I don't care about Marvel vs. Capcom, but I just wanna say how great it is these gaming companies really seem to be taking fan feedback to heart. I don't care what anybody says--this is the best time to be a gamer.
Capcom is bringing back Okami and potentially a slew of other titles like Mega Man or maybe Viewtiful Joe, localizing the Japanese-exclusive Ace Attorney games, etc.
Namco is remastering Pac-Man World, Klonoa, the Tales Of series, Baten Kaitos, and Katamari.
SEGA is remastering and releasing new games in franchises such as Sonic, Monkey Ball, and Samba de Amigo that are actually GOOD, with more on the way like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Golden Axe.
Ubisoft is bringing back the Rayman IP.
A new Ninja Gaiden just got announced.
Crash and Spyro got beautiful HD trilogies. SpongeBob: Battle for Bikini Bottom was remastered, with both it and Crash Bandicoot getting a brand-new entry this gen.
All the classic Tomb Raider games are getting remastered.
The Mario Mandates have listed and RPG's are finally back!
Metroid Prime 4 is on the cusp of releasing.
We got our first 3D Kirby game, our first nonlinear Pokémon and Sonic games, our first (and second) open-world Zelda games, and our first sandbox 3D Mario game after 15 years.
Smash Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 have insane amounts of content and are objectively the definitive games in their respective franchises.
Mario Party is great again.
2017 to now has been PEAK gaming. Nothing comes close to this. It doesn't matter how many F2P games with microtransactions and AI art are out there; if that's all you feel like you see nowadays, you're living under a rock.
I just hope Sony follows suit after the success of Astrobot and brings back Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, Ape Escape and other classic franchises. And, of course, Microsoft needs to revive Rare titles like Banjo and Konker, but NSO is a start at least.
I feel really, really positive about the years ahead as a gamer. It's easy to take for granted, but in 2016, so many of my dream game announcements felt like nothing more than pipe dreams. But flash forward less than a decade later, and I've probably had more than 30 seemingly "impossible" wishes come true!
It's amazing what can happen when developers actually LISTEN. Hollywood has also been very tone-deaf toward consumer interests, but I think diminishing returns and the ease of being able to see what audiences actually are looking for via social media will soon change that. Look how Into the Spiderverse has had such an overwhelmingly positive impact on CG-animated movies.
If I'm being objective, the Japanese one is probably better. But personally, I think I like Amaterasu's pose on the Western one more. Blue is also my favorite color, so that background is aesthetically pleasing to me, but the cherry blossom trees are much more representative of the game itself.
I've never been a big Mega Man fan, but I would very much like to try the Legends games someday, whether remakes or ports of the originals. A 3D take on the franchise might be what finally gets me into the series.
Currently playing through New Super Mario Bros. U on my channel. The first episode won't be up until next week, but here's the link to my most recent YouTube series, Jak and Daxter:
There's a lot of games that recently got DLC I want to dip back into, so hopefully I'll get the chance to do that as well. Astrobot, Disney Speedstorm, Sonic x Shadow Generations.
Otherwise, I started a new file on Yoshi's Island DS as I haven't played that game in probably well over a decade and wanted to see what I would think of it after all these years. I'm starting on World 3. Some of the bosses are pretty neat, but otherwise, the game is kind of forgettable so far.
Having the gameplay spread across both screens is kind of annoying, as sometimes you can't see collectibles or enemies because they're hiding in the midsection between the two screens. The baby-swapping mechanic (that's a weird thing to say) doesn't add much depth either, as switching between them is always mandatory and it's super obvious which one you need, so it's not like there's a lot of experimentation or customization going on.
@ThatOneSneak Yeah, and I'm sure Geoff Keighley had to sign off on that speech, too. Y'know, people can say what they want about Geoff being a sellout, a shill, the Game Awards being rigged, etc. But not only did he give the thumbs-up on that speech, he also had the whole "game changer" segment highlighting the guy helping laid-off game developers find work, and a couple years ago when the ActiVision sexual harassment allegations came out, he gave a pretty strong condemnation and message of solidarity to those in the industry who have been effected.
I think he's honestly a good dude, regardless of what people say. He always shines a spotlight on diverse talents at his show, like honoring one of the first female programmers, highlighting games from cultures that often go underrepresented in the gaming space, and giving acclaim to games that shine a light on disabilities and terminal illnesses.
Yeah, the output of NSO games has been pretty solid this year, but I feel like there weren't as many heavy-hitters. Some big ones that come to mind are Metroid: Zero Mission, Four Swords, Donkey Kong Land I-III, the Starfy series, Super Mario Land, Mario Tennis/Golf GBC, and Banjo-Tooie.
But the majority of these games are short experiences that can be beaten in just a couple hours. This year's lineup pales in comparison to the first year of N64 when we got Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Paper Mario, Banjo-Kazooie, Kirby 64, all those initial Genesis games, Animal Crossing Happy Home DLC, etc. I'd argue the launch years for SNES and GB/GBA NSO were also better.
The weaker lineup this year isn't just because we didn't get a new platform added this year though, as there are still many more quality games they can put on the service. I can't believe it's taking this long to get Diddy Kong Racing, Donkey Kong 64, and Super Smash Bros. It's been three years now. It's also frustrating we don't have the other Wario Land games yet.
This was a good year for NSO when it comes to archiving games that are historically important but not necessarily ones that people are dying to play, like Mach Rider and Donkey Kong Jr. Math. I can appreciate they're on the service for preservation purposes, but they're more of a novelty than anything. There was also no big DLC expansion, since the Mario Kart 8 Booster Course Pass already wrapped up in 2023. Not even the Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC was included.
So yeah, I appreciate the output, as it didn't feel like we were waiting for ages for something new to drop. But this year probably had the least-compelling additions to the service since the abysmal 2018 when it was just NES games. 2020 might have also been worse, as I only really remember Donkey Kong Country 1-3, Super Mario All-Stars, and Super Mario 35. But this was like the third-worst year overall, and the worst year for Expansion Pass subscribers, imo.
I still really like the service, but I'm hoping for more in 2025. If we don't get a new platform like GameCube or DS games, then I really hope we get the above-mentioned titles that are still missing, as well as WarioWare: Twisted, Kirby Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby Block Ball, DK '94, DK King of Swing, Super Mario Bros. DX, Mario Party Advance, Mario Golf Advance Tour, Mario Tennis Power Tour, and Mario Pinball Land.
No, please don't try to be edgy again, SEGA. It all starts with giving Shadow a gun in the Sonic movie, and next thing you know, Sonic is kissing human girls again and Knuckles is giving a speech about the brutality of war.
Despite watching The Game Awards by myself, I clapped when this was announced, lol. This was the highlight of the show for me. A little bummed they're only just now starting development though, so maybe it would have been better to wait a year or so before confirming it. But the important thing is, we know it's coming! The original Okami is honestly probably my second-favorite Zelda game...despite not actually being a Zelda game. I got it for dirt cheap in a Switch eShop sale back in like 2018 or 2019 and didn't know what to expect, but I was blown away. I kept thinking the game was wrapping up, but it just kept going with interesting new locales to explore. Such a delight, that game was.
The "oracle" speech just before the GOTY was announced (which was incredible, by the way) and the closing speech by the winners both felt prophetic that Nintendo is going to bring home the trophy next year with one of their Switch 2 launch titles. Despite not having much of a presence this year, it was like an essence of appreciation and respect for Nintendo permeated the whole event. I guess that's what happens when basically every company but them is laying people off in droves and trying to chase dying trends. Makes me proud to support this company.
Looks like it could be fun, I like how each screen looks quite different and isn't just mirroring the same thing. As someone who really enjoyed It Takes Two, there's been lots of similar co-op games shown off at the Game Awards this year, so that's cool.
But man--what's with the pink-haired protagonist with the shaved head and multiple earrings? It's such a generic, "How do you do, fellow Gen-Z?" look to it that's in every game nowadays. Just feels like corporate pandering.
@Spider-Kev You're right. I've been exposed. This whole time I've secretly been a sham. A fraudster. A charlatan. A con artist. My life, a lie. My reputation, ruined. I'l have to go into hiding. I'll have to conceal my identity with a fake name, like maybe... Not_Not_Soos. 🫣
Ah, my bad. Makes sense why Retro hasn't gone under after 10 years of not releasing a game, then. Someone has to pay those employees who have still been coming into work every day. That further illustrates why they really should have bought AlphaDream, before they went bankrupt, though.
I really wish Nintendo would just bite the bullet and purchase Retro Studios, HAL Laboratory, Intelligent Systems, Good Feel, Game Freak, and the rest of their really close development studios that work almost exclusively for them. In this day and age where corporations keep making acquisitions, Nintendo needs to protect their assets from these poachers.
As others have said, it's a shame Nintendo never purchased Rare when they had the chance. It's also a shame they let AlphaDream die, so who knows what the future of Mario & Luigi will be--if it even has a future now that Sony is poised to acquire its developer. Next Level Games was a worthwhile purchase for the Big N, but why stop there?
I'm not saying Nintendo should buy out all these random studios they have little to no involvement with. But these are purchases that just make all the sense in the world from a business standpoint. Protect what you have, before somebody else snatches them up and steals your talented employees--only to lay them off shortly thereafter because they don't know how to properly manage.
@PessitheMystic That's odd--I can see it just fine on my end. I don't recall speaking on it before. They probably wouldn't actually hire me, but a man can dream, right?
Wish they had an office here in the States so I could work for Intelligent Systems on a new Paper Mario game as a story writer / character designer. Here are some enemy concept designs I came up with a few years ago for a tropical/volcano chapter:
Shout-out to @Snatcher, as I never fully understood how to embed images in a comment on here until I stumbled upon your forum post about it from August that was very straightforward and comprehensive. Sorry mods, but this means I'll get to be even more of a public menace now that I have harnessed the raw power of JPEG files. 😈
@Twilite9 Oh wow, that's awesome. I'm a huge animation enthusiast hoping to break into the industry one day, myself. Maybe someday I'll get to work alongside you.
@awp69 I hear a lot of people say, "Good games don't need remakes as much as games that didn't quite live up to their potential do," so that's exactly what the devs are doing here. They know people were disappointed when this game came out originally, but they really believe in the brand they created and want to change people's hearts by taking another crack at it. I understand why this would rub some people the wrong way, and I don't necessarily blame them. I get why you wouldn't want to pay a second time for an enhanced version of a game you can already play on current-gen hardware that was just kind of middling to begin with. But I have a lot of respect for the developers for saying, "Hey, we know we made some mistakes, but we've learned a lot since then, and we want to set things right." I don't think they're doing this just to be Yooka-Layzee.
I know I recently made a comment about how I'm getting burned out on indie 3D platformers and won't be buying as many of them moving forward, as they often lack the standard of quality I'm looking for. But this is an exception. I'm really, really excited for Yooka-Replaylee. I think this is shaping up to be something truly special.
Mario & Luigi Brothership: 8/10 - Like The Plucky Squire, this game was honestly a bit of a chore to finish. I'm happy this game exists after so many years without an original new Mario RPG with original characters and a story. The trifecta of this, TTYD, and Super Mario RPG will go down as one of the most hype moments of the entire Switch for me.
But, it has a myriad of problems. The story isn't particularly interesting until the final act. Island-hopping and connecting them to the mainland is an awesome concept, but in execution, every island feels very video-gamey and not like a real, lived-in place. A lot of the writing is also cringe and not funny. The music is solid despite not having Yoko Shimomira. The load times between battles and upon entering buildings really bog the game down though. I won't be revisiting this game every couple years like Superstar Saga, I can tell you that.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown: 9/10 - Honestly, I'm not much of a metroidvania guy. The genre frustrates me to no end, as I always end up getting lost and do a lot of tedious backtracking. But like Metroid Dread, this is a rare example of a metroidvania that I was able to complete because it really resonated with me. The game looks absolutely stunning. I can definitely see the Rayman DNA the studio brought to this one. I still found it more tedious than Metroid Dread and don't know if I see myself revisiting it--not even for the DLC--but I had a great time while it lasted.
I haven't played much of Dragon Quest III yet unfortunately, so I won't be reviewing that game. But yeah, otherwise, I think that's pretty much it for my 2024 games!
I hardly touched Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, but that's because it just wasn't compelling to me at all. NES Remix but with the best parts of that game removed. A 7/10 would probably be fair, though.
Overall, I'd give Nintendo, and the games industry as a whole, an 8/10 or B- this year. It could've been better, but I'm perfectly content. A really solid final year before a new console, and 2025 is already lined up to be pretty great as well for the OG Switch.
Princess Peach Showtime: 7/10 - I can appreciate this game as another example of the "Mario Mandates" being lifted. Peach gets her first starring role in almost 20 years, and there's a host of new characters including an original antagonist. The bosses were pretty cool. But, the gameplay is very basic and nothing we haven't seen before. It's a mostly inoffensive game, but it irks me that Nintendo could have asked GoodFeel to a new Wario Land instead. This is possibly the studio's weakest game to date.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom: 8.5/10 - Like Princess Peach, Nintendo put one of their female leading ladies in the spotlight, but to better results here. The largest 2D Zelda to date, I couldn't put the game down as I explored the map and met NPC's with unique side quests. Lots of good ideas here that I'm sure will set a new standard moving forward for 2D Zelda. But to address the elephant in the room, the Echoes kind of ruin the combat, imo. I respect that they tried something different, but I don't want hands-off combat like this ever again.
Luigi's Mansion 2 HD: 9/10: I know this is a very generous port for a rather barebones and overpriced port of a game that doesn't even look that much better. But I genuinely enjoy LM2 a lot--more than most people. Yeah, it suffers a bit from the Mario restrictions that were pervasive at the time, and the linearity isn't ideal. But, this game has the most fun and challenging combat in the whole series.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: 9/10 - Again, some may say this is too generous, but I really enjoyed my time with the game. It's great to see a Mario vs DK that doesn't suck again. Sorry, Minis. The game looks gorgeous, and while it's pretty short and can be beaten in a day, I appreciate the extra couoke of worlds they added.
Super Mario Party Jamboree: 9/10 - Part of me wants to give this game a lower score because it's not what I wanted. Like Splatoon 3, I don't think this game needed to exist and could have been DLC. But, I can't deny that I've had a ton of fun with the game. It's not the best Mario Party, and I have my gripes with it. This isn't the strongest selection of minigames we've ever seen, but these are some of the best boards. A great time.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: 9.5/10 - A solid remaster, but for as much as it fixes from the original, it also introduces problems unique to this version. The GameCube original is my favorite game of all-time, but I don't know if I can confidently say the remake is the definitive version.
Bakeru: 8/10 - The game is bursting with charm, personality, and whimsy. I loved exploring all the Japanese prefecture and learning new details about Japan. The character designs and world are a visual delight. Tons of content, too--the game just keeps going and going. However, the gameplay gets quite repetitive and tedious after a while.
Penny's Big Breakaway: 8/10 - Similar to Bakeru, it's a delightful world filled with charming characters and creative levels, but there were elements of the gameplay I found a bit tedious and frustrating.
The Plucky Squire: 7.5/10 - Same as Penny's Big Breakaway and The Plucky Squire--delightful visuals that elicit a childlike sense of wonder, but the gameplay is a bit shallow and I really had to force myself to keep playing to the end, despite it being rather short.
Astro Bot: 9/10 - As far as linear 3D platformers go, this one is better than Sackboy and even Super Mario 3D World. Like Smash Bros., it doesn't feel like shameless product placement but a genuine celebration of the games industry. As someone who has played countless 3D platformers, it doesn't do anything I haven't seen multiple times already before (except for the mouse level, which is incredible), but it's still a solid time and one of the year's highlights.
@PokemonDMG Yeah, I know a lot of people have thrown out the idea for a Wario & Waluigi game. I wouldn't be opposed, but I think it's worth noting that Nintendo almost always gives the playable characters in their games a silent role. Luigi talks in Paper Mario because he's just an NPC, but he doesn't get any lines of dialogue in Mario & Luigi games, for example. So in all likelihood, it would be a game where Wario and Waluigi don't talk, which I think would somewhat limit the humor. That's not to say it couldn't still work though, but I'm skeptical. Just let my boys talk, Nintendo!
I finished the Super Mario Sunshine playthrough on my channel, so I've now moved on to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. I actually just finished recording a couple episodes and now it's 7:30 a.m. for me and I need to go to bed, lol.
Since I have an upload schedule of one video a day on Mo-Fri, Jak and Daxter won't be on my channel until sometime next week. However, I will share the link again to the first episode of my Mario Sunshine playthrough since those videos are still coming out:
Not sure which game I'll play after finishing Jak. Maybe you guys can help me decide. Some of the games I'm considering include: A Hat in Time, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, New Super Mario Bros. U, Link's Awakening, and Pikmin 3. I'll get to all of them eventually, I just don't know in what order. If you're interested in one I haven't recommended, by all means let me know.
Other than what I'm doing on my channel, I don't know what other games I'll be playing in my free time, if any. I beat Brothership and Donkey Kong Land III. I don't want to delve into Dragon Quest III so soon after Brothership since it's another turn-based RPG. I'll probably do the Tetris 99 NES event, but otherwise, not sure.
Is it bad that I get more excited over ports and remakes of some of my favorite games than I am hearing about new games, including titles coming exclusively to Switch 2 that I may or may not end up enjoying? 🤷🏼♂️
It would be a bit odd for back-to-back Kirby remakes to release without something original in between, though. I'm surprised we're not getting a new 3D Kirby game that reuses the engine and assets from Forgotten Land first; after all, Planet Robobot only came out a few years after Triple Deluxe, so the time frame for a new game would line up.
Speaking of, it'll be disappointing if we don't get a double-pack including both this game and Triple Deluxe. I'd be fine with both games just being basic upscaled ports for $60, instead of having just one game fully remade from the ground-up at that price. I didn't really like the character outlines in RTDL Deluxe, anyways.
Still waiting on Yoshi's Woolly World and Kid Icarus Uprising though, among others.
Every day is a painful reminder that I'll never get the chance to meet my hero...
I highly encourage everyone to buy thr "Ask Iwata" book if you haven't already. I'm not an avid reader at all (despite how much I write), but it was well worth it. Honestly made me shed a few tears...
Sakurai probably never actually said that and is going to be so confused when he logs onto X, lol.
Sometimes the American localization changes what Sakurai actually says. For example, in the Min Min gameplay demonstration that was recorded during the height of the pandemic, there's a part where a couple CPU opponents close in, and he pushes them away with Min Min's extendable arms. Sakurai made a joke in Japanese about social distancing, but this was translated as something else in English.
I don't doubt that Sakurai did make some sort of joke about why she was too suggestive to put into the game. But someone who understands Japanese should listen to that part of the presentation to see whether or not he explicitly used the phrase, "good boys and girls."
Maybe it's because I wasn't around in the 80's, but I've always thought cartoons from this era were kind of cringe. I've never seen the appeal in Transformers, Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles etc. They always just screamed to me, "How do you do, fellow kids?" with cheesy dialogue, only existing to sell merch. Even other shows from that era that weren't known for having a massive line of toys, like Smurfs, didn't appeal to me either and also just kind of make me cringe. No disrespect to those who grew up with and loved these kinds of shows. Maybe you can tell me what it is about them that I'm missing.
Honestly, it was a perfect name. The subtitles of Mario & Luigi games are always perfect--unless you're European, where they stupidly started throwing the word "Bros." at the end. Paper Jam is a great name. Dream Team is a great name. Bowser's Inside Story, Partners in Time--all great names.
Superstar Saga is probably the weakest name, but despite being arguably the best game in the series, Superstar Saga has the least specific theming.The plot isn't about aliens or time travel or dream hopping, which are easy themes to convey; it's a weird li'l game about weird li'l bean people whose villages are named after laughter, so how are you supposed to market that on the box? "Mario & Luigi: Two Beans in a Pod?"
I don't know when/if we'll ever get another Mario & Luigi game after this, but you can count on it having an absolute banger of a title. My bet: a game where animatronics take over the world called "Mario & Luigi: Bro Botics."
I still need to play through this game. I only just beat Brothership, so my schedule is freed up, but I don't know if I want to jump straight into another turn-based RPG so soon.
That's true. I think Nintendo definitely had an issue with that back in the Wii U era--either that, or they just had the completely wrong idea of what consumers wanted. Like the Japanese Club Nintendo poll where players said they didn't want story in Paper Mario.
Although, the more I think about it, the quote was actually something like, "only 2% of people who took the Club Nintendo poll made mention of Super Paper Mario's story." That's not to say the customers DIDN'T like story, but perhaps that Tanabe applied his own biases about story to the poll and reported the data in a dubious way that falsely seemed to support his claim. Like politicians do all the time when they say "Look how low the unemployment rate was when so-and-so was in office compared to now! We fixed it!" despite conveniently ignoring the fact that there was a pandemic.
After all, when Club Nintendo was a thing, I and probably most others would just right "n/a" or something to our answer to each question that asked for a written response like, "what did/didn't you like about the game?" So, of course there weren't many people who commented on the story, just like they probably also didn't make mention of the gameplay, graphics, music, or anything else. We just took those polls to get the points.
I appreciate that Nintendo isn't just a soulless corporate machine who chases trends and that the developers have a genuine passion for the games they are making. But it's a double-edged sword, because if you view it as an expression of art instead of just another 9-5 job, you're more emotionally invested and less willing to make compromises to please the fans. You have a clear vision, and the game you're making is your baby.
It's a tough one, honestly. I don't know what the solution is.
Cool, I'll definitely keep it in mind. I know Nitro Rad gave high praise to that game--he's probably the only reason I even know about it--but there's been at least a couple different times I've bought a game Nitro Rad gave a strong recommendation for and wound up being a little disappointed with it. Demon Turf and Sphynx: The Cursed Mummy both fall into that camp. (Granted, I didn't get very far into either of them. Maybe they would click with me if I kept going.)
I get strong Cavern of Dreams vibes from Corn Kidz. Have you played that one? If so, how would you say it compares? I played Cavern of Dreams when it came to Switch I think at the beginning of this year, and it was interesting--a very surreal, occasionally unsettling take on Banjo-Kazooie. But I got a little frustrated in that game trying to figure out where I needed to go next. I liked it, but I don't know if I see myself ever replaying it. I don't necessarily want one-and-done experiences, but rather games I'll want to come back to again and again over the years. Like Mario 64--that's a game I replay annually. A lot of indie 3D platformers haven't been doing that for me.
@World Yeah, it's very uncanny. I'm fine with his weird chibi anime face, but his stocky figure and running animations are too humanoid and I find it disturbing. Comparing his design to Banjo, another anthropomorphic platforming bear, I don't get that same unsettling vibe. Banjo has dopey animations that aren't exactly bear-like, but they don't feel like a human either. Whatever this character is doing with his hands is a bit too over-the-top for me as well, since you'll be looking at that the whole game. It's like they're trying too hard to make him a meme, but it doesn't work for me.
It's like Mario grabbed the Tanooki leaf but something went horribly wrong...
Gameplay looks great, but I'll be honest--the main character disturbs me a little bit. He doesn't look like an anthropomorphic animal but more like an adult male in a furry suit. Maybe society has just corrupted me, but I can't look at something like this without feeling like there's weird NSFW undertones. I can't be the only one, right...? Maybe it's completely innocuous and I've just been terminally online for too long. That's probably it.
Either way though, this game won't be an immediate purchase for me despite 3D platformers being my favorite genre because there's frankly too many of them on the market right now, especially by indies. The indie ones in many cases have been a bit underwhelming to me, and I don't see me playing through them a second time.
That's not to say I regret purchasing them necessarily, but as Nikoderiko went on for example, the cracks started showing, and despite having really solid controls and level design that rivals even DKC, it's littered with game-breaking bugs. I've gotten softlocked probably five times in my playthrough, and I gave up on the final boss because sometimes the hit boxes just wouldn't work and I couldn't damage him.
Kao the Kangaroo is another where I just felt like "Eh, it was alright, but not sure if I need to revisit it." It was certainly more polished (although I do distinctly remember losing progress in Kao because there was a save data bug at launch), but it was still just kind of middling.
I beat the first world in Demon Turf but just never continued because I didn't find it all that fun for whatever reason. (I'll go back to it eventually and give it another chance, though.) I have other games in my wishlist like Lunistice, Corn Kidz 64, and Spark The Electric Jester, but I honestly feel at this point that I'm forcing myself to play these obscure 3D platformers because I feel compelled to play every game in the genre.
For the longest time, we just weren't getting any 3D platformers at all. Once they gained popularity again with games like Mario Odyssey, Crash N. Sane Trilogy, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and SpongeBob Rehydrated, it was easy to keep up at first. But now, I feel like they're becoming as common as RPG's, with several releasing every year.
When they were more rare, I could look past the faults of a game like Yooka-Laylee and still love it because it filled a void. But that void has been filled now and then some, so I'm not sure I have the willingness to buy a lot of b-tier platformers anymore as it's getting increasingly expensive and time-consuming to play them all. Even Penny's Big Breakaway, which did have a lot going for it, felt like a bit of a slog for me to finish. I think I'm just getting burned out on running and jumping.
Moving forward, I think I'll dial it back to the 3D platformers from major publishers for now, like whatever Ubisoft is planning for Rayman, a possible Spyro 4, and whatever Mario and Kirby do next. One big exception would be if A Hat in Time gets a sequel, though--I'd be there day one.
Don't get me wrong, this is a good problem to have. I'd rather the market be oversaturated with 3D platformers than to not get any at all, which was the case for probably close to a decade outside Mario and Sonic.
Thank you. I manage my OCD much better now than I used to. I spent about a year in therapy in 2021, and then I started medicating, which completely changed my life. I'm significantly happier now than I used to be. Many days can still be a struggle, but I would say I have more good days than bad, whereas before I started medicating, I would say 90 percent of the time life felt like a living hell from 2015, when my symptoms got really bad, to 2020.
I'm really grateful for the progress I've made, as I now genuinely love life again and am happy to be here. I'm not 100% back to where I want to be, but I hope to keep working toward improvement. I also hope I can help raise awareness about obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is a very misunderstood condition. I think most people--myself included for a very long time--think of OCD as just a personality quirk, someone who is a "neat freak." But that isn't an accurate representation at all.
One of the things that kept me going in my darkest hour was the thought that someday I'll be able to help others that are going through this. If not for that mindset, and also my religious faith, I don't want to think about what might have happened. I also had a strong support system from loving family, which is a big blessing. But you're right that things can and will get better; I'm living proof of that, and I want to share that message with others. 🙂
@nebzila In reality, I don't think it would have worked out that way. Sony created Crash Bandicoot to be their platforming mascot to compete against Mario. In an alternate timeline where Nintendo remained buddy-buddy with Sony, a lot of their flagship titles like Crash and Spyro wouldn't have needed to exist.
Maybe I need to start a blog or a podcast or something. I have all these ideas I want to convey but I don't really have an outlet outside of Nintendo Life. (I did start a YouTube gaming channel, but that's mostly for entertainment purposes and not the same kind of audience.) I've even thought about writing a manifesto on what I like to call "radical pacivism."
I've always been a deep thinker, but as someone who has long suffered from debilitating OCD and agoraphobia, I've had a lot of time on my hands while cooped up inside to sit and think about things in ways that the average person probably doesn't have the time to with their busy schedules.
If I can get my ideas out there and maybe in some small way help people get along and quell the tensions that make it feel like we're on the brink of a civil war sometimes, then I'll have found meaning through my suffering and it will have all been worth it.
Thank you both! I truly believe everybody has a shared human experience that makes us more alike than we are different. But unfortunately, many people are unwilling to look for that common ground. I've found in my personal observations (but I feel like it should be common sense, really), that the more you insult and act morally superior to someone, the more they will just double-down in their pre-conceived biases.
Going off of this, I've also observed that--more often than not--people are not radicalized by the party they identify with; rather, extremism is often a rebuttal against what they perceive as a hostile attack from the other side against their core values and beliefs. In other words, people on the far-Right aren't pushed there by others on the Right, but rather by those on the far-Left and vice-versa. Like the law in physics about "every action having an equal but opposite reaction," but applied to people. Fascists turn people into Communists and Communists turn people into Fascists.
So when I'm weighing in on controversial subjects, I try to choose my words carefully. For example, I always put the word "woke" in quotation marks, because although I have somewhat socially Conservative views, I think "woke" is: (1) a buzzword, and if you rely too heavily on those, it can make you look like you're in an echo chamber and devoid of original thought to the person you're debating, but more importantly (2) it's a derogatory word that elicits a strong negative emotional reaction from the other side. So, I'll use a word like that because the meaning behind it is widely understood, but I think the quotes help to put distance between myself and the word so as to say, "hey, I'm saying this only because it's common vernacular and not because I'm aiming to insult you."
How can you expect someone to listen to what you have to say and respect your opinion if you aren't willing to offer them thay same courtesy in return?
You might also notice I start sentences with "I think," "I feel" "Often," "Usually," etc. a lot, because I think another problem is that people often erroneously believe that their argument is infallible. Our culture teaches us to use definitive language if you want to make your argument seem credible. If I wrote a college essay and used that kind of doubtful phrasing, would get a worse grade.
But I think (lol) that saying "I think" illustrates that I'm willing to admit that I don't know anything with 100% certainty and am open to earnestly listening to opposing viewpoints and potentially change my mind. I think the world would be a much better place if politicians and scholars and even just everyday people weren't conditioned to believe they have to put on this front that they are infallible to be taken seriously--that saying "I don't know" or "I'm not sure" or "you may be right" doesn't signify a lack of intelligence or inability to lead. It doesn't mean you're indecisive, just that you're capable of introspection and growth.
My aim is never to get people to agree with me, so much as it is to bridge the gap in our incredibly divided culture and come to a mutual respect and understanding. To get people to say, "Well, my core values haven't changed, but maybe I should reconsider cutting off my friends and family whose values don't always align with mine."
@JohnnyMind Thank you so much! 🙂 I always appreciate the validation from others, as sometimes I feel like I'm just wasting mine and everyone else's time with obnoxiously long comments that run the risk of getting deleted by the admins for getting too sociopolitical. It always makes me happy to know it resonated with somebody.
If you have a PlayStation with a PSN subscription, you can download Rayman Legends for free. It was also on sale in the last eShop sale for dirt cheap, like $10 or maybe even just $5. I highly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of Mario. It was my introduction to Rayman, and it's my favorite 2D platformer of all-time. I love it more than Tropical Freeze or Mario Wonder or any number of games in the genre. It also has a Mario costume for Rayman and a Luigi costume for another character, Globox, which you unlock super early into the game if you're playing on Switch or Wii U.
It has an incredibly gorgeous hand-drawn art style that, even 10 years later, still holds up and has only been outdone by maybe Cuphead. There's also an insane amount of content, as the game has pretty much every level from the previous title. Rayman Legends, remastered in it. That's 10 worlds of content and over 100 levels. The controls are perfect; it's one of the few games I've played where even the underwater levels are a delight as it just feels buttery smooth to swim around.
I really can't sing this game's praises enough. I hope you check it out someday!
That said, I don't know how much that has to do with Ubisoft's current situation; they aren't going broke from being "woke," but rather from a myriad of poor business decisions. Releasing average to mediocre games that are really expensive to make, dedicating a significant amount of resources to fruitless projects like NFT's, hurting their consumer trust with unfinished products and microtransactions...
Although I have many qualms with modern-day Liberalism, that isn't the reason any of these companies are struggling--including Disney. Maybe a very, very small reason, but not the main reason. I don't know of anyone who has canceled their Disney+ subscription over politics, for example. But, they keep churning out offensively uninspired live-action sequels, buying out all these other studios and not knowing what to do with them, and having PR disasters like the Disney+ free trial acting as a liability waiver for Disney World.
Look at Nintendo's downfall during the Wii U era and their resurgence to popularity in 2017. What changed wasn't that Nintendo got more or less political; for whatever reason, they just completely disregarded the will of consumers and started churning out garbage products for a few years. That's all Ubisoft, ActiVision, and Disney need to do--they need to say, "Hey guys, remember when our products were actually GOOD?"
At the end of the day, Liberals will voice their distain toward what Chick Fil-A stands for, but most of them still eat there. Conservatives can get angry at the NFL and claim they won't be tuning into any more games, but most of them still do. And J. K. Rowling can face major scrutiny, but no amount of boycotting could keep Hogwarts Legacy from smashing sales records. Most people aren't going to take a moral stand if it means giving up their favorite things. If I didn't shop somewhere because I disagreed with their politics, I'd have nowhere left to shop.
But when Disney's movies or Ubisoft's games or ActiVision's games are just objectively bad? Yeah, that's what will hurt your business. If you can stay the best at whatever it is you do, the consumer will turn a blind eye to almost anything--i.e., our phones and clothes being produced in a sweat shop.
It's funny because if you look at Ubisoft, ActiVision, or even Disney, the companies that virtue signal the hardest to flaunt how "Progressive" they are are always the ones that have a deeply prejudiced history. Of course a company as historically racist as Disney or as exploitative of women as Ubisoft and ActiVision are going to preach diversity, equity, and inclusivity because it's a convenient moral shield they can hide behind in a vain PR attempt to absolve themselves of their past transgressions. It's disingenuous, and I think people are starting to see through it.
These companies have never had a moral compass and have always just done what they perceive to be socially acceptable, so why should we trust them to make changes for the better? "Misogyny isn't cool anymore? Well, I guess we'll just practice misandry instead." That doesn't solve the problem and just replaces one form of discrimination with another. It's a never-ending cycle. This is a problem with society as a whole, as people just jump on whatever bandwagon everyone else is currently on, regardless of who it hurts.
Life is a lot more nuanced than that. Things aren't as black-and-white as people make them out to be. As a white guy who lives in a dying coal mining community in the heart of Appalachia, where poverty and drug addiction run rampant and my people are stereotyped as inbred trash, initiatives like affirmative action just makes it all the harder for people like me to get a good education and a job and escape this heck hole.
DEI isn't a solution--it's just replacing one problem with another problem.
While every other company is trying to form a monopoly and invest billions of dollars into hostile corporate takeovers, Nintendo should hire every one of these employees when they inevitably get laid off by their CEO who mismanaged the acquisition.
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Re: New Capcom Survey Wants To Know Your Thoughts About MvC Fighting Collection
I don't care about Marvel vs. Capcom, but I just wanna say how great it is these gaming companies really seem to be taking fan feedback to heart. I don't care what anybody says--this is the best time to be a gamer.
Capcom is bringing back Okami and potentially a slew of other titles like Mega Man or maybe Viewtiful Joe, localizing the Japanese-exclusive Ace Attorney games, etc.
Namco is remastering Pac-Man World, Klonoa, the Tales Of series, Baten Kaitos, and Katamari.
SEGA is remastering and releasing new games in franchises such as Sonic, Monkey Ball, and Samba de Amigo that are actually GOOD, with more on the way like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Golden Axe.
Ubisoft is bringing back the Rayman IP.
A new Ninja Gaiden just got announced.
Crash and Spyro got beautiful HD trilogies. SpongeBob: Battle for Bikini Bottom was remastered, with both it and Crash Bandicoot getting a brand-new entry this gen.
All the classic Tomb Raider games are getting remastered.
The Mario Mandates have listed and RPG's are finally back!
Metroid Prime 4 is on the cusp of releasing.
We got our first 3D Kirby game, our first nonlinear Pokémon and Sonic games, our first (and second) open-world Zelda games, and our first sandbox 3D Mario game after 15 years.
Smash Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 have insane amounts of content and are objectively the definitive games in their respective franchises.
Mario Party is great again.
2017 to now has been PEAK gaming. Nothing comes close to this. It doesn't matter how many F2P games with microtransactions and AI art are out there; if that's all you feel like you see nowadays, you're living under a rock.
I just hope Sony follows suit after the success of Astrobot and brings back Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, Ape Escape and other classic franchises. And, of course, Microsoft needs to revive Rare titles like Banjo and Konker, but NSO is a start at least.
I feel really, really positive about the years ahead as a gamer. It's easy to take for granted, but in 2016, so many of my dream game announcements felt like nothing more than pipe dreams. But flash forward less than a decade later, and I've probably had more than 30 seemingly "impossible" wishes come true!
It's amazing what can happen when developers actually LISTEN. Hollywood has also been very tone-deaf toward consumer interests, but I think diminishing returns and the ease of being able to see what audiences actually are looking for via social media will soon change that. Look how Into the Spiderverse has had such an overwhelmingly positive impact on CG-animated movies.
The future is bright for gamers.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Okami
If I'm being objective, the Japanese one is probably better. But personally, I think I like Amaterasu's pose on the Western one more. Blue is also my favorite color, so that background is aesthetically pleasing to me, but the cherry blossom trees are much more representative of the game itself.
I guess I vote begrudgingly for Japan.
Re: Capcom Intends To Continue "Re-Activating Dormant IPs"
I've never been a big Mega Man fan, but I would very much like to try the Legends games someday, whether remakes or ports of the originals. A 3D take on the franchise might be what finally gets me into the series.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (14th December)
Currently playing through New Super Mario Bros. U on my channel. The first episode won't be up until next week, but here's the link to my most recent YouTube series, Jak and Daxter:
https://youtu.be/bEYyB98t2OQ?si=r8G0uiIE6CsXevs5
There's a lot of games that recently got DLC I want to dip back into, so hopefully I'll get the chance to do that as well. Astrobot, Disney Speedstorm, Sonic x Shadow Generations.
Otherwise, I started a new file on Yoshi's Island DS as I haven't played that game in probably well over a decade and wanted to see what I would think of it after all these years. I'm starting on World 3. Some of the bosses are pretty neat, but otherwise, the game is kind of forgettable so far.
Having the gameplay spread across both screens is kind of annoying, as sometimes you can't see collectibles or enemies because they're hiding in the midsection between the two screens. The baby-swapping mechanic (that's a weird thing to say) doesn't add much depth either, as switching between them is always mandatory and it's super obvious which one you need, so it's not like there's a lot of experimentation or customization going on.
Re: The Game Awards GOTY For 2024 Is Astro Bot
@ThatOneSneak Yeah, and I'm sure Geoff Keighley had to sign off on that speech, too. Y'know, people can say what they want about Geoff being a sellout, a shill, the Game Awards being rigged, etc. But not only did he give the thumbs-up on that speech, he also had the whole "game changer" segment highlighting the guy helping laid-off game developers find work, and a couple years ago when the ActiVision sexual harassment allegations came out, he gave a pretty strong condemnation and message of solidarity to those in the industry who have been effected.
I think he's honestly a good dude, regardless of what people say. He always shines a spotlight on diverse talents at his show, like honoring one of the first female programmers, highlighting games from cultures that often go underrepresented in the gaming space, and giving acclaim to games that shine a light on disabilities and terminal illnesses.
Re: 2024 Has Been The Busiest Year Yet For Nintendo Switch Online In North America
Yeah, the output of NSO games has been pretty solid this year, but I feel like there weren't as many heavy-hitters. Some big ones that come to mind are Metroid: Zero Mission, Four Swords, Donkey Kong Land I-III, the Starfy series, Super Mario Land, Mario Tennis/Golf GBC, and Banjo-Tooie.
But the majority of these games are short experiences that can be beaten in just a couple hours. This year's lineup pales in comparison to the first year of N64 when we got Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Paper Mario, Banjo-Kazooie, Kirby 64, all those initial Genesis games, Animal Crossing Happy Home DLC, etc. I'd argue the launch years for SNES and GB/GBA NSO were also better.
The weaker lineup this year isn't just because we didn't get a new platform added this year though, as there are still many more quality games they can put on the service. I can't believe it's taking this long to get Diddy Kong Racing, Donkey Kong 64, and Super Smash Bros. It's been three years now. It's also frustrating we don't have the other Wario Land games yet.
This was a good year for NSO when it comes to archiving games that are historically important but not necessarily ones that people are dying to play, like Mach Rider and Donkey Kong Jr. Math. I can appreciate they're on the service for preservation purposes, but they're more of a novelty than anything. There was also no big DLC expansion, since the Mario Kart 8 Booster Course Pass already wrapped up in 2023. Not even the Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC was included.
So yeah, I appreciate the output, as it didn't feel like we were waiting for ages for something new to drop. But this year probably had the least-compelling additions to the service since the abysmal 2018 when it was just NES games. 2020 might have also been worse, as I only really remember Donkey Kong Country 1-3, Super Mario All-Stars, and Super Mario 35. But this was like the third-worst year overall, and the worst year for Expansion Pass subscribers, imo.
I still really like the service, but I'm hoping for more in 2025. If we don't get a new platform like GameCube or DS games, then I really hope we get the above-mentioned titles that are still missing, as well as WarioWare: Twisted, Kirby Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby Block Ball, DK '94, DK King of Swing, Super Mario Bros. DX, Mario Party Advance, Mario Golf Advance Tour, Mario Tennis Power Tour, and Mario Pinball Land.
Re: Sega President Talks Reviving Video Game "Rock & Roll" To Contrast Nintendo's "Pop Music"
No, please don't try to be edgy again, SEGA. It all starts with giving Shadow a gun in the Sonic movie, and next thing you know, Sonic is kissing human girls again and Knuckles is giving a speech about the brutality of war.
Re: Okami Sequel Announced, Will Be Directed By Hideki Kamiya
Despite watching The Game Awards by myself, I clapped when this was announced, lol. This was the highlight of the show for me. A little bummed they're only just now starting development though, so maybe it would have been better to wait a year or so before confirming it. But the important thing is, we know it's coming! The original Okami is honestly probably my second-favorite Zelda game...despite not actually being a Zelda game. I got it for dirt cheap in a Switch eShop sale back in like 2018 or 2019 and didn't know what to expect, but I was blown away. I kept thinking the game was wrapping up, but it just kept going with interesting new locales to explore. Such a delight, that game was.
Re: The Game Awards GOTY For 2024 Is Astro Bot
The "oracle" speech just before the GOTY was announced (which was incredible, by the way) and the closing speech by the winners both felt prophetic that Nintendo is going to bring home the trophy next year with one of their Switch 2 launch titles. Despite not having much of a presence this year, it was like an essence of appreciation and respect for Nintendo permeated the whole event. I guess that's what happens when basically every company but them is laying people off in droves and trying to chase dying trends. Makes me proud to support this company.
Re: Overcooked Dev Is Teaming Up With Hello Games For More Couch-Co-Op Chaos In 'Stage Fright'
Looks like it could be fun, I like how each screen looks quite different and isn't just mirroring the same thing. As someone who really enjoyed It Takes Two, there's been lots of similar co-op games shown off at the Game Awards this year, so that's cool.
But man--what's with the pink-haired protagonist with the shaved head and multiple earrings? It's such a generic, "How do you do, fellow Gen-Z?" look to it that's in every game nowadays. Just feels like corporate pandering.
Re: Bandai Namco Unveils New Pac-Man Game, And It's Probably Not What You Expect
This... this is not Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac.
If this is all we're getting for Pac-Man's 45th anniversary, I'll be devastated.
Re: Random: Did You Know About The Korean Version Of Super Mario Bros. Super Show?
@Spider-Kev You're right. I've been exposed. This whole time I've secretly been a sham. A fraudster. A charlatan. A con artist. My life, a lie. My reputation, ruined. I'l have to go into hiding. I'll have to conceal my identity with a fake name, like maybe... Not_Not_Soos. 🫣
Re: Random: Did You Know About The Korean Version Of Super Mario Bros. Super Show?
@shiftbarackyeaugh Unless you're me, in which case every comment needs to be an essay. 😉
Re: Nintendo Now Officially Owns 100% Of Monolith Soft
@Arkay @Duncanballs @martynstuff
Ah, my bad. Makes sense why Retro hasn't gone under after 10 years of not releasing a game, then. Someone has to pay those employees who have still been coming into work every day. That further illustrates why they really should have bought AlphaDream, before they went bankrupt, though.
Re: Nintendo Now Officially Owns 100% Of Monolith Soft
I really wish Nintendo would just bite the bullet and purchase Retro Studios, HAL Laboratory, Intelligent Systems, Good Feel, Game Freak, and the rest of their really close development studios that work almost exclusively for them. In this day and age where corporations keep making acquisitions, Nintendo needs to protect their assets from these poachers.
As others have said, it's a shame Nintendo never purchased Rare when they had the chance. It's also a shame they let AlphaDream die, so who knows what the future of Mario & Luigi will be--if it even has a future now that Sony is poised to acquire its developer. Next Level Games was a worthwhile purchase for the Big N, but why stop there?
I'm not saying Nintendo should buy out all these random studios they have little to no involvement with. But these are purchases that just make all the sense in the world from a business standpoint. Protect what you have, before somebody else snatches them up and steals your talented employees--only to lay them off shortly thereafter because they don't know how to properly manage.
Re: Looks Like Fire Emblem & Paper Mario Dev Intelligent Systems Is Hiring
@PessitheMystic That's odd--I can see it just fine on my end. I don't recall speaking on it before. They probably wouldn't actually hire me, but a man can dream, right?
Re: Looks Like Fire Emblem & Paper Mario Dev Intelligent Systems Is Hiring
Wish they had an office here in the States so I could work for Intelligent Systems on a new Paper Mario game as a story writer / character designer. Here are some enemy concept designs I came up with a few years ago for a tropical/volcano chapter:
Shout-out to @Snatcher, as I never fully understood how to embed images in a comment on here until I stumbled upon your forum post about it from August that was very straightforward and comprehensive. Sorry mods, but this means I'll get to be even more of a public menace now that I have harnessed the raw power of JPEG files. 😈
Re: LEGO Fortnite Reveals GTA And Sims-Style Social Roleplaying Game Mode
This actually looks really, really cool! Not sure why this is even considered a part of Fortnite at this point, but I want to check it out.
Re: Random: Metroid Prime 3 Dev Left Retro Studios After "Unhealthy Relationship" With Nintendo Micromanagement
@Twilite9 Oh wow, that's awesome. I'm a huge animation enthusiast hoping to break into the industry one day, myself. Maybe someday I'll get to work alongside you.
Re: Video: Yooka-Replaylee Dev Demo Highlights "New Features And More Changes"
@awp69 I hear a lot of people say, "Good games don't need remakes as much as games that didn't quite live up to their potential do," so that's exactly what the devs are doing here. They know people were disappointed when this game came out originally, but they really believe in the brand they created and want to change people's hearts by taking another crack at it. I understand why this would rub some people the wrong way, and I don't necessarily blame them. I get why you wouldn't want to pay a second time for an enhanced version of a game you can already play on current-gen hardware that was just kind of middling to begin with. But I have a lot of respect for the developers for saying, "Hey, we know we made some mistakes, but we've learned a lot since then, and we want to set things right." I don't think they're doing this just to be Yooka-Layzee.
Re: Video: Yooka-Replaylee Dev Demo Highlights "New Features And More Changes"
I know I recently made a comment about how I'm getting burned out on indie 3D platformers and won't be buying as many of them moving forward, as they often lack the standard of quality I'm looking for. But this is an exception. I'm really, really excited for Yooka-Replaylee. I think this is shaping up to be something truly special.
Re: Rate Your Favourite Switch Games Of The Year 2024
PART 3
Mario & Luigi Brothership: 8/10 - Like The Plucky Squire, this game was honestly a bit of a chore to finish. I'm happy this game exists after so many years without an original new Mario RPG with original characters and a story. The trifecta of this, TTYD, and Super Mario RPG will go down as one of the most hype moments of the entire Switch for me.
But, it has a myriad of problems. The story isn't particularly interesting until the final act. Island-hopping and connecting them to the mainland is an awesome concept, but in execution, every island feels very video-gamey and not like a real, lived-in place. A lot of the writing is also cringe and not funny. The music is solid despite not having Yoko Shimomira. The load times between battles and upon entering buildings really bog the game down though. I won't be revisiting this game every couple years like Superstar Saga, I can tell you that.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown: 9/10 - Honestly, I'm not much of a metroidvania guy. The genre frustrates me to no end, as I always end up getting lost and do a lot of tedious backtracking. But like Metroid Dread, this is a rare example of a metroidvania that I was able to complete because it really resonated with me. The game looks absolutely stunning. I can definitely see the Rayman DNA the studio brought to this one. I still found it more tedious than Metroid Dread and don't know if I see myself revisiting it--not even for the DLC--but I had a great time while it lasted.
I haven't played much of Dragon Quest III yet unfortunately, so I won't be reviewing that game. But yeah, otherwise, I think that's pretty much it for my 2024 games!
I hardly touched Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, but that's because it just wasn't compelling to me at all. NES Remix but with the best parts of that game removed. A 7/10 would probably be fair, though.
Overall, I'd give Nintendo, and the games industry as a whole, an 8/10 or B- this year. It could've been better, but I'm perfectly content. A really solid final year before a new console, and 2025 is already lined up to be pretty great as well for the OG Switch.
Re: Rate Your Favourite Switch Games Of The Year 2024
PART 2:
Princess Peach Showtime: 7/10 - I can appreciate this game as another example of the "Mario Mandates" being lifted. Peach gets her first starring role in almost 20 years, and there's a host of new characters including an original antagonist. The bosses were pretty cool. But, the gameplay is very basic and nothing we haven't seen before. It's a mostly inoffensive game, but it irks me that Nintendo could have asked GoodFeel to a new Wario Land instead. This is possibly the studio's weakest game to date.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom: 8.5/10 - Like Princess Peach, Nintendo put one of their female leading ladies in the spotlight, but to better results here. The largest 2D Zelda to date, I couldn't put the game down as I explored the map and met NPC's with unique side quests. Lots of good ideas here that I'm sure will set a new standard moving forward for 2D Zelda. But to address the elephant in the room, the Echoes kind of ruin the combat, imo. I respect that they tried something different, but I don't want hands-off combat like this ever again.
Luigi's Mansion 2 HD: 9/10: I know this is a very generous port for a rather barebones and overpriced port of a game that doesn't even look that much better. But I genuinely enjoy LM2 a lot--more than most people. Yeah, it suffers a bit from the Mario restrictions that were pervasive at the time, and the linearity isn't ideal. But, this game has the most fun and challenging combat in the whole series.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: 9/10 - Again, some may say this is too generous, but I really enjoyed my time with the game. It's great to see a Mario vs DK that doesn't suck again. Sorry, Minis. The game looks gorgeous, and while it's pretty short and can be beaten in a day, I appreciate the extra couoke of worlds they added.
Super Mario Party Jamboree: 9/10 - Part of me wants to give this game a lower score because it's not what I wanted. Like Splatoon 3, I don't think this game needed to exist and could have been DLC. But, I can't deny that I've had a ton of fun with the game. It's not the best Mario Party, and I have my gripes with it. This isn't the strongest selection of minigames we've ever seen, but these are some of the best boards. A great time.
Re: Rate Your Favourite Switch Games Of The Year 2024
PART 1:
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: 9.5/10 - A solid remaster, but for as much as it fixes from the original, it also introduces problems unique to this version. The GameCube original is my favorite game of all-time, but I don't know if I can confidently say the remake is the definitive version.
Bakeru: 8/10 - The game is bursting with charm, personality, and whimsy. I loved exploring all the Japanese prefecture and learning new details about Japan. The character designs and world are a visual delight. Tons of content, too--the game just keeps going and going. However, the gameplay gets quite repetitive and tedious after a while.
Penny's Big Breakaway: 8/10 - Similar to Bakeru, it's a delightful world filled with charming characters and creative levels, but there were elements of the gameplay I found a bit tedious and frustrating.
The Plucky Squire: 7.5/10 - Same as Penny's Big Breakaway and The Plucky Squire--delightful visuals that elicit a childlike sense of wonder, but the gameplay is a bit shallow and I really had to force myself to keep playing to the end, despite it being rather short.
Astro Bot: 9/10 - As far as linear 3D platformers go, this one is better than Sackboy and even Super Mario 3D World. Like Smash Bros., it doesn't feel like shameless product placement but a genuine celebration of the games industry. As someone who has played countless 3D platformers, it doesn't do anything I haven't seen multiple times already before (except for the mouse level, which is incredible), but it's still a solid time and one of the year's highlights.
Re: Random: Nintendo And Acquire Brainstormed "Over" 100 Subtitles For Mario & Luigi: Brothership
@PokemonDMG Yeah, I know a lot of people have thrown out the idea for a Wario & Waluigi game. I wouldn't be opposed, but I think it's worth noting that Nintendo almost always gives the playable characters in their games a silent role. Luigi talks in Paper Mario because he's just an NPC, but he doesn't get any lines of dialogue in Mario & Luigi games, for example. So in all likelihood, it would be a game where Wario and Waluigi don't talk, which I think would somewhat limit the humor. That's not to say it couldn't still work though, but I'm skeptical. Just let my boys talk, Nintendo!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (7th December)
I finished the Super Mario Sunshine playthrough on my channel, so I've now moved on to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. I actually just finished recording a couple episodes and now it's 7:30 a.m. for me and I need to go to bed, lol.
Since I have an upload schedule of one video a day on Mo-Fri, Jak and Daxter won't be on my channel until sometime next week. However, I will share the link again to the first episode of my Mario Sunshine playthrough since those videos are still coming out:
https://youtu.be/FpJXRr42GxY?si=2hpr7mv9_nnSrbbY
Not sure which game I'll play after finishing Jak. Maybe you guys can help me decide. Some of the games I'm considering include: A Hat in Time, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, New Super Mario Bros. U, Link's Awakening, and Pikmin 3. I'll get to all of them eventually, I just don't know in what order. If you're interested in one I haven't recommended, by all means let me know.
Other than what I'm doing on my channel, I don't know what other games I'll be playing in my free time, if any. I beat Brothership and Donkey Kong Land III. I don't want to delve into Dragon Quest III so soon after Brothership since it's another turn-based RPG. I'll probably do the Tetris 99 NES event, but otherwise, not sure.
Re: Rumour: One Of Kirby's 3DS Titles Will Return Next Year, It's Claimed
Is it bad that I get more excited over ports and remakes of some of my favorite games than I am hearing about new games, including titles coming exclusively to Switch 2 that I may or may not end up enjoying? 🤷🏼♂️
It would be a bit odd for back-to-back Kirby remakes to release without something original in between, though. I'm surprised we're not getting a new 3D Kirby game that reuses the engine and assets from Forgotten Land first; after all, Planet Robobot only came out a few years after Triple Deluxe, so the time frame for a new game would line up.
Speaking of, it'll be disappointing if we don't get a double-pack including both this game and Triple Deluxe. I'd be fine with both games just being basic upscaled ports for $60, instead of having just one game fully remade from the ground-up at that price. I didn't really like the character outlines in RTDL Deluxe, anyways.
Still waiting on Yoshi's Woolly World and Kid Icarus Uprising though, among others.
Re: Today Would Have Been Satoru Iwata's 65th Birthday
Every day is a painful reminder that I'll never get the chance to meet my hero...
I highly encourage everyone to buy thr "Ask Iwata" book if you haven't already. I'm not an avid reader at all (despite how much I write), but it was well worth it. Honestly made me shed a few tears...
Re: Croc Remaster Will Miss Its December 2024 Launch Window
Removed
Re: Random: Did Street Fighter 6's Next DLC Just Reference Sakurai's Famous Smash Quote? Some Fans Think So
Sakurai probably never actually said that and is going to be so confused when he logs onto X, lol.
Sometimes the American localization changes what Sakurai actually says. For example, in the Min Min gameplay demonstration that was recorded during the height of the pandemic, there's a part where a couple CPU opponents close in, and he pushes them away with Min Min's extendable arms. Sakurai made a joke in Japanese about social distancing, but this was translated as something else in English.
I don't doubt that Sakurai did make some sort of joke about why she was too suggestive to put into the game. But someone who understands Japanese should listen to that part of the presentation to see whether or not he explicitly used the phrase, "good boys and girls."
Re: Sonic X Transformers Collab Officially Teased, Photos Leaked Online
Maybe it's because I wasn't around in the 80's, but I've always thought cartoons from this era were kind of cringe. I've never seen the appeal in Transformers, Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles etc. They always just screamed to me, "How do you do, fellow kids?" with cheesy dialogue, only existing to sell merch. Even other shows from that era that weren't known for having a massive line of toys, like Smurfs, didn't appeal to me either and also just kind of make me cringe. No disrespect to those who grew up with and loved these kinds of shows. Maybe you can tell me what it is about them that I'm missing.
Re: Random: Nintendo And Acquire Brainstormed "Over" 100 Subtitles For Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Honestly, it was a perfect name. The subtitles of Mario & Luigi games are always perfect--unless you're European, where they stupidly started throwing the word "Bros." at the end. Paper Jam is a great name. Dream Team is a great name. Bowser's Inside Story, Partners in Time--all great names.
Superstar Saga is probably the weakest name, but despite being arguably the best game in the series, Superstar Saga has the least specific theming.The plot isn't about aliens or time travel or dream hopping, which are easy themes to convey; it's a weird li'l game about weird li'l bean people whose villages are named after laughter, so how are you supposed to market that on the box? "Mario & Luigi: Two Beans in a Pod?"
I don't know when/if we'll ever get another Mario & Luigi game after this, but you can count on it having an absolute banger of a title. My bet: a game where animatronics take over the world called "Mario & Luigi: Bro Botics."
Re: Square Enix Provides Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Global Sales Update
I still need to play through this game. I only just beat Brothership, so my schedule is freed up, but I don't know if I want to jump straight into another turn-based RPG so soon.
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@Darknyht
That's true. I think Nintendo definitely had an issue with that back in the Wii U era--either that, or they just had the completely wrong idea of what consumers wanted. Like the Japanese Club Nintendo poll where players said they didn't want story in Paper Mario.
Although, the more I think about it, the quote was actually something like, "only 2% of people who took the Club Nintendo poll made mention of Super Paper Mario's story." That's not to say the customers DIDN'T like story, but perhaps that Tanabe applied his own biases about story to the poll and reported the data in a dubious way that falsely seemed to support his claim. Like politicians do all the time when they say "Look how low the unemployment rate was when so-and-so was in office compared to now! We fixed it!" despite conveniently ignoring the fact that there was a pandemic.
After all, when Club Nintendo was a thing, I and probably most others would just right "n/a" or something to our answer to each question that asked for a written response like, "what did/didn't you like about the game?" So, of course there weren't many people who commented on the story, just like they probably also didn't make mention of the gameplay, graphics, music, or anything else. We just took those polls to get the points.
I appreciate that Nintendo isn't just a soulless corporate machine who chases trends and that the developers have a genuine passion for the games they are making. But it's a double-edged sword, because if you view it as an expression of art instead of just another 9-5 job, you're more emotionally invested and less willing to make compromises to please the fans. You have a clear vision, and the game you're making is your baby.
It's a tough one, honestly. I don't know what the solution is.
Re: New Hand-Drawn 3D Platformer Is Bursting With Nintendo Inventiveness
@sketchturner
Cool, I'll definitely keep it in mind. I know Nitro Rad gave high praise to that game--he's probably the only reason I even know about it--but there's been at least a couple different times I've bought a game Nitro Rad gave a strong recommendation for and wound up being a little disappointed with it. Demon Turf and Sphynx: The Cursed Mummy both fall into that camp. (Granted, I didn't get very far into either of them. Maybe they would click with me if I kept going.)
I get strong Cavern of Dreams vibes from Corn Kidz. Have you played that one? If so, how would you say it compares? I played Cavern of Dreams when it came to Switch I think at the beginning of this year, and it was interesting--a very surreal, occasionally unsettling take on Banjo-Kazooie. But I got a little frustrated in that game trying to figure out where I needed to go next. I liked it, but I don't know if I see myself ever replaying it. I don't necessarily want one-and-done experiences, but rather games I'll want to come back to again and again over the years. Like Mario 64--that's a game I replay annually. A lot of indie 3D platformers haven't been doing that for me.
Re: Ex-PlayStation Boss Questions Future Of Consoles, But Not Nintendo Hardware
My first thought was that it's really offensive and insulting to Nintendo fans to compare the company to the state of Idaho.
Then I realized--wow, I must really hate Idaho.
Re: New Hand-Drawn 3D Platformer Is Bursting With Nintendo Inventiveness
@World Yeah, it's very uncanny. I'm fine with his weird chibi anime face, but his stocky figure and running animations are too humanoid and I find it disturbing. Comparing his design to Banjo, another anthropomorphic platforming bear, I don't get that same unsettling vibe. Banjo has dopey animations that aren't exactly bear-like, but they don't feel like a human either. Whatever this character is doing with his hands is a bit too over-the-top for me as well, since you'll be looking at that the whole game. It's like they're trying too hard to make him a meme, but it doesn't work for me.
It's like Mario grabbed the Tanooki leaf but something went horribly wrong...
Re: New Hand-Drawn 3D Platformer Is Bursting With Nintendo Inventiveness
Gameplay looks great, but I'll be honest--the main character disturbs me a little bit. He doesn't look like an anthropomorphic animal but more like an adult male in a furry suit. Maybe society has just corrupted me, but I can't look at something like this without feeling like there's weird NSFW undertones. I can't be the only one, right...? Maybe it's completely innocuous and I've just been terminally online for too long. That's probably it.
Either way though, this game won't be an immediate purchase for me despite 3D platformers being my favorite genre because there's frankly too many of them on the market right now, especially by indies. The indie ones in many cases have been a bit underwhelming to me, and I don't see me playing through them a second time.
That's not to say I regret purchasing them necessarily, but as Nikoderiko went on for example, the cracks started showing, and despite having really solid controls and level design that rivals even DKC, it's littered with game-breaking bugs. I've gotten softlocked probably five times in my playthrough, and I gave up on the final boss because sometimes the hit boxes just wouldn't work and I couldn't damage him.
Kao the Kangaroo is another where I just felt like "Eh, it was alright, but not sure if I need to revisit it." It was certainly more polished (although I do distinctly remember losing progress in Kao because there was a save data bug at launch), but it was still just kind of middling.
I beat the first world in Demon Turf but just never continued because I didn't find it all that fun for whatever reason. (I'll go back to it eventually and give it another chance, though.) I have other games in my wishlist like Lunistice, Corn Kidz 64, and Spark The Electric Jester, but I honestly feel at this point that I'm forcing myself to play these obscure 3D platformers because I feel compelled to play every game in the genre.
For the longest time, we just weren't getting any 3D platformers at all. Once they gained popularity again with games like Mario Odyssey, Crash N. Sane Trilogy, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and SpongeBob Rehydrated, it was easy to keep up at first. But now, I feel like they're becoming as common as RPG's, with several releasing every year.
When they were more rare, I could look past the faults of a game like Yooka-Laylee and still love it because it filled a void. But that void has been filled now and then some, so I'm not sure I have the willingness to buy a lot of b-tier platformers anymore as it's getting increasingly expensive and time-consuming to play them all. Even Penny's Big Breakaway, which did have a lot going for it, felt like a bit of a slog for me to finish. I think I'm just getting burned out on running and jumping.
Moving forward, I think I'll dial it back to the 3D platformers from major publishers for now, like whatever Ubisoft is planning for Rayman, a possible Spyro 4, and whatever Mario and Kirby do next. One big exception would be if A Hat in Time gets a sequel, though--I'd be there day one.
Don't get me wrong, this is a good problem to have. I'd rather the market be oversaturated with 3D platformers than to not get any at all, which was the case for probably close to a decade outside Mario and Sonic.
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@Edu23XWiiU
Thank you. I manage my OCD much better now than I used to. I spent about a year in therapy in 2021, and then I started medicating, which completely changed my life. I'm significantly happier now than I used to be. Many days can still be a struggle, but I would say I have more good days than bad, whereas before I started medicating, I would say 90 percent of the time life felt like a living hell from 2015, when my symptoms got really bad, to 2020.
I'm really grateful for the progress I've made, as I now genuinely love life again and am happy to be here. I'm not 100% back to where I want to be, but I hope to keep working toward improvement. I also hope I can help raise awareness about obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is a very misunderstood condition. I think most people--myself included for a very long time--think of OCD as just a personality quirk, someone who is a "neat freak." But that isn't an accurate representation at all.
One of the things that kept me going in my darkest hour was the thought that someday I'll be able to help others that are going through this. If not for that mindset, and also my religious faith, I don't want to think about what might have happened. I also had a strong support system from loving family, which is a big blessing. But you're right that things can and will get better; I'm living proof of that, and I want to share that message with others. 🙂
Re: Nintendo Left Sony "Standing At The Altar" With SNES Disk Add-On, Says Former PlayStation Exec
@nebzila In reality, I don't think it would have worked out that way. Sony created Crash Bandicoot to be their platforming mascot to compete against Mario. In an alternate timeline where Nintendo remained buddy-buddy with Sony, a lot of their flagship titles like Crash and Spyro wouldn't have needed to exist.
Re: Nintendo Left Sony "Standing At The Altar" With SNES Disk Add-On, Says Former PlayStation Exec
@gojiguy Honestly, I'm a diehard Nintendo elitist, but even I have to admit that PS1 was a better console than N64.
I wouldn't say that about any other hardware generation.
Re: Nintendo Left Sony "Standing At The Altar" With SNES Disk Add-On, Says Former PlayStation Exec
"You have feelings for someone else, don't you...?
"..."
"DON'T YOU!?"
"Okay, okay, yes! I never meant to lead you on, but...there is someone else."
"I can't believe this. I think I'm gonna be sick... What's his name?"
"Phillip."
"Phillip what?"
"Phillips CD-i."
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
(2/2)
Maybe I need to start a blog or a podcast or something. I have all these ideas I want to convey but I don't really have an outlet outside of Nintendo Life. (I did start a YouTube gaming channel, but that's mostly for entertainment purposes and not the same kind of audience.) I've even thought about writing a manifesto on what I like to call "radical pacivism."
I've always been a deep thinker, but as someone who has long suffered from debilitating OCD and agoraphobia, I've had a lot of time on my hands while cooped up inside to sit and think about things in ways that the average person probably doesn't have the time to with their busy schedules.
If I can get my ideas out there and maybe in some small way help people get along and quell the tensions that make it feel like we're on the brink of a civil war sometimes, then I'll have found meaning through my suffering and it will have all been worth it.
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@AJWolfTill @JohnnyMind
(1/2)
Thank you both! I truly believe everybody has a shared human experience that makes us more alike than we are different. But unfortunately, many people are unwilling to look for that common ground. I've found in my personal observations (but I feel like it should be common sense, really), that the more you insult and act morally superior to someone, the more they will just double-down in their pre-conceived biases.
Going off of this, I've also observed that--more often than not--people are not radicalized by the party they identify with; rather, extremism is often a rebuttal against what they perceive as a hostile attack from the other side against their core values and beliefs. In other words, people on the far-Right aren't pushed there by others on the Right, but rather by those on the far-Left and vice-versa. Like the law in physics about "every action having an equal but opposite reaction," but applied to people. Fascists turn people into Communists and Communists turn people into Fascists.
So when I'm weighing in on controversial subjects, I try to choose my words carefully. For example, I always put the word "woke" in quotation marks, because although I have somewhat socially Conservative views, I think "woke" is: (1) a buzzword, and if you rely too heavily on those, it can make you look like you're in an echo chamber and devoid of original thought to the person you're debating, but more importantly (2) it's a derogatory word that elicits a strong negative emotional reaction from the other side. So, I'll use a word like that because the meaning behind it is widely understood, but I think the quotes help to put distance between myself and the word so as to say, "hey, I'm saying this only because it's common vernacular and not because I'm aiming to insult you."
How can you expect someone to listen to what you have to say and respect your opinion if you aren't willing to offer them thay same courtesy in return?
You might also notice I start sentences with "I think," "I feel" "Often," "Usually," etc. a lot, because I think another problem is that people often erroneously believe that their argument is infallible. Our culture teaches us to use definitive language if you want to make your argument seem credible. If I wrote a college essay and used that kind of doubtful phrasing, would get a worse grade.
But I think (lol) that saying "I think" illustrates that I'm willing to admit that I don't know anything with 100% certainty and am open to earnestly listening to opposing viewpoints and potentially change my mind. I think the world would be a much better place if politicians and scholars and even just everyday people weren't conditioned to believe they have to put on this front that they are infallible to be taken seriously--that saying "I don't know" or "I'm not sure" or "you may be right" doesn't signify a lack of intelligence or inability to lead. It doesn't mean you're indecisive, just that you're capable of introspection and growth.
My aim is never to get people to agree with me, so much as it is to bridge the gap in our incredibly divided culture and come to a mutual respect and understanding. To get people to say, "Well, my core values haven't changed, but maybe I should reconsider cutting off my friends and family whose values don't always align with mine."
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@JohnnyMind Thank you so much! 🙂 I always appreciate the validation from others, as sometimes I feel like I'm just wasting mine and everyone else's time with obnoxiously long comments that run the risk of getting deleted by the admins for getting too sociopolitical. It always makes me happy to know it resonated with somebody.
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@Poco_Lypso
If you have a PlayStation with a PSN subscription, you can download Rayman Legends for free. It was also on sale in the last eShop sale for dirt cheap, like $10 or maybe even just $5. I highly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of Mario. It was my introduction to Rayman, and it's my favorite 2D platformer of all-time. I love it more than Tropical Freeze or Mario Wonder or any number of games in the genre. It also has a Mario costume for Rayman and a Luigi costume for another character, Globox, which you unlock super early into the game if you're playing on Switch or Wii U.
It has an incredibly gorgeous hand-drawn art style that, even 10 years later, still holds up and has only been outdone by maybe Cuphead. There's also an insane amount of content, as the game has pretty much every level from the previous title. Rayman Legends, remastered in it. That's 10 worlds of content and over 100 levels. The controls are perfect; it's one of the few games I've played where even the underwater levels are a delight as it just feels buttery smooth to swim around.
I really can't sing this game's praises enough. I hope you check it out someday!
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@Poco_Lypso But Rayman tho... 🥺👉👈
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
(2/2)
That said, I don't know how much that has to do with Ubisoft's current situation; they aren't going broke from being "woke," but rather from a myriad of poor business decisions. Releasing average to mediocre games that are really expensive to make, dedicating a significant amount of resources to fruitless projects like NFT's, hurting their consumer trust with unfinished products and microtransactions...
Although I have many qualms with modern-day Liberalism, that isn't the reason any of these companies are struggling--including Disney. Maybe a very, very small reason, but not the main reason. I don't know of anyone who has canceled their Disney+ subscription over politics, for example. But, they keep churning out offensively uninspired live-action sequels, buying out all these other studios and not knowing what to do with them, and having PR disasters like the Disney+ free trial acting as a liability waiver for Disney World.
Look at Nintendo's downfall during the Wii U era and their resurgence to popularity in 2017. What changed wasn't that Nintendo got more or less political; for whatever reason, they just completely disregarded the will of consumers and started churning out garbage products for a few years. That's all Ubisoft, ActiVision, and Disney need to do--they need to say, "Hey guys, remember when our products were actually GOOD?"
At the end of the day, Liberals will voice their distain toward what Chick Fil-A stands for, but most of them still eat there. Conservatives can get angry at the NFL and claim they won't be tuning into any more games, but most of them still do. And J. K. Rowling can face major scrutiny, but no amount of boycotting could keep Hogwarts Legacy from smashing sales records. Most people aren't going to take a moral stand if it means giving up their favorite things. If I didn't shop somewhere because I disagreed with their politics, I'd have nowhere left to shop.
But when Disney's movies or Ubisoft's games or ActiVision's games are just objectively bad? Yeah, that's what will hurt your business. If you can stay the best at whatever it is you do, the consumer will turn a blind eye to almost anything--i.e., our phones and clothes being produced in a sweat shop.
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@Edu23XWiiU @Judgedean
(1/2)
It's funny because if you look at Ubisoft, ActiVision, or even Disney, the companies that virtue signal the hardest to flaunt how "Progressive" they are are always the ones that have a deeply prejudiced history. Of course a company as historically racist as Disney or as exploitative of women as Ubisoft and ActiVision are going to preach diversity, equity, and inclusivity because it's a convenient moral shield they can hide behind in a vain PR attempt to absolve themselves of their past transgressions. It's disingenuous, and I think people are starting to see through it.
These companies have never had a moral compass and have always just done what they perceive to be socially acceptable, so why should we trust them to make changes for the better? "Misogyny isn't cool anymore? Well, I guess we'll just practice misandry instead." That doesn't solve the problem and just replaces one form of discrimination with another. It's a never-ending cycle. This is a problem with society as a whole, as people just jump on whatever bandwagon everyone else is currently on, regardless of who it hurts.
Life is a lot more nuanced than that. Things aren't as black-and-white as people make them out to be. As a white guy who lives in a dying coal mining community in the heart of Appalachia, where poverty and drug addiction run rampant and my people are stereotyped as inbred trash, initiatives like affirmative action just makes it all the harder for people like me to get a good education and a job and escape this heck hole.
DEI isn't a solution--it's just replacing one problem with another problem.
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
While every other company is trying to form a monopoly and invest billions of dollars into hostile corporate takeovers, Nintendo should hire every one of these employees when they inevitably get laid off by their CEO who mismanaged the acquisition.