Davestator

@jojobar

I know it, and I really dislike this. I've always seen falcom as one of the "underdogs" of the gaming industry. Their games rarely sold as well as the competition, but they kept at it and brought their own unique flavor and combat that stands apart from other RPGs.

When I say that not purchasing their new output is bittersweet, I mean it. The key cards and lack of legit physical availability is just something I refuse to support. If other people are okay with it fine, but for me, nope.

I think it was already bad the way falcom released a new version with no upgrade path from the beginning. Perhaps they are in dire financial straits, but their recent practices are disappointing to say the least.

@topsekret

Good idea. If that's the case, I will definitely get it. Ys games have their own unique style, and I enjoyed the demo for X. Lots of companies do this "scarcity" tactic and release for other consoles later, so my fingers are crossed and I hope it makes it on disc.

@topsekret

Same. And I was really committed to getting it before I heard this. Ys VIII is one of my favorite games of all time, and Ys IX was good fun.

Also, I was just going to get the ps5 version, but they announced today that the ps5 will not get Proud Nordics....so it's either this or PC....

so it's a skip for me.

This looks amazing. I grew up with He-Man and She-Ra toys and cartoons, and I love the Golden Axe games, so this checks all the right boxes for me.

@Expa0

Having played through the first Dark Deity on switch, and all of the GBA Fire Emblem games, I must admit that it's not quite on par with FE.

That said, almost everyone I've talked to regarding the second game has said that it addressed all of the flaws of the original.

I'm willing to give it a chance. I still enjoyed the first Dark Deity, and it didn't regret playing through it, though I admit it had its share of flaws.

@Ellie-Moo

You're welcome. I hope you like it. It does have all the wild enemies and banging music that DD is known for, so maybe you will enjoy it.

@Exerion76

Yeah, that stage is awful if you play it last or next to last - and Anubis is actually tough as nails at full power.

@Ellie-Moo

It is. However, if you're expecting it to play like the older Double Dragons (like Super and DD2), you might be disappointed. It plays a lot differently. There is a certain rhythm to this game, and you have to learn to fall into that rhythm to appreciate what it offers. I recommend getting it on sale, that way you won't have to much remorse if it's not your cup of tea. As for me, I bought the physical version, I've put nearly forty hours in, and I don't regret it.

I saw this update on my ps5 last night. Just another reason to break out this game. It's a lot of fun.

Castlevania Advance Collection, specifically Aria of Sorrow. I played through it on switch, now on PS5 and hoping to get the platinum trophy by Halloween (I don't game as much as I used to).

@HeadPirate

Your comparison is invalid. Your argument implies that digital-only and key-card releases are superior to full physical releases. Key cards are a step backwards in several ways*, whereas going from 8-track to cassette, and then compact disc saw a massive improvement in sound quality and usability.

There is no inherent advantage to having a key card that requires moving physical media, without the benefits of that physical media semi-permanence. It's costing more to manufacture, it's worse for the environment, it negates the enjoyment of collecting, and it's flat out lame.

These companies could at least just put the full game on the cartridge and raise the cost if they're so focused on their bottom lines.

Truth be told, when I hear people say "these anti-key card arguments are getting on my nerves", what's really being said is "I'm okay with disappointment and lowered standards, and you should be too". Also, I'm hearing "corporate profits are more important than your enjoyability".

As if many of these companies aren't swimming in dough from expanded and collector versions marked up for a few cheap pieces of plastic or releasing wave after wave of dlc isn't allowing these companies to make money hand over fist. And in my opinion, that's fine, but those standards are as low as I'm willing to go. The key-card situation is greed, plain and simple.

@Max_the_German

Get used to them. It's a terrible, anti-consumer practice, and people are rightfully defiant against it. Just because you're okay to accept lowered standards, doesn't mean the rest of the world is - and we'll push against it as long as we feel the need to.

@jaughndis

Just the lone fact that the live action movie has Mary Elizabeth Winstead cast as Ramona negates your thesis.

Also, maybe it's not for you.

This looks fantastic. That said, I may wait until two years after the release, when the "ultimate edition" with all dlc comes out. Yes, I am a cheap-ass.

@HammerKirby

Exactly. It's like they are trying to sound like politicians. Just give it to us straight.

@Patchanka

I'm going to sort of agree with both of ya'll on this. The combat is hella stiff at first, but gets better as you level up. Once the characters are buffed, the game "plays properly". So, imo, ya'll are both right.

I do think that having some louder "hit noises" / feedback to feel more weight on attacks would help the combat overall. Games like Final Fight and Double Dragon understood this from the start.

@DaGoldenBoo

For its time, it was amazing. I was there with the DKC preview VHS, and DKC2 still felt like an upgrade in every way. That said, I feel like Tropical Freeze is the best of the 2d games with all nostalgia aside.

DKC2 still holds up beautifully though.

Tropical Freeze is the goat, and Jungle Beat should be higher. GB Donkey Kong is a little too high - good game, and the best of the "classic" style of DK, but nowhere near the top five. Of course, video games like music are very subjective, so here's my opinion for the pile.

I am playing Cookie Cutter, a rather tough, but rewarding Metroid-style game.

I am tempted to play through Infernax again, since Cookie Cutter has sharpened my reflexes and given me some decent gaming teeth.

Then again, I might just keep it simple and play through one of the many variants of Street Fighter 2.

@Exerion76

Same, and I LOVE Ys. It's just such a unique series that has that old school vibe and super-smooth combat, banging music. But yeah, I will be waiting at least two years for every falcom release hence.

@Grandiajet

Ys 3 on SNES was my first. I've played through 1 and 2, Memories of Celceta, IX, and a few others. VIII remains my favorite. I thought IX was pretty good, but couldn't quite keep up with VIII.

I tried the demo for X, but will probably get X Proud Nordics on another platform. It's already bad enough the way falcom has handled the releases of this game, but this game key thing is a nail in the coffin for me.

I cancelled my preorder again. The console looks just fine, and the games look good - I'm looking forward to getting one, but I'm holding out until early next year.

I think the launch was handled well. There were lots of chances to preorder, and plenty of consoles were around my area on launch week. I was a young lad in my twenties when the Wii was released, and that was a nightmare - I went to five different stores on launch day, and didn't find one in the wild for nearly a year.

Path of Radiance is fantastic, as well as Radiant Dawn. I'd love to see them both as a remaster in one single game.

I loved Undertale enough to buy it three times. I played through about an hour of Deltarune a year or so ago, and decided that since I enjoyed it so much, I had better wait until the whole thing is finished. So, I'm waiting, impatiently.

@sethfranum

How is that so? Most ps5 games have the base game on disc. Updates and more come later, but in most cases the game is still playable from disc without any connection. Even if that weren't the case, I can still go online and download ps3 games today. I can't say the same for my wii U and 3ds consoles.

@DTfearTheBEARD

Minus the series X, because I don't have one, this is my strategy. I have the ps5 for third-party games, and switch 2 will be my nintendo exclusive and indie machine. I'm not buying anything with a key card.

I've always loved the Splatoon characters and style, but never liked how hectic online was, so I might be willing to give this a try. It looks very pretty, like a kind of tropical sea adventure or something.

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones on GBA, and Beach Buggy Racing 2 on PS5 (It was on sale and is actually pretty good).

Dragon Warrior 1 was my first RPG, so I'm really tempted to get this....for PS5. No way in hell I'm buying a key card game.

I just wait about four or five years to buy any fighting game now. Street Fighter V Champion Edition was on sale with all the DLC for like ten bucks on psn not too long ago, so I nabbed that. I did the same with Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Edition, with Robocop and all that.

Mortal Kombat on 11 was "the last straw" for me, because I had bought the game, and then all the DLC came out and then the price was marked down, and yeah....I was done.

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with buying a key card game...if that works for you. I'm speaking for myself in saying that I'm not playing that game right now, figuratively and literally.

P.S. I'm looking forward to buying Street Fighter VI and Mortal Kombat 1 "ultimate editions" in three or four years. The games do look like a lot of fun.

I played the demo for Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo. It was really fun and felt really polished, like a lost SNES or GBA game that never saw the light of day. I might get it.

@Solomon_Ramblingj

It's interesting that you see it that way. It felt like a major upgrade to me in almost every way, but enjoyability of Mario Kart games is very subjective.

Double Dash had amazing coop. We had the four controllers, and it was just real. We had to replace some of those controllers with all the rage going on.

Rhythm Heaven Groove should be my last switch game. The one on wii was so good, and I regret not buying a copy when I had time.

Anyway, I don't think development will last too long on switch 1 - I think it will last two years, tops. Despite claiming otherwise, Nintendo shut the 3ds down pretty hard after switch took off. But hey, I'm not a seer - I'm just going by what the trends have been for the past decade or so.

Awww man, this world needs some Viewtiful Joe. Those games were so good. I never played Red Hot Rumble, but I still have 1 and 2 on gamecube, and those games still hold up.

I think that "playing it safe" is a wise move. I really enjoyed the Wii and Wii U for the wild deviations they were, but it seems to be like they are learning from past trends....

Sorta unrelated complaint though: I wish this console had built-in streaming to youtube and twitch. It's so easy for me to stream and upload gameplay sessions on the PS5, with no capture card needed. I'd really like to see that feature on switch 2.

I'm still excited for this console, mostly because of the games, but also to see those games in 4K and/or with higher frame rates. It really does make a difference, and seeing Nintendo games really pop and "look new" again is going to be cool.

Gaming has started to take more of a back seat in my life for a few years. It was already starting to change, because I've been working on cars and gardening, and finding other things to do that "yield more fruit", or give a greater sense of accomplishment.

That said, I do still enjoy video games, and make room for about an hour a day, and maybe two or three hours on Saturdays and Sundays. It's a great way to unwind, but for me it's like sugar - better in small doses.

The increase in prices makes me feel like investing in games even less, maybe just getting the heavy-hitters like Mario Kart and Metroid. And there is a massive backlog of classics to fall back on. I bought Stellar Blade two months ago, and still haven't finished it, so I'm not in a rush to buy a ton of games, especially if they're going to get in the way of financial goals.

I can already see myself buying fewer games. I have a lot of hobbies that actually produce returns sometimes, and it's getting more difficult to argue with myself that video games are among the best of those hobbies.

In addition, I find myself already looking through my back-catalog of classic games - There are so many to replay, and so many lost gems I've yet to uncover, which cost a fraction of what modern games are set to cost....for instance, the Fire Emblem games on GBA that I could just play over and over again.

I don't see myself shunning new-gen games, but I do see myself buying less - perhaps only those that I really, really want to play badly.

They'd have to be very cheap for me to buy any. Nintendo doesn't leave their shops up for very long. Those key-cards will become useless much faster than a well-kept physical copy.

Hell no! Keep your old consoles, maybe mod them later....And by mod, I just mean a nice custom paint job or something totally legally like that.

I hope this whole game-key thing crashes and burns. At least they are showing it on the case, which I think is somewhat respectable. I just worry about the consumers who don't read in before jumping in, but I suppose that's their decision.

Thank you. I will be avoiding all of these key card releases with the quickness. It's a shame, because I've been looking for a good excuse to dive into Ys X.

I had decided against pre-ordering, but I went back and did it today. Walmart had opened up their preorders again, so I just went for it. YOLO brolo.

Preorders on US walmart.com are still available.

Edit: 11:41 a.m. central, pre-orders no longer taking, receiving error.

I am skipping out for now, personally. The console looks amazing, and I'm here for it. I'm just waiting a little while. I have too many things going on, and I need to finish milking the original switch and PS5 before moving on.

As an American (who voted against Mr. Tariff Guy), I'm willing to pay $450. All things considered, Switch 2 is a very appealing machine. I'm hoping that I can get it at a decent price, otherwise I will wait a year or two until it comes down. And no, I'm not broke, I'm frugal. I don't want to pay too much.

This game is going to sell like mad. It's nice to see Donkey Kong get a real push. For me, this should easily fill the gap while the next 3d Mario cooks.

@Duboiss

How so?

A lot of nintendo fans downplay the importance and relevance of an achievements system. Truth be told, they add a lot to the game.

People tell themselves that achievements are irrelevant, at least partly, to convince themselves that their gaming experience wouldn't be any better with them....

but I find that they add a lot to the game - so much so, that I will purchase a multiplatform game on PSN before I buy it on switch. A small handful of games like Infernax, Panzer Paladin, Super Monkey Ball, and so on...to name a few. It's so much fun to unlock the the trophies, and also to look at my account and see the challenges I've completed - and failed. It adds a ton of replay value to most games, and guess what - they are optional, and no content is unlocked behind achievements or trophies. It's a standalone system.

It's a fantastic set of features, and it's an absolute shame that nintendo keeps dropping the ball. I know they like doing their own thing, and that's fine. It certainly won't deter me from playing first party nintendo exclusives, but you can bet your butt I will buy the game on a another console before I do on a nintendo one.

"I don't need that anyway" or "That's for boring people".

Yeah, okay.

But if you could have a giant trophy behind collecting all the Koroks in Zelda or beating Metroid in record time, or running through Super Mario Bros. in six minutes without losing a life, and having display next to your account, nintendo fans would be lining up for the challenge. Tell yourself whatever you want, but you're not convincing me otherwise.

@8bit-Man
I've mostly been playing PS5 for the past two years. Graphically speaking, the Switch 2 games I have seen are easily on par with most PS5 games that I've played.

And on top of that, it has all those nice switch features. If there's anything I'm not on board with, it's the price of physical games, but they look fantastic.

70usd for physical would've been acceptable. Costs go up, and inflation affects things. 80 is extreme. The rest of the world is adjusting to tariffs and further rising costs. Orange man and his buddies in the white house can be thanked for this.

Also:

If I do buy switch 2, any games I buy will be physical. Seeing how quickly ninty killed off the 3ds and Wii U e-shop shows that physical is still the way to go for a money-conscious individual, even with a higher price.