Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 25th)

Yet another week has passed by, this time with the return of Crazy Redd in Animal Crossing, a welcome Switch eShop update and concerning reports of Nintendo Account hacks – make sure to secure yours! – but it’s finally time to wind down for a couple of days.

Members of Team Nintendo Life have gathered together to discuss our weekend plans, and we’d love for you to join in via our poll and comment sections below. Enjoy!

Gavin Lane, features editor

This weekend I’d like to sample the new Worlds Mode in Super Mario Maker 2. The latest ‘final’ update sort of slipped out quietly in the middle of the Animal Crossing madness and seems to deliver what people have been crying out for since the beginning – the ability to make proper Worlds and use Super Mario Bros. 2 mechanics.

That said, I haven’t properly got to grips with the Master Sword ‘mushroom’ from the last update yet, and Animal Crossing is devouring every free moment. It’s exceptionally relaxing to just tinker around with custom designs and before you know it it’s 1am and you’re up in five hours’ time…

Ryan Craddock, news editor

Are you bored of us all saying Animal Crossing: New Horizons yet? Of course I’ll be heading back to my island this weekend, escaping the misery of real life to get rich from my money trees, decorate the place with more flowers than I know what to do with, and give Cranston the ostrich all the presents that money can buy.

It seems I’m a sucker for any new in-game event, too, so all of the new stuff added this week is keeping me extra preoccupied. See you next week for another episode of ‘What are you Playing? Oh, Animal Crossing again’.

Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer

My reliance on physical media is making the current times that much harder to endure. So I was blessed yesterday with packages carrying the latest Retro Gamer magazine (yes, I still buy and read it on paper) along with Zombie Army Trilogy, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 and La Mulana 1 & 2 after a four-week-long ordeal of it being lost in transit. Having these makes you appreciate all the people working hard to ensure delivery to your home that much more. On the Animal Crossing: New Horizons front my (near completed) live stage has been declared the 9th Wonder of the World by the local community. I am eager to put it to use soon.

My game of the week is Trials of Mana… or it would be if my copy had actually arrived. Instead I have tuned to retro gaming with soothing sessions of Game Boy’s Blades of Steel and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time on SNES.

PJ O’Reilly, reviewer

Another week of COVID-19 lockdown endured and games are becoming more and more important with regards to filling the void in my household. My kids have been absolutely hammering the new Super Mario Maker 2 update and if trying to survive their nonsensical creations isn’t enough to hone my Mario skills to perfection I’m not sure anything ever will be. I’ve also just picked up Trials of Mana which I’ve been looking forward to for absolutely ages and am now properly excited for after reading Mitch’s pretty glowing review.

Elsewhere I’ve been getting to grips with Streets of Rage 4 – our review will be with you shortly, buying and selling the auld turnips for a killing in Animal Crossing and shaking my head in disappointment at Resident Evil 6 which I rather foolishly picked up in the ongoing Capcom eShop sale. I hope you’re all doing ok out there, stay safe and have a nice weekend!