@FredsBodyDouble Pretty much, they developed all the games and releases of the Metroid Prime trilogy and Prime 4 as well as Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii version only) and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (both Wii U and Switch versions).
They also did some work (but weren't the main developers) on Metroid Prime Hunters, Mario Kart 7 and Mario Strikers: Battle League. I don't know if they did any work on Metroid Prime: Federation Force, though.
EDIT: Apparently the Mech's designs in Federation Force are Retro's work.
@Blaa having cleared the game after 21 hours (yes, I was taking and enjoying my time with it) on Easy (to get used to the game) with 100% Items, Scans and Green Energy (for the Gallery unlocks, subsequent playthroughs will only be 50% of green energy), I'm gonna say the internet totally blew the hate for the game in general out of proportion.
And no, I don't think my times are going down much because I'm not a speedrunner kind of person, which I'm starting to think the internet will hate me for.
I like how they continue the tradition of Robot Master contests. I probably would've done something like Game Man, a RM based on the concept of video games in general, or a female RM... How about Hood Woman (based on Little Red Riding Hood/B.B. Hood) or Scout Woman (a reference to Sailor Moon)?
Off-topic: @LoroTalby
"Do you want cookies?"
Sorry, couldn't resist. I do hope that after accepting them, your choice is respected on NL's end.
Late last night, I finished Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Easy difficulty with 100% Items, Scans and Green Energy, mostly for the Gallery. Next, I'll try Normal difficulty, without 100% Green Energy from here on.
Maybe also some Mega Man 8. I have until the release of Mega Man: Dual Override to beat Mega Man 8, 9, 10 and 11. I got Mega Man 11 on the last day of the insane sale (didn't make the same mistake as with Okami HD), but I'll play it until I beat 10.
@missingno_fgc Oh, I'm not denying Space Invaders impact and I'm grateful it is available for those who just want this game and not entire collections. What I'm saying is that, as ACA #500, it loses its "boom" (lack of better word here) since it is already available by other means on modern systems.
It's certainly a different experience from prior Metroid outings, and it seems that Nintendo is willing to chalk this down to its protracted development period – lest we forget, it was originally announced in 2017 with Bandai Namco assisting, but was rebooted in 2019 with Retro Studios returning to the helm.
Have we ever had proof that Bandai Namco (specifically the Singapore studio that Nintendo recently acquired) were the ones in charge of the original version?
Anyway, I haven't played enough to make a concrete opinion to say if I love or hate it. But seriously, whatever they did, that graphic quality on the Switch1 cannot go unrecognized.
@Anti-Matter Like I said last week, it takes a little bit more time, Famitsu charts the top 10 first and then a few hours later or the next day at most they have the top 30.
We'll see where/if Metroid Prime 4 charted in the top 30 in a few hours, tomorrow at most. But realistically, I'm only expecting the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition to chart.
Not sure if it's worthy of mentioning, but it seems this update is western exclusive. The Japanese N64 NSO apps (the regular and the Mature ones) didn't update. Neither did any other NSO app.
@Robot99 Ah, I see. I forget there are actually 2 "Hurry Up!" variants here, one faster when the timer hits 99 seconds left and the fastest one when there are 49 seconds left.
With that said, it is a crime the Kingdoms songs aren't used more often. Especially Chai Kingdom with all the Chinese motif they've been using recently such as Dragon Road and Dragon Palace in Mario Kart.
Not being the biggest Marvel fan out there, I'm fine with just Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection. Maybe one day I'll give Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, secondhand physical copies are not hard to find here in my area.
Making its Nintendo console debut in 2026. Fatal Frame II is often considered one of the best in Koei Tecmo's long-running horror series.
Ummm, didn't it come out on the Wii back in 2012?
Also, in Dragon Quest VII
Physical?
Yes, on Switch 2, Game-Key Card on Switch 2 (and no upgrade path)
How can it be physical and have a Game-Key Card on the same system? And yes, I'm aware it's a mistake and it should say it's physical on the Switch 1 but a GKC on Switch 2
Physical Copies are plenty in my area, but for that price, it's hard to resist it. Guess I'll get it digitally and then see what price I can get it physically later. Kind of like what I did with Puyo Puyo Tetris.
In fact, I'm expecting a similar price outcome to that one.
@Dman10 any game that gets Latin American Spanish or Brazilian Portuguese localizations should be highlighted. A lot of times companies are content by simply dumping the European variants localizations on the American copies, which are not 100% representative of how we speak over here. Who the hey says "bocata" instead of "sandwich" or "emparedado" in Latin American Spanish?
SEGA is one of the worst offenders in this regard. Or at least they seem to be trying these days, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has Latin American Spanish texts but no verbal speeches, they still use the European Spanish voices, which don't really match the LatAm Spanish text.
But as of Sonic X Shadow Generations, they still had European Spanish crammed in the American copies.
Side note: The article doesn't mention which character 50 Cent plays, which is Balrog/M.Bison.
EDIT: Now it does.
Actually, this has me thinking: for the Japanese release, will they follow the Japanese naming conventions of SF or will they pull a Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game and call them with their western names even in Japan?
@Otoemetry Famitsu themselves post it at the end of the source, on the red text that says ゲーム販売本数ランキングページ. Here's the link, it currently has last week's top 30: https://www.famitsu.com/ranking/game-sales
They usually post the top 30 a day or two after posting the top 10. Unfortunately, I don't know if someone posts them in English.
I'm gonna cheat a bit in my order because I like more than one game equally as others, but for me it's
1. Prime Trilogy
Let's just lump them all together, I like them all equally.
2. Zero Mission / Fusion / Hunters / Samus Returns
No real comments on these ones.
3. Dread
It only needs some more music, but what little it has I enjoy as background noise. And it has, in my opinion, the best Power Suit with that light blue color. I'm considering addind it to the #2 group, though.
4. Super / Other M
Sorry, Super. As much as I do believe you're a great game, your controls kinda ruin it for me going back, that's also what really ruins Other M for me. I've said this before... twice, come to think of it, but Samus' human side won't be unappreciated by me.
5. OG Metroid / II: Return of Samus
These games are not bad per se, but if I can play the remakes over the originals I will.
Cannot speak for Federation Force and Prime 4 as I haven't played them. Ranking Pinball (which I have played) with the same bar as the other games just doesn't feel right to me. That's like trying to rank, I don't know, Smash Bros. as an Animal Crossing game? Maybe?
@SplatRay001 let it play for about 50 minutes every once in a while.
I agree this is Charles Martinet's best Wario performance, those screams when he falls off in the sky sections have stayed with me all these years.
If possible, play the Japanese version to have access to the true final boss.
In the international versions, it doesn't have any changes throughout the fight, but in the Japanese version the Black Jewel has a second phase after you deplete half his health, it is also where the otherwise unused Wario World Main Theme plays. Said song was used in promotional material and was later remixed for Mario Power Tennis.
@Suketoudara I do remember Ubisoft being a little more prominent on the Game Boy Color, at one point I was also confusing Earthworm Jim as a Ubisoft IP for some reason. Hopefully other Ubisoft games from other systems can join these two.
Side Note: Weirdly, as of the time of this comment, NCL haven't announced what Japan will be getting.
@Dev-N True, I tend to forget about the Tikis because Returns is the DK game I've played the least. But yes, a battle between the four (and maybe Void Kong) is something I'd pay money to see.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for me at some point before the year ends. It'll be the physical Nintendo Switch 2 Edition cart played on a Switch 1, and maybe on my sister's Switch 2.
Some games in my area are also on sale, I might get a few of them and call it a day (a year?). Then by January, I'll get the NS2E of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
It is a dream of mine to one day see a fight (maybe a war) between King K. Rool, Ghastly Kong and Lord Fredrick, just to see who gets to steal DK's Banana Hoard.
The moment I saw a Hot Wheels scalper harassing two employees at a supermarket is when I said out loud "I'm glad I'm not into (hardcore) collecting beyond amiibo".
That's a lot of money for a game where the wheels don't even animate when you turn and the cars look more like someone is moving the track rather than the cars actually moving on the track (look at the split screen segment to see what I mean).
This is one thing I like about the Japanese Nintendo website, they usually offer some sort of printable pamphlet (not necessarily a manual) that you can store in a game's case.
The WarioWare: Get It Together! one is narrated from Wario's prespective, or at least I think it is.
Ok, SEGA. (Super Monkey) Ball's in your court to make me trust you on good AI use for machine learning with human input to the results and not as an excuse to dispose of human staff/release AI slop.
And by the way, that sAInic has a "double ring", which nobody mentioned. But then again, I suppose this is how he looked in Sonic '06 in-game. And yes, this last part is a joke, if it flies over your head.
Comments 3,515
Re: Capcom Arcade Stadium Physical Features Five Cover Options, But Which Is Your Favourite?
Original CAS cover for me.
Re: Tetris 99's First Maximus Cup Of 2026 Celebrates Animal Crossing Switch 2 Edition And Free 3.0 Update
What a great way to end my vacation.
Re: Poll: So, Now The Dust Has Settled, How Did You Find Myles MacKenzie?
@FredsBodyDouble Pretty much, they developed all the games and releases of the Metroid Prime trilogy and Prime 4 as well as Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii version only) and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (both Wii U and Switch versions).
They also did some work (but weren't the main developers) on Metroid Prime Hunters, Mario Kart 7 and Mario Strikers: Battle League. I don't know if they did any work on Metroid Prime: Federation Force, though.
EDIT: Apparently the Mech's designs in Federation Force are Retro's work.
Re: Poll: So, Now The Dust Has Settled, How Did You Find Myles MacKenzie?
@Blaa having cleared the game after 21 hours (yes, I was taking and enjoying my time with it) on Easy (to get used to the game) with 100% Items, Scans and Green Energy (for the Gallery unlocks, subsequent playthroughs will only be 50% of green energy), I'm gonna say the internet totally blew the hate for the game in general out of proportion.
And no, I don't think my times are going down much because I'm not a speedrunner kind of person, which I'm starting to think the internet will hate me for.
Re: Konami Appears To Have A New Switch Game In The Works
You know Konami also owns Hudson Soft IPs. With that said...
Bloody Roar: Enchanted Wonderland
Re: Mega Man: Dual Override Robot Master Design Contest Ends, Capcom Thanks Fans For "Wonderful" Submissions
I like how they continue the tradition of Robot Master contests. I probably would've done something like Game Man, a RM based on the concept of video games in general, or a female RM... How about Hood Woman (based on Little Red Riding Hood/B.B. Hood) or Scout Woman (a reference to Sailor Moon)?
Off-topic: @LoroTalby
"Do you want cookies?"
Sorry, couldn't resist. I do hope that after accepting them, your choice is respected on NL's end.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (3rd January)
Late last night, I finished Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Easy difficulty with 100% Items, Scans and Green Energy, mostly for the Gallery.
Next, I'll try Normal difficulty, without 100% Green Energy from here on.
Maybe also some Mega Man 8. I have until the release of Mega Man: Dual Override to beat Mega Man 8, 9, 10 and 11. I got Mega Man 11 on the last day of the insane sale (didn't make the same mistake as with Okami HD), but I'll play it until I beat 10.
Re: ICYMI: My Nintendo Adds Printable Metroid Prime 4 Box Art Cover, Databook Now Also Available In English
I'm glad it has the Mexican version of the cover art, the bottom disclaimer is less invasive in that one.
Re: Arcade Archives Celebrates 500 Retro Releases With Special Commemorative Game
@missingno_fgc Oh, I'm not denying Space Invaders impact and I'm grateful it is available for those who just want this game and not entire collections. What I'm saying is that, as ACA #500, it loses its "boom" (lack of better word here) since it is already available by other means on modern systems.
Re: "A Knife Can Be Used For Cooking Or As A Weapon" - Level-5 Boss Defends GenAI In Game Development
The thing is, CEOs and bigwigs would rather use that knife as a weapon.
Re: Arcade Archives Celebrates 500 Retro Releases With Special Commemorative Game
No offense to Space Invaders but I feel The Outfoxies should've been the game #500. That one would've made a bigger impact than it being #499.
Re: Nintendo Suggests Metroid Prime 4's Tortured Development Meant It Was "Divorced From The Changing Of Times"
Have we ever had proof that Bandai Namco (specifically the Singapore studio that Nintendo recently acquired) were the ones in charge of the original version?
Anyway, I haven't played enough to make a concrete opinion to say if I love or hate it. But seriously, whatever they did, that graphic quality on the Switch1 cannot go unrecognized.
Re: UK Charts: Nintendo Performs Admirably In Its Last Christmas Push
@GrailUK @AmplifyMJ Case in point, the North American Videogame Crash of 1983.
Re: "I Skipped School To Play" - Hideo Kojima Cites Super Mario Bros As The Reason He Makes Games
Did he skip school Solid Snake style?
Re: Switch 2's Mario Kart World Bundle Has Apparently Reached The End Of Its Lifecycle
My guess is that this time there will be rotation of games bundled, at first it was Mario Kart World, now it's Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Re: Japanese Charts: Switch 2 And Mario Kart World Continue To Obliterate The Competition
Here's Numbers 11 to 30 for this week, using the same format as Nintendo Life (Place / Title / System / Weekly Units Sales / Total Unit Sales)
Re: Japanese Charts: Switch 2 And Mario Kart World Continue To Obliterate The Competition
@Anti-Matter Like I said last week, it takes a little bit more time, Famitsu charts the top 10 first and then a few hours later or the next day at most they have the top 30.
Of course, it'd be great if NL updated the Japanese charts once the top 30 are available. If not, here's the link: https://www.famitsu.com/ranking/game-sales
Re: Japanese Charts: Switch 2 And Mario Kart World Continue To Obliterate The Competition
We'll see where/if Metroid Prime 4 charted in the top 30 in a few hours, tomorrow at most. But realistically, I'm only expecting the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition to chart.
EDIT: See below.
Re: The US Suffered Its Worst November Since 1995 In Terms Of Hardware Sales
For those wondering, apparently the NEX Playground is essentially a $249 Kinect system.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's N64 Library With Two Classic Platformers
Not sure if it's worthy of mentioning, but it seems this update is western exclusive. The Japanese N64 NSO apps (the regular and the Mature ones) didn't update. Neither did any other NSO app.
Re: Nintendo Music Update Adds Super Mario's OG Game Boy Outing, Here's Every Song Included
@Robot99 Ah, I see. I forget there are actually 2 "Hurry Up!" variants here, one faster when the timer hits 99 seconds left and the fastest one when there are 49 seconds left.
With that said, it is a crime the Kingdoms songs aren't used more often. Especially Chai Kingdom with all the Chinese motif they've been using recently such as Dragon Road and Dragon Palace in Mario Kart.
Re: Nintendo Music Update Adds Super Mario's OG Game Boy Outing
33 songs? Didn't think the original Super Mario Land had that much music.
Yes, I'm aware it may also include jingles and fanfares, but even then I thought it was like 20 at most.
Re: UK Charts: Metroid Prime 4 Falls From The Top Ten
I'm ready to do my part and buy Metroid Prime 4 this week. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll get it.
Re: Multiple Switch Games Have Received Switch 2 Compatibility Fixes
What was the issue with Miitopia?
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Marvel Games
Not being the biggest Marvel fan out there, I'm fine with just Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection. Maybe one day I'll give Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, secondhand physical copies are not hard to find here in my area.
Re: 35 Upcoming Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 Games To Look Forward To In 2026
About Fatal Frame II
Ummm, didn't it come out on the Wii back in 2012?
Also, in Dragon Quest VII
How can it be physical and have a Game-Key Card on the same system?
And yes, I'm aware it's a mistake and it should say it's physical on the Switch 1 but a GKC on Switch 2
Re: Capcom Game Awards Switch And Switch 2 eShop Deals, Save Up To 85%
Physical Copies are plenty in my area, but for that price, it's hard to resist it. Guess I'll get it digitally and then see what price I can get it physically later. Kind of like what I did with Puyo Puyo Tetris.
In fact, I'm expecting a similar price outcome to that one.
Re: Capcom Surprises Mega Man 11 Players With A New Update
@Dman10 any game that gets Latin American Spanish or Brazilian Portuguese localizations should be highlighted. A lot of times companies are content by simply dumping the European variants localizations on the American copies, which are not 100% representative of how we speak over here. Who the hey says "bocata" instead of "sandwich" or "emparedado" in Latin American Spanish?
SEGA is one of the worst offenders in this regard. Or at least they seem to be trying these days, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has Latin American Spanish texts but no verbal speeches, they still use the European Spanish voices, which don't really match the LatAm Spanish text.
But as of Sonic X Shadow Generations, they still had European Spanish crammed in the American copies.
Re: Review: Terminator 2D: NO FATE (Switch) - A Simplistic Yet Fascinating 16-Bit Love Letter
"Hasta la vista, LJN"
-AVGN, probably.
Re: Video: Here's Your First Look At The Street Fighter Live-Action Movie, Due Out 2026
Side note: The article doesn't mention which character 50 Cent plays, which is Balrog/M.Bison.
EDIT: Now it does.
Actually, this has me thinking: for the Japanese release, will they follow the Japanese naming conventions of SF or will they pull a Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game and call them with their western names even in Japan?
Re: Mega Man Returns In 2027 With A Brand-New Entry For Switch And Switch 2
Will be there for sure. Hopefully by then I would have played Mega Man 8, 9, 10 and 11.
Re: Japanese Charts: Sorry Samus, Octopath Is The Best-Selling New Release This Week
@Otoemetry beats me what it means, hopefully someone that reads Japanese could chime in.
In any case, the sales chart has been updated with the top 30, revealing the Switch 1 version of Metroid Prime 4 at #15 with 7,586 sales.
Re: Japanese Charts: Sorry Samus, Octopath Is The Best-Selling New Release This Week
@Otoemetry Famitsu themselves post it at the end of the source, on the red text that says ゲーム販売本数ランキングページ.
Here's the link, it currently has last week's top 30: https://www.famitsu.com/ranking/game-sales
They usually post the top 30 a day or two after posting the top 10.
Unfortunately, I don't know if someone posts them in English.
Re: Best Metroid Games Of All Time
I'm gonna cheat a bit in my order because I like more than one game equally as others, but for me it's
1. Prime Trilogy
Let's just lump them all together, I like them all equally.
2. Zero Mission / Fusion / Hunters / Samus Returns
No real comments on these ones.
3. Dread
It only needs some more music, but what little it has I enjoy as background noise. And it has, in my opinion, the best Power Suit with that light blue color. I'm considering addind it to the #2 group, though.
4. Super / Other M
Sorry, Super. As much as I do believe you're a great game, your controls kinda ruin it for me going back, that's also what really ruins Other M for me. I've said this before... twice, come to think of it, but Samus' human side won't be unappreciated by me.
5. OG Metroid / II: Return of Samus
These games are not bad per se, but if I can play the remakes over the originals I will.
Cannot speak for Federation Force and Prime 4 as I haven't played them. Ranking Pinball (which I have played) with the same bar as the other games just doesn't feel right to me. That's like trying to rank, I don't know, Smash Bros. as an Animal Crossing game? Maybe?
Re: Japanese Charts: Sorry Samus, Octopath Is The Best-Selling New Release This Week
It's interesting to see that it's the Switch 2 Edition of MP4 the one that charted. We'll see how the Switch 1 version fared by tomorrow.
Re: Limited Run Games Is Bringing NES 'Jaws' To Switch In "Massively Expanded" Form
The only good thing about this is a potential "Jaws Revisited" AVGN episode.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch 2 GameCube Library With Wario's 3D Outing
@SplatRay001 let it play for about 50 minutes every once in a while.
I agree this is Charles Martinet's best Wario performance, those screams when he falls off in the sky sections have stayed with me all these years.
If possible, play the Japanese version to have access to the true final boss.
In the international versions, it doesn't have any changes throughout the fight, but in the Japanese version the Black Jewel has a second phase after you deplete half his health, it is also where the otherwise unused Wario World Main Theme plays. Said song was used in promotional material and was later remixed for Mario Power Tennis.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's N64 Library With Two Classic Platformers
@Suketoudara I do remember Ubisoft being a little more prominent on the Game Boy Color, at one point I was also confusing Earthworm Jim as a Ubisoft IP for some reason.
Hopefully other Ubisoft games from other systems can join these two.
Side Note: Weirdly, as of the time of this comment, NCL haven't announced what Japan will be getting.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's N64 Library With Two Classic Platformers
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these the first Ubisoft games added to NSO systems?
In any case, I'm here for Rayman 2. More Rayman cannot be a bad thing, right?
Tonic Trouble will be a first for me.
Re: Dig Into Donkey Kong Bananza's Third DLC In-Game Event Next Week
@Dev-N True, I tend to forget about the Tikis because Returns is the DK game I've played the least. But yes, a battle between the four (and maybe Void Kong) is something I'd pay money to see.
Re: Video: 15 Exciting New Games Coming To Switch 1 & 2 In December 2025
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for me at some point before the year ends. It'll be the physical Nintendo Switch 2 Edition cart played on a Switch 1, and maybe on my sister's Switch 2.
Some games in my area are also on sale, I might get a few of them and call it a day (a year?). Then by January, I'll get the NS2E of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Re: Dig Into Donkey Kong Bananza's Third DLC In-Game Event Next Week
It is a dream of mine to one day see a fight (maybe a war) between King K. Rool, Ghastly Kong and Lord Fredrick, just to see who gets to steal DK's Banana Hoard.
Re: Paramount Makes Rival Bid For Warner Bros. After Netflix's $82 Billion Offer, Includes Game Studios
Wow, I didn't think Paramount would retaliate. Now it all comes down to "which one (Netflix or Paramount) is the lesser of two evils?"
Re: "My Staff Have Had Customers Threatening To Rip Their Heads Off" - Retailers And Collectors Tell Of Pokémon TCG Woes
The moment I saw a Hot Wheels scalper harassing two employees at a supermarket is when I said out loud "I'm glad I'm not into (hardcore) collecting beyond amiibo".
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows On Switch 2 Supposedly "Unplayable" For Some Players After Repeated Crashes
@Gamemoose hopefully they won't be like EA and tell gamers to "Deal with it".
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel - Metroid Prime Pinball
I'll go with Japan for this one. The western one makes it look like if Samus herself is playing a pinball arcade.
Years ago, I read somewhere that the Japanese version sold 0 copies during launch week. Since then I haven't been able to find where I read that.
Cartridge art:
North America (shared with Europe)
Japan
(Photo with better lightning)
Re: '4PGP: Four-Player Grand Prix' Brings 90's-Style Multiplayer Racing To Switch 1 & 2 In 2026
That's a lot of money for a game where the wheels don't even animate when you turn and the cars look more like someone is moving the track rather than the cars actually moving on the track (look at the split screen segment to see what I mean).
Re: Printable Metroid Prime 4 'Databook' Has Us Feeling Nostalgic For Instruction Booklets
This is one thing I like about the Japanese Nintendo website, they usually offer some sort of printable pamphlet (not necessarily a manual) that you can store in a game's case.
The WarioWare: Get It Together! one is narrated from Wario's prespective, or at least I think it is.
Re: Netflix Enters Agreement To Buy Warner Bros. For $82 Billion, Includes Game Studios
What a s***show the whole Warner Bros. Discovery merger has been.
Re: Sega Will "Carefully Assess Appropriate Use Cases" When It Comes To "Leveraging AI"
Ok, SEGA. (Super Monkey) Ball's in your court to make me trust you on good AI use for machine learning with human input to the results and not as an excuse to dispose of human staff/release AI slop.
And by the way, that sAInic has a "double ring", which nobody mentioned. But then again, I suppose this is how he looked in Sonic '06 in-game. And yes, this last part is a joke, if it flies over your head.