Tag: Talking Point - Page 25
When $200 of credit can't replace $400 of downloaded games
As we've spoken about before, Nintendo's current attitude to downloadable games leaves quite a bit to be desired. The Nintendo Network ID system introduced with the Wii U is a step in the right direction, but the fact that purchases remain tied to a single piece of hardware is, in this day...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Nine
Play games and forget your worries
The weekend is here, which for most surely means relaxation and happy times; oh, and video games. No matter what the speculation or news getting the video game industry into a funk, we can always settle back into our favourite hobby to have a good time. As always, some of your humble Nintendo Life writers are...
Reaction The Rayman Legends Delay Is a Low Blow, But The Apocalypse Isn't Here
Remaining "exclusives" need to be secured, however
Let's get one key point out of the way, just so we've said it early. The delay of Rayman Legends feels, to many current and prospective Wii U owners, like a cynical cash-grab of a business move. There are good old "anonymous sources", apparently developers on the game, stating that it's practically...
Talking Point Wii U's Graphical Grunt is Laid Bare - Shall We Play Games Now?
As with Wii, developer talent and creativity will be vital
Today perhaps brings a little closure, for those inclined to allow such a thing, with details and analysis emerging of the Wii U's GPU. Since before its release Wii U has been scrutinised by some in terms of its graphical capabilities, and there are plenty of people who focus on that area...
Talking Point Gun Violence and Nintendo is an Unlikely Pairing
Not, perhaps, for a want of trying
Yesterday we directed your attention to an extensive investigative article on Eurogamer, exploring the links between the gun industry and video games. Most importantly, the focus wasn't just on subjective debates about the relationship between guns in games and those on the market, but also explored real,...
Talking Point The Legend of Zelda: Remakes of the Past
Majora's Mask 3D, anyone?
The recent announcement of The Wind Waker HD for Wii U was met with a great deal of excitement not just here on Nintendo Life, but across social networks and other websites. It's a title that has a passionate, loyal following, and the prospect of an enhanced version prompted plenty of conversations about just what...
Talking Point Nintendo's Lower Expectations Are No Surprise
Nintendo isn't doomed, though
Today Nintendo issued its third quarter financial results, showing where the company stands in terms of profits and sales. To get the positive out of the way and to avoid any confusion, the company is now projecting a net income profit of 14 billion Yen - over $150 million dollars at the time of writing. In summary,...
Talking Point The Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign's Advertising Role
Simple but effective
Among the many announcements in yesterday's Wii U Direct, only one had an immediate impact on console owners, with the Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign launching right after the broadcast. Balloon Fight is now available to download with some Wii U-exclusive features — which we'll get to later — and the release schedule...
Talking Point Wii U Direct - Tell Us What You Thought
Or just watch it again
So, Wii U Direct was quite a show from Iwata-san, wasn't it? While there's a tendency for gamers of all types to always want more, we feel confident in saying that Nintendo delivered plenty of announcements and news to intrigue and excite the majority. There were some genuine surprises in there, as well as big announcements...
Talking Point The Trends and Inconsistencies of Localisation
Predicting releases is getting tougher
Yesterday brought the news that Project X Zone is being localised and released in PAL regions and North America this summer. To many that would arguably be a surprise, as the title has endured a relative failure in Japan, culminating in a major price-cut. Yet recent years have taught us that predicting...
Talking Point The Blurred Lines of "Collectables" and On-Disc DLC
Are Skylanders and Disney Infinity pulling a Capcom, with toys?
Yesterday, before a maelstrom of date reveals and other news, the pricing emerged for Disney Infinity, which put parents and their bank managers on alert. It also instantly raised comparisons with the Skylanders series, now two games old, which despite differences in approach to the...
Talking Point Wii U's Beginnings and Challenges For 2013
Convincing sceptics is one
Recent sales figures and industry conversations have given us a fair old glut of analytical articles focused on Wii U in recent days. For a system that's barely a couple of months old, there's been a temptation in some quarters to either predict doom and a major loss of market share, or to put faith in Nintendo's...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - New Year Edition
The world didn't end, so let's play more games
So, wait, the Mayans weren't wrong, it was just crazy conspiratorial types and a lazy media that talked about the end of the world? Well hot damn, let's play some video games! Yes, 2013 is here, the world is still spinning, and we're all going to celebrate by playing games — not that we don't do that...
Talking Point The Emergence of Download-Only Retail Games
A subtle but important evolution
The past couple of weeks have brought a notable landmark for the 3DS eShop, even if it hasn't necessarily caused internet-shaking headlines or attracted a great deal of attention. Unchained Blades, an RPG that would typically be found in specialist gaming stores or online retailers, if you're lucky, was released by...
Talking Point Pokémon X & Y Provide a Timely Boost for 3DS in the West
The DS era is left behind
The biggest release on DS in 2012, and surely the runaway winner of practically every Game of the Year award specifically tailored for the older handheld, were the Pokémon Black & White 2 titles, tied together for the purposes of simplicity. Yet its announcement and release on the platform surprised a number of gamers...
Talking Point Nintendo's New Year Resolutions
Mario should probably lose some weight
So it's the start of a New Year, and is the ideal time to reflect on hopes for future success and on what can be done better. Nintendo had an exceptionally busy 2012, working hard to expand the 3DS user-base and releasing the XL hardware iteration, while also bringing us its new home console, Wii U. We can...
Talking Point Test Running Rayman Legends
The art of a good demo
Yesterday the demo for Rayman Legends arrived on the Wii U eShop in both Europe and North America, and a number of gamers who wanted this title at launch eagerly started the download. There are a few things to say about it, both in terms of the glimpse it gives us of the game and how it is, essentially, the epitome of a well...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Festive Edition
Ho-Ho-Holy moly that's a lot of games
Ah, the Holidays. A time of year when we all run out of money, fight tooth and nail through packed shopping malls and put on lots of weight. Festive greetings indeed, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, bah humbug and all that. Of course, we're only calling this the festive edition of WGAYPTW — let's see if that...
Talking Point The Wii U eShop Needs Patience
As did the 3DS eShop
In our most recent Talking Point that reflected on a potential shift in Nintendo Direct expectations, we described the attitude among many gamers — including us here at Nintendo Life — that demands new content as quickly as possible, a relentless ongoing compulsion for more news and games than we can handle. It's human...
Talking Point Time to Adjust Nintendo Direct Expectations
How many big reveals can there be?
It's easy to lose track of time in the helter-skelter video game industry, with games and exciting new projects that are merely months old already being so yesterday. We want the latest, hottest new games and announcements ten minutes ago, so stop telling us about old stuff, ok? For Nintendo gamers, the...
Talking Point Time for Wii U to Treat Us Like Adults
The nanny console
This week has brought us an interesting story about Wii U eShop restrictions that are limited to European consoles, but perhaps provide greater insight into the relationship between gamers and their new Nintendo systems. It came to light that what we initially thought was a botched parental control issue on the platform was...
Talking Point Selling the Wii U Concept - The GamePad and eShop
All part of a big package
So the Wii U system is now well and truly out in the wild, with Japan being the last major territory to join in. It may seem peculiar that Nintendo should satisfy its home country last, but judging from the area's consistently daunting sales of 3DS it's not likely to be a tough market to crack. North America and Europe —...
Talking Point Nintendo Shrinks Prices and Consoles
It's all about the money, mini, money
When we first reported the rumour of a Wii Mini, we made the mistake of including a slightly mocking tagline that referred to flying pigs. With the existing Wii models already selling at such low prices, the concept of Nintendo arranging the manufacturing, packaging and advertising for a new model this late in...
Talking Point Nintendo And The Third-Party Challenge
Can the Big N win over support for Wii U in the long run?
With Wii U finally available in North America and shortly on its way to European store shelves, Nintendo fans across the world seemingly have a lot to be happy about. At long last, we’ll be able to experience our favourite franchises in glorious high-definition, along with some high profile...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Eight
Where shall we start?
So, last time we ran one of these articles we suggested we'd try to get back to a fortnightly routine. That's one crazy aspiration too far, especially as Nintendo is intent on throwing interesting news, Nintendo Direct broadcasts and new HD consoles at us from all directions. Let's drop the promises, and say that we'll do these...
Talking Point The Nintendo Network ID's Next Big Step
Not quite fully “networked”, yet
We’ve praised the concept behind the Nintendo Network a fair bit here on Nintendo Life, and in various news posts and features we’ve stated or alluded to the fact that it could be the start of a bright new online era for Nintendo. To start this particular article on a positive point, there are plenty of...
Talking Point The Wii U eShop Could be a Developer's Dream
Nintendo hands over the reins
When it comes to download game platforms, Nintendo's had to evolve rapidly. The arrival of the DSi and Wii online stores brought the famous company into the realm of the download market for the first time; both services have produced a number of top-notch gaming experiences, and in some cases proved to be the making of...
Talking Point The Realities of Wii U System Memory Have Become Clear
The fridge will fill up quickly
Today's unexpected Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast gave us various details to frantically decipher and translate, ranging from confirmation that the Wii U GamePad won't have backward compatibility with WiiWare or Wii Virtual Console games, to some less intriguing information about parental controls. Another section...
Talking Point Life Without Wii U Achievements
Nintendo sticks to its guns
Nintendo isn't at all keen on mandatory, system-integrated achievements or trophies. The idea was ignored for Wii, while gamers with an Xbox 360 got used to notifications re-affirming their awesomeness for acts as simple as starting a new game, with their Gamerscore continually getting bigger with each accomplishment...
Reaction Wii U's Social Potential Takes Shape
A bold new direction for Nintendo
With just 11 days until Wii U arrives in North America — at the time of writing — it's perhaps surprising that substantial details on Nintendo's online services have taken so long to emerge. That said, it's not unprecedented, as Nintendo often likes to keep its cards close to its chest, withholding details and...
Talking Point Wii U and the Importance of Backward Compatibility
Long live the Wii
In future years, maybe even in a matter of weeks, there's likely to be plenty written about Wii and its lifespan, with judgements made on its strengths and weaknesses. The list of negatives is fairly predictable: it was underpowered, with motion controls that brought an unrelenting wave of sub-par games, it struggled for major...
Talking Point Games That Need Wii U - World of Warcraft
Or maybe this one's a game that Wii U needs?
We’ve highlighted the importance of having well-established franchises on Wii U. We’ve also indicated how vital it is for Wii U to be open to new ideas and intellectual properties. This time, we’re saying that in order for Wii U to keep in-line with the competition, exceed it in fact, then it needs...
Talking Point The Challenges When Writing About Games
Harder than it sounds
Various members of the Nintendo Life writing team will have seen one major issue clogging up their Twitter timelines in the past 24 hours, and it revolved around questions at the forefront of what we do: writing about video games. Video game writers often debate the whole practice of what you see on this site and many others,...
Talking Point Affordable Consoles Come at a Cost
There are no easy answers
Earlier this week we reported on the news that Foxconn, manufacturer for many of the world’s biggest technology companies, employed under-age interns to work on Wii U manufacturing. Foxconn admitted that it had employed 14-16 year old school attendees and stated that it had “apologized to each of the students for our...
Talking Point Games That Need Wii U - Dishonored
Choose how you play
Wii U owners will know what it means to be an assassin after Ubisoft introduces us to Connor in Assassin’s Creed III later this year. However, while this native American is more adept with Tomahawks and muskets, Arkane Studios has other plans. Doing his work in a Steampunk inspired Victorian London, this particular assassin...
Talking Point Games That Need Wii U - Resident Evil 6
A much needed second chance
As great as Nintendo’s first-party efforts are, Wii U is going to have a reliance on its third-party support. Nintendo certainly recognises that and has already drawn franchises like FIFA, Call of Duty, Mass Effect and Assassin’s Creed to its cause. However, as encouraging as that is, it’s still not enough. The...
Talking Point Nintendo Takes One Step Forward, One Back With Retail Downloads
It's not quite right, yet
During last week's Nintendo Direct broadcast in Europe, one eShop announcement that received relatively little fanfare was confirmation that a number of additional first-party titles were being made available on the platform. These titles stretch back to the earliest months of the system: now available on the European eShop...
Talking Point Nintendo's Focus on the 3DS eShop
Gaming on a budget
This week’s European Nintendo Direct prompted the usual range of predictions before the event, ranging from optimistic but unlikely hopes to pessimism and predictability. What Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata gave us, surprisingly, was a broadcast heavy with eShop exclusives, some new and surprising and others with...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Seven
It's back
Earlier this week, in a peculiar moment of a united group consciousness, the Nintendo Life team exclaimed as one: "hey, what happened to the weekend gaming features?" What did happen? Nintendo and video games happened, with enough Wii U madness — including a little bit of 3DS — and expos to distract us from our fortnightly duties of...
Talking Point The Possibilities of New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC
More Mario per system
We’re well aware that some of you may read the headline and tagline for this article and immediately think that we’re losing our minds, foolishly allowing ourselves to be suckered into paying more and more for our Mario fix. That’s a danger of course, which we’ll come to, but with this week’s first batch of New Super...
Talking Point Five Reasons to Buy a Wii U
If you need them
We don't always say why we write certain features, or what prompts them, but in this case we'll make an exception. As anyone based in the UK is likely to already know, tabloid newspaper The Sun published a list of five reasons not to buy a Wii U. Of course it's perfectly reasonable to go that way when weighing up the pros and cons...
Talking Point Are Wii U Games Going To Be Too Expensive?
At $60 a pop, can the Wii U really provide value for money?
In an age where many gamers are getting their entertainment for free via either 'freemium' smartphone titles or free-to-play web services, it should hardly be a massive shock to learn that there are some individuals out there that believe big-budget home console releases are a dying breed;...
Talking Point The Future of Professor Layton
A puzzle yet to be solved
Thanks to its unique control interface and dual-screens, the DS generation has paved the way for some of the most diverse games ever committed to cartridge, perhaps none more so than the Professor Layton series. Ask a number of people ten years ago whether they would be interested in playing a game that tasks you with...
Talking Point The Importance of the Wii U Press Event
Battle for the limelight
This Thursday’s Wii U press event is a big deal for Nintendo. Well, let’s assume it is, as a loose teaser for future reveals may cause too much fan anguish to control: we’re talking mass hysteria and riots on the streets. Joking aside, we’re 99% confident that Nintendo’s going to hit us with at least two big pieces...
Talking Point Wii U and the Next Generation of Consoles
Getting there first
Wii U is getting ever closer, with a press conference scheduled for this week that’s expected to include details such as the system's price and a launch date. It’s possible to argue that Nintendo has been playing it too slowly in terms of building hype for Wii U, but that’s the company’s style in recent years when...
Talking Point Miiverse and Social Networking
Bringing gamers together
In the past week, two particular news items and events have made us think about the future role of Miiverse on Wii U, and why it could be vitally important to the system. On the one hand, Satoru Iwata spoke to Kotaku to explain that Miiverse will be a ”social graph” for gamers, highlighting that the service will aim to...
Talking Point The Rules for Violence in Video Games
Are there rules?
Just yesterday we reported that Outdoors Unleashed: Africa 3D arrives in the North American eShop this week, an arcade shooter where the targets are assorted wildlife from the plains of the African continent. We also wrote the following: While your opinions on the merits of game hunting in Africa undoubtedly vary, we're slightly...
Talking Point Challenges for the Future of Nintendo Gaming
Evolving with the industry
Recently we attended the Turing technology festival in Edinburgh, and in particular an event called Gaming@Turing. You know why we attended that one, of course. The focus of the event was to look at the future of gaming from a number of different perspectives, put forward by five experienced speakers from within the...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Six
It's all golden
Despite initially calling this issue number five in this series, when it's clearly number six, we return with another update to share our weekend gaming plans with you. In the past we've quipped about topical sporting events, but there's nothing interesting enough this time around. That's just as well, as rather than sit in our...
Reaction Nintendo's Steady Start in Retail Downloads
It’s only half of the picture
Earlier today we reported that Satoru Iwata had given loose figures for retail downloads in Japan, which started alongside the launch of 3DS XL on 28th July. Speaking to Wall Street Journal, Iwata-san stated that New Super Mario Bros. 2 retail downloads account for 5% of sales in Nintendo’s homeland, but provided...
