Let’s talk about the Famicom Detective Club series again.
Back when we discussed The Missing Heir, I mentioned that I gave in and bought the digital version since the Famicom Detective Club remakes never got a physical English release.
But is there still hope?
While the Switch 2’s backward compatibility that we discussed yesterday was the biggest news out of that announcement, a lot of other information was also included in the presentation. Among other interesting details, one page showed games that have been released for the Switch since it came out.
This included the Famicom Detective Club remakes… and fans noticed something strange.
English box art is shown for them. It’s not the Japanese box art and it’s not the art alone; it’s what looks like a physical case for the English version of the Famicom Detective Club remake collection.
So… does it mean anything? Maybe not. It might just be that they wanted to include it on the list so they made a mock-up of physical box art so it wouldn’t look out of place with the other games. On the other hand, Emio did get a physical release. If that sold well, maybe they’re going to follow-up with a physical collection of the remakes.
I’d buy them again if that happens. I enjoyed them enough that I’d love to have a copy for my collection. So here’s hoping this is more than just a nice image for the infographic!
Do you think we’ll get a physical release of the Famicom Detective Club remakes?
Although the successor to the Nintendo Switch has yet to be unveiled, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed that it will be able to play Switch games, something fans have been wondering about for quite a while.
He followed up with a link to the translated presentation material, which covers that and more.
Backward compatibility is far from new for Nintendo, particularly for their handhelds. The 3DS can play DS games, the DS can play Game Boy Advance games, and so on. Meanwhile, the Wii U can play Wii games and the Wii can play GameCube games.
Between that and the Switch’s success, it felt pretty likely that the next console would be backward compatible. Still, it’s nice to have confirmation.
Now, some fans are still arguing that he didn’t specifically say it applies to both digital and physical games, so it might only apply to digital games. However, without any distinction being made, it’s reasonable to assume he meant both. (No, saying “software” does not imply only digital games. Physical games are still considered software.) If he specifically meant one or the other, he likely would have said so.
This announcement also confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online will be brought to the next console.
I love the Nintendo Switch, and I still have a ton of Switch games in my backlog. Knowing the successor will be able to play them makes me that much more likely to get one at or near launch.
How do you feel about the Switch 2 (or whatever it will be called) being confirmed backward compatible?
Last Tuesday, I was minding my own business and doing a little writing when what should pop up on my Twitter feed but the announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition for the Switch?!
It’s real, and it’s coming soon. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will be out on March 20.
I’ve been waiting for a Xenoblade Chronicles X remaster for so long now. Trapped on the Wii U, it felt like the forgotten Xenoblade entry that most fans would never play.
Back in April, on the game’s anniversary, I discussed the situation and my hopes that a Xenoblade Chronicles X remaster would be an early Switch 2 title with a sequel to follow. I never imagined a Switch remaster was still in the cards.
Not only that, but it will include “brand-new story elements.” From the looks of the trailer, that at least means they’ll be expanding a certain epilogue scene.
(Due to that, I recommend not watching the whole trailer unless you’ve already played the game.)
I loved Xenoblade Chronicles X so much more than I expected to. Leading up to its launch, I was nervous about it because of it being open world, but it completely won me over despite having a lesser focus on story than other entries in the series.
Aside from the expanded scene in the trailer, there’s very little we know about the remaster. The graphics look largely the same, but it’s clear the faces have been redone. The online features are back, as they’re confirmed on the store page, with a Nintendo Switch Online 14-day trial included with digital orders.
Other additions or changes are still unknown, although I hope to see some quality-of-life improvements so I don’t need to keep notes on where to find my party members again.
Now, you might remember that when Xenoblade Chronicles X originally launched, there was some controversy over censorship of the western version. The main things were the removal of the breast slider in character customization, altering Lin’s costumes to make them less revealing, and changing the fundoshi costume. So of course, that’s led to questions about how this would be handled in a remaster.
Nintendo’s Japanese webpage for the Definitive Edition has two notes near the bottom: one that says it’s based on the Western version of Xenoblade Chronicles X and another that says all of the Wii U’s DLC version is included from the start.
The original game had several DLC characters and other DLC content that was all included in the base game for the Western release, so that’s what the second note is about. That’s where things get tricky. The initial assumption was that all versions of the Definitive Edition would include the Western version’s changes, but without the details being specified, it’s possible that the first note only refers to the included DLC.
To make matters more confusing, an eagle-eyed fan noticed that the trailer includes a shot of a shop sign that says “Find your own Buddy,” which is the text present in the Japanese version of the Wii U game while the Western sign was instead changed to “Find your Dream Skell.” The original sign being shown in the English trailer could mean some elements have been altered to match the Japanese version after all.
I’m sure it will become clearer in time. Either way, I’m just thrilled that Xenoblade Chronicles X is finally coming back.
This makes our chances of getting a Xenoblade Chronicles X 2 better than ever. While some fans are concerned the Definitive Edition will wrap up all the loose ends so they won’t make a sequel, I think the game left too many things unanswered to all be resolved here. Moreover, this is the game’s big chance. As long as it sells well, a sequel feels like a very real possibility for the first time in years.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will be out on March 20. I haven’t ordered it yet, but only because I’m hoping they’ll announce a Collector’s Edition. Are you planning to play it?
Let’s talk about the Famicom Detective Club series again.
