Princess Closet, evidently. (It was on sale!) It's kind of a nicely-paced low stakes otome set in the fashion industry where the player doesn't even have to make choices. A bit rough around the edges (CGs aren't high-res, only one ending per route, and you don't get a full-featured menu of any kind---stuff like that), but I'm about a third of the way through a route and the writing is pretty solid for the genre.
Oh wow! Great review! I was expecting this to be terrible, based on the trailer and seeing some of the behind-the-scenes stuff (like where they didn't tell the original creator about it). Great that it's good, as I really like the original game.
Wow, I really love this concept! A genuinely creative idea. It looks nice too! I'm terrible at fighting games, so I'm not sure if I would play this necessarily, but who knows! If it's decent, I might buy it anyway to support projects like this.
Like, I haven't owned a Sony console since the PS2 because frankly I hate their branding of "video games but for Serious Adults," so it's personally nice to see them perhaps temporarily losing some ground in the market. 🤭
But I wouldn't have thought Sony's target market would care about a price increase that much, which perhaps suggests how strong of an alternative Nintendo is this generation.
Wild! I love the idea of more C64 games on Switch! I'd love a Boulder Dash collection (to go with the, uh, two other Boulder Dash games and also the third on the way). The two Pixel Games UK C64 collections I've played on Switch are good too (the Monty Mole one and the one that has Horace Goes Skiing).
I love that the Switch is getting all these ports of these deep cut games that released either in limited markets or weren't that popular in certain parts of the world.
They seem like really obvious candidates for NSO, and hopefully now with Mystery Dungeon there they will add more Pokemon games.
However, I'm currently rooting for Nintendo to free us from this infinite timeloop of constantly revisiting the 90s/early 2000s, so I wouldn't enjoy a remake (of a remake! That's too much, in my opinion).
The reasoning makes a sort of sense; I take it to mean more that Sega doesn't want to allocate resources to a full-fledged Chao Garden project.
Now, with cozy little creature-tending games in the ascendant right now, why would Sega not want to do this? Just Sega being Sega, I suppose. Perhaps they feel it is better to make another game where Sonic glitches into the floor and then falls into infinity/until the game crashes.
Wow! The core games are good so it would've been hard to mess up, but this is an impressive review! I thought the Punisher game looked so weak/bad in the trailer (I guess because it's not as flashy as the others), so it's nice to see that it's also a good one.
Glad to know it's good! I'm interested in the 8-bit version, and have been from the start. I still don't really understand why they bothered with the HD graphics at all. Like, Rugrats ended in 2004. Surely the folks who were of the age to fondly remember it enough to buy a game of it would want the 8-bit graphics?
So Crazy Taxi being massively multiplayer is a disappointment because that likely inevitably means a games-as-a-service model. If that happens to be the case, I likely won't be trying that one, as much as I like Crazy Taxi.
Shinobi I have no real thoughts on one way or another as I was never really into those games growing up. I see they're doing the "HD handdrawn" thing that often looks terrible, but here it looks pretty decent so far! It kind of reminds me of the GetsuFumaDen remake. I guess the solution to making that artstyle pop is to add a bit of creative shading.
To echo what others are saying, the HD artstyle looks terrible, but I think it's kind of neat that a lesser-known Data East property is getting remade.
I wonder if it'll be a one-off or if we might see others? I'd personally love to see someone do something with the Darwin series. Really cool concept, but frankly terrible execution so a remake could only improve it.
I honestly love everything about this. The price is right, and the selection of games is perfect (i.e., games that don't necessarily lend themselves to a full-fledged "Sunsoft Is Back!" revival like Gimmick!, Ufouria, etc.).
@AJWolfTill Heh, they are a bit like the Yellow Guys, huh?
Okay, "N64 Rare" is definitely a +1 for this game in my book. I had not really considered that you even did stuff outside of battle? I really like the sound of that! Thanks for the extra info!
@JR150 Thanks for sharing your experience with it! That makes me feel a bit better about it because as I said I think the games look great! I just hate those Rabbid designs.
These games are so fascinating to me. Like, they're a bit of a weird crossover and the gameplay looks fun and not like a usual Mario game, but I can honestly say the Rabbids are one of the most visually repulsive designs I've ever seen in gaming and I can't bring myself to try the games based on that.
Oh, neat! I really like this game, and the Switch version is a masterclass on how to do a retro re-release. Undecided if I'll spring for the physical as it's LRG and I don't want to wait 80 years, but it would for sure be worth the wait so maybe I will.
Neat! I love the remakes of these Natsume properties! This game was way too hard for me on the NES (even in co-op), and I'm sure it'll be here as well, but I might give it a go for a sale price.
It's too bad Mr. Jiro's Great Adventure/Spanky's Quest was (I think?) licensed; I'd adore a remake of that. My favorite SNES puzzle game for sure. (For reference, I own it but it's also one of my most-played SNES Online games, haha)
I think this is the first Stardew thing I don't want. Nothing particular against Stardew Valley, but I'd like for every indie game to stop crossing over with things! It's just lost its lustre.
@NinChocolate Right. And I guess that's why it comes across as kind of sloppy because when you don't get that blessing from the original creator it does become "just" a commercial sale in business terms. So it's a bit more "leverage the IP" and a bit less "a loving tribute to the original." And I suppose with games there is that aura of the past you want to market as well as the game itself.
Now, thinking about that, it's interesting that retro re-releases (as opposed to remakes) generally carry none of these expectations!
You've definitely got a point on fan games, though (and for what it's worth I've never played one so I can't say much about what the normal expectations are like for that).
I think this game is a cool idea, but I still can't figure out who these "HD visuals" in retro remakes are even for. They look horrible 99% of the time, and the old people who want the retro remake are just going to want the 8-bit visuals anyway?
Anyway, I'll probably get this, but will just play it in 8-bit mode, haha
@NinChocolate While I agree with you in terms of the actual development of the game, I do think there is an expectation in these retro revivals that you give a nod to the original developer.
It's not really the same as selling real estate, because in this case the people buying your game are often emotionally attached to the property. This is more like reviving a superhero comic that's been dormant for a while, where the creator doesn't own the rights. Do they legally have to do anything? No. Will it appeal to fans if you give acknowledgement to the original creator? I'd say generally yes, unless the creator is someone widely disliked.
Again, I agree that it's best for developers to do their own thing in terms of the actual game, but when the developer is easy enough to track down (as was the case here), it takes nothing to just give the nod to their work and it comes across as a bit slapdash when they don't.
Even saying "Hey gamers, we told the original creator and frankly he hated it lol" plays better than just nothing, I'd argue.
While I can understand not involving the original creator, to not even notify them suggests this project happened quickly and/or was not made with a certain level of care.
We've had enough of these retro revivals now to know that standard practice is to get some kind of buy-in from at least one person from the original development team, whether they are directly involved or not. It just shows the fans that you've done your due diligence and gives them faith your new project will do justice to the property.
Why not! I have both 30th and Deluxe on Switch already, but Boulder Dash is one of those comfort games for me where I can never have too many versions and I just have such goodwill toward the series that I tend to enjoy even the worst entries.
Huh, there's more coming out in August than I thought! Of this list, I plan to play Cat Quest III and maybe Shadow of the Ninja with a friend.
Other August releases on my list are both otomes/VNs: Hanaemu Kare to & Bloom (importing the JP version with English subs) and Hakuoki (have already played and 100%'d it on Steam, but I'm interested in the localization changes and seeing how it looks on the Switch OLED).
Famicom all the way! They're colourful, just the right size, and they're roughly the size of a cassette tape case, which makes finding storage/display solutions easy.
I wouldn't say I'm the biggest fan of these games (I have Aero 2 and Zero on Evercade), but they're being released by Ratalaika who is pretty consistent with their serviceable interface for emulated games (with basic screen options, generally a cheat menu, etc.), so you can't really go wrong if you're interested! And they do fairly frequent sales so anyone who is on the fence could probably wait and see a few dollars knocked off in sales in the months to come.
@EarthboundBenjy Yeah! The guy in a suit! It's such a dorky/odd look that's not appealing. Like okay, I'm in this whimsical storybook world and now I'm playing as...Jeff from Accounting??? Come on now.
(No slight intended to platformers with a guy in a suit, though; I would like to take a moment to acknowledge Salaryman Shi as being an excellent platformer about a guy in a suit)
@cvrator Duly noted! I appreciate the alternative take on the plot! It may be that it's better in game than when experienced by just reading the summary as I did.
And regarding the gameplay, yeah; Braid isn't the only example of this, but some of these early indies I do struggle with playing now. The gameplay might have been groundbreaking for the time, but unfortunately the games that they inspired just end up being better so it's hard to go back!
(Regarding the creator, I'm getting that impression reading the comments! So perhaps this one is best avoided in any case.)
@cvrator What I mean is that someone said the story was unappealing and I looked up the plot and found that it was, in fact, unappealing to me as well.
I did not mean "literally set in the 2000s." I meant it uses the common "save the princess...but with a twist!" trope of the late 90s/2000s era that is not personally to my taste and comes off a bit "of the time" nowadays.
It's fine if other people like it; it's just not going to be for me.
As someone who wasn't exposed to the original, my immediate thought when I saw this announced was that the main character looked laughably dorky, and then someone pointed out the story is bad and very 2000s (I looked it up and this was indeed the case!).
I'm sure it's a lovely game (and I've heard nothing but good things about the gameplay), but gaming is a different beast than it was in 2008. I wonder how much the simple matter of time moving forward is (ironically) the issue.
I'm playing through ACA Vs. Valkyrie (the original is one of my favorite Famicom games, so I'm surprised and delighted to see it pop up in a form I can get on Switch!), and getting back into picking away at Steam Prison.
Tingle's great! That said, I think the art direction of the games have moved on and he wouldn't fit in the games anymore. However, I'd like to see them do more with his spinoff series, whereby they just toss him into a game idea perhaps too off-the-wall for a mainline character.
Wow, this is really cool! I don't think I'll play this one as I'm not super into disturbing games, but that's a 10/10 ad campaign and I hope they bring that energy to teasing games in the future.
It's been how many years since the Iwata era? Time for Nintendo to stop leaning on the Direct magic of "And one more thing" and do more weird stuff like this.
I don't know. I think under Nintendo's new direction, maybe? But I suspect it'd be more comedic/lighter in tone than the dedicated fans who have been toiling in the anti-hero Ganondorf fanfic mines for years would want.
Yeah, it looked like it'd be a slim package from all the trailers so I was on the fence, but knowing there are no unlockable full versions or anything makes this a definite no for me, even at its lower price point.
Huh. I hope he isn't playable to any great extent, to be honest. I haven't cared about a Zelda game since Twilight Princess, and I was thinking of preordering this one because it seemed like a fresh idea. Link being playable makes me want to shift this one over to the "maybe" pile.
This is a useful article! I've been using Bluesky, and I do like it. It's much more Twitter-ish than, say, Mastodon.
I will probably keep my Twitter account open until the Japanese gaming accounts I follow like Famitsu, Hamster, etc. move over as I still like getting quick updates from those accounts, but this is a nice start.
The hook seems good, but that last screenshot looks like AI which is a major turnoff to me. And although I'm on a dating sim/otome kick right now, I don't like the ones that make me do stuff other than read (although that one is of course a me problem, haha).
On the other hand, they get +1 from me for reminding me of one of the great Canadian singles (Nova Heart by Spoons).
This is one of my favorite games of all time and, although I've moved beyond JRPGs as my main preferred genre, I do enjoy playing it each time it is re-released.
That said, I'm so tired of remakes/remasters. I'd play it if it popped up on the NSO, or if they released a vanilla port of the SNES, PS, or DS versions.
And maybe I'd be interested if they did something like the PS1 or DS games, where it was the same game but with a few new endings or something, but I really don't know if I'd care if they did a remake.
This is great! I actually really liked Yooka-Laylee aside for some issues with the late game (various things in that casino level, and the final boss). So if they fixed those, I'd definitely replay it.
Oh, and they have to let us know what the little robot was loading! It's been 84 years, etc.
I love Yars' Revenge, and in a positive sense I just can't believe this exists at all. We're all out here talking about "the Yars IP" like that's not just that game made by some guy that had the weird fly on the cover.
What a world we live in, here in the future of 2024.
Not sure how I feel about all the non-Yars stuff, but I do trust WayForward to do something interesting with this, the "Yars IP" (still seems weird, but I'm with it).
Comments 1,531
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (14th September)
Princess Closet, evidently. (It was on sale!)
It's kind of a nicely-paced low stakes otome set in the fashion industry where the player doesn't even have to make choices. A bit rough around the edges (CGs aren't high-res, only one ending per route, and you don't get a full-featured menu of any kind---stuff like that), but I'm about a third of the way through a route and the writing is pretty solid for the genre.
Re: Gimmick! 2 (Switch) Review: A Fluid, Feel-Good Platformer That Lives Up To Its Name
Oh wow! Great review! I was expecting this to be terrible, based on the trailer and seeing some of the behind-the-scenes stuff (like where they didn't tell the original creator about it). Great that it's good, as I really like the original game.
Re: Hands On: 'Royalty Free For All' Looks To Smash It With A Cosy Fighting Format & Timeless Roster
Wow, I really love this concept! A genuinely creative idea. It looks nice too! I'm terrible at fighting games, so I'm not sure if I would play this necessarily, but who knows! If it's decent, I might buy it anyway to support projects like this.
Re: Japanese Charts: Switch Dominates As PS5 Price Hike Kills Momentum
That news is so interesting to me.
Like, I haven't owned a Sony console since the PS2 because frankly I hate their branding of "video games but for Serious Adults," so it's personally nice to see them perhaps temporarily losing some ground in the market. 🤭
But I wouldn't have thought Sony's target market would care about a price increase that much, which perhaps suggests how strong of an alternative Nintendo is this generation.
Re: The Last Ninja Collection Brings Seven Retro Games To Switch In 2025
Wild! I love the idea of more C64 games on Switch! I'd love a Boulder Dash collection (to go with the, uh, two other Boulder Dash games and also the third on the way). The two Pixel Games UK C64 collections I've played on Switch are good too (the Monty Mole one and the one that has Horace Goes Skiing).
I love that the Switch is getting all these ports of these deep cut games that released either in limited markets or weren't that popular in certain parts of the world.
Re: Anniversary: Pokémon FireRed And LeafGreen Turn 20 Years Old In The US
They seem like really obvious candidates for NSO, and hopefully now with Mystery Dungeon there they will add more Pokemon games.
However, I'm currently rooting for Nintendo to free us from this infinite timeloop of constantly revisiting the 90s/early 2000s, so I wouldn't enjoy a remake (of a remake! That's too much, in my opinion).
Re: Feature: "We Don't Need To Just Keep On Repeating The Past" - Lena Raine On Shmups, SNES Samples & Going Solo
I only know her music, but wow! That is quite a remarkable CV! (And the new game sounds good.)
Re: Sonic Fans, Don't Get Your Hopes Up For A Standalone Chao Garden Game
The reasoning makes a sort of sense; I take it to mean more that Sega doesn't want to allocate resources to a full-fledged Chao Garden project.
Now, with cozy little creature-tending games in the ascendant right now, why would Sega not want to do this? Just Sega being Sega, I suppose. Perhaps they feel it is better to make another game where Sonic glitches into the floor and then falls into infinity/until the game crashes.
Re: Review: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch) - A Stunning Showcase Of '90s Fighter Evolution
Wow! The core games are good so it would've been hard to mess up, but this is an impressive review! I thought the Punisher game looked so weak/bad in the trailer (I guess because it's not as flashy as the others), so it's nice to see that it's also a good one.
Also, wonderful tagline, haha
Re: Review: Rugrats: Adventures In Gameland (Switch) - Captures The Show's Spirit With Affectionate 8-Bit Homage
@gcunit Okay yeah, that makes sense. And the cutscenes definitely look perfect!
Re: Review: Rugrats: Adventures In Gameland (Switch) - Captures The Show's Spirit With Affectionate 8-Bit Homage
Glad to know it's good! I'm interested in the 8-bit version, and have been from the start. I still don't really understand why they bothered with the HD graphics at all. Like, Rugrats ended in 2004. Surely the folks who were of the age to fondly remember it enough to buy a game of it would want the 8-bit graphics?
Re: Toree Saturn Scores A New Trailer Ahead Of This Year's Switch Release
Yes! I love Toree! I can't wait to get back to trying to speedrun levels and collecting stars (if desired).
Re: Video: Early Gameplay Of Sega Revival Projects Leak Online
So Crazy Taxi being massively multiplayer is a disappointment because that likely inevitably means a games-as-a-service model. If that happens to be the case, I likely won't be trying that one, as much as I like Crazy Taxi.
Shinobi I have no real thoughts on one way or another as I was never really into those games growing up. I see they're doing the "HD handdrawn" thing that often looks terrible, but here it looks pretty decent so far! It kind of reminds me of the GetsuFumaDen remake. I guess the solution to making that artstyle pop is to add a bit of creative shading.
Re: Night Slashers: Remake Brings Horror Arcade Beat 'Em Up To Switch This Month
To echo what others are saying, the HD artstyle looks terrible, but I think it's kind of neat that a lesser-known Data East property is getting remade.
I wonder if it'll be a one-off or if we might see others? I'd personally love to see someone do something with the Darwin series. Really cool concept, but frankly terrible execution so a remake could only improve it.
Re: Mini Review: Sunsoft Is Back! Retro Game Selection (Switch) - An Intriguing But Limited Slice Of History
I honestly love everything about this. The price is right, and the selection of games is perfect (i.e., games that don't necessarily lend themselves to a full-fledged "Sunsoft Is Back!" revival like Gimmick!, Ufouria, etc.).
Re: Mario + Rabbids Producer Leaves Ubisoft Milan After "16 Incredible Years"
@AJWolfTill Okay thanks, good to know! That's still pretty cool though!
Ooh, those are some real names; I might have to at least give the soundtrack a listen then!
Re: Mario + Rabbids Producer Leaves Ubisoft Milan After "16 Incredible Years"
@AJWolfTill Heh, they are a bit like the Yellow Guys, huh?
Okay, "N64 Rare" is definitely a +1 for this game in my book. I had not really considered that you even did stuff outside of battle? I really like the sound of that! Thanks for the extra info!
Re: Mario + Rabbids Producer Leaves Ubisoft Milan After "16 Incredible Years"
@EVIL-C Ahhh yeah, the gameplay looks great! I know I'd enjoy it, but I don't know what it is about the Rabbids but they put me off.
Re: Mario + Rabbids Producer Leaves Ubisoft Milan After "16 Incredible Years"
@JR150 Thanks for sharing your experience with it! That makes me feel a bit better about it because as I said I think the games look great! I just hate those Rabbid designs.
Re: Mario + Rabbids Producer Leaves Ubisoft Milan After "16 Incredible Years"
These games are so fascinating to me. Like, they're a bit of a weird crossover and the gameplay looks fun and not like a usual Mario game, but I can honestly say the Rabbids are one of the most visually repulsive designs I've ever seen in gaming and I can't bring myself to try the games based on that.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Super R-Type
For once, I'm going to have to go with Europe!
Re: 'Assault Suits Valken Declassified' Is Getting A Limited Switch Physical Release
Oh, neat! I really like this game, and the Switch version is a masterclass on how to do a retro re-release. Undecided if I'll spring for the physical as it's LRG and I don't want to wait 80 years, but it would for sure be worth the wait so maybe I will.
Oh, and the soundtrack is really good too!
Re: Review: Shadow Of The Ninja - Reborn (Switch) - A Beautiful, Brutal Return To 8-Bit Basics
Neat! I love the remakes of these Natsume properties! This game was way too hard for me on the NES (even in co-op), and I'm sure it'll be here as well, but I might give it a go for a sale price.
It's too bad Mr. Jiro's Great Adventure/Spanky's Quest was (I think?) licensed; I'd adore a remake of that. My favorite SNES puzzle game for sure. (For reference, I own it but it's also one of my most-played SNES Online games, haha)
Re: Stardew Valley May Get A Crossover With Fortnite If ConcernedApe Gets His Way
I think this is the first Stardew thing I don't want. Nothing particular against Stardew Valley, but I'd like for every indie game to stop crossing over with things! It's just lost its lustre.
Re: Surprise Sequel 'Gimmick! 2' Bounces Towards Release Next Month
@NinChocolate Right. And I guess that's why it comes across as kind of sloppy because when you don't get that blessing from the original creator it does become "just" a commercial sale in business terms. So it's a bit more "leverage the IP" and a bit less "a loving tribute to the original." And I suppose with games there is that aura of the past you want to market as well as the game itself.
Now, thinking about that, it's interesting that retro re-releases (as opposed to remakes) generally carry none of these expectations!
You've definitely got a point on fan games, though (and for what it's worth I've never played one so I can't say much about what the normal expectations are like for that).
Re: Classic Horror Title 'Clock Tower' Gets An Apt Release Date On Switch
Honestly, my guess was December 12th? Because 12/12, clocks, I don't know. 😅
Re: At Last, The Retro-Inspired 'Rugrats' Game Has A Release Date
I think this game is a cool idea, but I still can't figure out who these "HD visuals" in retro remakes are even for. They look horrible 99% of the time, and the old people who want the retro remake are just going to want the 8-bit visuals anyway?
Anyway, I'll probably get this, but will just play it in 8-bit mode, haha
Re: Surprise Sequel 'Gimmick! 2' Bounces Towards Release Next Month
@NinChocolate While I agree with you in terms of the actual development of the game, I do think there is an expectation in these retro revivals that you give a nod to the original developer.
It's not really the same as selling real estate, because in this case the people buying your game are often emotionally attached to the property. This is more like reviving a superhero comic that's been dormant for a while, where the creator doesn't own the rights. Do they legally have to do anything? No. Will it appeal to fans if you give acknowledgement to the original creator? I'd say generally yes, unless the creator is someone widely disliked.
Again, I agree that it's best for developers to do their own thing in terms of the actual game, but when the developer is easy enough to track down (as was the case here), it takes nothing to just give the nod to their work and it comes across as a bit slapdash when they don't.
Even saying "Hey gamers, we told the original creator and frankly he hated it lol" plays better than just nothing, I'd argue.
Re: Surprise Sequel 'Gimmick! 2' Bounces Towards Release Next Month
While I can understand not involving the original creator, to not even notify them suggests this project happened quickly and/or was not made with a certain level of care.
We've had enough of these retro revivals now to know that standard practice is to get some kind of buy-in from at least one person from the original development team, whether they are directly involved or not. It just shows the fans that you've done your due diligence and gives them faith your new project will do justice to the property.
Re: Looks Like Classic Puzzler 'Boulder Dash' Is Getting A 40th Anniversary Re-Release
Why not! I have both 30th and Deluxe on Switch already, but Boulder Dash is one of those comfort games for me where I can never have too many versions and I just have such goodwill toward the series that I tend to enjoy even the worst entries.
Re: Video: 16 Exciting New Games Coming To Nintendo Switch In August 2024
Huh, there's more coming out in August than I thought! Of this list, I plan to play Cat Quest III and maybe Shadow of the Ninja with a friend.
Other August releases on my list are both otomes/VNs: Hanaemu Kare to & Bloom (importing the JP version with English subs) and Hakuoki (have already played and 100%'d it on Steam, but I'm interested in the localization changes and seeing how it looks on the Switch OLED).
Re: Poll: Which Is Your Favourite Nintendo Game Cartridge Design?
Famicom all the way! They're colourful, just the right size, and they're roughly the size of a cassette tape case, which makes finding storage/display solutions easy.
Re: Even More Aero The Acro-Bat Games Are Heading To Switch This Year
I wouldn't say I'm the biggest fan of these games (I have Aero 2 and Zero on Evercade), but they're being released by Ratalaika who is pretty consistent with their serviceable interface for emulated games (with basic screen options, generally a cheat menu, etc.), so you can't really go wrong if you're interested! And they do fairly frequent sales so anyone who is on the fence could probably wait and see a few dollars knocked off in sales in the months to come.
Re: Braid: Anniversary Edition Sales Have Been "Utterly Terrible", Says Creator
@EarthboundBenjy Yeah! The guy in a suit! It's such a dorky/odd look that's not appealing. Like okay, I'm in this whimsical storybook world and now I'm playing as...Jeff from Accounting??? Come on now.
(No slight intended to platformers with a guy in a suit, though; I would like to take a moment to acknowledge Salaryman Shi as being an excellent platformer about a guy in a suit)
Re: Braid: Anniversary Edition Sales Have Been "Utterly Terrible", Says Creator
@cvrator Duly noted! I appreciate the alternative take on the plot! It may be that it's better in game than when experienced by just reading the summary as I did.
And regarding the gameplay, yeah; Braid isn't the only example of this, but some of these early indies I do struggle with playing now. The gameplay might have been groundbreaking for the time, but unfortunately the games that they inspired just end up being better so it's hard to go back!
(Regarding the creator, I'm getting that impression reading the comments! So perhaps this one is best avoided in any case.)
Re: Braid: Anniversary Edition Sales Have Been "Utterly Terrible", Says Creator
@cvrator What I mean is that someone said the story was unappealing and I looked up the plot and found that it was, in fact, unappealing to me as well.
I did not mean "literally set in the 2000s." I meant it uses the common "save the princess...but with a twist!" trope of the late 90s/2000s era that is not personally to my taste and comes off a bit "of the time" nowadays.
It's fine if other people like it; it's just not going to be for me.
Re: Braid: Anniversary Edition Sales Have Been "Utterly Terrible", Says Creator
As someone who wasn't exposed to the original, my immediate thought when I saw this announced was that the main character looked laughably dorky, and then someone pointed out the story is bad and very 2000s (I looked it up and this was indeed the case!).
I'm sure it's a lovely game (and I've heard nothing but good things about the gameplay), but gaming is a different beast than it was in 2008. I wonder how much the simple matter of time moving forward is (ironically) the issue.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th July)
I'm playing through ACA Vs. Valkyrie (the original is one of my favorite Famicom games, so I'm surprised and delighted to see it pop up in a form I can get on Switch!), and getting back into picking away at Steam Prison.
Re: Soapbox: 20 Years After His Last Mainline Appearance, Tingle Deserves A Comeback
Tingle's great! That said, I think the art direction of the games have moved on and he wouldn't fit in the games anymore. However, I'd like to see them do more with his spinoff series, whereby they just toss him into a game idea perhaps too off-the-wall for a mainline character.
Re: 'Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club' Launches On Switch Next Month
Wow, this is really cool! I don't think I'll play this one as I'm not super into disturbing games, but that's a 10/10 ad campaign and I hope they bring that energy to teasing games in the future.
It's been how many years since the Iwata era? Time for Nintendo to stop leaning on the Direct magic of "And one more thing" and do more weird stuff like this.
Re: Talking Point: Could Ganondorf Ever Be The Star Of A Zelda Game?
I don't know. I think under Nintendo's new direction, maybe? But I suspect it'd be more comedic/lighter in tone than the dedicated fans who have been toiling in the anti-hero Ganondorf fanfic mines for years would want.
Re: Review: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (Switch) - Speed-Focused And Slight, But Addictive
Yeah, it looked like it'd be a slim package from all the trailers so I was on the fence, but knowing there are no unlockable full versions or anything makes this a definite no for me, even at its lower price point.
Re: Link Will Be Playable In Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom, According To New ESRB Rating
Huh. I hope he isn't playable to any great extent, to be honest. I haven't cared about a Zelda game since Twilight Princess, and I was thinking of preordering this one because it seemed like a fresh idea. Link being playable makes me want to shift this one over to the "maybe" pile.
Re: Feature: 20 Great Gaming Accounts You Should Follow On Bluesky
@Nontendo_4DS Ah, he's on there? Thanks for the tip! I'll have to add him.
I look forward to him telling us all how Bluesky somehow ties back to Heiankyo Alien.
Re: Feature: 20 Great Gaming Accounts You Should Follow On Bluesky
This is a useful article! I've been using Bluesky, and I do like it. It's much more Twitter-ish than, say, Mastodon.
I will probably keep my Twitter account open until the Japanese gaming accounts I follow like Famitsu, Hamster, etc. move over as I still like getting quick updates from those accounts, but this is a nice start.
Re: Skies Of Arcadia-Inspired JRPG 'Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire' Lands New Gameplay Trailer
Wow, that post-battle status screen really pops! I love it. It reminds me of Dreamcast-era character select screens.
That main character is very "We have Vyse at home" though, haha.
Re: Swipe Right To Fight In Turn-Based Combat Dating Adventure 'Nova Hearts'
I have mixed feelings about this one.
The hook seems good, but that last screenshot looks like AI which is a major turnoff to me. And although I'm on a dating sim/otome kick right now, I don't like the ones that make me do stuff other than read (although that one is of course a me problem, haha).
On the other hand, they get +1 from me for reminding me of one of the great Canadian singles (Nova Heart by Spoons).
Re: Talking Point: HD-2D Or 3D - How Should Square Enix Remake Chrono Trigger?
This is one of my favorite games of all time and, although I've moved beyond JRPGs as my main preferred genre, I do enjoy playing it each time it is re-released.
That said, I'm so tired of remakes/remasters. I'd play it if it popped up on the NSO, or if they released a vanilla port of the SNES, PS, or DS versions.
And maybe I'd be interested if they did something like the PS1 or DS games, where it was the same game but with a few new endings or something, but I really don't know if I'd care if they did a remake.
Re: 'Yooka-Replaylee' Brings Back Playtonic's Love Letter To Banjo In Remastered Form
This is great! I actually really liked Yooka-Laylee aside for some issues with the late game (various things in that casino level, and the final boss). So if they fixed those, I'd definitely replay it.
Oh, and they have to let us know what the little robot was loading! It's been 84 years, etc.
Re: Feature: "This Isn't Just Yars, It's A Love Letter To Atari" - How WayForward Is Breaking The Mould With 'Yars Rising'
I love Yars' Revenge, and in a positive sense I just can't believe this exists at all. We're all out here talking about "the Yars IP" like that's not just that game made by some guy that had the weird fly on the cover.
What a world we live in, here in the future of 2024.
Not sure how I feel about all the non-Yars stuff, but I do trust WayForward to do something interesting with this, the "Yars IP" (still seems weird, but I'm with it).