Abighoul

@shani I mean, "use a smartphone app" is Nintendo's solution for everything else on the Switch

Even in that picture, if he'd taken the joycons off, it would barely be sticking out at all. Though I don't understand people who put bulky things in their back pockets anyway.

But yeah, with the joycons off, it's roughly the size of a 3DSXL or a thicker iPad Mini. I've already tested it out with a cardboard model and it can fit reasonably well in most of the pants I wear regularly.

How often are you going to be playing for more than twenty hours at a time without a three hour break in between?

The messaging on the two different grips could definitely have been clearer, but come on. If you really can't wait an hour after you get the Switch to start playing, you can plug the AC adapter into the Switch and play it in portable mode.

The Switch has five games on day one in America and Europe, six in Japan. That's in line with most of their consoles. The Famicom launched with Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., and Popeye. The Game Boy had five games on day one in North America when it launched in July, and by the end of that year it only had one more. Super Famicom had two games, SNES had five. N64 launched with two games in America.

On the other hand, the Gamecube had twelve games on day one in North America, twenty-one in Europe. The Wii U had about thirty games on launch day. The NES had a lot of games when it launched in America since it had two years of Famicom games to pull from, but that was a more gradual release and you'd be hard pressed to find a store that actually stocked all of them on launch day.

Having a lot of games on day one says nothing about the future success of a system. It also doesn't guarantee that any of those games are going to be good — the 3DS had about a dozen games on day one, and yet its launch was so disastrous that Nintendo had to issue a formal apology.

Looking at this lineup for the year after Zelda, I already see about a dozen more games that I'm definitely interested in and will probably buy if I have money, and about a half dozen more that I'm going to keep an eye on. That's not a bad start considering we only just started this week finding out what games are on it.

I remade the whole game a while ago but compressing each world into a level. Then two of them got deleted without any explanation and I didn't make copies of them before uploading them so I'd have to remake them by hand. Screw that.

(first two are still up if you wanna see them: https://supermariomakerbookmark.nintendo.net/courses/E26F-0000-00E9-B03E https://supermariomakerbookmark.nintendo.net/courses/6C99-0000-00F4-B47E )

Oh, nice, I like this style. I have one on my phone that's like this. Def adding this to my picross pile.

I mean, based on what we knew, it wasn't an unreasonable assumption that a controller that a Wii or Wii U recognized as a Classic Controller would work on the NES Mini, considering Classic Controllers work on it and Nintendo has never used technology to block third-party controllers on any of their consoles. Would have been a good idea to test them out on actual hardware before release, but if Nintendo wasn't providing any prerelease Minis, were third parties all supposed to skip release date on the off-chance that Nintendo would, without any announcement, start checking for some DRM they apparently put in their controllers ten years ago that's laid dormant and unused for two entire console generations?

I want to know what's going on here. Like, why even let people use first-party Classic Controllers, even programming the console to recognize the Home button as Reset, when you put the ports so close together that Player 1 can't use a Classic Controller without physically modifying the plug? Why lie and say that the NES controllers can't be used on a Wii or Wii U but never mention that the NES Mini only takes first-party controllers?

All they're saying is they're not going to completely drop all support for an established proven console on the very first day that they launch a weird new one. Obviously the eventual plan is for the Switch platform to take over everything, just like they weren't actually going to keep the DS and Game Boy both around forever and just like they weren't going to keep making controllers with three handles — either the analog stick was going to catch on or they'd have to go back to the D-pad for the console after the N64. But right now, the first goal is to see it as a home console and become only the second Nintendo home console ever to sell more than its predecessor.

I definitely see them making more SKUs and models in the future with the same architecture — Iwata's plan was a hardware future that looks more like Apple's, a bunch of different sizes and models for different needs, all running the same software. Putting out a more portable, durable, kid-friendly model of the Switch that fits better in a pocket would make a lot of sense in a year or two. Maybe even throw in 3DS backward compatibility if the parts are cheap enough (or it might be able to emulate it? If it can handle Gamecube emulation, 3DS wouldn't be too far off, would it?).

Of course it's a touch screen. The same sources that told us hybrid dockable tablet with detachable side controllers with the D-pad split into separate buttons told us 720p 6-inch touch screen. They didn't show any games using it because this trailer was laser-focused on the thesis of "this is a brand new device that lets you play actual full AAA console games anywhere you go" and console games use buttons (a huge advantage the Switch has over tablets). The only place to show touch controls would have been in UI, which would have distracted from the main point (we'd all be dissecting that like "does it have 3g? is that a calendar? does it have an app store? is it android?" when it's not meant to be a tablet replacement) and probably isn't finalized anyway. There'll be other trailers later showing Art Academy and more mobile-type games, but the point of this trailer is "yes this is a real game console that plays real games" just like the point of the initial NX announcement alongside the DeNA announcement was "we are still making actual game consoles; we're not just doing Angry Birds."

I hate that I live in a country where you have to make a perfect Super Metroid sequel to have any hope of paying for necessary medical care. And now I definitely need to buy this game.

Okay first of all it was really stupid of Nintendo to make a game that completely changed the formula of a series and then IMMEDIATELY start development on another entry that doubles down on all those changes without giving themselves any time to gauge our reaction to those changes. Color Splash is going to be a better version of Sticker Star, but that's still not Paper Mario.

And then the idea that Paper Mario is going to be differentiated from Mario & Luigi now by removing the RPG elements and focusing on puzzle-solving... Mario & Luigi has always been more puzzle-based than Paper Mario. The entire overworld gameplay in M&L games is just getting new Bros. Moves to solve new puzzles and unlock new areas, while Paper Mario mixed in fetch quests and dialogue trees and story sequences (Also, the puzzle-solving in Paper Mario games didn't just come from new moves, like Mario & Luigi or Banjo-Kazooie — it came from new characters!).

What differentiated the two series before was that Paper Mario games could take themselves seriously — they always had a sense of humor, but they didn't run entirely on Rule of Funny like Mario & Luigi games do. Mario & Luigi would never have a character who lost her brother years ago in the shady fight club she works at, or a character who has locked himself in his house because he's mourning his dead wife, or a character who wanted to destroy the universe because he lost his lover and then is reunited with her in the end. In Mario & Luigi, everything has to be a joke (though sometimes the final boss all of a sudden gets super dark out of nowhere in the last ten minutes of the game). In Paper Mario, it never gets gritty and depressing and cynical, but there are some dramatic moments.

Sticker Star had the tone of a Mario & Luigi game — everything is a joke, until suddenly on the final boss we throw something dramatic in and it doesn't really work because it completely clashes with the rest of the game. Color Splash looks like it's going to be the same.

Okay, did people actually read the article and look at the links? Because yeah, legally speaking, this is equivalent to Doom using licensed sound effects, but come on. This isn't making a game that uses some licensed assets, this isn't even licensing a bunch of Unity assets and compiling them together into one thing like XBLIG games — this is licensing a game and just releasing it with virtually no modifications.

No amiibo costumes is stupid. I guess they want to keep that feature on the Wii U to try and still sell some copies on there, but wouldn't they have a better chance of selling New 3DSs? They need to at least have one basic Mystery Mushroom costume just for the gameplay functionality of having Super status while being one block tall.

Go really sucks if you don't live in a city.

The non-binary option made me really happy. But then the game froze for thirty seconds any time an NPC had a "!" appear over their head, and it crashed when I tried to use an attack in my first battle. Eh. From what I've heard, the difficulty balancing is really frustrating and unfun after the first couple gyms anyway.

Should've made it a game inspired by Pokémon (most of the mons were original anyway). Could have still capitalized on the free publicity from everyone knowing it was originally a fangame, like Legend Maker.

i love what i've played of it but i wish it didn't suck so much when you don't live in a city

There need to be more Pokémon in rural areas. The lack of stops and gyms out here is understandable because there's nothing here, but there's lots of tall grass here — that should have Pokémon in it! This is where Pokémon would logically be if they existed! I walked 5km last week to hatch an egg and all I saw the whole time was a Weedle. One Weedle. That's insane. (though it kept saying there was a Jigglypuff three paw prints away from me the whole way back; probably behind some of the No Tresspassing signs that line the road the whole way down)

They should put a microphone behind the cartridge slot and make it so every once in a while you have to flip the slot open and blow in it to get a game to start.

Really wish it could play cartridges like the Genesis one does. Still pretty neat.

Also I have a feeling this isn't going to retail for the $150 it would cost to buy all those games on the VC... any chance VC prices might finally be going down a bit next generation?

From my experience it does seem like some GBA games are getting to the point where they don't hold a save anymore, and I don't think that can be fixed — on the GB/C, they used a battery save and the battery on the cartridge can be replaced to get another ten years out of it, but GBA carts used flash memory. So really your best option now if you're looking at games that need save files is emulation, either through the Wii U VC, a flashcart on a DS Lite or Game Boy Player, or whatever.

If all you want is something that plays GBA games (but not GB and GBC games) on a bright but stretched-out screen, wouldn't you be better off with a DS Lite?

The idea in the article is interesting, but the problem is we know Breath of the Wild is on the NX, and an affordable handheld sold at a profit without a subscription model releasing nine months from now wouldn't be able to handle that. So you end up having to say there's multiple SKUs and certain games only work with certain SKUs, which kinda defeats the whole purpose of fusing console and handheld in the first place.

If they do Download Play, it would actually be cheaper now to do a four-player 3DS game than a Wii U one — four 2DSes and a copy of the game comes out to $360 ($440 if you also buy an amiibo adapter for each player), while a Wii U, three remotes (assuming player one can be on the gamepad), and a game would be $480 ($520 if you need four remotes; $560 if you need Pro Controllers).

Actually even without Download Play it'd still be cheaper than a Wii U game that needs four remotes.

A company that only makes video games can't compete directly with global multimedia conglomerates that can afford to take massive losses in their video game divisions. And there's just not enough room alongside PC, Playstation, and Xbox for a fourth expensive box that has the same games.

Making a console that's unique and has its own niche and is affordable enough to be bought alongside a mainstream console is a workable strategy. The Wii U tried to half-ass both sides (are we allowed to say ass on here?).

@dadajo Same. I've already given them $100 between backing them on Kickstarter (got the box, manual, and CD), buying the game again on 3DS, and buying the amiibo, but I'm probably gonna buy a PC copy too by the time this is done.

If buying the thing also counts for turning off microtransactions, like spending $30 on Pokemon Picross does, then that's not super unreasonable I guess, but if it's $35 for a blinking light and then you also have to pay for Great Balls, that's ridiculous.

@Ernest_The_Crab Sticker Star sold a bit more than Thousand-Year Door (just over 2 million vs just under 2 million), but on a console with three times the install base (~20 million Gamecubes sold vs ~60 million 3DSes sold). Thousand-Year Door is the best-selling Paper Mario in terms of attach rate — about 8% of all Gamecube owners bought it, while the other three Paper Mario games all hit about 4%.

@NintenBo No, Super Paper Mario was still in that tradition. There's only been one released Paper Mario game that didn't even try to have a story or characters or worldbuilding or be anything like an actual RPG (though it's seeping into M&L too now). SPM is Paper Mario as an action RPG. And regardless of how long it's been, I'm allowed to be upset about my favorite game series being killed. If F-Zero was a rhythm game now, we'd be allowed to be upset about not getting a real F-Zero game just like we are now when there's just been no games with the F-Zero name.

I really want Waluigi, but it'd be the first time i've gotten an amiibo that doesn't work with any of my games (I already have the Waluigi costume in Mario Maker, and I'm not buying Ultra Smash unless they finish making it)

Meh. From what we've seen so far, best case scenario is it's Sticker Star with less annoying gameplay, which still isn't a Paper Mario game.

First amiibo with flexible parts? Have you seen Marth's sword?

First with intentionally flexible parts i guess

But that's the thing — it's been over a year. Games typically don't just get new DLC out of nowhere after over a year of nothing, especially a first-party game on a console that's going to be replaced in nine months (we're closer to the NX launch than to the last MK8 DLC coming out).

Yes it's possible, but the people acting like not only is this absolute proof of new DLC, but that we know for certain now that it's going to be a Splatoon track are going to be very disappointed, and Nintendo has done enough actual things to disappoint us (Color Splash) that we shouldn't be making up new BS things to be disappointed about. If I'm wrong, I'll be very pleasantly surprised — the MK8 DLC is the best Nintendo's ever done. If the people obsessing over this tweet are wrong, they're going to get pissed at Nintendo for no reason.

opening an e3 miiverse community in a year where they're not announcing anything at e3 was a bad idea

@lighteningbolt79 It's a picture of a Mario Kart game. The post uses people's nostalgia for MK64 to plant the idea in their head that they should buy the new Mario Kart. Advertising is about awareness, not making reasoned logical arguments.

It's possible this was meant to be a cryptic hint, but it's much more likely that the team that made MK8's DLC isn't back together (or if they are, they're working on MK9 — the NX is only 9 months away, after all) and this is just a maybe-not-perfectly-composed social media post. Let's not set ourselves up for more disappointment than we need to.

Pretty sure they just mean that you have to wait at the train crossing when you play that track. The MK8 hashtag is because that's the most recent/most expensive entry in the series so it's the best one to advertise.

@Socar They've done Mario Galaxy and NSMBWii trading cards in the past. Both of them included one little cardboard stand-up character and I think a thing of temp tattoos in each pack

@Drezus
Seriously, I really don't see how it could be that difficult for them to store the old values of the variables and then when you load a replay, it loads the values associated with the version number that replay was made with. The only potential problem I see would be exploits that let you get back into the game with those values, but again, it would be pretty trivial to add multiple points where it checks that your variables are current, especially while connecting to online play. I don't know how Smash in particular was programmed, but it really doesn't seem like it should be a problem for them.

@Pokefanmum82 If you bought it less than a year ago, it's under warranty, and something like that would probably be totally covered. If it's out of warranty, they'll charge a bit (I think it's generally about half the price of a new one), but when you get something repaired by Nintendo, you then have a full one-year warranty from the date of the repair, so it's basically like getting a new one. Definitely worth looking into.

I have a cat named Spicy and I wanted to name a Skitty after her but the profanity filter won't allow it because it can't tell that I'm not using the first four characters as a racial slur. If they fix that for this gen (maybe just have an exception list of common words that have otherwise-banned strings in them?), I'm getting Litten, but otherwise I'm pretty torn between all three.

I don't understand why we can't have friend codes. It would be nice to have the option to post a number or username or QR that lets people request me without me having to give them any real-life contact information.

Honestly I'm surprised it took this long to find an exploit in Citizens of Earth. It's a fun charming game and all, but its programming is clearly pretty messy.

If I were Nintendo/TPC, I feel like I'd want to save this for E3 just so there's something to show, but eh

@Sakura I could use them

Miitomo is really fun if you have friends and you don't come to it expecting it to be Mario Galaxy 3.

@Toincoss
if you don't wanna read articles saying "here's a thing you could buy that I think is good" maybe a video game review site isn't the best place to hang out

I mean at least the lines will be short

So E3 is going to be entirely focused on a game that's not coming out until after this Christmas?

WAAAAH IF MY BIKINI GIRL HAS TO BE 18 INSTEAD OF 17 THIS GAME IS WORTHLESS BLAAAARGH!!

i hate gamer culture so much

It's pretty dumb that someone who bought the entire NES and Game Boy library on VC would only get 40 coins (Earthbound Beginnings and Pokémon).

Also I actually miss the surveys. I liked being able to tell Nintendo about how bad Sticker Star was.