Stubborn_Monkey

Stubborn_Monkey

I demand to be taken seriously

Comments 332

Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Confirms Playable Cranky Kong and Release Date for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Stubborn_Monkey

I'm actually surprised that commenters here are affected by the words of some guys on the Internet you don't even know. It seems like you feel guilty about being Nintendo fans, like you go through life with a big ol' button that reads: "INFERIORITY COMPLEX".

Alright, that's kinda harsh; but don't let yourself be picked on by some mob that's waiting for an easy target. You're better than that.

And the whole "Wii U has no games" is pure exaggeration. Let's take a look at history: remember the late 90's? Oh yeah, those where great times to be a Nintendo fan, with only Rare and the Big N itself making decent games for the console. Now, more than a decade later, it seems that only the good part is remembered, as if Mario 64 and Ocarina and Star Fox and F-Zero were released in a monthly basis, one after the other.

Relax, people. Chill. And don't allow inane blabbering ruin your day.

Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Confirms Playable Cranky Kong and Release Date for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Stubborn_Monkey

@MadAdam81 @Chunky_Droid

I have searched a bit about the whole thing and this TMK page offers a very thorough explanation: http://themushroomkingdom.net/kongtroversy.shtml

It appears that Cranky has been referred to as DK's grandfather most of the time, but around DK64's release it was said that Cranky was his father. That's where I got the idea that he was Cranky's son. In DK64, Cranky says: "Well if it isn't my lazy, good-for-nothing son." when Donkey first enters his Lab. But he calls him his grandson most of other times, so I guess Cranky is DK's grandfather.

We might as well wait for a paternity test, though.

Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Confirms Playable Cranky Kong and Release Date for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Stubborn_Monkey

So, watching the footage of DKC:TF again, I must say that it looks spectacular.

Look at the details: look at the crashed plane at the beginning of the level, the machinery in the background moving the platforms, the waterfalls powering said machines, the leaves falling from the trees as the Kongs blast from the barrels, the thorns and bumps in the brambles... Retro Studios sure has taken advantage of the jump to HD. The brambles even move, encroaching in the scenery. The whole world feels so alive, so organic. DKC has always been about that kind of cohesive level design; in Super Mario you can have surreal things like blocks floating out of nowhere, but the Country games demand that the level elements are well-put together. And Tropical Freeze just feels right in that aspect.

By the way, I think we can all agree that it wasn't coincidence that Reggie was wearing that Samus pin during the announcement. I'd bet Retro will go back to Metroid and we'll have it on Wii U for the 2016 Holiday Season. Around three years of development time. Yeah, that feels right. Xmas 2014: Smash. Xmas 2015: Zelda. Xmas 2016: Metroid.

In the meantime, we could get another Samus adventure on 3DS. Perhaps a 2D one. Mr. Sakamoto and his team could finally release Metroid Dread and make the visuals really stand out with fantastic 3D effects.

Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Confirms Playable Cranky Kong and Release Date for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Stubborn_Monkey

I'm not dissapointed, because I didn't have great expectations to begin with.

Having said that, Tropical Freeze is getting better as release date approaches. I was already going to buy it, but now I really want this game. I guess Cranky's inclusion is what delayed the game, but it is TOTALLY JUSTIFIED; if you aren't excited by this, let me tell you that you have no taste in video gaming.
Cranky Kong, people. THE LEGEND is going to make his playable debut in a DKC game. We all know he could take on those polar semiaquatic ruffians by himself alone, but he's allowing the youngsters accompany him so that they learn a thing or two.

I hope the game is released in Europe in February too, or at least no later than early March. Get ready for the coolest game on Wii U!

Re: Reggie Fils-Aime: Petitions Don't Affect Nintendo's Decisions

Stubborn_Monkey

Well, there goes my cunning plan to make Nintendo release Kirby's Dream Collection in Europe by sending them 1,000,000 forged signatures, many of them mentioning celebrities, living and deceased.
Time for plan B: camping in front of NoE's headquarters dressed as the pink puffball. Only time will tell if I succeed or not.

Re: Rare: Relationship With Nintendo Was Built On Mutual Respect And Benefited Both Parties

Stubborn_Monkey

24-9-2002 NEVER FORGET

NEVER FORGET what, you say? Well, I can't quite remember it right now. Nothing important, I guess.

But, ah, those were the days, back when I spent evenings playing Diddy Kong Racing and Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007 and DK64; when I eagerly read previews and features about Perfect Dark and Banjo-Tooie waiting for the release day to come (And it was a hell of a wait, they were both repeatedly pushed back.)... those were the days...

I was angered when they became a First-Party Developer for Microsoft, but, nowadays, I just wish them well; they are talented people, both the ones that left the company and the ones that are still at Twycross. Here's to you, former and current Rare staff! May you continue making excellent games!

...And put the DKC trilogy back on the VC to celebrate the release of Tropical Freeze? Please? (HAHAHAHAHA, yes, I know Rare can do nothing about it and that it has to be negotiated between Nintendo and Microsoft, but I can dream, dammit. I can dream.)

Re: Nintendo Shares Hit Three-Month High Ahead of Major Releases

Stubborn_Monkey

Games got good reviews, shares rise.

That shows the power of gaming journalism nowadays. Reviews affected the shares of one of the biggest game companies. Not SALES, but REVIEWS.

Perhaps we should all be a little bit more cautious with what we say or write...

Or perhaps it's the shareholders who should be a little bit more confident in Nintendo...

Either way, I think this industry is focusing too much on reviews and scores.

Re: Soapbox: Zelda's Magic Creates A Link Between Generations

Stubborn_Monkey

@MadAussieBloke

Yeah, we can all agree that the Wii U VC has been a disappointment so far (expect for EarthBound and games running at 60Hz in the PAL region.). I'd like to see not only Mega Drive, but also Neo Geo and all the other platforms launched on Wii, even MSX. And the GBA games as rumour had it months ago. While they're at it, they should put the Game Boy/ Game Boy Colour games already launched on 3DS too, so we can play them Super Game Boy style.

Re: Soapbox: Zelda's Magic Creates A Link Between Generations

Stubborn_Monkey

@unrandomsam

THIS.

THIS, PEOPLE. Sam here speaks THE TRUTH. Children shouldn't be allowed to win at anything. They should be given impossible challenges so that they learn young that life is unfair, and hard, and cruel. No extra lives or checkpoints for you, sonny! Continuing is for the weak! You want your torment to end? Then DO IT RIGHT!

It's all for their own good though. That way they'll end up being masochists that comment on websites about Japanese game developers to crucify said Japanese game developers every single day for giving them a chance to succeed.

Stupid Nintendo.

Re: Soapbox: Super Mario 3D World's Playful Whimsy is Refreshing, But Faces a Vital Commercial Test

Stubborn_Monkey

@sdelfin

It's true that Twilight Princess gets often criticised for being artificially widened, it's one of its most frenquently mentioned flaws. In fact, didn't Eiji Aonuma say he wanted Skyward Sword to be set in a more compact, denser world? That game had its share of problems too, with all the complaints about hand-holding. Wind Waker wasn't perfect either, with all the sailing and Triforce chart quest that several players hated and the HD version attempted to mend; it also had content cut to meet the deadline but that's neither here nor there.

I'm centering on Zelda because I think action-adventure games are the ones most affected by the problems I mentioned on my first post ("being bloated", "becoming a chore".). Perhaps that's the thing: it's a matter of genre. Platformers aren't the most common kind of game nowadays; in the 80's and early 90's action games (platform, run-and-gun, beat'em up etc.) dominated the landscape but right now it's either FPS or Third-Person Action-Adventure. So perhaps that's the issue: genre shift, from pure action to action-adventure. Perhaps I am too accustomed to the instant gratification (or, if you did it wrong, instant frustration) video games offered two decades ago.

Does that mean it is just a matter of taste? Maybe. JRPGs have also been accused of being stale, lifeless experiences lately, so certain genres may be more susceptible to the issues discussed above.

But, at the end of the day, I'm glad that there are developers like Nintendo that release games like 3D World. Like I've said before, platformers are a minority right now, and Mario has always been the leader in platform games (Yes, Sonic, Rayman, and others are still there, but Mario is the King.), so the fact that Mario games do well in reviews and sales guarantees... I wouldn't say the genre's survival, but I would say its popularity. Not that I'm against FPS and Action-Adventure games, it's just that no genre should monopolise the market. That way every gamer would find a game that suits his/her taste.

tl;dr: Mario. Me like.

Re: Soapbox: Super Mario 3D World's Playful Whimsy is Refreshing, But Faces a Vital Commercial Test

Stubborn_Monkey

I think the problem is that games have become... bloated, to put it somehow. You no longer have "levels" or "courses" or "worlds". You have "campaigns" and "save files". They're more elaborate, more cinematic experiences, but if you want carefree fun, well... you can't just play it for a couple of minutes.

It is a matter of game design, not content. There's always been violence in video games. See: Ninja Gaiden, Contra, Double Dragon et al. on the NES; Final Fight, Metal Slug and a myriad others on arcade cabinets... Those were violent games, but more or less all of them had a lighthearted, fast-paced approach to the action, and didn't demand the player to spend a full evening with them.

It's true that now technology allows developers to craft ambitious, colossal epics, but that ambition goes overboard sometimes and they forget to let the players have some fun. GAMING has become a CHORE.

Nintendo knows to balance the structure so the players can just play as long as they want. Planning to spend several hours in front of the TV? Sure, have fun. Just have a couple of minutes before hitting the bed? Can do. That's why their consoles sometimes feel more like toys than pieces of hardware... because they never forget to have some fun.

And I'm sure 3D World will sell very well. It's Mario. Take a bag of sand, stamp the Super Mario logo on it, send it to Gobi, and it will sell.

Re: Review: Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Stubborn_Monkey

@GreatPlayer

So you think reviewers mostly want the same game under different skins again and again and again, huh?

Well, that could be problematic in this age where scores and review agreggators seem to hold more weight than ever before...

Personally, I don't think reviewers are that negative towards change, it's more a question of marketing, they need to buy the hype; if they're seduced by a game, they will be less harsh with it even if they approach it from a critical viewpoint. That's why publishers put so much emphasis on trailers and viral advertising campaings and website countdowns and "experiences".

Re: Review: Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Stubborn_Monkey

@GreatPlayer #159

My comment was directed at the crowd who wanted a third Galaxy-style game instead of 3D World, as I feel that this game shakes things up just enough to keep the series fresh. As good as the two Wii games were, I was starting to get a bit tired of their gameplay mechanics.

Re: Review: Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Stubborn_Monkey

Looks like the gameplay of every single level is completely different from the last one. Can't wait to play it. And for those who keep saying we should be getting Galaxy 3 instead of this...

(RANT MODE ACTIVATED)

C'mon, Mario needed a bit of change. After two phenomenal games, something different was necessary to keep things from going stale. I like to think of Galaxy and its sequel not as two games; but one game so big, they had to split it in two to release it. In fact, I'd say another sequel would muddle somewhat the concept; Galaxy and Galaxy 2 are like night and day, bookends, two sides of the same coin. They complement each other, no need for a third part.

As for 3D World, it might not look as monumental a work as SMG 1 or 2 but it sure looks like it has more variety on it, a game meant to constantly surprise the players.

I'll explain it with a (stupid, pretentious) musical analogy: Galaxy 1 and 2 are like a symphony orchestra: dozens of musicians, arranged precisely, closely following the partiture of a homogeneous -yet majestic- melody under the direction of a veteran conductor. 3D World is like a swing band: smaller, less coherent, perhaps somewhat aimless, but at the same time livelier, full of energy and rythmn, improvisating constantly to keep the audience entertained.

To put it simply: Galaxy 1 and 2 are GRAND, 3D World is FUN. Yeah, so many words to say so little.

Oh, and, those four, they're just like the A-Team. Except for not being a crack commando unit sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. In fact, they're nothing like the A-Team.

Re: Review: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)

Stubborn_Monkey

This game looks outstanding; while I wouldn't say it might be the best Zelda game to date (that's a pretty big title to claim) it sure feels like a strong contender for best handheld Zelda so far (and I hold Link's Awakening in very high regard, it is perhaps my favourite in the series.).

By the way, every time I read the word "Ravio" the cover image of Ironsword: Wizards and Warriors II flashes in my mind. Dunno why.