I’ve been a big fan of Zelda games for ages, way back to the 90s. I can safely say Echoes of Wisdom has been the most fun I’ve had with a Zelda title in ages, barring Link Between Worlds.
Nintendo will never give up on their exclusives. For one thing it clearly works; even if not hugely successful every single generation, Nintendo’s exclusives have kept them in the game for the best part of half a century. Sure, they may not have the most powerful machine but who cares? ‘Oh, your console does 120fps, 4K and ray tracing? Nice. Can you play Mario Kart on it? No? Guess you’re buying a Nintendo then!’
On a serious note, Nintendo don’t have the same market place nor business strategy as Sony/Microsoft; they only make video games and machines. To give up any of their IPs would fly in the face of who they are as a company. I don’t always like or agree with their decisions but I have never questioned why Mario or Zelda are not on Xbox or PS. Once the genie is out of the bottle they would loose their identity.
@JumpingJackson it can certainly run the 21 N64 games released on VC. I have heard that it is possible to add other games but I have never tried, I just stuck to everything that had once been available on VC.
@rdm22 funnily enough my Wii is the only console I’ve ever had to send in for repairs (the disc drive stopped working after about 9 years). However, in the meantime I found another one on eBay for £11, fully working but with no cables or anything (not that I needed them) and always intended to play around with it. The pandemic gave me the excuse to do so. A few days, a bit of patience and a couple of SD cards later and it is now a retro library plugged permanently into my old crt tv.
@Duncanballs I held out for Special Champion Edition and the 6 button Mega Drive controller. Still my favourite version of SF2 to this day, but what a great time to be a gamer! SNES or Mega Drive you were 100% guaranteed a brilliant time!
I have the NES classic mini, but I tend to play on the Wii through Virtual Console for quick hits of classic games. With a bit of ‘research’ I was able to acquire the complete catalogue of the VC, which includes a ridiculous number of NES games.
As someone who had the dubious honour of playing a Virtual Boy back in the couple of months it was available in the 90s, I’m not really interested (aside from as a curio). I have to ask though; why on earth wasn’t this done on the 3DS 10 years ago? It would have been perfect and wouldn’t have needed any expensive accessories.
@koopababble no problem, as I said it’s mainly because of my kids. They each have a Switch Lite and love playing on their own systems (despite having a load of consoles in the house). The HD upgrade would be nice as well; even through the Wii U the Galaxy games are limited to 480p resolution.
I know my kids would love this, so I’d have to get the physical copy so they could each play it on their Switch lites, but the cost of about £60 is very steep. We already have both on Wii, with a digital copy of Galaxy 2 on Wii U (at £8.99 it was worth it back then) and I was fortunate enough to get 3D All Stars as a gift from a friend. Hopefully Currys is still doing a deal for preordering…
@Saints disc sales for films are still fairly healthy, as much as can be expected with the prevalence of streaming. I own hundreds of DVDs, some of which are over 20 years old, which still work perfectly. I have CDs which are even older that still work. If they are stored properly they will last a long time (much longer than the devices we use to actually access them). CDs are the highest quality way to listen to music and likely will remain that way. Yes, they are less convenient to use but then vinyl has come back in a big way (which is bizarre to me) and that is even less convenient to use.
The simple fact is a not insignificant number of people are tired of paying money for access to things only to not actually possess anything afterwards. With a CD I can burn it on to a hard drive, back it up as many times as I’d like in a variety of formats and store that data in a number of places. I can even make multiple copies of the CD. Similar could be done with DVDs and Blu-rays and even disc based video games. Once I have bought the physical media I am beholden to no company keeping its servers up or keeping its licence agreements.
I know people also talk about storage space and that is a real consideration but somehow we all managed before. Disc boxes haven’t jumped in size in the last 20 years.
I’m not surprised; all those Resident Evil titles are excellent games (yes, even RE3 remake, I love blasting through it as a quick action game). Having recently played through RE2 remake and then going back and playing the original RE2 on N64 it’s clear just how much care and attention went into the remake to make it the way the original ‘felt’ in my mind back in the 90s/2000s. I’ve only played a bit of Biohazard (don’t like first person for Resi games) and recently finished Village in 3rd person mode, which was fun, though I’m not a fan of the whole ‘sentient mould’ theme. I want me zombies!
I remember playing Hexxen on PC in the mid 90s and loving it. I think I may well have rented it for N64 as well. As soon as there is the inevitable sale on these I will be picking them up. Love my Doom clones!
I have a 26 inch widescreen CRT, with a flat screen that I use for anything up to the Wii. Looks excellent. Furthermore DVDs look glorious through it, connected through RGB SCART.
After heavily supporting the Wii U it took me until Xmas 2019 to get a Switch Lite. It didn’t get much use I’ve got to be honest. Big games like Mario Odyssey and Smash Bros just didn’t grip me at all. I’d pick it up from time to time but it didn’t get as much use as the 3DS. Then my son got old enough to game and he was drawn to the Lite, blasting through games that couldn’t hold my attention. I passed it in to him when I got the fun Switch to play on tv, which is where I started to use it far more. I have some good memories of Metroid Dread and Prime remastered, along with Super Mario RPG, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Link’s Awakening, Streets of Rage 4. Both my kids have gotten far more out of the Switch than I ever did, which says a lot about the console’s appeal. My Switch isn’t going anywhere; it’s in great condition and will accompany me on many holidays I’m sure into the future. The Switch 2 is far too expensive and it’s software even more so. The Switch, as decent as it was, was clearly massively underpowered compared to its rivals and Switch 2 looks to be similar. Power isn’t everything but when the gulf is that massive it really shows compared to what my PS5 and Xbox Series X can do.
@ElkinFencer10 I see your point, but GBA was a 32 bit handheld, capable of doing far more than the SNES or Mega Drive. It could run PC games from the same time of those machines, such as Doom and Wolfenstein.
It is a great service if the Switch is your first Nintendo system and you want to dive into their previous systems’ libraries or if you were a Nintendo fan at some point but no longer have access to older games. However, barring a few things here and there it’s not hugely advantageous for those of us who have been with them a while, especially with Wii Virtual Console and Wii U Virtual Console allowing us to keep these games, long after support has been withdrawn. For the price, however, which works out to £1.50 a month for the basic online for a single user, it is pocket money to access plenty of retro games in a convenient way.
Of course, there are ways of obtaining the entire VC library on Wii…if you are willing to set sail (‘yar, me hearties!’)
@sanderev exactly the same for me! I got mine in 2003, second hand for £70 along with WW and the bonus disc. Imagine getting a 1 year old console today for such a ridiculously low price! I gave my friend my original cube when I got a Wii, but about 2 years later bought a second cube to use in another room for about £20. Kept all my original games (only had 10 when the machine was relevant 2003-2006) except Metroid Prime which I gave to the same friend. I rebought that for very little when I went through a nostalgia trip for the cube in about 2012. Games were so cheap to get them; the most I paid was £17 for Twilight Princess!
@teo_o the use of the GBA link was a neat little feature, even if I didn’t use it all that much. I think if you completed Prime and Fusion and linked them up you got the Fusion suit to use in Prime and unlocked the original Metroid on the Fusion cart (I did it finally a few years ago).
Both the original GameCube release and the Wii U remaster have their charms. The older one is like playing a traditional 2D cartoon, the later a more modern cartoon. I will say that the shortened Tri-force quest and the ability to change the wind direction without stopping to us the Windwaker constantly make the Wii U version easier to play but it never really bothered me back in 2003 when I got the game with my Cube. The GameBoy Advance link cable allowing you to control Tingle on a GBA was a fun little addition too.
You can spin it anyway you want to, it’s still an expensive bit of kit and the games even more so. I’m all for nostalgia, but this is like the 80s all over again 😂
@TrogdorTheBurninator me too. I’d quite happily have had a small box, with Wi-fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, a USB port and a cartridge slot bundled with a pro controller as an option for a lower price point. I only ever play handheld on holiday abroad or rarely when sat waiting in the car!
I don’t think the ‘have to’ match the $70 that Sony/Microsoft, I think they ‘want to’ match them. Now, I’m in two minds about that; on the one hand for exclusives and the fact that cartridges are more expensive to manufacture than discs I can understand some sort of increase in prices. For the former it’s because they have fans over a barrel, as where else can you play Mario, Zelda or Metroid for example? On the other hand it is ridiculous to charge Nintendo customers more than the competition for lesser versions of the same game, as there is no way multi platform games will run or look best on the Switch 2. Now, for someone like me that’s not a major issue as I am fortunate enough to have to option of choosing which system to buy for, but not everyone is that lucky. Furthermore, if Sony/microsoft we’re charging $70 already, see that people are willing to pay $80 for Switch 2 games, then they will start charging more as well, as they were simply looking for an excuse which they now have (to be fair to Nintendo, Sony were first through the gate with this).
For me, I’m going to have to shop around and make careful decisions, which I’ve already tried to do for a while now. In fact I have started trading in old games in order to buy second hand copies for the first time since the early 2000s.
As someone who owns all three current systems, even with the upgrades the Switch 2 will not be able to match the PS5 or Xbox. However, that’s not the issue if firstly, Switch 2 is your only system (and you don’t care for Microsoft/Sony or already have a good PC), secondly you only want it for exclusives thirdly you really only play in handheld mode. For me, aside from a few weeks a year when I take my Switch on holiday with me (where it is a godsend) I play exclusively docked at home. So for me, when I eventually, inevitably, upgrade in a few years, I will stick to the same rule I have with PS5; exclusives only. The ridiculous cost of Nintendo games (and I don’t care what anyone says, they are at an indefensibly high price from sheer greed and have opened the floodgate for everyone to charge more, which hurts all of us) will limit me and maybe others to stick to such a strategy….
I was toying with the idea of getting Switch 2 at launch, as I have never bought a console day 1, so I thought I might for the novelty factor. It’s a little more than I thought, but the thing that has put me off completely is the ridiculous pricing of the games. Nintendo, in their greed, has broken the seal on increasing game prices. You could argue Sony already went part way there with PS5 games but now they and Microsoft will follow Nintendo by putting their prices up, as if Nintendo can do it, why not them? Bad for consumers. I’ll be waiting until the inevitable improved Switch 2 model before I think of buying.
I’ll pick one up in 2/3 years time when the inevitable better revised model gets a released with better battery life (just like the V2 Switch). The cost of the machine is about £40-£50 more than I expected, but when spread over the 5 years it so of its life time then that’s not too bad. The games on the other hand are far too expensive. I’ve already dug into my library to trade in for PS5 games which are pricy even second hand. Guess I’ll stick with my regular Switch for my Nintendo hit for some time yet.
@Coversnail I use it in tabletop mode when on holiday. I use a folding stand, as the viewing angle on its own isn’t very comfortable. With the joy on grip it’s like playing on a mini tv!
Sonic the Hedgehog (MD & MS/GG) Sonic CD Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (MD & MS/GG) Sonic Chaos (MS/GG) Sonic 3 Sonic & Knuckles Sonic Triple Trouble Knuckles Chaotix Sonic Mania Sonic Superstars
Not sure what the others are. Sonic never made it to 3D, right? 😂
Stay physical. They tend to be cheaper on the whole and the resell value it worth it. I traded 3 Wii U games in a couple of weeks back which took a massive chunk out of the cost of a PS5. Couldn’t have done that with digital….
@Radixxs it will be interesting to see if this is a ‘perfected Switch’. If you compare it to Sony for example the PS2 was a ‘super PS1’ (with a Trojan horse in the form of the built in DVD player for good measure). PS2 did everything the PS1 did but better.
@larryisaman I do wonder if it’s sales will match that if the other times they have done similar. The DS was hugely successful but the 3DS, while hardly a failure, did not recapture the magic. Neither did the GBA after the GB or even the mighty SNES, which sold less than the NES.
@-wc- I agree with everything you said (I was there Gandalf, 3000 years ago…). However, a lot of what you have described existed ‘under the hood’ as it were, none of which we really know about with Switch 2.
My comment was more a reaction to the disappointment some people online have expressed that the Switch 2’s format is very similar to the original system. My comparison to the NES and SNES is that at the time most consoles were an iterative improvement over the previous model (Atari and SEGA are also examples of this). Basically they were all ‘just a better box under your tv’. Nintendo’s history of innovation with things like the Wii, Switch, DS seems to give some the impression that they will always throw a curve ball, when actually they have plenty of times stuck to a similar idea but with improvements (the Game Boy line is a good example).
BTW not sure if you are from the US (forgive me for assuming if I am wrong) but here in the UK the NES and SNES were not really part of the zeitgeist in the way the Mega Drive and later PS1 were. The Mega Drive was really the first console that took people away from the computers that were the preferred medium in the 80s and early 90s (though the Master System laid the groundwork before it). Nintendo were definitely present but didn’t really try too hard to win us over (Game Boy was how most of us got our Nintendo hit back then).
It’s pretty much what I expected; a next Gen Switch.
Tbh if you look at some of their other consoles they too were really just a better version of what came before. The SNES was a cartridge based console that was far more powerful than the NES that came with controller that had more buttons. No one was complaining that it was ‘too similar in concept’ to the NES.
However, the trailer reveals that the Switch 2 can do everything the Switch can do. I’m more interested to see what it can do that the original Switch CAN’T do…
Could you please update the Wii U so that all activity can be accessed with any controller, not just the gamepad, especially the settings menu? Then we can talk about what I do with a system I spent my own money on. Franky if you are going to remove services and no longer provide them then it’s none of your business what I do with it afterwards.
As someone who owns a Wii, Wii U and Switch it’s not really an issue for me. I had the full switch online for the last 2 years, mainly for my kids but it turned out only my son bothered and when we looked at the games he was playing we already had most of not all on previous consoles, so I’ve dropped it together far cheaper standard option (I like having access to Game Boy games which you can’t play on anything other than an original cart or 3DS VC).
I have modded my Wii, so I have the entire VC on two SD cards and my Wii U has plenty of VC games on it, so a VC on Switch isn’t really an issue. Whilst this isn’t the same as having physical copies of the games it is nice to know that they are always going to be there I some way so long as I look after the systems.
Where it’s going to sting a bit I think is for younger people who have the Switch as their first console; once the online inevitably shuts down there will be some who realise what they lost. However, I’m sure the service will continue on each new system in some way. Personally I don’t really like the idea of not owning things I pay for, but with certain services it’s now sadly an inevitability.
@Rainbowjames the remake is one of the very few games I preordered to play day one. No regrets. It is a fantastic update, just as the remake of Resident Evil on GameCube and Resident Evil 2 a few years ago are.
@WheresWaveRace couldn’t have put it better myself. Though the PS2 got most of my attention at the time I still had a GameCube for exclusives and over 20 years later it is the system I’m far more fond of. In fact I was playing Double Dash just today!
Somehow for nearly all of 2005 this totally passed me by (though I had a lot going on). I had moved abroad by the end of the year and when returned briefly for Xmas I decided to get a new game, as my PS2 was going back with me. I picked up RE4 and was hooked from the first play.
That game got me through one of the coldest winters on record, where I could hurry home and just loose myself in it. It was one of the only games where I can remember finishing a section and thinking ‘please don’t be the end of the game. New part? Wahoo!’
The PS2 version has a different balance for some of the weapons any contained Operation Ada and Separate Ways, neither of which were on the original GameCube release. However I managed to scratch the disc and picked up the GameCube version to play during the summer when I returned home. The graphical differences between the Cube and PS2 versions is quite noticeable. My now wife who was with me at the time still occasionally quotes the Merchant (‘what are a buying?’) as I am sure she was sick of hearing it!
On the one hand I understand the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach of making the Switch 2 basically a better Switch, but on the other hand I would like the excitement of something different. When I went from the Xbox One S to the Series X yes the newer machine was much faster and more powerful, but everything else, including the UI was identical and as such didn’t really feel ‘new’. It’s a first world problem I know but most Nintendo systems feel different from their predecessor (even, if I’m being honest, several have simply been iterations on the previous system).
@Anti-Matter You’re fully entitled to your opinion, but I think you are missing out. The Sonic movies are some of the most family friendly, wholesome films I have seen in a long time. The moral centre is very consistent across all three, with great ideas about family, friendship, responsibility, self-discipline and being true to yourself. The humour is also very warm and genuinly funny.
Good. It was a fun movie. All three Sonic films are wholesome family fun and as a Sonic fan since 1991 it’s great to see what us fans could only imagine: Sonic and co on the big screen!
Also can we stop comparing it to the Mario film? Mario was a ‘traditional’ fully animated film for a character who is even more popular with a consistently high level of games keeping him in the zeitgeist far more successfully than old Sonic. To me both series are triumphs: with Sonic it’s that it has managed to return him to great popularity among the general public to a level not seen since the early 90s and has managed to stay consistently good across three films. Mario’s success isn’t just financial; it’s the fact that after so many years they did it and didn’t make a huge mess of it! As anyone who grew up with the Super Mario Bros. Movie from the 90s can attest, it was not necessarily a sure thing <shudders>
To hit pay dirt as an actor is rare. To manage it a second time in your career is even more rare. Carey’s shtick fell out of favour for a long time but a comically over the top villain in family films is perfect role for him. He will keep doing it as long as they pay him to. He doesn’t seem the sort that would regret it as they ‘want to be taken seriously as an ACTOR!’ and the fact that the films are successful with a wide audience along with a very clear moral centre for the characters is enough to flavour that enormous pay check!
As for going with Shadow’s story rather than Metal Sonic for the third film I thought it was rather smart: as someone who was around 10 when Sonic first released in the 90s I had aged out of him by the time of Adventure 1&2. So whilst the first two films were great for nostalgia for parents my age, the third is good for those who grew up 10 years later with Sonic’s move to 3D. I went in not knowing much about Shadow and it was still very entertaining, but didn’t push the same buttons as Knuckles’ story in 2. Now by bringing in Amy and Metal sonic the fourth film is once again aimed at us Gen 1 fans. Doing it earlier might have some good arguments but remember that Sonic CD was for the longest time only available to those who could afford the Mega CD/Sega CD attachment for the Mega Drive/Genesis, so the characters had less cultural impact than Tails or Knuckles.
As someone who grew up with Sonic in the 90s Mania and to a slightly lesser extent Superstars, are exactly what I want more of. I have never liked Sonic in 3D, his speed means that I end up just going on auto pilot and then dying randomly as I can’t anticipate what to do next (and I wanted to like Lost World and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve played of Frontiers). Generations was good, except the sections with modern sonic.
Superstars was a good step forward in many ways with 4 player options. The bosses however are terrible!
Mania is what I think many people my age wanted from a 32X/Saturn Sonic back in the day. More please!
And release Knuckles Chaotix you cowards! This 90s kids still has no way to play it!
I love the mini consoles for their ease of use and the access to a bunch of games in one convenient package, along with controllers properly designed for them. Also the fact that they need no online connection or cursed subscription to enjoy. Furthermore I can enjoy them forever with no chance that they’ll be blocked or taken away.
Constantly paying a subscription to play games that will eventually disappear when service ends really annoys me. I know that there will inevitably be some continuation with Switch online with the Switch 2 but it feels like ‘hey! Keep paying us money to access the same old games!’ With mini consoles and virtual console I have the games until my console dies. If I’m spending money I want to at least keep what I buy in some way, shape or form.
Comments 362
Re: Best Zelda Games Of All Time
I’ve been a big fan of Zelda games for ages, way back to the 90s. I can safely say Echoes of Wisdom has been the most fun I’ve had with a Zelda title in ages, barring Link Between Worlds.
Re: Terminator 2D: No Fate Has Been Delayed Again On Switch
They want it to be the best it can be, before people play it and decide if it’s any good or not.
You could say that they are delaying Judgement Day….
…I’ll get my coat…
Re: "Go Tell Nintendo" - Ex-Blizzard President Responds After Xbox Calls Exclusives "Antiquated"
Nintendo will never give up on their exclusives. For one thing it clearly works; even if not hugely successful every single generation, Nintendo’s exclusives have kept them in the game for the best part of half a century. Sure, they may not have the most powerful machine but who cares? ‘Oh, your console does 120fps, 4K and ray tracing? Nice. Can you play Mario Kart on it? No? Guess you’re buying a Nintendo then!’
On a serious note, Nintendo don’t have the same market place nor business strategy as Sony/Microsoft; they only make video games and machines. To give up any of their IPs would fly in the face of who they are as a company. I don’t always like or agree with their decisions but I have never questioned why Mario or Zelda are not on Xbox or PS. Once the genie is out of the bottle they would loose their identity.
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Play NES Games These Days?
@JumpingJackson it can certainly run the 21 N64 games released on VC. I have heard that it is possible to add other games but I have never tried, I just stuck to everything that had once been available on VC.
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Play NES Games These Days?
@rdm22 funnily enough my Wii is the only console I’ve ever had to send in for repairs (the disc drive stopped working after about 9 years). However, in the meantime I found another one on eBay for £11, fully working but with no cables or anything (not that I needed them) and always intended to play around with it. The pandemic gave me the excuse to do so. A few days, a bit of patience and a couple of SD cards later and it is now a retro library plugged permanently into my old crt tv.
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Play NES Games These Days?
@Duncanballs I held out for Special Champion Edition and the 6 button Mega Drive controller. Still my favourite version of SF2 to this day, but what a great time to be a gamer! SNES or Mega Drive you were 100% guaranteed a brilliant time!
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Play NES Games These Days?
@Andee I had a similar experience with it in the UK growing up. I remember playing it in shops a fair bit, especially Boots and Children’s World.
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Play NES Games These Days?
@rdm22 it’s not RIP if you have an SD card, PC and a bit of time on your hands (if you know what I mean, matey <yarr!>) 😁
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Play NES Games These Days?
I have the NES classic mini, but I tend to play on the Wii through Virtual Console for quick hits of classic games. With a bit of ‘research’ I was able to acquire the complete catalogue of the VC, which includes a ridiculous number of NES games.
Re: Virtual Boy Is Being Added To Nintendo Switch Online
As someone who had the dubious honour of playing a Virtual Boy back in the couple of months it was available in the 90s, I’m not really interested (aside from as a curio). I have to ask though; why on earth wasn’t this done on the 3DS 10 years ago? It would have been perfect and wouldn’t have needed any expensive accessories.
Re: Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 Prices Are Live, And It's Sticker Shock Time
@koopababble no problem, as I said it’s mainly because of my kids. They each have a Switch Lite and love playing on their own systems (despite having a load of consoles in the house). The HD upgrade would be nice as well; even through the Wii U the Galaxy games are limited to 480p resolution.
Re: Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 Prices Are Live, And It's Sticker Shock Time
I know my kids would love this, so I’d have to get the physical copy so they could each play it on their Switch lites, but the cost of about £60 is very steep. We already have both on Wii, with a digital copy of Galaxy 2 on Wii U (at £8.99 it was worth it back then) and I was fortunate enough to get 3D All Stars as a gift from a friend. Hopefully Currys is still doing a deal for preordering…
Re: Japan's National Library Says Game-Key Cards Are Not Eligible For Preservation
@Saints disc sales for films are still fairly healthy, as much as can be expected with the prevalence of streaming. I own hundreds of DVDs, some of which are over 20 years old, which still work perfectly. I have CDs which are even older that still work. If they are stored properly they will last a long time (much longer than the devices we use to actually access them). CDs are the highest quality way to listen to music and likely will remain that way. Yes, they are less convenient to use but then vinyl has come back in a big way (which is bizarre to me) and that is even less convenient to use.
The simple fact is a not insignificant number of people are tired of paying money for access to things only to not actually possess anything afterwards. With a CD I can burn it on to a hard drive, back it up as many times as I’d like in a variety of formats and store that data in a number of places. I can even make multiple copies of the CD. Similar could be done with DVDs and Blu-rays and even disc based video games. Once I have bought the physical media I am beholden to no company keeping its servers up or keeping its licence agreements.
I know people also talk about storage space and that is a real consideration but somehow we all managed before. Disc boxes haven’t jumped in size in the last 20 years.
Re: Capcom 'Platinum Titles' Sales Update - Monster Hunter, Resident Evil And More
I’m not surprised; all those Resident Evil titles are excellent games (yes, even RE3 remake, I love blasting through it as a quick action game). Having recently played through RE2 remake and then going back and playing the original RE2 on N64 it’s clear just how much care and attention went into the remake to make it the way the original ‘felt’ in my mind back in the 90s/2000s. I’ve only played a bit of Biohazard (don’t like first person for Resi games) and recently finished Village in 3rd person mode, which was fun, though I’m not a fan of the whole ‘sentient mould’ theme. I want me zombies!
Re: Review: Heretic + Hexen (Switch) - Two FPS Cult Classics Masterfully Revamped
I remember playing Hexxen on PC in the mid 90s and loving it. I think I may well have rented it for N64 as well. As soon as there is the inevitable sale on these I will be picking them up. Love my Doom clones!
Re: Video: How Does Switch 2 Look On A CRT TV? Glorious
I have a 26 inch widescreen CRT, with a flat screen that I use for anything up to the Wii. Looks excellent. Furthermore DVDs look glorious through it, connected through RGB SCART.
Re: Feature: Farewell, Nintendo Switch - It's Finally Time To Bid Our Old Friend 'Adieu'
After heavily supporting the Wii U it took me until Xmas 2019 to get a Switch Lite. It didn’t get much use I’ve got to be honest. Big games like Mario Odyssey and Smash Bros just didn’t grip me at all. I’d pick it up from time to time but it didn’t get as much use as the 3DS. Then my son got old enough to game and he was drawn to the Lite, blasting through games that couldn’t hold my attention. I passed it in to him when I got the fun Switch to play on tv, which is where I started to use it far more. I have some good memories of Metroid Dread and Prime remastered, along with Super Mario RPG, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Link’s Awakening, Streets of Rage 4. Both my kids have gotten far more out of the Switch than I ever did, which says a lot about the console’s appeal. My Switch isn’t going anywhere; it’s in great condition and will accompany me on many holidays I’m sure into the future. The Switch 2 is far too expensive and it’s software even more so. The Switch, as decent as it was, was clearly massively underpowered compared to its rivals and Switch 2 looks to be similar. Power isn’t everything but when the gulf is that massive it really shows compared to what my PS5 and Xbox Series X can do.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Ghosting Switch 1 To Save Yourself For Switch 2?
I’m ‘ghosting’ all three current Gen systems at the moment; playing my GameCube through HDMI and loving it!
Re: Switch 2 GameCube Controller Compatible With Other Games, But There May Be Some "Issues"
@LXP8 Amen to that!
Re: Digital Foundry Delivers First Impressions Of Switch 2 - "It Stands Alone In What It Does"
@ElkinFencer10 I see your point, but GBA was a 32 bit handheld, capable of doing far more than the SNES or Mega Drive. It could run PC games from the same time of those machines, such as Doom and Wolfenstein.
Re: Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Now Boasts 300 Playable Titles
It is a great service if the Switch is your first Nintendo system and you want to dive into their previous systems’ libraries or if you were a Nintendo fan at some point but no longer have access to older games. However, barring a few things here and there it’s not hugely advantageous for those of us who have been with them a while, especially with Wii Virtual Console and Wii U Virtual Console allowing us to keep these games, long after support has been withdrawn. For the price, however, which works out to £1.50 a month for the basic online for a single user, it is pocket money to access plenty of retro games in a convenient way.
Of course, there are ways of obtaining the entire VC library on Wii…if you are willing to set sail (‘yar, me hearties!’)
Re: Video: Nintendo Today Gives Us Another Look At Zelda: Wind Waker For Switch Online
@sanderev exactly the same for me! I got mine in 2003, second hand for £70 along with WW and the bonus disc. Imagine getting a 1 year old console today for such a ridiculously low price! I gave my friend my original cube when I got a Wii, but about 2 years later bought a second cube to use in another room for about £20. Kept all my original games (only had 10 when the machine was relevant 2003-2006) except Metroid Prime which I gave to the same friend. I rebought that for very little when I went through a nostalgia trip for the cube in about 2012. Games were so cheap to get them; the most I paid was £17 for Twilight Princess!
Re: Video: Nintendo Today Gives Us Another Look At Zelda: Wind Waker For Switch Online
@teo_o the use of the GBA link was a neat little feature, even if I didn’t use it all that much. I think if you completed Prime and Fusion and linked them up you got the Fusion suit to use in Prime and unlocked the original Metroid on the Fusion cart (I did it finally a few years ago).
Re: Video: Nintendo Today Gives Us Another Look At Zelda: Wind Waker For Switch Online
Both the original GameCube release and the Wii U remaster have their charms. The older one is like playing a traditional 2D cartoon, the later a more modern cartoon. I will say that the shortened Tri-force quest and the ability to change the wind direction without stopping to us the Windwaker constantly make the Wii U version easier to play but it never really bothered me back in 2003 when I got the game with my Cube. The GameBoy Advance link cable allowing you to control Tingle on a GBA was a fun little addition too.
Re: Talking Point: How Does Switch 2's Launch Price Compare To Past Nintendo Systems?
You can spin it anyway you want to, it’s still an expensive bit of kit and the games even more so. I’m all for nostalgia, but this is like the 80s all over again 😂
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@TrogdorTheBurninator me too. I’d quite happily have had a small box, with Wi-fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, a USB port and a cartridge slot bundled with a pro controller as an option for a lower price point. I only ever play handheld on holiday abroad or rarely when sat waiting in the car!
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
I don’t think the ‘have to’ match the $70 that Sony/Microsoft, I think they ‘want to’ match them. Now, I’m in two minds about that; on the one hand for exclusives and the fact that cartridges are more expensive to manufacture than discs I can understand some sort of increase in prices. For the former it’s because they have fans over a barrel, as where else can you play Mario, Zelda or Metroid for example? On the other hand it is ridiculous to charge Nintendo customers more than the competition for lesser versions of the same game, as there is no way multi platform games will run or look best on the Switch 2. Now, for someone like me that’s not a major issue as I am fortunate enough to have to option of choosing which system to buy for, but not everyone is that lucky. Furthermore, if Sony/microsoft we’re charging $70 already, see that people are willing to pay $80 for Switch 2 games, then they will start charging more as well, as they were simply looking for an excuse which they now have (to be fair to Nintendo, Sony were first through the gate with this).
For me, I’m going to have to shop around and make careful decisions, which I’ve already tried to do for a while now. In fact I have started trading in old games in order to buy second hand copies for the first time since the early 2000s.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
As someone who owns all three current systems, even with the upgrades the Switch 2 will not be able to match the PS5 or Xbox. However, that’s not the issue if firstly, Switch 2 is your only system (and you don’t care for Microsoft/Sony or already have a good PC), secondly you only want it for exclusives thirdly you really only play in handheld mode. For me, aside from a few weeks a year when I take my Switch on holiday with me (where it is a godsend) I play exclusively docked at home. So for me, when I eventually, inevitably, upgrade in a few years, I will stick to the same rule I have with PS5; exclusives only. The ridiculous cost of Nintendo games (and I don’t care what anyone says, they are at an indefensibly high price from sheer greed and have opened the floodgate for everyone to charge more, which hurts all of us) will limit me and maybe others to stick to such a strategy….
Re: Nintendo Understands Switch Owners May Not Be "Ready To Jump To Switch 2"
I was toying with the idea of getting Switch 2 at launch, as I have never bought a console day 1, so I thought I might for the novelty factor. It’s a little more than I thought, but the thing that has put me off completely is the ridiculous pricing of the games. Nintendo, in their greed, has broken the seal on increasing game prices. You could argue Sony already went part way there with PS5 games but now they and Microsoft will follow Nintendo by putting their prices up, as if Nintendo can do it, why not them? Bad for consumers. I’ll be waiting until the inevitable improved Switch 2 model before I think of buying.
Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
I’ll pick one up in 2/3 years time when the inevitable better revised model gets a released with better battery life (just like the V2 Switch). The cost of the machine is about £40-£50 more than I expected, but when spread over the 5 years it so of its life time then that’s not too bad. The games on the other hand are far too expensive. I’ve already dug into my library to trade in for PS5 games which are pricy even second hand. Guess I’ll stick with my regular Switch for my Nintendo hit for some time yet.
Re: Nintendo Shares New Image Of Switch 2 Ahead Of The Big Day
@Coversnail I use it in tabletop mode when on holiday. I use a folding stand, as the viewing angle on its own isn’t very comfortable. With the joy on grip it’s like playing on a mini tv!
Re: Random: Sega Surprises Sonic The Hedgehog Fans With Official Timeline
It goes:
Sonic the Hedgehog (MD & MS/GG)
Sonic CD
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (MD & MS/GG)
Sonic Chaos (MS/GG)
Sonic 3
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic Triple Trouble
Knuckles Chaotix
Sonic Mania
Sonic Superstars
Not sure what the others are. Sonic never made it to 3D, right? 😂
Re: US Physical Game Spending Continued To Decline Last Year, Now Sits At Half 2021's Numbers
Stay physical. They tend to be cheaper on the whole and the resell value it worth it. I traded 3 Wii U games in a couple of weeks back which took a massive chunk out of the cost of a PS5. Couldn’t have done that with digital….
Re: Reaction: Nintendo Pins Hopes On Familiar Fun With Switch 2
@Radixxs it will be interesting to see if this is a ‘perfected Switch’. If you compare it to Sony for example the PS2 was a ‘super PS1’ (with a Trojan horse in the form of the built in DVD player for good measure). PS2 did everything the PS1 did but better.
Re: Reaction: Nintendo Pins Hopes On Familiar Fun With Switch 2
@larryisaman I do wonder if it’s sales will match that if the other times they have done similar. The DS was hugely successful but the 3DS, while hardly a failure, did not recapture the magic. Neither did the GBA after the GB or even the mighty SNES, which sold less than the NES.
Re: Reaction: Nintendo Pins Hopes On Familiar Fun With Switch 2
@-wc- I agree with everything you said (I was there Gandalf, 3000 years ago…). However, a lot of what you have described existed ‘under the hood’ as it were, none of which we really know about with Switch 2.
My comment was more a reaction to the disappointment some people online have expressed that the Switch 2’s format is very similar to the original system. My comparison to the NES and SNES is that at the time most consoles were an iterative improvement over the previous model (Atari and SEGA are also examples of this). Basically they were all ‘just a better box under your tv’. Nintendo’s history of innovation with things like the Wii, Switch, DS seems to give some the impression that they will always throw a curve ball, when actually they have plenty of times stuck to a similar idea but with improvements (the Game Boy line is a good example).
BTW not sure if you are from the US (forgive me for assuming if I am wrong) but here in the UK the NES and SNES were not really part of the zeitgeist in the way the Mega Drive and later PS1 were. The Mega Drive was really the first console that took people away from the computers that were the preferred medium in the 80s and early 90s (though the Master System laid the groundwork before it). Nintendo were definitely present but didn’t really try too hard to win us over (Game Boy was how most of us got our Nintendo hit back then).
Re: Reaction: Nintendo Pins Hopes On Familiar Fun With Switch 2
It’s pretty much what I expected; a next Gen Switch.
Tbh if you look at some of their other consoles they too were really just a better version of what came before. The SNES was a cartridge based console that was far more powerful than the NES that came with controller that had more buttons. No one was complaining that it was ‘too similar in concept’ to the NES.
However, the trailer reveals that the Switch 2 can do everything the Switch can do. I’m more interested to see what it can do that the original Switch CAN’T do…
Re: Nintendo Asks Wii U Owners To Refrain From Using "Unauthorised" Online Services
Dear Nintendo,
Could you please update the Wii U so that all activity can be accessed with any controller, not just the gamepad, especially the settings menu? Then we can talk about what I do with a system I spent my own money on. Franky if you are going to remove services and no longer provide them then it’s none of your business what I do with it afterwards.
There’s a good chap.
Re: Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Switch) - Aping A Retro Classic
‘Somehow…Donkey Kong Country…has returned’
I’ll show myself out…
Re: Rumour: Switch Virtual Console Was Apparently Nintendo's "Original Plan"
As someone who owns a Wii, Wii U and Switch it’s not really an issue for me. I had the full switch online for the last 2 years, mainly for my kids but it turned out only my son bothered and when we looked at the games he was playing we already had most of not all on previous consoles, so I’ve dropped it together far cheaper standard option (I like having access to Game Boy games which you can’t play on anything other than an original cart or 3DS VC).
I have modded my Wii, so I have the entire VC on two SD cards and my Wii U has plenty of VC games on it, so a VC on Switch isn’t really an issue. Whilst this isn’t the same as having physical copies of the games it is nice to know that they are always going to be there I some way so long as I look after the systems.
Where it’s going to sting a bit I think is for younger people who have the Switch as their first console; once the online inevitably shuts down there will be some who realise what they lost. However, I’m sure the service will continue on each new system in some way. Personally I don’t really like the idea of not owning things I pay for, but with certain services it’s now sadly an inevitability.
Re: Anniversary: Resident Evil 4, One Of The Greatest Games Ever Made, Turns 20
@AmplifyMJ mine does too! Usually followed by one of us answering with something inappropriate…
Re: Anniversary: Resident Evil 4, One Of The Greatest Games Ever Made, Turns 20
@Rainbowjames the remake is one of the very few games I preordered to play day one. No regrets. It is a fantastic update, just as the remake of Resident Evil on GameCube and Resident Evil 2 a few years ago are.
Re: Anniversary: Resident Evil 4, One Of The Greatest Games Ever Made, Turns 20
@WheresWaveRace couldn’t have put it better myself. Though the PS2 got most of my attention at the time I still had a GameCube for exclusives and over 20 years later it is the system I’m far more fond of. In fact I was playing Double Dash just today!
Re: Anniversary: Resident Evil 4, One Of The Greatest Games Ever Made, Turns 20
Somehow for nearly all of 2005 this totally passed me by (though I had a lot going on). I had moved abroad by the end of the year and when returned briefly for Xmas I decided to get a new game, as my PS2 was going back with me. I picked up RE4 and was hooked from the first play.
That game got me through one of the coldest winters on record, where I could hurry home and just loose myself in it. It was one of the only games where I can remember finishing a section and thinking ‘please don’t be the end of the game. New part? Wahoo!’
The PS2 version has a different balance for some of the weapons any contained Operation Ada and Separate Ways, neither of which were on the original GameCube release. However I managed to scratch the disc and picked up the GameCube version to play during the summer when I returned home. The graphical differences between the Cube and PS2 versions is quite noticeable. My now wife who was with me at the time still occasionally quotes the Merchant (‘what are a buying?’) as I am sure she was sick of hearing it!
Re: Rumour: New 'Switch 2' Photos Show Off A Very Legit-Looking Joy-Con
On the one hand I understand the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach of making the Switch 2 basically a better Switch, but on the other hand I would like the excitement of something different. When I went from the Xbox One S to the Series X yes the newer machine was much faster and more powerful, but everything else, including the UI was identical and as such didn’t really feel ‘new’. It’s a first world problem I know but most Nintendo systems feel different from their predecessor (even, if I’m being honest, several have simply been iterations on the previous system).
Re: Sonic's Live-Action Movies Have Apparently Surpassed $1 Billion At The Box Office
@Anti-Matter You’re fully entitled to your opinion, but I think you are missing out. The Sonic movies are some of the most family friendly, wholesome films I have seen in a long time. The moral centre is very consistent across all three, with great ideas about family, friendship, responsibility, self-discipline and being true to yourself. The humour is also very warm and genuinly funny.
Re: Sonic's Live-Action Movies Have Apparently Surpassed $1 Billion At The Box Office
Good. It was a fun movie. All three Sonic films are wholesome family fun and as a Sonic fan since 1991 it’s great to see what us fans could only imagine: Sonic and co on the big screen!
Also can we stop comparing it to the Mario film? Mario was a ‘traditional’ fully animated film for a character who is even more popular with a consistently high level of games keeping him in the zeitgeist far more successfully than old Sonic. To me both series are triumphs: with Sonic it’s that it has managed to return him to great popularity among the general public to a level not seen since the early 90s and has managed to stay consistently good across three films. Mario’s success isn’t just financial; it’s the fact that after so many years they did it and didn’t make a huge mess of it! As anyone who grew up with the Super Mario Bros. Movie from the 90s can attest, it was not necessarily a sure thing <shudders>
Re: Jim Carrey "Open To The Idea" Of Playing Robotnik In Future Sonic Movies
To hit pay dirt as an actor is rare. To manage it a second time in your career is even more rare. Carey’s shtick fell out of favour for a long time but a comically over the top villain in family films is perfect role for him. He will keep doing it as long as they pay him to. He doesn’t seem the sort that would regret it as they ‘want to be taken seriously as an ACTOR!’ and the fact that the films are successful with a wide audience along with a very clear moral centre for the characters is enough to flavour that enormous pay check!
As for going with Shadow’s story rather than Metal Sonic for the third film I thought it was rather smart: as someone who was around 10 when Sonic first released in the 90s I had aged out of him by the time of Adventure 1&2. So whilst the first two films were great for nostalgia for parents my age, the third is good for those who grew up 10 years later with Sonic’s move to 3D. I went in not knowing much about Shadow and it was still very entertaining, but didn’t push the same buttons as Knuckles’ story in 2. Now by bringing in Amy and Metal sonic the fourth film is once again aimed at us Gen 1 fans. Doing it earlier might have some good arguments but remember that Sonic CD was for the longest time only available to those who could afford the Mega CD/Sega CD attachment for the Mega Drive/Genesis, so the characters had less cultural impact than Tails or Knuckles.
Re: Sega President Shuji Utsumi On Sonic The Hedgehog’s Next Major Outing
As someone who grew up with Sonic in the 90s Mania and to a slightly lesser extent Superstars, are exactly what I want more of. I have never liked Sonic in 3D, his speed means that I end up just going on auto pilot and then dying randomly as I can’t anticipate what to do next (and I wanted to like Lost World and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve played of Frontiers). Generations was good, except the sections with modern sonic.
Superstars was a good step forward in many ways with 4 player options. The bosses however are terrible!
Mania is what I think many people my age wanted from a 32X/Saturn Sonic back in the day. More please!
And release Knuckles Chaotix you cowards! This 90s kids still has no way to play it!
Re: Don't Expect Any More Miniature Consoles From Sega
I love the mini consoles for their ease of use and the access to a bunch of games in one convenient package, along with controllers properly designed for them. Also the fact that they need no online connection or cursed subscription to enjoy. Furthermore I can enjoy them forever with no chance that they’ll be blocked or taken away.
Constantly paying a subscription to play games that will eventually disappear when service ends really annoys me. I know that there will inevitably be some continuation with Switch online with the Switch 2 but it feels like ‘hey! Keep paying us money to access the same old games!’ With mini consoles and virtual console I have the games until my console dies. If I’m spending money I want to at least keep what I buy in some way, shape or form.