I'm not sold on the director. Nintendo a huge company and Zelda is no ordinary IP. Why Nintendo would put such a project into the hands of an unproven director with movies that have never scored above a 6 in review score aggregates is insane. Surely, there was some big name, well-received director in Hollywood with pedigree who would have salivate at the opportunity to direct something as potentially huge as a live action Zelda move.
Hopefully Nintendo - and Wes Ball - proves me wrong. Until then, I'll be watching closely to see how his next film, "Planet of the Apes" performs upon release. His body of work is small, but maybe he'll turn a corner with this one. I don't have high hopes tho tbh.
Regarding my earlier Switch 2 Hybrid/Non-Hybrid SKU Theory - after further reflection, I think it's actually probably more likely that Nintendo would make Switch 2's launch version Hybrid-only (to limit consumer confusion), and then, maybe in a year or two, release a more powerful-but-not-portable ("docked-only") SKU as a "budget/entry level" alternative.
While it perhaps seems ludicrous to sell a more powerful Switch 2 for less, if it doesn't need its own screen, them that, alone, would greatly reduce production costs substantially, and making it digital-only would only decrease them even further - savings which Nintendo could, in theory, pass on to the consumer.
Of course, I say "in theory" bc well, this IS Nintendo after all - a company not exactly known for its abundant generosity to consumers - but, who knows, maybe this time, things will be different 😂
My current theory is that there's going to be two major SKUs...possibly even at launch: a Switch 2 Hybrid (ie portable and dockable), and a Switch 2 Home Console (ie not portable, always docked). Aside from these major physical / practical differences, I think each model would probably also differ in performance capabilities.
For instance, by no longer having to invest precious system resources to account a handheld mode, the Switch 2 (Home Console) could, by contrast, dedicate 100% of its resources towards maximizing what it can get out of DLSS. Being housed would also allow it to have things like a larger heat sink and fan, thus increasing performance even further.
And, of course, the Switch 2 (Hybrid)'s selling point would be that it's functionally identical to what made Switch 1 a success: the option to play it anywhere. However, as also was the case for Switch 1, this portability would come at a cost of decreasing the ceiling of its graphical limits, with lower frame rates and resolution (especially in handheld).
One other major difference is that the (Hybrid) version would have a cartridge port and would be fully BC, while the (Home Console) model would be digital-only, and thus, lack full BC. With way, both SKUs would be compatible with all Switch 2 titles (nothing like New 3DS exclusives)
If I'm right about my hunch about this, then I'd expect asjustable, built-in PC-esque graphical options to be a standard feature. While Nintendo would likely make these settings automated by default (ie letting the console "choose" what it thinks is "most optimal"), the option to manually adjust settings might also be available, and would allow a person to more precisely adjust things like FPS, resolution, filters to fit with that individual's preference - which might be useful, especially on the portable version.
If this is indeed the strategy, then I think the (Hybrid) would actually the "premium" version - at least by cost, if not by performance. The lack of needing its own screen and going digital only would bring down production costs by a lot...which could translate into the (Home Console) version selling for $50-$75 less than the Hybrid.
What do you guys think? (That is, if anyone even reads comments of this length 😅)
I thought this was an April Fools Day article...and then I remembered that it's November. Sony's description of the game - and even it's working title - absolutely read like one 🤣
Has anyone done a comparison of the text/translation? I actually really liked Ted Woolsey's take on the localization back on the original SNES title - I hope they haven't largely re-written it.
I never knew Switch HAD a Twitch App. That's mildly disappointing that they're shutting down soon, I may have gotten some use out of it. It's crazy that they didn't even promote the app for Switch...at all. Or if they did, I clearly missed it.
@westman98 Theoretically, it could be Switch 2 related if it's an add on or something on a different model that they hadn't finalized yet. Probably not, but it would be cool. I'd love a second screen, in one form or another.
@FunGuy As a guy whose avatar is literally q picture of himself playing an original song on his guitar, I feel that. It's tough these days being a legitimate musician with creative integrity and who puts in a lot of effort for little to no gain.
@rex_rex XC2 is also my favorite. It has the most heart, all of the characters are likeable and useful, and the Blades system is (imo) leagues better than classes of 3 and the basics of 1. XC2 feels smaller than the 1 and 3, in terms of its scope and scale of the world, but sometimes less is more, as it gave a very intimate window into the game's various ensemble of protagonists and surprisingly multi-dimensional antagonists, villains, and anti-villains. In fact, the quality and depth of its antagonists is one of the things that set the game apart from its predecessor and successor. That the antagonists are so 1 dimensional and literally cookie cutter is one of my chief disappointments with 3 (which, btw, I still loved quite a bit!). Rex gets so s**t on all the time, but I love his idealism and authenticity - in an era where most main protagonists are jaded, morally gray anti-heroes, I found Rex to be a breath of fresh air - and still do!
Anyway, regarding SMWonder - the review reads like a 10, so the 9 feels very odd, especially when the chief complaints are pretty subjective and could apply to other game's that this site had awarded 10s for in the past. It almost feels like NL is trying to shake the perception that they overrate first party Nintendo games and thought that if anyone criticizes them for that, they can point to the Wonder review to refute it haha.
395 replies? Is that a record for this site, on a single article? (eg one that isn't a list that's updated across a span of months or years)
Crazy engagement on the topic tells you just how important this particular aspect is for many potential Nintendo customers!
With all of that having been said, I actually find myself largely in agreement with Gavin: I hope that it's BC, but I won't lose any sleep over it if it's not. I was super hyped about Wii being compatible with GC, and 3DS with DS, but in reality, I rarely used that functionality and mostly still just played those games on their original consoles - but even that was rare.
A lot of my old games on those above mentioned systems are simply collecting dust and have been, even when their compatible successors were in their prime.
For what it's worth, I think NG Switch will feature BC and would be surprised if it didn't - launching a new system with the Switch's vast library already available would be of huge benefit to Nintendo - but I guess we'll see!
It's good to see that so many others have still rightly heralded MKII (SNES) as the best game in the series. I would even go so far as to say that the SNES version is not only the best entry on a Nintendo console - it's the best of any console!
(Wow, my childhood 90s Nintendo fanboyism just re-emerged there for a minute 😂)
I love the game so far! F-Zero was one of the first 4 titles I had when I was given the SNES for Christmas in 1991. The original will probably always be among my favorite games for the console, and F-Zero 99 does it justice. It took my only complaint about the SNES version - the lack of multiplier - and basically fixed by 99 orders of magnitude. What's not to love?
> Switch_Pro: "The CDi games had no potential at all." > Switch_Pro, an hour and a half later: "Name a game that didn't have potential."
You should at least try not to undercut your own arguments, if you're going to make one. For what it's worth, I agree with your second one: that all games have potential. This would also include the CDi games. The platform wasn't ideal for gaming, but the ideas that were put forward for the Zelda titles in particular had some really interesting and memorable elements that were clearly unable to be explored in a way that the developers would have wanted, had they been given things like a proper development time, a decent budget, or a console that was tailored to making anything other than educational games. They might look hilarious and dopey now, but to me, it seems pretty clear to me that lot of love was put into these games, even despite the many things working against the success of these games. The handpainted backgrounds for the Zelda CDi games in particular are actually rather well done imho and the infamous cinematic animations are hilariously bad, but are also somehow very charming.
To be honest, I love that there's someone out there who's recognized the legitimate wasted POTENTIAL of these games and has now, in effect, given them the safe space in which their actual raw potential can actually be seen and understood. I wish this could be done with other potentially promising or interesting, but now long dead IPs or other unfinished gaming projects.
That they even reached out to one of the original Zelda and Link VAs and a background painter is just so based, I feel like I HAVE to support this endeavor. That's like WAY above and beyond I think what anyone else would have done or expected for a project of this nature. SQUADALLAH
@KateGray I was actually hoping that you'd be the one to review RF3 Special. It just has that "KateGray Should Definitely Review This Game In Particular" kinda feel to it, ya know what I mean? 🤣
The boring NPCs make this a no go for me. As a lifelong fan of Rune Factory - a series that has, imho, some of the most funny, likable and cleverly written characters of any game of its ilk, each with an amount of unique, evolving dialogue text to last throughout most of an entire playthrough, with even the non-marriageable characters usually having notable and memorable friendships events - I've been spoiled with having having awesome NPCs.
In truth, I've found that building up relationships with the people who live around me to be one of the most integral aspects of any given Rune Factory title - which, incidentally, is why I'm also keen on Stardew Valley.
Honestly, with its awful NPCs, grindy elements, apparent glitches, simplistic combat and needlessly complex gameplay systems, the review for this game read more like a 6 or a 7. I guess its charming aesthetic won it an extra point or two?
And anyone who thinks Nintendo is the one pushing for a lack of BC is insane. Why wouldn't they want to bolster their new system's Day 1 library with their vast catalog of popular Switch 1st Party titles?
I know that some people will point to the Switch not being backwards compatible with Wii U, but that was an entirely different situation for a number of reasons, with the three biggest ones being:
1) The Switch's cartridge slot is a radically different from the Wii U's default use of optical discs.
2) The Switch's control scheme doesn't support Wii U's uniquely asymmetrical gameplay.
3) The Wii U flopped, hard, and thus, a lot of that system's titles never sold many copies to begin with.
All other post-N64 system's and handhelds that had a matching medium featured day 1 BC (ie Wii had BC with GC, Wii U with Wii, the DS had BC with GBA, 3DS with DS). The only reason why Switch didn't have BC with 3DS was the Switch's lack of a second screen.
Since Switch 2 will suffer none of these issues, history would strongly suggest that BC will be a major part of Nintendo's next gen strategy.
These 3rd Parties who don't want backwards compatibility on Switch 2 aren't afraid of legacy titles overshadowing new releases - they're just afraid that they can't do a 4k "remaster" of their existing Switch titles, since most will be hesitant to double dip on a title released 3 to 6 years ago just for some added fidelity.
Greed is at the root of their complaint. I'd love to know which 3rd Parties said it, although I have a few suspects.
Sakurai's a bit of a diva...but who can blame him? I think most people as successful as this guy would be prone to suffering from narcissism / Main Character Syndrome.
I've never played a Famicom...but I can still crisply remember that autumn day I went to a friend's house after school in 1st grade because he wanted to show me the "Nintendo" his family got. Being a kid who played only Atari 2600 games to that point, I expected something similar, but Super Mario Bros 1 was an absolute revelation. I can't even begin to describe how mindblowing that game was, especially for a kid in that generation.
I would, from that moment onward, be a lifelong fan of Nintendo - and it's all thanks to the amazing NES/Famicom. (God I feel so old writing that, though!)
I loved SMW and thought it was audio-visually revolutionary at the time of its release (and still impresses me to thus day), but I grew up with the NES Mario games and had spent countless hours into each...and I just thought the All-Stars treatment of those games was extremely generic, to say the least. Maybe because it's 4 games-in-one, but All Stars looks very aesthetically lazy to me.
All in all, the original versions All have a simple but bold look that is entirely missing from the All Stars release. Same goes for the music, which trades in boldness for mush. I remember feeling deeply disappointed in the game on its release...and I still feel that way 30 years later.
The 3-quarter perspective of the characters, whether they're standing still or moving, adds so much to visuals. It doesn't seem like it should, but it really does!
After 14 years of seeing Mario mostly from a rigid, side angle perspective, seeing both of his eyes, both hands, and both suspenders, regardless of what he's doing, is a revelation. Notably, SMB2 (US), SMB3 and World all depicted Mario in a three-quester perspective, so it instantly recalls those games for me.
Plus, as a NL editor pointed out, the characters legit look like how they looked on box art and game manuals of the 8 and 16 bit eras of Mario, which really appeals to me as someone who grew up in the 80s. I love it!
I love paying full price for a game and then watching tool bags playing said game for free, and openly bragging about it on Reddit, no less. I'm fine with pirating dead consoles, but come on. I'm not a huge fan of defending big companies, but this crap is straight up theft.
BOTW is a revolutionary title. It redefined Zelda as a series, and broke the open world adventure genre wide open in ways that will be felt across the industry for years to come.
By contrast, TOTK is an evolutionary title - and probably the best, most purest example of one that I can think of. It takes what BOTW revolutionized and perfects it in just about every way.
In the past, we've seen this pattern before, and it's always been to good effect. Zelda 1 was a revolutionary game, while A Link to the Past evolves it. Ocarina of Time was revolutionary, while MM, WW, TP, and SS are all evolutionary titles. There's nothing wrong with being evolutionary - and TOTK is only the latest example of why not every game needs to (nor even should) represent a brand new, paradigm shift for a franchise. Sometimes solid and inspired innovations are all that's required in order to take a series to the next level.
@YoshiF2 Wait, wait, wait - hold on a minute - !!! You mean to tell that that a website that calls itself "Nintendo Life" has some degree of open bias towards Nintendo, its consoles, and its games? No way - I refuse to believe it.
Also, Tears of the Kingdom deserves the praise that it gets. Having sunk 100 hours into it so far, it's been worth every penny. It is everything I wanted BOTW to be, multiple by 9,000. Anyone who actually sinks time into this game in a meaningful way knows that some reused assets are not a problem, especially when nearly every place on the original Hyrule map has been in some way changed - sometimes very significantly.
When you throw in the absolutely massive Depths, a ridiculous number of caves, lots of sky islands, lots of new music, 120 new shrines, new bosses, temples, tons of quests with rewards (that are actually worth doing because of a better rewards system), and brand new mechanics that greatly change the way the game is played - and it just baffles me why anyone is still peddling the "TOTK is $70 "DLC" nonsense. It feels like an entirely new game, just set in the same world - and I personally see nothing wrong with that.
But, of course, your mileage may vary. To each their own, I suppose!
@Sisilly_G I forgot about the Treants! They gave a legitimate jump scare the first time I encountered one. Even now, 90 hours in, I still feel somewhat apprehensive walking around unfamiliar apple trees...🤣
In terms of story, not really - but, it's the definitely the first game since the NES titles that had enemies that I find legitimately scary (and in those NES games, it was probably more because I was a little kid when I first played them).
The Gloom Hands are things that I avoid at all costs and will flee from as fast as humanly possible, and the gigantic, three headed Gleeoks just exude an aura of menace and dread in a way that literally makes my heart rate jump a bit, even from half a mile away. I haven't felt so threatened by an enemy in a Zelda game - or any game for that matter - in at least 20+ years.
And that's not even touching upon the Depths, where the darkness and alien looking vistas make me feel constantly vulnerable and like I'm 3 steps from getting blindsided by something terrible that I never saw coming.
The Gibdo enemies also straddle the edge between unsettling and nightmare fuel.
But, yeah - for me, it's perhaps the scariest in terms of some of its monsters and atmospheres of certain areas - but, narratively speaking, there are most certainly darker and scarier games in the series than this one.
@smashbrolink 3) shoot birds, deer, and wolves with arrows and cook the meats into kabobs, which can sell anywhere from 75 to 200 rupees. Aside from selling off gems, I've probably made the bulk of my money just from cooking. Heck, even just throwing 5 apples into the pot to make a simmering fruit dish can sell for like close to 40 rupees - I don't have the game on atm or I'd check, but either way, it's pretty easy and profitable no matter how you slice it (apple cooking pun intended)!
I'm glad I never used the dupe glitch - I just thought it would ultimately diminished my longterm enjoyment of the game. Why work hard to set aside money for expanding my house slowly, over time, when I could just dupe a bunch of diamonds and build everything in a single go? As such, I haven't been hurt by this patch, though I give my condolences to those who have been haha
The new optional font is an improvement, but would it really have been that difficult to use the same fonts as the originals - or at least the ones used in the late SNES era? I personally think the FF6 / Chrono Trigger fonts are, hands down, the best font in the entirety of Square's games... so it saddens me that they've discarded it in every subsequent re-release.
@mandlecreed I feel like me and your friend's mom would have been kindred spirits. I absolutely loved FF2 and Soul Blazer way back in the day, when they were new titles. I pretty much ate up every Square and Enix title my preteen hands could get a hold of. Actraiser, though not really an RPG, also hit that sweet spot.
Comments 880
Re: Reaction: What's Your Gut Feeling On The Zelda Movie News?
I'm not sold on the director. Nintendo a huge company and Zelda is no ordinary IP. Why Nintendo would put such a project into the hands of an unproven director with movies that have never scored above a 6 in review score aggregates is insane. Surely, there was some big name, well-received director in Hollywood with pedigree who would have salivate at the opportunity to direct something as potentially huge as a live action Zelda move.
Hopefully Nintendo - and Wes Ball - proves me wrong. Until then, I'll be watching closely to see how his next film, "Planet of the Apes" performs upon release. His body of work is small, but maybe he'll turn a corner with this one. I don't have high hopes tho tbh.
Re: Digital Foundry Digs Into The Nvidia Chip Rumoured To Power 'Switch 2'
Regarding my earlier Switch 2 Hybrid/Non-Hybrid SKU Theory - after further reflection, I think it's actually probably more likely that Nintendo would make Switch 2's launch version Hybrid-only (to limit consumer confusion), and then, maybe in a year or two, release a more powerful-but-not-portable ("docked-only") SKU as a "budget/entry level" alternative.
While it perhaps seems ludicrous to sell a more powerful Switch 2 for less, if it doesn't need its own screen, them that, alone, would greatly reduce production costs substantially, and making it digital-only would only decrease them even further - savings which Nintendo could, in theory, pass on to the consumer.
Of course, I say "in theory" bc well, this IS Nintendo after all - a company not exactly known for its abundant generosity to consumers - but, who knows, maybe this time, things will be different 😂
Re: Digital Foundry Digs Into The Nvidia Chip Rumoured To Power 'Switch 2'
My current theory is that there's going to be two major SKUs...possibly even at launch: a Switch 2 Hybrid (ie portable and dockable), and a Switch 2 Home Console (ie not portable, always docked). Aside from these major physical / practical differences, I think each model would probably also differ in performance capabilities.
For instance, by no longer having to invest precious system resources to account a handheld mode, the Switch 2 (Home Console) could, by contrast, dedicate 100% of its resources towards maximizing what it can get out of DLSS. Being housed would also allow it to have things like a larger heat sink and fan, thus increasing performance even further.
And, of course, the Switch 2 (Hybrid)'s selling point would be that it's functionally identical to what made Switch 1 a success: the option to play it anywhere. However, as also was the case for Switch 1, this portability would come at a cost of decreasing the ceiling of its graphical limits, with lower frame rates and resolution (especially in handheld).
One other major difference is that the (Hybrid) version would have a cartridge port and would be fully BC, while the (Home Console) model would be digital-only, and thus, lack full BC. With way, both SKUs would be compatible with all Switch 2 titles (nothing like New 3DS exclusives)
If I'm right about my hunch about this, then I'd expect asjustable, built-in PC-esque graphical options to be a standard feature. While Nintendo would likely make these settings automated by default (ie letting the console "choose" what it thinks is "most optimal"), the option to manually adjust settings might also be available, and would allow a person to more precisely adjust things like FPS, resolution, filters to fit with that individual's preference - which might be useful, especially on the portable version.
If this is indeed the strategy, then I think the (Hybrid) would actually the "premium" version - at least by cost, if not by performance. The lack of needing its own screen and going digital only would bring down production costs by a lot...which could translate into the (Home Console) version selling for $50-$75 less than the Hybrid.
What do you guys think? (That is, if anyone even reads comments of this length 😅)
Re: Sega's First Super Game Making Steady Progress, Still Targeting 2026 Release
I thought this was an April Fools Day article...and then I remembered that it's November. Sony's description of the game - and even it's working title - absolutely read like one 🤣
Re: Hands On: Super Mario RPG Is The Most Faithful Remake We've Ever Played
@JohnnyC That's the exact opposite of my experience. No one in my area, ever, even once, called it a "Snes" (one word) — it was always S-N-E-S.
(Honestly, a lot of us back in the day would also just call it "The Super".)
I didn't know Snes (one word) was a thing until literally like maybe 2020.🤣
Re: Hands On: Super Mario RPG Is The Most Faithful Remake We've Ever Played
Has anyone done a comparison of the text/translation? I actually really liked Ted Woolsey's take on the localization back on the original SNES title - I hope they haven't largely re-written it.
Re: Twitch "Ending Support" For Its Switch App Early Next Year
I never knew Switch HAD a Twitch App. That's mildly disappointing that they're shutting down soon, I may have gotten some use out of it. It's crazy that they didn't even promote the app for Switch...at all. Or if they did, I clearly missed it.
Re: Newly Discovered Nintendo Filing Shows Off "Dual-Screen, Detachable Device"
@westman98 Theoretically, it could be Switch 2 related if it's an add on or something on a different model that they hadn't finalized yet. Probably not, but it would be cool. I'd love a second screen, in one form or another.
Re: Newly Discovered Nintendo Filing Shows Off "Dual-Screen, Detachable Device"
God, please yes. I love the Switch, but as a huge fan of the DS and 3DS, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss dual screen gaming.
Re: Random: Place Your Bets On How Long This Super Mario-Sampling Rap Track Stays Live
@FunGuy As a guy whose avatar is literally q picture of himself playing an original song on his guitar, I feel that. It's tough these days being a legitimate musician with creative integrity and who puts in a lot of effort for little to no gain.
Re: Random: Place Your Bets On How Long This Super Mario-Sampling Rap Track Stays Live
Horrible song and borderline insulting / disrespectful towards the source material.
Re: Review: Super Mario Bros. Wonder - The Best 2D Mario Since The Super NES
@rex_rex XC2 is also my favorite. It has the most heart, all of the characters are likeable and useful, and the Blades system is (imo) leagues better than classes of 3 and the basics of 1. XC2 feels smaller than the 1 and 3, in terms of its scope and scale of the world, but sometimes less is more, as it gave a very intimate window into the game's various ensemble of protagonists and surprisingly multi-dimensional antagonists, villains, and anti-villains. In fact, the quality and depth of its antagonists is one of the things that set the game apart from its predecessor and successor. That the antagonists are so 1 dimensional and literally cookie cutter is one of my chief disappointments with 3 (which, btw, I still loved quite a bit!). Rex gets so s**t on all the time, but I love his idealism and authenticity - in an era where most main protagonists are jaded, morally gray anti-heroes, I found Rex to be a breath of fresh air - and still do!
Anyway, regarding SMWonder - the review reads like a 10, so the 9 feels very odd, especially when the chief complaints are pretty subjective and could apply to other game's that this site had awarded 10s for in the past. It almost feels like NL is trying to shake the perception that they overrate first party Nintendo games and thought that if anyone criticizes them for that, they can point to the Wonder review to refute it haha.
Re: Soapbox: 'Switch 2' Doesn't Really Need Backwards Compatibility
395 replies? Is that a record for this site, on a single article? (eg one that isn't a list that's updated across a span of months or years)
Crazy engagement on the topic tells you just how important this particular aspect is for many potential Nintendo customers!
With all of that having been said, I actually find myself largely in agreement with Gavin: I hope that it's BC, but I won't lose any sleep over it if it's not. I was super hyped about Wii being compatible with GC, and 3DS with DS, but in reality, I rarely used that functionality and mostly still just played those games on their original consoles - but even that was rare.
A lot of my old games on those above mentioned systems are simply collecting dust and have been, even when their compatible successors were in their prime.
For what it's worth, I think NG Switch will feature BC and would be surprised if it didn't - launching a new system with the Switch's vast library already available would be of huge benefit to Nintendo - but I guess we'll see!
Re: Best Mortal Kombat Games On Nintendo Systems - Every MK, Ranked By You
It's good to see that so many others have still rightly heralded MKII (SNES) as the best game in the series. I would even go so far as to say that the SNES version is not only the best entry on a Nintendo console - it's the best of any console!
(Wow, my childhood 90s Nintendo fanboyism just re-emerged there for a minute 😂)
Re: Switch Online N64 Controllers Have Been Restocked In North America
Thanks for the heads up - I finally just successfully ordered one!
Re: Video: Super Mario RPG Gets Another Side-By-Side Graphics Comparison (Switch & SNES)
@Joeynator3000 What happened? What reasons?I must be living under a rock haha
Re: Takaya Imamura Expresses His Love For F-Zero 99, Awaits 'Revival Of The IP'
I love the game so far! F-Zero was one of the first 4 titles I had when I was given the SNES for Christmas in 1991. The original will probably always be among my favorite games for the console, and F-Zero 99 does it justice. It took my only complaint about the SNES version - the lack of multiplier - and basically fixed by 99 orders of magnitude. What's not to love?
Re: Feature: Meet The 'Arzette' Dev Salvaging The Zelda CD-i Games' "Genuine Potential"
> Switch_Pro: "The CDi games had no potential at all."
> Switch_Pro, an hour and a half later: "Name a game that didn't have potential."
You should at least try not to undercut your own arguments, if you're going to make one. For what it's worth, I agree with your second one: that all games have potential. This would also include the CDi games. The platform wasn't ideal for gaming, but the ideas that were put forward for the Zelda titles in particular had some really interesting and memorable elements that were clearly unable to be explored in a way that the developers would have wanted, had they been given things like a proper development time, a decent budget, or a console that was tailored to making anything other than educational games. They might look hilarious and dopey now, but to me, it seems pretty clear to me that lot of love was put into these games, even despite the many things working against the success of these games. The handpainted backgrounds for the Zelda CDi games in particular are actually rather well done imho and the infamous cinematic animations are hilariously bad, but are also somehow very charming.
To be honest, I love that there's someone out there who's recognized the legitimate wasted POTENTIAL of these games and has now, in effect, given them the safe space in which their actual raw potential can actually be seen and understood. I wish this could be done with other potentially promising or interesting, but now long dead IPs or other unfinished gaming projects.
Re: Feature: Meet The 'Arzette' Dev Salvaging The Zelda CD-i Games' "Genuine Potential"
That they even reached out to one of the original Zelda and Link VAs and a background painter is just so based, I feel like I HAVE to support this endeavor. That's like WAY above and beyond I think what anyone else would have done or expected for a project of this nature. SQUADALLAH
Re: Review: Rune Factory 3 Special - The Same Great Farm Sim/RPG, Though 'Special' Is A Stretch
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Re: Review: Rune Factory 3 Special - The Same Great Farm Sim/RPG, Though 'Special' Is A Stretch
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Re: Review: Fae Farm - A Thoughtful, Utterly Gorgeous Farm Sim, But Avoid The NPCs
@KateGray I was actually hoping that you'd be the one to review RF3 Special. It just has that "KateGray Should Definitely Review This Game In Particular" kinda feel to it, ya know what I mean? 🤣
Re: Review: Fae Farm - A Thoughtful, Utterly Gorgeous Farm Sim, But Avoid The NPCs
The boring NPCs make this a no go for me. As a lifelong fan of Rune Factory - a series that has, imho, some of the most funny, likable and cleverly written characters of any game of its ilk, each with an amount of unique, evolving dialogue text to last throughout most of an entire playthrough, with even the non-marriageable characters usually having notable and memorable friendships events - I've been spoiled with having having awesome NPCs.
In truth, I've found that building up relationships with the people who live around me to be one of the most integral aspects of any given Rune Factory title - which, incidentally, is why I'm also keen on Stardew Valley.
Honestly, with its awful NPCs, grindy elements, apparent glitches, simplistic combat and needlessly complex gameplay systems, the review for this game read more like a 6 or a 7. I guess its charming aesthetic won it an extra point or two?
Re: Surprise! Civilization VI's Leader Pass DLC Has Been Released On Switch
I haven't played the game in a few years, but I might just have to dust it off. I'm afraid to, though, because Civ games are so addictive haha
Re: Review: Excitebike 64 - An Underrated Racer That Deserves To Ride With Its N64 Stablemates
@Sequel They probably haven't logged onto NL in about 7 years haha.
Re: Nintendo Download: 24th August (North America)
Can't wait for Sea of Stars!
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Surpasses Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom As 2023's Highest-Rated Game "So Far"
Holy clickbait, NL
Re: Take-Two CEO On Backward Compatibility: "Give Consumers What They Want"
And anyone who thinks Nintendo is the one pushing for a lack of BC is insane. Why wouldn't they want to bolster their new system's Day 1 library with their vast catalog of popular Switch 1st Party titles?
I know that some people will point to the Switch not being backwards compatible with Wii U, but that was an entirely different situation for a number of reasons, with the three biggest ones being:
1) The Switch's cartridge slot is a radically different from the Wii U's default use of optical discs.
2) The Switch's control scheme doesn't support Wii U's uniquely asymmetrical gameplay.
3) The Wii U flopped, hard, and thus, a lot of that system's titles never sold many copies to begin with.
All other post-N64 system's and handhelds that had a matching medium featured day 1 BC (ie Wii had BC with GC, Wii U with Wii, the DS had BC with GBA, 3DS with DS). The only reason why Switch didn't have BC with 3DS was the Switch's lack of a second screen.
Since Switch 2 will suffer none of these issues, history would strongly suggest that BC will be a major part of Nintendo's next gen strategy.
Re: Take-Two CEO On Backward Compatibility: "Give Consumers What They Want"
These 3rd Parties who don't want backwards compatibility on Switch 2 aren't afraid of legacy titles overshadowing new releases - they're just afraid that they can't do a 4k "remaster" of their existing Switch titles, since most will be hesitant to double dip on a title released 3 to 6 years ago just for some added fidelity.
Greed is at the root of their complaint. I'd love to know which 3rd Parties said it, although I have a few suspects.
Re: It's "More Difficult Than Ever" To Collaborate With Nintendo, Claims Picross Developer Jupiter
That's an awfully small sample size.
Re: Hugely Anticipated Turn-Based RPG 'Sea Of Stars' Has Gone Gold
Removed
Re: Hugely Anticipated Turn-Based RPG 'Sea Of Stars' Has Gone Gold
Oh, I almost forgot about this game! The demo was awesome! I can't wait to get the full game
Re: Sakurai Can't Imagine Future Super Smash Bros. Games Without His Involvement
Sakurai's a bit of a diva...but who can blame him? I think most people as successful as this guy would be prone to suffering from narcissism / Main Character Syndrome.
Re: Super Mario Bros. Wonder Has Been Rated For Nintendo Switch
Darn. Not gonna lie, I was hoping for the long awaited Return of Wart, but... I guess Bowser will do.
Re: Random: Super Mario World's Lemmy Referenced In '90s Home Insurance Ad
"And possibly, the wing for your parents."
Lmao - these days, the parents are lucky if they can get the kids moved out of the house before retirement.
Re: Anniversary: Nintendo Famicom, The NES' Japanese Sibling, Is 40 Years Old
I've never played a Famicom...but I can still crisply remember that autumn day I went to a friend's house after school in 1st grade because he wanted to show me the "Nintendo" his family got. Being a kid who played only Atari 2600 games to that point, I expected something similar, but Super Mario Bros 1 was an absolute revelation. I can't even begin to describe how mindblowing that game was, especially for a kid in that generation.
I would, from that moment onward, be a lifelong fan of Nintendo - and it's all thanks to the amazing NES/Famicom. (God I feel so old writing that, though!)
Re: Arzette Is A "Spiritual Successor" To The Infamous Zelda CD-i Games And It's Coming To Switch In 2023
As a fan and creator of YouTube Poop back in its heyday, this actually looks amazing.
Re: Poll: Super Mario All-Stars Is 30 Years Old - Do You Prefer The NES Or SNES Versions Of The Classics?
I loved SMW and thought it was audio-visually revolutionary at the time of its release (and still impresses me to thus day), but I grew up with the NES Mario games and had spent countless hours into each...and I just thought the All-Stars treatment of those games was extremely generic, to say the least. Maybe because it's 4 games-in-one, but All Stars looks very aesthetically lazy to me.
All in all, the original versions All have a simple but bold look that is entirely missing from the All Stars release. Same goes for the music, which trades in boldness for mush. I remember feeling deeply disappointed in the game on its release...and I still feel that way 30 years later.
Re: Mini Review: Crime O'Clock - 'Where's Wally' With A Temporal Twist, Clever But Repetitive
*Waldo
Unless it's a British spelling change.
Re: Talking Point: Is Super Mario Bros. Wonder Really A Departure From The 'New' Series?
The 3-quarter perspective of the characters, whether they're standing still or moving, adds so much to visuals. It doesn't seem like it should, but it really does!
After 14 years of seeing Mario mostly from a rigid, side angle perspective, seeing both of his eyes, both hands, and both suspenders, regardless of what he's doing, is a revelation. Notably, SMB2 (US), SMB3 and World all depicted Mario in a three-quester perspective, so it instantly recalls those games for me.
Plus, as a NL editor pointed out, the characters legit look like how they looked on box art and game manuals of the 8 and 16 bit eras of Mario, which really appeals to me as someone who grew up in the 80s. I love it!
Re: Popular Switch Piracy Subreddit Promoting Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Downloads Banned
I love paying full price for a game and then watching tool bags playing said game for free, and openly bragging about it on Reddit, no less. I'm fine with pirating dead consoles, but come on. I'm not a huge fan of defending big companies, but this crap is straight up theft.
Re: UK Charts: Not Even Street Fighter 6 Can Knock Zelda: TOTK Off Its Throne
In short -
BOTW is a revolutionary title. It redefined Zelda as a series, and broke the open world adventure genre wide open in ways that will be felt across the industry for years to come.
By contrast, TOTK is an evolutionary title - and probably the best, most purest example of one that I can think of. It takes what BOTW revolutionized and perfects it in just about every way.
In the past, we've seen this pattern before, and it's always been to good effect. Zelda 1 was a revolutionary game, while A Link to the Past evolves it. Ocarina of Time was revolutionary, while MM, WW, TP, and SS are all evolutionary titles. There's nothing wrong with being evolutionary - and TOTK is only the latest example of why not every game needs to (nor even should) represent a brand new, paradigm shift for a franchise. Sometimes solid and inspired innovations are all that's required in order to take a series to the next level.
Re: UK Charts: Not Even Street Fighter 6 Can Knock Zelda: TOTK Off Its Throne
@YoshiF2 Wait, wait, wait - hold on a minute - !!! You mean to tell that that a website that calls itself "Nintendo Life" has some degree of open bias towards Nintendo, its consoles, and its games? No way - I refuse to believe it.
Also, Tears of the Kingdom deserves the praise that it gets. Having sunk 100 hours into it so far, it's been worth every penny. It is everything I wanted BOTW to be, multiple by 9,000. Anyone who actually sinks time into this game in a meaningful way knows that some reused assets are not a problem, especially when nearly every place on the original Hyrule map has been in some way changed - sometimes very significantly.
When you throw in the absolutely massive Depths, a ridiculous number of caves, lots of sky islands, lots of new music, 120 new shrines, new bosses, temples, tons of quests with rewards (that are actually worth doing because of a better rewards system), and brand new mechanics that greatly change the way the game is played - and it just baffles me why anyone is still peddling the "TOTK is $70 "DLC" nonsense. It feels like an entirely new game, just set in the same world - and I personally see nothing wrong with that.
But, of course, your mileage may vary. To each their own, I suppose!
Re: Talking Point: Is Tears Of The Kingdom The Scariest Zelda Game Ever?
@Sisilly_G I forgot about the Treants! They gave a legitimate jump scare the first time I encountered one. Even now, 90 hours in, I still feel somewhat apprehensive walking around unfamiliar apple trees...🤣
Re: Talking Point: Is Tears Of The Kingdom The Scariest Zelda Game Ever?
In terms of story, not really - but, it's the definitely the first game since the NES titles that had enemies that I find legitimately scary (and in those NES games, it was probably more because I was a little kid when I first played them).
The Gloom Hands are things that I avoid at all costs and will flee from as fast as humanly possible, and the gigantic, three headed Gleeoks just exude an aura of menace and dread in a way that literally makes my heart rate jump a bit, even from half a mile away. I haven't felt so threatened by an enemy in a Zelda game - or any game for that matter - in at least 20+ years.
And that's not even touching upon the Depths, where the darkness and alien looking vistas make me feel constantly vulnerable and like I'm 3 steps from getting blindsided by something terrible that I never saw coming.
The Gibdo enemies also straddle the edge between unsettling and nightmare fuel.
But, yeah - for me, it's perhaps the scariest in terms of some of its monsters and atmospheres of certain areas - but, narratively speaking, there are most certainly darker and scarier games in the series than this one.
Re: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Update Now Live (Version 1.1.2), Here Are The Full Patch Notes
@smashbrolink 3) shoot birds, deer, and wolves with arrows and cook the meats into kabobs, which can sell anywhere from 75 to 200 rupees. Aside from selling off gems, I've probably made the bulk of my money just from cooking. Heck, even just throwing 5 apples into the pot to make a simmering fruit dish can sell for like close to 40 rupees - I don't have the game on atm or I'd check, but either way, it's pretty easy and profitable no matter how you slice it (apple cooking pun intended)!
Re: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Update Now Live (Version 1.1.2), Here Are The Full Patch Notes
I'm glad I never used the dupe glitch - I just thought it would ultimately diminished my longterm enjoyment of the game. Why work hard to set aside money for expanding my house slowly, over time, when I could just dupe a bunch of diamonds and build everything in a single go? As such, I haven't been hurt by this patch, though I give my condolences to those who have been haha
Re: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom: Beginner's Tips - What To Do First
Wow. I knew everything but the light root = shrine connection, with their names being mirrored all. That's actually really amazing. Great tip!
Re: Poll: What Do You Think Of The New Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Font?
The new optional font is an improvement, but would it really have been that difficult to use the same fonts as the originals - or at least the ones used in the late SNES era? I personally think the FF6 / Chrono Trigger fonts are, hands down, the best font in the entirety of Square's games... so it saddens me that they've discarded it in every subsequent re-release.
Re: Poll: Which Was Your First 'Final Fantasy'?
@mandlecreed I feel like me and your friend's mom would have been kindred spirits. I absolutely loved FF2 and Soul Blazer way back in the day, when they were new titles. I pretty much ate up every Square and Enix title my preteen hands could get a hold of. Actraiser, though not really an RPG, also hit that sweet spot.