SpaceKappa

@ThomasBW84 Gotcha. Even before I had a PS3 I always liked the Kevin Butler character because he was so over-the-top, but I think because I saw Mr. Lambert in other things before I knew it was just a role. He's very good at his job, it seems!

@ThomasBW84 Well I know the commercial is real (I've seen it!) I just mean is the hubbub about it real? Are PlayStation diehards frothing at the mouths about some kind of conspiracy or something? I'm not big on the Sony "scene" but do they really take Kevin Butler that seriously? I guess that means it's a good marketing campaign!

Haha, is this really a thing? It's not even a Nintendo commercial. Oh internet. Don't ever change.

(Off topic: Yo @LittleIrves, if you're "Cakes" I get StreetPass from you all the time, man.)

@ThomasBW84 Dragon Quest has, until this installment, been a VERY traditional JRPG experience, which is part of why it's so beloved in Japan. It's the comfort food of video games. Yeah, it's very traditional, but that also means it's extremely solid and good at what it sets out to do.

From what I've been hearing, this is less "MMO with the Dragon Quest name on it" and more "Dragon Quest online." It's the same kind of menu-based combat and exploration, just set in a persistent online world with a multiplayer component. Now, rather than controlling a party of four during a random battle, it's you and three buddies doing the same things.

I could go on for days about what I've heard and why it makes me so excited but I don't think anyone deserves to be exposed to my ramblings on the subject.

I want it so bad it HURTS.

This is going to look SO GORGEOUS on Wii U. SO GORGEOUS. I am going to want to lick my television it's going to be so beautiful.

Every single report I've read from people playing this game is full of praise. I can't wait. It does away with so many things that keep me from fully enjoying MMOs and adds so much to make the experience more user-friendly. Plus it's Dragon Quest, so it's going to be an HD MMO full of beautiful art from my favorite artist, the living legend Akira Toriyama.

If it comes out here I'm buying two copies so they get more money.

If you raced against a purple Mii named Joe from Massachusetts then you kicked my butt today.

@LittleIrves Dude I've gotten StreetPass from you several times.

I'm going to be there, so just a heads up y'all are gonna get some easy wins.

Little Mac or GET OUTTA MY FACE.

I just want to preorder the damn thing! D:

@Stuffgamer1 Well, anyone who bought this only to play it is crazy. You're right, though; research had to be done as to who was actually selling this, but once the research has been done into Frank Cifaldi as well as the history of Final Fantasy II In North America (there were lots of promotional materials produced; the game was going to be released but was cancelled at the last minute) there's little doubt. If you're considering dropping 50 g's on a game you should do your homework!

There are better versions of Final Fantasy II, of course - mainly, EVERY OTHER VERSION EXCEPT THIS ONE - but you're spending $50k to be the only person on the planet with the NES version of Final Fantasy II in English. If I had that kinda scratch just kickin' around I'd probably go for it. Final Fantasy is one of the biggest names in gaming so lots of people are going to want this.

@FantasiaWHT Man, everyone is a skeptic these days!

His name is Frank Cifaldi and he's a very respected game journalist and historian. There's been a lot of talk about the validity of this cartridge but the consensus is that if Frank Cifaldi is selling it then it is 100% legit.

The best comment was over at Kotaku: "Frank Cifaldi is a known game collector/historian. He's worked for 1up and Gamasutra, amongst others.

If anyone knows how to preserve a cartridge, it's Frank. If anyone's going to know the legitimacy of a cartridge, it's Frank. This is not likely a scam unless he's looking to trash a reputation he's built over many years."

It's not fake. I did some research out of curiosity, and while I forget the gentleman's name who's selling it he's a very well-known game historian with an outstanding reputation in the community. The only way it's fake is if he wants to throw away a reputation he's spent many years building up.

@Superconsole Yeah, the card battle system has an established fanbase in Japan as it is; it's the sixth entry in their Carddass arcade games that have been coming out since 2005. Dragon Ball Heroes (there's no Z! The series as a whole is just Dragon Ball!) is just the first one to get the rest of the world talking.

You'd be surprised, though, Dragon Ball is still incredibly popular the world over. It's not at "fad" status in the West anymore but there's still a large, dedicated fanbase. I've been watching it in Japanese for about seventeen years now, though, so I'm probably biased.

@ThomasBW84 It's absolutely a must-own! Incredible story, incredible visual style, PHENOMENAL soundtrack and fast-paced RPG mechanics. There are no words. Buy it as soon as you get the chance.

I VERY much doubt it'll make it here. The arcade game is based on collectible cards in Japan, and they've already put out several series there. They'd have to start from scratch here, so it's a big monetary investment. Dragon Ball is a big money maker but I don't think Western audiences are as interested in collecting cards to play a video game.

I'd love to be wrong, though. I've imported several starter editions and booster packs of the Dragon Ball Heroes cards and they're phenomenal. I especially love the ones based on new "generic" characters for the game, like female Super Saiya-jin and more characters from Freeza's race.

@Geonjaha YOU HOLD YOUR FOUL TONGUE SIR

But seriously, I love TWEWY so much. It's the most solid and original game Square Enix has put out in YEARS and it never got the recognition it deserved. I was hoping that the inclusion of the characters in Kingdom Hearts 3D would lead to a new game announcement and it looks like my wish has been granted!

@warioTW You're absolutely right! As someone who has had to play a lot of weird games as a reviewer, even these "bad" games usually have something enjoyable buried in there. If the games are selling it means someone likes them. Having plenty of game options is never a bad thing!

@TheDreamingHawk Toriyama has been doing the art for every single Dragon Quest game since the very beginning, so the designs have only changed as much as his personal style has evolved.

Now I KNOW no one here is hating on Akira Toriyama's artwork. D:<

Yes good now can we have confirmation of the Wii U version for North America please? D:

All hail our new overlord!

I guess I'm just a stick in the mud because I find it disgusting when people destroy cartridges and systems like this. It's not like they make any of these things anymore!

It's one thing if ALL those cartridges didn't work but I find that very hard to believe. Look at all those copies of Majora's Mask! Resident Evil 2 is a rare game to begin with! Blah. The sacrifices were not worth it if you ask me.

I love Warren Spector so much. He just has so much heart it's impossible not to. The industry needs more people as passionate as he is.

I loved Epic Mickey (although the last 1/4 of the game was super frustrating) and I can't wait for the sequel, although I'm holding out hope for a Wii U version. Epic Mickey will always be a "Nintendo" series for me.

@mushroomer From Dictionary.com: 'to grow or become: He waxed angry at the insinuation.'

It's correct.

If I buy this for my wife it's like I'm getting a gift for both of us!

Dudes, I like the Dissidia games. That doesn't mean they're far more complicated than they need to be!

@Qwikman_N_Bass - It won't spoil much other than the music. EMS stages will show a video montage but you'll be paying too much attention to the notes to really notice much. Even then they did a good job keeping spoilers light. That is, except for the most famous scene from Final Fantasy VII which everyone knows already.

Guys guys guys. I think we're all forgetting something; I wrote this review and I say Theatrhythm is the best 3DS game so I win. Nyeh.

My favorite track from Sin & Punishment: Star Successor is the menu song. It's rare for menu music to get my blood pumping like that does.

I'll take two!

This game looks super hot, and the possibility of online co-op only sweetens it. My fingers are crossed!

James, I'm disappointed you didn't work in that Burning Rangers reference.

FINALLY. I'm really excited. Black and White were phenomenal, and I'm confident that the sequels will improve upon their foundation.

@Yadoking You're not too bad yourself, buddy.

@Xilef Just one, much to the chagrin of my wife.

@rjejr There is indeed local wireless play.

@TheSolarKnight I don't have the box in front of me (stupid day job) but to my recollection it just says that it's playable on 3DS.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I LOVE Skylanders and I was REALLY hoping they'd make the jump. I am EXCITED.

By the Gods that looks and sounds gorgeous.

I hope this means that MadCatz is working on a line of fightsticks for Wii U!

@SpriteKing I wouldn't hold your breath. They just created an official Wii U Facebook page and it was on that leaked picture of the controller from a couple of weeks ago. The name's not going anywhere.

Wow, that looks really good. I'm always looking to sink my teeth into a good tower defense, and that art style and the addition of physics have me pretty stoked!

His quote fills me with confidence, assuming he's not just blowing hot air. While I enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII, "love" isn't something that I've felt playing Square Enix games lately (aside from The World Ends With You, which is awesome). The next Final Fantasy game needs a team of people from top to bottom who believe in the branding with all they have.

A few months ago I was able to attend the Distant Worlds: Final Fantasy concert here in Boston and it was such an emotional night for everyone in attendance. The franchise is so popular because of all the care and passion that went into the games we fell in love with. If Square Enix can get back to that mode of development and not necessarily "what will look pretty and appeal to the west" then they can definitely right this airship.

Unf I want this so bad. Pokémon plus tactical gameplay? YES PLEASE.

@siavm That's exactly what the headline says, "Pledge to Cloudberry Kingdom, Get it Free on Wii U."

I know it's a technicality, but the way I'm looking at it is I'm giving them $15 to help hire an artist, and then they'll give me the game free when it's done.

I'm definitely going to toss in $15. I wanted this game from the moment I saw the last trailer, so since I'm buying it anyway I'll give them my money now so they can use it to polish the game and make it even better.

These guys have a really cool style and they seem to understand the art of the platformer with a strong desire to take it new places. I want to do my part to make this game a success so they can make more in the future.

I'm really excited to see more of Killer Freaks from Outer Space. The asymmetrical multiplayer mode in that game sounds pretty awesome.

That's awesome. I stand firm in the belief that NO ONE truly understands video games like Miyamoto. He sees them as more than just products to be sold. I feel like he's always seen past what video games are and instead focused on what they can be. There's a reason his creations are beloved the world over and games he created decades ago are still spoken of with such high regard. He simply IS video games.

Super Mario 64 is the best launch game in the history of ever. Period.

I'd absolutely LOVE for there to be a Mario game of that scale launched with Wii U, but I'm not holding my breath.

This is right up my alley. I'm such a sucker for all this over-the-top anime crap. I'll be checking out the 3DS and PS3 versions together!