@Chibi Indeed, and add any US sales tax you like to that you're still not getting near £20 (just for those suggesting the pre-tax and post-tax situation fully accounts for the difference).
20 hours in (and probably not even 50% of the way through the story as I've been 100%ing the layers) and the instinctive score in my head, and what I might think looked about 'right' on Metacritic is 9.5 (95). If I'm to choose between 9 and 10, though, it's got to be a 10. This belongs up there with the best 3D Mario games, no question in my mind.
The moment to moment gameplay in this game is unbelievable. The destruction mechanic is a million times more fleshed out, addictive and consistently fun than I imagined it would be. Me and my mate played coop and we had to double take at the absurd extremes we took it to, as well as how well the game actually kept up. Being able to seamlessly transition between careful platforming exploration and Oppenheimer-level obliteration, and anywhere in-between, is such a fever dream. It's bananas! They made the player feel incredibly strong, which makes complete sense for DK.
On the frame drops: performance schmerformance; most of the time all that's done is accentuate chaos or impact as far as I'm concerned; the map is a map so no real qualms there. Some smoothening would always be welcome, but nary a whiff of fun derailment was experienced. I think the team made the right choice in their priorities.
@Zeldinion My moment with "Obsidian Frox" was similar. I'd just dived down my second ever chasm; as I plunged into the darkness, that low horn drone rang out and it was then slowly and slightly ambiguously revealed to me that I was diving straight into a giant frog's mouth. One of my few "fast travel. NOW." moments.
@G-Boy Thanks for the info - It's a shame that someone like yourself can't enjoy it in your native tongue, but your language skills sure will pay off at times like this (my language skills SUCK).
I agree that it's not a big deal; I hope others can share that sentiment so as to not be too disappointed. The game looks to offer so much, a preference for a different spoken language being a deal-breaker is a shame.
It still amazes me that this luxury is actually a genuine deal-breaker for some people. Sure, the option would be cool, but how many games have required this for their enjoyment? I don't think I've ever heard of a dual audio complaint for a video game (maybe there have been, I just missed them - I imagine a game based off an animé might have ruffled a few feathers in this regard) before but suddenly it is of the highest importance. I guess it's the whole Hylian thing, but would you really be satisfied hearing a familiar sounding Japanese dialect in it's place?
Nintendo don't include all of the audio tracks as options and it means Nintendo 'still don't realize that options are good'. I suppose people won't be happy until every game has every possible option ever, even if it is one that caters for what seems to be an, until now, unprecedented requirement from purists.
Christ knows how much Nintendo had on their plate with this game; it seems outlandish to label this as some sort of shortcoming on their part.
I hope everyone can enjoy this upcoming marvel, and for those who are genuinely at ill with the predicament I hope that you can get your unrest heard by Nintendo. It would still be great if they could accommodate your wishes. While the reaction does amaze me, I realize it is real, and shared by many so I can't ignore the potential benefit from such an amendment.
@G-Boy is there a reason you're buying the English version in the first place then? The system is region free, after all. Not being snooty, I'm genuinely curious. I take it your native language isn't catered for in the other versions?
@PlywoodStick You're right there; it would be ridiculous to tie that model to something with intricate systems like RPGs rather than the more quantitative progression found in, say, 2D platformers, and even then it's dubious due to the replay factors and game modes. If we were to use such a model, though, it seems unwieldy to suggest the value per level model can't be used because of when the one time transaction occurs (although one could argue that you get 3 less levels for your money in SMR as a result of the delay). Also, the metric can change due to decreases in price as you say, but surely it's fairest in this comparison when considering original pricing, which was how much the game was originally deemed to be worth.
@WilliamCalley I don't recall everyone calling them great people, just appreciating that the effective hype for the game was in some figurative way reciprocated. Some people don't see why SUCH caution should be shown over SMR so they disagree in this instance. Add in a bit of positive bias (which you're alluding to in an exaggerated form to stir up excrement) and it's totally understandable. Of course things will level out, but the short term reflections of many will persist.
@WilliamCalley Seems quite understandable to me. Stocks rose in light of Pokémon Go, which was a good thing for Nintendo's share value etc. and people probably agreed with the predictions made by the investors based on their own. Stocks have gone down in light of Super Mario Run and people disagree with the predictions, feeling that it is perhaps short sighted and that Nintendo will have further success. Nothing cryptic, just a bit of positivity, something many lack in the extreme.
@RainbowGazelle It might have something to do with reading sweeping generalizations like 'all Mario games are mediocre', which suggest a level of dismissiveness which would serve to betray any semblance of sincerity or genuine evaluation in your assertions. One doesn't need to be a Mario fan to resent such deliberately contentious flippancy.
@Clownshoes You sound way too much like you want the former to happen for anyone to think your dichotomy is anything other than facetiously contrived, as your unrelenting disdainful condescension would attest.
@Hikingguy If I put money into a project knowing that it had some inherent risk in the form of no absolute guarantees and it turns out that my particular request wasn't able to be delivered, then the company gave me a full refund as well as other options, I don't think I'd be losing too much sleep over the potential interest I might have gotten off of my small amount of money had I invested it elsewhere. The damage is extremely limited when you consider the inherent risk in the system.
@Pazuzu666 It was, in fact, acclaimed by critics. That is simply true, and deservedly so in my opinion. It's hardly a mediocre game amongst great ones; it is also a great game and the selection of it as a favourite is very reasonable. Also, it's not necessarily true that the poster views sunshine as their favourite 3D Mario game, just that they want it on VC. The galaxy games are pretty contemporary by comparison and 64 has at least been ported. It may even be the case that the poster has all of them except Sunshine and wishes to play it. Dem variables!
@Pazuzu666 Even if we were to accept that judgement, it's still an excellent and critically acclaimed game, thoroughly enjoyed by a ton of people. What's so hard to believe about @KirbyTheVampire 's sentiment? Why so incredulous and dismissive?
@WiltonRoots hehe, true. For the record, my comment was an ironic reference to others' complaints; in your case it's a geniune no brainer anyway it seems.
I know others have already responded and this isn't to beat a dead horse, but:
It's not really a lie on Nintendo's part because it's assumed in the statement that you have the necessary facilities to actually play the game. They don't bother clarifying all the individual components required to physically play the game, and for good reason. This would apply to a power source, the phone itself, having the right KIND of phone, internet connection etc. Your same gripe would also apply to having an android phone, for example, but Nintendo can hardly be held to account for you not having the correct hardware when they say that you can play the game all you want for $9.99. It's about how the payment for the game is structured so they're clearly talking about the game in isolation of your specific circumstance.
@JohnGrey It's barely multiplayer and most people don't even use the AR function anyway. Pretty much everyone just goes about it solo, building up their roster and taking over a gym is no different to beating someone's score. Of course by design it necessitates the connectivity and I understand some cynicism over the requirements with Mario Run due to the different context (there seem to be some reasonable technical reasons iterated though), but the point is the vast majority of players were basically happy playing a 1 player game which required an extraordinarily temperamental internet connection. If you're not happy with spending $9.99/£7.99 on the game because it requires a constant internet connection, then fair enough.
Pokémon Go requires constant connection, and for a long time people suffered incredible connectivity issues, but it was still an enormous success. The only argument I've heard against this comparison is that Go was free, which is pretty weak considering the vast amounts of money sunk into Go from transactions / plus modules from players and the fact that you get to try Mario Run for free to see just how galling these restrictions really are before biting any bullets.
It's understandably less appealing than being able to play offline and it will affect certain people a lot more than others, but there seem to be an alarming number of condescendingly and dismissively abandoned toys out of their prams over this, considering the widespread unprecedented popularity of a recent game which had not only the exact same constraint, but had borderline unacceptable connectivity issues for a long time. Go also NECESSITATED travelling about outside your home which meant people were even more obliged to have the applicable connectivity. Mario Run can be played at home very easily, and I think people underestimate how many people will.
I for one shan't be getting it as I don't have an iOS piece of kit, but the decision seems at least reasonable to my eyes.
'Jack of all trades, master of none' is a tired cliché that often gets unsheathed way too dismissively. Really, this is a 'Jack of two trades' system, and by all rights it should at least be able to function as an extraordinary handheld, while quite possibly being able to function as a very good/excellent home console (by the general overstated metrics people seem to use nowadays, anyway). I don't see how this system necessarily cannot excel in both roles. The reason I mention the handheld role in particular as being extraordinary is because of the fact that it'll be on another planet entirely from any of the current competition in that regard.
In fact, both aspects of the Switch can benefit enormously from the very fact that it CAN do both. The fact that you can continue your same home console game file on the same game on the same system as part of a handheld experience can bring a load more appeal to the handheld aspect, and vice versa. Having both handheld and home console worlds synchronized so well can make playing the games feel like such a consistent process. Going somewhere and want to take a handheld system with you? Just take your home console with all those brilliant HD games you've been playing all weekend.
@BrianFrobey There's a distinction to be made between the general reception of a game and it's competitive scene. Melee still has a 'scene' as it has fast controls, a deeper array of exploits and generally a higher skills cap than more modern releases. This doesn't change the fact that many general gamers will consider Sm4sh the 'strongest' iteration so far. They reviewed extremely similarly, so it's no surprise the opinion would divided, or 'arguable'.
I believe that description within that sentence, after 'where the action is 3D,...' is describing Mario 3D World. They're saying that the new Mario is different to that description, and won't be as linear.
As far as I'm concerned, the Switch working as a home console and the Switch directly competing in terms of graphical horsepower aren't synonymous concepts. If you were to think of it as exclusively a home console, then of course one may wish it had more juice, but a hybrid is always going to have to compromise.
You can look at is as either home or handheld in my eyes, with the acknowledgement that any potential limitation to the graphical horsepower is of course going to be due mostly to the nature of the latter. If you keep the Switch in the dock and use the Joycons attached to the grip or use the pro pad all the time, then it doesn't differ from a home console other than that you have the potential to take the guts of it with you; the power differential between it and the likes of the new PS4 doesn't really change that definition as I see it (thinking of it as primarily a handheld can be a good mindset though, because it's the main factor behind technical and design choices). You could certainly argue that the main selling point is the handheld aspect, sure and I know you can feasibly stream to TV with other, handheld devices but this does it out of the box, with a dedicated scaler and control peripheral. It becomes a home console in two parts, if you like.
You are quite right though, if people expect this to be a megalith like the PS4 then they are not appreciating the limiting aspects of it including the handheld aspect. Like, AT ALL. How was this EVER going to be on par with the new PS4 at this size and in this format?
@DragonEleven Well when you 'phone' someone, you are using a phonal (meaning sound) application by definition. As far as I see it, the devices have maintained the 'phone' label purely because it can still be used as a phone, even though it much more closely fits the definition of a computer.
The difference here is that with a modern 'phone', the telephone aspect from which the abbreviation was undoubtedly derived and represents, is a very small part of the machine, whereas in the case of the Switch, it's basically 50/50 home console and handheld, which as you correctly point out, means neither definition should really be used. It's a hybrid.
@elstif Well that's essentially just a bit of word play. Is it a 'console' (handhelds aren't consoles?) that you can take with you and play as a handheld? Or is it a handheld that can output to a TV? Well, when you dock the thing, take the Joycons off to form a controller and play on the TV, how does it actually differ from a 'console' in that instance? That fact that you CAN pick it up if you want? While you're playing it in that format it will do everything a home console does. If one was capable of picking up a PS4 that had a big battery in it with control buttons and a tiny TV sellotaped to it would that be solely a handheld then? Apologies for the endless rhetoric. It's a habit.
Anyway, you go ahead and connect your phone or tablet to a TV after configuring a third party controller that doesn't suck and I'll use a seamlessly integrated dedicated games console with way more power and a library of AAA home console games. Oh and good luck using a phone as a handheld for even a remotely comparable gaming experience. Having a games console that works perfectly as a home console out of the box and perfectly as a handheld out of the box is pretty innovative. As far as I'm aware, nothing has done it before. If they have, it's almost certainly sucked way more than this will. Using a laptop to emulate the experience is an amusing vision.
I appreciate you've said you don't play on the go and that is a very understandable reason to lose a lot of interest, although the first party games played at home will still absolutely rule, I must stress. I don't think the market needs another head butting up against the Scorpio or the Pro, which I guess is why they made this decision. The power differential was a necessary evil, but good god will this be powerful for its size.
I've said it before, but imagine a 2DS with a screen 4 times the size, with more power than a Wii U and a far wider library of games, that can seamlessly output to your TV. Alternatively, to focus more from the home console perspective, It's like a supercharged Wii U with unlimited off screen range, way faster load times, a bigger library with more 3rd party support and a better gamepad. And Zelda.
Are you honestly equating the 3DS to the Switch, just because both are portable? That's absurd. The 3DS is vastly less powerful and isn't something that can output to a TV like, you know, a home console. That's like saying if the 3DS could connect to the TV you wouldn't need a Wii U... Playing Wii U titles on the go would be a vastly different experience to 3DS.
You're saying you don't want to take the portability away and that you want it to also be a home console. Well, we can infer from that that your definition of a home console isn't dependent on its portability... So with that in mind, THIS IS A PORTABLE HOME CONSOLE. It will do EVERYTHING a home console does when it's at home. The only thing it WON'T do, is have a dedicated second screen, which only one home console ever really did; a console that was vastly outsold by the other home consoles and a handheld from the same company. I mean, how is this not also a home console? What has you so spooked that this somehow doesn't work as a home console? Your concerns seem unfounded.
And what else are you suggesting the Switch should be able to do when it's on the go? Battery Life? Small screen? These are unavoidable characteristics of anything that can operate as a reasonably sized handheld. A truly portable console NEEDS a battery, end of story, so that's hardly a system specific compromise, and anything above a 7 inch screen or so is going to be one unwieldy handheld unit. Both completely reasonable 'compromises'.
What exactly have they taken away? This is a home console with a dedicated library including AAA games that you can seamlessly take with you and play ANYWHERE. How is this concept (the games themselves and the power will be important in practice) not brilliant? Imagine being in the middle of Xenoblade X or something, then being able to pick it up and play it as a self sufficient handheld. That's insane. A 2DS that can play freaking Wii U GAMES would be bonkers, and this looks like it will be able to do the equivalent of that and then some. Then add in the fact that this can seamlessly transfer to the TV.
Just let that settle in. A 2DS with 4 times the screen area that can play games more demanding than Wii U games, that you can seamlessly output to your home setup.
For the record, your comments are of course completely welcome. I don't want my strenuous disagreement with you to come across as personal in any way; I just really like the Switch concept and want to explain why in the face of perspectives that I feel are misguided or biased. There's nothing stopping you from still thinking the idea stinks for your own reasons.
The funny thing is, for me by far the most brilliant and underappreciated function of the Gamepad was indeed Off TV play. To play on the handheld while the TV is used for something entirely different is a godsend to many and to have it as standard rather than requiring a vita or some button-less windows 10 contraption that would need propping up was a huge deal in my opinion.... So you can see, in this instance, ditching the second screen does literally NOTHING to detract from this function, because by design Off TV it's what the Switch does anyway, and infinitely better to boot. The other benefits of the second screen, while convenient in a number of games, to me, serve as a worthy trade off 1,000 times over for what the Switch will do instead.
Additionally:
The actual dual screen function of the DS generally works better than for Wii U because the screens are equally sized and next to each other, rather than differently sized with one in your lap and the other straight ahead. As a guess, that's probably why the opinions are skewed between the consoles in the polls and why people care about DS dual screens yet don't generally mind overall about the Switch not having them.
As @JaxonH says, if you want to play on a TV all the time then you can pack up the console just like any other, so nothing's really lost in that regard. But when it comes to playing pretty much ANYWHERE else, the comparison is: Packing up your console, wires, pad etc. from behind your cabinet/whatever, stuffing it all into a rucksack, then travelling somewhere, finding a power source, then setting it up again to play whilst requiring some actual space around you for the console, then packing it up again when you're finished and repeating the general process at home VS... Picking up the Switch and travelling with it. This difference cannot be overstated.
You need to appreciate that millions upon millions of people enjoy portable gaming on the small screens. This console is about what everyone wants, not just what you or I want, so the fact that you can use it like you (and many others I'm sure) want, AND how MILLIONS of others would want is extremely significant. How many of the millions of 2/3DS + other handheld gamers would enjoy this console? How many of them would relish the idea of playing games with the potential for being many orders of magnitude bigger, beautiful and more intricate than their previous libraries on a similarly portable console? The answer to those questions should be obvious.
But that's not the only partial rhetoric: How many Wii U gamers would relish having Off TV play anywhere on the planet as opposed to 15 feet away from their TV? How many potential X1 or PS4 gamers might be at least slightly interested in playing AAA games anywhere on the planet with no fuss. Maybe not that many based on the large dedicated online shooter player base, but even some would be a bonus.
The funny thing is, for me by far the most brilliant and underappreciated function of the Gamepad was indeed Off TV play. To play on the handheld while the TV is used for something entirely different is a godsend to many and to have it as standard rather than requiring a vita or some button-less windows 10 contraption that would need propping up was a huge deal in my opinion.... So you can see, in this instance, ditching the second screen does literally NOTHING to detract from this function, because by design Off TV it's what the Switch does anyway, and infinitely better to boot. The other benefits of the second screen, while convenient in a number of games, to me, serve as a worthy trade off 1,000 times over for what the Switch will do instead.
That's very true. I guess I just meant that it's semantics in the simplest terms, that being the implicated meaning behind words, and how people may have got that mixed up rather than necessarily the philosophy of how they actually think the new console would work; as if they've misunderstood the definitions rather than necessarily the actual concept. Sorry for the misunderstanding here; I concur with your synopsis.
Labels are very curious things and can cloud our intentions, despite being simple things in most cases. I appreciate your time clarifying all this.
Are you generally looking forward to what you feel the system is likely to be? As in - correct me if I misrepresent - different self sufficient pieces of hardware as part of a thematic synergized system?
There is an ounce when that is what people actually mean when they say it. If the definition they are using is incorrect? Still a semantic issue, at least in the sense of implication. In terms of the actual definition, there is no semantic issue to be had in and of itself though, I agree with that.
If it can be 'synergized' or what not to play as a home console then it isn't overpriced at all. If it was a pure handheld upon release then it would most likely be a little steep; as I said, we'd have to wait and see. Talk about running before the baton is passed.
And even if a system comprises two stand alone elements that can function individually then I'm pretty sure most people would be happy to call that SYSTEM a 'hybrid' as the system itself performs two functions. You can make the distinction between one element which performs both functions and two elements that perform both but I really don't see the need. You appear to, and if that is a technical definition of a hybrid system then so be it, but I really don't see how this is just arguing over definitions rather than more importantly what people are imagining the system can do for them.
If they sell two separate systems that synergize then that fits your bill to a T and I will fully understand the need for the distinction when decribing the console, but if both parts are sold as one package, then suffice to say I see no pragmatic reason for it.
Also, price wise, it would really depend on what the system actually is - $299 for this gen, if it's a great system? No way is it WAY too expensive. Insta-rejection of the price is ridiculous.
The semantic problem is real, though I understand your perspective.
If a home console can change what it means to be a handheld device then that hardly kills the idea off. Can a 'hybrid' not be one OR the other instead of one AND the other? Well... It isn't going to be used as each at the same time is it? If a system had two parts that were put together to make one part of the hybrid experience function, I would still call that a hybrid system. Plus, it wouldn't REdefine one AND the other, as the whole point is that it is new; it would just be defining that, and would be redefining having them as separate entities surely?
Regardless, it's one word, and it doesn't necessarily point to either scenario per sé imo. I agree it's unlikely to be a de facto hybrid system for similar reasons to those you have provided, though.
I'm surprised people are automatically thinking that $299 is too expensive though. That's the same price the PS2 was released at in 2000 and significantly cheaper than its last gen rivals were.
Also, regarding music, production techniques have come on leaps and bounds over the years, yet plenty of recording artists actually desire the older style sounds in their work, especially in hiphop where they tend to use old samples of funk tunes and such. The reason? Because they enjoy the sound. They just do. A heavily compressed and mixed modern pop song does not sound 'better'.
It does make me right by default in the sense that I'm arguing that the style is popular for various reasons, which it is. This might not directly challenge your concerns, but it's an inescapable observation that cannot be refuted. Our ultimate concerns, though, are indeed opinions, you are quite right.
'Axiom Verge might even have the best gameplay of all games, that still doesn't justify the outdated graphics in my opinion'
Graphics aren't everything and not everything needs realistic, detailed graphics that utilize all of the hardware. It just doesn't. It really, REALLY doesn't. Otherwise we can ONLY have high detail, sensory saturation going forward, rather than minimalist, abstract forms that focus more on isolated gameplay elements. This is the crux of our disagreement it seems.
Also, I think Super Mario World is a better game than NSMBU purely because of the gameplay and level design. I don't need 10 extra functions and more detailed graphics to make the game 'better'. I think it is ACTUALLY a worse game, despite being a good one.
Also, kudos on implying that the creator of this game was lazy. That's a laugh.
Umm... No you don't... I disagree with pretty much your entire standpoint.
You see, unfortunately for you, you can go down this road until you're blue in the face (fingers?), but the very fact that this game and some others like it are extremely well received by a large number of people for exactly the reasons I am explaining means I'm right by default. That's the reality of the situation.
I played Super Mario World yesterday and loved it. It is extremely entertaining, just like old cars, films, works of art, musical recordings, architecture, etc etc. I enjoyed it more than NSMBU. So much for obsolete. The fact that it is drawn with a cartoony, semi abstract way makes it pretty much timeless, even if technological constraints influenced that decision originally. Mind you, it's not as if modern Mario games aren't cartoonized. It remains fairly simple, for sure, but pizza is simple and I love the stuff. Oh and for the record, people can enjoy BOTH Netflix AND ancient paintings; why does the preference have to be exclusive? I CAN'T enjoy looking at ancient art because of Netflix? This is absurd. Regarding this game specifically, pixel art is a fine art; making interesting and coherent visuals in this medium is minimalist and very skillful. It really restricts things and calls for creativity to stand out, which is why so few get so acclaimed.
To qualify: The overall scope of games regarding detail, realism, complexity and depth does indeed need to progress - This I am all for, but not exclusively. There is still clearly a big market for games that appeal to the styles of yesterday, and that's the bottom line. The fact that many people still adore the old classics (and Axiom Verge) essentially MAKES them not obsolete. This is art, not just technology.
@shani There's no technical need to make a game of any style. You do know how much people still love Super Metroid, right?Many gamers adore old classics and their aesthetics to this day so a new game made in that style can be extremely enjoyable.
Why does a game have to NOT look like this to be well received? That's what I don't understand. Just because you have the technology to add more detail, doesn't mean you must. There is a great deal of artistic license that goes along with this aesthetic. People often enjoy minimalist iterations of all kinds of art.
Additionally, it provides a new experience in the same style to games that many people who wished for this game will have played as children. Feeling like a kid again playing games seems understandably desirable.
Most games have been 'done' many times before in the broad sense, but games that score well add their own unique details and charm, which this apparently does very well - And this isn't even an overdone style of game.
Besides, how many retro indie games do you see getting critical acclaim? This is hardly a common theme.
I'm with @JaxonH on this one. The concept, while simple and to some, underwhelming, excites me quite a lot. Off TV play with the Wii U as standard in my opinion is up there as one of the most underappreciated features in console history. It's so damned convenient being able to play the same game on the same console without the TV and I imagine for some people with busy families it is a godsend.
Then came the thought: Imagine that Off TV play had infinite range. Even within the home this would be useful as you can often get out of range and have interference through walls. But outside the home? Anywhere? That sounds amazing. Many people have a dedicated handheld as well as their home console purely to scratch that one particular itch. It would be amazing to have one / a dual console with one library to cover both of those very different bases.
That's is, providing this is going to happen, of course.
Would make sense. There's definitely mutual benefit there - McDonalds have an extensive budget range that will tempt nearby Pokemon players to grab a cheap snack very often I'd wager.
Comments 62
Re: Hollow Knight: Silksong's Price Has Been Officially Announced
@Chibi Indeed, and add any US sales tax you like to that you're still not getting near £20 (just for those suggesting the pre-tax and post-tax situation fully accounts for the difference).
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Donkey Kong Bananza?
20 hours in (and probably not even 50% of the way through the story as I've been 100%ing the layers) and the instinctive score in my head, and what I might think looked about 'right' on Metacritic is 9.5 (95). If I'm to choose between 9 and 10, though, it's got to be a 10. This belongs up there with the best 3D Mario games, no question in my mind.
The moment to moment gameplay in this game is unbelievable. The destruction mechanic is a million times more fleshed out, addictive and consistently fun than I imagined it would be. Me and my mate played coop and we had to double take at the absurd extremes we took it to, as well as how well the game actually kept up. Being able to seamlessly transition between careful platforming exploration and Oppenheimer-level obliteration, and anywhere in-between, is such a fever dream. It's bananas! They made the player feel incredibly strong, which makes complete sense for DK.
On the frame drops: performance schmerformance; most of the time all that's done is accentuate chaos or impact as far as I'm concerned; the map is a map so no real qualms there. Some smoothening would always be welcome, but nary a whiff of fun derailment was experienced. I think the team made the right choice in their priorities.
Re: Talking Point: Is Tears Of The Kingdom The Scariest Zelda Game Ever?
@Zeldinion My moment with "Obsidian Frox" was similar. I'd just dived down my second ever chasm; as I plunged into the darkness, that low horn drone rang out and it was then slowly and slightly ambiguously revealed to me that I was diving straight into a giant frog's mouth. One of my few "fast travel. NOW." moments.
Re: Eiji Aonuma Confirms that Breath of the Wild Will Not Support a Japanese Dub Over English Subtitles
@G-Boy Thanks for the info - It's a shame that someone like yourself can't enjoy it in your native tongue, but your language skills sure will pay off at times like this (my language skills SUCK).
I agree that it's not a big deal; I hope others can share that sentiment so as to not be too disappointed. The game looks to offer so much, a preference for a different spoken language being a deal-breaker is a shame.
Re: Eiji Aonuma Confirms that Breath of the Wild Will Not Support a Japanese Dub Over English Subtitles
It still amazes me that this luxury is actually a genuine deal-breaker for some people. Sure, the option would be cool, but how many games have required this for their enjoyment? I don't think I've ever heard of a dual audio complaint for a video game (maybe there have been, I just missed them - I imagine a game based off an animé might have ruffled a few feathers in this regard) before but suddenly it is of the highest importance. I guess it's the whole Hylian thing, but would you really be satisfied hearing a familiar sounding Japanese dialect in it's place?
Nintendo don't include all of the audio tracks as options and it means Nintendo 'still don't realize that options are good'. I suppose people won't be happy until every game has every possible option ever, even if it is one that caters for what seems to be an, until now, unprecedented requirement from purists.
Christ knows how much Nintendo had on their plate with this game; it seems outlandish to label this as some sort of shortcoming on their part.
I hope everyone can enjoy this upcoming marvel, and for those who are genuinely at ill with the predicament I hope that you can get your unrest heard by Nintendo. It would still be great if they could accommodate your wishes. While the reaction does amaze me, I realize it is real, and shared by many so I can't ignore the potential benefit from such an amendment.
@G-Boy is there a reason you're buying the English version in the first place then? The system is region free, after all. Not being snooty, I'm genuinely curious. I take it your native language isn't catered for in the other versions?
Re: Review: Super Mario Run (Mobile)
@PlywoodStick You're right there; it would be ridiculous to tie that model to something with intricate systems like RPGs rather than the more quantitative progression found in, say, 2D platformers, and even then it's dubious due to the replay factors and game modes. If we were to use such a model, though, it seems unwieldy to suggest the value per level model can't be used because of when the one time transaction occurs (although one could argue that you get 3 less levels for your money in SMR as a result of the delay). Also, the metric can change due to decreases in price as you say, but surely it's fairest in this comparison when considering original pricing, which was how much the game was originally deemed to be worth.
Re: Review: Super Mario Run (Mobile)
@RainbowGazelle Well, when you put it like that, no complaints!
Re: Review: Super Mario Run (Mobile)
@ProfessorToad Wait, you bought this game? That is actually hilarious.
Re: Super Mario Run Currently The Top Grossing iOS Store App
@WiltonRoots All I wanted was a really well polished game for nothing. Doomed.
Re: Nintendo and DeNA Shares Tumble as Investors Show Super Mario Run Revenue Fears
@WilliamCalley I don't recall everyone calling them great people, just appreciating that the effective hype for the game was in some figurative way reciprocated. Some people don't see why SUCH caution should be shown over SMR so they disagree in this instance. Add in a bit of positive bias (which you're alluding to in an exaggerated form to stir up excrement) and it's totally understandable. Of course things will level out, but the short term reflections of many will persist.
Re: Nintendo and DeNA Shares Tumble as Investors Show Super Mario Run Revenue Fears
@WilliamCalley Seems quite understandable to me. Stocks rose in light of Pokémon Go, which was a good thing for Nintendo's share value etc. and people probably agreed with the predictions made by the investors based on their own. Stocks have gone down in light of Super Mario Run and people disagree with the predictions, feeling that it is perhaps short sighted and that Nintendo will have further success. Nothing cryptic, just a bit of positivity, something many lack in the extreme.
Re: Review: Super Mario Run (Mobile)
@RainbowGazelle It might have something to do with reading sweeping generalizations like 'all Mario games are mediocre', which suggest a level of dismissiveness which would serve to betray any semblance of sincerity or genuine evaluation in your assertions. One doesn't need to be a Mario fan to resent such deliberately contentious flippancy.
Re: Review: Super Mario Run (Mobile)
@RainbowGazelle I hope you can sleep easily now that you've got an infinitesimally small part of that chip off of your shoulder.
Re: Review: Super Mario Run (Mobile)
@RainbowGazelle That's a good one. Any more?
Re: Feature: The Wii U's Journey - Four Years of Excellence, Failure and Indifference
@Clownshoes You sound way too much like you want the former to happen for anyone to think your dichotomy is anything other than facetiously contrived, as your unrelenting disdainful condescension would attest.
Re: Yooka-Laylee's Wii U Cancellation is Only Due to Technical Challenges, Not the System's Woes
@Hikingguy If I put money into a project knowing that it had some inherent risk in the form of no absolute guarantees and it turns out that my particular request wasn't able to be delivered, then the company gave me a full refund as well as other options, I don't think I'd be losing too much sleep over the potential interest I might have gotten off of my small amount of money had I invested it elsewhere. The damage is extremely limited when you consider the inherent risk in the system.
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch Has the Potential to Deliver the Ultimate Virtual Console
@Pazuzu666 It was, in fact, acclaimed by critics. That is simply true, and deservedly so in my opinion. It's hardly a mediocre game amongst great ones; it is also a great game and the selection of it as a favourite is very reasonable. Also, it's not necessarily true that the poster views sunshine as their favourite 3D Mario game, just that they want it on VC. The galaxy games are pretty contemporary by comparison and 64 has at least been ported. It may even be the case that the poster has all of them except Sunshine and wishes to play it. Dem variables!
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch Has the Potential to Deliver the Ultimate Virtual Console
@Pazuzu666 Even if we were to accept that judgement, it's still an excellent and critically acclaimed game, thoroughly enjoyed by a ton of people. What's so hard to believe about @KirbyTheVampire 's sentiment? Why so incredulous and dismissive?
Re: Super Mario Run Will Require a Constant Online Connection
@WiltonRoots hehe, true. For the record, my comment was an ironic reference to others' complaints; in your case it's a geniune no brainer anyway it seems.
Re: Super Mario Run Will Require a Constant Online Connection
@WiltonRoots I won't be able to play this game in the time I spend underground so I'm NEVER going to play it.
Re: Miyamoto on the Reasoning Behind Super Mario Run's Pricing
@SanderEvers
I know others have already responded and this isn't to beat a dead horse, but:
It's not really a lie on Nintendo's part because it's assumed in the statement that you have the necessary facilities to actually play the game. They don't bother clarifying all the individual components required to physically play the game, and for good reason. This would apply to a power source, the phone itself, having the right KIND of phone, internet connection etc. Your same gripe would also apply to having an android phone, for example, but Nintendo can hardly be held to account for you not having the correct hardware when they say that you can play the game all you want for $9.99. It's about how the payment for the game is structured so they're clearly talking about the game in isolation of your specific circumstance.
Re: Super Mario Run Will Require a Constant Online Connection
@DrRandle Consider your sentiments echoed. It seems a shame that this inconvenience has been upscaled to a dealbreaker by so many.
Re: Super Mario Run Will Require a Constant Online Connection
@JohnGrey It's barely multiplayer and most people don't even use the AR function anyway. Pretty much everyone just goes about it solo, building up their roster and taking over a gym is no different to beating someone's score. Of course by design it necessitates the connectivity and I understand some cynicism over the requirements with Mario Run due to the different context (there seem to be some reasonable technical reasons iterated though), but the point is the vast majority of players were basically happy playing a 1 player game which required an extraordinarily temperamental internet connection. If you're not happy with spending $9.99/£7.99 on the game because it requires a constant internet connection, then fair enough.
Re: Super Mario Run Will Require a Constant Online Connection
Pokémon Go requires constant connection, and for a long time people suffered incredible connectivity issues, but it was still an enormous success. The only argument I've heard against this comparison is that Go was free, which is pretty weak considering the vast amounts of money sunk into Go from transactions / plus modules from players and the fact that you get to try Mario Run for free to see just how galling these restrictions really are before biting any bullets.
It's understandably less appealing than being able to play offline and it will affect certain people a lot more than others, but there seem to be an alarming number of condescendingly and dismissively abandoned toys out of their prams over this, considering the widespread unprecedented popularity of a recent game which had not only the exact same constraint, but had borderline unacceptable connectivity issues for a long time. Go also NECESSITATED travelling about outside your home which meant people were even more obliged to have the applicable connectivity. Mario Run can be played at home very easily, and I think people underestimate how many people will.
I for one shan't be getting it as I don't have an iOS piece of kit, but the decision seems at least reasonable to my eyes.
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch Pitch - A Jack of All Trades
'Jack of all trades, master of none' is a tired cliché that often gets unsheathed way too dismissively. Really, this is a 'Jack of two trades' system, and by all rights it should at least be able to function as an extraordinary handheld, while quite possibly being able to function as a very good/excellent home console (by the general overstated metrics people seem to use nowadays, anyway). I don't see how this system necessarily cannot excel in both roles. The reason I mention the handheld role in particular as being extraordinary is because of the fact that it'll be on another planet entirely from any of the current competition in that regard.
In fact, both aspects of the Switch can benefit enormously from the very fact that it CAN do both. The fact that you can continue your same home console game file on the same game on the same system as part of a handheld experience can bring a load more appeal to the handheld aspect, and vice versa. Having both handheld and home console worlds synchronized so well can make playing the games feel like such a consistent process. Going somewhere and want to take a handheld system with you? Just take your home console with all those brilliant HD games you've been playing all weekend.
Re: GameSeek Offers 'Price Guarantee' Nintendo Switch Pre-Order for Just Under £200
On a consumer level, memory and storage are often used to mean the same thing, hence the term 'memory cards'.
Re: Talking Point: What We'd Like To See In Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo Switch
@BrianFrobey There's a distinction to be made between the general reception of a game and it's competitive scene. Melee still has a 'scene' as it has fast controls, a deeper array of exploits and generally a higher skills cap than more modern releases. This doesn't change the fact that many general gamers will consider Sm4sh the 'strongest' iteration so far. They reviewed extremely similarly, so it's no surprise the opinion would divided, or 'arguable'.
Re: Rumour: Nintendo Switch Will Have Super Mario And Skyrim At Launch, Splatoon Coming As Pack-In
@Henmii
I believe that description within that sentence, after 'where the action is 3D,...' is describing Mario 3D World. They're saying that the new Mario is different to that description, and won't be as linear.
Re: Rumour: Last Wii U Consoles Roll Off The Production Line This Week
@Manjushri It's difficult to summarize how misguided this comment is, so I'm just going to highlight the fact that it is and leave it at that.
Re: Rumour: Nintendo Switch Game Cards Limited To 16GB Size
@impurekind
As far as I'm concerned, the Switch working as a home console and the Switch directly competing in terms of graphical horsepower aren't synonymous concepts. If you were to think of it as exclusively a home console, then of course one may wish it had more juice, but a hybrid is always going to have to compromise.
You can look at is as either home or handheld in my eyes, with the acknowledgement that any potential limitation to the graphical horsepower is of course going to be due mostly to the nature of the latter. If you keep the Switch in the dock and use the Joycons attached to the grip or use the pro pad all the time, then it doesn't differ from a home console other than that you have the potential to take the guts of it with you; the power differential between it and the likes of the new PS4 doesn't really change that definition as I see it (thinking of it as primarily a handheld can be a good mindset though, because it's the main factor behind technical and design choices). You could certainly argue that the main selling point is the handheld aspect, sure and I know you can feasibly stream to TV with other, handheld devices but this does it out of the box, with a dedicated scaler and control peripheral. It becomes a home console in two parts, if you like.
You are quite right though, if people expect this to be a megalith like the PS4 then they are not appreciating the limiting aspects of it including the handheld aspect. Like, AT ALL. How was this EVER going to be on par with the new PS4 at this size and in this format?
Re: Nintendo's Switch Preview Was Watched By More Than 23 Million People
@BionicDodo
Psycho Pinball rules.
Re: Nintendo Switch Won't Be Sold At A Loss, Two Million Units To Ship In Time For March
@DragonEleven Well when you 'phone' someone, you are using a phonal (meaning sound) application by definition. As far as I see it, the devices have maintained the 'phone' label purely because it can still be used as a phone, even though it much more closely fits the definition of a computer.
The difference here is that with a modern 'phone', the telephone aspect from which the abbreviation was undoubtedly derived and represents, is a very small part of the machine, whereas in the case of the Switch, it's basically 50/50 home console and handheld, which as you correctly point out, means neither definition should really be used. It's a hybrid.
Re: Nintendo Switch Won't Be Sold At A Loss, Two Million Units To Ship In Time For March
@DragonEleven Case in point, people still refer to smartphones as phones despite that being such a small component of them nowadays.
Re: A New Update is Rolling Out for Pokémon GO
@Tempestryke I guess you can now tell immediately when you receive the egg rather than having to check in the menu.
Re: Talking Point: Imagining a Future Nintendo Switch Budget Spin-Off - A Non-Switching Microconsole
@elstif Well that's essentially just a bit of word play. Is it a 'console' (handhelds aren't consoles?) that you can take with you and play as a handheld? Or is it a handheld that can output to a TV? Well, when you dock the thing, take the Joycons off to form a controller and play on the TV, how does it actually differ from a 'console' in that instance? That fact that you CAN pick it up if you want? While you're playing it in that format it will do everything a home console does. If one was capable of picking up a PS4 that had a big battery in it with control buttons and a tiny TV sellotaped to it would that be solely a handheld then? Apologies for the endless rhetoric. It's a habit.
Anyway, you go ahead and connect your phone or tablet to a TV after configuring a third party controller that doesn't suck and I'll use a seamlessly integrated dedicated games console with way more power and a library of AAA home console games. Oh and good luck using a phone as a handheld for even a remotely comparable gaming experience. Having a games console that works perfectly as a home console out of the box and perfectly as a handheld out of the box is pretty innovative. As far as I'm aware, nothing has done it before. If they have, it's almost certainly sucked way more than this will. Using a laptop to emulate the experience is an amusing vision.
I appreciate you've said you don't play on the go and that is a very understandable reason to lose a lot of interest, although the first party games played at home will still absolutely rule, I must stress. I don't think the market needs another head butting up against the Scorpio or the Pro, which I guess is why they made this decision. The power differential was a necessary evil, but good god will this be powerful for its size.
I've said it before, but imagine a 2DS with a screen 4 times the size, with more power than a Wii U and a far wider library of games, that can seamlessly output to your TV. Alternatively, to focus more from the home console perspective, It's like a supercharged Wii U with unlimited off screen range, way faster load times, a bigger library with more 3rd party support and a better gamepad. And Zelda.
Re: Nintendo Switch Will Be a Single-Screen Experience
@shani
Are you honestly equating the 3DS to the Switch, just because both are portable? That's absurd. The 3DS is vastly less powerful and isn't something that can output to a TV like, you know, a home console. That's like saying if the 3DS could connect to the TV you wouldn't need a Wii U... Playing Wii U titles on the go would be a vastly different experience to 3DS.
You're saying you don't want to take the portability away and that you want it to also be a home console. Well, we can infer from that that your definition of a home console isn't dependent on its portability... So with that in mind, THIS IS A PORTABLE HOME CONSOLE. It will do EVERYTHING a home console does when it's at home. The only thing it WON'T do, is have a dedicated second screen, which only one home console ever really did; a console that was vastly outsold by the other home consoles and a handheld from the same company. I mean, how is this not also a home console? What has you so spooked that this somehow doesn't work as a home console? Your concerns seem unfounded.
And what else are you suggesting the Switch should be able to do when it's on the go? Battery Life? Small screen? These are unavoidable characteristics of anything that can operate as a reasonably sized handheld. A truly portable console NEEDS a battery, end of story, so that's hardly a system specific compromise, and anything above a 7 inch screen or so is going to be one unwieldy handheld unit. Both completely reasonable 'compromises'.
What exactly have they taken away? This is a home console with a dedicated library including AAA games that you can seamlessly take with you and play ANYWHERE. How is this concept (the games themselves and the power will be important in practice) not brilliant? Imagine being in the middle of Xenoblade X or something, then being able to pick it up and play it as a self sufficient handheld. That's insane. A 2DS that can play freaking Wii U GAMES would be bonkers, and this looks like it will be able to do the equivalent of that and then some. Then add in the fact that this can seamlessly transfer to the TV.
Just let that settle in. A 2DS with 4 times the screen area that can play games more demanding than Wii U games, that you can seamlessly output to your home setup.
For the record, your comments are of course completely welcome. I don't want my strenuous disagreement with you to come across as personal in any way; I just really like the Switch concept and want to explain why in the face of perspectives that I feel are misguided or biased. There's nothing stopping you from still thinking the idea stinks for your own reasons.
Re: Poll: Nintendo Switch Delivers Single Screen Gaming - Will You Miss the Dual Screen Concept?
From the other thread:
The funny thing is, for me by far the most brilliant and underappreciated function of the Gamepad was indeed Off TV play. To play on the handheld while the TV is used for something entirely different is a godsend to many and to have it as standard rather than requiring a vita or some button-less windows 10 contraption that would need propping up was a huge deal in my opinion.... So you can see, in this instance, ditching the second screen does literally NOTHING to detract from this function, because by design Off TV it's what the Switch does anyway, and infinitely better to boot. The other benefits of the second screen, while convenient in a number of games, to me, serve as a worthy trade off 1,000 times over for what the Switch will do instead.
Additionally:
The actual dual screen function of the DS generally works better than for Wii U because the screens are equally sized and next to each other, rather than differently sized with one in your lap and the other straight ahead. As a guess, that's probably why the opinions are skewed between the consoles in the polls and why people care about DS dual screens yet don't generally mind overall about the Switch not having them.
Re: Nintendo Switch Will Be a Single-Screen Experience
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
You read it.
@shani @JaxonH
As @JaxonH says, if you want to play on a TV all the time then you can pack up the console just like any other, so nothing's really lost in that regard. But when it comes to playing pretty much ANYWHERE else, the comparison is: Packing up your console, wires, pad etc. from behind your cabinet/whatever, stuffing it all into a rucksack, then travelling somewhere, finding a power source, then setting it up again to play whilst requiring some actual space around you for the console, then packing it up again when you're finished and repeating the general process at home VS... Picking up the Switch and travelling with it. This difference cannot be overstated.
You need to appreciate that millions upon millions of people enjoy portable gaming on the small screens. This console is about what everyone wants, not just what you or I want, so the fact that you can use it like you (and many others I'm sure) want, AND how MILLIONS of others would want is extremely significant. How many of the millions of 2/3DS + other handheld gamers would enjoy this console? How many of them would relish the idea of playing games with the potential for being many orders of magnitude bigger, beautiful and more intricate than their previous libraries on a similarly portable console? The answer to those questions should be obvious.
But that's not the only partial rhetoric: How many Wii U gamers would relish having Off TV play anywhere on the planet as opposed to 15 feet away from their TV? How many potential X1 or PS4 gamers might be at least slightly interested in playing AAA games anywhere on the planet with no fuss. Maybe not that many based on the large dedicated online shooter player base, but even some would be a bonus.
The funny thing is, for me by far the most brilliant and underappreciated function of the Gamepad was indeed Off TV play. To play on the handheld while the TV is used for something entirely different is a godsend to many and to have it as standard rather than requiring a vita or some button-less windows 10 contraption that would need propping up was a huge deal in my opinion.... So you can see, in this instance, ditching the second screen does literally NOTHING to detract from this function, because by design Off TV it's what the Switch does anyway, and infinitely better to boot. The other benefits of the second screen, while convenient in a number of games, to me, serve as a worthy trade off 1,000 times over for what the Switch will do instead.
Re: Gallery: Let's Take a Look at the Nintendo Switch
@gcunit
That would be excellent; they could really make colours that stick out against the metallic base and allow for some great personality.
Re: Fresh Retail Source Reportedly Reinforces and Outlines New Nintendo NX Rumours
@ThanosReXXX
That's very true. I guess I just meant that it's semantics in the simplest terms, that being the implicated meaning behind words, and how people may have got that mixed up rather than necessarily the philosophy of how they actually think the new console would work; as if they've misunderstood the definitions rather than necessarily the actual concept. Sorry for the misunderstanding here; I concur with your synopsis.
Labels are very curious things and can cloud our intentions, despite being simple things in most cases. I appreciate your time clarifying all this.
Are you generally looking forward to what you feel the system is likely to be? As in - correct me if I misrepresent - different self sufficient pieces of hardware as part of a thematic synergized system?
Re: Fresh Retail Source Reportedly Reinforces and Outlines New Nintendo NX Rumours
@ThanosReXXX
There is an ounce when that is what people actually mean when they say it. If the definition they are using is incorrect? Still a semantic issue, at least in the sense of implication. In terms of the actual definition, there is no semantic issue to be had in and of itself though, I agree with that.
Re: Fresh Retail Source Reportedly Reinforces and Outlines New Nintendo NX Rumours
@ThanosReXXX
If it can be 'synergized' or what not to play as a home console then it isn't overpriced at all. If it was a pure handheld upon release then it would most likely be a little steep; as I said, we'd have to wait and see. Talk about running before the baton is passed.
And even if a system comprises two stand alone elements that can function individually then I'm pretty sure most people would be happy to call that SYSTEM a 'hybrid' as the system itself performs two functions. You can make the distinction between one element which performs both functions and two elements that perform both but I really don't see the need. You appear to, and if that is a technical definition of a hybrid system then so be it, but I really don't see how this is just arguing over definitions rather than more importantly what people are imagining the system can do for them.
If they sell two separate systems that synergize then that fits your bill to a T and I will fully understand the need for the distinction when decribing the console, but if both parts are sold as one package, then suffice to say I see no pragmatic reason for it.
Re: Fresh Retail Source Reportedly Reinforces and Outlines New Nintendo NX Rumours
@ThanosReXXX
Meh, still think that's semantics.
Also, price wise, it would really depend on what the system actually is - $299 for this gen, if it's a great system? No way is it WAY too expensive. Insta-rejection of the price is ridiculous.
Re: Fresh Retail Source Reportedly Reinforces and Outlines New Nintendo NX Rumours
@ThanosReXXX
The semantic problem is real, though I understand your perspective.
If a home console can change what it means to be a handheld device then that hardly kills the idea off. Can a 'hybrid' not be one OR the other instead of one AND the other? Well... It isn't going to be used as each at the same time is it? If a system had two parts that were put together to make one part of the hybrid experience function, I would still call that a hybrid system. Plus, it wouldn't REdefine one AND the other, as the whole point is that it is new; it would just be defining that, and would be redefining having them as separate entities surely?
Regardless, it's one word, and it doesn't necessarily point to either scenario per sé imo. I agree it's unlikely to be a de facto hybrid system for similar reasons to those you have provided, though.
I'm surprised people are automatically thinking that $299 is too expensive though. That's the same price the PS2 was released at in 2000 and significantly cheaper than its last gen rivals were.
Re: Review: Axiom Verge (Wii U eShop)
@shani
Also, regarding music, production techniques have come on leaps and bounds over the years, yet plenty of recording artists actually desire the older style sounds in their work, especially in hiphop where they tend to use old samples of funk tunes and such. The reason? Because they enjoy the sound. They just do. A heavily compressed and mixed modern pop song does not sound 'better'.
Re: Review: Axiom Verge (Wii U eShop)
@shani
It does make me right by default in the sense that I'm arguing that the style is popular for various reasons, which it is. This might not directly challenge your concerns, but it's an inescapable observation that cannot be refuted. Our ultimate concerns, though, are indeed opinions, you are quite right.
'Axiom Verge might even have the best gameplay of all games, that still doesn't justify the outdated graphics in my opinion'
Graphics aren't everything and not everything needs realistic, detailed graphics that utilize all of the hardware. It just doesn't. It really, REALLY doesn't. Otherwise we can ONLY have high detail, sensory saturation going forward, rather than minimalist, abstract forms that focus more on isolated gameplay elements. This is the crux of our disagreement it seems.
Also, I think Super Mario World is a better game than NSMBU purely because of the gameplay and level design. I don't need 10 extra functions and more detailed graphics to make the game 'better'. I think it is ACTUALLY a worse game, despite being a good one.
Also, kudos on implying that the creator of this game was lazy. That's a laugh.
Re: Review: Axiom Verge (Wii U eShop)
@shani
Umm... No you don't... I disagree with pretty much your entire standpoint.
You see, unfortunately for you, you can go down this road until you're blue in the face (fingers?), but the very fact that this game and some others like it are extremely well received by a large number of people for exactly the reasons I am explaining means I'm right by default. That's the reality of the situation.
I played Super Mario World yesterday and loved it. It is extremely entertaining, just like old cars, films, works of art, musical recordings, architecture, etc etc. I enjoyed it more than NSMBU. So much for obsolete. The fact that it is drawn with a cartoony, semi abstract way makes it pretty much timeless, even if technological constraints influenced that decision originally. Mind you, it's not as if modern Mario games aren't cartoonized. It remains fairly simple, for sure, but pizza is simple and I love the stuff. Oh and for the record, people can enjoy BOTH Netflix AND ancient paintings; why does the preference have to be exclusive? I CAN'T enjoy looking at ancient art because of Netflix? This is absurd. Regarding this game specifically, pixel art is a fine art; making interesting and coherent visuals in this medium is minimalist and very skillful. It really restricts things and calls for creativity to stand out, which is why so few get so acclaimed.
To qualify: The overall scope of games regarding detail, realism, complexity and depth does indeed need to progress - This I am all for, but not exclusively. There is still clearly a big market for games that appeal to the styles of yesterday, and that's the bottom line. The fact that many people still adore the old classics (and Axiom Verge) essentially MAKES them not obsolete. This is art, not just technology.
Re: Review: Axiom Verge (Wii U eShop)
@shani There's no technical need to make a game of any style. You do know how much people still love Super Metroid, right?Many gamers adore old classics and their aesthetics to this day so a new game made in that style can be extremely enjoyable.
Why does a game have to NOT look like this to be well received? That's what I don't understand. Just because you have the technology to add more detail, doesn't mean you must. There is a great deal of artistic license that goes along with this aesthetic. People often enjoy minimalist iterations of all kinds of art.
Additionally, it provides a new experience in the same style to games that many people who wished for this game will have played as children. Feeling like a kid again playing games seems understandably desirable.
Most games have been 'done' many times before in the broad sense, but games that score well add their own unique details and charm, which this apparently does very well - And this isn't even an overdone style of game.
Besides, how many retro indie games do you see getting critical acclaim? This is hardly a common theme.
Re: Rumour: Detachable NX Controllers Will Offer Wii-Like Motion Control And Advanced Force Feedback
I'm with @JaxonH on this one. The concept, while simple and to some, underwhelming, excites me quite a lot. Off TV play with the Wii U as standard in my opinion is up there as one of the most underappreciated features in console history. It's so damned convenient being able to play the same game on the same console without the TV and I imagine for some people with busy families it is a godsend.
Then came the thought: Imagine that Off TV play had infinite range. Even within the home this would be useful as you can often get out of range and have interference through walls. But outside the home? Anywhere? That sounds amazing. Many people have a dedicated handheld as well as their home console purely to scratch that one particular itch. It would be amazing to have one / a dual console with one library to cover both of those very different bases.
That's is, providing this is going to happen, of course.
Re: Pokémon GO Finally Arrives In Japan
@Samurai_Goroh
Would make sense. There's definitely mutual benefit there - McDonalds have an extensive budget range that will tempt nearby Pokemon players to grab a cheap snack very often I'd wager.