Altaria_97

Really wish they’d give us background other than basic colors for the NSO app icons. They give us such cool retro artwork but no fun backgrounds for them

@TheDragonDAFan Thanks for the info. Sad to see Nintendo doubling down on the intermissions. I had my fun unlocking stuff for a good 20+ hours but back to 8 Deluxe I go for now.

I was already going to get it, but damn, they REALLY sold me here. Game and presentation look amazing. I like the story with Pauline. The transformations look awesome. We saw a little glimpse of Diddy and Dixie, too. I’m all in.

I mainly want to see more platforming. I feel like with DK’s big and kinda clunky movement, this could be an incredible platformer. If it’s all destruction focused then I’ll still be excited but just not as hyped.

Also want to see all the other kongs return. Diddy, Dixie, Funky, Lanky, etc.

@Lynox5 I did something kinda similar with my Samsung QN90B. I have the shadow detail down to -3 and it makes things look less… hazy, I suppose. Like at the default 0 it kinda felt like there was a window between me and the TV slightly washing out the colors/contrast.

I saw this video yesterday. I redid both calibrations and made my paper white approximately 300 nits as opposed to whatever it was when it was maxed out.

While the system UI looks a bit darker, the colors in Mario Kart World were so much richer and more vibrant. Contrast between lights and darks was also very good. Definitely recommend doing this, especially if you have an HGIG display.

It's a good game but feels like a step down compared to 8 Deluxe, and for $80 I expected more (granted I only paid $50 with the bundle). Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is probably my favorite game of all time, so get ready for some heavy but honest criticism.

The free roam is fun for a bit but doesn't offer any real story or sense of progression. It's just kinda... find some hidden medals and 10 second challenges. Other than that... the open world is kinda superficial. It's just there just to be there. They could have easily still had knockout tours without the open world with more intentionally designed sprint tracks.

The visuals are nice but I feel like the open world is severely holding back what could have been a big visual upgrade from 8 Deluxe. Plus the grand prix mode is just not very exciting with most of the cups just being straight highway driving simulators while you get hit by items. And your reward? One lap on 3 of the tracks.

And the online infrastructure is laughable. You cannot do VS races with the original 3 lap structure as 90% of the time it picks highway driving. And your friends can't spectate and wait in a queue, they need to stalk your name and wait for a spot to open up. You cannot play knockout tour at all with friends.

And they finally made it so we can start lobbies with our friends... BUT you can only play against bots when in a lobby???? What is this horrible online system? Microsoft, Sony, Activision, and almost every other company had this figured out back in 2006.

Since 80% of the game is straight line driving, no Mario Kart has ever felt this luck-oriented. It's hard to take a commanding lead with little sharp turns and you're completely at the mercy of items, which seem very aggressive and unbalanced with 24 racers. They made it so you don't slow down to a halt after getting hit by most items, yet this seems like the slowest game in the series due to the amount of items you'll get hit by.

And why do so many characters clip through the steering wheel and parts of the vehicles? That's just embarrassing and inexcusable, in my opinion.

ALL THAT SAID, the core racing is fun and I like the new grinding, wall jumping, and no-turn drifting mechanics. And pretty much all of the tracks are beautiful and really well designed. The character roster is large and fun (despite some questionable omissions). Oh, and the music... it's maybe the best in any Nintendo game. The soundtrack is truly a masterpiece.

It's just a shame the core design decisions (or restrictions) AROUND all of the good stuff hampers the experience greatly. I'd give it a 7.8 or so, but since I can only vote in whole numbers, I'd give it a generous 8. It's still a fun time and a solid kart racer, but it's also underwhelming and a severe drop in game design quality from previous entries.

It looks worse than the OLED but not by much. It’s really just the lack of perfect blacks. HDR looks good on the display to me as well, even if it doesn’t get bright enough (or have the true black levels) to make things pop as much as on my TV.

Overall it’s a really nice screen that I think I’ll be happy with for the entire generation, even if an OLED model would’ve been better and will come out in the future.

They absolutely should have given us Wind Waker HD by now but I'm still pretty happy with the original GameCube version. It has my favorite visual design, favorite story (at least for the first two thirds), favorite vibes, favorite dungeons, and I actually really enjoy sailing and treasure hunting.

It's an amazing game, I just wish it wasn't rushed out back in the day. We probably would have has a bit more story and character interactions during the last third of the story, an extra dungeon or two, and more thought out triforce shard hunt with the game telling you to do it earlier on. You CAN collect shards between dungeons and it makes the hunt insanely fun as it breaks up the gameplay more.

I’m a couple hours in and so far it’s good but not amazing. The music is INCREDIBLE but certain aspects of the game feel very unpolished. For example, the clunky character select screen or the fact that a lot of characters don’t fit in their karts correctly and clip through the steering wheel.

The visuals are also a mixed bag. They look great in some areas, especially the lighting and colors. But man some of the areas just look so flat and worse than 8 Deluxe.

There’s also a lot of straight line driving. Not super exciting. But some of the new tracks are very cool. Overall I’m enjoying it but it isn’t the next BIG game I was hoping for. Hopefully more playtime will change my mind, but overall it feels like a worse version of 8 Deluxe but with an open world.

I tried getting one with my GameStop trade in credit but since you can’t save gift cards to your account, my order timed out in the cart due to server issues.

Thankfully, my brother was able to secure a second one for me. So I’ll be picking that up from him Thursday night or Friday (just depends when it’s delivered). I just wish I was able to use my gift card but I guess I’ll just use it on games for the next year or so.

Seems like something I’d mess around with for like 10-30 minutes max then never touch again. Not worth $10 to me when Mario Kart exists. Just my opinion, of course.

@fenlix Yup, a lot of times this is the higher-up and a division's leadership's fault. They higher a ton of workers and decide to make a game that's completely out of scope. They sometimes have no real idea on the finances that come with running a business and creating a product. So they overscale their game development, put years into learning new tools, and after like 6+ years still have no game to show for it.

It's more nuanced than that, obviously. And I'm sure it's difficult to manage all of it. But it kind of baffles me that within the 8 years or more after Yooka-Laylee, all they managed to get out was a 2D platformer. And their new game is just an improved version of their first title.

I think getting into publishing was a hope to gain some revenue as they were losing tons of money in game development. These companies need to reevaluate how game development works. Choose a tool, stick to it, and reuse assets. Don't start from scratch with every new game. Not every game needs to be this 100+ hour open world epic. Not every game needs ground breaking visuals. Quick asset reusing sequels are A-okay as long as there's improvements and good creative direction.

I’ll be at work then going out with my family since a family member is visiting that day. I’ll get around to playing it very late Thursday night given it’s delivered on time.

I’m debating on taking off Friday since I’ve barely touched my PTO this year so far…

In terms of games and accessories, I’m only getting Mario Kart and that’s only because my brother was able to snag me the bundle. No way I’m paying $80 for a game, I rarely ever spend $60 to begin with. So the bundle getting me the game for $50 was clutch, even if I usually prefer physical.

Very sad but not surprising. Whenever a giant company consumes a smaller company, it almost always results in layoffs, change in creative direction, and shutdown.

@CielloArc Agreed. A lot of company heads don’t understand that the consumers decide if a product is worth it to them or not. We don’t care how it was made. We just care what the final product is and if it’s worth it to us. It’s their job to read the market, not for the market to cater to them.

Awesome to hear. I loved the Mario + Rabbids games but we need another new Rayman, especially without the Rabbids. Bonus points for being a 3D platformer like Rayman 2 and 3!

I’m fortunate enough to own other platforms to play big third party games on, so for me I’m just excited for the Nintendo titles.

Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokemon Legends Z-A are the big 3 for me.

Metroid Prime 4 I’ll probably be stoked for, just gotta play Prime Remaster first to ensure I like the gameplay.

Hyrule Warriors looks good but I’m not a huge fan of the Warrior style games. If it’s reviewed well, I’d consider it at a steep discount down the road.

Kirby Air Riders is a maybe. Need to see gameplay and the amount of content. The GameCube version was fun for a short bit but I always thought it was very overhyped.

Wii is my favorite here. Double Dash is a close second, it just has less tracks and not as fun mini-turbo mechanics.

DS I love but I think is overrated. Snaking breaks the entire game and if you don’t snake then the karts turn like tanks. Plus the visuals always seemed… off to me. Some weird 3D models paired with pngs for most of the items. I will say, the mission mode is fun and the track selection (aside from the mushroom cup) is fantastic.

I think you guys are right. The framerate will be improved in the 2D Zelda titles, but it’ll just be more consistent at hitting the initial 60fps target.

I think Nintendo is using the “Improved Frame-rate” phrasing for games that are jumping to new targets, like 30 to 60.

I want the big local multiplayer titles I played with my neighborhood buddies growing up:

The Mario Parties, Golf, Baseball, Strikers, and Double Dash!

I’ve posted this elsewhere but as a kid I always wanted all the current major consoles and a sweet PC. I have all of that now (well, not the PS5 Pro lol). But as I get older, I’m gaming less each week. New hobbies, relationships, and obligations take precedence for me as I get older. As well as health and fitness.

Now sprinkle on these insane price hikes with low performing investments… there’s just no need to buy that many games unless it’s something I’m truly stoked to play day 1. I’m getting a Switch 2 but I won’t be buying anymore XBOX or PlayStation consoles.

Oddly enough, I’ll probably end up saving money from games despite the price increases since I’ll only be buying a few titles each year from here on out!

I know people love to hate on Ubisoft (for good reasons) but there are a lot of passionate devs there and some of their titles are pretty good. Not saying it’s amazing, but I thought Outlaws was good fun. I’d recommend it when it gets a bit cheaper given it runs even decently on the Switch 2.

The contrast between the text and red is much better. Plus it feels more Nintendo. Not that the color matters much, but I think this is an improvement.

It’s a nice controller but not really much of an improvement over the original Pro Controller. I’m very happy I can still use my Monster Hunter and TOTK pro controllers. I’ll just have to use one of the joycons as a remote to wake the system lol.

I just bought a case and screen protector. That’s all I need.

I’m hoping all characters get at least a couple costumes. I really want some fun Wiggler skins!

It was solid but nothing incredible as it didn’t really reveal much we didn’t already know or expect. I will say, the gameplay looked fantastic, which is why I didn’t give it a bad score. But yeah… I wish they revealed more new stuff.

@rjejr Agreed. It’s a surprisingly decent value when you compare it to other portables like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally.

Yeah, you can get a base Steam Deck for $400. But the Switch 2 for $450 (given that price sticks in the US) is substantially more powerful with a higher resolution display, HDR compatibility, DLSS support, and everything you need to hook the system up to a TV or monitor INCLUDING a wireless controller.

Is it cheap? No. But is it a fair deal considering the tech and competition? I think so.

@sixrings I play mostly in docked mode so I’m in the same boat. The answer, unfortunately, is just “it is what it is”. They made the console to appeal to as many people as possible, and for those like us that are going to play in one mode mostly, we just have to deal with the higher price or not buy it. It sucks but at the end of the day not every product is catered to each individual.

I see a lot of comments arguing that the Switch 2 being around the price of a PS5 and Series X is outrageous, or in some cases, unlike Nintendo.

For reference, the PS4 was $300 in 2017, which is the same as the Switch’s launch price.

The PS3 was around $250 in 2012, while the Wii U launched for $300-$350 depending on the model. The PS4 launched for $400 the following year.

The XBOX 360 (core) was $300 at launch in 2005, and the Wii was $250.

Basically, Nintendo systems have usually been around the same ballpark in price as the competition. And since the DS/Wii era, Nintendo sacrifices power for a gimmick to justify the price. Motion controls, tablet controller, and now handheld play.

I’m not saying $450 is cheap, and I definitely wish it was cheaper. But it’s not a bad price, either. $80 for games, though… that’s another argument haha.

@Yoshi3 Agreed, if you’re not trying to 100% DK64 then I think it’s one of the better 3D platformers out there. Wish they’d throw it on the N64 app but I guess there’s always emu[redacted].

@GoldenSunRM Agreed. Age of Calamity is a solid game but a slap in the face as it was marketed as a prequel to BOTW. In reality, it was more of a “what-if” scenario which really upset me.

If this is truly canon as they’re saying, it’ll make me much more interested. I almost wish they would redo Age of Calamity and make it true to the lore.

I’ve heard people say the remake doesn’t look that much better but to me it’s night and day. It’s one of the prettiest games I’ve seen to this day and it’s also my favorite Zelda. Plus it has a lot of QoL improvements. I’d buy the remake on Switch in a heartbeat.

I’m not expecting it at this point… but I’d love it.

Gonna add one more comment: people here are actually being mean. Please chill out, this isn’t life or death. Get outside and destress if you need to.

Gonna be real, the controls just don’t look fun and visuals look super bland. I’m sure it could be fun if you have a group of friends to play with and you’re all at a desk but I think just isn’t for me.

Glad you guys enjoyed it tho, hope it turns out well.

Yes, it’s too far, at least for me. I was expecting $70, but $80 is too high and sets a precedence for future Nintendo games and other companies.

Still not buying. This is a tech demo you have to pay for. It’s an absolute joke that this costs any amount of money and shows how greedy Nintendo is with Switch 2 due to the success of Switch 1.

I know inflation and tariffs are a thing but holy cow, this is expensive for one game. Unless I go the digital route with the Mario Kart bundle ($50 there), then I’ll be waiting to pick this up discounted.

I don’t even buy current games for the usual $60/$70. I always wait or find deals and get them for $50 max, usually even cheaper. The Thousand Year Door was the one exception since I wanted to support OG Paper Mario.

Looks like Nintendo is getting a tad bit greedy due to their larger audience.

It says I already voted but I didn’t… did you put the poll from the last direct here by accident?

Anyways, probably a 9/10 for me. Not perfect as I would’ve preferred another major game reveal or two… but it was damn good. Looking forward to June!

EDIT: Fixed now. Could’ve been cookies, cache, or something on my end.

Considering tariffs, I’m okay with that price. The real issue is $70 for DK and $80 for Mario Kart… that’s messed up.

Still not a fan of the new design but I’m sure it’ll grow on me and the game looked terrific. Stoked for July!

I have work but no meetings in the morning. I’m hoping nothing comes up so I can throw some earbuds on and watch it at my desk!

1. Pokémon Legends Z-A
2. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
3. Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots

It’s about damn time someone finally made a normal 3-click golf game! They’ve been absent this entire generation cause every developer thinks they need to reinvent the wheel lol.

This was one of the only new games I cared about from the Direct this morning. I love old school, 3-click Mario Golf and I enjoyed the couple Hot Shots games I played. Looking forward to this despite the visuals looking very basic.

More power to the people excited for Tomodochi Life, but I thought this was hands down the worst Direct… maybe ever? The only “new” games I’m interested in are Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots and the Marvel arcade game… both of which are multi-platform lol.

I hope all the good stuff is coming next week cause this did nothing for me outside of seeing more pretty visuals for Metroid Prime 4.

@Not_Soos I didn’t pay for this feels trip haha

For real, this is a beautiful story and message. Thanks for sharing and I can attest to most things said. I won’t go into detail but I went through a really rough patch for a few years. Now I’m about to be 28 and I’m the happiest I’ve been since high school. Things like time, faith, discipline, exercise, health, and changing things in my life really helped get me to where am at physically and mentally. I hope you keep killing it and everyone here does as well. Everyone deserves a happy and fun life.

My guesses:

• Metroid Prime 2 + 3 ports
• Kirby Planet Robobot HD
• Fire Emblem remake
• Shantae Advance
• Hollow Knight Silksong (finally lol)

I REALLY want Wind Waker HD to appear but I have a feeling that’ll stay trapped on the Wii U. Hopefully tomorrow proves me wrong lol.

That’s so young and I feel so sorry for his family, friends, and fans.

The end of the article mentions a suicide attempt. For anyone ever struggling, please remember that life is full of ups and downs. Life is always worth living and will always get better. Stay strong everyone.