Castlevania is my pick, no contest. They're amazing on the DS, and they're even amazinger on the Switch. Plus a brand new classic-vania as a bonus?? What an absolutely perfect bundle by Konami.
I did try Yume Nikki Dream Diary, and... it's kind of nothing like the actual Yume Nikki. It doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath.
Dream Diary feels like it was made by a bunch of Yume Nikki fans who wanted to make a Limbo / Little Nightmares style of platforming game, without enough game design sense to make it play well, while also trying to shove as many Yume Nikki references in your face as possible. It really isn't the kind of game a Yume Nikki fan was asking for from an official follow-up, and it doesn't really stand very well on its own merits compared to the competition either.
I didn't hate it (I did decide to 100% complete it for the heck of it), but I also didn't think it needed to exist either.
I would love to see the original Yume Nikki on Switch for sure.. ...seeing that Madotsuki sprite in the article thumbnail certainly did give me a moment of "wait, what? yume nikki on switch??" hahah.
Regarding Omori... I did pre-order a physical version from GAME's website a few years ago, but earlier on it was announced that the European physical version has been cancelled? ...so I guess I'll get the USA one from Fangamer one of these days. That's my excuse anyway. I know I could just get it digital, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Heard great things though. Looking forward to when I play it.
I did play OFF, and it turned out to be a bit too freaky for my tastes (i'm actually not the biggest horror fan out there), but I can't deny it was an interesting game. The soundtrack was also strangely compelling, especially the weird as heck battle theme. (give it a listen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1EPegIzD2M) Would be cool to see it on Switch as well.
My plans to play through my RPG backlog have been put on halt as I obsessively play through the DS Castlevania games for the umpteenth time, this time in the shiny new Dominus Collection.
Still some of my favourite games ever, and they play wonderfully on the Switch.
I know I've played them a billion times each, but... can't pass up a new version that I thought was never going to happen!
Next on my RPG backlog is Suikoden V, but I'm not going to start a huge RPG before Zelda Echoes of Wisdom comes out, so if there is any downtime between me being done with the Dominus Collection and the release date of Zelda, I'll probably just play through a smaller game.
Hmm, okay, the tracking info they provided me says "Estimated delivery time: Unknown". lol. I opened a ticket now, we'll see what they say.
Yeah, I haven't had the best track record with Limited Run Games, and this certainly isn't helping matters. ...
I think I will still get the Dominus Collection from them anyway because Castlevania - especially the DS Castlevania - is just that special to me. But I won't be happy about it. :/
I ordered the Advance Collection LRG and still haven't received it yet. To be honest I am not the biggest fan of the LRG model, i'd much prefer it games just had normal releases. especially games by Konami, who have more than enough resources to do it properly.
I played the PlayStation 1 originals earlier this year. The first game was a bit rough-around-the-edges, but the sequel was really impressively good.
Actually, the main misgiving I had with the first one was its really awkward English script, and it seems like the remaster has a new updated script. Plus all of the added QoL features, so it's probably no longer all that rough now!
Definitely will recommend this game to fans of classic JRPGs.
Wow, absolutely astonishing. I thought the DS games would be locked behind the secondhand market forever.
Everyone please enjoy these games! I'm super glad that everyone has the opportunity to play them again!
Also what the heck a BRAND NEW remake of Haunted Castle?? I always had a soft spot for the hilariously bad Haunted Castle game, and now Konami goes ahead and makes it actually good?
@ScalenePowers
Haha, wow, it's nice to know that people are paying attention to the things I post. :3
If you want a much much more in-depth look at my Suikoden journey, feel free to read my blog posts about it
But, yeah, I can totally see that playing through an old RPG series would be rather intimidating - it's a huge time commitment of course, and if the series isn't on modern platforms, then things become a lot more involved in terms of tracking down old PlayStation 2 secondhand copies, or figuring out emulation etc. It can definitely be too overwhelming for most people to want to bother with.
I do wish that Konami would let us know when their Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is coming out. They initially said 2023, but then they had to delay it, and there's been no news since... I'd say, if getting into the series feels intimidating, then the upcoming HD Remaster version would probably be the best place to start, assuming they don't botch it horribly or something.
I've been playing through the Suikoden series throughout this year. I just finished Suikoden Tactics, and it was pretty good, but not overly-spectacular or anything.
I especially enjoyed the elemental tile system - it made the tactical strategy very unique and interesting compared to other similar games. I also really enjoyed the ability to exchange an active unit for a benched unit mid-battle. That's something I wish Fire Emblem had!!
The story felt pretty flat the whole time though. The ending scene was nice, but the majority of the time it felt like the story wasn't really going anywhere. I also did not like how the towns were reduced to just menus with a town illustration in the background. Kind of takes me out of the world a bit if you can't actually explore the world, you know?
I plan to play Suikoden V soon, but before I start another huge RPG I wanted to play a few smaller-scale games.
I played Animal Well, and I played Thank Goodness You're Here. Keeping up with the newer releases I suppose, haha. They were both nice, short experiences. I'm keeping up the momentum of nice short experiences, and currently I'm playing Undertale Yellow. It's actually a lot more in-depth than I was expecting, it's pleasantly surpassing my expectations.
I'll get back to Suikoden V.... at some point. Maybe after a few more smaller games.
After Suikoden V, all I'll have left to play are Suikoden Tierkreis on the DS, and then the fan translation of that Japan-only PSP game. And then I'll have played the whole series!! Isn't that fun.
They're expensive, but I think it's kind of worth it to get these kinds of specially-branded Nintendo Switch SD cards rather than any generic cards you'll find on Amazon, simply because you aren't going to be getting a fake SD card if you get these. You can't really guarantee avoiding fakes a lot of the time, and it's not always easy to identify fakes until they start corrupting data.
I think the peace of mind kinda makes the price worth it.
Never played Skies of Arcadia, though I do plan to play it at some point. I've owned the GameCube disc for a long time...
When it comes to indie projects "inspired" by other games, I tend to want to only check them out after having played the original works. For example I don't intend on playing Eiyuden Hundred Heroes until I have finished playing through the entire Suikoden series first. (i'm getting there... almost done with Suikoden Tactics and will move on to Suikoden V next...)
I guess it's not really a necessity to be familiar with the original work before playing the indie games they inspire, but I do like having the background context, I guess.
I wonder how many people who don't know about Skies of Arcadia would be interested in buying Sky Oceans. Can the game market itself as its own RPG, or does it need this association to a well-renowned Sega classic in order to be noticed?
Hmm. I never actually bought MK8 Deluxe because I had already gotten my fill from the Wii U version back in the day, and I'm not a huge enough Mario Kart fanatic that I needed to get it again for the Switch. But this newest version with all DLC included does seem interesting. If I get the game, I'll do my best to make sure it's the version with everything included on the cart.
I did get the Breath of the Wild + DLC cart from Play-Asia, though I haven't actually played it since I didn't feel like revisiting Botw lol. But it's nice to have the full version for future reference. But I did wait until the Pokémon Scarlet / Violet + DLC cart was available before I even started playing it (though it is disappointing how Indigo Disk is a download and not actually on the cart...) And additionally, I made sure to get the Sonic Mania Plus and the Cadence of Hyrule physical carts which both include all DLC. ...in general, I really do prefer getting the fully-complete versions of games whenever possible. and I'm glad to see Nintendo also wants to release them this way.
I have no problem with players using the very well known and well documented glitches in these 30+ year old games while playing NWC on Switch.
Nintendo has been pretty thorough in not allowing most glitches by forcibly rewinding the game when the player performs them. I don't have a problem with this - it keeps players both new and old on a more even playing field.
I suppose they just missed this one. And rather than punish their players, they're just celebrating them instead. Which is an attitude I can agree with.
I didn't know there was a version of Rogue on Switch I might just get it for the fun of it.
Hmmm...I wonder if there is any chance of seeing NetHack? ...I know it's an open-source "fangame" of sorts based on Rogue, but it was always my favourite of these old-style Roguelike games.
I haven't played this game, but I saw a physical copy that was "Dead Cells Return to Castlevania" and I bought it because.... if it has Castlevania so prominently featured on the cover, I just had to get it.
Okay so I haven't gotten around to this game yet though. ...My question is, if I have the Castlevania edition, will I need to pay for this final update, or is it "included" in the Castlevania edition I have? (In the same way that the Pokémon Indigo Disk was "included" as part of the Area Zero physical cart even though it wasn't released at the time)
The gameplay in Braid was interesting but I never cared about the aesthetics or characters or "story" in Braid. The appeal is purely in the clever game design. Maybe my lack of interest in the game's setting or aesthetics has something to do with the fact that I'm in no hurry to try the new version.
I think that having a charming art style can really elevate a game to make people fall in love with it even beyond the clever gameplay - a good example of this for me is Baba Is You, which of course has some extremely unique and interesting gameplay, but also has an adorable and slightly off-kilter art style which serves to get me so much more invested in the game.
Yeah I dunno. Braid aways felt extremely incongruous... you have a man in a suit, stomping on extremely unpleasant-looking knock-off goomba heads? In a grassy plains? Something doesn't quite work here.
Just in case people don't know, the Switch version crashes on several cutscenes. The crashes can be circumnavigated by skipping the cutscenes, except the big problem is that the crash also occurs on the final cutscene from beating the final boss, which cannot be skipped. Which means Switch cannot unlock any postgame modes.
The "store issue" is a bug in all versions where the game will sometimes softlock when you interact with the NPC shop characters in the home base. Especially annoying to be managing your items and buying things, upgrading shards, equipping things, crafting, etc - only for the game to softlock on a shop menu and you're forced to quit and reload and redo all that fiddly menu stuff all over again.
I've been playing Suikoden series recently. And Suikoden 4 in particular did feel very awkward with how the silent protagonist never responded to other characters.
It didn't feel awkward in Suikoden 1 and 2 because they were pixel games with no voices, and Suikoden 3 actually dropped the whole silent protagonist thing altogether by having three main characters. ... So Suikoden 4 really did stand out in its awkwardness, the problem is exactly as Yuji Horii says.
However, I feel like the silent protagonist can be done well. I think Link is the perfect example of the silent protagonist being done very well. Legend of Zelda would have such a completely different vibe if Link talked, as it really would completely change the focus the game. Because Legend of Zelda isn't really about Link, it's primarily about Hyrule. And Link talking would shift that focus too strongly towards Link.
I also think that Pokémon wouldn't make any sense without silent protagonists. Pokémon player characters are doing double-duty as both the hero of the game's plot, AND as the user's avatar for the multiplayer features. When playing with our friends, we think of their version of the Pokémon player characters as avatars representing them and their team, and not as the hero of the plot. This shift in mindset wouldn't work nearly as well if they were not silent characters.
So yeah. I think it really depends on how the game designers can craft the game and the world and the characters and the dialogue script in order to make it work. Some games require it, and some games would be better off if they just spoke.
I think there simply isn't enough content. What's there is really fun, but once you're done with the provided challenges, there's not much more to do.
I don't know if this is a controversial take, but I honestly believe the game should have just included fully playable NES games within it. Who cares that they're on NSO. I really feel like the package feels incomplete without being able to just play the games normally.
If they're still releasing patches with fixes and updates, then I'm in no rush to try this game. I'll get it once the final patch is out in the future.
I never like it when new content gets added to an RPG I've already finished... Xenoblade 3 for example got two new heroes that I never really had any opportunity to use, because they came out after I already finished the game. ...and the game is way too long for me to want to play it again.
I only started playing Pokémon Scarlet after both of the Area Zero DLC stories were released for this reason. I really don't mind waiting, even with a series as beloved to me as Pokémon.
And besides. For the moment, I'm still playing through the Suikoden series anyway. Last week I finished Suikoden IV (it was good overall, but I thought it had some serious issues...), and I just started its sequel, Suikoden Tactics, a few days ago. ...After Tactics I've still got Suikoden V and Suikoden Tierkreis to play, and... maybe by then, Eiyuden will be fully patched and content-complete. We'll see.
The "trick" is the star-throw, of course! If you played Gimmick, you'll know how unique a mechanic it is, as it incorporates movement, attacking, and puzzle-solving all with the simple throw of a star. It's very nuanced with how it responds to slopes and physics and things too.
And it looks like the star-throw has been incorporated into the second game accurately, with some interesting twists thrown in too.
Gimmick is my favouite Famicom game of all. And this one looks really cool too! Definitely gonna get it.
I mean we saw the playable Link vs Ganon in the intro, so this isn't really giving us new information.
I wonder if there's more to it than that, though... I too am hoping for a Richter from Symphony of the Night situation, where there's a full alternate mode where it's just Link (but of course Zelda is the main mode). Maybe that's what this game's "Hero Mode" could end up being?
I kind of wish the era of the Nintendo Switch would never end. The only thing wrong with it is that third-party ports tend to run worse on it compared to other versions.
If that one problem was fixed, then I would have no issue with Nintendo Switch being the be-all end-all Nintendo system going forward.
They're gonna have to make something truly spectacular if they want to surpass the Switch.
@GregamanX The R1 button, same as the run button when on land, right? I've been holding that button down so often my finger is sore. It helps for sure, but the encounters are still extremely frequent and bothersome. But thanks for the heads-up anyway, heh.
The idea of a console game having a "Performance Mode" is a bit ridiculous. A console is a fixed-spec machine. You should design the game to run the best it can for the machine you already know the specs for, shouldn't you?
I'm intrigued by it having a two-character system. After Ys Seven, Memories of Celceta, Lacrimosa of Dana, and Monstrum Nox all had a party system, I was wondering if that was just how it was gonna be from now on - but it's nice to see that they're still willing to change it up. I love the older Ys games where it's just Adol, and my favourite parts of Lacrimosa of Dana were actually Dana's solo dungeon (which I hear wasn't even in the original Vita version), so I think i might actually prefer fewer playable characters in general.
I also like how they're expanding on the traversal powers first seen in Monstrum Nox - that hookshot ability looks cool. The environments look nice and bright too.
It's cool to see an adventure on the high seas - Adol has a reputation for always getting shipwrecked, haha.
Also, just as an aside, at this moment I'm in the middle of a Suikoden IV playthrough, and sailing the ocean in that game is kind of a huge chore. The encounters are just too frequent, you don't get a chance to actually feel the breeze in your sails because you get interrupted every two steps. ... So it will be fun to play Ys X afterwards and have an RPG with nicer sailing in it.
Hmm, I'm gonna mention Psychonauts. Nintendo fans love inventive and unique 3D platformers, right? The original Psychonauts was on Xbox and PS2 but never got a GameCube version. Would be cool to see it on Switch.
mmm. I have this game on 3DS. I never got the Wii version because I have a disdain for waggle inputs. But I never really got very far in the 3DS version anyway. I was thinking of getting this version, but certainly not at full price. Might as well just play the version I already have, or wait until I can find it secondhand for cheaper. Or just not bother at all, i dunno. People seem to have mixed opinions about this game anyway.
This and the SMB3 e-reader levels are a nice touch. These kind of link cable gimmicks were (arguably) a fun feature on the GBA during the 2000s, but in modern days they're just a nuisance, so these kinds of things are definitely appreciated.
Hopefully Nintendo can update Oracle of Seasons / Oracle of Ages on NSO to let players enter the Advance Shop too, that's another hardware gimmick kinda thing that unfortunately wasn't addressed.
I don't know a single thing about comic book superheroes. I don't really watch movies or read comics or anything. So ordinarily a game like this does not appeal to me on the surface.
But I do enjoy Street Fighter games (only casually, i'm not actually good at them), and I've heard that Marvel vs Capcom 2 in particular is extremely popular, so I am willing to give it a try when it's out.
From the sounds of things, this release is a dream come true for many fans. I don't really know the context or backstory as to why it was so anticipated and hyped, but I've seen some people online likening the announcement of this game as "the FGC's 'Mother 3' ", which I guess at least lets me know the level of hype involved. I guess the game is just that well beloved? I'll give it a try and see for myself, but I can't make any promises to be any good at it, nor to really care about the comic book superhero characters either.
I believe this. The dev team is small, and the game scope is big, so it takes a long time. I think that's really all there is to it. I love Hollow Knight but I'm not making myself go crazy by constantly anticipating the next game in the series. I'm occupying myself with tons of other games, and when it's out, I'll play it. It's not like there's a lack of good games to play.
Shovel Knight was undeniably a good game, but it never truly enamoured me.
I really don't know what secret ingredient I felt was "missing" from Shovel Knight that was present in other indie darlings that I truly love and adore such as Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Cuphead.
When Shovel Knight's extra campaigns were released, I tried them a little bit but never really completed them or got very far. I don't think I even bothered booting the game up at all when King Knight came out. ...Whereas I was all over Chapter 9 Farewell and Delicious Last Course the moment they dropped, and loved every moment of them.
Maybe it's not fair to compare these games like this. I dunno. But Shovel Knight always felt a little lacking in comparison. And I really don't know what it actually is that gives me this feeling of non-enthusiasm about it. I feel like I'm being unfair to the game, but yeah. I'm not really that bothered about Shovel Knight any more.
Every time they rerelease Chrono Trigger, there's something non ideal about it. PS1 version has bad loading times, DS version has awful new content (though is fine version if you ignore the new stuff) Steam version was a mobile port with awful looking mobile interface buttons (i think this has been patched at some point but not certain)
tbh I think they don't need a new version of it, just give us a SNES rom and call it a day. The game can stand on its own just fine.
A long time ago, I got myself all five of these games' Japanese GB cartridges from eBay, as it was cheaper than trying to find them locally. It was fine for 1,2,3,4, but for 5, I would have enjoyed being able to read the text in the game. So this update is pretty good for me, I might give Mega Man 5 GB another playthrough one of these days.
In what way did you feel the controls of Hollow knight were loose?
In this game, when you press forwards, the Knight is immediately at full speed, and when you stop pressing forwards, the Knight immediately stops on a dime. There is no momentum at all when it comes to moving left and right. I wouldn't exactly call this kind of control scheme "loose" personally. Is there something I'm overlooking?
haha, if anyone does start playing Hollow Knight due to this, have fun! It's a great game. Just stick with it during the somewhat slow opening section, once you have multiple areas you can explore, things really start to open up.
ok so this is just an idea, but if this "N64 Recompiled" technology can be used to make playable PC versions of any N64 game, would it be feasible for some of the bigger game companies to collaborate with these devs and make new releases of old games? For example could we finally get Castlevania 64 ported to Switch?
obviously Nintendo wouldn't want to touch this stuff, but I wouldn't put it past Konami
Emulated ROM: Unmodified or slightly modified games from past systems running on an emulator. Examples: Castlevania Advance Collection, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Mega Man Legacy Collection,
Port (or enhanced port): A game from an older system that has been reworked to run on the newer system, but for the most part runs the same as the original. Examples: Pikmin 1+2, Tales of Symphonia Remastered (ironically), New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Remaster: A game from an older system that has been significantly altered visually or QOL-wise, but for the most part runs the same as the original. Examples: Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, Metroid Prime Remastered, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Remake: A game from an older system that has been rebuilt entirely from scratch, done faithfully enough to the original to be considered (mostly) the "same game" as the original. Examples: Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door, Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, Live A Live, Link's Awakening
Actually just a new game: A game loosely based on a previous game, but should not be considered the same thing. Examples: Final Fantasy VII Remake (ironically), Pokémon Let's Go Eevee
Definitely want to see a new 3D game. I completed DK64 and loved it, but tbh I never became so obsessed with the sidescrolling DKC SNES games. Since Rareware isn't making any more Banjo, and Playtonic's Yooka Laylee was lukewarm, maybe Nintendo could be the ones to reinvigorate the collect-a-thon genre with a proper new 3D DK game?
Either that or something brand new and completely different to what has come before. But I'd like for it to be 3D rather than sidescrolling.
@Not_Soos
You seem to have a weird idea of what Picross is.
It's just nonograms. It's just like playing a crossword or a sudoku or any other pen-on-paper puzzle. There aren't any Twilight Princess "assets" running on the 3DS, it's just some nonogram puzzles themed around Twilight Princess, with a Midna jpeg on the menus saying tutorials and hints with speech bubbles.
There is no "definitive" "game" to start with because all of them are the exact same thing. You figure out which squares to click on based on the numbers on the sides, and the squares make a little pixel picture when it's completed. That's literally it. The reason there are so many releases is because, once you solve all the included puzzles, then there's not much to do until some new puzzles come out.
Comments 2,412
Re: Feature: Nintendo Life eShop Selects & Readers' Choice (August 2024)
Castlevania is my pick, no contest. They're amazing on the DS, and they're even amazinger on the Switch. Plus a brand new classic-vania as a bonus?? What an absolutely perfect bundle by Konami.
Re: Feature: 5 RPG Maker Horror Classics On Switch (And 3 We'd Love To See Ported)
I did try Yume Nikki Dream Diary, and... it's kind of nothing like the actual Yume Nikki. It doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath.
Dream Diary feels like it was made by a bunch of Yume Nikki fans who wanted to make a Limbo / Little Nightmares style of platforming game, without enough game design sense to make it play well, while also trying to shove as many Yume Nikki references in your face as possible. It really isn't the kind of game a Yume Nikki fan was asking for from an official follow-up, and it doesn't really stand very well on its own merits compared to the competition either.
I didn't hate it (I did decide to 100% complete it for the heck of it), but I also didn't think it needed to exist either.
I would love to see the original Yume Nikki on Switch for sure.. ...seeing that Madotsuki sprite in the article thumbnail certainly did give me a moment of "wait, what? yume nikki on switch??" hahah.
Regarding Omori... I did pre-order a physical version from GAME's website a few years ago, but earlier on it was announced that the European physical version has been cancelled? ...so I guess I'll get the USA one from Fangamer one of these days. That's my excuse anyway. I know I could just get it digital, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Heard great things though. Looking forward to when I play it.
I did play OFF, and it turned out to be a bit too freaky for my tastes (i'm actually not the biggest horror fan out there), but I can't deny it was an interesting game. The soundtrack was also strangely compelling, especially the weird as heck battle theme. (give it a listen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1EPegIzD2M) Would be cool to see it on Switch as well.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (31st August)
My plans to play through my RPG backlog have been put on halt as I obsessively play through the DS Castlevania games for the umpteenth time, this time in the shiny new Dominus Collection.
Still some of my favourite games ever, and they play wonderfully on the Switch.
I know I've played them a billion times each, but... can't pass up a new version that I thought was never going to happen!
Next on my RPG backlog is Suikoden V, but I'm not going to start a huge RPG before Zelda Echoes of Wisdom comes out, so if there is any downtime between me being done with the Dominus Collection and the release date of Zelda, I'll probably just play through a smaller game.
Re: Best Castlevania Games, Ranked - Switch And Nintendo Consoles
Hooo boy my comment from Dec 2023 did not age well!
Re: Castlevania Dominus Collection Physical Release Confirmed, Pre-Orders Open Next Month
@Samalik
There isn't a single moment in Dawn of Sorrow where the game is on the top screen. It's always the map or enemy status.
There are some sidescrolling games that shift between screens such as Sonic Rush and Yoshi's Island DS. But Castlevania is not one of them.
Re: Castlevania Dominus Collection Physical Release Confirmed, Pre-Orders Open Next Month
@RupeeClock
@Zuljaras
Hmm, okay, the tracking info they provided me says "Estimated delivery time: Unknown". lol. I opened a ticket now, we'll see what they say.
Yeah, I haven't had the best track record with Limited Run Games, and this certainly isn't helping matters. ...
I think I will still get the Dominus Collection from them anyway because Castlevania - especially the DS Castlevania - is just that special to me. But I won't be happy about it. :/
Re: Castlevania Dominus Collection Physical Release Confirmed, Pre-Orders Open Next Month
I ordered the Advance Collection LRG and still haven't received it yet. To be honest I am not the biggest fan of the LRG model, i'd much prefer it games just had normal releases. especially games by Konami, who have more than enough resources to do it properly.
Re: Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Brings Konami's JRPG Classics To Switch Next Year
I played the PlayStation 1 originals earlier this year. The first game was a bit rough-around-the-edges, but the sequel was really impressively good.
Actually, the main misgiving I had with the first one was its really awkward English script, and it seems like the remaster has a new updated script. Plus all of the added QoL features, so it's probably no longer all that rough now!
Definitely will recommend this game to fans of classic JRPGs.
Re: 'Castlevania Dominus Collection' Brings Three DS Classics To Switch Today
Wow, absolutely astonishing. I thought the DS games would be locked behind the secondhand market forever.
Everyone please enjoy these games! I'm super glad that everyone has the opportunity to play them again!
Also what the heck a BRAND NEW remake of Haunted Castle?? I always had a soft spot for the hilariously bad Haunted Castle game, and now Konami goes ahead and makes it actually good?
Absolutely the highlight of the Direct for me!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (24th August)
@ScalenePowers
Haha, wow, it's nice to know that people are paying attention to the things I post. :3
If you want a much much more in-depth look at my Suikoden journey, feel free to read my blog posts about it
https://benjysgames.blogspot.com/
...though I do tend to ramble at times.
But, yeah, I can totally see that playing through an old RPG series would be rather intimidating - it's a huge time commitment of course, and if the series isn't on modern platforms, then things become a lot more involved in terms of tracking down old PlayStation 2 secondhand copies, or figuring out emulation etc. It can definitely be too overwhelming for most people to want to bother with.
I do wish that Konami would let us know when their Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is coming out. They initially said 2023, but then they had to delay it, and there's been no news since... I'd say, if getting into the series feels intimidating, then the upcoming HD Remaster version would probably be the best place to start, assuming they don't botch it horribly or something.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (24th August)
I've been playing through the Suikoden series throughout this year. I just finished Suikoden Tactics, and it was pretty good, but not overly-spectacular or anything.
I especially enjoyed the elemental tile system - it made the tactical strategy very unique and interesting compared to other similar games. I also really enjoyed the ability to exchange an active unit for a benched unit mid-battle. That's something I wish Fire Emblem had!!
The story felt pretty flat the whole time though. The ending scene was nice, but the majority of the time it felt like the story wasn't really going anywhere. I also did not like how the towns were reduced to just menus with a town illustration in the background. Kind of takes me out of the world a bit if you can't actually explore the world, you know?
I plan to play Suikoden V soon, but before I start another huge RPG I wanted to play a few smaller-scale games.
I played Animal Well, and I played Thank Goodness You're Here. Keeping up with the newer releases I suppose, haha. They were both nice, short experiences.
I'm keeping up the momentum of nice short experiences, and currently I'm playing Undertale Yellow. It's actually a lot more in-depth than I was expecting, it's pleasantly surpassing my expectations.
I'll get back to Suikoden V.... at some point. Maybe after a few more smaller games.
After Suikoden V, all I'll have left to play are Suikoden Tierkreis on the DS, and then the fan translation of that Japan-only PSP game. And then I'll have played the whole series!! Isn't that fun.
Re: Official Pokémon Micro SD Cards Are Here, Including Huge 1TB Snorlax Card
They're expensive, but I think it's kind of worth it to get these kinds of specially-branded Nintendo Switch SD cards rather than any generic cards you'll find on Amazon, simply because you aren't going to be getting a fake SD card if you get these. You can't really guarantee avoiding fakes a lot of the time, and it's not always easy to identify fakes until they start corrupting data.
I think the peace of mind kinda makes the price worth it.
Re: Skies Of Arcadia-Inspired JRPG 'Sky Oceans' Bags A Release Date
Never played Skies of Arcadia, though I do plan to play it at some point. I've owned the GameCube disc for a long time...
When it comes to indie projects "inspired" by other games, I tend to want to only check them out after having played the original works. For example I don't intend on playing Eiyuden Hundred Heroes until I have finished playing through the entire Suikoden series first. (i'm getting there... almost done with Suikoden Tactics and will move on to Suikoden V next...)
I guess it's not really a necessity to be familiar with the original work before playing the indie games they inspire, but I do like having the background context, I guess.
I wonder how many people who don't know about Skies of Arcadia would be interested in buying Sky Oceans. Can the game market itself as its own RPG, or does it need this association to a well-renowned Sega classic in order to be noticed?
Re: Surprise Sequel 'Gimmick! 2' Bounces Towards Release Next Month
@Roger_Brazil
Gimmick predates Kirby.
Gimmick! for Famicom was released January 1992
Kirby's Dream Land for Game Boy was released April 1992.
So no, Gimmick definitely is not a Kirby knock-off.
Also the gameplay is nothing alike.
Re: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + Booster Course Physical Release Reportedly Updated
Hmm. I never actually bought MK8 Deluxe because I had already gotten my fill from the Wii U version back in the day, and I'm not a huge enough Mario Kart fanatic that I needed to get it again for the Switch. But this newest version with all DLC included does seem interesting. If I get the game, I'll do my best to make sure it's the version with everything included on the cart.
I did get the Breath of the Wild + DLC cart from Play-Asia, though I haven't actually played it since I didn't feel like revisiting Botw lol. But it's nice to have the full version for future reference.
But I did wait until the Pokémon Scarlet / Violet + DLC cart was available before I even started playing it (though it is disappointing how Indigo Disk is a download and not actually on the cart...)
And additionally, I made sure to get the Sonic Mania Plus and the Cadence of Hyrule physical carts which both include all DLC.
...in general, I really do prefer getting the fully-complete versions of games whenever possible. and I'm glad to see Nintendo also wants to release them this way.
Re: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition Player Uses Glitch To Top Donkey Kong Leaderboard
I have no problem with players using the very well known and well documented glitches in these 30+ year old games while playing NWC on Switch.
Nintendo has been pretty thorough in not allowing most glitches by forcibly rewinding the game when the player performs them. I don't have a problem with this - it keeps players both new and old on a more even playing field.
I suppose they just missed this one. And rather than punish their players, they're just celebrating them instead. Which is an attitude I can agree with.
Re: The Legendary 'Rogue' Is Now On Switch, But Players Have Noticed A Severe Bug
I didn't know there was a version of Rogue on Switch
I might just get it for the fun of it.
Hmmm...I wonder if there is any chance of seeing NetHack?
...I know it's an open-source "fangame" of sorts based on Rogue, but it was always my favourite of these old-style Roguelike games.
Re: Dead Cells' Final Update Arrives Next Month
I haven't played this game, but I saw a physical copy that was "Dead Cells Return to Castlevania" and I bought it because.... if it has Castlevania so prominently featured on the cover, I just had to get it.
Okay so I haven't gotten around to this game yet though. ...My question is, if I have the Castlevania edition, will I need to pay for this final update, or is it "included" in the Castlevania edition I have? (In the same way that the Pokémon Indigo Disk was "included" as part of the Area Zero physical cart even though it wasn't released at the time)
Re: Braid: Anniversary Edition Sales Have Been "Utterly Terrible", Says Creator
The gameplay in Braid was interesting but I never cared about the aesthetics or characters or "story" in Braid. The appeal is purely in the clever game design. Maybe my lack of interest in the game's setting or aesthetics has something to do with the fact that I'm in no hurry to try the new version.
I think that having a charming art style can really elevate a game to make people fall in love with it even beyond the clever gameplay - a good example of this for me is Baba Is You, which of course has some extremely unique and interesting gameplay, but also has an adorable and slightly off-kilter art style which serves to get me so much more invested in the game.
Yeah I dunno. Braid aways felt extremely incongruous... you have a man in a suit, stomping on extremely unpleasant-looking knock-off goomba heads? In a grassy plains? Something doesn't quite work here.
Re: Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night To Address "Switch Crash" In Next Update
@Blister
Yes, these issues were introduced in the 1.5 version update. It's a shame that the game has been getting buggier with new patches.
Re: Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night To Address "Switch Crash" In Next Update
Just in case people don't know, the Switch version crashes on several cutscenes. The crashes can be circumnavigated by skipping the cutscenes, except the big problem is that the crash also occurs on the final cutscene from beating the final boss, which cannot be skipped. Which means Switch cannot unlock any postgame modes.
The "store issue" is a bug in all versions where the game will sometimes softlock when you interact with the NPC shop characters in the home base. Especially annoying to be managing your items and buying things, upgrading shards, equipping things, crafting, etc - only for the game to softlock on a shop menu and you're forced to quit and reload and redo all that fiddly menu stuff all over again.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel - Castlevania: Dawn Of Sorrow
Clearly we're missing the best box art
Re: Dragon Quest Creator On The Challenge Of Silent Protagonists In Modern Gaming
I've been playing Suikoden series recently. And Suikoden 4 in particular did feel very awkward with how the silent protagonist never responded to other characters.
It didn't feel awkward in Suikoden 1 and 2 because they were pixel games with no voices, and Suikoden 3 actually dropped the whole silent protagonist thing altogether by having three main characters. ... So Suikoden 4 really did stand out in its awkwardness, the problem is exactly as Yuji Horii says.
However, I feel like the silent protagonist can be done well. I think Link is the perfect example of the silent protagonist being done very well. Legend of Zelda would have such a completely different vibe if Link talked, as it really would completely change the focus the game. Because Legend of Zelda isn't really about Link, it's primarily about Hyrule. And Link talking would shift that focus too strongly towards Link.
I also think that Pokémon wouldn't make any sense without silent protagonists. Pokémon player characters are doing double-duty as both the hero of the game's plot, AND as the user's avatar for the multiplayer features. When playing with our friends, we think of their version of the Pokémon player characters as avatars representing them and their team, and not as the hero of the plot. This shift in mindset wouldn't work nearly as well if they were not silent characters.
So yeah. I think it really depends on how the game designers can craft the game and the world and the characters and the dialogue script in order to make it work. Some games require it, and some games would be better off if they just spoke.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition?
I think there simply isn't enough content. What's there is really fun, but once you're done with the provided challenges, there's not much more to do.
I don't know if this is a controversial take, but I honestly believe the game should have just included fully playable NES games within it. Who cares that they're on NSO. I really feel like the package feels incomplete without being able to just play the games normally.
Re: Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Receives A New Switch Update, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
If they're still releasing patches with fixes and updates, then I'm in no rush to try this game. I'll get it once the final patch is out in the future.
I never like it when new content gets added to an RPG I've already finished... Xenoblade 3 for example got two new heroes that I never really had any opportunity to use, because they came out after I already finished the game. ...and the game is way too long for me to want to play it again.
I only started playing Pokémon Scarlet after both of the Area Zero DLC stories were released for this reason. I really don't mind waiting, even with a series as beloved to me as Pokémon.
And besides. For the moment, I'm still playing through the Suikoden series anyway. Last week I finished Suikoden IV (it was good overall, but I thought it had some serious issues...), and I just started its sequel, Suikoden Tactics, a few days ago. ...After Tactics I've still got Suikoden V and Suikoden Tierkreis to play, and... maybe by then, Eiyuden will be fully patched and content-complete. We'll see.
Re: Gimmick! 2's First Gameplay Trailer Is Packed With Platforming Puzzles And Toe-Tapping Tunes
@gcunit
The "trick" is the star-throw, of course! If you played Gimmick, you'll know how unique a mechanic it is, as it incorporates movement, attacking, and puzzle-solving all with the simple throw of a star. It's very nuanced with how it responds to slopes and physics and things too.
And it looks like the star-throw has been incorporated into the second game accurately, with some interesting twists thrown in too.
Gimmick is my favouite Famicom game of all. And this one looks really cool too! Definitely gonna get it.
Re: Link Will Be Playable In Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom, According To New ESRB Rating
I mean we saw the playable Link vs Ganon in the intro, so this isn't really giving us new information.
I wonder if there's more to it than that, though... I too am hoping for a Richter from Symphony of the Night situation, where there's a full alternate mode where it's just Link (but of course Zelda is the main mode). Maybe that's what this game's "Hero Mode" could end up being?
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's GBA Library With Three More Titles
Nintendo releasing Japan-only GBA games untranslated? Uh oh. This does not look good for Mother fans, haha.
Nintendo, why don't you translate your dang games? You did it for Fire Emblem 1, and then promptly delisted it. What's the big problem, eh?
Re: Switch Is Now Nintendo's Longest-Serving Flagship Home Console
I kind of wish the era of the Nintendo Switch would never end.
The only thing wrong with it is that third-party ports tend to run worse on it compared to other versions.
If that one problem was fixed, then I would have no issue with Nintendo Switch being the be-all end-all Nintendo system going forward.
They're gonna have to make something truly spectacular if they want to surpass the Switch.
Re: Ys X: Nordics Lands On Switch In The West This October
@GregamanX
The R1 button, same as the run button when on land, right? I've been holding that button down so often my finger is sore. It helps for sure, but the encounters are still extremely frequent and bothersome. But thanks for the heads-up anyway, heh.
Re: Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Receives Another Switch Update, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
The idea of a console game having a "Performance Mode" is a bit ridiculous. A console is a fixed-spec machine. You should design the game to run the best it can for the machine you already know the specs for, shouldn't you?
Re: Ys X: Nordics Lands On Switch In The West This October
I'm very much looking forward to this game.
I'm intrigued by it having a two-character system. After Ys Seven, Memories of Celceta, Lacrimosa of Dana, and Monstrum Nox all had a party system, I was wondering if that was just how it was gonna be from now on - but it's nice to see that they're still willing to change it up. I love the older Ys games where it's just Adol, and my favourite parts of Lacrimosa of Dana were actually Dana's solo dungeon (which I hear wasn't even in the original Vita version), so I think i might actually prefer fewer playable characters in general.
I also like how they're expanding on the traversal powers first seen in Monstrum Nox - that hookshot ability looks cool. The environments look nice and bright too.
It's cool to see an adventure on the high seas - Adol has a reputation for always getting shipwrecked, haha.
Also, just as an aside, at this moment I'm in the middle of a Suikoden IV playthrough, and sailing the ocean in that game is kind of a huge chore. The encounters are just too frequent, you don't get a chance to actually feel the breeze in your sails because you get interrupted every two steps. ... So it will be fun to play Ys X afterwards and have an RPG with nicer sailing in it.
Re: Ys Memoire: The Oath In Felghana Appears To Be Getting Localised
I mean, it was already localised and fully voiced on the PSP back in 2010. Are they redoing it from scratch, or are they using the PSP localisation?
I really liked the PSP voice acting, I hope they don't need to redo it.
Re: Feature: 54 Switch Ports We'd Love To See Before The Generation's Out
Hmm, I'm gonna mention Psychonauts. Nintendo fans love inventive and unique 3D platformers, right? The original Psychonauts was on Xbox and PS2 but never got a GameCube version. Would be cool to see it on Switch.
Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Costs $60 On Switch
mmm. I have this game on 3DS. I never got the Wii version because I have a disdain for waggle inputs. But I never really got very far in the 3DS version anyway.
I was thinking of getting this version, but certainly not at full price. Might as well just play the version I already have, or wait until I can find it secondhand for cheaper. Or just not bother at all, i dunno. People seem to have mixed opinions about this game anyway.
Re: PSA: Metroid Zero Mission's Fusion Gallery Is Already Unlocked On Switch
This and the SMB3 e-reader levels are a nice touch. These kind of link cable gimmicks were (arguably) a fun feature on the GBA during the 2000s, but in modern days they're just a nuisance, so these kinds of things are definitely appreciated.
Hopefully Nintendo can update Oracle of Seasons / Oracle of Ages on NSO to let players enter the Advance Shop too, that's another hardware gimmick kinda thing that unfortunately wasn't addressed.
Re: Soapbox: Marvel Vs. Capcom Was The Unsung Hero Of The June Nintendo Direct
I don't know a single thing about comic book superheroes. I don't really watch movies or read comics or anything. So ordinarily a game like this does not appeal to me on the surface.
But I do enjoy Street Fighter games (only casually, i'm not actually good at them), and I've heard that Marvel vs Capcom 2 in particular is extremely popular, so I am willing to give it a try when it's out.
From the sounds of things, this release is a dream come true for many fans. I don't really know the context or backstory as to why it was so anticipated and hyped, but I've seen some people online likening the announcement of this game as "the FGC's 'Mother 3' ", which I guess at least lets me know the level of hype involved. I guess the game is just that well beloved? I'll give it a try and see for myself, but I can't make any promises to be any good at it, nor to really care about the comic book superhero characters either.
Re: Silksong Is "Not In Dev Hell" According To Playtester
I believe this. The dev team is small, and the game scope is big, so it takes a long time. I think that's really all there is to it.
I love Hollow Knight but I'm not making myself go crazy by constantly anticipating the next game in the series.
I'm occupying myself with tons of other games, and when it's out, I'll play it. It's not like there's a lack of good games to play.
Re: Surprise! Shovel Knight's Original Adventure Is Getting The Deluxe Treatment
Shovel Knight was undeniably a good game, but it never truly enamoured me.
I really don't know what secret ingredient I felt was "missing" from Shovel Knight that was present in other indie darlings that I truly love and adore such as Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Cuphead.
When Shovel Knight's extra campaigns were released, I tried them a little bit but never really completed them or got very far. I don't think I even bothered booting the game up at all when King Knight came out. ...Whereas I was all over Chapter 9 Farewell and Delicious Last Course the moment they dropped, and loved every moment of them.
Maybe it's not fair to compare these games like this. I dunno. But Shovel Knight always felt a little lacking in comparison. And I really don't know what it actually is that gives me this feeling of non-enthusiasm about it. I feel like I'm being unfair to the game, but yeah. I'm not really that bothered about Shovel Knight any more.
Re: Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night's Final Content Update Is Out Now
I'll get this on PlayStation. ...I don't want to have to put up with the performance issues on Switch. :/
Re: Talking Point: HD-2D Or 3D - How Should Square Enix Remake Chrono Trigger?
Every time they rerelease Chrono Trigger, there's something non ideal about it.
PS1 version has bad loading times,
DS version has awful new content (though is fine version if you ignore the new stuff)
Steam version was a mobile port with awful looking mobile interface buttons (i think this has been patched at some point but not certain)
tbh I think they don't need a new version of it, just give us a SNES rom and call it a day. The game can stand on its own just fine.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Library With Five More Classics
A long time ago, I got myself all five of these games' Japanese GB cartridges from eBay, as it was cheaper than trying to find them locally. It was fine for 1,2,3,4, but for 5, I would have enjoyed being able to read the text in the game. So this update is pretty good for me, I might give Mega Man 5 GB another playthrough one of these days.
Re: Play Hollow Knight For Free In Nintendo Switch Online's Latest Game Trial (Europe)
@Pillowpants
In what way did you feel the controls of Hollow knight were loose?
In this game, when you press forwards, the Knight is immediately at full speed, and when you stop pressing forwards, the Knight immediately stops on a dime. There is no momentum at all when it comes to moving left and right.
I wouldn't exactly call this kind of control scheme "loose" personally. Is there something I'm overlooking?
Re: Play Hollow Knight For Free In Nintendo Switch Online's Latest Game Trial (Europe)
haha, if anyone does start playing Hollow Knight due to this, have fun! It's a great game. Just stick with it during the somewhat slow opening section, once you have multiple areas you can explore, things really start to open up.
Re: Gallery: 13 Awesome Details We Spotted In The Legend Of Zelda's Great Deku Tree LEGO Set
@Ogbert
I guess they were just referring to Hestu as the big Korok
Re: Zelda 64 Recompiled: Majora's Mask Gets An Exciting New Update (Version 1.1.0)
ok so this is just an idea, but if this "N64 Recompiled" technology can be used to make playable PC versions of any N64 game, would it be feasible for some of the bigger game companies to collaborate with these devs and make new releases of old games? For example could we finally get Castlevania 64 ported to Switch?
obviously Nintendo wouldn't want to touch this stuff, but I wouldn't put it past Konami
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Bravely Default
I like seeing Agnès and co on the cover. I do enjoy seeing the cast of characters for an RPG cover
Re: Talking Point: 'Remake' Vs. 'Remaster' - What's Your Definition?
Here's my extended terminology:
Emulated ROM:
Unmodified or slightly modified games from past systems running on an emulator.
Examples: Castlevania Advance Collection, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Mega Man Legacy Collection,
Port (or enhanced port):
A game from an older system that has been reworked to run on the newer system, but for the most part runs the same as the original.
Examples: Pikmin 1+2, Tales of Symphonia Remastered (ironically), New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Remaster:
A game from an older system that has been significantly altered visually or QOL-wise, but for the most part runs the same as the original.
Examples: Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, Metroid Prime Remastered, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Remake:
A game from an older system that has been rebuilt entirely from scratch, done faithfully enough to the original to be considered (mostly) the "same game" as the original.
Examples: Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door, Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, Live A Live, Link's Awakening
Actually just a new game:
A game loosely based on a previous game, but should not be considered the same thing.
Examples: Final Fantasy VII Remake (ironically), Pokémon Let's Go Eevee
Re: Poll: A New Donkey Kong Game Must Be Coming, But What Should It Be?
Definitely want to see a new 3D game. I completed DK64 and loved it, but tbh I never became so obsessed with the sidescrolling DKC SNES games. Since Rareware isn't making any more Banjo, and Playtonic's Yooka Laylee was lukewarm, maybe Nintendo could be the ones to reinvigorate the collect-a-thon genre with a proper new 3D DK game?
Either that or something brand new and completely different to what has come before. But I'd like for it to be 3D rather than sidescrolling.
Re: Picross S Is Back With The 'Namco Legendary Edition' Later This Month
@Not_Soos
You seem to have a weird idea of what Picross is.
It's just nonograms. It's just like playing a crossword or a sudoku or any other pen-on-paper puzzle. There aren't any Twilight Princess "assets" running on the 3DS, it's just some nonogram puzzles themed around Twilight Princess, with a Midna jpeg on the menus saying tutorials and hints with speech bubbles.
There is no "definitive" "game" to start with because all of them are the exact same thing. You figure out which squares to click on based on the numbers on the sides, and the squares make a little pixel picture when it's completed. That's literally it. The reason there are so many releases is because, once you solve all the included puzzles, then there's not much to do until some new puzzles come out.