Comments 721

Re: Talking Point: Retro Gamers Beware, PAC-MAN 256 Could be a Template for Nintendo's Smart Device Future

ChessboardMan

Oh No! They're making a Endless Score Attack game from Pacman, how untrue... to ... the... original?

Crossy Road is actually pretty fun, and the microtransactions are very unintrusive. Sure, you could argue there isn't much to the game, but the same could be said of a lot of score attack games, including many good ones. Like the original Pacman.

Crossy Road actually does have a lot to it really. Yes, much of this is characters to unlock by even collecting the in game capital or buying them(and let me just say, you really do not have to buy anything), but there are also a lot of secret characters too, that are Not unlocked by microtransactions, which serves to give players a purpose to play other than score, to unlock these secret characters. And unlocking new characters is really cool, as though they all play essentially the same, they do add their own twist to the presentation. I just unlocked Micheal Boom, a Micheal Bay parody, so there's fake lens flare and constant explosions going off.

As to this Pacman game, it seems to me to be an interesting way of injecting charm into a Pacman based endless runner. As lets be honest here, Endless runners work well on mobiles. Seems a better idea than that Sonic Jump game.

I would much prefer the Nintendo Smart Phone games be like this, than Pay To Win games like Transformers Battle Tactics. As that game is just a horrible horrible thing.

Re: Talking Point: Retro Gamers Beware, PAC-MAN 256 Could be a Template for Nintendo's Smart Device Future

ChessboardMan

@DarthNocturnal I find it unlikely that Hasbro would be behind the awfulness of the Pay To Win-ness of Transformers Battle Tactics and the like, because I wouldn't think they see them as a real avenue for cash, more promotional material for the toys. They're not a games publisher, they're a toy... publisher?
Though if Hasbro was behind it, it might explain the awful F2P model being used by the TF/Angry Birds crossover, which otherwise mars what might be a fun game.

I actually wonder just how much involvement they actually have with the app, as, well, it's rather odd. Right now there's a G2 event. An event with characters based on the "G2" toys, such as Laser Optimus Prime. With characters based on the original G2 toys. Which, so far at least, there do not seem to be any plans to re-release (though G1 Trypticon is coming, and there is a Year of the Goat Laser Prime, though the game character is very much not based on that toy). There was a Combaticons event, which makes sense with Combiner Wars, and everyone is really expecting Bruticus to be announced soon, but the characters in the event were clearly based on the G1 toys. A while ago they had a Beast Wars event, with characters based on the old Beast Wars Toys, despite the fact Some Beast Wars toys have recently been Redone. And several characters are based on old Collector's Club/Botcon exclusive toys that are no longer available(unless you try ebay and other second hard markets).
These seem to be very weird choices of toys to promote. Ok, some of the older toys might be to appeal to older fans and such, but the CC exclusives are a bit unknown really. I suppose seeing them in the game did make me look them up, but it's not like I can buy them in a way that Hasbro will profit from.

Re: Former Castlevania Producer Koji Igarashi's Kickstarter Launches, But Won't Come To Nintendo Consoles

ChessboardMan

Ok, so the inclusion of a Steam version seemed tempting, until I saw the pricing of the tiers. $60 (well $65 for new) for anything that's somewhat special? Seems pretty steep. Looks poorly thought out really. I'll wait for it to hit Steam as a special edition with most of that "KS exclusive" stuff, as we all know it's going to happen. Heck, I'll then wait for a sale probably.

Re: Talking Point: Is Konami About To Exit The Console Game Business?

ChessboardMan

@astrogamer Unfortunately games they market to the mobile market are very different to those their fan base are used to, or desire.

I recently downloaded an iOS game, a Star Wars Card game. It was, quite frankly, pathetic. The card battles were sort of interesting, but most of the gameplay was tapping static storm troopers.
And the reason I actually decided to try the game, was because I saw an advertised "Contra Style" mini game. I found and tried it, and again found it lacking. The virtual joypad on the screen was hardly ideal, but the fact that taking one hit reset your weapon to default, made the second level near impossible. It seemed to be terrible level design. I know it's a minigame, but that's how they'll treat their franchises on smart phones. With as little respect as possible.

Personally, I would like for them to sell some of their IPs if they are leaving games "as we know them", though it's unlikely. The Game Grumps were talking about how they wanted to buy a video game IP the next time some go up for sale. Though they're probably not ready to buy Metal Gear at the moment.

Re: Super Doomed'n Damned to Channel Retro Capcom Action on Wii U This Year

ChessboardMan

… looks strangely early days, for a game due out by the end of the year? Not one clip of a Boss, level gimmick or anything that leaps out and grabs you. Not even a big nostalgia vibe coming from it, though it is obviously meant to be inspired by Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts, but it looked a little closer to some Castlevania games?
We'll have to wait and see, but nothing really stands out in this teaser trailer …

Re: Akihiro Hino on Why Fantasy Life 2 is Not Coming to the 3DS

ChessboardMan

@Nintendian That seems to be an Extremely optimistic figure. It'll most likely be .00000001% or something. I don't really know, that's probably crazy optimistic too.

I'm not sure this will turn out the way they're hoping, to be honest. Unless there's some seriously drastic changes that are going to be some big steps backwards in terms of actual gaming, it just doesn't seem like that great a fit for smart phones. And if those kinds of changes are made, fans of the first are not going to be missing much. Might turn into another iOS Dungeon Keeper… ugh…

Re: Feature: The 'Best' Nintendo-Themed April Fools' Day Pranks of 2015

ChessboardMan

@andyg1971 I thought it was Pre-Ghibli Miyazaki, like Castle of Cagliostro. Heck, I think even Nausicaa was pre-Ghibli, technically.
The Unfortunate thing about Sherlock Hound is that Miyazaki only Started on it, but there was a pause in production due to legal issues, so he only directed 6 of the 26 episodes. His influence was certainly felt in the rest of the series, but those six episodes are probably the best.
My personal favourite is The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. I think it was shown in cinemas before screenings of Nausicaa in fact.

Re: Review: Trine Enchanted Edition (Wii U eShop)

ChessboardMan

I remember on one Birthday, long ago, playing the original version on my PS3 with some friends over.
It was an awful lot of fun. We had more than three players, so we were cycling players, especially funny when one person was claiming that the wizard had a less effective jump. Then, when someone else was the wizard they were like, "nope, jumps the same as the others!".
… I miss having multiplayer sessions in my flat…

Re: Sega Producer Explains Exactly What Went Wrong With Sonic Boom

ChessboardMan

And here I was thinking that the biggest problem with Sonic Boom was the same problem with the other recent-ish Sonic games that were universally panned.
It was extremely unfinished.
I mean, not just buggy, but the design needed further development. Watching the Game Grumps play it makes it clear that the combat needed more work to make it actually fun and interesting. I don't know if it could have actually been fixed, but most people can tell there's a serious problem with the combat, so why didn't the developers do anything about it, even if the only solution was to cut it down? The answer is, of course, they didn't have enough time. At least, I hope they did actually realise there was an issue with the combat…

Re: Weirdness: eBay Trolls amiibo Fans With Gold Mario Tweet

ChessboardMan

@Peach64 But it's against their own rules. They're promoting breaking their own rules.
If they're doing it for business and not as a joke, then they're basics saying "we don't care if you break the rules, that are in place to protect the interests of buyers, so long as we're profiting off it too.".
And that is just disgusting.

Re: Talking Point: The Limited Edition Battle With eBay Scalpers Can be Tackled More Efficiently by Nintendo

ChessboardMan

Nintendo do have a production problem, but can you blame them for trying to play it safe by producing less? Better to make less and manage to sell more of the percentage made, than to make loads and end up with a huge surplus of unsold. As for limited editions, they are supposed to be limited, it's part of the whole idea.

The problem is that scalpers are getting their hands on too much of the supply. It sounds like they, initially at least, had no limit on orders of certain, much desired, items, which was just a bad idea.

Another problem is that eBay isn't enforcing their rules properly. Nintendo needs someone to go search eBay, and start reporting those sellers, as the majority of them tend to be breaking rules.

They should also make it an actual policy to not sell to them intending just to resell, and after adding this to their TOS, try matching the emails of eBay sellers found, with the orders made directly from them. It won't catch very many of them, but it might start sending out a message.

But they also need to accept the initial production runs on certain characters were far too small, and accept they need to make a second run of characters like Villager, Wii Fit Trainer, etc.

Re: Video: More Bizzare Majora's Mask 3D Glitches Surface

ChessboardMan

while not an interesting bug, I've discovered that sometimes when I get hit by the thief bird, such that I drop rupees, I can manage some kind of double hit on it, that makes it just stuck flying downwards, making it skim along the ground, forever in a single direction, until gets caught in a corner somewhere.
I've managed to repeat it several times.

Re: We'd Probably Buy This Fan-Made Resident Evil 2 Remake

ChessboardMan

Man, I've love a RE2 remake. It was the first RE I played, since I didn't get a PS1 till late, as I have always been a Nintendo person, so RE2 on the N64 was my first experience of the series, and I love it.
It does feel like they could do with remaking 2, perhaps 3 as well. Of course, that would probably be too much work. The HD RE4 seemed to be done with a bare minimum of extra work, and the HD RE is mostly using the work that was put into the GC version, from what feels like an age ago.
Capcom seems to have gone off the idea of "all new" remakes these days.
Shame, as if they did what they did for RE for RE2, then I'd buy it for sure.

Re: Hundreds of Limited Edition Majora's Mask New Nintendo 3DS Systems Continue to Flood Onto eBay

ChessboardMan

@Wischmeyers Doesn't that mean they'd be Just in date now, if they send it the very moment they receive it? Not defending it, just saying.
But the truth is people are always selling item preorders on eBay, I once brought the Masterpiece Megatron on eBay, only to discover it was a preorder that left me hanging on for Months for my item. I did eventually receive it, but yeah, watch out for people who do this…

Re: Hundreds of Limited Edition Majora's Mask New Nintendo 3DS Systems Continue to Flood Onto eBay

ChessboardMan

Erk, that's awful… When I checked last night, the Majora's Mask Edition New 3DS XL was indeed sold out on the UK Nintendo Store, as was the Monster Hunter one…
However they also had awesome deals that had the normal or special edition of the game, bundled with the charger, statue and even a MM N3DSXL Case!
And since I already had eye on the special edition, I cancelled my old preorder and snapped up that deal instead!