DTFaux

At the risk of being snobby, I feel like the sheer amount of crossovers these days is beginning to kill the magic of them.

Like, they've almost always been marketing ploys, but they were still special for how rare and/or legit surprising they felt. Now, it's like anyone can show up anywhere for no real reason... and where's the fun in that?

Honestly, this is a good way to appease the crowd that's been asking for it.

It's juuuuust enough effort to give them validation, without having to devote too much time to what's really more of a joke with a [respectable] cult following.

As one of the 5 people who enjoyed CatDog during its run, I appreciate their inclusion.

And from a fighting game perspective, it feels like there's a lot of potential for mix-ups, as you might have to be careful which side you're approaching.

@Tupin Good intentions dont really mean he cant take slight issue with having his name/face attributed to something he didnt say.

Especially when you consider Poe's Law, people may not know that the joke was, in fact, a joke. And there's definitely precedent where folks have shared quotes from famous figures, where it turns out that famous person never said the thing.

@Zebetite Sure, it's a lot to expect on the devs' part, but this then turns the debate into a matter of "artistic intent" and whether or not one agrees with that.

Really, the only hill I'm choosing to die on is that I'd rather folks own the action without feeling the need to justify themselves by saying others who care are in the wrong, or trying to devalue the ends to justify the means even though they clearly see value in the ends themselves.

"I want this, and I dont care if you look down on me for how I get it," may be 'politically incorrect', but it's way more honest, IMO.

@Zebetite While you're not wrong about Shinies simply being pallette swaps and having no effect on the competitive scene, they still have a perceived value among the trading and collecting camp.

If that wasnt the case, there wouldnt be a mod that tries to remove the grind to obtain one. Conversely, obtaining what's just a "pallette swap" would've just been an in-game option, had the devs wanted it to be so easy.

At the end of the day, sure, do what you want... but own the fact that one's cutting corners, rather than hitting at the folks who disagree with the method.

MK games have always been evergreen titles for Nintendo, but man, MK8D is a whole other beast.

We can be upset about how the success of this (plus Tour, assumedly) is delaying the release of an MK9, but Nintendo made the right business call giving MK8 a second life on Switch.

I'm definitely in the camp that believes cel-shading is part of WW's identity.

That said, this seems like one of the better "___ in Unreal Engine" examples. Feels like the artist did more footwork than just dropping a character in a generic, high-fidelity environment, and calling it a day.

And after so many people thought they were being slick joking that these were gonna drift.

@AtlanteanMan An important thing about satirical comedy is that the direction of which way you're "punching" makes the difference between what's criticism delivered through comedy Vs. what's just being a bigot/jerk under the guise of "comedy" (AKA: It's just a joke, bro!")

Generally, the point of offensive humor is to challenge conventions and the status quo, and/or speak truth to power (politicians, prominent religions, majority demographic in a population, etc.). This isn't to say offensive humor for the heck of it doesn't have a time or a place, but even in that scope, it's with the understanding that it's not socially acceptable in real life. If you're mainly making offensive jokes solely to "trigger" folks, it's extremely likely you're the one "punching down."

Add to that, times just change as people change, and especially as more folks have a voice. You're in your right to feel a certain way about change, but so are others. Not everyone misses every aspect of "the good ol' days" depending on their walk in life or understanding of history.

P.S. - My biggest pet peeve over the term "Political Correctness" is that it's misattributed as people being overly nice, when the whole point of "PC" is to maintain bigoted/unpopular opinions without catching heat for it (such as The War on Drugs).

It's unfortunate that this movie can be a fun ride, but it 100% requires you to not think about the technicalities at all. Like, even besides the video game junk and squandering a sincere sequel in favor of cramming as much marketing and meta jokes into the film as possible... where the heck was Warner Bros' IT department in any this?

So much of the movie takes place in WB's "Serververse", but it seems like so much of the events there went down without any of their in-movie staff even noticing.

I cant see Space Jam 2 aging all that better than the first, which was already rough around the edges in hindsight.

Darkstalkers X Mortal Kombat would be a more thematically fitting crossover. But considering crossovers these days give more attention to marketability than anything else, it wouldnt be anything less than 'Vs. Street Fighter' or 'Vs. Capcom' here.

@dew12333 My last paragraph was in consideration of historical precedent.

I'll be the first in line to defend people's right to say their piece, and when there's room to have a good faith discussion or debate, I'm all for it.

That said, it's not unreasonable to recognize that bad actors are committed to taking advantage of that good faith. I'm not advocating canceling folks, but you absolutely need to be wary about a person's intent and goals. Add to that, no one owes especially troubling opinions their attention/platform if they dont want anything to do with them.

Nuance is key.

@Lordplops If you dont care what I think, surely you wouldnt have a problem being transparent about your intent, right?

Being someone who's of Jamaican descent (American raised), I cant recall any piece of media I hated due to a lack of black characters... but I can sure tell folks of the times my experience of an already good time was elevated when seeing good faith representation/inclusion.

If video games are about "escapism", then this topic shouldnt be bothering certain folks as much as it does, IMO.

@Lordplops Are you actually trying to use "whataboutism" in this case? That doesnt come off as entirely in good faith...

@dew12333 An important thing to remember is the Paradox of Tolerance.

You think it's fair to hear the opinions of people who dont like people "for whatever reason", but that can only go so far if that opinion is dehumanizing, bigoted, etc.

The general idea is that hate (and ignorance) is never satisfied, so continued tolerance of it eventually leads to that hateful group chipping away at other's room or ability to speak and protest, if given the chance to do so. You have to draw the line somewhere.

I'm 99.5% certain an unfortunate amount of folks are gonna be in for a rude awakening when they learn that a business guy's book about his time in the business will have substantially less memes than they're expecting.

This isn't to say Reggie isn't cool or funny, or that people can't joke around, but it just feels like too many folks treat him as little more than a joke dispensary and receptacle, than a guy who was president of the NA division of one of the biggest gaming companies in the world.

@hammers1man I know it can technically do tabletop with an extra controller, but if traveling, that requires you having an external controller on hand, adding to more bulk to take with you.

"Utilitarian" was the key word for me, personally. Most of the Switch's core design serves a purpose, even if slightly compromised. And even the underutilized (like the IR camera and Home light-up button) dont add unnecessary bulk.

I like the idea of the Deck, but with a wingspan of almost a whole foot (not even counting height and depth) my biggest worry is how it might be just a bit too cumbersome to use as true portable device.

The Switch is already pushing it with its size, but it has the utilitarian advantage of shaving off a couple of inches by shifting from handheld mode to tabletop mode.

Until they can shrink its size a bit, I'd rather put money towards a new gaming laptop.

This music video was solid, and a fun enough song if you like that kind of pop music. But man, this is the 3rd one that's just the singer kinda doing their own thing with a bit of Pokemon interaction.

I'm just itching for more along the lines of that Bump of Chicken animated music video some months back.

It'll be curious to see how it performs in the long run. Not even considering Valve's mixed success with hardware, there's been countless portable competitors who had every reason to believe they'd take a chunk out of the portable market, only to come up short or step away after a short stint.

There's potential here, but how big is the market for this?

At the very least, this could help light a fire under Nintendo's feet. They've been riding a bit toooo comfortably due to the lack of direct competition as of late.

Looks surprisingly competent in both art direction and execution. Hopefully it meets expectations upon release.

And I cant help but think how much more amazing this game could look if they took ArcSys' approach of stylized 3D to imitate 2D animation. All the characters listed so far come from 2D animated shows, so it would check out. But I'm sure ArcSys sinks a lot more cash into the visual side of development than Nickelodeon is willing to put up.

EDIT: Hold up, I didnt realize Ludosity was the same folks who worked on Slap City! Way to bury the lede, NL! >:U

@Meteoroid This was the era of Nintendo's "Blue Ocean" strategy (trying to appeal to casuals). While very much a miscalculation in hindsight, having the game constantly bug you was likely intended to keep casual players from getting lost or forgetting what things were, and expected more hardcore players to just put up with it.

They probably could've made the hand-holding optional back then, but it also seems like it just wasnt a priority for them at the time.

The pressure is definitely gonna be on to deliver a final character that is satisfying enough, even if it's not on everyone's personal wish list. Regardless of who it is though, Sakurai and the rest of the Smash crew definitely deserve a proper break.

And we are in a position where we don't really need another new Smash game for probably the next decade. Nintendo could very well get away with dropping a random content/balance update every few years, and I'd be content.

@YoshiAngemon Tabuu would be an interesting final character, but he was also pretty forgettable in terms of a [final] boss.

The only character I personally hope to expect is a Monster Hunter rep, but it would definitely be more fitting for the last character to be from a Nintendo IP.

I feel like I've been guessing a Tekken rep since Smash 4's DLC. Between Namco co-developing Smash 4/Ult., and Tekken being one of the big classic fighting games, this seemed like an inevitability (though I was more expecting Heihachi).

One more character to go, and it's a wonder if the concensus will feel like Bayo, Byleth, or Banjo in terms of the hype of the reveal.

Pure speculation, but tons of folks must've taken advantage of this if Nintendo's practically reaching into folk's consoles to take back DLC.

I mean they're in their right to challenge ill-gotten gains (and it's better than banning accounts), but I'm so used to companies honoring errors on their end, and taking the hit.

I was kinda looking forward to hearing a new Sonic voice to kick off a new generation. But that said, Roger carries the Sonic role pretty well, so good for him~

(And please, PLEASE, don't let this be a sign that we're exclusively sticking to a post-Colors tone shift...)

I've always had a passing curiosity over this character (mainly because of his design), but never took a proper dive into the franchise. Maybe it's about time I change that...

And hopefully the game's competent enough. Wouldn't mind picking it up if it's solid enough.

There's a strong possibility that getting 3rd party IPs aint what it used to be compared to back on the Wii and Wii U. Especially as so many publishers are pushing their back catalogue themselves.

I still feel that this approach has better value compared to having to spend $5-$8 on separate games, but I cant blame folks for feeling like Nintendo's coasting with their offerings... Like, how is there still no Earthbound or Mario RPG on the SNES NSO app?

Seeing as how we dodged the nightmare scenario, fearing that Nintendo's mobile success would lead to less console games, I've been pretty OK with their mobile endeavors.

I wish they wouldnt chase whales and trigger OCD players so hard, but that's the mobile market for you.

Honestly, out of all the things I'd closest compare it to, it's giving me some Xenoblade Chronicles X vibes, with a dash of Astral Chain.

I do have to agree with other comments that it seems like it's trying to be a bit of too much of everything. The Miami Vice-aesthetic logo and vapor wave music feels at odds with the realistic-looking humans, yet more cartoony/fantasy creatures.

This isn't to say contrasting things and breaking from the norm can't stick, but hopefully this game can find its tone and voice.

I've been following this game's news loosely, but I think this opening animation is what really made me realize that TWEWY is actually back!

And the time away has really paid off. It's still got the style and charm from the first game (judging by the OP movie). I'd never have imagined they'd be able to translate the bold, sharp, 2D art style so well into 3D.

Alright, I can say that it was a nice enough music video and song. I'm back on board with this 25th anniversary celebration, if they can continue to keep showing some connection to the franchise.

And hopefully they'll find room for some unadulterated, pop-y, fun songs still. Just a little something you wouldn't normally hear on a Contemporary Hits FM radio station.

Locked mine in! It's great to see that NA's My Nintendo's physical rewards are starting to stock more than just stationary.

Would love some even bigger value stuff, but I also wouldn't mind more posters, if they gotta stick to the budget side of things.

@gcunit "Fun" should definitely be the key word here.

That Post Malone virtual concert (for as fine as it was) did not instill much confidence in me that this collaboration will be a celebration of the past 25 years, but more just an event that coincides with it.

Maybe Katy Perry's new song will change my mind, though...

@Rika_Yoshitake I hate to be cynical, but I feel like you're on the money.

Fan content (including the memes) have been what's helped carry the brand/IP through some of the darker moments. Until Sega themselves can provide a proper comeback for Sonic in the gaming space (he's doing fine enough on other fronts), they'd be crazy to give up this good will and free real estate.

@BloodNinja My bad. Me saying "Those aren't the best" was more my fancier way of me saying that I disagreed.

The rest of my comment was me trying to give insight by both comparing furries to other fandoms (both the good and the bad), and coming from a place where I'm very certain I'm further in the weeds with that fandom than you are.

@BloodNinja Those aren't really the best justifications, to be honest...

For one, the gaming industry is no stranger to predators, going by some of the controversies from last year alone. Yet, we wouldn't stand for anyone trying to lump "gamers" in with the worst offenders, would we? The unfortunate reality is that fandoms that allow for a big tent, and no realistic vetting, are bound to attract a few unsavory folks. They need to do better to protect the vulnerable, but the many shouldn't be kicked around over the actions of a few.

Also, I can't deny that fur suiting is pretty niche when compared to other fandoms, but the reasons for suiting isn't really that different compared to someone cosplaying (or LARPing): People simply find fun in playing a role or character they're not normally. But shoot, there are also furries who don't care to suit up at all.

At the end of the day, "furry" is just another fandom whose baseline is "Has an affinity for non-human characters." But from there, there's an entire spectrum of interests that may even intersect with other fandoms/communities (a Pokemon fan could be a furry, a weeb, a gamer, or all three!). And you'd be surprised how many furries are walking among us; From character designers of AAA IPs, to IT specialists, to those who work bureaucracy/legal, to medical professionals, education, law enforcement, military, and at least one of them being a top ranking FGC player.

Even if this isn't people's cup of tea (admittedly, not mine, but more because of the medieval setting and VN genre), I'm not sure why it warrants some of the negative/dated comments it's getting here.

In a world where games like Gal*Gun, Senran Kagura, and countless VN that are explicitly about romancing waifus/husbandos inch ever closer to the mainstream, while remaining unapologetic in their degeneracy, it just seems quaint that one VN featuring "relatively attractive-looking furries having intimate dialogues" is where the line is drawn. This isn't the 2000s anymore.

@Friendly I suspect the type of folks who have a good stage presence, plus a passion for video games, are few and far between.

That or he has a really good agent, or even better connections. Or cynically, the games industry remains an exclusive club in some facets.

@fafonio Yeah, this is the first I'm hearing about it, and suddenly, what I've seen over the past few years make a lot more sense now.

Definitely feels like there's been a shift from doing sweet deals for charity, and now it's more, doing sweet deals [charity optional].

While I'm looking forward to hearing more about Stories 2, what I really want is to know when its amiibo will finally be up for pre-order.

As an amiibo collector, I just wanna lock them in ASAP, and roll into July, stress-free!

One thing that's kinda frustrating about these clothing lines is that they're a little too basic/minimalistic.

Like, where's the clothes that emulate what the characters wear? Why not go all in on an Able Sisters clothing brand?

Wow, I was JUST discussing with a friend, wondering if anyone was gonna be doing a printing service for this game like Blockbuster did back in the day. Even predicted that it would be Japan exclusive this time around.

Hopefully I'm wrong about the latter, though. This is some free real estate for Office Depot or FedEx. Or maybe one of the online print companies might jump on this?

I'm definitely glad they give these classic games new purpose. It's been admittedly hard to go back to classic Pac-man and Tetris, because I dont care about chasing hi-scores like I used to.

So having games like this (and Championship Edition) are good ways to enjoy a form of the classics while also respecting your time.

@MrGrim Wow, those tips really were a big help! It may have also been having a night's play behind me, but I've already scored my second Pac-One after reading that article!

EDIT - Make that three wins, now!

It's definitely a lot to take in. It's different from Tetris 99 and Mario 35, because you generally have one focal point to focus on at a time.

With Pac-man 99, you pretty much have to micromanage, prioritize, and pray you're at the right place at the right time. It makes a bit more sense once you get the hang of it, but I'd say this is the hardest of the Retro Battle Royale games so far.

It'll be pretty funny if most of these games make a return one way or another, making all this fussing kinda moot.

At the absolute very least, there's no reason why the Fire Emblem game isn't gonna find its way into the NES NSO app sooner than later.