Feature: Getting Competitive at NintendoUKVS Live in London

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has often been hailed as the gaming mecca by many who want to know about the latest developments and to finally get their eyes on some highly anticipated titles. What normally happens in the following months is that these games are then taken on a road show around the world, appearing at events like Comic-Con and GamesCom; however, tickets for these events can often be scarce or the event difficult to attend. Fortunately, Nintendo has launched NintendoUKVS Live (the UK equivalent of Nintendo Versus), which hosted local invitational tournaments for Splatoon 2 and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, all of which was live-streamed across Twitch and YouTube.

The two-day event, between the 28th and 29th of July, took place at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London and had numerous demo stations of previous releases and upcoming hits, most notably Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The event happened to take place during the record-breaking British heatwave but that didn't deter the most eager Nintendo fans who attended in their droves. Demo stations were set up for ARMS, Pokkén Tournament DX, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and Mario Tennis Aces, although it is slightly strange that there was no appearance of Kirby Star Allies or Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, even if the emphasis of the event is multiplayer-focused (both of those do have multiplayer elements, after all).

Nintendo UK's first official foray into a live Nintendo Switch e-sports event took place on centre stage that featured hourly competitions with up to eight players showcasing their skills on a variety of games, such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis Aces, Fortnite, Splatoon 2, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with each participant receiving a swanky red Nintendo tote bag full of prized goodies that would make any Nintendo fan squeal. The various competitions were open to the public and showcased Nintendo's modern approach to engagement with its gaming community.

The event allowed Cubed3 to get some hands-on time with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!, Starlink: Battle for Atlas, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! largely felt like how a 3D Pokémon game should do, and Cubed3 got to experience the critters and monsters of Viridian Forest, which looked vibrant and playful. Catching Pokémon felt a little mundane compared to previous iterations as Let's Go has lifted the mechanics straight from the mobile sensation, Pokémon GO. Catching basic Pokémon in this manner is fine, but as the game progresses, it might become less rewarding to catch a higher-level Pokémon by just lobbing a ball at it. The Pokéball Plus accessory has a good weight to it and can fully control the movement on-screen. The additional piece of kit will be essential for Pokémanics due to being able to train your Pokémon while on the go. Interestingly, the demo had all three starter Pokémon, all of which look great in 3D, although at the moment there are a lack of animations in fight scenes.

Cubed3 had an extensive playthrough with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, experimenting and toying through the large selection of stages and characters that were available in the demo. For many of the attendees, the emphasis of the event revolved around getting their hands on Ultimate, and needless to say the game does not disappoint!