@LztheQuack What are you even trying to say in this post? The rumor, true or not, was that NoA wasn't going to publish the game in the US because reasons. Fan uproar, and lo and behold, they are publishing the game in the US. There is even precedent for them doing this with Xenoblade Chronicles, which they stubbornly drew out for a long while before caving. They actually listened to their fans and I will buy Devil's Third for them doing so. What problem can you possibly have with this?
@NintendoFan64 if content is included in one version but cut from another, then it was never truly offensive enough to warrant being cut at all. Regional differences in video games are often based on a perceived cultural attitude about violence or sex--and I am much more offended by someone deciding that I can't handle seeing Tharja's panties than just, you know, seeing Tharja's panties.
@NintendoFan64 good luck with what? Spending my own money how I want to? I think I'll be fine.
If you need regional censorship explained to you I would suggest using Google. And you do realize grown adults should be able to decide what is "okay" or offensive, or not, on their own without having some corporate ethic decide that for them, right? I mean you do realize that?
@Aromaiden that if they actually listen to their fans, they will be rewarded with sales. The same reason I will not buy "Metroid" Federation Force, any more Amiibo, and any Nintendo games with regional censorship.
@Grumblevolcano Ground Zeroes should have been on Wii U.
Also Snake is laughably out of place in the context of Smash Bros. Was it cool for ten minutes? Sure. But he just didn't fit, from having his 1st appearance listed as Twin Snakes, to not being able to use the SOCOM because reasons.
In fairness it should be something like the God of War level on Sony and Battletoads on (ugh) Microsoft console versions. With that in mind, the more obscure, the better--crossing a third party character with Mario or Zelda is a boring cliche at this point.
Things are definitely not looking good for a US release of Devil's Third. Seems like the explanation for this is one of two things: either its believed that the game will flop and isn't worth publishing, or some of the game's content is making Nintendo of America wring its Puritan hands once again. Based on past history, the latter is much more likely; particularly if the company plans to go ahead with a physical release of Fatal Frame U, which is as surely to bomb in sales as Devil's Third would or will.
Nintendo of America is second only to Capcom as the worst US division of any Japanese gaming company. From inept marketing to senseless translations to impotent censorship, NoA has a lengthy track record of hampering games with some sort of applied regional flaw before they are even released. It might even be better to for NoA to keep their pure, white, virginal hands off of Devil's Third, since Fatal Frame is surely to have all of its "risque sexual content" ripped out of it by the Catholic chur--pardon me, The Nintendo Treehouse.
All this nonsense just makes me yearn harder for the day the Wii U is hacked and I can play Japanese versions of games on it and cut Nintendo of America out of my life forever.
Only Lovely Planet seemed interesting; I mean really, how many hokey 16-bit sidescrollers do indies need to make?
Lovely Planet is lovely. Unique, fun, hectic, great music and presentation, and above all an original idea in an indie game. Was very surprised it is Indian-developed, quicktequila is based out of Dehli.
Can't wait to play the final version, though I could on Steam right now. Also, screw gyroscopic aiming, I just want Pro controller support.
@kensredemption don't read that the wrong way; Microsoft's conference seemed to hinge on backwards compatibility for their own failing console, and in retrospect Sony's was a lot of smoke and mirrors. Just saying that the little Nintendo presented was lackluster, at best.
And part of that is thanks to, as you said, last year's awesome E3 Direct. Crazy to think that this time last year they showed Splatoon and the NX--uh, pardon me--Wii U Zelda and had the kind of positive press that Sony is now enjoying. What a difference a year makes.
They don't dare release this at retail. If Nintendo thought Code Name STEAM flopped, just try and charge $29.99 for the biggest insult to a fanbase since Jar Jar.
If you say that was good, or even passable, you a drone of the lowest order.
How Nintendo can hear people begging for a new Metroid and then present them with some goofy sports thing is just baffling.
This was proof positive that not only does Nintendo not understand where the industry is or is going, but they don't even understand their own audience's wants. They kept trotting out those muppets like it was cute or funny, then ended with a 10-minute montage of YouTube idiots. Completely out of touch.
The cringe in this Direct is off the charts. Nobody wants any of this except Star Fox.
See, Sony heard what people want and are delivering it. Nintendo hears what people want and just make whatever garbage they feel like. It is why they deserve to fail.
This is literally all Nintendo has left. Everything else is embarrassing. If Splatoon wasn't so wonderful I'd be fully convinced its time to say goodbye to this company.
The most wrongly accused of being hard game ever. Here's how you destroy Contra:
*get the Spreadgun and never let it go *duck during the "3D" levels
That is literally it. No extra lives code, no nonsense. Just spam the Spreadgun. Seriously, the game loops upon beating the last level, I went through the whole thing again and when it looped a 2nd time I shut it off out of boredom. It's a great game but it's not even the hardest in the series.
@JaxonH so answer my question. Why are Amiibo synonymous with scalping if they are so easy to find as you are trying to prove? Why is Nintendo issuing apologies about the stock if they're so easy to find? Your solution might be to purchase these figures on a foreign branch of Amazon or Play-Asia or whatever but, again, that is not something most people are interested in doing. They want to either find what they want with no hassle or extra cost in-person, or they want to find it with no hassle and minimal extra cost online. So Amiibo are more like $20 in Japan, fantastic. They are not in the US and that is all that matters to the US consumer.
We're not talking about vintage toys here, either. Its a current product line that people can still find plentiful stock of the unwanted figures from the very first wave. Its reasonable for people to want what they want for the retail price in their own country.
And you might wave off SH Figuarts reissues and while it is true that we are talking about thousands vs. millions in relation to Amiibo, the greater point you're not understanding is that Bandai recognizes a problem when they see one and fix it not only accordingly, but very well. They speak to their fanbase and make it simple for everyone to get the toy they want: a figure with something like 40 moving parts, not a plastic statue with a low-end chip in the base.
So despite all your numbers and logic, Amiibo are infamous and synonymous with scalping and frustration. Why do you think that is? You mentioned Play-Asia, let's have a look at their general Amiibo offerings:
Yup, there's that Pit you mentioned...for $7 more than retail, PLUS shipping. Do you understand that this is not what people want to do? They want to walk into a store, see plenty of stock, and make their purchase without paying a markup or feel like they're being ripped off. Barring that, they want to pay the retail price online and just deal with the shipping. Note also that that Pit is right above Captain Falcon, one of the "unicorns", for $34.99. Truly, a sensible option!
Also the argument that store exclusives somehow make those figures easier to obtain is so ludicrous I don't even know how to respond to it. Limiting people's options for buying something does not benefit the consumer, it forces people to converge on a business and the lucky ones get the perhaps four figures the store received, while all the poor saps who were too slow are on the outside looking in. Even those slim restocks of Shulk and MetaKnight were snapped up and are being scalped. This is not good business.
When making the comparison to Skylanders, I'm always hesitant since I am not a Skylanders collector and so I have no idea if those fans have trouble finding certain figures in the way Amiibo collectors do. But I do know one thing: when I go into stores, I see tons of Skylander stock, many different ones, and it seems like something that wouldn't be too frustrating to be into. You know what Amiibo are like at literally every retailer I visit? The same ones that were overproduced and no one cares about: Mario, Peach, Pikachu. I have even see stores put out MORE Marios. If that is Nintendo's doing and they are issuing more of figures like that, that is about as good an example as I could ever hope for of how Nintendo has no idea what is really going on.
The region aspect is just amusing because of the inherent hypocrisy. One thing is fine to import but another is not. OK, Nintendo.
SH Figuarts handles the collector's market brilliantly. They produce a figure, it sells out, and then they see that scalpers are scalping it so they nip that in the bud and announce a reissue. They don't covertly ship tiny restocks to certain retailers, they don't let people camp websites to snag all the preorders, they communicate with people in ways other than "sorry about the stock issues, but we suspect the rarity is what people like".
Amiibo are a really great example of how inept and out of touch Nintendo can be as a company. Much like how baffling it is that Nintendo can see how friends and messaging works on competing consoles, and then install the slowest, clumsiest system for the same idea on the Wii U, Nintendo can look at Rosalina or Ness Amiibo prices on eBay and still go with business as usual. How is it that the company hasn't made their own, dedicated Amiibo shop site where they sell them directly to the consumer? They control the stock, they cut out retailers entirely (while still selling Amiibo at retail as well), and they charge whatever price they want for shipping. This is such a sure-fire, no doubt about it way to make money off Amiibo that only Nintendo wouldn't have done it by now. Why bother, right Reggie? Just let those scalpers continue to make three times more than you do selling the same product on eBay. Good business! Store exclusives are another sickening means of selling these toys and only alienate everyone; Rosalina is as popular a character as anyone but you designate her to be an exclusive to a store that some fans have to drive 50 miles just to have a shot at? Nintendo should be ashamed of themselves with such business practices.
It is also funny that these toys are region-free, yet Nintendo themselves cling to region lock on their video game hardware. Why aren't they concerned with people buying import Amiibo, but a JPN Fatal Frame is a no-no?
Finally, they would make a lot of friends in the "community" if they released a wave entirely of the store exclusive and previously limited quantity figures, in Mario-type numbers. Or, y'know, make these available direct from Nintendo via their website. But that makes too much sense, just keep frustrating consumers and let cutthroat nerds cash in on your product.
I couldn't decide last night if this the best, or worst, weapon for Ranked.
+tapping ZR creates huge swaths of ink +doing this charges Inkstrike faster than even the Aerospray +Sprinkler +you're pretty fast when holding ZR +very satisfying to kill with
but then
-against anything with good range you're screwed -the Sprinkler is honestly pretty worthless -if your team is even 2/4 brushes you're likely not going to win
I got my record high for kills, 19, using it but we still lost.
Looks fun actually. However the F2P methods Bandai used with Tekken Revolution and especially Ace Combat Infinity were really nauseating, so I'll need to watch from afar on this one until we hear more.
Interested though, love that it's U exclusive as well.
*Ranked battle should be available *The 2nd mode should be available, and quickly, before people get burnt out on Turf Wars *Being forcibly ejected from a lobby to hear what maps are in play sucks, this "feature" should be removed *Committing to one weapon for a lobby also sucks, needs the ability to change loadout during matches and without leaving the lobby
Other than that stuff it's fun as hell, all the customization is great and the game is the most stylish thing I've ever seen. Anyone else seen the mockup Famicom box when you play Squid Jump in Inkopolis?
After playing two matches before the crash, and then the entire bonus hour, I'm satisfied with how they handled it. They updated everyone via Miiverse and that was how I found out they would let us keep playing.
Also, people who play video games are whiny, entitled babies. PSN was down for a bloody week after Christmas because Sony got hacked, and many babies were stomping their feet and screaming online, threatening to return their PS4s and boycott Sony. Well, stuff got fixed and not only did the babies stop crying, but there is no evidence that the PS4 was returned en masse--quite the opposite in fact. So everyone who was going to buy Splatoon still is, despite their bluster and complaints of not being able to play a video game for one hour for free.
@Quorthon I don't disagree with most of what you're saying in this thread, which is easy since a lot of it is indisputable fact, and that applies to your other posts about other topics on NintendoLife.
However, I have to ask: do you know where you are? Ever heard the term "Nintendrones"? Well, NintendoLife is the buzzing hive, and all you're doing is throwing rocks at it; the old familiar Nintendo should go 3rd party rocks that not only does no one want to hear, but they take as a personal affront. Consider this: NintendoLife is eagerly awaiting the NX despite the abject failure of the Wii U, and 52% of them simply can't wait for more Mario Kart 8 DLC. Which of course would drive the total price of the game up to almost $90 dollars, but who cares, it's Nintendo!
Post whatever you want, but what I'm saying is you're not going to change any minds here, especially not with the tired arguments of how Nintendo should go 3rd party, or how Nintendo fans don't buy 3rd party. True though those statements may be, it's been said a million times. You're screaming at a wall.
Code Name Steam didn't chart because it is terrible. I do appreciate Nintendo giving everyone a warning demo so even poor folk could see how bad the game turned out. Crazy to think that this turd was given its own 90 minute presentation at E3 last year.
ITT: a bunch of whiny Euro nerds who don't know anything about real football.
NintendoLife is remiss to not mention that the VC releases of this undisputed classic take much of the fun out by not including the player's names, supposedly thanks to EA's monopoly on the NFL video game license.
Ehh I preferred Mandarake Nakano and Shibuya. Super Potato feels more like a junk shop.
That being said, when we were down on the street, below Potato, they were playing the Metroid theme out the window. It was sunset and felt very magical. A memory of Japan I'll always remember.
At least this vid is honest about Floyd's impregnable defense. Go in, barely get touched, win a unanimous decision, collect $100 million. That's what he does. Anyone thinking Pac had a chance in that fight was delusional.
For the frankly ridiculous amount of hype NintendoLife is providing this game, I hope you guys are prepared to take some ownership of it should the game never materialize, as so many Scamstarters have.
A much bigger black eye on the Wii U than not having cawadoody is the fact that is has ZERO annual sports games. No Madden. No FIFA. Hell, no WWE. It's pathetic. Why anyone who isn't a die-hard Nintendo fan would want anything to do with Wii U, I can't imagine.
@IceClimbers of course it isn't. Hence why I mentioned YouTube and mobile advertising as well. But facts are facts: watch ESPN, any time of day, and you will see many video game commercials. Some are Xbox games. Some are mobile games. You know what none of them are? Nintendo games. And do you know why ESPN is a good choice for buying ad space? Because ESPN caters to the key demographic: men, aged 18-49. People who actually buy video games. You can't possibly be suggesting that traditional TV advertising isn't still incredibly important; since other video game companies, whose products are doing quite a bit better than Nintendo's, seem to spend a lot of money thinking it is.
All that being said, I completely agree with you about the importance of branding and how Nintendo lacks any. Even a little pulsing blue "U" could have worked wonders, but it is far too late now. My understanding is that Nintendo handles most of its marketing and promotion itself. In the future, at least for NoA, I would strongly suggest that they hire an outside firm with some grasp of how to market products in the 2010s, because Nintendo seems almost painfully clueless about all of it.
Awful, as usual. Hey NoA, how many people have to say that your marketing sucks before you step back and say, "ten million people can't be wrong.."?
Here's my idea for a Splatoon commercial: very realistic, Saving Private Ryan, "war is hell" scenes featuring a girl made up to look like the Inkling girl. She is traversing a war-torn urban enviornment when she is suddenly confronted by enemies. She lifts her weapon into view..and it is the Super Soaker ink gun. She fires a volley and her attackers explode in colorful inky bursts. The Splatoon theme starts rocking, with a very brief sizzle reel of gameplay, and then Splatoon! ONLY FOR NINTENDO WII U! rips across the screen. You run this on ESPN, during WWE shows, and on Comedy Central every day, around the clock. You get this same ad to be the ad video on YouTube. You get little banner ads on iPhone apps that, when clicked, link to this commercial on YouTube. You FORCE people to know what Splatoon is. See, because that is how you advertise a video game in the year 2015.
52% of you are part of the cancer that is killing console gaming; and exactly why Nintendo is moving into mobile, where DLC and free to play is the only way you can.
So I realize we're 300 comments into this, but this needs to be reiterated:
That next big Zelda is never coming to Wii U. Forget any kind of dual-platform release. Whatever their next move is--mobile, this "NX" which will fail as hard as the Wii U, another handheld--I guarantee that Zelda game they've shown is now being reworked as a launch title for it. Mark my words. I'll even put money on this, any takers?
Comments 475
Re: First Impressions: Trying to Believe in Devil's Third
@LztheQuack What are you even trying to say in this post? The rumor, true or not, was that NoA wasn't going to publish the game in the US because reasons. Fan uproar, and lo and behold, they are publishing the game in the US. There is even precedent for them doing this with Xenoblade Chronicles, which they stubbornly drew out for a long while before caving. They actually listened to their fans and I will buy Devil's Third for them doing so. What problem can you possibly have with this?
Re: First Impressions: Trying to Believe in Devil's Third
@NintendoFan64 if content is included in one version but cut from another, then it was never truly offensive enough to warrant being cut at all. Regional differences in video games are often based on a perceived cultural attitude about violence or sex--and I am much more offended by someone deciding that I can't handle seeing Tharja's panties than just, you know, seeing Tharja's panties.
Re: First Impressions: Trying to Believe in Devil's Third
@NintendoFan64 good luck with what? Spending my own money how I want to? I think I'll be fine.
If you need regional censorship explained to you I would suggest using Google. And you do realize grown adults should be able to decide what is "okay" or offensive, or not, on their own without having some corporate ethic decide that for them, right? I mean you do realize that?
Re: First Impressions: Trying to Believe in Devil's Third
@Aromaiden that if they actually listen to their fans, they will be rewarded with sales. The same reason I will not buy "Metroid" Federation Force, any more Amiibo, and any Nintendo games with regional censorship.
Re: First Impressions: Trying to Believe in Devil's Third
Don't even care. Day One buy for me, trying to prove a point to Nintendo of America.
Re: Weirdness: Twitch Plays Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel, With Hilarious Results
@Grumblevolcano Ground Zeroes should have been on Wii U.
Also Snake is laughably out of place in the context of Smash Bros. Was it cool for ten minutes? Sure. But he just didn't fit, from having his 1st appearance listed as Twin Snakes, to not being able to use the SOCOM because reasons.
Re: Poll: Does Nintendo's Drive Towards Multiplayer Gaming Appeal to You?
Online multiplayer is great. Couch multiplayer sucks.
Re: Shovel Knight is Coming to Retail
In fairness it should be something like the God of War level on Sony and Battletoads on (ugh) Microsoft console versions. With that in mind, the more obscure, the better--crossing a third party character with Mario or Zelda is a boring cliche at this point.
Re: Talking Point: The Mystery of Devil's Third and Its Drift Away from the Spotlight
Things are definitely not looking good for a US release of Devil's Third. Seems like the explanation for this is one of two things: either its believed that the game will flop and isn't worth publishing, or some of the game's content is making Nintendo of America wring its Puritan hands once again. Based on past history, the latter is much more likely; particularly if the company plans to go ahead with a physical release of Fatal Frame U, which is as surely to bomb in sales as Devil's Third would or will.
Nintendo of America is second only to Capcom as the worst US division of any Japanese gaming company. From inept marketing to senseless translations to impotent censorship, NoA has a lengthy track record of hampering games with some sort of applied regional flaw before they are even released. It might even be better to for NoA to keep their pure, white, virginal hands off of Devil's Third, since Fatal Frame is surely to have all of its "risque sexual content" ripped out of it by the Catholic chur--pardon me, The Nintendo Treehouse.
All this nonsense just makes me yearn harder for the day the Wii U is hacked and I can play Japanese versions of games on it and cut Nintendo of America out of my life forever.
Re: Exclusive: We Almost Got A Wii U F-Zero Created By Burnout Studio Criterion
I can honestly say that not being whored out to a western dev is the best thing that ever happened to F-Zero and, in turn, me.
For every Luigi's Mansion 2, there's a western Final Fight reboot, and worse. Japanese games should stay Japanese.
Re: Feature: Our Impressions of the Full Nindies@Home Line-Up
Only Lovely Planet seemed interesting; I mean really, how many hokey 16-bit sidescrollers do indies need to make?
Lovely Planet is lovely. Unique, fun, hectic, great music and presentation, and above all an original idea in an indie game. Was very surprised it is Indian-developed, quicktequila is based out of Dehli.
Can't wait to play the final version, though I could on Steam right now. Also, screw gyroscopic aiming, I just want Pro controller support.
Re: Nintendo Is A Slave To Its Past Success, Says Gearbox President Randy Pitchford
You know what Nintendo needs more of? Splatoon.
You know what Nintendo needs way less of? Zelda Triforce Heroes.
New IP, new ideas, younger development talent. In fact, guys like Miyamoto, Aonuma, and Tezuka are just holding the company back at this point.
Re: Poll: How Excited Are You About Nintendo's E3 Games?
@kensredemption don't read that the wrong way; Microsoft's conference seemed to hinge on backwards compatibility for their own failing console, and in retrospect Sony's was a lot of smoke and mirrors. Just saying that the little Nintendo presented was lackluster, at best.
And part of that is thanks to, as you said, last year's awesome E3 Direct. Crazy to think that this time last year they showed Splatoon and the NX--uh, pardon me--Wii U Zelda and had the kind of positive press that Sony is now enjoying. What a difference a year makes.
Re: Poll: How Excited Are You About Nintendo's E3 Games?
Nearly every answer for me was either 'don't want' or 'not for me'. What a pathetic showing for Nintendo.
Re: Talking Point: Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Entitled Fury
They don't dare release this at retail. If Nintendo thought Code Name STEAM flopped, just try and charge $29.99 for the biggest insult to a fanbase since Jar Jar.
Re: Iwata Vows To Listen To E3 2015 Digital Event Feedback And "Work To Better Meet Your Expectations"
Apologizing for your E3 presentation is definitely a good look.
Re: ​Nintendo Posts a New Fatal Frame V Trailer, Fall Release Confirmed For North America
Anyone doing their job as a journalist and asking about censorship? Literally all that matters at this point.
Re: Poll: What Did You Think of Nintendo's E3 Digital Event?
If you say that was good, or even passable, you a drone of the lowest order.
How Nintendo can hear people begging for a new Metroid and then present them with some goofy sports thing is just baffling.
This was proof positive that not only does Nintendo not understand where the industry is or is going, but they don't even understand their own audience's wants. They kept trotting out those muppets like it was cute or funny, then ended with a 10-minute montage of YouTube idiots. Completely out of touch.
Re: Metroid Prime: Federation Force Is The Metroid Game You Didn't Expect, Or Perhaps Want
@Mus1cLov3r Great. Lovely. Take a look around the web today, you are a microscopic minority.
Re: Metroid Prime: Federation Force Is The Metroid Game You Didn't Expect, Or Perhaps Want
The cringe in this Direct is off the charts. Nobody wants any of this except Star Fox.
See, Sony heard what people want and are delivering it. Nintendo hears what people want and just make whatever garbage they feel like. It is why they deserve to fail.
Re: Star Fox Zero Marks An Explosive Return To Form On Wii U
This is literally all Nintendo has left. Everything else is embarrassing. If Splatoon wasn't so wonderful I'd be fully convinced its time to say goodbye to this company.
Re: Feature: Our Hopes and Dreams for Nintendo at E3 2015
I sure hope Nintendo doesn't get blown out by Son--
...oh.
Re: The First Mother Game Is Finally Coming To The West As EarthBound Beginnings
That name is awful. Why not just call it Mother, like everyone has for 30 years.
Re: Exciting Hints of amiibo Restocks Can Be Found in Dull Manufacturing Forms
And so, Little Mac became the rarest NA Amiibo.
Re: Rumour: ZombiU Is Shedding Its Wii U Exclusivity To Infect The PlayStation 4 And Xbox One
Nintendo exclusive zombie games going multiplat is the new black.
Re: Video: Latest Teens React Episode Proves Age Has Done Little To Dull Contra's Insane Difficulty Level
The most wrongly accused of being hard game ever. Here's how you destroy Contra:
*get the Spreadgun and never let it go
*duck during the "3D" levels
That is literally it. No extra lives code, no nonsense. Just spam the Spreadgun. Seriously, the game loops upon beating the last level, I went through the whole thing again and when it looped a 2nd time I shut it off out of boredom. It's a great game but it's not even the hardest in the series.
Re: Poll: We Need to Talk About amiibo - Where Do You Stand?
@JaxonH so answer my question. Why are Amiibo synonymous with scalping if they are so easy to find as you are trying to prove? Why is Nintendo issuing apologies about the stock if they're so easy to find? Your solution might be to purchase these figures on a foreign branch of Amazon or Play-Asia or whatever but, again, that is not something most people are interested in doing. They want to either find what they want with no hassle or extra cost in-person, or they want to find it with no hassle and minimal extra cost online. So Amiibo are more like $20 in Japan, fantastic. They are not in the US and that is all that matters to the US consumer.
We're not talking about vintage toys here, either. Its a current product line that people can still find plentiful stock of the unwanted figures from the very first wave. Its reasonable for people to want what they want for the retail price in their own country.
And you might wave off SH Figuarts reissues and while it is true that we are talking about thousands vs. millions in relation to Amiibo, the greater point you're not understanding is that Bandai recognizes a problem when they see one and fix it not only accordingly, but very well. They speak to their fanbase and make it simple for everyone to get the toy they want: a figure with something like 40 moving parts, not a plastic statue with a low-end chip in the base.
Re: Poll: We Need to Talk About amiibo - Where Do You Stand?
@JaxonH hey Bill Trinen, thanks for checking in.
So despite all your numbers and logic, Amiibo are infamous and synonymous with scalping and frustration. Why do you think that is? You mentioned Play-Asia, let's have a look at their general Amiibo offerings:
http://www.play-asia.com/paOScore/19/15Amiibo
Yup, there's that Pit you mentioned...for $7 more than retail, PLUS shipping. Do you understand that this is not what people want to do? They want to walk into a store, see plenty of stock, and make their purchase without paying a markup or feel like they're being ripped off. Barring that, they want to pay the retail price online and just deal with the shipping. Note also that that Pit is right above Captain Falcon, one of the "unicorns", for $34.99. Truly, a sensible option!
Also the argument that store exclusives somehow make those figures easier to obtain is so ludicrous I don't even know how to respond to it. Limiting people's options for buying something does not benefit the consumer, it forces people to converge on a business and the lucky ones get the perhaps four figures the store received, while all the poor saps who were too slow are on the outside looking in. Even those slim restocks of Shulk and MetaKnight were snapped up and are being scalped. This is not good business.
When making the comparison to Skylanders, I'm always hesitant since I am not a Skylanders collector and so I have no idea if those fans have trouble finding certain figures in the way Amiibo collectors do. But I do know one thing: when I go into stores, I see tons of Skylander stock, many different ones, and it seems like something that wouldn't be too frustrating to be into. You know what Amiibo are like at literally every retailer I visit? The same ones that were overproduced and no one cares about: Mario, Peach, Pikachu. I have even see stores put out MORE Marios. If that is Nintendo's doing and they are issuing more of figures like that, that is about as good an example as I could ever hope for of how Nintendo has no idea what is really going on.
The region aspect is just amusing because of the inherent hypocrisy. One thing is fine to import but another is not. OK, Nintendo.
SH Figuarts handles the collector's market brilliantly. They produce a figure, it sells out, and then they see that scalpers are scalping it so they nip that in the bud and announce a reissue. They don't covertly ship tiny restocks to certain retailers, they don't let people camp websites to snag all the preorders, they communicate with people in ways other than "sorry about the stock issues, but we suspect the rarity is what people like".
Re: Poll: We Need to Talk About amiibo - Where Do You Stand?
Amiibo are a really great example of how inept and out of touch Nintendo can be as a company. Much like how baffling it is that Nintendo can see how friends and messaging works on competing consoles, and then install the slowest, clumsiest system for the same idea on the Wii U, Nintendo can look at Rosalina or Ness Amiibo prices on eBay and still go with business as usual. How is it that the company hasn't made their own, dedicated Amiibo shop site where they sell them directly to the consumer? They control the stock, they cut out retailers entirely (while still selling Amiibo at retail as well), and they charge whatever price they want for shipping. This is such a sure-fire, no doubt about it way to make money off Amiibo that only Nintendo wouldn't have done it by now. Why bother, right Reggie? Just let those scalpers continue to make three times more than you do selling the same product on eBay. Good business! Store exclusives are another sickening means of selling these toys and only alienate everyone; Rosalina is as popular a character as anyone but you designate her to be an exclusive to a store that some fans have to drive 50 miles just to have a shot at? Nintendo should be ashamed of themselves with such business practices.
It is also funny that these toys are region-free, yet Nintendo themselves cling to region lock on their video game hardware. Why aren't they concerned with people buying import Amiibo, but a JPN Fatal Frame is a no-no?
Finally, they would make a lot of friends in the "community" if they released a wave entirely of the store exclusive and previously limited quantity figures, in Mario-type numbers. Or, y'know, make these available direct from Nintendo via their website. But that makes too much sense, just keep frustrating consumers and let cutthroat nerds cash in on your product.
Re: Video: We Get Artistically Destructive With The Splatoon Inkbrush
I couldn't decide last night if this the best, or worst, weapon for Ranked.
+tapping ZR creates huge swaths of ink
+doing this charges Inkstrike faster than even the Aerospray
+Sprinkler
+you're pretty fast when holding ZR
+very satisfying to kill with
but then
-against anything with good range you're screwed
-the Sprinkler is honestly pretty worthless
-if your team is even 2/4 brushes you're likely not going to win
I got my record high for kills, 19, using it but we still lost.
Re: The Days Are Numbered For The Nintendo Video 3DS Application In North America
I take it there won't be any new episodes of Dinosaur Office.
Re: Splatoon Storms to Top Spot in Japanese Charts With Six Figure Sales
THE GAME THAT SAVED THE WII U
Re: First Footage Emerges of Bandai Namco's Project Treasure on Wii U
Looks fun actually. However the F2P methods Bandai used with Tekken Revolution and especially Ace Combat Infinity were really nauseating, so I'll need to watch from afar on this one until we hear more.
Interested though, love that it's U exclusive as well.
Re: Poll: Early Impressions on Splatoon and That All-Important Online Multiplayer
*Ranked battle should be available
*The 2nd mode should be available, and quickly, before people get burnt out on Turf Wars
*Being forcibly ejected from a lobby to hear what maps are in play sucks, this "feature" should be removed
*Committing to one weapon for a lobby also sucks, needs the ability to change loadout during matches and without leaving the lobby
Other than that stuff it's fun as hell, all the customization is great and the game is the most stylish thing I've ever seen. Anyone else seen the mockup Famicom box when you play Squid Jump in Inkopolis?
Re: Reaction: There is a Positive Angle to Nintendo's Splatoon Global Testfire Issues
After playing two matches before the crash, and then the entire bonus hour, I'm satisfied with how they handled it. They updated everyone via Miiverse and that was how I found out they would let us keep playing.
Also, people who play video games are whiny, entitled babies. PSN was down for a bloody week after Christmas because Sony got hacked, and many babies were stomping their feet and screaming online, threatening to return their PS4s and boycott Sony. Well, stuff got fixed and not only did the babies stop crying, but there is no evidence that the PS4 was returned en masse--quite the opposite in fact. So everyone who was going to buy Splatoon still is, despite their bluster and complaints of not being able to play a video game for one hour for free.
Re: Don't Seethe Too Much Over Xbox One Shovel Knight Getting Battletoads, We Might Get A Cool Crossover, Too
@SilentS Contra is one of the easiest games of all time.
You get the Spreadgun and never let it go.
You duck during the "3D" levels.
Cake.
Re: Video: Get The Best Picture From Your NES With This Comprehensive GuideÂ
@Nico07 emulators are also notorious for having save states, the ability to record your gameplay, and preserving forgotten games forever
Re: Editorial: The eShop's Pricing Dilemma is the Fault of Many, But Damages Creativity and Risk Taking
@Quorthon I don't disagree with most of what you're saying in this thread, which is easy since a lot of it is indisputable fact, and that applies to your other posts about other topics on NintendoLife.
However, I have to ask: do you know where you are? Ever heard the term "Nintendrones"? Well, NintendoLife is the buzzing hive, and all you're doing is throwing rocks at it; the old familiar Nintendo should go 3rd party rocks that not only does no one want to hear, but they take as a personal affront. Consider this: NintendoLife is eagerly awaiting the NX despite the abject failure of the Wii U, and 52% of them simply can't wait for more Mario Kart 8 DLC. Which of course would drive the total price of the game up to almost $90 dollars, but who cares, it's Nintendo!
Post whatever you want, but what I'm saying is you're not going to change any minds here, especially not with the tired arguments of how Nintendo should go 3rd party, or how Nintendo fans don't buy 3rd party. True though those statements may be, it's been said a million times. You're screaming at a wall.
Re: Code Name S.T.E.A.M. Fails to Chart in Week of Poor Sales in Japan
Code Name Steam didn't chart because it is terrible. I do appreciate Nintendo giving everyone a warning demo so even poor folk could see how bad the game turned out. Crazy to think that this turd was given its own 90 minute presentation at E3 last year.
Re: NES Sports Title Tecmo Bowl Rated By The Australian Classification Board
ITT: a bunch of whiny Euro nerds who don't know anything about real football.
NintendoLife is remiss to not mention that the VC releases of this undisputed classic take much of the fun out by not including the player's names, supposedly thanks to EA's monopoly on the NFL video game license.
Re: Matters Of Import: Take A Guided Tour Of Super Potato, The Ultimate Retro Gaming Paradise
Ehh I preferred Mandarake Nakano and Shibuya. Super Potato feels more like a junk shop.
That being said, when we were down on the street, below Potato, they were playing the Metroid theme out the window. It was sunset and felt very magical. A memory of Japan I'll always remember.
Re: Talking Point: Is Konami About To Exit The Console Game Business?
Nintendo isn't buying Konami, or their IP.
Nintendo isn't buying Capcom, or their IP.
Get this through your heads. Nintendo is too concerned with their own survival to be spending $500 million on the rights to Mega Man or Castlevania.
Re: Weirdness: Mayweather vs Pacquiao Gets the Punch-Out!! Treatment, Again
HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE
At least this vid is honest about Floyd's impregnable defense. Go in, barely get touched, win a unanimous decision, collect $100 million. That's what he does. Anyone thinking Pac had a chance in that fight was delusional.
Re: Yooka-Laylee Double-Jumps Through Final Kickstarter Stretch Goal In Less Than 24 Hours
For the frankly ridiculous amount of hype NintendoLife is providing this game, I hope you guys are prepared to take some ownership of it should the game never materialize, as so many Scamstarters have.
Re: Treyarch Isn't Working on Call of Duty: Black Ops III For Wii U, Though Activision is Noncommittal
A much bigger black eye on the Wii U than not having cawadoody is the fact that is has ZERO annual sports games. No Madden. No FIFA. Hell, no WWE. It's pathetic. Why anyone who isn't a die-hard Nintendo fan would want anything to do with Wii U, I can't imagine.
Re: Video: Nintendo Inks In 'Claim Your Turf' Marketing Campaign With New Commercial
@IceClimbers of course it isn't. Hence why I mentioned YouTube and mobile advertising as well. But facts are facts: watch ESPN, any time of day, and you will see many video game commercials. Some are Xbox games. Some are mobile games. You know what none of them are? Nintendo games. And do you know why ESPN is a good choice for buying ad space? Because ESPN caters to the key demographic: men, aged 18-49. People who actually buy video games. You can't possibly be suggesting that traditional TV advertising isn't still incredibly important; since other video game companies, whose products are doing quite a bit better than Nintendo's, seem to spend a lot of money thinking it is.
All that being said, I completely agree with you about the importance of branding and how Nintendo lacks any. Even a little pulsing blue "U" could have worked wonders, but it is far too late now. My understanding is that Nintendo handles most of its marketing and promotion itself. In the future, at least for NoA, I would strongly suggest that they hire an outside firm with some grasp of how to market products in the 2010s, because Nintendo seems almost painfully clueless about all of it.
Re: Video: Nintendo Inks In 'Claim Your Turf' Marketing Campaign With New Commercial
Awful, as usual. Hey NoA, how many people have to say that your marketing sucks before you step back and say, "ten million people can't be wrong.."?
Here's my idea for a Splatoon commercial: very realistic, Saving Private Ryan, "war is hell" scenes featuring a girl made up to look like the Inkling girl. She is traversing a war-torn urban enviornment when she is suddenly confronted by enemies. She lifts her weapon into view..and it is the Super Soaker ink gun. She fires a volley and her attackers explode in colorful inky bursts. The Splatoon theme starts rocking, with a very brief sizzle reel of gameplay, and then Splatoon! ONLY FOR NINTENDO WII U! rips across the screen. You run this on ESPN, during WWE shows, and on Comedy Central every day, around the clock. You get this same ad to be the ad video on YouTube. You get little banner ads on iPhone apps that, when clicked, link to this commercial on YouTube. You FORCE people to know what Splatoon is. See, because that is how you advertise a video game in the year 2015.
Not Nintendo Directs.
Not sporadic ABC Family ads.
Not relying on your fans to spread the word.
Am I wrong here?
Re: Poll: Would You Like Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. DLC to Expand for a Whole Generation?
52% of you are part of the cancer that is killing console gaming; and exactly why Nintendo is moving into mobile, where DLC and free to play is the only way you can.
Re: Analyst Thinks Nintendo Is Already Winding Down Wii U Ahead Of Nintendo NX Launch
@Neko_Rukiafan I like how you furiously had to rebuff me but insist "no one took the bait". Ok, pal.
That said, its not bait and like I said, I'll put some money where my mouth is. How about you?
Re: Analyst Thinks Nintendo Is Already Winding Down Wii U Ahead Of Nintendo NX Launch
So I realize we're 300 comments into this, but this needs to be reiterated:
That next big Zelda is never coming to Wii U. Forget any kind of dual-platform release. Whatever their next move is--mobile, this "NX" which will fail as hard as the Wii U, another handheld--I guarantee that Zelda game they've shown is now being reworked as a launch title for it. Mark my words. I'll even put money on this, any takers?