OBVIOUSLY this sucks and no one wants it to happen to them, but these people throwing Twitter tantrums and asking what they do are just ridiculous. Anyone who has ever used Amazon knows how to file for a replacement/return/refund or contact customer service and spoiler alert, it's not by tossing a random tweet into the void with no real pertinent information. There's a fancy little button on their Amazon order page to report an issue or ask for a replacement: use it.
@Richnj Honestly, most people would be fine if some of the Doom ports or MCC were $20 per game. I wouldn't pay that but I don't particularly like shooters in general so I wouldn't buy them for $5 either. Realistically, the cost of porting it isn't the only thing that gives it value and you act like it is. Even if it were LITERALLY free to port for them, that doesn't take away the value of the product. Galaxy is also significantly newer, longer and more expensive of a game than many of the ones you mentioned. It also isn't available anywhere but the Wii or Wii U, meanwhile Doom can be played on virtually every platform under the sun. Availability and demand are real elements of business.
Also, you say that the extent of the work and the cost of the production is what should determine the price. Maybe this is true. Maybe. But it literally isn't how the entertainment business has worked virtually in any category. A song on itunes isn't cheaper or more expensive based on any factor of the production value or cost. Movie theaters don't charge less for tickets for lower budget films versus the 500 million dollar blockbuster movies. DVDs and Blurays or digital movie downloads, same thing. Books aren't priced based on length or time to create or money spent on it. And by and large, games from AAA developers work at a set MSRP. It's true that in recent years some studios have opted to charge less, but one company choosing to charge less on a particular collection is them doing something nice for the consumer that should be appreciated, not used as a reason for why everyone else MUST do the same or they're somehow taking advantage of the consumer.
To be honest, games are insanely cheap as is. In terms of cost to produce and what goes into them, it makes very little profit compared to most other businesses and it's one of the ONLY industries in the world that has had its products get progressively cheaper as time goes on despite insanely sharp increases in cost to produce. $60 for Super Mario 3D All-Stars is about $14 less than what was charged for Super Mario 64 by itself when it was launched, counting for inflation.
So while I won't sit here and tell you that it isn't great that a company chooses to charge $40 for a collection of some sort instead of $60, I do think $60 for this particular is a good and fair deal for three amazing games with some decent improvements. Microsoft undercharging for something doesn't mean Nintendo is overcharging for something else.
Meanwhile, I do think charging $60 for something like Captain Toad Treasure Tracker (which in some ways is actually worse than the original) IS overcharging. Similar could be said of New Super Mario Bros U. Deluxe, especially since four player multiplayer in that game was ruined in some ways. I don't think either of those are worth that price. I don't feel the same about the 3D collection.
As for DLC and microtransations, my issues with that aren't about whether or not they're nickel and diming me, per se. It's more the idea of being sold an unfinished product. Some is perfectly fine, some of it isn't. Hopefully the legitimately shady stuff will fall away and people won't support it. But I don't see that being the case with the 3D collection.
@Richnj I assume that's a half-baked attempt to call out the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection. The problem is, what you accused them of doing isn't at all what happened. Not only are there numerous small changes in the games, they're presented visually better than ever before, the full sound track is there as well and saying they charge "full price" is wildly misleading, considering it would be "full price" if it were one game. As it stands, they're charging about $20 per game, which is a fine price. And yes, I'm sure you can offer examples of other games that are cheaper and did more. Yes. That's gaming. The price isn't fixed based on game length or graphical quality. Xenoblade 2 doesn't cost $300 just because it's five times longer to 100% than Super Mario Odyssey. Game pricing is mostly based on company recognition and game popularity, plus industry standard for modern physical releases. There are some minor exceptions, but most companies are going to put a $60 price tag on a game they put out. Whether it's worth it is up to the consumer. I could easily day all companies not making 200+ hour RPGs are screwing their customers with egregious sales tactics by selling these 5-20 hour single player AAA titles for $60. But the people playing The Last of Us or Uncharted or Luigi's Mansion.. it's up to them to determine if $60 is a fair price. Nintendo or Sony aren't commiting some irrefutable sin because they make shorter or simpler games and charge $60 for it. It's business, filling a demand.
And honestly, while I might think some of those aren't worth $60 (including other Nintendo games, like Link's Awakening or even Smash Ultimate) to me, I absolutely think the 3D All-Stars collection is worth it. Super Mario Galaxy alone being playable without a Wii Remote, on a handheld, portable and with the resolution bumped up so it looks better than ever.. honestly, I'd probably pay $60 for that. But with Sunshine and 64 included, it's a dream collection.
Nintendo doesn't need to be called out so it doesn't get a "free pass". They offered a product people wanted at an expected and reasonable MSRP. And for those that don't want it, they don't have to buy it. And to be frank, having a 100+ hour package available at a set price and not nickel and diming with DLC and microtransations is nice. That's the stuff that really needs to be questioned.
I just hope the overwhelming majority that selected 3D doesn't mean they just won't even bother with 2D. I hope they see that 19% who actually PREFER 2D is sizeable enough to warrant some entries. Also, considering that preferring 3D doesn't mean that those players don't also enjoy/love 2D. Much like Mario, there's room for both.
@Heavyarms55 Well, that is what they've done, essentially. Just.. with things that are pretty underwhelming and if the demo is any indication, you can get a dozen or more items like that with every side mission.
@Heavyarms55 The issue is that as soon as something fun or interesting happens with amiibo, there are the legions of people who relentless attack Nintendo for locking content behind a "paywall". It seems they've come to the (probably logical) conclusion that the amiibo will still sell fairly well (maybe even just as well) with only minor utilization and tiny bonuses that you can already get in-game.
And while amiibo users are somewhat disappointed, it's better than the bad press and rage when they actually use them for something bigger.
@Heavyarms55 Apparently, we have a few cardinal sins here. Nintendo committed the first by daring to air a video of a new game from one of their development partners; even considering they said it was a new third party game and not a Nintendo property, it's some form of unforgivable sin that it wasn't, say, a new Zelda game.
Then, Nintendo Life committed the grave sin of claiming they gave WayForward the benefit of the doubt, a company with a solid track record for licensed games, solid Switch titles and snappy dialogue, HOPEFULLY could make a solid Bakugan title. And then when the game wasn't good, they admitted their disappointment that it didn't live up to their expectations.
What monsters they are, right? My god, just unforgivable. What will they do next? Tell us about the release date of a game, then later have to tell us it has changed when the developers decide to delay it? What devious fiends...!
@Thundertron55 People throw a huge fit when you get stuff that's actually interesting from amiibo because then they feel cheated. Honestly, it's probably better for them to give you something small so people still kind of want it but not enough to make people rage about feeling "obligated" to buy the amiibo.
These analysts. They either make insane claims that are so ludicrously unbelievable that you'd think they've never read a single piece of data related to console sales (like when some claimed the Switch may only sell 3 million its first year and likely sell less than Wii U overall) OR... we get things like..
"Breaking news! Analysts believe in a year's time, water may indeed still be required for the human body to function!"
I mean, come on. Not only is the Switch insanely on fire in Japan with no signs of slowing, Japan as a territory is INCREDIBLY slow at adopting new platforms. The PS5 may turn into a MASSIVE success in Japan in a few years time, but it's not going to go screaming out of the gates. Especially during a pandemic. And especially during an irregular console cycle where Nintendo is sales king (currently) and I'm the middle of their system's life rather than transitioning.
@Ralek85 I await the post-Three Houses Fire Emblem world with bated breath. I'm very curious what will happen with all the elements pushing the series a little more into the limelight and the success of the Switch in general. In anxious to hear news of the next mainline entry in general and hopeful for some remakes/remasters of some of the SNES titles in particular.
@Ralek85 Oh and I had meant to say.. I always kind of felt "ludonarrative dissonance" was Fire Emblem's thing in general. The structure of how the narrative plays out pre and post battle always felt that way to me. Honestly, I remember thinking decades ago how it often reminded me of how in Dragon Ball Z the characters would be in a city, but then suddenly they'd fly half a mile in any direction in be in a limitless wasteland expanse to talk and fight. I kind of imagined the reverse though, where in Fire Emblem it was like "battle's over, let's walk ten feet this way to the discussion forum where everyone congregates for lengthy chats!"
@Ralek85 Yeah, I hear you. It's hard to say what exactly will come, though while a few months ago I would have said that the structure and style of Three Houses was here to stay, because it has hit such broad scale appeal beyond many earlier installments, however...the decision to still show off and translate the original Fire Emblem demonstrates a desire not to throw away the roots, even treating it to a somewhat elaborate special edition.
It's a little like The Legend of Zelda, with the differences between the 3D and 2D Zeldas, except honestly I don't think Fire Emblem as a franchise makes enough money to really have that kind of duality exist in the franchise and see releases of many different types. We'll see though. I like it all.
And I hear you with SMT and Persona as well. Though I think (I hope) that the remaster of III and the new exclusive V on Switch will see the same kind of renaissance many franchises have seen on the Switch, hopefully turning into the two best selling entries yet in their series, securing a place for that style going forward.
On a side note, I just picked up Strange Journey Redux on a sale and I'm looking forward to finally playing it.
@nessisonett I guess I felt like the complexity of the politics and why you end up on different sides is much more compelling than what a lot of stories do, which is just to have a generic bad guy who's evil for evil's sake. I like villains who are people with realistic motives. It's why sometimes Final Fantasy bothers me. So many of the minor antagonists, bosses and even larger villains are just big monolithic creatures without distinct, even sympathetic personas.
I suppose that's also why I like a lot of the Tales games (particularly older ones), because the villains are usually decent people and sometimes even have incredibly valid reasons for their actions, it's just they tend to go about it perhaps in the wrong way.
@Ralek85 this and I love this. I hate this because it is my least favourite modern FE game, it was just too mindnumbingly easy and it lacked the sense of mature themes I loved about the GC games, while also being too convoluted and waifu'y for it's own good to compete with the classics like Sacred Stone or sumthing.
Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I just find it a little surprising you think it lacks mature themes. Three Houses deals with so many deep, mature themes, particularly with the interpersonal relationships of many of the characters. And I really don't see how it's convoluted. Also, I have to flatly disagree that it's "too waifu'y for its own good".
First off, for its own good would seem to indicate that it has suffered in some way and this is the cause. Yet, it's beloved by many and the best selling in the series. So even if it is very "waifu'y", it's apparently just waifu'y enough for its own good, to garner success.
Secondly, I feel like it's absolutely the least waifu oriented of the modern games, particularly because you aren't incubating children. That and the female characters are far less provocative and sexually drawn in general. Even the game's most "alluring" character, Dorothea, is more than way in personality rather than actual artistic design. I personally thought it was a step in a much better direction than the last few entries.
Stilll, as a fan of the classic games, I do understand having some issues with the modern games.
@theiRiS I guess that's kind of my point, though. It isn't really a Mario game in the traditional sense. But when compared to some of the other Mario games that aren't the big boys like Odyssey or even the A3D All-Stars collect, it did as well or much better than Super Mario Maker 2, New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, Mario + Rabbids, Luigi's Mansion 3, Captain Toad, Yoshi's Crafted World, Mario Tennis Aces. And better than most other first party games in their first quarter. I think the bigger question will be how much of an evergreen title it turns out to be and if it will continue to climb.
I really do think Nintendo is likely pleased with it. Especially after news outlets would have had you believe Paper Mario fans were going to practically boycott it. Yet it sold millions. We'll see though how it does this holiday season.
@theiRiS Maybe you and I have a different definition of "most", but it's already the 20th best selling game on the system and likely to climb as high as 15th, possibly better. That seems like a resounding success to me. In the past, Nintendo has made it quite clear that any game that sells over a million copies is something they consider a modest success, and anything over 2 million is a hit. This is nearly at 3 million and it had a lot of controversy around it and it's in a niche genre that often doesn't sell well. For what it is, it sold amazingly well. It's sold better than Final Fantasy XV did on PS4 and nearly as well as Persona 5. And while there's debate about how RPG-like the series is now, it's still seen by most (especially those that didn't buy it) as an RPG series.
So many nerds talking about an article where Zion spoke reasonably well of the game. But if you actually read more than the headline, it's just cautiously optimistic. It has a lot of the complaints here, but says the developers told them there would be more depth, plus Zion was hopeful that the developers at WayForward would be capable of making a funny, interesting story.
Being hopeful before playing the full game isn't the same as claiming it will be amazing.
@GameOtaku It doesn't "have to stop". You're not obligated or even encouraged to pay for this if you don't want it. I'm not going to either. I already have Control on PS4. But I'm fine with someone on Switch paying for this if it's what they want.
@liveswired "Only Nintendo gamers could complain about a release on Switch"
If this sentence is supposed to mean something, it doesn't. Who else would complain about a release on Switch? Do you think iPhone users who don't own Switches are going to load up an article on Nintendo Life and complain about a Switch game they've never heard of for a system that they don't own?
Literally, in what reality would it be anyone but the people who own said system to complain about the games on it? As far as attempted insults, you've fallen quite flat.
Also, if you're trying to indicate that gamers of other platforms don't complain about releases on the systems they play, that's just a complete lie.
@TheFrenchiestFry I actually think you're over selling FFXV Pocket Edition. The idea that it's even a watered down version isn't really accurate. It's just a different game. The naming convention makes people think and act like it's the same game but downscaled, but it really isn't. The only thing even vaguely similar is the lore/characters. Everything else is different. This Otaku guy is crazy if he thinks this is a viable alternative and that we should get a Pocket Edition styled Control on Switch instead. Nevermind the fact that Pocket Edition only existed on Switch because it was an already made mobile game, not because it was actually designed for Switch.. and that this is the only time that's ever been done before.
There's no way developers would just start making 100% newly developed games with the same story but all different gameplay and engine just got the Switch. Wouldn't make any feasible business sense.
@GameOtaku Literally nothing that you're saying matters. It's completely and utterly meaningless. Just meaningless. No one said the cloud will last forever. No one is arguing that you own the game the same way you'd own a physical game. That isn't the point and has nothing to do with anything. No one is making you pay for the Cloud version if you don't want it. Literally all I'm saying is that there's no reason for you to give a ***** if someone else wants to play it anyway. There are tens of millions of gamers out there who only own a Switch and if they would rather play the cloud version of a game versus never playing it at all, why do you feel you need to stop them?
@GameOtaku Your argument against cloud gaming is pointless. Saying that it "shouldn't" be done because it limits a platform is... ludicrous. The developers of Control have already said they will never make the game natively for Switch. They don't think it's possible and they don't want to try even if it is. They flatly refuse. The game isn't and won't ever come to the system natively. The Cloud version was and is the only way it'll ever be on the system.
Just because it isn't playable while away from a stable internet connection doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. Tens of millions of people play their Switch at home. And if they wanted to play this game on their Switch, then it's this or nothing and some of them prefer this over nothing. It comes in at a reduced cost and it actually runs better than the base Xbox One system runs the game natively. And your argument that if thousands play at once, it'll be unplayable, is also simply not true. The game has a queue system. If too many try to play at once, you get popped into a queue. It might take 5+ minutes at peak hours, but once you're in, you're in until you quit the game.
Should you probably just buy it on a different system if you own a different system? Probably. But if you just have a Switch and want to play it on there, then go for it. Also, being portable isn't just about being away from an internet connection. Countless public places have free internet now and even within people's homes, maybe they want to play when the TV is occupied or when they're in a different room or laying in bed, etc. Still gives that as an option.
Cloud gaming is only going to become more common and even if you don't like it, that's fine. There's no reason to argue against its existence as it only benefits the people who like it rather than hurting those that don't.
@Tarolusa This article seems to have left you with the wrong impression. First of all, when Pikmin 3 launched on the Wii U, it wasn't available digitally. The sales it had were all physical. Being down 18% in a world where 50-75% of game sales are digital means that it almost IRREFUTABLY outsold the Wii U release by a SUBSTANTIAL margin. Also, the sales in the UK in general aren't a strong indicator of performance overall.
Even if all it ended up doing was MATCHING the sales of the original, it sold 1.27 million. Anything that sells over a million, Nintendo sees as a successful. Particularly when it's an enhanced port that costs mere pennies on the dollar to create compared to a new title, making it nearly pure profit. This will end up being highly lucrative.
That and the Wii U's downward success trajectory caused many games to die off much faster than Nintendo titles usually do, as gamers left the system in droves. It wouldn't be surprising if in a couple of years, Pikmin 3 Deluxe is sitting at 2.5 million, which would be enough to get it in the top 25 best selling games on the system. Xenoblade 2 was a costly endeavor and that sold 1.73 million as a new title. That was enough for Nintendo to greenlight three more games in the franchise (Xenoblade DE, Xenoblade 3 and TBA) so I wouldn't write off Pikmin just yet.
Also, the biggest game sales of the year happen at the end of this month and in early December. Many people don't buy at the end of October, expecting sales and deals right around the corner. I think we'll see some pleasant good numbers (though certainly not astounding numbers) from Pikmin 3 at the end of the next financial quarter when Nintendo publishes their earnings.
@Tempestryke For what it's worth, I don't like Adventure Time either, but I gave the DS game a shot because I like WayForward and it's excellent in spite of being related to Adventure Time.
@Screen Well, it was a remake of a GBA game. I'm not saying that means it shouldn't be good, but there's a reason it was $30 at launch instead of $60. It was more meant for fans of the original than as the next entry. I don't know if Olive Town will be a good game or not, but the trailer already shows lots of new mechanics and changes. It's definitely a new entry rather than just a rehash of the same mechanics.
@Screen I haven't played it, but I feel like it's difficult to imagine that it is what you just said. A debauchery of writing? That would mean the writing is filled with sensual pleasures. And then rife with a political agenda? So you're saying it's sensual, filled with politics and stagnant gameplay? Is this actually what you meant?
@Imerion We'll see. Switch is so hot right now and the transition into a new console generation is actually worse for Sony and Microsoft than usual because Nintendo has nearly 70 million users and they currently have zero on their new hardware. The reasons some third party developers wouldn't bother porting to Switch a few years ago is because Nintendo has 12 million users versus the 75 million on PS4 or 30 million Xbox (at the time). But now it's the other way around. That and both companies are trying to keep their older fans by making many games still work on the base model PS4 and Xbox One, so I think we'll actually see an increase in Switch third party releases for the next two years rather than a decline. Too much money on the table.
And by the time the decline would start, Nintendo will have likely released a Switch Pro or at least announced the next generation of hardware.
@Yanina It's cloud gaming. If the servers aren't close enough, they can't offer a fast enough game experience for it to work. Resident Evil 7 Cloud edition on Switch was fine in Japan, but anyone trying to access the servers outside of Japan found it unplayable.
@mazzel You said one to one copy. A one to one copy is.. exactly that. 1:1. That means there's literally no difference. It doesn't mean they're similar. It means literally there isn't even one IOTA of data that differs. Literally everything shown in that trailer is different. Much of it is similar, but none of it is the same. Also, are you really putting the CREATOR of this genre on blast for making a game similar to the games they invented? Stardew Valley took virtually every idea it has from the Bokujou Monogatari/Story of Seasons (formerly Harvest Moon) franchise. There's literally not one element of gameplay in Stardew Valley that wasn't already in those games. Even the story and the visuals are taken directly from previous Story of Seasons games. What Stardew has was a lot of content, polished gameplay and well written characters. Not originality.
@MonadoBoy That's a solid point. And SMT III remaster. There's a lot coming already and it's still October 2020. 2021 is going to be stacked. Probably will have all or most of the games planned for 2021 plus a wave of games pushed back from 2020 pandemic. We're also in an interesting time for first party stuff because most all of the big franchises already have main entries and most of the stuff worth having from Wii U has been ported. They could be planning anything at this point, as seen already with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
@Retro_Player_77 I couldn't disagree more. The only part that isn't great looking is the graphics are just decent. But the style is cute. They're nothing impressive, but the gameplay looks like a lot of fun.
I've often seen claims that something like this and the Wii Remote/Nunchuck would allow left handed players to hold the controllers in the opposite order. But.. does ANYONE actually do that? I'm left handed. So are my older brother and father. A number of my friends. None of us ever wanted to hold them in the non-standard way because we'd been controlling the directional pad with our left hands and the input buttons with our rights for decades.
This isn't like writing or using a fork. It's not a dominant hand issue. The input button side isn't the dominant side of a controller. Swapping them wouldn't offer superior control, it would just be.. unfamiliar.
Comments 952
Re: Random: 3D-Printed Rainbow Road Takes Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit To A Whole Other Level
@gcunit No, I don't think it in any way is an implication of anything of the sort. Not even slightly.
Re: Random: 3D-Printed Rainbow Road Takes Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit To A Whole Other Level
Disappointing that they didn't show off any full screen footage playing the track. That's what I really wanted to see.
Re: 30 Years After Nintendo's "Operation Midnight Shipping" And Console Launches Are Still Fraught With Danger
OBVIOUSLY this sucks and no one wants it to happen to them, but these people throwing Twitter tantrums and asking what they do are just ridiculous. Anyone who has ever used Amazon knows how to file for a replacement/return/refund or contact customer service and spoiler alert, it's not by tossing a random tweet into the void with no real pertinent information. There's a fancy little button on their Amazon order page to report an issue or ask for a replacement: use it.
Re: XIII Remake Was Received So Poorly That The 2003 Original Actually Sold Better Last Week (UK)
@Richnj Honestly, most people would be fine if some of the Doom ports or MCC were $20 per game. I wouldn't pay that but I don't particularly like shooters in general so I wouldn't buy them for $5 either. Realistically, the cost of porting it isn't the only thing that gives it value and you act like it is. Even if it were LITERALLY free to port for them, that doesn't take away the value of the product. Galaxy is also significantly newer, longer and more expensive of a game than many of the ones you mentioned. It also isn't available anywhere but the Wii or Wii U, meanwhile Doom can be played on virtually every platform under the sun. Availability and demand are real elements of business.
Also, you say that the extent of the work and the cost of the production is what should determine the price. Maybe this is true. Maybe. But it literally isn't how the entertainment business has worked virtually in any category. A song on itunes isn't cheaper or more expensive based on any factor of the production value or cost. Movie theaters don't charge less for tickets for lower budget films versus the 500 million dollar blockbuster movies. DVDs and Blurays or digital movie downloads, same thing. Books aren't priced based on length or time to create or money spent on it. And by and large, games from AAA developers work at a set MSRP. It's true that in recent years some studios have opted to charge less, but one company choosing to charge less on a particular collection is them doing something nice for the consumer that should be appreciated, not used as a reason for why everyone else MUST do the same or they're somehow taking advantage of the consumer.
To be honest, games are insanely cheap as is. In terms of cost to produce and what goes into them, it makes very little profit compared to most other businesses and it's one of the ONLY industries in the world that has had its products get progressively cheaper as time goes on despite insanely sharp increases in cost to produce. $60 for Super Mario 3D All-Stars is about $14 less than what was charged for Super Mario 64 by itself when it was launched, counting for inflation.
So while I won't sit here and tell you that it isn't great that a company chooses to charge $40 for a collection of some sort instead of $60, I do think $60 for this particular is a good and fair deal for three amazing games with some decent improvements. Microsoft undercharging for something doesn't mean Nintendo is overcharging for something else.
Meanwhile, I do think charging $60 for something like Captain Toad Treasure Tracker (which in some ways is actually worse than the original) IS overcharging. Similar could be said of New Super Mario Bros U. Deluxe, especially since four player multiplayer in that game was ruined in some ways. I don't think either of those are worth that price. I don't feel the same about the 3D collection.
As for DLC and microtransations, my issues with that aren't about whether or not they're nickel and diming me, per se. It's more the idea of being sold an unfinished product. Some is perfectly fine, some of it isn't. Hopefully the legitimately shady stuff will fall away and people won't support it. But I don't see that being the case with the 3D collection.
Re: XIII Remake Was Received So Poorly That The 2003 Original Actually Sold Better Last Week (UK)
@Richnj I assume that's a half-baked attempt to call out the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection. The problem is, what you accused them of doing isn't at all what happened. Not only are there numerous small changes in the games, they're presented visually better than ever before, the full sound track is there as well and saying they charge "full price" is wildly misleading, considering it would be "full price" if it were one game. As it stands, they're charging about $20 per game, which is a fine price. And yes, I'm sure you can offer examples of other games that are cheaper and did more. Yes. That's gaming. The price isn't fixed based on game length or graphical quality. Xenoblade 2 doesn't cost $300 just because it's five times longer to 100% than Super Mario Odyssey. Game pricing is mostly based on company recognition and game popularity, plus industry standard for modern physical releases. There are some minor exceptions, but most companies are going to put a $60 price tag on a game they put out. Whether it's worth it is up to the consumer. I could easily day all companies not making 200+ hour RPGs are screwing their customers with egregious sales tactics by selling these 5-20 hour single player AAA titles for $60. But the people playing The Last of Us or Uncharted or Luigi's Mansion.. it's up to them to determine if $60 is a fair price. Nintendo or Sony aren't commiting some irrefutable sin because they make shorter or simpler games and charge $60 for it. It's business, filling a demand.
And honestly, while I might think some of those aren't worth $60 (including other Nintendo games, like Link's Awakening or even Smash Ultimate) to me, I absolutely think the 3D All-Stars collection is worth it. Super Mario Galaxy alone being playable without a Wii Remote, on a handheld, portable and with the resolution bumped up so it looks better than ever.. honestly, I'd probably pay $60 for that. But with Sunshine and 64 included, it's a dream collection.
Nintendo doesn't need to be called out so it doesn't get a "free pass". They offered a product people wanted at an expected and reasonable MSRP. And for those that don't want it, they don't have to buy it. And to be frank, having a 100+ hour package available at a set price and not nickel and diming with DLC and microtransations is nice. That's the stuff that really needs to be questioned.
Re: Cute Zelda-Style 2D Adventure Ocean's Heart Looks Like It's Switch-Bound
@jump The art style, main character, building and trees, etc plus gameplay are an obvious direct homage to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
Re: Nintendo Wants To Know Whether You Prefer 2D Or 3D Zelda Games
I just hope the overwhelming majority that selected 3D doesn't mean they just won't even bother with 2D. I hope they see that 19% who actually PREFER 2D is sizeable enough to warrant some entries. Also, considering that preferring 3D doesn't mean that those players don't also enjoy/love 2D. Much like Mario, there's room for both.
Re: Random: Did You Know Mario Kart DS Loads Differently Depending On Your Chosen Console?
Slow news day?
Re: Poll: Which Will Be Your Second Console - PS5 Or Xbox Series X?
I can't fathom why anyone would ever buy a PS5 and a Series X. Then again, I can't imagine owning a Series X at all, honestly, with a gaming PC.
Also, why is the Series S not on here? I mean, it is a new console and it's something presumably some people will buy.
Re: Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity amiibo Functionality Detailed
@Heavyarms55 Well, that is what they've done, essentially. Just.. with things that are pretty underwhelming and if the demo is any indication, you can get a dozen or more items like that with every side mission.
Re: Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity amiibo Functionality Detailed
@Ttimer5 You hit the nail on the head. It's kind of lose lose, but I think this side of the negative response is smaller.
Re: Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity amiibo Functionality Detailed
@Heavyarms55 The issue is that as soon as something fun or interesting happens with amiibo, there are the legions of people who relentless attack Nintendo for locking content behind a "paywall". It seems they've come to the (probably logical) conclusion that the amiibo will still sell fairly well (maybe even just as well) with only minor utilization and tiny bonuses that you can already get in-game.
And while amiibo users are somewhat disappointed, it's better than the bad press and rage when they actually use them for something bigger.
Re: Review: Bakugan: Champions Of Vestroia - The Kids Deserve So Much Better
@Heavyarms55 Apparently, we have a few cardinal sins here. Nintendo committed the first by daring to air a video of a new game from one of their development partners; even considering they said it was a new third party game and not a Nintendo property, it's some form of unforgivable sin that it wasn't, say, a new Zelda game.
Then, Nintendo Life committed the grave sin of claiming they gave WayForward the benefit of the doubt, a company with a solid track record for licensed games, solid Switch titles and snappy dialogue, HOPEFULLY could make a solid Bakugan title. And then when the game wasn't good, they admitted their disappointment that it didn't live up to their expectations.
What monsters they are, right? My god, just unforgivable. What will they do next? Tell us about the release date of a game, then later have to tell us it has changed when the developers decide to delay it? What devious fiends...!
Re: Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity amiibo Functionality Detailed
@Thundertron55 People throw a huge fit when you get stuff that's actually interesting from amiibo because then they feel cheated. Honestly, it's probably better for them to give you something small so people still kind of want it but not enough to make people rage about feeling "obligated" to buy the amiibo.
Re: Nintendo Will Remain "King" Of Japan Over The Next Years, Says Game Industry Consultant
These analysts. They either make insane claims that are so ludicrously unbelievable that you'd think they've never read a single piece of data related to console sales (like when some claimed the Switch may only sell 3 million its first year and likely sell less than Wii U overall) OR... we get things like..
"Breaking news! Analysts believe in a year's time, water may indeed still be required for the human body to function!"
I mean, come on. Not only is the Switch insanely on fire in Japan with no signs of slowing, Japan as a territory is INCREDIBLY slow at adopting new platforms. The PS5 may turn into a MASSIVE success in Japan in a few years time, but it's not going to go screaming out of the gates. Especially during a pandemic. And especially during an irregular console cycle where Nintendo is sales king (currently) and I'm the middle of their system's life rather than transitioning.
Re: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Is Now The Best-Selling Entry In The Entire Series
@Ralek85 I await the post-Three Houses Fire Emblem world with bated breath. I'm very curious what will happen with all the elements pushing the series a little more into the limelight and the success of the Switch in general. In anxious to hear news of the next mainline entry in general and hopeful for some remakes/remasters of some of the SNES titles in particular.
Re: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Is Now The Best-Selling Entry In The Entire Series
@Ralek85 Oh and I had meant to say.. I always kind of felt "ludonarrative dissonance" was Fire Emblem's thing in general. The structure of how the narrative plays out pre and post battle always felt that way to me. Honestly, I remember thinking decades ago how it often reminded me of how in Dragon Ball Z the characters would be in a city, but then suddenly they'd fly half a mile in any direction in be in a limitless wasteland expanse to talk and fight. I kind of imagined the reverse though, where in Fire Emblem it was like "battle's over, let's walk ten feet this way to the discussion forum where everyone congregates for lengthy chats!"
Re: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Is Now The Best-Selling Entry In The Entire Series
@Ralek85 Yeah, I hear you. It's hard to say what exactly will come, though while a few months ago I would have said that the structure and style of Three Houses was here to stay, because it has hit such broad scale appeal beyond many earlier installments, however...the decision to still show off and translate the original Fire Emblem demonstrates a desire not to throw away the roots, even treating it to a somewhat elaborate special edition.
It's a little like The Legend of Zelda, with the differences between the 3D and 2D Zeldas, except honestly I don't think Fire Emblem as a franchise makes enough money to really have that kind of duality exist in the franchise and see releases of many different types. We'll see though. I like it all.
And I hear you with SMT and Persona as well. Though I think (I hope) that the remaster of III and the new exclusive V on Switch will see the same kind of renaissance many franchises have seen on the Switch, hopefully turning into the two best selling entries yet in their series, securing a place for that style going forward.
On a side note, I just picked up Strange Journey Redux on a sale and I'm looking forward to finally playing it.
Re: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Is Now The Best-Selling Entry In The Entire Series
@nessisonett I guess I felt like the complexity of the politics and why you end up on different sides is much more compelling than what a lot of stories do, which is just to have a generic bad guy who's evil for evil's sake. I like villains who are people with realistic motives. It's why sometimes Final Fantasy bothers me. So many of the minor antagonists, bosses and even larger villains are just big monolithic creatures without distinct, even sympathetic personas.
I suppose that's also why I like a lot of the Tales games (particularly older ones), because the villains are usually decent people and sometimes even have incredibly valid reasons for their actions, it's just they tend to go about it perhaps in the wrong way.
Re: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Is Now The Best-Selling Entry In The Entire Series
@Ralek85 this and I love this. I hate this because it is my least favourite modern FE game, it was just too mindnumbingly easy and it lacked the sense of mature themes I loved about the GC games, while also being too convoluted and waifu'y for it's own good to compete with the classics like Sacred Stone or sumthing.
Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I just find it a little surprising you think it lacks mature themes. Three Houses deals with so many deep, mature themes, particularly with the interpersonal relationships of many of the characters. And I really don't see how it's convoluted. Also, I have to flatly disagree that it's "too waifu'y for its own good".
First off, for its own good would seem to indicate that it has suffered in some way and this is the cause. Yet, it's beloved by many and the best selling in the series. So even if it is very "waifu'y", it's apparently just waifu'y enough for its own good, to garner success.
Secondly, I feel like it's absolutely the least waifu oriented of the modern games, particularly because you aren't incubating children. That and the female characters are far less provocative and sexually drawn in general. Even the game's most "alluring" character, Dorothea, is more than way in personality rather than actual artistic design. I personally thought it was a step in a much better direction than the last few entries.
Stilll, as a fan of the classic games, I do understand having some issues with the modern games.
Re: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Is Now The Best-Selling Entry In The Entire Series
@nessisonett Why did the plot bum you out?
Re: The Origami King Is Now The Fastest-Selling Paper Mario Game Ever
@theiRiS I guess that's kind of my point, though. It isn't really a Mario game in the traditional sense. But when compared to some of the other Mario games that aren't the big boys like Odyssey or even the A3D All-Stars collect, it did as well or much better than Super Mario Maker 2, New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, Mario + Rabbids, Luigi's Mansion 3, Captain Toad, Yoshi's Crafted World, Mario Tennis Aces. And better than most other first party games in their first quarter. I think the bigger question will be how much of an evergreen title it turns out to be and if it will continue to climb.
I really do think Nintendo is likely pleased with it. Especially after news outlets would have had you believe Paper Mario fans were going to practically boycott it. Yet it sold millions. We'll see though how it does this holiday season.
Re: The Origami King Is Now The Fastest-Selling Paper Mario Game Ever
@theiRiS Maybe you and I have a different definition of "most", but it's already the 20th best selling game on the system and likely to climb as high as 15th, possibly better. That seems like a resounding success to me. In the past, Nintendo has made it quite clear that any game that sells over a million copies is something they consider a modest success, and anything over 2 million is a hit. This is nearly at 3 million and it had a lot of controversy around it and it's in a niche genre that often doesn't sell well. For what it is, it sold amazingly well. It's sold better than Final Fantasy XV did on PS4 and nearly as well as Persona 5. And while there's debate about how RPG-like the series is now, it's still seen by most (especially those that didn't buy it) as an RPG series.
Re: Hori Releases Accessibility Controller For The Nintendo Switch
I always like seeing stuff like this.
Re: Review: Bakugan: Champions Of Vestroia - The Kids Deserve So Much Better
@MidnightLaces How and where did any Nintendo employees speak "such lies"?
Re: Review: Bakugan: Champions Of Vestroia - The Kids Deserve So Much Better
So many nerds talking about an article where Zion spoke reasonably well of the game. But if you actually read more than the headline, it's just cautiously optimistic. It has a lot of the complaints here, but says the developers told them there would be more depth, plus Zion was hopeful that the developers at WayForward would be capable of making a funny, interesting story.
Being hopeful before playing the full game isn't the same as claiming it will be amazing.
Re: Review: Control: Ultimate Edition - A Highly Convincing Proof-Of-Concept For Cloud Gaming On Switch
@GameOtaku It doesn't "have to stop". You're not obligated or even encouraged to pay for this if you don't want it. I'm not going to either. I already have Control on PS4. But I'm fine with someone on Switch paying for this if it's what they want.
Re: Review: Control: Ultimate Edition - A Highly Convincing Proof-Of-Concept For Cloud Gaming On Switch
@liveswired "Only Nintendo gamers could complain about a release on Switch"
If this sentence is supposed to mean something, it doesn't. Who else would complain about a release on Switch? Do you think iPhone users who don't own Switches are going to load up an article on Nintendo Life and complain about a Switch game they've never heard of for a system that they don't own?
Literally, in what reality would it be anyone but the people who own said system to complain about the games on it? As far as attempted insults, you've fallen quite flat.
Also, if you're trying to indicate that gamers of other platforms don't complain about releases on the systems they play, that's just a complete lie.
Re: Review: Control: Ultimate Edition - A Highly Convincing Proof-Of-Concept For Cloud Gaming On Switch
@TheFrenchiestFry I actually think you're over selling FFXV Pocket Edition. The idea that it's even a watered down version isn't really accurate. It's just a different game. The naming convention makes people think and act like it's the same game but downscaled, but it really isn't. The only thing even vaguely similar is the lore/characters. Everything else is different. This Otaku guy is crazy if he thinks this is a viable alternative and that we should get a Pocket Edition styled Control on Switch instead. Nevermind the fact that Pocket Edition only existed on Switch because it was an already made mobile game, not because it was actually designed for Switch.. and that this is the only time that's ever been done before.
There's no way developers would just start making 100% newly developed games with the same story but all different gameplay and engine just got the Switch. Wouldn't make any feasible business sense.
Re: Review: Control: Ultimate Edition - A Highly Convincing Proof-Of-Concept For Cloud Gaming On Switch
@GameOtaku Literally nothing that you're saying matters. It's completely and utterly meaningless. Just meaningless. No one said the cloud will last forever. No one is arguing that you own the game the same way you'd own a physical game. That isn't the point and has nothing to do with anything. No one is making you pay for the Cloud version if you don't want it. Literally all I'm saying is that there's no reason for you to give a ***** if someone else wants to play it anyway. There are tens of millions of gamers out there who only own a Switch and if they would rather play the cloud version of a game versus never playing it at all, why do you feel you need to stop them?
Re: Review: Control: Ultimate Edition - A Highly Convincing Proof-Of-Concept For Cloud Gaming On Switch
@GameOtaku Your argument against cloud gaming is pointless. Saying that it "shouldn't" be done because it limits a platform is... ludicrous. The developers of Control have already said they will never make the game natively for Switch. They don't think it's possible and they don't want to try even if it is. They flatly refuse. The game isn't and won't ever come to the system natively. The Cloud version was and is the only way it'll ever be on the system.
Just because it isn't playable while away from a stable internet connection doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. Tens of millions of people play their Switch at home. And if they wanted to play this game on their Switch, then it's this or nothing and some of them prefer this over nothing. It comes in at a reduced cost and it actually runs better than the base Xbox One system runs the game natively. And your argument that if thousands play at once, it'll be unplayable, is also simply not true. The game has a queue system. If too many try to play at once, you get popped into a queue. It might take 5+ minutes at peak hours, but once you're in, you're in until you quit the game.
Should you probably just buy it on a different system if you own a different system? Probably. But if you just have a Switch and want to play it on there, then go for it. Also, being portable isn't just about being away from an internet connection. Countless public places have free internet now and even within people's homes, maybe they want to play when the TV is occupied or when they're in a different room or laying in bed, etc. Still gives that as an option.
Cloud gaming is only going to become more common and even if you don't like it, that's fine. There's no reason to argue against its existence as it only benefits the people who like it rather than hurting those that don't.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Life eShop Selects - October 2020
@60frames-please It already came out.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Life eShop Selects - October 2020
"Hallowed NL10 club"? Come on, you guys give out tens like candy on Halloween.
Re: Animal Crossing: New Horizons: November Fish And Bugs - Catch These Critters Before December 1st
Is that a Star Trek: The Next Generation command uniform you're wearing in the second screen shot?!
Re: Pikmin 3 Opening Week Physical Sales Were Lower On Switch Than Wii U (UK)
@Tarolusa This article seems to have left you with the wrong impression. First of all, when Pikmin 3 launched on the Wii U, it wasn't available digitally. The sales it had were all physical. Being down 18% in a world where 50-75% of game sales are digital means that it almost IRREFUTABLY outsold the Wii U release by a SUBSTANTIAL margin. Also, the sales in the UK in general aren't a strong indicator of performance overall.
Even if all it ended up doing was MATCHING the sales of the original, it sold 1.27 million. Anything that sells over a million, Nintendo sees as a successful. Particularly when it's an enhanced port that costs mere pennies on the dollar to create compared to a new title, making it nearly pure profit. This will end up being highly lucrative.
That and the Wii U's downward success trajectory caused many games to die off much faster than Nintendo titles usually do, as gamers left the system in droves. It wouldn't be surprising if in a couple of years, Pikmin 3 Deluxe is sitting at 2.5 million, which would be enough to get it in the top 25 best selling games on the system. Xenoblade 2 was a costly endeavor and that sold 1.73 million as a new title. That was enough for Nintendo to greenlight three more games in the franchise (Xenoblade DE, Xenoblade 3 and TBA) so I wouldn't write off Pikmin just yet.
Also, the biggest game sales of the year happen at the end of this month and in early December. Many people don't buy at the end of October, expecting sales and deals right around the corner. I think we'll see some pleasant good numbers (though certainly not astounding numbers) from Pikmin 3 at the end of the next financial quarter when Nintendo publishes their earnings.
Re: Spiritual Successor To "Underrated And Misunderstood" Zelda II Could Be Switch-Bound
@Tempestryke For what it's worth, I don't like Adventure Time either, but I gave the DS game a shot because I like WayForward and it's excellent in spite of being related to Adventure Time.
Re: Spiritual Successor To "Underrated And Misunderstood" Zelda II Could Be Switch-Bound
The idea has potential, but it's just so painful to look at. It's not just the animations. The visual style in general is just so hideous.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@Screen Well, it was a remake of a GBA game. I'm not saying that means it shouldn't be good, but there's a reason it was $30 at launch instead of $60. It was more meant for fans of the original than as the next entry. I don't know if Olive Town will be a good game or not, but the trailer already shows lots of new mechanics and changes. It's definitely a new entry rather than just a rehash of the same mechanics.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@Screen I haven't played it, but I feel like it's difficult to imagine that it is what you just said. A debauchery of writing? That would mean the writing is filled with sensual pleasures. And then rife with a political agenda? So you're saying it's sensual, filled with politics and stagnant gameplay? Is this actually what you meant?
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@mazzel It still isn't a 1 to 1 copy. That will never be what that means. It's not a matter of opinion. It's a matter of irrefutable objective fact. 😁
Re: The Company Behind Control's Cloud Version Is Bringing More "Major" Titles To Switch
@Imerion We'll see. Switch is so hot right now and the transition into a new console generation is actually worse for Sony and Microsoft than usual because Nintendo has nearly 70 million users and they currently have zero on their new hardware. The reasons some third party developers wouldn't bother porting to Switch a few years ago is because Nintendo has 12 million users versus the 75 million on PS4 or 30 million Xbox (at the time). But now it's the other way around. That and both companies are trying to keep their older fans by making many games still work on the base model PS4 and Xbox One, so I think we'll actually see an increase in Switch third party releases for the next two years rather than a decline. Too much money on the table.
And by the time the decline would start, Nintendo will have likely released a Switch Pro or at least announced the next generation of hardware.
Re: The Company Behind Control's Cloud Version Is Bringing More "Major" Titles To Switch
@Yanina It's cloud gaming. If the servers aren't close enough, they can't offer a fast enough game experience for it to work. Resident Evil 7 Cloud edition on Switch was fine in Japan, but anyone trying to access the servers outside of Japan found it unplayable.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@mazzel You said one to one copy. A one to one copy is.. exactly that. 1:1. That means there's literally no difference. It doesn't mean they're similar. It means literally there isn't even one IOTA of data that differs. Literally everything shown in that trailer is different. Much of it is similar, but none of it is the same. Also, are you really putting the CREATOR of this genre on blast for making a game similar to the games they invented? Stardew Valley took virtually every idea it has from the Bokujou Monogatari/Story of Seasons (formerly Harvest Moon) franchise. There's literally not one element of gameplay in Stardew Valley that wasn't already in those games. Even the story and the visuals are taken directly from previous Story of Seasons games. What Stardew has was a lot of content, polished gameplay and well written characters. Not originality.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@mazzel No, it's not a one to one 3D copy of Stardew Valley. Not at all.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@Screen Story of Seasons is an entire franchise with dozens of games. Which one are you talking about and what were the issues you had?
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@Dragwhite May as well skip FoMT (unless you're a huge fan of the original and need the nostalgia trip) and just get both Olive Town and RF5.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@RPGamer There's no point in even mentioning Harvest Moon: One World. It's not even a real game.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@MonadoBoy That's a solid point. And SMT III remaster. There's a lot coming already and it's still October 2020. 2021 is going to be stacked. Probably will have all or most of the games planned for 2021 plus a wave of games pushed back from 2020 pandemic. We're also in an interesting time for first party stuff because most all of the big franchises already have main entries and most of the stuff worth having from Wii U has been ported. They could be planning anything at this point, as seen already with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
Re: Animal Crossing Not Sated Your Life Sim Thirst? Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Arrives Next March
@Retro_Player_77 I couldn't disagree more. The only part that isn't great looking is the graphics are just decent. But the style is cute. They're nothing impressive, but the gameplay looks like a lot of fun.
Re: Random: This Prototype Sega Mega Drive Controller Is Giving Us Serious Wii Nunchuk Vibes
I've often seen claims that something like this and the Wii Remote/Nunchuck would allow left handed players to hold the controllers in the opposite order. But.. does ANYONE actually do that? I'm left handed. So are my older brother and father. A number of my friends. None of us ever wanted to hold them in the non-standard way because we'd been controlling the directional pad with our left hands and the input buttons with our rights for decades.
This isn't like writing or using a fork. It's not a dominant hand issue. The input button side isn't the dominant side of a controller. Swapping them wouldn't offer superior control, it would just be.. unfamiliar.