@TwilightV: Dr. Slump? If I wasn't about to go to bed after a long day of work I would head straight to Google and Wikipedia. I guess I can withdraw my previous statement (for now), but toilet humor in a Blue Dragon series game?
I don't know about SFIV or SSFIV for the Wii - I mean those games seem to be love letters to high-re, high-framerate arcade fighting gurus, and while many of those people may own Wii consoles as second or third entertainment units, Capcom has pushed the resolution, framerate and overall experience of the current series so high that to rerelease the titles for Wii would (for lack of a better word) "lessen" it.
TvC was made with Wii hardware being the focus, and I just can't see the SFIV series given the same amount of attention. Even if it did, naysayers would compare it to the PS3/360 versions and declare it a failure based on the lack of HD alone.
I need to replace my DSi (shoulder buttons have been nearly kaput for months) but when I do, this will be one of the first new DS games that I'll purchase. I haven't touched ANY of the Zero series of games (too busy with the Battle Network series) so this would be an interesting treat.
If the issue is space, then couldn't Square Enix order cartridges containing more space? This has been done with a few other titles (I forgot which ones). Then again, why are they even bothering with FFVI when they just released it for GBA? FFV I can understand, but VI again?
And aren't they busy enough with a FF Gaiden and Blood of the Bahamut? Can't they concentrate on those and save the FF rereleases for the 3DS?
I was going to criticize the title of the post...until I read the actual content. What the heck are the developers thinking? What humor does poop have in a game (other than Rare's Conker franchise)?
I'm thinking about getting a replacement Wii as my original is approaching the three-years-in-service mark. There was a scary period in which games would freeze but that problem hasn't surfaced in months.
What's stopping me from getting the black Wii and giving the original one to my mother (my mother always gets my hand-me-down electronics) is the fact that all of my downloadable purchases are non-transferable. I may just ignore it and purchase "best of" WiiWare and VC titles for the new console, but I don't know...$199.99 USD could afford a 19" HDTV so I could play SMG 2 in 480p.
@NintendoWorld1 I'd purchase a black Wii console - number one reason being that it'll replace my three-year-old original console. It'll stink to have to download some of the games again, but for the black Wii I would purchase the "best of" content.
OT: It's only $20.00 USD and doesn't look as cheap as the original CC that I purchased in order to play Geometry Wars: Galaxies and VC titles so I'll definitely pick one up in May. My only problem is that it must be powered by the Wiimote. If it hadn't been for the splurge on rechargeable Duracells then I would be out of luck.
It makes me want to play the first SMG from scratch because it was SO FUN. And this is coming from a man who purchased the long-awaited PS3 versions of GTA4: L&D and BoGT! Plus it's great that it's coming on May 23rd because it makes the perfect early b-day gift (May 30th).
Crap! I forgot that the Nintendo Channel could display download/gameplay stats. Turning on my Wii to check Cave Story's stats...
Crap again! The Nintendo Channel used to display stats such as total hours played by the number of gamers who download certain titles but it's gone (or I can't find it). Could this be because there's been a lot of mediocre press regarding WiiWare sales and lack of promotion of some (or most) titles?
Really nice that Cave Story has gained recognition from Nintendo. Is there any data on how many downloads Cave Story has sold? It's become a special interest to me seeing as how the game had humble beginnings as a one-man project for freeware.
@skywake Really? I guess that's what happens when one relies on Wikipedia so much . I checked the site again and saw that the statement was still there so I jumped to a conclusion. Still, the Tegra chip is supposedly for integrating ARM-based processing/graphics/instructions on a single chip, and since Nintendo has been using ARM-based technology for about ten years now (since the first GBAs) I thought that the plans for the new Tegra were still in place. Guess we'll find out more at E3.
Regarding the Gamecube architecture, (looking at Game Informer, October 2000 issue), I doubt if IBM would be interested in partnering with Nintendo over reducing the size of the Gekko chip for a handheld (heat must be taken into consideration) but then again, the Nintendo/IBM/ATI partnership for consoles has been successful enough. Still, the Tegra was announced and it has all of the capabilities that a handheld gaming manufacturer would want.
Hopefully the 3DS won't suffer anything like the cracked hinge or non-responsive shoulder button epidemics of previous devices. But since it's backwards compatible with the DS line then I'm sold! My software library is now up to fifty-seven titles - I'd love to still play them on a shiny, new high-definition device.
And yeah we can mark this as a rumor, but rumors do a great job of building up hype for the product. I keep thinking about that nVidia Tegra chip...yummy...
@ Token Girl: Because unlike all of the other gaming hardware (including the Wii) the DS line has the largest and well-rounded library of them all. It doesn't seem to matter how many times Nintendo refreshes the DS hardware, you just can't get your Suikoden, Final Fantasy, Modern Warfare, Chrono Trigger, Mario Kart, New Super Mario, Personal Trainer, Phoenix Wright, Touch Generation, Pokemon, Trauma Center (and God knows how many other series) on a single device. This thing is a shrunken SNES/Super Famicom, Playstation and Nintendo 64 in one as far as software support and hardware capabilities (with the dreaded Petz/My Sims series thrown in and limited storage of the media).
Unfortunately I'd like to know how many of those systems are replacement systems for worn DS Lite/DSi units. From the DS Lite's hinge cracking to the DSi's non-responsive shoulder button issues, I wouldn't be surprised if 1-3% of March's figures account for out-of-warranty replacements.
Darn. I'll need to wait until payday but I'm definitely getting this. Hopefully this will make up for SE's Arkanoid DS and the 2006 Break 'Em All releases. They're only asking for $5.00...
@EdEN - for the first few hours there is some luck involved, but when I started moving my ship out of range while waiting for the command gauge to fill that helped a little. It won't help if your hit points run too low during a boss battle.
There's also the tasks regarding customizing your ship using Tetris-shaped modules to fill in the spaces, installing more sensible weapons, and fulfilling requirements to recruit more members a la Suikoden. And though the dialogue during battles is repetitive, at least there's dialogue. Ship versus ship battles are entertaining but the interface IS lacking.
All in all it's a good game that was luckily in stock at the Nintendo World Store in New York (I visited the place for the first time last month). A decent game and one that I'll be playing this weekend while watching TV. Definitely a collector's item.
@BlackFira - It's Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen. This game makes several references to the SNES title, with a number of returning characters. One of the supporting characters in OB64 is the daughter of the antagonists of the SNES game.
Oh yeah...it's me. The man that constantly posted that when and if Ogre Battle 64 was released, then it would be my last Virtual Console game as all of my needs for classic entertainment will have been met.
I didn't expect a 10/10 from NL, but I have to stress that if you put enough time into understanding the intricacies of combat, unit enhancement and flanking the enemy then you'll get much more than $10.00 USD out of this title. The game includes a entertaining script, mellow music, decent characters and a lot of hidden depth. I'm glad that Nintendo allowed this game to be released on the VC.
I even saved my original strategy guide (Prima) all of these years so that I could reuse it. I'm going to download the game right now.
I can definitely understand what the article means. It's so hard to climb to the top, but so easy to fall to the bottom. Exhibit A: Nintendo's 1985-1986 attempts to enter the market. In NA, no one cared about the Nintendo brand name with the exception of the Donkey Kong arcade game and a few of the better Game & Watch games, but it took Minoru Arakawa (then head of Nintendo of America based in New York) two years of practically pleading with toys stores to carry NES consoles risk-free and partnering with ex-Atari marketers to enter the marketplace. Twice, he even called Hiroshi Yamauchi (his father-in-law, head of Nintendo Co., Ltd) and suggested giving up.
Five years later, a simple case of corporate arrogance (too slow to bring the SNES/Super Famicom to NA to compete with Genesis, anti-competitive business practices, not taking Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis seriously) to throw them "off of the throne" for three years. By the time that the SNES established itself, in came Sony's Playstation.
It took Nintendo over ten years since then to demonstrate to the public why they should continue to exist as non-portable console manufacturers. You best believe that they'll work all of their departments to keep their current market position.
Darn, my vacation is over and I can't download the title until I suffer through my "in" box this Monday! Doesn't matter anyway because I had assumed that the asking price would be 1500 points for all of the content. I'm really looking forward to purchasing this game as I gave away my Windows laptop and I don't have a suitable game controller for the Mac version.
The only problem is that I'll have to stop playing Pokemon SoulSilver to play it, and I haven't even touched Infinite Space yet. There's too many games and so little time...
I really miss the original Game Boy. That was the first piece of gaming hardware that I purchased with my own money during my senior year in high school. Tetris, Donkey Kong Land and Donkey Kong 1994 were my first games; I would beat them time and time again.
(Plays Chicago's "Old Days" in Game Boy's memory).
I remember purchasing this game based off of the ads in Game Informer (May 1995) and from seeing a demo in Toys R Us. I remember this game being one of the final full-packaged games that I purchased before I finally moved on from the 16-bit era of gaming. There were three kinds of levels in the game: race (to the finish), circuits (laps) and the stunts courses where you attempt to get perform the most tricks before time ran out.
There wasn't much variety in the music but the unicycles themselves were not only well animated but had personally. Sometimes the losing unicycle would pound it's "head" repeatedly at the end of a race or hang it's seat in shame. The way that the game taught you how to read the track (meaning if it turns solid yellow, then jump) added a lot to the game, too.
As you can probably tell, I really liked this game. I might even have this in my old SNES box downstairs in the bookcase (the battery must be shot though).
Not to mention that they played too freaking close to the television in the curling segment. Even if they were wearing the straps, they were so close to the screen that it wouldn't have mattered.
The second segment with the newscasters attempting to bobsled was a little too overboard (the gentleman was having too much fun). When I saw that I thought that if that segment would have appeared on the Today Show or The Onion then they would have taken the footage and REALLY ran with it.
My God! The things you miss when you work too much overtime! I have some errands to run and chores around the house but tonight my PS3 will be gathering dust as I play this on the Wii.
WiiWare and DSiWare is finally picking up - maybe then the constant rumors of WiiWare falling to Sony's PSN or DSiWare falling to Apple's App Store will stop!
@Sean Aaron: that's how it works on the Playstation 3 as well, except PSN doesn't allow friend invites if they happen to be playing the same game - that's left to the games themselves. There are pop-ups during gameplay if you receive a message or if one of your friends is online, but for me it sometimes interrupts the experience. I'm kinda glad that the Wii doesn't have that - the blue indicator flashing is good enough as it doesn't interrupt the gameplay experience onscreen.
Having the console flash in my face at 1:50am in my bedroom though...not good.
@Highlar - Welcome. I'm still a NintedoLife noob but I visit now and then after a hard day at work. NL is more sane and less "fanboyish" than other Nintendo-related sites, mainly because many of the members own more than one system, have actual insight into the topics discussed, and the web masters seem to have the site under firm control.
On-topic: I've been VERY addicted to the Trackmania games, mainly because Nadeo has a rare talent of allowing the game to run at a smooth frame rate with gorgeous environments, addictive gameplay and tight controls no matter how crappy your PC hardware setup. The track editor and online play is icing on a very delicious cake. I bought the DS version even though I knew that there would be no online functionality - big mistake. I unlocked all of the tracks and played with the track editor for a little while but it wasn't the same.
Trackmania Wii will definitely make up for the DS version. The best part is that Trackmania games seem to utilize the potential of any hardware that they run on, and the gaming experience is just so addictive. The DS version didn't produce a "sublime" experience, but the frame rate was still smooth and gameplay was still there. But using the remote for the track editor and playing other Wii owners online? Awesome.
@komicturtle - the DSi as as an expanded version of the DS line may be new, but everyone has a valid argument in saying that the underlying technology is approaching five years old, while the PSP has (despite it's failure to wrest control of the handheld market completely from the N) leapfrogged that technology since minute one in April 2005 (North America). It does stink that some people have purchased the DSi as the first DS, but how long can Nintendo survive on outdated technology (256 MB-sized cartridges, low-res screens, limited gameplay potential). I view it as just a simple case of the need to move forward with available technologies - Nintendo stuck by their guns with the DS and made their point. In the face of the PSP, Nintendo's DS won against overwhelming odds, but Apple's iPod touch/iPhone nanotechnology as well as the App Store have changed the field.
@Burn - speaking of the Okami Wii fiasco, I never did get the cover replaced. I'm keeping the game - it might be worth something someday.
But yeah, while I don't see much in the way of consequences for NP, someone had to have known that something was wrong what that image was placed in the build. How many times do real editors pore over every single inch of every single copy and negative before it gets finalized and sent off to the printers? Over a dozen (by old EGM standards anyway). I never was a fan of NP and have only purchased two magazines, the one with Pokemon Yellow (1999) on the cover and the one containing the Shantae: Risky's Revenge feature (2009).
It's been a while since I've commented, but in this case I have to. I just picked up an iPod touch and after reading the article and the inclusion of an accelerometer I'm hoping that the DS2 won't use it in lieu of standard controls in the same way that Apple's handheld devices do. From the sampling of games that I've purchased for the iPod, either the controls are too sensitive for racing games (like Ridge Racer) or include imprecise controls that take up valuable screen real estate (Pac-Man Championship). Only certain genres would benefit from being motion-sensing enabled, which would limit the variety and the software potential.
But this IS Nintendo. Iwata and his engineers ARE gamers, and they're not stupid. While I do wish that Nintendo's future handhelds will revert back to a single screen like the classic GB line, it would be awesome if the next DS indeed contained two high-resolution screens running off of the Nvidia Tegra chip, include more video RAM and allow a more reasonable size of internal memory (only 256 MB for DSi? WTH!). Give me a Virtual Handheld application on day one, make it reasonably priced and I may just put away my consoles and settle down with the DS2 after work.
Backwards compatibility may be an issue though; I thought that not having a GBA slot in the DSi would bother me, but it did after I gave my shiny DS Lite to my mother. Regarding the DS library I have over 50 DS games now (I'm a former DS podcaster) but as long as I keep my DSi in good shape and in my possession then I guess I'll be okay. I'm not too worried about DSiWare compatibility either, because unlike my DS software library I've kept a VERY tight rein on the games that I downloaded.
One more thing: do we REALLY want a multimedia DS2? GB/GBP/GBA weren't multimedia systems and they provided the most memorable gaming moments in my life. Just this evening I was playing FFTA2 with the sound muted while listening to music on my iPod during my commute. That ninety-minute ride was over too soon.
Ouch...I don't exactly have that much disposable income (hides Mac mini and shoves iPod touch research out of sight) << >> but I try to make sure that if there's a game coming out that I know for a fact will be a great experience but will have a limited run, I purchase it and then put it away. Personally I thought that Wario Land: Shake It was on shelves long enough for Nintendo to gauge customer demand, and the same can be said for BWii and Fire Emblem. Side note: I REALLY need to take the time and finish those games.
Someone stated above that one of the reasons for the discontinuations is to clear shelves for more software. With Tales of Graces, Arc Rise Fantasia, Metroid: Other M, Tatsunoko and others coming soon that seems like a good reason. I had a long paragraph which was meant to answer Pj's question regarding surplus inventory but Slapshot made a good point in saying that by cutting supply at the right time there could be little surplus to worry about.
@vherub - double score for me. I bought Fire Emblem knowing that it would be a limited run (hard as heck though) but I skipped WarioWare for Wario Land Shake It as another better-pick-this-up-before-it-disappears release.
YES! Yes, yes, YES! In one of my very first posts on NintendoLife I stated that the ONE GAME that (to me) would be worth the entire VC experience would be Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber. The story, the gameplay, the secrets and the fact that it was one of the best (yet little-known) third-party N64 games makes for some of the best N64 experiences I ever had, even when I was also playing Suikoden II on Playstation. I even saved the official strategy guide for it (OB64), though the pages are falling out...
Oh PLEASE let this game be released for NA's VC. I'll purchase both 64-bit Zelda titles, then Ogre Battle 64 and then that's IT. No more VC games, because I'll be set.
It looks pretty good, but as everyone else stated - if there's anything like the aforementioned temple that shall not be named then forget it. I stopped playing Phantom Hourglass because of it, even though the rest of the game is AWESOME. I may still go back and finish it - it depends on my mood.
Two words: Trauma Center. I can't tell you how many times I was given a "miss" or "bad" when I was performing an operation and had my chain broken due to touching the wrong pixel. The DSi XL's larger pixels could improve gamers' chances for games that demand precision.
Even though I purchased my DSi on launch day I have no choice but to purchase the DSi XL - because the L button on my current DSi doesn't work. While playing Final Fantasy Tactics A2 this week my R button was starting to be unresponsive as well. I won't be able to download any more DSiWare games or apps either until the XL comes out because there's no sense in purchasing games on proprietary hardware that's about to be replaced.
BTW: I have NO problems with the DSi XL's supposedly gigantic size. My faulty DSi sits on my desk at work playing music, and when if it's too big for my pocket then it'll go in my bag with my laptop.
I wouldn't be the least bit interested except for the fact that my L button is malfunctioning, and this is a launch DSi unit. Should I get my current DSi fixed or should I just purchase the upcoming version upon release and trade items and Pokemon back and forth using the current one - that's the question...
I'm all for bigger screens, but I honestly wish that Nintendo's engineers had introduced it a little sooner. But for many of us who were early DSi adopters, imagine the wear and tear our DSi units will be put through by the time the new DSi LLs show up in the US.
I'm not surprised at all. With the tech that's currently powering Apple's iPod touch for gaming and Sony's PSP line, Nintendo's continued use of value materials is good for keeping their asking prices down but helps little as far as content. When comparing all three of today's major portables the DSi has the advantage of touchscreen and controls but it's the low speed of the processor, the GPU and the low amount of internal flash that's holding them back in regards to competitive software.
We all knew that this was coming even before the DSi was released, that in the face of Apple's new App Store, their method of digital distribution and their hardware Nintendo MUST make drastic changes. Even though we as a group are (at least partly) Nintendo gamers, we must admit that Apple has raised the bar on how downloadable portable games should be marketed, and to have attractive hardware to match. If Nintendo could somehow copy Apple's App Store and marketing while delivering a higher-powered console and retaining the touchscreen and controls, then they'll be the "top dog" again rather than "top dog but arguably so".
This has to be one of those DSi-specific games, right? I don't see them pulling something like this off on the DS Classic or DS Lite's slower processors and lesser VRAM.
Hardware, yes. Software, no. And way to go, Jack - I was going to purchase a PS3 this winter to put next to the Wii.
I would say that after "having egg on their face" regarding the negative press surrounding the Nintendo 64 and especially Gamecube, I'd say that allowing such a console as the Wii to hit retail in this day and age of multicore processing, high definition visuals and twelve-button controllers is one of the biggest risks ANY hardware manufacturer has done. Case in point, the Wii hardware itself. Remember:
The processor speed can't even reach 1GHz Internal storage is only 512 MB The controller looks/functions as a TV remote, but with sensors built in Visuals can't go above 480p Optical media cannot exceed 9.4 GB
And yet...I LOVE this thing. And so do 55 million others. You'd think that Sony fans such as myself wouldn't spit on this thing if it was on fire, but after two years of owning this machine I can say that Nintendo's risk more than paid off. I just can't explain why...
That's all it took for units to fly off the shelves? Hmm...well, to be honest I desperately need a second one for my mother so that both her and my adult sisters can play Wii Fit. My brother-in-lay wants one badly even though he's been constantly making fun of my Wii library while he was playing with his (twice fixed) 360.
I agree with everyone who stated that the Wii needs better titles, fortunately those games are coming. The only problem is that Nintendo isn't marketing third-party software to the consumers enough...
Can you imagine the crappy titles that I announce from this company? Every weekend when I'm researching upcoming games for the week the load of shovelware, female-gamer pandering and other drivel grows every week as the holidays approach, and Ubisoft's offerings are no exception. Case in point: over the past two months I've announced: Imagine: Teacher Class Trip (had to pause due to a laughing fit), Imagine: Detective, The Price is Right: 2010 Edition and Family Feud: 2010 Edition
Imagine THIS: the load of crap that they've been releasing over the past year. I'm sorry, but wasting your precious dollars in obtaining subpar licenses, willingly damaging your reputation by establishing the Imagine series when their target demographic would rather commit suicide than play those games, and thinking that gamers would buy any old packaged piece of crap during the worst recession in decades and they expected to get by scott-free? WHAT THE HECK?
It's developers/publishers like them that aided in the video game industry collapse of 1983-84. I don't want to think of Nintendo's DS line as the modern version of the legacy Atari series though (crap days indeed)...
I wanted to argue for analogue/Wii Remote-style controls in this game (especially after Bit.Trip: Beat), but if Arkanoid Plus is d-pad only, then it's d-pad only. I care too much about the Arkanoid series (except for the inferior DS version released last year, though I don't want to trade it in) to miss the chance to download it and be able to relive my Super Nintendo memories after a hard day at work and a two-hour commute.
Can't we just agree that while Arkanoid Plus exceeds the visual and satisfaction level of Gameloft's Block Breaker Deluxe, Gameloft's inclusion of a Wii Remote-based control scheme should have been an option - and then just leave it alone?
Realize that if it was up to Square, perhaps NA gamers wouldn't even have access to the game. Plus, it's (allegedly) only 600 Points. If we as gamers are going to bellyache over a $6.00 USD title then we're not in a recession; we're in a Depression.
You, Me And the Cubes does look interesting enough to download this weekend. It'll give me a break from Metroid Prime Trilogy and Muramasa.
Regarding the complaints about the glut of sub par games for the DSi Shop, I have to agree and was about to rant but must say that as more experienced gamers we know that there are better games being announced and developed. My advice to all of you would be to stock up on DSi Points, finish the games you already have installed on your DSi and then make room for Thorium Wars, Shantae: Risky's Revenge, Bejeweled Twist and others coming soon. Don't waste any more time complaining about the games that SHOULD come out, but start making preparations for the GOOD games that ARE COMING.
God I feel so old giving "grown-up" advice, but does that make sense to any of you? I for one have to finish Mighty Flip Champs, Pop+ Solo, Art Style: precipice, delete Oscar in Toyland and decide on whether to keep Mario Vs DK and Dr. Mario or not. My point is if you're a "hardcore" gamer (I prefer the term "experienced") then you should have more half-decent DSiWare downloads than you know what to do with. Finish the you have, and if nothing good's available for the shop, save your money. In the words of Frank Sinatra, "the best is yet to come".
Sorry for the long post. If I'm going to be making posts like this I better go update my NintendoLife profile. See ya.
The Playstation 2 version was the only game that I was able to afford when I purchased the console in November 2001. I remember hearing that the N64 and Dreamcast versions were the best but the PS2 version was the only way that I could enjoy it. I never knew that a stripped-down version was created for the DS, but from your review it was one of the unfortunate games that supported the thumb strap more than conventional controls. Yeah...
I have to admit, when I saw that a review was posted here on NintendoLife I thought "Oh, awesome! Ubisoft is about to remake my favorite Rayman game for the DS". When I read the review and saw the release date my excitement turned into disgust - it's already out...and it stinks. Nothing more to see.
@Stuffgamer1 Sorry about that, that's what I meant - I was posting during lunch and stumbled upon the article. Now that I know the story behind the development of the game I'm willing to give the series a shot.
@supa: I was drawn to the eyes as well; she has that classic '90s anime look rather than the "edgy" look on the GBC boxart.
Umm...is there something wrong with all of us? I mean, she's just a character in an upcoming game, right?
I've never played the first one for GBA (maybe because of the packaging and that Game Informer chose the wrong kinds of screenshots? I don't know). This is what DSiWare needs - quality downloads and not just pieces of already-released titles.
@uel: I think the time limit on the free DSi Points concerns everyone. Reading the red sticker on the top of my box that announces "free games from Nintendo DSi Shop", there's small print on the upper-right corner that says "for a limited time only".
I really can't wait for the NA release. I'm still playing the first title at least once a week trying to win a game without continuing as well as go for higher scores. It's a great new take on the SI franchise that I hope doesn't get milked for all it's worth.
I don't know about this one. I mean, by 1995 the 16-bit market was saturated with inferior Mario and Sonic clones, and from NintendoLife's previous posting this game seems to be a bad hybrid of both. The sad thing is that the unforseen issues with the game won't necessarily stop me from purchasing it, and that's only because most of the other software offerings in the DSi Shop are lackluster with the better games not getting as much support as they should (Mighty Flip Champs).
Comments 138
Re: Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow Poo Facts
@TwilightV: Dr. Slump? If I wasn't about to go to bed after a long day of work I would head straight to Google and Wikipedia. I guess I can withdraw my previous statement (for now), but toilet humor in a Blue Dragon series game?
Re: Oh Look, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Sold Better Than Expected
I don't know about SFIV or SSFIV for the Wii - I mean those games seem to be love letters to high-re, high-framerate arcade fighting gurus, and while many of those people may own Wii consoles as second or third entertainment units, Capcom has pushed the resolution, framerate and overall experience of the current series so high that to rerelease the titles for Wii would (for lack of a better word) "lessen" it.
TvC was made with Wii hardware being the focus, and I just can't see the SFIV series given the same amount of attention. Even if it did, naysayers would compare it to the PS3/360 versions and declare it a failure based on the lack of HD alone.
Re: Mega Man Zero Collection Announced for June Release
I need to replace my DSi (shoulder buttons have been nearly kaput for months) but when I do, this will be one of the first new DS games that I'll purchase. I haven't touched ANY of the Zero series of games (too busy with the Battle Network series) so this would be an interesting treat.
Re: Final Fantasy V and VI Technical Problems Prevent DS Conversions
If the issue is space, then couldn't Square Enix order cartridges containing more space? This has been done with a few other titles (I forgot which ones). Then again, why are they even bothering with FFVI when they just released it for GBA? FFV I can understand, but VI again?
And aren't they busy enough with a FF Gaiden and Blood of the Bahamut? Can't they concentrate on those and save the FF rereleases for the 3DS?
Re: Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow Poo Facts
I was going to criticize the title of the post...until I read the actual content. What the heck are the developers thinking? What humor does poop have in a game (other than Rare's Conker franchise)?
Re: Black Wii Could Hit North America in May
I'm thinking about getting a replacement Wii as my original is approaching the three-years-in-service mark. There was a scary period in which games would freeze but that problem hasn't surfaced in months.
What's stopping me from getting the black Wii and giving the original one to my mother (my mother always gets my hand-me-down electronics) is the fact that all of my downloadable purchases are non-transferable. I may just ignore it and purchase "best of" WiiWare and VC titles for the new console, but I don't know...$199.99 USD could afford a 19" HDTV so I could play SMG 2 in 480p.
Decisions, decisions...
Re: Classic Controller Pro Now On Sale in North America
@NintendoWorld1
I'd purchase a black Wii console - number one reason being that it'll replace my three-year-old original console. It'll stink to have to download some of the games again, but for the black Wii I would purchase the "best of" content.
OT: It's only $20.00 USD and doesn't look as cheap as the original CC that I purchased in order to play Geometry Wars: Galaxies and VC titles so I'll definitely pick one up in May. My only problem is that it must be powered by the Wiimote. If it hadn't been for the splurge on rechargeable Duracells then I would be out of luck.
Re: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Forecast is Cloudy with Chance of Co-Op
It makes me want to play the first SMG from scratch because it was SO FUN. And this is coming from a man who purchased the long-awaited PS3 versions of GTA4: L&D and BoGT! Plus it's great that it's coming on May 23rd because it makes the perfect early b-day gift (May 30th).
Re: NA Wii Shop Channel Updated
Crap! I forgot that the Nintendo Channel could display download/gameplay stats. Turning on my Wii to check Cave Story's stats...
Crap again! The Nintendo Channel used to display stats such as total hours played by the number of gamers who download certain titles but it's gone (or I can't find it). Could this be because there's been a lot of mediocre press regarding WiiWare sales and lack of promotion of some (or most) titles?
Re: NA Wii Shop Channel Updated
Really nice that Cave Story has gained recognition from Nintendo. Is there any data on how many downloads Cave Story has sold? It's become a special interest to me seeing as how the game had humble beginnings as a one-man project for freeware.
Re: Nintendo Will Release 3DS in October
@skywake
Really? I guess that's what happens when one relies on Wikipedia so much . I checked the site again and saw that the statement was still there so I jumped to a conclusion. Still, the Tegra chip is supposedly for integrating ARM-based processing/graphics/instructions on a single chip, and since Nintendo has been using ARM-based technology for about ten years now (since the first GBAs) I thought that the plans for the new Tegra were still in place. Guess we'll find out more at E3.
Regarding the Gamecube architecture, (looking at Game Informer, October 2000 issue), I doubt if IBM would be interested in partnering with Nintendo over reducing the size of the Gekko chip for a handheld (heat must be taken into consideration) but then again, the Nintendo/IBM/ATI partnership for consoles has been successful enough. Still, the Tegra was announced and it has all of the capabilities that a handheld gaming manufacturer would want.
Re: Nintendo Will Release 3DS in October
Hopefully the 3DS won't suffer anything like the cracked hinge or non-responsive shoulder button epidemics of previous devices. But since it's backwards compatible with the DS line then I'm sold! My software library is now up to fifty-seven titles - I'd love to still play them on a shiny, new high-definition device.
And yeah we can mark this as a rumor, but rumors do a great job of building up hype for the product. I keep thinking about that nVidia Tegra chip...yummy...
Re: Nintendo Leads U.S. Sales for March
@ Token Girl: Because unlike all of the other gaming hardware (including the Wii) the DS line has the largest and well-rounded library of them all. It doesn't seem to matter how many times Nintendo refreshes the DS hardware, you just can't get your Suikoden, Final Fantasy, Modern Warfare, Chrono Trigger, Mario Kart, New Super Mario, Personal Trainer, Phoenix Wright, Touch Generation, Pokemon, Trauma Center (and God knows how many other series) on a single device. This thing is a shrunken SNES/Super Famicom, Playstation and Nintendo 64 in one as far as software support and hardware capabilities (with the dreaded Petz/My Sims series thrown in and limited storage of the media).
Unfortunately I'd like to know how many of those systems are replacement systems for worn DS Lite/DSi units. From the DS Lite's hinge cracking to the DSi's non-responsive shoulder button issues, I wouldn't be surprised if 1-3% of March's figures account for out-of-warranty replacements.
Re: Review: AlphaBounce (DSiWare)
Darn. I'll need to wait until payday but I'm definitely getting this. Hopefully this will make up for SE's Arkanoid DS and the 2006 Break 'Em All releases. They're only asking for $5.00...
Re: Review: Infinite Space (DS)
@EdEN - for the first few hours there is some luck involved, but when I started moving my ship out of range while waiting for the command gauge to fill that helped a little. It won't help if your hit points run too low during a boss battle.
There's also the tasks regarding customizing your ship using Tetris-shaped modules to fill in the spaces, installing more sensible weapons, and fulfilling requirements to recruit more members a la Suikoden. And though the dialogue during battles is repetitive, at least there's dialogue. Ship versus ship battles are entertaining but the interface IS lacking.
All in all it's a good game that was luckily in stock at the Nintendo World Store in New York (I visited the place for the first time last month). A decent game and one that I'll be playing this weekend while watching TV. Definitely a collector's item.
Re: Review: Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (Virtual Console / Nintendo 64)
@BlackFira - It's Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen. This game makes several references to the SNES title, with a number of returning characters. One of the supporting characters in OB64 is the daughter of the antagonists of the SNES game.
Re: Review: Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (Virtual Console / Nintendo 64)
Oh yeah...it's me. The man that constantly posted that when and if Ogre Battle 64 was released, then it would be my last Virtual Console game as all of my needs for classic entertainment will have been met.
I didn't expect a 10/10 from NL, but I have to stress that if you put enough time into understanding the intricacies of combat, unit enhancement and flanking the enemy then you'll get much more than $10.00 USD out of this title. The game includes a entertaining script, mellow music, decent characters and a lot of hidden depth. I'm glad that Nintendo allowed this game to be released on the VC.
I even saved my original strategy guide (Prima) all of these years so that I could reuse it. I'm going to download the game right now.
Re: It's Tough at the Top for Nintendo
I can definitely understand what the article means. It's so hard to climb to the top, but so easy to fall to the bottom. Exhibit A: Nintendo's 1985-1986 attempts to enter the market. In NA, no one cared about the Nintendo brand name with the exception of the Donkey Kong arcade game and a few of the better Game & Watch games, but it took Minoru Arakawa (then head of Nintendo of America based in New York) two years of practically pleading with toys stores to carry NES consoles risk-free and partnering with ex-Atari marketers to enter the marketplace.
Twice, he even called Hiroshi Yamauchi (his father-in-law, head of Nintendo Co., Ltd) and suggested giving up.
Five years later, a simple case of corporate arrogance (too slow to bring the SNES/Super Famicom to NA to compete with Genesis, anti-competitive business practices, not taking Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis seriously) to throw them "off of the throne" for three years. By the time that the SNES established itself, in came Sony's Playstation.
It took Nintendo over ten years since then to demonstrate to the public why they should continue to exist as non-portable console manufacturers. You best believe that they'll work all of their departments to keep their current market position.
Re: Cave Story to Cost 1200 Wii Points
Darn, my vacation is over and I can't download the title until I suffer through my "in" box this Monday! Doesn't matter anyway because I had assumed that the asking price would be 1500 points for all of the content. I'm really looking forward to purchasing this game as I gave away my Windows laptop and I don't have a suitable game controller for the Mac version.
The only problem is that I'll have to stop playing Pokemon SoulSilver to play it, and I haven't even touched Infinite Space yet. There's too many games and so little time...
Re: Feature: The Making of the Nintendo Game Boy
I really miss the original Game Boy. That was the first piece of gaming hardware that I purchased with my own money during my senior year in high school. Tetris, Donkey Kong Land and Donkey Kong 1994 were my first games; I would beat them time and time again.
(Plays Chicago's "Old Days" in Game Boy's memory).
Re: Feature: The Making of Unirally
I remember purchasing this game based off of the ads in Game Informer (May 1995) and from seeing a demo in Toys R Us. I remember this game being one of the final full-packaged games that I purchased before I finally moved on from the 16-bit era of gaming. There were three kinds of levels in the game: race (to the finish), circuits (laps) and the stunts courses where you attempt to get perform the most tricks before time ran out.
There wasn't much variety in the music but the unicycles themselves were not only well animated but had personally. Sometimes the losing unicycle would pound it's "head" repeatedly at the end of a race or hang it's seat in shame. The way that the game taught you how to read the track (meaning if it turns solid yellow, then jump) added a lot to the game, too.
As you can probably tell, I really liked this game. I might even have this in my old SNES box downstairs in the bookcase (the battery must be shot though).
Re: Note: How Not to Play Sonic & Mario at the Olympic Winter Games
Not to mention that they played too freaking close to the television in the curling segment. Even if they were wearing the straps, they were so close to the screen that it wouldn't have mattered.
The second segment with the newscasters attempting to bobsled was a little too overboard (the gentleman was having too much fun). When I saw that I thought that if that segment would have appeared on the Today Show or The Onion then they would have taken the footage and REALLY ran with it.
Re: Review: Blaster Master: Overdrive (WiiWare)
My God! The things you miss when you work too much overtime! I have some errands to run and chores around the house but tonight my PS3 will be gathering dust as I play this on the Wii.
WiiWare and DSiWare is finally picking up - maybe then the constant rumors of WiiWare falling to Sony's PSN or DSiWare falling to Apple's App Store will stop!
Re: Trackmania Building Speed
@Sean Aaron: that's how it works on the Playstation 3 as well, except PSN doesn't allow friend invites if they happen to be playing the same game - that's left to the games themselves. There are pop-ups during gameplay if you receive a message or if one of your friends is online, but for me it sometimes interrupts the experience. I'm kinda glad that the Wii doesn't have that - the blue indicator flashing is good enough as it doesn't interrupt the gameplay experience onscreen.
Having the console flash in my face at 1:50am in my bedroom though...not good.
Re: Trackmania Building Speed
@Highlar - Welcome. I'm still a NintedoLife noob but I visit now and then after a hard day at work. NL is more sane and less "fanboyish" than other Nintendo-related sites, mainly because many of the members own more than one system, have actual insight into the topics discussed, and the web masters seem to have the site under firm control.
On-topic: I've been VERY addicted to the Trackmania games, mainly because Nadeo has a rare talent of allowing the game to run at a smooth frame rate with gorgeous environments, addictive gameplay and tight controls no matter how crappy your PC hardware setup. The track editor and online play is icing on a very delicious cake. I bought the DS version even though I knew that there would be no online functionality - big mistake. I unlocked all of the tracks and played with the track editor for a little while but it wasn't the same.
Trackmania Wii will definitely make up for the DS version. The best part is that Trackmania games seem to utilize the potential of any hardware that they run on, and the gaming experience is just so addictive. The DS version didn't produce a "sublime" experience, but the frame rate was still smooth and gameplay was still there. But using the remote for the track editor and playing other Wii owners online? Awesome.
Just please, PLEASE no friend codes...
Re: Developer Allegedly Has DS2 Kit
@komicturtle - the DSi as as an expanded version of the DS line may be new, but everyone has a valid argument in saying that the underlying technology is approaching five years old, while the PSP has (despite it's failure to wrest control of the handheld market completely from the N) leapfrogged that technology since minute one in April 2005 (North America). It does stink that some people have purchased the DSi as the first DS, but how long can Nintendo survive on outdated technology (256 MB-sized cartridges, low-res screens, limited gameplay potential). I view it as just a simple case of the need to move forward with available technologies - Nintendo stuck by their guns with the DS and made their point. In the face of the PSP, Nintendo's DS won against overwhelming odds, but Apple's iPod touch/iPhone nanotechnology as well as the App Store have changed the field.
Re: Nintendo Power Unwittingly Reveals Wii 2
@Burn - speaking of the Okami Wii fiasco, I never did get the cover replaced. I'm keeping the game - it might be worth something someday.
But yeah, while I don't see much in the way of consequences for NP, someone had to have known that something was wrong what that image was placed in the build. How many times do real editors pore over every single inch of every single copy and negative before it gets finalized and sent off to the printers? Over a dozen (by old EGM standards anyway). I never was a fan of NP and have only purchased two magazines, the one with Pokemon Yellow (1999) on the cover and the one containing the Shantae: Risky's Revenge feature (2009).
Re: Developer Allegedly Has DS2 Kit
It's been a while since I've commented, but in this case I have to. I just picked up an iPod touch and after reading the article and the inclusion of an accelerometer I'm hoping that the DS2 won't use it in lieu of standard controls in the same way that Apple's handheld devices do. From the sampling of games that I've purchased for the iPod, either the controls are too sensitive for racing games (like Ridge Racer) or include imprecise controls that take up valuable screen real estate (Pac-Man Championship). Only certain genres would benefit from being motion-sensing enabled, which would limit the variety and the software potential.
But this IS Nintendo. Iwata and his engineers ARE gamers, and they're not stupid. While I do wish that Nintendo's future handhelds will revert back to a single screen like the classic GB line, it would be awesome if the next DS indeed contained two high-resolution screens running off of the Nvidia Tegra chip, include more video RAM and allow a more reasonable size of internal memory (only 256 MB for DSi? WTH!). Give me a Virtual Handheld application on day one, make it reasonably priced and I may just put away my consoles and settle down with the DS2 after work.
Backwards compatibility may be an issue though; I thought that not having a GBA slot in the DSi would bother me, but it did after I gave my shiny DS Lite to my mother. Regarding the DS library I have over 50 DS games now (I'm a former DS podcaster) but as long as I keep my DSi in good shape and in my possession then I guess I'll be okay. I'm not too worried about DSiWare compatibility either, because unlike my DS software library I've kept a VERY tight rein on the games that I downloaded.
One more thing: do we REALLY want a multimedia DS2? GB/GBP/GBA weren't multimedia systems and they provided the most memorable gaming moments in my life. Just this evening I was playing FFTA2 with the sound muted while listening to music on my iPod during my commute. That ninety-minute ride was over too soon.
Re: Even More Nintendo Titles Get The Axe
Ouch...I don't exactly have that much disposable income (hides Mac mini and shoves iPod touch research out of sight) << >> but I try to make sure that if there's a game coming out that I know for a fact will be a great experience but will have a limited run, I purchase it and then put it away. Personally I thought that Wario Land: Shake It was on shelves long enough for Nintendo to gauge customer demand, and the same can be said for BWii and Fire Emblem. Side note: I REALLY need to take the time and finish those games.
Someone stated above that one of the reasons for the discontinuations is to clear shelves for more software. With Tales of Graces, Arc Rise Fantasia, Metroid: Other M, Tatsunoko and others coming soon that seems like a good reason. I had a long paragraph which was meant to answer Pj's question regarding surplus inventory but Slapshot made a good point in saying that by cutting supply at the right time there could be little surplus to worry about.
Re: Nintendo No Longer Publishing Metroid Prime Trilogy in US
@vherub - double score for me. I bought Fire Emblem knowing that it would be a limited run (hard as heck though) but I skipped WarioWare for Wario Land Shake It as another better-pick-this-up-before-it-disappears release.
Re: Nintendo No Longer Publishing Metroid Prime Trilogy in US
I managed to grab a copy one week after it came out. Don't know what I'm going to do with the original Metroid Prime III though...
Re: Japanese Virtual Console list - January 2010
YES! Yes, yes, YES! In one of my very first posts on NintendoLife I stated that the ONE GAME that (to me) would be worth the entire VC experience would be Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber. The story, the gameplay, the secrets and the fact that it was one of the best (yet little-known) third-party N64 games makes for some of the best N64 experiences I ever had, even when I was also playing Suikoden II on Playstation. I even saved the official strategy guide for it (OB64), though the pages are falling out...
Oh PLEASE let this game be released for NA's VC. I'll purchase both 64-bit Zelda titles, then Ogre Battle 64 and then that's IT. No more VC games, because I'll be set.
Re: Check Out the Final Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Trailer
It looks pretty good, but as everyone else stated - if there's anything like the aforementioned temple that shall not be named then forget it. I stopped playing Phantom Hourglass because of it, even though the rest of the game is AWESOME. I may still go back and finish it - it depends on my mood.
Re: Hardware Impressions: Nintendo DSi LL
Two words: Trauma Center. I can't tell you how many times I was given a "miss" or "bad" when I was performing an operation and had my chain broken due to touching the wrong pixel. The DSi XL's larger pixels could improve gamers' chances for games that demand precision.
Re: DSi LL Shifts 100K Units In Japan
Even though I purchased my DSi on launch day I have no choice but to purchase the DSi XL - because the L button on my current DSi doesn't work. While playing Final Fantasy Tactics A2 this week my R button was starting to be unresponsive as well. I won't be able to download any more DSiWare games or apps either until the XL comes out because there's no sense in purchasing games on proprietary hardware that's about to be replaced.
BTW: I have NO problems with the DSi XL's supposedly gigantic size. My faulty DSi sits on my desk at work playing music, and when if it's too big for my pocket then it'll go in my bag with my laptop.
Re: It's Official: Big-Screen DSi LL is Confirmed
I wouldn't be the least bit interested except for the fact that my L button is malfunctioning, and this is a launch DSi unit. Should I get my current DSi fixed or should I just purchase the upcoming version upon release and trade items and Pokemon back and forth using the current one - that's the question...
I'm all for bigger screens, but I honestly wish that Nintendo's engineers had introduced it a little sooner. But for many of us who were early DSi adopters, imagine the wear and tear our DSi units will be put through by the time the new DSi LLs show up in the US.
Re: Review: Nostalgia (DS)
I really wanted to purchase this when it was released...but the rent and utilities are due this week. Being an adult sucks sometimes.
Re: NVIDIA-Powered DS Successor Coming 2010?
I'm not surprised at all. With the tech that's currently powering Apple's iPod touch for gaming and Sony's PSP line, Nintendo's continued use of value materials is good for keeping their asking prices down but helps little as far as content. When comparing all three of today's major portables the DSi has the advantage of touchscreen and controls but it's the low speed of the processor, the GPU and the low amount of internal flash that's holding them back in regards to competitive software.
We all knew that this was coming even before the DSi was released, that in the face of Apple's new App Store, their method of digital distribution and their hardware Nintendo MUST make drastic changes. Even though we as a group are (at least partly) Nintendo gamers, we must admit that Apple has raised the bar on how downloadable portable games should be marketed, and to have attractive hardware to match. If Nintendo could somehow copy Apple's App Store and marketing while delivering a higher-powered console and retaining the touchscreen and controls, then they'll be the "top dog" again rather than "top dog but arguably so".
Re: First Impressions: C.O.P. The Recruit
This has to be one of those DSi-specific games, right? I don't see them pulling something like this off on the DS Classic or DS Lite's slower processors and lesser VRAM.
COP: The Recruit in white plastic. Hmm...
Re: Sony: We Take More Risks Than Nintendo
Hardware, yes. Software, no. And way to go, Jack - I was going to purchase a PS3 this winter to put next to the Wii.
I would say that after "having egg on their face" regarding the negative press surrounding the Nintendo 64 and especially Gamecube, I'd say that allowing such a console as the Wii to hit retail in this day and age of multicore processing, high definition visuals and twelve-button controllers is one of the biggest risks ANY hardware manufacturer has done. Case in point, the Wii hardware itself. Remember:
The processor speed can't even reach 1GHz
Internal storage is only 512 MB
The controller looks/functions as a TV remote, but with sensors built in
Visuals can't go above 480p
Optical media cannot exceed 9.4 GB
And yet...I LOVE this thing. And so do 55 million others. You'd think that Sony fans such as myself wouldn't spit on this thing if it was on fire, but after two years of owning this machine I can say that Nintendo's risk more than paid off. I just can't explain why...
Re: Consumers Respond Well to Wii Price Cut
That's all it took for units to fly off the shelves? Hmm...well, to be honest I desperately need a second one for my mother so that both her and my adult sisters can play Wii Fit. My brother-in-lay wants one badly even though he's been constantly making fun of my Wii library while he was playing with his (twice fixed) 360.
I agree with everyone who stated that the Wii needs better titles, fortunately those games are coming. The only problem is that Nintendo isn't marketing third-party software to the consumers enough...
Re: Ubisoft: The DS Salad Days Are Over
As a podcaster I have this to say: BULL!
Can you imagine the crappy titles that I announce from this company? Every weekend when I'm researching upcoming games for the week the load of shovelware, female-gamer pandering and other drivel grows every week as the holidays approach, and Ubisoft's offerings are no exception. Case in point: over the past two months I've announced:
Imagine: Teacher Class Trip (had to pause due to a laughing fit), Imagine: Detective, The Price is Right: 2010 Edition and Family Feud: 2010 Edition
Imagine THIS: the load of crap that they've been releasing over the past year. I'm sorry, but wasting your precious dollars in obtaining subpar licenses, willingly damaging your reputation by establishing the Imagine series when their target demographic would rather commit suicide than play those games, and thinking that gamers would buy any old packaged piece of crap during the worst recession in decades and they expected to get by scott-free? WHAT THE HECK?
It's developers/publishers like them that aided in the video game industry collapse of 1983-84. I don't want to think of Nintendo's DS line as the modern version of the legacy Atari series though (crap days indeed)...
Re: Review: Arkanoid Plus! (WiiWare)
I wanted to argue for analogue/Wii Remote-style controls in this game (especially after Bit.Trip: Beat), but if Arkanoid Plus is d-pad only, then it's d-pad only. I care too much about the Arkanoid series (except for the inferior DS version released last year, though I don't want to trade it in) to miss the chance to download it and be able to relive my Super Nintendo memories after a hard day at work and a two-hour commute.
Can't we just agree that while Arkanoid Plus exceeds the visual and satisfaction level of Gameloft's Block Breaker Deluxe, Gameloft's inclusion of a Wii Remote-based control scheme should have been an option - and then just leave it alone?
Realize that if it was up to Square, perhaps NA gamers wouldn't even have access to the game. Plus, it's (allegedly) only 600 Points. If we as gamers are going to bellyache over a $6.00 USD title then we're not in a recession; we're in a Depression.
Re: Nintendo Download: Cubes, Ninjas, Tennis, Strategy Games and Cameras (US)
You, Me And the Cubes does look interesting enough to download this weekend. It'll give me a break from Metroid Prime Trilogy and Muramasa.
Regarding the complaints about the glut of sub par games for the DSi Shop, I have to agree and was about to rant but must say that as more experienced gamers we know that there are better games being announced and developed. My advice to all of you would be to stock up on DSi Points, finish the games you already have installed on your DSi and then make room for Thorium Wars, Shantae: Risky's Revenge, Bejeweled Twist and others coming soon. Don't waste any more time complaining about the games that SHOULD come out, but start making preparations for the GOOD games that ARE COMING.
God I feel so old giving "grown-up" advice, but does that make sense to any of you? I for one have to finish Mighty Flip Champs, Pop+ Solo, Art Style: precipice, delete Oscar in Toyland and decide on whether to keep Mario Vs DK and Dr. Mario or not. My point is if you're a "hardcore" gamer (I prefer the term "experienced") then you should have more half-decent DSiWare downloads than you know what to do with. Finish the you have, and if nothing good's available for the shop, save your money. In the words of Frank Sinatra, "the best is yet to come".
Sorry for the long post. If I'm going to be making posts like this I better go update my NintendoLife profile. See ya.
Re: Review: Rayman DS (DS)
The Playstation 2 version was the only game that I was able to afford when I purchased the console in November 2001. I remember hearing that the N64 and Dreamcast versions were the best but the PS2 version was the only way that I could enjoy it. I never knew that a stripped-down version was created for the DS, but from your review it was one of the unfortunate games that supported the thumb strap more than conventional controls. Yeah...
I have to admit, when I saw that a review was posted here on NintendoLife I thought "Oh, awesome! Ubisoft is about to remake my favorite Rayman game for the DS". When I read the review and saw the release date my excitement turned into disgust - it's already out...and it stinks. Nothing more to see.
Re: Shantae Coming to DSiWare
@Stuffgamer1 Sorry about that, that's what I meant - I was posting during lunch and stumbled upon the article. Now that I know the story behind the development of the game I'm willing to give the series a shot.
@supa: I was drawn to the eyes as well; she has that classic '90s anime look rather than the "edgy" look on the GBC boxart.
Umm...is there something wrong with all of us? I mean, she's just a character in an upcoming game, right?
Re: Shantae Coming to DSiWare
I've never played the first one for GBA (maybe because of the packaging and that Game Informer chose the wrong kinds of screenshots? I don't know). This is what DSiWare needs - quality downloads and not just pieces of already-released titles.
Plus...yes, she's cute...
Re: Canada Drops DSi Price
@uel: I think the time limit on the free DSi Points concerns everyone. Reading the red sticker on the top of my box that announces "free games from Nintendo DSi Shop", there's small print on the upper-right corner that says "for a limited time only".
Re: Europe Getting Second Extreme Space Invasion
I really can't wait for the NA release. I'm still playing the first title at least once a week trying to win a game without continuing as well as go for higher scores. It's a great new take on the SI franchise that I hope doesn't get milked for all it's worth.
Re: Oscar in Toyland Available in North America Next Monday
I don't know about this one. I mean, by 1995 the 16-bit market was saturated with inferior Mario and Sonic clones, and from NintendoLife's previous posting this game seems to be a bad hybrid of both. The sad thing is that the unforseen issues with the game won't necessarily stop me from purchasing it, and that's only because most of the other software offerings in the DSi Shop are lackluster with the better games not getting as much support as they should (Mighty Flip Champs).