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).
Huh, it's funny because I saw this game recently in the Coming Soon and thought the art style looked cool but wouldn't play this as it's a Metroidvania and I'm not into those. Shame they're getting all that hate, but I'm not going to say I'm shocked unfortunately.
I do like the idea of fantasy-themed games as a concept branching out a bit from the usual medieval Europe-ish and feudal Japan-like settings. Just send me some games in genres I will play (lately mostly VNs, so perhaps a hard sell for devs, oops).
While I don't think Nintendo is doing this because Twitter is bad/a liability now, it's good that they're dropping the platform either way.
Adding to everyone else's comments on the platform itself, the only people who care about "free debate" or whatever are people so bathed in privilege that they have absolutely no dogs in any fight.
Everyone else just wants to live their lives and not have to justify their every action to some weirdo who spends their days huffing podcasts that insist they're a special little boy for worshiping rich people.
@smoreon No, not in that sense unfortunately! Toree is not long and neither is its sequel. However, I think it makes up for it in being more challenging and having some additional replay value in that there are collectibles and letter grades in the stages. I'd compare the platforming to something like Sonic Adventure; overall fairly kinetic, and rewards additional runs. Still not as long as I'd like, but more substance than something like MacBat 64 for sure.
I was on the fence about this one, but it sounds pretty good to me; I might pick this up! Although I like the concept of bringing back 32-bit/64-bit aesthetics, my main concern with the raft of these N64/PS1 throwback games is---with very few exceptions (e.g., Toree, Lunistice)---that they're all incredibly short and easy, to the point where they barely feel worth playing.
Sounds like this one goes against the grain in that respect, so that's good!
@Not_Soos I've never played Iggy's and only know Tuff E Nuff from the NSO, but Spanky's Quest is one of my favorites on SNES. Agreed on the terrible name, though. It's a fun action-puzzle game with jazzy background music. Also, the Super Famicom version has a much nicer name, translating to "Monkey Reflections: The Adventures of Mr. Jiro." (It's also quite a bit different as a game; it has a tutorial and a world map! I have the cart of this one, and I'd say I play it more of the two versions).
I think these weirdo updates are great, though! These are games that many if not most would've rented back in the day, so it does make a sort of sense to make them available to "rent" here.
Some of these games are pretty good! As others have mentioned, Qubic published the original bit.Trip series on Switch and those regularly go on sale for a good price (although I don't know if they're in this sale).
Another one of theirs I really liked was Not Not. It's a simple logic game where you have to choose which one of four directions to go, based on the instructions on the screen. Sounds simple, but it's not (not?).
Robonauts is also kind of interesting. A bit of a chaotic shooter with gravity elements (think Super Mario Galaxy rather than Gravity Man from Mega Man 5).
And Mini Trains is a little "make the trains run based on putting the rail pieces in the right direction" puzzler that isn't too bad for those who like trains.
This is one of those companies, I think, that is literally the definition of hit or miss, so I'll be keeping an eye on what pops up in these sales for sure!
@KingMike Oh, cool! Thanks for the additional information. I did know there was a Japanese version that was never released, but I didn't know how far along in the development cycle it had progressed.
Now I'm curious what differences there are between the two (if any, aside from language)!
I bought this, and noticed that it has a third option for the Japanese version. As far as I know that one was never officially released, but I haven't tried it to see if there are any differences or anything.
Anyway, the review is fair. I liked the NES version a lot back in the day, and have never tried the Game Boy one, but I certainly don't think there's $25USD worth of game here for anyone new to these games. As the review says, it does play a bit like Kirby, but it also reminded me of a less frenetic and slope-ridden Plok (with all the game-changing powerups and punch-based combat, I guess).
Also, it's a Konami collection so based on past experience, anyone who is interested might as well wait until it's below $10.
This is an especially awful take from a company famous for them, but I do think physical will not disappear entirely. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole industry moved the way music did, and we ended up with more boutique consoles like the Evercade popping up in response to this, like we now have with indie record labels publishing lots of physical media that is accessible directly to the general public (instead of only gatekept through retailers as in the past).
I'm personally strongly in favor of physical media, and will be interested to see where this goes.
Comments 1,522
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).
Re: 'Tales Of Kenzara: Zau' Director Addresses "Constant Targeted Harassment"
Huh, it's funny because I saw this game recently in the Coming Soon and thought the art style looked cool but wouldn't play this as it's a Metroidvania and I'm not into those. Shame they're getting all that hate, but I'm not going to say I'm shocked unfortunately.
I do like the idea of fantasy-themed games as a concept branching out a bit from the usual medieval Europe-ish and feudal Japan-like settings. Just send me some games in genres I will play (lately mostly VNs, so perhaps a hard sell for devs, oops).
Re: Nintendo Discontinuing 'X' Integration On Switch Next Month
While I don't think Nintendo is doing this because Twitter is bad/a liability now, it's good that they're dropping the platform either way.
Adding to everyone else's comments on the platform itself, the only people who care about "free debate" or whatever are people so bathed in privilege that they have absolutely no dogs in any fight.
Everyone else just wants to live their lives and not have to justify their every action to some weirdo who spends their days huffing podcasts that insist they're a special little boy for worshiping rich people.
Re: Review: Corn Kidz 64 (Switch) - A 64-Bit Throwback That Nails The Retro Vibe
@smoreon No, not in that sense unfortunately! Toree is not long and neither is its sequel. However, I think it makes up for it in being more challenging and having some additional replay value in that there are collectibles and letter grades in the stages. I'd compare the platforming to something like Sonic Adventure; overall fairly kinetic, and rewards additional runs. Still not as long as I'd like, but more substance than something like MacBat 64 for sure.
Re: Review: Corn Kidz 64 (Switch) - A 64-Bit Throwback That Nails The Retro Vibe
Thanks for the review!
I was on the fence about this one, but it sounds pretty good to me; I might pick this up! Although I like the concept of bringing back 32-bit/64-bit aesthetics, my main concern with the raft of these N64/PS1 throwback games is---with very few exceptions (e.g., Toree, Lunistice)---that they're all incredibly short and easy, to the point where they barely feel worth playing.
Sounds like this one goes against the grain in that respect, so that's good!
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's N64 Library With Two More Titles
@Not_Soos I've never played Iggy's and only know Tuff E Nuff from the NSO, but Spanky's Quest is one of my favorites on SNES. Agreed on the terrible name, though. It's a fun action-puzzle game with jazzy background music.
Also, the Super Famicom version has a much nicer name, translating to "Monkey Reflections: The Adventures of Mr. Jiro." (It's also quite a bit different as a game; it has a tutorial and a world map! I have the cart of this one, and I'd say I play it more of the two versions).
I think these weirdo updates are great, though! These are games that many if not most would've rented back in the day, so it does make a sort of sense to make them available to "rent" here.
Re: QubicGames' Switch eShop Sale Takes Over 100 Games Down To Just $0.20 Each
Some of these games are pretty good! As others have mentioned, Qubic published the original bit.Trip series on Switch and those regularly go on sale for a good price (although I don't know if they're in this sale).
Another one of theirs I really liked was Not Not. It's a simple logic game where you have to choose which one of four directions to go, based on the instructions on the screen. Sounds simple, but it's not (not?).
Robonauts is also kind of interesting. A bit of a chaotic shooter with gravity elements (think Super Mario Galaxy rather than Gravity Man from Mega Man 5).
And Mini Trains is a little "make the trains run based on putting the rail pieces in the right direction" puzzler that isn't too bad for those who like trains.
This is one of those companies, I think, that is literally the definition of hit or miss, so I'll be keeping an eye on what pops up in these sales for sure!
Re: Review: Felix The Cat (Switch) - A Cute But Costly Clowder
@KingMike Oh, cool! Thanks for the additional information. I did know there was a Japanese version that was never released, but I didn't know how far along in the development cycle it had progressed.
Now I'm curious what differences there are between the two (if any, aside from language)!
Re: Review: Felix The Cat (Switch) - A Cute But Costly Clowder
I bought this, and noticed that it has a third option for the Japanese version. As far as I know that one was never officially released, but I haven't tried it to see if there are any differences or anything.
Anyway, the review is fair. I liked the NES version a lot back in the day, and have never tried the Game Boy one, but I certainly don't think there's $25USD worth of game here for anyone new to these games. As the review says, it does play a bit like Kirby, but it also reminded me of a less frenetic and slope-ridden Plok (with all the game-changing powerups and punch-based combat, I guess).
Also, it's a Konami collection so based on past experience, anyone who is interested might as well wait until it's below $10.
Re: Players Need To Start "Feeling Comfortable" With Not Owning Games, Says Ubisoft Subs Boss
This is an especially awful take from a company famous for them, but I do think physical will not disappear entirely. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole industry moved the way music did, and we ended up with more boutique consoles like the Evercade popping up in response to this, like we now have with indie record labels publishing lots of physical media that is accessible directly to the general public (instead of only gatekept through retailers as in the past).
I'm personally strongly in favor of physical media, and will be interested to see where this goes.