earthboundlink

The big thing here is not the dock, although that could be cool, but the portable multiplayer with only one system. I have a ton of 3DS games that friends would probably play with me, except they don't have a 3DS, and aren't going to make the investment to get one for one game that I want them to play.

If people can let other people play the system with them, more people will experience it and buy their own, creating a viral sort of effect.

My prediction is that this ends up being a mild success on the order of the 3DS, which is fine by me. I want Nintendo to be successful, but mostly I want them to keep making awesome games for me to play.

Also, this thing is absolutely perfect for Monster Hunter.

But does it play Battletoads?

Yeah, I'm usually positive about stuff, but MyNintendo has been pretty terrible. I've still been hoarding points in the hopes of something good showing up eventually, but I'm starting to lose hope.

I dunno, the touch-screeniness of this makes me think it would have been better released as a mobile phone title.

I guess there is that new RPG they announced at E3, the name of which escapes me. There's Yo-Kai Watch, Pokémon Sun/Moon, and probably some more SNES VC games. All that gets a pretty big yawn from me. But that's okay, because I have Monster Hunter Generations and a massive backlog to get me through until Nintendo opens up the flood gates again in 2017.

I like the idea of keeping the old Wii remotes alive for multiplayer games. Saves everyone from having to buy all new controllers. Plus, it gives me hope that we can have more good implementations of motion control. It doesn't have to be in every game, but it's awesome for minigames, any Monkeyball-like tilt games, FPS games, it can be great for immersion (e.g. Skyward Sword), and it makes a great supplement to traditional control schemes for aiming (e.g. Splatoon, Various Zelda remakes on 3DS and Wii U).

@VanillaLake You don't often hear the argument that Sega has managed the Sonic IP better than Nintendo handles any of its IPs.

In any case, I fully understand why a company (or a person, for that matter) would take steps to control its own IP. I mean, they wouldn't let Sony use the Metroid universe to make a game, why should they let "fans" do it? Seems like a good way to lose control of your creations, let them be defined by those who may not share your vision, and ultimately confuse consumers. Instead of remaking an existing game, these fans should make a "new" game with substantially similar mechanics.

In any case, Nintendo has always maintained strict control over its products, both hardware and software (just ask Tengen). But that propensity for control goes hand-in-hand with their focus on quality. That quality control obsession is what allowed them to revive the video game industry in the 80s. Everyone (developers, retailers, even Nintendo's own marketers) hated it then too, but it's the reason so many of the NES games were so good, and at least part of the reason our hobby still exists today. Like it or not, control is baked into Nintendo's DNA. One of the ways they assert that control is through litigation and the threat of litigation.

I really enjoyed the online multiplayer with this game. Without the multiplayer, it's not really much of a game. It's kind of like Splatoon in that sense.

I thought all the hunters' designs and their backstories were cool. Still baffled as to why they didn't use this concept/aesthetic as the starting point for Federation Force. It would have been perfect.

I think the idea of a handheld with power between a PS3 and a PS4 is pretty impressive, especially if it can run on my TV too. I love the whole concept, and I really hope these rumors are true. Mainly I just hope they give me a not-too-chunky form factor so I can easily haul it around with me, and so I don't look too childish playing it on the train on the way to/from work. If they hit these power specs and make it look like something people are proud to use, they might be able to hit that smartphone upgrader demographic.

Everyone prattles on about power like the 3DS doesn't have an awesome lineup of great games. 3DS has been one of the best systems ever for the number and quality of games, and it is out-powered by virtually any phone you are using to read NintendoLife. My sense is that those obsessed with console power have not been following the video game industry long enough. As Nintendo used to say back in the 80s, "the name of the game is the game." Power is only relevant insofar as it leads developers to produce good games.

The book is indeed excellent. Interesting to read as someone who was on the Nintendo side of those wars back then. It's also a little disturbing to read about the ways in which these companies seek to manipulate young minds to obtain money. Many of us enjoy video games so much, we sometimes forget what a big money machine it is.

@gcunit I always think I would like a Nintendo phone, but then I think about Nintendo as a company, and I can't imagine them developing a very useful email client or productivity UI. This makes any Nintendo attempt at a phone DoA.

Now the idea of a gaming-specific device that could add a sim card for wireless internet is a much more interesting idea to me. It would always be a second device for people like me, though.

@rjejr You nailed it. And that's exactly the reason I'm interested. I can just pick up my 3DS and start where I left off. System is already on, save state is suspended, and I can just dive right in. When I need to stop, just suspend the game and close the system. No muss, no fuss.

Although this NX concept wouldn't get the AAA blockbuster third party titles, it would get a lot of lower-level third party support in other genres that have been popular on the 3DS. If you like JRPGs, various sim games, puzzle games, "indies," and some ports of mid-tier mobile titles (with buttons), this will be your system. They will also probably continue to do well with Capcom, Platinum, Sega, and get those oddball non-AAA titles from Ubisoft.

The 3DS model of third party support has been secretly very successful (despite the idea that all third parties hate Nintendo), so I think it's a really good idea to try to sort of "port" that success to the home console market by merging the two. That's why I think this concept makes total sense, and why I am buying into this rumor.

@rjejr One of the major problems with Wii U was the confusing reveal. They need to make sure they have the proper marketing efforts in place to explain/sell before they show what it is, given that they have described it as a "new concept." I suspect this is the reason they have remained mum on the issue so far. I have the feeling that as we write here, NoA and NCL are having a contentious meeting about how to explain and sell whatever the concept is.

It's easy to sell people things they are already familiar with. E.g.: "This is a console that plays games. It has controllers with familiar buttons. It is the same as your favorite one, but now even more powerful! Plus it does X, Y, Z relatively minor additions, which your old one did not do!"

As opposed to: "This is something you have never seen before. It plays games, has buttons, etc., but they don't work like you're used to. Here is the use case for our new device. Here are some things we have thought of that would be neat to do with this new thing that you never considered before."

It's easy for a consumer to price the former, but not the latter. Price for a "same, more powerful console" = price of old console + premium for more power - lowering costs of technology. You assess whether that price is worthwhile for the expected improvements you would receive to a familiar experience.

The price for the new concept is hard for a consumer. It's not more powerful, but it is new, so the whole assessment of price is tied into the value of the potential new experiences or new use cases it provides. It is hard to assess the value of something new, since by definition, you are unfamiliar with it.

That's why marketing has to be so careful to show the consumer what the new experiences/use cases are, and how valuable they will be. That is where Nintendo absolutely nailed it with the Wii, and completely dropped the ball on the Wii U, and they know it. It is also an area where Apple is absolutely brilliant. I suspect that Wii U failure is the reason they are being so careful about the reveal.

This rumor makes a lot of sense given what we already knew. Personally, I like the idea. It capitalizes on the space where Nintendo has always excelled (handhelds), and will allow Nintendo to bring over it's large stable of third party developers from that space (3DS/DS always received tons of third party support).

I just think of handheld HD Monster Hunter on the go, then plugging the same game into my TV when I have the time at home. Then I realize I love this concept, if it's properly implemented. I am, however, concerned about battery life.

For my part, I have come around to the handheld approach to game design. The ability to play and get something done in small bursts if huge for me as a grown-up with kids and a job and such. Thus, I have generally played my 3DS more than my Wii U, if only because I already have the game open and suspended on the console, and I can just jump right in where I last left off. Being able to carry that over to the bigger screen could be a game changer. This is basically the logical conclusion of the Wii U off-TV play concept.

I'm going to put down a marker and say most of these rumors are on the right track.

May have to pick up that Sonic 2 3D. If you're considering Lost World for Wii U, I actually have really enjoyed it since I picked it up on sale a few weeks ago. It's a bit uneven and the story is childish, but as a game it's definitely worth $15.

So it's basically Monster Hunter in a stylized version of the Metroid universe. When I start to get tired of Monster Hunter, I may have to take a dive into this one.

Still wish they had done it in the style/framework of Metroid Prime: Hunters. That was a great multiplayer-focused spinoff that deserves to be revisited.

I work in a major city, and even though there's not really a ton to do in the game, the social/phenomenon aspect of it is really fun. I can get why it's not everyone's cup of tea, but any game that can bring this many people together is probably more than the sum of its parts. Too much of the hate comes from overly serious people thinking about it as if it were a console game.

Folks, just relax and let people enjoy things.

I think it would be neat if they sold other designs. Like, it would be cool if they sold the Famicom design in the U.S., or some of the other oddball designs that were less common over here way back when. Then would sell more than one to the collector bunch, and probably would sell more to people who still have their original NES. If you want to get crazy, stock it with some "bonus" games that only ever came out in Japan (e.g. the real Mario 2).

Also, I didn't know there were licensed Genesis remakes. I might have to explore one of those. Any ideas which is the best?

Every time there is a big thing, there is a backlash, and then a backlash to the backlash. This is just standard Internet procedure these days.

I play the game, it's kind of fun for me to do during my (non-driving) commute and during downtime at work (I work near several Pokéstops and a gym). That's pretty much ideal for a mobile game, as far as I'm concerned.

I just think they need to hook it into something on a console to convert GO players to console buyers. Just some kind of game where you can bring over your GO Pokémon into a more traditional gaming environment. I think a Stadium-type game is the way to do this.

I still have an NES, and I have most of these games for VC, but I am VERY interested in the controller for playing VC games. I am also interested in the HDMI out. Oh, who am I kidding. I'll probably get one because I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff.

I tell you, with Pokémon GO and now this, they've got a lot of hype for the NX announcement.

Well, bye bye real life.

Congratulations Google, you now know my route to work, which I'm sure I've already put into Google Maps years ago.

Frankly, I think the idea of resisting putting any information out there is kind of silly, because it's virtually impossible. As long as nobody is hacking my info and using it to steal my money or ruin my credit...

Always love when @JaxonH waxes poetic on Monster Hunter.

They need to set about making Pokémon Go tie into a game for the NX. I'm telling you: if you let people bring their Go Pokémon to an online stadium-type game, everyone will buy the system it runs on. But they need to get this out there quickly, before the buzz fades.

The silliness of Monster Hunter is absolutely a huge part of what makes the game fun. And it's a testament to how a game can be "hard core" (I really hate that term) without having to take itself so seriously. It may feature talking cats and silly animations, but the game is only really fun for those who are willing to put the time in to learn it. And the ceiling for skill improvement within the game is remarkably high, without relying on just getting a bunch of power ups. Yeah, you get bigger weapons and better armor, but along the way, you learn your weapon, and in Generations, I'm sure you learn to master the styles and other new elements as well.

I'm a relative neophyte. I didn't get the game until I got MH3U on sale in late 2013. I dabbled for a few hours here and there, but I didn't really feel like I understood the game until shortly before MH4U came out in the spring of 2015. Since I "got it" and no longer felt like I was mashing buttons to do random meaningless stuff, I was pretty much obsessed.

You know what would make a great Mega Man sequel? A MEGA MAN SEQUEL.

@gatorboi352 I think you're probably right. They just can't really compete on the hardware front with mobile devices anymore. I'm not even completely convinced that the NX controller won't include some kind of phone peripheral that lets you use your phone as an input device for the NX. It would be a great way to repurpose one of the overlooked crowning achievements of the Wii U: the virtually lagless streaming capabilities between the system and the handheld.

It could also push companion apps as ways to play mini-versions of your favorite games while out and about (like if Pokémon Go tied into your dex in a Pokémon Stadium-type title for NX), all while upping Nintendo's presence on the app stores and strengthening brand recognition for those who see the companion apps in the app stores and want to pay for the system to get the full experience.

Most of that is just me randomly theorizing, but I really do think it's highly possible that mobile devices will figure into the NX strategy somehow. I seem to recall a comment by someone at Nintendo about this way back when we first started hearing whispers of mobile releases a new system in development.

Lots of server problems. I caught a Bulbasaur, then a wild Pidgey appeared. Threw out a ball, and the game froze. May have to wait a couple days until the hype dies down to actually invest any time in the game.

There's really no explanation of the game other than "Walk around; catch Pokémon." Do I need to pay real money to keep playing the game, or can I earn Pokéballs and such through some form of grinding? I don't do microtransactions, so this may be a dealbreaker for me.

@Tsurii It's not an excuse. The DLC quests are balanced for multiplayer (i.e. monsters have more health). Yes, you can beat any solo quest as a solo gunner (and I have), but unless you're incredible, it's exceptionally hard to beat a multiplayer HR quest as a solo gunner, because you tend to run out of time.

If you're good enough to beat multiplayer monsters as a solo gunner, hurrah for you, but don't pretend that the game is meant to be played that way.

@Lunarsickness Winning the DLC quest gives you an item or two that you need to craft the DLC items. You will have to beat the DLC quest multiple times to get enough of the items to make a full set. Because that's just Monster Hunter.

Most of the DLC quests really need to be done as multiplayer, especially if you are a gunner like me. If you're trying them on your own, that's probably why you're losing.

@iaLgan That's a good set of questions. But I have finished most of the single player content in MH4U. I have to limit my online play, because I can't pause it, and the nature of having small children means a lot of interruptions.

I'm not a completionist, and if I decide to get literally every single thing, then I will never get another game. I want to check out the new areas, new monsters, new mechanics, etc. in MHG. You're right about the time issue, but I'll certainly never have time to play it if I don't even have it!

@Spoony_Tech Yeah, may have to do that for Generations. Although it's hard to schedule time to play, because I have two small children, a demanding job, and my gaming time is down to like an hour a week. I've nearly considered not getting MH4U because I don't think I'll have time to play it. But then I realize that's crazy talk. It's Monster Hunter. I have to play it.

I still managed to get to HR7 in MH4U with purely random online groups. It took a REALLY long time to get there, and I have not yet been able to get into a group that can beat the Urgent Quest that will get me into G rank. But because I was focused on ranking up, I never spent much time in the special quests that yield all the DLC goodies. And of course I try to do my part and help lower rank hunters get ahead from time to time.

I definitely hold my own as a gunner, so I don't think most folks were disappointed to have me on their team. I was just sad to have never gotten the LoZ DLC that would have fused two of my favorite franchises. So little of the DLC content is geared toward gunners, and I was really hoping to get that Hero's Bow. Probably too late now, since I will switch to MHG in a couple weeks and start over.

It's important to note that while DLC in Monster Hunter games is indeed free, it is generally NOT easy to obtain. I still have barely any of the DLC content in MH4. And I wanted that hero's bow SO BAD. It's tough to get that content when you have to rely on random online matches to get it because none of your friends IRL play Monster Hunter.

In my humble opinion, Mega Man 2 is the best. Mega Man 3 is next. The rest of them are all kind of mixed together (good games, but not very distinct) until you get to the bottom of the heap, which includes Mega Man 1 and Mega Man 8.

There are actually a few things in there I'm considering for my gold coins, but the platinum pickins are pretty slim. I've given some very soft consideration to the Wii Party U and Yoshi's New Island discounts, but in the end a $6 or $3 discount on those games respectively is not really enough to push me over.

Although, $17 for a first party Nintendo platformer is pretty good... maaaayyybe...

@MarioPhD "Say, how much are we still talking about the last revolution in gaming, motion controls? Essentially none? For that matter, what happened the last times you sold consoles based on a hardware gimmick that didn't catch on? Your lowest selling consoles in the Wii U and Virtual Boy? Funny how that works out."

I agree that VR is probably not the right move, but your introduction is wrongheaded. We don't talk much about innovations that catch on because they become standard. We're not talking about motion controls because they are completely mainstream, used by innumerable phone games and even a number of controller-based console games (for gyro-aiming and such). We talked about it when it was new and weird, but now it's boring and standard. The same is even more true of touch screen gaming. I think you've developed an unusable distinction between what is a "gimmick" and what is an "innovation."

Nevertheless, totally in agreement that VR is nowhere near where it needs to be to go mainstream. Although interestingly, without motion control becoming mainstream, VR would never have come to the fore in the way it has lately.

Cue freakouts about "gimmicks."

Nintendo will not release a console as powerful as the next things from MS and Sony, which should be a surprise to precisely no one. However, I suspect it will significantly undercut those consoles on price. In the end, I think the price of the Wii U was a little too high to accommodate the complex controller, and they were too loathe to reduce that price when the system struggled. If they get the base model price to $300 for the next one and it has the new Zelda, it will be off to a good start.

@BakaKnight For some reason I too cannot shake the idea that I'm going to end up buying this game. I actually like the aesthetic of it, and if it's just jumping and killing enemies, that's okay with me. I'm sure this will be a sale purchase. I waited years to finally take the plunge on Sonic Lost World, which I just got a few weeks ago on sale for $20, and I really like it a lot. It had a lot of "meh" reviews at the time, but has aged well.

I'll wait to see more reviews, but I'll probably end up picking this up on sale at some point, like I did with Azure Striker: Gunvolt.

I feel like the complaints I've seen in reviews are largely the same complaints I have about AS:G, uninspired stages and enemies, and not enough variety to make the whole experience pop.

FWIW, I liked Azure Striker a little bit, but I found the boss fights too clunky and random, and the various weapons and systems a little too deep for that style of game.

It's funny that Inafune seems to struggle so much with developing inspired stages and a strong art direction, since my understanding is that those were his part of the Mega Man series, and the stages were so good in those games.

@TreonsRealm "Exploration Porn" is right. I keep forgetting to do the missions because I'm just wandering around getting occasionally mauled by enemies. The use of enemy difficulty gating reminds me of the original Legend of Zelda. You may find an advanced location by accident, but if you don't have the right weaponry or enough items/health, you're not getting very far. Looks like that same concept will reappear in Breath of the Wild, which is just absolutely awesome.

@MrGawain You win the thread with "Facey McShooty."

Are people really not tired of these games yet?

I know open world is trendy, but I don't think it fits well with Mario. I think what we need is to revisit the Mario 64/Sunshine formula, with the hub world where you "discover" the various levels. The hub world can be bigger than Delfino, but the setting more Mushroom Kingdom-y, or even better, using that formula in a revisit of the Galaxy setting, which would be glorious in HD.

One other idea I'll toss into the wind: different bosses. We can have Bowser and all the Koopalings, but let's add in Donkey Kong (the original Mario bad guy), Wario, and Waluigi too. They could each have their own hub worlds you have to get through.

Based on the comments, none of that seems particularly likely. It'll probably be more like a spinoff. But still... I can dream.

Frankly, I didn't expect much, but Zelda looked really impressive, and I'm still pumped for Monster Hunter. All that, plus a new RPG IP makes it an overall success.

Frankly, the fact that they managed to take up so much time with Zelda without even touching on story elements or spoilers is a testament to how massive that game is going to be. At the rate I'm finishing games these days, it may end up being the first major console Zelda game I never finish. But man... I want to though.

I will kill time until then trying to clear that backlog... and playing lots of Monster Hunter.

Got mine: nice. Nargacuga: not so nice.

Super Paper Mario is really good. I really enjoyed the game back on the Wii. It took some potentially awkward ideas and implemented them cleverly and stylishly. Nintendo should revisit the idea of an RPG/Platformer mashup, even if it's not through this series.

I think it would actually benefit from an HD coat of paint, because the pixellated style would look great if it were a little sharper. It wasn't a big enough release to ever get that treatment, but I would snap that up.

I understand that it's market competition, but the fact that people are raising Scorpio as some kind of competitor is pretty silly. We know nothing about it other than it's more powerful. If that's all you need to sell you on a system, well then you and I share irreconcilable differences in gaming judgment. Telling us about a codename for a system coming in Holiday 2017 and listening to some developers say they are excited just seems like Microsoft felt a little desperate to make some noise in the face of new things coming from their competitors.

I mean, it's possible the "Scorpio" could be cool, but we do not have even close to enough information to make that assessment.

Not really hyped this year, but there will be plenty to be hyped about this year besides E3. Obviously any info on NX will be hype-worthy, and I'm actually excited for Fire Emblem on mobile. And, of course, even though it's not exciting in the context of E3 since it's old news, I'm really pumped for a Monster Hunter release this summer. Honestly, I could play nothing but that until NX releases and be okay.

Finally got this one on sale for $20. I'm still early in the game, but it's definitely worthwhile for that price. It actually reminds me of the early Sonic games, in that it's fun to go fast, but it's actually quite difficult to maintain that pace. There's a lot of variety in the game, and plenty to keep you coming back to the levels.

My only problem is that the game does a poor job of explaining its mechanics to the player. I'm three zones in and I still don't really get how to do a lot of the parkour stuff. Explaining mechanics is one of those things that a lot of games do poorly. If you are used to playing Nintendo first-party titles that tend to do this very well, then playing third-party titles that struggle in this area can be very frustrating.

How crazy is it that the most faithful interpretation of Mega Man we've seen in years was done by Nintendo in Super Smash Bros.? The design in Smash is excellent, and he acts and plays very much like the original without feeling dated.

Although, we should not forget to credit Capcom for the excellent 8-bit Mega Man games (9 and 10) on Wii Ware. I really wish they would bring those (and more sequels!) to the eShop.

I still use it to get platinum coins, but the couple of friends I have who used it did so for a week or so before they gave up. Now it's just me. I post pics on Twitter every now and again from Miitomo.

It is about time to shake up the app a little bit. Maybe add a new minigame, room decorations, or something to make people use it more.