I remember getting Yoshi's story — after having known him from the classic SMW and the incredible YI — and being utterly disappointed, disgusted, even.
This is the first time I've heard that games exist or will be existing are tied to their dedicated servers being online. That really is just wrong, and I'd hate to see gaming go in this direction.
For instance, it has only been recently that I bought games at launch — most every other time, I bought it years after they were released, because that's when I thought I wanted to spend the money on it, or maybe I found a good deal on some. Also, since I'm not a kid anymore, I don't jump into the games the instant I buy them, rather, it is mostly only after a couple of months after I bought them that I actually begin playing with them (I just like to have them, so that they are at my disposal when they need to be). So let's say that such an online-only game will be available for 5 years before the servers shut down — without anyone knowing in advance how much time the game has, of course --, I buy it three year after release, don't touch it for a long time, because I just won't have the time, and by the time I want to begin playing the game, it's already worthless data.
That's just wrong. Some may say that I have incorrect/ancient consumption habits and that everyone must come to terms with the fact that games in the future may have an expiry date just as meat does. But one of the things I love about video games is that I can revisit them whenever I feel like and have the time. None of the games I own expired; I can play every one of them on the original consoles I bought them for.
I love Cranky Kong. This actually makes me want to buy the game. Not that I wouldn't buy it otherwise, but it brings back some fond memories. I only wish that Cranky will be showing off his grumpy skills, much like in DKC.
I know! I work with students coming from all over the world, and one of their first questions is "so, what's new here?", and I'm like, what? It's like new equals something great.
I didn't even read the article. Who ARE these people? Who the hell cares about their educated opinions? Seriously, it's ridiculous, and I like to think I'm not in denial at all.
Even though a lot of people don't understand or approve of Nintendo's moves overall, I'm sure they know a thing or two about (selling) consoles and video games.
I wonder which no-name genius will predict Nintendo's impendig doom.
Why sadly? Technically, 2D Super Mario games are Super Mario games. 3D Super Mario games have the same character and theme, but they are, in my view, not Super Mario games in that they are completely different, and not solely because of the shift in dimension.
Nintendo managed to pull off conserving the essence of Zelda in 3D Zelda games, but not in Super Mario.
The fun is still there in 3D Super Mario games, but the game mechanics are completely different. They are actually two very different genres. To each his own.
We already had the McDonald's Mario month in October in Hungary. 2 Luigi, 1 Princess Peach, 2 Mario, 1 Donkey Kong, 1 Toad, 1 Super Mushroom, and 1 Yoshi figurines were available. Pretty cool.
If there was no Internet, which there is, people wouldn't be able to predict anything, look down on things, express their educated thoughts on things, spread rumors, hate, disbelief, fear etc. — at least the above wouldn't influence us as they do now. Duh.
Now I find myself being worried about Nintendo — because of the Internet! It's like re-gaining conscousness when I realize that there are games coming out on Nintendo consoles, which have been for the past 30 years, so what the hey? It never occured to me in the 90s that Nintendo may be in trouble, because I was happy playing their games. Not until there are no Nintendo products available commercially should we fear for its demise. It's not possible to avoid seeing news and comments predicting the impending doom of Nintendo, but it's silly to pay attention to it. It's like we're living in the future, which has a very deep-dark hue, whilst seemingly forgetting about the fact that we have our consoles, and are playing quality Nintendo titles, and there are more on the way.
Iwata has to say something, and I'm sure it's not easy for him, since, unless there are huge initial sales, accompanied by the sound of nuclear bombs, with the brand pouring from the taps, it is considered a failure, and is usually coupled with clairvoyance by, among others, smart-ass analysts, disgruntled children with competition-fixation, attention-loving people, and, not least, worried fans.
As a matter of fact, I'm glad that I've got a Wii U and, planning on getting a 3DS, ecstatic about the holidays, when I'll be playing Nintendo games just like 20 years ago.
I also live in an eastern European country, Hungary, and Nintendo has been around since the fall of the iron curtain, and like others noted above, localization can't be an issue. We have a population of 10 million, and games will never be translated into our language, yet people play video games extensively without much (or an adequate level of) knowledge of English. On the other hand, I suppose that FPS games or sports games — games that are NOT looked on as kiddy or silly anywhere — have a lot less text, and can be fully enjoyed without speaking English, therefore, EA translating the games mentioned above is simply a nice bonus, not much more.
So I think that it must be the Polish mentality, the "cultural issue", why it's kind of hard to procure Nintendo products — they don't really know about them, or consider them kiddy, silly, immature, but everyone knows that that attitude is present everywhere, it's just that it must be very pronounced in Poland, and that's why it's possible that Nintendo consoles and games have always been present where I live, even though we're a much smaller market (and we have about the same GDP per capita as Poland does), so it CAN'T be about the size of the population.
Of course, since the appearance of the PlayStation, much like everywhere else, Nintendo has always been under-represented in stores, but it's still there. We actually have a number of small video game specialist stores, so there are a lot of choices to buy Nintendo products, although I'm well aware that most people just don't buy them, but Nintendo has survived here so far.
As for the lack of online country settings for the Wii and the Wii U is very much annoying, yes. I have to set my country to the UK (so that it's in English), and no physical items can be bought for stars, only digital downlads, but that's not such an issue, really. At the same time, to my surprise, an official Hungarian Nintendo website has surfaced about a half a year ago, which is really weird, considering that Nintendo's not very popular here either, but still, there must be a reason why Nintendo's doing something here and not in Poland, for instance.
Until this game was announced, Pikmin 3 was the system-seller to me. Now I'll be playing both Pikmin 3 AND Super Mario 3D World at Christmas! Yay for a fantastic Nintendo Christmas!
Thanks very much for taking the time to take the pictures and uploading them! It seems to me that it is on the close-up pics that the difference is clearly visible. I may have to get that RGB cable after all.
While we're at it, having already hijacked the thread, I initially thought that the RGB cable on an HDTV, or any other, "more advanced" cable for that matter, would make the picture look more like it would originally look like, i.e., on a CRT TV. But that's not the case, right? It simply enables one to get the best possible picture out of an HDTV and an old console combination — not the best, because that is only available on a CRT, right?
When I first bough an HDTV, I thought old games would look **better** on the new kind of TV, not worse, but I was wrong. It was especially shocking to see how funny and off the NES games look. Anyway, like you said, without having some technical savvy, it's not really possible to make NES games look better on an HDTV. The SNES games look a bit off, too, but not as much. It's clear now, then, that using the actual SNES on an HDTV with an RGB cable gives the best picture possible. Would you agree, though, that the SNES games on the Wii virtual console look **better** than they do (with an RGB cable on a) real SNES connected to an HDTV? For some reason, I figure they **should** look better on the VC, but I've never done a side-by-side comparison, which I should (it's just that I use my HDTV's wacky propietary component input for both the Wii component cable and the SNES/N64/GC AV cable, so a real switching-from-one-channel-to-the-other comparison is not possible for me).
Anyway, I've been thinking about this a lot, and I can see that you're interested in this stuff, too. Thanks again for the pics, and if you feel like adding me, my nick is the same on Miiverse as it is here.
Thanks for your reply. I just checked the picture quality with the official SNES/N64/GC stereo AV cable on the HDTV, and it looks pretty good to me. Unfortunately, as I no longer have my CRT TV for quick comparison, I have no idea if the picture is that much different from the picture the CRT gives--it's been a while since I've hooked it up to a CRT. But I'm pretty happy with how it looks now.
So here's my question: Do you know if the RGB cable provides a noticeably better picture than the official Nintendo stereo AV cable (composite, I guess) I mentioned above? In other words, in your experience, do you think it's worth ordering one? The reason I'm asking is because I remember buying an official RGB cable for the Gamecube (for a LOT of money), and I have not noticed any kind of difference whatsoever between the composite and the RGB with the Gamecube on a CRT television.
Hi! I wanted to PM you, but I can't seem to be able to, so I'm gonna have to go slightly off-topic. Anyway, I'm very much interested in making the NES and SNES look as good as possible on an HDTV. Are the RGB scart cables you're talking about official Nintendo RGB scart cables or only available via a third party? In the latter case, are there good brands you would recommend? I've seen some on ebay, but I'm not sure all of them will provide the quality I'm after. I'm in the EU/PAL region, by the way. Thanks!
I've ALWAYS wanted to have a jolly, light-hearted game-themed room with clouds and all. It would be a pixel-perfect Super Mario Bros. 3 room. If only I were (that) rich.
I would have bought this bundle, no doubt, if it was available less than a month ago, which is when I bought a Wii U. I don't regret it, because I'm absolutely certain I wouldn't have bought NIntendo Land ever. And I'm very pleased that I got to experience the wonders of the game — I've about 60 hours of gameplay with it, so I guess it's worth it. It's such a charming experience.
Anyway, I certainly hope that this bundle will sell a lot of Wii Us in the holiday season and after that.
I haven't been this excited for a game since, well, Skyward Sword.
I love the graphics, love the art, and everything looks so fun. I'm actually glad this is happening instead of a new Galaxy — I never really cared for those ones.
I rarely do it, but I might preorder this or simply buy it on day one.
I'd love to see a bundle with an actual box. Not Nintendo Land, though, that game, albeit probably very fun, does not in the least bit interest me. But I guess I'll just buy the Premium Pack (with Nintendo Land) and buy the retail version of Zelda and everything else. Though I'd love to have that box.
I'd love to see a grand Mario & Luigi game on the Wii U. Just as much I'd like to see a grand anything.
But really, I've played Superstar Saga on the TV with the GameBoy Player, I've never even had a GameBoy Advance. And it's great on a big screen. Yes, that was 10 years ago, I get it, and it would have to look real nice and polished, requiring a lot of effort, time, and money, but I love the series very much.
I like Pikmin 2 too, it was Pikminy and all, but removing the time limit simply resulted in a much more bland gameplay. With it, it also removed the fantastically strategic chaos that consisted mainly of completing as much tasks as possible in a day WHILE growing as many (flower) Pikmin as you could (and saving Pikmin from creatures, and having the Pikmin carry a whole lot of carcasses and pellets, AND constantly adjusting how many Pikmin should be out of their onions so that you could grow stronger Pikmin out in the field rather than having the leafy ones piling up inside the onions). That's what Pikmin is all about for me.
Doing things in a more relaxed manner did NOT, in my view, ruin the game(play) at all, since you had a lot of days. In my first attempt, I think I completed the game in 21-23 days, so I still had a lot of days to make up for any losses I may have made. But, as it is known, it's possible to complete the game in only a couple of days. So, I don't think it was very much necessary to remove the time limit completely. But that's okay, Pikmin 2 was also great, but I didn't really care for the deep dungeons. The fact, though, that the new "special" Pikmin were difficult to accumulate was real fun.
I'm not happy about it IF you have to pay for it, which you clearly will.
So let's say I completed the game, saw the story unfold (even though it's not necessarily a big part of Pikmin, but is still there, obviously), went through the diferent areas, did whatever had to be done to complete an objective. So the game has been completed.
I don't really see the point in another area becoming available. It's like adding another level to a Super Mario game. It's cool to play yet another level, but, say, you can't uncover a secret path or thing that will lead to some other secret level. For instance, there may be three star coins hidden in the newly added level — like in every other level in the New Super Mario Bros. series — but there wouldn't be as much a point in collecting them (because it will NOT count towards unlocking the secreat level of the given world) as it would if it was included with the original release of the game. In other words, such later-added levels/areas are isolated from the game, which just doesn't lead to the same kind of fun, even though it may be another great level.
Once I've completed, gone through the whole game, I've experienced most of it, then I feel like I've accomplished something, and that I'm over it, done with it. Adding something extra would just upset me, since that additional area could have enriched the game if it were included initially. My point is that it decidedly is NOT the same thing to include a separate, isolated area/level later on. It just doesn't have the same effect, and I'm certainly not excited about it that much.
Again, if it's free, it's cool. Oh and if they're added multiplayer levels, I'm even less interested.
Partners in Time should arrive soon in the post. That will be the third game from the series I play. Since I don't own a 3DS, but crave for M&L, I had to figure something out.
Well, the new dungeons would obviously have been the MAIN part of actual added content, but I never expected that to happen ever. Yes, if nothing else, at least controlling the wind should have been made much easier. I also never doubted that it will be sold at full price.
Sad as it is, that's what we're getting, and for a full retail price, many of the changes mentioned in the article should have been implemented.
Of course, spending as little time with the game as possible is understandable in a financial sense, which only concerns Nintendo, not us. Nintendo would get a lot more respect if they had made the obvious changes that should have been made.
Ever since I've heard about the "shock" surrounding the "kiddy graphics" of Wind Waker, I've been following what followers of Zelda wanted. I came to the conclusion that nothing would, and nothing can please whiners.
They wanted a "mature" Zelda (and we all know that if someone wants mature, its's because that someone lacks maturity, hence the need for it) which they got, but even with Twilight Princess they had issues, which made me come to the conclusion that it is worthless to try to please the audience, because you inherently can't. If they keep making Zelda games like they did before, we'll be getting fantastuc games, and that's a win-win situation.
And then, of course, some people don't like Skyward Sword either. To me, ALL of the Zeldas are excellent, any I've never had as much fun with any other game as Zelda. They all made me very happy, and had NO problem with them. All of them could be improved upon, no doubt, everything can, but they all feel different, while retaining the same EAD quality that we've fallein in love with at one point.
Mario & Luigi is one of my favorite series. It's hilarious, the gameplay is excellent, you never get tired of the battles, the controls are tight, and it's colorful. Also, it's hilarious.
This IS the reason I really wish I'll once have a Wii U. And now that it's in HD, it's going to be so immersive, I've no doubt I'll want to live there.
But really, I'm an avid fan of the first Pikmin. To me, the time limit is one of the main aspects that makes Pikmin the incredible game it is. The other, of course, is the fantastic environments accommodating the large swarm of colorful Pikmin having to do crazy stuff to survive. It's not that easy, though, to pinpoint what makes this game so great. One thing's for sure, Pikmin reeks of quality: A few minutes into the game for the first time, I knew that Master Miyamoto was deeply involved with this title — you just can't miss it.
His involvement equals to an unforgettably fun experience, so I'm VERY glad that he, too, is excited about and pleased with the new Pikmin game. Truly, as of now, if I buy a Wii U, I'd buy it solely for Pikmin 3.
I'm absolutely against DLC, and I don't think it's because I'm older or anything, old-fashioned, game-wise, if you will. Finish making a game, make it as complete as possible, and then move onto making another game of the franchise or a completely different game. Once a game is initially released, it should be forgotten development-wise. This HAS been the case for a long time, right?
Of course, I understand that, because of the Internet, great and new ways of milking customers have arisen. Yes, this way enities who will profit from goods can profit even more. That I get. But, to me, it is ridiculous to see customers be all for, support, CELEBRATE downloadable content. That is nothing else but cheering for being ripped off, being milked again and again for something you had already paid a hefty price for.
The only reason I could understand even considering DLC to add new levels or whatever that they initially wanted, but couldn't, is due to "time limitations", as in "the game has to be finished by the end of Q4, otherwise we can't release the game before the holidays, and so we won't make as much money as we wanted to". But even then, it's just a bad thing, bad planning in the first place. And if they do it, game companies should NOT make it look like as if it's "extra content", rather, they should just make the additional (originally original) content available for free — for those only, that is, who have their consoles connected to the Internet. (On the other hand, if they added additional levels to, say, Super Mario Bros., there would be no question in those levels being actual extra content. I would pay for that in a heartbeat.)
We all know that Zelda games have been delayed many times before they finally released it. I don't think that the majority of people complain about the quality of the Zelda games. Why? Because they took their time, and that's the reason Zelda games are so great. And any game, for that matter, will only be good if a great development team spends a whole lot of time with it.
So is it going to be the case now, with Nintendo, too, that they will rush an otherwise incredibly promising game, yet still not worry too much, because they can now put in extra stuff later and make even more money off it? Bad, bad, bad. All of this is plain wrong. Why? Because you pay a LOT of money for a game, and now additional levels have a price now? How much does a "new level" cost? 1.99? 3.25? Come on! Where I live, Nintendo games have always been VERY pricey (we paid an equivalent of 65 GBP/75 EUR/100 USD for Banjo-Tooie when it came out), yet we'd buy Nintendo games because they were fantastic quality games. Loyalty to quality is what made me buy Nintendo games instead of household appliances. I'm still willing to pay a lot for great games, but paying MORE, in addition to a very expensive game (provided that I can still afford it) is just an overkill.
In all, DLC is nothing more than either laziness PLUS greediness, or bad planning. If it's the former, I have nothing to add; if it's the latter, then they should not make a consumer pay more for "delayed content, initial content added later".
I'm absolutely for retail games. Yes, the colorful box, the manual and all. I would only buy digital copies of games if they were a whole lot cheaper, and I mean like 75% off. That way it might be worth it, but I'd still think about it a lot.
I just don't see any advantage at all of digital copies.
I really don't understand the point of digital downloading other than the fact that it's faster to get a hold of the game. In my view, for one thing, it just goes to show how impatient some people can be. Or are there other benefits I'm missing here?
A physical copy is so much more. The box, the manual, the fresh smell of it all! Removing the tear-strip, opeing the box for the first time. I may be fanatical, but to me, it's such a big part of gaming as a whole. I actually place the box of the game I'm playing beside the TV. Ah, the ritual of gaming. It is sacred. No, seriously.
@tabris95 I actually loved that you had to collect a significant amount of rupees in order to advance in the game. I love those Zelda games where you need to do this, because reaching a specific amount is a challenge, not a chore in a Zelda game, and if you have to collect a lot then it's done in a way that you DO have the opportunity to get loads which is major fun.
The bottom line is that no, it definitely did NOT hurt the game. Quite the contrary, in my opinion.
I'd love to be able to see how Nintendo treats its customers. Sadly, there's no Nintendo customer service at all where I live, and won't be, either. I so envy "developed countries" for this.
The fact that he provides us with the insights of videogame development, secets, concepts and whatnot via Iwata Asks is, by itself, incredible.
What I really like about him is that he does things he doesn't necessarily have to do--like videos such as the Wii U unboxing on YouTube. I mean, they could hire someone else to do such promotional videos. But Iwata does them himself. I like his humility and playfulness a lot--I'm really glad that he is the president of Nintendo.
It's rather heartwarming to see young people playing the gems today we played when we were young.
I had no idea either that such competitions still exist. Though I don't think I've ever been able to beat the Special Cup on 150 cc, so I may not be cut out for such events. ^^
Is it always the case that Europe has to pay more for video game stuff (at least near launch) than America? I haven't been following other launches other than this one.
Finally! Seriously, I've been wondering about this. I never would have thought that such was the reason behind the difference in naming.
I actually think that Lylat Wars sounds really cool. It has a certain weight to it. Much cooler than just Star Fox (N)64. Of course, without the Internet, I never would have guessed that this was a sequel to StarWing.
Comments 96
Re: Month of Yoshi: The Brightly Coloured History of Yoshi
I remember getting Yoshi's story — after having known him from the classic SMW and the incredible YI — and being utterly disappointed, disgusted, even.
Re: Soapbox: The Nintendo Wi-Fi Disconnection Reminds Us Why Local Multiplayer Still Matters
This is the first time I've heard that games exist or will be existing are tied to their dedicated servers being online. That really is just wrong, and I'd hate to see gaming go in this direction.
For instance, it has only been recently that I bought games at launch — most every other time, I bought it years after they were released, because that's when I thought I wanted to spend the money on it, or maybe I found a good deal on some. Also, since I'm not a kid anymore, I don't jump into the games the instant I buy them, rather, it is mostly only after a couple of months after I bought them that I actually begin playing with them (I just like to have them, so that they are at my disposal when they need to be). So let's say that such an online-only game will be available for 5 years before the servers shut down — without anyone knowing in advance how much time the game has, of course --, I buy it three year after release, don't touch it for a long time, because I just won't have the time, and by the time I want to begin playing the game, it's already worthless data.
That's just wrong. Some may say that I have incorrect/ancient consumption habits and that everyone must come to terms with the fact that games in the future may have an expiry date just as meat does. But one of the things I love about video games is that I can revisit them whenever I feel like and have the time. None of the games I own expired; I can play every one of them on the original consoles I bought them for.
Re: Feature: When Cranky Kong Took On Twitter
I love Cranky Kong. This actually makes me want to buy the game. Not that I wouldn't buy it otherwise, but it brings back some fond memories. I only wish that Cranky will be showing off his grumpy skills, much like in DKC.
Re: Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Set For 27th February Release on the European 3DS eShop
I was at work yesterday when I got the e-mail with the download code. I became very excited! Free stuff excitement FTW!
Re: Weirdness: Scrub Up With These Nintendo Cartridges
I'm amazed.
Re: Former Sony Developer Feels The Wii U "Won't See Another Christmas"
@Fingeldor
I know! I work with students coming from all over the world, and one of their first questions is "so, what's new here?", and I'm like, what? It's like new equals something great.
In all, apparently, new is the new fad.
Re: Former Sony Developer Feels The Wii U "Won't See Another Christmas"
I didn't even read the article. Who ARE these people? Who the hell cares about their educated opinions? Seriously, it's ridiculous, and I like to think I'm not in denial at all.
Even though a lot of people don't understand or approve of Nintendo's moves overall, I'm sure they know a thing or two about (selling) consoles and video games.
I wonder which no-name genius will predict Nintendo's impendig doom.
Re: Nintendo States Its Wii U Case With a Holiday Infographic
@element187
Why sadly? Technically, 2D Super Mario games are Super Mario games. 3D Super Mario games have the same character and theme, but they are, in my view, not Super Mario games in that they are completely different, and not solely because of the shift in dimension.
Nintendo managed to pull off conserving the essence of Zelda in 3D Zelda games, but not in Super Mario.
The fun is still there in 3D Super Mario games, but the game mechanics are completely different. They are actually two very different genres. To each his own.
Re: Nintendo's UK Store to Release A Wii U Mario Mega Bundle
@jjmesa16
I so agree.
Re: Check out These Awesome Super Mario Happy Meal Toys
We already had the McDonald's Mario month in October in Hungary. 2 Luigi, 1 Princess Peach, 2 Mario, 1 Donkey Kong, 1 Toad, 1 Super Mushroom, and 1 Yoshi figurines were available. Pretty cool.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Resilience Against Wii U Criticism Emphasizes Its Longevity
If there was no Internet, which there is, people wouldn't be able to predict anything, look down on things, express their educated thoughts on things, spread rumors, hate, disbelief, fear etc. — at least the above wouldn't influence us as they do now. Duh.
Now I find myself being worried about Nintendo — because of the Internet! It's like re-gaining conscousness when I realize that there are games coming out on Nintendo consoles, which have been for the past 30 years, so what the hey? It never occured to me in the 90s that Nintendo may be in trouble, because I was happy playing their games. Not until there are no Nintendo products available commercially should we fear for its demise. It's not possible to avoid seeing news and comments predicting the impending doom of Nintendo, but it's silly to pay attention to it. It's like we're living in the future, which has a very deep-dark hue, whilst seemingly forgetting about the fact that we have our consoles, and are playing quality Nintendo titles, and there are more on the way.
Iwata has to say something, and I'm sure it's not easy for him, since, unless there are huge initial sales, accompanied by the sound of nuclear bombs, with the brand pouring from the taps, it is considered a failure, and is usually coupled with clairvoyance by, among others, smart-ass analysts, disgruntled children with competition-fixation, attention-loving people, and, not least, worried fans.
As a matter of fact, I'm glad that I've got a Wii U and, planning on getting a 3DS, ecstatic about the holidays, when I'll be playing Nintendo games just like 20 years ago.
Watch the language -Lz
Re: Feature: Why Nintendo Isn't Popular in Poland
I also live in an eastern European country, Hungary, and Nintendo has been around since the fall of the iron curtain, and like others noted above, localization can't be an issue. We have a population of 10 million, and games will never be translated into our language, yet people play video games extensively without much (or an adequate level of) knowledge of English. On the other hand, I suppose that FPS games or sports games — games that are NOT looked on as kiddy or silly anywhere — have a lot less text, and can be fully enjoyed without speaking English, therefore, EA translating the games mentioned above is simply a nice bonus, not much more.
So I think that it must be the Polish mentality, the "cultural issue", why it's kind of hard to procure Nintendo products — they don't really know about them, or consider them kiddy, silly, immature, but everyone knows that that attitude is present everywhere, it's just that it must be very pronounced in Poland, and that's why it's possible that Nintendo consoles and games have always been present where I live, even though we're a much smaller market (and we have about the same GDP per capita as Poland does), so it CAN'T be about the size of the population.
Of course, since the appearance of the PlayStation, much like everywhere else, Nintendo has always been under-represented in stores, but it's still there. We actually have a number of small video game specialist stores, so there are a lot of choices to buy Nintendo products, although I'm well aware that most people just don't buy them, but Nintendo has survived here so far.
As for the lack of online country settings for the Wii and the Wii U is very much annoying, yes. I have to set my country to the UK (so that it's in English), and no physical items can be bought for stars, only digital downlads, but that's not such an issue, really. At the same time, to my surprise, an official Hungarian Nintendo website has surfaced about a half a year ago, which is really weird, considering that Nintendo's not very popular here either, but still, there must be a reason why Nintendo's doing something here and not in Poland, for instance.
Re: Nintendo Goes Live With Full North American Site For Super Mario 3D World
Until this game was announced, Pikmin 3 was the system-seller to me. Now I'll be playing both Pikmin 3 AND Super Mario 3D World at Christmas! Yay for a fantastic Nintendo Christmas!
Re: Soapbox: The Wii U Virtual Console Needs to Freshen Up
@EarthboundBenjy
Hello!
Thanks very much for taking the time to take the pictures and uploading them! It seems to me that it is on the close-up pics that the difference is clearly visible. I may have to get that RGB cable after all.
While we're at it, having already hijacked the thread, I initially thought that the RGB cable on an HDTV, or any other, "more advanced" cable for that matter, would make the picture look more like it would originally look like, i.e., on a CRT TV. But that's not the case, right? It simply enables one to get the best possible picture out of an HDTV and an old console combination — not the best, because that is only available on a CRT, right?
When I first bough an HDTV, I thought old games would look **better** on the new kind of TV, not worse, but I was wrong. It was especially shocking to see how funny and off the NES games look. Anyway, like you said, without having some technical savvy, it's not really possible to make NES games look better on an HDTV. The SNES games look a bit off, too, but not as much. It's clear now, then, that using the actual SNES on an HDTV with an RGB cable gives the best picture possible. Would you agree, though, that the SNES games on the Wii virtual console look **better** than they do (with an RGB cable on a) real SNES connected to an HDTV? For some reason, I figure they **should** look better on the VC, but I've never done a side-by-side comparison, which I should (it's just that I use my HDTV's wacky propietary component input for both the Wii component cable and the SNES/N64/GC AV cable, so a real switching-from-one-channel-to-the-other comparison is not possible for me).
Anyway, I've been thinking about this a lot, and I can see that you're interested in this stuff, too. Thanks again for the pics, and if you feel like adding me, my nick is the same on Miiverse as it is here.
Re: Soapbox: The Wii U Virtual Console Needs to Freshen Up
@EarthboundBenjy
Thanks for your reply. I just checked the picture quality with the official SNES/N64/GC stereo AV cable on the HDTV, and it looks pretty good to me. Unfortunately, as I no longer have my CRT TV for quick comparison, I have no idea if the picture is that much different from the picture the CRT gives--it's been a while since I've hooked it up to a CRT. But I'm pretty happy with how it looks now.
So here's my question: Do you know if the RGB cable provides a noticeably better picture than the official Nintendo stereo AV cable (composite, I guess) I mentioned above? In other words, in your experience, do you think it's worth ordering one? The reason I'm asking is because I remember buying an official RGB cable for the Gamecube (for a LOT of money), and I have not noticed any kind of difference whatsoever between the composite and the RGB with the Gamecube on a CRT television.
Re: Nintendo Will Be "Careful" About The Artistic Direction Of Zelda In The Future
I think it's ridiculous to be worried about some kids who didn't get their maturity-fix.
Re: Soapbox: The Wii U Virtual Console Needs to Freshen Up
@EarthboundBenjy
Hi! I wanted to PM you, but I can't seem to be able to, so I'm gonna have to go slightly off-topic. Anyway, I'm very much interested in making the NES and SNES look as good as possible on an HDTV. Are the RGB scart cables you're talking about official Nintendo RGB scart cables or only available via a third party? In the latter case, are there good brands you would recommend? I've seen some on ebay, but I'm not sure all of them will provide the quality I'm after. I'm in the EU/PAL region, by the way. Thanks!
Re: Parents Create Their Own Mario World in Child's Nursery
I've ALWAYS wanted to have a jolly, light-hearted game-themed room with clouds and all. It would be a pixel-perfect Super Mario Bros. 3 room. If only I were (that) rich.
Re: Mario & Luigi Premium Wii U Bundle Confirmed For North American Release
I would have bought this bundle, no doubt, if it was available less than a month ago, which is when I bought a Wii U. I don't regret it, because I'm absolutely certain I wouldn't have bought NIntendo Land ever. And I'm very pleased that I got to experience the wonders of the game — I've about 60 hours of gameplay with it, so I guess it's worth it. It's such a charming experience.
Anyway, I certainly hope that this bundle will sell a lot of Wii Us in the holiday season and after that.
Re: Here Are More Gorgeous Super Mario 3D World Screens to Enjoy
I haven't been this excited for a game since, well, Skyward Sword.
I love the graphics, love the art, and everything looks so fun. I'm actually glad this is happening instead of a new Galaxy — I never really cared for those ones.
I rarely do it, but I might preorder this or simply buy it on day one.
Re: Talking Point: What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Eighteen
Nintendo Land on a newly acquired Wii U! ^^
Re: Out Today: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (North America)
Retail version, obviously.
I'd love to see a bundle with an actual box. Not Nintendo Land, though, that game, albeit probably very fun, does not in the least bit interest me. But I guess I'll just buy the Premium Pack (with Nintendo Land) and buy the retail version of Zelda and everything else. Though I'd love to have that box.
Re: AlphaDream Currently Has No Plans For The Mario & Luigi Series On Wii U
I'd love to see a grand Mario & Luigi game on the Wii U. Just as much I'd like to see a grand anything.
But really, I've played Superstar Saga on the TV with the GameBoy Player, I've never even had a GameBoy Advance. And it's great on a big screen. Yes, that was 10 years ago, I get it, and it would have to look real nice and polished, requiring a lot of effort, time, and money, but I love the series very much.
Re: Feature: A Brief History of Pikmin
@Philip_J_Reed
Exactly my thoughts.
I like Pikmin 2 too, it was Pikminy and all, but removing the time limit simply resulted in a much more bland gameplay. With it, it also removed the fantastically strategic chaos that consisted mainly of completing as much tasks as possible in a day WHILE growing as many (flower) Pikmin as you could (and saving Pikmin from creatures, and having the Pikmin carry a whole lot of carcasses and pellets, AND constantly adjusting how many Pikmin should be out of their onions so that you could grow stronger Pikmin out in the field rather than having the leafy ones piling up inside the onions). That's what Pikmin is all about for me.
Doing things in a more relaxed manner did NOT, in my view, ruin the game(play) at all, since you had a lot of days. In my first attempt, I think I completed the game in 21-23 days, so I still had a lot of days to make up for any losses I may have made. But, as it is known, it's possible to complete the game in only a couple of days. So, I don't think it was very much necessary to remove the time limit completely. But that's okay, Pikmin 2 was also great, but I didn't really care for the deep dungeons. The fact, though, that the new "special" Pikmin were difficult to accumulate was real fun.
Anyway, I now NEED a Wii U!
Re: Shigeru Miyamoto Reportedly Hints at Pikmin 3 DLC
I'm not happy about it IF you have to pay for it, which you clearly will.
So let's say I completed the game, saw the story unfold (even though it's not necessarily a big part of Pikmin, but is still there, obviously), went through the diferent areas, did whatever had to be done to complete an objective. So the game has been completed.
I don't really see the point in another area becoming available. It's like adding another level to a Super Mario game. It's cool to play yet another level, but, say, you can't uncover a secret path or thing that will lead to some other secret level. For instance, there may be three star coins hidden in the newly added level — like in every other level in the New Super Mario Bros. series — but there wouldn't be as much a point in collecting them (because it will NOT count towards unlocking the secreat level of the given world) as it would if it was included with the original release of the game. In other words, such later-added levels/areas are isolated from the game, which just doesn't lead to the same kind of fun, even though it may be another great level.
Once I've completed, gone through the whole game, I've experienced most of it, then I feel like I've accomplished something, and that I'm over it, done with it. Adding something extra would just upset me, since that additional area could have enriched the game if it were included initially. My point is that it decidedly is NOT the same thing to include a separate, isolated area/level later on. It just doesn't have the same effect, and I'm certainly not excited about it that much.
Again, if it's free, it's cool. Oh and if they're added multiplayer levels, I'm even less interested.
Re: Review: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (3DS)
Partners in Time should arrive soon in the post. That will be the third game from the series I play. Since I don't own a 3DS, but crave for M&L, I had to figure something out.
This game alone makes me want to buy a 3DS.
Re: Soapbox: Why We Should Expect More From The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker HD
Well, the new dungeons would obviously have been the MAIN part of actual added content, but I never expected that to happen ever.
Yes, if nothing else, at least controlling the wind should have been made much easier.
I also never doubted that it will be sold at full price.
Sad as it is, that's what we're getting, and for a full retail price, many of the changes mentioned in the article should have been implemented.
Of course, spending as little time with the game as possible is understandable in a financial sense, which only concerns Nintendo, not us. Nintendo would get a lot more respect if they had made the obvious changes that should have been made.
Re: Eiji Aonuma - The Wind Waker HD is a "Test Case" for New Zelda Wii U Title
Ever since I've heard about the "shock" surrounding the "kiddy graphics" of Wind Waker, I've been following what followers of Zelda wanted. I came to the conclusion that nothing would, and nothing can please whiners.
They wanted a "mature" Zelda (and we all know that if someone wants mature, its's because that someone lacks maturity, hence the need for it) which they got, but even with Twilight Princess they had issues, which made me come to the conclusion that it is worthless to try to please the audience, because you inherently can't. If they keep making Zelda games like they did before, we'll be getting fantastuc games, and that's a win-win situation.
And then, of course, some people don't like Skyward Sword either. To me, ALL of the Zeldas are excellent, any I've never had as much fun with any other game as Zelda. They all made me very happy, and had NO problem with them. All of them could be improved upon, no doubt, everything can, but they all feel different, while retaining the same EAD quality that we've fallein in love with at one point.
Re: Talking Point: What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Fourteen
Bowser's Inside Story.
Re: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Download Needs 6,789 of Your 3DS Blocks
Mario & Luigi is one of my favorite series. It's hilarious, the gameplay is excellent, you never get tired of the battles, the controls are tight, and it's colorful. Also, it's hilarious.
Re: Miyamoto: Pikmin 3 Has Become "The Ultimate Version of Pikmin 1"
WOO-HOO!
This IS the reason I really wish I'll once have a Wii U. And now that it's in HD, it's going to be so immersive, I've no doubt I'll want to live there.
But really, I'm an avid fan of the first Pikmin. To me, the time limit is one of the main aspects that makes Pikmin the incredible game it is. The other, of course, is the fantastic environments accommodating the large swarm of colorful Pikmin having to do crazy stuff to survive. It's not that easy, though, to pinpoint what makes this game so great. One thing's for sure, Pikmin reeks of quality: A few minutes into the game for the first time, I knew that Master Miyamoto was deeply involved with this title — you just can't miss it.
His involvement equals to an unforgettably fun experience, so I'm VERY glad that he, too, is excited about and pleased with the new Pikmin game. Truly, as of now, if I buy a Wii U, I'd buy it solely for Pikmin 3.
Re: Exclusive: Zelda's Aonuma: We're Looking Into Going "Beyond The Disc" With DLC
I'm absolutely against DLC, and I don't think it's because I'm older or anything, old-fashioned, game-wise, if you will. Finish making a game, make it as complete as possible, and then move onto making another game of the franchise or a completely different game. Once a game is initially released, it should be forgotten development-wise. This HAS been the case for a long time, right?
Of course, I understand that, because of the Internet, great and new ways of milking customers have arisen. Yes, this way enities who will profit from goods can profit even more. That I get. But, to me, it is ridiculous to see customers be all for, support, CELEBRATE downloadable content. That is nothing else but cheering for being ripped off, being milked again and again for something you had already paid a hefty price for.
The only reason I could understand even considering DLC to add new levels or whatever that they initially wanted, but couldn't, is due to "time limitations", as in "the game has to be finished by the end of Q4, otherwise we can't release the game before the holidays, and so we won't make as much money as we wanted to". But even then, it's just a bad thing, bad planning in the first place.
And if they do it, game companies should NOT make it look like as if it's "extra content", rather, they should just make the additional (originally original) content available for free — for those only, that is, who have their consoles connected to the Internet. (On the other hand, if they added additional levels to, say, Super Mario Bros., there would be no question in those levels being actual extra content. I would pay for that in a heartbeat.)
We all know that Zelda games have been delayed many times before they finally released it. I don't think that the majority of people complain about the quality of the Zelda games. Why? Because they took their time, and that's the reason Zelda games are so great. And any game, for that matter, will only be good if a great development team spends a whole lot of time with it.
So is it going to be the case now, with Nintendo, too, that they will rush an otherwise incredibly promising game, yet still not worry too much, because they can now put in extra stuff later and make even more money off it? Bad, bad, bad. All of this is plain wrong. Why? Because you pay a LOT of money for a game, and now additional levels have a price now? How much does a "new level" cost? 1.99? 3.25? Come on! Where I live, Nintendo games have always been VERY pricey (we paid an equivalent of 65 GBP/75 EUR/100 USD for Banjo-Tooie when it came out), yet we'd buy Nintendo games because they were fantastic quality games. Loyalty to quality is what made me buy Nintendo games instead of household appliances. I'm still willing to pay a lot for great games, but paying MORE, in addition to a very expensive game (provided that I can still afford it) is just an overkill.
In all, DLC is nothing more than either laziness PLUS greediness, or bad planning. If it's the former, I have nothing to add; if it's the latter, then they should not make a consumer pay more for "delayed content, initial content added later".
Re: Talking Point: The Download or Disc Dilemma
I'm absolutely for retail games. Yes, the colorful box, the manual and all.
I would only buy digital copies of games if they were a whole lot cheaper, and I mean like 75% off. That way it might be worth it, but I'd still think about it a lot.
I just don't see any advantage at all of digital copies.
Re: Talking Point: What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Nine
I'll be playing Spirit Tracks! Yay!
Re: U.S. Download Sales Increase, But Physical Games Drop in Popularity
I really don't understand the point of digital downloading other than the fact that it's faster to get a hold of the game. In my view, for one thing, it just goes to show how impatient some people can be. Or are there other benefits I'm missing here?
A physical copy is so much more. The box, the manual, the fresh smell of it all! Removing the tear-strip, opeing the box for the first time. I may be fanatical, but to me, it's such a big part of gaming as a whole. I actually place the box of the game I'm playing beside the TV. Ah, the ritual of gaming. It is sacred. No, seriously.
Re: Feature: Reimagining The Wind Waker on Wii U
@tabris95 I actually loved that you had to collect a significant amount of rupees in order to advance in the game. I love those Zelda games where you need to do this, because reaching a specific amount is a challenge, not a chore in a Zelda game, and if you have to collect a lot then it's done in a way that you DO have the opportunity to get loads which is major fun.
The bottom line is that no, it definitely did NOT hurt the game. Quite the contrary, in my opinion.
Re: Nintendo Comes Out On Top In Consumer Experience Poll
I'd love to be able to see how Nintendo treats its customers. Sadly, there's no Nintendo customer service at all where I live, and won't be, either. I so envy "developed countries" for this.
Re: Ever Wondered What Downton Abbey Would Be Like As A SNES Game?
I just started watching Downton Abbey, so this was rather surprising. Funny one, for sure.
Re: Miyamoto: Pikmin 3 To Be More Like Series Original
I am so glad that Miyamoto realized this, and that they will make the game similar to Pikmin rather than Pikmin 2.
I liked Pikmin 2, but it just didn't feel right, precisely because of the lack of the time limit.
Re: Satoru Iwata is 53 Today
I admire the man, seriously.
The fact that he provides us with the insights of videogame development, secets, concepts and whatnot via Iwata Asks is, by itself, incredible.
What I really like about him is that he does things he doesn't necessarily have to do--like videos such as the Wii U unboxing on YouTube. I mean, they could hire someone else to do such promotional videos. But Iwata does them himself.
I like his humility and playfulness a lot--I'm really glad that he is the president of Nintendo.
Re: Pikmin 3 and Animal Crossing: New Leaf Drop Into Q2 2013
I will wait. Especially since that I will be buying a Wii U specifically for Pikmin 3.
Then again, it would be nice if there were a whole lot of quality titles available as soon as possible, so that people buy Nintendo stuff.
Re: Mario Comes To Life In Bead-Based Stop-Motion Animation
That's incredible. They deserve all the praise.
Re: Meet Leyla Hasso, The Fastest Female SNES Super Mario Kart Player
Congratulations!
It's rather heartwarming to see young people playing the gems today we played when we were young.
I had no idea either that such competitions still exist. Though I don't think I've ever been able to beat the Special Cup on 150 cc, so I may not be cut out for such events. ^^
Re: Reggie: Big Guns Focusing on Future Wii U Projects
What? Handing Zelda over to Retro? Or anyone else for that matter? That would a be a blasphemy, seriously. What good would that do?
Re: Wii U Price And Release Dates Confirmed
Is it always the case that Europe has to pay more for video game stuff (at least near launch) than America? I haven't been following other launches other than this one.
Re: Want to Know The Real Reason Star Fox Was Renamed in Europe?
Finally! Seriously, I've been wondering about this. I never would have thought that such was the reason behind the difference in naming.
I actually think that Lylat Wars sounds really cool. It has a certain weight to it. Much cooler than just Star Fox (N)64. Of course, without the Internet, I never would have guessed that this was a sequel to StarWing.