After more than 11 months on store shelves, they have finally given us a color option that should have been available on day one. This is the best news I've heard in a long time. I've badly wanted an XL ever since they were announced, but I've been holding out for one that doesn't look like a Fisher Price toy. I will be standing in line at midnight to get one of these.
Matte finish, rounded edges, sleeker design, bigger screens, better battery life, improved buttons, better d-pad, bigger stylus, etc. The XL is truly an improvement on the original design in literally every way.
For the past several years, I've been getting urges to replay the first two Pikmin games. But I kept thinking to myself, "No, I'll just wait for Pikmin 3. Surely it will come out later this year."
I haven't played a Pikmin game in about 6 or 7 years. It's been way, way too long. It almost seems surreal that it's actually, finally here. Despite owning a Wii U since launch (and I'm rather fond of it) this is the first Wii U game that I'm legitimately excited about.
Considering that I've owned a 3DS since launch and have never gotten a single StreetPass hit (nor do I know anyone who owns a 3DS) I think I'll give this a pass.
I bought and enjoyed Superstar Saga and Bowser's Inside Story. But for some reason, I wasn't really excited about this one. Then, I read the Iwata Asks about it. It became clear to me very quickly that AlphaDream really put their blood, sweat, and tears into this game. I suddenly became very excited about it. And this review seals the deal!
It seems pretty clear to me that the entire reason they chose Wind Waker to "remake" was because it's cel-shaded. Any other Zelda game, they would have had to go back and redo all the textures in a higher resolution. But with this game, all they had to do was get it running in HD and improve the lighting a bit. Done. They clearly picked this game because it would be a quick, cheap, and easy way to get a new Zelda game out as fast as possible.
The very first comment hit the nail on the head. It's not like the rest of the video game industry didn't already move on to HD development seven or eight years ago. It really makes you wonder what Nintendo was doing during the last two or three years of the Wii's lifespan (when nothing was coming out).
As much as I love Nintendo, they do sometimes seem to be a company rife with incompetence (in certain ways).
Why does everything have to sell like hotcakes for a company to be considered "doing well"? Can't a company just be "doing well" to be considered "doing well"? It seems to me that many investors and analysts are incredibly short-sighted. It's all about the "NOW NOW NOW" without a single thought towards the long-term.
It's very unfortunate to hear this. ZombiU is still my favorite Wii U game, and I always assumed it sold very well (for a launch title). It's strange that it "wasn't profitable." It's not exactly a "AAA" title, and I read somewhere that it sold around 500,000 copies. I mean, how many did they need to sell to make some money off of it? It seems like Ubisoft's expectations were just way too high.
Region locking is anti-consumer. It's incredibly selfish and ignorant to say it's a "Non-Issue" because it doesn't affect you, personally. It's fine to say you don't care, but to say it doesn't matter? Ridiculous.
And to anyone here who actually supports region locking: "I support region locking" = "I enjoy having fewer consumer rights."
Don't you think it's incredibly strange to actually WANT to have your rights taken from you?
I recently e-mailed Nintendo of America to voice my opinion on region locking. As far as the 3DS goes, this was their response:
"I realize this isn't what you were hoping to hear, but the region locking of the Nintendo 3DS will remain in place for the life of the system. By taking this approach, Nintendo is able to include parental controls and ensure compliance with regional standards and rating systems."
They had nothing to say about region locking on Wii U.
"...it is a sequel to one of the finest platformers to grace the Wii." That's putting it mildly. I'd say it's one of the finest platformers ever made - period. Although, the Wii had some amazing platformers. But definitely one of the best side-scrolling platformers ever.
"Also, getting the ba-BOOM ba-BOOM ba-BOOM rhythm was important." Shouldn't that be "ba-BOON ba-BOON ba-BOON?"
@Kifa That's good to know. Thank you for the information. It's funny - I have a degree in Computer Information Systems, but it's been so long since I've actually had my hands in that sort of stuff, that I'm a bit rusty on all the new tech these days. And I agree with you - Pikmin 3 is definitely a day-one buy for me, as well!
I will never understand why anybody cares about XBOX. The continued success of the 360 is completely baffling to me. Oh, well. Plenty of people seem to enjoy it, so I guess it's just not my type of system.
That's a little worrying, actually, that the file size is so small. This is a series that has always gone for that "photo-realistic" look, that makes you feel like you're really playing in an actual garden. You would think that with all the HD, high resolution textures, the game would take up much more space than that. I would expect this game to be, at the very least, 7 or 8 GB.
If Nintendo dropped region locking on the 3DS (and XL) all of those neat models that are available in Japan would suddenly be, more or less, available to the world. I would immediately order a Silver / Black 3DS XL from Japan, seeing as how we only have "Fisher-Price" color options in America. It would be a brilliant way of satisfying (shutting up) people like me who keep complaining about color options. Most people are probably satisfied with the colors available, but for those of us who aren't, we would at least have the option of importing.
"Little Inferno (Tomorrow Corporation, $4.99 until 26th June, normally $14.99)"
I'm pretty sure Little Inferno is normally $9.99. It had a permanent price drop not long after launch. But, yeah, everybody should at least try it out for only $4.99. I bought that game on Christmas day, and we just happened to get about a foot of snow that day. I live in Texas, so it's not often that we get that much snow. Actually, the last time we got snow around here was several years before that. Little Inferno was the perfect game to be playing to "stay warm."
I only just now read McHaggis' reply to my comment, so let me just say this:
I completely agree that things aren't always as black and white as simply comparing numbers. You're absolutely right about that. And you make a good point with your fishing analogy. But my point was just simply that piracy is going to have more of an effect on a system with a smaller install base than a system with a larger install base. I think we should be able to agree on that. If my argument seems "flawed," that's because those numbers were admittedly pulled out of thin air (more or less), without taking into consideration such things as number of respective developers (as you pointed out). That was just simply a very basic (perhaps overly simplistic) way to help me make my point. But even considering the ratio of developers to customers, I believe it's still true that some markets have less inherent risk (as it pertains to piracy) than others based on their install base.
I only just now read Doma's reply to my comment, so let me say this: You took that sentence from my comment completely out of context. It's hard for me to believe that you could be so confused by the point I was making.
"What the hell?"..."SMH (shaking my head)."
Seriously?
All I said was that when you buy a new system, you're making an investment towards the future, you're not JUST buying it for games that are out right now, but for all the games that will be out in the future. I don't see why that's so confusing. I thought the point I was trying to make was pretty obvious given the overall context of my comment.
Also, "That's exactly what you should be doing." Really? So, we should all buy a system just for the games that are out right now and never buy any games for it ever again? Interesting...
"At least the below-par motion controls of Returns have been removed for playing Tropical Freeze on the Wii U’s GamePad. For those that actually took a liking to the imprecise shaking of the Wii Remote to do Donkey’s crucial roll move...you can still use the old set up..."
I will definitely be playing this game with the Remote / Nunchuck. Pounding the ground by actually mimicking pounding the ground is far more intuitive and fun than just mashing a button. People complain about imprecise controls in DKCR, but I never once had a problem with them. Not once. The controls work just fine. But it's good to know that we have options.
They won't make games for the system because the system won't sell, but the system won't sell because it has no games. Because it has no games, it won't sell so people won't make games for it. EA, have you ever heard of "circular reasoning?"
You have to CREATE a fanbase before it can exist to buy your games. You can't create a fanbase on a certain system without first releasing some exclusive quality games (not "schlocky" ports). It seems like EA wants to INHERIT their fanbase from Nintendo, and that's certainly not going to happen anytime soon. The simple fact of the matter is that EA are basically admitting here that they don't want to put in the hard work and effort to earn their fanbase. They want Nintendo to do all the hard work for them, then just leech off of their success.
"...This demo showed none of the rubber banding that’s held the series back."
This has been a pretty common complaint about this series, but I don't get it. I buy every Mario Kart game that comes out, and I haven't seen any rubber-band AI since Mario Kart 64. Certainly not to the extent that it's worth complaining about.
Excellent article. I admit that despite the games looking fantastic, I was somewhat disappointed after the Nintendo E3 Direct video. But after letting it all sink in, I am more excited now than disappointed. Nintendo has an amazing lineup of software for the second half of this year and early next year.
Complaining about how we're getting "just another Mario game," or "just another Donkey Kong game," is a bit silly. These are the games that you should expect to see this early in a system's lifespan. The big software that sells systems is naturally what you should expect to come out in the first year or so. Anyone expecting something more innovative or original, those titles generally won't come until the second or third year and beyond. This is the same with pretty much any system, and rightfully so. Make something that will have broad appeal to start with, then you can move on to doing something a bit more risky. It's just good business sense.
Wow, that list of demos is much better than that supposed list that "leaked" online a few days ago. I even read on another site that the list had been "confirmed" by "inside sources." Ha.
@Nintenjoe64 Exactly. What is the point of making things inconvenient for their most loyal fanbase when they don't have to? If they don't put these demos up very soon on the eShop, I will be voicing my complaints to them in every way possible. I've said this before, but it's worth repeating: It would be stupid for them to NOT put these demos on the eShop.
This game looks fantastic and there's no way I'm NOT going to buy this. Still, I'm pretty disappointed that this is what Retro are working on. I'm really, really hoping they have another project in development that gets revealed very soon. Didn't they even flat-out deny that they were working on a new Donkey Kong game when they were asked? Why deny it only to lead to inevitable and rampant speculation and hype about what they were actually working on, only to later say, "Just kidding. Yeah we are working on another Donkey Kong game. Aren't you excited?" Obviously people were going to get their hopes up for something new.
Considering how all of these games are virtually finished by now and are coming out soon, I don't think Nintendo has any good reason to NOT make these "E3" demos available on the eShop as well. There would be no point to forcing people to have to drive to their nearest Best Buy if they already own a Wii U. What would be the point of just simply making things inconvenient for Wii U owners when they don't have to be? Quite frankly, it would be stupid if they didn't put these on the eShop.
This is the third or fourth time I've seen an article on the internet referencing Mutant Mudds that used that particular screenshot of the game. It's bugging me, because I've beaten the game five times now, and that screenshot has elements that are completely unfamiliar to me. The torpedo/rocket thing on the right of the picture isn't in the game (as far as I know), and the level design doesn't look familiar at all. If the picture was a bit taller, you'd see golden diamonds, too, which weren't in the final game. I'm really wondering where people are getting that screenshot from. All I can think is that it must be a promotional shot from an unfinished version of the game.
"Factor 5 developed a handful of third-party games that arguably matched Nintendo's own efforts in terms of technical quality." Matched? I think Factor 5's games exceeded Nintendo's in terms of technical quality. Nintendo never developed a game that ran in 640 x 480 resolution with near-CD quality audio that had the longest draw distance in any N64 game I've ever seen, while maintaining a fairly steady framerate. I just played through this game again a few weeks ago. It's still good fun even though some of the later levels are way too hard. It's not as good as Rogue Squadron, but it's still fun (and the in-game commentary by the developers is a neat bonus feature).
It's my understanding that the Wii U's GPU is located on the same chip as the (triple core) processor, essentially turning it into a sort of makeshift quad core processor, only with one of those focusing entirely on graphics. That way there is no bottleneck that the GPU calculations have to go through, since it's already right there on the same chip. Perhaps that has something to do with what he meant about it being several generations ahead.
I appreciate that Ubisoft has enough sense to understand that you must first establish a user base by supporting a system before expecting that user base to support your software. A fanbase must be earned and created. You can't just put out a couple halfhearted ports and expect big sales, then immediately pull the plug when things don't go your way.
Mario Kart is a definite purchase, I'm very excited about seeing the new 3D Mario game, and I'm practically pulling what's left of my hair out in anticipation of Retro's new title. I just hope they don't spend most of their time talking about Smash Bros.
This is a neat idea (especially for people who don't already own a Wii U), but it means nothing to me. I'm not driving three hours to a Best Buy to play demos for 20 minutes and then driving three hours back home. These demos really, really need to be released on the eShop as well.
I thought it was pretty common knowledge that Ted Price is a big fan of Nintendo. He plays every Mario game that comes out, and considers them a huge influence on the Ratchet and Clank games. He's a board member and former chairman of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, believes strongly in the First Amendment rights of videogames, and is a huge proponent of the sharing of technology and ideas. Good guy, Ted Price. I would love to see Insomniac bring some games to Wii U. It just sounds like they're spread too thin at the moment. Perhaps that will change once Wii U gets some more momentum going.
I've played through the 3DS version five times now, and I'm still looking forward to getting the Deluxe version. I just like the idea of being able to play this game on a big HDTV. Plus, those 20 new levels are a nice bonus.
I find this somewhat ironic. If anything is going to have a much better second half of 2013 compared to how it performed in the first half - it's Wii U.
I agree that Nintendo obviously gave this a lot of thought and, ultimately, made the right decision. But if he (or anyone else) thinks that Nintendo doesn't have some amazing Wii U games to show off (including some we haven't even heard about yet), they're crazy.
If they truly weren't impressed with the results of trying to get FB2 running on Wii U, it's simply because they didn't take the time and put forth the effort to actually get it running well. It's not because Wii U doesn't have the power to run FB3 (it obviously does), it's just because they don't want to bother with it.
Frontier Would "Very Much Like" To Make Another LostWinds Game.
And I would very much like to play a new LostWinds game. It's a 'Win-Win' situation! Seriously, the two LostWinds games are arguably the best thing on WiiWare (with only a couple possible exceptions). The style of gameplay would be a perfect fit for the GamePad's touchscreen, although I would hope they would also keep the Remote and Nunchuck option as well.
I hesitated to get this game because screenshots and videos make it seem more rough around the edges than it really is. Plus Nintendo Life's review wasn't exactly glowing. But I finally got it a few days after it came out (when it was still $7.99), and I don't regret it one bit. I've been playing this game more than any other game I have for 3DS at the moment. It's quite fun, and requires a good bit of skill.
This may be the best side-scrolling platformer ever made, so those of you who never played the Wii original should definitely check this one out. I'll be skipping it personally, though, as the Wii version suits me just fine. The motion controls that everyone seems to complain about are actually very fun and work perfectly. Actually making a ground-pound motion with your hands is far superior to just simply pushing a button. Still, that won't change the fact that this is still a fantastic platformer with excellent (at times, genius) level design and exciting, dynamic action.
Only about five months too late, Nintendo. And how many years has this been in development? It's going to feel very strange to see this game again at E3 this year, after thinking that we'd be playing it during the launch window. I mean, we're even going to have to wait almost two months after E3 before this comes out. Oh, well. I'm sure it will be fantastic and well worth waiting for.
In America, our choice of colors for the 3DS XL is: Baby Boy Blue Rosy Ribbon Red Pretty Prissy Pink Youthful Yippee Yellow And I believe I will call this one "Silly Saccharine Sprinkles."
It seems to me that the XL was designed for adults. It's a bigger system with bigger screens and better battery life. So, why Nintendo of America insists on selling a system designed to appeal mostly to adults only in colors designed to appeal mostly to children is beyond me. I have nothing against colorful electronics (the more color options, the better), nor do I have anything against anyone who actually likes these colorful options. But you should always start with a standard color option (Silver, Black, White) and work your way out from there. We've had the XL for almost eight months now, and we still don't have a standard color option. Europe, Japan, and Australia all have both the Silver / Black one and the All-Black one (even South Korea has the Silver / Black system). As far as I'm concerned, this is completely unacceptable. I've e-mailed Nintendo about this twice now, and I would urge anyone who agrees to do the same.
As much as I loved Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks (seriously, people, the touch-screen controls worked fantastically well), I'm glad this game seems to use a standard control scheme. Simply because it wouldn't feel like A Link to the Past otherwise.
It's definitely a sequel to FAST - Racing League. And I would bet the other one is either another Art of Balance, or Fun! Fun! Minigolf (hopefully the former).
The last time I used the Weather Channel or the News Channel was when I was in college. That was...more than 5 years ago. But I found myself, just the other day, wishing the Wii U had a Photo Channel. I actually got quite a bit of use out of that one.
"When you shift almost 100 million units worldwide, is it not almost inevitable that some of those systems are going to be gathering dust in cupboards?"
Exactly. When you sell a system to millions of casual gamers, they're only going to play it - surprise, surprise - casually. It's a real shame that so many people abandoned the Wii so quickly. I have bought more games for Wii than any other system I've ever owned. And I've played it just as much as any other system I've ever owned. There are a lot of great, under-appreciated titles on that system.
I have a PS3 and I love it, but I still think that Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and the Metroid Prime Trilogy are better than anything you can get on PS3 or XBOX360. Also Donkey Kong Country Returns may be the best side-scrolling platformer ever made, and the Goldeneye remake is my favorite FPS since Half-Life 2. The Wii was definitely my go-to system these past several years. It really is a shame that so many gamers misunderstood or ignored the Wii.
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Re: North America, It Looks Like You'll Have The Black 3DS XL Soon Enough
After more than 11 months on store shelves, they have finally given us a color option that should have been available on day one. This is the best news I've heard in a long time. I've badly wanted an XL ever since they were announced, but I've been holding out for one that doesn't look like a Fisher Price toy. I will be standing in line at midnight to get one of these.
Matte finish, rounded edges, sleeker design, bigger screens, better battery life, improved buttons, better d-pad, bigger stylus, etc. The XL is truly an improvement on the original design in literally every way.
Re: Review: Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
For the past several years, I've been getting urges to replay the first two Pikmin games. But I kept thinking to myself, "No, I'll just wait for Pikmin 3. Surely it will come out later this year."
I haven't played a Pikmin game in about 6 or 7 years. It's been way, way too long. It almost seems surreal that it's actually, finally here. Despite owning a Wii U since launch (and I'm rather fond of it) this is the first Wii U game that I'm legitimately excited about.
Re: StreetPass DLC System Update Finally Hits North America
Considering that I've owned a 3DS since launch and have never gotten a single StreetPass hit (nor do I know anyone who owns a 3DS) I think I'll give this a pass.
Re: Review: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (3DS)
I bought and enjoyed Superstar Saga and Bowser's Inside Story. But for some reason, I wasn't really excited about this one. Then, I read the Iwata Asks about it. It became clear to me very quickly that AlphaDream really put their blood, sweat, and tears into this game. I suddenly became very excited about it. And this review seals the deal!
Re: Soapbox: Why We Should Expect More From The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker HD
It seems pretty clear to me that the entire reason they chose Wind Waker to "remake" was because it's cel-shaded. Any other Zelda game, they would have had to go back and redo all the textures in a higher resolution. But with this game, all they had to do was get it running in HD and improve the lighting a bit. Done. They clearly picked this game because it would be a quick, cheap, and easy way to get a new Zelda game out as fast as possible.
It really should only be thirty dollars.
Re: Miyamoto: HD Development "Took More Time Than Originally Anticipated"
The very first comment hit the nail on the head. It's not like the rest of the video game industry didn't already move on to HD development seven or eight years ago. It really makes you wonder what Nintendo was doing during the last two or three years of the Wii's lifespan (when nothing was coming out).
As much as I love Nintendo, they do sometimes seem to be a company rife with incompetence (in certain ways).
Re: Investment Expert Feels Nintendo Earnings Miss Will Trigger Multi-Platform Approach
Investment "Expert."
Why does everything have to sell like hotcakes for a company to be considered "doing well"? Can't a company just be "doing well" to be considered "doing well"? It seems to me that many investors and analysts are incredibly short-sighted. It's all about the "NOW NOW NOW" without a single thought towards the long-term.
Re: Ubisoft CEO Admits ZombiU Sales Were Disappointing, No Plans For Sequel
It's very unfortunate to hear this. ZombiU is still my favorite Wii U game, and I always assumed it sold very well (for a launch title). It's strange that it "wasn't profitable." It's not exactly a "AAA" title, and I read somewhere that it sold around 500,000 copies. I mean, how many did they need to sell to make some money off of it? It seems like Ubisoft's expectations were just way too high.
Re: Soapbox: Why Region Locking Is A Total Non-Issue
Region locking is anti-consumer. It's incredibly selfish and ignorant to say it's a "Non-Issue" because it doesn't affect you, personally. It's fine to say you don't care, but to say it doesn't matter? Ridiculous.
And to anyone here who actually supports region locking:
"I support region locking" = "I enjoy having fewer consumer rights."
Don't you think it's incredibly strange to actually WANT to have your rights taken from you?
Re: Nintendo Download: 4th July (North America)
I just want to say: Happy One Month Until Pikmin 3 Comes Out in America Day, everyone!
Oh, and it's also Independence Day or whatever.
Re: Talking Point: It's Time for Nintendo to Drop Region Locking
I recently e-mailed Nintendo of America to voice my opinion on region locking. As far as the 3DS goes, this was their response:
"I realize this isn't what you were hoping to hear, but the region locking of the Nintendo 3DS will remain in place for the life of the system. By taking this approach, Nintendo is able to include parental controls and ensure compliance with regional standards and rating systems."
They had nothing to say about region locking on Wii U.
Re: Nintendo - Donkey Kong Series is Adaptable to Fresh Ideas
"...it is a sequel to one of the finest platformers to grace the Wii." That's putting it mildly. I'd say it's one of the finest platformers ever made - period. Although, the Wii had some amazing platformers. But definitely one of the best side-scrolling platformers ever.
"Also, getting the ba-BOOM ba-BOOM ba-BOOM rhythm was important."
Shouldn't that be "ba-BOON ba-BOON ba-BOON?"
...Yeah, that was dumb. Sorry.
Re: Pikmin 3 Will Need to Gather 3950MB to Download onto Your Wii U
@Kifa
That's good to know. Thank you for the information. It's funny - I have a degree in Computer Information Systems, but it's been so long since I've actually had my hands in that sort of stuff, that I'm a bit rusty on all the new tech these days. And I agree with you - Pikmin 3 is definitely a day-one buy for me, as well!
Re: Xbox 360 Sales Set to Pass the Wii's in the UK
I will never understand why anybody cares about XBOX. The continued success of the 360 is completely baffling to me. Oh, well. Plenty of people seem to enjoy it, so I guess it's just not my type of system.
Re: Pikmin 3 Will Need to Gather 3950MB to Download onto Your Wii U
That's a little worrying, actually, that the file size is so small. This is a series that has always gone for that "photo-realistic" look, that makes you feel like you're really playing in an actual garden. You would think that with all the HD, high resolution textures, the game would take up much more space than that. I would expect this game to be, at the very least, 7 or 8 GB.
Re: Talking Point: It's Time for Nintendo to Drop Region Locking
If Nintendo dropped region locking on the 3DS (and XL) all of those neat models that are available in Japan would suddenly be, more or less, available to the world. I would immediately order a Silver / Black 3DS XL from Japan, seeing as how we only have "Fisher-Price" color options in America. It would be a brilliant way of satisfying (shutting up) people like me who keep complaining about color options. Most people are probably satisfied with the colors available, but for those of us who aren't, we would at least have the option of importing.
Re: Nintendo Download: 20th June (North America)
"Little Inferno (Tomorrow Corporation, $4.99 until 26th June, normally $14.99)"
I'm pretty sure Little Inferno is normally $9.99. It had a permanent price drop not long after launch. But, yeah, everybody should at least try it out for only $4.99. I bought that game on Christmas day, and we just happened to get about a foot of snow that day. I live in Texas, so it's not often that we get that much snow. Actually, the last time we got snow around here was several years before that. Little Inferno was the perfect game to be playing to "stay warm."
Re: DreamRift: Publishers Are Scared Of Piracy
I only just now read McHaggis' reply to my comment, so let me just say this:
I completely agree that things aren't always as black and white as simply comparing numbers. You're absolutely right about that. And you make a good point with your fishing analogy. But my point was just simply that piracy is going to have more of an effect on a system with a smaller install base than a system with a larger install base. I think we should be able to agree on that. If my argument seems "flawed," that's because those numbers were admittedly pulled out of thin air (more or less), without taking into consideration such things as number of respective developers (as you pointed out). That was just simply a very basic (perhaps overly simplistic) way to help me make my point. But even considering the ratio of developers to customers, I believe it's still true that some markets have less inherent risk (as it pertains to piracy) than others based on their install base.
Re: Shigeru Miyamoto: People Need To Be Patient With Wii U
I only just now read Doma's reply to my comment, so let me say this: You took that sentence from my comment completely out of context. It's hard for me to believe that you could be so confused by the point I was making.
"What the hell?"..."SMH (shaking my head)."
Seriously?
All I said was that when you buy a new system, you're making an investment towards the future, you're not JUST buying it for games that are out right now, but for all the games that will be out in the future. I don't see why that's so confusing. I thought the point I was trying to make was pretty obvious given the overall context of my comment.
Also, "That's exactly what you should be doing." Really? So, we should all buy a system just for the games that are out right now and never buy any games for it ever again? Interesting...
Re: Pachter: Without Third Party Support Nintendo Fans May End Up Buying A Second Console
Without Nintendo Support, Sony / Microsoft Fans May End Up Buying A Nintendo Console.
Re: First Impressions: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
"At least the below-par motion controls of Returns have been removed for playing Tropical Freeze on the Wii U’s GamePad. For those that actually took a liking to the imprecise shaking of the Wii Remote to do Donkey’s crucial roll move...you can still use the old set up..."
I will definitely be playing this game with the Remote / Nunchuck. Pounding the ground by actually mimicking pounding the ground is far more intuitive and fun than just mashing a button. People complain about imprecise controls in DKCR, but I never once had a problem with them. Not once. The controls work just fine. But it's good to know that we have options.
Re: EA Will "Jump Back In" If Wii U Becomes A "Viable Platform"
They won't make games for the system because the system won't sell, but the system won't sell because it has no games. Because it has no games, it won't sell so people won't make games for it. EA, have you ever heard of "circular reasoning?"
You have to CREATE a fanbase before it can exist to buy your games. You can't create a fanbase on a certain system without first releasing some exclusive quality games (not "schlocky" ports). It seems like EA wants to INHERIT their fanbase from Nintendo, and that's certainly not going to happen anytime soon. The simple fact of the matter is that EA are basically admitting here that they don't want to put in the hard work and effort to earn their fanbase. They want Nintendo to do all the hard work for them, then just leech off of their success.
Re: First Impressions: Mario Kart 8
"...This demo showed none of the rubber banding that’s held the series back."
This has been a pretty common complaint about this series, but I don't get it. I buy every Mario Kart game that comes out, and I haven't seen any rubber-band AI since Mario Kart 64. Certainly not to the extent that it's worth complaining about.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Wii U Lineup Makes Commercial Sense
Excellent article. I admit that despite the games looking fantastic, I was somewhat disappointed after the Nintendo E3 Direct video. But after letting it all sink in, I am more excited now than disappointed. Nintendo has an amazing lineup of software for the second half of this year and early next year.
Complaining about how we're getting "just another Mario game," or "just another Donkey Kong game," is a bit silly. These are the games that you should expect to see this early in a system's lifespan. The big software that sells systems is naturally what you should expect to come out in the first year or so. Anyone expecting something more innovative or original, those titles generally won't come until the second or third year and beyond. This is the same with pretty much any system, and rightfully so. Make something that will have broad appeal to start with, then you can move on to doing something a bit more risky. It's just good business sense.
Re: Reggie Reveals Wii U Best Buy Games List
Wow, that list of demos is much better than that supposed list that "leaked" online a few days ago. I even read on another site that the list had been "confirmed" by "inside sources." Ha.
@Nintenjoe64 Exactly. What is the point of making things inconvenient for their most loyal fanbase when they don't have to? If they don't put these demos up very soon on the eShop, I will be voicing my complaints to them in every way possible. I've said this before, but it's worth repeating: It would be stupid for them to NOT put these demos on the eShop.
Re: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Hopping To Wii U This Year
This game looks fantastic and there's no way I'm NOT going to buy this. Still, I'm pretty disappointed that this is what Retro are working on. I'm really, really hoping they have another project in development that gets revealed very soon. Didn't they even flat-out deny that they were working on a new Donkey Kong game when they were asked? Why deny it only to lead to inevitable and rampant speculation and hype about what they were actually working on, only to later say, "Just kidding. Yeah we are working on another Donkey Kong game. Aren't you excited?" Obviously people were going to get their hopes up for something new.
Still, it looks amazing.
Re: Rumour: Best Buy's Wii U E3 Demo List Revealed
Considering how all of these games are virtually finished by now and are coming out soon, I don't think Nintendo has any good reason to NOT make these "E3" demos available on the eShop as well. There would be no point to forcing people to have to drive to their nearest Best Buy if they already own a Wii U. What would be the point of just simply making things inconvenient for Wii U owners when they don't have to be? Quite frankly, it would be stupid if they didn't put these on the eShop.
Re: Feature: Our Top 10 Third-Party 3DS Games - Summer 2013
This is the third or fourth time I've seen an article on the internet referencing Mutant Mudds that used that particular screenshot of the game. It's bugging me, because I've beaten the game five times now, and that screenshot has elements that are completely unfamiliar to me. The torpedo/rocket thing on the right of the picture isn't in the game (as far as I know), and the level design doesn't look familiar at all. If the picture was a bit taller, you'd see golden diamonds, too, which weren't in the final game. I'm really wondering where people are getting that screenshot from. All I can think is that it must be a promotional shot from an unfinished version of the game.
Re: Review: Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64)
"Factor 5 developed a handful of third-party games that arguably matched Nintendo's own efforts in terms of technical quality." Matched? I think Factor 5's games exceeded Nintendo's in terms of technical quality. Nintendo never developed a game that ran in 640 x 480 resolution with near-CD quality audio that had the longest draw distance in any N64 game I've ever seen, while maintaining a fairly steady framerate. I just played through this game again a few weeks ago. It's still good fun even though some of the later levels are way too hard. It's not as good as Rogue Squadron, but it's still fun (and the in-game commentary by the developers is a neat bonus feature).
Good review.
Re: Shin'en: Wii U Has Enough Power For Years To Come, GPU Is "Several Generations" Ahead of Current Consoles
It's my understanding that the Wii U's GPU is located on the same chip as the (triple core) processor, essentially turning it into a sort of makeshift quad core processor, only with one of those focusing entirely on graphics. That way there is no bottleneck that the GPU calculations have to go through, since it's already right there on the same chip. Perhaps that has something to do with what he meant about it being several generations ahead.
Re: Samus and Link Figma Figurines Finally Battle to the West
I would probably get one or two of them if they were a reasonable price, say $14.99 or so.
Re: Ubisoft Confident Its Titles Will Attract Gamers To Wii U
I appreciate that Ubisoft has enough sense to understand that you must first establish a user base by supporting a system before expecting that user base to support your software. A fanbase must be earned and created. You can't just put out a couple halfhearted ports and expect big sales, then immediately pull the plug when things don't go your way.
Re: Nintendo Confirms Smash Bros., 3D Mario and Mario Kart for E3 Nintendo Direct
Mario Kart is a definite purchase, I'm very excited about seeing the new 3D Mario game, and I'm practically pulling what's left of my hair out in anticipation of Retro's new title. I just hope they don't spend most of their time talking about Smash Bros.
Re: Best Buy Will Showcase Playable Demos of Nintendo's E3 Games
This is a neat idea (especially for people who don't already own a Wii U), but it means nothing to me. I'm not driving three hours to a Best Buy to play demos for 20 minutes and then driving three hours back home. These demos really, really need to be released on the eShop as well.
Re: Insomniac's CEO Is Open To Working On Wii U, Wants To See More Zelda, Mario And Metroid
I thought it was pretty common knowledge that Ted Price is a big fan of Nintendo. He plays every Mario game that comes out, and considers them a huge influence on the Ratchet and Clank games. He's a board member and former chairman of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, believes strongly in the First Amendment rights of videogames, and is a huge proponent of the sharing of technology and ideas. Good guy, Ted Price. I would love to see Insomniac bring some games to Wii U. It just sounds like they're spread too thin at the moment. Perhaps that will change once Wii U gets some more momentum going.
Re: Mutant Mudds Deluxe Submitted To Nintendo of America
I've played through the 3DS version five times now, and I'm still looking forward to getting the Deluxe version. I just like the idea of being able to play this game on a big HDTV. Plus, those 20 new levels are a nice bonus.
Re: Activison Anticipating Rough End To 2013, Wii U Partly Responsible
I find this somewhat ironic. If anything is going to have a much better second half of 2013 compared to how it performed in the first half - it's Wii U.
Re: Pachter: Nintendo Made The Right Decision In Skipping E3 This Year
I agree that Nintendo obviously gave this a lot of thought and, ultimately, made the right decision. But if he (or anyone else) thinks that Nintendo doesn't have some amazing Wii U games to show off (including some we haven't even heard about yet), they're crazy.
Re: DICE Tested Its Frostbite Engine On Wii U, Wasn't Enamoured With The Results
If they truly weren't impressed with the results of trying to get FB2 running on Wii U, it's simply because they didn't take the time and put forth the effort to actually get it running well. It's not because Wii U doesn't have the power to run FB3 (it obviously does), it's just because they don't want to bother with it.
Re: Frontier Would "Very Much Like" To Make Another LostWinds Game
Frontier Would "Very Much Like" To Make Another LostWinds Game.
And I would very much like to play a new LostWinds game. It's a 'Win-Win' situation! Seriously, the two LostWinds games are arguably the best thing on WiiWare (with only a couple possible exceptions). The style of gameplay would be a perfect fit for the GamePad's touchscreen, although I would hope they would also keep the Remote and Nunchuck option as well.
Re: ATV Wild Ride 3D On Sale For One Week Only
I hesitated to get this game because screenshots and videos make it seem more rough around the edges than it really is. Plus Nintendo Life's review wasn't exactly glowing. But I finally got it a few days after it came out (when it was still $7.99), and I don't regret it one bit. I've been playing this game more than any other game I have for 3DS at the moment. It's quite fun, and requires a good bit of skill.
Re: First Impressions: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
This may be the best side-scrolling platformer ever made, so those of you who never played the Wii original should definitely check this one out. I'll be skipping it personally, though, as the Wii version suits me just fine. The motion controls that everyone seems to complain about are actually very fun and work perfectly. Actually making a ground-pound motion with your hands is far superior to just simply pushing a button. Still, that won't change the fact that this is still a fantastic platformer with excellent (at times, genius) level design and exciting, dynamic action.
Re: Pikmin 3 Arrives in North America on 4th August
Only about five months too late, Nintendo. And how many years has this been in development? It's going to feel very strange to see this game again at E3 this year, after thinking that we'd be playing it during the launch window. I mean, we're even going to have to wait almost two months after E3 before this comes out. Oh, well. I'm sure it will be fantastic and well worth waiting for.
Re: Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL Bundle Confirmed in The West
In America, our choice of colors for the 3DS XL is:
Baby Boy Blue
Rosy Ribbon Red
Pretty Prissy Pink
Youthful Yippee Yellow
And I believe I will call this one "Silly Saccharine Sprinkles."
It seems to me that the XL was designed for adults. It's a bigger system with bigger screens and better battery life. So, why Nintendo of America insists on selling a system designed to appeal mostly to adults only in colors designed to appeal mostly to children is beyond me. I have nothing against colorful electronics (the more color options, the better), nor do I have anything against anyone who actually likes these colorful options. But you should always start with a standard color option (Silver, Black, White) and work your way out from there. We've had the XL for almost eight months now, and we still don't have a standard color option. Europe, Japan, and Australia all have both the Silver / Black one and the All-Black one (even South Korea has the Silver / Black system). As far as I'm concerned, this is completely unacceptable. I've e-mailed Nintendo about this twice now, and I would urge anyone who agrees to do the same.
Re: New Legend Of Zelda Title Confirmed For Nintendo 3DS, Due Late 2013
As much as I loved Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks (seriously, people, the touch-screen controls worked fantastically well), I'm glad this game seems to use a standard control scheme. Simply because it wouldn't feel like A Link to the Past otherwise.
Re: Shin'en Multimedia Has Two Wii U Games In The Pipeline
It's definitely a sequel to FAST - Racing League. And I would bet the other one is either another Art of Balance, or Fun! Fun! Minigolf (hopefully the former).
Re: Climax Studios Working On Two Wii U Titles
Apparently, that Prince of Persia-looking game was, in fact, Prince of Persia. And I say "was" because it seems that it is no longer in development, unfortunately.
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/04/16/is-climax-studios-developing-a-new-prince-of-persia-game.aspx
Re: Video: Get a First Look at This Jett Rocket II - The Wrath of Taikai Teaser
This may be my most anticipated 3DS game right now.
Re: Nintendo to Pull the Plug on Several Online Wii Channels
The last time I used the Weather Channel or the News Channel was when I was in college. That was...more than 5 years ago. But I found myself, just the other day, wishing the Wii U had a Photo Channel. I actually got quite a bit of use out of that one.
Re: Cliff Bleszinski Likens The Wii To A "Virus"
"When you shift almost 100 million units worldwide, is it not almost inevitable that some of those systems are going to be gathering dust in cupboards?"
Exactly. When you sell a system to millions of casual gamers, they're only going to play it - surprise, surprise - casually. It's a real shame that so many people abandoned the Wii so quickly. I have bought more games for Wii than any other system I've ever owned. And I've played it just as much as any other system I've ever owned. There are a lot of great, under-appreciated titles on that system.
I have a PS3 and I love it, but I still think that Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and the Metroid Prime Trilogy are better than anything you can get on PS3 or XBOX360. Also Donkey Kong Country Returns may be the best side-scrolling platformer ever made, and the Goldeneye remake is my favorite FPS since Half-Life 2. The Wii was definitely my go-to system these past several years. It really is a shame that so many gamers misunderstood or ignored the Wii.