Comments 165

Re: Charles Martinet Will No Longer Be The Voice Of Mario

Splodge

The original NintendoLife article was so smug in dismissing people who heard a difference in Wonder's voice-work.

I guess that just goes to show that, even if Martinet is not returning, they are continuing in his style, building on the sound he created. Keeping it similar. Hopefully that means, that this is his choice and he hasn't been pushed out.

Re: Soapbox: As A Colour Blind Gamer, I Can Now Finally Beat Metroid Prime

Splodge

I'm colourblind too. It's a big problem for puzzle games - Super Puzzle Fighter and Puyo Puyo, in particular. In some versions of Mario Kart (64, I think), it's difficult to differentiate between the different shells. But most of the time I just power through with guesswork or ask my partner to tell me what colours are on screen.

I didn't have much trouble with the final boss in Metroid Prime but, from a distance, I'd often use the wrong beams on Space Pirates and the Fission Metroids. But I powered through, using trial and error. I didn't even think to check for an option (there usually isn't one). Hopefully it's something that developers consider more often in the future. My case doesn't seem to be as blocking as the author's (I did manage to complete the game) but, even still, if can be frustrating sometimes.

Re: Aspyr Suggests Using Warp Cheat To Overcome Star Wars: KOTOR II's Game-Breaking Switch Bug

Splodge

@HeroOfTime32 It says that in the update - that was not in the original article when most of the comments here were posted.

Either way, I think it is fair to ask for transparency on how the game was actually reviewed - if the game was completed, if a retail copy was used etc.

But it honestly seems like damage-control from Aspyr, downplaying the situation. I've looked around online and haven't read of anyone completing the game legitimately without using the cheat menu or other weird workarounds. I hope I'm wrong on that.

Re: Aspyr Says It's Aware Of Star Wars: KOTOR II Switch Crash Preventing Players From Completing The Game

Splodge

All of Aspyr's Star Wars releases came out with massive bugs at launch - No Invert Look in Jedi Knight 2, Republic Commando had big performance problems, KOTOR had that weird battle text etc.

I do credit them with addressing feedback and fixing these bugs. As unfortunate as it is to have such huge bugs in the first place, they are genuinely receptive and good at fixing problems.

But this one goes beyond those other problems. This is makes it more than a sloppy port - it's clearly just a rush-job cash-grab that went out untested. I really do wish these Star Wars ports were in better hands.

This does also bring up questions about NintendoLife's review process though. Was it played on another system? How much of the game was played? I don't think a game necessarily needs to be completed for it to be reviewed (especially a port like this where the reviewer may have played it before elsewhere) but I think some transparency would help here.

Also, given that the 7 accounted for the bugs that were noticed (and may be fixed in the future), should that be reduced to 0, now that this bug has been discovered and the game cannot be played to completion? I'd recommend a disclaimer at the least, as people may happen upon that review through google searches etc.

Re: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Tracking Above Its Predecessor In Overseas Markets

Splodge

It's a fun film. Probably just a messy kids' film if you don't know or care about Sonic. But fans will probably like it. I think it works because there's a real earnestness to it - Ben Shwartz, in particular, gives Sonic a youthful fragility that really makes me like this version.

I'll avoid spoilers but I have worries about the future of the series. It seems like it's going to move into material from the later games, which, for me, were not as good or as interesting.

Re: Random: '70s Photo Reminds Us That Once Upon A Time, Nintendo Ran A Taxi Firm

Splodge

In Japan, a lot of companies exist without a focus (other than making money, I guess).

Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty, also owns a KFC franchise and I think they're involved in animatronics. They do a lot of, seemingly, unrelated things.

Even Sony is somewhat similar - they have movie studios, home electronics, game software. It's a very broad focus (though those things are somewhat linked).

I think Nintendo was a little bit like that - the company existed but they didn't have a single focus or product - they just tried a lot of different things and stuck with what worked.

I think in the West things are a little different - it starts with a product or an idea and the company is built around that.

Re: Turns Out Sonic 2's Stars Have Impeccable Taste In Video Games

Splodge

@maulinks Yes, I used to see him on the occasional College Humor video a long long time ago (could be almost 15 years ago now). That site wasn't great but he was always very good. I'm glad he's doing well now - and seems like a lovely person. And he's a perfect Sonic.

I'd really recommend The Afterparty - TV show he was in this year. But it's a murder mystery - so best to avoid spoilers if you watch that one.

Re: Feature: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Is The Best Mario Kart, Right? Let's Find Out

Splodge

Strongly dislike Double Dash. It really seems that Mario Kart was in a rut on GameCube and Wii and they couldn't find a way to make it work. On GameCube they tried the 2-character gimmick. On Wii, they added bikes and way too many characters. Neither solution brought any life back to the series. People may not remember but the Wii game was seen as a real low point - low quality graphics, and dull wide tracks. The series only really got back to form with Mario Kart 7 (though DS was good too).

As an aside, Super Circuit is highly underrated.

Re: Yes, Folders Are Now On Switch, Here Are Some Quick Tips

Splodge

It's a good step but I wish groups just showed while looking through the software list rather than looking at a separate menu.

I would love to just put the games I've finished in group to really tidy up the software list. It's not a use-case for everyone but that would make it much easier to find games I abandoned or never properly started.

Re: Review: Persona 4 Arena Ultimax - Not The Persona You're Looking For, But Still A Fine Fighter

Splodge

Sad to hear the story's not good. The great thing about Persona spin-offs (Strikers, this game, the dancing game etc) is that they try to be genuine story-sequels to the mainline games - they use the same actors and mimic the same visual style as Persona 4/5.

So, I'm sad the story isn't great here - was hoping to spend more time with my Inaba gang. I'll probably still pick this up but I just hope I get more from the story than the reviewer did here.

Re: Wonder Boy Collection Is Coming To Switch This Year

Splodge

Nice. Wonder Boy in Monster World was oddly missing from the Sega Mega Drive Collection (only on Switch mind; it was included on other platforms).

I wish they'd go even further with the collection. Wonder Boy in Monsterland was reskinned as 'Bikkuriman World' on PC Engine. It would be nice to include oddities like that (though there might be an extra licensing cost to secure the rights to Bikkuriman).

Re: Feature: 29 Best 3DS eShop Games You Should Get Before They're Gone Forever

Splodge

Some of the 3D Classics NES games are great on 3DS (Excitebike) but others are best played elsewhere.

It's extremely annoying that you cannot disable the new background on Kid Icaris. Obviously the game would look less 3D without the background but still.

As an aside, Nintendo during the 3DS era were great at giving away free games. It was a good time for that. I think Excitebike and Kid Icaris were completely free with some promotion.

And sometimes they would offer a big game for free if you owned a couple of other big releases - I think I got Animal Crossing for free because I owned Mario 3D Land and Donkey Kong Country Returns. Wii U was similar - they gave away Pikmin 3 in the same kind of promotion. And there were, of course, the Ambassador games. It was an amazing time for that kind of thing.

Re: Random: "I'm Able To Trust Sony More Than Nintendo" - Japan Reacts To The Closure Of The Wii U And 3DS eShops

Splodge

It sounds like you will still be able to download games after the shutdown. So, the panic might not be fully justified - but even that won't last forever.

Honestly, for reasons like this I always back up everything I've bought digitally and, where possible, remove the DRM (though that usually applies to Amazon/Comixology books etc. more than games). PC games are getting a bit too big to backup though (so hopefully Steam doesn't go away any time soon).

And once a console is 'dead', it is worth looking into installing homebrew. I can understand the arguments against that (and I'm not advocating for piracy) but it seems to be necessary in this age, where you don't really own anything and things you have paid for can be taken away (not that that is happening in this case yet).

With 3DS homebrew, you can backup your legally-bought games (physical and digital) as individual installable files, rather than backing up the full sd card.

Re: Mother 3 Producer Would "Love To See" GBA Entry Receive A Worldwide Release

Splodge

@Pod

Mother 1 was localised when it was new. It was finished and ready for release but they never put it out. So, it's not really that expensive to sell on the Wii U/Switch. It's very much a Starfox 2 situation - the game was done but never released.

If Mother 3 is not already translated (it might be but maybe not), they would have to pay to have it localised. So, it's a bigger investment. Nintendo can definitely afford it but they might decide it's not worth it.

Re: Mother 3 Producer Would "Love To See" GBA Entry Receive A Worldwide Release

Splodge

@StuTwo
Completely agree on all points. There are ways of handling the Magypsie idea without resorting to cheap jokes like obvious 5 O'clock shadows and stereotypical behaviour.

And the merman scene is devoid of nuance. There are two jokes - merman giving air with deep kisses is funny because gay and it's funny that the pigman likes it because that makes him gay. There are no other levels to it; just very basic homophobia.

And it is malicious, unlike others here are saying - the humour in the game does come from a very mean place. And that kind of humour is still very mainstream in Japan. Not that the rest or the world is much better.

I do like the game otherwise and I do play through it every now and then. Honestly it is special to me and I do recommend others to check out the fan translation. But it'd be very strange to say that the game doesn't have those problems or that it's just a problem for 'wokes'. The Nintendo Life comment section continues, as always, to be a toilet in that regard.

Re: EarthBound And EarthBound Beginnings Out Now On Nintendo Switch Online

Splodge

@Wexter @Zach1122

Thanks. Yes, burn in is definitely not a legitimate concern given how people have been testing it.

But really my main point was just that the grey borders are really annoying and put me off playing NES/SNES that way. Darker scenes in particular are ruined. I generally prefer to play with a black border, given the choice.

Re: Don't Say It Too Loud, But PS5 Has Outsold Wii U In A Year

Splodge

One thing champions of the Wii U never seem to mention is just how awful the user-experience was. The slow boot time and the sluggish menus made it a pain to use. Navigating the settings and moving games between the internal storage and a hard drive was a massive chore. A huge step down from the Wii which was nice and simple.

So, in answer to Jon's video, it's absolutely not worth buying. As good as the games are (they're great) the system and its OS are a massive headache, everything is in slow-motion like you're underwater. Revisit the games on Switch - those that were rereleased anyway and for the others, see what other options are available.

There's a reason the Switch menu was celebrated for its
simplicity when it launched. And although, I would love folders, I am still very glad it's quick to boot and zippy to navigate. I'd say that was definitely a priority for Nintendo after the Wii U.

Re: WaterField Is Back With An Analogue Pocket Carry Case That Costs A Cool $129

Splodge

I can definitely admit that It is very nice - it's not worth the price for me but I think it can justify its cost if the quality holds up.

Personally, I think a nice HDD case works well for the pocket - something like this one seems to cushion it well: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08DLHKL2S

But what we really need are good third-party screen-protectors. I foolishly ruined mine trying to straighten it out after applying it slightly crooked. I don't fancy spending $16 to get another one (literally one) from Analogue (to be delivered in 2023). I tried one from Brotect but the ones they sell are anti-glare matte glass that is not fully transparent and smears the image on the Pocket's beautiful screen. We need more options for those kinds of accessories.

Re: 'Wingman SNES' Allows You To Use 125 Different Wired And Wireless Controllers On Your NES And SNES

Splodge

@f16995

Yes, that's true. But it's not so clear-cut - most of the 125 controllers they list are just different Xbox and Playstation controllers. If one x-input controller works, they all should so I don't see the point of listing them out.

Only Switch and Playstation controllers are supported wirelessly. Xbox controllers have to be wired. 8bitdo controllers are also supposed to be supported (presumably in Switch mode) but the PC Engine adapter wouldn't pair them for me - though this one may work better.

8bitdo supports all controllers wirelessly - including Switch, Wii, Wii U, Playstation and their own 8bitdo controllers. But I think different firmware versions support different controllers so it is messy from that point of view.

Both definitely have their up sides but I still think 8bitdo wins on the cost and form-factor.

Re: 'Wingman SNES' Allows You To Use 125 Different Wired And Wireless Controllers On Your NES And SNES

Splodge

I have a version of this for PC Engine and honestly, I find Brook's controller adapters to be too expensive and they have a really unpleasant form-factor - dangling from a cable like that.

In my case, I also have to use it with a Mayflash because the adapter itself was not compatible with the controllers I wanted to use. So the USB port was welcome for that. And that might not actually be a problem here.

For SNES, I would recommend the 8bitdo retro receiver. https://www.8bitdo.com/retro-receiver-snes-sfc-classic/
I don't think it supports playstation controllers but otherwise it's a nicer solution. It's smaller and cheaper and I've been using it for years with no issues.

Re: Feature: These Incredible Game Boy Mods Are All By The Same Guy

Splodge

@swoose In Japan, a lot of capsule toys come on a little string or a chain. Before smartphones it used to be popular to hang them from your phone - some people would have dozens of little figures and things hanging from their phones. Like this: https://hips.hearstapps.com/cos.h-cdn.co/assets/14/01/480x376/gallery_nrm_1419968214-tumblr_l65iu6vknp1qb5yp9o1_500.jpeg

I'd guess that's why it was included on Gameboy and DS - just a little lanyard hole to hang a charm from. Probably not keys.

Re: Charles Martinet Discusses Voicing Gaming's Most Iconic Character: "I Dream As Mario"

Splodge

I really hope they give him something good to do in the movie.

Though, I still maintain that he should have been playing Mario. Others have said that his Mario voice would get annoying over the course of a feature film. But he is a good actor with range (Paarthunax in Skyrim is as far from Mario as you can get) so I'd say he definitely could have adjusted the performance to work in a different medium. I have much less faith in Chris Pratt.

Re: Random: Logan Paul Made A Table Out Of Game Boys, And The Internet Isn't Happy

Splodge

Even if he had used broken gameboys, it's worth noting that most broken gameboys just need a good clean to get them working again. And if they are truly broken, it's usually not much work to get them fixed - especially now that there is a wealth of aftermarket parts being produced.

If you want the Gameboy aesthetic, there's a lot of cheap reproduction shells being made now. Those could have easily been used for a project like this.

Gameboy prices (and game cartridge prices) have increased a lot in the last few years. Doing things like this won't help that and will make it harder for people who actually want to play Gameboy to get one - and I'm also uncomfortable with the idea of destroying something that is no longer in production and only exists in a fixed limited quantity.

Re: Scalpers Are Already Reselling Analogue Pocket Systems For Insane Prices Online

Splodge

@swoose

I would say that Analogue are a prestige manufacturer and they have put out some quality hardware - I have their Super NT and I really love it. I'd recommend looking at some of their products if you haven't heard from them.

Their hardware is not for everyone though - there are definitely benefits to the Chinese handhelds you mention (like you say, GameCube) - but they aim for 100% accuracy which is rare in software emulation (I think Higan has the same aim). That's really the appeal. But that's not important to everyone (I'm fine using normal emulators for Sega stuff - I don't need complete accuracy just to play those games so I doubt I'd shell out for their Mega SG).

I wouldn't say their budget mostly goes on marketing - the FPGAs they are using are expensive and the marketing seems to be mostly done by sending review copies to YouTubers so I'd say development and production is costing them more.

Re: Poll: What's The Worst Legend Of Zelda Game?

Splodge

@Ultimapunch
The Switch version is almost identical to the GB versions - just with some light Quality of Life changes and 3D models. It is otherwise, screen-by-screen the same game, the same experience. Some people think they didn't change it enough, it was that close.

If you think the GB version is garbage and the Switch version is one of the best in the series, I don't think the problem is that other people have rose-tinted glasses. You must have some hangup, preventing you from enjoying Game Boy.

Re: Poll: What's The Worst Legend Of Zelda Game?

Splodge

Oof, a lot of hate for the Oracle games in the comments.

Oracle of Ages is one of my favourite Zelda games. I think Link's Awakening is better in terms of story; melancholy islanders facing destruction - but both of the Oracle games were better in a lot of other ways - items, dungeon-design etc. It was odd that in 2001, the most exciting releases were gameboy games that looked like they came from the 80s (though that is common now).

As for the question, maybe Skyward Sword is the worst (I haven't played Triforce heroes). Skyward Sword has amazing dungeons but the world and controls are bad. It's the only Zelda rerelease I haven't rebought - as much as I'd like to replay the dungeons the rest of it is so tedious.

Re: The "Live-Action" Mega Man Movie Could Be On The Way To Netflix

Splodge

@Fighting_Game_Loser

Arguably a character like Iron Man was niche before the movie. Obviously he had a long history in the comics but in terms of mainstream recognition, he was a niche character. And that started one of the biggest franchises ever. I'd say Mega Man is on that level - people might recognise him or know the name but not specifics.

So, it kind of doesn't matter if Mega Man is niche - the right approach to the movie could definitely get people out to see it. Though this one will probably be bad if they are dumping it on Netflix. Hopefully it's just because audience numbrers are still low because of the pandemic and not because the movie will be terrible.