The 30th anniversary of the Tales series is just around the corner and Bandai Namco has already started preparations with the Remastered Project. For those who would like to take a walk down memory lane, or are curious about what other Tales games they can play while waiting for new (or remastered) releases, here is a full list of the mothership Tales titles.

Tales of Phantasia

Release Date: December 15, 1995

Platforms: Super Famicom, PlayStation, GBA, PSP, iOS, mobile devices

The first Tales title takes place in Aselia and follows Cless Albane, who seeks revenge after his hometown is destroyed. He learns that the culprits behind the attack wish to revive a powerful sorcerer king, Dhaos. Using the power of time travel, Cless and his friends travel to the past and future in order to defeat Dhaos for good.

Tales of Destiny

Release Date: December 23, 1997

Platforms: PlayStation

The original Tales of Destiny came out on the PlayStation and the remake came out in 2006 for the PS2. It follows Stahn, who accidentally finds a sentient sword that calls itself Dymlos. He, along with other wielders of speaking swords, fight for the Eye of Atamoni, which is a powerful relic from an ancient war.

Tales of Destiny Remake is one of the best titles in the Tales series for its story—which expands on the original and includes a redemption arc for popular character Leon—and fighting style. Hopefully, Bandai Namco has plans for a remaster so that it can officially release the game to the west.

Tales of Eternia

Release Date: November 30, 2000

Platforms: PlayStation, PSP

Tales of Eternia, released in the west as Tales of Destiny 2, has nothing to do with Tales of Destiny. Instead, it follows Reid Hershel and his friends, who live together in the world of Inferia. One day, they come across a mysterious foreign girl named Meredy and through their interactions with her, learn of a different world called Celestia. They journey together to stop an ages-old conflict between the two worlds.

Tales of Eternia feels like the turning point for the Tales series in that it propelled the series into its initial popularity. It was popular enough for an anime adaptation and a MMO, though the anime was pretty bad (in that it had little to do with the game) and the MMO didn’t last long. The battle system feels a lot more fluid compared to Phantasia and Destiny, and it holds up to newer 2D Tales games too. 

Tales of Destiny 2

Release Date: November 28, 2002

Platforms: PS2, PSP

The actual sequel to Tales of Destiny, Tales of Destiny 2 follows Kyle, who’s the son of Stahn and Rutee from the first game. Due to his parents’ heroic past, he’s also obsessed with becoming a hero. One day, he meets a mysterious girl named Reala and embarks on a journey to become a true hero.

Like the above Tales of Destiny Remake, Tales of Destiny 2 is a fantastic game. It’s got a great story, compelling characters, and a difficult battle system that’s rewarding to master. The meme himself, Barbatos, is also from this game. Considering how much trouble he can give you, it can be a little hard to laugh at the jokes Bandai Namco make at his expense.

Tales of Symphonia

Release Date: August 29, 2003

Platforms: Nintendo GameCube, PS2, PS3, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Tales of Symphonia was popular in its native Japan, but it’s what really put the franchise on the map for the western audience. While the west had gotten Phantasia and Eternia, they weren’t exactly selling like hotcakes in the way that Symphonia did. The story follows Lloyd, who joins his friend Colette’s pilgrimage to regenerate the world of Sylvarant.

Tales of Rebirth

Release Date: December 16, 2004

Platforms: PS2, PSP

The story of Tales of Rebirth heavily focuses on racism. It takes place in a world where people wield a magical power called Force after King Ladras, in his final moments, uses his power to unleash the potential in people around his kingdom. Veigue lost power of his Force of Ice and froze his childhood friend Claire in a pillar. Even after he manages to free her with the help of new friends Eugene and Mao, soldiers acting on orders from Karegia Kingdom heiress Agarte take her away. His journey to rescue her from the palace morphs into a battle to end racism.

Tales of Legendia

Release Date: August 25, 2005

Platforms: PS2

Tales of Legendia follows the story of Senel and his surrogate little sister Shirley. Shirley is the Merines, a legendary figure among the Ferines, which is a race of people who can live underwater. Because Shirley is the Merines, many different factions want to capture her to use them for their own schemes.

Compared to previous titles (and its successor Abyss), Tales of Legendia looks and plays in a very weird way. This likely has to do with the fact that the developer, Project MelFes, consists of Tales Studio members, along with developers from the Tekken and Soul Calibur series. It’s the first Tales game with Go Shiina as the composer and the soundtrack is objectively the game’s highest point.

Tales of the Abyss

Release Date: December 15, 2005

Platforms: PS2, Nintendo 3DS

Tales of the Abyss is the eighth mothership title, but it’s the commemorative game for the series’s 10th anniversary. It follows Luke fon Fabre, a pampered noble and swordsman who ends up outside of his comfy mansion after heroine Tear appears to assassinate her brother, who’s also Luke’s teacher. The story heavily focuses on Luke’s personal development as he seeks the meaning of his birth. There is also an anime adaptation for Abyss, which you can watch on YouTube.

Tales of the Tempest

Release Date: October 26, 2006

Platforms: Nintendo DS

Tales of the Tempest follows Caius Qualls, who is a Leymon (essentially a werewolf). After the church takes his guardian prisoner and kill the parents of his childhood friend Rubia, the two of them set out for the capital. The adventure then turns into one to overthrow the church.

Tales of the Tempest is the first Tales game for a handheld console. However, the reception to the game was very mixed, with some places giving it a very positive score and others giving it a very negative one. Points of criticism included the story’s short length, lack of content, unappealing relationship between Caius and Rubia, and more.

Tales of Innocence

Release Date: December 6, 2007

Platforms: Nintendo DS, PS Vita

The story of Tales of Innocence follows avatars, human reincarnations of the divine Devalokans who can still use supernatural powers from their past lives. Ruca, a timid boy, is an avatar of the powerful Asura and he awakens to his powers after rescuing fugitive Illia, a fellow avatar. They meet up with other avatars, who then travel to do something about the wars engulfing their world.

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Release Date: June 26, 2008

Platforms: Wii, PS3

Though the sequel of Tales of Symphonia, Dawn of the New World introduces a lot of lore and elements that weren’t in the original game. It follows Emil, a timid boy who survived a massacre that Lloyd from the first game perpetrated. After meeting with Marta, a girl with Ratatosk’s Core on her forehead, the two of them set out on a journey to fix the meteorological problems occurring around the world and escape from Marta’s pursuers.

Tales of Vesperia

Release Date: August 7, 2008

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Windows PC, Xbox One

Tales of Vesperia is a very popular and successful entry in the Tales franchise, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide. It also has a prequel film, though Flynn in particular is so out-of-character it might as well be fanfiction. The story follows Yuri Lowell, a former soldier who’s now doing odd jobs around his neighborhood. After meeting a noble named Estelle and fleeing from the capital with her, he forms a guild called Brave Vesperia.

Tales of Hearts

Release Date: December 18, 2008

Platforms: Nintendo DS, PS Vita, iOS

Tales of Hearts follows Kor Meteor (Shing Meteoryte) who meets siblings Kohaku and Hisui Hearts. A monster infects Kohaku and in an attempt to save her, Kor accidentally destroys her Spiria (her heart and emotions). The three of them set off on a journey to restore Kohaku’s Spiria.

People don’t talk about the CG Movie Edition, but I definitely remember that one. People were comparing the models to the Evil Goddess MOCCOS, an old 2ch meme about the ugly KOS-MOS figure that came with the Xenosaga Episode 2 Premium Box Set.

Tales of Graces

Release Date: December 10, 2009

Platforms: Wii, PS3, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Windows PC

Tales of Graces follows the story of Asbel Lhant, who is the future heir of the Lhant village. As a child, he befriends an amnesiac girl named Sophie and the prince of Windsor, Richard. Witnessing Sophie’s death traumatizes him and he runs away from home to become a knight. Seven years later, he reunites with Sophie, setting into motion an adventure that takes him all across the world of Ephinea.

Tales of Xillia

Release Date: September 8, 2011

Platforms: PS3

Tales of Xillia is the first Tales game that combines character designs from Kosuke Fujishima (Phantasia, Symphonia, Abyss) and Mutsumi Inomata (Destiny, Eternia, Rebirth). Like Tales of the Abyss, it’s a celebratory mothership title. In Xillia's case, it was for the 15th anniversary. It follows Jude Mathis, a medical student who encounters Milla Maxwell after she breaks into a military research facility in an attempt to destroy a secret weapon. Now that they’re on the run from the military, Jude and Milla, along with their companions, journey to help Milla with her mission to save the world.

Tales of Xillia 2

Release Date: November 1, 2012

Platforms: PS3

Tales of Xillia 2, like Dawn of the New World, is a sequel of its predecessor while introducing elements and lore that the original game never really mentioned. It takes place a year after Xillia and follows Ludger Will Kresnik, a guy who just wants to cook. It turns out he’s not just a good cook, as he possesses the Chromatus. He and the cast from the first Xillia need to go into parallel worlds—essentially what-if scenarios from the first game—and destroy them to prevent their own world’s destruction. He also has to pay off a huge medical debt. Ah, adult life.

Tales of Zestiria

Release Date: January 22, 2015

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Windows PC

Tales of Zestiria was, like Abyss and Xillia, an anniversary title and this time, it was for the 20th anniversary. It draws inspiration from Arthurian legends and it follows the story of Sorey, a young human who can see the mystical spirits Seraphim. He leaves the village of Elysia with his best friend Mikleo and, after forming a pact with the Seraph Lailah, he becomes the Shepherd whose job is to purify the Hellion rampaging throughout Glenwood.

For an anniversary title, Zestiria had its fair share of controversies. Before the game came out, Japanese fans were ticked off about how prominent advertising for Alisha was, yet she was a mere guest party member in the actual game. After it came out, fans seemed split on the story, battle system, and tutorials.

Tales of Berseria

Release Date: August 18, 2016

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Windows PC

Tales of Berseria technically serves as the prequel to Tales of Zestiria. However, you don’t have to play Zestiria to understand Berseria. It follows Velvet Crowe, a normal village girl who lost her pregnant sister after a daemon attack. One day, tragedy strikes the village and Velvet comes across her brother-in-law Artorius killing her younger brother Laphicet in a ritual. She transforms into a daemon and Artorius tosses her into jail. Once she wakes, she swears vengeance on the man who used to be her family.

Tales of Arise

Release Date: September 10, 2021

Platforms: PS4, PS5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Tales of Arise follows the story of Dahnan slave Alphen, or “Iron Mask,” and a Renan girl named Shionne. A curse on Shionne hurts anyone who touches her but since Alphen can’t feel pain, he’s the only person who can pull a sword from the Master Core she has. Like Rebirth and Eternia, it deals with themes of racism and oppression.

The post All Mothership Titles in the Tales Series in Release Order appeared first on Siliconera.

Nintendo announced via its official Japanese X account that it has updated its guidelines for sharing content from its games on online platforms.

The guideline is available in multiple languages, including English. The original Japanese version has additional update date notes on the newly revised lines on the page, which has been regularly updated since its debut in late 2018. Nintendo made three new revisions to the guidelines on September 2, 2024.

The first revision added a new line to the official guidelines list. It shows Nintendo's right to object to any infringing content and blacklist the offender from sharing content from Nintendo games in the future. The Japanese page added that the company will even use legal measures to enforce its objections.

In the second revision, the company explained the types of shared content it allows and disallows. While Nintendo forbids republishing official trailers and game assets like music or cutscenes, it also discourages players from uploading simple gameplay recordings without any edits or commentaries. The Japanese page added an exception to content produced directly from the Nintendo Switch's Share button feature, which includes videos that can only run for up to 30 seconds.

The third and last revision in this guideline had Nintendo update the list of content that it will deem unlawful or inappropriate at the bottom of the page. Usages of unauthorized methods like third-party emulator software, cheats, and data mining are part of the list. The company also included malicious acts, such as making offensive remarks or griefing another player by impeding their game progress during a multiplayer session.

The Nintendo Game Content Guidelines for Online Video & Image Sharing Platforms appeared first on November 29, 2018, as it replaced the Nintendo Creators Program. The company newly updated the guidelines on September 2, 2024.

The post Nintendo Updates Its Online Media Sharing Guidelines appeared first on Siliconera.

Masahiro Sakurai has revealed on his X account that he has finished recording the final episode for his YouTube channel "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games." However, it will still take quite some time until this episode comes out, as Sakurai still has other regular episodes coming beforehand.

Sakurai's plan to end the video series has been known for quite a while. He first announced it in early January 2024. 2024 will thus be the final year for him to publish new episodes on the channel.

The original Japanese tweet is available to view right below:

And our translation of this tweet is as follows:

I have finished recording the final episode for the channel.
I think it will still take a while until it's published, so until then, please enjoy the regular episodes...

Masahiro Sakurai

Masahiro Sakurai established the YouTube channel in late August 2022. He has since published new episodes simultaneously in Japanese and English. As of June 2024, the channel has a combined total of almost 1.18 million subscribers, with around 580,000 from the English channel and almost 600,000 from the Japanese channel.

The channel has also received acclaim from the gaming industry. In August 2023, Sakurai received two awards at the CEDEC Awards 2023 for running the YouTube channel. The awards in question were the Game Design award and the Visual Arts award.

The "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games" YouTube channel is available in Japanese and English languages, and its final episode will appear sometime in 2024.

The post Masahiro Sakurai Recorded His Final YouTube Channel Episode appeared first on Siliconera.

Vanillaware has been something of an darling among consumers for upwards of a decade now. And who can blame anyone that gravitates towards what this studio puts out? With unique visuals and an interesting catalogue of games, we've created a list of what we think are some of the best Vanillaware has to offer. And feel free to let us know what you think and other titles you'd recommend in the comments!

I am divided between Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Odin Sphere (the Leifthrasir re-release in particular). While both are excellent and unique games, in terms of both gameplay and tone, I have to go with Muramasa. The environments and vistas in that game are especially stunning. It's a real shame that Muramasa is currently trapped on the Wii and PS Vita. Maybe if it appeared on modern platforms and PCs, more people could play it? Hey, Vanillaware? — Daniel

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a work of art, both from the actual classic Vanillaware visual standpoint and the incredible storytelling as well. The massive cast of playable characters are all memorable with some poignant moments and shocks throughout. I will admit the combat is forgettable and the ending was really disappointing for me, but I still think fondly about this game quite often. — Cody

For me, the answer is pretty cut and dry. I loved playing Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow of Mystara, so naturally my favorite Vanillaware game has to be Dragon's Crown. It's a great 80's-esque side scrolling beat'em up, only made better by Vanillaware's signature painterly art style that lends itself so well to the atmosphere of the game. I'm personally a huge fan of the character designs in Dragon's Crown because I'm a big "sword and sorcery" fan, but outside of the impressive visuals I'm a sucker for co-op. So being able to dungeon crawl with friends meant I dedicated around one-hundred or so hours to this simple but exciting title. — Kazuma

Listen, I'm going to come here and be the weird one. I liked Kumatanchi on the DS, and I still die a little inside every time I think about how I let someone borrow it and didn't go full bounty hunter on them to get it back. (It is going for $200 on eBay, last I checked.) It's a fun life sim about a bear-girl hybrid named Kuma-tan. You look after her at the zoo, ensuring she's well cared for so she performs well, while also seeing her interact with the other people-animals there. It's not an artistic achievement like 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, but I consider it one of the best Vanillaware games. -- Jenni

The post Which Vanillaware Games Do You Like Best and Recommend? appeared first on Siliconera.

There is no better time than the present to be a visual novel and adventure game fan. The genre has experienced a sort of renaissance within the last decade, with plenty of new and creative titles like the AI: The Somnium Files series or Paranormasight keeping things fresh, and timeless classics like Famicom Detective Club or Type-Moon’s legendary Fate/stay night receiving their first ever English release. However, among the genre's vast catalog, I am sorely missing Kyle Hyde’s Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and Last Window: The Secret of Cape West.

For those unfamiliar, the Kyle Hyde series of games are two investigation titles developed by the now defunct King and released in 2007 and 2010, respectively, for the Nintendo DS. The series focuses on jack of all trades and former NYPD detective Kyle Hyde, a man whose job is to snoop around buildings, bother the inhabitants of apartments, and fulfill the mysterious and hyper-specific contracts that his employer sends him. Nothing shady and mysterious, surely.

The main attraction of the series was its paperback novel aesthetic and gameplay style. To play the games you needed to hold the DS console sideways like a book. You would control Kyle and explore environments with the touchscreen. Characters would occupy a different screen each during dialogue, lending an air of tension and confrontation to the delicate verbal clashes and questionings. The Last Window sequel even included an in-game novel retelling the game's story.

This novel approach (pun intended) wasn’t just a fun gimmick, as it made for two very charming and unique titles in the Nintendo DS catalog. And I don't think that the gimmick would necessarily translate poorly into modern platforms. Undeniably, the games would require a lot of work to update them to modern standards, but we have a perfect example of how to revise a series like Hotel Dusk and Last Window. Also developed by Cing, the Another Code games just received a remake in the form of Another Code: Recollection for the Nintendo Switch, and I never thought the games would ever see the light of day again.

The new remake offers a jump in graphical fidelity accompanied by an unavoidable change in style, as well as the gameplay being adapted to suit the Switch. However, developer Arc System Works was able to accurately retain the tone and feel of the series thanks to the company housing many former Cing staff members, including designer, artist, and Kyle Hyde series director Taisuke Kanasaki.

The remake even includes a small nod to the detective that wasn’t present in the original, and that I won't spoil for those looking to jump into the remakes (and you definitely should.) Seeing folks at Arc System Works still remember the detective fills me with nostalgia, and makes me want to play as Kyle Hyde once again, maybe even see his story continued.

Among dedicated fans of Cing's catalog, Kyle Hyde also received some renewed attention back in the summer of 2023, thanks to data miners discovering some of the original actors that served as models for the rotoscoped character animations in Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and Last Window: The Secret of Cape West.

Over a decade after its last detective adventure, it is clear that Kyle Hyde persists in the minds of its original creators and the minds of fans. And with Arc System Works and Nintendo willing to give another chance to the Another Code series, there is no better time than the present for Kyle Hyde to return.

Another Code: Recollection is now available for the Nintendo Switch.

The post It’s the Perfect Time for Hotel Dusk and Last Window to Return appeared first on Siliconera.

We've gotten to spend quite a bit of time with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomnow that it's been around for a week. Granted, given it is a game that could take dozens or hundreds of hours to really master, we might not be sure how we feel about it. Not to mention so many other past installments have offered us all sorts of adventures over the year. So this week, we decided it might be a good idea for us all to share what we like best about some of our favorite The Legend of Zelda games.

One of the greatest things about the The Legend of Zelda series is that there is a game for everyone in it. For me, it also happens to be the first one I ever played as a kid. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a fantastic game, whether you play the original Game Boy version, the Game Boy Color port, or the 2019 Switch remake. There is no wrong way of experiencing one of Link's most interesting adventures. To top it all of, the soundtrack of Link's Awakening is one of the most beautiful ones I've ever heard in a video game. — Daniel

I'd say The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is probably the game I liked best. There are so many silly elements, and it all feels so lighthearted. There can be a lot of darkness in Hyrule, but tempering that with a cap that lets me turn super teeny and see the world from a whole new perspective is pretty great. -- Jenni

I always enjoy The Legend of Zelda games, but there’s only one that has truly stuck with me on a deeper level. The series rarely does much for me narrative-wise, but Majora’s Mask is a huge exception to this. It’s basically a horror game in disguise, with its Groundhog Day premise and angry moon hanging in the sky. The stories of everyone in Clock Town and the surrounding areas of Termina are so simple yet so heart-wrenching. There’s something deeply troubled about that world that makes me desperately want to be its hero. Plus the Song of Healing is one of the best music pieces in the entire series. - Leigh

Before, I would have said one of the Oracle games. Oracle of Ages was the first The Legend of Zelda game I ever played and completed! And I loved it to death. But after the years, there's one game that has grown on me in ways I almost didn't expect, and that's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. With an incredible cast of characters and a gorgeous score, this more low fantasy version of Hyrule embodies the dusk the game itself references within its very title. It's moody, dark, but not without a glimmer of hope lingering on the horizon. Even to this day I'd love for Nintendo make something of a sequel for it, just to see Midna one more time. (Also the Ganondorf design and fight in Twilight Princess is unparalleled.) -- Kazuma

While I have yet to meet a The Legend of Zelda game I don't like, the one I always go back to is Majora's Mask. The darker, more somber tone to quite literally every aspect is both a nice change of pace and incredibly well done. It puts an emphasis on exploring the world and completing side quests that's great for making you want to play more as well as for replay value. And frankly, I'm a big fan of the three-day cycle. It gives the game a sense of urgency while adding to the darker themes. Plus the Fierce Deity is unbelievably cool and I will probably cry like a baby if it's ever brought back. -- Adam

The post Which The Legend of Zelda Game Do You Like Best? appeared first on Siliconera.

The Legend of Zelda timeline is complex. It’s an attempt to connect nearly forty years of games together, many of which were designed as standalone titles. This results in branching timelines, uncertain placements and even an acknowledgement from Nintendo that much of it is open to fan interpretation.

But with Tears of the Kingdom just around the corner, now is a great time to look back on the Legend of Zelda timeline so far. Where does everything fit within the timeline? How essential is it to understand the whole thing?

It’s got a straightforward start. Skyward Sword kicks things off, with its story acting as an origin story for Hyrule itself. The Minish Cap follows this, with Four Swords as its direct follow-up as they both feature the same villain, Vaati. Then Ocarina of Time happens.

Here’s how this timeline looks:

• Skyward Sword
• The Minish Cap
• Four Swords
• Ocarina of Time

Child Timeline

Ocarina of Time complicates everything. Because of the time travel shenanigans central to its story, this game splits the timeline in three.

The first branch of the Legend of Zelda timeline is the Child Timeline, after Link defeats Ganon and is sent back to his childhood. Majora’s Mask is set up as the obvious sequel to this. Twilight Princess follows years later, made explicit in Ganondorf’s backstory in that game.

According to Nintendo, Four Swords Adventures follows this, although it’s not entirely clear why. It's a largely standalone game.

Here is this timeline:

• Majora’s Mask
• Twilight Princess
• Four Swords Adventures

Adult Timeline

Link returning to childhood created a separate Adult Timeline. In this branch, the Hero disappeared, Ganon returned, and Hyrule was flooded. This is the most straightforward branch because The Wind Waker spells these events out in its intro. Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are its obvious sequels. And that’s the entire branch.

Here's this timeline:

• The Wind Waker
• Phantom Hourglass
• Spirit Tracks

Fallen Hero Timeline

Finally, if you ever got a Game Over in Ocarina of Time, you canonically kicked off the Fallen Hero Timeline. Well done.

This one’s a messier one as Nintendo seem to use this as a place to put games created before the timeline concept. It starts with A Link to the Past, which is followed by is direct sequel Link’s Awakening. After this is the duo of Oracle games, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. However, while Nintendo officially place them this way round now, the Hyrule Historia art book originally had them flipped.

A Link Between Worlds is a direct sequel to A Link to the Past, set years later in the same world. Tri Force Heroes is confirmed to be a direct follow-up to that, so these two games logically come next. This branch then ends with the first Legend of Zelda and its direct sequel.

This is how that timeline looks:

• A Link to the Past
• Link’s Awakening
• Oracle of Seasons / Oracle of Ages
• A Link Between Worlds
• Tri Force Heroes
• The Legend of Zelda
• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Breath of the Wild

The last time Nintendo published the official Legend of Zelda timeline was the year before Breath of the Wild released. However, series producer Eiji Aonuma has confirmed its placement. It’s set centuries after all the other games, with all those stories fading into myth.

It’s likely this was done to give the series a fresh start, moving away from the complicated split timeline. It’s been left up to player interpretation which of the timelines it follows. Some fans theorize it may somehow be a convergence point for all three.

This brings us up to date. This leaves us with Tears of the Kingdom, which is soon to be released. However, its placement on the timeline is easy. It’s a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild, so it logically sits just after it.

However, it isn’t essential to understand the full Legend of Zelda timeline to enjoy the series. You can jump into any entry without needing to understand what happened in any other game. Most of the games don’t directly reference the timeline, especially with earlier entries made without a timeline in mind. It’s just a fun and interesting way of linking all the games together.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases for the Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

The post Here’s the Full Legend of Zelda Timeline appeared first on Siliconera.

The Rune Factory games can get a bit odd, what with the fact that there are both numbered and unnumbered entries. People might wonder if certain titles are optional or if it is necessary to play them in a certain order. Especially since there are some recurring characters who pop up in multiple installments. The thing is that they are largely like the Final Fantasy series, in that you don’t have to play the Rune Factory games in any particular order. However, there are some guest characters that appear and might make playing certain ones in order more desirable.

What are the Rune Factory games?

It's honestly very simple. This is a Story of Seasons/Bokujou no Monogatari spin-off series. So there's still the farming and daily life elements from those simulations. That also means you can develop relationships with characters. However, this is paired with action-RPG elements and dungeon-crawling, which can also be done alongside love interests in some entries.

Which Rune Factory games you should absolutely play in order?

Guess what? There are only two that really feel like they need to be played one after the other. These are the original Rune Factory on the DS and Rune Factory Frontier for the Wii. This is because the first game introduces the protagonist Raguna and heroine Mist. The follow-up is a direct sequel in which Raguna sets up a new homestead in Trampoli while searching for a missing Mist and gets caught up in an endeavor to protect that town.

What if I do want to play mainline entries in order?

Well, in that case, following the numbered entries one-by-one works. Especially since you’ll see Rune Factory 2’s Barrett and Rune Factory 3’s Raven in Rune Factory 4, as an example of “guest” characters. Not to mention 4’s Doug and Margaret show up in 5.

1. Rune Factory (DS)
2. Rune Factory 2 (DS)
3. Rune Factory 3 (DS) or Rune Factory Special (Switch, PC): Since the Special version involves additional features like the Hell difficulty and Newlywed mode, people might want to go with that one.
4. Rune Factory 4 (3DS) or Rune Factory 4 Special (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC): Again, the Special version adds a new difficulty option and Newlywed mode, it might be the preferred one for a newcomer.
5. Rune Factory 5 (Switch, PC)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69rjJZexlPY&ab_channel=Natsume_Inc

Is there any Rune Factory game that doesn’t require any possible tie-ins to other entries?

Yup! That would be Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny. This is a self-contained story involving different characters, new elements like controlling both the male and female protagonists Aden and Sonja, and dealing with sunken islands. It’s available on the PS3 and Wii, though the Wii version is regarded as the better of the two.

The post How to Get into the Rune Factory Games appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco added four new Tales of soundtracks to various streaming sites. You’ll be able to listen to the OSTs for Tales of Rebirth, Tales of the Tempest, Tales of Legendia, and Tales of Innocence. Streaming services where you can listen to the tracks, along with the ones of other Tales games, include Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Motoi Sakuraba was the composer for the Tales of Rebirth and Tales of the Tempest soundtracks. Shinji Tamura helped him with Tales of Rebirth. Sakuraba has had a long history of working on the Tales series, composing for the majority of the mainline titles. He worked on the very first entry, Tales of Phantasia, and was also the composer for the 2021 release Tales of Arise. Outside of Tales, you can hear Sakuraba’s music in Golden Sun, One Piece Odyssey, and Valkyrie Elysium.

As for the other two games, Kazuhiro Nakamura was the composer for Tales of Innocence and Go Shiina composed for Tales of Legendia. Nakamura also worked on Tekken 6, as well as played instruments for various The Idolm@ster CDs. As for Go Shiina, he collaborated with Yuki Kajiura on Demon Slayer, as well as worked with Sakuraba on Tales of Zestiria.

The four new Tales of soundtracks are available from Bandai Namco’s official accounts on music streaming sites.

The post Bandai Namco Officially Streams 4 More Tales of Soundtracks appeared first on Siliconera.

Masahiro Sakurai talked about his time working on Meteos, providing background information on its development. Released on his YouTube channel, Sakurai’s video sees him cover the origins of the game, early concepts and his thoughts on the final product.

The video is the latest in Sakurai’s Game Concepts series, where he looks back on the development of his previous titles including the Kirby and Smash Bros franchises. This latest episode represents the first time the series has strayed from his more famous works.

Meteos was a puzzle game released in 2005 for the Nintendo DS, produced by Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Q Entertainment, who personally approached Sakurai to design a falling block game. In his video, Sakurai described how he viewed this request as a challenge due to his poor skills at the genre, and shared a rough concept made in PowerPoint showing his desire to have blocks take off like rockets when matched correctly.

Sakurai’s video also went into further depth regarding his regrets on balancing the final product, but also how pleased he was with how the different planets offered up unique challenges for the player. His next video in the series will talk about an obscure LCD game he worked on, Sodatete: Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking.

The full video can be seen here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snHecpmPeJs

Meteos is available for the Nintendo DS.

The post Masahiro Sakurai Talks Meteos Development in Latest Video appeared first on Siliconera.

Grilla is without a doubt one of the most important resources in Harvestella, mostly because that's the equivalent to your standard JRPG currency in the whimsical RPG-farming simulator hybrid. In order to reap the rewards of your harvest, you will need Grilla to buy seeds, upgrades to your humble farm, and even craft better weapons for your excursions into the world at large. This guide will be outlining some ways to consistently and quickly rake in Grilla in Harvestella.

That said, there are a few avenues to acquire Grilla so don't feel locked in to any one method. And make sure to dedicate time to whatever method works best for you!

Farming and Fishing

Perhaps the most straightforward way of obtaining Grilla is through farming and fishing. Farming is extremely straightforward, but there's a little more to it when min-maxing your profits. Crops will change mostly every season, so make sure to plan according for the upcoming harvest. For example, Carrops can be grown during Spring and Summer, but not in any other season. They also take only one day to grow, which can yield quick profits. But to truly benefit from your harvest, considering buying Cucumbles and every season's equivalent. Cucumbles may cost more, with each seed at 370 Grilla, but the crop can be harvested repeatedly for 200 Grilla a pop. And with each season lasting 30 days, you can quickly recoup the costs and have consistent profit coming in from your crops.

The next method is fishing. You can obtain a fishing pole by purchasing Fishing Knowledge from the General Store for 800 Grilla. Grabbing this early on is ideal, since you can fish in a plethora of locations throughout the world. Your farm, for example, has a single fishing spot that can be used every day which makes for a great way to quickly make Grilla while exploring or just wanting to pass time. It also eats up a small amount of stamina, so it's perfect for those who have just started the game and don't have access to their kitchen yet.

Cooking

At a costly 2,000 Grilla investment, you can unlock cooking in Harvestella. It only takes a day after purchasing your kitchen for it to become accessible in your house, but it's more than worth it. Outside of providing a way to make filling food items that will help regenerate stamina, you can sell those cooked dishes for a pretty penny. It isn't the most profitable way to make a quick buck, but if you have access to ingredients on hand, you can quickly make food and sell them alongside your usual choice of crops or fish.

Just remember that cooking meals does make time pass a fair amount if you're whipping up more than one dish. So if you're looking to make the most out of your time farming and fishing will be your best bet.

Exploration

Dungeons and other areas are available to explore in Harvestella. These areas not only allow you to sometimes pick up valuable cooking ingredients and random seed drops, but enemies can drop items that can be sold for Grilla. This isn't as consistent as farming for example, but is all part of min-maxing since you'll want to head out and fight monsters while you're waiting for your crops to yield valuable produce. So don't forget to leave your farm and explore the great yonder if you have the time!

Harvestella is available for Nintendo Switch and Windows PC.

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The Kirby Character Encyclopedia is now available for purchase. The book is currently only available in the Japanese language. However, people living outside Japan can also purchase and gain access to the book, which is available for 1,650 yen (approximately $11 with Japanese 10% tax included).

Amazon Japan is selling the book in physical and digital formats—the latter is readable via Kindle. It can also ship the book to countries outside Japan. The digital ebook is also available for purchase on the Japanese BookWalker store.

HAL Laboratory and Kadokawa initially revealed the encyclopedia in July 2022. The companies teased that the book contains information about over 1,000 characters that appeared across all 35 Kirby games released to date. Preview pages of the book confirm that it also includes details from the series' latest mainline entry, Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

The encyclopedia groups the enemy characters into categories like regular enemies and bosses. It also lists the Copy Abilities that Kirby can take from them.

The extensive character encyclopedia is one of the numerous celebrations that HAL Laboratory prepared for the Kirby series' 30th anniversary. The company held a music festival with a global online stream in August 2022. It also announced a Blu-ray remastered release of the 2001 anime Right Back At Ya! that will appear in Japan in Winter 2022. Good Smile Company also joins the celebration by releasing a Nendoroid figure of the eponymous protagonist.

The Kirby Character Encyclopedia is now available in physical and digital formats in the Japanese language. Kirby and the Forgotten Land came out on Nintendo Switch worldwide in late March 2022. Nintendo has sold over 4 million units of the new game as of June 2022.

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Tactics Ogre: Reborn will be sold in both digital and physical forms overseas. However, it seems that Japanese buyers will have some extra goodies, like a Tactics Ogre Reborn Collector's Edition. They'll also have a chance at a special pre-order lottery.

The Tactics Ogre Reborn Collector's Edition is exclusive to the Square Enix e-Store. As a physical package, it's also exclusive to the console editions of the game (PS4, PS5, and Switch). The package comes with the game itself, and several exclusive items. These include an art book with illustrations by Akihiko Yoshida and Tsubasa Masao, among others. There's also a three-volume script book set, containing dialog lines from all the story routes. Finally, a mini-soundtrack CD and set of tarot cards with a special bag and mat round out the offering. The package costs 22,000 Yen (about $165 USD).

Check out some shots of the Tactics Ogre Reborn Collector's Edition in the gallery.

[gallery columns="5" ids="933208,933209,933210,933211,933212" link="file"]

Japanese fans who opt for the standard edition over the Tactics Ogre Reborn Collector's Edition won't miss out completely, though. All pre-orders for game placed through the Square Enix e-Store will be entered into a lottery for a replica Glass Pumpkin. Only 500 of the Glass Pumpkins will be produced. Lottery eligibility applies to physical pre-order of the game on consoles. Digital code pre-orders for the PC version are also eligible, since it doesn't have a physical edition.

Glass Pumpkins are a rare item found throughout the Ogre Battle series (of which Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is a part). They're coveted by the legendary witch Deneb. Deneb is a recurring Ogre Battle character, often seen running a secret item shop. She's also often recruitable as playable unit, though players usually need to accomplish some difficult or tedious feat. In the 2010 PSP game, players can sell Deneb 30 Glass Pumpkins (obtained through great effort in the optional Palace of the Dead dungeon) before recruiting her to unlock her unique class, Wicce. As a Wicce, Deneb is one of the most powerful magic-using units in the game.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn will release globally on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5 on November 11, 2022. It'll come out on PC on November 12, 2022.

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The Pokemon DP Sound Library will no longer be available after May 2022. The Pokemon Company has announced that it will shut the website down on May 31, 2022. [Thanks, 4Gamer.]

The Pokemon Company initially launched the DP Sound Library in Japan on December 24, 2021. It then brought access to the West on February 2, 2022. The website lets people download Pokemon Diamond and Pearl's background music and sound effects. A total of 149 tracks are available in the library. The company also compiled the whole soundtrack into a single video on YouTube.

After the site's shutdown, formal downloads of the background music and sound effects will no longer be available. However, The Pokemon Company will still allow people who have downloaded the files to use them in accordance with the guidelines. It allows the usage of audio files in physical events and parties, as well as on social media. While the company generally only allows non-profit publications, it makes an exception for those with educational purposes.

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl originally came out for Nintendo DS in Japan in 2006 and in the West in 2007. The Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes launched for Nintendo Switch simultaneously worldwide on November 19, 2021. The Pokemon DP Sound Library is available until May 31, 2022.

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Next week marks the 30th anniversary of the Kirby franchise, so we should be feeling celebratory! Instead, we’re still smarting over the latest game’s biggest snub: Waddle Doo isn’t in it. So let’s talk about Waddle Doo and why they’re the best so that HAL and Nintendo won’t forget next time.

Unparalleled utility

Most Kirby players, when they think of Waddle Doo, probably mostly think of Beam. That makes sense! It's one of the franchise's longest-running power-ups, and one that you never mind having. Beam can hit at a distance. Beam can strike at an angle. Heck, Beam can shoot from the other side of the screen! Individuals may have a favorite power-up that's something else, but getting Beam never elicits a groan or sigh. It'll do what you need, whatever that happens to be. — Graham

Charming design

Waddle Doo is the best Kirby character because their character design is incredible. Waddle Dee? That looks a lot like Kirby or Meta Knight. Awoofy? That's just a dog. (I mean, a cute dog, sure.) Waddle Doos have personality. Their eyes are incredibly expressive. They resemble Kirby and all, but are unique enough to be their own individuals. Also, whether it is a jester hat or a night cap, Waddle Doos pick up some rocking headgear. — Jenni

Despite not being much of a Kirby aficionado, even I can recognize my Waddle Dee and Waddle Doo, and I always think that of the two, Waddle Doo is cuter. Why? As Jenni mentioned, it's the eye. It does all the work of a fully-featured face with but a single orb to ponder. — Josh

Waddle Dee is boring

We've been beating around the bush here, so I'll just get to it: Waddle Dees are not worth all the attention. Why? They're nothing. They're blank slates. To make a Waddle Dee interesting, you have to put a bandana or a mustache on one. Or hand it a parasol or something. An accessory isn't a personality! But Waddle Doo, though? Waddle Doo is shown to be a leader and organizer. Waddle Doo works hard and shows fatigue. And Waddle Doo isn't oblivious to the world and its trials.

That's not to say Waddle Dees should go away entirely! But you're telling me you needed a 300th one before a single Waddle Doo? I don't believe that. — Graham

Do you disagree that Waddle Doo is the best Kirby character? Most certainly don't let us know in the comments or on Twitter! You could read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team, though.

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