Topic: The Chit-Chat Thread

Friend leaving for home tomorrow, so some more gaming today. Chocobo GP, the bought game itself, is fun. Friend and I did some split screen races. Also, my favorite highlight, playing Sonic Advance 3 in multi-pak battle mode. Never had a chance to play it, really fun team races across the game's levels.

Honestly, I wish Switch Online's classic library would get GBA games with their multiplayer intact. Makes me wonder how they would incorporate the modes that are single-pak.

@MarioLover92 Yeah, I was surprised the cars didn't have Miis in them or did anything. I think you're right, the tunnel felt bigger. I think the track is a little bit different too, had to look up a map of Choco Mountain on N64, thank you Mario wiki, it's based off the Tour layout. Going by the display map of course, I haven't played Tour.

Personally, my friend and I loved the new ninja themed map. Really was a fun to race on it.

Oh, that's cool. I may get to play these tracks more before I get the DLC since I do play Mario Kart 8 online.

Yeah, the two Tour tracks were fun. I also like how they look, I even caught a Yoshi (seeing the Yoshi and Toads in Shroom Ridge cheering was a nice touch) on the side of the road in Tokyo Blur.

Also, found my Isabelle plushie.

Those darn TV habits... on second thought, Isabelle has taste, lol. (note her hair, those are the bells I was talking about, they're jingle bells)

@Sunsy
Did you play Chocobo GP with cartridge?
Are the basic unlockable stuffs already inside the game without have to pay more money?

@Anti-Matter I live in the US, and Chocobo GP is only a download here AFAIK, both lite and retail versions (albeit, it's a digital purchase too). My friend unlocked tracks from just playing the story mode, he didn't pay for anything beyond the digital version itself. Lite and retail are the same game, the lite version just has a lot of limits.

It seems the microtransactions and pass are mainly for the 64 player "Chocobo GP mode," which is the main appeal of the lite version.

My friend has the full game, I have lite, so I'm only able to join his local wireless game. The full game has split screen.

@Sunsy
So, I need one more clarification before I made my final decision about Chocobo GP.
Is the full / retail version have normal way to unlock characters and other stuffs without have to pay more money to unlock them ?
And what is the purpose for the micro transactions on retail / full version ?
Because even if the retail version still have to pay a lot of money to unlock every single characters, it looks like a legit scam product.

@Anti-Matter The only thing I know is my friend unlocked tracks from simply playing the story mode of the game, that's it. I can't speak beyond that since I just played split screen mode with him, and played the local wireless mode in the lite version. The full game has more characters to play as, played as Camilla today.

Money, why else? Crash Team Racing did something similar, though more shady as they added them months after the game launched IIRC. They're understandable in F2P games (game's free, but buying something supports the developers), however, a retail game is already paid for when bought.

I plan to get the game, but I'll wait for a discount or something. I like the racing, and when we found out the full game has split screen (under "Custom Race," it's not in the multiplayer menu), I hooked up my dock to the living room TV, my friend placed his Switch in and we played.

@Sunsy I wanna let you know that the new MK8D tracks are playable online now. You may have to give the game some time while you're playing online, but as long as you're matched up with someone who owns the booster course pass, they'll eventually come!

Yeah, pretty odd that the Miis don't appear in the MK8D version. Not too sure why. Ninja Hideaway is a great track for sure, and it's quite challenging. Love the music and Japanese theme for it.

That's a nice Isabelle plush you have, I see the bells too. You're getting her to watch Trolls, I see! I wonder if she's into Disney films as well - she probably is!

OH NO!

Fire Emblem Heroes must be laughing nervously right now

@MarioLover92 Oh cool, that's good to know.

Yeah, Ninja Hideaway was just a fun track. My friend and I both loved how it looked and to race on it. Also, for some reason, my friend and I thought the tracks looked better than the footage shown in the Direct. We're both happy Coconut Mall is back, that was one of our favorite tracks.

Thanks. Them TV watching habits, lol. Felt like doing that, had TrollsTopia on for a bit last night. Isabelle does seem like the type who would watch Disney movies.

@Fizza Shut downs like this is exactly why I'm not big on mobile games. Lost my favorite mobile game last May, and another one earlier in the year.

C'mon DreamWorks, license Trolls to Outright Games or something, I miss Trolls Pop. If Smurfs and My Little Pony can get a console and PC game, I don't see why Trolls can't. I'd say Smurfs Mission Vileaf is one of my favorite games of last year.

I've been very busy, so apologies on the late responses.

@tekoii Time does fly. It seems to fly by faster and faster each year! I'm told by some of my older coworkers that it doesn't get any better lol. I'll be more than occupied until XC3, particularly in regards to picking up the rest of the 3DS and Wii U digital titles that I want while trying to stick to my gaming budget. Especially Kirby; I'm a newer series fan and have only played Kirby Superstar and Kirby's Adventure so far. I'll be playing catch-up on some of the series highlights before I pick up Kirby and the Forgotten Land, though rest assured I will grab the latter!

@BruceCM Perhaps! XC3 will be a good candidate, though it's far from the only one lol.

@Sunsy Same here in regards to Emerald. I can relate on the dead copy of Gold; my copy of Crystal failed a few years ago. It can still be played, but it can't hold a save at all.

@MarioLover92 I can't speak for newer VAs for Ash, but I'm quite certain his original VA was female. I had to look up her name, it's Veronica Taylor. As for the NSMB series, I very nearly picked up NSMB Wii at one point but opted out when I saw some footage. I consider NSMB U a slight improvement, though some of that is likely play bias lol. I'd much rather revisit some of the more classic games you mentioned.

@MPSSislit No need to apologize; I'm sure everyone who frequents this thread completely understands. IRL can hit like a train, sometimes without warning. It's completely understandable to put other priorities above internet waffling.

@TheJGG No rush; I completely understand. I have been sleeping better overall, though I'm still not entirely sure what triggered my insomnia to begin with. Sounds like that Formula One event was quite an experience!

Perhaps we can help you pick between whichever candidates for the winter game, @Tyranexx .... But no rush to decide yet!

@Sunsy Yeah I agree, I think they look quite a bit better than the direct footage. I was surprised to see how much detail they put into Choco Mountain, for example. Coconut Mall's one of my favorite tracks too - looking forward to seeing more.

@Tyranexx I agree, I think NSMBU's a bit better overall. It controls the best and I like how all the worlds are interconnected, like in Super Mario World. However the penguin suit is rather rare IIRC, you'd get it in Superstar Road, which is the last world in the game after beating Bowser. I loved the penguin suit in NSMBW. Not only does Mario look adorable as a penguin, but he also swims better and isn't affected by slippery surfaces. He can throw iceballs too.

@BruceCM Definitely no rush; there's plenty of time before winter sets in! We're just now getting into spring here.

@MarioLover92 The controls in NSMBU are indeed quite concise. I may also be biased since I enjoy the acorn power-up. XD I've heard about the penguin suit, but I'm not sure how I'd like that concept in execution. For Mario penguins, I think I'll stick with the inhabitants of Cool, Cool Mountain.

I remember playing a Phineas and Ferb DS game when I was a kid and I still stand by the fact it was one of the best 2D platformers I've ever played. It's like Klonoa in the sense that it's more 2.5D, with winding platforming segments, constantly changing powerups and expertly done puzzles. There was also a Candace meter where, if you got hit too many times, you would be sent to a minigame and, if Candace caught you before the time was up, you game over'd right there and then which I thought was awesome. I wish I could remember the name of it because god I'd love to watch playthroughs of it on Youtube. If there was ever a licensed game that I adored, it was that one.

If we are talking about licensed games, I think the best one I can pull from memory, is toy story 3, it was actually a very solid game, with a good toybox to, its level design was actually pretty good, and was able to re create the movie scenes well.

Dangerous it is to go alone. Take this.

@Tyranexx That's the scenario my old copy of Gold is in, I can still play it, but the save file deletes once it's turned off.

@MarioLover92 Me too, especially since Coco Mountain stands out to me because of its style on N64 and DS. I'm very curious what the picks are going to be for the next pack of tracks.

@Fizza Phineas and Ferb on DS was great, IIRC, the online service included allowed preset chat and achievements via Disney's website. I remember picking up the first Phineas and Ferb game day of release too. Really a fun platformer. Over a year later, I got the sequel, Phineas and Ferb: Ride Again. It gave me an achievement for having played the first game using the same service, lol. Loved both games.

@Snatcher Toy Story 3 was also a great one, I remember renting it back when rental stores were still a thing. I also remember renting WALL-E on Wii and playing it on a night when it was suppose to snow, but didn't, and also rented the movie. Enjoyed the game enough that I bought the game.

Yeah, seeing a mobile game shut down is possibly why I wish more character games came to console and PC. So far, haven't spent a penny on in-game purchases in mobile games because of losing Trolls Pop, I don't feel confident these games stay. Only exceptions seem to be games where it's pay once, have it forever. Like the Sonic 1, CD, and Crazy Taxi mobile ports.

I play Paladins and Apex, and they have been around for years as free to play games, they haven't gone offline for good, hence why I bought some skins in both. Trolls Pop on the other hand, only lasted a year when Trolls World Tour was still new. While it did have microtransactions, I remember Trolls Pop was generous with its rewards, I could play it without worry of hitting a limit. Do this more mobile games.

@Sunsy Wow, thats just how I ended up buying the game, played a wile I didn't rent it, I only had 2 hours with the game, I love it and bought it LOL.

And people wonder why mobile games get a bad rep, because of stuff like this, remember when we used to get actual good mobile games? sure they had micro, but even today some of those game are playable, my singing monsters, angry bird (Before they got greedy, really sad to see the path they when't) the mobile ports.

It was just before, people actually wanted to make a game, but on a mobile device, well, they sure did ruin that whole phase.

@Snatcher Yeah, I miss rentals, it was a good way to try a game out before buying it.

Yeah, I still remember flip phone games. I had Need for Speed Undercover on an old flip phone. Yeah it advertised the console and PC version, but it was still a fun game to play. Even had a Cars based game that played similar to Outrun. I remember flip phone games were similar to regular retail games, pay once and have it forever.

Actually, I got Angry Birds on 3DS, skipped the mobile version, lol.

I'll say, I still can't figure out why some games are online only. Trolls Pop required an Internet connection for a single player puzzle game. At least it was fair with rewards. Not once did I ever feel in a place where I had to spend money.

As for Paladins and Apex, I bought a skin for Evie and Skye in Paladins, and the Lifeline Edition of Apex (twice, once on PC and once on Switch). Bought those after a year of playing because I like the games, and both games are still around. Mobile games, I'm more worried I might not be able to play my favorite in a year from now.

@Sunsy If I recall, it can be resolved by swapping out the battery, but that involves opening up the cartridge. I'm not quite confident enough to do that without at least some supervision from someone more experienced lol.