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.
@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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@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.
Comments 966
Re: Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity 'Free' Expansion Pass Exploit Fully Closed
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.
Re: 'Retired' Sonic Voice Actor Announces His Surprise Return To The Role
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...)
Re: Marsupilami: Hoobadventure Is A Charming Platformer Heading To Switch
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.
Re: Nintendo Expands Its Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Five More Titles
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?
Re: Mobile Dev DeNA Wants To Make Its "Relationship" With Nintendo "Even Better" Going Forward
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.
Re: Cyberpunk RPG Laxidaze Aims To Combine Pokémon With Final Fantasy VII Remake
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.
Re: Here's A Look At The Rockin' Opening Movie For NEO: The World Ends With You
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.
Re: Katy Perry's Pokémon Song 'Electric' Is Out Now
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.
Re: You Can Now Get A Platinum And Gold Point Coin Pin Set From My Nintendo (US)
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.
Re: Katy Perry's Pokémon Song 'Electric' Drops This Friday
@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...
Re: Sega Is Still Cool With Sonic Fan Games, Provided "No Profit Is Involved"
@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.
Re: Winds Of Change Is The "Ultimate Furry Tale" Coming To Switch This June
@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.
Re: Winds Of Change Is The "Ultimate Furry Tale" Coming To Switch This June
@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.
Re: Winds Of Change Is The "Ultimate Furry Tale" Coming To Switch This June
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.
Re: Gamescom Will Be Digital-Only Again This Year
@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.
Re: Humble Bundle Will Begin To Cap Charity Donations Next Month
@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].
Re: Capcom Will Broadcast Another Monster Hunter Digital Event Next Week
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!
Re: A New Animal Crossing Clothing Range From Uniqlo Drops This Summer
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?
Re: Lawson Will Offer New Pokémon Snap Photo Printing Services In Japan
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?
Re: Review: PAC-MAN 99 - The BR Formula Freshens Up Another Timeless Classic
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.
Re: Reminder: PAC-MAN 99 Is Now Available On The Nintendo Switch
@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!
Re: Reminder: PAC-MAN 99 Is Now Available On The Nintendo Switch
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.
Re: Nintendo Says Mario Will Continue To "Power-Up" As It Begins To Shut Down His Anniversary Celebrations
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.
Re: The Price Of Animal Crossing's Sanrio amiibo Cards Are Already Skyrocketing On eBay
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.
Re: TY The Tasmanian Tiger 2 HD Launches On The Switch eShop Next Week
That's a pretty impressive turnaround time, considering the Kickstarter was just back in January.
Re: Video: Check Out This Unboxing Of The Monster Hunter Rise Collector's Edition
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?
Re: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Players, Get Ready: Bunny. Day. Is. Back.
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.
Re: Nintendo Of America Appears To Be Shutting Down Its Support Forums
@TheFarmboy Oh man, I remember the NSider forums! An oddly more innocent time of the internet... in some regards.
Re: Nintendo Will Reportedly Reveal A New Switch Model This Year With "Bigger" Samsung OLED Display
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.
Re: Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros Is Getting One Final Restock In Australia Before It's Gone Forever
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.
Re: Arby's And Shovel Knight Are Digging Deep For A New Promotion Which Offers In-Game DLC
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'.
Re: Video: Watch Post Malone's Virtual Concert Celebrating 25 Years Of Pokémon
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!
Re: Introducing Pokémon Legends: Arceus, An Open-World Prequel To Diamond And Pearl
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.
Re: The Pokémon Company Reveals Top 30 Pocket Monsters, According To Japanese Twitter Poll
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).
Re: New Switch Platformer Stitchy in Tooki Trouble Gives Off Strong Donkey Kong Country Vibes
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.
Re: Controversial Rising Sun Design Removed From Street Fighter II's Re-Release
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.
Re: Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Sequel Gets Official Name Reveal Trailer
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?
Re: Sonic's Voice Actor From Sonic Adventure Has Already Contacted Sega About A Possible Return
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.
Re: Pokémon Sword And Shield Become First Entries Since Gold And Silver To Surpass 20 Million Sales
@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.
Re: Pokémon Sword And Shield Become First Entries Since Gold And Silver To Surpass 20 Million Sales
@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.
Re: Pokémon Sword And Shield Become First Entries Since Gold And Silver To Surpass 20 Million Sales
@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.
Re: Pokémon Sword And Shield Become First Entries Since Gold And Silver To Surpass 20 Million Sales
@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).
Re: Ring Fit Adventure Might Be The Best-Selling New JRPG Of This Generation
@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!
Re: Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp's New "Pecan's House Cookie" Event Goes Live
@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.
Re: Sonic The Hedgehog Voice Actor Announces His Departure From The Role
@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.
Re: Sonic The Hedgehog Voice Actor Announces His Departure From The Role
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?
Re: Frame Rate And Resolution For Monster Hunter Rise Demo Revealed
@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.
Re: Random: This Tragic Tale Proves You Should Never Assume Your Parents Will Store Your Gaming Crap Forever
@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).
Re: Random: This Tragic Tale Proves You Should Never Assume Your Parents Will Store Your Gaming Crap Forever
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??
Re: Mini Review: Mad Rat Dead - A Delightful Mix Of Rhythm Action And Platforming
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.