I can literally destroy this game! Haha I picked it up a few months back (once again) and made it most of the way through the game before I finally died.
@HarmoKnight That's because your not playing the right games. Here's a hint - you've got to pay money for the good games, and they usually cost more than $0.99.
@Damo The games on mobile platforms have rapidly built theirselves to the equivalent of portable gaming systems (beyond in some aspects) and with the New iPad and Nexus 7's power - what's to say that it doesn't climb ever higher?
I just think it's a major factor in Wii U's sales and not to be ignored. Fewer people are buying "gaming consoles" each year and as the mobile platforms continue to improve, I see that shift gaining steam.
There are awesome games on the mobile platforms! ARC Squadron is flipping brilliant!
Vita is well worth its $250 asking and it's barely selling. 3DS was worth its $250 asking price and it all but needed an emergency price cut to get it selling. Why will this be any different?
Now that you can get the uber powered Nexus 7 for $200 and an iPad Mini for $329 - I went with the $499 4th Gen iPad over the Wii U - it only makes Wii U's price seem that much more inflated.
Time will tell, but I think it's too similar to a tablet, but doesn't offer near enough to justify the cost, when you can grab a Nexus 7 and have just as much of a good time - plus everything a tablet has on offer as well.
It's running on Madden 12's game engine. They took last year's (HD, it's nothing new any more) game, threw in the new rosters and slapped on few touchscreen gimmicks. It's a cheap cash in!
Madden 13 was the first game to feature the Infinity Engine. It's a game-changer for the series and the single most important thing for this year's release. I'm sorry, but a few touchscreen additions doesn't make the fact that this is a game with a full retail asking price, and one that's running on an outdated game engine.
I'm surprised that Forza 4 took down Gran Turismo 5!
Seriously, GT5 is flippin' brilliant and so good that it's now proven that if you can drive at a competition level in GT5 (in the game), then you can (most likely) do it in real life, with Sony's GT Academy.
Yep, I'll second the statement that @Sean_Aaron made: "I seem to recall a majority of what I reviewed when writing for the site was purchased by the site rather than gifted by publishers."
This was true for me as well. I did get a few cool things from a few publishers from time to time, but when it came down to the games, none of it mattered to me. I stake my credibility on every word that I pen for a published review and in every review I've written for the NLife network of sites, I always referred back to their clearly written scoring policies and rated it appropriately.
Speaking on reviewers as a whole, not just NL, but there is another side to the card as well, and one that I don't hear anyone talking about. If a bad game (3-4/10) comes across your desk, there ways to write a bad review in such a way that it doesn't destroy your relationship with the publisher - it's true. First of all, bad reviews are insanely fun to write, because, well, you can just have a lot of fun crafting wisecracks inside them. But you can also briefly mention the game's potential and state that "sometimes every good idea/intention doesn't evolve into a great game - it happens."
If a game is flat out garbage (1-2/10) and it's something that they shouldn't be publishing and asking people for their money for, then that's not someone I don't want to be dealing with anyway - I'm going to rip it alive and make dang sure nobody spends their money on it.
I have a lot of respect for Pachter and his recent interview we ran with him he was quite optimistic about Wii U's future - compared to all the "doom and gloom" you typically hear about after many journos snippet his words to death.
Thanks Damien for the non-biased write-up! Pachter was very genuine in his statements and his reasoning behind them.
Good for Rob Florence for having the manhood to say what so many others' think. He shouldn't have called out names, but good for him for bringing this underlying talk that so many of us that write for the industry have debated on social networks for so long now.
@Philip_J_Reed Fantastic review Phil! You've truly brought the wonderful atmosphere of NightSky to life in your review like few others could possibly manage. Great job!
I bought NightSky the instant it went on sale on Nicalis' website at launch on PC and I was totally enraptured in it for about a solid week. It's indeed a game that hides a substantial amount of depth behind its minimalistic gameplay and just as with you, the superb auditory effects caught me by surprise - those little 'tinks' and 'taps' literally echo throughout my cranium as I type!
There's just something to be said about a game that can soothe your soul as you play it and that's exactly what NightSky does for me.
Sounds like a blast, especially all that retro-y goodness there! A SNES with Killer Instinct locked inside with a few friends is just hard to beat!
I'm lookin' forward to getting my hands on a Wii U as well. I'm just not sold on the system as a whole and the high price point definitely doesn't sway me a bit either. I'll definitely be grabbin' an iPad Mini soon (hopefully we'll find out when this week!), but I'm thinking middle to late next year I might give in and grab one.
The Infinity Engine that was implemented into the PS3/Xbox 360 versions of Madden 13 have revolutionized the gameplay and have created a new surge of excitement in the Madden crowd, making this year's Madden title the first ones to rush out to purchase in a few years now.
With Wii U, the Infinity Engine was stripped away from it. The single most reason to purchase this title isn't available on the Wii U. No additional touchscreen gimmickry can cover up the fact that the gameplay on Wii U absolutely cannot perform on the same level as other systems. Sorry to be blunt, but the Infinity Engine is the the most impressive implementation to the series since the massive upgrade we saw back in 2005 and without it it's just another Madden title with touch controls, making the headline extremely misleading, seeing how Madden 13 on Wii U will cater more towards the casual gamer than the hardcore.
If your a "hardcore gamer" and looking to buy Madden 13, I'd recommend that you don't even think about a Wii U purchase of this title! That's not to disparage against Nintendo, or the Wii U, that's just a truthful statement to those who might be interested in a purchase of this title.
EDIT: If you follow the sourcing of this article, The Verge explains in detail all of the features that aren't available in the Wii U version of the game, so if you're interested in a Wii U purchase, I highly recommend you give those articles a read.
The last figures (estimated) that I saw put the preorders significantly less than the PS3. Even if that isn't true, it's still too early to tell. It'll be the months after launch that really tell how well Wii U is being received in the market. The PS3 looked set to exploded at launch, but jeez did that fire burn out quickly.
All the Nintendo loyalist that I know personally have preordered a Wii U, but outside of that, not a single one.
@Jon Heavy Fire: Afghanistan on PS3 w/Move was actually good fun, but I agree with you on this one (I also gave it a 4/10 review score) as it just fails to impress.
While I think the games are definitely worth the $60 asking price, I wish Nintendo would've opted to stay at the $50 market. I actually got in this conversation with quite a few guys at my local GameStop, as several customers were asking (hoping) they'd still get the $50 price for games on Wii U, as it was a selling point for them with Wii.
Wii U will sell great regardless, but I'd have liked to see the $50 price-tag to have stuck around. Personally, I've bought less games since the price went up to the $60 price point. If anything, I'd like to see the tiered pricing that Sony uses for Vita carried over to Wii U.
@theblackdragon You know I have a crazy sense of logic. My head doesn't work like the norm! Haha.
Truthfully, I hope the best for Bayonetta 2, as I like Platinum Games. For me, it's a game I have no interest in playing whatsoever. A few leaks/rumours appear that it's a timed exclusive any ways, but if it isn't, I do think it alienates the fans — simple as that. After reading the PR release yesterday, that's how I feel about it.
@wickhamfish Breathe dude... it's OK. I'm not missing the point, it's called a difference of opinion.
It's alienating fan and it's not something that I agree with. If the original game didn't sell enough on multiple platforms — full of "hardcore" gamers — how is putting it on a single platform, that hasn't even proven itself in the market going to make it sell any better? I'm sorry, it's a counter-intuitive argument.
@wickhamfish For myself, I don't care at all, which is why I pointed out that I'm not a fan of Bayonetta. Also, just because it sold 1 million copies doesn't mean that's all the fans it has — people do loan games to friends, not everyone can afford to buy every new game they want.
I know how the industry works and I know the details behind what happened the game and it's publishers. Go read the PR statements for Bayonetta 2 and see how bad they contradict themselves.
I usually don't go along with the "outraged fans" on the Internet much, but Bayonetta 2 being a Wii U exclusive is a stab in the back to its fans. Had it not been a sequel, it'd be no problem at all, but when the millions of Bayonetta fans out there have to go out and purchase a Wii U (and the game!) to play the sequel to their much beloved cult hit, that's a stab in the back.
Taking the time to actually read many of these fans post, that's how they feel. Many of them are actually saving up for the next generation of Microsoft/Sony consoles, where there's likely to be another big (power) leap forward for home consoles and they feel that this is a deal that Nintendo's put together to get many people to buy their console, when they have no desire to do so — creating a vast amount of outrage toward both Nintendo and SEGA.
I'm not a Bayonetta fan, but it's a really **** move on SEGA's part. It's a sequel to a hit game that never released on a Nintendo console!
No need to worry, because there's no way in the world I'm paying $350, plus the cost of an external HD for a Wii U! $400-$450 for a Wii U? Really?! It made me sick in the stomach to pay $500 for an 80GB PS3! I'm very disappointed Nintendo, this just isn't your style at all.
Before someone tries to come off with the "but you don't have to buy an external hard drive" statement, know this: HD downloads are big, really big! When you start downloading a game every week or two off the eShop (?), or especially full retail games, you'll see just how big of a slap in the face that 32GB of memory truly is.
I'm sure the system is fantastic and I hope those of you who jump in head first absolutely love every second of it. For me, this $350 bundle is an absolute joke. I don't give a flying flip about Nintendo Land, but the better system forces me to buy it, as well as the memory upgrade only being to a 32GB. The manufacturing cost for a 32GB card is probably about $1, or less. Nintendo obviously doesn't get the HD/ Digital Age very well and this is looking like the 3DS blunder all over again!
I was planning on putting aside upgrading to the iPhone 5 this year for a Wii U, but I'm going with the iPhone upgrade instead.
While people are praising the HDMI cord that the system comes with (that you can get for a few bucks on Amazon!), I'm not paying $350 for an HD system that comes with 32gb of memory. That's a complete joke in this day and age. Heck, Sony gave away nearly 100gb of games free just a few months back to PS+ members.
Sorry Nintendo, but this is the first console you've produced in the last decade that I won't be buying day one. The competition is entirely too strong these days.
Great read Thomas, I'm really glad to see that you put this together!
Wii U is going to do great on the market! The lower cost to produce games will be a key asset for Nintendo going into the "next generation" and we've seen the innovation that is possible with touchscreens over the years, now it's time to see it go even bigger — can't wait!
@Sony_70 Sorry, but I've got to contradict you a small bit about 38 Studios. Yes, there was some mismanagement, but there was also something else that was a key element to the studio; they tried to develop a triple-A title as a start-up company. Kingdoms of Amalur was initially built to be a MMO and was nearly finished when they decided as a company that it just wasn't up to par with the its competition (e.g. WoW and Guild Wars) and that's when they transformed it into what it released as.
The amount of money that it took to recreate the game is ridiculous. Yes, there was mismanagement issues, but seeing how fast the cost to produce can rise in the current generation is a somewhat clear window to see that small company's has very little chances of becoming a triple-A developer in the next generation of home consoles, which will likely double in production cost. When you look back at other great developers that have gone under: Bizarre Creations, Clover Studios, Kaos Studios, Pandemic, etc., there's a clear picture that the industry is spiralling out of control cost wise.
Comments 1,712
Re: WayForward Would Like To Make A Metroid Game
Yes, please!
Re: Review: Ninja Gaiden (3DS eShop / NES)
I can literally destroy this game! Haha I picked it up a few months back (once again) and made it most of the way through the game before I finally died.
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
@HarmoKnight That's because your not playing the right games. Here's a hint - you've got to pay money for the good games, and they usually cost more than $0.99.
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
@Damo The games on mobile platforms have rapidly built theirselves to the equivalent of portable gaming systems (beyond in some aspects) and with the New iPad and Nexus 7's power - what's to say that it doesn't climb ever higher?
I just think it's a major factor in Wii U's sales and not to be ignored. Fewer people are buying "gaming consoles" each year and as the mobile platforms continue to improve, I see that shift gaining steam.
There are awesome games on the mobile platforms! ARC Squadron is flipping brilliant!
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
Vita is well worth its $250 asking and it's barely selling. 3DS was worth its $250 asking price and it all but needed an emergency price cut to get it selling. Why will this be any different?
Now that you can get the uber powered Nexus 7 for $200 and an iPad Mini for $329 - I went with the $499 4th Gen iPad over the Wii U - it only makes Wii U's price seem that much more inflated.
Time will tell, but I think it's too similar to a tablet, but doesn't offer near enough to justify the cost, when you can grab a Nexus 7 and have just as much of a good time - plus everything a tablet has on offer as well.
Re: Nintendo Executive Describes Rise of Tablet Gaming as "Undeniable"
I'm reading this article from my new 4th Gen iPad that I purchased instead of a Wii U. I'd say that they are indeed hurting Nintendo's sales.
Re: Miyamoto Puzzled As To Why Anyone Would Want A New F-Zero
Wow! Talk about clueless!
Re: Wii U Madden NFL 13 Was Built In Just Six Months
It's running on Madden 12's game engine. They took last year's (HD, it's nothing new any more) game, threw in the new rosters and slapped on few touchscreen gimmicks. It's a cheap cash in!
Madden 13 was the first game to feature the Infinity Engine. It's a game-changer for the series and the single most important thing for this year's release. I'm sorry, but a few touchscreen additions doesn't make the fact that this is a game with a full retail asking price, and one that's running on an outdated game engine.
Re: How Did Nintendo Do At This Year's Golden Joystick Awards?
I'm surprised that Forza 4 took down Gran Turismo 5!
Seriously, GT5 is flippin' brilliant and so good that it's now proven that if you can drive at a competition level in GT5 (in the game), then you can (most likely) do it in real life, with Sony's GT Academy.
Re: Talking Point: The Challenges When Writing About Games
Yep, I'll second the statement that @Sean_Aaron made: "I seem to recall a majority of what I reviewed when writing for the site was purchased by the site rather than gifted by publishers."
This was true for me as well. I did get a few cool things from a few publishers from time to time, but when it came down to the games, none of it mattered to me. I stake my credibility on every word that I pen for a published review and in every review I've written for the NLife network of sites, I always referred back to their clearly written scoring policies and rated it appropriately.
Speaking on reviewers as a whole, not just NL, but there is another side to the card as well, and one that I don't hear anyone talking about. If a bad game (3-4/10) comes across your desk, there ways to write a bad review in such a way that it doesn't destroy your relationship with the publisher - it's true. First of all, bad reviews are insanely fun to write, because, well, you can just have a lot of fun crafting wisecracks inside them. But you can also briefly mention the game's potential and state that "sometimes every good idea/intention doesn't evolve into a great game - it happens."
If a game is flat out garbage (1-2/10) and it's something that they shouldn't be publishing and asking people for their money for, then that's not someone I don't want to be dealing with anyway - I'm going to rip it alive and make dang sure nobody spends their money on it.
Re: Pachter Pours Scorn Over Wii U Sales Projections
I have a lot of respect for Pachter and his recent interview we ran with him he was quite optimistic about Wii U's future - compared to all the "doom and gloom" you typically hear about after many journos snippet his words to death.
Thanks Damien for the non-biased write-up! Pachter was very genuine in his statements and his reasoning behind them.
Re: Talking Point: The Challenges When Writing About Games
Good for Rob Florence for having the manhood to say what so many others' think. He shouldn't have called out names, but good for him for bringing this underlying talk that so many of us that write for the industry have debated on social networks for so long now.
Re: Nintendo Confirms Wii U Will Be Sold At A Loss
"Still think it's expensive?"
Yes, and I'm still not buying.
Re: EA: FIFA 13 on Wii U is "Laying the Foundation"
It's not near as bad of a cut as what EA's Madden 13 is getting on Wii U though.
Re: Review: NightSky (3DS eShop)
@Philip_J_Reed Fantastic review Phil! You've truly brought the wonderful atmosphere of NightSky to life in your review like few others could possibly manage. Great job!
I bought NightSky the instant it went on sale on Nicalis' website at launch on PC and I was totally enraptured in it for about a solid week. It's indeed a game that hides a substantial amount of depth behind its minimalistic gameplay and just as with you, the superb auditory effects caught me by surprise - those little 'tinks' and 'taps' literally echo throughout my cranium as I type!
There's just something to be said about a game that can soothe your soul as you play it and that's exactly what NightSky does for me.
Re: Events: Play Expo - A Day of Bitmaps, Digital Sumos, Wii U and Pac-Man Vs. Ghosts
Awesome write-up Jamie-O!
Sounds like a blast, especially all that retro-y goodness there! A SNES with Killer Instinct locked inside with a few friends is just hard to beat!
I'm lookin' forward to getting my hands on a Wii U as well. I'm just not sold on the system as a whole and the high price point definitely doesn't sway me a bit either. I'll definitely be grabbin' an iPad Mini soon (hopefully we'll find out when this week!), but I'm thinking middle to late next year I might give in and grab one.
Re: Talking Point: Affordable Consoles Come at a Cost
I'm not paying the current price for Wii U.
Re: Call Of Duty Elite Isn't Coming to Wii U at Launch
But, I thought that Wii U was going to be the best system to play Black Ops 2 on?
Um... I think I'll stick with playing it elsewhere!
Re: Super Mario Gangnam Style Flash Mob's Got Some Moves
Those guys/gals had a blast in the making of that!
Re: Talking Point: Games That Need Wii U - Dishonored
I think the title should instead read: The Game that Wii U Needs - Dishonored
Re: Mega Man Fans Troll Capcom Following iOS Social Game Announcement
Hey Capcom, [EDITED] You!
Re: Nicalis Teases 3DS Ikachan Port
I'd buy it the second it lands on the eShop!
Re: Casual And Hardcore Gamers, Madden NFL 13 Has Something For You Both
The Infinity Engine that was implemented into the PS3/Xbox 360 versions of Madden 13 have revolutionized the gameplay and have created a new surge of excitement in the Madden crowd, making this year's Madden title the first ones to rush out to purchase in a few years now.
With Wii U, the Infinity Engine was stripped away from it. The single most reason to purchase this title isn't available on the Wii U. No additional touchscreen gimmickry can cover up the fact that the gameplay on Wii U absolutely cannot perform on the same level as other systems. Sorry to be blunt, but the Infinity Engine is the the most impressive implementation to the series since the massive upgrade we saw back in 2005 and without it it's just another Madden title with touch controls, making the headline extremely misleading, seeing how Madden 13 on Wii U will cater more towards the casual gamer than the hardcore.
If your a "hardcore gamer" and looking to buy Madden 13, I'd recommend that you don't even think about a Wii U purchase of this title! That's not to disparage against Nintendo, or the Wii U, that's just a truthful statement to those who might be interested in a purchase of this title.
EDIT: If you follow the sourcing of this article, The Verge explains in detail all of the features that aren't available in the Wii U version of the game, so if you're interested in a Wii U purchase, I highly recommend you give those articles a read.
Re: Review: Samurai G (3DS eShop)
Hehehe.... sounds like it'd have been better if the ninja got knocked out by the first coin and it was Game Over for the wannabe Ryu!
Re: Mutant Mudds Free DLC Arrives in October
Bring it on!
Re: Nintendo: Phones And Tablets Aren't Games Devices
Really? Then why do I enjoy playing games on them so much Nintendo?
Re: Review: Pokémon Black and White 2 (DS)
Great review Joe!
Re: NightSky Lights Up 3DS eShop On 25th October
Love this game!
Re: GAME: UK Pre-Orders Are "Exceeding Expectations"
The last figures (estimated) that I saw put the preorders significantly less than the PS3. Even if that isn't true, it's still too early to tell. It'll be the months after launch that really tell how well Wii U is being received in the market. The PS3 looked set to exploded at launch, but jeez did that fire burn out quickly.
All the Nintendo loyalist that I know personally have preordered a Wii U, but outside of that, not a single one.
Re: Review: The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave (3DS eShop)
Great review Phil!
This game looks awesome. If I didn't have La-Mulana on my Wii's HD, I buy this in in a heartbeat, but it's going to have to wait awhile longer.
Re: Reggie Promises Steady Stream Of Wii U Consoles
@Moshugan Walk in a GameStop and ask them!
Re: Reggie Promises Steady Stream Of Wii U Consoles
So, that's why there's a 15-20 system preorder limit per store in the U.S.? Doesn't sound like their supply chain is very "solid" to me.
Re: You Fools, Blowing on NES Cartridges Is Not The Answer
She can blow on my NES cartridges any day she wants!
Re: Review: Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition (Wii)
I love the little pink guy! This is an absolute must have for me.
Great review Corbs!
Re: Review: La-Mulana (WiiWare)
This game rocks so hard!
Re: Review: Heavy Fire: Special Operations 3D (3DS eShop)
@Jon Heavy Fire: Afghanistan on PS3 w/Move was actually good fun, but I agree with you on this one (I also gave it a 4/10 review score) as it just fails to impress.
Re: Talking Point: Five Reasons to Buy a Wii U
"With motion sensors, a camera, microphone and NFC, it's got plenty of tricks to make games something new and innovative."
Something is missing here, because these are standard features for nearly every smartphone and tablet on the market.
What could it ever be?
Re: Nintendo: Wii U Basic Bundle Designed To Attract Core Gamers
Agreed with @Stuffgamer1!
Re: Mutant Mudds Deluxe Blasting Onto Wii U
An image that says it all — I like it!
Re: Talking Point: Are Wii U Games Going To Be Too Expensive?
While I think the games are definitely worth the $60 asking price, I wish Nintendo would've opted to stay at the $50 market. I actually got in this conversation with quite a few guys at my local GameStop, as several customers were asking (hoping) they'd still get the $50 price for games on Wii U, as it was a selling point for them with Wii.
Wii U will sell great regardless, but I'd have liked to see the $50 price-tag to have stuck around. Personally, I've bought less games since the price went up to the $60 price point. If anything, I'd like to see the tiered pricing that Sony uses for Vita carried over to Wii U.
Re: Reaction: Wii U Preview Events
@Sony_70 If I'm understanding you correctly — FUD, meaning the "fear, undoubt and uncertainty" marketing ploy — I agree.
Re: Reaction: Wii U Preview Events
@theblackdragon You know I have a crazy sense of logic. My head doesn't work like the norm! Haha.
Truthfully, I hope the best for Bayonetta 2, as I like Platinum Games. For me, it's a game I have no interest in playing whatsoever. A few leaks/rumours appear that it's a timed exclusive any ways, but if it isn't, I do think it alienates the fans — simple as that. After reading the PR release yesterday, that's how I feel about it.
@wickhamfish Breathe dude... it's OK. I'm not missing the point, it's called a difference of opinion.
@MadAussieBloke Good try though!
Re: Reaction: Wii U Preview Events
It's alienating fan and it's not something that I agree with. If the original game didn't sell enough on multiple platforms — full of "hardcore" gamers — how is putting it on a single platform, that hasn't even proven itself in the market going to make it sell any better? I'm sorry, it's a counter-intuitive argument.
Re: Reaction: Wii U Preview Events
@wickhamfish For myself, I don't care at all, which is why I pointed out that I'm not a fan of Bayonetta. Also, just because it sold 1 million copies doesn't mean that's all the fans it has — people do loan games to friends, not everyone can afford to buy every new game they want.
I know how the industry works and I know the details behind what happened the game and it's publishers. Go read the PR statements for Bayonetta 2 and see how bad they contradict themselves.
Re: Reaction: Wii U Preview Events
I usually don't go along with the "outraged fans" on the Internet much, but Bayonetta 2 being a Wii U exclusive is a stab in the back to its fans. Had it not been a sequel, it'd be no problem at all, but when the millions of Bayonetta fans out there have to go out and purchase a Wii U (and the game!) to play the sequel to their much beloved cult hit, that's a stab in the back.
Taking the time to actually read many of these fans post, that's how they feel. Many of them are actually saving up for the next generation of Microsoft/Sony consoles, where there's likely to be another big (power) leap forward for home consoles and they feel that this is a deal that Nintendo's put together to get many people to buy their console, when they have no desire to do so — creating a vast amount of outrage toward both Nintendo and SEGA.
I'm not a Bayonetta fan, but it's a really **** move on SEGA's part. It's a sequel to a hit game that never released on a Nintendo console!
Re: Wii U Pre-Order Guide
No need to worry, because there's no way in the world I'm paying $350, plus the cost of an external HD for a Wii U! $400-$450 for a Wii U? Really?! It made me sick in the stomach to pay $500 for an 80GB PS3! I'm very disappointed Nintendo, this just isn't your style at all.
Before someone tries to come off with the "but you don't have to buy an external hard drive" statement, know this: HD downloads are big, really big! When you start downloading a game every week or two off the eShop (?), or especially full retail games, you'll see just how big of a slap in the face that 32GB of memory truly is.
I'm sure the system is fantastic and I hope those of you who jump in head first absolutely love every second of it. For me, this $350 bundle is an absolute joke. I don't give a flying flip about Nintendo Land, but the better system forces me to buy it, as well as the memory upgrade only being to a 32GB. The manufacturing cost for a 32GB card is probably about $1, or less. Nintendo obviously doesn't get the HD/ Digital Age very well and this is looking like the 3DS blunder all over again!
Re: Wii U Price And Release Dates Confirmed
I was planning on putting aside upgrading to the iPhone 5 this year for a Wii U, but I'm going with the iPhone upgrade instead.
While people are praising the HDMI cord that the system comes with (that you can get for a few bucks on Amazon!), I'm not paying $350 for an HD system that comes with 32gb of memory. That's a complete joke in this day and age. Heck, Sony gave away nearly 100gb of games free just a few months back to PS+ members.
Sorry Nintendo, but this is the first console you've produced in the last decade that I won't be buying day one. The competition is entirely too strong these days.
Re: Review: Crazy Hunter (DSiWare)
@Philip_J_Reed I had this same dream, but it didn't require medication. Hmm... I guess that probably means I need some then! Dang!
Re: Talking Point: Wii U and the Next Generation of Consoles
Great read Thomas, I'm really glad to see that you put this together!
Wii U is going to do great on the market! The lower cost to produce games will be a key asset for Nintendo going into the "next generation" and we've seen the innovation that is possible with touchscreens over the years, now it's time to see it go even bigger — can't wait!
@Sony_70 Sorry, but I've got to contradict you a small bit about 38 Studios. Yes, there was some mismanagement, but there was also something else that was a key element to the studio; they tried to develop a triple-A title as a start-up company. Kingdoms of Amalur was initially built to be a MMO and was nearly finished when they decided as a company that it just wasn't up to par with the its competition (e.g. WoW and Guild Wars) and that's when they transformed it into what it released as.
The amount of money that it took to recreate the game is ridiculous. Yes, there was mismanagement issues, but seeing how fast the cost to produce can rise in the current generation is a somewhat clear window to see that small company's has very little chances of becoming a triple-A developer in the next generation of home consoles, which will likely double in production cost. When you look back at other great developers that have gone under: Bizarre Creations, Clover Studios, Kaos Studios, Pandemic, etc., there's a clear picture that the industry is spiralling out of control cost wise.
Re: August NPD Results Are Good Reading for Nintendo
Glad to hear it! Good job Nintendo!
The upgrade to a 3DS XL is all but essential in my opinion.