@staradventures I said "assertive" in my original comment, not "aggressive."
According to Google (courtesy of Oxford Languages), assertive means "having or showing a confident and forceful personality," and that definition fits Daisy as well as Peach's depiction in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
I'm not jumping to conclusions like you seem to think. I just expressed concern that minor changes like this might be a sign of a gradual shift in Peach's character from being sweet and docile towards being more bold and dynamic, which would be redundant as we already have another character who not only fills that niche, but has been criminally underutilised for the past three decades until just recently. Also, take one look at Peach in the Mario movie and tell me that she isn't depicted as being more active than in the vast majority of Mario games.
I don't know if you meant to, but for all your talk about aggression, ironically, you're the one who comes across as aggressive here. I saw that you've made multiple comments replying to people, but maybe learn to slow down and read things carefully next time before lumping everyone in with your response.
@Tipehtfomottob Not to be pedantic, but the first Mario vs. Donkey Kong game isn't a Lemmings clone like its sequels. It's more of a puzzle platformer. Still, I'm with you in that I hope Nintendo attempts another 3D Donkey Kong game one of these days.
Dang, zero for four here. I don't like a single game these spirits represent. No way I'm booting the game up again just for this. Even after the DLC has already concluded, Smash Ultimate continues to disappoint me. I didn't even think that was possible, but here I am...
Yes, yes! That's what I like to see! I've been saying for ages that Nintendo needs to work with more studios if they want to make use of their massive catalogue of neglected IP, so this is good to hear!
@Maxz It was never my intention to sound arrogant. 18 months is a short lifespan for a YouTube channel on the surface. However, if the videos have a high production value, and if they've been released at a quick and consistent pace, then you're right, it's actually quite a long time relatively speaking. To me, it still feels like yesterday that Sakurai announced that he was starting a YouTube channel. I guess that just demonstrates my perception of time this past year and a half.
My remark about not being a huge fan of Sakurai was referring to the fact that whenever somebody criticises a decision he makes in regards to game design, a legion of loyal followers immediately dogpile on that person and call them "ungrateful" or some similar word while insisting he can do no wrong. Heck, @GooseLoose1 kinda proved my point by immediately resorting to calling me arrogant for stating a simple truth.
I know that second point is kind of irrelevant to the topic at hand, but it still stands nonetheless. Sakurai is not above criticism, and while he is a very hard and dedicated worker, some of his decisions are eyebrow-raising at times, and those decisions should be pointed out. Constantly praising a man of Sakurai's stature only feeds his ego and can potentially lead to more questionable decisions being made in future games.
Well, that was short lived. I haven't even watched a single one of his videos yet. Maybe it's because I'm not as much of a fan of Sakurai as others are because I realise that he isn't infallible like so many people claim.
@IceEarthGuard I appreciate your advice, and that's a lesson I'd very much like to take to heart, but I'll have to respectfully decline in this instance. I've done my research, and the game just does not appeal to me in the slightest. I'm not going to play a game with a pointless, tedious and fundamentally broken battle system, an overabundance of generic, uninspired NPCs and bosses with dialogue so on-the-nose and self-referential that it's grating, and a story that is just one big metaphor that actively mocks older fans for being upset at the direction of the newer games.
@blindsquirrel That other person can do whatever they want with their money, I'm just offering some advice so that they don't potentially feel like they wasted their time and money if they ultimately end up not liking the game. Besides, I don't need to waste my money on a game that i already know I won't like. Playing the game for myself won't change the simple fact that it has none of the qualities I liked about the old games that made me fall so in love with them in the first place.
@blindsquirrel Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, because the old style is better by most objective metrics and we need more games like that, not mediocrity like The Origami King. I don't know any other way to put it nicely.
@Cia Personally, I'd strongly advise against buying Origami King instead of this as it would send the wrong message to Nintendo, but it's your money, I suppose. Feel free to spend it however you want. Just don't complain if we never get a game on the level of The Thousand-Year Door going forward.
Edit: Yet another comment that didn't age well. I hate censorship and "modern sensibilities".
This game and Super Paper Mario are legitimately some of the most hilarious games I've ever played. I've laughed out loud at both games plenty of times. The early Paper Mario games always had a brilliant sense of humour, but this game in particular had a lot of mature stuff for a Nintendo game. There's implied murder in the Japanese version, evident by a chalk outline of a Toad on the floor of a house in Rogueport, as well as the Boos that run the shop and parlour essentially dressing as playboy bunnies. That's not even getting into the history of Rogueport itself. With so much of Super Mario RPG's original dialogue, tone and visual flair being preserved in its remake, I'm hoping that's a sign for this game's remake as well. I mean, they kept the hangman's gallows in the center of Rogueport, and they didn't alter Flurrie's design in the slightest, so anything is possible!
As much as I love Mr. Bean, being a Brit myself, this explains why the tone of the Luigi's Mansion sequels could never live up to the uncanny and downright eerie atmosphere of the original. Nothing will ever come close to that first game, in my eyes.
I have no reason to pick this up now with The Thousand-Year Door's remake arriving next year, as well as having thoroughly enjoyed Bug Fables on the Switch. Still, I encourage more indie developers to throw their hats into the ring when it comes to making Paper Mario inspired games. The world needs more good, visually distinct indie RPGs.
Pretty much everything I wanted to say on the matter has already been said by other people in this comment section, so instead I'll just say this:
I find it funny how so many people claim that the newer Zelda games are just like the original Legend of Zelda, but they conveniently forget that Zelda 1 still had dungeons with unique items and bosses, as well as puzzles that require the items from said dungeons to progress. Whenever you point this out, they almost always immediately go silent, possibly because they realise that BotW and TotK lack most of these things, or at the very least, feature half-hearted attempts at them.
The reveal of King K. Rool in Smash Ultimate single-handedly made me a fan of Donkey Kong Country, which has now become one of my favourite franchises, so I have to go with that. The reveal for Banjo & Kazooie is an extremely close second though! I was screaming and whooping with joy at both reveals! Such good memories...
I gave the original game an 8/10, but I won't be picking up this remake until Christmas. Still, I have a sneaking suspicion that it might score higher than the original for me personally. I'm thinking a 9/10.
Update after completing the game 100%: Yep, easy 9/10. A great, faithful remake. Give us more games like this, Nintendo! Just be sure to bump the challenge factor up a notch next time.
@PlusFan Good lord, no. Sorry, but that sounds absolutely awful. You'd really want to throw out everything that made Ocarina of Time such a memorable and intricately crafted experience in order to make it aimless and shallow like almost every modern open world game? That would ruin what makes this game so great in the first place. If that's the route they were going to take with a remake, I'd rather this game just be left in the past. After all, it's almost perfect as it is.
Happy 25th anniversary to one of the all-time greats, Ocarina of Time. The title that changed gaming forever, and arguably where the Zelda franchise peaked. Though it might have been a little before my time, even I could tell how important and revolutionary this game was upon playing it for the first time. And yes, it still holds up to this day. May this immortal classic be remembered for generations to come.
On the subject of a remake, while I do sometimes daydream about a modern recreation of Ocarina of Time, I can't help but worry that it may be redundant or that it wouldn't capture the spirit of the original. After all, we already got a remake of the game on the 3DS, and while that version was by no means bad, I feel like it couldn't do justice to a game as legendary as this. A game as masterful and important to the industry as Ocarina of Time deserves something better, something truly special.
I had a good time with this remake. Here's hoping Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac becomes a reality in the future! I've heard good things about the original game.
@nimnio That argument falls apart when you realise that Nintendo released Pikmin 1-3 on the Switch prior to 4's release in order to familiarise new players with the series and its story, with Pikmin 3 Deluxe specifically adding new story content that addressed unresolved plot points from the original game. People are still discovering this series' origins because all of the games are so accessible now, so suddenly rebooting the story in the 4th numbered entry confuses new fans and alienates older ones. Nobody asked for a reboot, plain and simple.
It was so easy for them to create a plot that is unrelated to the previous games without retconning the entire series out of existence (see every other Nintendo franchise with the exception of Star Fox, which is a separate case), and the fact that they chose not to do that feels like a decision intentionally made to punish long-time fans for being invested in these games.
Additionally, it's not like Pikmin's story was ever that complicated, so why would Nintendo feel the need to reboot it in the first place? It certainly wasn't for the benefit of new players who don't know what happened before. It's simply an idiotic decision by developers that likely didn't care about the game being consistent with the older titles.
But, let's just pretend for a moment that a reboot was actually necessary. Nintendo could have at least answered all of the lingering questions from Pikmin 3's ending instead of dangling the promise of answers over our heads for 10 years, only to pull the rug out from underneath us at the last moment by saying "surprise, none of that stuff matters anymore!"
The overall point I'm trying to make here is that a cohesive world and story can elevate a game's quality beyond what it normally would be. Acting like they're not important only leads to us getting worse experiences overall. I don't think it's too much to ask for a basic level of consistency in the games we play.
@RBRTMNZ Thank you for taking the time to read my comment and giving a respectful reply rather than just acting dismissive like some other people.
It sounds like you don't value story and characters in games as much as I do. There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, but I wouldn't even say this game's story is very good on its own. As soon as Olimar is saved, the Rescue Corps immediately blast off while leaving the S.S. Dolphin, other castaways and uncured leaflings stuck on the planet, and only turn around because Oatchi is sick. This implies that they were so focused on rescuing Olimar to the point where they were willing to just up and abandon the rest of their mission as soon as he's saved, and care more for the wellbeing of their dog than the people they're supposed to be saving. Some rescue squad...
Regarding Olimar not resonating with you, did you ever take the time to read through the Piklopedia entries in Pikmin 2 and 3? Those games gave such a deep insight into Olimar's mind and personal life, making him one of Nintendo's best written protagonists. That's why the main character being a generic avatar in Pikmin 4 is so disappointing, since we don't get that same insight. Sure, Olimar's notes are in 4's Piklopedia, but you have to play for hours to unlock them. Until then, you're stuck with Dalmo, who offers the most worthless and repetitive commentary in the entire series ("this creature is so cute!", repeat ad nausuem). Also, the fact the game is a reboot leads to glaring inconsistencies in Olimar's notes, since the devs just copy-pasted a majority of his notes from 2 and 3, leading to him referencing creatures that he shouldn't have encountered before according to this game.
I'm someone who likes to play most games to completion, and I've fully completed every previous Pikmin game with zero Pikmin deaths multiple times, so I'm pretty good at these games. The few times I did go for platinum medals in the Dandori battles/challenges, it was extremely annoying, because I realised just how essential the upgrades for Oatchi are. You can't even handicap yourself for a greater challenge by not buying upgrades since they're practically mandatory for full completion. So you either make the easy parts of the game (most of it) harder by not buying any upgrades, but in turn make the actual difficult parts beyond frustrating, or you cave in, buy the upgrades and steamroll the whole game without a problem. That is, until auto lock-on rears its ugly head again.
In regards to controlling Pikmin, I'd still say Pikmin 3 Deluxe did it better. The lock-on and pathfinding was much better, and the game didnt stop you from throwing Pikmin at an object once you'd thrown the minimum amount required to carry it. You also weren't limited to only 3 Pikmin types at any given time. All 3 was missing was the lineup trumpet, which is in Pikmin 4, but it's unlocked so late into the game that it barely gets any use, so its inclusion ultimately doesn't matter.
And yes, you can brute force entire challenges with Oatchi. Just to demonstrate how broken he is, Gimmick Gambit can be beaten in 10 seconds by abusing Oatchi's jump. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6GJx0wqZio
Lastly, saying the tutorials get less intrusive after 60 hours isn't exactly a very good look when it comes to selling the game to somebody.
I have no desire to give this game a second chance. The fact that it's a reboot alone has killed my interest in it. If this is the direction of the series from now on, I'm done with Pikmin going forward.
@Tarolusa For the record, I loved Super Mario Odyssey, and I really like the look of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, so my reasoning for disliking Pikmin 4 goes much deeper than just "new game bad." Maybe read my comment explaining this game's problems rather than just immediately dismissing my opinion as little more than blind hate.
@LastFootnote @RBRTMNZ Strap in, this comment will be a long one.
A lot of my issues with Pikmin 4 stem from it being a continuity reboot. This game throws out 20 years worth of story that was slowly built up over the course of the previous games. Pikmin 3's ending in particular left several questions regarding the Plasm Wraith and the frequent ship crashes unanswered. Now we will most likely never get answers to any of those questions. It's a slap in the face to those who got invested in the world and characters.
This game's cast is far too bloated, filled with one-note characters that say nothing of value and never learn to shut up, killing the lonely atmosphere that made the older games, especially the first one, so special. On top of that, the main character being a silent self-insert for the player makes bonding with them impossible.
Olimar and Louie also have their characterisation hurt by the reboot. Olimar never went through all of the struggles seen in the previous games and never bonded with the Pikmin. Louie, who had ambigious morality in Pikmin 2 (and to a lesser extent 3) is now a deranged sociopath who straight up attempts to murder you for trying to rescue him. This horribly misrepresents his established character.
As for gameplay, this game is far too intrusive when it comes to tutorials and dialogue. It constantly holds your hand to a patronising degree, never trusting you to make your own decisions. This is perfectly exemplified by the blight on this game's controls that is automatic lock-on. 90% of the time it makes the game braindead easy, and the other 10% it actively hinders you by locking onto something you actively don't want to be aiming at. And it can't be turned off. It's ironic that a feature meant to help players ends up becoming such a huge source of frustration.
Additionally, due to Dandori battles and challenges being incorporated into the main story instead of being separate modes, the difficulty is wildly inconsistent, which hurts the overall experience. Players who want a challenge have to slog through hours of mindless gameplay (before having to deal with auto lock-on making things needlessly more difficult), and those who want a relaxed experience will have a rude awakening when they reach these battles/challenges.
And then there's Oatchi. Oatchi single-handedly destroys the balance of this game. He can do almost everything Pikmin can do but better, and manages to overshadow the Pikmin in their own game. His inclusion also destroys the multi-tasking aspect of the series. Far too often, you'll come across a hazard or puzzle that can't be overcome without Oatchi, which, for a game all about encouraging good "Dandori" by splitting up to accomplish more, is extremely counter-intuitive. Pikmin 3 Deluxe already perfected the controls and multi-tasking element (not to mention the multiplayer), so all they had to do was copy what that game did.
Lastly, the music in this game is far too subdued and largely forgettable, which is a problem shared with the newer Zelda titles. Even Hey! Pikmin has a better soundtrack than this game. (If you haven't heard that game's soundtrack, I recommend giving it a listen. It blows 4's soundtrack out of the water.)
Tl;dr - Reboot ruins the story, characters and atmosphere, game is far too easy until it's suddenly not, music is non-existent, Oatchi breaks the game, automatic lock-on.
Well, when you simplify a series for the casual audience as much as this game did, of course it will become the best selling entry.
I desperately wanted Pikmin 4 to succeed prior to release, but I ended up hating the game, so this has become a huge Monkey's Paw scenario for me. It honestly depresses me to see a game that so wildly misunderstands everything that made Pikmin good in the first place become the best selling entry in the series. Now future entries are only going to stray even further from what made the first 2-3 games so great, and that's something I have no interest in seeing unfold. Just like Zelda, this series has left its most dedicated long-time fans behind, and I have nothing to look forward to anymore. It hurts even more that this happened with Pikmin, since it was always one of my absolute most favourite franchises that I cherished dearly. Now it's one that I couldn't care less about the future of. Oh well, at least I have Pikmin 1+2 and Pikmin 3 Deluxe to go back to.
P.S. - To anyone confused by my attitude towards Pikmin 4, I grew up with the first three games, so I am one of this series' biggest fans, and I'm more than willing to explain in full detail every single thing this game gets wrong compared to the original trilogy.
@blindsquarel My bad then. I tried to frame that comment in a way that wouldn't come across as standoff-ish, but it may have come across as more passive-aggressive than I intended. I won't deny that TTYD isn't perfect, and that Super Paper Mario has underwhelming gameplay compared to its predecessors. I also won't deny that the artstyle of the newer games is good in a vacuum, and that the music of those games is arguably better. Please see my above comment if you'd like to read a more thorough critique from me on the direction of the modern games (specifically Origami King).
@the_beaver I haven't played TOK, but before you completely ignore the rest of my comment, please hear me out! I've watched several hour-long reviews of this game, and I believe I have some points that are worth bringing up.
Origami King's narrative and dialogue suffer from the same problem as Sticker Star and Colour Splash in that they hinge entirely on the world and characters being made out of paper. This is in contrast to the original trilogy which had stellar worldbuilding and writing while barely acknowledging the paper theme as being anything more than an artstyle. Toad Town and Rogueport especially feel like actual lived-in places as opposed to one big diorama filled with characters that constantly acknowledge the fact that they're made of paper. It gets old fast and kills the immersion even faster.
The frequent meta jokes and meme humour also feel incredibly forced and come across as trying too hard to be funny, whereas the first three games, generally speaking, had a wider variety of jokes, most of which were more subtle and cleverly written as well.
This game also still suffers from needless creative restrictions placed on character designs. I'm so sick and tired of seeing nothing but generic Toads and enemies in these games, and I dearly miss the memorable, iconic and visually distinct casts of the first three titles. I don't remember Generic Toad #5003 or "Bob-omb". I do remember Goombella, Admiral Bobbery, Vivian, Doopliss, Lord Crump, Count Bleck, Dimentio, I could go on. And don't even get me started on the boss designs. You can only take the paper theme so far before you end up with literal office supplies as bosses, which is exactly what this game did. The Legion of Stationary are beyond a joke, and are the perfect representation of scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Lastly, Origami King constantly goes out of its way to undermine any serious emotional moments it has. Bobb- sorry, "Bob-omb" sacrifices himself (something that could have easily been avoided btw) and Mario and Olivia mourn him for a while, only for them to sacrifice dozens upon dozens of Bob-ombs in a similar fashion later on, and they don't give it a second thought.
King Olly especially might just be the worst villain I've ever seen in a game. His entire motivation is that his creator scribbled on him, so he wants to commit genocide against his creator's species because he can't tell the difference between Toads. Not only is this an extremely unsubtle metaphor for the creative restrictions behind this game that actively mocks fans of the older games for being upset about it, but it becomes even more stupid when it's revealed that Olly's creator wrote on him saying he wanted him to be a good king. Olly only learns this after his plan to commit mass genocide has failed, says what basically amounts to "whoops, sorry", then dies. And we're supposed to feel bad for him? lol
I hope you've made it this far and now have a better understanding of why I and others have such disdain for this game. And to anyone who may try to discredit my arguments because I "haven't even played it", that doesn't make my points any less valid. I've seen and heard enough about this game to know that it isn't worth my time or money.
In all seriousness, I'm so glad that the characters are much more animated in Wonder. It makes this game feel all the more refreshing after 15+ years of New Super Mario Bros. games.
While I prefer the new expression for Kung-fu Peach, I miss vanilla Peach's old joyful expression. It fits the Peach I've come to know much better, especially since she's not playing any particular role in her original form.
While it didn't bother me at the time, I'm worried that Peach's portrayal in the movie will cause her to gradually stray further from her established demeanour in the games, especially when we have another princess, Daisy, who fits the bill of more active and assertive princess already.
What a delightfully wild and unnerving discovery. Despite not growing up during that time, I miss the early 2000s and all of the wacky and creative things to come from Nintendo in that era, both in terms of their advertising and the games themselves.
Funnily enough, not only does a cult/tribe use Majora's Mask in the game's backstory, but a cult would later become the focus of a particulary famous creepypasta/ARG based on this very game. Coincidence?
Comments 184
Re: Princess Peach: Showtime! Trailer Reveals Ninja Peach And Cowgirl Peach
Sees Cowgirl Peach
Ride like the wind, Princess!
Re: Random: Nintendo Gives Princess Peach Some Facial Tweaks In 'Showtime!' Key Art
@staradventures I said "assertive" in my original comment, not "aggressive."
According to Google (courtesy of Oxford Languages), assertive means "having or showing a confident and forceful personality," and that definition fits Daisy as well as Peach's depiction in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
I'm not jumping to conclusions like you seem to think. I just expressed concern that minor changes like this might be a sign of a gradual shift in Peach's character from being sweet and docile towards being more bold and dynamic, which would be redundant as we already have another character who not only fills that niche, but has been criminally underutilised for the past three decades until just recently. Also, take one look at Peach in the Mario movie and tell me that she isn't depicted as being more active than in the vast majority of Mario games.
I don't know if you meant to, but for all your talk about aggression, ironically, you're the one who comes across as aggressive here. I saw that you've made multiple comments replying to people, but maybe learn to slow down and read things carefully next time before lumping everyone in with your response.
Re: Nintendo Reveals Mario Vs. Donkey Kong's Opening Cutscene
@Tipehtfomottob Not to be pedantic, but the first Mario vs. Donkey Kong game isn't a Lemmings clone like its sequels. It's more of a puzzle platformer. Still, I'm with you in that I hope Nintendo attempts another 3D Donkey Kong game one of these days.
Re: Video: Mario vs. Donkey Kong Switch Shows Off New Worlds, Co-Op And More
Dang, two whole new worlds? Now I'm even more excited for this! Definitely snapping this up ASAP on release!
Re: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's New Spirits Have Been Revealed, Out This Week
@FawfulsFury Yeah, I was thinking that myself.
Re: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's New Spirits Have Been Revealed, Out This Week
Dang, zero for four here. I don't like a single game these spirits represent. No way I'm booting the game up again just for this. Even after the DLC has already concluded, Smash Ultimate continues to disappoint me. I didn't even think that was possible, but here I am...
Re: Nintendo Reportedly Seeking More Studios To Work On Its IP
Yes, yes! That's what I like to see! I've been saying for ages that Nintendo needs to work with more studios if they want to make use of their massive catalogue of neglected IP, so this is good to hear!
Re: Masahiro Sakurai Plans To "Wrap Up" His YouTube Channel This Year
@Maxz It was never my intention to sound arrogant. 18 months is a short lifespan for a YouTube channel on the surface. However, if the videos have a high production value, and if they've been released at a quick and consistent pace, then you're right, it's actually quite a long time relatively speaking. To me, it still feels like yesterday that Sakurai announced that he was starting a YouTube channel. I guess that just demonstrates my perception of time this past year and a half.
My remark about not being a huge fan of Sakurai was referring to the fact that whenever somebody criticises a decision he makes in regards to game design, a legion of loyal followers immediately dogpile on that person and call them "ungrateful" or some similar word while insisting he can do no wrong. Heck, @GooseLoose1 kinda proved my point by immediately resorting to calling me arrogant for stating a simple truth.
I know that second point is kind of irrelevant to the topic at hand, but it still stands nonetheless. Sakurai is not above criticism, and while he is a very hard and dedicated worker, some of his decisions are eyebrow-raising at times, and those decisions should be pointed out. Constantly praising a man of Sakurai's stature only feeds his ego and can potentially lead to more questionable decisions being made in future games.
Re: Masahiro Sakurai Plans To "Wrap Up" His YouTube Channel This Year
Well, that was short lived. I haven't even watched a single one of his videos yet. Maybe it's because I'm not as much of a fan of Sakurai as others are because I realise that he isn't infallible like so many people claim.
Re: Minecraft Movie Reportedly Casts Jack Black As Steve
Looks like they're gonna have to start calling him Tenacious Steve.
Re: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Rated For Switch By ESRB
@IceEarthGuard I appreciate your advice, and that's a lesson I'd very much like to take to heart, but I'll have to respectfully decline in this instance. I've done my research, and the game just does not appeal to me in the slightest. I'm not going to play a game with a pointless, tedious and fundamentally broken battle system, an overabundance of generic, uninspired NPCs and bosses with dialogue so on-the-nose and self-referential that it's grating, and a story that is just one big metaphor that actively mocks older fans for being upset at the direction of the newer games.
Re: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Rated For Switch By ESRB
@blindsquirrel That other person can do whatever they want with their money, I'm just offering some advice so that they don't potentially feel like they wasted their time and money if they ultimately end up not liking the game. Besides, I don't need to waste my money on a game that i already know I won't like. Playing the game for myself won't change the simple fact that it has none of the qualities I liked about the old games that made me fall so in love with them in the first place.
Re: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Rated For Switch By ESRB
@blindsquirrel Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, because the old style is better by most objective metrics and we need more games like that, not mediocrity like The Origami King. I don't know any other way to put it nicely.
Re: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Rated For Switch By ESRB
@Cia Personally, I'd strongly advise against buying Origami King instead of this as it would send the wrong message to Nintendo, but it's your money, I suppose. Feel free to spend it however you want. Just don't complain if we never get a game on the level of The Thousand-Year Door going forward.
Re: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Rated For Switch By ESRB
Edit: Yet another comment that didn't age well. I hate censorship and "modern sensibilities".
This game and Super Paper Mario are legitimately some of the most hilarious games I've ever played. I've laughed out loud at both games plenty of times. The early Paper Mario games always had a brilliant sense of humour, but this game in particular had a lot of mature stuff for a Nintendo game. There's implied murder in the Japanese version, evident by a chalk outline of a Toad on the floor of a house in Rogueport, as well as the Boos that run the shop and parlour essentially dressing as playboy bunnies. That's not even getting into the history of Rogueport itself. With so much of Super Mario RPG's original dialogue, tone and visual flair being preserved in its remake, I'm hoping that's a sign for this game's remake as well. I mean, they kept the hangman's gallows in the center of Rogueport, and they didn't alter Flurrie's design in the slightest, so anything is possible!
Re: Random: Luigi's Mansion 2 Was Inspired By The British Sitcom 'Mr. Bean'
As much as I love Mr. Bean, being a Brit myself, this explains why the tone of the Luigi's Mansion sequels could never live up to the uncanny and downright eerie atmosphere of the original. Nothing will ever come close to that first game, in my eyes.
Re: Review: Born Of Bread (Switch) - An Enjoyable, If Underbaked, Paper Mario Homage
I have no reason to pick this up now with The Thousand-Year Door's remake arriving next year, as well as having thoroughly enjoyed Bug Fables on the Switch. Still, I encourage more indie developers to throw their hats into the ring when it comes to making Paper Mario inspired games. The world needs more good, visually distinct indie RPGs.
Re: E3 Has Been Cancelled, Permanently
We will never have a moment like the Twilight Princess E3 reveal ever again...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE2Dc1sx71U
R.I.P. E3
1995-2020.
Re: Zelda Producer Responds To Fans Who Want A More "Traditional Linear" Adventure
Pretty much everything I wanted to say on the matter has already been said by other people in this comment section, so instead I'll just say this:
I find it funny how so many people claim that the newer Zelda games are just like the original Legend of Zelda, but they conveniently forget that Zelda 1 still had dungeons with unique items and bosses, as well as puzzles that require the items from said dungeons to progress. Whenever you point this out, they almost always immediately go silent, possibly because they realise that BotW and TotK lack most of these things, or at the very least, feature half-hearted attempts at them.
Re: Fortnite's Dev Really Wants A Crossover With Nintendo But Hasn't Had Any Luck
Why does Epic Games feel the need to get its grubby hands on every property in existence? When will it be enough for them?
Re: Poll: What Is Your Favourite Character Reveal Trailer For Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?
The reveal of King K. Rool in Smash Ultimate single-handedly made me a fan of Donkey Kong Country, which has now become one of my favourite franchises, so I have to go with that. The reveal for Banjo & Kazooie is an extremely close second though! I was screaming and whooping with joy at both reveals! Such good memories...
Re: Random: Waluigi Designer Shares Scrapped Character Art Of "Walpeach"
"Babe, wake up! Bowsette 2.0 just dropped!"
"Go back to sleep, dear."
Re: UK Charts: Super Mario RPG Tumbles Out Of The Top Ten
On behalf of the UK, I apologise for our generally poor taste in games.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Super Mario RPG?
I gave the original game an 8/10, but I won't be picking up this remake until Christmas. Still, I have a sneaking suspicion that it might score higher than the original for me personally. I'm thinking a 9/10.
Update after completing the game 100%: Yep, easy 9/10. A great, faithful remake. Give us more games like this, Nintendo! Just be sure to bump the challenge factor up a notch next time.
Re: Pokémon's COO Wants To Keep Franchise Going For "Hundreds Of Years"
I wish I could have the optimism of this guy.
Re: Talking Point: Does Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Need A Full Remake?
@PlusFan Good lord, no. Sorry, but that sounds absolutely awful. You'd really want to throw out everything that made Ocarina of Time such a memorable and intricately crafted experience in order to make it aimless and shallow like almost every modern open world game? That would ruin what makes this game so great in the first place. If that's the route they were going to take with a remake, I'd rather this game just be left in the past. After all, it's almost perfect as it is.
Re: Talking Point: Does Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Need A Full Remake?
Happy 25th anniversary to one of the all-time greats, Ocarina of Time. The title that changed gaming forever, and arguably where the Zelda franchise peaked. Though it might have been a little before my time, even I could tell how important and revolutionary this game was upon playing it for the first time. And yes, it still holds up to this day. May this immortal classic be remembered for generations to come.
On the subject of a remake, while I do sometimes daydream about a modern recreation of Ocarina of Time, I can't help but worry that it may be redundant or that it wouldn't capture the spirit of the original. After all, we already got a remake of the game on the 3DS, and while that version was by no means bad, I feel like it couldn't do justice to a game as legendary as this. A game as masterful and important to the industry as Ocarina of Time deserves something better, something truly special.
Re: UK Charts: Super Mario RPG Can't Jump To The Top Five In Its Debut Week On Switch
This game deserves better sales.
Re: Bandai Namco Survey Asks Pac-Man World Re-PAC Players To Share Their Experience
I had a good time with this remake. Here's hoping Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac becomes a reality in the future! I've heard good things about the original game.
Re: Pikmin 4 Has Sold 2.61 Million Units In Just Over Two Months
@nimnio That argument falls apart when you realise that Nintendo released Pikmin 1-3 on the Switch prior to 4's release in order to familiarise new players with the series and its story, with Pikmin 3 Deluxe specifically adding new story content that addressed unresolved plot points from the original game. People are still discovering this series' origins because all of the games are so accessible now, so suddenly rebooting the story in the 4th numbered entry confuses new fans and alienates older ones. Nobody asked for a reboot, plain and simple.
It was so easy for them to create a plot that is unrelated to the previous games without retconning the entire series out of existence (see every other Nintendo franchise with the exception of Star Fox, which is a separate case), and the fact that they chose not to do that feels like a decision intentionally made to punish long-time fans for being invested in these games.
Additionally, it's not like Pikmin's story was ever that complicated, so why would Nintendo feel the need to reboot it in the first place? It certainly wasn't for the benefit of new players who don't know what happened before. It's simply an idiotic decision by developers that likely didn't care about the game being consistent with the older titles.
But, let's just pretend for a moment that a reboot was actually necessary. Nintendo could have at least answered all of the lingering questions from Pikmin 3's ending instead of dangling the promise of answers over our heads for 10 years, only to pull the rug out from underneath us at the last moment by saying "surprise, none of that stuff matters anymore!"
The overall point I'm trying to make here is that a cohesive world and story can elevate a game's quality beyond what it normally would be. Acting like they're not important only leads to us getting worse experiences overall. I don't think it's too much to ask for a basic level of consistency in the games we play.
Re: Surprise! Nintendo Is Officially Working On A Live-Action Legend Of Zelda Movie
I'm gonna need a day or two to process this information...
Re: Pikmin 4 Has Sold 2.61 Million Units In Just Over Two Months
@RBRTMNZ Thank you for taking the time to read my comment and giving a respectful reply rather than just acting dismissive like some other people.
It sounds like you don't value story and characters in games as much as I do. There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, but I wouldn't even say this game's story is very good on its own. As soon as Olimar is saved, the Rescue Corps immediately blast off while leaving the S.S. Dolphin, other castaways and uncured leaflings stuck on the planet, and only turn around because Oatchi is sick. This implies that they were so focused on rescuing Olimar to the point where they were willing to just up and abandon the rest of their mission as soon as he's saved, and care more for the wellbeing of their dog than the people they're supposed to be saving. Some rescue squad...
Regarding Olimar not resonating with you, did you ever take the time to read through the Piklopedia entries in Pikmin 2 and 3? Those games gave such a deep insight into Olimar's mind and personal life, making him one of Nintendo's best written protagonists. That's why the main character being a generic avatar in Pikmin 4 is so disappointing, since we don't get that same insight. Sure, Olimar's notes are in 4's Piklopedia, but you have to play for hours to unlock them. Until then, you're stuck with Dalmo, who offers the most worthless and repetitive commentary in the entire series ("this creature is so cute!", repeat ad nausuem). Also, the fact the game is a reboot leads to glaring inconsistencies in Olimar's notes, since the devs just copy-pasted a majority of his notes from 2 and 3, leading to him referencing creatures that he shouldn't have encountered before according to this game.
I'm someone who likes to play most games to completion, and I've fully completed every previous Pikmin game with zero Pikmin deaths multiple times, so I'm pretty good at these games. The few times I did go for platinum medals in the Dandori battles/challenges, it was extremely annoying, because I realised just how essential the upgrades for Oatchi are. You can't even handicap yourself for a greater challenge by not buying upgrades since they're practically mandatory for full completion. So you either make the easy parts of the game (most of it) harder by not buying any upgrades, but in turn make the actual difficult parts beyond frustrating, or you cave in, buy the upgrades and steamroll the whole game without a problem. That is, until auto lock-on rears its ugly head again.
In regards to controlling Pikmin, I'd still say Pikmin 3 Deluxe did it better. The lock-on and pathfinding was much better, and the game didnt stop you from throwing Pikmin at an object once you'd thrown the minimum amount required to carry it. You also weren't limited to only 3 Pikmin types at any given time. All 3 was missing was the lineup trumpet, which is in Pikmin 4, but it's unlocked so late into the game that it barely gets any use, so its inclusion ultimately doesn't matter.
And yes, you can brute force entire challenges with Oatchi. Just to demonstrate how broken he is, Gimmick Gambit can be beaten in 10 seconds by abusing Oatchi's jump. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6GJx0wqZio
Lastly, saying the tutorials get less intrusive after 60 hours isn't exactly a very good look when it comes to selling the game to somebody.
I have no desire to give this game a second chance. The fact that it's a reboot alone has killed my interest in it. If this is the direction of the series from now on, I'm done with Pikmin going forward.
Re: Pikmin 4 Has Sold 2.61 Million Units In Just Over Two Months
@Tarolusa For the record, I loved Super Mario Odyssey, and I really like the look of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, so my reasoning for disliking Pikmin 4 goes much deeper than just "new game bad." Maybe read my comment explaining this game's problems rather than just immediately dismissing my opinion as little more than blind hate.
Re: Pikmin 4 Has Sold 2.61 Million Units In Just Over Two Months
@LastFootnote @RBRTMNZ Strap in, this comment will be a long one.
A lot of my issues with Pikmin 4 stem from it being a continuity reboot. This game throws out 20 years worth of story that was slowly built up over the course of the previous games. Pikmin 3's ending in particular left several questions regarding the Plasm Wraith and the frequent ship crashes unanswered. Now we will most likely never get answers to any of those questions. It's a slap in the face to those who got invested in the world and characters.
This game's cast is far too bloated, filled with one-note characters that say nothing of value and never learn to shut up, killing the lonely atmosphere that made the older games, especially the first one, so special. On top of that, the main character being a silent self-insert for the player makes bonding with them impossible.
Olimar and Louie also have their characterisation hurt by the reboot. Olimar never went through all of the struggles seen in the previous games and never bonded with the Pikmin. Louie, who had ambigious morality in Pikmin 2 (and to a lesser extent 3) is now a deranged sociopath who straight up attempts to murder you for trying to rescue him. This horribly misrepresents his established character.
As for gameplay, this game is far too intrusive when it comes to tutorials and dialogue. It constantly holds your hand to a patronising degree, never trusting you to make your own decisions. This is perfectly exemplified by the blight on this game's controls that is automatic lock-on. 90% of the time it makes the game braindead easy, and the other 10% it actively hinders you by locking onto something you actively don't want to be aiming at. And it can't be turned off. It's ironic that a feature meant to help players ends up becoming such a huge source of frustration.
Additionally, due to Dandori battles and challenges being incorporated into the main story instead of being separate modes, the difficulty is wildly inconsistent, which hurts the overall experience. Players who want a challenge have to slog through hours of mindless gameplay (before having to deal with auto lock-on making things needlessly more difficult), and those who want a relaxed experience will have a rude awakening when they reach these battles/challenges.
And then there's Oatchi. Oatchi single-handedly destroys the balance of this game. He can do almost everything Pikmin can do but better, and manages to overshadow the Pikmin in their own game. His inclusion also destroys the multi-tasking aspect of the series. Far too often, you'll come across a hazard or puzzle that can't be overcome without Oatchi, which, for a game all about encouraging good "Dandori" by splitting up to accomplish more, is extremely counter-intuitive. Pikmin 3 Deluxe already perfected the controls and multi-tasking element (not to mention the multiplayer), so all they had to do was copy what that game did.
Lastly, the music in this game is far too subdued and largely forgettable, which is a problem shared with the newer Zelda titles. Even Hey! Pikmin has a better soundtrack than this game. (If you haven't heard that game's soundtrack, I recommend giving it a listen. It blows 4's soundtrack out of the water.)
Tl;dr - Reboot ruins the story, characters and atmosphere, game is far too easy until it's suddenly not, music is non-existent, Oatchi breaks the game, automatic lock-on.
Re: Nintendo Reconfirms Release Windows For Major Upcoming Switch Games
I NEED a more specific release window for The Thousand-Year Door Remake. I have to know when I can finally hold it in my own two hands!
Re: Pikmin 4 Has Sold 2.61 Million Units In Just Over Two Months
Well, when you simplify a series for the casual audience as much as this game did, of course it will become the best selling entry.
I desperately wanted Pikmin 4 to succeed prior to release, but I ended up hating the game, so this has become a huge Monkey's Paw scenario for me. It honestly depresses me to see a game that so wildly misunderstands everything that made Pikmin good in the first place become the best selling entry in the series. Now future entries are only going to stray even further from what made the first 2-3 games so great, and that's something I have no interest in seeing unfold. Just like Zelda, this series has left its most dedicated long-time fans behind, and I have nothing to look forward to anymore. It hurts even more that this happened with Pikmin, since it was always one of my absolute most favourite franchises that I cherished dearly. Now it's one that I couldn't care less about the future of. Oh well, at least I have Pikmin 1+2 and Pikmin 3 Deluxe to go back to.
P.S. - To anyone confused by my attitude towards Pikmin 4, I grew up with the first three games, so I am one of this series' biggest fans, and I'm more than willing to explain in full detail every single thing this game gets wrong compared to the original trilogy.
Re: Tears Of The Kingdom Continues To Prove That 'Open World Zelda' Is A Best-Selling Formula
I'm not surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Still Making Them, So What amiibo Do You Still Want To See?
I wouldn't say no to amiibo of Geno and Mallow.
Re: Hands On: Born Of Bread Is A Cut Above Other Paper Mario-Like RPGs
@blindsquarel My bad then. I tried to frame that comment in a way that wouldn't come across as standoff-ish, but it may have come across as more passive-aggressive than I intended. I won't deny that TTYD isn't perfect, and that Super Paper Mario has underwhelming gameplay compared to its predecessors. I also won't deny that the artstyle of the newer games is good in a vacuum, and that the music of those games is arguably better. Please see my above comment if you'd like to read a more thorough critique from me on the direction of the modern games (specifically Origami King).
Re: Hands On: Born Of Bread Is A Cut Above Other Paper Mario-Like RPGs
@blindsquarel I never said any of that, so please don't put words in my mouth.
Re: Hands On: Born Of Bread Is A Cut Above Other Paper Mario-Like RPGs
@the_beaver I haven't played TOK, but before you completely ignore the rest of my comment, please hear me out! I've watched several hour-long reviews of this game, and I believe I have some points that are worth bringing up.
Origami King's narrative and dialogue suffer from the same problem as Sticker Star and Colour Splash in that they hinge entirely on the world and characters being made out of paper. This is in contrast to the original trilogy which had stellar worldbuilding and writing while barely acknowledging the paper theme as being anything more than an artstyle. Toad Town and Rogueport especially feel like actual lived-in places as opposed to one big diorama filled with characters that constantly acknowledge the fact that they're made of paper. It gets old fast and kills the immersion even faster.
The frequent meta jokes and meme humour also feel incredibly forced and come across as trying too hard to be funny, whereas the first three games, generally speaking, had a wider variety of jokes, most of which were more subtle and cleverly written as well.
This game also still suffers from needless creative restrictions placed on character designs. I'm so sick and tired of seeing nothing but generic Toads and enemies in these games, and I dearly miss the memorable, iconic and visually distinct casts of the first three titles. I don't remember Generic Toad #5003 or "Bob-omb". I do remember Goombella, Admiral Bobbery, Vivian, Doopliss, Lord Crump, Count Bleck, Dimentio, I could go on. And don't even get me started on the boss designs. You can only take the paper theme so far before you end up with literal office supplies as bosses, which is exactly what this game did. The Legion of Stationary are beyond a joke, and are the perfect representation of scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Lastly, Origami King constantly goes out of its way to undermine any serious emotional moments it has. Bobb- sorry, "Bob-omb" sacrifices himself (something that could have easily been avoided btw) and Mario and Olivia mourn him for a while, only for them to sacrifice dozens upon dozens of Bob-ombs in a similar fashion later on, and they don't give it a second thought.
King Olly especially might just be the worst villain I've ever seen in a game. His entire motivation is that his creator scribbled on him, so he wants to commit genocide against his creator's species because he can't tell the difference between Toads. Not only is this an extremely unsubtle metaphor for the creative restrictions behind this game that actively mocks fans of the older games for being upset about it, but it becomes even more stupid when it's revealed that Olly's creator wrote on him saying he wanted him to be a good king. Olly only learns this after his plan to commit mass genocide has failed, says what basically amounts to "whoops, sorry", then dies. And we're supposed to feel bad for him? lol
I hope you've made it this far and now have a better understanding of why I and others have such disdain for this game. And to anyone who may try to discredit my arguments because I "haven't even played it", that doesn't make my points any less valid. I've seen and heard enough about this game to know that it isn't worth my time or money.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Re: Hands On: Born Of Bread Is A Cut Above Other Paper Mario-Like RPGs
Removed
Re: The Mario Movie Had No Influence On Wonder's New Character Designs, Says Developers
Well, isn't that interesting to know.
Side-eyes Princess Peach Showtime
In all seriousness, I'm so glad that the characters are much more animated in Wonder. It makes this game feel all the more refreshing after 15+ years of New Super Mario Bros. games.
Re: Random: One "New" Wii U Was Apparently Sold In The US Last Month
@SykoMuffin Glad I could be of service.
Re: Random: One "New" Wii U Was Apparently Sold In The US Last Month
"One Nintendo Wii U, please."
"Sorry sir, do you mean the Nintendo Switch?"
"No, the Wii U."
Re: Mario & Luigi's New Voice Actor Has Been Revealed
"whose most famous role to date is Arnold from Genshin Impact"
Re: Random: Nintendo Gives Princess Peach Some Facial Tweaks In 'Showtime!' Key Art
While I prefer the new expression for Kung-fu Peach, I miss vanilla Peach's old joyful expression. It fits the Peach I've come to know much better, especially since she's not playing any particular role in her original form.
While it didn't bother me at the time, I'm worried that Peach's portrayal in the movie will cause her to gradually stray further from her established demeanour in the games, especially when we have another princess, Daisy, who fits the bill of more active and assertive princess already.
Re: Random: Footage Of Nintendo's Weird Zelda: Majora's Mask E3 Event Resurfaces
What a delightfully wild and unnerving discovery. Despite not growing up during that time, I miss the early 2000s and all of the wacky and creative things to come from Nintendo in that era, both in terms of their advertising and the games themselves.
Funnily enough, not only does a cult/tribe use Majora's Mask in the game's backstory, but a cult would later become the focus of a particulary famous creepypasta/ARG based on this very game. Coincidence?
Re: Random: Bowser Tries To Woo Elephant Peach In Super Mario Bros. Wonder Ad
@Snatcher Psst, don't tell this to anyone, but I didn't even make the original meme in the first place, so you're free to do what you want.
Re: Random: Bowser Tries To Woo Elephant Peach In Super Mario Bros. Wonder Ad