My system has an issue downloading things, but it happens whether it's wired or wireless. Every time I download anything, it gets stuck and I have to do something else that uses the internet, which, for some reason, causes the download to start again.
My biggest issue with the Switch 2 dock is that it messes up my TV's HDMI-CEC signals, so that I can no longer control my other devices with my TV remote. I had to buy an HDMI CEC blocker dongle and plug it onto my Switch 2 HDMI cable to fix it.
My Savage Raven EDC case finally came in the mail today. I'm very happy with it. It's a massive improvement over the Tomtoc case that I bought previously, and it's significantly cheaper ($35 vs. $18). It even shipped in nicer packaging. Highly recommended. I think this might be the best carry case currently available for the Switch 2.
I ordered one of these 8 days ago (still haven't received any shipping info), to replace a Tomtoc slim case that I wasn't pleased with. The Tomtoc case is TOO slim, in my opinion, as it feels like it's putting too much pressure on the system's screen. It's also $15 cheaper than the Tomtoc and, I think, looks nicer and a bit more discreet.
Got mine online through Walmart. Refreshed the page a couple minutes before they went up, and it told me I was "In line" to pre-order with a 12 minute countdown timer. During that 12 minutes, I got on my phone and pre-ordered a Switch 2 Pro Controller on the Walmart app. Countdown ended 12 minutes later, and I completed my purchase within 10 seconds. Super easy.
For me, so far, it has definitely been 2017. The one-two punch of Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey has yet to be matched. 2023 is looking pretty darn good, though, with Metroid Prime Remastered, Advance Wars Re-Boot Camp, Pikmin 4, and Tears of the Kingdom.
I've played the demo for this game on Steam. Anyone who is a fan of Rhythm Heaven (like myself) should really be looking forward to this one. They seem to have nailed it.
If I had to pick a single game that came out last month that I think would most appeal to typical Nintendo fans, it would be Monomals. Unfortunately, it seems to be getting completely overlooked by pretty much everybody.
Excellent article! Perfect Dark was the first game I ever bought with my own money. I remember printing out a preview I had read online and taking it to school with me to read it to all my friends. My anticipation for this game was driving me crazy! Fortunately, the game absolutely lived up to my expectations. I wouldn't be surprised if I've spent well over a thousand hours playing this game over the years.
On a less positive note, Perfect Dark Zero remains the most disappointing game I've ever played to this day. Of course, that's partially because I love the original so much. I would love to see the remaster (along with the rest of Rare Replay) come to Switch as that's one of the few Xbox exclusives I've ever been interested in.
Good. If I'm going to spend $80 on a Super Nintendo in 2017, then I expect that amount of money to give me access to every SNES game ever made. Personally, I think that's perfectly fair.
"...Whereas the first game had a fiddly requirement of picking up colour-correct orbs..."
"In Fast Racing - League you had to have the right colour to pick up the orbs..."
When I first read this I thought, "Wait, no you didn't." So I went back and played the original (for the first time in quite a while) just to check. I was able to pick up the orbs no matter what "phase" or color I was at the time. Were the American and European versions different in this regard? Because the American version certainly doesn't work this way.
@Pandaman Definitely valid points! As @VanillaLake said, tutorials are the worst thing in that game. Although, interestingly, I think you may have just defined exactly why I tend to enjoy Mario "RPGs" while not really being a fan of RPG games in general. It's never really occurred to me before, but I think the linearity actually makes them much more approachable for me. It's understandable why that would put off many people, but to me, I think it's the biggest reason why I play these games while avoiding most other RPGs.
Still, if they can find a better balance between the accessibility of previous titles and deeper RPG mechanics (as you say in the article), this could be quite special, indeed. Great article.
"The terrain and all of its inhabitants were rendered in 3D..."
Judging by what I've seen so far, this game looks a lot like Dream Team. During special events the characters are sometimes 3D, but believe it or not, during normal play the characters and NPCs are all 2D pixel art. I bring this up not to nitpick, but just to point out the amazing artwork of the people at AlphaDream.
Check out the Iwata Asks for Dream Team (the section labeled "Pixel Art Craftsmen"). AlphaDream's strength is in pixel art, but because Dream Team was on the 3DS, they wanted the characters to look like they had depth. So, they crafted the 2D characters to look 3D. The effect worked so well that when Dream Team came out, I noticed a few reviews stated that the characters were polygonal models.
Sorry if nobody else finds this as interesting as I do.
Anyway, Dream Team was easily my favorite Mario RPG since Thousand Year Door, so I'm definitely looking forward to this.
"If you're expecting Splatoon to stand up on its own as a single-player experience you're going to be sadly disappointed...The primary focus of this game is without a doubt the online multiplayer..."
What a shame. I was really hoping for an extensive, substantial campaign as I have absolutely no interest in online multiplayer (my Internet service isn't fast enough for it anyway). This franchise has so much potential. I was imagining something like a mix of Ratchet and Clank, de Blob, and Super Mario Galaxy. It really could have been amazing. Oh, well. Here's hoping for a much bigger and better sequel.
I'll definitely be getting Affordable Space Adventures, but I hope people don't overlook the discount on Tetrobot and Co. It's a great little puzzle game and well worth 3 bucks.
The one thing I kept thinking to myself when I played the demo was, "I really hope they speed up the enemy's turns in the final game." Too bad that doesn't seem to be the case.
I still really enjoyed the demo, though, so I'm looking forward to getting this. Maybe they'll update the game eventually to fix that little issue.
I've always preferred the 1 to 20 point scale, personally. Anything from 1 to 10 with 0.5 intervals. I think that makes the most sense. Sometimes a game is better than good, but not quite great. In that case, a 7.5 would be the perfect score, for example.
I always enjoy Nintendo Directs, but I feel a bit divided about this one.
Positives: I love that Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is going to be "cross-buy." (Tipping Stars is a really silly name, though. Why would you name the game after a small feature that is available in the level sharing mode? It's like calling Miiverse "Giving Yeahs.") I'm looking forward to getting a New 3DS XL on the same day as I pick up a copy of Majora's Mask 3D, and I was really pleased to see that Ironfall is still around - and coming soon! Also, still excited for Gunman Clive 2, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., and the remaining episodes of Moon Chronicles.
Negatives: I got really excited when I saw Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid Prime Trilogy trending on Twitter, because I assumed we were getting HD versions. I was incredibly disappointed to find out they're just standard definition Virtual Console games. I would rather have one new Advance Wars game than 10 new Fire Emblem games. No mention of Rhythm Heaven in the North American Direct.
I've been playing this for an hour now and it's really, really good so far. My only complaint, like the review points out, is that movement isn't as tight as it should be. The very first thing I noticed about the game was that the character moves too fast and doesn't exactly stop on a dime. Which is surprising, considering how tight the controls were in Mutant Mudds.
You kind of get used to it, though. In a way, it makes it a faster, more fluid experience. Either way, I'm having a blast with it. The level of challenge has been pretty much perfect so far, the music and presentation is delightful, the boss battles are fun (and tough!), and the power-up abilities are very clever and add a lot to the gameplay.
The Toys R' Us deal of saving $10 on amiibo purchases of $35 or more also works online. But their amiibo prices are a dollar more than most places. And you only get free shipping on orders of $49 or more.
I was going to take advantage of that Toys R' Us BOGO 40% Off Sale on All Video Games, but apparently that's in store only. For the past 2 or 3 years I've taken advantage of that deal online, but this year it's limited to a very small selection of games that I care nothing about.
Amazon used to do a Buy 2 Get 1 Free Sale on a large list of games, but they aren't doing that anymore, apparently.
I haven't seen any general deals on video games anywhere I've looked, nor have I seen any individual sales on any of the games on my list - they're all normal price.
The only good deal I've gotten today has been Assassin's Creed Rogue for $25 during an Amazon Lightning Deal. Other than that, this has been a very disappointing Black Friday for video game sales. The worst I've seen in years, in fact.
Barring any significant lot check setbacks, they will have given us ALL of the remaining Moon Chronicles episodes AND Xeodrifter (which looks amazing) before the end of the year. Also, Treasurenauts isn't too far off from being completed. It makes sense for them to start thinking about what their next project(s) should be.
In my opinion, this year has been a very boring one for the 3DS. The last time I went to a store to buy a 3DS game was almost a year ago for A Link Between Worlds. Renegade Kid have, almost single-handedly, kept me interested in the future of the 3DS. I would wholeheartedly support a Kickstarter campaign for anything these guys do - and I'm not much of a Kickstarter guy.
I got this on PS3 for $5 during a sale a few months ago, and loved every second of it. I'm glad to finally see it on a Nintendo system where it belongs. Excellent game.
A third-person, turn-based strategy game developed by Intelligent Systems where you play as an elite strike force assembled by Abraham Lincoln to fight against Lovecraftian monster aliens with Bear Grenades and Lion Launchers in a steampunk-inspired 19th century London?
I think my favorite Wii U game so far has been Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. I can't remember the last time a game delighted me to no end the way that one did. I was constantly surprised and amazed at the genius, creative brilliance of the level design.
@Kilroy Like I said, I don't really care either way. But yes, it does look incredibly goofy. A bunch of people constantly bunny-hopping around tracks is clearly not how a racing game should be played. I'm just saying that for a lot of people who play online, I'm sure they would consider it annoying. I don't think that potentially millions of people being constantly annoyed by something in a game that they paid good money for is really that "shallow."
I don't really care either way, personally, because I never play online anyway.
But if I had to choose "Yes" or "No," I would say "Yes" just simply because seeing a bunch of people online constantly hopping around like bunnies probably looks really, really stupid and, I imagine, would get very annoying.
I completely agree with the points made in this article. This is exactly the kind of silly-funny-viral-free-marketing-publicity-type.... thing that the Wii U needs right now to get over this hump of unnecessary, completely undeserved negativity that's been surrounding the system for the past year and a half.
Excellent review. I've been enjoying this game. I just got the Ice Wand, so I'm fairly close to the end (I think). It reminds me very much of a combination of Zelda (obviously) and the SNES game Goof Troop. There were a ton of moving block puzzles in Goof Troop. The technical issues are a little annoying, but they certainly aren't reason enough to pass on this game.
I'm buying them both, but I think my feelings towards them can best be summed up by saying this: I want to play Watch_Dogs, I just wish I didn't have to spend $60 to do so. I want to play Mario Kart 8 and am perfectly happy and willing to spend $60 to do so.
@Gigan Exactly. I have all four of those games already. Great job rewarding your biggest fans, Nintendo. The least they could do is give you a bit of eShop money for people who already have all those games registered.
That probably sounds greedy, but it just seems like backwards logic to me. Give free stuff to people who give you less money and nothing to people who give you more.
Still, I'm happy for everyone who doesn't already own all those games, as this is an EXCELLENT deal for them.
I was worried for a minute when this review didn't mention anything about controlling Igniculus with the GamePad's touchscreen, which is honestly the main reason why I'm considering the Wii U version over the others. But I did a quick Google search, and it turns out that you can. Maybe everyone else already knew that, but I wasn't sure.
I'm not a big fan of RPGs, but I'm definitely considering this one. If I'm going to play an RPG, I actually prefer it to be relatively short as opposed to being a long, complicated, drawn-out affair. A 12 hour RPG seems better to me than one that would take 40+ hours. Some other reviews have even said the game is much shorter than 12 hours (about 5 or 6). Either way, I prefer a story I can experience in a few days rather than a few months, so I may very well check this out.
Every time I think about Mario Kart Super Circuit, I always think about the way red turtle shells worked in that game. Instead of throwing them behind you, you could simply drop them on the ground. Whoever was the first person to pass by it, it would make this "beep beep beep" noise, then start following that person until it hit them.
I've been hoping they would bring that ability back for years, but I suppose it would make it too easy for the person in first place to hold onto their lead.
"The technological advancement of the 4DS by simply adding another number to the name of the console can be interpreted as a jab at the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One."
That didn't occur to me, although it makes sense. Initially, I interpreted the "Nontendo 4DS" to be more of a reference to all of those knock-off products that you often see in Chinese stores, such as the "Chintendo Vii" or "PolyStation."
I've owned Metroid Fusion since the day it came out. I play through it once or twice a year. I bought a brand new Game Boy Micro in October 2012 mainly just to play through Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission every now and then. I have the Ambassador version on my 3DS.
I will be buying it on Wii U the day it comes out. It's just a fantastically fun game. Fusion and Zero Mission are probably the only GBA games I'll bother to buy for Wii U's Virtual Console service. Well, if they ever release Drill Dozer, WarioWare Twisted, or Rhythm Tengoku, I will definitely get them - but that's probably not likely.
That last question if kind of hard to answer. I never use the GamePad's Off-TV functionality, period. So, I don't think the GamePad is important at all for GBA games, for example. But it's obviously completely necessary for DS games because of the touchscreen.
Well, that's it for March. The eShop Avalanche continues to be delayed. There were about 7 or 8 original eShop games I was looking forward to that were supposed to come out in February and March. It's a shame that all these games keep getting delayed. They were supposed to tide us over until Mario Kart 8 comes out. At this rate, Mario Kart will be out around the same time or even before they will, and then nobody will pay any attention to the little indie games. I appreciate that they're taking their time to make sure they release a polished product, it's just a shame they couldn't have come out sooner.
Maybe we'll have something next week to go along with the GBA games.
I have to admit, the funds in my eShop account and I are starting to get a bit impatient waiting for The Great eShop Avalance of Early 2014 to begin. First it was supposed to start in February, and now March is halfway over. I said before that it looked like March and April were going to be jam packed with eShop releases, but now it looks like it's going to be April and May (probably because there are no major retail releases during that time - until the very end of May, that is).
Perhaps I should call it "The Great eShop Blooming of Early 2014", since it will be Spring when it starts. But that doesn't really have the same ring to it.
I had this game pre-ordered on Wii U, but I cancelled it after the delay. I may still wait for the Wii U version, I don't know. If I do buy the PS4 version, though, I will be buying it used so that it doesn't count towards the sales numbers and Ubisoft gets none of the profit from my purchase. I would have gladly bought it brand new on Wii U.
@erv I thought the exact same thing when I finished that level. An 82 Metacritic score for Tropical Freeze is ridiculous for a game that is so good that it actually chokes me up at times from its sheer brilliance. It's probably my favorite Wii U game so far - I'm enjoying it even more than Super Mario 3D World (which has a much higher average review score).
Does it not seem incredibly strange to anyone else that these people think they can take something that another company made, alter the perspective, and then give it away for free? Do they really think that there's nothing wrong with that?
V There is a pretty big difference between making a "clone" of a game, and using actual assets from a game that someone else made, changing it up a bit, and acting like it's yours to give away. V
I would imagine the only reason Mikami prefers the Genesis version is because he worked on the SNES version for so long that he became sick to death of it.
I've never understood the opinion that the Genesis version was better. The SNES version was far, far superior in practically every way. The actual gameplay was much more fluid and fun, and the level design in the Genesis version was horrible. Playing them back to back makes it very clear that the SNES version is an obviously better designed game. Honestly, by comparison, the Genesis version - aside from the animation - feels like it was thrown together at the last minute.
@Kaine_Morrison I don't think there's anything wrong with you, I completely agree. Granted, I wasn't very interested in this game to begin with, but what little interest I may have had left me completely when I saw the gameplay footage. It looks really awful.
Comments 206
Re: Poll: Have You Had Issues With The Ethernet Port On Switch 2's Dock?
My system has an issue downloading things, but it happens whether it's wired or wireless. Every time I download anything, it gets stuck and I have to do something else that uses the internet, which, for some reason, causes the download to start again.
My biggest issue with the Switch 2 dock is that it messes up my TV's HDMI-CEC signals, so that I can no longer control my other devices with my TV remote. I had to buy an HDMI CEC blocker dongle and plug it onto my Switch 2 HDMI cable to fix it.
Re: Review: Savage Raven EDC Switch 2 Carry Case - A Sleek Alternative To Nintendo's Official Offering
My Savage Raven EDC case finally came in the mail today. I'm very happy with it. It's a massive improvement over the Tomtoc case that I bought previously, and it's significantly cheaper ($35 vs. $18). It even shipped in nicer packaging. Highly recommended. I think this might be the best carry case currently available for the Switch 2.
Re: Review: Savage Raven EDC Switch 2 Carry Case - A Sleek Alternative To Nintendo's Official Offering
I ordered one of these 8 days ago (still haven't received any shipping info), to replace a Tomtoc slim case that I wasn't pleased with. The Tomtoc case is TOO slim, in my opinion, as it feels like it's putting too much pressure on the system's screen. It's also $15 cheaper than the Tomtoc and, I think, looks nicer and a bit more discreet.
Update in comment #37.
Re: Poll: So, Did You Manage To Get A Switch 2 Pre-Order In? (North America)
Got mine online through Walmart. Refreshed the page a couple minutes before they went up, and it told me I was "In line" to pre-order with a 12 minute countdown timer. During that 12 minutes, I got on my phone and pre-ordered a Switch 2 Pro Controller on the Walmart app. Countdown ended 12 minutes later, and I completed my purchase within 10 seconds.
Super easy.
Re: Soapbox: It's Time To Admit That F-Zero X Is The Best F-Zero
I still prefer the SNES game, personally. If and when the series gets revived, I would love for a new game to copy the style and feel of the original.
Although, honestly, I would much rather see a new Wave Race.
Re: Poll: Six Years On, Which Was Nintendo Switch's Best Year So Far?
For me, so far, it has definitely been 2017. The one-two punch of Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey has yet to be matched. 2023 is looking pretty darn good, though, with Metroid Prime Remastered, Advance Wars Re-Boot Camp, Pikmin 4, and Tears of the Kingdom.
Re: WarioWare-Inspired Rhythm Game 'Bits & Bops' Smashes Its Switch Kickstarter Goal
I've played the demo for this game on Steam. Anyone who is a fan of Rhythm Heaven (like myself) should really be looking forward to this one. They seem to have nailed it.
Re: Nightdive Apparently Has "A Few More" FPS Remasters On The Way
Hopefully, one of them is Turok 3 to complete the N64 trilogy.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Life eShop Selects - October 2021
If I had to pick a single game that came out last month that I think would most appeal to typical Nintendo fans, it would be Monomals. Unfortunately, it seems to be getting completely overlooked by pretty much everybody.
Re: Feature: Perfect Dark Turns 20 - The Definitive Story Behind The N64 Hit That Outclassed James Bond
Excellent article! Perfect Dark was the first game I ever bought with my own money. I remember printing out a preview I had read online and taking it to school with me to read it to all my friends. My anticipation for this game was driving me crazy! Fortunately, the game absolutely lived up to my expectations. I wouldn't be surprised if I've spent well over a thousand hours playing this game over the years.
On a less positive note, Perfect Dark Zero remains the most disappointing game I've ever played to this day. Of course, that's partially because I love the original so much. I would love to see the remaster (along with the rest of Rare Replay) come to Switch as that's one of the few Xbox exclusives I've ever been interested in.
Re: Looks Like The SNES Classic Mini Is Just As Hackable As The NES Classic Mini
Good. If I'm going to spend $80 on a Super Nintendo in 2017, then I expect that amount of money to give me access to every SNES game ever made. Personally, I think that's perfectly fair.
Re: Feature: Finding Top Speed in FAST Racing NEO
"...Whereas the first game had a fiddly requirement of picking up colour-correct orbs..."
"In Fast Racing - League you had to have the right colour to pick up the orbs..."
When I first read this I thought, "Wait, no you didn't." So I went back and played the original (for the first time in quite a while) just to check. I was able to pick up the orbs no matter what "phase" or color I was at the time. Were the American and European versions different in this regard? Because the American version certainly doesn't work this way.
Re: First Impressions: Getting Into the Fold With Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
@Pandaman Definitely valid points! As @VanillaLake said, tutorials are the worst thing in that game. Although, interestingly, I think you may have just defined exactly why I tend to enjoy Mario "RPGs" while not really being a fan of RPG games in general. It's never really occurred to me before, but I think the linearity actually makes them much more approachable for me. It's understandable why that would put off many people, but to me, I think it's the biggest reason why I play these games while avoiding most other RPGs.
Still, if they can find a better balance between the accessibility of previous titles and deeper RPG mechanics (as you say in the article), this could be quite special, indeed. Great article.
Re: First Impressions: Getting Into the Fold With Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
"The terrain and all of its inhabitants were rendered in 3D..."
Judging by what I've seen so far, this game looks a lot like Dream Team. During special events the characters are sometimes 3D, but believe it or not, during normal play the characters and NPCs are all 2D pixel art. I bring this up not to nitpick, but just to point out the amazing artwork of the people at AlphaDream.
Check out the Iwata Asks for Dream Team (the section labeled "Pixel Art Craftsmen"). AlphaDream's strength is in pixel art, but because Dream Team was on the 3DS, they wanted the characters to look like they had depth. So, they crafted the 2D characters to look 3D. The effect worked so well that when Dream Team came out, I noticed a few reviews stated that the characters were polygonal models.
Sorry if nobody else finds this as interesting as I do.
Anyway, Dream Team was easily my favorite Mario RPG since Thousand Year Door, so I'm definitely looking forward to this.
Re: Review: Splatoon (Wii U)
"If you're expecting Splatoon to stand up on its own as a single-player experience you're going to be sadly disappointed...The primary focus of this game is without a doubt the online multiplayer..."
What a shame. I was really hoping for an extensive, substantial campaign as I have absolutely no interest in online multiplayer (my Internet service isn't fast enough for it anyway). This franchise has so much potential. I was imagining something like a mix of Ratchet and Clank, de Blob, and Super Mario Galaxy. It really could have been amazing. Oh, well. Here's hoping for a much bigger and better sequel.
Re: Hands On: Hitting the Tracks in Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 2 and 200cc Mode
I would have loved a Metroid-themed course, but this does look excellent. Looking forward to it.
Strange how strongly that screenshot of Ribbon Road reminds me of the Wii game Elebits.
Re: Nintendo Download: 9th April (North America)
I'll definitely be getting Affordable Space Adventures, but I hope people don't overlook the discount on Tetrobot and Co. It's a great little puzzle game and well worth 3 bucks.
Re: Review: Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (3DS)
The one thing I kept thinking to myself when I played the demo was, "I really hope they speed up the enemy's turns in the final game." Too bad that doesn't seem to be the case.
I still really enjoyed the demo, though, so I'm looking forward to getting this. Maybe they'll update the game eventually to fix that little issue.
Re: Poll: Do Video Game Reviews Need To Have A Score?
I've always preferred the 1 to 20 point scale, personally. Anything from 1 to 10 with 0.5 intervals. I think that makes the most sense. Sometimes a game is better than good, but not quite great. In that case, a 7.5 would be the perfect score, for example.
Re: Reaction: Nintendo Direct Went Crazy With Reveals, and Was Delightful and Confusing in Equal Measure
I always enjoy Nintendo Directs, but I feel a bit divided about this one.
Positives: I love that Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is going to be "cross-buy." (Tipping Stars is a really silly name, though. Why would you name the game after a small feature that is available in the level sharing mode? It's like calling Miiverse "Giving Yeahs.") I'm looking forward to getting a New 3DS XL on the same day as I pick up a copy of Majora's Mask 3D, and I was really pleased to see that Ironfall is still around - and coming soon! Also, still excited for Gunman Clive 2, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., and the remaining episodes of Moon Chronicles.
Negatives: I got really excited when I saw Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid Prime Trilogy trending on Twitter, because I assumed we were getting HD versions. I was incredibly disappointed to find out they're just standard definition Virtual Console games. I would rather have one new Advance Wars game than 10 new Fire Emblem games. No mention of Rhythm Heaven in the North American Direct.
Re: Review: Xeodrifter (3DS eShop)
I've been playing this for an hour now and it's really, really good so far. My only complaint, like the review points out, is that movement isn't as tight as it should be. The very first thing I noticed about the game was that the character moves too fast and doesn't exactly stop on a dime. Which is surprising, considering how tight the controls were in Mutant Mudds.
You kind of get used to it, though. In a way, it makes it a faster, more fluid experience. Either way, I'm having a blast with it. The level of challenge has been pretty much perfect so far, the music and presentation is delightful, the boss battles are fun (and tough!), and the power-up abilities are very clever and add a lot to the gameplay.
Re: Guide: The Best Cyber Monday Nintendo Deals in the US
The Toys R' Us deal of saving $10 on amiibo purchases of $35 or more also works online. But their amiibo prices are a dollar more than most places. And you only get free shipping on orders of $49 or more.
Re: Guide: The Best Black Friday Nintendo Deals in the US
I was going to take advantage of that Toys R' Us BOGO 40% Off Sale on All Video Games, but apparently that's in store only. For the past 2 or 3 years I've taken advantage of that deal online, but this year it's limited to a very small selection of games that I care nothing about.
Amazon used to do a Buy 2 Get 1 Free Sale on a large list of games, but they aren't doing that anymore, apparently.
I haven't seen any general deals on video games anywhere I've looked, nor have I seen any individual sales on any of the games on my list - they're all normal price.
The only good deal I've gotten today has been Assassin's Creed Rogue for $25 during an Amazon Lightning Deal. Other than that, this has been a very disappointing Black Friday for video game sales. The worst I've seen in years, in fact.
Here's hoping for some decent Cyber Monday deals.
Re: Moon Chronicles Developer Seeking Interest for Wii U Version Through Kickstarter Campaign
Barring any significant lot check setbacks, they will have given us ALL of the remaining Moon Chronicles episodes AND Xeodrifter (which looks amazing) before the end of the year. Also, Treasurenauts isn't too far off from being completed. It makes sense for them to start thinking about what their next project(s) should be.
In my opinion, this year has been a very boring one for the 3DS. The last time I went to a store to buy a 3DS game was almost a year ago for A Link Between Worlds. Renegade Kid have, almost single-handedly, kept me interested in the future of the 3DS. I would wholeheartedly support a Kickstarter campaign for anything these guys do - and I'm not much of a Kickstarter guy.
Re: The Legend of Zelda Monopoly Dated for 15th September in US
Those corner spaces look really out of place. I can't believe they didn't change them to fit the theme.
Re: Review: Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (Wii U eShop)
I got this on PS3 for $5 during a sale a few months ago, and loved every second of it. I'm glad to finally see it on a Nintendo system where it belongs. Excellent game.
Re: E3 2014: Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., A Brand New IP, Unveiled for 3DS
A third-person, turn-based strategy game developed by Intelligent Systems where you play as an elite strike force assembled by Abraham Lincoln to fight against Lovecraftian monster aliens with Bear Grenades and Lion Launchers in a steampunk-inspired 19th century London?
Yeah. I'll take one of those, please.
Re: Feature: Our Top 10 Wii U Retail Games - Summer 2014
I think my favorite Wii U game so far has been Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. I can't remember the last time a game delighted me to no end the way that one did. I was constantly surprised and amazed at the genius, creative brilliance of the level design.
Re: Rumour: Grainy Image of "Mario Maker" and Nintendo's 2014 E3 Show Floor Emerges
I would be surprised if this isn't real, actually. This is exactly how people found out about New Super Mario Bros. Wii, if I remember correctly.
Re: Poll: Should Nintendo Patch The Controversial Fire Hopping Technique In Mario Kart 8?
@Kilroy Like I said, I don't really care either way. But yes, it does look incredibly goofy. A bunch of people constantly bunny-hopping around tracks is clearly not how a racing game should be played. I'm just saying that for a lot of people who play online, I'm sure they would consider it annoying. I don't think that potentially millions of people being constantly annoyed by something in a game that they paid good money for is really that "shallow."
Re: Nintendo Download: 5th June (North America)
"1001 Spikes (Nicalis, $10.01)"
Huh? 10.01? Why would they...
...Oh! That's clever.
Re: Poll: Should Nintendo Patch The Controversial Fire Hopping Technique In Mario Kart 8?
I don't really care either way, personally, because I never play online anyway.
But if I had to choose "Yes" or "No," I would say "Yes" just simply because seeing a bunch of people online constantly hopping around like bunnies probably looks really, really stupid and, I imagine, would get very annoying.
Re: Weirdness: Luigi's Mario Kart 8 'Death Stare' Is Deemed Noteworthy By Fox News
I completely agree with the points made in this article. This is exactly the kind of silly-funny-viral-free-marketing-publicity-type.... thing that the Wii U needs right now to get over this hump of unnecessary, completely undeserved negativity that's been surrounding the system for the past year and a half.
Re: Review: Ittle Dew (Wii U eShop)
Excellent review. I've been enjoying this game. I just got the Ice Wand, so I'm fairly close to the end (I think). It reminds me very much of a combination of Zelda (obviously) and the SNES game Goof Troop. There were a ton of moving block puzzles in Goof Troop. The technical issues are a little annoying, but they certainly aren't reason enough to pass on this game.
Re: Poll: A Tale of Two Blockbusters as Mario Kart 8 and Watch Dogs Arrive This Week
I'm buying them both, but I think my feelings towards them can best be summed up by saying this: I want to play Watch_Dogs, I just wish I didn't have to spend $60 to do so. I want to play Mario Kart 8 and am perfectly happy and willing to spend $60 to do so.
Re: Moon Chronicles Lands on the 3DS eShop in North America on 15th May
@IxnayontheCK Scan this QR code with your 3DS and see for yourself!
http://tinyurl.com/np3myny
Re: Mario Kart 8 Club Nintendo Promotion Offers a Free Wii U Game
@Gigan Exactly. I have all four of those games already. Great job rewarding your biggest fans, Nintendo. The least they could do is give you a bit of eShop money for people who already have all those games registered.
That probably sounds greedy, but it just seems like backwards logic to me. Give free stuff to people who give you less money and nothing to people who give you more.
Still, I'm happy for everyone who doesn't already own all those games, as this is an EXCELLENT deal for them.
Re: Review: Child of Light (Wii U eShop)
I was worried for a minute when this review didn't mention anything about controlling Igniculus with the GamePad's touchscreen, which is honestly the main reason why I'm considering the Wii U version over the others. But I did a quick Google search, and it turns out that you can. Maybe everyone else already knew that, but I wasn't sure.
I'm not a big fan of RPGs, but I'm definitely considering this one. If I'm going to play an RPG, I actually prefer it to be relatively short as opposed to being a long, complicated, drawn-out affair. A 12 hour RPG seems better to me than one that would take 40+ hours. Some other reviews have even said the game is much shorter than 12 hours (about 5 or 6). Either way, I prefer a story I can experience in a few days rather than a few months, so I may very well check this out.
Re: Nintendo Releases An Awesome Mario Kart Infographic
Every time I think about Mario Kart Super Circuit, I always think about the way red turtle shells worked in that game. Instead of throwing them behind you, you could simply drop them on the ground. Whoever was the first person to pass by it, it would make this "beep beep beep" noise, then start following that person until it hit them.
I've been hoping they would bring that ability back for years, but I suppose it would make it too easy for the person in first place to hold onto their lead.
Re: Review: Rusty's Real Deal Baseball (3DS eShop)
"The technological advancement of the 4DS by simply adding another number to the name of the console can be interpreted as a jab at the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One."
That didn't occur to me, although it makes sense. Initially, I interpreted the "Nontendo 4DS" to be more of a reference to all of those knock-off products that you often see in Chinese stores, such as the "Chintendo Vii" or "PolyStation."
Re: Nintendo Shows Off April's Game Boy Advance Wii U Virtual Console Line-up
I've owned Metroid Fusion since the day it came out. I play through it once or twice a year. I bought a brand new Game Boy Micro in October 2012 mainly just to play through Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission every now and then. I have the Ambassador version on my 3DS.
I will be buying it on Wii U the day it comes out. It's just a fantastically fun game. Fusion and Zero Mission are probably the only GBA games I'll bother to buy for Wii U's Virtual Console service. Well, if they ever release Drill Dozer, WarioWare Twisted, or Rhythm Tengoku, I will definitely get them - but that's probably not likely.
Re: Poll: Have Your Say On The GamePad's Role With The Wii U Virtual Console
That last question if kind of hard to answer. I never use the GamePad's Off-TV functionality, period. So, I don't think the GamePad is important at all for GBA games, for example. But it's obviously completely necessary for DS games because of the touchscreen.
Re: Nintendo Download: 27th March (North America)
Well, that's it for March. The eShop Avalanche continues to be delayed. There were about 7 or 8 original eShop games I was looking forward to that were supposed to come out in February and March. It's a shame that all these games keep getting delayed. They were supposed to tide us over until Mario Kart 8 comes out. At this rate, Mario Kart will be out around the same time or even before they will, and then nobody will pay any attention to the little indie games. I appreciate that they're taking their time to make sure they release a polished product, it's just a shame they couldn't have come out sooner.
Maybe we'll have something next week to go along with the GBA games.
Re: Nintendo Download: 13th March (North America)
I have to admit, the funds in my eShop account and I are starting to get a bit impatient waiting for The Great eShop Avalance of Early 2014 to begin. First it was supposed to start in February, and now March is halfway over. I said before that it looked like March and April were going to be jam packed with eShop releases, but now it looks like it's going to be April and May (probably because there are no major retail releases during that time - until the very end of May, that is).
Perhaps I should call it "The Great eShop Blooming of Early 2014", since it will be Spring when it starts. But that doesn't really have the same ring to it.
Re: Watch_Dogs Wii U 2014 Release a "Possibility", Bucharest Studio to Make "Good Use" of the System
I had this game pre-ordered on Wii U, but I cancelled it after the delay. I may still wait for the Wii U version, I don't know. If I do buy the PS4 version, though, I will be buying it used so that it doesn't count towards the sales numbers and Ubisoft gets none of the profit from my purchase. I would have gladly bought it brand new on Wii U.
Re: Month Of Kong: The Making Of Donkey Kong Country
@erv I thought the exact same thing when I finished that level. An 82 Metacritic score for Tropical Freeze is ridiculous for a game that is so good that it actually chokes me up at times from its sheer brilliance. It's probably my favorite Wii U game so far - I'm enjoying it even more than Super Mario 3D World (which has a much higher average review score).
Great article, really enjoyed reading it.
Re: Nintendo Download: 27th February (North America)
Well, that's it for February and still no Wooden Sen'Sey or Ittle Dew. Looks like March and April are going to be jam packed with eShop releases.
Re: Video: The Legend of Zelda Brings the Epic in Oculus Rift
Does it not seem incredibly strange to anyone else that these people think they can take something that another company made, alter the perspective, and then give it away for free? Do they really think that there's nothing wrong with that?
V There is a pretty big difference between making a "clone" of a game, and using actual assets from a game that someone else made, changing it up a bit, and acting like it's yours to give away. V
Re: Shinji Mikami Prefers The Sega Version Of Aladdin, Even Though He Worked On The SNES Game
I would imagine the only reason Mikami prefers the Genesis version is because he worked on the SNES version for so long that he became sick to death of it.
I've never understood the opinion that the Genesis version was better. The SNES version was far, far superior in practically every way. The actual gameplay was much more fluid and fun, and the level design in the Genesis version was horrible. Playing them back to back makes it very clear that the SNES version is an obviously better designed game. Honestly, by comparison, the Genesis version - aside from the animation - feels like it was thrown together at the last minute.
Re: Monolith Soft's X Combat is Shown Off, Based on Xenoblade Chronicles System
@Kaine_Morrison I don't think there's anything wrong with you, I completely agree. Granted, I wasn't very interested in this game to begin with, but what little interest I may have had left me completely when I saw the gameplay footage. It looks really awful.