DTFaux

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a pack, but Target clearly didn't follow its own rules (selling some in-store despite their ad saying to order online), nor were they prepared for the onslaught of people bombarding their site.

The site itself, thankfully, didn't shut down. But myself and so many others practically had to spam "Checkout" in hopes that one of the clicks would lock it in. When I finally managed to get one order in, I tried to get a second one for good measure... and it was a good thing, because my first order was cancelled 30 minutes after they toggled the cards to "Sold Out".

I seriously don't understand how stores continue to botch this kind of stuff when you'd think the exclusivity would give them more stock to work with.

That's a pretty impressive turnaround time, considering the Kickstarter was just back in January.

It's kinda wild to think that out of all the 3rd party franchises to have the most amiibo, it'd be Monster Hunter totaling at 12 figures. We got the 6 from Stories (Japan Exclusive), 3 for Rise, and 3 more when Stories 2 comes out.

You'd think more companies would try to ride on the amiibo's licensing coattails, but I guess the process to get approval isn't that easy?

I feel like what really made Bunny Day annoying was that it was too close to launch, coincided with the Cherry Blossom event, AND even got in the way of the first Fishing Tourney (IIRC). It made for a bad first impression of what future holiday events might be [and Zipper's intentionally creepy design didn't help matters].

Hopefully the patch they put out in the middle of it last year's Bunny Day event helps make it feel better than people remember.

@TheFarmboy Oh man, I remember the NSider forums! An oddly more innocent time of the internet... in some regards.

I could see a slightly bigger screen happening if they simply shrunk the bezels, not unlike the evolution of Smartphones. But hopefully there'll be more to it than just a bigger screen and 4K.

I wont sneeze at those, but it would be nice to see if they can bridge the graphical fidelity gap a bit to future-proof whenever devs fully commit to PS5/XB1X.

It was a fun novelty, but admittedly redundant with all the other ways to play SMB1 and The Lost Worlds out there.

It does make me wish Nintendo would go in on a "Game & Watch Gallery" system. I don't think they'd sell as well as a dedicated Mario Game & Watch, but there's fans who would pick it up.

Calling him "Doctor Knight" is peak Saturday morning cartoon editing, and I love it. Right up there with turning guns to lasers and finding every way to not say 'die' or 'kill'.

With all due respect to these artists, are all the upcoming songs gonna be this... irrelevant to Pokemon? It feels more like they just picked up the song because its release would line up with the 25th anniversary celebration, rather than making/picking a song that celebrates the 25th anniversary itself.

I was kinda hoping they'd go the soundtrack route like the songs during the 4Kids era (2.B.A. Master, The First Movie, 2000, and Pokemon 3: The Movie). Or shoot, that Bump of Chicken music video we got a few months back. Give us more of that!

Gen 4 fans are eating pretty good for the next year.

The D/P remakes seem pretty safe, but this Legends game is looking to bring some of the ambition people have been begging for. Yeah, it needs more time in the oven, but the fact that they're trying at all shouldnt go unnoticed.

Dedenne is one of my top favorite Pokemon, so cool to see Japanese Twitter affirm my Pokemon preferences~

Also great to see that there's more deep pulls than just the usual favorites (with all respect to those, of course).

I'm hoping for the best for the devs, but I always worry when aesthetics look a bit too similar to other, still active, games/franchises.

It might just be that I'm a big stickler for games having their own identities. I fully understand that good designs are emulated for a reason, but it can backfire if it leans too hard on its inspiration. Like, if I really wanted to play something like DKCR... I'd just load up DKCR.

Reactionaries losing their minds over stories like these never fails to disappoint. Ironic, because these are the same people who will pat themselves on the back for having sooooo much thick skin...

Side note: Pretending to be offended by things you're not actually offended by to make a point, is not the argument you think you're making. Bad faith arguments are just unnecessary noise that either reveals one's ignorance or how little stake they actually have with the topic at hand.

Really curious how this sequel will work out. I feel like one of the biggest strengths to the first movie was that expectations were so low. Even with the re-design, folks were looking forward to a movie to mock, but it turned out surprisingly decent.

Now that a bar has been set, it'll be curious where they'll take this. Will they keep it safe for the casuals, or will they lean more into the fan stuff?

Woah... it's a long shot, but that would be pretty dope! Especially considering how much video game voice direction has improved since the 00s.

And listening to some SA1+2 voice clips, he just sounds like the right voice for modern Sonic. But this assumes the writing for Sonic goes back to having more heart than humor.

@HeadPirate Agreed. I definitely understand how hard it can be to just walk away from something one likes after years of investment, but I think it also saves a lot of frustration and heartbreak compared to turning one's frustration into a moral crusade.

There's too much stuff out there to enjoy (including other Pokemon-likes) to spend so much time being upset that a franchise isn't appealing to them like it use to.

All that said, in case anyone else is seeing this: This isn't me saying that you shouldn't voice your opinions or frustrations; just balance it a bit. We (and I'm sure TPC) already hear you.

@BTB20 Definitely true. I think that's the overall right path to take for folks who may be worn out or disappointed by the direction the mainlines are taking.

Shoot, even revisiting approaches like Pokemon Colosseum and XD would probably do a lot to help appease some of the fan demands, as that would allow any potential dev to really shake things up.

@HeadPirate I see where you're coming from, but I'm not sure I can fully agree the idea that they ignored the "Western mindset" in Sw/Sh.

I know it's purely anecdotal, but I enjoyed my time with Sword version, and it was a mostly single-player experience for me. I can't deny that it was a bit more streamlined compared to past Pokemon games, but that also made going through the story and completing my Pokedex feel like less of a grind. And I've been in it since R/B/G.

That aside, I definitely understand people's varied frustrations with the latest mainline installments (I have my hangups too)... But I guess my biggest concern is that a non-insignificant portion of the fandom is going to continue making themselves (and others) miserable if they can't temper their expectations and demands.

@SeantheDon29 I've been seeing this mindset for a bit, and it really feels like peak armchair developer...

Regardless of who the developers were, they would still have to create tens of new Pokemon to an already 800+ roster, balance them for competitive play, create a still engaging story/setting, assure its accessibility to younger audiences, and coincide its release with the anime/movies, merch, the TCG, Play! Pokemon, etc.

We're not likely to get much radical change in ways of the mainlines until they stop profiting, which is why I feel energy would be better spent requesting spinoffs (which still wouldn't solve every problem, tbh).

@nkarafo It's definitely a fitness game, first and foremost. But I wouldn't really call the RPG elements "tiny".

Yeah, there's the obvious leveling up and skill tree, but the combat functions like your standard turn-based JRPG. You pick attacks that are more effective the better you perform them, matching attacks to certain colors deal more damage, the stronger attacks require more real-world stamina, you can use items to buff your character, you got clothing options to affect attack/defense/etc.

The story is even pretty JRPG-like, with its narrative/tropes, pacing, side quests (yes, really!), grinding for money and EXP., and overall length. It ticks all the boxes to unironically be considered a JRPG.

EDIT - Oh yeah, it even has crafting and cooking!

@C-Olimar As someone who fell out of Tour and PC (and occasionally checks back in from time to time), there's definitely a give and take to it all:

The F2P aspect constantly eating at you to spend money (including gacha mechanics, forced waiting, and the digital currency economy), the limited-time characters and items, the non-stop events that practically become a job, being simplified versions of their console counterparts, no offline mode...

It's definitely down to preference, but seeing how F2P games function makes me appreciate that I can just spend a chunk of money once and enjoy a generally complete game. On a platform with tactile controls.

@Pacmanrace He definitely works for the green-horned, confident-yet-naive archetype that Sonic was in the movie, but I'm not sure if he'd fit as well for the usual type of Sonic that exudes confidence 99% of the time.

He wasn't my favorite voice for Sonic, but I can't deny he was a good choice (and he did a great job). Whoever's coming next will have some big shoes to fill, following so many others.

Also, it seems like the voice changes seem to happen whenever Sega changes Sonic's general personality. We've had radical 90's, Y2K edgy, 2000s sincere, and 2010s postmodern/meme-y... Where do you even go from here?

@Razer I think the "jank" is by design, looking at past Monster Hunter games. I used to be bothered by it myself, until I learned than the lumbering, full-commitment movement is just part of the experience.

You'll either love it, respect it, or hate it, and that's OK.

@AndyC_MK84 Him not knowing until years later isn't indicative of his pride (or lack thereof) in his collection. If he was under the assumption that his stuff was stored in a safe spot, he would have no reason to believe there was any risk of them being thrown away.

Yes, we don't know the relationship he has with his mom, but again, if he has no reason to believe his stuff is in any "danger", there's no reason for him to bring it up in casual conversation; whether he calls every weekend or once a year.

And the "sensationalism" assumption is pretty baseless. It's more likely he's just shouting into the ether - as many do - and that shout just happened to be picked up by NL (and whatever other outlet).

Folks can do all the armchair parenting they want, and be Monday morning Quarterbacks... but the literal least any parent looking to throw out their kids' stuff could do is either say, "Come pick it up before I bin it," or "Is there anything you want me to keep?"

Most kids understand that their parents want/need to declutter or downsize, and a simple heads up would save a lot of heartbreak (and money).

Also, in a generation where you never know what piece of nerdy memorabilia could be what puts you in a different tax bracket... why would you get rid of, especially, sealed stuff without question??

I've been stanning this game a bit since trying out the Japanese demo a couple months back. It feels like one of the rare rhythm games to achieve the rare trifecta of a strong style/identity, good controls, and great music~

I appreciate you guys doing a review of it, as it's definitely gonna fly under a lot of folks' radar.

Side note: I feel like the game can get plenty hard trying to manage working your way through a stage while keeping the beat. It's already difficult enough doing a perfect run on Normal Mode, but Hard Mode ramps things up with half-beats thrown into the mix.

I hope rhythm game fans arent sleeping on Mad Rat Dead too hard. There's a demo on the eShop, and I feel it's very much worth folks' time.

I cant recall the last time there was a rhythm platformer that was fully autonomous in movement options (unlike most that have you auto-running).

Been looking forward to the Banjo-Kazooie amiibo since their announcement~

Also, I'm fine with Byleth only having a P1 amiibo. The P2s were interesting and cool, but was opening a scary can of worms for 100% collectors. P2 Corrin is still hard to come by for those still looking for her.

My favorite thing about these presentations is trying to discern when it'a a Sakurai pull Vs when it's a pull from the suits at the top.

Same thing effectively happened with Byleth when they were revealed.

@Geistermaschine This is no comment on the quality of any of their "non-first party" games, but they do have a history of being contracted to work on 3rd party IPs.

They're not always as amazing as their mainline games amazing, but we also get games like The Mummy: Demastered, Ducktales Remastered, River City Girls, and Double Dragon Neon.

I had no idea how much a GB Micro went for these days. As a casual collector of Nintendo stuff, it feels like a smart move randomly picking a used one up a few years back for $77~

Wow, the "Small Battlefield" addition is really appreciated. I mean, it's pretty much just PS2, but it's great to have another neutral option in rotation.

Also, expanding music choices for the BF/FD stages is also huge plus~

I wish they'd overhaul the matchmaking (it's never been a problem getting what I want 99% of the time), but at least lowering the Elite threshold gets them out of that area that makes the FFAs and Items-On matches less likely for others who have trouble maintaining a high enough GSP.

Out of everything in this update, the ability to finally backup data is probably the most exciting addition to me (and the system transfer function is coming later!)

It's kind of a shame it's so hoop-jump-y compared to standard cloud saves, but at least it's there.

The amount of folks sleeping on this entry is really unfortunate.

Like, I get having felt burned after not getting a TTYD follow-up after all these years... but considering I've almost 100% Origami King, I can anecdotally attest that the gamer cynicism isnt always right, and if anything, spoils folks on potential enjoyment.

Going in blind doesnt always pay off for me, but I'm glad I did with this game.

Wow, that definitely has that late 90s/Early 00s Sega energy.

I'm very much down for it! I'm just hoping it plays well. Nothing kills momentum and hype more than a platformer that's a pain to play through.

15/15. With almost 1,200 hours put in, I BETTER know all the characters in this quiz.

...Dear god, that's 50 DAYS of playtime, not even counting the "Powered On" time!

I'm definitely excited for this, but I cant help but think how much is riding on the budget this series gets.

It helps that the art direction and soundtrack (and maybe VAs?) are already there, but how much more money they throw towards the project will make all the difference between spectacular scenes and sakuga-levels of choreography Vs. a more "economic" approach towards the animation.

I just commented elsewhere that it seems odd that this would get so many dislikes.

Hearing that some of it might have to do with the Tencent partnership does hold water, but I can't help but think most of it is due to simple disappointment. But to that extent... what were folks honestly expecting??

We're still in the middle of Sw/Sh's lifespan (a game where folks were complaining that short dev times likely effected its quality), and 2.5 other Pokemon titles were announced just last week. And one of them is a sequel people have been begging for over 20 years!

I swear, if You Will Know Our Names wasnt anywhere in this thing, this event would've been a hard pass for me.

Bonus points for rightfully making it the Final 10 theme in this~

@VegasToad I'm going digital for now, as I know I'll be playing it a lot and will want quick access to it.

If there's ever a major price cut for the physical version down the road, I wouldn't mind picking that up for my physical game collection.

Burnout Paradise was at the top of my list for Switch ports, and it finally happened... Everything else from them in the recent years doesnt appeal that much to me.

But if any of those games happen to be SSX (especially if it reaches back to its glory days), sign me up!

@brandonbwii I feel like it's parallel to how folks are more sympathethic to dogs getting hurt in media versus people getting hurt.

For as obnoxious as PETA is, their activism just doesnt seem to fire the same synapses among certain camps compared to the causes/groups that care about people...

And with every twist and turn, the chances of this game coming back to store shelves becomes less and less.

The fact that they're using a 3rd party merchant site -and not even, say, a 3rd party widget on an official site- reeks of desperation to move product.

Also, if this was about making things as easy as possible for consumers, it would still be on the eShop for purchase.

@Xaessya How are cloud saves (or lack thereof) supposed to stop people from manually disconnecting from matches? That's its own type of problem.

Man, every new bit of info makes it hard to believe this game is gonna find its way back on store shelves.

This is definitely gonna be a situation where the mystery and drama is probably more interesting than the game itself. :V

I hate buying into potential scarcity, but I pulled the trigger by the off-chance something does come of this.

It could very well be something innocuous, but if it's so bad that it results in a "first edition" or a permanent pull, then we're looking at the next rare game Youtubers will be talking about a few years from now.

How bad could things have been where they had to return to KS?

Only things I can think of is either the publishers were asking too much of them, or they lacked the confidence to fund the project.

I feel like any prank that attempts to get peoples' hopes up for longer than 24 hours is asking for trouble.

Obviously not to the point of physical threats, as those are NEVER okay... But it shouldnt be surprising that people will have a few choice words/feelings towards you upon finding out you got their hopes up over a long-played lie.

And cheesing the technicality only makes matters worse. Making an April Fool's Day joke so far outside of April Fool's Day just doesnt count in a lot of folks' eyes.