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The 'Splatoon 2' multiplayer web portal heads to the Nintendo app
Splatoon for the Wii U made a strong argument for competitive multiplayer gaming on Nintendo consoles, but in a lot of ways, it was half baked. It had great characters, fun maps, ranked modes and tournaments -- but failed to integrate any kind of official voice chat. It also had a companion web portal, but it offered only the barest of functionality. The game's Nintendo Switch sequel is trying to fix both of those problems with SplatNet 2: a smartphone app that lets players view match and player stats, buy in-game gear and organize voice chat with teammates.
'Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' lands on Switch at launch
Game consoles don't tend to have stand-out, killer software at launch, but Nintendo is bucking the trend again. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild will be released in concert with the console itself March 3rd. Not picking up the new console? The game comes out the same day for the Wii U. If this seems familiar, it's because Nintendo did something similar with Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, launching it on the Wii and Gamecube simultaneously.
'Splatoon 2' brings new weapons, stages and fashion to Nintendo Switch
When Splatoon announced its late July Splatfest would be its last online multiplayer event, there was a collective sigh from the Miiverse. The multiplayer shooter dragged Nintendo into a competitive-gaming space it had never competed in before -- it was fun, frantic and had a lot of personality. Thankfully, the franchise lives on. Today Nintendo announced the Switch version of Splatoon isn't a remastered port, but a full sequel.
Nintendo Switch online multiplayer won't be free
There's a lot to love about Nintendo, but it's always been a generation behind the curve when it comes to online services. The Nintendo Wii was hampered by an awkward friend-code system, and the Wii U's network services were weird, goofy and heavily monitored. With the Switch, that all might change: Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima just announced Nintendo Online Services -- the company's latest attempt to figure out online multiplayer. Kimishima didn't reveal much about the service, but, in general, the news is good: Nintendo Online Services sounds a lot like Sony and Microsoft's multiplayer services. The bad news: Just like those services, it will cost you a monthly fee.
