@Ryan_Again Take it to the Fox News forums dude. Keep it gaming here. People don't come here for political grievance news, especially from someone with a complete misunderstanding of the concept of "free speech."
@Ambassador_Kong "Nothing to play" seriously? The Switch has a ton of games on it from nearly every genre in existence. If you feel it has "nothing to play" then maybe the problem isn't the Switch or its software. Not every title is going to be a triple-A effort, but that doesn't mean there's "nothing to play." IDK, maybe you're just not really into video games. 🤷♂
@RupeeClock @abdias
I think what abdias meant, and I agree, is that BotW 1 should have had a post-game. Like, maybe we could have rebuilt castle town and/or some other smaller settlements across Hyrule. Or maybe we could have started gathering supplies to rebuild the castle itself. Or just gone out and cleared the last of the monsters from Hyrule. Yes, I understand much of this content will probably show up in BotW's sequel, but it would have been nice to see some of that in the first game. Also, slight snark here, but I thought it was "pretty dang obvious" that that is what abdias meant. That's how I took it anyway, sorry if I misinterpreted you abdias. Have a nice day everyone. 😁
OMG all the drama about this. People really need to get some perspective, and I'm not talking about the fact that this is all over a series of video games. There are much better and more glaring examples of video game injustice in the gaming world.
@Lawnachaun Well said, and I couldn't agree more. The "I want folders" crowd grows ever louder and more insistent with each passing day, and personally I'd rather Nintendo didn't waste one iota of energy on this misguided idea. Like, every bit of resources they throw at unnecessary things like folders (and music on the eshop, another battle cry, for some reason 🤨) is resources that aren't being used to enhance performance. I'd rather more stable framerates and resolutions than folders I'd never use, and eshop music the nice quiet eshop doesn't need. The eshop is almost perfect as is, maybe tweak the search options a little and optimize the way new releases are shown so games don't get lost in the mix, but unless Nintendo also want to up the Switch's internet speed capabilities, eshop music will just be another slow thing to load before I can use it.
@BloodNinja Well there you definitely bring up an interesting point. Too much software lately seems to be getting released in a poor state. Rushed releases, poorly optimized, in order to meet arbitrary deadlines. It happens on all consoles, but Switch's lower specs might make the botched optimization jobs more obvious or detrimental to the gameplay experience. Legit as that absolutely is to complain about, as you rightly said, it's not entirely the hardware's fault. There's a comment further up (maybe directly above this one) that sums it up much more succinctly than I ever could, but it basically talks about how upping the Switch's screen would be costly from a software development standpoint on this generation, and that it would be better done on Switch's actual generational successor, rather than on the mid-gen revision. TBH, if a "pro" or whateverthefluge you want to call it does come out with 4k or near 4k TV output, and more stable framerates on both docked and handheld modes, I'd get it day 1. I'm content with waiting til Switch 2 for a higher resolution screen and faster load times. Like, to me they aren't that bad. I don't have any other systems too though, so I'm sure your perception of the loading times, and my own, are each affected by the other experiences we do or do not have available to us. IDK. I just love the Switch, it's my favorite console concept ever, and I hope they don't ditch it with their next machine. 😁
@BloodNinja I hear you, and I don't disagree completely on the performance concerns, but again, it's important, in my opinion anyway, to be realistic with one's expectations. Pushing the envelope of raw processing power has not been Nintendo's mission since the SNES. So, again, in my opinion, it's irrational to (a) expect Nintendo to do anything different, (b) expect Nintendo to all-of-a-sudden decide to re-enter the hardware spec race, and (c) to judge Nintendo by Sony's, Microsoft's ,and PC standards. I'm not making excuses for them nor am I a diehard Nintendo fanboy (TBH if Nintendo ever did re-enter the spec race, all hardware concerns being then equal with Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo's IP alone would ensure they crushed both other systems); I just don't think it's reasonable or realistic to expect anything different from Nintendo than they've already done. They've changed, sure, as time has passed. They're obviously different now to how they were in the mid-80s. But to expect them to like overnight have a change of heart and decide to prioritize resolution, specs, frame rates, loading times, and anything else that could, with a minimum of fuss, be categorized as a "core gamer" concern is, to me at least, not setting oneself up for anything but disappointment. Peace man, no disrespect intended. 😁
@BloodNinja Sounds like its a small miracle you own Nintendo products at all, since none seem to be good enough for you and the business decisions of the company are all ones you disagree with. Why not just go buy a PlayStation or an Xbox and be happy? From the vast majority of comments of yours that I've read, you seem to not really be happy with Nintendo and the direction they're going in, so why stick with them? It makes no sense, and it's wasted negative energy on rumors of all things. Or, you know, continue whinging on about specs and performance on a Nintendo site... 🤷♂🤦♂
@tzahn Great comment. To your point about the plumber, that same pipe plus 10 years of inflation would likely be $120+ to fix. Too many people, and gamers in particular, have this childish attitude that they are entitled to someone's creativity and labor, not to mention material goods with the physical release, for little to no expense whatsoever. That's not how business or creative endeavors work. There isn't a "Port to Switch" button or setting that the developers turn on and off at their whim. Even a straight port has to be programmed for the Switch's architecture. Enhanced ports like HD remasters would logically require even more labor to produce because someone has to do the "enhancing." The point is and will remain "vote with your wallet." I don't think certain games are worth what I'd be charged to purchase them, so I simply pass. It's possible to do this without complaining on the internet. 🤷♂
If they're going to start porting over from the 3DS, I'd like to see "A Link Between Worlds." It's a great Zelda game that would be a nice release for the anniversary year.
@Shepdawg1 I thought the story was decent enough, though I agree not as good as XC1. I played this game through twice because I liked the story so much. But the gameplay really bothered me, specifically the battle mechanics. I greatly prefer the real-time combat in XC1 to that of 2, mainly because the first game features that lovely battle palette with more than 3 arts. XC2's combat played more like a rhythm game, and the characters stop auto-attacking when the player moves them, a bizarre feature in a game in which some of the arts have effects based on the character's position relative to the enemy. In XC1, the characters keep auto-attacking while the player moves them around the enemy, thus not punishing the player for taking advantage of the position-specific effects of the arts in the game.
@Heavyarms55 Well I meant no offense lol. Obv gameplay preferences are a subjective matter. IDK I just preferred the battle mechanics of the first game to 2. But to each their own. 😁
@Heavyarms55 I'd be totally on board with that if MonolithSoft were involved and the gameplay were derived from the real-time combat style of the Xenoblade Chronicles series (1 and X though; leave 2's rhythm game combat mess in the rubbish where it belongs). The XC games were so exploration focused that it would be a wonderfully natural fit, and both series have games with excellent stories and soundtracks. You're onto an awesome idea! 😁
@PlayedNSlayed Your entire thesis has been debunked multiple times by reputable scientific sources. Please stop spreading disproven conspiracy theories, especially on a gaming site.
Happy birthday Nintendo Life! Thanks for the great articles, guides, reviews, and the awesome community here. This is my favorite site for Nintendo news, and while there are others out there, no other site really comes remotely close. Thanks again, and here's to the next 5 (or 15, or 50 lol) years of sweet sweet NL goodness. 😁
So great to see Xenoblade Chronicles finally getting some official recognition as the amazing adventure that it is. I am surprised that Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, Smash, and Mario Kart Wii are lower down, but as a huge fan of the first 2 Xenoblade games (1 and X), I am pleasantly surprised to see XC1 at #2 at the time of writing my comment. 😁
I mean, to each their own of course, but I couldn't play with a PS controller. Between the poor positional arrangement for the analog sticks and the face buttons using shapes instead of letters and them also being arranged in a way that doesn't make any kind of intuitive sense, I'll stick with my Switch Pro Controller thanks. For me, the biggest reason I haven't gotten into Sony's gaming ecosystem is what, in my opinion, is a consistently terrible and non-ergonomic controller design. Again, to each their own.
@Razer I mean, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I very respectfully disagree. The game has been reworked from the ground up, the music has been rearranged and/or re-recorded, all the character models are brand new and much more expressive, the quest tracking system has been completely overhauled into something much more user-friendly and modern, and the best part is it's now able to be played both portable (which is an accomplishment for such an involved and massive game) and on your glorious huge HDTV in your living room. Also, there's a brand new epilogue story with a previously cut area and the relevant original voice cast returning. It is absolutely worth the price. If anything, the 3DS version is overpriced in comparison. Again, to each their own, and you are perfectly entitled to your opinion. Statements like "this game is overpriced" are inherently subjective, so each person will determine what qualifies as a good and acceptable price to then, but as this is tied for my favorite game of all time with XCX and BotW, I happily pre-ordered the Definitive Works set as soon as I was able, and 2 playthroughs later (one with NG+) and working my way through the epilogue, I regret nothing.
Peace man, and happy gaming!
@JR150 I love XC1 and couldn't agree more on the combat in 2. I didn't hate the story, but the combat was terrible. Your character stops auto-attacking when you move them to reposition for position-specific arts, effectively punishing the player for trying to get an advantage, and the whole combat schematic was basically a dumb rhythm game. The story wasn't terrible, but 1 was way better, and I truly hope 1 crushes 2 in sales so MonolithSoft sees that XC1 is the direction the series needs to go, not the way of 2.
And yes, please bring over XCX now. 😁
@retro_player_77 I had been wondering such version of NFS:HP the Switch version would end up being. I had fun with the Wii version (mainly because it was my only console and I was determined to enjoy a racing game) but also remember thinking uncharitable thoughts about the fact that Nintendo fans, again, got a lesser, "alternate" version of a game instead of a true cross-platform release. I might consider this, depending on the price and if I can get it on cart.
But which version of Need for Speed:Hot Pursuit will we get on Switch? The full-fat Criterion version developed for Xbox and PS, or the slimmed down kiddie version developed by Exceed for the Wii? As much fun as I had with the Wii version, I won't give EA money for any stripped down port, and the Switch is more than capable enough to run the full-fat version, and it deserves better than a cleaned up stripped down Wii version. Not buying til I know which version we get.
That had to do it, didn't they? They had to come up with some reason to pry me away from XC:DE. Dirty rotten Nintendo with their wonderful game, honestly, it edges on immoral.
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, Animal Crossing New Horizons, and Rocket League. Might get back into Grid Autosport aka the best non-Mario Kart racer on the Switch.
I wouldn't mind some more traditional dungeons, in terms of size and scope at least, but I am glad BotW shirked the Zelda "formula" that ALttP started because tbh it was starting to feel a little stale and tired. Start game, go to dungeon, get item to complete dungeon, go to next dungeon, get item to complete that dungeon, linear story, etcetcetc, I was bored with it after TP and SS and I hope they keep the Zelda "formula" in the past and do something different like BotW but maybe not exactly like BotW going forward. It's good to have variety. That said, since we're going back to the same Hyrule, it would be nice to have some new areas to explore to keep the map fresh. They could include a restored Castle Town, underwater exploration, and restored little villages that were spread out across the map of the original game in ruins. Or they could have them be partially restored or not at all but finishing or restoring them, and Castle Town, and Hyrule Castle for that matter, be part of the game's story or some sidequests. There are options. IDK I just do not want a return to the tried and true but at this point tired and stale Zelda "formula." To each their own of course. Also I would have some unbreakable items to make the late game fun. Like in BotW, the Master Sword should have been unbreakable after beating Trial of the Sword. The Hylian Shield should have been a story quest to get and unbreakable, not some throwaway find in a Stalnox dungeon room. IDK I just wish those two items at least were unbreakable, and that the Hylian Shield was more important in the game.
XC:DE for the foreseeable future. I take my time with this game since the story and gameplay are both so wonderfully engaging and masterfully made. Also some Rocket League and AC:NH in between. I'm helping my wife pay off her final expansion and then we're expanding the kids houses. Still looking for a Mudcat in RL if anyone would like to trade with me. 🤔🙂
@King-Demon I feel the same way about 2's combat. Hated it. But I loved the story so much I did play it through twice. Then I dropped off Torna when it became apparent they had made combat I didn't care for worse in the added story. Too bad, because I loved the idea of a prequel story to 2. In any case, my favorite games in the series are 1 and X and how awesome to be able to replay 1 on my Switch. Now if only X could get a port/remaster on Switch as well. As always, I'll happily take XC3 and XCX2.
Why isn't Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition an option? Lol I'll be playing that for many months to come. ❤
Edit: will probably get my daily rounds in on my wife's island in AC:NH, get in the odd few matches in Rocket League (and see if the item shop finally has a smegging Mudcat for sale, unless someone wants to trade me one...), and maybe some MK8DX with the wife and kids. 4 player couch multi-player for the win!
But yeah, mostly XC:DE for the foreseeable future.
Can't this site just stay gaming-related and non-topical? This is escapism for me and I'm sure many others. I come here, and to other Nintendo news sites, to get away from all the negativity and vitriol in the world and in the US especially now. And oh look, big surprise, the comments have become exactly what they always would: people arguing, perpetuating the vitriol, and playing the left/right card. Isn't there some Xenoblade Chronicles news we could be discussing instead of this garbage?
On my own, I'll be playing as much XC:DE as possible, having made it to Guar Plains yesterday after a nice 9 hour first session lol. It's one of my favorite games ever so I intend to thoroughly enjoy the original story all the way through and then get into Future Connected. My wife is still very much beasting on AC:NH, so I'll be looking into our island periodically and helping her with various island-related tasks. Right now she's moving a ton of hybrid flowers to a huge flower garden on our island's western side that runs almost the entire north-south length of the island. To quote Adam Savage from Mythbusters, "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." 😂 Happy weekend everyone, and happy gaming!
@NEStalgia Well said, and thank you for the most detailed and informative explanation of the combat mechanics in XC2 that I've heard to date. I remember the tutorials for the orbs and bursts being almost an afterthought, and tbh I may have simply felt a little overwhelmed by everything given the aforementioned complexities of the combat plus all the little intricacies of the Blades themselves, plus all the accessories and augments you can apply to each Blade. It didn't hit the right "energy returned on energy invested" ratio for me to immerse myself deeply enough to enjoy it. That said, I didn't find XC1 to have such confusing combat; it was much more intuitive from the start. I think you may have hit on one of my unintentional "mistakes" as it were from the start: I expected XC2 to play like XC1, and when it didn't, it set my whole experience up for a certain, albeit small, level of disappointment. Again, it's all subjective of course, so there's no wrong game to like. I just wish they would move faster around the enemies in battle and not stop auto-attacking when they do. Just tried playing XCX for the first time in over a year and boy are there so many things in that game I've completely forgotten while playing BotW. The menus go on forever lol.
@NEStalgia @roboshort TBH I don't really have a preference as far as story and emotion goes. XC1 and XC2 have, IMHO, equally great and amazing stories, full of twists and unexpected turns, and full of tons of feels. My biggest gripe with 2 is the combat. Neither game explains the combat well, for a start, but XC1 is more intuitive, IMHO, than 2. Plus, I prefer the arts palette of 1 and X to the limited number of arts you're allowed to have available at a time in 2. Plus, again, and not to beat a dead horse, your character literally stops attacking when you move him/her in battle. That doesn't happen in 1 or X, and in 2, when you're in battle, your character moves like they're trying to run through quicksand. So freaking slow! In 1 and X, when you move to reposition your character to the side or back of an enemy to take advantage of position-specific arts to get critical hits, your character continues attacking while you're moving, and doesn't move so much dreadfully slower than they would normally walk/run while exploring the world, so it doesn't seem so jarring. Those two elements really ruined the combat in 2 for me. I don't hate 2, I played it twice, couldn't really get into T:T-g-C since it was a lesser version of combat I didn't enjoy in the first place (2's) but I am glad the game and its DLC were successful for Nintendo/MonolithSoft, as that's the best way for them to be most likely to continue the series. I just didn't enjoy the combat. I did use some of the orb/burst/whatever mechanics, but again, since nothing is ever deeply explained, I'm sure I didn't make the most of it. But as in all things, there is little accounting for subjective preference. I just prefer a proper arts palette with more than 3 arts, a character that doesn't stop auto-attacking when I reposition them, and the character to move in battle more quickly around the enemy. That's no one's fault, it's just my preference. Here's hoping XC3 and XCX2 are eventually made. 😁
The only game on the list that interests me is XCX. Tied for my favorite game of all time with XC1 and BotW, I'd happily spend another 900 hours roaming its vast and wonderful seamless world. Then we'd have all 3 on one amazing console. That said, I'd also take XC3 and XCX2 before any more ports. But hell, I'd buy XCX again and still buy XC3 and XCX2.
@NEStalgia To each their own, of course, but IMHO XC1 and XCX have vastly superior combat to XC2. I hate the combat in 2. Your character stops auto-attacking when you move to reposition? That makes no sense and it made the combat ponderous and unejoyable. I can't wait to play the original, and the best, game in the series all over again. Again, to each their own, and I'm glad you liked 2. For me, the story of 2 was good but the combat mechanics were literally terrible and battles were more of a chore than anything. Hopefully they stick with the combat from 1 and X in future installments.
I'm wicked excited to replay XC1 on the Switch. The core concept of the console is perfect for huge rpgs like that. I'd also love a port of XCX and a sequel to that game. Whatever they do, I hope they ditch the lame slow cumbersome combat mechanics of XC2. Great story don't get me wrong, and I did enjoy the game for the story and its characters, but the combat was ponderous and got old too fast. I prefer my XC1 and XCX arts pallete and the fact that your character doesn't stop auto-attacking when you reposition him or her to take advantage of position-specific critical hits (like slit edge from the side or back slash from the back). I know there was some of that in XC2, but it felt like Rex was trying to run through mud when he had his weapon out and you tried to move him around the enemy. And he stopped auto-attacking! Which is the dumbest combat mechanic I've ever heard of. OK maybe that was a little over the top, but it's definitely the dumbest combat mechanic in a Xenoblade game and XC2 is by far my least favorite in the series.
@cooldude99 "...like they're supposed to be played..." Huh... Guess my copy of Animal Crossing didn't come with instructions and rules. I say to each their own. Don't want to take advantage of this? That's your choice. But it's a pretty absolutist position to take saying things like this ruin the game. Anything that makes a game enjoyable to the person playing it is good, since ultimately enjoyment is the point of video games. So yeah, to each their own.
Comments 451
Re: Random: Video Game Companies Seem To Be Loving The Removal Of Twitter Crop
@Ryan_Again Take it to the Fox News forums dude. Keep it gaming here. People don't come here for political grievance news, especially from someone with a complete misunderstanding of the concept of "free speech."
Re: Nintendo Will Reportedly Ramp Up Switch Output To 30 Million This Fiscal Year
@Ambassador_Kong "Nothing to play" seriously? The Switch has a ton of games on it from nearly every genre in existence. If you feel it has "nothing to play" then maybe the problem isn't the Switch or its software. Not every title is going to be a triple-A effort, but that doesn't mean there's "nothing to play." IDK, maybe you're just not really into video games. 🤷♂
Re: Random: Link's Breath Of The Wild House Is Set In A Surprisingly Divine Location
@RupeeClock @abdias
I think what abdias meant, and I agree, is that BotW 1 should have had a post-game. Like, maybe we could have rebuilt castle town and/or some other smaller settlements across Hyrule. Or maybe we could have started gathering supplies to rebuild the castle itself. Or just gone out and cleared the last of the monsters from Hyrule. Yes, I understand much of this content will probably show up in BotW's sequel, but it would have been nice to see some of that in the first game. Also, slight snark here, but I thought it was "pretty dang obvious" that that is what abdias meant. That's how I took it anyway, sorry if I misinterpreted you abdias. Have a nice day everyone. 😁
Re: Reminder: Today's The Day - Mario 3D All-Stars, Mario Bros. 35 And More Are Taken Down For Good
OMG all the drama about this. People really need to get some perspective, and I'm not talking about the fact that this is all over a series of video games. There are much better and more glaring examples of video game injustice in the gaming world.
Re: Random: The Next Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Speedrun Challenge? Trying To "Blue Yourself"
@RupeeClock In fairness, "spiny shell" is much more cumbersome and not nearly as linguistically ergonomic and efficient as "blue shell." 🤷♂
Re: There's A New Nintendo Switch System Firmware Update Coming Soon
@chagrined Same. I hate seeing it and wish the button itself could be optionally removed.
Re: There's A New Nintendo Switch System Firmware Update Coming Soon
@Lawnachaun Well said, and I couldn't agree more. The "I want folders" crowd grows ever louder and more insistent with each passing day, and personally I'd rather Nintendo didn't waste one iota of energy on this misguided idea. Like, every bit of resources they throw at unnecessary things like folders (and music on the eshop, another battle cry, for some reason 🤨) is resources that aren't being used to enhance performance. I'd rather more stable framerates and resolutions than folders I'd never use, and eshop music the nice quiet eshop doesn't need. The eshop is almost perfect as is, maybe tweak the search options a little and optimize the way new releases are shown so games don't get lost in the mix, but unless Nintendo also want to up the Switch's internet speed capabilities, eshop music will just be another slow thing to load before I can use it.
Re: Talking Point: Here's Why You Shouldn't Be Worried About The Rumoured Switch Pro's 720p Screen
@BloodNinja Well there you definitely bring up an interesting point. Too much software lately seems to be getting released in a poor state. Rushed releases, poorly optimized, in order to meet arbitrary deadlines. It happens on all consoles, but Switch's lower specs might make the botched optimization jobs more obvious or detrimental to the gameplay experience. Legit as that absolutely is to complain about, as you rightly said, it's not entirely the hardware's fault. There's a comment further up (maybe directly above this one) that sums it up much more succinctly than I ever could, but it basically talks about how upping the Switch's screen would be costly from a software development standpoint on this generation, and that it would be better done on Switch's actual generational successor, rather than on the mid-gen revision. TBH, if a "pro" or whateverthefluge you want to call it does come out with 4k or near 4k TV output, and more stable framerates on both docked and handheld modes, I'd get it day 1. I'm content with waiting til Switch 2 for a higher resolution screen and faster load times. Like, to me they aren't that bad. I don't have any other systems too though, so I'm sure your perception of the loading times, and my own, are each affected by the other experiences we do or do not have available to us. IDK. I just love the Switch, it's my favorite console concept ever, and I hope they don't ditch it with their next machine. 😁
Re: Talking Point: Here's Why You Shouldn't Be Worried About The Rumoured Switch Pro's 720p Screen
@BloodNinja I hear you, and I don't disagree completely on the performance concerns, but again, it's important, in my opinion anyway, to be realistic with one's expectations. Pushing the envelope of raw processing power has not been Nintendo's mission since the SNES. So, again, in my opinion, it's irrational to (a) expect Nintendo to do anything different, (b) expect Nintendo to all-of-a-sudden decide to re-enter the hardware spec race, and (c) to judge Nintendo by Sony's, Microsoft's ,and PC standards. I'm not making excuses for them nor am I a diehard Nintendo fanboy (TBH if Nintendo ever did re-enter the spec race, all hardware concerns being then equal with Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo's IP alone would ensure they crushed both other systems); I just don't think it's reasonable or realistic to expect anything different from Nintendo than they've already done. They've changed, sure, as time has passed. They're obviously different now to how they were in the mid-80s. But to expect them to like overnight have a change of heart and decide to prioritize resolution, specs, frame rates, loading times, and anything else that could, with a minimum of fuss, be categorized as a "core gamer" concern is, to me at least, not setting oneself up for anything but disappointment. Peace man, no disrespect intended. 😁
Re: Talking Point: Here's Why You Shouldn't Be Worried About The Rumoured Switch Pro's 720p Screen
@BloodNinja Sounds like its a small miracle you own Nintendo products at all, since none seem to be good enough for you and the business decisions of the company are all ones you disagree with. Why not just go buy a PlayStation or an Xbox and be happy? From the vast majority of comments of yours that I've read, you seem to not really be happy with Nintendo and the direction they're going in, so why stick with them? It makes no sense, and it's wasted negative energy on rumors of all things. Or, you know, continue whinging on about specs and performance on a Nintendo site... 🤷♂🤦♂
Re: The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Will Feature amiibo Support, File Size Revealed
@tzahn Great comment. To your point about the plumber, that same pipe plus 10 years of inflation would likely be $120+ to fix. Too many people, and gamers in particular, have this childish attitude that they are entitled to someone's creativity and labor, not to mention material goods with the physical release, for little to no expense whatsoever. That's not how business or creative endeavors work. There isn't a "Port to Switch" button or setting that the developers turn on and off at their whim. Even a straight port has to be programmed for the Switch's architecture. Enhanced ports like HD remasters would logically require even more labor to produce because someone has to do the "enhancing." The point is and will remain "vote with your wallet." I don't think certain games are worth what I'd be charged to purchase them, so I simply pass. It's possible to do this without complaining on the internet. 🤷♂
Re: The 3DS Game Miitopia Is Coming To Nintendo Switch This May
If they're going to start porting over from the 3DS, I'd like to see "A Link Between Worlds." It's a great Zelda game that would be a nice release for the anniversary year.
Re: Random: Zelda x Beavis And Butt-Head Is A Mash-Up That Works Better Than You'd Think
"King of the Hill x Animal Crossing" oh my goodness lol 😂 🤦♂
Re: Pillars Of Eternity Will Get No More Patches On Switch, Despite Unresolved Issues
Good to know, I will make sure to avoid any product from this publisher.
Re: Random: Breath Of The Wild Players Are Trying To Speedrun Bread
Almost 4 years actually. (3.3.17 - 3.3.21).
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Character Designer Celebrates Third Anniversary With Some New Artwork
@Shepdawg1 I thought the story was decent enough, though I agree not as good as XC1. I played this game through twice because I liked the story so much. But the gameplay really bothered me, specifically the battle mechanics. I greatly prefer the real-time combat in XC1 to that of 2, mainly because the first game features that lovely battle palette with more than 3 arts. XC2's combat played more like a rhythm game, and the characters stop auto-attacking when the player moves them, a bizarre feature in a game in which some of the arts have effects based on the character's position relative to the enemy. In XC1, the characters keep auto-attacking while the player moves them around the enemy, thus not punishing the player for taking advantage of the position-specific effects of the arts in the game.
Re: Eiji Aonuma Talks About The Possibility Of More Legend Of Zelda Spin-Offs
@Heavyarms55 Well I meant no offense lol. Obv gameplay preferences are a subjective matter. IDK I just preferred the battle mechanics of the first game to 2. But to each their own. 😁
Re: Eiji Aonuma Talks About The Possibility Of More Legend Of Zelda Spin-Offs
@Heavyarms55 I'd be totally on board with that if MonolithSoft were involved and the gameplay were derived from the real-time combat style of the Xenoblade Chronicles series (1 and X though; leave 2's rhythm game combat mess in the rubbish where it belongs). The XC games were so exploration focused that it would be a wonderfully natural fit, and both series have games with excellent stories and soundtracks. You're onto an awesome idea! 😁
Re: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
Where's the review NintendoLife? You guys usually have reviews out before the games launch.
Re: News Of COVID-19 Vaccine Causes Nintendo, Ubisoft And Activision Share Prices To Drop
@PlayedNSlayed Your entire thesis has been debunked multiple times by reputable scientific sources. Please stop spreading disproven conspiracy theories, especially on a gaming site.
Re: Site News: Nintendo Life Turns 15 Today
Happy birthday Nintendo Life! Thanks for the great articles, guides, reviews, and the awesome community here. This is my favorite site for Nintendo news, and while there are others out there, no other site really comes remotely close. Thanks again, and here's to the next 5 (or 15, or 50 lol) years of sweet sweet NL goodness. 😁
Re: Feature: Best Nintendo Wii Games
So great to see Xenoblade Chronicles finally getting some official recognition as the amazing adventure that it is. I am surprised that Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, Smash, and Mario Kart Wii are lower down, but as a huge fan of the first 2 Xenoblade games (1 and X), I am pleasantly surprised to see XC1 at #2 at the time of writing my comment. 😁
Re: Random: PS5's DualSense Controller Works With Your Nintendo Switch, Kinda
I mean, to each their own of course, but I couldn't play with a PS controller. Between the poor positional arrangement for the analog sticks and the face buttons using shapes instead of letters and them also being arranged in a way that doesn't make any kind of intuitive sense, I'll stick with my Switch Pro Controller thanks. For me, the biggest reason I haven't gotten into Sony's gaming ecosystem is what, in my opinion, is a consistently terrible and non-ergonomic controller design.
Again, to each their own.
Re: Nintendo Gives Xenoblade Chronicles Some Love With 7-Minute Relaxation Video
@Razer I mean, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I very respectfully disagree. The game has been reworked from the ground up, the music has been rearranged and/or re-recorded, all the character models are brand new and much more expressive, the quest tracking system has been completely overhauled into something much more user-friendly and modern, and the best part is it's now able to be played both portable (which is an accomplishment for such an involved and massive game) and on your glorious huge HDTV in your living room. Also, there's a brand new epilogue story with a previously cut area and the relevant original voice cast returning. It is absolutely worth the price. If anything, the 3DS version is overpriced in comparison. Again, to each their own, and you are perfectly entitled to your opinion. Statements like "this game is overpriced" are inherently subjective, so each person will determine what qualifies as a good and acceptable price to then, but as this is tied for my favorite game of all time with XCX and BotW, I happily pre-ordered the Definitive Works set as soon as I was able, and 2 playthroughs later (one with NG+) and working my way through the epilogue, I regret nothing.
Peace man, and happy gaming!
Re: Rocket League Goes Free-To-Play On Nintendo Switch Next Week
@BCMT Couldn't agree more about the menus. Why remove "quick play" and make the game less efficient?
Re: Rocket League Will Drop Switch Online Requirement When It Goes Free-To-Play
Returning? I never left lol but am still looking forward to a new season and Rocket Pass 7.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition And Clubhouse Games Both Surpass 1 Million Sales
@JR150 I love XC1 and couldn't agree more on the combat in 2. I didn't hate the story, but the combat was terrible. Your character stops auto-attacking when you move them to reposition for position-specific arts, effectively punishing the player for trying to get an advantage, and the whole combat schematic was basically a dumb rhythm game. The story wasn't terrible, but 1 was way better, and I truly hope 1 crushes 2 in sales so MonolithSoft sees that XC1 is the direction the series needs to go, not the way of 2.
And yes, please bring over XCX now. 😁
Re: Online Retailer Lists Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit For Nintendo Switch
@retro_player_77 I had been wondering such version of NFS:HP the Switch version would end up being. I had fun with the Wii version (mainly because it was my only console and I was determined to enjoy a racing game) but also remember thinking uncharitable thoughts about the fact that Nintendo fans, again, got a lesser, "alternate" version of a game instead of a true cross-platform release. I might consider this, depending on the price and if I can get it on cart.
Re: Here Are The Seven EA Games Reportedly Coming To Switch In The Next Year
But which version of Need for Speed:Hot Pursuit will we get on Switch? The full-fat Criterion version developed for Xbox and PS, or the slimmed down kiddie version developed by Exceed for the Wii? As much fun as I had with the Wii version, I won't give EA money for any stripped down port, and the Switch is more than capable enough to run the full-fat version, and it deserves better than a cleaned up stripped down Wii version. Not buying til I know which version we get.
Re: Tetris 99 Is Hosting A Xenoblade Chronicles Event Next Week
That had to do it, didn't they? They had to come up with some reason to pry me away from XC:DE. Dirty rotten Nintendo with their wonderful game, honestly, it edges on immoral.
Re: Monolith Soft Celebrates 10 Years Of Xenoblade Chronicles With Some Special Artwork
@KidBoruto
That would be wonderful. Have you heard or seen anything to lead you to believe that's a possibility...?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 20th)
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, Animal Crossing New Horizons, and Rocket League. Might get back into Grid Autosport aka the best non-Mario Kart racer on the Switch.
Re: New Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Glitch Lets You Escape Hyrule And Go Beyond The Map's Borders
I wouldn't mind some more traditional dungeons, in terms of size and scope at least, but I am glad BotW shirked the Zelda "formula" that ALttP started because tbh it was starting to feel a little stale and tired. Start game, go to dungeon, get item to complete dungeon, go to next dungeon, get item to complete that dungeon, linear story, etcetcetc, I was bored with it after TP and SS and I hope they keep the Zelda "formula" in the past and do something different like BotW but maybe not exactly like BotW going forward. It's good to have variety. That said, since we're going back to the same Hyrule, it would be nice to have some new areas to explore to keep the map fresh. They could include a restored Castle Town, underwater exploration, and restored little villages that were spread out across the map of the original game in ruins. Or they could have them be partially restored or not at all but finishing or restoring them, and Castle Town, and Hyrule Castle for that matter, be part of the game's story or some sidequests. There are options. IDK I just do not want a return to the tried and true but at this point tired and stale Zelda "formula." To each their own of course. Also I would have some unbreakable items to make the late game fun. Like in BotW, the Master Sword should have been unbreakable after beating Trial of the Sword. The Hylian Shield should have been a story quest to get and unbreakable, not some throwaway find in a Stalnox dungeon room. IDK I just wish those two items at least were unbreakable, and that the Hylian Shield was more important in the game.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 13th)
XC:DE for the foreseeable future. I take my time with this game since the story and gameplay are both so wonderfully engaging and masterfully made.
Also some Rocket League and AC:NH in between. I'm helping my wife pay off her final expansion and then we're expanding the kids houses. Still looking for a Mudcat in RL if anyone would like to trade with me. 🤔🙂
Re: Monolith Soft Celebrates 10 Years Of Xenoblade Chronicles With Some Special Artwork
@King-Demon I feel the same way about 2's combat. Hated it. But I loved the story so much I did play it through twice. Then I dropped off Torna when it became apparent they had made combat I didn't care for worse in the added story. Too bad, because I loved the idea of a prequel story to 2. In any case, my favorite games in the series are 1 and X and how awesome to be able to replay 1 on my Switch. Now if only X could get a port/remaster on Switch as well. As always, I'll happily take XC3 and XCX2.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 6th)
Why isn't Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition an option? Lol I'll be playing that for many months to come. ❤
Edit: will probably get my daily rounds in on my wife's island in AC:NH, get in the odd few matches in Rocket League (and see if the item shop finally has a smegging Mudcat for sale, unless someone wants to trade me one...), and maybe some MK8DX with the wife and kids. 4 player couch multi-player for the win!
But yeah, mostly XC:DE for the foreseeable future.
Re: Nintendo New York Store Windows Smashed During Riots In Manhattan
Can't this site just stay gaming-related and non-topical? This is escapism for me and I'm sure many others. I come here, and to other Nintendo news sites, to get away from all the negativity and vitriol in the world and in the US especially now. And oh look, big surprise, the comments have become exactly what they always would: people arguing, perpetuating the vitriol, and playing the left/right card. Isn't there some Xenoblade Chronicles news we could be discussing instead of this garbage?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (May 30th)
On my own, I'll be playing as much XC:DE as possible, having made it to Guar Plains yesterday after a nice 9 hour first session lol. It's one of my favorite games ever so I intend to thoroughly enjoy the original story all the way through and then get into Future Connected. My wife is still very much beasting on AC:NH, so I'll be looking into our island periodically and helping her with various island-related tasks. Right now she's moving a ton of hybrid flowers to a huge flower garden on our island's western side that runs almost the entire north-south length of the island. To quote Adam Savage from Mythbusters, "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." 😂
Happy weekend everyone, and happy gaming!
Re: Witcher 3 Port Specialist Thinks Devs Can Get More Out Of The Nintendo Switch
I'd be happy with Xenoblade Chronicles X.
Re: Review: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - A Timely Update Of One Of The Greatest RPGs Ever
@NEStalgia
Well said, and thank you for the most detailed and informative explanation of the combat mechanics in XC2 that I've heard to date. I remember the tutorials for the orbs and bursts being almost an afterthought, and tbh I may have simply felt a little overwhelmed by everything given the aforementioned complexities of the combat plus all the little intricacies of the Blades themselves, plus all the accessories and augments you can apply to each Blade. It didn't hit the right "energy returned on energy invested" ratio for me to immerse myself deeply enough to enjoy it. That said, I didn't find XC1 to have such confusing combat; it was much more intuitive from the start. I think you may have hit on one of my unintentional "mistakes" as it were from the start: I expected XC2 to play like XC1, and when it didn't, it set my whole experience up for a certain, albeit small, level of disappointment. Again, it's all subjective of course, so there's no wrong game to like. I just wish they would move faster around the enemies in battle and not stop auto-attacking when they do.
Just tried playing XCX for the first time in over a year and boy are there so many things in that game I've completely forgotten while playing BotW. The menus go on forever lol.
Re: Review: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - A Timely Update Of One Of The Greatest RPGs Ever
@NEStalgia @roboshort
TBH I don't really have a preference as far as story and emotion goes. XC1 and XC2 have, IMHO, equally great and amazing stories, full of twists and unexpected turns, and full of tons of feels. My biggest gripe with 2 is the combat. Neither game explains the combat well, for a start, but XC1 is more intuitive, IMHO, than 2. Plus, I prefer the arts palette of 1 and X to the limited number of arts you're allowed to have available at a time in 2. Plus, again, and not to beat a dead horse, your character literally stops attacking when you move him/her in battle. That doesn't happen in 1 or X, and in 2, when you're in battle, your character moves like they're trying to run through quicksand. So freaking slow! In 1 and X, when you move to reposition your character to the side or back of an enemy to take advantage of position-specific arts to get critical hits, your character continues attacking while you're moving, and doesn't move so much dreadfully slower than they would normally walk/run while exploring the world, so it doesn't seem so jarring. Those two elements really ruined the combat in 2 for me. I don't hate 2, I played it twice, couldn't really get into T:T-g-C since it was a lesser version of combat I didn't enjoy in the first place (2's) but I am glad the game and its DLC were successful for Nintendo/MonolithSoft, as that's the best way for them to be most likely to continue the series. I just didn't enjoy the combat. I did use some of the orb/burst/whatever mechanics, but again, since nothing is ever deeply explained, I'm sure I didn't make the most of it. But as in all things, there is little accounting for subjective preference. I just prefer a proper arts palette with more than 3 arts, a character that doesn't stop auto-attacking when I reposition them, and the character to move in battle more quickly around the enemy. That's no one's fault, it's just my preference. Here's hoping XC3 and XCX2 are eventually made. 😁
Re: Feature: Potential Switch Port Round-Up - The Wii U Games That Haven't Come To Switch
The only game on the list that interests me is XCX. Tied for my favorite game of all time with XC1 and BotW, I'd happily spend another 900 hours roaming its vast and wonderful seamless world. Then we'd have all 3 on one amazing console.
That said, I'd also take XC3 and XCX2 before any more ports. But hell, I'd buy XCX again and still buy XC3 and XCX2.
Re: Review: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - A Timely Update Of One Of The Greatest RPGs Ever
@NEStalgia To each their own, of course, but IMHO XC1 and XCX have vastly superior combat to XC2. I hate the combat in 2. Your character stops auto-attacking when you move to reposition? That makes no sense and it made the combat ponderous and unejoyable. I can't wait to play the original, and the best, game in the series all over again. Again, to each their own, and I'm glad you liked 2. For me, the story of 2 was good but the combat mechanics were literally terrible and battles were more of a chore than anything. Hopefully they stick with the combat from 1 and X in future installments.
Re: Review: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - A Timely Update Of One Of The Greatest RPGs Ever
@Heavyarms55 Couldn't agree more, well said!
Re: Review: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - A Timely Update Of One Of The Greatest RPGs Ever
Friday can't get here fast enough!
Re: Monolith Soft Took Care To Avoid Impacting Its New Game While Working On Xenoblade Remaster
I'm wicked excited to replay XC1 on the Switch. The core concept of the console is perfect for huge rpgs like that. I'd also love a port of XCX and a sequel to that game. Whatever they do, I hope they ditch the lame slow cumbersome combat mechanics of XC2. Great story don't get me wrong, and I did enjoy the game for the story and its characters, but the combat was ponderous and got old too fast. I prefer my XC1 and XCX arts pallete and the fact that your character doesn't stop auto-attacking when you reposition him or her to take advantage of position-specific critical hits (like slit edge from the side or back slash from the back). I know there was some of that in XC2, but it felt like Rex was trying to run through mud when he had his weapon out and you tried to move him around the enemy. And he stopped auto-attacking! Which is the dumbest combat mechanic I've ever heard of. OK maybe that was a little over the top, but it's definitely the dumbest combat mechanic in a Xenoblade game and XC2 is by far my least favorite in the series.
Re: Random: Someone's Transformed Their Animal Crossing Island Into Danny DeVito, As You Do
@AlexSora89 Wow! 😂
Re: Video: See Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Main Theme Performed By The Original Musicians
I love watching musicians perform. That was excellent!
Re: Gallery: See How Much Better Xenoblade Chronicles Looks On Switch
I like everything about this game so much more than XC2. Can't wait to play it again!
Re: Yet Another Animal Crossing: New Horizons Item Duplication Glitch Has Been Found
@cooldude99
"...like they're supposed to be played..."
Huh... Guess my copy of Animal Crossing didn't come with instructions and rules.
I say to each their own. Don't want to take advantage of this? That's your choice. But it's a pretty absolutist position to take saying things like this ruin the game.
Anything that makes a game enjoyable to the person playing it is good, since ultimately enjoyment is the point of video games.
So yeah, to each their own.