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People can’t figure out a two button racing game and claim it has bad controls? No wonder Sakurai sighed so heavily and called adding a second button unfortunate.

Someone tell Dungeon Chill, he’s gonna love hearing this about Aquanaut’s Holiday.

The only true unlimited power in gaming is the ability for gamers to make ridiculous hyperbolic statements.

Reminder that this isn’t the system’s manual; it’s an app they created that goes far beyond acting as a simple list of data points.

Reminder that Nintendo fans hate tutorials but suddenly want this one.

Reminder that it’s nothing you are forced to buy, is a small novelty that likely takes an hour to get through, and serves no real function at all toward the usability or enjoyment of the system.

Reminder that it likely would go on sale down the line if it means that much to you, the latter of which is dubious.

Reminder that this being separate prevents it from a price hike in the base price.

I do think it should be a free pack in but the outrage over this could not feel more disingenuous.

I think a number of people come to this Nintendo centric site just to loudly complain about Nintendo in front of Nintendo fans because they get some ridiculous troll thrill out of it, and use it to justify some truly awful, childish takes.

You know, it’s very odd to me that gamers for years have screamed bloody murder about every single tutorial Nintendo has put out, only to lose their collective minds about this one.

You can’t have it both ways, fellas.

And that’s not even considering that gamers supposedly pride themselves on knowing all the tech inside and out already.

This isn’t for you, and yet suddenly, it’s the hill you want to die on?

Make it make sense.

It’s going to be a small novelty that would hold one’s appeal for an hour and then never be touched again. You know you wouldn’t even bother with it if it were pre-installed or free to download. Mountains outta Monty Mole’s molehills.

There’s an animator named Matthew Gafford making a series called “A Fox in Space” on YouTube. He’s doing it all on his own, so it takes forever for new content to arrive. But it is absolutely stellar - a brilliant take on Star Fox lore. It’s funny, tragic, weaves in the history and other trivia bits that the series has accumulated, etc.

The art style looks a little crude, but ultimately it works to the advantage of the show. It feels very much like something out of the 70s, when you had Ralph Bakshi making stuff. Plus it does improve over time (in case it feels offputting at the start; just give it some time and you’ll definitely learn to love it).

It truly fleshes out the characters in a way that feels organic and reasonable. You can tell that Gafford loves the Star Fox universe is pouring a huge amount of passion and soul into the project. He’s breathing a lot of life into an established universe in a very sensible and deft way.

If I had to compare it similar projects, I’d say it has the same approach as The Protomen’s rock opera takes on the Megaman universe. Both of them are telling a story that takes the original material and then builds upon them in ways that truly celebrate and sculpt it into something that’s familiar and new, while both respecting the original as it is being built out.

Anyway, really incredible stuff from an indie animator. Totally makes it clear that Star Fox would lend itself incredibly well to a movie treatment.

Torn. I really commend the creators’ commitment to multiple versions that are unique to their platforms, with different UI, fonts, etc. I assume the solutions will be the same across every platform (only just now learning about this game so maybe this is already known), with the differences found primarily in presentation (such as one version having voice work).

What bugs me is the comparison to Maniac Mansion. On the one hand, it’s clearly lifting a ton from it, to the point where it seems to be bordering on outright copying versus an homage. The bit about the rat in the microwave is a clear callout, and that’s fine, but there’s also a ton of other things that feel way less inspired-by and more just “oh yeah we are basically just palette switching the original game.” Like having a character who is protective of their PC, which is obviously a Weird Ed standin. Like that’s too on the nose.

I’m also not wild about the super generic anime motifs. There’s already like five different art styles, and topping it off with something outta early 2000s Flash toons feels like an attempt to get attention. I can’t be too harsh about that because at the end of the day, everything in the industry is about getting attention.

So for me personally, it’s sitting in this weird limbo space where - as a huge fan of PnC 90s adventures, Lucasarts, and Maniac Mansion specifically - I’m very intrigued, but I’m put off by some of the choices that feel very disingenuous. It’s one thing to wear your inspiration on your sleeve, and even to take a different spin on it. But when you say you’re doing that and then you wholesale bring in entire bits and pieces from your inspiration, it feels lazy, and then I start wondering if maybe making a single version and putting effort into story and making your game feel more unique would have been the better path to choose.

It’s hard to want to support something that looks like it’s overstepping a bit into gimmick territory by having bullet points like “we made physical cartridges of every platform!” But my endless adoration for this genre while also respecting the sheer achievement from an indie dev makes me hopeful.

Probably won’t back it (been burned too many times) but will eagerly look forward to reviews and hope for/wish them the best.

I maintain there should be a Conan O’Brien alt costume with new dialogue for this character.

@BulkSlash It's actually "cracked" but I had initially thought it meant "crooked" as well.

@Zeebor15 That's interesting, because their initial launch of the Nitro Deck included two color variants that were exclusive to LRG.

Not defending this practice here - because I think the entire idea of FOMO and limited run stuff is just business approved gatekeeping - but I do want to point out that CRKD has said this was their business model from the beginning. Like it was always known that their Nitro Decks were designed to have colors go out of production, and they've had the app since day one (where you scan in your purchase and are told how rare it is).

Now it IS true that in recent months, they've stepped up the exclusivity/vault/limited run talk a bit more, which seemed to start with the release of the NEO S controllers and was continued with the Atom controllers. I'm just saying that the whole idea behind their company was kind of laid out at the start, and there was always talk about how certain editions would release, only be available in limited quantities/timeframes, etc.

I think it's strange to go so hard in on this idea when it's a small and niche community to begin with. There's a distinct difference in appeal and desire compared to, say, the PS5 Pro 30th edition. I don't think someone is going to resell their Gamecube inspired Nitro Deck for hundreds of dollars down the line; you'd really have to have Nintendo themselves doing that kind of thing for it to generate that level of excitement and desire.

As for CRKD's products, I think they are maybe in the B- range or so. Definitely not perfect, feel well enough but not something I think most people would seek out unless they absolutely cannot handle the Joycon form factor.

Being allowed to spew hate isn't the same as equality. People would do well to learn the difference.

You've got a million other games that appeal to you, but you'd rather focus on something that you either disagree with or feel threatened by, and then choose to further exacerbate your own insecurity by insulting anyone who disagrees. Ridiculous.

You've got every ability to voice your opinion without calling for the harm of others. You can not purchase the game, you can stop coming to this site, you can retreat to your echo chambers. But instead you willingly come here to start fights and complain, making your tantrums public in the hopes of getting support from like minded people, all for the purposes of trying to connect with other like minded haters.

Instead of doing anything constructive or taking any initiative to better your own lives and those around you, you choose to just be angry. You've got your own choices and power and it's being squandered on nothing but hate.

If you can't handle representation, and you make no better decision than to voice your bigotry, then you've already lost. And not even in a small way - you're eternally defeated. Let the rest of us move along without you because we don't need it.

Oh no, won't be able to post on a service overrun with some of the literal worst people on the planet.

Amazing - people get laid off through no fault of their own, and there are clowns out there dunking on them for wanting therapy and support. The whole victim blaming thing is a tired and embarrassing look.

LOL at people blaming this on the cUlTuRE WaR. If the game had done well, that topic wouldn’t even be discussed, but because the game is struggling, suddenly you have validation for your hilariously bad take.

Give it a rest. There are far more practical reasons for the game not doing well. Don’t be so embarrassing.