I don't have any friends to play online games with, so this has no value if it isn't playable single-player. It took me ten freaking years to find someone to play the Portal 2 campaign with, and to date, that's the only multiplayer campaign that I've managed.
The online systems in Dark Souls have been rather frustrating to me, as I usually see people who teleport around and can backstab from any range, and messages have devolved into memes, so it's usually pointless to even try to engage with it, and I usually play offline. The one time I did a dark magic build in DS3 and had to farm covenant items to get a bread-and-butter spell was the most miserable playthrough I had. I really, really don't want forced multiplayer in a Fromsoft game.
I mostly remember the Battle Arena Toshinden games as being novelties at the time, quickly eclipsed in overall mechanics by games like Tekken, and for more weapons-based fighters by games like Soul Calibur.
I've come to realize that the Switch (and by extension, Switch 2) is very much a secondary system for me. If I go on a trip or something, I'll bring it along over a more powerful system, but it won't be my primary way to experience a game.
While I don't mind picking up a game that I like on a deep enough sale, when I try one of the 30 FPS ports, after just a couple of seconds in, my brain instinctively goes "oof. This sucks" and I close it out. Something like Doom (1993) is instantly more enjoyable than Doom (2016) due to the framerate. There are enough games that do run at a full 60 that it becomes hard to justify buying anything that doesn't, especially considering that it's a secondary system mostly used while away from home, so the number of hours it's used is limited, and I don't need to buy a lot of games to still have something to play on it.
I don't really know what "based on time" means here, since copyright terms are something ridiculous like "the life of the artist + 75 years" unless Disney got it extended again or something. He's clearly still alive, so if he has a claim on the song, it's valid for at least another 75 years.
Oh heck no, I'm not getting either the cardboard or the silly Virtual Boy replica. I'd like to have an actual Virtual Boy around (just not enough to pay Ebay prices) since the display tech is really cool, since it's more like a laser light show than a regular display, but in no world would I want to be looking at a regular screen in that form factor.
Realistically, I'll get it eventually, but I'm certainly not in a hurry.
My Wii U still works just fine, and the price really is way too high for what it is.
And Re: Inflation
That means that a greater percentage of my income is going towards things that I need like food and housing, which sharply decreases what I can spend on luxuries like video games. At this point, Nintendo should be glad that I bought a Switch 2 at all, even if my library consists only of Mario Kart and Bananza (/w zero of the 'paid upgrades'), and probably won't get anything new for a good long while.
It still kind of bugs me that I was a huge Descent fan back in the day, and I just 'noped' on Forsaken without even doing any more reading up on it.
Descent is a whole lot better, of course, but when I was looking for more games that even kind-of-sort-of reminded me of Descent, I was playing the likes of Pyrotechnica, and Forsaken is way better than that. Radix: Beyond the Void was pretty good, in a "7/10 at the time" sort of way.
However much I wanted to like Penny's Big Breakaway, certain things like the overly strict mission timers and constantly being chased by the penguins really hurt the playability for me. Maybe if I wasn't constantly being stressed out by the design, I would have gotten a better handle on the controls. I'm still looking forward to their next project, though.
And a terrible call on Sega's part to not go ahead with Mania 2. I would have preferred the pixel look, but this isn't bad, and would very likely be much better than Superstars was.
I probably won't, since I just don't have the skills for competitive multiplayer + player bases tend to thin out really quickly, and I also tend to not just drop everything for a time-limited multiplayer game.
They never made a sequel to the movie, but the new anime they made is probably more interesting than a true sequel would be + they got back the movie actors to reprise their roles.
I went in nearly blind, buying it at launch after a mention on a podcast that made me think 'Oh. That sounds interesting."
I had no idea how big it would get, even after I played (and loved) it. I'm not sure how possible it is to go in blind now, given how mythologized it's been in the decade since.
I still remember going into the "seconds per frame" territory in Breath of the Wild (Wii U version) but I doubt that it'll drop that low. Even then, it was in a specific scenario where I was fighting many enemies + there were lots of ice explosions happening at once. Not really a typical scenario.
But something like Hyrule Warriors would see more frequent low drops.
I have zero interest in playing Palworld, and a strong interest in a lot of what Nintendo makes...
but I 100% hope that the Palworld devs win. Patents applied to game mechanics, especially ones that aren't unique to the company claiming them will always be a bad look. If the lawsuit were something like derivative designs, I probably would be on Nintendo's side, but that's not the direction they went.
I made sure to order a screen protector when I got the system, and wouldn't use it before applying it..
Which also ended up meaning that I couldn't use the system during the launch weekend after the screen protector was delivered to a neighbor who was on vacation, and their house sitter brought it in. I had to wait until the neighbor got back.
Screen protectors are also rather finicky. There was a a big air bubble when I first applied it that I couldn't push out, then a corner got messed up when I lifted it to get rid of the bubble. It doesn't look horrible, but it's noticeable.
...I played the indie clone, Dash! It was like a really really bad version of Boulder Dash, but hey, it's what I had.
//Found a video of it on Youtube, so I know that it wasn't a figment of my imagination. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go over there and turn to dust.
I would keep an eye on Costco. Switch 2s are out-of-stock right now, but they had them for basically all of launch day. I ordered one in the morning, and they were still there by evening. While I'm not sure if you need to go in-store to sign up, they do deliver.
The colors on my OLED switch are way better than the Switch 2, so I'm probably going to keep using the Switch OLED for S1 handheld mode, as long as the performance is decent and I can do tabletop mode with a real controller.
The analog stick on the Switch 2 joycons are worlds better (it's like a real analog stick now!) so it's probably better for true handheld mode.
Though I can already tell that Nintendo is going to do an OLED version a few years down the line, and I'm going to want to upgrade.
Totally agree on the UI. Dunno why Nintendo didn't really do anything to make it seem next-gen.
I forgot what it was called, but The case that I really liked was the flip case that I got for the original switch that was barely larger than the unit itself, didn't have added bulk for the Joycons, let the screen be visible without removing the device, and acted as a stand for tabletop play.
It only really provided scratch protection, but the Switch in one coat pocket, Pro Controller in the other, then setting it on a table was my preferred way to play Switch 1 games on the go. I never was able to find an updated version that supported the larger screen of the OLED version, though.
The Switch 1 barely fit in a coat pocket, so the larger Switch 2 probably couldn't manage the same, but I'd still like a similar product.
I still haven't even turned mine on, since I had the bright idea of wanting to put a screen protector on it before use, and the one I ordered got delivered to a neighbor's house and I haven't managed to get it back. ...But my real concern is standby drain. Nothing is worse than not using a device for a period of time, then finding the battery completely drained when I find the time for it.
The verdict on that is probably a few weeks out, as everyone's new Switch 2s are still redownloading their libraries, but I've usually ended up kicking myself when forgetting to fully shut down my Switch 1 when it wasn't stored on the dock and it was more than a day before using it again.
I ordered one this morning from Costco. It's expected to be here tomorrow. After a freaking year to get a PS5 and still be forced into a huge bundle, it was refreshing to get a Switch 2 relatively effortlessly. Ok, technically still a bundle, but I don't mind a year of NSO.
Even if they don't have enough units at launch, kicking people out of line is a crappy move.
Of course, I expect that it's because they're planning on a price increase by the time they're able to restock, so preorders at the original price are a liability.
I really liked the second Yooka-Laylee game but not the first, even though in general, I prefer 3D platformers. I really hope that Replayee shores up the game design of the first game.
But still... their output has been quite low. What have they even been doing the last six years? Mostly publishing stuff, I guess, and they have released stuff that I like a lot, like Demon Turf and to a lesser extent, Lil' Gator Game, but not a lot of in-house development.
The thing that I find funny is that for all the stability updates the system has gotten, the fastest and most stable the eshop ever was was at launch. Yes, I know that it's mostly because it wasn't written to handle an increasing number of items in the shop so it would have gotten very unstable, anyway, without updates, but still...
My plan is to open up a retailer page or two, see that it isn't available to common folk who didn't preorder on day 1 or queued up outside the store, and then go "Well, alright then" then do whatever it is I was going to do that day normally.
I remember gliding on a 'pal', specifically of the dragon variety, in 1989's Dragon Breed. Not the earliest example, just one that I could think of off the top of my head.
While that may not predate Game Freak as a company, as I can't find a release date, it's at least close. It's still way earlier than any patent that they might have filed. I doubt that they even were filing patents at all back in 1989.
I've changed my buying habits, but it's been a while now.
I haven't gone for full-priced games in a long time, opting stick to big discounts, but I think that last year was a tipping point, when I completely cleared out my Steam wishlist. With discounts on Steam regularly hitting 75% off, even keeping a list of things that I'm just 'kind-of-sort-of' interested in is too much. If there are specific games that I really want to get, I might check to see what they've sold for recently when I have space for them, but anything that's forgotten is probably better skipped, and if I'm really interested in something, I'll make the time. I don't need to look at a list of stuff that I don't have time for and feel tempted to get anyway, just because there's an "80% off" tag next to it. If it's 80% off now, it'll probably also have that discount around the time I have time for it... if I ever do.
The last two games that I got at full price or close to it were Mario Wonder and Elden Ring. But that's basically what it takes: A flagship Mario game or one of the biggest releases by one of my favorite developers.
Most of the time? I'm playing something much cheaper. Clair Obscur, Lies of P, and Another Crab's Treasure on Gamepass were all fantastic. Humble Bundle and Fanatical have ways of dropping bundles with titles that I've been wanting to play but cost drastically less than even the one thing from them that I most want. With Nintendo just not discounting stuff and charging full price, I play very few Nintendo games. There will probably be even fewer on the Switch 2.
I did buy Anthology of the Killer at launch last year without a significant discount, but full price was also $7, and I played it immediately.
Absolutely anything would be better than what Sony did with the PS5, which was online-only and no quantity limits, which basically ensured that only scalper bots could buy the damn thing for the first two years.
I happened to replay the PS1 version of Silver Star Story not too long ago, and doing so makes me wonder if I actually beat it back in the day. I know that I at least got quite far into SSS back in the PS1 days, but I nearly ran out of MP-recharging items in the final dungeon, as in Nall was carrying no more and I had none left on several characters by the end of the final fight, so I nearly got backed into a corner in an unwinnable position, considering that it isn't possible to escape the final dungeon, and due to memory card limitations, I wouldn't have had access to unlimited saves back then.
It, of course, didn't help that in the mid-game when full-MP restoration items were common, I stopped conserving them, so my inventory ended up being largely comprised of meager partial-MP restoration items in the final dungeon, which run out quickly when trying to bring characters back to full, and enemies do too much damage to not use your best skills to take them out quickly.
I found the first one interesting but very difficult. I'm hoping that I'll be able to have a smoother time with this one. Some of the horror of the original really landed with me, and I've also liked other media that covered similar themes, like the recent anime 500 Million Year Button. The more you think about 'forever' the more terrifying it is.
My original Switch would just be added clutter if I kept it after buying a Switch 2, but at the moment, I have no plans of actually buying a Switch 2 until there's an OLED one. If it takes a few years, it'll give the games a chance to have some decent sales, and I've got plenty on my PC, anyway.
I'm kinda done buying devices that don't have OLED, at least until something better comes along. I kind of regret buying the 1st iteration of the Nintendo Switch, as it cost me a whole lot more in the long-run to upgrade from that to the OLED version, and I'm certainly not doing that again. The games will be cheaper if I wait, and there will be more of them, anyway. Especially if the launch title is Mario Kart instead of a new 3D Mario, I don't really need to buy year 1/2.
Mario Run is quite good. Very limited in scope, but it works just fine on a touch screen, feels like a decent approximation of Mario, and it's a pay-once game. I guess it technically has typical mobile BS in other modes, but the main mode (which is the only one worth looking at, IMO) is a regular pay-once game. People who get mad at that are the ones that I'll blame if the next one has invasive ads and predatory microtransactions invading the core experience like 99% of everything else on mobile. Nintendo tried to do something nice with Mario Run.
Literally anything would be better than what Sony did, which was keep their console out of retail stores and exclusively sell them online in batches going up in the middle of the night that only people with bots set up (scalpers!) could buy them... for two entire years.
What are the security risks of using these services? My Wii U will stop working online? Isn't that the same thing that will happen if I don't use them?
While I'm certainly not in the market for a Wii Guitar Hero controller, I'm glad that they're making them available again for a variety of systems. I recently picked up a PS4-compatible one and have been playing Rock Band 4 on the PlayStation plus Clone Hero on PC. Good games that really deserve being easily accessible.
Even with some high-profile departures, they still had over 300 employees as of last year. and had three separate studios in 2022. If I put on my wild speculation hat, I would guess that Kamina wanted to get back to making games (he was VP at PlatinumGames in the later years) and maybe some of the others didn't like the foray into Live Service crap at their Tokyo studio.
I have good memories playing Red Alarm on the Virtual Boy via a Sears store kiosk when it was new, and would very much like to play another session on real hardware, if only to see the unique rendering mechanism in action again, as it really doesn't look like a conventional LCD display, but I doubt that a retro game store would let me, and I'm certainly not shelling out what it would take to own one.
I'd fill out the survey, but they'd get the wrong message when I said I didn't buy the collection.
...I have an Arcade 1-up X-Men vs Street Fighter cabinet and keep my PS3 hooked up to play Marvel vs Capcom 2 and use both frequently!
I do really want this collection, and am very interested in having easy access to Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter again (having previously owned it on the Saturn), but I am waiting on a sale. Once I get it, I am quite sure that I will play every game on it extensively.
I liked but did not love Deltarune chapters 1 and 2. I don't really like the episodic approach, and feel that a single game could probably hit harder. As episodes, quite a bit of the characters and story are segmented away and can't build as well as in a single story.
The devs made a few missteps with Penny's Big Breakaway. The art for one, both with the design and the intense palette, making it difficult to even look at for long. Next, the constant barrage by the penguins feels like something that should be in a challenge mode, not the main game. The timed challenges feel like a 'for speedrunners only' thing, being strict to the point that I felt punished for even trying. The controls are also difficult to keep a handle on.
I was excited for it going in, but I didn't make it very far.
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Re: 'The Duskbloods' Could Be FromSoftware's Most Ambitious Game Yet, According To Leak
I don't have any friends to play online games with, so this has no value if it isn't playable single-player. It took me ten freaking years to find someone to play the Portal 2 campaign with, and to date, that's the only multiplayer campaign that I've managed.
The online systems in Dark Souls have been rather frustrating to me, as I usually see people who teleport around and can backstab from any range, and messages have devolved into memes, so it's usually pointless to even try to engage with it, and I usually play offline. The one time I did a dark magic build in DS3 and had to farm covenant items to get a bread-and-butter spell was the most miserable playthrough I had. I really, really don't want forced multiplayer in a Fromsoft game.
Re: 3D Fighting Series 'Battle Arena Toshinden' Is Getting Revived For Modern Platforms
I mostly remember the Battle Arena Toshinden games as being novelties at the time, quickly eclipsed in overall mechanics by games like Tekken, and for more weapons-based fighters by games like Soul Calibur.
Re: Poll: So, Did You Get Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 For Switch?
Nope.
I'd start Mario Galaxy 2 immediately because I love the game, but I ain't made of money, despite what Nintendo thinks
Waiting for Mar10 Day.
Re: Review: Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Switch) - Still Out Of This World
Well, the problem with paying $150 at a grocery store is that there's less left for games.
Feels weird for there to be a new Mario game and I'm not even tempted to turn on my Switch.
Re: Yooka-Replaylee Runs At 30fps On Switch 2, Team Investigating Performance Mode
I've come to realize that the Switch (and by extension, Switch 2) is very much a secondary system for me. If I go on a trip or something, I'll bring it along over a more powerful system, but it won't be my primary way to experience a game.
While I don't mind picking up a game that I like on a deep enough sale, when I try one of the 30 FPS ports, after just a couple of seconds in, my brain instinctively goes "oof. This sucks" and I close it out. Something like Doom (1993) is instantly more enjoyable than Doom (2016) due to the framerate. There are enough games that do run at a full 60 that it becomes hard to justify buying anything that doesn't, especially considering that it's a secondary system mostly used while away from home, so the number of hours it's used is limited, and I don't need to buy a lot of games to still have something to play on it.
Re: Sonic Adventure 2 'Live And Learn' Lawsuit Dismissed, Crush 40 Musician Issues Statement
I don't really know what "based on time" means here, since copyright terms are something ridiculous like "the life of the artist + 75 years" unless Disney got it extended again or something.
He's clearly still alive, so if he has a claim on the song, it's valid for at least another 75 years.
Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Checking Out Switch Online's Virtual Boy Service?
Oh heck no, I'm not getting either the cardboard or the silly Virtual Boy replica.
I'd like to have an actual Virtual Boy around (just not enough to pay Ebay prices) since the display tech is really cool, since it's more like a laser light show than a regular display, but in no world would I want to be looking at a regular screen in that form factor.
Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Getting Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 For Switch?
Realistically, I'll get it eventually, but I'm certainly not in a hurry.
My Wii U still works just fine, and the price really is way too high for what it is.
And Re: Inflation
That means that a greater percentage of my income is going towards things that I need like food and housing, which sharply decreases what I can spend on luxuries like video games. At this point, Nintendo should be glad that I bought a Switch 2 at all, even if my library consists only of Mario Kart and Bananza (/w zero of the 'paid upgrades'), and probably won't get anything new for a good long while.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Forsaken (N64)
It still kind of bugs me that I was a huge Descent fan back in the day, and I just 'noped' on Forsaken without even doing any more reading up on it.
Descent is a whole lot better, of course, but when I was looking for more games that even kind-of-sort-of reminded me of Descent, I was playing the likes of Pyrotechnica, and Forsaken is way better than that. Radix: Beyond the Void was pretty good, in a "7/10 at the time" sort of way.
Re: Shin'en Announces 'The Touryst: Deluxe', Exclusive To Switch 2
I liked the Touryst well enough, but this is a pass unless there's an inexpensive upgrade option.
Or maybe an eventually deep-sale buy.
Re: Kirby Air Riders Direct Revealed for Tomorrow, 19th August 2025
Either the game is way more ambitious than I expected, or they really over-budgeted the time for this one.
We'll see tomorrow, I guess.
It'd be cool if it's a big game, though.
Re: Sonic Mania 2 Prototype Artwork Revealed By Christian Whitehead
However much I wanted to like Penny's Big Breakaway, certain things like the overly strict mission timers and constantly being chased by the penguins really hurt the playability for me. Maybe if I wasn't constantly being stressed out by the design, I would have gotten a better handle on the controls. I'm still looking forward to their next project, though.
And a terrible call on Sega's part to not go ahead with Mania 2. I would have preferred the pixel look, but this isn't bad, and would very likely be much better than Superstars was.
Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Getting The Switch 2's Next Exclusive 'Drag x Drive'?
I probably won't, since I just don't have the skills for competitive multiplayer + player bases tend to thin out really quickly, and I also tend to not just drop everything for a time-limited multiplayer game.
Re: Scott Pilgrim EX Brings More Beat 'Em Up Action To Switch In "Early 2026"
@guy_who_thinks_hes_C
They never made a sequel to the movie, but the new anime they made is probably more interesting than a true sequel would be + they got back the movie actors to reprise their roles.
Re: Toby Fox Wants To Celebrate 10 Years Of Undertale With Your Memories
I went in nearly blind, buying it at launch after a mention on a podcast that made me think 'Oh. That sounds interesting."
I had no idea how big it would get, even after I played (and loved) it.
I'm not sure how possible it is to go in blind now, given how mythologized it's been in the decade since.
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Director Acknowledges Performance Drops: "We Prioritized Fun And Playability"
I still remember going into the "seconds per frame" territory in Breath of the Wild (Wii U version) but I doubt that it'll drop that low.
Even then, it was in a specific scenario where I was fighting many enemies + there were lots of ice explosions happening at once. Not really a typical scenario.
But something like Hyrule Warriors would see more frequent low drops.
Re: Arcade Archives Is Bringing 'Air Combat 22' To Switch 2
Does anyone know whether or not the Switch 2 version also includes the Switch 1 version?
I have a Switch 2, but I'm keeping the Switch 1 OLED around for portable play for games that support it because of the better screen.
Re: Feature: Every Switch 2 Launch Game, Ranked
Kinda funny that Delta Rune is so good that it gets two spots, and the #1 game was originally a Wii U game.
Re: What's Palworld Dev's Defence Against Nintendo's Lawsuit? Pikmin 3, Apparently
I have zero interest in playing Palworld, and a strong interest in a lot of what Nintendo makes...
but I 100% hope that the Palworld devs win.
Patents applied to game mechanics, especially ones that aren't unique to the company claiming them will always be a bad look.
If the lawsuit were something like derivative designs, I probably would be on Nintendo's side, but that's not the direction they went.
Re: As Switch 2 Breaks Records Worldwide, Sony Reminds Us That PS5 Still Exists
I had an 'oh crap' moment when I looked at my PS5 controller for the first time in who knows how long on Sunday and saw how much dust was on it.
I need to vacuum more.
...Maybe I can get a better vacuum cleaner with the cash I could get by selling the PS5.
Re: Poll: Has Your Switch 2's Screen Got Any Nasty Scratches Yet?
I made sure to order a screen protector when I got the system, and wouldn't use it before applying it..
Which also ended up meaning that I couldn't use the system during the launch weekend after the screen protector was delivered to a neighbor who was on vacation, and their house sitter brought it in. I had to wait until the neighbor got back.
Screen protectors are also rather finicky. There was a a big air bubble when I first applied it that I couldn't push out, then a corner got messed up when I lifted it to get rid of the bubble. It doesn't look horrible, but it's noticeable.
Re: Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary Smashes Onto Switch This Summer
I didn't play Bolder Dash back in the day.
...I played the indie clone, Dash!
It was like a really really bad version of Boulder Dash, but hey, it's what I had.
//Found a video of it on Youtube, so I know that it wasn't a figment of my imagination. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go over there and turn to dust.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Nintendo Switch 2
@Joeynator3000
I would keep an eye on Costco.
Switch 2s are out-of-stock right now, but they had them for basically all of launch day. I ordered one in the morning, and they were still there by evening.
While I'm not sure if you need to go in-store to sign up, they do deliver.
Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Nintendo Switch 2
The colors on my OLED switch are way better than the Switch 2, so I'm probably going to keep using the Switch OLED for S1 handheld mode, as long as the performance is decent and I can do tabletop mode with a real controller.
The analog stick on the Switch 2 joycons are worlds better (it's like a real analog stick now!) so it's probably better for true handheld mode.
Though I can already tell that Nintendo is going to do an OLED version a few years down the line, and I'm going to want to upgrade.
Totally agree on the UI. Dunno why Nintendo didn't really do anything to make it seem next-gen.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch 2 Cases To Carry And Protect Your Console
I forgot what it was called, but The case that I really liked was the flip case that I got for the original switch that was barely larger than the unit itself, didn't have added bulk for the Joycons, let the screen be visible without removing the device, and acted as a stand for tabletop play.
It only really provided scratch protection, but the Switch in one coat pocket, Pro Controller in the other, then setting it on a table was my preferred way to play Switch 1 games on the go. I never was able to find an updated version that supported the larger screen of the OLED version, though.
The Switch 1 barely fit in a coat pocket, so the larger Switch 2 probably couldn't manage the same, but I'd still like a similar product.
Re: Poll: Switch 2 Battery Reportedly Lasting Under Two Hours With Mario Kart - How Is Yours Holding Up?
I still haven't even turned mine on, since I had the bright idea of wanting to put a screen protector on it before use, and the one I ordered got delivered to a neighbor's house and I haven't managed to get it back.
...But my real concern is standby drain.
Nothing is worse than not using a device for a period of time, then finding the battery completely drained when I find the time for it.
The verdict on that is probably a few weeks out, as everyone's new Switch 2s are still redownloading their libraries, but I've usually ended up kicking myself when forgetting to fully shut down my Switch 1 when it wasn't stored on the dock and it was more than a day before using it again.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Guide: Ultimate Resource
I ordered one this morning from Costco. It's expected to be here tomorrow.
After a freaking year to get a PS5 and still be forced into a huge bundle, it was refreshing to get a Switch 2 relatively effortlessly.
Ok, technically still a bundle, but I don't mind a year of NSO.
Re: US Retailers Are Playing With Fire With More Switch 2 Cancellations
Even if they don't have enough units at launch, kicking people out of line is a crappy move.
Of course, I expect that it's because they're planning on a price increase by the time they're able to restock, so preorders at the original price are a liability.
Re: Yooka-Laylee Dev Playtonic Is The Latest Studio Hit By Layoffs
I really liked the second Yooka-Laylee game but not the first, even though in general, I prefer 3D platformers. I really hope that Replayee shores up the game design of the first game.
But still... their output has been quite low. What have they even been doing the last six years? Mostly publishing stuff, I guess, and they have released stuff that I like a lot, like Demon Turf and to a lesser extent, Lil' Gator Game, but not a lot of in-house development.
Re: Nintendo Switch System Update 20.1.0 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
The thing that I find funny is that for all the stability updates the system has gotten, the fastest and most stable the eshop ever was was at launch.
Yes, I know that it's mostly because it wasn't written to handle an increasing number of items in the shop so it would have gotten very unstable, anyway, without updates, but still...
Re: Poll: With One Week To Go, What Are Your Switch 2 Launch-Day Plans?
My plan is to open up a retailer page or two, see that it isn't available to common folk who didn't preorder on day 1 or queued up outside the store, and then go "Well, alright then" then do whatever it is I was going to do that day normally.
Re: How Well Do You Remember Super Mario Galaxy 2?
I don't need a quiz to let me know that I'm bad at trivia
I'm fully prepared to just go "Oh, yeah. I remember that" for each level when I replay it again, and not actually remember them until then.
Re: Palworld Dev Announces "Disappointing" Game Changes Resulting From Nintendo's Lawsuit
I remember gliding on a 'pal', specifically of the dragon variety, in 1989's Dragon Breed. Not the earliest example, just one that I could think of off the top of my head.
While that may not predate Game Freak as a company, as I can't find a release date, it's at least close. It's still way earlier than any patent that they might have filed. I doubt that they even were filing patents at all back in 1989.
Re: Talking Point: With Prices Rising, Are Your Gaming Habits Changing?
I've changed my buying habits, but it's been a while now.
I haven't gone for full-priced games in a long time, opting stick to big discounts, but I think that last year was a tipping point, when I completely cleared out my Steam wishlist. With discounts on Steam regularly hitting 75% off, even keeping a list of things that I'm just 'kind-of-sort-of' interested in is too much. If there are specific games that I really want to get, I might check to see what they've sold for recently when I have space for them, but anything that's forgotten is probably better skipped, and if I'm really interested in something, I'll make the time. I don't need to look at a list of stuff that I don't have time for and feel tempted to get anyway, just because there's an "80% off" tag next to it. If it's 80% off now, it'll probably also have that discount around the time I have time for it... if I ever do.
The last two games that I got at full price or close to it were Mario Wonder and Elden Ring. But that's basically what it takes: A flagship Mario game or one of the biggest releases by one of my favorite developers.
Most of the time? I'm playing something much cheaper. Clair Obscur, Lies of P, and Another Crab's Treasure on Gamepass were all fantastic. Humble Bundle and Fanatical have ways of dropping bundles with titles that I've been wanting to play but cost drastically less than even the one thing from them that I most want. With Nintendo just not discounting stuff and charging full price, I play very few Nintendo games. There will probably be even fewer on the Switch 2.
I did buy Anthology of the Killer at launch last year without a significant discount, but full price was also $7, and I played it immediately.
Re: Japanese Retailer Is Asking The Public How To Combat Switch 2 Scalpers
Absolutely anything would be better than what Sony did with the PS5, which was online-only and no quantity limits, which basically ensured that only scalper bots could buy the damn thing for the first two years.
Re: Review: Lunar Remastered Collection (Switch) - Two Of The Most Charming RPGs Ever Get A Fair, If Flawed, Port
I happened to replay the PS1 version of Silver Star Story not too long ago, and doing so makes me wonder if I actually beat it back in the day. I know that I at least got quite far into SSS back in the PS1 days, but I nearly ran out of MP-recharging items in the final dungeon, as in Nall was carrying no more and I had none left on several characters by the end of the final fight, so I nearly got backed into a corner in an unwinnable position, considering that it isn't possible to escape the final dungeon, and due to memory card limitations, I wouldn't have had access to unlimited saves back then.
It, of course, didn't help that in the mid-game when full-MP restoration items were common, I stopped conserving them, so my inventory ended up being largely comprised of meager partial-MP restoration items in the final dungeon, which run out quickly when trying to bring characters back to full, and enemies do too much damage to not use your best skills to take them out quickly.
Re: Review: Everhood 2 (Switch) - A Subversive, Surprising Yet Shallow Undertale-Inspired RPG
I found the first one interesting but very difficult. I'm hoping that I'll be able to have a smoother time with this one.
Some of the horror of the original really landed with me, and I've also liked other media that covered similar themes, like the recent anime 500 Million Year Button. The more you think about 'forever' the more terrifying it is.
Re: Poll: Will You Trade In Your Switch When Switch 2 Arrives?
My original Switch would just be added clutter if I kept it after buying a Switch 2, but at the moment, I have no plans of actually buying a Switch 2 until there's an OLED one.
If it takes a few years, it'll give the games a chance to have some decent sales, and I've got plenty on my PC, anyway.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Metroidvania Games
I'm kinda done buying devices that don't have OLED, at least until something better comes along. I kind of regret buying the 1st iteration of the Nintendo Switch, as it cost me a whole lot more in the long-run to upgrade from that to the OLED version, and I'm certainly not doing that again.
The games will be cheaper if I wait, and there will be more of them, anyway. Especially if the launch title is Mario Kart instead of a new 3D Mario, I don't really need to buy year 1/2.
Re: Round Up: The First Impressions Of Capcom Fighting Collection 2 Are In
I am so getting this.
Capcom vs SNK 2. Get rockin' baby!
Re: Nintendo Is Developing New Mobile Game Apps, Unsurprisingly
Mario Run is quite good.
Very limited in scope, but it works just fine on a touch screen, feels like a decent approximation of Mario, and it's a pay-once game.
I guess it technically has typical mobile BS in other modes, but the main mode (which is the only one worth looking at, IMO) is a regular pay-once game.
People who get mad at that are the ones that I'll blame if the next one has invasive ads and predatory microtransactions invading the core experience like 99% of everything else on mobile. Nintendo tried to do something nice with Mario Run.
Re: Nintendo Taking "All Possible Measures" To Combat Switch 2 Scalpers
Literally anything would be better than what Sony did, which was keep their console out of retail stores and exclusively sell them online in batches going up in the middle of the night that only people with bots set up (scalpers!) could buy them... for two entire years.
Re: Nintendo Asks Wii U Owners To Refrain From Using "Unauthorised" Online Services
What are the security risks of using these services? My Wii U will stop working online?
Isn't that the same thing that will happen if I don't use them?
Re: Yes, We're Getting A Brand New Guitar Hero Controller For Wii In 2025
While I'm certainly not in the market for a Wii Guitar Hero controller, I'm glad that they're making them available again for a variety of systems. I recently picked up a PS4-compatible one and have been playing Rock Band 4 on the PlayStation plus Clone Hero on PC. Good games that really deserve being easily accessible.
Re: Bayonetta Veteran Confirms PlatinumGames Departure
Even with some high-profile departures, they still had over 300 employees as of last year. and had three separate studios in 2022.
If I put on my wild speculation hat, I would guess that Kamina wanted to get back to making games (he was VP at PlatinumGames in the later years) and maybe some of the others didn't like the foray into Live Service crap at their Tokyo studio.
Re: New Patent Seemingly Confirms Nvidia 4K AI Upscaling For Switch 2
The only thing I care about is being able to play Nintendo games at a good framerate. As long as they deliver that, nothing else really matters.
Re: Best Of 2024: As A Nintendo Fan, Do You Really Need To Play The Virtual Boy?
I have good memories playing Red Alarm on the Virtual Boy via a Sears store kiosk when it was new, and would very much like to play another session on real hardware, if only to see the unique rendering mechanism in action again, as it really doesn't look like a conventional LCD display, but I doubt that a retro game store would let me, and I'm certainly not shelling out what it would take to own one.
Re: New Capcom Survey Wants To Know Your Thoughts About MvC Fighting Collection
I'd fill out the survey, but they'd get the wrong message when I said I didn't buy the collection.
...I have an Arcade 1-up X-Men vs Street Fighter cabinet and keep my PS3 hooked up to play Marvel vs Capcom 2 and use both frequently!
I do really want this collection, and am very interested in having easy access to Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter again (having previously owned it on the Saturn), but I am waiting on a sale. Once I get it, I am quite sure that I will play every game on it extensively.
Re: Toby Fox Shares Deltarune Dev Update, Says He's Working On Chapter 5 Every Day
I liked but did not love Deltarune chapters 1 and 2.
I don't really like the episodic approach, and feel that a single game could probably hit harder. As episodes, quite a bit of the characters and story are segmented away and can't build as well as in a single story.
Re: Penny's Big Breakaway Dev Downsizes Due To "Volatile Market Conditions"
The devs made a few missteps with Penny's Big Breakaway. The art for one, both with the design and the intense palette, making it difficult to even look at for long. Next, the constant barrage by the penguins feels like something that should be in a challenge mode, not the main game. The timed challenges feel like a 'for speedrunners only' thing, being strict to the point that I felt punished for even trying. The controls are also difficult to keep a handle on.
I was excited for it going in, but I didn't make it very far.