DTFaux

Konami has been playing relatively nice with the Switch. And if Snake Eater can be ported to the 3DS of all things, the Switch should be a slam dunk.

Also, I know it's a different company, but this rubs salt on the wound, remembering how dirty the Switch was done in regards to the Kingdom Hearts collections...

Definitely how different Hyrule feels. My biggest fear leading up to release was that it would he hard to shake that feeling of "I did all this before..." New mechanics can only do so much if the landmarks and topography are exactly the same.

But there really is so much new stuff going on, it feels like that excitement you get when you visit a still-thriving hometown (or vacation destination) you haven't been back to in years. And this is literally only scratching the surface.

I don't know how Nintendo pulled it off, but it really does feel like 2017 all over again, in the best way possible.

Is there any consumer entertainment industry more audacious than the mobile gaming market? Cause sometimes it feels like it's way overdue for a hard reset and/or tighter oversight...

With that much flat surface area, can they even legally call it a waffle?

@HammerGalladeBro I think the term is "tonal dissonance," and it's absolutely something you never want to do by accident if you can avoid it.

Hangups about this version of Bomberman aside, I'm absolutely thrilled that this franchise is still alive and well in 2023! I can't believe they buried the lede about cross-platform online play. That's a huge deal, considering the matchmaking issues from the original R.

(Also, any version that remembers Louies exist is already off to a good start in my book)

Bowser liking Peach has long-since been a thing, but the idea of him giving her a pet name is surprisingly endearing.

Like, yeah, it's pathetic to get too far ahead of yourself when you havent even asked the person out yet. But knowing Bowser doesnt stand a chance, it at least feels like he legitimately likes her as a person, rather than as just "The Princess."

8/10 for me. I wanted a fun movie, and that's what I got, and then some!

My biggest issue is that the run time needed to be unapologetically longer. Like an extra 30 minutes to an hour, I'm not even joking. I can only imagine how much was left on the cutting room floor, because there wasn't even enough time for what was actually in the film.

I'm positive it'll actually be a fun movie for what it's worth, but seeing WB holding the movie rights makes me nervous.

Between Ready Player One, Space Jam 2, the Lego Movies, Lego Dimensions, and MultiVersus, I'm kinda getting fatigued from their endeavors being low-key IP parades and superfluous crossovers in general.

It's so easy to let the imagination run wild with what Nintendo could do in the film (and TV) space, but we have to remember that it's still Nintendo.

This is the company where safe/brave/baffling business decisions are a total dice roll.

@locky-mavo Avoiding any hard spoilers, Peach's characterization in this film was actually more fun and nuanced than I expected it would be. Not deep, but more than you'd expect from Peach.

If there was any archetype she appealed to, she straddled the line between "team mom" and "big sister", which is a far cry from what certain folks keep trying to project onto her just because she's a competent female character.

@AstroTheGamosian Also worth keeping in mind, too, is that we don't really know what her character arc is going to be in the film. Usually the most outwardly "in control" characters have more subtle flaws that aren't revealed until later in the runtime.

I could absolutely be wrong about this and she could be Princess Perfect all throughout... but it only makes the point of how absurd it is for someone to be so upset over an isolated clip that narratively checks out, given the movie's premise.

@Rainbowfire That's what I'm saying! Out of all the characters in a video game movie to be upset about being capable and competent, Peach should be nowhere on that list.

Like, not feeling this version of her personality is fair enough (not that her usual in-game version has that much depth to begin with...), but to try and turn such a short clip into yet another unironic, cynical culture war argument is just outing one's self as a reactionary more than anything else.

@Bass_X0 While this scene is following that trope of "experienced female character outclassing noob male character" I feel like calling it "toxic superiority complex" might be a lot to take from such a short clip...

Unless there's some twist we havent seen yet, this movie is clearly coming in at the "I'm new to this world" angle. So it's safe to assume Mario will have the necessary character growth and find himself on equal footing around the 2nd or 3rd act.

Had me until half-way through the article when I remembered what day it was...

It sucks because in a generation of arbitrary remakes and remasters for games that aren't even two gens old, there's a treasure trove of middling-to-bad games that would be amazing if given a second go.

-OG Blue
-XL Blue (Traded)
-XL Yoshi (Traded)
-XL Pikachu
-XL Smash 4 Red (prize from Nintendo's Gamestop Smash 4 event)
-N3DS XL Monster Hunter 4U (Active)
-N3DS White
-2DS Electric Blue
-N2DS XL Black and Blue

So about 9 over the years. If not for the fact that we're limited to one account per console, I'm certain I would've collected more for their aesthetics than just for being different models.

I've got that wary excitement, as I know better than to hope that this'll perfectly re-capture the magical first few weeks playing BotW.

And now in a post-Elden Ring world, TotK has big shoes to fill in terms of having an engaging world to explore (not even getting into combat). No doubt it'll be great, but gonna keep expectations right down to "this is just BotW+". Anything more than that will be a pleasant surprise.

@MirrorFate2 Yeah, it's asking for quite a bit, but it's more with the understanding that past collections have done the same, and then some.

The original release of the Origins collection felt like a huge step down from past collections (going by game quanitity), and the inclusion of Game Gear games - a couple of which have superior console versions - only drives home the point how amazing things could've been.

It's not the end of the world of course, but it's definitely a missed opportunity for what's shifted from an "Origins" collection to a "Classics" collection.

I hate to be a choosy beggar, but man, it feels like they were so close to making this the best of both Sonic Mega Collection Plus and Sonic Gems Collection. All that's really missing is Sonic R, The Fighters, 3D Blast, Spinball (Genesis), Mean Bean Machine (Genesis) and Flicky. All of which already had console ports!

All that said, making Amy retroactively playable is a big deal.

@PessitheMystic Honestly, I get the cynicism, but it does sometimes help to leave that kind of bias at the door. Not every "youtuber" is some vapid kid who tripped into internet celebrity status.

Sometimes they do use their influence and reach to do good things.

@Cptncha It's a purely subjective thing, but in these type of cases, it can feel a bit TOO redundant.

In a world without Wargroove existing (with a sequel on the way) and the AW Re-boot Camp a little more than a month away, something like this would make way more sense in the same way indie devs are trying to keep F-Zero alive since Nintendo isn't doing it themselves. But now, it feels kinda cheap in a "saturating the market" kind of way because it's not showing enough to stand out from its contemporaries.

Of course, no amount of criticism of the optics matters if there's an audience ready to throw their money at this game. And they're well within their rights to do so.

@Pigeon It's worth remembering that being popular with a mainstream audience isnt fully representative of the quality of one's content or efforts.

Platinum's been notoriously cursed with making games few can ever consider "bad" (whether or not they click with you is a whole other matter), but they struggle to get that reach beyond a cult following because their games ARE niche.

I still remember jumping on this as my first Metroid game because "It was the lady from Smash Bros.!". I opted for it over Prime because I felt that Prime's 3D aesthetics were too scary for my sensitive 12 year-old self... little did I know Fusion could technically count as a horror game anytime SA-X was nearby.

Despite that, I've been a casual Metroid fan [and Other M apologist] ever since.

Not to get too far ahead of Wave 4's release, but it's gonna be exciting to see how they bring it home with the last two Waves.

Between the new courses, added characters, and QoL functions, it's a wonder what else we're gonna get when all's said and done.

@Dragnoran Sure, but on the other side of the argument, why is it so important to transfer Pokemon into the new mainlines Day-1?

I can kinda understand wanting to get them out of the new mainlines into Home ASAP, but even that could be a clash in design philosophies (or business decisions) if they don't want people rushing to push Gen 9 Pokemon into Home's GTS so soon.

Geez... I get that something's better than nothing but seeing "Choose One" in big bold letters for games that could've all been bundled for free for this extremely short period of time just feels stingy.

@Dizzymario Not counting out the state Sc/Vi released in as the culprit this time, I had always assumed the delayed compatibility was intentional.

In one part so the competitive seasons can be "organic" for the first few rounds, but also because gamers can sometimes optimize the fun/challenge out of a core experience if given the means to do so; in this case, transferring one's Lv. 100s and favorites to steamroll the main campaign and ignore new Pokemon.

@WaffleRaptor01 Well, yeah. Again, it was kind of a necessary move after the disaster of '06, but it unfortunately fed into itself in a debatably negative way. But they've been much less meme-y since the positive reception of their recent endeavors.

It's not unlike when Nintendo was trying a bit too hard to be quirky during the struggling Wii U days (as fun as that was), and then dialed it back in favor of more sincerity when kicking off the Switch; especially with its reveal trailer. And they havent been as meme-y since, because success speaks for itself.

@WaffleRaptor01 Ironically, the self-deprecating humor hurts the brand in the long run. It was kind of necessary to bounce back after '06, but it was clearly becoming a crutch the longer things went on (that, and the desperate cling to nostalgia).

But now, we're getting people in charge who understand that no one will take Sonic seriously if they dont, which is resulting in better faith efforts like Sonic Mania, the two movies, parts of Origins, Prime, and Frontiers as a whole (jank notwithstanding).

If they keep their word, I look forward to Sonic becoming more than just memes and meta humor again.

@Ulysses Trust me, I'm not naive to the fact that the X series is one of the more well known versions out there. That said, that hasn't stopped Capcom from using Volnutt [and Tron Bonne and Servbots] to cameo for and rep the Megaman series before.

At this point, any official recognition of Megaman feels like a blessing, I'm more just commenting on the missed (or hopefully, delayed?...) opportunity.

@SonOfDracula I'm not gonna pretend the games aren't without their problems (or that the series isn't on the more niche side compared to X and the original), but let's not assume that folks who have positive opinions about them in 2023 haven't touched the entries since1998 and 2000, respectively...

I mentioned elsewhere, but it's absurd that out of all the Mega Man IPs they could've used in a 3D game where you adventure, mine, and fight baddies underground... they didnt choose Legends.

@LikelySatan Considering Sonic Team laid out a road map of free future updates and content for Frontiers, it at least shows a sign of good faith on their part.

Man, I REALLY hope this movie gets an art book down the road.

@victordamazio Sure, we shouldn't be entertaining the extreme ends of "body positivity", but it's important to understand that the crux of "body positivity" in the first place was to push back against toxicity towards bodies that didn't fit conventional [and arguably, propagandistic] beauty standards.

IMO, a lot of folks seem to miss that our obesity problem (at least in the US) is systemic and that the better approach is to incentivize good habits and relationships with food than to punish bad ones (the latter, far too many seem to fantasize over...).

@SwitchplayerJohn It was a half-joke, but I sincerely believe just about any motivation that gets one to finally take that step is a million times more valid and effective than any amount of shame, ridicule, or bullying- sorry, I mean "tough love".

Hope you can reach your goal in time!

@victordamazio I mean... obviously being a jerk to overweight people isn't the exact same as other terrible -phobic, -ists, or -isms, but lets not pretend our society hasn't warped the perception of "health" by tying it near-exclusively to a number on the scale to the point where people have eating disorders or confidence issues (even after losing weight), or the fact that the sugar industry successfully campaigned to convince people that "fat" in food is the culprit to obesity, or the fact that an entire industry surrounding "weight loss" that profits off of selling magic bullets.

We can call out multiple screwed up things in the world without acting like they're equal terrible across the board.

@Gbdub209 She's not saying obesity isn't a health concern, but that some people act like jerks towards overweight folks by pretending they care about the people in question, much less the core issue.

Basically, it's the fallacy where a person only looks at a societal/systemic issue through a binary lens and a bias of "rugged individualism", to justify their apathy or ignorance. It's ultimately unproductive, and even counterproductive (as the extreme ends of "body positivity" are a push-back against toxic rhetoric towards overweight people).

Reasons to get fit and lose weight:

• Get Beach Body Ready (TM)
• Feel more energetic
• Live a longer, healthier life
• Wear better fitting clothes
• (New! ) Ride the Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge ride at Universal Studios Hollywood

Regarding this guy's works and the small mention in the article, definitely check out Mao Mao.

It's a fun contemporary cartoon that was cut in its prime due to higher-up shenanigans. But for what does exist, it's such a great balance of comedy and action with a lot of heart and equally great voice work!

@EliJapan Not that the time limit couldnt be longer, but a demo in the first place shows way more confidence than any game that doesnt have a demo. Not that it's inherently a sign of confidence either...

Also, the DQ11 example is kinda funny because it is undeniably generous, but you dont really need 10 hours to know if a game is for you or not. The purpose of that much time is to create a sunk cost effect where you're more likely to buy the game explicitly because you've sunk too many hours into the story and progress to "let it go to waste". This goes for every game that hypes up "You can carry your demo save to the real game!"

Being this far removed from Frontiers' release, I can say that I walked away from the experience feeling way better about the future of Sonic than I did before I booted Frontiers up. It may be rougher around the edges compared to games like Lost World and Forces, but it's probably the most sincere fun I've had in a 3D Sonic game since Unleashed (and Generations).

I feel like Sonic is at his best when the franchise is taken a bit more seriously than just meme and nostalgia fodder. And so long as the same passionate people keep leading the charge [and Sega gives them a proper development schedule], I have no doubt Sonic will return to being a force to be reckoned with when the next mainline title rolls around.

I definitely get that cross-play would require a ton of footwork, but I still dont get how cross-saves wouldnt be feasible. Especially if they're gonna make the effort to make the games playable on other consoles anyway.

This is one of the few games I would've loved to double-dip on, but there's no way I'm starting from zero again unless I lose my Switch save file.

I dont know whether this is a generous QoL decision or a cynical workaround.

It's a nice feature, regardless, but is undercut by the fact that Game Freak usually isnt this nice about save files.

I feel so vindicated to hear another artist actually gets it!

Also, the "2-4 colors" and "moderate level of detail" suggestions are just nice character design rules beyond Pokemon. Comics and animations are already tedious work (especially if you're indie). The last thing you need is to add over-designed characters or creatures to the mix in most cases.

Man, I really wish they led with this trailer (or at least showed this sooner). I'm way more invested now!

I know the point of earlier teasers is to tease, but it's not the best PR move where we've known this show has been in development for years, and we're only NOW getting an idea of its tone and pacing less than a month from release.

Ever since hearing the news of a Switch release date, I've definitely been keeping my eyes on this game. And having bought it Day-1, I can say it's a really nice time!

It has its share of challenging platforming, but the experience feels "comfy" if that makes any sense.

I'll admit, this trailer took me from "I'll get it when I get it" to "Legitimately looking forward to it" levels of hype.

Regardless of how this game turns out, Sega/Sonic Team has been doing a solid job prioritizing ambition and sincerity over nostalgia and memes as of late. Both can work in tandem, but the latter can become a crutch if you lack the former.

Never thought I'd be hearing anything new about Bomberman Hero in 2022! Honestly, I still can't believe it's the only Bomberman of that play style after all these years.

I really hope this new teaser trailer gives a bit more insight into the actual plot of the series, because despite all the promotional material and marketing, it's wild that we STILL kinda don't know anything beyond surface-level details and familiar faces (though great that Rouge and Big are being included).

Like, it's been a bit tough to get hyped, because there's just so little to chew on unless you were already sold on the sole prospect of a new Sonic cartoon itself.