brakeman90

Too cool! I've been enjoying Super Bomberman R, and free DLC is always a nice thing for developers to offer, particularly where the game was not lacking at release. As for hopes, I would love to see other Konami characters added as unlockables in the multiplayer modes - Goemon/Ebisimaru and Solid Snake are at the top of my list, of course.

I was surprised and happy to see the patch, along with the rumors of framerate improvements. Humorously, I only have about an hour left in the game, as I'm headed into the castle this evening for the final confrontation. Womp womp, haha. Still, it'll be nice for new players, and while the issues were hardly catastrophic before, it will be cool to further improve this masterpiece.

@BenAV Agreed, steadiness is the main thing. One thing I find intriguing is that games designed for a steady 30 FPS sometimes seem to look better than games that can alternate between the two - Zelda looks great at 30, but I found Hitman or The Witcher looked rather stutter-y at 30 FPS on my PC. In any case, I also find the difference between 720 and 1080 to be reasonably small, especially compared to the jump from 480 to 720; playing the Splatoon testfire, I would have sworn it was 1080 but this is evidently untrue.

I'm really looking forward to buying this game, though I can't help but be slightly disappointed that it couldn't manage either 1080p or 60fps on a new piece of hardware. Does it really matter? No. Will it keep me from buying? No. Do I wish it was operating at a higher level? Of course.

Wow, this is very cool. Thanks to Sligeach for finding it and Nintendo Life for sharing it.

Glad to hear the screen scratching is less common than I'd feared. I've been very cautious with mine, but when examining it from the side, it's hard to see how the screen would even touch the inside of the dock. I also haven't experienced the joycon issue, even while (very briefly) trying to replicate it using the GameXplain example.

My only beef with the console so far is that I got a bit of wrist pain from playing it in handheld mode, which was discouraging since I expect this'll be my preferred method of playing over the next few years. I suspect a grip or something could resolve the issue.

@River3636 For a multiplayer session, I don't know if anything could be better than this game. It's even decent playing against the AI! Enjoy

Having purchased this for about $30 with some judicious discounts and gift card usage, I can say that's it's well worth that investment.

I'd heard that the visuals were rough, and that the pace seemed a little sluggish at 30 FPS, but that's not been my experience at all. My wife and I are playing the campaign co-operatively, but the battle mode is where it really shines. I played a couple of matches there after completing the campaign's first world, and it is delightfully hectic. Great music, too!

In any case, I see this being a pretty reliable multiplayer game over the next few years, either in-person or online, so I'd strongly suggest buying it if (1) you enjoy multiplayer games and (2) the price is a little bit lower.

The Nintendo Switch is effectively shaping up to be a platform even more geared towards my interests than expected - a portable machine that plays the best indie games, along with Nintendo first party titles. Don't get me wrong, having more AAA third-party stuff would be good for sales, but I haven't sought out a major AAA game in years - for me at least, the Switch is already moving into perfect console territory.

@EternalDragonX This is what I was hoping to hear about. They are said to be working on a fix, so I think we can remain optimistic. This Day One update was likely compiled before awareness of the Joycon issue was widespread. Not ideal, but not damning either.

@ThatNyteDaez This is good to hear. Our wi-fi in the US is a bit of a joke compared to the UK and Ireland, so people continue to rely heavily on 3G/4G here. I'm not expecting to get any significant wi-fi Switch play in, but you never know.

@KirbyTheVampire Agreed - canceling a pre-order feels like a premature move, though on the other hand, I feel like it would be inadvisable to place a pre-order right now for the same reason - waiting to see how Nintendo addresses this will be key. It would, of course, be a bigger issue if the Switch wasn't also a portable system.

@Ralizah This is promising. I got an Xbox 360 a couple years into its life-cycle (as I have any console until now, haha), so I was unaware that this is the kind of problem that has precedent and may be fixable with a patch. Still not something that should occur, as QA/QC should have caught it miles ahead of release, but I'll remain optimistic.

@KirbyTheVampire To be fair, it's not a problem that should exist or need players to modify their behaviors to fix it. I've never had a problem with my Xbox controller or my Wii U controllers when sitting ten feet away from the console, so I certainly don't think I should pay $300 to experience less reliable connectivity.

This is a very disappointing issue, though I'm quite glad to hear that the company is aware and working on a fix ahead of release day. It really isn't the kind of problem that should be occurring, especially with a hardware designer as good as Nintendo. Given that Zelda is the only title being tested so far, problems with the Joycons in horizontal mode has not been reported (as far as I know), but this could be an even bigger issue - hands wrap around most of the controller when used in that fashion, and that could further obscure reliability of the signal.

I'm really hoping this gets worked out, ideally by a software update, but, as this is the first time I've bought a console at launch, it should act as a cautionary tale for me in the future.

Wow, this costs less than I would have expected. Looking forward to the review.

In general, I'll take a 10 to 30 hour game over a 100 hour one every time. I'm glad that both options exist, and I'm excited as everyone else for Zelda, but focused experiences that last 10 hours (or less!) are not inherently less valuable than longer experiences. Heck, Firewatch was one of my favorite games in 2016 and I finished that one in two evenings.

This is a nice take on the DLC issue, and I'm reasonably sold. I'll not be buying it Day One, since I would like to know, specifically, what I am paying for, but I'll likely purchase the pack once the story content is released this holiday season.

I will absolutely be buying this game. Can't wait for May - that'll give me just enough time to complete Breath of the Wild before jumping into another rather in-depth experience.

@rjejr Oh no, there's no online?! I figured that was the point. Well, my interest in the game just plummeted. This doesn't look like the kind of game my wife would enjoy.

Holy crap, this game looks awesome! It will be a day-one buy for me. I've been looking for a cool multiplayer game on 3DS. Visuals are nice - it looks like some long-lost Nintendo 64 game.

This guy is a treasure.

@allav866 Nintendo becoming more modern such a double-edged sword, right? And we all have conflicting ideas about what parts of modern gaming culture that we'd like Nintendo to adopt, and which parts we'd like them to eschew.

For me, microtransactions, overly cinematic narratives and unfinished or un-QA/QC'd games are the scourges of modern gaming. DLC, while not something I'm crazy about, isn't something that I'm overly concerned about either. Heck, I even bought the controversial on-disc DLC for Mass Effect 3. There's part of me that loves the (for lack of a better word) 'purity' of a Zelda game - it plays perfectly out of the box and is an entirely self-contained experience, Oracle games aside. I think, if it doesn't contribute significant new content, shunting Hard Mode off to paid DLC is my biggest beef with the Season Pass; this feature was included automatically in Twilight Princess HD and Link Between Worlds, among other titles in the franchise.

That said, I'm willing to be entirely wrong about this. The first portion of the DLC, featuring largely whimsical cosmetic additions, is the kind of thing that offers additional value but which won't keep someone from feeling like they have the full product. Similarly, if they find ways to add expansive new content to what is already a solid, complete game (a la Mario Kart 8 or Hyrule Warriors DLC), then I think the consumer benefits.

This is pretty disappointing to me. I liked that these games remained a singular experience that could be enjoyed by all players without an additional investment. It's not the worst thing in the world, but I hope it doesn't represent (along with microtransactions in Fire Emblem: Heroes) Nintendo becoming more attached to the industry's broader trends.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy This is pretty much what I paid for it, between a coupon and a pre-order discount at Best Buy. $30 feels exactly right, though this game may be the one that convinces me to buy an extra set of Joycons, so my wife and I can play this game with our neighbors!

@Exy This is good to hear - the Wii U Pro Controller is my favorite gaming input mechanism (enough that I even have a program set up so I can use it on my PC!). I like the look of that one better than the new one, but I'm glad to hear that the build is not a step down.

Eh. It would be nice to have something fancier, but Nintendo published extraordinary software on the Wii U, and I expect we'll get plenty of excellent content on the Switch. Its primary selling point is its portability, rather than being a cutting edge home console. In some ways, I think it's wise for Nintendo to be carving out a niche as an addition to a home with either a PS4, Xbox One, or gaming PC, rather than a competitor to those markets.

It's live for me on the US East Coast, but I had to close my Google Play Store app and re-open to make it stop showing "Registered."

Still in "pre-register" phase for me, here in NA (East Coast).

Picking up physical editions of Bomberman and Zelda at launch. Grabbing a carrying case too. I may get an extra set of Joycons, but that hinges on whether Bomberman supports four players on one console. I'll be quite disappointed if it doesn't, though that will save me some money, haha.

I'll also be downloading I Am Setsuna, Fast Racing RMX, and Snipperclips as they become available. I missed IAS and RMX on their original releases, so now I'll get to enjoy them and have portable versions. Snipperclips is actually my most-desired Switch game after Zelda, as my wife and I like to play co-op games.

The amiibo card stuff is kind of dumb, but it sounds like the game is perfectly playable without them (and may indeed be a better experience without artificially strong characters). In any case, I like the trailers I've seen, and unless the game gets very bad press upon release, I intend to buy this in March or April.

I really liked the look of it in the Nintendo Direct, and will almost certainly be picking it up upon release, assuming that the press is good.

The top of my Switch third-party list is likely Disgaea 5, since I've enjoyed the two games I've played in that series and would like to encourage further engagement from NIS. Besides that, a number of these are appealing - Super Bomberman R, Fast Racing RMX, and I Am Setsuna in particular. The only day-one buy will likely be Fast Racing, since I skipped it on the Wii U and want a top-notch racing game, but I'll be grabbing them all eventually.

@ZurapiiYohane64 Final Fantasy Warriors would be outstanding. It's funny, because if you'd have asked me pre-Hyrule Warriors whether the Musou model could have pre-existing properties intelligently grafted on, I'd have been inclined to say no (with exceptions). But heck, if they can do it with an IP based primarily around exploration and puzzle-solving, they can do it with anything!

@OneBagTravel An XCOM-esque Fire Emblem would be cool, and they've already moved in the direction of less battlefield/fight scene segregation with Fates. That said, we kind of already have XCOM, so making Fire Emblem less distinctive and more similar to an already existing property would feel perhaps a bit like eroding the IP's identity. Not sure - I'd have to see it in action.

@joealejos This is what I'm expecting. If memory serves, we've seen a number of clips in which regular dialogue is not voice-acted. That could be the result of an early build, but given the proximity of the release, I would imagine that we'll only have dialogue in major cutscenes.

The most disappointing alteration, to me, is the actual architecture of the windows being simplified and made blockier in the lower image comparison. That's a rather surprising change. Obviously not the kind of thing that would keep me from enjoying the game - I will be picking this up if it comes West - but it's certainly not going to have someone buy this version when they could opt for the PS4 version. As a counterpoint, of course, this one can be played on the go.

@CTMike Given how well Hyrule Warriors played on Wii U, I strongly suspect they'll pull this off for the more technically impressive Switch.

I'll be darned if this doesn't look utterly fantastic! Glad to see, given how excellent the sidescroller offerings on Wii U were, that the style hasn't been abandoned on the Switch.

@ThainEshKelch Good point. 30fps really ought to be the standard, as I recall feeling like N64 era games were a little sluggish even back at the time. The biggest issue is steadiness, I think, since it's having an immediate point of contrast that makes the framerate more noticeable.

@ThainEshKelch This has largely been my take, too. I notice it when switching between resolutions while playing PC games on the TV, but rarely would I be able to tell whether something is rendering in 720p, 1080p, or something in-between. Framerates are another matter, where significant dips bother me, but even there, I would have told you instinctively that the Zelda HD remakes on Wii U ran at 60fps when they certainly do not. That said, I'm sure this kind of thing is more bothersome for some folks than others.

@AlphaJaguar That's fair. You have to vote with your dollars.

Ugh, a bit disappointing that this wasn't considered in the design process. One of the reasons I buy Nintendo products is their commitment to quality design, and this is either (a) a scheme to sell more equipment, or, far more likely, (b) an embarrassing oversight. It does make one wonder what else wasn't properly tested ahead of the final design, but I'll remain optimistic, given how much I love my Wii U.

@AlphaJaguar This is something of a dilemma, isn't it? I think your approach is a legitimate one, effectively punishing Konami for their sketchy ethics and their turning away from a long-loyal game market. On the other hand, I think there's something to be said for financially rewarding them dipping their toes back into the game world, as it could inspire more software development over whatever the heck they're doing now (pachinko, right?). Both seem like valid takes, and both represent rational consumer decision-making.

The Switch is still shaping up to look pretty great on release day. Assuming Zelda is a Day One release, I'm putting in my order ASAP. I was anticipating a $300 console without any bells and whistles, and have been setting aside a little funding to that end, so anything less than that (as the rumors suggest) would be a significant bonus to me!

Golly, I'm not a fan of this series, but that's some beautiful art at the top of the page.

@NintendoFan4Lyf Planes do tend to have power outlets - even the otherwise pretty mediocre WOW Air (Iceland-based carrier) had one outlet per seat. At this point, it's hard to imagine many scenarios where some degree of charging outlet would be inaccessible if you're stuck somewhere for upwards of 3 hours. Plus, if that's the kind of thing that happens to people often, they can invest in one of those little portable charger devices. In any case, I think 3 hours is reasonable for such a powerful little handheld.

@Shugo Eh, it's not harmful. It gives us something to chat about and speculate upon in a slow season for Nintendo. I don't think anybody's regarding these info "leaks" as anything more than rumors.

@spurgeonryan Oh, that's my bad - I'm not familiar enough with the column parameters.

@OorWullie @SLIGEACH_EIRE I suspect you might be thinking of Coro, from Twilight Princess: http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Coro