@Turbo857 I think they said Gyro could be turned off last year... but I believe in the most recent preview event a month ago, it was stated that it can not be turned off after all.
“Motion controls cannot be entirely disabled in Star Fox Zero, although players will have some options to choose how they are implemented.”
“The game was designed to be played with motion controls, and it would be incredibly difficult to complete certain areas of the game without the independent aiming and flight that they offer.”
I wish they made twin Wiimotes. I loved how the two hands on the Wiimote/nunchuk were not cramped together. I got used to lounging on my couch in random positions and still being able to play Mario Galaxy and what not. The wire connecting the two was annoying. I always wanted them to improve it by making two wireless controllers that were basically two halves of a pro controller. The left hand one would have an anolog stick, a d-pad, a trigger and a shoulder button along with the IR and gyro. The right hand one would have the other analog stick, the other trigger/shoulder button, and an ABXY layout. This could have solved all the problems. Third-party ports wouldn't have to shoe-horn in waggle controls because there would be enough buttons, and motion-designed games would still work too. A pro-controller could still be an option for purists, but it wouldn't be necessary as the twin Wiimotes would basically be the same.
That thing is pretty cool. It even gives a little when pressed to make it feel like buttons. And the this one has no battery needed albeit it only has one config. It costs $100-$150. If it was used in the proposed controller/handheld, the morphable part would not need to cover the whole screen, just the edges near your thumbs. Since the above example uses no battery, having this one use power to change the layout would probably not be taxing enough to compromise a handheld's battery. Couple that in with the iPad mini keyboard sized case above only costing $100, it could be consumer-price friendly enough for Nintendo. The Wii U was expensive because the streaming-to-a-second-screen tech was new, but they already developed that and recouped the R&D with the Wii U. It shouldn't affect the price of the NX that much. And this tech is possibly outsourced, so maybe it is in the realm of possibility.
@rjejr @earthboundlink I don't think the analogy for Book vs Movie works for Video Game Text vs Video Game Voice. Books have descriptions of the scenery, the characters, and events in high detail, along with actual dialogue. With video games, the text is all dialogue, so it is literally a difference between reading and listening as the scene is still unfolding visually in front of you.
I think the solution is a midpoint. Whenever you talk to NPCs in-game, these can probably remain text. But the cut-scenes do need voice acting. It definitely breaks the immersion when the scene has to freeze as you wait for the player to push A to advance to the next text bubble (i.e. shocked-Link face with the text "NOOOO!" where its paused at the shocked face until you hit A). It is kind of like a midpoint between comics and videos. It could definitely work if that was the style they were aiming for, but I don't think that's the case.
My theory is that they will unveil the NX in the next Direct similar to how PS4/XBO were announced in February of their launch years. However, I think the reason we haven't gotten one is because they probably do not want to reveal it too soon before the end of their FY. Just the mention of the codename last year has probably killed off quite a bit of sales. Fully unveiling it will completely kill off any more sales and they probably want to end this FY with as many sales as they can squeeze out.
TL;DR: I find it unlikely that there will be a Nintendo Direct until mid-to-late March. Especially with all the trailers for Zelda, Pokken, Fates, etc all being released straight to YouTube.
@aaronmclaren Both PS4 and Xbox One were announced and released in the same year. True, they were announced in Feb/March respectively and released in Nov, but the full reveal with games and stuff was not until E3, so I think it is feasible.
Also, I still think its possible Nintendo might reveal it before E3 in a Nintendo Direct, if its a 2016 launch. The 3DSXL and the New 3DS were both revealed in Nintendo Directs. The 2DS was revealed in a press release. I know people expect a live event for the reveal, and it's true that none of my examples were new console reveals, but NDs were not as relevant before 3DS and Wii U either.
@rjejr In Accounting, R&D costs usually don't hit until the related item is put into use or the product is released. They would be capitalized before that. Therefore, interpreting the "costs" and "return to profits" statements like you did, I would expect that means they plan to launch the NX in FY 17 (4/1/16 - 3/31/17).
That said, I am thinking in terms of U.S. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principals). I am not overly familiar with IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) and I have no idea what is common in Japan. But since the operating losses were first in FY 2012 and 2013 (4/1/11 - 3/31/14), the years the 3DS and Wii U were released, I would think that it works the same.
@antdickens Sorry, I spoke too soon. I was still messing around with it and must have changed it back manually. But I can't view the comments at all on my desktop browser, whenever I click the link to load comments, it just takes me back to the home page.
@Kirk @ThomasBW84 I am having the same issue on my desktop browser. I click "Tap here to load ## comments" and it just takes me to the main page. Other than that, nice new design. It looks great on my iPhone!
@Yorumi I think there are other things besides just graphics that they did. While the new textures and resolution are awesome, the more important things are the other new features. We have gamepad support (a lot of people hated the waggle controls). There is gamepad inventory/map and gyroscope aiming which are awesome Zelda features. I have loved this on each one of the other re-makes. They added an item to make the Poe quest easier. They reduced the number of tears you need to streamline the game. They fixed the issue with the rupee-chest with full wallets. They added a hard mode available from the start, to add a challenge for those who find the game too easy. The one disc has both standard and mirror layouts so it adds a new level of re-playability that you wouldn't have had unless you owned both GCN and Wii versions.
I totally understand the pricing complaints when comparing it to other companies. If you already own a previous version, it's understandable. I have played the originals but do not own them. Just to put it into perspective, to buy a used copy of Wii/GCN version of this game, it costs 29.99 at GameStop. $20 extra for the additional features and resolution seems worthwhile. I am sure I could get it cheaper on eBay or something, but I would rather get a new copy that looks and plays better.
@bluedogrulez I think that is highly likely given early comments about NX being a platform. Two separate devices that can work together or individually. Maybe something like iPhone/iPad where most games work on both in the same way, but then you have some iPad only games. Most games will work on both handheld/console (I would expect all of Nintendo's first party) and some will be console only (some of the more resource intense third party games).
@TourianTourist Yes, the amiibo content could be possible without the amiibo, but the real question is ... would that content even exist without the amiibo? I doubt it. Mario getting a Pac-man or Mega Man or Pikachu costume without amiibo existing? A once-a-day-refill-hearts/arrows in-game item for TP?
@ikki5 Nintendo is still reprinting. There is a fine line between having enough and having too much. Marth sold out super fast initially and people were very upset. Now he is everywhere taking up space on store shelves. Your examples, Rosalina, Robin and Lucina, are correct. They are still scarce. But they also don't have any major upcoming game support. I am sure that if a new game gets announced that use those in any meaningful way, a new set of that amiibo will also show up. The scalper situation is actually pretty much gone. Yes, some of the old ones are still rare (though not as badly as in early 2015), but the issue is not there for any of the new ones. Look at the last two amiibo releases, Mewtwo and Falco. Both did not sell out on pre-orders, both did not sell out on day one... and both are still on store shelves. Lucas comes out this week and is still available for order. I cant speak to the AC ones since I have no interest in those. Amiibo were never designed to be limited edition. It turned out that way because Nintendo was conservative in initial production (can you blame them after Wii U?). They have been slowly fixing it. It isn't perfect, but just have some patience.
I also wish people would stop saying it was content developed and then removed to be attached to amiibo. That is quite unfair. More likely it was content developed FOR amiibo in the first place. Do you honestly believe Mario would have a Pac-man or Greninja costume if those amiibo did not exist? Or do you believe that they would have mapped a once-a-day-refill-hearts/arrows to a button in TP if the amiibo didn't exist? The Ganondorf amiibo is likely the result of the question "what should this amiibo do that would make sense for the character?" more than the thought "let's lock a mode behind this toy." The wolf-link amiibo content was designed with the amiibo in mind. I don't think it would exist if not for the amiibo.
@ikki5 Before this gen (for Nintendo at least) every single game was "limited quantity" since they did not have full-game downloads on the eShop. ALL the content was tied to a physical object (the game disc).
And the scalper argument is vastly outdated. Nintendo has been doing a fantastic job re-printing quickly sold out amiibo. I remember I went to a comic con earlier in the year where they had a Captain Falcon amiibo for $80 because it was one of the rare ones. I happily bought it for $10 after the recent re-print, and it is still sitting on store shelves. I am fairly certain that if a big game releases with exclusive amiibo features from a sold out amiibo, that that particular amiibo will be re-printed.
Lastly, you are looking at it from the point of view of someone who does not have the amiibo and wants to buy it for this game. On the other hand, there are those who bought Ganondorf for nothing other than Smash functionality. Now they get this cool new feature in a new game for free... Another way to look at it, if you buy Ganondorf for this game, you get costumes in Wooly World, costumes in Mario Maker, and Smash functionality for free.
Hmm... interesting... isn't the 2DS designed for kids? Not sure many current kids would be all that excited to play Red, Blue, Yellow VC games. I thought the VC releases was for us nostalgia-ridden adults. Odd that they would choose 2DS to bundle with it. Or maybe, its a way to get us nostalgia-fools to buy a 2DS when we probably otherwise never would... That artwork on the box... /sigh
I am unsure how this VR thing is going to go. It does seem a bit rushed. The cost is just too high for it to be accepted by a wide audience. And it has the risk of falling into the catch 22 that the Wii U did. No one will want to develop for it because there aren't many sales. And no one will want to buy it because there is little to play on it. I also assume developing a VR game would cost more than developing a normal game. I don't think I have heard of any big studios developing games around it. And I wonder if the games will retain their $60 price point. I would expect them to cost more too, but then again, right now its PC/Steam so maybe they will cost less? Not sure how that market works.
All signs point to Oculus/Facebook being prepared to weather the flop the first generation will be. But I suppose that is still to be seen. They could easily pull a PS3 and turn it around with a well timed price drop. Or maybe they could pull an iPhone and release a 2nd generation product with some kind of subsidy in a year.
Sony releasing the PSVR this year could help. Even if it is vastly inferior to the Rift/Vive, if it is enough for 10% of PS4 owners to buy, it could succeed. It might even create demand for the Rift/Vive if people want the superior experience. Or it could turn people off of VR completely if it's not done properly.
TL DR; The technology is just not consumer ready. The high cost barrier to entry is a big deal and will mean that both hardware and software providers will need to weather losses to make this more than a passing fad. I don't think they are willing to though.
I love the light vs dark theme for the Bayonetta art. Peach and G&W locking frying pans is epic. And I love that villager with the axe and glint in the eye is on the "dark" side
@burninmylight I think if the marketing was right, it could work. Make it noticeably distinct. Call it two different things. Color code that game disks, I.e white for the core system and black for the advanced.
If you are an avid gamer, pay more and buy the whole thing and play every game. If you are a light or party or family gamer, pay the for just the core system to play those types of games. Then if you want more, you can easily upgrade.
@gaga64 I disagree. A common argument for the Wii is that I catered to only casual gamers. That along with its price for it 100 mil sales. And up until recently casual games were still made and still sold on the Wii. So if all those gamers are fine with having a library with less intense games, I think that market still exists. Even the Wii U has 10 mil sales with many games not requiring the full processing power of the system. I would think that most of Nintendo's first party games would work on the core system with Zelda or Metroid being the most notable exceptions. And Nintendo has some experience too as the N64 expansion pak and the Wii motion plus are precursors to this idea.
Or maybe its a way for Nintendo to release powerhouse systems without completely sacrificing their family budget prices.
I.e. If you are only looking for casual or low power games (2D platformers or party or Indie games) you only need the NX 1. If you want to play the more intense complex games (3rd parties, 3D action, graphically superior games) you will need to attach the NX 2.
Interesting that you pointed out that this could be a handheld device plugged into a supplemental device connected to your TV to make it a home console. It certainly promotes that rumor.
My initial thoughts were more akin to a supplemental device you could plug into your existing console. I.e. if you already own a Wii U, instead of buying a whole new console, you buy the supplemental device to boost the power to that of the new one.
@Yorumi While I agree that the official stance of Nintendo supports the blank slate argument, I think it's Nintendo's stance that needs to change. Link does have defining attributes (i.e. pointy ears, blonde hair, fair skin etc.). Even though I am a guy, these don't represent me at all. So just giving him a gender swap option opens up a slew of other issues and it will hit the point where the Link everyone knows and recognizes will be lost. Look at Triforce Heroes. The Link in that game is recruited because he looks like the "Hero".
Even though the gender may be open to interpretation, there are subtleties that define the gender in the games. Ruto's engagement, Darunia's brotherhood, Mido's jealousy, Ilia's affection, Groose's rivalry, the brother sister relationship in WW, the Tetra-relationship, the fact that boys are dressed in the tunic to mimic the hero when they come of age in WW, etc.
I don't have a problem with a female protagonist, but a choice would eliminate all these small little details. Unless each choice also changed the story accordingly. That might even add some replay value.
As soon as I saw the headline, there was a huge child-like grin on my face! It also helps that it is on my Birthday. Please Nintendo, make it a good birthday gift!
@rjejr When I saw the headline I got instantly excited at the news and the disappointed right after as I realized this was yet another announcement outside of an ND. The chances of an ND keep disappearing with each new announcement.
But I still have high hopes. I remember when they had an ND in the middle of December a couple years ago. I think it was the one that announced Hyrule Warriors.
@Azikira I hope when (not if ) they add water it is not stuck at the bottom of the screen. Some of the most creative levels in SM3DW or the Galaxy games had suspended water. The ability to jump in a block of water and swim up and jump out at the top would provide for some interesting level design.
@Splatburst I know you only need one for download play but I was wondering if two of us bought the game and the third didn't, would we still be able to play together? Or can only one of us use the full game and the other who bought it won't be able to progress?
I have a question, if two players locally have the game, can a third player join in via download play? Also similarly, if I join a game online with friends, but I only have one friend, can a third player be a random stranger join our game?
@rjejr I hope that HDMI out is more like a Chromecast type HDMI stick and the NX (handheld) beams to the stick much like the Wii U currently beams to the gamepad. And you should be able to sync other controllers or other NX's to the one NX beamed to the HDMI stick for multiplayer hence getting rid of the need to buy multiple game copies for multiplayer (like Smash 3DS)! That would be my dream come true.
Now battery life and cost are whole other issues...
The whole pre-order thing is silly. Why cant they just do the event when they have the actual amiibo? It isn't as though they are trying to figure out how much to make... they still have allocations per store. It is annoying because now you have to go to the store to pre-order... and then go again to pick it up.
I intend on buying the new Nintendo system at launch. Then when the inevitable drought hits I will buy the last gen Sony system (PS4 in this case) and catch up on all the games I missed.
This strategy worked very well this past gen. Most Nintendo games do not drop in price very quickly. And when they do, they are pretty scarce so even used game prices are high. I bought new Wii U games as they came out, and then bought a PS3 when the first drought hit. Bought most of last gen's hits for $5-15 and they were readily available so I always had something to play.
Truthfully, if the PS4 had announced backwards compatibility, I probably would have bought that instead...But this strategy was such a resounding success that I will do that with the NX and PS4 too .
@RupeeClock Actually Donkey Kong Jr. is modern DK's (with tie) father. See, Donkey Kong Jr. is Donkey Kong's (arcade) son. That Donkey Kong (arcade) is Cranky Kong. And we know that Cranky Kong is modern DK's (with tie) grandfather. Therefore, modern DK (with tie) is actually Donkey Kong the Third.
Last year's E3 Smash Tournament was a lot of fun to watch. And that was 100% invitation only.
This year, they open it up to the public to have a chance to compete and people are upset? Anyways, even if it was 29 cities, people would still complain.
Personally, I am more interested in watching the competition on the 14 than having a chance to participate. Even if it was in my city, I doubt I would be good enough to win. I also imagine that the people who are good enough/serious enough about this, would travel to their nearest location to participate.
I turned off motion when playing with the roller. However, I found the game to be much harder without motion when using the splattershot or the splat charger. As was mentioned in the video, the movements became much more rigid and it was hard to keep up in the fast paced turf war.
The combination of motion and right stick worked the best for me.
I was just recapping what happened at last year's E3 for comparison. They announced 10 new games as well as introduced amiibo. Out of that, all but 4 games are out (will be out) before this year's E3! Not to mention the other things that were announced and released in between (MM3D, Xenoblade Chronicles, P&D, etc) Can't wait to see what all get's announced this year!
Here is the announcement list I came up with: Kirby Rainbow Curse Captain Toad Mario Maker Splatoon Bayonetta 1 Zelda Code Name Steam Amiibo Star Fox Mario Party 10 Devils Third
Plus more info on previously announced games: Smash Yarn Yoshi Bayonetta 2 Hyrule Warriors Pokémon OR & AS
@Jenraux @rjejr To be fair, Nintendo has had its press conference/digital event at 9 on the first day every year for several years now. As soon as Square Enix announced their intent we knew it was going to be at the same time as Nintendo's...
@sinalefa Well, that was always their plan: make more of popular well-known characters, and less of others. Avoiding hindsight, it kind of made sense. I mean there is only SSB functionality for Pit and Little Mac as of right now, while other characters work in several additional games. They planned amiibo as add-ons to their video games; they weren't expecting the collectible craze.
@sinalefa I think the "we underestimated demand" still holds. If you go back and look at some of the CPSIA certs of the original wave, the were manufactured in Aug/Sep for a November release. That's two-three months from manufacturing to release. Plus if you think about it, they were announced at E3 in June and hit manufacturing in August. Ness and Charizard show manufacturing in January and are just now about to come out. Now consider that Amiibo are less than 6 months old and the real issue started surfacing in January/February of this year. Even if they figured it all out in January (which I doubt) and ramped up orders/manufacturing, it will still take some time for the fruit of their efforts to hit stores.
@BinaryFragger True they have been out for a while, but the problem did not really begin until mid December when it was revealed the Marth, WFT, and Villager were being discontinued. I remember being pretty wishy-washy on pre-ordering my favorites from Wave 3, and I had no problems when I finally pulled the trigger for Meta Knight and DDD. I think the real issues began with Rosalina pre-orders/launch day lines. Even then I don't think Nintendo realized the problem until February. It takes time to order, manufacture, and ship these things. They announced Marth re-prints in Feb and it still hasn't shipped yet. Hopefully the fix is implemented, but it will take time for the effects to show up in the market.
I am a bit disappointed at the disaster wave 4 appears to be. Wave 3 pre-orders were up for several days/weeks before the sell-outs happened. For Wave 4, you basically had to refresh constantly and hope you were fast enough for the 10-15 minute pre-order window . But I will throw Nintendo a bone and assume wave 4 orders were decided before the amiibo craze was fully realized...
@wisdomsprince Yea, I was hoping for some new games too. But its the same issue as last year. All the platinum rewards are games platinum folks probably already have. Not that I am complaining, but I probably would have been happier with 700 bonus coins to get one of the other games on the download list... just so that there is a bigger selection to choose from.
@abbyhitter It would be interesting for sure... but it wouldn't work as the reason that Hyrule was flooded was because there was no Hero to take up the Master Sword.
Comments 370
Re: Preview: Preferring the Air in Star Fox Zero
@Turbo857 I think they said Gyro could be turned off last year... but I believe in the most recent preview event a month ago, it was stated that it can not be turned off after all.
“Motion controls cannot be entirely disabled in Star Fox Zero, although players will have some options to choose how they are implemented.”
“The game was designed to be played with motion controls, and it would be incredibly difficult to complete certain areas of the game without the independent aiming and flight that they offer.”
Re: Soapbox: Nintendo Was Wrong To Turn Its Back On The Wii Remote
I wish they made twin Wiimotes. I loved how the two hands on the Wiimote/nunchuk were not cramped together. I got used to lounging on my couch in random positions and still being able to play Mario Galaxy and what not. The wire connecting the two was annoying. I always wanted them to improve it by making two wireless controllers that were basically two halves of a pro controller. The left hand one would have an anolog stick, a d-pad, a trigger and a shoulder button along with the IR and gyro. The right hand one would have the other analog stick, the other trigger/shoulder button, and an ABXY layout. This could have solved all the problems. Third-party ports wouldn't have to shoe-horn in waggle controls because there would be enough buttons, and motion-designed games would still work too. A pro-controller could still be an option for purists, but it wouldn't be necessary as the twin Wiimotes would basically be the same.
Re: Rumour: New Nintendo NX Controller Images Surface and Set the Web Alight
@Jayvir @SanderEvers @Kevlar44 @MGray So I found this product from Tactus: http://www.gizmag.com/phorm-ipad-mini-typing/36057/
That thing is pretty cool. It even gives a little when pressed to make it feel like buttons. And the this one has no battery needed albeit it only has one config. It costs $100-$150. If it was used in the proposed controller/handheld, the morphable part would not need to cover the whole screen, just the edges near your thumbs. Since the above example uses no battery, having this one use power to change the layout would probably not be taxing enough to compromise a handheld's battery. Couple that in with the iPad mini keyboard sized case above only costing $100, it could be consumer-price friendly enough for Nintendo. The Wii U was expensive because the streaming-to-a-second-screen tech was new, but they already developed that and recouped the R&D with the Wii U. It shouldn't affect the price of the NX that much. And this tech is possibly outsourced, so maybe it is in the realm of possibility.
Re: Fans Should Expect "Something New" With Zelda Wii U, Says Eiji Aonuma
@rjejr @earthboundlink I don't think the analogy for Book vs Movie works for Video Game Text vs Video Game Voice. Books have descriptions of the scenery, the characters, and events in high detail, along with actual dialogue. With video games, the text is all dialogue, so it is literally a difference between reading and listening as the scene is still unfolding visually in front of you.
I think the solution is a midpoint. Whenever you talk to NPCs in-game, these can probably remain text. But the cut-scenes do need voice acting. It definitely breaks the immersion when the scene has to freeze as you wait for the player to push A to advance to the next text bubble (i.e. shocked-Link face with the text "NOOOO!" where its paused at the shocked face until you hit A). It is kind of like a midpoint between comics and videos. It could definitely work if that was the style they were aiming for, but I don't think that's the case.
Re: Talking Point: The Time is Right for a Nintendo Direct
My theory is that they will unveil the NX in the next Direct similar to how PS4/XBO were announced in February of their launch years. However, I think the reason we haven't gotten one is because they probably do not want to reveal it too soon before the end of their FY. Just the mention of the codename last year has probably killed off quite a bit of sales. Fully unveiling it will completely kill off any more sales and they probably want to end this FY with as many sales as they can squeeze out.
TL;DR: I find it unlikely that there will be a Nintendo Direct until mid-to-late March. Especially with all the trailers for Zelda, Pokken, Fates, etc all being released straight to YouTube.
Re: Video: Mario Kart Meets Star Wars In This Forceful Fan-Made Clip
@Yorumi Ooh, or maybe even a new mode, where instead of doing one track three times, each lap is a random track from the game.
Re: Tatsumi Kimishima Pinpoints NX and Mobile as Key Areas to Deliver 'Nintendo-Like' Profits
@aaronmclaren Both PS4 and Xbox One were announced and released in the same year. True, they were announced in Feb/March respectively and released in Nov, but the full reveal with games and stuff was not until E3, so I think it is feasible.
Also, I still think its possible Nintendo might reveal it before E3 in a Nintendo Direct, if its a 2016 launch. The 3DSXL and the New 3DS were both revealed in Nintendo Directs. The 2DS was revealed in a press release. I know people expect a live event for the reveal, and it's true that none of my examples were new console reveals, but NDs were not as relevant before 3DS and Wii U either.
Re: Tatsumi Kimishima Pinpoints NX and Mobile as Key Areas to Deliver 'Nintendo-Like' Profits
@rjejr In Accounting, R&D costs usually don't hit until the related item is put into use or the product is released. They would be capitalized before that. Therefore, interpreting the "costs" and "return to profits" statements like you did, I would expect that means they plan to launch the NX in FY 17 (4/1/16 - 3/31/17).
That said, I am thinking in terms of U.S. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principals). I am not overly familiar with IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) and I have no idea what is common in Japan. But since the operating losses were first in FY 2012 and 2013 (4/1/11 - 3/31/14), the years the 3DS and Wii U were released, I would think that it works the same.
Re: Site News: Welcome To The Brand New Nintendo Life!
@antdickens Internet Explorer 11 is working for me now. Awesome! Thanks for the quick fix!
Re: Site News: Welcome To The Brand New Nintendo Life!
@antdickens Sorry, I spoke too soon. I was still messing around with it and must have changed it back manually. But I can't view the comments at all on my desktop browser, whenever I click the link to load comments, it just takes me back to the home page.
Re: Site News: Welcome To The Brand New Nintendo Life!
@ThomasBW84 @antdickens Also, is there a way to get the "List View" to stick so that it defaults to "List View" whenever I visit the site?
Edit: Nevermind... It does stick.
Re: Site News: Welcome To The Brand New Nintendo Life!
@Kirk @ThomasBW84 I am having the same issue on my desktop browser. I click "Tap here to load ## comments" and it just takes me to the main page. Other than that, nice new design. It looks great on my iPhone!
Re: Video: Digital Foundry Tackles the Native Resolution and Framerate in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
@Yorumi I think there are other things besides just graphics that they did. While the new textures and resolution are awesome, the more important things are the other new features. We have gamepad support (a lot of people hated the waggle controls). There is gamepad inventory/map and gyroscope aiming which are awesome Zelda features. I have loved this on each one of the other re-makes. They added an item to make the Poe quest easier. They reduced the number of tears you need to streamline the game. They fixed the issue with the rupee-chest with full wallets. They added a hard mode available from the start, to add a challenge for those who find the game too easy. The one disc has both standard and mirror layouts so it adds a new level of re-playability that you wouldn't have had unless you owned both GCN and Wii versions.
I totally understand the pricing complaints when comparing it to other companies. If you already own a previous version, it's understandable. I have played the originals but do not own them. Just to put it into perspective, to buy a used copy of Wii/GCN version of this game, it costs 29.99 at GameStop. $20 extra for the additional features and resolution seems worthwhile. I am sure I could get it cheaper on eBay or something, but I would rather get a new copy that looks and plays better.
Re: Video: Watch The Epic Pokémon Super Bowl Commercial Right Here
@Nicolai For a second there I thought I missed it too. I don't watch sports either but I usually tune in for the Super Bowl.
Re: Rumour: Online Survey Mentions NX's 4K Video Streaming, 900p Gameplay And Hybrid Hardware
@bluedogrulez I think that is highly likely given early comments about NX being a platform. Two separate devices that can work together or individually. Maybe something like iPhone/iPad where most games work on both in the same way, but then you have some iPad only games. Most games will work on both handheld/console (I would expect all of Nintendo's first party) and some will be console only (some of the more resource intense third party games).
Re: Rumour: Details of amiibo Features in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Emerge
@TourianTourist Yes, the amiibo content could be possible without the amiibo, but the real question is ... would that content even exist without the amiibo? I doubt it. Mario getting a Pac-man or Mega Man or Pikachu costume without amiibo existing? A once-a-day-refill-hearts/arrows in-game item for TP?
Re: Rumour: Details of amiibo Features in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Emerge
@ikki5 Nintendo is still reprinting. There is a fine line between having enough and having too much. Marth sold out super fast initially and people were very upset. Now he is everywhere taking up space on store shelves. Your examples, Rosalina, Robin and Lucina, are correct. They are still scarce. But they also don't have any major upcoming game support. I am sure that if a new game gets announced that use those in any meaningful way, a new set of that amiibo will also show up. The scalper situation is actually pretty much gone. Yes, some of the old ones are still rare (though not as badly as in early 2015), but the issue is not there for any of the new ones. Look at the last two amiibo releases, Mewtwo and Falco. Both did not sell out on pre-orders, both did not sell out on day one... and both are still on store shelves. Lucas comes out this week and is still available for order. I cant speak to the AC ones since I have no interest in those. Amiibo were never designed to be limited edition. It turned out that way because Nintendo was conservative in initial production (can you blame them after Wii U?). They have been slowly fixing it. It isn't perfect, but just have some patience.
I also wish people would stop saying it was content developed and then removed to be attached to amiibo. That is quite unfair. More likely it was content developed FOR amiibo in the first place. Do you honestly believe Mario would have a Pac-man or Greninja costume if those amiibo did not exist? Or do you believe that they would have mapped a once-a-day-refill-hearts/arrows to a button in TP if the amiibo didn't exist? The Ganondorf amiibo is likely the result of the question "what should this amiibo do that would make sense for the character?" more than the thought "let's lock a mode behind this toy." The wolf-link amiibo content was designed with the amiibo in mind. I don't think it would exist if not for the amiibo.
Re: Rumour: Details of amiibo Features in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Emerge
@ikki5 Before this gen (for Nintendo at least) every single game was "limited quantity" since they did not have full-game downloads on the eShop. ALL the content was tied to a physical object (the game disc).
And the scalper argument is vastly outdated. Nintendo has been doing a fantastic job re-printing quickly sold out amiibo. I remember I went to a comic con earlier in the year where they had a Captain Falcon amiibo for $80 because it was one of the rare ones. I happily bought it for $10 after the recent re-print, and it is still sitting on store shelves. I am fairly certain that if a big game releases with exclusive amiibo features from a sold out amiibo, that that particular amiibo will be re-printed.
If you are referring to Ganondorf, it hardly qualifies for the scalper comment. Heck, its available right now from Amazon with Prime shipping for $10... http://www.amazon.com/Ganondorf-Amiibo-Super-nintendo-wii-u/dp/B0128UGIXC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453254309&sr=8-1&keywords=ganondorf+amiibo
Lastly, you are looking at it from the point of view of someone who does not have the amiibo and wants to buy it for this game. On the other hand, there are those who bought Ganondorf for nothing other than Smash functionality. Now they get this cool new feature in a new game for free... Another way to look at it, if you buy Ganondorf for this game, you get costumes in Wooly World, costumes in Mario Maker, and Smash functionality for free.
Re: Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow 2DS Bundles Confirmed for Europe, New 3DS Bundle Coming to North America
Hmm... interesting... isn't the 2DS designed for kids? Not sure many current kids would be all that excited to play Red, Blue, Yellow VC games. I thought the VC releases was for us nostalgia-ridden adults. Odd that they would choose 2DS to bundle with it. Or maybe, its a way to get us nostalgia-fools to buy a 2DS when we probably otherwise never would... That artwork on the box... /sigh
Re: Oculus Founder Palmer Luckey Believes Virtual Boy "Hurt" the VR Industry, But It's Not All Bad
I am unsure how this VR thing is going to go. It does seem a bit rushed. The cost is just too high for it to be accepted by a wide audience. And it has the risk of falling into the catch 22 that the Wii U did. No one will want to develop for it because there aren't many sales. And no one will want to buy it because there is little to play on it. I also assume developing a VR game would cost more than developing a normal game. I don't think I have heard of any big studios developing games around it. And I wonder if the games will retain their $60 price point. I would expect them to cost more too, but then again, right now its PC/Steam so maybe they will cost less? Not sure how that market works.
All signs point to Oculus/Facebook being prepared to weather the flop the first generation will be. But I suppose that is still to be seen. They could easily pull a PS3 and turn it around with a well timed price drop. Or maybe they could pull an iPhone and release a 2nd generation product with some kind of subsidy in a year.
Sony releasing the PSVR this year could help. Even if it is vastly inferior to the Rift/Vive, if it is enough for 10% of PS4 owners to buy, it could succeed. It might even create demand for the Rift/Vive if people want the superior experience. Or it could turn people off of VR completely if it's not done properly.
TL DR; The technology is just not consumer ready. The high cost barrier to entry is a big deal and will mean that both hardware and software providers will need to weather losses to make this more than a passing fad. I don't think they are willing to though.
Re: Gallery: Gawk At the Super Smash Bros. Reveal Art for Bayonetta and Corrin, Along With Cloud Screenshots
Also, that Cloud artwork... Sqeenix... Please make Nintendo Hearts!
Re: Gallery: Gawk At the Super Smash Bros. Reveal Art for Bayonetta and Corrin, Along With Cloud Screenshots
I love the light vs dark theme for the Bayonetta art. Peach and G&W locking frying pans is epic. And I love that villager with the axe and glint in the eye is on the "dark" side
Re: Mercedes Arrives in Super Mario Maker With a Course and Mystery Mushroom Outfit
With all the outfits they keep adding, I guess me hoping for the Mystery Mushroom showing up in the other three designs is turning into a pipe dream.
Re: Intriguing Nintendo Patent Points to 'Supplemental Computing Device' and Cloud Resources for a Gaming System
@burninmylight I think if the marketing was right, it could work. Make it noticeably distinct. Call it two different things. Color code that game disks, I.e white for the core system and black for the advanced.
If you are an avid gamer, pay more and buy the whole thing and play every game. If you are a light or party or family gamer, pay the for just the core system to play those types of games. Then if you want more, you can easily upgrade.
Re: Intriguing Nintendo Patent Points to 'Supplemental Computing Device' and Cloud Resources for a Gaming System
@gaga64 I disagree. A common argument for the Wii is that I catered to only casual gamers. That along with its price for it 100 mil sales. And up until recently casual games were still made and still sold on the Wii. So if all those gamers are fine with having a library with less intense games, I think that market still exists. Even the Wii U has 10 mil sales with many games not requiring the full processing power of the system. I would think that most of Nintendo's first party games would work on the core system with Zelda or Metroid being the most notable exceptions. And Nintendo has some experience too as the N64 expansion pak and the Wii motion plus are precursors to this idea.
Re: Intriguing Nintendo Patent Points to 'Supplemental Computing Device' and Cloud Resources for a Gaming System
Or maybe its a way for Nintendo to release powerhouse systems without completely sacrificing their family budget prices.
I.e. If you are only looking for casual or low power games (2D platformers or party or Indie games) you only need the NX 1. If you want to play the more intense complex games (3rd parties, 3D action, graphically superior games) you will need to attach the NX 2.
Re: Intriguing Nintendo Patent Points to 'Supplemental Computing Device' and Cloud Resources for a Gaming System
Interesting that you pointed out that this could be a handheld device plugged into a supplemental device connected to your TV to make it a home console. It certainly promotes that rumor.
My initial thoughts were more akin to a supplemental device you could plug into your existing console. I.e. if you already own a Wii U, instead of buying a whole new console, you buy the supplemental device to boost the power to that of the new one.
Either implementation has exciting possibilities.
Re: Editorial: Linkle May be a Clunky Introduction For a 'Female Link', But Opens Up Interesting Possibilities
@Yorumi While I agree that the official stance of Nintendo supports the blank slate argument, I think it's Nintendo's stance that needs to change. Link does have defining attributes (i.e. pointy ears, blonde hair, fair skin etc.). Even though I am a guy, these don't represent me at all. So just giving him a gender swap option opens up a slew of other issues and it will hit the point where the Link everyone knows and recognizes will be lost. Look at Triforce Heroes. The Link in that game is recruited because he looks like the "Hero".
Even though the gender may be open to interpretation, there are subtleties that define the gender in the games. Ruto's engagement, Darunia's brotherhood, Mido's jealousy, Ilia's affection, Groose's rivalry, the brother sister relationship in WW, the Tetra-relationship, the fact that boys are dressed in the tunic to mimic the hero when they come of age in WW, etc.
I don't have a problem with a female protagonist, but a choice would eliminate all these small little details. Unless each choice also changed the story accordingly. That might even add some replay value.
Re: The Next Nintendo Direct is on 12th November
As soon as I saw the headline, there was a huge child-like grin on my face! It also helps that it is on my Birthday. Please Nintendo, make it a good birthday gift!
Re: Super Mario Maker Gets Mid-Level Checkpoints and More in Upcoming Update
@rjejr When I saw the headline I got instantly excited at the news and the disappointed right after as I realized this was yet another announcement outside of an ND. The chances of an ND keep disappearing with each new announcement.
But I still have high hopes. I remember when they had an ND in the middle of December a couple years ago. I think it was the one that announced Hyrule Warriors.
Re: Super Mario Maker Gets Mid-Level Checkpoints and More in Upcoming Update
@Azikira I hope when (not if ) they add water it is not stuck at the bottom of the screen. Some of the most creative levels in SM3DW or the Galaxy games had suspended water. The ability to jump in a block of water and swim up and jump out at the top would provide for some interesting level design.
Re: Review: The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)
@Splatburst I know you only need one for download play but I was wondering if two of us bought the game and the third didn't, would we still be able to play together? Or can only one of us use the full game and the other who bought it won't be able to progress?
Re: Review: The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)
I have a question, if two players locally have the game, can a third player join in via download play? Also similarly, if I join a game online with friends, but I only have one friend, can a third player be a random stranger join our game?
Re: Climate "Not Healthy" For Dedicated Handheld Games Consoles, Says Sony's Shuhei Yoshida
@rjejr I hope that HDMI out is more like a Chromecast type HDMI stick and the NX (handheld) beams to the stick much like the Wii U currently beams to the gamepad. And you should be able to sync other controllers or other NX's to the one NX beamed to the HDMI stick for multiplayer hence getting rid of the need to buy multiple game copies for multiplayer (like Smash 3DS)! That would be my dream come true.
Now battery life and cost are whole other issues...
Re: It's Autobots vs Decepticons in the Upcoming Transformers Splatfest
Partner with DC so we can do Batman vs. Superman!!!
Re: Rumours and Contradictions Are Everywhere in The Case of GameStop's Exclusive amiibo Triple Pack
The whole pre-order thing is silly. Why cant they just do the event when they have the actual amiibo? It isn't as though they are trying to figure out how much to make... they still have allocations per store. It is annoying because now you have to go to the store to pre-order... and then go again to pick it up.
Re: Talking Point: E3 Highlighted Nintendo's Development Shift Towards NX, and Away from Wii U
I intend on buying the new Nintendo system at launch. Then when the inevitable drought hits I will buy the last gen Sony system (PS4 in this case) and catch up on all the games I missed.
This strategy worked very well this past gen. Most Nintendo games do not drop in price very quickly. And when they do, they are pretty scarce so even used game prices are high. I bought new Wii U games as they came out, and then bought a PS3 when the first drought hit. Bought most of last gen's hits for $5-15 and they were readily available so I always had something to play.
Truthfully, if the PS4 had announced backwards compatibility, I probably would have bought that instead...But this strategy was such a resounding success that I will do that with the NX and PS4 too .
Re: Fresh European Trademark for Diddy Kong Cranks Rumours Into Gear
@RupeeClock Actually Donkey Kong Jr. is modern DK's (with tie) father. See, Donkey Kong Jr. is Donkey Kong's (arcade) son. That Donkey Kong (arcade) is Cranky Kong. And we know that Cranky Kong is modern DK's (with tie) grandfather. Therefore, modern DK (with tie) is actually Donkey Kong the Third.
Re: Reaction: Nintendo Dropped the Ball, Not the Mic, With Its Nintendo World Championships 2015 Qualifiers
Last year's E3 Smash Tournament was a lot of fun to watch. And that was 100% invitation only.
This year, they open it up to the public to have a chance to compete and people are upset? Anyways, even if it was 29 cities, people would still complain.
Personally, I am more interested in watching the competition on the 14 than having a chance to participate. Even if it was in my city, I doubt I would be good enough to win. I also imagine that the people who are good enough/serious enough about this, would travel to their nearest location to participate.
Re: Video: We Tackle The Dual-Stick vs. Motion Controls Splatoon Debate
I turned off motion when playing with the roller. However, I found the game to be much harder without motion when using the splattershot or the splat charger. As was mentioned in the video, the movements became much more rigid and it was hard to keep up in the fast paced turf war.
The combination of motion and right stick worked the best for me.
Re: Nintendo Announces Its Plans for E3 2015, Headlined By New Nintendo World Championships
I was just recapping what happened at last year's E3 for comparison. They announced 10 new games as well as introduced amiibo. Out of that, all but 4 games are out (will be out) before this year's E3! Not to mention the other things that were announced and released in between (MM3D, Xenoblade Chronicles, P&D, etc) Can't wait to see what all get's announced this year!
Here is the announcement list I came up with:
Kirby Rainbow Curse
Captain Toad
Mario Maker
Splatoon
Bayonetta 1
Zelda
Code Name Steam
Amiibo
Star Fox
Mario Party 10
Devils Third
Plus more info on previously announced games:
Smash
Yarn Yoshi
Bayonetta 2
Hyrule Warriors
Pokémon OR & AS
Re: Nintendo Announces Its Plans for E3 2015, Headlined By New Nintendo World Championships
@Jenraux @rjejr To be fair, Nintendo has had its press conference/digital event at 9 on the first day every year for several years now. As soon as Square Enix announced their intent we knew it was going to be at the same time as Nintendo's...
Re: Bill Trinen Appears To Have Left Nintendo Of America - Or Has He?
I am guessing he get's KO'd by whomever is in the Little Mac outfit. But he posted to early... messy time conversions
Re: Sit Tight, Nintendo Will Announce Its E3 2015 Plans Tomorrow
I love announcements about teasers for announcements!
That said.. I will have the popcorn ready tomorrow at 9... haha.
Re: Nintendo of America Apologises for amiibo Shortages and Promises More Re-Stocks
@sinalefa Well, that was always their plan: make more of popular well-known characters, and less of others. Avoiding hindsight, it kind of made sense. I mean there is only SSB functionality for Pit and Little Mac as of right now, while other characters work in several additional games. They planned amiibo as add-ons to their video games; they weren't expecting the collectible craze.
Re: Nintendo of America Apologises for amiibo Shortages and Promises More Re-Stocks
@sinalefa I think the "we underestimated demand" still holds. If you go back and look at some of the CPSIA certs of the original wave, the were manufactured in Aug/Sep for a November release. That's two-three months from manufacturing to release. Plus if you think about it, they were announced at E3 in June and hit manufacturing in August. Ness and Charizard show manufacturing in January and are just now about to come out. Now consider that Amiibo are less than 6 months old and the real issue started surfacing in January/February of this year. Even if they figured it all out in January (which I doubt) and ramped up orders/manufacturing, it will still take some time for the fruit of their efforts to hit stores.
http://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11021/~/cpsia-certificates-of-compliance
Also, I just noticed as I went to check the CPSIA certs for this post that Ike and Meta Knight have received a new month of manufacturing.
Re: Nintendo of America Apologises for amiibo Shortages and Promises More Re-Stocks
@BinaryFragger True they have been out for a while, but the problem did not really begin until mid December when it was revealed the Marth, WFT, and Villager were being discontinued. I remember being pretty wishy-washy on pre-ordering my favorites from Wave 3, and I had no problems when I finally pulled the trigger for Meta Knight and DDD. I think the real issues began with Rosalina pre-orders/launch day lines. Even then I don't think Nintendo realized the problem until February. It takes time to order, manufacture, and ship these things. They announced Marth re-prints in Feb and it still hasn't shipped yet. Hopefully the fix is implemented, but it will take time for the effects to show up in the market.
I am a bit disappointed at the disaster wave 4 appears to be. Wave 3 pre-orders were up for several days/weeks before the sell-outs happened. For Wave 4, you basically had to refresh constantly and hope you were fast enough for the 10-15 minute pre-order window . But I will throw Nintendo a bone and assume wave 4 orders were decided before the amiibo craze was fully realized...
Re: Nintendo Reveals the Final Club Nintendo Elite Rewards
@wisdomsprince Yea, I was hoping for some new games too. But its the same issue as last year. All the platinum rewards are games platinum folks probably already have. Not that I am complaining, but I probably would have been happier with 700 bonus coins to get one of the other games on the download list... just so that there is a bigger selection to choose from.
Re: Nintendo Reveals the Final Club Nintendo Elite Rewards
Should I get NES Remix 2 or Ultimate NES Remix? Those are really the only games I don't have.
Re: Feature: The Legend of Zelda on Wii U - What Do We Know So Far?
@abbyhitter It would be interesting for sure... but it wouldn't work as the reason that Hyrule was flooded was because there was no Hero to take up the Master Sword.