Salnax

I went there a few months ago. The handheld museum was worth the stop, let alone the games and merchandise.

I've wondered why there aren't more Nintendo Wod stores, at least in a few large cities in America and Europe. At very least, they would be great fronts for selling stuff like Amiibo, and can compensate for a lack of shelf space in many areas.

I'd like a new 3D Super Mario, Mario Kart, or Splatoon.

Ideally, the NX should have a launch title from Nintendo that is obviously beyond the capacities of the Wii U. You know, like F-Zero, Super Mario 64 and Wii Sports. Games like 2D Super Mario titles are always solid (even the New series), but don't blow minds.

So what series does Nintendo have that can really shine on more powerful and advanced hardware? Well, there are a few, including Metroid, F-Zero, Super Smash Bros, and Zelda. But I feel that Metroid and F-Zero could easily end up being too niche to really WOW people, seeing how these two series have never been huge. And with SSB4 being recent and Zelda coming to the Wii U, I feel those series should wait a while. Super Smash Bros in particular benefits from a latter release since it draws from games released in the meantime.

I would love a new 3D Super Mario myself, but making a strong online game early on would likely benefit Nintendo more. And their best bets for that are Mario Kart and Splatoon.

A few possibilities stick out to me.

First, there is the likely Deluxe version of SSB4, with all the DLC and some extras attached. That wouldn't be enough to require Sakurai's oversight, but could be a good deal. Take the Wii U version, throw in the DLC stages and characters, update some 3DS-exclusive and retro stages, throw in some more modes like alternatives to Classic, and you have a decent method of filling an early gap in the NX library.

Alternatively, say the NX launches in 2017. By that point, it would be a three year gap since SSB4, a longer gap than Melee had. That is enough time to make a sequel. That said, Sakurai's lack of visible distress suggests that he is not as involved in the project if this is true. Could Sakurai work on another project while merely overseeing SSB5?

As for what a fifth game would bring, I'm not worried about a lack of new characters or games to represent. That Smash Ballot thing probably was also used to see which characters garnered interest for the long run, and we'll have three years of new Nintendo games to work with. Part of me is hoping that a bit of work s put into remaking and distinguishing characters like Ganondorf, Ness, Lucina, etc.

Dadliest Catch is my favorite Metroid.

@Fearful-Octopus Would you prefer the SNES or GBA version of FF6? I've only played the GBA version, and wasn't able to finish it, but I heard that the SNES version has better sound quality and benefits from a higher resolution while the GBA version has extra content.

Why has FF1 been remade so many times while FF6 has just a GBA port and a mobile abomination?

@Grumblevolcano Tactics Advance is an amazing game with one BIG sour point: The Laws mechanic. Besides that and a meh story, it is one of the better strategy RPG's I've ever played.

@AlexSora89 I view it as a way of finding new value in an old favorite. Kind of like a 3 Heart run in Zelda, a Nuzlocke run in Pokemon, or a Low % run in Metroid.

I learned quite a bit about Super Mario 64 watching this, and there were some amazing memes to be made.

That was sooner than expected. Sounds like we have two big games coming to the Wii U in March.

Either this had better be amazing online or there is something else for single player, because this looks barebones. There doesn't even have to be a story mode. SSB4 included basic fights, "Classic," two types of Order modes, Smash Tour, a Challenge mode, 140 achievements, and hundreds of things to collect, with no Story Mode. And that's not counting minigames and such. A couple of modes or features similar to these could make a big difference. Especially since the roster doesn't seem to be very large.

@Konda The Wii U version lacked online play, so I doubt Legends will include it. The Wii U version offered great cooperative play, which worked with every level and mission in the game except for one specific part of challenge mode, but that is almost certainly not going to be in the 3DS version due to system limitations.

As an aside, one of my best gaming experiences in recent years is steadily playing through the Adventure mode together, splitting tasks and prioritizing targets in order to earn rewards that we could both use by the next mission.

Perhaps this was at one point meant for the N64 Disk Drive? That piece of hardware did end up with increased storage, online connectivity, and peripherals like a mouse. Not to mention that the small N64DD library included some familiar titles. There was an F-Zero track editor and four Mario Artist games in a library of about ten titles.

I doubt it could have been on par with the real Super Mario Maker, but I suspect a comparable game might have seemed feasible during the DD's development. Especially considering the F-Zero track editor did work out.

It makes you wonder why Nintendo didn't pursue this further though. Even if the Disk Drive flopped, they could have easily designed the GameCube with this kind of function in mind. Or did Nintendo really give up on 2D platformers until the DS?

Regardless, I'm glad the Wii U has a GamePad. Without it, Mario Maker probably wouldn't have happened.

So that's 40-something weapons added as free DLC total. And although many are just variants, some categories like the brushes only merged as DLC. My personal favorite is the Zapper-85 because of its fire rate and sprinklers.

Good to see Nintendo doing online games justice.

Maybe this is indicative of new in-game shops and/or items to purchase in them?

Also, I'd like to see how useful Magic Armor is in Hero Mode.

I'm now hoping for a Generations-like crossover between all of the Sonic iterations. That could have potential just for the story, seeing how his character has been reinterpreted over the years. Boom Sonic is the most relaxed incarnation, Retro Sonic the least sociable, and so on. Maybe like that Spider-Man game from a few years ago?

The combination of Game Grumps, the channel that officially dislikes Sonic, and the recurring appearance of Big, who few people like, is confusing.

I'm guessing that on April 1st, three games will be announced. One will prominently feature Big, possibly a digital fishing game. A main series platformer is also obvious. I doubt it would feature Big very much. There may also be something Boom-related, or maybe a compilation with16/21 games.

4 3 1 21 16

Future. I get to see some dinosaurs Judassic Park style and finally play GameCube titles on the Super NX + Virtual Console. AND I get to do so while playing Zelda U and Mario Kart 9.

I thought it was a metaphor for the inevitable demise of humanity in a zombie outbreak.

@Simbabbad Studios like Grezzo and Monster lack the manpower and experience to make a new 3D Zelda or Xenoblade. There is a major difference between overhauling a game and building one from scratch. Even remakes and teamsters with substantial amounts of new content can use existing mechanics and components from the original.

To a large extent, these smaller outside devs can either make remakes or smaller eShop titles. Grezzo had only released WiiWare games until Ocarina 3D. Given the choice of remaking an already liked game and making a risky new eShop exclusive, the first option may work better.

Who voted for Project Guard?

I am slightly disappointed with 2015 for both platforms. There was a notable drop in the number of quality releases from late 2013 and 2014, made worse by the delay of games like Star Fox. Not to mention the weird lack of coordination between NoA and NoE meant that some games have been released latter than preferable.

It was not awful; Splatoon and Super Mario Maker exceeded my expectations, and the 3DS got both a nice new update and ports/remakes worth playing. But there simply wasn't much variety. Even a slightly early release of Twilight Princess HD might have helped.

If Link were a template for the player, I'd also want to be able to alter his age, ethnicity, height, weight, sense of morality, weapon of choice, and so on. Just because I'm playing as a middle-aged Deku Scub harassing the townspeople by bombing their livestock doesn't mean I'm not playing as Link! /s

In all seriousness, what does a female Link option REALLY add to the game? Is it worth everything it takes away? Even basic things like a character's age impact stories. Imagine if Wind Waker's Link was in his late teens, or if Twilight Princess starred a 10 year old boy. Even if they are vessels, they determine how interactions take place. The same applies to gender.

I'm starting to get hyped for Pokemon. I'm hoping for G1 on virtual console in February, Pokken this spring/summer, G2 for Virtual console in autumn, and Pokemon Z for Holiday 2016 with extra New 3DS features. Plus maybe another spinoff or two.

XCX might have done a bit better if released a few weeks sooner. It's not the kind of game people will always be willing to tackle immediately and get to the good stuff in a couple of weeks.

Besides that, I think these votes are fairly indicative of this year. A few rare gems at retail despite plenty of eShop goodies on both platforms.

I might get Human Resource Machine and/or Persona Q depending on the discounts. There's not much else, but new games are rarely released this week of the year, and SMG is a big deal in terms of Virtual Console games. I do wish the 3DS VC got more love, but the 3DS Virtual Console lost steam sometime in 2013.

I think RK is simply not setting priorities well. Moon and Dementium were fine DS games, but never had that much success or acclaim besides being technically impressive. Remaking these games for the 3DS is shooting for a small market, and releasing them on Steam and whatnot only invites negative comparisons with games made for PC-tier hardware. Even Resident Evil: Revelations on HD platforms got flak due to its origins as a 3DS game, let alone a DS game.

Mutant Mudds shouldn't have been killed or anything, but it's weird how RK's biggest hit is only getting a remixed version four years later. Games like Mighty Switch Force and Gunman Clive got "true" sequels in just two or three years, and I think they did fairly well.

The best reason I can think of about Mutant Mudds not getting a sequel would be a lack of ideas for the series. Which would be understandable, but considering how the series was conceived as a 3D platformer, I doubt they're out of concepts. If anything, I'd guess Mutant Mudds 3D (not actual title) would have an easier art direction to make assets for than RK's DS remakes, though the environments would likely be more complex and expansive.

And maybe I'm wrong, but 3D platformers with cartoon heroes are a genre that is not common on the eShop but is still a good fit.

Last, localization. A lot of these games aren't being released in Europe. I've heard of this problem from a few indies, and am starting to think Nintendo deserves some blame, but the fact is that Europe is a market worth aiming for.

I can see her being a decent character in a couple of fashions. A more proactive sibling than Aryll, an enthusiastic fan inspired by Link, an odd coincidence in the vein of Tingle... all sound like they have potential.

@AlexSora89 Considering how their goal is largely comparing software and hardware on a technical level, I don't think they are too harsh on the relatively weak Wii U. I remember them having plenty of praise for Super Mario 3D World and SSB4.

Early 2016 is the new early 2015!

Well, it's a good thing this is a December release, because I won't have to miss out on that much sunlight anyway.

It's the boomerang fork! I've missed you!

Super Mario 64 DS is still that expensive 11 years later?

EA is a company that sells software. They both want to sell as many games as possible AND be the #1 seller of games. Their only real competition is Nintendo. In EA's eyes, not developing for Nintendo platforms might cost money at points, but is acceptable if it sabotages Nintendo enough. Think of it as growing a hardware ecosystem that is better for EA in the long run.

If Sony or Microsoft had the software sales of Nintendo, EA would stop supporting them. As is, none of those companies' games sell that well combined to the likes of Mario Kart, NSMB, or Smash Bros.

One of these days, I'm going to have to compare all these eShop pony games.

@BlockPunch I was a bit suspicious until this article stated that only online could save this game. That doesn't sound very bought out.

Squee!

@MisterMan Generally speaking, male genitalia are not very large compared even to smaller breasts, and the shape of the human body and most clothing further obscures the shape and size.

Naturally, I'm the outlier. But even I can't compare my size to those of the average breasts.

Good, we need to have more realistic portrayals of women in games.

Wait, it's a fantasy game where the player character can tank hits from kaiju? Better remove female characters altogether! Otherwise, people may have their feelings hurt!

@NintendoLee Pokemon? It sounds like something a Jamaican says when he wants to play poker.

"Hey! You wanna play some Pokeh, mon?"

There is a significant graphical upgrade. I'm noticing a pattern over the past few years where remade Zelda games don't look that much better until you revisit the original. The goal seems to be making graphics the way we remember them, nostalgia filter included.

Whether this is worth the likely $50 price is still in the air, but there is still plenty left unknown. Early Wind Waker HD and Ocarina 3D screens and footage didn't reveal the various changes made besides graphics. I'd say if the changes made are comparable to Wind Waker HD, where tedious sections were fixed and minor things added, then this be be worth it for somebody unwilling to spend $20 on the Wii version.

That's one hell of a Wii U bundle. It would be a good deal even if Nintendo cut the base price by $50. Maybe Nintendo is up to something... Could they be hoping people buy Smash-related Amiibos and DLC? And/or be trying to strengthen the communities for these games?

@AyeHaley Better than a PS1 Metal Gear character.

I suppose it is harder to hype or advertise a game with distinct release dates based on region.

Super Mario Maker was launched over the course of a bit over two days, taking time zones into account. The advertisements, social media hype, and reviews meant for one region of the world also applied to the rest of the world.

With Yoshi's Woolly World, you had a June release in Europe, a July release in Japan, and an American release three months later. You need three distinct marketing pushes that will do little to overlap. And things like reviews become less useful for Nintendo, especially since many people in the Americas and Europe share a common language (usually English, but also French and Spanish). If I am a potential buyer in Europe who usually checks reviews from an American website, I am less likely to buy the game near launch and at full price. If I am an American, I am less likely to buy the game because less hype can be built up for it and I am less likely to remember it exists by the time it is released.

I can understand long delays in some cases. Games with massive stories or lots of cultural context, like Xenoblade or Animal Crossing, can take time to tackle. But Yoshi and Kirby do not seem like those sorts of games.

Maybe if we shared high scores on Miiverse?

New major retail games, indie release, discounts, 3DS virtual console, and a demo?

Terrible!

Enemy variety should have been the easy part. Just watch an episode at random and you will find a good candidate or two.

@majinx07 RE Revelations on the 3DS was basically an attempt to recreate the success of RE4. It was largely successful, and was a solid action game with horror elements. Revelations was probably the best game in the series this past decade. One of the best action games on the 3DS, and worth the original $40, let alone $5. One warning, the game is over 3 gigs, so be sure you have a larger SD card.

Mercenaries is a simple action game where you survive enemies in short bursts. It is not a great game, but is ideal for portable action, especially if you like replaying scenarios to get better scores, or with no gear and abilities, or whatever. I'd recommend it for this price, but it is flawed and not for everyone.

I'm going to re-purchase Revelations just so I can replay it more frequently.

Japan has Mario 4 out of 10 times...

So about two figures per Wii U console? Sounds pretty good.

I personally got a Luigi amiibo because I wanted a Luigi figure and the amiibo only cost $2 more than the alternative. If Nintendo can continue making figures that stand well on their own as well as interacting with games, I'm happy that they're making money and I can get figures like this.

I wouldn't say that I approve, but at least the doge-talk was handled in a way that wasn't obtrusive. In 20 years, it'll just sound like he is being taken aback by the majesty, and I can't imagine many people ever being thrown off by the writing.

Slenderman is a bit hard for me to get scared by. I'm sorry, but when I see a tall, pale figure in a suit standing alone in the woods, my initial response is "Uncle Mike? When did you get a career in internet videos?"