@Yorumi The big difference between the Wii U and the DS line is that in the latter, both screens are in your field of vision at the same time. That generally isn' the case with the Wii U Game Pad/television combo, which is where the "competing for my attention" aspect comes into play. And then there are games that simply mirror the on-screen action (with slightly out-of-sync audio). What's the point?
Off-TV play and Miiverse posting are convenient, sure, but if they're the greatest features the Game Pad has to offer--Off-TV Play is certainly the most commonly cited, at least--"underwhelming" is an overstatement.
I am a lifelong Nintendo player, and I do not care for the Game Pad. I tried, but it hasn't won me over. In games that require its use in conjunction with the TV screen, I find that the controller doesn't so much complement the action on the TV, but rather competes with it for my attention. It's distracting. I go out of my way to use it as little as possible, and it's a bit cumbersome to have to turn it off manually any time I play a game where it's unnecessary. As a "committed Wii U owner" cited by the article, I will not assert that the Game Pad is a game changer. As it is currently utilized, it is a nuisance.
A lot of people are saying that the Game Pad "has potential" and simply "hasn't been put to good use yet." What exactly is that potential? What good uses do people envision? A lot of people assert that the Game Pad is necessary because it distinguishes the Wii U from its competition, but if it doesn't really do much, where's the value in having that distinguishing feature? Innovation can potentially be groundbreaking, as we'd seen with the Wii. But innovation, in and of itself, is not "good" by default. Sometimes innovation doesn't pan out. I'm not one to say the Game Pad should be excluded and/or abandoned, but I hardly see it as integral.
This article portrays a company that responds to consumer demand as flaky and another company that "sticks to its guns" (while simultaneously consciously underutilizing said guns?) as admirable. If the Wii U was well-received by consumers, I might be swayed, but as it stands I am not convinced. Given that the XBONE has nearly matched the Wii U's sales despite the latter's one-year head start, I don't think the general public sees things quite that way, either.
If these weren't on iTunes, I'd consider it, but alas. I'm too busy grooving on 3D Classics Out Run's two new tracks, anyway--Sega recently released the first three discs of their Out Run 20th Anniversary Box digitally, revised to include the 3DS tunes.
While I can't say I'm surprised by the complete lack of new items in the rewards catalog, I am a little mystified as to what the lengthy downtime could have been for. But then, they said "maintenance," not "upgrade." I guess what they were maintaining was stagnancy!
I may be reading too much into this, but the names "Alpha Sapphire" and "Omega Ruby" suggest some interesting connotations. Given what Xerneas and Yveltal represent, perhaps they will be integrated into the games/interact with Groudon & Kyogre in some way. (I'd like to believe that Arceus and a new Arceus counterpart might be involved instead, even if Arceus isn't known as "the Alpha Pokémon" everywhere.
@ColdingLight North America might not get everything other regions get, but then, America often gets things other regions never do--including entire games. North America by no means get "the short end of the stick," and it gets quite tiresome to read this every time some region exclusive comes to light--especially when these exclusives are as arbitrary as box colors.
@Vrael No, I did not watch--and consequently I didn't waste my time. My point was that the decision to watch the program live was the waste of time, not the footage itself.
Ten minutes of extremely revealing footage could have been promised, and I still wouldn't have carved out time to watch the program live; as I said, the relevant footage would essentially be on-demand through various web sites almost immediately after it was initially aired. There's no value and no point in dedicating time to sit through an entire children's program full of irrelevant content for something I can easily get any time I want.
For me, it's not unlike a Nintendo Direct. If a Nintendo Direct is going to be broadcast live at 5AM, I'm not getting up at 5AM to watch it, because it'll be on Youtube nearly immediately afterward (such as when I naturally wake up, or after work when I actually have time to spare on a video game news video). I can watch it at my convenience. There's no advantage to seeing it live, unless "I learned new things about a video game a few minutes earlier than I otherwise could have" is considered advantageous.
If you've never seen these Pokémon Sunday shows before, I can understand your having higher expectations. Now that you know what they entail, I suggest not bothering in the future, because you can expect the same thing.
@Vrael I don't get these sorts of complaints. No one /had/ to sit through anything. Any information to come from that airing would've been--was--posted nigh-immediately at a number of places, like this site. No one was forced to sit in place for an hour and endure wacky programming, and there's really no advantage to doing so.
That said, this was indeed some weak, disappointing footage.
@Ecto-1 That's all true, but the term "full remakes" that followed soon afterward clears up any confusion. Yet, this article insists that confusion abounds, despite referring the the clarification a single sentence earlier.
I enjoy your icon, by the way. And your username, for that matter.
I don't see how there could be confusion about the nature of these games after the declaration that they're "full remakes," not to mention precedent. I'm sure that they'll be in the same vein as their predecessors.
I'm more interested in Groudon and Kyogre, as their box art iterations were referred to as "never before seen Pokémon," terminology used for new twists on existing Pokémon (see Serebii). And, of course, the names Alpha and Omega have some interesting implications...
@IceClimbers A month ago, I was not yet a member of this site. Had I been, I may have complained then too, though I don't make a point of complaining each and every week the Virtual Console offering is a letdown. Nowhere in my comment did I favor the Wii U; I did not mention either platform by name. This was intentional, meant to apply to the Virtual Console on all platforms.
@XCWarrior Then they have to put out something I want. That might happen if they don't insist on releasing ONE Virtual Console title a week. Nintendo is sitting on a treasure trove of classics; there's little reason to dole them out piecemeal. Wario Land 4 is a nice selection this time, but when your only Virtual Console offering is something like Clu Clu Land, the potential of the Virtual Console is being wasted.
This seems like a good business move, but it's not something I'm personally interested in. I'm not too familiar with Skylanders and its ilk, but from what I've seen, it seems like the figures do nothing more than activate/unlock content in the video game--sort of a physical form of DLC. It seems too cumbersome and unnecessary for me to enjoy. Besides, I have enough video game memorabilia floating around...
That looks like a useful update. What I've been really waiting for, though, is for the Wii U to detect when the system is turned on via a Pro controller and consequently not turn on the game pad automatically. If we're talking time-savers, not having to manually turn off the game pad screen every time I boot a game that doesn't require the game pad--which is quite a lot in my case--would be very convenient.
@Goginho makes an astute point. Picross games are no different than books of crossword puzzles, sudoku puzzles, word searches, etc... it's more of the same, because (a) that's what fans of these puzzles want, and (b) there's not a whole lot you can do to the game without fundamentally changing the game or just tacking on superfluous crap for the sake of it. Fans of Picross want more puzzles. I get the sense that some people complaining about milking or stagnancy aren't really fans of the game... in which case, why complain about it?
An individual Picross e title may not have as much content as past retail releases, but if you put all four together, you get at least twice as much content as the retail game for practically the same price. It's quite a value, actually.
@sinalefa I say start anywhere, as they're all pretty much the same but with different end results (pictures). I don't even really pay attention to the pictures--it's more about the ride than the destination.
@JakeShapiro The Mario franchise doesn't have very well-rounded characters in general (or social commentary for that matter), so I don't know why anyone would expect SPP to make one of Peach. Those who assert that the game paints women as irrationally emotional (Peach necessarily representing all women, apparently) forget that the entire game is based around an island filled with characters who are magcially overcome with emotion; as Peach is the only one capable of actually controlling her emotions--becoming happy or sad or mad when she chooses to be, and using those emotions to her advantage--one could argue that Peach represents emotional fortitude, not weakness. Or not--one could just not read too much into it either way and enjoy a pretty good platformer for what it is.
Man, am I nostalgic for the days of ubiquitous hand-drawn Mario artwork.
I haven't really played much Kart to have a favorite charact, but back in the days of the Super NES original, I typically opted for Toad or Peach. On that note, what's your beef with Super Princess Beach, @JakeShapiro?
I'm mildly surprised that the Mario and Luigi wheels are made by Hori; although I know Nintendo and Hori have a great relationship, I figured Nintendo would simply add red or green dye to their own Wii Wheel. Since they're not, though, I'm glad Hori went the extra mile and added an embossed Starman on the front.
I've no interest in the skins, though. Not only are the many exposed areas just unattractive--arguably negating the purpose of the skin--I generally don't get branding my hardware with one game. The Wii Wheel makes sense since it'll pretty much be a Mario Kart 8 peripheral, but I use the Wii U Gamepad with everything (well, when I have to).
The "rumor" was indeed taken out of context. Ostero repeatedly said "I think" before saying what he said (interrupted by interjections from other panelists). It's clear to me that he was offering his own speculation, and certainly not speaking as an authority on the subject. Even if you don't buy that, his assertion is based solely on "I heard from some guys." On top of that, this is Ostero speaking on a podcast that I doubt many people listen to/are aware exists. That's not at all the same as IGN reporting a rumor.
Nevertheless, IGN is being bashed for allegedly reporting a rumor... yet no one is taking Nintendo Life to task for actually publishing an unsubstantiated rumor.
Although I'm a diehard pkmncollector, these don't look very enticing. "Toy" seems like a generous descriptor. It's nice to see a new Pokemon campaign, I suppose, and I do like seeing the standard Poke Ball in a variety of colors--I'd like to see custom colors become a feature in the game.
I'm glad to hear that the game handles every bit as much as we'd hoped. Thanks for including the other new track, too (I'm surprised they're not on Youtube yet); it's a good tune, though I think Cruising Line's the better of the two.
No mention of the stereoscopic presentation? I doubt I'll play it in 3D much anyway, but I am curious as to whether or not it amplifies the graphical effects of the game.
@SahashraLA I think you may be giving /me/ too much credit, for I never suggested that the MVC titles were top-shelf, and I never even mentioned Capcom. If "shameless fan service" is meant to characterize my post as undue praise of Capcom, that's not what that term means. (If it's meant to describe Megaman's Final Smash, that is appropriate, and I'm glad we agree.)
As for why I'd rather something else over "all of the Megamans," I suppose it's for the same reason I wouldn't be thrilled if Link's Final Smash simply had every iteration of Link appear, or Bowser's had all other major Mario villains appear. As I said originally, those would feel lazy, compared to what can actually be done with the characters themselves. I'm not against the other Megaman characters, but I think it'd do all of them more justice if we saw them appear in more individualized appearances, such as Assist Trophies. (I'm not advocating they all be ATs, though; that would be oversaturated.)
Sakurai's interpretation of Megaman, the playable character, is at once traditional and unique. The Final Smash "creative and distinct," though? No, it's been done. To offer but a few:
I'm in the minority who isn't wowed by a "family reunion," even while having much love for the family. It feels like a lazy concept for a Final Smash, especially given Megaman's rich history to draw from. But since many fans go gaga for cameos, I guess the developers anticipated and delivered.
If we have to have a cameo-filled Final Smash, I'd rather see Protoman, Roll, Bass, and/or Duo at Megaman's side; if we have to have a giant beam Final Smash, I'd rather have Megaman's Marvel Vs. Capcom super. But what I'd really love is to see the Super Adapter or Rush Jet in action.
I love Yoshi's Island, but not on the GBA. I suppose releasing this game in that format indicates that Super FX 2 chip emulation is too much for the Wii U.
This is a thing of beauty. Everything's just as I remember it--licensing tweaks and soundtrack aside, of course. Composing new tunes of the same caliber as OutRun's original three seemed like a very tall order, but Manabu Namiki delivered; Crushing Line sounds right at home in YM2151. If only we could go back in time and have the SEGA S.S.T. band make arranged recordings...
@maldelk The original soundtrack is intact; Sega's web page for the game ( http://archives.sega.jp/3d/outrun/) says so, and you can see the track names in the music selection screenshots. The other changes mentioned were due to licensing issues; Sega owns the music, so there'd be no need to change it... thankfully!
I might take this as bad news if there was anything in the rewards page I'd wanted. While I'll take this as a sign that the reward assortment may be refreshed, I've learned time and time again not to get my hopes up regarding their desirability!
Great news! Picross maniacs can't ever get enough. Considering the DS has one Picross game (I consider the 3D game separately) and the GBA had none, I see it as making up for lost time. Now, if Nintendo would just give the rest of the world Club Nintendo Picross...
Although not exactly a minigame, Kirby Brawl Ball (the pinball game) was my primary reason for purchasing Kirby Mass Attack.
My brothers and I kept coming back to Samurai Kirby because of its cinematic flair. We were motivated to progress just to see who we'd face next and what their gimmicky attack would be.
I say nay. I think Metroid has always had the right amount of tension and "horror" elements. In fact, some of the more memorable Metroid moments are in part rooted in being understated or nebulous, allowing players to draw their own conclusions--which have the potential to be more suspenseful than whatever mere shock value is lobbed at players. The story elements and themes of Fusion, in and of themselves, were unsettling enough; taking them to extreme, I feel, would have actually lessened their impact.
I am a bit biased, as I have little interest in the "horror" genre of video games. But if I wanted to play such games, I already have plenty of options. I don't want to see a franchise I enjoyed playing rehashed into something I don't because it's "back in fashion."
Losing that animated, storybook-like game (presumably represented in the lattermost screenshot)... that hit me right in the gut. Last-Blade-3-canceled tier hurt. Kirby's never looked more in his element than in that screenshot, and considering how solid most Kirby games are (visually or otherwise), that's really saying something.
I'm glad SMB3 is available, but I already own in in several formats. I might be tempted to play it again its original (non All-Stars/Advance) form, but not anytime soon.
Golden Sun is exciting, too, for those who haven't played it, but my GB Player is still in service.
Despite my aversion to actual driving, I've always loved this game... I chalk it up to the music and atmosphere. With the robust selection of options, this sounds like it's shaping up to be one grand conversion... all modern ports should be like this.
Namiki and Nisperos have impressive bodies of work, but nevertheless, composing tunes that stand beside OutRun's original soundtrack seems like a monumental undertaking. I look forward to it.
If we get a Toad controller, I'd rather it be white with red spots. I don't think "Blue" when I think of Toad, not even Blue Toad. I never really understood why Nintendo opted not to use the traditional red-spotted Toad as the playable character in the recent Mario games... I don't buy that a predominantly white character would be too hard to distinguish between a character with an entirely different design, simply because the former has a few red spots.
Anyway, the Peach controller is a nice complement, though I'm not sure I need a third themed controller. What I'd really love, though, is a controller colored entirely in the blue used for Luigi's controller.
How enviable! I have no hope for seeing this as a standard reward on the NA Club Nintendo, but I suppose I have a potential reason for trying to reach Elite status this year.
If nothing else, I love seeing new traditional Mario artwork.
I have long loved this title. The quirky humor was right up my alley and many of the micro games themselves were entertaining, but once Skating Board and Dr. Wario were unlocked, WarioWare became a constant travel companion. This game is perhaps the only reason I envy Ambassadors; I'd love to have this on the go again (without the need to carry more than one handheld).
That said, while I have no qualms with GBA games on the Wii U in general, I feel that this is the only GBA game that doesn't really feel at home on a home-bound console. WarioWare's very concept was about taking shallow, fleeting game experiences to the next level, sort of an answer to/parody of the burgeoning cell phone game market at the time. Then again, I don't think the question is so much "on 3DS or Wii U" as it is "why aren't these released on both platforms?"
Comments 138
Re: Talking Point: For Better Or For Worse, The Wii U GamePad Is Here To Stay
@Yorumi The big difference between the Wii U and the DS line is that in the latter, both screens are in your field of vision at the same time. That generally isn' the case with the Wii U Game Pad/television combo, which is where the "competing for my attention" aspect comes into play. And then there are games that simply mirror the on-screen action (with slightly out-of-sync audio). What's the point?
Off-TV play and Miiverse posting are convenient, sure, but if they're the greatest features the Game Pad has to offer--Off-TV Play is certainly the most commonly cited, at least--"underwhelming" is an overstatement.
Re: Talking Point: For Better Or For Worse, The Wii U GamePad Is Here To Stay
I am a lifelong Nintendo player, and I do not care for the Game Pad. I tried, but it hasn't won me over. In games that require its use in conjunction with the TV screen, I find that the controller doesn't so much complement the action on the TV, but rather competes with it for my attention. It's distracting. I go out of my way to use it as little as possible, and it's a bit cumbersome to have to turn it off manually any time I play a game where it's unnecessary. As a "committed Wii U owner" cited by the article, I will not assert that the Game Pad is a game changer. As it is currently utilized, it is a nuisance.
A lot of people are saying that the Game Pad "has potential" and simply "hasn't been put to good use yet." What exactly is that potential? What good uses do people envision? A lot of people assert that the Game Pad is necessary because it distinguishes the Wii U from its competition, but if it doesn't really do much, where's the value in having that distinguishing feature? Innovation can potentially be groundbreaking, as we'd seen with the Wii. But innovation, in and of itself, is not "good" by default. Sometimes innovation doesn't pan out. I'm not one to say the Game Pad should be excluded and/or abandoned, but I hardly see it as integral.
This article portrays a company that responds to consumer demand as flaky and another company that "sticks to its guns" (while simultaneously consciously underutilizing said guns?) as admirable. If the Wii U was well-received by consumers, I might be swayed, but as it stands I am not convinced. Given that the XBONE has nearly matched the Wii U's sales despite the latter's one-year head start, I don't think the general public sees things quite that way, either.
Re: Pokémon Black and White 2 Soundtrack Album Completes Set on iTunes
If these weren't on iTunes, I'd consider it, but alas. I'm too busy grooving on 3D Classics Out Run's two new tracks, anyway--Sega recently released the first three discs of their Out Run 20th Anniversary Box digitally, revised to include the 3DS tunes.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JZB5ZIC/
Re: Club Nintendo Rewards Updated for May, Physical Items Return
While I can't say I'm surprised by the complete lack of new items in the rewards catalog, I am a little mystified as to what the lengthy downtime could have been for. But then, they said "maintenance," not "upgrade." I guess what they were maintaining was stagnancy!
Re: Feature: What Can We Expect From Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire?
I may be reading too much into this, but the names "Alpha Sapphire" and "Omega Ruby" suggest some interesting connotations. Given what Xerneas and Yveltal represent, perhaps they will be integrated into the games/interact with Groudon & Kyogre in some way. (I'd like to believe that Arceus and a new Arceus counterpart might be involved instead, even if Arceus isn't known as "the Alpha Pokémon" everywhere.
@ColdingLight North America might not get everything other regions get, but then, America often gets things other regions never do--including entire games. North America by no means get "the short end of the stick," and it gets quite tiresome to read this every time some region exclusive comes to light--especially when these exclusives are as arbitrary as box colors.
Re: The 2014 My Famicase Exhibition Is Packed With Fascinating Flights Of Fictional Famicom Fancy
A fun concept! Syllabus and Crazy Balloon are my favorites here, while Cat Fishing (featuring not-Garfield) has its charms over on the full gallery.
Re: Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Footage Revealed
@Vrael No, I did not watch--and consequently I didn't waste my time. My point was that the decision to watch the program live was the waste of time, not the footage itself.
Ten minutes of extremely revealing footage could have been promised, and I still wouldn't have carved out time to watch the program live; as I said, the relevant footage would essentially be on-demand through various web sites almost immediately after it was initially aired. There's no value and no point in dedicating time to sit through an entire children's program full of irrelevant content for something I can easily get any time I want.
For me, it's not unlike a Nintendo Direct. If a Nintendo Direct is going to be broadcast live at 5AM, I'm not getting up at 5AM to watch it, because it'll be on Youtube nearly immediately afterward (such as when I naturally wake up, or after work when I actually have time to spare on a video game news video). I can watch it at my convenience. There's no advantage to seeing it live, unless "I learned new things about a video game a few minutes earlier than I otherwise could have" is considered advantageous.
If you've never seen these Pokémon Sunday shows before, I can understand your having higher expectations. Now that you know what they entail, I suggest not bothering in the future, because you can expect the same thing.
Re: Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Footage Revealed
@Vrael I don't get these sorts of complaints. No one /had/ to sit through anything. Any information to come from that airing would've been--was--posted nigh-immediately at a number of places, like this site. No one was forced to sit in place for an hour and endure wacky programming, and there's really no advantage to doing so.
That said, this was indeed some weak, disappointing footage.
Re: First Footage of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire To Air In Japan This Weekend
@Ecto-1 That's all true, but the term "full remakes" that followed soon afterward clears up any confusion. Yet, this article insists that confusion abounds, despite referring the the clarification a single sentence earlier.
I enjoy your icon, by the way. And your username, for that matter.
Re: First Footage of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire To Air In Japan This Weekend
I don't see how there could be confusion about the nature of these games after the declaration that they're "full remakes," not to mention precedent. I'm sure that they'll be in the same vein as their predecessors.
I'm more interested in Groudon and Kyogre, as their box art iterations were referred to as "never before seen Pokémon," terminology used for new twists on existing Pokémon (see Serebii). And, of course, the names Alpha and Omega have some interesting implications...
Re: Nintendo Download: 8th May (North America)
@IceClimbers A month ago, I was not yet a member of this site. Had I been, I may have complained then too, though I don't make a point of complaining each and every week the Virtual Console offering is a letdown. Nowhere in my comment did I favor the Wii U; I did not mention either platform by name. This was intentional, meant to apply to the Virtual Console on all platforms.
Re: Nintendo Download: 8th May (North America)
@XCWarrior Then they have to put out something I want. That might happen if they don't insist on releasing ONE Virtual Console title a week. Nintendo is sitting on a treasure trove of classics; there's little reason to dole them out piecemeal. Wario Land 4 is a nice selection this time, but when your only Virtual Console offering is something like Clu Clu Land, the potential of the Virtual Console is being wasted.
Re: Satoru Iwata Announces 'Nintendo Figurine Platform' to Utilise NFC for Wii U and 3DS
This seems like a good business move, but it's not something I'm personally interested in. I'm not too familiar with Skylanders and its ilk, but from what I've seen, it seems like the figures do nothing more than activate/unlock content in the video game--sort of a physical form of DLC. It seems too cumbersome and unnecessary for me to enjoy. Besides, I have enough video game memorabilia floating around...
Re: Video: Nintendo Shows Off The Wii U's Forthcoming Quick Boot Menu
That looks like a useful update. What I've been really waiting for, though, is for the Wii U to detect when the system is turned on via a Pro controller and consequently not turn on the game pad automatically. If we're talking time-savers, not having to manually turn off the game pad screen every time I boot a game that doesn't require the game pad--which is quite a lot in my case--would be very convenient.
Re: Review: Picross e4 (3DS eShop)
@Goginho makes an astute point. Picross games are no different than books of crossword puzzles, sudoku puzzles, word searches, etc... it's more of the same, because (a) that's what fans of these puzzles want, and (b) there's not a whole lot you can do to the game without fundamentally changing the game or just tacking on superfluous crap for the sake of it. Fans of Picross want more puzzles. I get the sense that some people complaining about milking or stagnancy aren't really fans of the game... in which case, why complain about it?
An individual Picross e title may not have as much content as past retail releases, but if you put all four together, you get at least twice as much content as the retail game for practically the same price. It's quite a value, actually.
@sinalefa I say start anywhere, as they're all pretty much the same but with different end results (pictures). I don't even really pay attention to the pictures--it's more about the ride than the destination.
Re: Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Confirmed For Worldwide 3DS Launch in November
Hoenn status: unclear.
Re: Gaze at This Pokémon Game Boy and Know That You Want It
Technically impressive, but far too busy a design.
Re: Mario Kart Month: Mario Kart 8 Character Profiles - The Veterans
@JakeShapiro The Mario franchise doesn't have very well-rounded characters in general (or social commentary for that matter), so I don't know why anyone would expect SPP to make one of Peach. Those who assert that the game paints women as irrationally emotional (Peach necessarily representing all women, apparently) forget that the entire game is based around an island filled with characters who are magcially overcome with emotion; as Peach is the only one capable of actually controlling her emotions--becoming happy or sad or mad when she chooses to be, and using those emotions to her advantage--one could argue that Peach represents emotional fortitude, not weakness. Or not--one could just not read too much into it either way and enjoy a pretty good platformer for what it is.
Re: Mario Kart Month: Mario Kart 8 Character Profiles - The Veterans
Man, am I nostalgic for the days of ubiquitous hand-drawn Mario artwork.
I haven't really played much Kart to have a favorite charact, but back in the days of the Super NES original, I typically opted for Toad or Peach. On that note, what's your beef with Super Princess Beach, @JakeShapiro?
Re: The Awesome Hori Mario Kart 8 Accessories Seem To Hit The Final Straight For North America
I'm mildly surprised that the Mario and Luigi wheels are made by Hori; although I know Nintendo and Hori have a great relationship, I figured Nintendo would simply add red or green dye to their own Wii Wheel. Since they're not, though, I'm glad Hori went the extra mile and added an embossed Starman on the front.
I've no interest in the skins, though. Not only are the many exposed areas just unattractive--arguably negating the purpose of the skin--I generally don't get branding my hardware with one game. The Wii Wheel makes sense since it'll pretty much be a Mario Kart 8 peripheral, but I use the Wii U Gamepad with everything (well, when I have to).
Re: Nintendo Quashes Rumours Of New Hardware At E3 2014
The "rumor" was indeed taken out of context. Ostero repeatedly said "I think" before saying what he said (interrupted by interjections from other panelists). It's clear to me that he was offering his own speculation, and certainly not speaking as an authority on the subject. Even if you don't buy that, his assertion is based solely on "I heard from some guys." On top of that, this is Ostero speaking on a podcast that I doubt many people listen to/are aware exists. That's not at all the same as IGN reporting a rumor.
Nevertheless, IGN is being bashed for allegedly reporting a rumor... yet no one is taking Nintendo Life to task for actually publishing an unsubstantiated rumor.
Re: Pokémon X & Y Happy Meal Toys Heading to North America
Although I'm a diehard pkmncollector, these don't look very enticing. "Toy" seems like a generous descriptor. It's nice to see a new Pokemon campaign, I suppose, and I do like seeing the standard Poke Ball in a variety of colors--I'd like to see custom colors become a feature in the game.
Re: Matters of Import: Sega 3D Classics Races Ahead With 3D OutRun
I'm glad to hear that the game handles every bit as much as we'd hoped. Thanks for including the other new track, too (I'm surprised they're not on Youtube yet); it's a good tune, though I think Cruising Line's the better of the two.
No mention of the stereoscopic presentation? I doubt I'll play it in 3D much anyway, but I am curious as to whether or not it amplifies the graphical effects of the game.
Re: GameStop Plans to Close Around 120 Stores in the Coming Year
This seems like a reasonable move considering that, in my area, many malls have TWO GameStops.
Re: Masahiro Sakurai's Latest Super Smash Bros. Screen is for All You Mega Man Fans
@SahashraLA I think you may be giving /me/ too much credit, for I never suggested that the MVC titles were top-shelf, and I never even mentioned Capcom. If "shameless fan service" is meant to characterize my post as undue praise of Capcom, that's not what that term means. (If it's meant to describe Megaman's Final Smash, that is appropriate, and I'm glad we agree.)
As for why I'd rather something else over "all of the Megamans," I suppose it's for the same reason I wouldn't be thrilled if Link's Final Smash simply had every iteration of Link appear, or Bowser's had all other major Mario villains appear. As I said originally, those would feel lazy, compared to what can actually be done with the characters themselves. I'm not against the other Megaman characters, but I think it'd do all of them more justice if we saw them appear in more individualized appearances, such as Assist Trophies. (I'm not advocating they all be ATs, though; that would be oversaturated.)
Sakurai's interpretation of Megaman, the playable character, is at once traditional and unique. The Final Smash "creative and distinct," though? No, it's been done. To offer but a few:
http://cdn3.whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/BATMEN-600x273.jpg
http://cdn.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Doctor-Who-50th.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3e/Turtles_Forever_All_Turtles.PNG/400px-Turtles_Forever_All_Turtles.PNG
Re: Masahiro Sakurai's Latest Super Smash Bros. Screen is for All You Mega Man Fans
I'm in the minority who isn't wowed by a "family reunion," even while having much love for the family. It feels like a lazy concept for a Final Smash, especially given Megaman's rich history to draw from. But since many fans go gaga for cameos, I guess the developers anticipated and delivered.
If we have to have a cameo-filled Final Smash, I'd rather see Protoman, Roll, Bass, and/or Duo at Megaman's side; if we have to have a giant beam Final Smash, I'd rather have Megaman's Marvel Vs. Capcom super. But what I'd really love is to see the Super Adapter or Rush Jet in action.
Re: Nintendo Download: 24th April (North America)
I love Yoshi's Island, but not on the GBA. I suppose releasing this game in that format indicates that Super FX 2 chip emulation is too much for the Wii U.
Re: Video: We Put The Pedal To The Metal In Sega's 3D OutRun
This is a thing of beauty. Everything's just as I remember it--licensing tweaks and soundtrack aside, of course. Composing new tunes of the same caliber as OutRun's original three seemed like a very tall order, but Manabu Namiki delivered; Crushing Line sounds right at home in YM2151. If only we could go back in time and have the SEGA S.S.T. band make arranged recordings...
@maldelk The original soundtrack is intact; Sega's web page for the game ( http://archives.sega.jp/3d/outrun/) says so, and you can see the track names in the music selection screenshots. The other changes mentioned were due to licensing issues; Sega owns the music, so there'd be no need to change it... thankfully!
Re: North American Club Nintendo Update Closes Down Physical Rewards Until May
I might take this as bad news if there was anything in the rewards page I'd wanted. While I'll take this as a sign that the reward assortment may be refreshed, I've learned time and time again not to get my hopes up regarding their desirability!
Re: Picross e4 Confirmed For North American 3DS eShop Release In May
Great news! Picross maniacs can't ever get enough. Considering the DS has one Picross game (I consider the 3D game separately) and the GBA had none, I see it as making up for lost time. Now, if Nintendo would just give the rest of the world Club Nintendo Picross...
Re: Month Of Kirby: Minigame Mania
Although not exactly a minigame, Kirby Brawl Ball (the pinball game) was my primary reason for purchasing Kirby Mass Attack.
My brothers and I kept coming back to Samurai Kirby because of its cinematic flair. We were motivated to progress just to see who we'd face next and what their gimmicky attack would be.
Re: Talking Point: Horror and Metroid Could be a Perfect Fit
I say nay. I think Metroid has always had the right amount of tension and "horror" elements. In fact, some of the more memorable Metroid moments are in part rooted in being understated or nebulous, allowing players to draw their own conclusions--which have the potential to be more suspenseful than whatever mere shock value is lobbed at players. The story elements and themes of Fusion, in and of themselves, were unsettling enough; taking them to extreme, I feel, would have actually lessened their impact.
I am a bit biased, as I have little interest in the "horror" genre of video games. But if I wanted to play such games, I already have plenty of options. I don't want to see a franchise I enjoyed playing rehashed into something I don't because it's "back in fashion."
Re: Month Of Kirby: Kirby's Lost Levels
Losing that animated, storybook-like game (presumably represented in the lattermost screenshot)... that hit me right in the gut. Last-Blade-3-canceled tier hurt. Kirby's never looked more in his element than in that screenshot, and considering how solid most Kirby games are (visually or otherwise), that's really saying something.
Re: Nintendo Download: 17th April (North America)
I'm glad SMB3 is available, but I already own in in several formats. I might be tempted to play it again its original (non All-Stars/Advance) form, but not anytime soon.
Golden Sun is exciting, too, for those who haven't played it, but my GB Player is still in service.
Re: 3D OutRun Given a Release Date and Details for Japan
Despite my aversion to actual driving, I've always loved this game... I chalk it up to the music and atmosphere. With the robust selection of options, this sounds like it's shaping up to be one grand conversion... all modern ports should be like this.
Namiki and Nisperos have impressive bodies of work, but nevertheless, composing tunes that stand beside OutRun's original soundtrack seems like a monumental undertaking. I look forward to it.
Re: Nintendo Announces a Charming New Princess Peach Wii Remote Plus
If we get a Toad controller, I'd rather it be white with red spots. I don't think "Blue" when I think of Toad, not even Blue Toad. I never really understood why Nintendo opted not to use the traditional red-spotted Toad as the playable character in the recent Mario games... I don't buy that a predominantly white character would be too hard to distinguish between a character with an entirely different design, simply because the former has a few red spots.
Anyway, the Peach controller is a nice complement, though I'm not sure I need a third themed controller. What I'd really love, though, is a controller colored entirely in the blue used for Luigi's controller.
Re: Super Mario 3D World Double Disc Soundtrack Arrives on Club Nintendo
How enviable! I have no hope for seeing this as a standard reward on the NA Club Nintendo, but I suppose I have a potential reason for trying to reach Elite status this year.
If nothing else, I love seeing new traditional Mario artwork.
Re: Review: WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (Wii U eShop / Game Boy Advance)
I have long loved this title. The quirky humor was right up my alley and many of the micro games themselves were entertaining, but once Skating Board and Dr. Wario were unlocked, WarioWare became a constant travel companion. This game is perhaps the only reason I envy Ambassadors; I'd love to have this on the go again (without the need to carry more than one handheld).
That said, while I have no qualms with GBA games on the Wii U in general, I feel that this is the only GBA game that doesn't really feel at home on a home-bound console. WarioWare's very concept was about taking shallow, fleeting game experiences to the next level, sort of an answer to/parody of the burgeoning cell phone game market at the time. Then again, I don't think the question is so much "on 3DS or Wii U" as it is "why aren't these released on both platforms?"