It's an awesome package! For those of you worried about your backlog, I think this is almost more comparable to a single mega-game with 50 wildly different levels...? Because of the way UFO 50 keeps track of games you've beaten, I feel much more inclined to stick with games I wouldn't spend much time with otherwise. Inevitably, I don't regret it and end up appreciating them that much more. Highly recommended!
@Yoshi3 Retro Game Challenge is great and a decent point of comparison but there are some notable differences. It focused more on the whole growing up with games experience and that connective tissue was as important as its set of games itself. However, it had 8 (well 7, really) different games to enjoy of varying length, while UFO 50 has a full 50.
I thought RGC was great and I think this is great. Why not both?
I'm starved for a new Punch-Out style game but this game's vibe just isn't my thing. I'm not into shonen and the blood makes it feel less fun and more brutal. Oh well, back to waiting...
It's not bad. Movement controls actually feel pretty slick and I like the little expressions you can do by waving the arms. I'm having trouble shooting though and sometimes it can be frustrating just doing something simple like pivoting in place.
Hip Tanaka is one of the great founders of game music. What a legend!
Is Metroid's ending theme the first of Nintendo's that does that "descending bass line" thing? It has a real sense of finality. Other games that have this musical motif during the credits: Mario 2 (USA), Mario 3, Mario World, Mario 64, Mario Galaxy, StarTropics, Super Punch-Out, I'm sure there're more...
Even some movies get in on that action, like My Neighbor Totoro.
I know almost nothing about this but I hear great things.
Is this kind of like Retro Game Challenge, where it's a series of games by a fictional company and you get the impression that they kind of progress throughout the decade? Is there some kind of macro progression or way to keep track of which games you've beaten etc?
Hip Tanaka is a genius and I think he contributed to Nintendo music during the NES days as much as Koji Kondo did!
I also feel that Nintendo's music has been lacking of late, with the big exception of Mario Kart World which was mind-blowing. Would love to hear more strong melodies again. No reason why Zelda soundtracks can't be as good as Octopath Traveler's.
It's a really neat demo and I'm thankful for the lack of an EXP system. After all, we have plenty of action-RPGs as it is; I'm ready for a Zelda-like action-adventure again! Down with grinding, I say!
The music is great.
I think the name would be better simply by flipping the title and subtitle - "Millennium Tales: The Adventures of Elliot." Main titles tend to be punchier and subtitles tend to be longer.
I'm not big on Lego but this is actually pretty cool and not ridiculously expensive. Props for the choice of game cartridges and for the classic Link/Marin beach scene as one of the screens.
40+ hours, it's kind of divisive but I really like this game.
Here're some other divisive thoughts: I thought MK8 was a letdown and the weakest game in the series. After dozens of hours of MK Wii, I just couldn't get into MK8 or MK8D's online. Something about the item balance and mechanics never really clicked for me. Mario Kart Live was instead the definitive Switch 1 Mario Kart to me, just a hilarious game that brought instant laughs to my family. MK World was right to go for something totally new and minus a few missing options I think it mostly nailed it.
I really like the sense of place the tracks have now and there's just something endearing about traveling across the world as a group, snacking along the way, and seeing the environments slowly transition. It's like a video game version of the Great American Road Trip! And while Free Roam isn't the next coming of BotW, it's a good way to unwind between races for 15 minutes at a time, try out some fun mini-challenges, and rock out to classic Mario songs.
On that note, the soundtrack deserves special mention--it's really on Smash Bros Melee/Brawl's level. Truly excellent in both quality and scope.
(I'm sick of Mirror Mode, can we drop this goofy filler next time? It always feels so half-baked and tacked-on. Where's my Reverse Mode?)
I guess there's a larger question here about when someone should be credited.
Broadly speaking, I think it's the considerate thing to do. But I will also say that certain roles like composers and voice actors get a lot more attention than programmers and even some character designers. @Ogbert brought up a great point about returning enemies. Are people ensuring that the character designers for foes like that and Coin Coffer and Fishbone are credited? How about the guy that came up with original ideas that are still used in MKW, like power-sliding, and the designers of the retro tracks like DK Pass? Or do we only hop into action to back up the guy who did Banjo-Kazooie's soundtrack?
This same conversation happened after the Mario movie. People were up in arms about Kirkhope but I didn't see anyone else bring up that other original song composers (such as Yokota or Matsuoka) didn't get credited in the film, just the English-speaking dude who tweeted about it.
Heck, Shigeru Miyamoto himself wasn't credited in Mario Kart World. The creator of Mario! Now you might disagree with that omission (I certainly do) but with that in mind, omitting Kirkhope is at least consistent. By and large it seems that Nintendo is currently only crediting people in-game who worked on that specific game they're making. So like I said at the top, it's really down to what level of involvement should be credited.
My guess is that they wanted the cute child + big protector dynamic, but also wanted Pauline to feasibly sing like a professional, so they split the difference and landed on 13 as a result. It's not too outlandish when you consider that the very short Toon Link is 12, and Catherine Warwick (who sang Pollyanna and other songs on the official Mother soundtrack) was 14 at the time. I guess Polly here is a late-bloomer.
As for the lore, everything makes sense with the knowledge that Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed that Cranky was the original DK since 1994. That might've been a Rareware decision for all we know. If they've retconned that, Bananza could very realistically be called a prequel, especially if we consider apes aging differently than humans. Really the only question then is why DK kidnaps Pauline in the arcade game, which I hope Bananza answers at some point.
Maybe it really is a jealousy thing, like "I was her friend first!"
I think it's great. Free Roam is more a side mode than the main course like, say, Zelda's open world. I like to chill out in it between races and do a few missions, etc.
Nice review. It seems this game is slightly divisive in that many people love the new approach while others miss the classic style. I imagine it'll be a discussion point for years to come.
As for myself, I love it! I do agree that some of the connections/routes are too basic and there are points when it feels like the courses are over before they've begun. But by and large I think the new approach is a cocktail of skill and luck that just works for me. It reminds me of Mario Kart Wii's craziest sandbagging (in the first few "laps") mixed with required tech and good driving (during the courses themselves) to make for an online race where anything can happen but the best players tend to win.
In my opinion, it's the shake-up the series needed.
I've been a fan of this series since the original and I'm very happy with how they've shaken up the formula. It's not perfect but as someone who was actually disappointed in MK8, I think this new take on MK is great overall.
My favorite three tracks are DK Spaceport, Cheep Cheep Falls, and maybe Dry Bones Burnout. They're all really distinctive in the game and the series as a whole and have lots of fun ideas throughout.
The art looks cute and well-animated but why redesign one of the classic characters (Flip) in such an anachronistic, off-putting way? Such a bizarre choice. Bonbon and Nemo's looks really work, so I don't get the decision here to completely reimagine a shady, cigar-chomping clown into a 2020s hipster.
Looks good but the Game Key Card thing is a real letdown. It's frustrating that I have to choose between having a real physical version of the game (Switch 1) or a higher-fidelity version (Switch 2). Guess I'll go with the older one, but it's stupid that it's come to this.
I don't need to have the depth of a Pixar movie, but I mainly hope the writing is tighter and the tone fits the Mario universe better. The first film had too many "shock value" attempts at humor, such as the nihilistic Luma and all the "DON'T TOUCH THAT OR YOU'LL DIIIIIE" stuff. In general they bring up death weirdly often, like when Bowser says verbatim "We'll see how tough Mario is when he watches me KILL HIS BROTHER." I don't remember the Koopa King being quite so...murderous?
Also Peach felt like they swapped the character out for someone entirely different which was weird. I could see Daisy being that gungho, but Peach has always been dainty and poised. The Kongs felt off too.
Whatever, the movie was fine. It just felt like a first draft sometimes so I hope they have a tighter script this time around.
I've been quietly defending this game since it was shown, as I think the concept is really neat and arcadey. I can see the two-mouse control scheme being something completely unique and working nicely, and I feel a little validated by this article!
That said, everyone's right about the visuals. You always hear "graphics aren't everything" but I think people put way, way more stock in them than they'd like to admit. Even serviceable (performance-wise) visuals like this don't mean much if the style is enough to make the game a pass for many.
They've got a great proof-of-concept here. What they should do is delay it to really make it pop. Make the characters unique, give it a jolt of color--it's a bit cheap but if they threw in a couple "waifus" you know that'd be a shortcut to instant fans.
In a broader sense, build up the world and modes a little more. How about a racing mode? Exploration? Basketball on its own isn't the most exciting prospect. And from a gameplay perspective, tone down the collisions, as that Treehouse Live segment looked a little too stop-and-go to feel like the next Splatoon.
Overall I think this game really has potential, it just needs more time in the oven.
Some parts look better (the zippier animations), others worse (the contrast and atmosphere), and some are kind of a wash, like fuzzy Laylee.
I dunno. I kind of wish they just put this manpower into a sequel. This game feels too young for a remake honestly and I thought it was pretty good already, warts and all.
I first played it last year and didn't like it. I disagree with the "still a good action game" comments as I found its combat to be clunky and unsatisfying. Some story elements were okay and I did like the idea of bringing together various characters from the series (such as Leon, Sherry, and Chris) for one big story, but the gameplay and design just frustrated me.
I'd say RE5 fits the "decent action game despite its problems" descriptor much more accurately.
Dragon Quest is the king of RPGs. The altered stuff isn't my favorite but it's kind of a side-effect of the CERO (Japanese ESRB) ratings and as such has been going on for a few years in the series.
The same thing happened with Smash Bros and some of its character designs since they wanted to go for the lowest CERO rating possible to maximize sales. Kind of lame but not a dealbreaker for me. Because I cannot resist this legendary series.
@Porky Oh, I didn't even put two and two together with Sellma! Okay fair enough, that's a Simpsons reference.
I'll be honest though, I generally really love DQ's localization. While I do agree that it sometimes goes too far with punny names to the point of being distracting (DQXI's Gloomnivore comes to mind for me), I find its writing on a micro level to be really engaging, fun, touching when necessary and full of personality. So I'm okay with the odd pop culture reference here or there if the name still works otherwise--and in this case, there's a double-meaning with Patty/Party and Sellma/Sell. I feel similarly about A Link Between Worlds' Hilda and Zelda Sabrina reference. A little out-of-nowhere but I think it's okay.
Plus, who's to say that Ruida and Roxanne weren't themselves Japanese pop culture references in their own right? This is a series with puff-puffs and farting ferrets, after all. Yuji Horii certainly has a sense of humor about his work so the puns and homages might just be part of the series.
@Porky I don't think it's referencing Marge's sister, as nothing else seems to indicate that and Patty is a pretty standard (if not super common) name.
I figured she was called that due to how it sounds like "Party," since you always choose/make your party in games where you can talk to her.
Good review for a good game. It's a creative title with a lot of energy and fresh ideas, although I do find its speedrunning elements at odd with the treasure-hunting ones. When going for good ranks, am I supposed to comb the levels for all the bonus areas etc each time? If so, that means I basically have a single attempt at getting out fast enough with no way to restart. So I'm not quite sure what I should be going for when trying to get the best ranks.
@NeonMullet
Shake It is my favorite Wario game and one I happily 100%ed back on the Wii.
I've put a few hours into Pizza Tower and while it certainly has some Wario-style treasure-hunting and exploration, there's a much bigger focus on movement and technique than with Wario. I think the developer would do well to release a demo because the game makes quite an impression, even if I probably will end up preferring Shake It overall.
The video is charming, the music sounds nice and I'm definitely getting the game because AA is great. But I'm also not a fan of this kind of preorder bonus. I'd prefer they just keep everything on the cart and have it be an in-game unlockable or something.
A villain drops the S-bomb at the climax of The Missing Heir, which is pretty unusual for a Nintendo-developed game, but not as unusual as the grisly discoveries you come across in the two titles. I'll keep it low-spoiler but you'll find multiple dead bodies across both games, and while they don't quite cross into full-on horror, they're a level grislier than what you see in, say, Ace Attorney.
I play RE4 every couple of years and it's exemplary every time! I still prefer it to its remake (which is also great).
I've only played through Tales of Symphonia once (in 2004) and loved it, but I couldn't get into Tales of Vesperia. Now I'm concerned about going back to Symphonia.
I like the feudal Japan theming/setting, but the characters look a little over-designed to me. I prefer simple and iconic looks to characters. These two look like they'd take two hours to get dressed in the morning.
I'm less worried about DQXII and more worried about DQXIII. DQXII will be the last game in the series that Sugiyama and Toriyama both worked on, and Horii seems determined to make it great. It feels like the end of an era.
I'm not too concerned about the "darker" comments yet; I feel like that could mean anything and I'd want to see some footage before I make any judgments.
@Lizuka I don't really agree. Mario's plot is way thinner than Zelda's and the story of the movie was fine (even if it may have had other issues).
There've been plenty of great fantasy films with basic plots. Castle in the Sky (which apparently is a big inspiration for Zelda) would be a big one; it's a terrific movie with a straightforward, Spielbergian adventure story that's no deeper than your average Zelda. A Zelda movie could get by the same way the best Ghiblis do--with a well-realized and engaging fantasy world that supplements the comfortable good-vs-evil plot.
A Zelda movie doesn't have to be--and SHOULDN'T be--Lord of the Rings. Complexity is not necessary for every fantasy tale.
Comments 263
Re: Review: UFO 50 (Switch) - A Wondrous Smorgasbord Of Retro Delights
It's an awesome package! For those of you worried about your backlog, I think this is almost more comparable to a single mega-game with 50 wildly different levels...? Because of the way UFO 50 keeps track of games you've beaten, I feel much more inclined to stick with games I wouldn't spend much time with otherwise. Inevitably, I don't regret it and end up appreciating them that much more. Highly recommended!
@Yoshi3 Retro Game Challenge is great and a decent point of comparison but there are some notable differences. It focused more on the whole growing up with games experience and that connective tissue was as important as its set of games itself. However, it had 8 (well 7, really) different games to enjoy of varying length, while UFO 50 has a full 50.
I thought RGC was great and I think this is great. Why not both?
Re: This Super Punch-Out!! Style Game Is On The Way To Switch, Here's A Look
I'm starved for a new Punch-Out style game but this game's vibe just isn't my thing. I'm not into shonen and the blood makes it feel less fun and more brutal. Oh well, back to waiting...
Re: PSA: Shoot Some Hoops With Drag x Drive's Dev Team This Weekend
It's not bad. Movement controls actually feel pretty slick and I like the little expressions you can do by waving the arms. I'm having trouble shooting though and sometimes it can be frustrating just doing something simple like pivoting in place.
Re: Random: Metroid Composer Was Just Trying To Impress Someone With Ending Theme
Hip Tanaka is one of the great founders of game music. What a legend!
Is Metroid's ending theme the first of Nintendo's that does that "descending bass line" thing? It has a real sense of finality. Other games that have this musical motif during the credits: Mario 2 (USA), Mario 3, Mario World, Mario 64, Mario Galaxy, StarTropics, Super Punch-Out, I'm sure there're more...
Even some movies get in on that action, like My Neighbor Totoro.
Re: UFO 50 Gets A Surprise Shadow Drop On Switch Today
@naxuu Thanks, sounds good!
Re: UFO 50 Gets A Surprise Shadow Drop On Switch Today
I know almost nothing about this but I hear great things.
Is this kind of like Retro Game Challenge, where it's a series of games by a fictional company and you get the impression that they kind of progress throughout the decade? Is there some kind of macro progression or way to keep track of which games you've beaten etc?
Re: Tetris & Metroid Composer 'Hip' Tanaka Is Getting Back Into Video Game Music
Hip Tanaka is a genius and I think he contributed to Nintendo music during the NES days as much as Koji Kondo did!
I also feel that Nintendo's music has been lacking of late, with the big exception of Mario Kart World which was mind-blowing. Would love to hear more strong melodies again. No reason why Zelda soundtracks can't be as good as Octopath Traveler's.
Re: Hands On: Forget The Name, Square Enix's New Action RPG Is A Lovely HD-2D Take On SNES-Era Zelda
It's a really neat demo and I'm thankful for the lack of an EXP system. After all, we have plenty of action-RPGs as it is; I'm ready for a Zelda-like action-adventure again! Down with grinding, I say!
The music is great.
I think the name would be better simply by flipping the title and subtitle - "Millennium Tales: The Adventures of Elliot." Main titles tend to be punchier and subtitles tend to be longer.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Partner Direct Predictions - What Do You Expect To See?
I want RE2, 3, 4, and 8!
Also Slay the Spire 2 getting official confirmation would be lovely.
Re: Nintendo's LEGO Game Boy Officially Revealed, Releasing October 2025
@dmcc0
The real question is, can someone buy and construct a bunch of these and then use them to build an even bigger object (like ANOTHER brick)??
Re: Nintendo's LEGO Game Boy Officially Revealed, Releasing 1st October 2025
I'm not big on Lego but this is actually pretty cool and not ridiculously expensive. Props for the choice of game cartridges and for the classic Link/Marin beach scene as one of the screens.
Re: iFixit Performs A Full Teardown Of Nintendo's "P**s-Poor" Pro Controller
Manufactured outrage.
Re: Sakurai Gives An Update On 'Kirby Air Riders' And Pays Tribute To Iwata
Air Ride was an underrated racer, even by its own fans! (there's more to the game than City Trial, after all!)
Nice words from Sakurai about the late great Iwata. Excited to hear that he feels Air Riders is shaping up well too.
Re: Random: Yes, Pope Leo Really Did Sign A Popplio Pokémon Card
This story has cheered up everyone I mentioned it to.
Re: Poll: How Many Hours Have You Spent In Mario Kart World So Far?
40+ hours, it's kind of divisive but I really like this game.
Here're some other divisive thoughts: I thought MK8 was a letdown and the weakest game in the series. After dozens of hours of MK Wii, I just couldn't get into MK8 or MK8D's online. Something about the item balance and mechanics never really clicked for me. Mario Kart Live was instead the definitive Switch 1 Mario Kart to me, just a hilarious game that brought instant laughs to my family. MK World was right to go for something totally new and minus a few missing options I think it mostly nailed it.
I really like the sense of place the tracks have now and there's just something endearing about traveling across the world as a group, snacking along the way, and seeing the environments slowly transition. It's like a video game version of the Great American Road Trip! And while Free Roam isn't the next coming of BotW, it's a good way to unwind between races for 15 minutes at a time, try out some fun mini-challenges, and rock out to classic Mario songs.
On that note, the soundtrack deserves special mention--it's really on Smash Bros Melee/Brawl's level. Truly excellent in both quality and scope.
(I'm sick of Mirror Mode, can we drop this goofy filler next time? It always feels so half-baked and tacked-on. Where's my Reverse Mode?)
I voted 9 but I would've voted 9.5 if I could.
Re: The DK Rap Is Back In Donkey Kong Bananza, But Nobody Told Its Composer
I guess there's a larger question here about when someone should be credited.
Broadly speaking, I think it's the considerate thing to do. But I will also say that certain roles like composers and voice actors get a lot more attention than programmers and even some character designers. @Ogbert brought up a great point about returning enemies. Are people ensuring that the character designers for foes like that and Coin Coffer and Fishbone are credited? How about the guy that came up with original ideas that are still used in MKW, like power-sliding, and the designers of the retro tracks like DK Pass? Or do we only hop into action to back up the guy who did Banjo-Kazooie's soundtrack?
This same conversation happened after the Mario movie. People were up in arms about Kirkhope but I didn't see anyone else bring up that other original song composers (such as Yokota or Matsuoka) didn't get credited in the film, just the English-speaking dude who tweeted about it.
Heck, Shigeru Miyamoto himself wasn't credited in Mario Kart World. The creator of Mario! Now you might disagree with that omission (I certainly do) but with that in mind, omitting Kirkhope is at least consistent. By and large it seems that Nintendo is currently only crediting people in-game who worked on that specific game they're making. So like I said at the top, it's really down to what level of involvement should be credited.
Re: Pauline's Age In Donkey Kong Bananza Has Been Revealed
@markasscop
Maybe some of the characters from Camelot's Mario Golf games?
Re: Pauline's Age In Donkey Kong Bananza Has Been Revealed
My guess is that they wanted the cute child + big protector dynamic, but also wanted Pauline to feasibly sing like a professional, so they split the difference and landed on 13 as a result. It's not too outlandish when you consider that the very short Toon Link is 12, and Catherine Warwick (who sang Pollyanna and other songs on the official Mother soundtrack) was 14 at the time. I guess Polly here is a late-bloomer.
As for the lore, everything makes sense with the knowledge that Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed that Cranky was the original DK since 1994. That might've been a Rareware decision for all we know. If they've retconned that, Bananza could very realistically be called a prequel, especially if we consider apes aging differently than humans. Really the only question then is why DK kidnaps Pauline in the arcade game, which I hope Bananza answers at some point.
Maybe it really is a jealousy thing, like "I was her friend first!"
Re: Capcom Spotlight Announced For Next Week, Here's A Teaser Trailer
Resident Evil Remake Collection, let's do it! RE2+3+4, all on a physical (non-Game-Key Card) cart!
A man can dream...
Re: Talking Point: How Are You Finding Mario Kart's Open World?
I think it's great. Free Roam is more a side mode than the main course like, say, Zelda's open world. I like to chill out in it between races and do a few missions, etc.
This might be my favorite Mario Kart.
Re: Poll: Are You Happy With Switch 2's Screen? Because Some People Certainly Aren't
Looks good to me. I haven't noticed a blur problem.
Re: Review: Mario Kart World (Switch 2) - The Perfect Introduction To A New Console Generation
Nice review. It seems this game is slightly divisive in that many people love the new approach while others miss the classic style. I imagine it'll be a discussion point for years to come.
As for myself, I love it! I do agree that some of the connections/routes are too basic and there are points when it feels like the courses are over before they've begun. But by and large I think the new approach is a cocktail of skill and luck that just works for me. It reminds me of Mario Kart Wii's craziest sandbagging (in the first few "laps") mixed with required tech and good driving (during the courses themselves) to make for an online race where anything can happen but the best players tend to win.
In my opinion, it's the shake-up the series needed.
AND THE MUSIC AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Re: Random: Mario Kart World Players, Take Heed - This Is What Happens When You Throw A Blue Shell In First Place
"..I don't know what I expected."
Re: Poll: So, What's Your Favourite Course In Mario Kart World?
I've been a fan of this series since the original and I'm very happy with how they've shaken up the formula. It's not perfect but as someone who was actually disappointed in MK8, I think this new take on MK is great overall.
My favorite three tracks are DK Spaceport, Cheep Cheep Falls, and maybe Dry Bones Burnout. They're all really distinctive in the game and the series as a whole and have lots of fun ideas throughout.
Re: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Team Returns With A New Multiplayer Action RPG
Can I play as Helga or Rocko?
This is crucial.
Re: Adorable 'Little Nemo' Metroidvania Wakes Up On Switch Next Year
The art looks cute and well-animated but why redesign one of the classic characters (Flip) in such an anachronistic, off-putting way? Such a bizarre choice. Bonbon and Nemo's looks really work, so I don't get the decision here to completely reimagine a shady, cigar-chomping clown into a 2020s hipster.
Re: Round Up: The Previews For Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Are In
Looks good but the Game Key Card thing is a real letdown. It's frustrating that I have to choose between having a real physical version of the game (Switch 1) or a higher-fidelity version (Switch 2). Guess I'll go with the older one, but it's stupid that it's come to this.
Re: Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance Shows Off Gorgeous Hand-Drawn Action And Environments
I'm so glad to see this team handling another game. Both Dragon's Trap and Streets of Rage 4 had some of the most gorgeous 2D visuals on the system.
Re: Super Mario World Looks To Be The Official Name Of The Next Mario Movie
I don't need to have the depth of a Pixar movie, but I mainly hope the writing is tighter and the tone fits the Mario universe better. The first film had too many "shock value" attempts at humor, such as the nihilistic Luma and all the "DON'T TOUCH THAT OR YOU'LL DIIIIIE" stuff. In general they bring up death weirdly often, like when Bowser says verbatim "We'll see how tough Mario is when he watches me KILL HIS BROTHER." I don't remember the Koopa King being quite so...murderous?
Also Peach felt like they swapped the character out for someone entirely different which was weird. I could see Daisy being that gungho, but Peach has always been dainty and poised. The Kongs felt off too.
Whatever, the movie was fine. It just felt like a first draft sometimes so I hope they have a tighter script this time around.
Re: Review: The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy (Switch) - An Addictive VN & Tactics Blend With Notes Of Persona
This sounds quite good, so hopefully it's closer to Danganronpa in quality than Rain Code.
Re: Talking Point: Does Switch 2 Have Nintendo's Best Launch Line-Up Ever?
In terms of launch lineup, I'd say
3. N64
2. Switch
1. NES
Re: Hands On: 'Drag x Drive' Is Fantastic, But Is It Destined To Be Switch 2's ARMS?
I've been quietly defending this game since it was shown, as I think the concept is really neat and arcadey. I can see the two-mouse control scheme being something completely unique and working nicely, and I feel a little validated by this article!
That said, everyone's right about the visuals. You always hear "graphics aren't everything" but I think people put way, way more stock in them than they'd like to admit. Even serviceable (performance-wise) visuals like this don't mean much if the style is enough to make the game a pass for many.
They've got a great proof-of-concept here. What they should do is delay it to really make it pop. Make the characters unique, give it a jolt of color--it's a bit cheap but if they threw in a couple "waifus" you know that'd be a shortcut to instant fans.
In a broader sense, build up the world and modes a little more. How about a racing mode? Exploration? Basketball on its own isn't the most exciting prospect. And from a gameplay perspective, tone down the collisions, as that Treehouse Live segment looked a little too stop-and-go to feel like the next Splatoon.
Overall I think this game really has potential, it just needs more time in the oven.
Re: Video: Yooka-Replaylee Side-By-Side Graphics Comparison (Original & Remaster)
Some parts look better (the zippier animations), others worse (the contrast and atmosphere), and some are kind of a wash, like fuzzy Laylee.
I dunno. I kind of wish they just put this manpower into a sequel. This game feels too young for a remake honestly and I thought it was pretty good already, warts and all.
Re: Feature: That Time I Was Invited To Square HQ To Playtest Final Fantasy VI
Neat article.
Happy birthday, FF3! Still the king of RPGs.
Re: Poll: Resident Evil 6 Turns 12 - Does It Really Deserve Its Dire Reputation?
I first played it last year and didn't like it. I disagree with the "still a good action game" comments as I found its combat to be clunky and unsatisfying. Some story elements were okay and I did like the idea of bringing together various characters from the series (such as Leon, Sherry, and Chris) for one big story, but the gameplay and design just frustrated me.
I'd say RE5 fits the "decent action game despite its problems" descriptor much more accurately.
Re: Get A Closer Look At Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake In New Gameplay Trailer
Dragon Quest is the king of RPGs. The altered stuff isn't my favorite but it's kind of a side-effect of the CERO (Japanese ESRB) ratings and as such has been going on for a few years in the series.
The same thing happened with Smash Bros and some of its character designs since they wanted to go for the lowest CERO rating possible to maximize sales. Kind of lame but not a dealbreaker for me. Because I cannot resist this legendary series.
Re: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Has Officially Gone Gold, Out This November
@Porky
Oh, I didn't even put two and two together with Sellma! Okay fair enough, that's a Simpsons reference.
I'll be honest though, I generally really love DQ's localization. While I do agree that it sometimes goes too far with punny names to the point of being distracting (DQXI's Gloomnivore comes to mind for me), I find its writing on a micro level to be really engaging, fun, touching when necessary and full of personality. So I'm okay with the odd pop culture reference here or there if the name still works otherwise--and in this case, there's a double-meaning with Patty/Party and Sellma/Sell. I feel similarly about A Link Between Worlds' Hilda and Zelda Sabrina reference. A little out-of-nowhere but I think it's okay.
Plus, who's to say that Ruida and Roxanne weren't themselves Japanese pop culture references in their own right? This is a series with puff-puffs and farting ferrets, after all. Yuji Horii certainly has a sense of humor about his work so the puns and homages might just be part of the series.
Re: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Has Officially Gone Gold, Out This November
@Porky
I don't think it's referencing Marge's sister, as nothing else seems to indicate that and Patty is a pretty standard (if not super common) name.
I figured she was called that due to how it sounds like "Party," since you always choose/make your party in games where you can talk to her.
Re: Review: Pizza Tower (Switch) - An Ingenious Platformer That Beats Wario At His Own Game
Good review for a good game. It's a creative title with a lot of energy and fresh ideas, although I do find its speedrunning elements at odd with the treasure-hunting ones. When going for good ranks, am I supposed to comb the levels for all the bonus areas etc each time? If so, that means I basically have a single attempt at getting out fast enough with no way to restart. So I'm not quite sure what I should be going for when trying to get the best ranks.
@NeonMullet
Shake It is my favorite Wario game and one I happily 100%ed back on the Wii.
I've put a few hours into Pizza Tower and while it certainly has some Wario-style treasure-hunting and exploration, there's a much bigger focus on movement and technique than with Wario. I think the developer would do well to release a demo because the game makes quite an impression, even if I probably will end up preferring Shake It overall.
Re: Review: Shadow Of The Ninja - Reborn (Switch) - A Beautiful, Brutal Return To 8-Bit Basics
I love Tengo Project and will buy ALL THEIR SWITCH GAMES. This'll look great next to Ninja Saviors, Wild Guns, and Pocky & Rocky.
Re: Hold It! An Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Free Demo Is Now Available
I'm digging this trend of demos essentially being the first couple hours of a game that transfer over to the final version.
Re: Hands On: Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club - Rated M For 'Murder'
@Uncle_Franklin
That oughtta hold the little SOBs.
Re: Edgeworth Reminds Us About The Pre-Order Bonus With 'Ace Attorney Investigations Collection'
The video is charming, the music sounds nice and I'm definitely getting the game because AA is great. But I'm also not a fan of this kind of preorder bonus. I'd prefer they just keep everything on the cart and have it be an in-game unlockable or something.
Re: 'Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club' ESRB Rating Summary Reveals Horrific Themes
@GarlicGuzzler
A villain drops the S-bomb at the climax of The Missing Heir, which is pretty unusual for a Nintendo-developed game, but not as unusual as the grisly discoveries you come across in the two titles. I'll keep it low-spoiler but you'll find multiple dead bodies across both games, and while they don't quite cross into full-on horror, they're a level grislier than what you see in, say, Ace Attorney.
Re: Nintendo Expands 'Controller Button Collection' In Japan With SNES, N64 & GameCube Keychains
@NinChocolate NCL
Re: Talking Point: What Games Are You Nervous To Replay In Case They Don't Hold Up?
I play RE4 every couple of years and it's exemplary every time! I still prefer it to its remake (which is also great).
I've only played through Tales of Symphonia once (in 2004) and loved it, but I couldn't get into Tales of Vesperia. Now I'm concerned about going back to Symphonia.
Re: Summer Game Fest Will Return To Los Angeles In June 2025
I miss the real E3.
Re: Rune Factory's New Spin-Off 'Project Dragon' Introduces The Protagonists
I like the feudal Japan theming/setting, but the characters look a little over-designed to me. I prefer simple and iconic looks to characters. These two look like they'd take two hours to get dressed in the morning.
Re: Dragon Quest XII: The Flames Of Fate Minor Development Update Shared
I'm less worried about DQXII and more worried about DQXIII. DQXII will be the last game in the series that Sugiyama and Toriyama both worked on, and Horii seems determined to make it great. It feels like the end of an era.
I'm not too concerned about the "darker" comments yet; I feel like that could mean anything and I'd want to see some footage before I make any judgments.
Re: Chris Pratt Expects "Lots" Of Mario And Nintendo Movies Over The Next Decade
@Lizuka I don't really agree. Mario's plot is way thinner than Zelda's and the story of the movie was fine (even if it may have had other issues).
There've been plenty of great fantasy films with basic plots. Castle in the Sky (which apparently is a big inspiration for Zelda) would be a big one; it's a terrific movie with a straightforward, Spielbergian adventure story that's no deeper than your average Zelda. A Zelda movie could get by the same way the best Ghiblis do--with a well-realized and engaging fantasy world that supplements the comfortable good-vs-evil plot.
A Zelda movie doesn't have to be--and SHOULDN'T be--Lord of the Rings. Complexity is not necessary for every fantasy tale.