Salnax

It was a disappointing presentation. Which is not to say that what was shown was bad. I think the two big problems were showing “old” news and the lack of a second big punch along with Smash.

Pokemon Let’s Go was the biggest example of a misstep in timing the news. Had they waited just a few more weeks to announce it, they could have spent 5 or 10 minutes talking about this “new and exciting Pokemon spin-off coming this holiday that ties into the megahit mobile game.” That would have eaten up time, but would have made Smash feel less like the sole ace up Nintendo’s sleeve. And they could have done more with other games. Mario Tennis Aces is about to come out, so devote actual time to showing it off. Spend more time talking about third party ports people are excited for, briefly show 3DS games in development, etc.

Second, I’ve looked at some of the better received presentations Nintendo has done at E3, and one of the things they shared was two or more big reveals, spread across the show. In 2010, this was a new Console Zelda in the beginning and the 3DS unveiling at the end. Nintendo started off and ended strong, keeping people interested and optimistic. This year, Smash was a good closing act, but there wasn’t an opener. It didn’t have to be anything coming out in the near future. Whatever game they have planned for Holiday 2019 could work. But seeing it provides better context for the whole show.

I live in a major city in the USA. I have two choices for internet provider, and picked the best package available. And I still have trouble with streaming Netflix sometimes.

Do they seriously expect me to believe that over the course of a decade or so, online services will become much more diverse, reliable, fast, and widespread? At a speed capable of matching how fast the technical demands of games are growing?

There are some games being released that have patches of around 10GB, that would not fit into a DVD. When I get a big game on Steam, I usually need at least a day to download it. And these people think... what? Do they think?

The first four episodes did a good job at getting me interested in a longer story. The “Corrupt Church” element drew a bit much attention, but things seem to be shifting focus to the real antagonist. Here’s hoping they do interesting things with longer seasons.

I can easily imagine a pseudo Virtual Console on Switch selling emulated GameCube and Wii games for $10 or so a pop. It might not have the Virtual Console name, seeing how that hasn’t been a well liked brand since 2012 on the 3DS, but it will serve the same role.

Still, considering the control differences between the Switch and older systems, I have to wonder which games would be ported. Not to mention whether third parties will be involved.

My guess is that Nintendo was never going to continue the Virtual Console onto the Switch.

Looking at the Virtual Console on Wii, 3DS, and Wii U, it’s pretty clear that Nintendo has been having trouble getting third parties on board since the Wii. Platforms like the Master system, Genesis, and Neo Geo didn’t get brought onto the Wii U, and even a bunch of NES, SNES, and N64 titles remained on WII (Actraiser, Chrono Trigger, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, etc).

Currently, it seems that if Nintendo wanted to continue the Virtual Console, they’d need to rely largely on their own old games. I guess that could be roughly 200 games if they emulate the NES, SNES, N64, GameCube, and all three Game Boy iterations. Thing is, that’s seven different emulators to make, with the much wanted GameCube emulator being the most effort.

And I know that emulating games on the Switch isn’t too hard, but Nintendo has caught flak for their VC emulation before, and the Classic miniconsoles are only going to raise peoples’ standards.

This new service won’t even require people to download an emulator, since it’s built into the Switch. The NES game are essentially a way to sweeten an existing package, not the main purpose.

A tip of my hat to God of War. Because that’s a fairly modest drop for its second week.

Wearing a hat with the severed ears of your enemies on it?

That’s Broodal.

@PhilKenSebben Doom 2016 was first shown in 2014, so the gap will likely be close to four years. That should be plenty of time.

I’m not going to bash Konami for actually releasing games.

I’m not expecting much to be announced, but I don’t mean to sound pessimistic. It’s just that the upcoming few months are typically relatively dry ones, and we already have games announced for this window (Kirby, Detective Pikachu, LABO, Tropical Freeze, Mario Tennis, etc). We’ll probably learn about one or two notable titles released in the next six months.

@tanookisuit I think a lot of the classics like Sword and Fire weren’t up for vote, since this was partially a poll to determine future content.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Better to have two solid ports than nothing at all. And considering how the Wii U was largely passed by, they were going to find new ground on the Switch.

Games like The Last of Us, GTAV, and Skyrim have received ports to the PS4/X1 that have sold very well, and probably took a fraction of the effort of a new game.

A Lives system still has a place in modern games, if only because countless failures should result in a greater than usual punishment. That said, since the game's design is so open and Mario's lives were always interchangeable with coins anyway, it makes sense to take the cut out of coins instead. Especially since they seem more useful than usual.

The trick is likely balancing new features against having a fast and functional eShop. I think that digital storefronts need sections for new releases, sales, and at least one promoted category, along with search functionality that covers price range, genre, developer, user reception, etc.

That said, a lot of the 3DS and Wii U categories on their eShops seemed redundant or pointless. If you have the ability to search for platformers, why do you need a Platformers category? Which may only show a selection of them?

THANK YOU SATAN!!!!!!

I prefer this to a "typical" VC launch. A lot of the Vs series is upgraded NES games anyway, and thhe inclusion of Punch Out, which uses distinct hardware, implies that a wide range of arcade games may be added.

Returning to the best minigames of previous entries is a good choice. I wouldn't mind older games being used like retro courses in Mario Kart.

The fact that this is a 3DS game is confusing. For one, this will be the third Mario Party on 3DS. Star Rush is only a year old! Also, the Switch is a very good fit for the series, probably the best platform to use since the Wii. And HD Mario assets do exist...

My best guess is that ND Cube can't reuse the MP10 stuff since they need to redo the engine or something. Which would imply a major change for the series.

Fun Fact - The 3DS is so stable, that it can run Skyrim for upwards of 40 minutes without it crashing. And the New series can play them at speeds of over 3 frames per second!

@Zingo Castlevania III was a NES game. This is an adaptation of that game. It's not essential material to review, but it's Nintendo-related.

To be clear, is this going to be irregular like Splatfest, or part of the rotating set of modes like the Ranked modes? The latter wouldn't be too bad, the former would be a major letdown.

If it really is only irregular like Splatfest, I'm concerned Splatoon 2 might not have enough to distinguish it from the original. We have a new campaign, new weapons, and proper local play, but without more modes to choose from or some other big features, this doesn't seem much better than the annual reiterations of certain other series of shooters.

@FatAlbert1 Like the main series itself, Go has fallen from being ubiquitous to being "merely" very popular.

"We don't want to scare away third party devs by dumping dozens of cheap and high quality games immediately. Or did you not notice that the Virtual Console's Golden Ages on the Wii and 3DS only lasted until we actually had WiiWare and eShop support?"

Part of me was a bit interested for a second. Maybe a new 3DS port could feature item selection on the touchscreen, fix the sound so music can be heard over voice acting and effects, add an option for skipping cutscenes, etc.

Then I remembered that Unreal Engine 3 lacks native 3DS support. Darn

I'm a touch worried about the dev, but Mercury Stream hardly did a terrible job with Castlevania: Mirror of Fate. If anything based on criticisms I've heard, that game's flaws came from tying into the Lords of Shadow continuity rather than a sheer lack of skill. Not to mention that they have the 1991 original as a starting point. So Samus Returns probably won't suck.

Do you think that a hypothetical SNES mini could also include the NES mini lineup without raising prices too much? It'd go some way to satisfy those who never got the NES mini they craved, and I doubt that NES emulation and ROMs would add that much to the system's necessary specifications.

Nice. I got the NES Mega Man games for a dollar each, and the Ace Attorney sales should sway some people who are hesitant about paying retail prices for that series.

@Salnax So a few hours after I typed that out, Capcom released their follow up statement and announced a Switch version of Monster Hunter XX. That has done a lot to relieve my worry.

After reading through the article, I wasn't worried. This doesn't seem to be solely a test of the Switch, and is likely not the only test.

Then I remembered how the Switch is likely going to be the de facto successor to the 3DS. And Capcom was very fond of the 3DS. I remember how back in its first year, people were joking how Capcom supported the system better than Nintendo. Street Fighter was a star launch title, Monster Hunter abandoned PlayStation, Resident Evil Revelations was a showcase for the 3DS, and they even made a decent effort at getting older games on Virtual Console. And that was not counting promising games they had announced by the end of that first year.

In contrast, the Switch has this one Street Fighter port, arguably less notable than SSFIV 3D, and nothing else announced.

Bad signs.

The real news here is Game Boy games on Wii U.

I doubt that this is what it sounds like. Pac-Man isn't a series that lends itself well to level editing, considering how mazes are superficially similar and there isn't the aesthetic variety of Super Mario's types of locations and recognizable games across eras. Though as a minor release, it could work.

Really, I'd have thought the most likely "Maker" games would be Mega Man, except that series isn't doing great at the moment. Which is a shame, since you'd have lots of assets to work with. Not to mention an existing community that produces various rom hacks, indicating interest.

As for what else would work... Sonic would be the best candidate I think. Popular series, platforming levels that are more intuitive to make, a strong community, plenty of older games to use, etc.

@Kayfios Maybe they pulled a Jurassic Park, but with mammals?

Even with this discount, it's no more expensive getting Uprising at retail.

@Spoony_Tech @Spoony_Tech Yes, it had a good launch, but sales often fall soon after a console is released, unless if it's during November. And in the Switch's case, the only major games coming in the near future are Mario Kart and Arms. Mario Kart will likely sell less than usual due to its nature as a port, and Arms is an unknown quantity.

I doubt the Switch will do well in Japan until Splatoon 2 is released. Mind you, if the original is any indicator, that can be the console's killer app in Japan.

Well, today ended any short term indie concerns I have concerning the Switch. I'm still concerned about major developers supporting it, but these little games count for quite a bit.

How many characters are in the game so far? I know the series proper has 500 or so, but from what I've seen so far, it's seemingly just the 3DS games, Achanea, and the GBA games. So do they still have hundreds of characters to add?

$30 is acceptable, despite being the weakest of the three online offerings. If this does improve online play, it could be worth the transition.

@Flauber Holy shidazzle, there was something in the cartridge slot! A perfectly functioning GameCube!

Not a promising launch, but better than what the DS had: an inferior version of a game made for another platform and little else.

I'm disappointed that this is a port with some new content and paid online, but have trouble blaming Nintendo for re-releasing a game that many people didn't have the hardware to play.

Rebirth has been one of my most played games of the past year, so Afterbirth+ looks like a must. I know some people think these games are unnecessary gross, but at least you can appreciate a fuller launch library.

I'm guessing some stuff will be added during or shortly after the Switch announcements. If the Mother 3 rumor is true, they'll probably announce Beginnings for 3DS VC and have sales on Wii U. Something like that. A sale could be a good advertisement for that sort of thing.

That would be a great price for not being undercut by the X1/PS4. Though I am a bit concerned that a small piece of hardware at that price could potentially be very limited in terms of specs. I'm not hoping for a very powerful console, but this could mean a lot of 3rd party problems and complaints since 2005 or so will continue.

Why would anyone want to make levels in SML style? The second game is much better!

@Oscarzxn NFirst, the glut of "free" games on mobile typically forces devs to lower prices to compete. The main exceptions are Square Enid games, because certain people will spend $15 or so on them in particular. Also, when porting a game to a platform, a chunk of time and money has to go into adjusting to the new platform. Since there are so many mobile devices, that cost can be outsourced to many more customers. It's not like the 3D effect can be ported to most platforms. Third, people who own handhelds tend to be more willing to spend money on games anyway, meaning the price can be a bit higher artificially. Fourth, Sega has other games on the Nintendo eShop. By introducing Sonic for only $2, they would be expected to have lower prices on their other 3D classic titles. This would be self defeating. This wouldn't matter as much on mobile because Sega is proportional bigger on the 3DS eShop than mobile.

Oh Snap!

Sorry to interrupt the gloom and doom, but I've been hoping for this!

I am hopeful, but far from optimistic.

Sure, a few games like Zelda will almost certainly be great. But at the moment, I don't know anything about the Switch or its upcoming games to get me hyped. This could change within the next two weeks, but I currently have more concerns than anything else. Especially with 3DS support winding down.

This has been one of Nintendo's worst years in terms of software lineup for quite some time. Not that I blame them too much.

Previously, the latter parts of a handheld's life would coincide with more great console games and vice versa. When the GameCube was declining, we got DS games like Mario Kart, NSMB, Nintendogs, etc. When the DS was declining in 2010, we got DKC Returns, Epic Yarn, and SMG2. And the 3DS was gathering steam before the Wii U was released.

I guess that the shorter lifespan on the Wii U is what made this year so sparse. This would normally be the point in the generation where Nintendo releases a second big wave of top budget console games, like the Wii had in 2010. But with the Switch coming soon, projects have to be delayed or put aside. And since the 3DS is aging anyway, it isn't getting enough to make up for it.

I can imagine it being the announcement of a sort of yearlong event, like with Zelda in 2011 and Luigi in 2013. That could potentially mean multiple releases.

As for what a new game would be like... well it would be on the 3DS. Kirby has a long history of releasing games for a system late in its life. See Adventure, Dream Land 3, Mass Attack, etc. But I don't think we're in for another platformer. So probably some sort of spinoff, either at retail or an enhanced version of Kirby Clash.

We can also likely expect either sales on Kirby games come this April, and maybe the release of older titles on Virtual Console. Air Ride could be used to announced GameCube support. A Dream Collection port/successor makes sense, though I imagine it being tailored to handhelds.

And maybe there will be a new Kirby platformer for the Switch this Fall. Maybe.

Makes sense. Donkey Kong Country Returns ran at 30 FPS on the 3DS, and that was a Wii port. The frame rate boost is a welcome addition.