Hashimoto has a number of other big games to his credit, serving as a producer on Bayonetta and lead VFX for Resident Evil, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4. It should be interesting to see what direction the fighter takes, especially following the departure of series producer Yoshinori Ono.

Though official details are wanting, there are plenty of rumors and reports to fall back on. Insider AestheticGamer (aka Dusk Golem) noted that it’s running on RE Engine, much like the publisher’s other recent titles. Previous rumors also indicated that the title would launch for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Street Fighter 6, the newest entry in the Street Fighter series, has finally been revealed!
I'm pleased to share that I'm working on it as one of the game designers.
Please look forward to further news! https://t.co/uPTi7tp958

— 橋本祐介 Yusuke Hashimoto (@yusuke8shimoto) February 21, 2022

Yusuke Hashimoto, the director of Bayonetta 2 and Star Fox Zero, who also worked on the first Bayonetta as a designer, has left Platinum Games as of January 31st. He made the announcement on Twitter yesterday, confirming his departure from the studio after a thirteen year-long tenure, saying that he’ll be taking his experience there and using it on “whatever I work on in the future”.

What impact his departure will have on the ongoing production of the upcoming Bayonetta 3 is currently unknown. Besides a teaser trailer that announced the game back in December 2017, there haven’t been many updates on the game’s development. Recently, however, during their Direct presentation, Nintendo confirmed that development on the action title was coming along well.

Nintendo of America’s Bill Trinen has also suggested that Bayonetta 3 could launch earlier than expected – maybe even as early as later this year. Read more on that through here. Meanwhile, Platinum Games are also currently working on another Nintendo Switch exclusive, the recently announced cyberpunk action title Astral Chain.

An announcement from me: pic.twitter.com/aXPUfJY6sp

— 橋本祐介 Yusuke Hashimoto (@yusuke8shimoto) February 15, 2019

While Bayonetta is forever a niche franchise, there were hopes when Nintendo announced that it would be bringing the first two games over to the Switch that it would at least get the chance to get some broader exposure. It appears that those hopes have been fulfilled- to some degree, at least.

In their presentation to their investors, Nintendo confirmed that Bayonetta 2 has, since its launch in February, sold almost 400,000 units worldwide on the Switch- which is more than the almost 100,000 units the Wii U version of the game sold in an equivalent period back in 2014. Assuming the game continues to sell at a steady clip (and Switch games have massive legs, so it just might), Bayonetta 2 could conceivably march to 1 million units sold one day.

All of this is good news, because it ensures Nintendo’s continued investment in and patronage of the franchise- not that there was ever any doubt of that, what with Bayonetta 3 due to launch on the Nintendo Switch exclusively some time next year.

The legions of  demons that stand in her way make for some of the most adrenaline pumping encounters in any recent memory, and ahead of whatever fantastic new battles Bayonetta 3 has in store for us, we would like to look back on some of the most memorable boss encounters in the series so far. We did our best to write around any real spoilers, but if you haven’t played these games by now, seriously get on that.

Please note that this is our opinion so this list may not match with your expectations! Also note that this list is in random order.

Gomorrah – Bayonetta 2

One of the most common summons in the first game turns out to set the events of Bayonetta 2 in motion when the infernal dragon breaks free of a summon and starts to wreck havoc on the real world. The beast is not only a fitting climactic duel to open the game with, but the ferocity with which the dragon like being attacks Bayonetta is truly awe inspiring.

In a sense, that is what represents the biggest opportunity for this new release- it represents Bayonetta‘s most obvious chance yet to break out. The Switch as a console is on fire, and games on it are selling in ridiculous numbers- and there is an unspoken hope that Platinum’s stylish character action games can benefit from that tidal wave, too- by selling to old and new players alike.

If you are one of those old players- you can quit this review right now. There is nothing that needs to be said here, except that this release includes two fantastic games for the price of one, with Bayonetta 1 running the best it ever has on console, and Bayonetta 2 running the best it ever has, period. Throw in some added perks, such as the ability to be able to play them portably, and some token Amiibo functionality, and you have what is possibly the definitive edition for the entire series so far.

"There is nothing that needs to be said here, except that this release includes two fantastic games for the price of one, with Bayonetta 1 running the best it ever has on console, and Bayonetta 2 running the best it ever has, period."

If you’re a newcomer, you probably need some convincing- but once you’re on board, you are in for a hell of a ride. Incredibly stylish, hugely addictive, and giving players a thrill and a rush unlike anything that other games can manage, the Bayonetta games are the action game genre at its peak. The first game, which released almost a decade ago back on the Xbox 360 and PS3, is by none other than Hideki Kamiya, the progenitor of the genre in its modern form with the original Devil May Cry. Bayonetta 1 includes all the wonderful flair and sense of style that Kamiya (and indeed, Platinum themselves) have come to be known for, as well as some tight action that rewards advanced players, while also remaining accessible to more casual ones who just want to play the game.

The original Bayonetta was a revelation in its time, but it is actually the weaker link in this package. As mentioned, it released almost ten years ago- and its age shows in a lot of ways. Its camera is decidedly not the best, and often suffers an inability to keep up with the action, and the game is littered with (admittedly infrequent) Quick Time Events that result in an instant death should you fail them as a player- though, thankfully, it is liberal enough with checkpoints that that never results in a loss of too much progress. It is also a bit too long for its own good, and the adventure begins to lose some steam in the third act.

But with all of that said, Bayonetta is still an incredible game that has some delicious encounter design, and utterly fantastic action gameplay, and combos that feel glorious to pull off. It is a game that never forces you to invest any more time and effort into it than you want to- but, thanks to a score attack style scoring and grading system, dangles the possibility of you learning its intricacies, to truly master its genre defining gameplay.

"Incredibly stylish, hugely addictive, and giving players a thrill and a rush unlike anything that other games can manage, the Bayonetta games are the action game genre at its peak."

On the Switch, the game runs in 720p undocked and docked- which might seem disappointing, but is more than made up for by the fact that the game manages the hitherto unprecedented act of more or less maintaining a steady 60 frames per second throughout (I say mostly, because I feel like there may have been some slowdown in some areas, but I can’t be quite sure- better to be safe than sorry).

Then there is Bayonetta 2– when I first reviewed this game all the way back in 2014, I called it “the greatest action game of all time”, and that is an opinion I stand by four years later. There is literally nothing like Bayonetta 2– it trims away all of the faff and the fat from the first game, making for a leaner and meaner game with a laser sharp focus on finely honed mechanics. The QTEs are gone, the pacing is tightened up, and Witch Time, which you can activate with a perfect dodge, and which slows time down around Bayonetta, letting her dish out lethal amounts of damage, remains the most satisfying move to pull off in an action game.

Bayonetta 2 also greatly benefits from the absurdly ridiculous amount of escalation and spectacle it packs- the game starts with a scenario that would represent a final boss in most games, and then only goes up from there. It is so frenetic and breathless, it can often feel like a boss rush, throwing you into one outlandish and devilishly crafted combat encounter after another.

"Bayonetta 2 also is the best it has ever been on the Switch- 720p again across both, docked and undocked modes, but the game’s framerate holds steady at 60fps."

Bayonetta 2 also is the best it has ever been on the Switch- 720p again across both, docked and undocked modes, but the game’s framerate holds steady at 60fps (curiously enough, I may have run into fewer drops for Bayonetta 2 than the first game), which the Wii U version of the game famously failed to do a lot of times. Just seeing this game, with its fluid action and frenetic pace, run at a blistering and steady framerate is a treat- and it is almost enough to justify this entire package’s existence all on its own.

Thankfully, there are far more reasons for you to dig into Bayonetta 1 & 2 on the Switch than just that- the ability to play the greatest action games of all time on the go is, in and of itself, more than enough, but the best console versions of both games only sweetens the pot even more. Throw on top of that the fact that for many, this will be their first time ever with Bayonetta, or that for fans, this is an excellent primer ahead of the upcoming Nintendo Switch exclusive release of Bayonetta 3, and Bayonetta 1&2 becomes, as I said already, the most obvious and effortless recommendation for a purchase there ever was.

This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

The first two Bayonetta games were released for the Nintendo Switch only recently. If someone bought a physical copy of Bayonetta 2, then they can also make use of a download code for the first game that comes with it. However, some people who bought the physical copy received a defective code for the first game due to incorrect printing.

Nintendo is aware the problem and anyone can get their issue resolved by heading over to support.nintendo.com.  The company issued a statement on Twitter addressing the problem and apologized for the inconvenience caused. If you haven’t bought the physical copy of the games, you can buy both the games from the digital store. If you buy the first game, then Bayonetta 2 can be bought for just $30. On the other hand, if you buy the second game, then you can get the first one for as little as $10. 

With Bayonetta 3 on the horizon for the Nintendo Switch, this would be a great time to play through the first two games in the series and to get ready for the new game’s release, Bayonetta 3, sometime this year.

Included with the purchase of a physical copy of Bayonetta 2 is a download code for Bayonetta 1. A small number of those codes were printed incorrectly. If you are experiencing issues, please visit https://t.co/ZV39F24b8m. We apologize for the inconvenience.

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 17, 2018

Bayonetta 1+2‘s Nintendo Switch release is almost here; the package will include the original Bayonetta game (which originally launched back in 2009 on PS3 and Xbox 360, before being ported to the Wii U, and then to PC last year), as well as Bayonetta 2, which launched as a Wii U exclusive in 2014.

If you’ve missed out on this great action game series until now for whatever reason, now’s your time to jump in, as it looks like the Switch version will provide the definitive console edition of the franchise’s two games so far, while also giving you the ability to play them on the go. Plus, it’s the easiest way to prepare yourself for the upcoming Bayonetta 3 as well, which has been announced as being in development exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.

To get ready for the release of Bayonetta 1+2 on Switch, Nintendo today shared an epic launch trailer for the package. You can check it out for yourself below.

Bayonetta is one of the most beloved and well received action game franchises in the world, but it’s had a troubled history. The original game, in spite of great acclaim, didn’t do all that well, leading to Sega suspending development for its sequel, putting the future of the franchise in jeopardy.

That was, at least, until Nintendo came along and rescued the franchise. Offering to fund the game themselves, and lend development assistance, Nintendo revived Bayonetta 2 as a Wii U exclusive offering, where it ended up doing about as well as a niche game on a system like the Wii U could. However, Nintendo was clearly happy with its performance, since Bayonetta went on to be added to Smash Bros., and Bayonetta 2 was announced for the Nintendo Switch- as well as Bayonetta 3, which seemed to indicate that Bayonetta 2 was not a one off, and that Nintendo has sewn up the franchise once and for all.

And in case this wasn’t clear already, then the heated response that Platinum Games’ Hideki Kamiya gave to a fan inquiring about the possibility of Bayonetta ever coming to PlayStation should be enough- essentially, he made it clear that the decision rests with Nintendo, and no one else, telling the fan to go ask Nintendo for a PS4 port of Bayonetta. Just to drive home how unlikely it is that the series will show up on non Nintendo systems, he also added, “While you’re at it, ask them about Mario and Zelda for PS4 too”.

So… you know. That’s that. If you want to play Bayonetta, you best get a Switch. Bayonetta 1 and 2 are due out on the Switch later this month, and Bayonetta 3 has been announced for the platform exclusively, though it does not yet have a release date.

IF NINTY SAY YES, IT'S YES. SO ASK NINTY. ALSO ASK ABOUT MARIO AND ZELDA FOR PS4. GET LOST. RT @Danvertuan: no more bayonetta on ps4?

— 無職 神谷英樹 Unemployed Hideki Kamiya (@HidekiKamiya_X) January 31, 2018

EA Sports UFC 3

EA Sports UFC 3 is coming and yes, Ultimate Team mode has microtransactions which let you enhance fighters for the best results. For the rest of the experience though, it’s all about submissions, your mat game and conserving your stamina. EA Sports UFC 3 changes its career mode up by implementing G.O.A.T. In this mode, you can make decisions to advance your fighter’s career, engage in social media feuds with others fighters to build your public image and much more. It releases for Xbox One and PS4 on February 2^nd.

Shadow of the Colossus

During the PlayStation 2 era, there was a game that stuck out among the various exclusives – Team ICO’s Shadow of the Colossus. The studio’s first game may have presented a unique artistic vision but Shadow of the Colossus did the same and was also an awesome game. Bluepoint Games is bringing that experience to the PS4 but in a brand new way, remaking the game’s visuals from the ground up with new textures, an enhanced draw distance and oodles more detail. This is still the same classic you remember though – hunt down enormous Colossi with your trusted horse Agro, find out how to defeat them and move on to the next. Shadow of the Colossus is out on February 6^th for PS4 and trust us when we say you won’t want to miss it.

Civilization 6: Rise and Fall

When Firaxis releases expansion packs, it doesn’t mess around. Civilization 6’s first expansion Rise and Fall is the latest example. Releasing on February 8^th, it brings Golden and Dark Ages which occur by meeting or failing certain milestones. The Dark Age implications are intriguing due to the challenges present – overcoming these will bring about a Heroic Age, which offers bonuses far beyond a typical Golden Age. Then there are Loyalty ratings, which can result in Free Cities uncontrolled by any civilization if they drop far enough; alliances between civilizations; Emergencies which involve numerous civilizations taking sides; new units and a new District type; and of course, new civilizations. If that sounds like the rest of your year, then best to wrap up everything right now.

Dynasty Warriors 9

With a new generation comes change. You wouldn’t expect Omega Force’s Dynasty Warriors to follow that path but the Musou developer is going all out to revamp the experience with Dynasty Warriors 9. It introduces an open world rife with main story missions and side quests, a day/night cycle with dynamic weather, weapon crafting and the ability to customize your own hideout. There more than 83 characters to play with revised movesets along with the same large scale battles that fans love. Dynasty Warriors 9 is out on February 13^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC so we’ll see just how far it changes the formula.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Warhorse’s long-in-development and crowd-funded open world action RPG is finally out in February. Kingdom Come: Deliverance takes place in medieval Bohemia and players will essentially lay siege to castles, survive in the open world while performing various deeds and combat different foes using realistic weaponry. It may all sound a bit Witcher-esque but Kingdom Come: Deliverance promises an entirely unique experience with all the grit, grime and guts befitting a medieval war epic. It releases on February 13^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Bayonetta 1 and 2

The bullet witch finally comes to the Nintendo Switch. Bayonetta 3 is still a ways out but in the meantime, we’re getting double-game package Bayonetta 1 and 2. We’ve already seen the graphical enhancements provided by Bayonetta 1 when it released for PC last year – it’s Bayonetta 2 on the Switch which should prove more interesting. If, like many people, you didn’t pick up a Wii U and happened to miss the critically acclaimed sequel, this is the best way to experience it. Plus you receive a portable version of the first game as well. Bayonetta 1 and 2 arrive for the Nintendo Switch on February 16^th.

Fe

Make music, scale giant beasts (without administering the coup de grace a la Shadow of the Colossus) or simply sing to animals in Zoink Studios’ platformer Fe. Published under the EA Originals label, Fe will feature a main quest that’s 7 to 8 hours long but promises a huge world with plenty of secrets. The art direction and unique gameplay mechanics have us interested but will it stand out in this season of excellent indie platformers like Celeste and Iconoclasts? We’ll find out when Fe releases on February 16^th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Secret of Mana

You’ve probably heard of Secret of Mana and what an influence it had on the hack and slash action RPG genre. If you’ve yet to find a game to scratch that itch – and CrossCode’s updates are too slow – then Secret of Mana is worth revisiting for PS4, PS Vita and PC. This version is a full remake with 3D graphics and features full voice work, new arrangements for classic tracks, more AI options for your teammates, mini-maps and an auto save function. Secret of Mana is out on February 15^th and we can’t wait to see how it plays.

Metal Gear Survive

We’ll be perfectly honest – Metal Gear Survive’s open world survival and stealth mechanics combined with zombie crystal things has us bizarrely intrigued. Maybe it’s because this is unlike anything we’ve ever seen from the MGS series. Or maybe there’s something deeper that’s worth looking forward to. It may also be like watching a train wreck in slow motion complete with microtransactions. Would that be a money train wreck then? Either way, Metal Gear Survive releases on February 20^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Check it out if you happen to pick up the other nine games on this list, finish them and don’t have the good sense to play anything else.

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition

If you grew up in the 90s, then real time strategy gaming on the PC was consistently amazing. Command and Conquer: Red Alert, StarCraft, Warcraft 2 – there was no shortage of awesome games to play and Age of Empires was among them. The classic returns on February 20^th as Age of Empires: Definite Edition. Revamped graphics with 4K resolution support, numerous improvements and quality of life features, full online support and a completely redone soundtrack – what more could you want? Aside from remakes of the other games, which are also thankfully in development.

PlatinumGames had recently confirmed that Bayonetta and its sequel Bayonetta 2 were set to be released for the Nintendo Switch. Now, Polish website FilmWeb has released some information regarding the technical aspects of how these games will run on the Switch.

Both games in the series will run at 720p and at 60 frames per second on the Nintendo Switch. This seems perfect for the handheld console, but of course, this isn’t the best way to experience these games if the console is docked since the lower resolution may not look good on a a full HD TV.

PlatinumGames will be working on these ports themselves with no external involvement. With Bayonetta 3 in the works, there’s a lot to look forward to from this developer. Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 are set to release for the Nintendo Switch on February 16th in 2018. You can pre-order both these games right now for your Switch.