The best part about having a Nintendo Direct on a Thursday (eShop update day) is the moment when they say, "...And this game will be made available after this presentation."
Oh, yeah, I remember seeing this a few years ago. It seems like a neat idea, but I didn't think it would ever come to fruition. I doubt very many people would be interested in buying it. If they could have built it into the sensor bar, that might have been pretty neat - obviously with the option to disable it, if you wish.
I have five games on my 3DS eShop wishlist and four of them are being developed by Renegade Kid.
@LittleIrves I don't think you'll be able to start with Episode 2. I believe that the additional episodes are essentially DLC, meaning they won't work without the code and basic assets in the first episode that are required to run the game. That's why Episode 1 is $8.99 and the others are $1.99. I could be wrong, but I think that's how it works.
"Also, are you utilising the camera to allow pointer controls on the GamePad...?"
I hate to nitpick, but...the camera? The GamePad has a sensor bar built into it - one infrared light on each side of the camera lens. The camera isn't sensing the Remote, the Remote is sensing the infrared lights.
Anyway, good interview. Really looking forward to this and Fast Racing Neo.
Called it! I knew it was going to be Art of Balance, and I'm very happy with this. I've had "Art of Balance HD" on my own personal wishlist for months now. Those screenshots look absolutely gorgeous. I'm pleased to hear that it includes both touchscreen and Wii remote controls, and local multi-player should be fun.
I would like to point out that, "Ugh, another remake" isn't really a fair thing to say. Art of Balance Touch! on 3DS included all the puzzles from the WiiWare original, plus an entire game's worth of new puzzles - it doubled the content of the original, essentially making it more like a sequel than a remake. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the new physics engine makes this game feel.
It would be nice if they would do some sort of "Cross-Buy" -type program for this game. Buying one version could give you a download code to get a significant discount on the other, or something like that.
I will be eagerly awaiting the reviews for most of these games - especially Shovel Knight, Wooden Sen'SeY, Ittle Dew, Armillo, Scram Kitty, Teslagrad, and QUBE. And I will definitely be downloading Treasurenauts and Moon Chronicles as soon as they are made available.
Good to know there will be something to play on Wii U between Tropical Freeze and Mario Kart.
That's two months later than it should be. Although, really, it's about a year and a half later than it should be. I was hoping for March, since that's when PS4 and XBOX One will be getting what many consider to potentially be their "Killer Apps" (inFAMOUS: Second Son and Titanfall).
When the 3DS was experiencing its troubles, Iwata considered speedy development of Mario Kart 7 "an act of emergency." I wonder why he didn't feel the same with Wii U and Mario Kart 8.
@zool That's true, although I'm not really sure what your point is. If you think Nintendo hasn't already done that, then I don't know what to tell you. For every game that we know about, I'm sure they've got 10 more in development (or planning phase) that won't see release for years. Just because they haven't announced a game that will come out in August 2015, doesn't mean that they don't have a game in development that will come out in August 2015.
If your point is that they have to make those investments NOW, without knowing whether they will pay off (depending on the state of Wii U), that's true too. Nintendo considered the GameCube a failure and they continued to support it with fantastic games for years, so I don't think fans have anything to worry about with Wii U. If you're talking more from a business standpoint, Nintendo can always make simpler, more cost-effective games to offset potential losses or even turn them into respectable profits. They also, can always cancel games or just scale back their designs for games that are already in development if it comes to that - if they see that there's no way they'll be able to make their money back. The safe thing to do is to make those investments now (which, of course, they've already done) and just play to their best options as they arise.
It's been a long, long time since any Nintendo system has enjoyed strong third-party support. The Wii had some decent third-party support, yes, but mostly it was just cheap shovelware. Let's be honest here, at this point in time, people haven't been buying Nintendo systems for third-party games for many years. I don't think Nintendo's lack of third-party support is going to change anytime soon. That's unfortunate, because things would definitely go more smoothly if they had other games to fill in the gaps between first-party releases. But those third-party games aren't the reason why people buy Nintendo systems, and I don't think they ever have been or ever will be.
@Mahe My point was simply that Nintendo shouldn't give up on Wii U. I'm aware that sales aren't what they should be, but a system that sells nearly 500,000 units in a month (even if that month is December) shouldn't be "given up on." Especially considering that those sales came in a month when two brand new competing systems had just come out. Positive growth, however small, is something on which momentum can be built.
Also, whether or not those games I mentioned make any meaningful use of the GamePad is a different discussion (and you definitely have a point). Metroid not being announced isn't my point. Skyward Sword not selling nearly as well as it should have (it was an absolutely fantastic game) isn't my point. The point I was making is simply this: The Wii U is a Nintendo system. People buy Nintendo systems to play Nintendo games. Nintendo has a lot of great franchises, and MOST of those franchises haven't seen installments on Wii U yet. So, I don't think Nintendo should give up on Wii U before they've given it everything they've got.
But I do agree with your point that there should be more games that make creative, innovative use of the GamePad. Either that, or make it an optional accessory and drop the price of the system. They could make some changes to the firmware (and how it uses the GamePad) and sell the GamePads separately. There are a lot of options they could explore, but like I said, that's a different discussion.
@zool I've had the Wii U from day one, and as I said, I feel that the system is only just getting started. My point is, there are a lot more big games to look forward to than there are big games that are already out. I think the Wii U still has a future.
I wouldn't go as far as saying that "Mario Kart 8 is the Wii U's last chance," but if that game doesn't boost sales respectably, then this system truly is in bigger trouble than I thought.
Still, I'm amazed that some analysts have recently been calling for Nintendo to give up on Wii U entirely. This is a Nintendo system that:
A) Just saw its best month of sales B) Hasn't had a Donkey Kong game yet C) Hasn't had a Mario Kart game yet D) Hasn't had a Super Smash Bros. game yet E) Hasn't had a Metroid game yet F) Hasn't had an original Zelda game yet
I mean, the Wii U is a great system with a handful of very entertaining games. But considering all the games that HAVEN'T come out for it yet, you can't really blame people for waiting to buy one. The way I see it, this system is just getting started.
Neither does Nintendo. To my knowledge, Nintendo has never sat down and said, "Ok, let's make a game specifically for children." They make games for everyone.
This is a perfect example of big, Western publishers not being able to think for themselves. They always just follow suit, doing what everyone else is doing and copying other's successes. It reminds me of when Nintendo showed off Wind Waker for the first time, and all the third-party publishers thought that it somehow meant that the GameCube was solely intended to be a console for children just simply because the new Zelda game had "cartoony" graphics.
I can't believe the amount of people misinterpreting the look on his face as "unimpressed." He's very clearly making a "Who's the man?" or a "Let's see you beat THAT!" -type gesture. People generally don't do that with a smile on their face.
There was nothing at all wrong with posting this picture on Twitter.
I thought they were going to be taking pre-orders on this until March. I was planning on using the coins that I would get from registering Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze in February to order this.
...Good thing I changed my mind, registered my two 3DS XL systems instead, and ordered it four days ago.
This should have been a Platinum Reward, though. And I think they asked about 300 to 500 coins too much, really. Still, what else would I use those coins on - shoelaces and bookmarks? Screensavers and cleaning cloths?
Golf was always my favorite activity in both Wii Sports games, by far. I'm really looking forward to playing Wii Sports Club: Golf. Here's hoping that, sometime in the future, they release new courses as DLC. I'd gladly pay a few bucks for a new set of 9 holes every few months.
As @NotEnoughGolds already mentioned, Toys R' Us is doing a Buy One Get One 40% Off deal on ALL their video games. I would also like to point out that this deal also counts pre-orders. So, you can pre-order games like Watch_Dogs and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and get one 40% off. Also, they're offering free shipping on all orders over $49.
I ordered Super Mario 3D World, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and Wii Party U, and pre-ordered Watch_Dogs, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and inFAMOUS: Second Son and saved $68.
This review is pretty much spot-on. As a huge fan of Shin'en - and as someone who loved the original Jett Rocket - it pains me to say this, but I was pretty disappointed by this game. Now, that's not to say it's a bad game, because it certainly isn't. But it could have been so much better. It pales in comparison to the first game, I think.
The 3D levels are empty and boring, the way you fly backwards 12 feet every time you take damage is incredibly annoying, the 60 fps framerate is hardly noticeable considering how slowly Jett actually moves, and having to press two different buttons to perform a double jump feels...a little strange.
Having said all that, it's still a pretty decent platformer and you can certainly do worse for $8.99. I just hope that if and when Shin'en make a Jett Rocket 3, it's much more like the first one, and much, much less like this one. A proper sequel to the first one on the Wii U eShop could be fantastic.
The "We already have a Wii, Sweetie-kins" part reminds me of the first time I ever saw / played an N64. It was at a mall with a friend of mine. We were 12 or 13 at the time. There was a kid (maybe 8 years old) in front of us playing Super Mario 64 as we, and his mother, watched. He eventually said, "Mom! I want this for Christmas!" She said, "You already have a Nintendo." To which he replied, "Yeah, but this is a new one." Then, she said these words that I will never forget: "What's the difference?" My friend and I looked at each other like we couldn't believe what we had just heard. We had both been standing there in absolute amazement at what we were seeing (three dimensional games!), and couldn't understand how she could be so utterly unimpressed.
To be honest, still to this day, I don't really understand how somebody could go from 16-bit, 2D games to fully 3D, polygonal worlds and not think, "Wow! This is a technological marvel!"
A few months ago, I imported a premium Nintendo Hanafuda deck from Japan. It's a great collector's item. I wish Nintendo had continued their "toy company" business alongside their modern video game business. I would buy a lot of their toys just for myself!
I will miss this store. The one in my town shut down a couple years ago, and I've had to rent all my games and movies from Hastings since. Also, we could really use another place to buy games right now, as I refuse to ever set foot in Walmart ever again after the way they treated me recently (refused to honor their own advertised sale price). Worst customer service experience I've ever had.
A properly done third-person shooter on 3DS with stylus controls for aiming could be fantastic, especially if released on the eShop for a very reasonable price. I'll keep my eye on this.
Very silly. It takes 5 seconds to look up the lyrics on the Internet (and another 5 seconds to find out that Nicki Minaj's real name is Onika Maraj). Plus, this song has been all over the radio and television for almost 2 years now.
It always seems like people have their own idea of what the "perfect" Zelda game would be. I want this, I want that, give me this, don't give me that...
If you asked me what I want from a new Zelda game, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I don't have any preconceived notions of what the next Zelda game should be, or what I want it to be. All I know is that I want a new Zelda game. Give me a new Zelda game and I'll be happy.
I've never played a Zelda game that I didn't enjoy immensely. Personally, I trust Nintendo to make the Zelda game that they want to make. And THAT is exactly what I want.
Agreed. Fifteen inches is really unnecessary. If they made it about 5 or 6 inches tall, they could drop the price significantly. And if they charged fifty bucks for it, they might actually sell some of them, because nobody in their right mind is going to spend 200 dollars on something like this.
I couldn't care less about online multiplayer, but I'm pretty excited about playing Golf, Tennis, and Bowling in HD with MotionPlus support. I hope they do this for the Resort activities, too.
I've already bought it on PS3, but if given the option, I would have bought it on Wii U. I would imagine that a big, open-world game like this would greatly benefit from a system that has 4 times as much RAM. Also, I would rather buy a new game for a new system that I'm still going to be playing in 5 or 6 years, rather than a new game for an old system that's about to become obsolete in a couple months.
I've been thinking about these figurines for months now, and I finally decided to order them. I got both the $50 Samus and Link. While I still think that fifty bucks is a pretty ridiculous amount of money to ask for a plastic action figure (15 or 20 dollars would be much more reasonable), I just couldn't get these things out of my mind. I've always wanted some nice figurines that I could display on my desk. And Link and Samus are my two favorite Nintendo characters from my two favorite Nintendo franchises. I'll admit though, considering how expensive Legend of Zelda related statues and figurines have been in the past, these things are actually a pretty decent deal, comparatively.
I'm happy that most people commenting on this story seem to be taking this news like rational adults. Expecting an "Ambassador Program" for a system that has been out for almost a year, and has only dropped in price by $50 is very silly.
Some other people have said that our "Ambassador Program" is the 30 cent Virtual Console games. I would go even further and say that our "Ambassador Program" is that we've been playing the system longer than everyone else. The time I have spent playing Mario, Nintendo Land, ZombiU, Assassin's Creed 3, Pikmin 3, Mutant Mudds Deluxe, Runner2, Nano Assault Neo, Little Inferno, etc. for the past several months is easily worth $50.
Obviously, in the world of consumer retail, things that have been out for awhile become cheaper. I'm happy to see that most people here seem to understand that this is how the world works, as opposed to taking the news like a bunch of sheltered, whiny, entitled 6-year-olds.
I absolutely agree with Reggie. The XBOX One has shown me nothing that makes me want one (I've never had the slightest interest in any XBOX system, and am still baffled how the 360 has managed to sell so well), and while I'm looking forward to the PS4, the only game that I'm actually interested in is inFamous: Second Son. And that's not even a launch title.
The Wii U has a much, much better lineup for the next several months than those systems do (and I'm not even interested in Smash Bros.). The 3DS has been the "hot" system for the past few months, and it certainly looks to me that the Wii U will be the "hot" system for the next several months. Perhaps not in terms of sales (maybe, maybe not), but definitely in terms of big, appealing game releases.
Just my opinion, obviously. But I can certainly understand why Reggie would say this, because I genuinely feel the same way.
I hope they really mean this. Because after playing handheld games in 3D for over 2 years now, I'm not interested in playing handheld games that AREN'T in 3D. I would be very disappointed if the successor to the 3DS (and 2DS) wasn't capable of stereoscopic 3D.
This seemed ridiculous to me at first, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. It's essentially a 3DS for kids under 7 that aren't supposed to use the 3D. And they won't be able to break the hinges or anything (obviously because it doesn't have hinges). It looks very sturdy.
Yeah, this isn't such a bad idea, really. A 3DS for kids. I just wonder if that's how they'll actually market it.
I've had the hang glider music in my head the whole time I've been reading this. The music in this game really is wonderful. In fact, I think I'll go grab my Pilotwings 64 cartridge and play it for awhile to sample all the different tracks.
Also, personally, I think Monster Games did an excellent job with Pilotwings Resort. It has a very different feel, yes, but it's a delightful little amateur flight simulator. It's still one of my favorite 3DS games, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who owns a 3DS (play it with the 3D depth slider all the way up!).
The "Rewards" section of NoA's Club Nintendo badly needs a huge revamp. The selection keeps dwindling away with barely anything new to replace what's been lost. And of the few rewards we do have, almost all are from the Wii / DS era with hardly anything to do with Wii U / 3DS. I hope they're just trying to get rid of the bit of old stuff they have left, and will soon add a bunch of new rewards.
I love reading these Iwata Asks. It's endlessly fascinating to me to get these little bits of insight into the development process and the minds of the developers themselves. I wonder why we didn't get an Iwata Asks about Pikmin 3, though. I was really looking forward to reading that one.
I bought one of the last official, brand new N64 controllers when they were still available on Nintendo's online store a couple years ago. I can't count how many times I've opened up an N64 controller to clean and lubricate the analog stick components to keep them from wearing down.
It would be nice to have a good replacement for them.
So, basically, what Mr. O'Leary is saying is that big Western publishers are incompetent, confused fools more interested in copying other people's successes and making big-budget, interactive movies on "next-gen" systems than actually making creative, fun games for Nintendo's unique systems despite how well those systems are actually selling.
Shin'en is probably my favorite independent developer, and that's saying something. I can't wait to see their Wii U games. I'm betting (and hoping) the other one (besides FAST - Racing League 2) is a new Art of Balance game. That would work fantastically well with the option of using either the Wii remote or the GamePad's touchscreen.
Wait, they have "no current plans to bring Secrets of Raetikon to the Wii U"? And the reason for that is because Chasing Aurora sold poorly? I have to say, that makes me a little angry. I mean, did they really expect their rushed, uninteresting, multiplayer-only, incredibly shallow, overpriced game to be a hit? And now they're making the game that Chasing Aurora should have been... and it's not coming out on Wii U. That's just great. I was actually looking forward to this game.
I can totally understand not making Secrets of Raetikon a Wii U exclusive, but it seems like kind of a jerk move to not release it on the system at all. I really hope they change their minds about this. If you took the gameplay from Chasing Aurora and actually built an interesting exploration / puzzler type game around it (which it looks like that's exactly what Secrets of Raetikon is) it could be quite good.
From the very first day this remake was announced, I was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reactions. I always considered DuckTales to be a pretty mediocre game at best. I even went back and played through it again a couple months ago just to refresh my memory. I beat it in about 30 minutes and didn't have very much fun doing it. It's very strange to me that anybody could consider this game a "classic." And I say that as someone who both watched the cartoon and played the original NES game as a kid.
I'm glad that some people are enjoying it, though, because I would like to see more "classic" Disney / Capcom games get remade. There are several others that are much more deserving than DuckTales.
If Nintendo gave up on Wii U, think of how many people would give up on Nintendo. To release a new home console, and then completely drop support for it in favor of a new system would be a very, very bad move.
The simple fact of the matter is Nintendo isn't pushing Wii U right now, because they have nothing to push. They never felt comfortable advertising a system that doesn't have any games. That is only just now beginning to change. With more games will come more advertising, and with both of those will come more sales.
The bottom line is this: if you want to play new Nintendo home console games for the next five or six years, you're going to have to buy a Wii U. That alone assures that this system will see (at the very least, moderate) success.
@Klimbatize I'm with you. It's been a very long year, hasn't it?
I've badly wanted one of these ever since they were announced. It's finally time to upgrade to an XL! Also, I can finally stop harassing Nintendo through Twitter and e-mail!
@Wintendo I live out in the country. My home Internet service is Verizon Wireless 3G. It's outrageously unreliable and inconsistent in this area, for some reason. As a matter of fact, just the other day I said to them on the phone - "I can't tell if this is Verizon Wireless 3G in 2013, or dial-up in 1993." So, yeah, you're not far off the mark.
Also, 5GB in 5 minutes? Wow. I can't even imagine having Internet that fast. To me, that would be like living in the year 3000.
I would love to be able to download 70MB in less than a minute. That's not exactly what I would consider to be "minuscule." It would take me about an hour to download that. Maybe half an hour if I download it at, say, 2 in the morning when my Internet service is running faster.
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Re: Wii U and 3DS Nintendo Direct Confirmed for 13th February
The best part about having a Nintendo Direct on a Thursday (eShop update day) is the moment when they say, "...And this game will be made available after this presentation."
Re: Nintendo Patented an "Illumination Device" for Gaming Use
Oh, yeah, I remember seeing this a few years ago. It seems like a neat idea, but I didn't think it would ever come to fruition. I doubt very many people would be interested in buying it. If they could have built it into the sensor bar, that might have been pretty neat - obviously with the option to disable it, if you wish.
Re: Interview: Renegade Kid on Moon Chronicles and New Horizons on the 3DS eShop
I have five games on my 3DS eShop wishlist and four of them are being developed by Renegade Kid.
@LittleIrves I don't think you'll be able to start with Episode 2. I believe that the additional episodes are essentially DLC, meaning they won't work without the code and basic assets in the first episode that are required to run the game. That's why Episode 1 is $8.99 and the others are $1.99. I could be wrong, but I think that's how it works.
Re: Ubisoft's Updated Line-Up Still Includes Watch_Dogs as an Upcoming Release on Wii U
I pre-ordered this game online on Black Friday for only $36 (40% Off). So, yes, I'm looking forward to it.
Re: Interview: Shin'en Multimedia on the Wii U Difference for Art of Balance
"Also, are you utilising the camera to allow pointer controls on the GamePad...?"
I hate to nitpick, but...the camera? The GamePad has a sensor bar built into it - one infrared light on each side of the camera lens. The camera isn't sensing the Remote, the Remote is sensing the infrared lights.
Anyway, good interview. Really looking forward to this and Fast Racing Neo.
Re: Exclusive: Shin'en Multimedia Bringing Art of Balance to the Wii U eShop
Called it! I knew it was going to be Art of Balance, and I'm very happy with this. I've had "Art of Balance HD" on my own personal wishlist for months now. Those screenshots look absolutely gorgeous. I'm pleased to hear that it includes both touchscreen and Wii remote controls, and local multi-player should be fun.
I would like to point out that, "Ugh, another remake" isn't really a fair thing to say. Art of Balance Touch! on 3DS included all the puzzles from the WiiWare original, plus an entire game's worth of new puzzles - it doubled the content of the original, essentially making it more like a sequel than a remake. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the new physics engine makes this game feel.
Also, I completely agree with @Zach777.
Re: A Sonic Boom Game is Dashing Towards Wii U and 3DS
Why are all the characters wrapped up in bandages? Did they all receive third-degree burns from standing too close to the "Boom"?
Re: Child of Light Set to Begin its Tale on 30th April
It figures that the UbiArt game that I'm more interested in - Valiant Hearts: The Great War - is the one that isn't coming to Wii U.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/09/leaked_ubisoft_games_confirmed_but_skipping_nintendo_platforms
Still, I'll be keeping my eye on this one.
Re: Shovel Knight's Nintendo-Exclusive Social Features Confirmed
It would be nice if they would do some sort of "Cross-Buy" -type program for this game. Buying one version could give you a download code to get a significant discount on the other, or something like that.
Because I can't decide between HD or 3D.
Re: Nintendo Reveals Release Windows For a Host of Promising eShop Games
I will be eagerly awaiting the reviews for most of these games - especially Shovel Knight, Wooden Sen'SeY, Ittle Dew, Armillo, Scram Kitty, Teslagrad, and QUBE. And I will definitely be downloading Treasurenauts and Moon Chronicles as soon as they are made available.
Good to know there will be something to play on Wii U between Tropical Freeze and Mario Kart.
Re: Mario Kart 8 Drifting In For a May Release
That's two months later than it should be. Although, really, it's about a year and a half later than it should be. I was hoping for March, since that's when PS4 and XBOX One will be getting what many consider to potentially be their "Killer Apps" (inFAMOUS: Second Son and Titanfall).
When the 3DS was experiencing its troubles, Iwata considered speedy development of Mario Kart 7 "an act of emergency." I wonder why he didn't feel the same with Wii U and Mario Kart 8.
Re: Mass Market Price And Mario Kart 8 Will Reverse The Wii U's Fortunes, Say UK Retailers
@zool That's true, although I'm not really sure what your point is. If you think Nintendo hasn't already done that, then I don't know what to tell you. For every game that we know about, I'm sure they've got 10 more in development (or planning phase) that won't see release for years. Just because they haven't announced a game that will come out in August 2015, doesn't mean that they don't have a game in development that will come out in August 2015.
If your point is that they have to make those investments NOW, without knowing whether they will pay off (depending on the state of Wii U), that's true too. Nintendo considered the GameCube a failure and they continued to support it with fantastic games for years, so I don't think fans have anything to worry about with Wii U. If you're talking more from a business standpoint, Nintendo can always make simpler, more cost-effective games to offset potential losses or even turn them into respectable profits. They also, can always cancel games or just scale back their designs for games that are already in development if it comes to that - if they see that there's no way they'll be able to make their money back. The safe thing to do is to make those investments now (which, of course, they've already done) and just play to their best options as they arise.
It's been a long, long time since any Nintendo system has enjoyed strong third-party support. The Wii had some decent third-party support, yes, but mostly it was just cheap shovelware. Let's be honest here, at this point in time, people haven't been buying Nintendo systems for third-party games for many years. I don't think Nintendo's lack of third-party support is going to change anytime soon. That's unfortunate, because things would definitely go more smoothly if they had other games to fill in the gaps between first-party releases. But those third-party games aren't the reason why people buy Nintendo systems, and I don't think they ever have been or ever will be.
Sorry if I missed the point of your post.
Re: Mass Market Price And Mario Kart 8 Will Reverse The Wii U's Fortunes, Say UK Retailers
@Mahe My point was simply that Nintendo shouldn't give up on Wii U. I'm aware that sales aren't what they should be, but a system that sells nearly 500,000 units in a month (even if that month is December) shouldn't be "given up on." Especially considering that those sales came in a month when two brand new competing systems had just come out. Positive growth, however small, is something on which momentum can be built.
Also, whether or not those games I mentioned make any meaningful use of the GamePad is a different discussion (and you definitely have a point). Metroid not being announced isn't my point. Skyward Sword not selling nearly as well as it should have (it was an absolutely fantastic game) isn't my point. The point I was making is simply this: The Wii U is a Nintendo system. People buy Nintendo systems to play Nintendo games. Nintendo has a lot of great franchises, and MOST of those franchises haven't seen installments on Wii U yet. So, I don't think Nintendo should give up on Wii U before they've given it everything they've got.
But I do agree with your point that there should be more games that make creative, innovative use of the GamePad. Either that, or make it an optional accessory and drop the price of the system. They could make some changes to the firmware (and how it uses the GamePad) and sell the GamePads separately. There are a lot of options they could explore, but like I said, that's a different discussion.
Re: Mass Market Price And Mario Kart 8 Will Reverse The Wii U's Fortunes, Say UK Retailers
@zool I've had the Wii U from day one, and as I said, I feel that the system is only just getting started. My point is, there are a lot more big games to look forward to than there are big games that are already out. I think the Wii U still has a future.
Re: Mass Market Price And Mario Kart 8 Will Reverse The Wii U's Fortunes, Say UK Retailers
I wouldn't go as far as saying that "Mario Kart 8 is the Wii U's last chance," but if that game doesn't boost sales respectably, then this system truly is in bigger trouble than I thought.
Still, I'm amazed that some analysts have recently been calling for Nintendo to give up on Wii U entirely. This is a Nintendo system that:
A) Just saw its best month of sales
B) Hasn't had a Donkey Kong game yet
C) Hasn't had a Mario Kart game yet
D) Hasn't had a Super Smash Bros. game yet
E) Hasn't had a Metroid game yet
F) Hasn't had an original Zelda game yet
I mean, the Wii U is a great system with a handful of very entertaining games. But considering all the games that HAVEN'T come out for it yet, you can't really blame people for waiting to buy one. The way I see it, this system is just getting started.
Re: Nintendo Was Dead To Us Very Quickly, States EA Source
"We don't really make games for kids."
Neither does Nintendo. To my knowledge, Nintendo has never sat down and said, "Ok, let's make a game specifically for children." They make games for everyone.
This is a perfect example of big, Western publishers not being able to think for themselves. They always just follow suit, doing what everyone else is doing and copying other's successes. It reminds me of when Nintendo showed off Wind Waker for the first time, and all the third-party publishers thought that it somehow meant that the GameCube was solely intended to be a console for children just simply because the new Zelda game had "cartoony" graphics.
Re: Weirdness: When Publicity Pictures Aren't Worth It - Aaron Paul With Wii Fit U
I can't believe the amount of people misinterpreting the look on his face as "unimpressed." He's very clearly making a "Who's the man?" or a "Let's see you beat THAT!" -type gesture. People generally don't do that with a smile on their face.
There was nothing at all wrong with posting this picture on Twitter.
Re: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Figurine Spooked Off Club Nintendo
I thought they were going to be taking pre-orders on this until March. I was planning on using the coins that I would get from registering Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze in February to order this.
...Good thing I changed my mind, registered my two 3DS XL systems instead, and ordered it four days ago.
This should have been a Platinum Reward, though. And I think they asked about 300 to 500 coins too much, really. Still, what else would I use those coins on - shoelaces and bookmarks? Screensavers and cleaning cloths?
Re: System Maintenance Targeting Wii Sports Club Shortly After Nintendo Direct
Golf was always my favorite activity in both Wii Sports games, by far. I'm really looking forward to playing Wii Sports Club: Golf. Here's hoping that, sometime in the future, they release new courses as DLC. I'd gladly pay a few bucks for a new set of 9 holes every few months.
Re: Here Are Some Attractive Black Friday Nintendo Deals in North America
As @NotEnoughGolds already mentioned, Toys R' Us is doing a Buy One Get One 40% Off deal on ALL their video games. I would also like to point out that this deal also counts pre-orders. So, you can pre-order games like Watch_Dogs and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and get one 40% off. Also, they're offering free shipping on all orders over $49.
I ordered Super Mario 3D World, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and Wii Party U, and pre-ordered Watch_Dogs, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and inFAMOUS: Second Son and saved $68.
Re: Review: Jett Rocket II - The Wrath of Taikai (3DS eShop)
This review is pretty much spot-on. As a huge fan of Shin'en - and as someone who loved the original Jett Rocket - it pains me to say this, but I was pretty disappointed by this game. Now, that's not to say it's a bad game, because it certainly isn't. But it could have been so much better. It pales in comparison to the first game, I think.
The 3D levels are empty and boring, the way you fly backwards 12 feet every time you take damage is incredibly annoying, the 60 fps framerate is hardly noticeable considering how slowly Jett actually moves, and having to press two different buttons to perform a double jump feels...a little strange.
Having said all that, it's still a pretty decent platformer and you can certainly do worse for $8.99. I just hope that if and when Shin'en make a Jett Rocket 3, it's much more like the first one, and much, much less like this one. A proper sequel to the first one on the Wii U eShop could be fantastic.
Re: Super Mario 3D World Reaches Top Spot On Amazon's North American Best Sellers Chart
I just wonder how many of the people who are ordering this game are going to try to play it on their old Wii systems.
Re: Nintendo Addresses Confusion Surrounding Wii U's Name In Latest TV Commercial
The "We already have a Wii, Sweetie-kins" part reminds me of the first time I ever saw / played an N64. It was at a mall with a friend of mine. We were 12 or 13 at the time. There was a kid (maybe 8 years old) in front of us playing Super Mario 64 as we, and his mother, watched. He eventually said, "Mom! I want this for Christmas!" She said, "You already have a Nintendo." To which he replied, "Yeah, but this is a new one." Then, she said these words that I will never forget: "What's the difference?" My friend and I looked at each other like we couldn't believe what we had just heard. We had both been standing there in absolute amazement at what we were seeing (three dimensional games!), and couldn't understand how she could be so utterly unimpressed.
To be honest, still to this day, I don't really understand how somebody could go from 16-bit, 2D games to fully 3D, polygonal worlds and not think, "Wow! This is a technological marvel!"
Re: Weirdness: Nintendo Goes Old School With a Mahjong Set
A few months ago, I imported a premium Nintendo Hanafuda deck from Japan. It's a great collector's item. I wish Nintendo had continued their "toy company" business alongside their modern video game business. I would buy a lot of their toys just for myself!
Re: Former Video Game Destination Blockbuster Video Closes Its Doors In The US
I will miss this store. The one in my town shut down a couple years ago, and I've had to rent all my games and movies from Hastings since. Also, we could really use another place to buy games right now, as I refuse to ever set foot in Walmart ever again after the way they treated me recently (refused to honor their own advertised sale price). Worst customer service experience I've ever had.
Thanks for the memories, Blockbuster.
Re: First Screenshot Of 3DS Title IronFall Emerges, And It Looks Very Pretty
@brandonbwii You're thinking of Nd Cube.
A properly done third-person shooter on 3DS with stylus controls for aiming could be fantastic, especially if released on the eShop for a very reasonable price. I'll keep my eye on this.
Re: Just Dance 2014 UK Commercial Lands Ubisoft And Nintendo In Hot Water
Very silly. It takes 5 seconds to look up the lyrics on the Internet (and another 5 seconds to find out that Nicki Minaj's real name is Onika Maraj). Plus, this song has been all over the radio and television for almost 2 years now.
Re: Nintendo Download: 10th October (North America)
Every week I keep thinking, "Surely this is the week that Jett Rocket 2 finally comes out." Wasn't that game submitted to Nintendo in August?
Re: Eiji Aonuma Wants the Wii U Zelda's Hyrule to be "A Setting No One Has Ever Imagined Before"
It always seems like people have their own idea of what the "perfect" Zelda game would be. I want this, I want that, give me this, don't give me that...
If you asked me what I want from a new Zelda game, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I don't have any preconceived notions of what the next Zelda game should be, or what I want it to be. All I know is that I want a new Zelda game. Give me a new Zelda game and I'll be happy.
I've never played a Zelda game that I didn't enjoy immensely. Personally, I trust Nintendo to make the Zelda game that they want to make. And THAT is exactly what I want.
Re: Well, Here's an Awesome Tanooki Mario Statue
Agreed. Fifteen inches is really unnecessary. If they made it about 5 or 6 inches tall, they could drop the price significantly. And if they charged fifty bucks for it, they might actually sell some of them, because nobody in their right mind is going to spend 200 dollars on something like this.
Re: Wii Sports Club Takes The Competition Online With HD Visuals And Wii MotionPlus Support
I couldn't care less about online multiplayer, but I'm pretty excited about playing Golf, Tennis, and Bowling in HD with MotionPlus support. I hope they do this for the Resort activities, too.
Re: Poll: Would You Buy Grand Theft Auto V On Wii U?
I've already bought it on PS3, but if given the option, I would have bought it on Wii U. I would imagine that a big, open-world game like this would greatly benefit from a system that has 4 times as much RAM. Also, I would rather buy a new game for a new system that I'm still going to be playing in 5 or 6 years, rather than a new game for an old system that's about to become obsolete in a couple months.
Re: Samus and Link Figma Figurines Finally Battle to the West
I've been thinking about these figurines for months now, and I finally decided to order them. I got both the $50 Samus and Link. While I still think that fifty bucks is a pretty ridiculous amount of money to ask for a plastic action figure (15 or 20 dollars would be much more reasonable), I just couldn't get these things out of my mind. I've always wanted some nice figurines that I could display on my desk. And Link and Samus are my two favorite Nintendo characters from my two favorite Nintendo franchises. I'll admit though, considering how expensive Legend of Zelda related statues and figurines have been in the past, these things are actually a pretty decent deal, comparatively.
They really are beautiful.
Re: "No Plans" For Ambassador Program Following Wii U Price Cut
I'm happy that most people commenting on this story seem to be taking this news like rational adults. Expecting an "Ambassador Program" for a system that has been out for almost a year, and has only dropped in price by $50 is very silly.
Some other people have said that our "Ambassador Program" is the 30 cent Virtual Console games. I would go even further and say that our "Ambassador Program" is that we've been playing the system longer than everyone else. The time I have spent playing Mario, Nintendo Land, ZombiU, Assassin's Creed 3, Pikmin 3, Mutant Mudds Deluxe, Runner2, Nano Assault Neo, Little Inferno, etc. for the past several months is easily worth $50.
Obviously, in the world of consumer retail, things that have been out for awhile become cheaper. I'm happy to see that most people here seem to understand that this is how the world works, as opposed to taking the news like a bunch of sheltered, whiny, entitled 6-year-olds.
Re: Reggie Has Seen The Xbox One And PS4 Launch Lineups, And He Says "Meh"
I absolutely agree with Reggie. The XBOX One has shown me nothing that makes me want one (I've never had the slightest interest in any XBOX system, and am still baffled how the 360 has managed to sell so well), and while I'm looking forward to the PS4, the only game that I'm actually interested in is inFamous: Second Son. And that's not even a launch title.
The Wii U has a much, much better lineup for the next several months than those systems do (and I'm not even interested in Smash Bros.). The 3DS has been the "hot" system for the past few months, and it certainly looks to me that the Wii U will be the "hot" system for the next several months. Perhaps not in terms of sales (maybe, maybe not), but definitely in terms of big, appealing game releases.
Just my opinion, obviously. But I can certainly understand why Reggie would say this, because I genuinely feel the same way.
Re: 3D Gaming is Very Much A Part of Nintendo's Future Plans
I hope they really mean this. Because after playing handheld games in 3D for over 2 years now, I'm not interested in playing handheld games that AREN'T in 3D. I would be very disappointed if the successor to the 3DS (and 2DS) wasn't capable of stereoscopic 3D.
Re: Say Hello To The Nintendo 2DS - A 3DS without 3D
This seemed ridiculous to me at first, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. It's essentially a 3DS for kids under 7 that aren't supposed to use the 3D. And they won't be able to break the hinges or anything (obviously because it doesn't have hinges). It looks very sturdy.
Yeah, this isn't such a bad idea, really. A 3DS for kids. I just wonder if that's how they'll actually market it.
Re: Interview: Dan Hess on Composing the Pilotwings 64 Soundtrack
I've had the hang glider music in my head the whole time I've been reading this. The music in this game really is wonderful. In fact, I think I'll go grab my Pilotwings 64 cartridge and play it for awhile to sample all the different tracks.
Also, personally, I think Monster Games did an excellent job with Pilotwings Resort. It has a very different feel, yes, but it's a delightful little amateur flight simulator. It's still one of my favorite 3DS games, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who owns a 3DS (play it with the 3D depth slider all the way up!).
Re: Club Nintendo Japan Gets A Trio of Awesome T-Shirts
The "Rewards" section of NoA's Club Nintendo badly needs a huge revamp. The selection keeps dwindling away with barely anything new to replace what's been lost. And of the few rewards we do have, almost all are from the Wii / DS era with hardly anything to do with Wii U / 3DS. I hope they're just trying to get rid of the bit of old stuff they have left, and will soon add a bunch of new rewards.
Re: Iwata Asks Delves into The Wonderful 101, Reveals Hidden Characters
I love reading these Iwata Asks. It's endlessly fascinating to me to get these little bits of insight into the development process and the minds of the developers themselves. I wonder why we didn't get an Iwata Asks about Pikmin 3, though. I was really looking forward to reading that one.
Re: Hardware Review: Wireless Super Retro 64 Controller
I bought one of the last official, brand new N64 controllers when they were still available on Nintendo's online store a couple years ago. I can't count how many times I've opened up an N64 controller to clean and lubricate the analog stick components to keep them from wearing down.
It would be nice to have a good replacement for them.
Re: n-Space Not Currently Working On New Projects For Nintendo Consoles
So, basically, what Mr. O'Leary is saying is that big Western publishers are incompetent, confused fools more interested in copying other people's successes and making big-budget, interactive movies on "next-gen" systems than actually making creative, fun games for Nintendo's unique systems despite how well those systems are actually selling.
Huh. Who would have thought?
This is why independent developers are important.
Re: Developer Interview: Shin'en Multimedia Talks About Jett Rocket II, New Modes and Sticking with Nintendo
Shin'en is probably my favorite independent developer, and that's saying something. I can't wait to see their Wii U games. I'm betting (and hoping) the other one (besides FAST - Racing League 2) is a new Art of Balance game. That would work fantastically well with the option of using either the Wii remote or the GamePad's touchscreen.
Re: Chasing Aurora Began as a Prototype Based on Secrets of Raetikon, was Developed in Five Months
Wait, they have "no current plans to bring Secrets of Raetikon to the Wii U"? And the reason for that is because Chasing Aurora sold poorly? I have to say, that makes me a little angry. I mean, did they really expect their rushed, uninteresting, multiplayer-only, incredibly shallow, overpriced game to be a hit? And now they're making the game that Chasing Aurora should have been... and it's not coming out on Wii U. That's just great. I was actually looking forward to this game.
I can totally understand not making Secrets of Raetikon a Wii U exclusive, but it seems like kind of a jerk move to not release it on the system at all. I really hope they change their minds about this. If you took the gameplay from Chasing Aurora and actually built an interesting exploration / puzzler type game around it (which it looks like that's exactly what Secrets of Raetikon is) it could be quite good.
Re: Jett Rocket II Planned for 3DS eShop Submission Next Week
I've been waiting for some news about this game's release for a while now. I'll be downloading this the very second it's made available.
Re: Review: DuckTales: Remastered (Wii U eShop)
From the very first day this remake was announced, I was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reactions. I always considered DuckTales to be a pretty mediocre game at best. I even went back and played through it again a couple months ago just to refresh my memory. I beat it in about 30 minutes and didn't have very much fun doing it. It's very strange to me that anybody could consider this game a "classic." And I say that as someone who both watched the cartoon and played the original NES game as a kid.
I'm glad that some people are enjoying it, though, because I would like to see more "classic" Disney / Capcom games get remade. There are several others that are much more deserving than DuckTales.
Re: IGN Editor: If Wii U Doesn't Pick Up, Nintendo Should Look To New Hardware
If Nintendo gave up on Wii U, think of how many people would give up on Nintendo. To release a new home console, and then completely drop support for it in favor of a new system would be a very, very bad move.
The simple fact of the matter is Nintendo isn't pushing Wii U right now, because they have nothing to push. They never felt comfortable advertising a system that doesn't have any games. That is only just now beginning to change. With more games will come more advertising, and with both of those will come more sales.
The bottom line is this: if you want to play new Nintendo home console games for the next five or six years, you're going to have to buy a Wii U. That alone assures that this system will see (at the very least, moderate) success.
Re: Black 3DS XL Arrives in North America on 11th August
@Klimbatize I'm with you. It's been a very long year, hasn't it?
I've badly wanted one of these ever since they were announced. It's finally time to upgrade to an XL! Also, I can finally stop harassing Nintendo through Twitter and e-mail!
Re: There's a Day One Pikmin 3 Update Waiting For You
@Wintendo I live out in the country. My home Internet service is Verizon Wireless 3G. It's outrageously unreliable and inconsistent in this area, for some reason. As a matter of fact, just the other day I said to them on the phone - "I can't tell if this is Verizon Wireless 3G in 2013, or dial-up in 1993." So, yeah, you're not far off the mark.
Also, 5GB in 5 minutes? Wow. I can't even imagine having Internet that fast. To me, that would be like living in the year 3000.
Re: There's a Day One Pikmin 3 Update Waiting For You
I would love to be able to download 70MB in less than a minute. That's not exactly what I would consider to be "minuscule." It would take me about an hour to download that. Maybe half an hour if I download it at, say, 2 in the morning when my Internet service is running faster.