@XCWarrior My concern has never been on how much money Nintendo or Youtubers make/don't make. I've been concerned with the granting of rights/permissions, which suggests that they can also be denied.
While you're right that the net neutrality crisis is far worse, this isn't really the best venue to worry about it, while this site is perfect for the topic we've been discussing--and I don't know about you, but I can contemplate more than one problem at a time.
@XCWarrior Copyright still says you can't publicly perform the work. "Copyright" doesn't mean "you can't make money from my work," it means "you can't copy/use my work without permission, profit or no." Did you ask Nintendo to use your picture of R.O.B.? Did you ask Nintendo if you could /photograph/ R.O.B.?
Not all reviewers have Nintendo's permission, nor should they. If the only people allowed to critically review a work are those given permission from the publisher, something's very wrong, and I'm surprised you seem to be okay with that notion. If the only reviews out there are Nintendo-approved, then they're kind of meaningless. Again, I reference Fair Use--which is not only not black-and-white, but /purposefully/ gray.
@XCWarrior Perhaps so, but SHOULD Nintendo pursue it? Maybe they should go after school marching bands that play the Super Mario theme, or tattoo parlors that ink Hylian insignia. Maybe they should bust you and me for using their copyrighted characters as our avatars--copyright isn't violated solely when money is made from it. I'm sure the public's response will be "it's their right to do so" and not "wow, what kind of company goes out of its way to smack the fans that wish to pay them tribute?"
Between free publicity and public backlash, there's a pretty compelling argument NOT to go litigious, even if you technically can. I don't remember Disney shutting down "Let It Go" videos left and right (though in a way, I wouldn't have minded!) because not only did it spread the Frozen craze, they would have looked like monsters in the court of public opinion.
Whether you're reviewing a game or showing how to pull off certain tricks or just bragging about your in-the-park home run, there are a lot of reasons for recording game footage and most of them aren't malevolent--and most of them fall under "fair use" (commentary, analysis, criticism, reporting, etc). It's absolutely a battle worth fighting over because, at minimum, it's not the black-and-white issue you suggest it is.
@Corleonis88 That's all well and good for whatever media outlets Nintendo graces with its material, but that doesn't apply to a smaller site or a blogger or a Youtube personality or any other "basement dude" who wants to put in his two cents on a game he played. Their voices shouldn't be diminished just because they didn't get Nintendo's blessing.
I might check it out. Lots of Street Passes, if nothing else. I'm not nearly as enticed by freebies as I used to be, but if the Smash Coin is simply athe Smash Bros window logo in medallion form, I might be convinced to pre-order.
@XCWarrior You make it sound like (a) this is Nintendo's only means of making money, (b) the amount of money gained would "save" Nintendo, (c) quibbling over Youtube videos and not producing great hardware & software is how Nintendo should save itself, (d) the money "some dude" earns is taken directly from Nintendo's pocket, (e) "some dude" who puts out content people enjoy deserves nothing, (f) big companies are more deserving/entitled to profit and we should choose one or the other, even when they're offering entirely different things, and (g) while "dudes in their basements" can be replaced, Nintendo is irreplaceable. All of these are incorrect.
@Dreamz Maybe sites that review Nintendo games should be shut down, too, or a cut of their ad revenue should be handed over to Nintendo. Or perhaps these sites should write reviews without a single screenshot. If they're good at what they do, they shouldn't need those, right? They shouldn't be allowed to make a living on the backs of other people's work, right?
@Pod The text accompanying the picture says "some characters" will be mirrored, so I take it to mean that not everybody will be. I think that two of the same character being viewed from different angles creates the illusion that they're not identical, which I appreciated; or maybe the mirror look just reminds me of a time when that sort of thing was necessary, and thus the implementation feels like a limitation. In any case, I do agree that the art direction is improved.
@Gridattack The "custom characters" everyone's buzzing about? I sure hope there's even a rudimentary form of palette customization.
I don't understand why they went through the apparent tedium to make mirrored "sprites" a thing again. To me, it looks strange, and I thought the different views with different character orientation in the past was done on purpose (and to good effect). I'm glad characters who'd be more adversely affected won't be given this treatment (presumably). Red Greninja's lookin' fine.
@Gma-X No, what I suggest is that once that service goes offline, anyone who hasn't gotten that material will never be able to do so. I missed out on some DS content because I didn't reach a point in some games to access the content, and anyone who buys these games today won't get them, either. There's also that actual limited-time DLC that essentially forces you to buy the game within a certain time window to get certain content. Anyone who gets that game after that window has closed is out of luck.
"You had plenty of time, you should've known," you may say. But what if I haven't heard of a game or decided to try it long after it was released? What if don't get the system right away? The idea that player don't deserve content because they weren't there on day one doesn't sit well with me.
Meanwhile, I can pick up just about ("just about," there are exceptions, I know) any game pre-2006 and get the entire package, no matter when I buy it. I like that.
I'm one of those guys still resistant to the concept of paid DLC, and even DLC in general. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the idea of paying full-price for a complete game. And as we've just seen with the end of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, downloaded material essentially has an expiration date.
@rjejr Thanks for the tips! There sure are a lot of Mario Kart branded Wii Wheels...
@ledreppe @Tasuki "Home console" is generally understood to refer to television-based systems (thus stationary, generally left at home) and not portables (able to taken anywhere, and thus not home-bound).
@kenzo The Mario Wii Remote has a red top and blue bottom. It will match the bundle's wheel perfectly. You have to take the jacket off to use the remote in the wheel, anyway.
I don't really think American patriotism is at the fore of reasons for Nintendo to offer red and blue colors. Not only are many nations' flags--including your own--comprised of red and blue, not only are they Mario's signature colors, not only are red and blue 3DSes available the world over, but red and blue are primary colors and among the most popular no matter where you go.
SFA2 is a fantastic game, and one of my favorite fighters. Although I'm kind of glad to see its SNES re-release in a "here's a quirky footnote in SF history" sort of way, I wouldn't laud it as a must-have, not when arcade-perfect editions exist. Capcom should really look into releasing the CPS2 originals on the Virtual Console... I can't imagine the Wii U being unable to handle them.
"The anime-style artwork takes an ever-so-slightly more realistic, mature tone than SFII, without veering too far into grimdark Mortal Kombat territory."
I don't understand this. Compared with Street Fighter II, the character designs in Alpha 2 are less realistic and more exaggerated, from M. Bison and Zangief's physiques to gravity-defying hairstyles that make Guile's look attainable. The cherry-picked stages--which just so happen to fit their unsavory characters--are at least equaled by stages that couldn't be called "distopian," from Dan's street market to Sakura's backyard to Rose's beautiful Venice backdrop. (Ken's "sleazy party" is actually a birthday party for his girlfriend, filled with Capcom cameos.)
@dizzy_boy This game had help; it was one of two that used a S-DD1 graphics decompressor chip.
@Yomerodes @The_Fox I think this review does not take into account that other versions exist (because none of those versions are available on Nintendo hardware), and thus judges it as its own entity and not a derivative work with "siblings" to compare it against. If SFA2 only existed on the SNES, I'd probably give it an 8, too.
@Psyclone Given DF's history, I have no reason to automatically question the veracity of their claims. If they made an outlandish claim, I might have something to question, but noting that a game's resolution is the same as those of most other games from the same publisher doesn't make my spider sense tingle.
Nintendo of Japan typically publishes resolution on the back of their game boxes, so you should have actual official confirmation of the detail you don't care about soon.
@Psyclone By asserting that "anyone with a keyboard can type that up," you are insinuating that what they have to say is baseless, i.e., they're making things up. What sort of in depth analysis are you looking for? What would prove it for you, and what would you prevent you from asserting "anyone could type/photoshop that?"
Again, this isn't some random blog; in depth analysis is what DF is known for. Accusing them of making unsubstantiated claims is like claiming The Weather Channel is mainly just guessing at forecasts.
As for questioning the console's de facto standard resolution, there's the fact that most titles games are in 720p. I'd cite sources, but anyone with a keyboard could type those, too.
@Psyclone Why do you seemingly suspect that they're simply lying? Do you approach every article with the mindset that "anyone could just type anything, why believe anything?" Skepticism is healthy to a point, but DF has quite a history at analyzing these things, and doesn't seem to have an agenda to attribute to lying about a video game's resolution.
I'm sadly growing used to fans becoming ultra-defensive and hostile when encountering what they consider to be an attack, but this particular brand of cynicism puzzles me.
On the general topic, I played the demo and didn't have any issues with the video quality, though the anti-aliasing was noticeable.
I haven't played Mario Kart in a while... as you able to deactivate certain items, a la Smash Bros.? Whenever I play Kart, I'm stuck in the mindset of the Super NES original, and find some of the newer items to be ridiculous.
The Wii Wheel here is different than the Hori Mario & Luigi wheels... kind of makes you wonder why Nintendo would make their own Mario wheel, seemingly sell them only in bundles, and get Hori to make similar wheels to be sold individually.
My answer would be "It doesn't matter," but I can't respond because "because it's too late now" is not why I feel it doesn't matter. Polls that use loaded answers like these don't allow pollers to get the full picture.
In any event, I'm indifferent toward Minecraft, so I'm indifferent toward whether or not it will arrive on a Nintendo platform. The kids seem to love it, though, so it'd be a good move for Nintendo and whoever makes Mincecraft, I suppose.
@Yomerodes The Alpha series sure has an odd history with Nintendo, with Alpha 3 showing up on the GBA. These three ports were among the worst compared with their counterparts on other systems, and yet, in a weird way, they were more a labor of love; while other ports took the source material and trimmed/tweaked as needed, these three games took the most effort to "rebuild" in order to work on their hardware. Of course, the results pale in comparison to the ports more closely derived from the arcade originals, but it's nice, if a bit curious (in Alpha 3's case in particular), that they tried.
Aside from the Virtual Console version, the Alpha series didn't show up at all on any last generation's console. The PS2 compilation didn't leave much room for further perfection, but with that out of reach for many of today's consumers, it'd be nice to see it revived.
I'll reserve judgment for when its implementation is fully understood, but I'm not crazy about the prospects of "DLC: Physical Edition" or carrying figures around to store a customized character. That said, I guess there wouldn't be much alternative, aside from Wii Remotes (which isn't a popular controller choice for Smash). If the figure-as-character storage scenario comes true, I hope the game isn't picky about what figures can hold what content.
Street Fighter Alpha 2 is certainly a surprise; of all the Capcom titles to give the Wii U treatment, I wouldn't have guessed that one. Although SFA2 is my favorite Street Fighter game--and I appreciated the SNES port back in the day--it's hard to justify purchasing its worst port in 2014.
I might pick up Megaman V sooner rather than later. Every time I see a GB release that was once promoted as a Super Game Boy experience, though, I wish the 3DS ports could have implemented a little workaround to include the Super Game Boy palette. I've never played V in black and white; the experience would feel a little foreign to me, like something's missing.
@DragonbornRito I see what you're saying. I enjoy the Wii U Pro Controller as well, but when playing certain SNES games with it, my muscle memory betrayed me. I adapted, but my sights are locked on an SFC Classic Controller...
While the article and captions themselves make it clear that the accompanying picture is not the controller being discussed in the article, the teaser on the front page in no way makes this clear. I chose to read the article based on the picture, assuming it was the controller being discussed. While I understand the logic behind this picture accompanying this article, I can see why people find this article so confusing. Since there's no picture of the new PDP pad yet, I'd sooner put a picture of a GameCube controller. A PDP logo might be boring, but I'd take boring over misleading.
I appreciate--and yet am a little surprised by--the fact that the GameCube controller seems to be the most beloved Nintendo controller. The GC controller is certainly comfortable, but I never really liked the button layout or the D-Pad. I wish the SNES controller got as much recognition (outside Japan).
An interesting prospect, though I wonder if the subject can sustain an entire book all on its own--as it stands, it sounds like it could simply be a portion of Schartmann's previous books. A look at Kondo's collective Mario works would be more substantial and an even more entertaining read. Nevertheless, it's nice to see Kondo receive more recognition for his work and contributions.
That said, I would love to read some literature on video game music that doesn't use the phrase "bleeps and bloops." Just once.
I like the TV-Game 15 in that will help remind/teach people that Nintendo's stake in the video game world dates back further than Donkey Kong or the Game & Watch.
@Caryslan I don't hold much hope that many character will get the alternate costume treatment, but I sure wouldn't mind seeing LttP Link or original design Peach. I wanted to see a female version of the Pokémon Trainer in Brawl, but now I'm concerned that the Pokémon Trainer might not return at all.
I spent a good portion of yesterday putting together a quick-and-dirty WEP hotspot and getting all DLC that I could. I was surprised by how much content I missed in the Picross games, and the sheer abundance of it! It would take two game cards to get all of 3D Picross' content, and /ten/ game cards to get all of Picross DS'. I just might pick up a second copy of 3D Picross tonight and get the rest.
It may be the end of an era, but it's also indicative of a new one. Long gone are the days where purchasing a game nets you a complete game experience for life. From now on, certain game features--be it game play modes or extra content--have a finite life span. This is understandable, and I'm not resentful of the plug being pulled, but it only intensifies my regret that DLC became so ubiquitous. Starting tomorrow, anyone who buys, say, Picross DS or a Professor Layton game is going to be missing out. Someone who buys A Link the the Past today gets the exact same experience we had in 1992.
That all said, never discount the fan community. I have no doubt that eventually, some group of intrepid gamers will devise some workaround to grant gamers that extra content--maybe even online play. I sure hope so, because I picked up Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs well after 2011!
@JakeShapiro I may have been too young in the early 80's to be aware of any such sentiment, but I certainly didn't detect any by time Sega rose to prominence. Aside from "Japan has the best students" being generally accepted at face value, I don't recall there being strong feelings toward Japan one way or the other. Soviet sentiment, on the other hand...
However Record Mixing is incorporated, I would love to see the ability to battle the trainers' actual teams in their bases, a la Gen III: battles that yield Pokedex registry, experience and EVs. Yes, that's exploitable, but people want a way to grind past Level 70, and the time it'd take to exploit this wouldn't totally break the game.
I really loved the way the Safari Zone was implemented in HGSS (in terms of influencing what can be found there), so I'd love to see that return in some form.
The World Tournament in BW2 was genius; I'd like to see something similar that featured the protagonists of previous games; all of the games' child prodigies together for either a story campaign or even mere tournament.
If they expand the region with a new area---or even if they don't--I'd like to see a trade route with an import shop that has items for sale traditionally associated with other regions... namely, the Apricorn Balls.
It's really disappointing that much of the book was "re-imagined." Even with that disclaimer, the book--or rather, the movie adaptation--will influence many people's understanding of what what happened, and over time that can sully our general understanding of the truth. I'm not going to lose sleep over muddying the facts of a console war, but it's not a good thing in general.
Also, "the America vs. Japan conflict reflects the xenophobic anti-Japanese fear spreading throughout the United States during this time period." Uh, what?
@Tender_Cutlet Did you just equate a fictional species to minorities? Do you realize how much -worse- that is for your argument? "Whites are represented by actual humans like the Mario Bros. and Peach, and minorities are represented by vaguely humanoid creatures!" Wow. On top of that, while Piantas do indeed come in a variety of colors--as do Yoshis, Koopa Troopas, and a variety of other creatures--humans only come in one color. Did you think this through?
@Kaze_Memaryu The glitch may have shone a bigger spotlight on the matter by showing that Nintendo made a conscious decision and deliberate effort to exclude, it was going to happen one way or another. When you include marriage as a feature in a video game in a time when what defines marriage is hotly debated, it's GOING to get attention. There's no way this couldn't have happened.
How does one determine which games do and do not "have to do with race?" How CAN one? That's like saying certain films are open for criticism, and some are to be spared that treatment.
Video games don't exist in a vacuum; they are created by, and played by, an incredibly diverse set of human beings, and they're subject to human perceptions--ALL of them, not just yours.
If you really view a topic this complex this narrowly and rigidly, I don't see the point in continuing the debate.
@Kaze_Memaryu If you think that all of the Tomodachi Life issue was rooted solely in a glitch, you are sorely mistaken. The issue was that, glitch or no glitch, Nintendo opted not to allow for same-sex relationships in the game. You can't pin a conscious decision on a glitch.
I have no idea what your second paragraph is referring to.
Casey's "snowball" might not have built up steam if sites like Nintendo Life didn't feel the need to single it out (and in this site's case, inaccurately portray its message). I highly doubt this point will reach the same fever pitch that the Tomodachi Life issue did because, as you've pointed out, this is a racing game featuring a pre-existing cast of characters--not a simulation game starring your avatar.
In your latest response, you seem to equate "character origins" with "race," which is faulty. You seem to think that the best way to treat "the race topic" is to not talk about it at all. You may be enlightened enough to believe that race doesn't matter, but not everyone's there yet, and ignoring it isn't going to make it go away.
If race doesn't matter and we're all equal, what accounts for a 30-year-old franchise's entire human cast being comprised solely of what people? That's the heart of Malone's single paragraph. It's a question worth exploring, not dismissing.
I'm especially impressed by the Wii U's standby power draw. I'm most surprised by how comparatively inefficient all game consoles with video streaming compared to dedicated devices. Maybe I should consider a Roku box after all...
@Kaze_Memaryu People don't care about characters' origins? Are you serious? Lots of people gravitate toward characters because they see themselves in that character in some way--including their upbringing and, yes, their ethnicity. This is especially true when these characters defy the odds, or even the expectations, that come with those circumstances. Few recognize a role model as such through a single trait, such as race; it's a combination of factors.
Cartoons, movie, comic books, and novels don't always have connections to reality, either. Should Spider-Man, Luke Skywalker, and Harry Potter all be discounted as role models? They all exist in worlds filled with mutants, space aliens, and wizards. They obviously have no connection to reality; fantasy can never serve as parable.
If Malone's not overdoing it, who is? What are you responding to? Be specific. You seem to be convinced that you're facing an overbearing menace of "moral extremists" but have pardoned Malone from that label, so... who? Where?
@Kaze_Memaryu You don't -have- to care about race in games; no one is forcing you to. But Malone, among others, chose to. Why should they have to keep quiet so as not to upset you?
Malone, among others, isn't trying to kill Mario Kart with political agendas. Malone's article featured an observation--which, as @ThatFellow said and I agree with, felt a little out of place in a game review and would have felt more at home in a dedicated opinion piece--but the review was mostly centered around the game experience, and was ultimately a positive review. Malone didn't call for people to boycott the game or write a strongly worded letter to Nintendo or encourage people to use hashtag #Miiversify; no one is. You wouldn't know it from the responses here; we have throngs of readers getting so upset--I daresay threatened--that they're distorting the criticism in order to dismiss it, and some of them are exposing some pretty ugly sides of themselves in the process.
Much of what you've had to say reflects the notion that if it doesn't affect or appeal to you, it's not worthwhile or even real. Maybe YOU don't need a person of color as a role model or even a friendly figure, but lots of other people do. The idea that "we have enough, so we can stop now" is ridiculous. We certainly have plenty of white role models--should we stop making more of those, too?
@whodatninja "Japanese" and "Italian" are nationalities, not races. Mario was not designed as an Italian from the onset; he was just a carpenter. The earliest that became part of the equation is, perhaps, when he was named Mario. In any case, Mario being an Italian really doesn't say anything about racism one way or the other.
"Japan" may "not care" about race or skin color, but Nintendo has a global audience to consider. I don't believe Nintendo is a racist company, but maybe the next time they add a new character to the cast, it doesn't have to be a white blonde princess.
@Kaze_Memaryu Fortunately, the Paste article didn't accuse Nintendo of "racism" as you define it--it merely commented on the lack of diversity among its human characters. Did you read the article at all, or did Nintendo Life's "inherently racist" color your perception?
The Paste article was ultimately a favorable review of the game. Expressing some criticism, even just a little bit, isn't tantamount for "holding it against Nintendo."
You seem to be insinuating that "saying anything mean about them [an entire ethnicity]" is, somehow, not racist. By the way, where in the Paste article are black people referred to?
Some of the responses to this article are appalling. The insensitivity, the ignorance, the obliviousness... it's pretty clear a good number of people didn't read the article, or even the quotation, at all. Just because something is a non-issue for you personally doesn't mean it's not an issue at all, to be dismissed as imaginary bullspit.
@gamr4life Sony, Microsoft, and their products weren't so much as alluded to in either article. Why assume that any form of criticism expressed about Nintendo or its products must indicate affiliation with another "party?" Not everyone views consoles or video games with a black-and-white, us-versus-them mentality.
Speaking of things that weren't even mentioned, "racist/racism" appears nowhere in the article linked to--@Damo, in what I must say is an irresponsible move (in a reaction piece that chides poor journalism, no less) decided to throw that in. Pointing out a lack of diversity is not the same as "crying racism."
@Yorumi A lot of people were talking up "the potential" but very few were articulating the idea. I asked for articulation to see if people really saw potential, or just liked the idea of it. I wasn't suggesting that there is, in fact, no potential at all.
Asserting that good ideas are merely ideas until realized was a separate matter entirely.
"That's not the fault of the gamepad, it's the fault of game designers including nintendo's own teams."
We agree! I never demonized the Game Pad itself, and it would be silly to do so. As I initially stated, "/As it is currently utilized,/ it is a nuisance."
@Yorumi I have never said I hated the Game Pad, only that it hasn't impressed me and I have yet to enjoy using it. Hyperbole has its place, but not when you're paraphrasing me. I have also never asserted that nothing will change my mind; I've instead said that I approached the Game Pad with an open mind, but was disappointed. I'm not going to pretend otherwise until it wows me. My assertion is open ended and whether it endures or changes depends entirely on whether Nintendo or other developers deliver. It's not a matter of staunchly "hating" or "loving" something blindly and unconditionally.
I asked for examples of what people were thinking of when they said "potential," yes (and it means "possible, as opposed to actual," perfectly in line with what I've been saying). Some have come up with interesting examples. I can't really credit them until they actually exist, though.
@ACK I'm similarly confused as to how a DS can be more distracting. I guess we jointly demonstrate that no technology/innovation fits everyone like a glove.
@Yorumi I'm not even trying what, exactly? To accept the Game Pad (I mentioned previously that I've given it a chance)? To consider the whole of your argument (I addressed more than just your DS parallel). To "win?" (I'm not trying to change anyone's mind)
Dream Trigger sounds like a unique game, though not necessarily one I want to play. In that game, the touch screen is obviously valuable. I have yet to see that same kind of value in the Game Pad. Starting up NSMBU--with or without the Game Pad--and having the Game Pad simply mirror the on-screen action by defaultis pointless. Having to manually turn off the Game Pad screen every time is cumbersome.
The other features you describe sound interesting, but not necessarily new. We've seen infrared, weapon switching, and altering camera angles before--all with the push of a button. I don't see how using a second screen to accomplish the same task is inherently better. The "look around a room in places the camera position on the TV isn't showing" sounds worse, actually. Why would I want to do that when I can simply alter the camera scope on the primary screen?
I'm sure a lot of features, some of them great, could be dreamed up and/or tacked on to the Game Pad. For the most part, they haven't been. I'm not going to tout the wonders of the Game Pad until I see them realized.
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Re: Nintendo Japan Announces Plans for YouTube Affiliate Program
@XCWarrior Yes, that's a problem too.
Re: Nintendo Japan Announces Plans for YouTube Affiliate Program
@XCWarrior My concern has never been on how much money Nintendo or Youtubers make/don't make. I've been concerned with the granting of rights/permissions, which suggests that they can also be denied.
While you're right that the net neutrality crisis is far worse, this isn't really the best venue to worry about it, while this site is perfect for the topic we've been discussing--and I don't know about you, but I can contemplate more than one problem at a time.
Re: Nintendo Japan Announces Plans for YouTube Affiliate Program
@XCWarrior Copyright still says you can't publicly perform the work. "Copyright" doesn't mean "you can't make money from my work," it means "you can't copy/use my work without permission, profit or no." Did you ask Nintendo to use your picture of R.O.B.? Did you ask Nintendo if you could /photograph/ R.O.B.?
Not all reviewers have Nintendo's permission, nor should they. If the only people allowed to critically review a work are those given permission from the publisher, something's very wrong, and I'm surprised you seem to be okay with that notion. If the only reviews out there are Nintendo-approved, then they're kind of meaningless. Again, I reference Fair Use--which is not only not black-and-white, but /purposefully/ gray.
Re: Nintendo Japan Announces Plans for YouTube Affiliate Program
@XCWarrior Perhaps so, but SHOULD Nintendo pursue it? Maybe they should go after school marching bands that play the Super Mario theme, or tattoo parlors that ink Hylian insignia. Maybe they should bust you and me for using their copyrighted characters as our avatars--copyright isn't violated solely when money is made from it. I'm sure the public's response will be "it's their right to do so" and not "wow, what kind of company goes out of its way to smack the fans that wish to pay them tribute?"
Between free publicity and public backlash, there's a pretty compelling argument NOT to go litigious, even if you technically can. I don't remember Disney shutting down "Let It Go" videos left and right (though in a way, I wouldn't have minded!) because not only did it spread the Frozen craze, they would have looked like monsters in the court of public opinion.
Whether you're reviewing a game or showing how to pull off certain tricks or just bragging about your in-the-park home run, there are a lot of reasons for recording game footage and most of them aren't malevolent--and most of them fall under "fair use" (commentary, analysis, criticism, reporting, etc). It's absolutely a battle worth fighting over because, at minimum, it's not the black-and-white issue you suggest it is.
Re: Nintendo Japan Announces Plans for YouTube Affiliate Program
@Corleonis88 That's all well and good for whatever media outlets Nintendo graces with its material, but that doesn't apply to a smaller site or a blogger or a Youtube personality or any other "basement dude" who wants to put in his two cents on a game he played. Their voices shouldn't be diminished just because they didn't get Nintendo's blessing.
Re: Best Buy's 'Smash-Fest' Venues, Perks and Demo Details Confirmed
I might check it out. Lots of Street Passes, if nothing else. I'm not nearly as enticed by freebies as I used to be, but if the Smash Coin is simply athe Smash Bros window logo in medallion form, I might be convinced to pre-order.
Re: Nintendo Japan Announces Plans for YouTube Affiliate Program
@XCWarrior You make it sound like (a) this is Nintendo's only means of making money, (b) the amount of money gained would "save" Nintendo, (c) quibbling over Youtube videos and not producing great hardware & software is how Nintendo should save itself, (d) the money "some dude" earns is taken directly from Nintendo's pocket, (e) "some dude" who puts out content people enjoy deserves nothing, (f) big companies are more deserving/entitled to profit and we should choose one or the other, even when they're offering entirely different things, and (g) while "dudes in their basements" can be replaced, Nintendo is irreplaceable. All of these are incorrect.
Re: Nintendo Japan Announces Plans for YouTube Affiliate Program
@Dreamz Maybe sites that review Nintendo games should be shut down, too, or a cut of their ad revenue should be handed over to Nintendo. Or perhaps these sites should write reviews without a single screenshot. If they're good at what they do, they shouldn't need those, right? They shouldn't be allowed to make a living on the backs of other people's work, right?
Yeah, I don't like where this is going.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Thirty Nine
@Pod The text accompanying the picture says "some characters" will be mirrored, so I take it to mean that not everybody will be. I think that two of the same character being viewed from different angles creates the illusion that they're not identical, which I appreciated; or maybe the mirror look just reminds me of a time when that sort of thing was necessary, and thus the implementation feels like a limitation. In any case, I do agree that the art direction is improved.
@Gridattack The "custom characters" everyone's buzzing about? I sure hope there's even a rudimentary form of palette customization.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Thirty Nine
I don't understand why they went through the apparent tedium to make mirrored "sprites" a thing again. To me, it looks strange, and I thought the different views with different character orientation in the past was done on purpose (and to good effect). I'm glad characters who'd be more adversely affected won't be given this treatment (presumably). Red Greninja's lookin' fine.
Re: Mario Kart Month: Keeping the Mario Kart 8 Race Going With DLC
@Gma-X No, what I suggest is that once that service goes offline, anyone who hasn't gotten that material will never be able to do so. I missed out on some DS content because I didn't reach a point in some games to access the content, and anyone who buys these games today won't get them, either. There's also that actual limited-time DLC that essentially forces you to buy the game within a certain time window to get certain content. Anyone who gets that game after that window has closed is out of luck.
"You had plenty of time, you should've known," you may say. But what if I haven't heard of a game or decided to try it long after it was released? What if don't get the system right away? The idea that player don't deserve content because they weren't there on day one doesn't sit well with me.
Meanwhile, I can pick up just about ("just about," there are exceptions, I know) any game pre-2006 and get the entire package, no matter when I buy it. I like that.
Re: Mario Kart Month: Keeping the Mario Kart 8 Race Going With DLC
I'm one of those guys still resistant to the concept of paid DLC, and even DLC in general. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the idea of paying full-price for a complete game. And as we've just seen with the end of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, downloaded material essentially has an expiration date.
@rjejr Thanks for the tips! There sure are a lot of Mario Kart branded Wii Wheels...
Re: Review: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
@ledreppe I meant to respond to someone else; sorry!
Re: Review: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
@khululy Well then, so can SFA1!
Re: Review: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
@ledreppe @Tasuki "Home console" is generally understood to refer to television-based systems (thus stationary, generally left at home) and not portables (able to taken anywhere, and thus not home-bound).
Re: Video: Nintendo Minute Unboxes The Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle
@kenzo The Mario Wii Remote has a red top and blue bottom. It will match the bundle's wheel perfectly. You have to take the jacket off to use the remote in the wheel, anyway.
I don't really think American patriotism is at the fore of reasons for Nintendo to offer red and blue colors. Not only are many nations' flags--including your own--comprised of red and blue, not only are they Mario's signature colors, not only are red and blue 3DSes available the world over, but red and blue are primary colors and among the most popular no matter where you go.
Re: Review: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
SFA2 is a fantastic game, and one of my favorite fighters. Although I'm kind of glad to see its SNES re-release in a "here's a quirky footnote in SF history" sort of way, I wouldn't laud it as a must-have, not when arcade-perfect editions exist. Capcom should really look into releasing the CPS2 originals on the Virtual Console... I can't imagine the Wii U being unable to handle them.
"The anime-style artwork takes an ever-so-slightly more realistic, mature tone than SFII, without veering too far into grimdark Mortal Kombat territory."
I don't understand this. Compared with Street Fighter II, the character designs in Alpha 2 are less realistic and more exaggerated, from M. Bison and Zangief's physiques to gravity-defying hairstyles that make Guile's look attainable. The cherry-picked stages--which just so happen to fit their unsavory characters--are at least equaled by stages that couldn't be called "distopian," from Dan's street market to Sakura's backyard to Rose's beautiful Venice backdrop. (Ken's "sleazy party" is actually a birthday party for his girlfriend, filled with Capcom cameos.)
@dizzy_boy This game had help; it was one of two that used a S-DD1 graphics decompressor chip.
@Yomerodes @The_Fox I think this review does not take into account that other versions exist (because none of those versions are available on Nintendo hardware), and thus judges it as its own entity and not a derivative work with "siblings" to compare it against. If SFA2 only existed on the SNES, I'd probably give it an 8, too.
Re: Digital Foundry Pins Down Mario Kart 8's Resolution and Framerate
@Psyclone Given DF's history, I have no reason to automatically question the veracity of their claims. If they made an outlandish claim, I might have something to question, but noting that a game's resolution is the same as those of most other games from the same publisher doesn't make my spider sense tingle.
Nintendo of Japan typically publishes resolution on the back of their game boxes, so you should have actual official confirmation of the detail you don't care about soon.
Re: Digital Foundry Pins Down Mario Kart 8's Resolution and Framerate
@Psyclone By asserting that "anyone with a keyboard can type that up," you are insinuating that what they have to say is baseless, i.e., they're making things up. What sort of in depth analysis are you looking for? What would prove it for you, and what would you prevent you from asserting "anyone could type/photoshop that?"
Again, this isn't some random blog; in depth analysis is what DF is known for. Accusing them of making unsubstantiated claims is like claiming The Weather Channel is mainly just guessing at forecasts.
As for questioning the console's de facto standard resolution, there's the fact that most titles games are in 720p. I'd cite sources, but anyone with a keyboard could type those, too.
Re: Digital Foundry Pins Down Mario Kart 8's Resolution and Framerate
@Psyclone Why do you seemingly suspect that they're simply lying? Do you approach every article with the mindset that "anyone could just type anything, why believe anything?" Skepticism is healthy to a point, but DF has quite a history at analyzing these things, and doesn't seem to have an agenda to attribute to lying about a video game's resolution.
I'm sadly growing used to fans becoming ultra-defensive and hostile when encountering what they consider to be an attack, but this particular brand of cynicism puzzles me.
On the general topic, I played the demo and didn't have any issues with the video quality, though the anti-aliasing was noticeable.
Re: Mario Kart Month: Mario Kart's Best Weapon Isn't What You Think
I haven't played Mario Kart in a while... as you able to deactivate certain items, a la Smash Bros.? Whenever I play Kart, I'm stuck in the mindset of the Super NES original, and find some of the newer items to be ridiculous.
Re: Video: Nintendo Minute Unboxes The Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle
The Wii Wheel here is different than the Hori Mario & Luigi wheels... kind of makes you wonder why Nintendo would make their own Mario wheel, seemingly sell them only in bundles, and get Hori to make similar wheels to be sold individually.
Re: Talking Point: It's Not Too Late for Nintendo to Join the Minecraft Party
My answer would be "It doesn't matter," but I can't respond because "because it's too late now" is not why I feel it doesn't matter. Polls that use loaded answers like these don't allow pollers to get the full picture.
In any event, I'm indifferent toward Minecraft, so I'm indifferent toward whether or not it will arrive on a Nintendo platform. The kids seem to love it, though, so it'd be a good move for Nintendo and whoever makes Mincecraft, I suppose.
Re: Nintendo Download: 22nd May (North America)
@Yomerodes The Alpha series sure has an odd history with Nintendo, with Alpha 3 showing up on the GBA. These three ports were among the worst compared with their counterparts on other systems, and yet, in a weird way, they were more a labor of love; while other ports took the source material and trimmed/tweaked as needed, these three games took the most effort to "rebuild" in order to work on their hardware. Of course, the results pale in comparison to the ports more closely derived from the arcade originals, but it's nice, if a bit curious (in Alpha 3's case in particular), that they tried.
Aside from the Virtual Console version, the Alpha series didn't show up at all on any last generation's console. The PS2 compilation didn't leave much room for further perfection, but with that out of reach for many of today's consumers, it'd be nice to see it revived.
Re: The Wii U Version Of Super Smash Bros. Will Utilise The NFC Nintendo Figurine Platform
I'll reserve judgment for when its implementation is fully understood, but I'm not crazy about the prospects of "DLC: Physical Edition" or carrying figures around to store a customized character. That said, I guess there wouldn't be much alternative, aside from Wii Remotes (which isn't a popular controller choice for Smash). If the figure-as-character storage scenario comes true, I hope the game isn't picky about what figures can hold what content.
Re: Nintendo Download: 22nd May (North America)
Street Fighter Alpha 2 is certainly a surprise; of all the Capcom titles to give the Wii U treatment, I wouldn't have guessed that one. Although SFA2 is my favorite Street Fighter game--and I appreciated the SNES port back in the day--it's hard to justify purchasing its worst port in 2014.
I might pick up Megaman V sooner rather than later. Every time I see a GB release that was once promoted as a Super Game Boy experience, though, I wish the 3DS ports could have implemented a little workaround to include the Super Game Boy palette. I've never played V in black and white; the experience would feel a little foreign to me, like something's missing.
Re: PDP Confirms the GameCube-Inspired Wired Fight Pad For Wii and Wii U
@DragonbornRito I see what you're saying. I enjoy the Wii U Pro Controller as well, but when playing certain SNES games with it, my muscle memory betrayed me. I adapted, but my sights are locked on an SFC Classic Controller...
Re: PDP Confirms the GameCube-Inspired Wired Fight Pad For Wii and Wii U
While the article and captions themselves make it clear that the accompanying picture is not the controller being discussed in the article, the teaser on the front page in no way makes this clear. I chose to read the article based on the picture, assuming it was the controller being discussed. While I understand the logic behind this picture accompanying this article, I can see why people find this article so confusing. Since there's no picture of the new PDP pad yet, I'd sooner put a picture of a GameCube controller. A PDP logo might be boring, but I'd take boring over misleading.
I appreciate--and yet am a little surprised by--the fact that the GameCube controller seems to be the most beloved Nintendo controller. The GC controller is certainly comfortable, but I never really liked the button layout or the D-Pad. I wish the SNES controller got as much recognition (outside Japan).
Re: Book Series Will Take In-Depth Look at Original Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack
An interesting prospect, though I wonder if the subject can sustain an entire book all on its own--as it stands, it sounds like it could simply be a portion of Schartmann's previous books. A look at Kondo's collective Mario works would be more substantial and an even more entertaining read. Nevertheless, it's nice to see Kondo receive more recognition for his work and contributions.
That said, I would love to read some literature on video game music that doesn't use the phrase "bleeps and bloops." Just once.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Thirty Eight
I like the TV-Game 15 in that will help remind/teach people that Nintendo's stake in the video game world dates back further than Donkey Kong or the Game & Watch.
@Caryslan I don't hold much hope that many character will get the alternate costume treatment, but I sure wouldn't mind seeing LttP Link or original design Peach. I wanted to see a female version of the Pokémon Trainer in Brawl, but now I'm concerned that the Pokémon Trainer might not return at all.
Re: Reminder: Nintendo's Wi-Fi Service on Wii and DS Closes on 20th May
I spent a good portion of yesterday putting together a quick-and-dirty WEP hotspot and getting all DLC that I could. I was surprised by how much content I missed in the Picross games, and the sheer abundance of it! It would take two game cards to get all of 3D Picross' content, and /ten/ game cards to get all of Picross DS'. I just might pick up a second copy of 3D Picross tonight and get the rest.
It may be the end of an era, but it's also indicative of a new one. Long gone are the days where purchasing a game nets you a complete game experience for life. From now on, certain game features--be it game play modes or extra content--have a finite life span. This is understandable, and I'm not resentful of the plug being pulled, but it only intensifies my regret that DLC became so ubiquitous. Starting tomorrow, anyone who buys, say, Picross DS or a Professor Layton game is going to be missing out. Someone who buys A Link the the Past today gets the exact same experience we had in 1992.
That all said, never discount the fan community. I have no doubt that eventually, some group of intrepid gamers will devise some workaround to grant gamers that extra content--maybe even online play. I sure hope so, because I picked up Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs well after 2011!
Re: Book Review: Console Wars - Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation
@JakeShapiro I may have been too young in the early 80's to be aware of any such sentiment, but I certainly didn't detect any by time Sega rose to prominence. Aside from "Japan has the best students" being generally accepted at face value, I don't recall there being strong feelings toward Japan one way or the other. Soviet sentiment, on the other hand...
Re: Round Table: Let's Discuss Our Hopes and Dreams for Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
However Record Mixing is incorporated, I would love to see the ability to battle the trainers' actual teams in their bases, a la Gen III: battles that yield Pokedex registry, experience and EVs. Yes, that's exploitable, but people want a way to grind past Level 70, and the time it'd take to exploit this wouldn't totally break the game.
I really loved the way the Safari Zone was implemented in HGSS (in terms of influencing what can be found there), so I'd love to see that return in some form.
The World Tournament in BW2 was genius; I'd like to see something similar that featured the protagonists of previous games; all of the games' child prodigies together for either a story campaign or even mere tournament.
If they expand the region with a new area---or even if they don't--I'd like to see a trade route with an import shop that has items for sale traditionally associated with other regions... namely, the Apricorn Balls.
And yes, Vs. Seeker yesterday, please.
Re: Book Review: Console Wars - Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation
It's really disappointing that much of the book was "re-imagined." Even with that disclaimer, the book--or rather, the movie adaptation--will influence many people's understanding of what what happened, and over time that can sully our general understanding of the truth. I'm not going to lose sleep over muddying the facts of a console war, but it's not a good thing in general.
Also, "the America vs. Japan conflict reflects the xenophobic anti-Japanese fear spreading throughout the United States during this time period." Uh, what?
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@Tender_Cutlet Did you just equate a fictional species to minorities? Do you realize how much -worse- that is for your argument? "Whites are represented by actual humans like the Mario Bros. and Peach, and minorities are represented by vaguely humanoid creatures!" Wow. On top of that, while Piantas do indeed come in a variety of colors--as do Yoshis, Koopa Troopas, and a variety of other creatures--humans only come in one color. Did you think this through?
@Kaze_Memaryu The glitch may have shone a bigger spotlight on the matter by showing that Nintendo made a conscious decision and deliberate effort to exclude, it was going to happen one way or another. When you include marriage as a feature in a video game in a time when what defines marriage is hotly debated, it's GOING to get attention. There's no way this couldn't have happened.
How does one determine which games do and do not "have to do with race?" How CAN one? That's like saying certain films are open for criticism, and some are to be spared that treatment.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/24
Video games don't exist in a vacuum; they are created by, and played by, an incredibly diverse set of human beings, and they're subject to human perceptions--ALL of them, not just yours.
If you really view a topic this complex this narrowly and rigidly, I don't see the point in continuing the debate.
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@Kaze_Memaryu If you think that all of the Tomodachi Life issue was rooted solely in a glitch, you are sorely mistaken. The issue was that, glitch or no glitch, Nintendo opted not to allow for same-sex relationships in the game. You can't pin a conscious decision on a glitch.
I have no idea what your second paragraph is referring to.
Casey's "snowball" might not have built up steam if sites like Nintendo Life didn't feel the need to single it out (and in this site's case, inaccurately portray its message). I highly doubt this point will reach the same fever pitch that the Tomodachi Life issue did because, as you've pointed out, this is a racing game featuring a pre-existing cast of characters--not a simulation game starring your avatar.
In your latest response, you seem to equate "character origins" with "race," which is faulty. You seem to think that the best way to treat "the race topic" is to not talk about it at all. You may be enlightened enough to believe that race doesn't matter, but not everyone's there yet, and ignoring it isn't going to make it go away.
If race doesn't matter and we're all equal, what accounts for a 30-year-old franchise's entire human cast being comprised solely of what people? That's the heart of Malone's single paragraph. It's a question worth exploring, not dismissing.
Re: Wii U Reportedly Uses Less Energy to Run Than Wii and Rivals
I'm especially impressed by the Wii U's standby power draw. I'm most surprised by how comparatively inefficient all game consoles with video streaming compared to dedicated devices. Maybe I should consider a Roku box after all...
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@Kaze_Memaryu People don't care about characters' origins? Are you serious? Lots of people gravitate toward characters because they see themselves in that character in some way--including their upbringing and, yes, their ethnicity. This is especially true when these characters defy the odds, or even the expectations, that come with those circumstances. Few recognize a role model as such through a single trait, such as race; it's a combination of factors.
Cartoons, movie, comic books, and novels don't always have connections to reality, either. Should Spider-Man, Luke Skywalker, and Harry Potter all be discounted as role models? They all exist in worlds filled with mutants, space aliens, and wizards. They obviously have no connection to reality; fantasy can never serve as parable.
If Malone's not overdoing it, who is? What are you responding to? Be specific. You seem to be convinced that you're facing an overbearing menace of "moral extremists" but have pardoned Malone from that label, so... who? Where?
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@Kaze_Memaryu You don't -have- to care about race in games; no one is forcing you to. But Malone, among others, chose to. Why should they have to keep quiet so as not to upset you?
Malone, among others, isn't trying to kill Mario Kart with political agendas. Malone's article featured an observation--which, as @ThatFellow said and I agree with, felt a little out of place in a game review and would have felt more at home in a dedicated opinion piece--but the review was mostly centered around the game experience, and was ultimately a positive review. Malone didn't call for people to boycott the game or write a strongly worded letter to Nintendo or encourage people to use hashtag #Miiversify; no one is. You wouldn't know it from the responses here; we have throngs of readers getting so upset--I daresay threatened--that they're distorting the criticism in order to dismiss it, and some of them are exposing some pretty ugly sides of themselves in the process.
Much of what you've had to say reflects the notion that if it doesn't affect or appeal to you, it's not worthwhile or even real. Maybe YOU don't need a person of color as a role model or even a friendly figure, but lots of other people do. The idea that "we have enough, so we can stop now" is ridiculous. We certainly have plenty of white role models--should we stop making more of those, too?
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@bmprsvz777 No one has been arguing that.
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@swordx What exactly is your sarcastic remark in response to?
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@whodatninja "Japanese" and "Italian" are nationalities, not races. Mario was not designed as an Italian from the onset; he was just a carpenter. The earliest that became part of the equation is, perhaps, when he was named Mario. In any case, Mario being an Italian really doesn't say anything about racism one way or the other.
"Japan" may "not care" about race or skin color, but Nintendo has a global audience to consider. I don't believe Nintendo is a racist company, but maybe the next time they add a new character to the cast, it doesn't have to be a white blonde princess.
@Kaze_Memaryu Fortunately, the Paste article didn't accuse Nintendo of "racism" as you define it--it merely commented on the lack of diversity among its human characters. Did you read the article at all, or did Nintendo Life's "inherently racist" color your perception?
The Paste article was ultimately a favorable review of the game. Expressing some criticism, even just a little bit, isn't tantamount for "holding it against Nintendo."
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@whodatninja
"but saying Mario is racist? Even though the main character IS Italian?"
What does that even mean?
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@ikki5
You seem to be insinuating that "saying anything mean about them [an entire ethnicity]" is, somehow, not racist. By the way, where in the Paste article are black people referred to?
Some of the responses to this article are appalling. The insensitivity, the ignorance, the obliviousness... it's pretty clear a good number of people didn't read the article, or even the quotation, at all. Just because something is a non-issue for you personally doesn't mean it's not an issue at all, to be dismissed as imaginary bullspit.
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@Damo Picture Millersville: 90% of its residents are ____ people.
To say "that town is not very diverse" is correct.
To say "that town is racist" is a baseless assumption.
Re: Reaction: Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
@gamr4life Sony, Microsoft, and their products weren't so much as alluded to in either article. Why assume that any form of criticism expressed about Nintendo or its products must indicate affiliation with another "party?" Not everyone views consoles or video games with a black-and-white, us-versus-them mentality.
Speaking of things that weren't even mentioned, "racist/racism" appears nowhere in the article linked to--@Damo, in what I must say is an irresponsible move (in a reaction piece that chides poor journalism, no less) decided to throw that in. Pointing out a lack of diversity is not the same as "crying racism."
Re: Talking Point: For Better Or For Worse, The Wii U GamePad Is Here To Stay
@Yorumi A lot of people were talking up "the potential" but very few were articulating the idea. I asked for articulation to see if people really saw potential, or just liked the idea of it. I wasn't suggesting that there is, in fact, no potential at all.
Asserting that good ideas are merely ideas until realized was a separate matter entirely.
"That's not the fault of the gamepad, it's the fault of game designers including nintendo's own teams."
We agree! I never demonized the Game Pad itself, and it would be silly to do so. As I initially stated, "/As it is currently utilized,/ it is a nuisance."
Re: Talking Point: For Better Or For Worse, The Wii U GamePad Is Here To Stay
@Yorumi I have never said I hated the Game Pad, only that it hasn't impressed me and I have yet to enjoy using it. Hyperbole has its place, but not when you're paraphrasing me. I have also never asserted that nothing will change my mind; I've instead said that I approached the Game Pad with an open mind, but was disappointed. I'm not going to pretend otherwise until it wows me. My assertion is open ended and whether it endures or changes depends entirely on whether Nintendo or other developers deliver. It's not a matter of staunchly "hating" or "loving" something blindly and unconditionally.
I asked for examples of what people were thinking of when they said "potential," yes (and it means "possible, as opposed to actual," perfectly in line with what I've been saying). Some have come up with interesting examples. I can't really credit them until they actually exist, though.
Re: This Pokémon Trainer Red Nendoroid is Ludicrously Cute
Looks like I'll be getting my first Nendoroid! I'd love to see a full-scale figure of Red someday, though.
Red practically looks naked without his backpack (and perhaps more importantly, his Vs. Seeker) on.
Re: Talking Point: For Better Or For Worse, The Wii U GamePad Is Here To Stay
@ACK I'm similarly confused as to how a DS can be more distracting. I guess we jointly demonstrate that no technology/innovation fits everyone like a glove.
@Yorumi I'm not even trying what, exactly? To accept the Game Pad (I mentioned previously that I've given it a chance)? To consider the whole of your argument (I addressed more than just your DS parallel). To "win?" (I'm not trying to change anyone's mind)
Dream Trigger sounds like a unique game, though not necessarily one I want to play. In that game, the touch screen is obviously valuable. I have yet to see that same kind of value in the Game Pad. Starting up NSMBU--with or without the Game Pad--and having the Game Pad simply mirror the on-screen action by defaultis pointless. Having to manually turn off the Game Pad screen every time is cumbersome.
The other features you describe sound interesting, but not necessarily new. We've seen infrared, weapon switching, and altering camera angles before--all with the push of a button. I don't see how using a second screen to accomplish the same task is inherently better. The "look around a room in places the camera position on the TV isn't showing" sounds worse, actually. Why would I want to do that when I can simply alter the camera scope on the primary screen?
I'm sure a lot of features, some of them great, could be dreamed up and/or tacked on to the Game Pad. For the most part, they haven't been. I'm not going to tout the wonders of the Game Pad until I see them realized.