I genuinely love how doofy that Mario image is. It's been forever since I've seen something that dorky. I love it.
@Darth_Spriggan Have you checked out the Elves 2 Pro from Bulikit? One of the options is an A-B and X-Y button swap.
I recently picked one up for my Switch 2, and I love it. It feels pretty solid, and has the ability to switch between Windows, Mobile (iOS/Android) and, well, Switch. It just can't wake the Switch 2, like it's normal, Elves 2 brethren, but I think the pros are worth that one trade-off.
@Zeebor15 I'm not complaining. I've been a fan of the Dragon Quest Builders series since day 1, and I immediately recognized the DQB2 engine when the trailer started (Koei Tecmo helped develop the second entry, not the first.)
If this has half the features already present in DQB2, I will be incredibly happy indeed.
@ShieldHero Heavily recommend Fantasy Life i. I've been meaning to get Guardians of Azuma, but FLi has kind of taken over my gaming life so I have no real reason to lmao
Just don't go in expecting deep farming mechanics. I like the Farming life just fine, but the only thing you really upgrade is how much damage (so to speak) you do while harvesting vegetables. The rest of the game is an absolutely time sink, though.
@Lizuka Being a very long time Bokujo Monogatari fan-- I started with Harvest Moon SNES back when it was relevant, and have gotten most of the games since!
At some point, I picked up Winds of Anthos out of curiosity and hearing good things about it, and I genuinely enjoyed it. I wouldn't go back and touch the earlier Natsume-only HM games, but on a decent sale, I'd easily recommend Anthos.
There was a BNM/HM PSP/PS2 spinoff game, Innocent Life, and it's one of my favorites in the series because of how much it played with the formula: A heavier emphasis on plot, no marriage candidates, for plot related reasons, gameplay experimentation like field crystals for various effects and some pretty lengthy exploration, with the game not expecting you to return to your home before the day's end, giving you a tent and a vehicle (eventually.)
The exploration in Anthos reminds me so much of that last aspect, and I love it-- enough I bought the camping DLC for cheap.
I think the thing that irks me the most is how short some of the songs are. I just muted the music and listened to the ambient noise at some point.
Considering my long history with Mossmouth games (I've been playing Spelunky since the first release in 2008!,) I want this sooo bad. I was holding off on a Switch release before grabbing it.
More idle curiosity, but do we know how Switch 2 compatible it is?
I don't condone piracy, but I do condone being free to do what you want with your electronics that you paid for.
After a console's life is dead and done, it's much better for the environment to find something new and novel to do with it, rather than shove it off into a corner gathering dust, until it's another casualty in an eWaste pile.
In another few years, my Switch will probably join my other modded electronics who have served their time, and whose digital storefronts have come and gone. I'm naturally curious, love tinkering with things, and I love poking at what the homebrew scene has come up with.
It's best to give it a second life rather than let it waste away.
@Serpenterror What info do you have on said GOG release? I'm curious, because I've been a customer since they've launched (I really wanted a way to support rescued Abandonware games,) and this is the first time I've heard about it. PCGamingWiki doesn't list a GOG release either, though they'll usually keep delisted releases up after they're taken down.
And I really, really hope they walk this back to more of a Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed sequel. TSR was fine, but I genuinely love Transformed more than Mario Kart, and we played a ton of multiplayer Transformed on our Wii U. More than Mario Kart 8, even.
I genuinely like the items, as they're less luck based and more skill based, even though some are a little 1:1 with Mario Kart's items. Nothing like a Blue Shell, though-- homing is capped to an item equivalent to the Red Shell, where it homes onto next place.
The tracks are a blast to play. Afterburner's stage is the most fun stage I've ever driven in a Kart racing game.
I'm also a fan of the single player campaign mode. Not really story based, but it was fun to have something to do other than race the same courses all the time. Stuff like bonus stages with unique goals, I want that back.
@DarkTron Arguably, Pokémon's biggest influences are Mother (share a pool of devs, no surprise) and SaGa GB/Final Fantasy Legend, then Dragon Quest. Seriously, long post, but having played both, SaGa GB's mechanics are almost identical.
FFL/SaGa GB has four races, and one of these is a recruitable race called Monsters. These transform, though not necessarily linearly, by eating Meat dropped by enemies after battle, and can become even stronger Monsters.
SaGa also has limits to every single item, equipment, or ability found ingame. Three out of four recruitable races and equip some combo of any of these three, but Monsters are limited only to Abilities.
Unlike Items or Equipment, which eventually break, Abilities can have their uses recharged when sleeping at an Inn. Each move has their own use pool, unlike most Final Fantasy's traditional magic point system where the point pool is shared amongst all moves, but exactly like Pokémon's PP setup.
There is also an elemental weakness/resistance system, with the ability to be strong against, weak against, or just completely ignore the damage of an Ability.
Lastly, the stats are almost-identical between SaGa GB/FFL and Pokémon Gen 2, after the Special split:
Mana (SaGa GB)/Special Attack (Pkmn): The strength of Magic based attacks.
The only thing missing is direct Magic Defense, IIRC. Pokémon Gen I's Special stat covers both, but Gen 2 split both into separate stats, making Mana only similar to Gen 2's Special Attack stat.
The only real difference here is that Monsters can't grow their stats by levelling up, only by evolving into newer monsters. However, another recruitable race, the Mutants, have their stats grow after levelling up, and are limited to only four Ability slots.
If you combine Monsters on-the-nose stylings and evolutions with Mutants stat level ups and ability slot limitations, than congratulations, we have something functionally identical to Pokémon's monster mechanics.
I hate to be pedantic, but Eight Melodies here is from Mother 1 or Earthbound Beginnings, and is based on the arrangement from the Mother 1 vocal tracks album. I have a copy; it's one of my favorite video game music recordings ever, and Eight Melodies should be in my Christmas playlist this year, now that I think about it.
It's over-compressed and really hard on my ears. I can hear what it's trying to be, but it just doesn't let itself fade into or be quiet, instead brickwalling everything. With a new age sound like this, that is a really bad idea. Soft knee compressors would've been a better choice here, and used sparingly.
Speaking as someone who has played a lot of Ys games, and I'd consider myself a fan of the series...
On the list? Ys VIII. Really fun ARPG with solid gameplay, music, story, and characters.
Ys IX was fine, but a little bit of a downer mood. I appreciate the forays into a Gothic setting and trying to expand one major city into a massive hubworld that can be explored more later, but the characters are a little too cliche, and the setting is overall drab.
OG Ys III is a lot of fun too, and really overlooked at the time it was released.
Off the list, I'd throw Felghana in there. Both Ys IVs were great games, but I love the exploration added to Oath, the song remixes are fantastic, and we finally have a definitive version of IV.
Now I just need Nordics. It's on my radar, just not yet added to my backlog.
I mean, not my favorite, but I'll definitely miss it. Glad it's getting an offline version, though it feels a like it'd be a little empty with zero online features. How am I supposed to show my caravan off to my friends?
Besides that, this news is making me sweat bullets about FEH. It certainly seems like it's fine, but I've probably sunk more hours than I should admit to into that game. It's likely one of my top played, if not the to played mobile app for me.
I'm concerned about all the people getting not only upset by a perfectly playable game, but, against all good logic and reason, using it to further their anti-AI agenda.
I'm not even pro-AI, I'm genuinely cautious about it, but even I know this isn't what happened with this game.
It's not like AI to make spelling mistakes. Grammar, for sure, but even basic trained AI translation tools nowadays don't make spelling mistakes.
Plus if it was AI translated, it'd lack the internal logic and cohesion this translation has. I've played a small amount, but it seems like terms and other errata are always translated to a standard guideline they have written somewhere.
AI wouldn't be able to keep track of name logic and standards, especially amongst small amounts of unrelated text everywhere.
If you want a game with an obvious machine translation to be upset over, go look at the Princess Maker releases.
@Nuclearpineapple Exactly. Kind of like The Orz in The Ur Quan Masters, who speak English, but are translating untranslatable ideas, so some of it is plain wonky. Happy Campers, anyone? That's what it makes me think of, just quirky English translating from another, almost alien culture and mindset.
An imperfect translation isn't the same as a bad translation. Honestly, it's good enough for me to understand it, and I've seen far worse than even Zero Wing's translation in my day. At least Denpa Man's translation is just quirky and fun.
@RygelXVIII Honestly, that's the site's duty. They should forbid selling to a region that the rights aren't clearly delineated in, but at least in the US, it looks like they were legal, free and clear.
As I live in the US, I can't really check and see if musicnotes.com permits selling in regions without such licensing laws. I'd love to investigate that, but c'est la vie.
@sanderev So? Sonic Mania started from an engine, Retro Engine, that Whitehead was developing as a fan project concept with a S3&K port, and was only picked up as official after the fact.
There's literally no difference in these two stories, save company and end product.
Same for Sheet Music Boss. There are systems for handling covers and arrangements in the US, without directly contacting the owner of the music in the first place. A third party will typically handle paying the correct owner their cut for you, though I haven't had much reason to use such systems myself.
Looking up Sheet Music Boss, the website they chose to upload to is registered with the MPA, musicnotes.com, and has been in business for 20+ years. It looks legitimate enough for me.
In that regard, I choose to believe that Sheet Music Boss is correct in saying that they correctly licensed their music, at least, for US distribution.
While I'm not too well versed in mechanical licensing for covers and arrangements, I do know that such a system exists in the US.
You don't necessarily need to contact the original owners in question, but rather a representative who will pay them their share for you. It really is that simple.
I know offhand, because Hal Leonard offers such a service, though I've never had cause to use it.
I choose to believe that the Sheet Music Boss people went through such channels in the US.
@sanderev Honestly, the only thing you should know is that Sonic Mania isn't the only case. Off the top of my head, Capcom did it as well, providing support in developing a free fangame, Street Fighter x Megaman. Capcom personally handled funding, QA, and marketing and let the developer develop.
Even free, a fangame receiving official support hasn't only happened to Sonic Mania.
@Tobiaku Sorry, but you just said "White dudes don't mind playing games for white dudes." Like, duh?
Senran Kagura and DOA are made for the horny male gaze. While I enjoy playing the DOA fighting games, they're not what I'd call positive women's representation.
The way you said "plus a black dude that you don't play as." He has a name my dude. It's Zack, and he is an amazingly fun, Muay Thai fighter.
But none of these are examples of representation. They're stereotypes made for a specific demographic.
I'm not saying you need to play games you don't like, either, but their existence doesn't serve to attack the anti-woke crowd. Just don't buy them if you don't like them.
@JohnnyMind A detail I've always loved about the American box art is that it's not generic fantasy art. If you've played the game, all these are weapons that are found in it, done with care to the original designs.
If you haven't and aren't familiar with the series, then it's just intriguing enough that you'd want to pick it up.
It's not just another Serious American boxart at the time, that did its best to genericize the content. This was done with love for the game.
I say this as a huge Toriyama art fan, someone who's glad Sand Land finally got its due, with a game and anime after a couple decades, and for whom Chrono Trigger is one of my absolute favorite games:
The North American one. Sure, I'm a huge softie for Toriyama's work, but the Japanese box would only interest those already familiar with his work. There's no dynamic action scene going on, like what Chrono Trigger would offer with lots of its concept art, or the many of-the-moment scenes he was also capable of.
The game is doing a good job displaying its cast of characters, but none of their personality. Nothing that makes them who they are.
The copy and pasted dragon in the back bothers me, too. Like I get it, symmetry, but why not draw the same thing with different details or a different pose? They did that with both versions jobs in the art, so why is it the dragon that's copy and pasted?
The North American one lacks human character-- literally. But looking at all the details in the image, someone put their heart into painting this.
It's not just a generic fantasy painting. All sorts of weapons from the game are in this picture. Whoever did it clearly did their research and represented what was in it. I mean, Lodos'/Erdrick's sword is dead center of the frame, with the golden, scored hilt with the red jewel inset.
So is Zombiesbane, the sword with the robin's egg blue jewel inset into its blade's tip.
I also see the Headsman's axe, front and to our right. The axe with the green dragon head on top.
All these are weapons found in the game, and rendered with consideration and care for their original designs.
So, for me, the North American one is the better one. Not only is it more intriguing to someone outside the franchise, for whom most box art is meant for, but it's a beautiful painting done with love for the original work.
@Zeebor15 Four live action including the new one, though that number is bumped up to 8 if you include Direct to Video home releases. At least, last I recalled.
I love SaGa. I didn't like Unlimited SaGa back in the day, but knowing more of the mechanics now, I should give it another shot.
My favorites are Romancing SaGa II & III, and SaGa 2/FFL2. I adore Minstrel Song on the PS2, and it was a great game to get lost in, but I personally wouldn't recommend it as anyone's first SaGa game.
@iaLgan He didn't unlawfully take money from any accounts, though. The money was given freely and willfully by the people who possessed it, in exchange for services rendered.
Not a fan of said rendered services, but it's not harming anyone. Doubly so, since Pokémon has modification checks now.
In my humble opinion, this is worthy of a ban from all Pokémon related events and services, not jailtime.
@Anti-Matter While fanworks are in a gray area, they aren't strictly illegal. They only fall into legal trouble if they are directly using assets from the IP they're making a fanwork off of.
Ergo, not all fangames are illegal.
Those "nonofficial contents," are actually legal, as they are original work by the person or group in question.
You can't copyright ideas, so, say, if someone made a game that heavily borrows from Pokémon's mechanics, but uses none of its assets or even the branding, it'd still be legal.
So all the new monsters in, say, Uranium or mashups in Infinite Fusion are legal, as they are original works by the creators.
In contrast, the use of the Pokémon name and monsters belong to Pokémon aren't okay, but using the mechanics with your own designs and work is.
Either way, it's a rather disheartening situation.
I mean, as someone who's played since the original NES release, normally it's a mix up between V, IX, XII, and XV, since we typically go by mainstream titles.
But if we're including side games, Dissidia 012 is still one of my favorite fighting games of all time. Something about how atmospheric it is, and how fun the chase and aerial combat sequences are. Plus how tightly integrated each of its, in hindsight, esoteric reward systems are. Just getting daily Mognet mail made my day.
Tactics Advance because it innovated so much on the original. Sure the Judge system is a hit or miss, but at least you have the Jagds if you need a break from it. I still need to play A2.
Lightning Returns. I didn't enjoy the rest of XIII (not for lack of trying,) but I thought LR was a genuinely fun sidegame that tried to do something different, and I appreciate it for that.
Lastly, World of Final Fantasy because it's a nice cozy game, great for when I need a break, and the writing genuinely made me laugh.
I've never played XIV because I'm not huge into MMOs, doubly so those with a monthly subscription fee. Same with why I've never played XI. Guild Wars, and then Guild Wars 2 later, more than meet my need to play an MMO.
Also honorable mention for Bravely Default, since it's FF's Job System under another series, and I love any game with the Job system.
@Crono1973 True, but it still applies as compared to playing against the GBA original. Which I have and love, but good lord do I remember the couple times I failed a boss and had to sit through either game's final dungeon's cutscenes again.
@rvcolem1 No problem! Honestly, hope you love it, and if not, no extra money lost.
@rvcolem1 I think you should give the first one a go. Speaking that as someone who loves the series, but like every other, it has flaws. The intro is long, and Golden Sun loves long text filled cutscenes, but the battle system, story, and music are some of the best in the genre.
At least now you'll have the benefit of save states before each major boss, so you don't have to sit through the whole cutscene again.
Hypothetically, there's also class customization with Djinni mixing and matching, but its underused and most people tend to put the same type Djinn on their characters. It's not necessary to win the game, but the system is there if you want to experiment with it, and you get some really cool classes out of it. Doubly so in TLA, which adds so many more.
Also each summon is just so dang pretty. I love Atalantea's, Cybele's Iris', and Judgement's animations.
When I first played Golden Sun way back when, it was an exchange with a friend. They played Chrono Trigger (my favorite JRPG at the time,) and I played Golden Sun and TLA. I feel like we both won at the end of the day.
@UltimateOtaku91 I'm glad someone else likes Dark Dawn. It's viewed a bit as the Black Sheep of the family, for sundry quality of life reasons and that it was never followed up on, but it's such an amazing game that I adore it.
Golden Sun also shares a composer with Baten Kaitos, and both series are some of my favorite JRPGs of all time.
Saturos' Battle theme is up there with The True Mirror and Vitriolic a Stroke as one of my favorite RPG battle themes of all time. IIRC, that theme was remixed into Dullahan's battle theme for the DS one, Dark Dawn.
@DaniPooo That Slime Controller just seems to be a thing they do. I had a Slime Controller for the PS2, as well as a DS Slime stand with a built in speaker.
...Now I really wish I knew what happened to those not going to lie.
I remember catching the promo St. Anne run on my local UPN affiliate, and the first episode the next day. Hearing that was 25 years ago is a lot not gonna lie. 😅
@Bomberman64 They published both the Mother 1 vocal CD and Mother 2 soundtrack when both games were new. So they do have rights to the Mother 2/EB music, as well.
@Spoony_Tech This happened with me and my then-new SO. I had just beaten Eternal Wings and he had gotten Origins. I tried Origins and the battle system was just off enough it threw off my entire muscle memory. Eternal Wings was just off enough it threw off his muscle memory.
At least I enjoyed the first game and he enjoyed the second, even if it felt a little wonky.
Now I just want to play them. I at least have them backed up with Dolphin.
@PLATINUM7 You and me both. I was a kid back in the 90's playing Crystal Caves and the OG Duke Nukem Platformers. I wasn't expecting to hear the name Apogee today, to say the least, but I'm damn glad to.
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Re: UK Charts: Pokémon Legends: Z-A Is The Smallest Retail Launch Since 'Let's Go!' In Europe
All I know is that I skipped it for Once Upon a Katamari. Enjoyable game, I've been loving it so far.
Re: Turtle Beach Unveils New Range Of Officially Licensed Switch 2 Accessories - Controllers, Cases And More
I genuinely love how doofy that Mario image is. It's been forever since I've seen something that dorky. I love it.
@Darth_Spriggan Have you checked out the Elves 2 Pro from Bulikit? One of the options is an A-B and X-Y button swap.
I recently picked one up for my Switch 2, and I love it. It feels pretty solid, and has the ability to switch between Windows, Mobile (iOS/Android) and, well, Switch. It just can't wake the Switch 2, like it's normal, Elves 2 brethren, but I think the pros are worth that one trade-off.
Re: Pokémon Pokopia Looks Like An Adorable Mix Of Minecraft And Animal Crossing
@Zeebor15 I'm not complaining. I've been a fan of the Dragon Quest Builders series since day 1, and I immediately recognized the DQB2 engine when the trailer started (Koei Tecmo helped develop the second entry, not the first.)
If this has half the features already present in DQB2, I will be incredibly happy indeed.
Re: Natsume's Next Harvest Moon Game Arrives On Switch This October
@ShieldHero Heavily recommend Fantasy Life i. I've been meaning to get Guardians of Azuma, but FLi has kind of taken over my gaming life so I have no real reason to lmao
Just don't go in expecting deep farming mechanics. I like the Farming life just fine, but the only thing you really upgrade is how much damage (so to speak) you do while harvesting vegetables. The rest of the game is an absolutely time sink, though.
Re: Natsume's Next Harvest Moon Game Arrives On Switch This October
@Lizuka Being a very long time Bokujo Monogatari fan-- I started with Harvest Moon SNES back when it was relevant, and have gotten most of the games since!
At some point, I picked up Winds of Anthos out of curiosity and hearing good things about it, and I genuinely enjoyed it. I wouldn't go back and touch the earlier Natsume-only HM games, but on a decent sale, I'd easily recommend Anthos.
There was a BNM/HM PSP/PS2 spinoff game, Innocent Life, and it's one of my favorites in the series because of how much it played with the formula: A heavier emphasis on plot, no marriage candidates, for plot related reasons, gameplay experimentation like field crystals for various effects and some pretty lengthy exploration, with the game not expecting you to return to your home before the day's end, giving you a tent and a vehicle (eventually.)
The exploration in Anthos reminds me so much of that last aspect, and I love it-- enough I bought the camping DLC for cheap.
I think the thing that irks me the most is how short some of the songs are. I just muted the music and listened to the ambient noise at some point.
Re: UFO 50 Gets A Surprise Shadow Drop On Switch Today
Considering my long history with Mossmouth games (I've been playing Spelunky since the first release in 2008!,) I want this sooo bad. I was holding off on a Switch release before grabbing it.
More idle curiosity, but do we know how Switch 2 compatible it is?
Re: Doronko Wanko Trots Onto Switch Today
@Pillowpants Have you heard of Catlateral Damage?
Re: Review: Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma (Switch) - A Bold Reinvention That Pays Off
@DiamondJim I feel you. I pulled the trigger on Fantasy Life i, and have been very happy with it. I'll probably grab Azuma in a month or two.
Re: Gallery: Nintendo Switch 2 Size Comparison - Here's How It Compares To (Nearly) Every Handheld Known To Humankind
@GBA_Yoshi_92 Looks like an OLED Vita, or the original model.
@Vordus I genuinely love, and miss, my GP2X Wiz
Re: Nintendo Updates Its User Agreement To Crack Down On Emulation
I don't condone piracy, but I do condone being free to do what you want with your electronics that you paid for.
After a console's life is dead and done, it's much better for the environment to find something new and novel to do with it, rather than shove it off into a corner gathering dust, until it's another casualty in an eWaste pile.
In another few years, my Switch will probably join my other modded electronics who have served their time, and whose digital storefronts have come and gone. I'm naturally curious, love tinkering with things, and I love poking at what the homebrew scene has come up with.
It's best to give it a second life rather than let it waste away.
Re: Masayuki Kato, Founder Of Nihon Falcom, Has Passed Away
Well, that's sad. I'm glad he lived a good, long life, but Falcom is one of my favorite developers and this news just bites.
Re: Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Speeds Onto Nintendo Switch "Soon"
@Serpenterror What info do you have on said GOG release? I'm curious, because I've been a customer since they've launched (I really wanted a way to support rescued Abandonware games,) and this is the first time I've heard about it. PCGamingWiki doesn't list a GOG release either, though they'll usually keep delisted releases up after they're taken down.
And I really, really hope they walk this back to more of a Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed sequel. TSR was fine, but I genuinely love Transformed more than Mario Kart, and we played a ton of multiplayer Transformed on our Wii U. More than Mario Kart 8, even.
I genuinely like the items, as they're less luck based and more skill based, even though some are a little 1:1 with Mario Kart's items. Nothing like a Blue Shell, though-- homing is capped to an item equivalent to the Red Shell, where it homes onto next place.
The tracks are a blast to play. Afterburner's stage is the most fun stage I've ever driven in a Kart racing game.
I'm also a fan of the single player campaign mode. Not really story based, but it was fun to have something to do other than race the same courses all the time. Stuff like bonus stages with unique goals, I want that back.
Re: Palworld Developer Pocketpair Changes Pokémon-Like Summoning Mechanic
@DarkTron Arguably, Pokémon's biggest influences are Mother (share a pool of devs, no surprise) and SaGa GB/Final Fantasy Legend, then Dragon Quest. Seriously, long post, but having played both, SaGa GB's mechanics are almost identical.
FFL/SaGa GB has four races, and one of these is a recruitable race called Monsters. These transform, though not necessarily linearly, by eating Meat dropped by enemies after battle, and can become even stronger Monsters.
SaGa also has limits to every single item, equipment, or ability found ingame. Three out of four recruitable races and equip some combo of any of these three, but Monsters are limited only to Abilities.
Unlike Items or Equipment, which eventually break, Abilities can have their uses recharged when sleeping at an Inn. Each move has their own use pool, unlike most Final Fantasy's traditional magic point system where the point pool is shared amongst all moves, but exactly like Pokémon's PP setup.
There is also an elemental weakness/resistance system, with the ability to be strong against, weak against, or just completely ignore the damage of an Ability.
Lastly, the stats are almost-identical between SaGa GB/FFL and Pokémon Gen 2, after the Special split:
HP: Hit points
Strength (SaGa GB)/Attack (Pkmn): Physical strength, affecting physical attacks.
Defense: Physical defense.
Agility: Dodging attacks.
Mana (SaGa GB)/Special Attack (Pkmn): The strength of Magic based attacks.
The only thing missing is direct Magic Defense, IIRC. Pokémon Gen I's Special stat covers both, but Gen 2 split both into separate stats, making Mana only similar to Gen 2's Special Attack stat.
The only real difference here is that Monsters can't grow their stats by levelling up, only by evolving into newer monsters. However, another recruitable race, the Mutants, have their stats grow after levelling up, and are limited to only four Ability slots.
If you combine Monsters on-the-nose stylings and evolutions with Mutants stat level ups and ability slot limitations, than congratulations, we have something functionally identical to Pokémon's monster mechanics.
Re: Xenoblade Singer Performs Gorgeous New Renditions Of Earthbound & Eiyuden Chronicle Music
I hate to be pedantic, but Eight Melodies here is from Mother 1 or Earthbound Beginnings, and is based on the arrangement from the Mother 1 vocal tracks album. I have a copy; it's one of my favorite video game music recordings ever, and Eight Melodies should be in my Christmas playlist this year, now that I think about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmZMMSDx3Yg
It's over-compressed and really hard on my ears. I can hear what it's trying to be, but it just doesn't let itself fade into or be quiet, instead brickwalling everything. With a new age sound like this, that is a really bad idea. Soft knee compressors would've been a better choice here, and used sparingly.
Re: Poll: What's The Best Ys Game? Rate Your Favourites For Our Upcoming Ranking
Speaking as someone who has played a lot of Ys games, and I'd consider myself a fan of the series...
On the list? Ys VIII. Really fun ARPG with solid gameplay, music, story, and characters.
Ys IX was fine, but a little bit of a downer mood. I appreciate the forays into a Gothic setting and trying to expand one major city into a massive hubworld that can be explored more later, but the characters are a little too cliche, and the setting is overall drab.
OG Ys III is a lot of fun too, and really overlooked at the time it was released.
Off the list, I'd throw Felghana in there. Both Ys IVs were great games, but I love the exploration added to Oath, the song remixes are fantastic, and we finally have a definitive version of IV.
Now I just need Nordics. It's on my radar, just not yet added to my backlog.
Re: Feature: A Trip To Machida, The Real-Life 'Pallet Town' That Inspired Pokémon
Very pretty place, I love it.
Re: Pokémon Partners With WildBrain To Stream First 22 Anime Seasons
@Mariotag Probably on free services like Tubi, Roku TV, etc. in the near future.
Tubi already had Black and White, so getting the rest of the series there would be great.
Re: Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp To End Online Service In November
I mean, not my favorite, but I'll definitely miss it. Glad it's getting an offline version, though it feels a like it'd be a little empty with zero online features. How am I supposed to show my caravan off to my friends?
Besides that, this news is making me sweat bullets about FEH. It certainly seems like it's fine, but I've probably sunk more hours than I should admit to into that game. It's likely one of my top played, if not the to played mobile app for me.
Re: Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Has Been Delayed Again
@LXP8 Yeah, I'm actually kind of relieved it was delayed. That, and if it's to reduce crunch or give the game extra polish, I'm all for it.
I'll buy it day one, though. I really want to support Level 5 in the US.
Re: Random: The New Denpa Men Is Getting Roasted For Its Translation Issues
I'm concerned about all the people getting not only upset by a perfectly playable game, but, against all good logic and reason, using it to further their anti-AI agenda.
I'm not even pro-AI, I'm genuinely cautious about it, but even I know this isn't what happened with this game.
It's not like AI to make spelling mistakes. Grammar, for sure, but even basic trained AI translation tools nowadays don't make spelling mistakes.
Plus if it was AI translated, it'd lack the internal logic and cohesion this translation has. I've played a small amount, but it seems like terms and other errata are always translated to a standard guideline they have written somewhere.
AI wouldn't be able to keep track of name logic and standards, especially amongst small amounts of unrelated text everywhere.
If you want a game with an obvious machine translation to be upset over, go look at the Princess Maker releases.
Re: Random: The New Denpa Men Is Getting Roasted For Its Translation Issues
@Nuclearpineapple Exactly. Kind of like The Orz in The Ur Quan Masters, who speak English, but are translating untranslatable ideas, so some of it is plain wonky. Happy Campers, anyone? That's what it makes me think of, just quirky English translating from another, almost alien culture and mindset.
An imperfect translation isn't the same as a bad translation. Honestly, it's good enough for me to understand it, and I've seen far worse than even Zero Wing's translation in my day. At least Denpa Man's translation is just quirky and fun.
Re: Random: The New Denpa Men Is Getting Roasted For Its Translation Issues
I mean, it's understandable, even if a little wonky. Personally speaking, it's easy to just imagine it as how the in-universe Denpa Men are speaking.
Re: Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Kick Off Four Seasonal Events This Week
Honestly, the only ones I'd be there for are Raichu, both Alolan and normal, Riolu, and Tyranitar. Maybe Tatsugiri.
Re: Random: StreetPass Fans Are Hunting For A Super-Rare Puzzle Swap Panel
@Pillowpants I like my Switch, but it'll never topple 3DS as my favorite Nintendo handheld.
It's just so cozy, and has a ton of character and unique games.
Re: The Denpa Men Return In New Free-To-Play Switch Game
@Greatluigi Do I have news for you... 😛
Re: Random: Welp, Now Nintendo's Going After Sheet Music
@RygelXVIII Honestly, that's the site's duty. They should forbid selling to a region that the rights aren't clearly delineated in, but at least in the US, it looks like they were legal, free and clear.
As I live in the US, I can't really check and see if musicnotes.com permits selling in regions without such licensing laws. I'd love to investigate that, but c'est la vie.
Re: Random: Welp, Now Nintendo's Going After Sheet Music
@JohnnyMind It's honestly a fun little game that never received as much love as it should have. Hope you have fun with it, though!
Re: Random: Welp, Now Nintendo's Going After Sheet Music
@sanderev So? Sonic Mania started from an engine, Retro Engine, that Whitehead was developing as a fan project concept with a S3&K port, and was only picked up as official after the fact.
There's literally no difference in these two stories, save company and end product.
Same for Sheet Music Boss. There are systems for handling covers and arrangements in the US, without directly contacting the owner of the music in the first place. A third party will typically handle paying the correct owner their cut for you, though I haven't had much reason to use such systems myself.
Looking up Sheet Music Boss, the website they chose to upload to is registered with the MPA, musicnotes.com, and has been in business for 20+ years. It looks legitimate enough for me.
https://www.mpa.org/music-publisher/musicnotes-inc/
In that regard, I choose to believe that Sheet Music Boss is correct in saying that they correctly licensed their music, at least, for US distribution.
Re: Random: Welp, Now Nintendo's Going After Sheet Music
@NintendoWife Depends.
While I'm not too well versed in mechanical licensing for covers and arrangements, I do know that such a system exists in the US.
You don't necessarily need to contact the original owners in question, but rather a representative who will pay them their share for you. It really is that simple.
I know offhand, because Hal Leonard offers such a service, though I've never had cause to use it.
I choose to believe that the Sheet Music Boss people went through such channels in the US.
Re: Random: Welp, Now Nintendo's Going After Sheet Music
@sanderev Honestly, the only thing you should know is that Sonic Mania isn't the only case. Off the top of my head, Capcom did it as well, providing support in developing a free fangame, Street Fighter x Megaman. Capcom personally handled funding, QA, and marketing and let the developer develop.
Even free, a fangame receiving official support hasn't only happened to Sonic Mania.
Re: 'Tales Of Kenzara: Zau' Director Addresses "Constant Targeted Harassment"
@Tobiaku Sorry, but you just said "White dudes don't mind playing games for white dudes." Like, duh?
Senran Kagura and DOA are made for the horny male gaze. While I enjoy playing the DOA fighting games, they're not what I'd call positive women's representation.
The way you said "plus a black dude that you don't play as." He has a name my dude. It's Zack, and he is an amazingly fun, Muay Thai fighter.
But none of these are examples of representation. They're stereotypes made for a specific demographic.
I'm not saying you need to play games you don't like, either, but their existence doesn't serve to attack the anti-woke crowd. Just don't buy them if you don't like them.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Dragon Quest III (NES)
@JohnnyMind A detail I've always loved about the American box art is that it's not generic fantasy art. If you've played the game, all these are weapons that are found in it, done with care to the original designs.
If you haven't and aren't familiar with the series, then it's just intriguing enough that you'd want to pick it up.
It's not just another Serious American boxart at the time, that did its best to genericize the content. This was done with love for the game.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Dragon Quest III (NES)
I say this as a huge Toriyama art fan, someone who's glad Sand Land finally got its due, with a game and anime after a couple decades, and for whom Chrono Trigger is one of my absolute favorite games:
The North American one. Sure, I'm a huge softie for Toriyama's work, but the Japanese box would only interest those already familiar with his work. There's no dynamic action scene going on, like what Chrono Trigger would offer with lots of its concept art, or the many of-the-moment scenes he was also capable of.
The game is doing a good job displaying its cast of characters, but none of their personality. Nothing that makes them who they are.
The copy and pasted dragon in the back bothers me, too. Like I get it, symmetry, but why not draw the same thing with different details or a different pose? They did that with both versions jobs in the art, so why is it the dragon that's copy and pasted?
The North American one lacks human character-- literally. But looking at all the details in the image, someone put their heart into painting this.
It's not just a generic fantasy painting. All sorts of weapons from the game are in this picture. Whoever did it clearly did their research and represented what was in it. I mean, Lodos'/Erdrick's sword is dead center of the frame, with the golden, scored hilt with the red jewel inset.
So is Zombiesbane, the sword with the robin's egg blue jewel inset into its blade's tip.
I also see the Headsman's axe, front and to our right. The axe with the green dragon head on top.
All these are weapons found in the game, and rendered with consideration and care for their original designs.
So, for me, the North American one is the better one. Not only is it more intriguing to someone outside the franchise, for whom most box art is meant for, but it's a beautiful painting done with love for the original work.
Re: Mortal Kombat 2 Movie Launches In Cinemas October 2025
@Zeebor15 Four live action including the new one, though that number is bumped up to 8 if you include Direct to Video home releases. At least, last I recalled.
Re: Poll: What's The Best SaGa Game? Rate Your Favourites For Our Upcoming Ranking
I love SaGa. I didn't like Unlimited SaGa back in the day, but knowing more of the mechanics now, I should give it another shot.
My favorites are Romancing SaGa II & III, and SaGa 2/FFL2. I adore Minstrel Song on the PS2, and it was a great game to get lost in, but I personally wouldn't recommend it as anyone's first SaGa game.
Re: Japanese Man Arrested For Selling Hacked Scarlet And Violet Pokémon
@iaLgan He didn't unlawfully take money from any accounts, though. The money was given freely and willfully by the people who possessed it, in exchange for services rendered.
Not a fan of said rendered services, but it's not harming anyone. Doubly so, since Pokémon has modification checks now.
In my humble opinion, this is worthy of a ban from all Pokémon related events and services, not jailtime.
Re: Japanese Man Arrested For Selling Hacked Scarlet And Violet Pokémon
Personally speaking, I'm fine doing whatever you want with a game, software, or system you paid for, as long as its rightfully yours.
Still don't like people selling modded Pokémon, but I don't believe it's jailtime worthy.
Re: SaGa Emerald Beyond Lands Free Switch eShop Demo Tomorrow
@MARl0 If it's anything like the other SaGa games, it's turn based. No idea why it's being called an Action RPG, that's Mana's thing not SaGa's.
Re: Pokémon Fan Game Site, Relic Castle, Shut Down Following DMCA Takedown Notice
@Anti-Matter While fanworks are in a gray area, they aren't strictly illegal. They only fall into legal trouble if they are directly using assets from the IP they're making a fanwork off of.
Ergo, not all fangames are illegal.
Those "nonofficial contents," are actually legal, as they are original work by the person or group in question.
You can't copyright ideas, so, say, if someone made a game that heavily borrows from Pokémon's mechanics, but uses none of its assets or even the branding, it'd still be legal.
So all the new monsters in, say, Uranium or mashups in Infinite Fusion are legal, as they are original works by the creators.
In contrast, the use of the Pokémon name and monsters belong to Pokémon aren't okay, but using the mechanics with your own designs and work is.
Either way, it's a rather disheartening situation.
Re: Poll: What's The Best Final Fantasy Game? Rate Your Favourite Mainline & Spin-Offs
I mean, as someone who's played since the original NES release, normally it's a mix up between V, IX, XII, and XV, since we typically go by mainstream titles.
But if we're including side games, Dissidia 012 is still one of my favorite fighting games of all time. Something about how atmospheric it is, and how fun the chase and aerial combat sequences are. Plus how tightly integrated each of its, in hindsight, esoteric reward systems are. Just getting daily Mognet mail made my day.
Tactics Advance because it innovated so much on the original. Sure the Judge system is a hit or miss, but at least you have the Jagds if you need a break from it. I still need to play A2.
Lightning Returns. I didn't enjoy the rest of XIII (not for lack of trying,) but I thought LR was a genuinely fun sidegame that tried to do something different, and I appreciate it for that.
Lastly, World of Final Fantasy because it's a nice cozy game, great for when I need a break, and the writing genuinely made me laugh.
I've never played XIV because I'm not huge into MMOs, doubly so those with a monthly subscription fee. Same with why I've never played XI. Guild Wars, and then Guild Wars 2 later, more than meet my need to play an MMO.
Also honorable mention for Bravely Default, since it's FF's Job System under another series, and I love any game with the Job system.
Re: Gallery: Here's Another Look At Golden Sun For The Switch Online Expansion Pack
@Crono1973 True, but it still applies as compared to playing against the GBA original. Which I have and love, but good lord do I remember the couple times I failed a boss and had to sit through either game's final dungeon's cutscenes again.
@rvcolem1 No problem! Honestly, hope you love it, and if not, no extra money lost.
Re: Gallery: Here's Another Look At Golden Sun For The Switch Online Expansion Pack
@rvcolem1 I think you should give the first one a go. Speaking that as someone who loves the series, but like every other, it has flaws. The intro is long, and Golden Sun loves long text filled cutscenes, but the battle system, story, and music are some of the best in the genre.
At least now you'll have the benefit of save states before each major boss, so you don't have to sit through the whole cutscene again.
Hypothetically, there's also class customization with Djinni mixing and matching, but its underused and most people tend to put the same type Djinn on their characters. It's not necessary to win the game, but the system is there if you want to experiment with it, and you get some really cool classes out of it. Doubly so in TLA, which adds so many more.
Also each summon is just so dang pretty. I love Atalantea's, Cybele's Iris', and Judgement's animations.
When I first played Golden Sun way back when, it was an exchange with a friend. They played Chrono Trigger (my favorite JRPG at the time,) and I played Golden Sun and TLA. I feel like we both won at the end of the day.
@UltimateOtaku91 I'm glad someone else likes Dark Dawn. It's viewed a bit as the Black Sheep of the family, for sundry quality of life reasons and that it was never followed up on, but it's such an amazing game that I adore it.
Golden Sun also shares a composer with Baten Kaitos, and both series are some of my favorite JRPGs of all time.
Saturos' Battle theme is up there with The True Mirror and Vitriolic a Stroke as one of my favorite RPG battle themes of all time. IIRC, that theme was remixed into Dullahan's battle theme for the DS one, Dark Dawn.
Re: Hori Unveils New Dragon Quest Slime-Themed Switch Controllers
@DaniPooo That Slime Controller just seems to be a thing they do. I had a Slime Controller for the PS2, as well as a DS Slime stand with a built in speaker.
...Now I really wish I knew what happened to those not going to lie.
Re: The Pokémon Anime Pilot First Aired In North America 25 Years Ago Today
I remember catching the promo St. Anne run on my local UPN affiliate, and the first episode the next day. Hearing that was 25 years ago is a lot not gonna lie. 😅
Re: Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster Launches On Nintendo Switch This September
@Notsoavid You're going to have a blast. I bought these back then-- and these two games are easily my favorite Gamecube games, hand down.
Re: Hades Is Getting Its Very Own Power-A Switch Controller
Hate to be that guy, but wasn't Hades on Switch released on Nov 17th, 2020?
The December 2018 release is linked to the early access Epic Games on PC release.
Re: EarthBound YouTube Videos Keep Getting Flagged For Copyright By Sony
@Bomberman64 They published both the Mother 1 vocal CD and Mother 2 soundtrack when both games were new. So they do have rights to the Mother 2/EB music, as well.
Re: Poll: What's The Best Game Boy Color Game?
Survival Kids, hands down.
Re: Bandai Namco Just Registered Trademarks For The GameCube Exclusive Series Baten Kaitos
@Spoony_Tech This happened with me and my then-new SO. I had just beaten Eternal Wings and he had gotten Origins. I tried Origins and the battle system was just off enough it threw off my entire muscle memory. Eternal Wings was just off enough it threw off his muscle memory.
At least I enjoyed the first game and he enjoyed the second, even if it felt a little wonky.
Now I just want to play them. I at least have them backed up with Dolphin.
Re: Residual Confirmed For Switch As Apogee Entertainment Makes Publishing Comeback
@PLATINUM7 You and me both. I was a kid back in the 90's playing Crystal Caves and the OG Duke Nukem Platformers. I wasn't expecting to hear the name Apogee today, to say the least, but I'm damn glad to.