Quantcast
Checkpoint

Checkpoint 2/3: Production Run

Written by James T. George

Welcome to Checkpoint, a new regular segment from the authors here at LevelSave designed to quickly let you know what is on our minds, how we are reacting to current news and trends, and some looks into content coming soon from LevelSave.com. 

February 3, 2017

Every passing day we learn a little more form Nintendo about the Switch, but what I really want to know is where my long-awaited Vectorman remake is.

Checkpoints:

  • I’m seeing reports that Nintendo’s online service will cost somewhere around $30.00 per year in the United States. Considering that we know little about what exact services that pays for, all we can surmise is that a ROM rental from Nintendo will cost around $2.50 for a month’s worth of playtime.
  • I’ve tested the new Windows 10 gaming mode on a recent preview build update. I’ve seen some decent performance improvements, but I have a fairly powerful machine already. I’d like to see how less powerful machines are able to improve the gaming experience with it.
  • The Wii U is ending its production run in Japan, and there is evidence that the system sold less than a million units in 2016. Not Good.
  • Prediction: The Nintendo Switch is going to be sold out in many places for a decent amount of time in Q2 2017. I advise not reading too much into this, mostly due to the hype machine helping propel it. I want to see how software keeps the system going after a thin launch lineup. Still, the reception of the system thus far paints a nicer picture than any in the early days of the Wii U.
  • I know I’m a bit late to the party with this but I just got a copy of Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime through February’s Xbox Live Games with Gold program and… I love it. So much fun. Make sure you pick a copy up if you’re eligible.
  • Seriously. Vectorman.

Bonus Level:

I haven’t touched my PlayStation Vita in quite a while. I think I’m going to make an effort to rectify this, but I’m worried that the amount of time since I last charged it will leave me with an unhealthy battery. On the PSP, you could swap it out, but the Vita’s is built in. While I figure that part out, I’m curious about recent game releases for the platform. Games that interest me on the platform are few and far between, so I’m wondering if anyone has any recommendations for recent releases I can use as a jumping off point. Feel free to comment and let me know.

I really love the Vita platform. The hardware, even now being a few years older, is still solid as a rock and chock-full of power for a handheld. The Switch will top that, I guess, but despite being a worthy machine the Vita was not able to best it’s primitive-by-comparison rival, the 3DS. Ultimately, this goes back to games. Nintendo has knockouts. The Vita? Well… Sony seems to have let it go stagnant as a platform and good games dried up as a result. At least… that’s what it looks like to me.

 

 

Checkpoint reached.

Would you like to save?

About the author

James T. George

Jim, a proud native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, enjoys a variety of things other than games, movies, music, sports, and technology, but usually falls prey to character limits when filling out

%d bloggers like this: