AstroTheGamosian

I managed to get a Mario Kart World Switch 2 bundle at Target for myself back in July, and then when I got my invitation from Nintendo to order directly through them, I bought it and gave it to my girlfriend. However, she has to share it with her sibling, whom she lives with, since her sibling has been unable to get their hands on one due to lack of availability.

Now that retailers are getting more in stock to the point where they're readily available, and Nintendo themselves has removed the invitation requirement to purchase directly through them, I'll have to be sure to let my girlfriend's sibling know so they can get their hands on one of their own, provided they can afford it.

@FantasiaWHT Only a small handful of countries recognize the concept of Fair Use in their copyright laws. Japan is not one of them. Since Nintendo is a Japanese company, they are well-within their legal rights to get this taken down. Whether or not they are right to do it is still open for debate, but from a purely legal standpoint, they have the right.

Assuming I participate in the Splatfest (and I might, since my work schedule says that it's a five-day weekend for me), Team Ghost all the way. I've always been a big fan of Casper the Friendly Ghost as a kid, so it's probably just the nostalgia talking.

That being said, I could also do Team Zombie, because one of my favorite characters from the Shantae series is Rottytops, who is a zombie that considers Shantae to be her best friend. I just find her adorable!

I mean, if they flesh out the story more, take a few more risks, I bet The Super Mario Galaxy Movie would be even better than its predecessor. Two of the main criticisms I've heard with the first one were that the plot was barebones at best and that they played things too safe. Speaking as a writer myself, I find myself agreeing with that assessment. In rebuttal to what people will say about it being a movie for kids, there are plenty of kids movies out there that have better storylines and take risks.

As it is, one of my favorite movies growing up was The Brave Little Toaster. It had quite a few elements that parents today would think are not suitable for children, but I think kids are more capable of handling certain kinds content than we give them credit for, such as dark content. Famous film director Don Bluth also thinks that way, hence why he wrote his films with dark elements; The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and An American Tail being prime examples of this.

Even some of the earliest Disney films, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Dumbo all had elements that would frighten little children today, yet we still show them to our kids, calling them classics. On the modern side of things, the acclaimed Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters appeals to all ages, from little children barely out of diapers to the elderly with a cane. And I know this because there were quite a few little kids at the movie theater my girlfriend and I went to for the sing-along version that was released for one weekend only last month; plus, numerous news reports talking about the success of the film frequently showcase kids singing and dancing to songs like "Golden," "Soda Pop," and "Your Idol."

So I think Nintendo can stand to take a few more risks and introduce elements that modern kids films don't normally include. I also say the same about the upcoming Legend of Zelda film, plus any other films that they make, such as Metroid, Star Fox, Kirby, Fire Emblem, F-Zero, and Super Smash Bros. I guarantee you, people will still go to watch these films, because Nintendo's franchises hold a special place in the hearts of many.

Speaking of old-school mecha anime, one game I would love to see come to the Nintendo 64 app on the Switch Online service is Neon Genesis Evangelion, a fighting game that loosely adapts the original anime and its concluding film, The End of Evangelion. It was only ever released in Japan, so it would be really neat if they could put it on the Switch Online service, since you can play Japanese versions of certain video games on the platform.

@abe_hikura At first, I was like, "Why didn't I ever hear of this spin-off?" Then I Googled it and saw which platforms it was released on and realized why. Since I didn't really follow gaming news beyond what was in Nintendo Power back then, I had no idea that this was even a thing. I'll have to see if I can track down a copy on the PS2 (since I don't have a PSP, unless I decide to get one) and try it out!

See, I remember when the first Rune Factory game came out for the DS. It was titled "Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon." The reason being was because it was a fantasy-based spin-off of the Harvest Moon (now Story of Seasons) franchise. So for the latest Rune Factory game to collaborate with the latest Story of Seasons game, it feels like the series is coming back home, returning to its roots, what have you. That makes me happy in so many ways.

Outsourcing to other countries for cheaper labor is one thing (and I am already against that to begin with), but making the people you're firing train their replacements? Oh, H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICK no. That is just rubbing salt in an open wound. At that point, that's just straight-up psychological abuse, if you ask me. I hope every single one of those contractors tells Nintendo to go you-know-what themselves and just walk off the job once their contracts expire.

@Jujuman Well, we just have to hope that the patent doesn't hold up in court, then. It's one thing if you patent hardware, but when you patent an intangible (i.e., not physical) idea, that's when things become blurry.

In a way, it reminds me of Thomas Edison, whose company developed and patented the Kinetograph, an early form of motion picture camera and quickly formed a monopoly not only on the hardware, but even the concept of making movies. According to the college course that I took about the history of film, Edison would sue anyone who made their own camera, but it got to the point where he would prevent anyone who wasn't part of his own film company to make movies.

It's for that reason why so many filmmakers moved to California; they would be free from his control in that state. As a result, much of the American film industry is based in California. Edison's own company would be broken up later after having been found in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

So we'll just have to see if Nintendo's patent will hold up. Even if it doesn't in this first round, they will more than likely appeal, and keep on doing so until they win or exhaust every appeal they can. And they have the money to do it. If anything, that's why Nintendo keeps winning in court; their opponents don't have the kind of money that they do in order to drag out cases through the court system.

@RadioHedgeFund Let's not forget, though: Spirit Tracks also had a Demon King named Malladus, and he was essentially the main villain of that game. While it is heavily implied that the reincarnation of Demise's hatred was Ganondorf, does that always have to be the case? Likewise, do Link and Zelda always have to be reincarnated as the same identity time and time again? Maybe we will see an incarnation of Link in this game, but they won't be the Link we all know.

In a way, it's kind of like this Zelda webcomic that I discovered. In that one, Link is not only Zelda's child, but also born as a girl, thus making her a princess (albeit a very tomboyish one). I forget if she knows her destiny as the Hero, but she does try to have a good relationship with Ganondorf, who agreed to marry Zelda in order to prevent yet another war between their two peoples. She even calls Ganondorf "Ganondad!".

Definitely had a few of the things I wanted to see, such as a release date for Metroid Prime 4 and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, plus a few things I did not expect but am looking forward to. Would have been nice to get confirmation of a new Star Fox or F-Zero game, though, plus Genshin Impact and Stellar Blade for the Switch 2.

Overall, I liked it. It was a good, meaty Direct with plenty of things to look forward to. But it did kind of tick me off, though, seeing people in the chat on Nintendo's YouTube livestream saying it was the worst Direct ever. There was plenty of good stuff in this Direct. It might not have been everything that I wanted, but it was a solid Direct.

@Kingy Part of me wanted to try Dragon Quest Swords, a spinoff game from the main series. Mainly because I developed a bit of a crush on Fleurette when I saw her in an article for the game that ran in an issue of Nintendo Power. But I never got the game.

@Banjo- Yeah, the Wii Remote was very intuitive when it came to that. It'd be nice if Nintendo could make a Wii Remote-like accessory for the Switch and Switch 2, although the IR sensors in the Joy-Cons could theoretically do the job.

Nice! I was really hoping this would be the case! Now I'll be able to take the entire trilogy with me on the go! Now we just need to get Stellar Blade and its currently-in-development sequel onto the Switch 2!

Never really been into the Mario sports games, but if this new entry into the Mario Tennis series includes an Adventure Mode, I might just try it out.

DLC already? Dang! I didn't even finish the base game yet! Hopefully we'll get to see more than just Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong. I want to see Cranky Kong, Funky Kong, and Candy Kong, amongst others.

I'd recognize Akira Toriyama's art style anywhere. I figured it was going to be another Dragon Quest game. Even though I have a passing interest in the series, I have no idea where to start.

Sweet! I always did love these games. Excited to take them on the go! Although, I wonder how they are going to get you to collect Star Bits. It's been a while since I played Super Mario 3D All-Stars, so I forget how they retooled that mechanic.

Just hoping that it will be a free upgrade for those who already have the game on the original Switch, just like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were. I never got very far in the original version myself, but I do have it. I don't want to have to pay full price again.

I always did like the Super Mario Galaxy games. So I will definitely watch this one! I just hope it will be better than the last one. I felt it was a bit lacking in the story and character development departments. Other film critics also shared this sentiment. So I hope that they will take these critiques to heart and make the second film's plot and character development even meatier and more in-depth.

Definitely excited for this. I also hope we'll be able to get Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for the Switch 2, as well as the third chapter of the Final Fantasy VII Remake Project.

Actually, I think this is kind of cool. I always did imagine cruising around town in a convertible or on a motorcycle. After all, it's not like she's on missions all the time. Assuming she has an actual home to go to on Earth, she's got to have some way to get around town other than her Gunship.

While one could make the argument that the patent shouldn't hold up in court, the question I have is who can afford the better lawyers. If the answer is Nintendo, they might be able to win, regardless of the merits of the case. Time will tell, though.

@Jujuman Games copy each other all the time. Candy Crush Saga is basically Bejeweled. Every shmup released today takes its roots from games like Space Invaders, Galaga, Galaxian, Xevious, and others. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom took pages from Assassin's Creed. Halo and Call of Duty has their roots in Doom. Undertale is directly inspired by Earthbound. Shantae is considered a Metroidvania, taking elements from both Metroid and Castlevania. The list goes on.

Just hoping this thing will include a head strap. That was one of the big flaws of the original Virtual Boy. For a console that was marketed as being portable, the lack of a head strap really hampered your ability to actually take it on the go. So a head strap for both versions of the accessory would really come in handy.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is just a given. Personally hoping for a new, meatier trailer and a release date. And it might be a pipe dream, but a new Star Fox would be nice as well; specifically, one that ignores the canonicity of Command (and instead of seeing Fox and Krystal break up like they did in that game, have their relationship grow even closer, maybe even get married at the end of it).

@EarthboundBenjy Looks like it. When I was playing the GBA version, I actually did encounter a bug in one of the dungeons, where you think you found a secret passageway while crawling through a crawlspace (since the screen is still fixed on the room you were in instead of Shantae herself), but in actuality, you basically fell out of the world. The only way to escape is to warp out of the dungeon.

@schweinebrot Yeah, I'm not really a big fan of either box art. I just skipped this vote. I just wanted to see the results, if anything else.

What'd be nice is if Nintendo updated the N64 app on the Switch 2 to be compatible with the Switch 2 GameCube controller. I'm currently in the middle of playing Ocarina of Time, but I'm so used to playing it with a GameCube controller (since I have the game as part of the Collector's Edition on the GameCube), that it's a bit hard to get used to with the Switch 2 Pro Controller. Especially when it comes to more precision-based aspects of the game, such as trying to get 1500 points in the Gerudo Horseback Archery minigame.

Look, it could be tomorrow or another ten years from now; as long as it comes out, I'll be first in line to get it. I can wait until then.

I hate to sound contrarian, but while Ghibli is a much-beloved animation studio, part of me wonders, if not outright questions, if they would truly be the best studio to make a Zelda anime. Watching Tales from Earthsea (the closest we got to a Zelda anime from them) left a bitter taste in my mouth, and honestly, I've seen animation studios that could do a potential Zelda anime far better.

Plus, I've rarely known Ghibli to focus on stories that deal with existential threats; rather, they focus more on personal growth instead of overarching conflicts between good and evil. Furthermore, much of their success is attributed to Hayao Miyazaki. But he keeps retiring, only to come back out of it for some passion project of his; I doubt that Zelda would be one of them.

Personally, if a Zelda anime were to ever be made, I would love to see a studio like Ufotable (famous for works like Demon Slayer and the upcoming Genshin Impact anime) or A-1 Pictures (known for Black Butler, Sword Art Online, Magi: The Kingdom of Magic, The Seven Deadly Sins, Persona 4: The Animation, Gate, Darling in the Franxx, and Solo Leveling, to name a few) tackle a Zelda anime.

And this might be a little vain of myself, but I would hope that the Zelda light novel that I am in the middle of writing would serve as the basis for such an anime; it's somewhat inspired by other fantasy anime out there, such a Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Slayers, and the like; basically, any high fantasy anime with an adventuring party, since Link will not be alone in this adventure.

I've already mapped out where I want the story to go, have fleshed out the outlines for several key chapters, and have even written the epilogue; in fact, it was the first chapter I wrote. Should Nintendo be willing, I would love to have it published, become a manga, and then finally an anime. And if I had any creative control over such an adaptation, I would definitely go with Ufotable or A-1 Pictures as my first two choices.

Ever since I played Risky's Revenge on iOS (and later the 3DS) and the original Shantae (also on 3DS), I've been hooked on the series ever since. I love the world it built, the quirky characters, the music, and the gameplay. Risky Revolution is no exception to this. My only real complaint with the game is the relative lack of side content, such as minigames and more collectibles beyond heart holders and Secret Squids (collecting all 50 of them unlocks a swimsuit outfit for Shantae after you beat the game).

Still, it's a minor complaint, as other entries in the series also lack such content. It is still a solid game in its own right. I have not only purchased the game for the GBA (both the purple Standard Edition as well as the gold Collector's Edition), I have also purchased it for the Switch as well (both the physical version that Limited Run Games will be releasing, as well as the digital version on the Switch eShop). It goes to show how much I love this series.

I can't wait to see what WayForward has in store for the series next! Personally, I'd love to see a 3D Shantae game next, maybe done in the style of the first three Spyro games. I'd also love to see a Shantae animated series; heck, I even came up with an idea for a pilot episode that I would love to pitch to Matt Bozon! So yeah, I am looking forward to the future of this series.

Never played this game before, as it didn't seem like something I was interested in at the time. Especially since I would have had to pay full price for the game (and being a kid, I had no income beyond an allowance from my parents or gift money from family and friends; so I had to save my money for the games I REALLY wanted). But now that it's come to the Switch Online service, I might give it a try.

That being said, however, I am hoping that games like Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox: Assault come to the platform; especially the latter, since there was a multiplayer mode to the game. I would play that mode all the time with a late friend of mine whenever we had sleepovers, so it would be nice to play it with my current friends and my girlfriend. It would also be nice to play it on the go.

My guess is Sakurai-sensei will be demoing the gameplay, kind of like what he did every time a new character was announced in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I bet you that's why the Direct is going to be 45 minutes long for a single game.

I'm a little surprised that Stellar Blade wasn't included in this list. That's one I'd love to take on the go. Same with Genshin Impact. I mean, there's quite a few games from other consoles that I would love to see come to Switch 2, but those are the two big ones for me right now.

Honestly going to skip this one. I've never heard anything good about Bubsy. Mediocre, at best, but nothing good.

@LazyDaisy Well, I will say, Sony has been doing a pretty decent job with movies lately. The Spider-Verse movies have been very well received, and their recent KPop Demon Hunters movie has become an international sensation practically overnight. So if anyone can make a decent film right now, it's Sony.

Granted, I would still love a Zelda anime, preferably animated by Ufotable (the studio behind Demon Slayer and the upcoming Genshin Impact anime). I think they would be the best studio for any Zelda anime, given their experience with the action-adventure and fantasy genres. I could also see A-1 Pictures, the studio behind Sword Art Online, the Persona 4 anime, the Ace Attorney anime, Darling in the Franxx, and Solo Leveling, to name a few, being the one to helm the project, given that that also have a ton of experience with action-adventure anime.

And on a personal note, I am in the middle of writing a light novel of The Legend of Zelda that I hope to have published (with Nintendo's permission, of course). I have a general idea of where I want the story to go, and now it's just a matter of fleshing it out into multiple chapters; maybe even multiple volumes. In fact, I actually started with writing the epilogue first; I showed that chapter to my mother (herself a Zelda fan), and she was amazed at how well-written it was. It is my dream to have that become a Zelda anime, if Nintendo would allow it.

I had no interest in this game when I first saw the reveal trailer and had no intention of buying it. I stand by that decision. Not a big fan of sports games to begin with, anyway. I prefer platformers, shooters, fighting games, adventure games, RPGs, especially those within the sci-fi and fantasy genres.

@Tempestryke Well, to each their own. But I will say, the Zero Mission soundtrack still gives me chills to this day. Can't wait for Nintendo to put that soundtrack on the Nintendo Music app! That and Star Fox: Assault.

Other than my dailies in Genshin, I hope to play Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution on my GameCube with the Game Boy Player attachment, since my Game Boy Advance, my Game Boy Advance SP, and DS Lite are all shot (the D-Pad on the original GBA no longer works, and the L-R Buttons on both the GBA SP and DS Lite don’t work). This is a game over 20 years in the making (on the original hardware, no less), so I am excited to finally play the lost chapter of the Shantae series, which is one of my favorite non-Nintendo franchises.

The original Metroid soundtrack is indeed iconic. Although, I will admit, I am more of a fan of the soundtrack from Metroid: Zero Mission, which is a remake of the original Metroid. There's just something about the MZM soundtrack that scratches an itch for that that the original doesn't. Maybe it has something to do with the vocals. I dunno.

Well, I know what I am going to get my almost-one-week-old niece. My brother is also a Mario fan (although, he was more of a Luigi main), so this would be a neat thing for his daughter.

I meant to get it for the original Switch, but I just never got around to it. So this will be my first time playing it. Going the full version.

@Tober Yeah, I remember hearing about that. Likewise, just a couple weeks ago, the American VTuber agency VShojo was revealed to have not donated over $500,000 to the Immune Deficiency Foundation, instead spending it in order to save their sinking ship.

After Ironmouse (their biggest talent and basically the face of the company, and also a recipient of aid from the Immune Deficiency Foundation, thus making it a cause that she champions with her streaming) announced that she was leaving the agency and revealed why, all of her fellow talents also quit, with VShojo announcing their closure three days later.

The only good thing that came out of this whole situation was that Ironmouse managed to raise over $1.3 million for the Immune Deficiency Foundation. And that number is still climbing.

I bet Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution will be part of this showcase, given that the Shantae series is an indie game franchise. I already know that Limited Run Games will be releasing a version for modern consoles, including the Switch, and preorders go live in a few days. Even though my GBA copies came yesterday, I do still plan on getting it for the Switch as well.

That's okay. I never got the original Atelier Ryza games to begin with, so I'll be going into these games completely fresh. All I'm waiting for is for preorders to open.

@ShieldHero Honestly, it's been one of my favorite games for the last four years. I know a lot of people say that it's just a ripoff of Zelda, but if you ask me, it's the Oreo to Zelda's Hydrox.

A quick little history lesson: Hydrox and Oreo are both very similar cookies, but Oreo came out four years after Hydrox did, intended to be an imitation of Hydrox. But because Oreo had a sweeter filling and the cookie part could absorb milk more easily, it quickly became the more popular cookie.

So when I say that Genshin is the Oreo to Zelda's Hydrox, I mean that it gives me what I've been wanting for a long while from the Zelda series, especially replay value. I've beaten and/or completed almost every Zelda game there is, but I find it hard for me to come back to them, even years later, because the wonder of experiencing a new version of the world can only come once. But with Genshin, the game is updated every month or so, with new areas, quests, characters, and events to partake in.

Plus, I can complete daily quests (called Daily Commissons) each day for rewards, namely Primogems, that I can then convert to items called Acquaint Fates or Intertwined Fates in order to pull for new characters and weapons (yes, the game has a gacha mechanic, but it's not required to enjoy the game, and you don't have to spend real life money if you don't want to; you can get by with acquiring the Primogems through exploration, completing quests, and especially participating in the limited-time events). Not only that, but by completing the missions in the Battle Pass, I can earn even more rewards.

So it always gives me a reason to come back to the game. The same frankly cannot be said for Zelda. While Nintendo tries to focus more on the core gameplay experience over certain elements of the live-service model, I would like to see them work with miHoYo/HoYoverse to make a Zelda game. Not only could they keep the open-world experience, but also incorporate the story into the gameplay more than BOTW and TOTK did.

Plus, they could do something that has never really been done in the main series before and recruit characters to form adventuring parties, each with their own special abilities. They don't have to be acquired through a gacha mechanic, though; that way, it can be more accessible to players. And to up the replay value, include limited-time events where you can earn special rewards.

But again, we don't know if it will come to the Switch 2. It was announced a few years ago for the original Switch, but they claimed that technical limitations with the console prohibited its launch. However, the Switch 2 is more powerful than a PS4, which is capable of running the game just fine, so I would hope that the power under the Switch 2's hood will be more than sufficient to run the game.

Otherwise, you can always play it on your smartphone (provided it's powerful enough), your PC (provided it has the right specs), your PS4 or PS5, or your Xbox Series X/S. So there are options beyond just the Switch 2. And I will say, being able to take a console-like experience on the go via your phone is also a win for the game in my book.

Assuming it's true, I'm hoping Genshin Impact was one of them. I also hope that this doesn't mean that it won't be coming to the Switch 2 after all. I would like to take this game on the go whenever I travel, and it would be really nice to play it with a proper controller instead of using the touchscreen controls on my smartphone.

Otherwise, I'll be left with using the PlayStation Remote Play app and bring my PS5 controller and laptop with me wherever I go, which can result in lag if I don't have a stable enough Internet connection. Being able to play it natively on a console instead of streaming it from my PS5 to my laptop or phone would be much better.

Go figure. It'll be arriving on the Switch roughly around the time that I'll be getting my GBA copies delivered to my house (got both the Standard Edition and Collector's Edition; the former for playing, the latter for collecting). I only just got the notification from Limited Run Games yesterday that it was being shipped.

I do plan on getting it for the Switch/Switch 2 as well, however, because both of my GBAs (an original model and an SP) are old and in poor condition; ditto with my DS Lite. I'm really only able to play GBA games on my GameCube with the Game Boy Player attachment these days. So if I want to take the game on the go, it'll have to be on my Switch/Switch 2, unless I can find a GBA (preferably a GBA SP) that is in relatively new condition.

Really hoping that they will finally announce Genshin Impact for the Switch 2, especially since Version 6.0 is right around the corner. Maybe they’ll time a potential Switch 2 release with the next update (since the current one just went live today).

Personally hoping that games like Horizon, Stellar Blade, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth would be included in any potential lineup of PlayStation games coming to the Switch. It'd be really neat to take these games on the go!