@GravyThief Sylux was first introduced as one of the antagonists on Metroid Prime Hunters for the portable DS, back in 2006. Then he showed up on the ending of Prime 3 on the Wii in 2007 (but only if you collected every upgrade, if I recall). There was also a Sylux easter egg on the 2016 3DS title Federation Force.
Unleashed HD. It needs to be released - NOW! I never had either a PS3 or X360 (and never will), and it never had a PC release of any kind. I only played the Wii version with its own unique level layouts. Loved it, and always wanted to try the HD counterpart.
And I wouldn't be opposed to them doing the same with Sonic 06, provided they fix it. I never played it, and I'm certainly not in any rush to. I've seen enough videos of broken physics and faulty collisons to stay far away from it.
This means I can finally play Mega Man V using the extended color palette that I hear the original GB version had but was absent from the 3DS re-release.
So, if I understand this correctly, I can still purchase both Yoshi's New Island and Wooly World on both platforms and have them updated to their latest 2.x version, right? Those are the last two games for the platforms I have yet to play.
When I learned about the shop closure, I immediately bought Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric to get that update out of the way first (I'm a completionist when it comes to Sonic games), since I didn't know if I would have the option, and didn't want to play a game even more broken than intended.
One GBA game I wish Nintendo would put on the Switch is 2004's Yoshi's Topsy-Turvy (or Universal Gravitation depending on the region). It's the only Yoshi series game that I've never played, since I never had a GBA, and the motion control design of the game would fit the Switch hardware perfectly.
I'm kind of torn. Tears of the Kingdom fixes some issues and balances some less-than-balanced aspects of Breath of the Wild. And the expanded overworld, including sky, caves and depths is certainly a plus. And the ultrahand, plus spiking weapons with parts is a delight.
But at the same time, it doesn't have the wow factor from the first game. BOTW broke ground in the franchise with the open world approach, which means TOTK sadly is always going to be compared unfavorably.
But the biggest issue to me is the sheer amount of content. It was already an issue in BOTW, and TOTK dials that up to an insane degree. Let's break it down:
I beat Ganon, but I still have:
1. Over 150 Korok Seeds to collect. 2. About 6 side quests left to uncover and do. 3. 3 leftover shrines. 4. A TON of armor still left to upgrade (requring a TON of money and materials). 5. Plenty of weapon pictures to add to the compendium (I might just buy them). 6. A few caves and wells remain unexplored. 7. I have yet to find all of the Hudson signs. 8. I have yet to fully upgrade every horse I have. 9. I still have quite a few Hinox and Stone Taluses to beat (plus one final King Gleeok left untouched). 10. I haven't killed 10 of every enemy (a ton of Gleeok fights left, plus 5 Ganon battles left to do). I care about maxing out the score. 11. I haven't found the Hylian Shield yet (I heard it's easy, but I'm leaving it alone until AFTER I killed 10 of each foe).
Currently at 92% completion. Feels like it too. This game killed my sleep for months. I'm ready for a shorter Zelda game.
@AstroTheGamosian Technically, only the first level takes place before A New Hope (that is, it did until Rogue One rewrote the entire concept of stealing the Death Star plans).
The rest of the Dark Trooper campaign that is the game's main focus takes place between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back.
Anyone has played the Nar Shaddaa level? When I played the original version in the 1990s, there was a secret area on that level that couldn't be reached without using the in-built cheat codes to levitate Katarn to that area, which was easy enough to do on the PC original. Is the Switch version capable of using those same codes?
For what it's worth, Jared Hess is the co-creator/writer/director of Napoleon Dynamite. This is a filmmaker committed to delivering a quality, entertaining experience. When he says he wants to avoid an uncanny valley situation as to what happened to Sonic 2020, he means it.
This breakdown of Fujibayashi's career is a shining example as to why Nintendo handhelds and portables have thrived while others failed in the market. Nintendo is willing to use talented designers from the handheld entries and shuffle them to the console projects and vice-versa. In Nintendo's world, it makes perfect sense that the man who directed Minish Cap and the Oracle games would end up helming the most ambitious 3D console Zeldas out there.
Same with other series like Metroid. Sakamoto went from doing Super M on the SNES to directing Fusion and Zero Mission for the GBA.
If this were any other company, the console designers would never be assigned a handheld game because they would likely feel it's beneath them. Whether it's SEGA or Sony, they always treat handheld titles as second-tier, not in the same league as a console game. That's one of the many reasons the Game Gear and the PSP line could never get within spitting distance of either the GB or DS lines. Different philosophies.
The outdated stereotyping aside, this reminds me of Monkey Island 2's iconic ending.
Not the section with child Guybrush with his brother Chuckie in the Big Whoop amusement park, though. But the end credits when the game outright tells you:
"OK, that's it, turn off your computer and do something constructive...
Like play a little racquetball...
Or wash your car...
Or cook dinner...
Or join a funk band...
Or travel to a foreign country...
Or run for president...
Or talk to a member of the opposite sex...
Or lube your car...
Or host a weenie roast...
Or dig for buried treasure...
Or milk a cow...
Or have a yelling contest with your neighbor's dog...
Or perform brain surgery...
Or paint a yellow line in the center of your driveway...
@Darthmoogle Probably a pipe dream, but I would love to see Nintendo using the 64DD's capabilities to release the Master Quest version of Ocarina of Time. The original one, not the map flipped one from the 3DS version. The one that still requires a Gamecube disk that's more rare than museum artifacts.
It's not unprecedented, given the work that they did to re-release Super Mario Advance 4 on modern platforms with all e-reader levels included.
Lost Levels being voted the most difficult is a given, but I'd argue there are sections of Yoshi's Island that give it a run for its money. Namely the Kaizo-esque Extra levels such as Poochy in lava and Kamek's Revenge.
And of course, as pointed out, NSMB2's Impossible Pack (and also the optional challenges from NSMBU).
But this list overlooked a few notable titles: Super Mario 64 DS (I consider it a separate, almost fully different game from the original - not a mere remake). Also absent, Super Mario Run. Not a challenging title, unless you're going for the green coins. And shouldn't the two Mario Maker titles also count? There are Nintendo-designed levels in those, even if they're nowhere near as difficult as some of the asinine levels uploaded by the more sadistic players.
And then there's Super Mario Bros. Special, the PC-88 obscure title. That title alone would take top spot for its iffy controls, blatant screen scrolling limitations and insanely sped up timer.
Ranking the 3D titles, I'd give that spot to 3D World, honestly. Mario is way harder to control in precise platforming sections compared to the Galaxy games. And it has plenty of brutal challenges after Meowser. World Star, World Mushroom, World Flower, and obviously Champion's Road.
@Serpenterror Uh, I'm pretty sure you're wrong. Both the Wii U and NSO versions have the extra power ups (some of those levels couldn't be beat without the cape otherwise). And I recently played the NSO version with rumble enabled.
Hard choice to make. The nostalgia factor alone would make me choose the NES original (but also control and physics), but I do appreciate the other two versions.
I'd easily take the GBA version over the All-Stars SNES one. Somehow, they avoided the problem of screen crunch that plagued the GBC Mario Bros. Deluxe. And the e-Reader levels should easily put it over everything else.
There's just one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb on the GBA version: Having to score 5.000.000 points to unlock all 5 stars. I hate having to grind for points. It pretty much means I have to replay the World 7 coin fortress over and over again.
@samuelvictor If it's a fair challenge, I won't mind. What I don't like is when I make mistakes due to bad design or programming. I first played through Sonic Heroes earlier this year. Dealt with the horrendous Special Stage controls on that one, and still got the emeralds after numerous tries. Anything after that one I welcome with open arms.
@samuelvictor Obviously if it's possible to bring Super Sonic to a regular boss fight, that would change things. From what I've seen in my Sonic marathon, other than the Genesis era (I haven't yet played Sonic Mania), Super Sonic has been exclusive to extra final zones. You're require to do perfect fights against bosses as regular Sonic, which can be quite a pain in the Rush games when attempting to S-Rank (especially the tight time limits and having to hold on to every ring).
But if rank is not even an issue, and you can bring Super Sonic, that changes my outlook on boss fights, possibly for the better.
I wonder what they meant by 'tedious boss fights'. I hope that doesn't mean bosses that take forever to display their weakpoints.
I've spent the last few years catching up on every Sonic game I missed. Recently, I've played the DS games: Rush, Rush Adventure and the DS version of Colors. The only thing I hated about the first Rush was fighting bosses that took forever to display their weakpoints (they fixed that on Rush Adventure and Colors). Made it a pain to S-Rank them, especially with their random attack patterns and timing. I spent like two hours trying to S-Rank the Altitude Limit boss.
@EaglyBird Here's what I don't get about buyouts. Why doesn't the other party just say no to the proposal? It's easy to blame Microsoft, but Activision executives are just as guilty of selling out.
I rarely play online multiplayer, so this doesn't affect me much, but I do have a question, regarding game versions, crucial patches and updates.
Say, if I want to buy Yoshi's Woolly World next year (I still haven't played it). Will I be able to update the game to its latest version? I'm so terrified at not being able to do this that I literally bought Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric (as part of my completionist desire to play the entire Sonic series) so I could get that vital game fixing patch that was like 1 gigabyte in size in order for it to be remotely playable.
Glowing cave fish and brightcaps are everywhere in the overworld. Besides, I've explored most of the Depths already (fully in the dark, in most cases).
On the other hand, I'll welcome any time this channel decides to hand out free Lizalfos tail. Now there's an item that's insanely hard to farm without save scumming.
My multiple current playthroughs in no particular order:
F-Zero 99 (just began)
Mario Kart Tour (farming green coins for more pipe prizes)
Sonic Rush Adventure (my first time playing it)
Shadow the Hedgehog (also my first time - collecting the few remaining A ranks)
Super Mario Maker 2 (trying to unlock the Mii suits that require me to play hundreds of Endless levels - normal mode)
Tears of the Kingdom (took a break before finishing the Zora side of the story)
Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (only my third playthrough in the 13 years since it came out)
Star Fox 2 (about to dive into Expert Mode for the first time)
Sonic Generations 3DS (finishing the last few S ranks)
Sonic Generations PC (slowly working my way through it)
Sonic Runners Adventure iOS (getting the last few stars)
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (about halfway through)
X-Wing vs TIE Fighter & Balance of Power
Wario Land 4
I start with Ages first for one simple reason: afterwards, you get to start seasons with 4 hearts instead of 3, and you get to bring the Blue Ring from Ages. That alone makes the first dungeon in seasons a lot easier. Fighting the double Goriyas and Aquamentus with 3 hearts and no rings is risking death. Seasons has much tougher dungeons. Ages is a cakewalk in repeated playthroughs once you know all the puzzles, but combat always retains its challenge. And aside from Dodongo, every dungeon boss in seasons is a brutal challenge of its own. The only dungeon in Ages capable of draining Link's hearts is the Skull Dungeon.
Of course, since we get another Hero's password upon competing the linked game, I then do the seasons->ages order so I can experience the story both ways (as well as getting all the upgrades, and all 64 rings - you pretty much have to play both ways in order to achieve 100% completion).
@samuelvictor That applies to the argument I made earlier about outsourcing development. Much like 8 bit Sonic, the DK Land games (and the 2000 DKC for the GBC) were designed by Rare rather than Nintendo in-house. And for whatever reason, Rare decided to push the envelope with the GB by translating those CG graphics into the monochrome screen. Nintendo themselves would probably never do such a thing (DK94 being the shining example).
Also, when it comes to untouchable 8 bit platformer masterpieces, I would easily add most of the NES Mega Man games alongside Mario 3 and Kirby.
@Gamecuber It's not as if Nintendo stopped 8 bit development entirely. Super Mario Land 2 came for the GB after Super Mario World. A game that not only introduces Wario as a villain, but is actually designed for the GB's small screen. Plus, Nintendo developed that (and the Wario Land sequels) in-house, while Sega outsourced all the 8 bit Sonic entries.
Meanwhile, Sega just dumped the Master System versions of the Sonic games on the GG without taking the GG's screen size into account (only the first one had the aforementioned tweaks). Sonic 2's infamous boss fight is brought up for a reason. It was only in 1994 that they finally made a Sonic game designed around the GG's screen, that being Triple Trouble.
And then they decided to copy DKC's artstyle and create the monstrosity that was Sonic Blast, ending the GG era on a sour note.
I just completed Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland for the first time. It fits well within the framework of what we consider to be a Zelda game, and it happens to be a spinoff of a major Zelda universe character. So I think Rosy Rupeeland at the very least qualifies (maybe the dating simulator sequel less so....).
@TourianTourist Definitely not. I was joking a bit. Having replayed DKC Returns 3D recently, I realized that all permutations of cutscenes involving Diddy were unlocked when you beat the game, even if you only used Donkey alone.
Oh CRAP! I didn't take the picture. I just guessed the location when I did it. That means I never achieved 100% completion.
Looks like I need to restart everything over again. Four more 100% BOTW playthroughs coming up (both regular and Master modes, and both Wii U and Switch versions).
@the_beaver Technically, 5 years and some change. They didn't exactly start its development on March 2017. More like late 2017.
Same with the original for that matter. It didn't start until the Wii U was about to launch (and it gave the Skyward Sword team some time to breathe and regroup - and that title took less than 4 years).
After years of experience on MK64, going to Double Dash wasn't the best transition. The handling was weird right from the start, which made tracks like Rainbow Road and Dino Dino Jungle nearly impossible to master. Plus, this was the first MK game to really overwhelm you with a barrage of items at once (plus the first exploding shell). This is where the AI really got cheap. If Petey Piranha was a rival racer on All-Cup Tour 150cc, you might as well quit and try again.
An online F-Zero experience? Imagine the high level of competitiveness. This just got interesting.
If they added the Japan-exclusive expansion tracks and soundtrack to the package, I'd sign up for the NSO expansion the next day. I'm already considering it for Banjo Kazooie, which I've never played before.
Did he not play Metroid Fusion? Or the stealth sections of Zero Mission? Being placed in a hostile scary environment is very much part of the Metroid formula. You get used to dodging these impossible threats until you gain enough experience and upgrades to allow you to overcome these obstacles. It feels satisfying to see Samus using her new abilities to dodge the E.M.M.I. and use the Omega Cannon to overcome them.
I'm definitely a completionist. To me, getting 100% on a Zelda game is paramount. And on a massive game like Breath of the Wild that means acquiring and upgrading everything that's registered on the menus. That means:
1. All Shrines (including all chests inside shrines; the game checks that).
2. All Korok Seeds.
3. All Divine Beasts.
4. All Side Quests.
5. All Map Checks.
6. All DLC.
7. Unlocking all Fairies + Malanya.
8. Getting the Molduga, Stone Talus and Hinox Medals.
9. Scoring the max EXP possible for maxed out enemy upgrades and weapons (it took me hours waiting for blood moons to kill 10 Moldukings).
10. Getting the Dog Treasures near each Stable.
11. Getting the Horse parts from minigames.
12. Getting one set of each Armor and upgrading it to maximum.
13. All photos (I can buy some of them).
14. Upgraded runes.
15. Do the Hateno House and Tarrey Quests.
16. Making sure I get each possible overworld item that shows up on the menu (at least one of each).
The only exception to this set of rules is scouring the overworld for every single treasure chest, buried or otherwise. That would be unfeasible.
Also, the only Amiibo I got was the Wolf Link I used to unlock the Cave of Shadows on Twilight Princess HD. I'm not going to spend another 100 hours to max out new armor parts for Amiibo I have no interest in buying. Even I have a limit.
Having said that, Breath of the Wild not a Zelda game I'm about to tackle again any time soon. I played it four times. Twice on the Wii U; twice on the Switch (both regular and master quests on each case).
It's way easier for me to replay something like Wind Waker HD or Ocarina 3D, or even an old 2D Zelda title, since the games are still packing with content without being time sinks. An Ocarina playthrough lasts 12 hours tops, even with extraneous content like fishing the Hylian Loach.
@rjejr Because it's never an exact science. Because there are always unexpected problems in a field as complex as game development - both creative missteps and also hardware/software issues.
But really, the blame can't be placed at the developers. Sales and marketing are the ones to blame. They're the ones who sell a promise they know it'll be impossible to keep, because they also need to pacify needy and nervous shareholders with these same empty promises.
There's a reason studio blockbuster movies cost hundreds of millions. They always face countless unexpected issues. The solution to meet the deadline? Hire more people than you originally meant to in order to get the mammoth project done before the release date - a release date they booked years before. And they're not going to change that date, lest they meet the wrath of financiers.
Still, it's better this way when it comes to games. Better to fall short of a promise rather than indulge the sales people. It's never good to establish a firm/unchanging release date and try to meet that. SEGA did that and we got Sonic '06.
@rjejr Then let's do an estimate. Forget the HD/4K graphics and technology. That's the easy part of development.
Try and think how much time it would take to design an entire world map, placing every chest, every enemy, every obstacle, every dungeon, every slope. Then try and anticipate what every potential player has to do to achieve the objective. Also, consider enemy behavior. Then factor in the many, many, many possibilities and then implement them in the next stage of the game's design. You also need to come up with story content and mythology to back the whole thing up.
Then you'll realize you're not going to get it right on the first try. Playtesters will break the whole thing apart, and you'll need to redesign everything again, and again, and again, until it's perfectly balanced and attuned to the majority of potential players. It's like writing. No self-respecting writer publishes a first draft of anything.
Also consider that you have the entire Zelda legacy to live up to. And you're expected to deliver a consumer-friendly blockbuster open world game. Even if the game had Minecraft-level graphics, it would still take 5 years or more.
@ModdedInkling But Ocarina of Time wasn't a broken game at launch. I still own version 1.0 with intact save files.
The subsequent cartridge releases merely changed the Fire Temple music, and switched some graphical symbols and blood color. The only glitch it fixed was the item/bottle replacement bug, which was never game-breaking to begin with given how hard it was to even pull it off.
I've been playing for the first time all Sonic games from the Adventure era (1998-2006). And I've spent some time on Chao Garden. Enough time to know what would happen if SEGA were the ones backing Pokemon.
"Link's awakening had the worst overworld ive ever seen in anything, navigating it was a complete tragedy. So many ways you think you can go even after you have spent so long playing i was still thinking "Oh yeah theres no way past these trees i gotta go ALL the way around."
@Ocaz That's actually the aspect of the game I adore. Having to explore the long way around to get to an area before unlocking a more direct shortcut. Zelda developers certainly liked it, because this map design approach was also used extensively on both Oracle games, as well as Minish Cap and Skyward Sword.
I vote for Phantom Hourglass for a couple of reasons:
1. Designing the entire game around touchscreen controls has its issues when you're required to perform pitch-perfect actions under a time limit (Spirit Tracks at least has some backup buttons).
2. Trying to complete the game 100% is beyond annoying when trying to collect all available SHIP PARTS. Randomizing them was a stupid move, and you have to replay challenging mini-games over and over and hope that you get the part that you're missing.
I actually like the Temple of the Ocean King, and returning to it with new items, unlocking new ways to explore it, but the two issues I've listed above are the reasons I can't bring myself to replay it. Spirit Tracks has a lot of the same issues, but at least the train parts only require you collect enough treasures, and it does provide partial non-touchscreen solutions.
@Moistnado This has to be trolling. Have you played Prime recently? Because I have. It still looks atmospheric, but the textures look visibly jaggy and dated on 50+ inch 1080p screens. In contrast, Dread looks sharp, colorful, stunning, with insane lighting and texture design on any similar screen.
It's not a realistic game, and it's not a 3D game. It's a stylized, insanely competent 2D side-scrolling platformer, and very much what a next generation sequel to 1994's SNES Super Metroid ought to look like.
I consider myself a hardcore Star Wars fan going back to 1983, and yet somehow, I've never played this before - or any Star Wars game that came out after 2003's Jedi Academy, for that matter. I've mostly kept my Star Wars gaming to the 1990s era library.
I'm definitely getting this once I somehow get past that brutal final boss on Metroid Dread. I don't start new games until I finish my current ones.
Playing Prime without proper pointer controls and the sensor bar? If there's a design flaw on the Switch it's the lack of that feature. I wasn't a fan of having to recalibrate the pointer every 2 minutes while playing Skyward Sword HD (thankfully it didn't hamper the experience that much).
Before releasing or re-releasing a Prime game, they need to come up with a better solution than a virtual pointer system that tends to drift away.
@WallyWest I've seen 4K plenty of times, and you should read again what I wrote above. I said anything PAST 4K.
4K is certainly a visual leap over 1080p and I never stated otherwise - but there's really nowhere else to go. If there's any difference between 4K and 8K, it'll only be barely noticed by people with perfect 20/20 eyesight. There comes a point where any visual improvements move past human limitations.
As for FPS, 60 already feels fluid and natural. 120 and beyond run the risk of making moving images look fake and unreal. Case in point, we're so used to 24fps cinema that the minute someone tried going for the 48fps experiment on The Hobbit, the result was a very plastic-looking soap opera.
@6thHorizon Anything past 4K and 60fps is pretty much indistinguishable to the eyesight of most human beings.
Indeed, over these last few generations we've seen the graphical leap becoming less and less noticeable. I'd argue the last significant visual leap was between the N64/PS1/Saturn era to the Gamecube/Dreamcast/XBox/PS2 era. Everything else since has been more of a gradual improvement.
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Re: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Confirmed For Switch, Launching 2025
@GravyThief Sylux was first introduced as one of the antagonists on Metroid Prime Hunters for the portable DS, back in 2006. Then he showed up on the ending of Prime 3 on the Wii in 2007 (but only if you collected every upgrade, if I recall). There was also a Sylux easter egg on the 2016 3DS title Federation Force.
Re: Sonic Team On Remasters: "If There's A Title People Like, We'll Think About It"
Unleashed HD. It needs to be released - NOW! I never had either a PS3 or X360 (and never will), and it never had a PC release of any kind. I only played the Wii version with its own unique level layouts. Loved it, and always wanted to try the HD counterpart.
And I wouldn't be opposed to them doing the same with Sonic 06, provided they fix it. I never played it, and I'm certainly not in any rush to. I've seen enough videos of broken physics and faulty collisons to stay far away from it.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Library With Five More Classics
This means I can finally play Mega Man V using the extended color palette that I hear the original GB version had but was absent from the 3DS re-release.
Re: When Does 3DS And Wii U Online Shut Down? Nintendo eShop & Online Play Closure Guide
So, if I understand this correctly, I can still purchase both Yoshi's New Island and Wooly World on both platforms and have them updated to their latest 2.x version, right? Those are the last two games for the platforms I have yet to play.
When I learned about the shop closure, I immediately bought Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric to get that update out of the way first (I'm a completionist when it comes to Sonic games), since I didn't know if I would have the option, and didn't want to play a game even more broken than intended.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Advance Library Later This Week
One GBA game I wish Nintendo would put on the Switch is 2004's Yoshi's Topsy-Turvy (or Universal Gravitation depending on the region). It's the only Yoshi series game that I've never played, since I never had a GBA, and the motion control design of the game would fit the Switch hardware perfectly.
Re: Poll: So, Do You Prefer Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Or Tears Of The Kingdom?
Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'm missing a couple of Glider fabrics.
Re: Poll: So, Do You Prefer Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Or Tears Of The Kingdom?
I did find all the Old Maps, plus almost all Sages' Wills and every single Yiga Schematic and Schema Stone.
Re: Poll: So, Do You Prefer Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Or Tears Of The Kingdom?
I'm kind of torn. Tears of the Kingdom fixes some issues and balances some less-than-balanced aspects of Breath of the Wild. And the expanded overworld, including sky, caves and depths is certainly a plus. And the ultrahand, plus spiking weapons with parts is a delight.
But at the same time, it doesn't have the wow factor from the first game. BOTW broke ground in the franchise with the open world approach, which means TOTK sadly is always going to be compared unfavorably.
But the biggest issue to me is the sheer amount of content. It was already an issue in BOTW, and TOTK dials that up to an insane degree. Let's break it down:
I beat Ganon, but I still have:
1. Over 150 Korok Seeds to collect.
2. About 6 side quests left to uncover and do.
3. 3 leftover shrines.
4. A TON of armor still left to upgrade (requring a TON of money and materials).
5. Plenty of weapon pictures to add to the compendium (I might just buy them).
6. A few caves and wells remain unexplored.
7. I have yet to find all of the Hudson signs.
8. I have yet to fully upgrade every horse I have.
9. I still have quite a few Hinox and Stone Taluses to beat (plus one final King Gleeok left untouched).
10. I haven't killed 10 of every enemy (a ton of Gleeok fights left, plus 5 Ganon battles left to do). I care about maxing out the score.
11. I haven't found the Hylian Shield yet (I heard it's easy, but I'm leaving it alone until AFTER I killed 10 of each foe).
Currently at 92% completion. Feels like it too. This game killed my sleep for months. I'm ready for a shorter Zelda game.
Re: Review: Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster (Switch) - Another Must-Play From Nightdive
@AstroTheGamosian Technically, only the first level takes place before A New Hope (that is, it did until Rogue One rewrote the entire concept of stealing the Death Star plans).
The rest of the Dark Trooper campaign that is the game's main focus takes place between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back.
Re: Review: Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster (Switch) - Another Must-Play From Nightdive
Anyone has played the Nar Shaddaa level? When I played the original version in the 1990s, there was a secret area on that level that couldn't be reached without using the in-built cheat codes to levitate Katarn to that area, which was easy enough to do on the PC original. Is the Switch version capable of using those same codes?
Re: Random: Minecraft Movie Director Wants To "Avoid An 'Ugly Sonic' Situation"
For what it's worth, Jared Hess is the co-creator/writer/director of Napoleon Dynamite. This is a filmmaker committed to delivering a quality, entertaining experience. When he says he wants to avoid an uncanny valley situation as to what happened to Sonic 2020, he means it.
Re: Feature: Zelda's Forgotten Steward - Who Is Hidemaro Fujibayashi?
This breakdown of Fujibayashi's career is a shining example as to why Nintendo handhelds and portables have thrived while others failed in the market. Nintendo is willing to use talented designers from the handheld entries and shuffle them to the console projects and vice-versa. In Nintendo's world, it makes perfect sense that the man who directed Minish Cap and the Oracle games would end up helming the most ambitious 3D console Zeldas out there.
Same with other series like Metroid. Sakamoto went from doing Super M on the SNES to directing Fusion and Zero Mission for the GBA.
If this were any other company, the console designers would never be assigned a handheld game because they would likely feel it's beneath them. Whether it's SEGA or Sony, they always treat handheld titles as second-tier, not in the same league as a console game. That's one of the many reasons the Game Gear and the PSP line could never get within spitting distance of either the GB or DS lines. Different philosophies.
Re: Soapbox: "Go Outside, Get Some Fresh Air" - Why Won't Outmoded Gamer Stereotypes Die?
The outdated stereotyping aside, this reminds me of Monkey Island 2's iconic ending.
Not the section with child Guybrush with his brother Chuckie in the Big Whoop amusement park, though. But the end credits when the game outright tells you:
"OK, that's it, turn off your computer and do something constructive...
Like play a little racquetball...
Or wash your car...
Or cook dinner...
Or join a funk band...
Or travel to a foreign country...
Or run for president...
Or talk to a member of the opposite sex...
Or lube your car...
Or host a weenie roast...
Or dig for buried treasure...
Or milk a cow...
Or have a yelling contest with your neighbor's dog...
Or perform brain surgery...
Or paint a yellow line in the center of your driveway...
Or write your name in the snow...
Or teach basket weaving to clams...
Or sing Welsh folk songs at the bank...
Or plant trees on public property...
Or confuse the person next to you...
Or make a triangular table...
Or hop, skip and jump...
Or ride a train...
Or organize your sock drawer alphabetically...
Or go bowling with your mom...
Or train potato bugs to do tricks...
Or make a quilt...
Or publish a magazine about pencil shavings...
Or eat lime jello with pineapple in it...
Or pave a freeway...
Or learn to draw...
Or take up photography...
Or learn to tell time...
Or photocopy money...
Or go out for pasta..."
For more, check out the end credits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kwxbv6XPuc
Re: Soapbox: Switch Is Only A Classic Or Two From Being The Perfect PlayStation History Lesson
Okami was a Wii title with full motion controls long before it got the Switch HD port. And Okamiden was a DS exclusive.
Re: Nintendo Updates Switch Online's N64 Release Schedule
@Darthmoogle Probably a pipe dream, but I would love to see Nintendo using the 64DD's capabilities to release the Master Quest version of Ocarina of Time. The original one, not the map flipped one from the 3DS version. The one that still requires a Gamecube disk that's more rare than museum artifacts.
It's not unprecedented, given the work that they did to re-release Super Mario Advance 4 on modern platforms with all e-reader levels included.
Re: Talking Point: What's The Most Difficult Mainline Mario Game?
Lost Levels being voted the most difficult is a given, but I'd argue there are sections of Yoshi's Island that give it a run for its money. Namely the Kaizo-esque Extra levels such as Poochy in lava and Kamek's Revenge.
And of course, as pointed out, NSMB2's Impossible Pack (and also the optional challenges from NSMBU).
But this list overlooked a few notable titles: Super Mario 64 DS (I consider it a separate, almost fully different game from the original - not a mere remake). Also absent, Super Mario Run. Not a challenging title, unless you're going for the green coins. And shouldn't the two Mario Maker titles also count? There are Nintendo-designed levels in those, even if they're nowhere near as difficult as some of the asinine levels uploaded by the more sadistic players.
And then there's Super Mario Bros. Special, the PC-88 obscure title. That title alone would take top spot for its iffy controls, blatant screen scrolling limitations and insanely sped up timer.
Ranking the 3D titles, I'd give that spot to 3D World, honestly. Mario is way harder to control in precise platforming sections compared to the Galaxy games. And it has plenty of brutal challenges after Meowser. World Star, World Mushroom, World Flower, and obviously Champion's Road.
Re: Talking Point: Which Version Of Super Mario Bros. 3 Do You Prefer?
@Serpenterror Uh, I'm pretty sure you're wrong. Both the Wii U and NSO versions have the extra power ups (some of those levels couldn't be beat without the cape otherwise). And I recently played the NSO version with rumble enabled.
Re: Talking Point: Which Version Of Super Mario Bros. 3 Do You Prefer?
Hard choice to make. The nostalgia factor alone would make me choose the NES original (but also control and physics), but I do appreciate the other two versions.
I'd easily take the GBA version over the All-Stars SNES one. Somehow, they avoided the problem of screen crunch that plagued the GBC Mario Bros. Deluxe. And the e-Reader levels should easily put it over everything else.
There's just one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb on the GBA version: Having to score 5.000.000 points to unlock all 5 stars. I hate having to grind for points. It pretty much means I have to replay the World 7 coin fortress over and over again.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Sonic Superstars
@samuelvictor If it's a fair challenge, I won't mind. What I don't like is when I make mistakes due to bad design or programming. I first played through Sonic Heroes earlier this year. Dealt with the horrendous Special Stage controls on that one, and still got the emeralds after numerous tries. Anything after that one I welcome with open arms.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Sonic Superstars
@samuelvictor Obviously if it's possible to bring Super Sonic to a regular boss fight, that would change things. From what I've seen in my Sonic marathon, other than the Genesis era (I haven't yet played Sonic Mania), Super Sonic has been exclusive to extra final zones. You're require to do perfect fights against bosses as regular Sonic, which can be quite a pain in the Rush games when attempting to S-Rank (especially the tight time limits and having to hold on to every ring).
But if rank is not even an issue, and you can bring Super Sonic, that changes my outlook on boss fights, possibly for the better.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Sonic Superstars
I wonder what they meant by 'tedious boss fights'. I hope that doesn't mean bosses that take forever to display their weakpoints.
I've spent the last few years catching up on every Sonic game I missed. Recently, I've played the DS games: Rush, Rush Adventure and the DS version of Colors. The only thing I hated about the first Rush was fighting bosses that took forever to display their weakpoints (they fixed that on Rush Adventure and Colors). Made it a pain to S-Rank them, especially with their random attack patterns and timing. I spent like two hours trying to S-Rank the Altitude Limit boss.
Re: It's Over, Microsoft Has Officially Acquired Activision Blizzard
@EaglyBird Here's what I don't get about buyouts. Why doesn't the other party just say no to the proposal? It's easy to blame Microsoft, but Activision executives are just as guilty of selling out.
Re: 3DS And Wii U Online Play Ends In "Early April" 2024
I rarely play online multiplayer, so this doesn't affect me much, but I do have a question, regarding game versions, crucial patches and updates.
Say, if I want to buy Yoshi's Woolly World next year (I still haven't played it). Will I be able to update the game to its latest version? I'm so terrified at not being able to do this that I literally bought Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric (as part of my completionist desire to play the entire Sonic series) so I could get that vital game fixing patch that was like 1 gigabyte in size in order for it to be remotely playable.
Re: PSA: Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom News Channel Giving Out Free In-Game Items
Glowing cave fish and brightcaps are everywhere in the overworld. Besides, I've explored most of the Depths already (fully in the dark, in most cases).
On the other hand, I'll welcome any time this channel decides to hand out free Lizalfos tail. Now there's an item that's insanely hard to farm without save scumming.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 23rd)
My multiple current playthroughs in no particular order:
F-Zero 99 (just began)
Mario Kart Tour (farming green coins for more pipe prizes)
Sonic Rush Adventure (my first time playing it)
Shadow the Hedgehog (also my first time - collecting the few remaining A ranks)
Super Mario Maker 2 (trying to unlock the Mii suits that require me to play hundreds of Endless levels - normal mode)
Tears of the Kingdom (took a break before finishing the Zora side of the story)
Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (only my third playthrough in the 13 years since it came out)
Star Fox 2 (about to dive into Expert Mode for the first time)
Sonic Generations 3DS (finishing the last few S ranks)
Sonic Generations PC (slowly working my way through it)
Sonic Runners Adventure iOS (getting the last few stars)
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (about halfway through)
X-Wing vs TIE Fighter & Balance of Power
Wario Land 4
Re: The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons & Oracle Of Ages - Which Should I Play First?
I start with Ages first for one simple reason: afterwards, you get to start seasons with 4 hearts instead of 3, and you get to bring the Blue Ring from Ages. That alone makes the first dungeon in seasons a lot easier. Fighting the double Goriyas and Aquamentus with 3 hearts and no rings is risking death. Seasons has much tougher dungeons. Ages is a cakewalk in repeated playthroughs once you know all the puzzles, but combat always retains its challenge. And aside from Dodongo, every dungeon boss in seasons is a brutal challenge of its own. The only dungeon in Ages capable of draining Link's hearts is the Skull Dungeon.
Of course, since we get another Hero's password upon competing the linked game, I then do the seasons->ages order so I can experience the story both ways (as well as getting all the upgrades, and all 64 rings - you pretty much have to play both ways in order to achieve 100% completion).
Re: Review: Sonic Origins Plus - Not Bad, But Sonic Still Deserves Better
@samuelvictor That applies to the argument I made earlier about outsourcing development. Much like 8 bit Sonic, the DK Land games (and the 2000 DKC for the GBC) were designed by Rare rather than Nintendo in-house. And for whatever reason, Rare decided to push the envelope with the GB by translating those CG graphics into the monochrome screen. Nintendo themselves would probably never do such a thing (DK94 being the shining example).
Also, when it comes to untouchable 8 bit platformer masterpieces, I would easily add most of the NES Mega Man games alongside Mario 3 and Kirby.
Re: Review: Sonic Origins Plus - Not Bad, But Sonic Still Deserves Better
@Gamecuber It's not as if Nintendo stopped 8 bit development entirely. Super Mario Land 2 came for the GB after Super Mario World. A game that not only introduces Wario as a villain, but is actually designed for the GB's small screen. Plus, Nintendo developed that (and the Wario Land sequels) in-house, while Sega outsourced all the 8 bit Sonic entries.
Meanwhile, Sega just dumped the Master System versions of the Sonic games on the GG without taking the GG's screen size into account (only the first one had the aforementioned tweaks). Sonic 2's infamous boss fight is brought up for a reason. It was only in 1994 that they finally made a Sonic game designed around the GG's screen, that being Triple Trouble.
And then they decided to copy DKC's artstyle and create the monstrosity that was Sonic Blast, ending the GG era on a sour note.
Re: Talking Point: What Is A 'Traditional' Zelda Game, Anyway?
I just completed Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland for the first time. It fits well within the framework of what we consider to be a Zelda game, and it happens to be a spinoff of a major Zelda universe character. So I think Rosy Rupeeland at the very least qualifies (maybe the dating simulator sequel less so....).
Re: Video: What Was Your First Video Game Ever?
River Raid and Missile Command - both on the ATARI 2600. Those were my first.
When the NES finally arrived here, a couple years later, it was the first Super Mario Bros that I played (along with Duck Hunt and Excitebike).
Re: Random: Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Easter Egg Showcases Nintendo's Eye For Detail
@TourianTourist Definitely not. I was joking a bit. Having replayed DKC Returns 3D recently, I realized that all permutations of cutscenes involving Diddy were unlocked when you beat the game, even if you only used Donkey alone.
Re: Random: Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Easter Egg Showcases Nintendo's Eye For Detail
Oh CRAP! I didn't take the picture. I just guessed the location when I did it. That means I never achieved 100% completion.
Looks like I need to restart everything over again. Four more 100% BOTW playthroughs coming up (both regular and Master modes, and both Wii U and Switch versions).
Re: The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2 Delayed To Spring 2023
@the_beaver Technically, 5 years and some change. They didn't exactly start its development on March 2017. More like late 2017.
Same with the original for that matter. It didn't start until the Wii U was about to launch (and it gave the Skyward Sword team some time to breathe and regroup - and that title took less than 4 years).
Re: Feature: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Is The Best Mario Kart, Right? Let's Find Out
After years of experience on MK64, going to Double Dash wasn't the best transition. The handling was weird right from the start, which made tracks like Rainbow Road and Dino Dino Jungle nearly impossible to master. Plus, this was the first MK game to really overwhelm you with a barrage of items at once (plus the first exploding shell). This is where the AI really got cheap. If Petey Piranha was a rival racer on All-Cup Tour 150cc, you might as well quit and try again.
Re: F-Zero X Joins Nintendo Switch Online's Expansion Pack Later This Week
An online F-Zero experience? Imagine the high level of competitiveness. This just got interesting.
If they added the Japan-exclusive expansion tracks and soundtrack to the package, I'd sign up for the NSO expansion the next day. I'm already considering it for Banjo Kazooie, which I've never played before.
Re: AM2R Creator Isn't A Fan Of Metroid Dread's E.M.M.I. Encounters
Did he not play Metroid Fusion? Or the stealth sections of Zero Mission? Being placed in a hostile scary environment is very much part of the Metroid formula. You get used to dodging these impossible threats until you gain enough experience and upgrades to allow you to overcome these obstacles. It feels satisfying to see Samus using her new abilities to dodge the E.M.M.I. and use the Omega Cannon to overcome them.
Re: Talking Point: How Long Does Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Take To Beat, Really?
I'm definitely a completionist. To me, getting 100% on a Zelda game is paramount. And on a massive game like Breath of the Wild that means acquiring and upgrading everything that's registered on the menus. That means:
1. All Shrines (including all chests inside shrines; the game checks that).
2. All Korok Seeds.
3. All Divine Beasts.
4. All Side Quests.
5. All Map Checks.
6. All DLC.
7. Unlocking all Fairies + Malanya.
8. Getting the Molduga, Stone Talus and Hinox Medals.
9. Scoring the max EXP possible for maxed out enemy upgrades and weapons (it took me hours waiting for blood moons to kill 10 Moldukings).
10. Getting the Dog Treasures near each Stable.
11. Getting the Horse parts from minigames.
12. Getting one set of each Armor and upgrading it to maximum.
13. All photos (I can buy some of them).
14. Upgraded runes.
15. Do the Hateno House and Tarrey Quests.
16. Making sure I get each possible overworld item that shows up on the menu (at least one of each).
The only exception to this set of rules is scouring the overworld for every single treasure chest, buried or otherwise. That would be unfeasible.
Also, the only Amiibo I got was the Wolf Link I used to unlock the Cave of Shadows on Twilight Princess HD. I'm not going to spend another 100 hours to max out new armor parts for Amiibo I have no interest in buying. Even I have a limit.
Having said that, Breath of the Wild not a Zelda game I'm about to tackle again any time soon. I played it four times. Twice on the Wii U; twice on the Switch (both regular and master quests on each case).
It's way easier for me to replay something like Wind Waker HD or Ocarina 3D, or even an old 2D Zelda title, since the games are still packing with content without being time sinks. An Ocarina playthrough lasts 12 hours tops, even with extraneous content like fishing the Hylian Loach.
Re: Mythical Virtual Boy F-Zero Spin-Off Was 100% Complete, According To Former NOA Staffer
Look at those screenshots. You can clearly see that ship is a TIE Interceptor. I can only imagine an F-Zero/Star Wars crossover.
Re: Don't Worry, Zelda: BOTW 2 Is Reportedly Still Aiming To Launch Next Year
@rjejr Because it's never an exact science. Because there are always unexpected problems in a field as complex as game development - both creative missteps and also hardware/software issues.
But really, the blame can't be placed at the developers. Sales and marketing are the ones to blame. They're the ones who sell a promise they know it'll be impossible to keep, because they also need to pacify needy and nervous shareholders with these same empty promises.
There's a reason studio blockbuster movies cost hundreds of millions. They always face countless unexpected issues. The solution to meet the deadline? Hire more people than you originally meant to in order to get the mammoth project done before the release date - a release date they booked years before. And they're not going to change that date, lest they meet the wrath of financiers.
Still, it's better this way when it comes to games. Better to fall short of a promise rather than indulge the sales people. It's never good to establish a firm/unchanging release date and try to meet that. SEGA did that and we got Sonic '06.
Re: Don't Worry, Zelda: BOTW 2 Is Reportedly Still Aiming To Launch Next Year
@rjejr Then let's do an estimate. Forget the HD/4K graphics and technology. That's the easy part of development.
Try and think how much time it would take to design an entire world map, placing every chest, every enemy, every obstacle, every dungeon, every slope. Then try and anticipate what every potential player has to do to achieve the objective. Also, consider enemy behavior. Then factor in the many, many, many possibilities and then implement them in the next stage of the game's design. You also need to come up with story content and mythology to back the whole thing up.
Then you'll realize you're not going to get it right on the first try. Playtesters will break the whole thing apart, and you'll need to redesign everything again, and again, and again, until it's perfectly balanced and attuned to the majority of potential players. It's like writing. No self-respecting writer publishes a first draft of anything.
Also consider that you have the entire Zelda legacy to live up to. And you're expected to deliver a consumer-friendly blockbuster open world game. Even if the game had Minecraft-level graphics, it would still take 5 years or more.
Re: Sonic Colors: Ultimate Has Received A New 'Celebration' Update On Switch
@ModdedInkling But Ocarina of Time wasn't a broken game at launch. I still own version 1.0 with intact save files.
The subsequent cartridge releases merely changed the Fire Temple music, and switched some graphical symbols and blood color. The only glitch it fixed was the item/bottle replacement bug, which was never game-breaking to begin with given how hard it was to even pull it off.
Re: Random: In An Alternate Reality, Sega Published Pokémon
I've been playing for the first time all Sonic games from the Adventure era (1998-2006). And I've spent some time on Chao Garden. Enough time to know what would happen if SEGA were the ones backing Pokemon.
Re: Game Journalist Thinks The Next Zelda: BOTW 2 Reveal Is Likely To Be In 2022
2022 seems about right for the next Zelda.
I also believe that's when they'll release Prime 4, to capitalize on the 20th aniversary of the original game.
Re: Poll: What's The Worst Legend Of Zelda Game?
"Link's awakening had the worst overworld ive ever seen in anything, navigating it was a complete tragedy. So many ways you think you can go even after you have spent so long playing i was still thinking "Oh yeah theres no way past these trees i gotta go ALL the way around."
@Ocaz That's actually the aspect of the game I adore. Having to explore the long way around to get to an area before unlocking a more direct shortcut. Zelda developers certainly liked it, because this map design approach was also used extensively on both Oracle games, as well as Minish Cap and Skyward Sword.
Re: Poll: What's The Worst Legend Of Zelda Game?
I vote for Phantom Hourglass for a couple of reasons:
1. Designing the entire game around touchscreen controls has its issues when you're required to perform pitch-perfect actions under a time limit (Spirit Tracks at least has some backup buttons).
2. Trying to complete the game 100% is beyond annoying when trying to collect all available SHIP PARTS. Randomizing them was a stupid move, and you have to replay challenging mini-games over and over and hope that you get the part that you're missing.
I actually like the Temple of the Ocean King, and returning to it with new items, unlocking new ways to explore it, but the two issues I've listed above are the reasons I can't bring myself to replay it. Spirit Tracks has a lot of the same issues, but at least the train parts only require you collect enough treasures, and it does provide partial non-touchscreen solutions.
Re: A Familiar Foe Is Punished Again By Metroid Dread Sequence Breakers
@Moistnado This has to be trolling. Have you played Prime recently? Because I have. It still looks atmospheric, but the textures look visibly jaggy and dated on 50+ inch 1080p screens. In contrast, Dread looks sharp, colorful, stunning, with insane lighting and texture design on any similar screen.
It's not a realistic game, and it's not a 3D game. It's a stylized, insanely competent 2D side-scrolling platformer, and very much what a next generation sequel to 1994's SNES Super Metroid ought to look like.
Re: Don't Forget About Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, It's Also Out Now On Nintendo Switch
I consider myself a hardcore Star Wars fan going back to 1983, and yet somehow, I've never played this before - or any Star Wars game that came out after 2003's Jedi Academy, for that matter. I've mostly kept my Star Wars gaming to the 1990s era library.
I'm definitely getting this once I somehow get past that brutal final boss on Metroid Dread. I don't start new games until I finish my current ones.
Re: Rumour: Metroid Prime Switch Remaster Is "Wrapped Up" According To Industry Insider
Playing Prime without proper pointer controls and the sensor bar? If there's a design flaw on the Switch it's the lack of that feature. I wasn't a fan of having to recalibrate the pointer every 2 minutes while playing Skyward Sword HD (thankfully it didn't hamper the experience that much).
Before releasing or re-releasing a Prime game, they need to come up with a better solution than a virtual pointer system that tends to drift away.
Re: The Switch Is Here To Stay, Says Nintendo Boss Shuntaro Furukawa
@WallyWest I've seen 4K plenty of times, and you should read again what I wrote above. I said anything PAST 4K.
4K is certainly a visual leap over 1080p and I never stated otherwise - but there's really nowhere else to go. If there's any difference between 4K and 8K, it'll only be barely noticed by people with perfect 20/20 eyesight. There comes a point where any visual improvements move past human limitations.
As for FPS, 60 already feels fluid and natural. 120 and beyond run the risk of making moving images look fake and unreal. Case in point, we're so used to 24fps cinema that the minute someone tried going for the 48fps experiment on The Hobbit, the result was a very plastic-looking soap opera.
Re: The Switch Is Here To Stay, Says Nintendo Boss Shuntaro Furukawa
@6thHorizon Anything past 4K and 60fps is pretty much indistinguishable to the eyesight of most human beings.
Indeed, over these last few generations we've seen the graphical leap becoming less and less noticeable. I'd argue the last significant visual leap was between the N64/PS1/Saturn era to the Gamecube/Dreamcast/XBox/PS2 era. Everything else since has been more of a gradual improvement.