I savored Tears for about 225 hours before finally allowing myself to finish the storyline, after which I put the game away and have not been back since. I expect that, as I did with Breath, I'll dive in again after a year or so rest period. Tears genuinely left me in tears, literally - it was a beautiful, gripping game. I'm so terribly sad for the people who, for one reason or another, didn't enjoy it. It's unfortunate they've had to miss out on such an amazing experience. Hopefully, if Tears isn't someone's cup of tea, there is some other experience out there that can provide a similar sense of joy and exhilaration.
If not, well... There are some folks out there who think puppies are ugly and gross. You'll never please everyone, right?
I'm happy that a wonderful game in a wonderful franchise on a wonderful system is doing so well. In my eyes, this is proportionate reward for the level of effort and quality put into the project.
I'm also happy that the positive news gives the grouches and cooler-thans in the world something to scoff at. Everyone needs a hobby, after all.
They did get me interested in the two new pals, Kieran and Carmine. I do generally enjoy a narrative where the protag kind of perseveres through the "bully's" antics and wins them over (think Groose from Zelda: Skyward Sword), so I ended up being glad to have Carmine along so much. And they really held no punches with Kieran, too. Kid is sensitive, possibly ostracized, and somehow it works out that his new best friend kindasorta betrays him - twice! - on top of it. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of the DLC to see where this character stuff goes.
Glad with my purchase overall. Fun little episode, cool new Pokemon, interesting environments to explore.
At this late stage in the franchise, any whining about "saving time" or "barriers to entry" fall flat. You can now change your Pokémon's moves, stats, abilities, and everything else about them instantly and repeatedly. There is no longer any "grinding hundreds of hours" to get a competitive Pokemon - you can achieve everything you need in about fifteen minutes. The one and only thing they've yet to give us for free is the ability to lower an IV to 0, as another commenter mentioned.
The only "time and effort" required to play competitive Pokemon these days is, you know, just playing the actual game. If that's too much to ask of our world champions... well then they're not all that much of a champ, are they?
This just makes me miss the fun times I had as a kid playing the TCG with my cousins. Always loved Grass-type Pokemon, so I used a Venusaur deck that would move my energies around so I could get free heals with the Pokemon Center card. TCGs can be so much fun to collect and play. It's a bummer to see what it's turned into.
Yeah, definitely have an abundance of nostalgia for Hoenn. Emerald remains one of the best experiences I had playing Pokemon as a kid. ORAS were wonderful in all ways except one - the lack of Emerald's Battle Frontier. Hoenn is still, overall, my favorite region to travel through. Recasting those adventures as "summertime vacation" is a pleasant way to relive them.
I don't really understand not playing/liking Tears of the Kingdom, but in a value-neutral way, like how people might enjoy different foods. If you don't enjoy TotK the way I don't enjoy eggplant, okay fine. Different tastes, perhaps.
But for people to say the game is underwhelming, disappointing, "just more of the same," or even bad... well, I'm just shocked numb over how differently we must experience things.
Tears is quite clearly Game of the Year, and likely will top people's Best Games of All Time lists for years and years to come.
Torn between WindWaker and TotK Ganondorg designs. I really can't vote with any confidence until I've played TotK and seen what he's like. Both are excellent, excellent designs though.
@Kirby_Girl "No one is saying the movie has to be Citizen Kane but it can still be a better movie. That's not a wild demand."
No, it's not a wild demand to ask that the movie could be better. But better than what? I was teasing the commenters here who are complaining that this movie wasn't heavily story-driven despite not having seen the film nor knowing what the story is like as yet. These folks are basing their preemptive criticisms on the one fellow out of a dozen who said he was underwhelmed. For all you or I know, this Mario movie might end up being as adequately written and satisfying as the Puss in Boots movie.
Moreover, if anyone commenting here has implied they don't think children deserve thoughtful media, I haven't recognized it. When I said people didn't need to be so high-minded they couldn't enjoy simpler things, I did not mean to imply a dichotomy of simple vs. not-simple. You're right that there's a wide and wonderful variety of delight to be had in the world, and that includes serious art and slapstick humor and all the variations in between. My challenge is more to those who single out a thing for being on the simpler end of this spectrum and criticize it for that aspect. If this Mario movie is indeed a simple affair, more fan service than plot, that won't make it a bad movie. It will - judging at least by the overwhelming accounts of early viewers - be a fun and lovingly-crafted experience nonetheless. It doesn't have to be a Citizen Kane, or a Miyazaki film, or even a Puss in Boots, to be a fun or worthwhile experience.
And, again, who knows? Maybe it'll offer more than that and that one dude was just having a bad day.
Bunch of people saying this movie was "joyful?" Well we sure darn tootin' can't have any of THAT around here! The Super Mario Bros movie is being faulted because it (presumably) wasn't made to stand shoulder to shoulder with Citizen Kane, lol.
I love going to the Museum of Natural History, don't get me wrong. Loved the Liberty Science Center as a kid. I enjoy thoughtful, complicated and narratively beautiful films, too. But I also enjoy going to the amusement park sometimes, or watching a goofy, flashy anime. People do not need to be such joyless, condescending edgelords that they stop being able to enjoy simple fun. You get to enjoy all kinds of different things for different reasons, folks.
"We look at what the game has to offer. I think fans will find this is an incredibly full, deeply immersive experience. The price point reflects the type of experience that fans can expect when it comes to playing this particular game."
Unless Mr. Bowser would opine that the original BotW was not as full or immersive an experience, and thus 'worth' $10 less than TotK, this explanation is empty of meaning - just marketing doublespeak, pure and simple. And I don't particularly care about the game's price tag. If it's a game I want and I can afford it, I'll buy it. It's the mendacity of speech that bugs me. Salesmen and politicians, dependably willing to say anything and communicate nothing.
I tried to go to the one in Osaka, but the restrictive access plus the language barrier combined to thwart the effort. I'm not a theme park person in general, but I was willing to give Nintendo a try and was cautiously looking forward to the California opportunity being a bit more achievable. Good for the fans who get to enjoy it!
The lines, though, man. There's a calculus for this. Every five minutes spent in a line waiting for an attraction subtracts one minute from the funtime spent interacting with the attraction itself. If you're in line for a 10-minute attraction, it stops being worth it once the line lasts more than 45 minutes. Realistically, this experience would not be worth the time or money for me, which is a glum realization.
My number 1 Nintendo franchise is Pokemon, which often has big release events but rarely has its games/collections fully sold out within minutes of the stock update. It feels really bad to not actually be able to participate in this hype pre-release/pre-order fiesta for TotK. My empathy to those whose franchises regularly experience this kind of bottleneck.
I mistook "Ability Capsules" for "Ability Patches" and was so incredibly hyped. My soaring spirit plummeted when I realized you'd have to win 40 of these raids to earn enough Dynite Ore to get a single Ability Patch. That said, the rewards are still pretty nice. Just not nice enough to grind hard.
There's an internal logic to the catching mechanics in PLA. That game is set so early in the Pokemon timeline that people in the world do not have a normalized relationship with Pokemon, nor any of the environmental and social infrastructure that comes from same. People don't know much about them and thus are underequipped to deal with Pokemon, hence why you sneak around and ambush them.
Scarlet and Violet may not take place in this same historic context. If there are modern Pokeballs, Pokemon Centers, breeders/researchers/trainers and all the rest, there's little reason ambushing wild Pokemon or getting attacked by wild Pokemon would be a staple of the gameplay. That said, if it were to make a return in a mainline game, I'd enjoy it. And if it doesn't, I'm pretty sure I'll still enjoy everything else the new games offer.
Good luck with the game later this month, Thomas. Even if it doesn't *get you into Pokemon" I hope it's an enjoyable experience for you. I'd love to read another soapbox containing your thoughts after having tried it.
I think the author's displeasure with the chibi art style is being weighted too heavily in this review. Other complaints with the game - lack of adoption of Platinum version upgrades, rigid fidelity to the scale and scope of the originals, and likewise no content expansion that gamefreak has given every other generation remake - all seem fairly impartial to me based on the franchise's precedent. The art style is uniquely subjective a preference, though. It begs the question: is there any difference in professional reviews between "I don't enjoy this" and "this is objectively bad?"
There are many billions of people on this planet (fewer now, thanks Covid), each one a complicated, conflicted, good-and-bad-at-times individual. Some of them have much worse ideas in their heads than others, true. Still, we must all somehow figure out a way to share this one and only world we've got. I can disagree with someone openly, honestly, and forcefully, but I can't remove them from the world. For me and my own place in the universe, I feel like the best outcomes ultimately grow from building bridges across our common ground rather than burning those bridges across our divides. Other people will choose other strategies. All I can do is wish us all, collectively, success at coexisting in the end.
I will be delighted to experience a Jack Black Bowser.
As comically intended as this article is, I genuinely am delighted and interested to see a variation in Wurmple's design whether accidental, retcon, or evidence of new form information. Wurmple is indeed an endearing little critter; I made one out of polymer clay just because it's so cute. It'll be neat to see if anything actually does come of this little coloring mishap.
I've been enjoying the game quite a bit. First 'competitive' game that ever made me want to improve my technical skill to play better, in fact. I'll be happy to try Blissey out, as I've done pretty well with the other healer Eldegoss.
@Goat_FromBOTW: As of March, COVID-19 has in one year become the 3rd leading cause of death in the US, and by a huge margin - approximately thrice as fatal as the 4th leading cause and set to outpace actual cancer deaths (the 2nd leading cause) this year. The regular every-year flu is estimated to cause between 300K and 600K deaths worldwide while COVID-19 is surging past 500K deaths in the US alone and has hit 4.27 million deaths worldwide. Do with these numbers what you will, I think I just got stuck on the part where you said, "it's basically a cold." In any case, glad you and your family are okay, cheers and take care.
@Heavyarms55: I typically appreciate your even-handedness when the Pokémon community gets a bee in its bonnet. Same here, though I think you've gone too far off to one side to make sarcastic jokes about being forced into conformity. The nice thing about being thoughtful and deliberative is that you retain the ability to distinguish between media sensationalism, attention-seeking whiners, and reasoned criticism. To use your example, the reaction to blurry trees in the Wild Area and the reaction to global pandemic safety measures ending are - in my measured opinion - two different scales of issue. Chide the complainants too glibly and you risk drawing a false equivalency that tarnishes your own credibility.
I thought both FRLG and LGPE earned their respective price tags. Same as ORAS, HGSS, etc. I always enjoy the new content and modern updates Pokemon remakes bring to older generations. If all BDSP involves are graphical updates on otherwise 1:1 remakes, it will, sadly, be a disappointment. The first Pokemon remake that does not improve content-wise on its originator game will be the first one that, in my opinion, may not be worth collecting.
I am still hopeful that the game will pull an HGSS at the last minute.
I'm a grumpy old man and there's so much about this game that I still don't understand after about four hours' playtime. Such dense visual information on every screen, sheesh. Pokémon games usually have an incredibly simple and user-friendly UI, they ought to take more from that aspect of the franchise.
I loved Robin. I looked up to him. I appreciated his presence in the world. I can still remember exactly where I was when I learned of his death, and I still miss him. Thanks very much for the piece, @KateGray.
@Some_Donkus Thank you for bringing the additional context into the discussion here; I had assumed the original article would go into greater explanation of the issue.
So it seems that Nintendo's decision to avoid CAHRAs altogether is a catch primarily in light of the context of the reason for tracking CAHRAs in the first place: identify conflict areas and then identify ethical sourcers in those areas so that the afflicted areas can have their economies invested in without directly contributing to furthering their conflicts. Yes, that's a genuinely laudable goal. Companies who do make those targeted investments in the hope of ethically supporting a struggling economic body are doing a positive thing and deserve some kudos.
That said, I think that avoiding investment in some CAHRAs altogether is also a valid choice. Similarly to the social/employment complications that @Heavyarms55 points out, the nature of internal flow of capital in an economic body can't rule out investment in one sourcer from contributing to the wider economic situation of the body. Those funds may find their way into the conflict at some point in the fiscal stream. It would be a nigh-impossible task to accurately ensure no penny invested in a country contributes to some facet or another of that country's political foibles - like trying to prevent the water flushed down your toilet from ending up in some particular part of the ocean.
So yeah. There is a fair distinction to make between "do no harm" and "actively do good," but those stances are messier in action than in ideology. I would argue that both methods - targeted CAHRA investing and wholly non-CAHRA investing - are acceptable choices to make.
I don't need an upgraded Switch myself, but this seems nice enough. I suppose it would also be nice to have more stable performance (though that's not something I usually suffer over anyway) and some sort of explicit confirmation of Joy Con drift properly attended to, so... maybe next time. I'm not overly worried about any of it right now.
I don't think I've fully absorbed how modern-day game consoles work. I remember getting a machine and getting a disc (or cartridge, whatever) and putting the disc into the machine and then I could play a game. The most advanced I got was the GameCube, when it added a second layer of putting a memory card in the machine (and making sure it was the right memory card to match the game). Even when I had the Wii or the Wii U, all I ever had to do was put the disc in the machine and I could play the game.
I'm doing so danged much adult busy life stuff that I don't have time to learn how the Switch works with its fancy newfangled "data management." Why some physical games need to have a save space on the console, why I can't put my disc/cartridge into any old Switch and play my game, why does console save space matter if my game is on the cartridge, why I have to archive software or blah blah blah.
I'm old and tired and just want to play my games, dagnabbit! Luckily, I think I play too few games to hit any data limits or whatever it is we're talking about. Yet, anyway...
Admittedly it's been a good while since I played the Pokémon TCG, but this kind of frenzied (scalping?) behavior feels like it just crept out of nowhere within the last year or two. I'm curious where this fevered pitch has come from. It would be very much appreciated if NL staff here could thoroughly research and explain the phenomenon in a future piece.
@Darknyht, what is the difference in fetch quests between the original and HD version that changes how short the game is? I've never played the HD version, so I'm curious.
Anyways, Wind Waker was my favorite Zelda game until Breath of the Wild. I was always a big fan of the art style. I've never enjoyed dark, gritty, colorless games, so as a result the very opposite aesthetic of Twilight Princess was not something I cared for (though I still enjoyed the game). But Wind Waker is satisfying enough for me, both visually and in terms of the gameplay, that it's a Zelda game I can happily replay over and over. I can't say the same for Twilight Princess, or even for Skyward Sword.
@SpacedDuck It does inspire some confusion, doesn't it? I genuinely would enjoy seeing a documentary detailing the differences in production between Stardew Valley and the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games. There must be some sort of explanation.
I bought Friends of Mineral Town, had very many criticisms, overall enjoyed it, and landed on the conclusion that it did not earn its $50 price tag. I've been watching a decent LP of this game, and although it also looks at least a tad enjoyable, it also looks to be rife with unfortunate problems. If I end up deciding to play it, I hope to find a used/sale copy.
The art style of the remakes is fine. I'm underwhelmed by the return of the grid-based map and movement, not how the game looks. As WitchyUndead said, if ShiningPearl and BrilliantDiamond are true, faithful 1:1 remakes, then they are inconsistent with Pokemon remake versions up to this point. Remakes recreate their base games, yes, but they also include some (not all) elements of those games' expansions and revisions. Every remake so far has also included its own new, unique upgrade or game element, like FRLG's Sevii Islands, HGSS's Pokemon walking, and ORAS's flying on mega Latis, just to name a small few.
If BDSP truly are nothing more than a graphical update, I will be disappointed. Not because I dislike the graphics (I don't), but because they would be missing out on so much more that we look to remakes for. Hopefully as the year progresses, we will hear news of how these remakes expand upon the original Diamond and Pearl.
I'm fine with the art direction, given that they explicitly state their intention to preserve the appearance and structure of the originals but with a modern twist. In terms of personal preference, I do find the styles of Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee and the Link's Awakening remake more visually pleasing.
I'm more bummed over this being a so-called 1-1 remake overall. After ORAS and SWSH, what they've shown of this game feels like a big old step backward. I hope to see more inspiring information about these remakes as we approach the release window.
Have to admit, it was hilarious fun setting up elaborate traps for my cousins while playing capture the flag down there. Like another commenter, I wouldn't rate the Sinnoh secret bases higher than the Hoenn variant (made even better in ORAS), but secret bases in Pokemon games are one of the more fun features they've included. Now with NSO, and with Pokemon being a cultural touchpoint again, the Underground could potentially be rife with activity.
Good combination of the Ecruteak theme with a completely unrelated piece of music. I still can't say this is something I might've asked for, but cool that they're making something nice out of it.
I'd absolutely love to buy these stylish controllers, but I've resisted purchasing any Joy-Con tech until I can confirm the drift issue has been resolved. Can't commit to buying an expensive thing I know comes pre-broken.
Hm, I very much enjoy this game's art style. Not the genre/gameplay I'd pick up, but the artists on the project definitely get two massive cheers from me. I may consider watching an LP for the art style alone. I wish the project success!
Unsettling is more precise a description here than just disappointing. Not only does this artist appear to have exactly nothing in common with the Pokémon franchise in terms of ethos or appeal, but he appears to regularly behave in egregious ways in public. I'm genuinely taken aback that Pokémon has sought out this association.
Nice additions, but far more needed on the Switch version where any real sorting and searching takes place. Thanks to a rather strained UX, the mobile side is little more than a trading app in my experience.
Hopefully, it's clear that I'm not discouraging criticism or mocking opinion. My aim is to primarily separate the opinion from the objective and then to evaluate the objective by similarly objective measures. I'll take a second here to remind readers: it is not expressing your opinion that draws harsh rebuke, but trying to present your opinion as an external reality. Turning "These games were not fun for me" into "These games are garbage, and the people who bought and liked them are bad" is where you go out of bounds. You have every right to make claims about your own preferences and your own experiences and those claims are unassailable because you are the authority on you. But if you want to make a claim about the reality outside of you then you need to justify that claim with facts that are external to you.
And as much as it seems to be pooh-poohed in the NintendoLife comments sections, one reliable measure of external quality is the data on commercial success. As it stands, SwSh are commercial - and critical! - successes. Vastly, inordinately, perplexingly so. And while another commenter - JellyPop - makes a significant and respectable point that some of those 20 million people who bought the game definitely ended up finding it underwhelming after experiencing it, we cannot assume that those people make up a major proportion of the sales figures, because the games are still selling highly and are still largely well-reviewed. If SwSh were modest commercial success and received middling-to-negative reviews on average, arguments against the financial data would have a solid footing (i.e. arguments like "Pokemon always sells well, so these numbers don't mean anything"). It is the sheer magnitude of demand and engagement with these games that neuters those arguments. And remember! There will be some next mainline game(s). We are going to have the opportunity to add more data and more critical evaluation to our understanding of the overarching status of the franchise. It may yet be the case that new games and new information adjust our understanding of the current status and let us draw different conclusions. But for right now, with the evidence we have before us, it amounts to conspiratorial lunacy to argue that SwSh are "bad" entries in the Pokemon series.
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Re: Soapbox: Six Months Later, Tears Of The Kingdom's Sense Of Wonder Is Still Unmatched
I savored Tears for about 225 hours before finally allowing myself to finish the storyline, after which I put the game away and have not been back since. I expect that, as I did with Breath, I'll dive in again after a year or so rest period. Tears genuinely left me in tears, literally - it was a beautiful, gripping game. I'm so terribly sad for the people who, for one reason or another, didn't enjoy it. It's unfortunate they've had to miss out on such an amazing experience. Hopefully, if Tears isn't someone's cup of tea, there is some other experience out there that can provide a similar sense of joy and exhilaration.
If not, well... There are some folks out there who think puppies are ugly and gross. You'll never please everyone, right?
Re: Tears Of The Kingdom Continues To Prove That 'Open World Zelda' Is A Best-Selling Formula
I'm happy that a wonderful game in a wonderful franchise on a wonderful system is doing so well. In my eyes, this is proportionate reward for the level of effort and quality put into the project.
I'm also happy that the positive news gives the grouches and cooler-thans in the world something to scoff at. Everyone needs a hobby, after all.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Pokémon Scarlet & Violet - The Teal Mask
They did get me interested in the two new pals, Kieran and Carmine. I do generally enjoy a narrative where the protag kind of perseveres through the "bully's" antics and wins them over (think Groose from Zelda: Skyward Sword), so I ended up being glad to have Carmine along so much. And they really held no punches with Kieran, too. Kid is sensitive, possibly ostracized, and somehow it works out that his new best friend kindasorta betrays him - twice! - on top of it. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of the DLC to see where this character stuff goes.
Glad with my purchase overall. Fun little episode, cool new Pokemon, interesting environments to explore.
Re: Pokémon World Championships Disqualifies Scarlet And Violet Pros Using Hacked Monsters
Eh, good riddance.
At this late stage in the franchise, any whining about "saving time" or "barriers to entry" fall flat. You can now change your Pokémon's moves, stats, abilities, and everything else about them instantly and repeatedly. There is no longer any "grinding hundreds of hours" to get a competitive Pokemon - you can achieve everything you need in about fifteen minutes. The one and only thing they've yet to give us for free is the ability to lower an IV to 0, as another commenter mentioned.
The only "time and effort" required to play competitive Pokemon these days is, you know, just playing the actual game. If that's too much to ask of our world champions... well then they're not all that much of a champ, are they?
Re: Report: Ex-NFL Player Blake Martinez Banned From Reselling Pokémon Cards On Whatnot
This just makes me miss the fun times I had as a kid playing the TCG with my cousins. Always loved Grass-type Pokemon, so I used a Venusaur deck that would move my energies around so I could get free heals with the Pokemon Center card. TCGs can be so much fun to collect and play. It's a bummer to see what it's turned into.
Re: Feature: How Summer Holidays And Childhood Nostalgia Revolutionised Pokémon
Yeah, definitely have an abundance of nostalgia for Hoenn. Emerald remains one of the best experiences I had playing Pokemon as a kid. ORAS were wonderful in all ways except one - the lack of Emerald's Battle Frontier. Hoenn is still, overall, my favorite region to travel through. Recasting those adventures as "summertime vacation" is a pleasant way to relive them.
Re: Poll: What's Your Game Of The Year Of 2023 So Far?
I don't really understand not playing/liking Tears of the Kingdom, but in a value-neutral way, like how people might enjoy different foods. If you don't enjoy TotK the way I don't enjoy eggplant, okay fine. Different tastes, perhaps.
But for people to say the game is underwhelming, disappointing, "just more of the same," or even bad... well, I'm just shocked numb over how differently we must experience things.
Tears is quite clearly Game of the Year, and likely will top people's Best Games of All Time lists for years and years to come.
Re: Poll: Which Is The Best Ganondorf?
Torn between WindWaker and TotK Ganondorg designs. I really can't vote with any confidence until I've played TotK and seen what he's like. Both are excellent, excellent designs though.
Re: Talking Point: Should Link Have Voice Acting In The Next Zelda Game?
Nope, no voice acting for Link, please and thanks. Silent protagonist is too valuable to give up.
Re: Round Up: The First Impressions Of The Super Mario Bros. Movie Are In
@Kirby_Girl "No one is saying the movie has to be Citizen Kane but it can still be a better movie. That's not a wild demand."
No, it's not a wild demand to ask that the movie could be better. But better than what? I was teasing the commenters here who are complaining that this movie wasn't heavily story-driven despite not having seen the film nor knowing what the story is like as yet. These folks are basing their preemptive criticisms on the one fellow out of a dozen who said he was underwhelmed. For all you or I know, this Mario movie might end up being as adequately written and satisfying as the Puss in Boots movie.
Moreover, if anyone commenting here has implied they don't think children deserve thoughtful media, I haven't recognized it. When I said people didn't need to be so high-minded they couldn't enjoy simpler things, I did not mean to imply a dichotomy of simple vs. not-simple. You're right that there's a wide and wonderful variety of delight to be had in the world, and that includes serious art and slapstick humor and all the variations in between. My challenge is more to those who single out a thing for being on the simpler end of this spectrum and criticize it for that aspect. If this Mario movie is indeed a simple affair, more fan service than plot, that won't make it a bad movie. It will - judging at least by the overwhelming accounts of early viewers - be a fun and lovingly-crafted experience nonetheless. It doesn't have to be a Citizen Kane, or a Miyazaki film, or even a Puss in Boots, to be a fun or worthwhile experience.
And, again, who knows? Maybe it'll offer more than that and that one dude was just having a bad day.
Re: Round Up: The First Impressions Of The Super Mario Bros. Movie Are In
Bunch of people saying this movie was "joyful?" Well we sure darn tootin' can't have any of THAT around here! The Super Mario Bros movie is being faulted because it (presumably) wasn't made to stand shoulder to shoulder with Citizen Kane, lol.
I love going to the Museum of Natural History, don't get me wrong. Loved the Liberty Science Center as a kid. I enjoy thoughtful, complicated and narratively beautiful films, too. But I also enjoy going to the amusement park sometimes, or watching a goofy, flashy anime. People do not need to be such joyless, condescending edgelords that they stop being able to enjoy simple fun. You get to enjoy all kinds of different things for different reasons, folks.
Re: Bowser Defends $70 Zelda Pricing, Nintendo Still "Very Bullish" About Switch
"We look at what the game has to offer. I think fans will find this is an incredibly full, deeply immersive experience. The price point reflects the type of experience that fans can expect when it comes to playing this particular game."
Unless Mr. Bowser would opine that the original BotW was not as full or immersive an experience, and thus 'worth' $10 less than TotK, this explanation is empty of meaning - just marketing doublespeak, pure and simple. And I don't particularly care about the game's price tag. If it's a game I want and I can afford it, I'll buy it. It's the mendacity of speech that bugs me. Salesmen and politicians, dependably willing to say anything and communicate nothing.
Re: Super Nintendo World: Is It Worth It? Survival Tips, Budget Advice, How To 'Play' The Park
I tried to go to the one in Osaka, but the restrictive access plus the language barrier combined to thwart the effort. I'm not a theme park person in general, but I was willing to give Nintendo a try and was cautiously looking forward to the California opportunity being a bit more achievable. Good for the fans who get to enjoy it!
The lines, though, man. There's a calculus for this. Every five minutes spent in a line waiting for an attraction subtracts one minute from the funtime spent interacting with the attraction itself. If you're in line for a 10-minute attraction, it stops being worth it once the line lasts more than 45 minutes. Realistically, this experience would not be worth the time or money for me, which is a glum realization.
Re: Random: This Official Wailord Pokémon Plush Could Actually Squash You
Another "love to have" item that still can't justify its price point. You could probably commission an exact replica on Etsy for half the price.
Re: Where To Pre-Order The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom On Switch
My number 1 Nintendo franchise is Pokemon, which often has big release events but rarely has its games/collections fully sold out within minutes of the stock update. It feels really bad to not actually be able to participate in this hype pre-release/pre-order fiesta for TotK. My empathy to those whose franchises regularly experience this kind of bottleneck.
Re: Glastrier And Spectrier Now Appearing In Pokémon Sword And Shield Max Raid Battles
I mistook "Ability Capsules" for "Ability Patches" and was so incredibly hyped. My soaring spirit plummeted when I realized you'd have to win 40 of these raids to earn enough Dynite Ore to get a single Ability Patch. That said, the rewards are still pretty nice. Just not nice enough to grind hard.
Re: Some Trainers Are Worried About Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Returning To "Traditional" Catching Mechanics
There's an internal logic to the catching mechanics in PLA. That game is set so early in the Pokemon timeline that people in the world do not have a normalized relationship with Pokemon, nor any of the environmental and social infrastructure that comes from same. People don't know much about them and thus are underequipped to deal with Pokemon, hence why you sneak around and ambush them.
Scarlet and Violet may not take place in this same historic context. If there are modern Pokeballs, Pokemon Centers, breeders/researchers/trainers and all the rest, there's little reason ambushing wild Pokemon or getting attacked by wild Pokemon would be a staple of the gameplay. That said, if it were to make a return in a mainline game, I'd enjoy it. And if it doesn't, I'm pretty sure I'll still enjoy everything else the new games offer.
Re: Feature: Pokémon Legends: Arceus Has Made Pokémon Downright Disturbing Again
This feature was a pleasure to read. Well done, author. More like this, please!
Re: UK Charts: Pokemon Legends: Arceus Still On Top Despite Release Of Dying Light 2
Too busy being wholly delighted by PLA to listen to people complaining about graphics.
Re: Pokémon Legends: Arceus Is Already Being Streamed Online, And It's Not Even Out Yet
I sure wish they'd come up with a way to stop this sort of thing. It's been happening with every new Pokemon game lately. Bummer.
Re: Soapbox: After 25 Years, Pokémon Legends: Arceus Will Be My First Pokémon Game
Good luck with the game later this month, Thomas. Even if it doesn't *get you into Pokemon" I hope it's an enjoyable experience for you. I'd love to read another soapbox containing your thoughts after having tried it.
Re: The Pokémon Company Releases 'Bidoof's Big Stand', A Glorious 8-Minute Animation
This was, indeed, genuinely delightful.
Re: Review: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl - A Middling Pair Of Remakes
I think the author's displeasure with the chibi art style is being weighted too heavily in this review. Other complaints with the game - lack of adoption of Platinum version upgrades, rigid fidelity to the scale and scope of the originals, and likewise no content expansion that gamefreak has given every other generation remake - all seem fairly impartial to me based on the franchise's precedent. The art style is uniquely subjective a preference, though. It begs the question: is there any difference in professional reviews between "I don't enjoy this" and "this is objectively bad?"
Re: "Dreams Come True": Chris Pratt Talks About His New Role As Super Mario
There are many billions of people on this planet (fewer now, thanks Covid), each one a complicated, conflicted, good-and-bad-at-times individual. Some of them have much worse ideas in their heads than others, true. Still, we must all somehow figure out a way to share this one and only world we've got. I can disagree with someone openly, honestly, and forcefully, but I can't remove them from the world. For me and my own place in the universe, I feel like the best outcomes ultimately grow from building bridges across our common ground rather than burning those bridges across our divides. Other people will choose other strategies. All I can do is wish us all, collectively, success at coexisting in the end.
I will be delighted to experience a Jack Black Bowser.
Re: Tencent's New MOBA Pokémon Unite Has Surpassed 9 Million Downloads On Switch
Yes and yes! It's been super fun. The fun will only grow as more playable Pokémon are added to the roster.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl On Switch
@DeathByLasagna Please explain your price-reducing wizardry, fellow trainer...
Re: Random: This SHOCKING Fact About Wurmple Will Change Your LIFE
As comically intended as this article is, I genuinely am delighted and interested to see a variation in Wurmple's design whether accidental, retcon, or evidence of new form information. Wurmple is indeed an endearing little critter; I made one out of polymer clay just because it's so cute. It'll be neat to see if anything actually does come of this little coloring mishap.
Re: Blissey Arrives In Pokémon Unite This Week
I've been enjoying the game quite a bit. First 'competitive' game that ever made me want to improve my technical skill to play better, in fact. I'll be happy to try Blissey out, as I've done pretty well with the other healer Eldegoss.
Re: Pokémon GO Players Are Boycotting The Game After Niantic Removes COVID Changes
@Goat_FromBOTW: As of March, COVID-19 has in one year become the 3rd leading cause of death in the US, and by a huge margin - approximately thrice as fatal as the 4th leading cause and set to outpace actual cancer deaths (the 2nd leading cause) this year. The regular every-year flu is estimated to cause between 300K and 600K deaths worldwide while COVID-19 is surging past 500K deaths in the US alone and has hit 4.27 million deaths worldwide. Do with these numbers what you will, I think I just got stuck on the part where you said, "it's basically a cold." In any case, glad you and your family are okay, cheers and take care.
@Heavyarms55: I typically appreciate your even-handedness when the Pokémon community gets a bee in its bonnet. Same here, though I think you've gone too far off to one side to make sarcastic jokes about being forced into conformity. The nice thing about being thoughtful and deliberative is that you retain the ability to distinguish between media sensationalism, attention-seeking whiners, and reasoned criticism. To use your example, the reaction to blurry trees in the Wild Area and the reaction to global pandemic safety measures ending are - in my measured opinion - two different scales of issue. Chide the complainants too glibly and you risk drawing a false equivalency that tarnishes your own credibility.
Re: Review: Pokemon Unite - Pokémon Divides In Free-To-Start MOBA
It's been a lot of fun so far. I look forward to seeing more Pokémon added!
Re: Nintendo Reminds Us Pokémon Diamond And Pearl Remakes Are Coming To Switch
I thought both FRLG and LGPE earned their respective price tags. Same as ORAS, HGSS, etc. I always enjoy the new content and modern updates Pokemon remakes bring to older generations. If all BDSP involves are graphical updates on otherwise 1:1 remakes, it will, sadly, be a disappointment. The first Pokemon remake that does not improve content-wise on its originator game will be the first one that, in my opinion, may not be worth collecting.
I am still hopeful that the game will pull an HGSS at the last minute.
Re: Pokémon Unite Is Out Today, First Ranked Match Season Now Underway
I'm a grumpy old man and there's so much about this game that I still don't understand after about four hours' playtime. Such dense visual information on every screen, sheesh. Pokémon games usually have an incredibly simple and user-friendly UI, they ought to take more from that aspect of the franchise.
I'm having fun. >_<
Re: Pokémon GO Fest 2021 Reportedly Earned A Whopping $21 Million Over Two Days
Neato. I bought the $5 ticket, but didn't spend any other money. Wonder how they come up with their numbers..?
Re: Feature: Remembering Robin Williams On What Would Have Been His 70th Birthday
I loved Robin. I looked up to him. I appreciated his presence in the world. I can still remember exactly where I was when I learned of his death, and I still miss him. Thanks very much for the piece, @KateGray.
Re: Nintendo's Record On Conflict Minerals Is Praised, But With An Important Catch
@Some_Donkus Thank you for bringing the additional context into the discussion here; I had assumed the original article would go into greater explanation of the issue.
So it seems that Nintendo's decision to avoid CAHRAs altogether is a catch primarily in light of the context of the reason for tracking CAHRAs in the first place: identify conflict areas and then identify ethical sourcers in those areas so that the afflicted areas can have their economies invested in without directly contributing to furthering their conflicts. Yes, that's a genuinely laudable goal. Companies who do make those targeted investments in the hope of ethically supporting a struggling economic body are doing a positive thing and deserve some kudos.
That said, I think that avoiding investment in some CAHRAs altogether is also a valid choice. Similarly to the social/employment complications that @Heavyarms55 points out, the nature of internal flow of capital in an economic body can't rule out investment in one sourcer from contributing to the wider economic situation of the body. Those funds may find their way into the conflict at some point in the fiscal stream. It would be a nigh-impossible task to accurately ensure no penny invested in a country contributes to some facet or another of that country's political foibles - like trying to prevent the water flushed down your toilet from ending up in some particular part of the ocean.
So yeah. There is a fair distinction to make between "do no harm" and "actively do good," but those stances are messier in action than in ideology. I would argue that both methods - targeted CAHRA investing and wholly non-CAHRA investing - are acceptable choices to make.
Re: Random: The Internet Reacts To The New Switch OLED Model
I don't need an upgraded Switch myself, but this seems nice enough. I suppose it would also be nice to have more stable performance (though that's not something I usually suffer over anyway) and some sort of explicit confirmation of Joy Con drift properly attended to, so... maybe next time. I'm not overly worried about any of it right now.
Re: Talking Point: What's That One Switch Game You Can't Bring Yourself To Delete?
I don't think I've fully absorbed how modern-day game consoles work. I remember getting a machine and getting a disc (or cartridge, whatever) and putting the disc into the machine and then I could play a game. The most advanced I got was the GameCube, when it added a second layer of putting a memory card in the machine (and making sure it was the right memory card to match the game). Even when I had the Wii or the Wii U, all I ever had to do was put the disc in the machine and I could play the game.
I'm doing so danged much adult busy life stuff that I don't have time to learn how the Switch works with its fancy newfangled "data management." Why some physical games need to have a save space on the console, why I can't put my disc/cartridge into any old Switch and play my game, why does console save space matter if my game is on the cartridge, why I have to archive software or blah blah blah.
I'm old and tired and just want to play my games, dagnabbit! Luckily, I think I play too few games to hit any data limits or whatever it is we're talking about. Yet, anyway...
Re: Random: Soulja Boy's Latest Console Can Do Something The Nintendo Switch Can't
The Soulja Boy Turder?
Well, ew.
Re: Pokémon Trading Card Scalpers Are Causing Some Ugly Scenes Right Now
Admittedly it's been a good while since I played the Pokémon TCG, but this kind of frenzied (scalping?) behavior feels like it just crept out of nowhere within the last year or two. I'm curious where this fevered pitch has come from. It would be very much appreciated if NL staff here could thoroughly research and explain the phenomenon in a future piece.
Re: Feature: Zelda: The Wind Waker Proved We Don't Always Know What We Want
@Darknyht, what is the difference in fetch quests between the original and HD version that changes how short the game is? I've never played the HD version, so I'm curious.
Anyways, Wind Waker was my favorite Zelda game until Breath of the Wild. I was always a big fan of the art style. I've never enjoyed dark, gritty, colorless games, so as a result the very opposite aesthetic of Twilight Princess was not something I cared for (though I still enjoyed the game). But Wind Waker is satisfying enough for me, both visually and in terms of the gameplay, that it's a Zelda game I can happily replay over and over. I can't say the same for Twilight Princess, or even for Skyward Sword.
Re: Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Is Getting Patched, A Lot
@SpacedDuck It does inspire some confusion, doesn't it? I genuinely would enjoy seeing a documentary detailing the differences in production between Stardew Valley and the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games. There must be some sort of explanation.
I bought Friends of Mineral Town, had very many criticisms, overall enjoyed it, and landed on the conclusion that it did not earn its $50 price tag. I've been watching a decent LP of this game, and although it also looks at least a tad enjoyable, it also looks to be rife with unfortunate problems. If I end up deciding to play it, I hope to find a used/sale copy.
Re: Video: Pokémon Fan "Fixes" Diamond And Pearl Remakes With This Slick Concept Trailer
The art style of the remakes is fine. I'm underwhelmed by the return of the grid-based map and movement, not how the game looks. As WitchyUndead said, if ShiningPearl and BrilliantDiamond are true, faithful 1:1 remakes, then they are inconsistent with Pokemon remake versions up to this point. Remakes recreate their base games, yes, but they also include some (not all) elements of those games' expansions and revisions. Every remake so far has also included its own new, unique upgrade or game element, like FRLG's Sevii Islands, HGSS's Pokemon walking, and ORAS's flying on mega Latis, just to name a small few.
If BDSP truly are nothing more than a graphical update, I will be disappointed. Not because I dislike the graphics (I don't), but because they would be missing out on so much more that we look to remakes for. Hopefully as the year progresses, we will hear news of how these remakes expand upon the original Diamond and Pearl.
That fan-made trailer looks nice, too.
Re: Video: Check Out This Side-By-Side Comparison Of Pokémon Diamond And Pearl On Switch And DS
I'm fine with the art direction, given that they explicitly state their intention to preserve the appearance and structure of the originals but with a modern twist. In terms of personal preference, I do find the styles of Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee and the Link's Awakening remake more visually pleasing.
I'm more bummed over this being a so-called 1-1 remake overall. After ORAS and SWSH, what they've shown of this game feels like a big old step backward. I hope to see more inspiring information about these remakes as we approach the release window.
Re: Soapbox: Pokémon Diamond And Pearl's Greatest Contribution To The Series Was The Underground
Have to admit, it was hilarious fun setting up elaborate traps for my cousins while playing capture the flag down there. Like another commenter, I wouldn't rate the Sinnoh secret bases higher than the Hoenn variant (made even better in ORAS), but secret bases in Pokemon games are one of the more fun features they've included. Now with NSO, and with Pokemon being a cultural touchpoint again, the Underground could potentially be rife with activity.
Re: Music: Post Malone's Pokémon 25th Anniversary Song Goes Live Ahead Of This Weekend's Concert
Good combination of the Ecruteak theme with a completely unrelated piece of music. I still can't say this is something I might've asked for, but cool that they're making something nice out of it.
Re: Where To Pre-Order The Limited Edition Zelda: Skyward Sword Joy-Cons
I'd absolutely love to buy these stylish controllers, but I've resisted purchasing any Joy-Con tech until I can confirm the drift issue has been resolved. Can't commit to buying an expensive thing I know comes pre-broken.
Re: World's End Club Is A Surprise Addition To The Switch Catalogue From The Makers Of Danganronpa
Hm, I very much enjoy this game's art style. Not the genre/gameplay I'd pick up, but the artists on the project definitely get two massive cheers from me. I may consider watching an LP for the art style alone. I wish the project success!
Re: Post Malone To Star In Pokémon 25th Anniversary Virtual Concert
Unsettling is more precise a description here than just disappointing. Not only does this artist appear to have exactly nothing in common with the Pokémon franchise in terms of ethos or appeal, but he appears to regularly behave in egregious ways in public. I'm genuinely taken aback that Pokémon has sought out this association.
Re: Pokémon HOME Mobile Update Adds Language And Poké Ball Search Filters
Nice additions, but far more needed on the Switch version where any real sorting and searching takes place. Thanks to a rather strained UX, the mobile side is little more than a trading app in my experience.
Re: Pokémon Sword And Shield Become First Entries Since Gold And Silver To Surpass 20 Million Sales
Hopefully, it's clear that I'm not discouraging criticism or mocking opinion. My aim is to primarily separate the opinion from the objective and then to evaluate the objective by similarly objective measures. I'll take a second here to remind readers: it is not expressing your opinion that draws harsh rebuke, but trying to present your opinion as an external reality. Turning "These games were not fun for me" into "These games are garbage, and the people who bought and liked them are bad" is where you go out of bounds. You have every right to make claims about your own preferences and your own experiences and those claims are unassailable because you are the authority on you. But if you want to make a claim about the reality outside of you then you need to justify that claim with facts that are external to you.
And as much as it seems to be pooh-poohed in the NintendoLife comments sections, one reliable measure of external quality is the data on commercial success. As it stands, SwSh are commercial - and critical! - successes. Vastly, inordinately, perplexingly so. And while another commenter - JellyPop - makes a significant and respectable point that some of those 20 million people who bought the game definitely ended up finding it underwhelming after experiencing it, we cannot assume that those people make up a major proportion of the sales figures, because the games are still selling highly and are still largely well-reviewed. If SwSh were modest commercial success and received middling-to-negative reviews on average, arguments against the financial data would have a solid footing (i.e. arguments like "Pokemon always sells well, so these numbers don't mean anything"). It is the sheer magnitude of demand and engagement with these games that neuters those arguments. And remember! There will be some next mainline game(s). We are going to have the opportunity to add more data and more critical evaluation to our understanding of the overarching status of the franchise. It may yet be the case that new games and new information adjust our understanding of the current status and let us draw different conclusions. But for right now, with the evidence we have before us, it amounts to conspiratorial lunacy to argue that SwSh are "bad" entries in the Pokemon series.