The Denver Broncos use Peyton MVP Manning. It's Super Bowl XLVIII-winning effective! 😉 Lifelong, diehard Broncos fan here. GO BRONCOS, bring the Lombardi trophy back to Denver!
@Ryno
Ah, we meet again! 😁 I'm expecting a better outcome for me on Sunday than the Thunder/Heat 2012 NBA Finals! Good luck to both our teams (but, more to mine 😉). Oh yeah, I love that this is an old-school AFC West showdown. Reminds me of John Elway vs. Brian Bosworth (Bosmouth, lol) in the late 80s! There's a little more than a division title at stake this time!!!
It's as simple as this for me: If that article picture ever becomes a reality, and my only way to continue to be a Nintendo gamer is through crappy touchscreens, then I'll cease to be a Nintendo gamer (except as a Nintendo retro gamer).
All these calls from people who are non-gamers for Nintendo to release games for smartphones/tablets, blah blah blah, are beyond foolish. Even those of you who do find iOS/android games outside of simple Angry Birds-like stuff: Try to imagine Super Mario World touchscreen-only. If that were to become the only way to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc. Nintendo would indeed not follow in Sega's footsteps. It'd follow in Atari's, right into the video gaming abyss, since many of the games Nintendo has become known and loved for would become unplayable on touchscreen, and Nintendo would see an exodus of fans away from them (including myself).
Let's see if the more foolish of Nintendo's investors, and their wallets, would be pleased with that outcome! Maybe they'd be able to afford Nintendo's Angry Birds Mario clone for $2.99. It's about the only Mario iOS game that'd be remotely playable. Maybe add Dr. Mario. Beyond such simplicity, forget it.
I know some of you are iOS/Android gamers. No offense, and power to you! But, from where I stand, this craze is destroying gaming, financially, and creatively. Need a glimpse at a Nintendo smartphone future? Look at SquareEnix, and how their almost single-minded focus on smartphone gaming, with money grabs like Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, has damaged the Final Fantasy brand, and the company itself!
I love finding out about unused material and betas from great games of the past! It's very interesting to see what could've been. Thankfully, the MMX stage select we got, and final theme versions were better than the betas in this video. Seems that this stage select (?) theme would've fit better in the classic Mega Man series.
I feel so old, realizing this month is MMX's 20th anniversary! I remember getting it around mid/late January, '94. Ah, 1994: The Mega Man X series was born, Mega Man in general was thriving, and Capcom was a 3rd party KING! Alas, things don't always change for the better.
On a side note, there are some great 20th anniversaries this year, besides Mega Man X: Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Super Punch-Out!!, Final Fantasy VI (released as FF III outside Japan, of course), NBA Jam, Saturday Night Slam Masters, Super Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat II (w/blood & fatalities on SNES 😳), and Super Return of the Jedi! Note, these are console versions of some of those, and I know some, like FFVI probably dropped in Japan in '93. And this is coming from a Super Nintendo gamer. I'm sure there were some Genesis greats too, including ports of some I mentioned. 1994 was a great year for gaming! And now, thinking of that year, Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do" will be stuck in my head all night. 😝
The title of this article could accurately be "Talking Point: Is The (fill in the blank)________ Series Finished With Nintendo", and it would be true of most any beloved third-party series from the NES/SNES days. Castlevania, Contra, Goemon, Gradius, Metal Gear (of course some of those series are on hiatus)... Does anybody here think we'll actually see these games on a Nintendo system again (outside of VC releases)? I don't like to be pessimistic, but I am realistic, and I'd be surprised to see ANY Konami game on Wii U (and, to a lesser extent, more Konami games on 3DS).
And it's not just Konami games by a long shot. From Capcom: Street Fighter, Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Ghosts 'n Goblins. Final Fantasy from Square-Enix. I doubt we see anymore of them on Wii U OR 3DS. The problem isn't just Wii U's install base. To a degree, I think that's becoming an overly cited myth. In my opinion, it's Nintendo's generally poor 3rd-party relations, and the perception by 3rd parties (sometimes true, sometimes not) that only Nintendo titles sell on Nintendo systems. 3DS has a massive install base now! Is it getting Final Fantasy V & VI remakes, like DS got III & IV remakes? Nope. Besides XIII sequels, XIV Online, and XV, the only FF is on iOS these days. This is our reality as Nintendo fans. To varying degrees, it has been since the first PlayStation, and the exodus to disc gaming. The perception is that all we want is Nintendo titles, and perception is EVERYTHING, so that's next-to all we're going to get... Unless we get the latest PlayStation, or Xbox.
As for the Castlevania series, I'd guess that after LoS 2, it'll go on the back burner PERIOD for a while. Supposedly, this is the last LoS game (I fit into the "good riddance" category). What is Konami going to do next? Take a step back and return to the old series, or reboot it a second time in 4 years? Neither seems likely to me, so I think this might be the end of Castlevania for a good long while.
Konami itself seems to be in great decline as a game maker, with seemingly little interest in anything but the Metal Gear Solid franchise. I don't know if it's focus on casino gaming, or what, but aside from CV, MGS is about the only thing Konami is doing as of late (then again, I rarely follow them these days)..
Finally (I didn't intend such a long message), it's sad that so many of the great, classic 3rd party franchises are in deep decline, or dead. To paraphrase Old Snake, "Gaming... has changed." It seems to me that there was a seismic shift toward first-person shooter franchises last generation, and the old guard was left out in the cold. As far as the game series I grew up with, I'm thankful for Nintendo, because outside of its franchises, the greats of old are a dying breed in this Call of Duty/Farmville/Candy Crush Saga world (even some of its franchises, like Metroid and Star Fox, are rarely seen these days).
Rainbow Road is so gorgeous! 1 SSB for 3DS SOLD I hope there's a remix, or original version of the Super Mario Kart RR theme (my all-time favorite Mario Kart song) on this stage!
Problems like this sure help make the case for physical copies over downloads! Sorry to those of you who can't download ALBW, and whatnot. Was going to download a couple of VC games myself.
And I'll add my voice to those hoping that this is a sign of a gazillion new Wii U owners this Christmas! Otherwise, Iwata-San will have some explainin' to do to shareholders in a few months. :/
This feels so... random. I don't know how to feel about Zelda mishmashing with another franchise like this. Is this going to be Zelda canon, or is this something that won't be canon for either franchise? Is this a Doki Doki Panic/SMB2 reskin thing?
The feeling I got from today's announcements is that Nintendo doesn't quite know what to do, and is throwing some off-the-wall concepts of theirs at consumers, to see if anything sticks. That's all I can take from some of the bizarre stuff to come out of Nintendo direct, including this concoction! I'm not saying its bad or good, just weird, and random. The randomness of this & NES Remix sure looks like a sign of things to come in 2014.
I do hope mixing Nintendo/random franchise universes is not going to be a regular thing going forward, however (except for SSB). I'd like to see Samus soon, but not in Hyrule lol.
Not exactly thrilled about this. More consoles already supported on Wii VC, that will undoubtedly produce more titles already available on Wii VC. Except MSX, and if it wasn't available outside of Japan during the Wii era, I doubt it will this time. So, Japan will get more of the same!
I'd be excited if they were supporting the likes of Saturn or Dreamcast, but not over this. Already, we barely see actual, you know, HANDHELD 3DS VC games. This just tells me to expect more of the same from both VC services, so at the expense of sounding negative, I'm going to continue going into Thursdays with reasonably low expectations. Nice thing about that is what a wonderful surprise it is when something special pops up on either VC!
On a side note, interesting that non-Nintendo consoles have been announced before N64 on Wii U VC. Wonder if there is emulation difficulty?
This is easily the happiest I've been about a gaming award outcome in a long time. I think it's easy to say that ALBW is one of the very best Zeldas and recent handheld games, and it deserved this honor!
It'll be interesting to see if ALBW stands the test of time, and is as revered as ALttP and other older Zelda titles in 20 years.
I'm just repeating what many have already said, but how do you NOT make a bigger announcement than a playable character? Epecially in front of an audience of gamers! All due respect to Cranky, but I don't think this announcement was exactly a system seller. New Metroid, Zelda Wii U title announcement, Smash footage... I can think of several things that would cause more Wii U buzz. It's all about missed opportunities, like the full YEAR'S head start Nintendo had on the "twins."
I love Nintendo. Big N has been a big part of my life for over 26 years. That said, my God they make some stupid decisions. I really question how much planning goes into what they do.
The original DK is legendary, but I doubt announcing him for DKC: TF had much impact on the hardcores and brodudes. Especially when these are gamers who would follow gaming news, and the Cranky rumor came up just recently, so they ALREADY FRIGGIN SUSPECTED IT! :/
"Light the fuse." Intentional, or accidental "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" reference? Either way, you earn my Internets for the day, Damien. I'll have to listen to that sequel's version of the classic M:I theme when I play this level now. I'm going to be ready to explode myself by the time I play this masterpiece at Christmas. :/
As a secondary alternate to the game's music, I may have to listen to some Scott Pilgrim vs. the World music. KIMBERLY!!! "WE ARE SEX BOB-OMB!!!"
In the first pic, are... are those Kuribo's Shoes on SKATES??? Forget 10/10. Make it 11/10. ^.^ And, I want my Colorado Avalanche to have those skates! They'd be unbeatable/Stanley Cup here we come. 😜
Seriously, I only had ALBW reserved, then decided to reserve SM3DW last week. Now, to find out it's a game of the year nominee, and highly positive reviews... I'm happy with my decision! PlayStation 4 & Xbone? What are those? ALBW & SM3DW are all I need. 😉
You look at it, and articles like it about the new generation of console wars, you'll rarely even see Nintendo or Wii U mentioned. Nintendo is treated like an irrelevant 3rd party presidential candidate. It's all about Sony vs. Microsoft. Why, I don't know. I'm not sure if the media thinks Nintendo is too "kiddy", and the other two are cooler for covering a console war between (and better for attracting viewers/readers).
The general media playing king-maker is bad for Nintendo, though, because it creates a public perception of them being irrelevant, and that perception can be a powerful thing to impressionable, trend-conscious consumers.
It's all frustrating, because it feels like the general media wants Nintendo to fail and become a 3rd party, so it'll just be Sony vs. Microsoft. I'll bet what the media REALLY wants is Apple to enter the console gaming ring, then squeeze Sony out into the cold, so it can cover a Microsoft vs. Apple contest.
Here's what's driving me nuts. 3rd parties don't even bother making excuses anymore for why they aren't porting to Wii U. They're just acting like it doesn't exist. You have Metal Gear Solid V & MSG: Ground Zeroes going to PS3, PS4, X360, and Xbone (last I knew).
If instances like this continue, where gamers see greatly wanted 3rd party games ported to even last-gen systems, but not Wii U, I don't see how it winds up anything but a distant third place. Nintendo's franchises are the best in the world (IMO, and I'm sure many others), but they can only do so much. There are people like me, who'll be getting PS4/Xbone for 3rd party games they know they can CURRENTLY expect to miss out on with Wii U. I'll be getting a PS4 later on, just for Final Fantasy XV and future FF games that I know have about a .001% chance of ever showing up on Wii U.
It sounds like this is "better" than most TMNT games, but it's been sad seeing the franchise fall so far games-wise since the Turtles in Time pinnacle over 20 years ago.
Strange thing is, all these years and generations after we saw many franchises born (in the NES/SNES days), many have such a hard time recapturing their old magic. Some of those franchises are in limbo, or simply dead! I wonder if it's us, with rose-tinted glasses, or some developers forgot how to make magical games that stick with us?
Ironically, it seems that short of the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Konami has fallen as far as the TMNT games have in the 21 years since SNES Turtles in Time. Konami has almost disappeared altogether.
@Diddy_kong That's a great observation about use of the Wiimote in commercials! That could lead parents with no knowledge of the system to think Wii U is just some Wii add-on. I wonder if anybody thinks these things through? Using Wii U Pro Controllers would've been wiser (then again, it may've been a problem, because New Super Mario Bros. U, for example, didn't support it at the time).
@U-I Yeah, it just seems like foolishness to introduce another Wii product, at CHRISTMAS TIME, to further confuse parents. I wonder how many will buy Super Mario 3D World, and Wii Mini because it's cheap, then take BOTH back after Christmas when little Billy says you need a Wii U (that's far more expensive) to play 3D World?
@Turbo857 I completely agree with you. I don't think Wii U is a good name from a marketing (or any other) standpoint, but I agree. I just didn't take any time in my post to connect the name confusion with Nintendo's ineffectual marketing. I focused on the lack of exposure to other demographics.
1990: The Sega Genesis is coming, Nintendo is DOOMED! 2013: The PS4 & Xbone are coming, Nintendo is DOOMED! 2036: The (fill in the blank) is coming, Nintendo is DOOMED!
Seriously, I hope when a doctor tells me I'm doomed that I have Nintendo's longevity.
I largely blame the name confusion and horrible marketing for the poor sales. I remember seeing a couple of poorly done commercials for Wii, right before its release. That's it.
Also, Nintendo is not even trying to reach different audiences. From what I'm reading, there are ads, but largely on kids channels. I don't need a business degree to know that you need to cast a wide marketing net to at least attempt to bring in other demographics. I watch channels like AMC, USA, and TNT. I've seen PS4 & Xbone ads on them. Wii U? Nope. Plus, only marketing somewhere like Cartoon Network reenforces the misconception that Nintendo systems are kiddy systems.
Nintendo needs to start from scratch and try to make an effort on the advertising front. Clearly, the ad agency "Sterling Cooper & Partners" is NOT handling Nintendo's business! I highly recommend them, Big N! Get Don Draper on the job, he'll turn the ship around.
The first "Misadventures of Link" (great title, especially here almost 25 years after AoL's North American release) was hilarious! Wind Waker is such a great source of material for a video series like this. The game is a comic gold mine (some of the funniest scenes in a game EVARRR)! I can't wait to see if they do something creative with "The Barrel Launch", and "Tower of the Gods rising from the depths!" Cue "Goofy Hollar" from Link ^.^
Super Castlevania IV IS the peak of the franchise!!! No opposition here. You need to go no further than the intro of Dracula returning from the grave, to the tune of creepy music, to know you're in for a treat!
I hope the Halloween attention on it reminds long-time gamers, and shows first-time players how great Castlevania can be, and could be again in the right hands!
Oh, come on, Nintendo, really? REALLY??? You've been packing in games for 30 years. The Zelda series in particular has been celebrated for its beautiful gold game paks since 1987.
And, so, all that being the case, you release a lovely limited edition Zelda-themed system with a DOWNLOAD CODE? I know how eager you are to dump physical copies and avoid production costs, but it seems you could at least pretend you care for physical copy owners to a degree.
At least have it pre-installed. This reeks of laziness. Bad form, Nintendo. Then, there's the matter of not even the inclusion of a bare-bones paper manual with Wind Waker HD. Sometimes, I barely recognize you these days, Nintendo.
I'm with you, @Ryno . I've played too many games to have my top "X" games list solidifiedb but SCIV is in my top 10 games of all time! In my mind, it is the best of all Castlevanias, and the epitome of what Castlevania is. Huge, beautiful graphics/characters. Horror movie atmosphere and backgrounds. An incredible soundtrack that still puts game scores to shame 22 years later (it's like in my top 5 game scores).
Some will say "Symphony of the Night", others may say the "Lords of Shadow" reboot (sorry, to fans, but I detest it), but THIS is Castlevania to me, above all others. I hope the series one day returns to such greatness. I think if the original series hadn't strayed so far from what SCIV is, and become more of an anime (nothing against them, I love anime), there wouldn't have been a need to reboot the series!
My love of SCIV makes me feel guilty for being disappointed that it's not Bloodlines! Like so many others, I'm ready for many more VC games not already available for years on Wii VC (many NES games are now available on all 3 VCs... how about some variety???).
Now that Konami is supporting Wii U VC, I wonder if it'll get around to correcting the ultimate head-scratcher, that being the lack of the legendary NES Contra on VC?
@mariobro4 This is what we need about 1,000% of on Wii U VC! Super Castlevania IV will always be my fav Castlevania.
Problem for me is that I've had SC IV since the early SNES days, but I've never gotten to play Bloodlines (or Contra: Hardcorps). I waited and waited for it to come out on Wii VC. Now, there's the Wii U VC, and Genesis isn't in the console lineup! I guess I'm going to wind up having to buy a Genesis (and make physical/plug-in room) just for Bloodlines & Hardcorps, lol!
@wombatkidd Knowing OUaT, and the Gerudo/Arabian similarities, I can totally see that! I can just see an episode ending with Jafar's search for the Triforce of Power ending in futility. Suddenly, he notices an odd triangular object beginning to glow on the back of his hand (with typical cheesy OUaT special effects ). He realizes he's the reincarnation of Ganondorf! And Dark Link, who is now actually good Link (for the time being) lurking in the shadows. But, it needs to be a crossover episode. As an Evil Regal & Zelda fan, I need Regina vs. Twinrova handicap match in my life.
I have 1,001 things running through my mind right now. Maybe this Nintendo/ Disney thing isn't so bad. (Imagines Navi in Tinkerbell's shoes, powerless, but running around human-sized yelling, "HEY, LISTEN") Or not.
Oh, and how does OUaT Wonderland fit into the Zelda timeline? I'm sure Disney would commission another Hyrule Historia just for that, and to hype the new OUaT Wonderland season, and Termina spinoff.
I actually thought the other day how interesting it'd be if Queen Regina were to visit the Mushroom Kingdom, or Hyrule, in an episode of "Once Upon a Time." Then, I realized they'd make Link a villain, Ganondorf an anti-hero, and Zelda would dabble in prostitution after getting amnesia.
Such is symbolic of the weirdness that might be done in gaming with Nintendo franchises, along with what I fear would be a colossal drop in quality. It was a fun fantasy, but that's the way I'd rather it be: A fantasy. Reality would be nowhere near as good.
I love that this is coming out around the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. 2 USA, with Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad playable (and with their own characteristics). Makes me wonder if Nintendo planned it that way, or they have some kind of "cycle" for bringing back certain game formulas.
I can't help but hope for a guest-starring spot from Wart, or at least some reference to him.
That turquoise one makes me feel nostalgic. My one and only Nintendo DS (I skipped DSi) is a turquoise "Nintendogs Best Friends Edition" DS that I got for Christmas in 2005! I still play it occasionally.
Boy, they brought out the "heavy hitters" for the VC services, didn't they? 😜 I guess it's progress for 3DS, though. I think it had 3 or 4 weeks without a VC release.
Ok, @tbd. Sorry. It's amazing how far-reaching and unexpectedly things like this can effect our lives. This is a good example. Who'd have expected this? Shutdown almost even ruined football games for the service academies here.
Is that a giant wheel of cheddar? WANT (the cheese and game)!!! ^.^ Also, with David Wise back as series composer, and this being DKC's 2nd game back w/Dixie's return, I hope we get a remix of Mining Melancholy from DKC 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (by far my fav DKC song).
All three Final Fight SNES games released in one day??? This... [youtube:X0gHU-_p81o] I hope NA gets them this week. And yay for the days of fighting game damsels, like Jessica, and Double Dragon's Marian!!! 😍
The VC, particularly Wii U's, has just become pathetic. In all the months it's been around, Earthbound is the only release unique to Wii U VC. And most 3DS VC releases are NES repeats already on Wii AND Wii U VC. Nintendo even treats old releases like an event (like SMB 3 forthcoming... all due respect to it). I don't know why I even check this article every week. I guess to see if one of the Game Boy Mega Man sequels have arrived (where are they...). I know better than to even hope for anything special on Wii U. Of course, at least it got ONE release this week.
Sad thing is, if Nintendo released something new and exciting like Earthbound more often, it could be used as a selling point for Wii U. I hate being negative and blowing off steam like this, but Wii U VC is one uninteresting joke right now. Nintendo should be trying harder than this, especially when it's supposedly trying to pull Wii U from the abyss. I even find that effort questionable.
Sorry to be a complainer, but VC is what I look forward to each week, and it's become absolutely pitiful.
EDIT: 77% "nothing for me this week" as of this edit. I think that says it all. If Nintendo wants to push digital downloads on us with actions like releasing Wind Waker a fortnight earlier on eShop, they might want to try improving their non-retail selection, such as the VC releases. I'd encourage those who agree to express their displeasure on Club Nintendo surveys. I know it does little good complaining here, beyond getting the frustration off one's chest.
Now that that's settled, what are they going to do to return the Mariners to relevance. They've accomplished little on the field since setting a regular season wins record in the early 2000s. They failed to reach the World Series that year, and the franchise is one of only 2 or 3 never to play in the fall classic.
I'd like to see them make some big moves to contend for the AL West again. Because of their connection to Nintendo, I root for them secondarily to my Colorado Rockies.
Have to wonder if they may've eventually went to, and won the World Series if Griffey hadn't gone to Cincy.
Also, I'm glad Seattle won't have to worry about having another team stolen from them. I'm a Thunder fan, living in Oklahoma. Still, I know it was dirty how the Sonics were moved from Seattle.
Yamauchi-san finished Metroid in 10 minutes flat, got to see Samus naked, and got awesome Metroid PLUS Super Mario Land ending themes!
This was a beautiful tribute, by a legendary composer! After listening to this, I'd like some epic game music played at my funeral, rather than the standard religious fare.
Rest in peace, and thank you, Mr. Yamauchi. Myself and millions of others may not be gamers today, following the crash, if not for Nintendo saving the industry! Gaming lost a true savior this week.
Comments 1,052
Re: Super Bowl Player Chilling with Pokémon Before the Big Game
@3MonthBeef
All I smell is what The Rock is cooking, and it's a Broncos win!
Re: Super Bowl Player Chilling with Pokémon Before the Big Game
The Denver Broncos use Peyton MVP Manning. It's Super Bowl XLVIII-winning effective! 😉 Lifelong, diehard Broncos fan here. GO BRONCOS, bring the Lombardi trophy back to Denver!
@Ryno
Ah, we meet again! 😁 I'm expecting a better outcome for me on Sunday than the Thunder/Heat 2012 NBA Finals! Good luck to both our teams (but, more to mine 😉). Oh yeah, I love that this is an old-school AFC West showdown. Reminds me of John Elway vs. Brian Bosworth (Bosmouth, lol) in the late 80s! There's a little more than a division title at stake this time!!!
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Twenty One
King Dedede looks like he's smitten with Zelda (and I can't blame him 😍). He loves it she's angry... until he's sent flying off the screen, lol!
Re: Mario And Zelda On Mobile Could Bring New Players To Nintendo Consoles, Suggest Industry Analysts
Looks at article picture I... think I'm going to be sick. Excuse me! Runs off 😖
Re: We Cannot Continue Without Winning, But It's Not As Simple As Moving Mario To Smartphones, Insists Iwata
It's as simple as this for me: If that article picture ever becomes a reality, and my only way to continue to be a Nintendo gamer is through crappy touchscreens, then I'll cease to be a Nintendo gamer (except as a Nintendo retro gamer).
All these calls from people who are non-gamers for Nintendo to release games for smartphones/tablets, blah blah blah, are beyond foolish. Even those of you who do find iOS/android games outside of simple Angry Birds-like stuff: Try to imagine Super Mario World touchscreen-only. If that were to become the only way to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc. Nintendo would indeed not follow in Sega's footsteps. It'd follow in Atari's, right into the video gaming abyss, since many of the games Nintendo has become known and loved for would become unplayable on touchscreen, and Nintendo would see an exodus of fans away from them (including myself).
Let's see if the more foolish of Nintendo's investors, and their wallets, would be pleased with that outcome! Maybe they'd be able to afford Nintendo's Angry Birds Mario clone for $2.99. It's about the only Mario iOS game that'd be remotely playable. Maybe add Dr. Mario. Beyond such simplicity, forget it.
I know some of you are iOS/Android gamers. No offense, and power to you! But, from where I stand, this craze is destroying gaming, financially, and creatively. Need a glimpse at a Nintendo smartphone future? Look at SquareEnix, and how their almost single-minded focus on smartphone gaming, with money grabs like Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, has damaged the Final Fantasy brand, and the company itself!
Re: The Rockman X Sound Box Album Set Includes Four Tracks Cut From Mega Man X
I love finding out about unused material and betas from great games of the past! It's very interesting to see what could've been. Thankfully, the MMX stage select we got, and final theme versions were better than the betas in this video. Seems that this stage select (?) theme would've fit better in the classic Mega Man series.
I feel so old, realizing this month is MMX's 20th anniversary! I remember getting it around mid/late January, '94. Ah, 1994: The Mega Man X series was born, Mega Man in general was thriving, and Capcom was a 3rd party KING! Alas, things don't always change for the better.
On a side note, there are some great 20th anniversaries this year, besides Mega Man X: Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Super Punch-Out!!, Final Fantasy VI (released as FF III outside Japan, of course), NBA Jam, Saturday Night Slam Masters, Super Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat II (w/blood & fatalities on SNES 😳), and Super Return of the Jedi! Note, these are console versions of some of those, and I know some, like FFVI probably dropped in Japan in '93. And this is coming from a Super Nintendo gamer. I'm sure there were some Genesis greats too, including ports of some I mentioned. 1994 was a great year for gaming! And now, thinking of that year, Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do" will be stuck in my head all night. 😝
Re: Natsume Hints Toward Nintendo Announcements Before E3
Anybody remember the old Pocky & Rocky games by Natsume, for SNES? I'd love a surprise here, and see P&R make a comeback! 😄
Re: Talking Point: Is The Castlevania Series Finished With Nintendo?
The title of this article could accurately be "Talking Point: Is The (fill in the blank)________ Series Finished With Nintendo", and it would be true of most any beloved third-party series from the NES/SNES days. Castlevania, Contra, Goemon, Gradius, Metal Gear (of course some of those series are on hiatus)... Does anybody here think we'll actually see these games on a Nintendo system again (outside of VC releases)? I don't like to be pessimistic, but I am realistic, and I'd be surprised to see ANY Konami game on Wii U (and, to a lesser extent, more Konami games on 3DS).
And it's not just Konami games by a long shot. From Capcom: Street Fighter, Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Ghosts 'n Goblins. Final Fantasy from Square-Enix. I doubt we see anymore of them on Wii U OR 3DS. The problem isn't just Wii U's install base. To a degree, I think that's becoming an overly cited myth. In my opinion, it's Nintendo's generally poor 3rd-party relations, and the perception by 3rd parties (sometimes true, sometimes not) that only Nintendo titles sell on Nintendo systems. 3DS has a massive install base now! Is it getting Final Fantasy V & VI remakes, like DS got III & IV remakes? Nope. Besides XIII sequels, XIV Online, and XV, the only FF is on iOS these days. This is our reality as Nintendo fans. To varying degrees, it has been since the first PlayStation, and the exodus to disc gaming. The perception is that all we want is Nintendo titles, and perception is EVERYTHING, so that's next-to all we're going to get... Unless we get the latest PlayStation, or Xbox.
As for the Castlevania series, I'd guess that after LoS 2, it'll go on the back burner PERIOD for a while. Supposedly, this is the last LoS game (I fit into the "good riddance" category). What is Konami going to do next? Take a step back and return to the old series, or reboot it a second time in 4 years? Neither seems likely to me, so I think this might be the end of Castlevania for a good long while.
Konami itself seems to be in great decline as a game maker, with seemingly little interest in anything but the Metal Gear Solid franchise. I don't know if it's focus on casino gaming, or what, but aside from CV, MGS is about the only thing Konami is doing as of late (then again, I rarely follow them these days)..
Finally (I didn't intend such a long message), it's sad that so many of the great, classic 3rd party franchises are in deep decline, or dead. To paraphrase Old Snake, "Gaming... has changed." It seems to me that there was a seismic shift toward first-person shooter franchises last generation, and the old guard was left out in the cold. As far as the game series I grew up with, I'm thankful for Nintendo, because outside of its franchises, the greats of old are a dying breed in this Call of Duty/Farmville/Candy Crush Saga world (even some of its franchises, like Metroid and Star Fox, are rarely seen these days).
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Nineteen
Rainbow Road is so gorgeous! 1 SSB for 3DS SOLD I hope there's a remix, or original version of the Super Mario Kart RR theme (my all-time favorite Mario Kart song) on this stage!
Re: Nintendo Acknowledges Network Issues and Suggests Patience
Problems like this sure help make the case for physical copies over downloads! Sorry to those of you who can't download ALBW, and whatnot. Was going to download a couple of VC games myself.
And I'll add my voice to those hoping that this is a sign of a gazillion new Wii U owners this Christmas! Otherwise, Iwata-San will have some explainin' to do to shareholders in a few months. :/
Re: Hyrule Warriors Is Zelda Meets Dynasty Warriors, And It's Coming To Wii U In 2014
This feels so... random. I don't know how to feel about Zelda mishmashing with another franchise like this. Is this going to be Zelda canon, or is this something that won't be canon for either franchise? Is this a Doki Doki Panic/SMB2 reskin thing?
The feeling I got from today's announcements is that Nintendo doesn't quite know what to do, and is throwing some off-the-wall concepts of theirs at consumers, to see if anything sticks. That's all I can take from some of the bizarre stuff to come out of Nintendo direct, including this concoction! I'm not saying its bad or good, just weird, and random. The randomness of this & NES Remix sure looks like a sign of things to come in 2014.
I do hope mixing Nintendo/random franchise universes is not going to be a regular thing going forward, however (except for SSB). I'd like to see Samus soon, but not in Hyrule lol.
Re: PC Engine And MSX Games Coming To Japanese 3DS And Wii U Virtual Console Services
Not exactly thrilled about this. More consoles already supported on Wii VC, that will undoubtedly produce more titles already available on Wii VC. Except MSX, and if it wasn't available outside of Japan during the Wii era, I doubt it will this time. So, Japan will get more of the same!
I'd be excited if they were supporting the likes of Saturn or Dreamcast, but not over this. Already, we barely see actual, you know, HANDHELD 3DS VC games. This just tells me to expect more of the same from both VC services, so at the expense of sounding negative, I'm going to continue going into Thursdays with reasonably low expectations. Nice thing about that is what a wonderful surprise it is when something special pops up on either VC!
On a side note, interesting that non-Nintendo consoles have been announced before N64 on Wii U VC. Wonder if there is emulation difficulty?
Re: Video: Lycra-Clad Promo Insists That Wii Fit U Is "Fitness That Fits"
Lady in the blue tank top... Dat flank!!! 😳
Don't know if I'd get Wii Fit U, but anything that has potential to take Wii Us off of store shelves, I'm all for!
Re: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Picks Up Best Handheld Game VGX Award
This is easily the happiest I've been about a gaming award outcome in a long time. I think it's easy to say that ALBW is one of the very best Zeldas and recent handheld games, and it deserved this honor!
It'll be interesting to see if ALBW stands the test of time, and is as revered as ALttP and other older Zelda titles in 20 years.
Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Confirms Playable Cranky Kong and Release Date for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
I'm just repeating what many have already said, but how do you NOT make a bigger announcement than a playable character? Epecially in front of an audience of gamers! All due respect to Cranky, but I don't think this announcement was exactly a system seller. New Metroid, Zelda Wii U title announcement, Smash footage... I can think of several things that would cause more Wii U buzz. It's all about missed opportunities, like the full YEAR'S head start Nintendo had on the "twins."
I love Nintendo. Big N has been a big part of my life for over 26 years. That said, my God they make some stupid decisions. I really question how much planning goes into what they do.
The original DK is legendary, but I doubt announcing him for DKC: TF had much impact on the hardcores and brodudes. Especially when these are gamers who would follow gaming news, and the Cranky rumor came up just recently, so they ALREADY FRIGGIN SUSPECTED IT! :/
Re: Nintendo Download: 28th November (Europe)
Crash 'n the Boys? Is that GIRL a boy too? 😁
Re: Video: Explosive Fun Awaits in Super Mario 3D World's Bob-ombs Below Stage
"Light the fuse." Intentional, or accidental "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" reference? Either way, you earn my Internets for the day, Damien. I'll have to listen to that sequel's version of the classic M:I theme when I play this level now. I'm going to be ready to explode myself by the time I play this masterpiece at Christmas. :/
As a secondary alternate to the game's music, I may have to listen to some Scott Pilgrim vs. the World music. KIMBERLY!!! "WE ARE SEX BOB-OMB!!!"
Re: Review: Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)
In the first pic, are... are those Kuribo's Shoes on SKATES??? Forget 10/10. Make it 11/10. ^.^ And, I want my Colorado Avalanche to have those skates! They'd be unbeatable/Stanley Cup here we come. 😜
Seriously, I only had ALBW reserved, then decided to reserve SM3DW last week. Now, to find out it's a game of the year nominee, and highly positive reviews... I'm happy with my decision! PlayStation 4 & Xbone? What are those? ALBW & SM3DW are all I need. 😉
Re: Nintendo Addresses Confusion Surrounding Wii U's Name In Latest TV Commercial
"Upgrade?" THAT'S ALL THEY CAN COME UP WITH?
Re: Poll: As the PS4 Arrives, What Do You Think of the 'New Gen' Environment for Wii U?
Articles like this do not bode well for Nintendo...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/11/16/xbox-one-vs-ps4-the-console-wars-are-just-getting-started/
You look at it, and articles like it about the new generation of console wars, you'll rarely even see Nintendo or Wii U mentioned. Nintendo is treated like an irrelevant 3rd party presidential candidate. It's all about Sony vs. Microsoft.
Why, I don't know. I'm not sure if the media thinks Nintendo is too "kiddy", and the other two are cooler for covering a console war between (and better for attracting viewers/readers).
The general media playing king-maker is bad for Nintendo, though, because it creates a public perception of them being irrelevant, and that perception can be a powerful thing to impressionable, trend-conscious consumers.
It's all frustrating, because it feels like the general media wants Nintendo to fail and become a 3rd party, so it'll just be Sony vs. Microsoft. I'll bet what the media REALLY wants is Apple to enter the console gaming ring, then squeeze Sony out into the cold, so it can cover a Microsoft vs. Apple contest.
Re: Poll: As the PS4 Arrives, What Do You Think of the 'New Gen' Environment for Wii U?
Here's what's driving me nuts. 3rd parties don't even bother making excuses anymore for why they aren't porting to Wii U. They're just acting like it doesn't exist. You have Metal Gear Solid V & MSG: Ground Zeroes going to PS3, PS4, X360, and Xbone (last I knew).
If instances like this continue, where gamers see greatly wanted 3rd party games ported to even last-gen systems, but not Wii U, I don't see how it winds up anything but a distant third place. Nintendo's franchises are the best in the world (IMO, and I'm sure many others), but they can only do so much. There are people like me, who'll be getting PS4/Xbone for 3rd party games they know they can CURRENTLY expect to miss out on with Wii U. I'll be getting a PS4 later on, just for Final Fantasy XV and future FF games that I know have about a .001% chance of ever showing up on Wii U.
Re: Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (3DS)
It sounds like this is "better" than most TMNT games, but it's been sad seeing the franchise fall so far games-wise since the Turtles in Time pinnacle over 20 years ago.
Strange thing is, all these years and generations after we saw many franchises born (in the NES/SNES days), many have such a hard time recapturing their old magic. Some of those franchises are in limbo, or simply dead! I wonder if it's us, with rose-tinted glasses, or some developers forgot how to make magical games that stick with us?
Ironically, it seems that short of the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Konami has fallen as far as the TMNT games have in the 21 years since SNES Turtles in Time. Konami has almost disappeared altogether.
Re: Long Awaited YouTube Application Coming To 3DS Later This Month
Forget kittehs. PONIES ON 3DS, yay! ^.^
Re: Weirdness: Nintendo Goes Old School With a Mahjong Set
Is... this Nintendo's next-gen handheld? 😳 Brain explodes from the awesomeness
Re: Video: Nintendo Unleashes New The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds TV Commercials
Since we're talking Zelda commercials, I'll just leave this here... First one I ever saw, before I even got an NES!
Re: Video: Watch Eiji Aonuma Harness Link's Power To Evade Sinister Nintendo Of America Goons
I've needed the wall-merging ability so many times in the past, to evade bosses... And to sneak up on slackers as a boss myself!
Re: Poll: Is Nintendo's Wii U Advertising and Marketing Doing Enough?
@Diddy_kong That's a great observation about use of the Wiimote in commercials! That could lead parents with no knowledge of the system to think Wii U is just some Wii add-on. I wonder if anybody thinks these things through? Using Wii U Pro Controllers would've been wiser (then again, it may've been a problem, because New Super Mario Bros. U, for example, didn't support it at the time).
@U-I Yeah, it just seems like foolishness to introduce another Wii product, at CHRISTMAS TIME, to further confuse parents. I wonder how many will buy Super Mario 3D World, and Wii Mini because it's cheap, then take BOTH back after Christmas when little Billy says you need a Wii U (that's far more expensive) to play 3D World?
@Turbo857 I completely agree with you. I don't think Wii U is a good name from a marketing (or any other) standpoint, but I agree. I just didn't take any time in my post to connect the name confusion with Nintendo's ineffectual marketing. I focused on the lack of exposure to other demographics.
Re: Video: Experts Believed Nintendo Was In Trouble Back In 1990, Too
1990: The Sega Genesis is coming, Nintendo is DOOMED!
2013: The PS4 & Xbone are coming, Nintendo is DOOMED!
2036: The (fill in the blank) is coming, Nintendo is DOOMED!
Seriously, I hope when a doctor tells me I'm doomed that I have Nintendo's longevity.
Re: Poll: Is Nintendo's Wii U Advertising and Marketing Doing Enough?
I largely blame the name confusion and horrible marketing for the poor sales. I remember seeing a couple of poorly done commercials for Wii, right before its release. That's it.
Also, Nintendo is not even trying to reach different audiences. From what I'm reading, there are ads, but largely on kids channels. I don't need a business degree to know that you need to cast a wide marketing net to at least attempt to bring in other demographics. I watch channels like AMC, USA, and TNT. I've seen PS4 & Xbone ads on them. Wii U? Nope. Plus, only marketing somewhere like Cartoon Network reenforces the misconception that Nintendo systems are kiddy systems.
Nintendo needs to start from scratch and try to make an effort on the advertising front. Clearly, the ad agency "Sterling Cooper & Partners" is NOT handling Nintendo's business! I highly recommend them, Big N! Get Don Draper on the job, he'll turn the ship around.
Re: New Video Content in the Pipeline for 3DS's Nintendo Video Service in North America
The first "Misadventures of Link" (great title, especially here almost 25 years after AoL's North American release) was hilarious! Wind Waker is such a great source of material for a video series like this. The game is a comic gold mine (some of the funniest scenes in a game EVARRR)! I can't wait to see if they do something creative with "The Barrel Launch", and "Tower of the Gods rising from the depths!" Cue "Goofy Hollar" from Link ^.^
Re: Nintendo Download: 31st October (North America)
Super Castlevania IV IS the peak of the franchise!!! No opposition here. You need to go no further than the intro of Dracula returning from the grave, to the tune of creepy music, to know you're in for a treat!
I hope the Halloween attention on it reminds long-time gamers, and shows first-time players how great Castlevania can be, and could be again in the right hands!
Re: Nintendo Confirms The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds 3DS XL Bundle for North America
Oh, come on, Nintendo, really? REALLY??? You've been packing in games for 30 years. The Zelda series in particular has been celebrated for its beautiful gold game paks since 1987.
And, so, all that being the case, you release a lovely limited edition Zelda-themed system with a DOWNLOAD CODE? I know how eager you are to dump physical copies and avoid production costs, but it seems you could at least pretend you care for physical copy owners to a degree.
At least have it pre-installed. This reeks of laziness. Bad form, Nintendo. Then, there's the matter of not even the inclusion of a bare-bones paper manual with Wind Waker HD. Sometimes, I barely recognize you these days, Nintendo.
Re: Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies Proves That Capcom Really Needs To Hire More Proofreaders
Go for broak, Capcom!
@Player310 You beat me to it!
Re: Super Castlevania IV Is Coming To The North American Wii U eShop In Time For Halloween
I'm with you, @Ryno . I've played too many games to have my top "X" games list solidifiedb but SCIV is in my top 10 games of all time! In my mind, it is the best of all Castlevanias, and the epitome of what Castlevania is. Huge, beautiful graphics/characters. Horror movie atmosphere and backgrounds. An incredible soundtrack that still puts game scores to shame 22 years later (it's like in my top 5 game scores).
Some will say "Symphony of the Night", others may say the "Lords of Shadow" reboot (sorry, to fans, but I detest it), but THIS is Castlevania to me, above all others. I hope the series one day returns to such greatness. I think if the original series hadn't strayed so far from what SCIV is, and become more of an anime (nothing against them, I love anime), there wouldn't have been a need to reboot the series!
My love of SCIV makes me feel guilty for being disappointed that it's not Bloodlines! Like so many others, I'm ready for many more VC games not already available for years on Wii VC (many NES games are now available on all 3 VCs... how about some variety???).
Now that Konami is supporting Wii U VC, I wonder if it'll get around to correcting the ultimate head-scratcher, that being the lack of the legendary NES Contra on VC?
Re: Nintendo Download: 24th October (North America)
@mariobro4 This is what we need about 1,000% of on Wii U VC! Super Castlevania IV will always be my fav Castlevania.
Problem for me is that I've had SC IV since the early SNES days, but I've never gotten to play Bloodlines (or Contra: Hardcorps). I waited and waited for it to come out on Wii VC. Now, there's the Wii U VC, and Genesis isn't in the console lineup! I guess I'm going to wind up having to buy a Genesis (and make physical/plug-in room) just for Bloodlines & Hardcorps, lol!
Re: David Jaffe Is A Massive Fan Of Nintendo, But Thinks The Company Should Sell Out To Disney
@wombatkidd Knowing OUaT, and the Gerudo/Arabian similarities, I can totally see that! I can just see an episode ending with Jafar's search for the Triforce of Power ending in futility. Suddenly, he notices an odd triangular object beginning to glow on the back of his hand (with typical cheesy OUaT special effects ). He realizes he's the reincarnation of Ganondorf! And Dark Link, who is now actually good Link (for the time being) lurking in the shadows. But, it needs to be a crossover episode. As an Evil Regal & Zelda fan, I need Regina vs. Twinrova handicap match in my life.
I have 1,001 things running through my mind right now. Maybe this Nintendo/ Disney thing isn't so bad. (Imagines Navi in Tinkerbell's shoes, powerless, but running around human-sized yelling, "HEY, LISTEN") Or not.
Oh, and how does OUaT Wonderland fit into the Zelda timeline? I'm sure Disney would commission another Hyrule Historia just for that, and to hype the new OUaT Wonderland season, and Termina spinoff.
Re: David Jaffe Is A Massive Fan Of Nintendo, But Thinks The Company Should Sell Out To Disney
I actually thought the other day how interesting it'd be if Queen Regina were to visit the Mushroom Kingdom, or Hyrule, in an episode of "Once Upon a Time." Then, I realized they'd make Link a villain, Ganondorf an anti-hero, and Zelda would dabble in prostitution after getting amnesia.
Such is symbolic of the weirdness that might be done in gaming with Nintendo franchises, along with what I fear would be a colossal drop in quality. It was a fun fantasy, but that's the way I'd rather it be: A fantasy. Reality would be nowhere near as good.
Re: Video: This Japanese Super Mario 3D World Trailer Is Six Minutes Of Pure Platforming Bliss
@DestinyMan
That's true, I hadn't thought of that! So cool! ^.^
Re: Video: This Japanese Super Mario 3D World Trailer Is Six Minutes Of Pure Platforming Bliss
I love that this is coming out around the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. 2 USA, with Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad playable (and with their own characteristics). Makes me wonder if Nintendo planned it that way, or they have some kind of "cycle" for bringing back certain game formulas.
I can't help but hope for a guest-starring spot from Wart, or at least some reference to him.
Re: Two New Limited Edition 3DS XL Consoles Coming To Japan Next Month
That turquoise one makes me feel nostalgic. My one and only Nintendo DS (I skipped DSi) is a turquoise "Nintendogs Best Friends Edition" DS that I got for Christmas in 2005! I still play it occasionally.
Re: Nintendo Download: 17th October (North America)
Boy, they brought out the "heavy hitters" for the VC services, didn't they? 😜 I guess it's progress for 3DS, though. I think it had 3 or 4 weeks without a VC release.
Re: Rumour: Shipments of Pokémon X & Y Delayed to U.S. Military Commissaries
Ok, @tbd. Sorry. It's amazing how far-reaching and unexpectedly things like this can effect our lives. This is a good example. Who'd have expected this? Shutdown almost even ruined football games for the service academies here.
Re: Aonuma: Information About Majora's Mask Can Be Found By Playing A Link Between Worlds
Maybe at the end of the credits, it reads: "Link will return, in 'Majora's Mask 3D'" 😜
Re: Video: Dixie Kong Struts Her Stuff in This New Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Trailer
Is that a giant wheel of cheddar? WANT (the cheese and game)!!! ^.^ Also, with David Wise back as series composer, and this being DKC's 2nd game back w/Dixie's return, I hope we get a remix of Mining Melancholy from DKC 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (by far my fav DKC song).
Re: Nintendo Download: 3rd October (Europe)
All three Final Fight SNES games released in one day??? This...
[youtube:X0gHU-_p81o]
I hope NA gets them this week. And yay for the days of fighting game damsels, like Jessica, and Double Dragon's Marian!!! 😍
Re: Nintendo Download: 26th September (North America)
@bizcuthammer
One day I'm going to compile a list of just FIRST PARTY NES & SNES games that have never seen the VC light of day in all these years.
Re: Nintendo Download: 26th September (North America)
The VC, particularly Wii U's, has just become pathetic. In all the months it's been around, Earthbound is the only release unique to Wii U VC. And most 3DS VC releases are NES repeats already on Wii AND Wii U VC. Nintendo even treats old releases like an event (like SMB 3 forthcoming... all due respect to it). I don't know why I even check this article every week. I guess to see if one of the Game Boy Mega Man sequels have arrived (where are they...). I know better than to even hope for anything special on Wii U. Of course, at least it got ONE release this week.
Sad thing is, if Nintendo released something new and exciting like Earthbound more often, it could be used as a selling point for Wii U. I hate being negative and blowing off steam like this, but Wii U VC is one uninteresting joke right now. Nintendo should be trying harder than this, especially when it's supposedly trying to pull Wii U from the abyss. I even find that effort questionable.
Sorry to be a complainer, but VC is what I look forward to each week, and it's become absolutely pitiful.
EDIT: 77% "nothing for me this week" as of this edit. I think that says it all. If Nintendo wants to push digital downloads on us with actions like releasing Wind Waker a fortnight earlier on eShop, they might want to try improving their non-retail selection, such as the VC releases. I'd encourage those who agree to express their displeasure on Club Nintendo surveys. I know it does little good complaining here, beyond getting the frustration off one's chest.
Re: Howard Lincoln: Nintendo Has "No Plans" to Sell Stake in Mariners MLB Team
Now that that's settled, what are they going to do to return the Mariners to relevance. They've accomplished little on the field since setting a regular season wins record in the early 2000s. They failed to reach the World Series that year, and the franchise is one of only 2 or 3 never to play in the fall classic.
I'd like to see them make some big moves to contend for the AL West again. Because of their connection to Nintendo, I root for them secondarily to my Colorado Rockies.
Have to wonder if they may've eventually went to, and won the World Series if Griffey hadn't gone to Cincy.
Also, I'm glad Seattle won't have to worry about having another team stolen from them. I'm a Thunder fan, living in Oklahoma. Still, I know it was dirty how the Sonics were moved from Seattle.
Re: Weirdness: Watch Nearly 1000 Mario Players All At Once
Me right now...
Re: Former Nintendo Composer Dedicates Retro Remixes to Hiroshi Yamauchi
Yamauchi-san finished Metroid in 10 minutes flat, got to see Samus naked, and got awesome Metroid PLUS Super Mario Land ending themes!
This was a beautiful tribute, by a legendary composer! After listening to this, I'd like some epic game music played at my funeral, rather than the standard religious fare.
Rest in peace, and thank you, Mr. Yamauchi. Myself and millions of others may not be gamers today, following the crash, if not for Nintendo saving the industry! Gaming lost a true savior this week.