Mainsaile

I absolutely would have if there had been ANY kind of trade-in deal let alone a generous one. Not to mention a special "3DS Ambassador" trade-in deal.

This game was much-improved by the thumb stylus strap. I ordered it separately for my used DS Lite years ago. It didn't give you true 360 rotation if I remember correctly (because those mechanics had been altered at a software level to suit the d-pad) but the simulated free rotation system worked much more smoothly. I do think I remember some folks feeling as if using it made those modifications and restrictions more glaringly obvious because now you had smooth thumb movements accross all compass points but characters who moved on a more limited axis. Still though, while the precision of the original N64 version was definitely downgraded, I thought the thumb stylus strap was a great improvement over the d-pad. The additions in graphics and content also made this the definitive version in those respects. Restoring analog controls and upgrading to HD could make for one heck of a rerelease.

@heyzeus002 Bravely Default is in my back-catalogue so I'm curious about these annoyances in the late stages. Care to elaborate?

@cleveland124 A great point. I think Amiibo are fun but I've long since passed my toy-collecting phase. I have no problem having a couple (if I could get the ones I want) but they will be tucked away and not displayed. I am a gamer and will always be but models don't fit my decor. When I have kids and/or a game room then huzzah! So there should be an alternate option for sure. I would get wolf link for this one but as a general rule I don't want an Amiibo per game - then again with the current release schedule that shouldn't be a problem. 😄

@kantaroo Totally agree. And this is a point often overlooked by critics comparing console and handheld games. A more valid critique would be the lack of a full console 2D Metroid with far less linearity. Personally, I actually like the mission structure as my 7 year old self spent many a frustrating afternoon wandering around rudderless in the catacombs of Metroid (NES) and I was playing a lot of Sonic during the SNES era (my only lapse away from Nintendo systems). And in further defense of Fusion based on personal preference and the difference between console and handheld design I think the sectors were adequately expansive if surely not comparable to Super Metroid (which I played on the Wii Virtual Console for the first time an loved it). That being said as handheld power increases there is a market for more console-level design and it seems Nintendo knows it (Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, Smash Bros. 3DS, Hyrule Warriors 3DS) and if rumors are true about consolidated development during the upcoming NX era this could be the perfect climate for a new open world 2D Zelda and a return to Prime.

What I would like to see in the future is a vast open Metroid with a mission based system that has optional briefings a la the hint screens of Mario Galaxy 2 or the Fortune Teller/Sheikah Stone of various Zelda games.

I have also always wanted to be able to make notes or pin areas on the map for return trips after upgrades. These two functions could be optional and decrease wandering time but only for people who want it decreased.

@Splatburst Agreed. Any Castlevania character would havery been better.

Farmville, yay! I hate mobile.

@Sean_Aaron, friend, my thoughts just about exactly. The real question is, why do we still bother to read comments sections?

@IceClimbers,
I think you may be right. I may have bit the bait though. Hype-trains always crash.

If this is Smash, mobile, or account news I'll be predictably disappointed. Aren't we already expecting big news from the Smash Direct? A new, previously unannounced AAA title would be the biggest big news for my money. A Zelda trailer, or NX news would also count as big. If it has anything to do with Amiibos, free-to-play, or dressing up your favorite Nintendo characters in fun outfits I'll probably come on here and start ranting about switching to PS4 again.

Honestly, I would have been THRILLED if the NX was just a chip you put into your Wii U to increase the power so third parties would get on board.

Amazing. If you haven't played FFVII you owe it to yourself. If you like retro I recommend PSN but if not you can wait for the remake. Here's hoping it's on NX too!

Next Okami, Geno, Banjo Kazooie, anyone from Castlevania.

I'm already in a pretty good mood today but I haven't thought about this game in awhile, so considering it's made by folks who in an alternate universe continued a partnership that grew RARE into a company known as "the PIXAR to Nintendo's Disney" (Nintendo Life, Earth-2) it's fair to say that the reminder has effectively exorcised any Yo-Kai-induced blues.

@deKay
Good point. Still, I have NEVER heard anyone say anything other than EN EE ES and ES EN EE ES in the media or in my region while growing up or since. Then again, I hear that there is a whole segment of people in New York and possibly further north that call controllers "paddles".

The Yo-Kai Watch demo was pretty gorgeous and fun for 30 minutes - in fact after I saw the first search area in a lawn and caught my first bug skittering about in a lovely stereoscopic close up - I thought it could be a must-buy. Unfortunately, by the end I was board and have decided the game designers have squandered Yo-Kai Watch's potential by underdeveloping its great ideas, presumably in service to accessibility. I then saw a post from someone on here pleading with us not to make a decision over the "lackluster demo" so I did a little more research. Sadly, bottom-line, Whisper's voice is intolerable and characters like Squeakcheaks or whatever are just too Japanese Ren & Stimpy for me. Still, I'd like to know: is there any more depth to the battles in the full game?

Cheers!

@xtndedPlay,
I fall into the same category as you, sans the kids-of-my-own (yet) but I see the trends in your household writ-large as a teacher. Interestingly, they are still talking about and requesting the 3DS (NEW iteration mostly) for Christmas, or Ramadan, but when I strike up a conversation about the Wii U they respond with varying degrees of indifference. On the other hand, in my experience, they are often very familier with and have a lot to say about Mario 3D World and Mario Kart - even Splatoon and to some extent Pikmin. Here's the part that I think is a reflective, maybe significant trend: usually they have played it and loved it because one of their friend's Dad's has a Wii U, or an uncle, or, like, 2/30 of the kids in any given elementary classroom. Certainly reflective of the saturation numbers nation-wide in the US, but what I find interesting is the adults in and around either end of our age-bracket that are buying these things. But even I, a Nintendo Ambassador-for-life-it-says-so-on-a-little-icon-on-my-3DS-home-screen-thank-you-very-much, bought one right at the beginning for my married-with-children brother who was thrilled as the game-mate of my youth...but never ended up buying one for myself. I can always play there. Sounds pragmatic, but I can tell you, there was a very real tipping point at not too high a threshold that was never reached but that would have seen me plunking down money for my own duel-screen gaming machine. Sorry, my writing gets cutesy when I wax-Nintendo. Or "wane-Nintendo" as it (kind-of) were. But while I see your trends, and also long for your "updated iteration of [Nintendo] IP on advancing hardware" I also raise you at least 15 years of intervening time, the iPhone, and the Internet. Not to be, cheeky, but to try and figure out what's happened. Kids still appreciate quality, but they also somehow love pixelated spelunking, sword-weilding-lumberjack, contractors and QuickTime bears with knives. I'm bum-puzzled. Where do we go from here? Help me! It's clearly dangerous to go alone.

I have been a real grumplestilzken about Nintendo lately with the dry 3DS library and games like Federation Force and Tri-force Heroes so it may seem odd but I think this game has the potential to be brilliant. Over the years I have had a blast with StreetPass even in the suburban US. Now with every American cellphone potentially broadcasting a Nintendo app we could be looking at an experience akin to Tokyo's population dense, portable device saturated gaming wonderland. Overkill, but it really could expand the brand. Now I just want to know if it's fun. Glad it's original and not a Mario mini-game. I urge people to reserve judgement on this one. Though, still, I am completely ethically opposed to most IAP's (read: microtransactions) could this be handled in a way that I can accept?

This is just totally uninteresting to me. So strange. I have every Legend of Zelda entry and I have no intention of going near this. But the 3DS library is so slow I've finally gotten around to finishing Tales of the Abyss (2012) and it's been a blast. The real question is, do I upgrade to a New 3DS with the NX on the horizon or even, do I hold out for the NX or just go ahead and declare for this generation by jumping ship and just get a PS4. So many games. It's a painful decision. Full disclosure my console history goes NES, Sega Genesis, N64, Gamecube, Wii, and finally my brother's Wii U at his home. My handhold history began with a Gameboy Player, then a GB Advance SP, then a PSP that I was gifted and enjoyed a lot, followed by a DS Lite, and now my beloved 3DS.

@aaronsullivan Agreed. And furthermore, regarding Zelda, the NX is just discussed in the community (understandably) as an ambiguous course-correction somewhere down the line. It's resented because it marks failure for a still-promising system with fantastic games. In fact I expect many fans and industry pundits tacitly expect it to be a return-to-form. I might go so far as to say that people expect success from Nintendo's next attempt and look forward to the collective sigh of relief across the industry when everyone can stop "worrying" about Nintendo.

That being said...after this generation the sales for the NX - even taking into account the question of possible innovation that will make people stand up and take notice - are far from guaranteed. It's a huge let-down for Wii U owners and a huge failure for Nintendo, but the NX is going to need a KILLER app or 10 to get it going like a freight train at launch or Nintendo is in trouble. I don't like it, but I want Nintendo to succeed, and what pushes machines more than Zelda?

Another solid JRPG for Wii U is more than a welcome edition on the shelf next to XCX.

Side note: But a main entry on Wii U could sell some systems...don't y'all think?

@liveswired Word bro. I love Nintendo. Have a 3DS and bought my brother a Wii U at launch. I am a diehard fan on a budget that was waiting for the inevitable moment when I HAD to buy my own...never happened. This generation even diehard fans on a budget settled for playing major releases at friends' houses. 10 fans to a console!

@Stu13 This is a bit preachy, but it does say EDITORIAL. They (journalists) have the right to share feelings too.

I like these editorials and that they are labeled EDITORIALS. Site-runners have every right to express their emotions. I also LOVE Luigi's mansion and what I've played of Super Mario Strikers so evidence that the NEXT LEVEL Games helmed, Federation Force will be a solid and fun multiplayer experience is high. I hope I have hours of fun with it with my nephew. The fact is I am a Nintendo Fan for life.

That being said, I also LOVE gaming and I have a budget. I cannot spend money on things I just WANT to be decent because I want to support Nintendo. I actually took the title Nintendo 3DS Ambassador fairly seriously - that's right - and advocated for the 3DS to young and old alike. But the message itself was strong then - even when the struggling but phenomenal Wii U hit the scene. Now we are truly in the doldrums between an old failed but glorious system and a new nameless one.

My heart belongs to Nintendo, but as I said, I LOVE gaming and I am on a budget. I bought my brother a Wii U at launch and it has seen some true classics released. I have had great fun on the system and have wanted one of my own often, but I never became overwhelmed enough to go out and purchase one for myself.

I truly hoped this E3 would be so awesome that it would just push me over the edge...and it did...but not toward what I had hoped. I will be buying a PS4.

I love Playststion too...but not like I love Nintendo...I'm not a PS troll...really. With the exception of the 16-bit generation - when Sonic lured my 10 year-old-self to the Sega Genesis - I have always owned Nintendo systems and played the others elsewhere. This time though, because I can't afford multiple systems, I just feel that my money will be better spent on experiences I am 99 percent sure will be excellent AND appeal to my personal tastes; Fallout 4, Kingdom Hearts III, Arkham...and a Final Fantasy VII remake!

I will still get Mario and Luigi Paper Jam and at my brother's I will play and be in bliss over Xenoblade Chronicles X and Zelda Wii U but in terms of the quantity of solid, high quality offerings there are more exciting things happening elsewhere for now. And my wallet demands I make wise purchases - not charity ones.

Looks to me that most dev teams are working on the NX - which they said was not the case. What other reason could they have for such week offerings? Again, these games may be fun, but without 3rd party releases to fill in the gaps it just looks like a sad slate. I loved the style of the Event as usual. So charming. Had me smiling. But by the end I was so underwhelmed that I watched the other press conferences to see what they had. I think I've decided to purchase a PS4. A revived Square Enix with a FF VII remake, Kingdom Hearts III, Fallout 4, Arkham...I'll just play Xenoblade and Zelda and maybe even Federation Force (it looks like a Nintendo Land game; which we love - in fact I would have been much more excited for a Nintendo Land 2) next year on the Wii U I bought for my brother at launch. Still love my 3DS, but I was hoping I would be pushed over the edge into getting my own Wii U after this week...but what's the point? And I'm not waiting for an NX. I know I'll love the PS4 this generation. Love you Nintendo. See you in the living room next gen?

Yarp. Watching. I'd rather have Amaterasu than Ryu! Love classic Ryu of course - king of the cut scene - but Okami!!!

This looks awesome. Just the kind of niche, experimental genre-bender that we often miss out on here in the dude-bro West.

I should add that I love everything about the Wii U except the catalogue (which I attribute to the machine's power relative to other New Gen systems). I love the big Wii U releases but wish it would have that rapid-fire glut of excellent releases that the 3DS had (and how about a round two for the 3DS itself). I would also almost certainly buy a New 3DS if they offered a discount for 3DS Ambassadors but alas we are forgotten.

As always Nintendo's corporate liaising is, if not warm, very personal, but I find myself less and less interested by so many offerings. I tried to get into Monster Hunter and the most recent release's demo almost kept my interest but no purchase. I missed the Pokemon craze by about three years and have no nostalgia for it so other RPG's draw me in and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon ended up being my first Mystery Dungeon and my first Pokemon and that is sad because it ruined me for both. And I DESPISE free-to-play. Why can't BN make us a full-fledged Tales? This Direct has nothing of interest for me. I feel the lack of third party support so acutely between major releases now. Realistically my back log is huge so I could skate by on that alone but the Wii U is the only Nintendo system I have not purchased. I just play at my brothers when there is a big release. Still love my 3DS but boy is it dry. I even played Pokemon Shuffle and it was decent but those hearts can get bent.

No comparison between Disney and Universal. Universal is fun and has great properties and imaginative rides too but Disney nails the quality and logistics like no one else (trash, crowd control, etc.). Very disappointed it's not the dream I have long had of that perfect pairing.

@RegalSin What is your primary language?

Are that many people bilingual?

I don't understand the obsession with Japanese dubs. Are you all just advanced Nipponiphiles or are there more substantive reasons? Be honest - search your souls.

I'm surprised there is any legislation on the books for this already anywhere but I think it's necessary. Micro-transactions are for suckers and if the popularity of animal videos online is any indication then this bunny is Don Corleone.

We're pretty close to apps wherein Peter Pan pops up on the screen and says, "Tink is dying! If you believe, clap your hands and click to send her fairy dust! You do believe don't you?"

I know it's real money...but guys, it's real fairy dust!

I think Nintendo simply has a strong sense of irony.

There are certainly many parents who ignorantly or willfully disregard video game ratings and neglect to monitor video game content. Even sales tactics need oversight; it's hard to know where to place the blame when a child racks up a huge bill on micro-transactions without parent knowledge.

I'm annoyed equally over the targeting of kids by companies and by the parent who tosses their kid a phone or tablet and walks away.

Still, ratings are for guidance not enforcement. Perhaps stores should be held more accountable, but as a teacher, I do not believe it is the job of a school to threaten parents.

A better tactic would be to reach out in an effort to educate. Something like, "As digital media becomes more and more prevalent in our lives and in the lives of our students, we want to welcome you into a discussion and an exploration of the latest developments with the goal of gaining more control of our digital lives."
Then follow through.

Much better than "We might call an organization that has the power to take your kids from you." Sometimes we as educators get too big for our britches.