I fail to see how adding swearing makes something more "mature." A potty mouth is usually a sign of IMmaturity. I don't think a truly mature adult is going to complain because of tasteful dialogue.
The trend of the less popular team winning only seems to consistently apply in America. Meanwhile, over in Europe and Japan, the more popular team is usually the one that prevails. (Just see the previous European Splatfest about pineapple on pizza.)
Anyway, this one's a no-brainer, really. As others have said, if it were a choice between health and riches, I'd stick with health, but muscles and riches? Money wins, hands down. (Not that I'll be in this Splatfest, since I'm an American.)
Short summary: The original report may have been a hoax, but regardless of whether or not it really happened, an innocent player has been banned as a result.
Long summary: Some "K numbers" player from Chile was banned after people on Miiverse assumed he/she was the original hacker. This happened despite the fact that the person who originally reported running into the hacker denied that the Chilean player was the hacker.
However, some people noticed that the original poster's account of how he met the hacker seemed a bit fishy, particularly the part about how the hacker's NNID supposedly never appeared in his list of recent opponents. He also never actually provided any proof of the encounter, so everyone was just taking him at his word. Then another poster pointed out that the guy had gotten himself put in Purgatory on GameFAQs, a sign that he might not be the most trustworthy of people.
Since then, some of the people who claimed they met the hacker have admitted that they were lying. Others still insist that they have, but none of them have provided any proof of it either. Additionally, these people all seem to have fresh accounts (created today or very recently), which casts some doubt on their claims.
I really have no idea what to believe about the original incident at this point, but it seems clear that the panic alone has already caused some harm. I'm sure backing up your save file just to be safe wouldn't be a bad idea, but I really hope people calm down before any other bad stuff happens.
Well, I managed to get my full hour in after all. I'm glad they extended the session, but it seems the servers still need a bit of work. Let's hope launch day goes better than this.
@KillScottKill It's just a matter of different people having different opinions; some people prefer one, while others prefer the other. There's nothing "filthy wrong" about that.
@EarthboundBenjy If you haven't already seen it, you should try looking up the TAS of "King's Bounty" for the Sega Genesis. Sometimes, all you have to do is start the game on the right frame!
@uhhhhhhhh There are people who have actually done blindfolded runs of Ocarina of Time. They have many techniques to make it a much more practical feat. Doing these challenges is all about working smart, not working hard!
@Takerkaneanite6 Yes, that sort of exploration seems to be what he enjoys the most; he plays for fun more than anything else (which is a pretty good attitude to have in gaming, of course). He is a good player, but it just bothers me slightly when people act like he's the only good player out there. There are many others who have put a lot of time and effort into these games who also deserve respect.
@MasterWario Mega Man 2 and La-Mulana (WiiWare) both got 10's. One of them was a sequel that simply improved on what the original started, while the other was a remake of a decidedly retro (and not really that old) Metroidvania game.
Was the Sonic Boom cartoon made to go with the games, or was it the other way around? It sure seems like the games have all the quality of a typical licensed game.
I'm a bit disappointed that Special Smash still doesn't seem to have options for uneven matches. I was hoping that it would finally be possible to set the status of each player individually, but apparently not.
How many people even have 7 gaming friends to play offline with? I understand that there are technical limitations, but it seems kind of silly to put effort into making a bigger multiplayer mode that isn't compatible with the best way to find more players.
There's actually a similar glitch in Brawl, but it only affects Jigglypuff, and only if you first trigger the better-known "Giga Jigglypuff" glitch. Most people know that Jigglypuff (and many other characters) can get knocked out of a Final Smash by certain stage hazards, but what's less well-known is that if Yoshi swallows Jigglypuff after that glitch occurs, Jigglypuff will get even bigger, in the same manner as that shown in this video.
This review highlights one of the reasons I miss the old Nintendo Power reviews, which took the average of a full panel of reviewers' scores. There's nothing inherently wrong about this review; it's the reviewer's personal opinion, and does speak for a certain portion of players, as the comments show. However, the comments also show that there's a significant portion of players whom the review is not representing, who actually thought the game was quite good. Unless there are more players out there I haven't noticed who think the game is even worse than a 5/10, it seems like the review happens to fall at one end of a range of overall opinions about the game, rather than being a moderate representation of all of them, which is bound to happen sometimes with a single-reviewer system.
Again, this isn't a criticism of this particular review, but, rather, of the single-reviewer system. Granted, I'm sure there are practical reasons that having multiple staff members contribute to every review would be difficult; I won't pretend I understand the logistics of that better than the staff. However, I still feel the need to say this because it seems like this review is just one of a number of recent Nintendo Life reviews that have encountered the problem of being unable to represent everyone's perspectives.
I didn't think the game was that bad. Yes, the platforming sections can be annoying (especially in Stages 6 and 7), but the combat is pretty fun. Even with the unorthodox controls, I much prefer this game over Double Dragon III.
MM6 wasn't the first game to feature stages with diverging paths; the thing that was actually new was that you could fight certain Robot Masters in one of two different locations and beating the Robot Master in the "hidden" location would give you a Beat part in addition to the usual weapon.
"'Our team in Australia sent voicemail messages to some local media alerting them that they'd receive a special package related to the game,' Ubisoft said in a statement issued to Polygon. 'Unfortunately, the delivery to Ninemsn didn't go as planned, and we unreservedly apologise to Ninemsn's staff for the mistake and for any problems caused as a result. We will take additional precautions in the future to ensure this kind of situation doesn't happen again.'"
@CaviarMeths I wouldn't say that the aura mechanics simply rewarded poor play. Rather, the increase in power rewarded you if you had the skill to survive at high damage percentages. Also, Lucario's attacks were fairly weak at low damage percentages, so it balanced out overall.
In any case, I'm fine with having Lucario back. I didn't really play him much in Brawl, but he's a decent addition to the roster nonetheless.
Is it just me or does it seem like Rosalina is starting to take over Daisy's role as the "other princess" of the Mario series? It seems like Rosalina is getting inserted into just about every Mario sub-series now.
What I'm really wondering at this point is what language Marth will speak this time. Smash Bros. heritage would seem to indicate Japanese, but on the other hand, he did finally have one of his games released in the West...
Like many others have already said, your starter's type is only a major concern in the first few gyms (which are the ones that Bulbasaur has an advantage in). By the time you reach Koga, Sabrina, and Blaine, you should have long since managed to catch some Pokemon that cover for your starter's weaknesses.
I understand that the developers need to ensure the quality of the game, especially for a franchise that's held to such a high standard, but I do sometimes wish that they could find a way to make more than one home console Zelda game per generation (not counting ports like the Wii version of Twilight Princess). Majora's Mask is a bit of an oddball in the series, but the reused character models didn't seem to do it much harm.
@EpicGamer I'm pretty sure it's just a well-timed photo. Part of Peach's idle stance "fidgeting" in past games has always included holding up her hands to fiddle with her gloves, much like in the screenshot. And if you look closely, you'll notice that Mario's hand is actually still clenched into a fist, just like in his idle stance.
I'm one of the ones who downloaded the first game for WiiWare. "Tough as nails" is an understatement, but I loved the game anyway. I did use a guide my first time through the game, but since I then went back and beat it again on Hard Mode, I experienced plenty of frustration of a different kind. (As if the bosses weren't hard enough normally... )
I'll definitely be looking forward to this sequel.
You know, I actually never knew that broken control sticks were a common problem with N64 controllers until I saw it mentioned in one of these articles. The control sticks on three of my four controllers are perfectly fine, with the fourth and oldest only occasionally having minor problems (mainly just with setting the proper neutral position when I turn the console on). The newest of the four controllers does have a slightly worn A button, but they're all in working order. They've certainly outlasted my original Gamecube controller's R button...
@CowLaunch I'd say "extortion" would be a pretty good word for it, though. Whatever the current owners are using the name for, I'll bet it's not worth millions to them, but that's what they'll make Nintendo pay.
This article is giving me some serious deja vu (which is ironic, considering its topic). Haven't we already had discussions like this before? I understand that people would like to see a bit more of Nintendo's other franchises, but at the end of the day, the gameplay experience is more important than the face on the box. As long as the games themselves are still fun, I won't complain.
I'm hoping that the campaign will be a little more lighthearted and carefree this time. It would be a better fit for the make-believe universe of Smash, I think.
This is not surprising at all. I never understood why some people obsessed over the timeline so much, and in my mind, this confirms that they were all just overthinking it. The developers essentially said, "We don't have any idea what the timeline is either! But if you want an official timeline so much, we'll retcon one in and patch it together with tape and bubblegum, just to make you happy." It all emphasizes how meaningless the timeline is; the series never needed a timeline in the first place and could have easily continued on without one.
@Play_It_Loud "Nintendo has ruled out free-to-play Mario and Pokémon titles" "'Nintendo free to play game will be released this fy but will not be Mario or Pokemon game'"
And now, the question on everyone's minds...Will Nintendo reduce the price of the Deluxe Model if the Basic Model gets the boot? If they're ever going to reduce the price, this would be a good opportunity to do it.
The problem I have with games like these is that most people seem to equate "mature" with "M-rated." I'm not a very squeamish person, but I do believe that you don't have the make the story ugly to make it compelling. And as far as I'm concerned, any games that rely on sex and fan service to sell are the very opposite of mature.
Would I welcome the introduction of more compelling stories in Nintendo games? Certainly, as long as they don't detract from the gameplay. But I what I don't agree with is this Western obsession with grittiness, and I hope that if Nintendo does try to add more story to its games, that it will do more than just try to emulate grit.
The X series will never quite hold the same appeal for me as the Classic series, but X1 is certainly a fun game in its own right. I am rather surprised that you say it's easier than the classic series, though; I had a pretty rough time of it my first time through. I got the feeling that a lot of the difficulty came from the sheer durability of the bosses; each one has a 32 unit health bar (as opposed to the standard 28 of the Classic games), and they don't take much damage from the buster, either. The merit of tougher bosses varies from boss to boss, of course; some of them are interesting enough to actually benefit from it, while others (such as Sigma's first form) will just bore you to tears.
@Philip_J_Reed I can no-damage the final form of the final boss...it's not easy, I admit, but if you can get the hang of standing on the very edge of his hands it's not so bad.
No-damage difficulty is one thing, but for an average player who just wants to finish the game, a boss who's capable of killing you in just 3 or 4 hits (not counting subtanks) is a pretty significant obstacle if you haven't thoroughly learned its patterns yet. On my first time through the game, I reached Sigma with no subtanks left...A couple hours of failed attempts later, I was forced to resort to energy grinding to refill the subtanks just so I could complete the game. It was a pretty frustrating first experience, to say the least, so I can easily understand why some people have issues with it.
@superzman300 Psst...I know the title screens of the NES games use Roman numerals, but in actual game naming, we generally use Roman numerals to refer to the Gameboy games, which are entirely different. (Besides, the Roman numeral naming scheme falls apart once you hit Mega Man 10/X, which may be why Capcom abandoned it on the title screens.)
As for this game...I agree with most people's overall opinion of the game (that it's solid overall but not very impressive by Mega Man standards), but I'm amazed at how much the reasons provided differ from my own. The soundtrack may actually be one of my favorite things about this game--except for Star Man's theme, which I hate. (Too high-pitched, to the point of being "squeaky"...) I certainly didn't think the weapon selection was very useful this time out (especially the Power Stone). And the charge shot? I certainly didn't think it was less powerful than in Mega Man 4, especially considering the poor selection of weapons. And there's another reason I disagree on this point, which I'll explain next...
The biggest thing that bugs me about this game is one that no one's bothered to mention yet: all enemies get a brief invincibility period after being hit. In all the other Mega Man games, hit-invincibility is reserved for bosses (and Mega Man himself, of course), but in this one, even the lowliest of enemies have it. This makes more of a difference than you might think. For one, it severely limits the Water Wave's usefulness. (It was supposed to deal three hits in rapid succession, but because of enemy hit-invincibility, only one will register against a single enemy.) And more importantly, it makes rapid-fire with the buster less effective, forcing you to rely on the charge shot even more. (I found this to be especially true when it came to taking out those ball-like enemies that slowly float toward you and take two shots to destroy.)
Oh yes, and I do think it wouldn't have hurt to mention the Super Arrow somewhere in the review...Oh well.
Overall, my impression of Mega Man 5 is that it's a smooth, enjoyable ride for the most part, but it's not as memorable as many of the other games. When it comes to the latter half of the NES games, I much prefer Mega Man 4.
I honestly don't see why Capcom needs to choose between traditional and new approaches with the Mega Man games. The franchise has so many spinoff series that they should easily be able to find one they can use to make "modern" games while keeping the more traditional approach with others. They just need to bother to actually make the games.
This almost feels like reverse censorship--accidentally adding controversial content when it was never supposed to be there at all. I wonder what all those people fighting for the uncorrupted "author's vision" would have to say about this?
@NintendoCat14 Well, keep in mind that in addition to what the review mentions, Mega Man 1 has some rather harsh damage scaling compared to the other games (Ice Man and Elec Man can kill you in 3 shots), and it's also the only game in the series in which mercy invincibility doesn't protect you from spikes.
Oh, and by the way, @Philip_J_Reed You know those "slippery physics" that make it a little harder to start and stop running? The problem wasn't unique to Mega Man 1--Mega Man 2 had it as well. Thank goodness they'd at least fixed the falling physics by then...
@retro_player_22 I think the 8-bit style and core gameplay formula of the classic games are pretty much ingrained into Mega Man's identity now, to the point that trying to "modernize" the series would result in it not really feeling like Mega Man. I'd much prefer that Capcom reserve that sort of thing for their many spinoff Mega Man series (such as X, which essentially was originally an attempt to "evolve" the Mega Man franchise).
@Waann I don't remember specifically mentioning that incident? I'm sure it was one of the things that sparked this discussion, but I was speaking about Nintendo's censorship as a whole.
And with regard to the regional differences, I was mainly referring to the differences between America and Europe, since some people who have commented here don't seem to respect the other region's standards. I'm sure the Japanese standards influence a lot of what we get as well, but probably more in the actual creation process rather than in changes to the final product. If we were talking about games developed in the west, things might be different.
Although I agree that consumers have a responsibility to use their own discretion, I really can't fault Nintendo for wanting to make things easier on them. Over time, people get used to thinking of certain franchises as being appropriate for such-and-such an audience--such as assuming that most Nintendo franchises are safe for little kids. It's nice to have a certain "safe zone" where you don't have to worry about this kind of thing. Suddenly adding "questionable" content to a formerly "safe" series or significantly upping the severity of it where it used to be mild would seem like a kind of mean thing to do without warning. So no, I don't think that censorship is necessarily a bad thing; in some ways, it's just being courteous to the consumers.
Also, I can't help noticing that a lot of people seem to object to the way OTHER regions handle censorship. I'm not sure I quite like that. If your culture disapproves of violence but doesn't mind nudity, that's fine for you, but do you really have to complain about the way OTHER regions censor their games to suit different cultural values? They're not expecting YOU to play the game in the form they're releasing to their region, you know. As long as people get their games in the form they like in their own region, I don't think there's much cause to complain.
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Re: Meet The Edgy And Mature Fan-Made Pokémon Game That Aims To "Fix" The Series
I fail to see how adding swearing makes something more "mature." A potty mouth is usually a sign of IMmaturity. I don't think a truly mature adult is going to complain because of tasteful dialogue.
Re: Nintendo of Europe Announces the Next Splatfest for the Region
The trend of the less popular team winning only seems to consistently apply in America. Meanwhile, over in Europe and Japan, the more popular team is usually the one that prevails. (Just see the previous European Splatfest about pineapple on pizza.)
Anyway, this one's a no-brainer, really. As others have said, if it were a choice between health and riches, I'd stick with health, but muscles and riches? Money wins, hands down. (Not that I'll be in this Splatfest, since I'm an American.)
Re: Splatoon 'Octoling' Modder Could Cause Save Data Problems
So there have been some...developments in the original Squidboards thread that started all this.
http://squidboards.com/threads/just-met-a-hacker-online-who-used-octoling-and-hydra-splatling.8588/page-5
Short summary: The original report may have been a hoax, but regardless of whether or not it really happened, an innocent player has been banned as a result.
Long summary: Some "K numbers" player from Chile was banned after people on Miiverse assumed he/she was the original hacker. This happened despite the fact that the person who originally reported running into the hacker denied that the Chilean player was the hacker.
However, some people noticed that the original poster's account of how he met the hacker seemed a bit fishy, particularly the part about how the hacker's NNID supposedly never appeared in his list of recent opponents. He also never actually provided any proof of the encounter, so everyone was just taking him at his word. Then another poster pointed out that the guy had gotten himself put in Purgatory on GameFAQs, a sign that he might not be the most trustworthy of people.
Since then, some of the people who claimed they met the hacker have admitted that they were lying. Others still insist that they have, but none of them have provided any proof of it either. Additionally, these people all seem to have fresh accounts (created today or very recently), which casts some doubt on their claims.
I really have no idea what to believe about the original incident at this point, but it seems clear that the panic alone has already caused some harm. I'm sure backing up your save file just to be safe wouldn't be a bad idea, but I really hope people calm down before any other bad stuff happens.
Re: Splatoon Global Testfire Suffers Major Problems in Final Pre-Launch Session
Well, I managed to get my full hour in after all. I'm glad they extended the session, but it seems the servers still need a bit of work. Let's hope launch day goes better than this.
Re: Splatoon Global Testfire Suffers Major Problems in Final Pre-Launch Session
@A01 I think I got to level 24 or so. That was when the fast-moving clouds and conveyors became too much for me.
Re: Splatoon Global Testfire Suffers Major Problems in Final Pre-Launch Session
I got a grand total of one match in. :/
Re: Review: Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue & White (Wii U eShop / Game Boy Advance)
@KillScottKill It's just a matter of different people having different opinions; some people prefer one, while others prefer the other. There's nothing "filthy wrong" about that.
Re: Review: Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains (3DS)
Seems like anime-based games tend to fare a bit better than games based off of most western media. I have to wonder why that's the case.
P.S.: There's a typo in the last sentence of the review: "An unwieldily camera..." The word is "unwieldy."
Re: Speedrunner Conquers Super Mario 64 in World Record Time, With No Stars
@EarthboundBenjy If you haven't already seen it, you should try looking up the TAS of "King's Bounty" for the Sega Genesis. Sometimes, all you have to do is start the game on the right frame!
Re: Weirdness: A Budding Little Mac Beats Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! While Blindfolded
@uhhhhhhhh There are people who have actually done blindfolded runs of Ocarina of Time. They have many techniques to make it a much more practical feat. Doing these challenges is all about working smart, not working hard!
Re: Weirdness: A Budding Little Mac Beats Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! While Blindfolded
@uhhhhhhhh And how would blindfolded Mario or Zelda not be based on memorization?
Re: Weirdness: Super Smash Bros. Fans Raise the Stakes With 'Falcon Potato' Minigame
@Takerkaneanite6 Yes, that sort of exploration seems to be what he enjoys the most; he plays for fun more than anything else (which is a pretty good attitude to have in gaming, of course). He is a good player, but it just bothers me slightly when people act like he's the only good player out there. There are many others who have put a lot of time and effort into these games who also deserve respect.
Re: Weirdness: Super Smash Bros. Fans Raise the Stakes With 'Falcon Potato' Minigame
@Takerkaneanite6 He's certainly a very popular player, but the younger part of his audience tends to exaggerate his skill.
Re: Review: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Wii U)
@MasterWario Mega Man 2 and La-Mulana (WiiWare) both got 10's. One of them was a sequel that simply improved on what the original started, while the other was a remake of a decidedly retro (and not really that old) Metroidvania game.
Re: Sonic Boom Wii U And 3DS Both Stall Outside Of The UK Multiformat Top 40
Was the Sonic Boom cartoon made to go with the games, or was it the other way around? It sure seems like the games have all the quality of a typical licensed game.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issues Sixty & Sixty One
I'm a bit disappointed that Special Smash still doesn't seem to have options for uneven matches. I was hoping that it would finally be possible to set the status of each player individually, but apparently not.
Re: 8 Player Smash Mode Confirmed For Wii U Super Smash Bros.
How many people even have 7 gaming friends to play offline with? I understand that there are technical limitations, but it seems kind of silly to put effort into making a bigger multiplayer mode that isn't compatible with the best way to find more players.
Re: Weirdness: This Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Bug is a 'Big' Problem
There's actually a similar glitch in Brawl, but it only affects Jigglypuff, and only if you first trigger the better-known "Giga Jigglypuff" glitch. Most people know that Jigglypuff (and many other characters) can get knocked out of a Final Smash by certain stage hazards, but what's less well-known is that if Yoshi swallows Jigglypuff after that glitch occurs, Jigglypuff will get even bigger, in the same manner as that shown in this video.
Re: Review: Mega Man X3 (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
This review highlights one of the reasons I miss the old Nintendo Power reviews, which took the average of a full panel of reviewers' scores. There's nothing inherently wrong about this review; it's the reviewer's personal opinion, and does speak for a certain portion of players, as the comments show. However, the comments also show that there's a significant portion of players whom the review is not representing, who actually thought the game was quite good. Unless there are more players out there I haven't noticed who think the game is even worse than a 5/10, it seems like the review happens to fall at one end of a range of overall opinions about the game, rather than being a moderate representation of all of them, which is bound to happen sometimes with a single-reviewer system.
Again, this isn't a criticism of this particular review, but, rather, of the single-reviewer system. Granted, I'm sure there are practical reasons that having multiple staff members contribute to every review would be difficult; I won't pretend I understand the logistics of that better than the staff. However, I still feel the need to say this because it seems like this review is just one of a number of recent Nintendo Life reviews that have encountered the problem of being unable to represent everyone's perspectives.
Re: Review: Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Wii U eShop / NES)
I didn't think the game was that bad. Yes, the platforming sections can be annoying (especially in Stages 6 and 7), but the combat is pretty fun. Even with the unorthodox controls, I much prefer this game over Double Dragon III.
Re: Review: Mega Man 6 (Wii U eShop / NES)
MM6 wasn't the first game to feature stages with diverging paths; the thing that was actually new was that you could fight certain Robot Masters in one of two different locations and beating the Robot Master in the "hidden" location would give you a Beat part in addition to the usual weapon.
Re: Weirdness: When PR Stunts Go Wrong - Watch Dogs
http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/28/5757168/watch-dogs-promotion-triggers-bomb-squad-response-to-major-publication
"'Our team in Australia sent voicemail messages to some local media alerting them that they'd receive a special package related to the game,' Ubisoft said in a statement issued to Polygon. 'Unfortunately, the delivery to Ninemsn didn't go as planned, and we unreservedly apologise to Ninemsn's staff for the mistake and for any problems caused as a result. We will take additional precautions in the future to ensure this kind of situation doesn't happen again.'"
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Twenty Nine
So that's what Little Mac's King Hippo impression looks like.
Re: TwitchPlaysPokémon Causing Serious Problems for Streaming Service
Somehow, I doubt that this sort of thing will continue to be so popular once they actually finish this game. Just a hunch.
Re: Lucario The Aura Warrior Returns To Battle In Super Smash Bros. 3DS & Wii U
@CaviarMeths I wouldn't say that the aura mechanics simply rewarded poor play. Rather, the increase in power rewarded you if you had the skill to survive at high damage percentages. Also, Lucario's attacks were fairly weak at low damage percentages, so it balanced out overall.
In any case, I'm fine with having Lucario back. I didn't really play him much in Brawl, but he's a decent addition to the roster nonetheless.
Re: La-Mulana 2 Emerges Through a Kickstarter Campaign
As much as I loved the first game, I don't think this series is known nearly well enough to draw that much funding. It's a real shame...
Re: Rosalina And Luma Work Their Magic On The Super Smash Bros. Roster
Is it just me or does it seem like Rosalina is starting to take over Daisy's role as the "other princess" of the Mario series? It seems like Rosalina is getting inserted into just about every Mario sub-series now.
Re: Marth Confirmed as the Latest Challenger in Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS
What I'm really wondering at this point is what language Marth will speak this time. Smash Bros. heritage would seem to indicate Japanese, but on the other hand, he did finally have one of his games released in the West...
Re: Data Says - Choose Squirtle in Pokémon Red & Blue
Like many others have already said, your starter's type is only a major concern in the first few gyms (which are the ones that Bulbasaur has an advantage in). By the time you reach Koga, Sabrina, and Blaine, you should have long since managed to catch some Pokemon that cover for your starter's weaknesses.
Re: Eiji Aonuma Explains Why The Legend of Zelda Isn't a Yearly Franchise
I understand that the developers need to ensure the quality of the game, especially for a franchise that's held to such a high standard, but I do sometimes wish that they could find a way to make more than one home console Zelda game per generation (not counting ports like the Wii version of Twilight Princess). Majora's Mask is a bit of an oddball in the series, but the reused character models didn't seem to do it much harm.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Eight
Why am I not surprised that the last picture got the most votes?
Re: PETA Clamours for Attention with Spoof Pokémon Flash Game
I think making no official statement was the right choice for Nintendo. Stunts this stupid don't even deserve to be acknowledged.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Six
@EpicGamer I'm pretty sure it's just a well-timed photo. Part of Peach's idle stance "fidgeting" in past games has always included holding up her hands to fiddle with her gloves, much like in the screenshot. And if you look closely, you'll notice that Mario's hand is actually still clenched into a fist, just like in his idle stance.
Re: La-Mulana is Receiving A Sequel
I'm one of the ones who downloaded the first game for WiiWare. "Tough as nails" is an understatement, but I loved the game anyway. I did use a guide my first time through the game, but since I then went back and beat it again on Hard Mode, I experienced plenty of frustration of a different kind. (As if the bosses weren't hard enough normally... )
I'll definitely be looking forward to this sequel.
Re: Hardware Review: N64 Hori Mini Pad
You know, I actually never knew that broken control sticks were a common problem with N64 controllers until I saw it mentioned in one of these articles. The control sticks on three of my four controllers are perfectly fine, with the fourth and oldest only occasionally having minor problems (mainly just with setting the proper neutral position when I turn the console on). The newest of the four controllers does have a slightly worn A button, but they're all in working order. They've certainly outlasted my original Gamecube controller's R button...
Re: Nintendo's Claim to WiiU.com is Denied
@CowLaunch I'd say "extortion" would be a pretty good word for it, though. Whatever the current owners are using the name for, I'll bet it's not worth millions to them, but that's what they'll make Nintendo pay.
Re: Nintendo Defends Influx of New Mario Titles
This article is giving me some serious deja vu (which is ironic, considering its topic). Haven't we already had discussions like this before? I understand that people would like to see a bit more of Nintendo's other franchises, but at the end of the day, the gameplay experience is more important than the face on the box. As long as the games themselves are still fun, I won't complain.
Re: Super Smash Bros. Will Have A Single Player Campaign
I'm hoping that the campaign will be a little more lighthearted and carefree this time. It would be a better fit for the make-believe universe of Smash, I think.
Re: Zelda Series Timeline Wasn't Planned From the Beginning
This is not surprising at all. I never understood why some people obsessed over the timeline so much, and in my mind, this confirms that they were all just overthinking it. The developers essentially said, "We don't have any idea what the timeline is either! But if you want an official timeline so much, we'll retcon one in and patch it together with tape and bubblegum, just to make you happy." It all emphasizes how meaningless the timeline is; the series never needed a timeline in the first place and could have easily continued on without one.
Re: Nintendo to Launch First Free-To-Play Game By March 2014
@Play_It_Loud "Nintendo has ruled out free-to-play Mario and Pokémon titles" "'Nintendo free to play game will be released this fy but will not be Mario or Pokemon game'"
That really couldn't be any clearer...
Re: Rumour: Best Buy Beginning Return of Wii U Basic Models Before E3
And now, the question on everyone's minds...Will Nintendo reduce the price of the Deluxe Model if the Basic Model gets the boot? If they're ever going to reduce the price, this would be a good opportunity to do it.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo Should Aim to Produce Mature, Genre-Defining Storytelling Experiences
The problem I have with games like these is that most people seem to equate "mature" with "M-rated." I'm not a very squeamish person, but I do believe that you don't have the make the story ugly to make it compelling. And as far as I'm concerned, any games that rely on sex and fan service to sell are the very opposite of mature.
Would I welcome the introduction of more compelling stories in Nintendo games? Certainly, as long as they don't detract from the gameplay. But I what I don't agree with is this Western obsession with grittiness, and I hope that if Nintendo does try to add more story to its games, that it will do more than just try to emulate grit.
Re: Review: Mega Man X (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
The X series will never quite hold the same appeal for me as the Classic series, but X1 is certainly a fun game in its own right. I am rather surprised that you say it's easier than the classic series, though; I had a pretty rough time of it my first time through. I got the feeling that a lot of the difficulty came from the sheer durability of the bosses; each one has a 32 unit health bar (as opposed to the standard 28 of the Classic games), and they don't take much damage from the buster, either. The merit of tougher bosses varies from boss to boss, of course; some of them are interesting enough to actually benefit from it, while others (such as Sigma's first form) will just bore you to tears.
@Philip_J_Reed
I can no-damage the final form of the final boss...it's not easy, I admit, but if you can get the hang of standing on the very edge of his hands it's not so bad.
No-damage difficulty is one thing, but for an average player who just wants to finish the game, a boss who's capable of killing you in just 3 or 4 hits (not counting subtanks) is a pretty significant obstacle if you haven't thoroughly learned its patterns yet. On my first time through the game, I reached Sigma with no subtanks left...A couple hours of failed attempts later, I was forced to resort to energy grinding to refill the subtanks just so I could complete the game. It was a pretty frustrating first experience, to say the least, so I can easily understand why some people have issues with it.
Re: Review: Mega Man 5 (3DS eShop / NES)
@superzman300 Psst...I know the title screens of the NES games use Roman numerals, but in actual game naming, we generally use Roman numerals to refer to the Gameboy games, which are entirely different. (Besides, the Roman numeral naming scheme falls apart once you hit Mega Man 10/X, which may be why Capcom abandoned it on the title screens.)
As for this game...I agree with most people's overall opinion of the game (that it's solid overall but not very impressive by Mega Man standards), but I'm amazed at how much the reasons provided differ from my own. The soundtrack may actually be one of my favorite things about this game--except for Star Man's theme, which I hate. (Too high-pitched, to the point of being "squeaky"...) I certainly didn't think the weapon selection was very useful this time out (especially the Power Stone). And the charge shot? I certainly didn't think it was less powerful than in Mega Man 4, especially considering the poor selection of weapons. And there's another reason I disagree on this point, which I'll explain next...
The biggest thing that bugs me about this game is one that no one's bothered to mention yet: all enemies get a brief invincibility period after being hit. In all the other Mega Man games, hit-invincibility is reserved for bosses (and Mega Man himself, of course), but in this one, even the lowliest of enemies have it. This makes more of a difference than you might think. For one, it severely limits the Water Wave's usefulness. (It was supposed to deal three hits in rapid succession, but because of enemy hit-invincibility, only one will register against a single enemy.) And more importantly, it makes rapid-fire with the buster less effective, forcing you to rely on the charge shot even more. (I found this to be especially true when it came to taking out those ball-like enemies that slowly float toward you and take two shots to destroy.)
Oh yes, and I do think it wouldn't have hurt to mention the Super Arrow somewhere in the review...Oh well.
Overall, my impression of Mega Man 5 is that it's a smooth, enjoyable ride for the most part, but it's not as memorable as many of the other games. When it comes to the latter half of the NES games, I much prefer Mega Man 4.
Re: Konami: We Had To Take Risks With Castlevania To Prevent It Becoming Like Mega Man
I honestly don't see why Capcom needs to choose between traditional and new approaches with the Mega Man games. The franchise has so many spinoff series that they should easily be able to find one they can use to make "modern" games while keeping the more traditional approach with others. They just need to bother to actually make the games.
Re: Rumour: Tomodachi Collection: New Life Update to Remove Same-Sex Marriage
This almost feels like reverse censorship--accidentally adding controversial content when it was never supposed to be there at all. I wonder what all those people fighting for the uncorrupted "author's vision" would have to say about this?
Re: Review: Mega Man (Wii U eShop / NES)
@NintendoCat14 Well, keep in mind that in addition to what the review mentions, Mega Man 1 has some rather harsh damage scaling compared to the other games (Ice Man and Elec Man can kill you in 3 shots), and it's also the only game in the series in which mercy invincibility doesn't protect you from spikes.
Oh, and by the way, @Philip_J_Reed You know those "slippery physics" that make it a little harder to start and stop running? The problem wasn't unique to Mega Man 1--Mega Man 2 had it as well. Thank goodness they'd at least fixed the falling physics by then...
Re: Video: Mega Man Unlimited - The Fan Game That Looks as Good as the Real Thing
@retro_player_22 I think the 8-bit style and core gameplay formula of the classic games are pretty much ingrained into Mega Man's identity now, to the point that trying to "modernize" the series would result in it not really feeling like Mega Man. I'd much prefer that Capcom reserve that sort of thing for their many spinoff Mega Man series (such as X, which essentially was originally an attempt to "evolve" the Mega Man franchise).
Re: Talking Point: Censoring Boingy Bits, Bums and Gore
@Waann I don't remember specifically mentioning that incident? I'm sure it was one of the things that sparked this discussion, but I was speaking about Nintendo's censorship as a whole.
And with regard to the regional differences, I was mainly referring to the differences between America and Europe, since some people who have commented here don't seem to respect the other region's standards. I'm sure the Japanese standards influence a lot of what we get as well, but probably more in the actual creation process rather than in changes to the final product. If we were talking about games developed in the west, things might be different.
Re: Talking Point: Censoring Boingy Bits, Bums and Gore
Although I agree that consumers have a responsibility to use their own discretion, I really can't fault Nintendo for wanting to make things easier on them. Over time, people get used to thinking of certain franchises as being appropriate for such-and-such an audience--such as assuming that most Nintendo franchises are safe for little kids. It's nice to have a certain "safe zone" where you don't have to worry about this kind of thing. Suddenly adding "questionable" content to a formerly "safe" series or significantly upping the severity of it where it used to be mild would seem like a kind of mean thing to do without warning. So no, I don't think that censorship is necessarily a bad thing; in some ways, it's just being courteous to the consumers.
Also, I can't help noticing that a lot of people seem to object to the way OTHER regions handle censorship. I'm not sure I quite like that. If your culture disapproves of violence but doesn't mind nudity, that's fine for you, but do you really have to complain about the way OTHER regions censor their games to suit different cultural values? They're not expecting YOU to play the game in the form they're releasing to their region, you know. As long as people get their games in the form they like in their own region, I don't think there's much cause to complain.