Comments 4,063

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Final Tech Specs Have Been Confirmed

KingMike

@Rainz I'd imagine that's happened since the GBC. That had a faster CPU mode (though devs were advised to use it sparingly since it had more battery draw, which was a problem in the days when portables ran on disposable batteries) and more RAM, but backwards-compatible games likely would avoid those features for compatibility (writing code exclusive to the upgraded hardware would be more work since even though it would likely be used more they still need to test functionality in all supported formats).
As in, Switch 2 devs would have to check games still work with and without GameChat if they wanted it "optionally enhanced".

Re: Metroid Prime Dev's Cancelled 3D Platformer 'Harmony' Streamed Online For More Than Four Hours

KingMike

@sanderev There are countless games that would be forgotten from existence with nobody sharing.
Game companies go bankrupt. Some like Data East got their assets sold off piecemeal to several different publishers. Some stuff doesn't get published because they don't know who owns what and don't think it would sell enough to warrant lawyers' time to figure it out. At least one of those significant IPs was in trademark limbo because the developer (who is still in business, last I knew) didn't know if they owned the IP or DE did.
All of this prevents players from enjoying these games if they are not accessible for players to even remember they exist.

I doubt even Konami themselves would remember the bajillion less popular arcade games they made over the years, compared to the smaller number of well-remembered games they produced, if MAME wasn't there documenting and emulating them.

Re: Here's A Look At The Back Of Mario Kart World's Switch 2 Box Art

KingMike

@BirdoDidNothingWrong But that was one of those times when PlayStation execs were at their funniest (most embarrassing). I remember one guy was like "I'll pay you $1,200 if you can find a PS3 on the store shelf for more than five minutes." and one blog said they drove around for half an hour to take a few photos and said that exec owed them about $13,000.

Re: Nintendo Updates Its User Agreement To Crack Down On Emulation

KingMike

That headline is a little misleading, I think.
It sounds like it is only stopping people from unauthorized access to the online functionality of Switch, the "Nintendo Account" (not just NSO but like the eShop and what that still connects to Nintendo's online services).
Nintendo can't stop people from what they do with their Switch offline but they can stop them from accessing Nintendo's online servers.

Re: Full Game List Revealed For Atari's Upcoming Bubsy Collection

KingMike

@Zufolobelisk I actually liked the original when I rented it as a kid. It wasn't the greatest game I played but definitely wasn't the worst. I rented Bubsy II and it just felt less fun despite being more technically intricate.
The game magazine ratings when it came out were actually pretty high, though I don't know if it quite lives up to it.

I wonder if very many people on this hate bandwagon are giving their own opinions or just repeating what others say.

Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: 1080° Avalanche

KingMike

I debate that claim on the Japanese box that 1080 was the extreme sports game "that started it all". Pretty sure the PlayStation competing game, Cool Boarders was already out, if not already into sequels territory. Even Sega's Saturn snowboarding game came out around the same time.

Re: Best Nintendo Switch Strategy Games

KingMike

There is the Fire Emblem NES port, but I guess NintendoLife wouldn't want to mention that one at the least because it was an example of Nintendo at their worst: purposely making it only available to buy for six months. Yet they made a collector's edition that includes a whole lot of goodies but NOT a copy of the game (at least not physical? Did they at least include a code in a box? Whether it would even be valid at this point.)

Re: Xbox Is Raising The Price Of Consoles, Accessories, And Games Worldwide

KingMike

@Oldstalk The tariffs have certainly thrown off some of the equations, but there's some logistical factors such as geography and population: shipping product is much cheaper by sea, but shipping product from southeast Asia to Europe is more likely to get heisted my modern day sea pirates. So it can be sold in countries with lower population (and thus lower sales projection).

Re: How Do Nintendo Switch 2 Virtual Game Cards Work? - Game Transfer & Lending Guide

KingMike

Telling people about the lending loophone ensures Nintendo will patch it out.
I'm certain it was put in with some forgiveness for like if someone has a bad Internet connection.

But of course some are using it deliberately for piracy. Playing the game on two consoles at once when the game has only been paid for once is pretty indisputable, if that isn't something that was specifically encouraged by the game. You can't put a single physical cartridge in two consoles at once, so why would digital be different?

Re: Switch 2 GameCube Controller Compatible With Other Games, But There May Be Some "Issues"

KingMike

@MamaSymphonia Not the emulator's fault for how it's used. I have softmodded my Wii to make legal backups of my collection of GC and Wii discs.
The disc-based hardware has more fail points than even old cartridge hardware and at some point emulation will be the only way to play all the games.
It is nice of Nintendo to offer to make some games playable on the Switch 2 but it will certainly be only the first-party games and whichever third parties want to support the service. A large part of the library will still be left out.

Re: Lunar Remastered Dev Apologises For Stock Issues After Rocky Physical Launch

KingMike

@Hanabi99 I bought Lunar DS shortly after release when I find it in a discount bin rather because of how even when it came out it got a highly negative reception as a poor representative of the series.
Still in the endless backlog to sometime find out if that game was bad as they say. I just remember hearing "lose HP for dashing on the overworld" as one major complaint.

Re: Japanese Retailer Is Asking The Public How To Combat Switch 2 Scalpers

KingMike

@Old-Red I remember when Beanie Babies were the hot thing in the late '90s, there was an attempt at anti-scalping laws for things like that and concert tickets but it was deemed too difficult to enforce for how low of a priority it probably is to lawmakers.
About all they could do for the latter was trespass those trying to scalp tickets within some distance from the venue.

Re: Review: Lunar Remastered Collection (Switch) - Two Of The Most Charming RPGs Ever Get A Fair, If Flawed, Port

KingMike

@RiasGremory Square-Enix might still own the first game at least.
I do recall Xenogears got a Greatest Hits reprint just after Xenosaga Episode 1 came out.
Indeed, SE was selling the game on PSN at least as of 2011. I know the OST is being sold digitally among other SE music, but I'm not certain if it's SE themselves or the artists selling it themselves under license (I can only imagine that's why Nobou's gotta charge so much for FF7! )

Re: Japanese Retailer Is Asking The Public How To Combat Switch 2 Scalpers

KingMike

@Jam777 I remember hearing a time when ebay decided maximum shipping fees and told sellers that if it cost more, raise the item price to cover it.
I see that was not enforced, when I recall once seeing a N64 console listed with a 3 grand shipping fee (yes, dollars) as the silliest I've seen on ebay. Now it could well be that seller just made a typo, but if ebay really did have some kind of fee limit per category, they'd want to systematically enforce it.