as long as you are in the air. The game also did away with the lives system, so there is no game over screen. As a result, you can redo the bonus stages as many times it takes to complete them unlike in DKC where you have to lose a life and go back to where it is in the level.
DeleteI wonder how many people were trampled to death over a discounted copy of Paper Mario. What a way to go.
ReplyDeleteApparently zero in 2021: https://www.the-sun.com/news/4154054/black-friday-death-count-shootings-stampedes/
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