Tyranexx

I'll admit I expected the Zenithian trilogy to get at least the remaster treatment next, but I'm definitely not complaining about a Dragon Quest VII remake. I really enjoyed my time with the 3DS version, but more improvements can be made. Not to mention it would be nice to see a home console version that isn't on the PS1.

That said, I'd still love the Zenithian trilogy to get the HD-2D treatment. The DS versions are very good, and they are available on mobile. However, I wouldn't mind a few QoL improvements, plus Dragon Quest IV on the DS sadly excluded the party chat feature. More people need to experience the generational story of V IMO. I'd also love a physical version of VI that isn't ridiculously expensive, but sadly this might turn into a monkey's paw moment if any potential future releases are Switch 2 only....

@Mariotag Maybe someday on Golden Sun 4 if we badger them enough.

Can't say I'm overly fond of all the DLC announcements either. Unfortunately, I think the practice is here to stay.

Me when this was revealed: This looks a lot like Dragon Quest Builders 2.

Sees Koei Tecmo is helping out during the Direct

Welp, that sold me lol. I loved playing Dragon Quest Builders 2 for how creative one can be while also having a plot and interesting characters to string me forward. Not to mention the game was oozing in DQ charm. I like building and creation sims, but it helps if I have something to help pull me along and focus on. Otherwise I become too unfocused and eventually drop the game.

I quite like the Unova games, though I don't feel like they fully came into their own until Black/White 2. BW2 was a great continuation of BW's plot, arguably one of the strongest in the main series Pokemon games IMO. More Pokemon and location variety, some genuinely interesting characters, and two of my favorite extras in any Pokemon game: Join Avenue and the Virbank Movie Studio.

Also, Colress and his amazing battle theme.

I may pick up Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter in the future. Still not sure if I want to dive in with the remake or the OG since I own the former on Steam. There are positives and negatives to both.

I'll take save data freebies, thanks. Many weapons are needed for pummelling the legions of Ganondorf.

Dang, this takes me back lol. I think my aunt used to watch this show when she babysat me as a kid.

Great taste in games, but probably not the best lead-in unless Arianna is also a Xenoblade fan. XD

@Drago201 Such battles DO sound like they need a few updates. I'd only expect fiddly/perfectionist stuff like you're describing at higher difficulties.

You might have convinced me to go with the remake instead lol. I appreciate the input!

@Drago201 Hmm....You raise a good point regarding the added content in the remake making it the definitive way to play. Out of curiosity, how unbalanced are some aspects of the OG release?

I'm of two minds. On one hand, I really want to support this release and start here since the Trails series has an entry barrier. On the other, a friend gifted me Trails In The Sky FC on Steam a couple years ago, which I haven't yet played (Wanted to catch up on Ys first). I'd essentially be buying a game I already own.

I realize I could play both, but unfortunately my free time is finite. Plus, I'll admit I'm minimally put off by the remake allegedly having a longer runtime.

Looking at this infographic....Can someone please explain to me how the Switch and Switch 2 families "have no games"? That Direct had something for pretty much everyone IMO.

This is an excellent soundtrack. I'm glad they went the orchestra route with both SMG games; the tunes sync with the game so well, and you can tell a lot of work was put into each composition.

@Mariotag Glad to see you still around too.

It was a great Direct IMO. Just a lot to take in on what was a busy Friday for me lol.

I like options. Probably not ones I'll use unless it's a separate "nuke everything" run, but they're tempting I'll admit lol.

@breach187 Thank you for highlighting my issues with digital games on consoles vs. PC storefronts like Steam.

I'm not against an all-digital future, but consumer protections when it comes to accessing our digital purchases and content will have to evolve more before I fully board that ship.

Almost as left field as the Virtual Boy announcement.

One pick for the giant sodding scorpion with the action/comic book layout. Can't say I dislike any of the covers in this round though.

I'll stick with the original releases for now. The HD coat of paint is nice, but the games look eye catching enough already. I might consider at least Super Mario Galaxy 2 should my Wii U kick the bucket however. It's my only means of playing Wii titles. No plans to grab the amiibo.

For anyone who hasn't played these, please do! Super Mario Galaxy is my favorite 3D Mario, with Galaxy 2 at a close second.

Am I surprised there's no upgrade path at this point? No. Am I still disappointed? Yes.

@Misima I've heard Engage has a ridiculous story compared to Three Houses (and most FEs), but I've heard the gameplay is amazing. Some of the best in the series, if an acquaintance who's a huge Fire Emblem fan can be trusted. I will certainly go into Engage with measured expectations.

Whew! What a meaty Direct yesterday, huh? Plenty of reveals I'm into, and some release dates are sooner than I anticipated.

Playing:

• Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit (AAIC/Switch) - I think I'm towards the end of the beginning part of case 3, Turnabout Legacy. Many familiar faces in this one, and it's a joy to play as Gregory Edgeworth 18 years ago. Unsurprisingly, his eventual murderer has joined the fray too. It's really hard to talk about this case without spoiling anything from previous games.
• Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) - I finished the short and sweet Neva, so the side game spot was vacant. With all the Kirby fever lately, I decided to boot up this relatively recent retro acquisition. I'm only in the opening levels, but I'm really enjoying the yarn-y visuals so far! I'm curious to see how this game unravels. Pun intended.
• Pokemon Go - Flabebe Community Day is tomorrow, so I'll try to bag a few shiny flower fairies. Not sure how successful I'll be with the unseasonably hot weather though....

Happy gaming!

And to think I scored TotK Ganondorf at Best Buy not too long ago for $20 USD....Oof.

This looks beautiful! I'm definitely looking forward to this game, but sadly it'll have to wait until I decide to procure a Switch Deux.

This is a good read! Super Mario Bros. is one of the first video games I recall being exposed to. Though I'm unsure if the NES original or the Super Mario All-Stars version was my first introduction. I never finished the game back then - the systems weren't mine, so I couldn't practice regularly - but I have since through the Virtual Console and NSO. It's an excellent game, still timeless in some aspects, but slightly dated in others.

I'd genuinely like to own this; the storybook is one of my favorite parts of Super Mario Galaxy. However, I'll admit $25 seems a bit much...unless this is also secretly an art or history volume for the game.

I am very glad the Mega Man Star Force games are getting a legacy collection! While these combo RPG/card battlers aren't as solid as the Mega Man Battle Network series, they're still very much worth playing if you like MMBN.

Really wish these had been in the other broadcasts too, but I'm happy they're confirmed all the same.

Having never played the Mega Man Legends games, I'd like a collection with those as well.

I definitely want this, but it'll be awhile before I grab it. For one thing, I played Dragon Quest VII on the 3DS within the last few years. Plus, I have two mainline Dragon Quest games backlogged + a couple spinoffs. AND Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake releases next month.

This is a massive game, but very much worth playing for any Dragon Quest fan IMO. However, I'd recommend other entries for a series first timer before diving into this one.

I both love and dislike this announcement.
Yay: More Fire Emblem!
Nay: I finally got to Three Houses this year and have only played one route (Azure Moon). I'd like to play at least two others. And I haven't even touched Fire Emblem Engage yet.

Totally my first world problem, I know.

Now THIS is my kind of horror. The atmospheric stuff where your weapons are limited to non-existent.

I got major Dragon Quest Builders vibes when they revealed this game. Seeing Koei Tecmo helping out hammered that home. I haven't played the first game, but I really enjoyed my time with Dragon Quest Builders 2. I'll certainly keep an eye on this one.

While I'm excited for the base game, companies announcing paid DLC before a game even releases always leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Hopefully there are ways outside of online ranked battles to earn the mega evolution stones for the Kalos starters. I've always been more of a PVE person in Pokemon.

Yet another reminder I need to play the second game! XD Definitely looking forward to this one.

Most left-field announcement for me lol. I'd love to try some of these games, but not if the VB accessory is required.

YES YES YES! Finally! Not sure how I feel about the potential open world aspects, but I choose to remain optimistic for now.

Well, if it's a GKC, looks like I'll have to settle for it digitally. Which means I'm getting this on PC eventually. Since storage solutions are more manageable there.

I'll have to stay tuned for "even more content and enhancements" since the multiplayer will do nothing for me. Still, I'm glad Super Mario Bros Wonder is getting more love.

Finally, a release date! Earlier than I expected, too; I was half expecting this one to slip into February.

While I'm very, VERY happy about this announcement - more people need to experience the magic of both Super Mario Galaxy titles - this is a skip for me. Both my Wii copies work fine, and I can live without the HD coat of paint. Though this is a no-brainer should my Wii U kick the bucket.

I'd like a movie based on the Super Mario Galaxy entries. They're still in my top three 3D Marios. The first SMG is still my favorite.

Edit: It's happening!

@Eel Malamar is love, Malamar is life.

@SmaggTheSmug First: No worries. I've learned that nothing is truly personal. Compared to some historical comment sections on this site, this one is pretty tame.

When it comes to difficulty options, I do agree that developers shouldn't be obligated or forced. Unless it is of their own volition based on constructive feedback. Personally, I think adding additional modes or tweaks can help widen the audience, but I concede I'm not involved in Silksong's development. Has Team Cherry shot down an outright Easy Mode? It's possible I missed that; the only notes I've seen so far are the rebalancing and bug fixes for next week's announced patch.

I agree there are a plethora of games that people could play instead. However, I don't see an issue with trying to offer more options for those who may want to experience a game who can't fully align with the main audience; I'm not suggesting an ultra easy mode or something that completely guts a game's mechanics (Besides, I'm sure there are already plenty of mods in the works out there), just ways to make an experience slightly less or even more challenging if one wills it. Again, I do concede this should be Team Cherry's choice.

I fully follow your Doom/Animal Crossing example and do vaguely recall when those memes were floating around a few years ago. I wouldn't want devs to go as far as to completely change the nature of a game, just take some of the edge off (or add to it). As an aside, I do think it would be interesting to see a slightly more mature version of Animal Crossing. I'm imagining a crime noire setting not too unlike Disco Elysium, only with AC characters, some minor gore, and heavier dialogue.

I like how they handled this reveal. It reiterates how much I'd like to see a Pokemon horror game materialize some day, even if it is low-key.

@Mariotag I'd be on top of a remake package lol. The Golden Sun series need it IMO.

I had some life circumstances change, so I'm spending a bit less time on NL these days. It was a personal decision that has nothing to do with the site.

@SmaggTheSmug I agree that difficulty and accessibility are two different issues, though one can affect the other; I mentioned the two in the same sentence for brevity. But what's wrong with a dev including options that address both? Accessibility options can address issues for some who may not be able to play using conventional means. Various difficulty options can make purists happy while also making the game more manageable for those who may (examples) have less time on their hands or are dealing with slowing reflexes but still want to experience much of what the game offers.

I don't believe that high challenge as intended = ableism. Plus, "challenge" can take different forms. But a game's controls, peripherals, visuals, etc. can very well affect one's ability to properly play a game. Lack of accessibility options can artificially inflate the challenge for some, though of course each individual's struggles are unique. To me, there's a fine line between "Tough, but fair for all" and "Yeah, sorry, we didn't make this for people who struggle with X, go play something else". The latter comes off to me as a dismissal of the needs and desires of others.

@Serpenterror, @Vyacheslav333, @jojobar Thanks all, I appreciate the informative responses. I'm trying to gauge whether I want to preorder First Departure R. I've yet to play a Star Ocean entry, but the series caught my interest when Second Story R released on the Switch. SS is on my radar, but I've been waiting for the right time (because backlog) and a physical discount. SS seems almost universally loved, but it seems the franchise's overall quality depends on who you ask.

Of course this news drops while I'm driving. XD

I'd say I can't wait, but unfortunately as usual their chosen "time" for my particular zone horribly clashes with my work schedule. I'll catch the Direct when I can!

At the very least, my hope is we finally get release dates for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.

How does this game compare to Star Ocean: The Second Story R? Many seem to consider SS to be the pinnacle of the series. I believe the original version of First Departure is the first game?

@Mariotag Long time no see! I'm still around, mostly just under articles these days.

I'd love for them to make a Golden Sun 4, particularly with how 3/Dark Dawn ended.

The last comment section was an interesting read (barring some insults and belittling language I saw; folks DO NOT sway me towards their perspectives this way), so please, continue.

I think difficulty and accessibility options are the best solution.

Now I can listen to Garoh's haunting theme repeatedly! And the various epic battle themes... Melancholic Lemuria....Jupiter Lighthouse....

Nostalgia intensifies