Nintendo at their best. Up against it due to pressure from Sony, going their own way doing crazy and new stuff in gaming and pulling it all off with style. Maximum respect to Iwata.
I’m not sure if any of the gaming sites that are failing were getting funding from the US taxpayer-funded NGOs that Trump is taking a hatchet to. This seems to be the case in other prominent media outlets e.g. the BBC in the UK who’ve said that a chunk of their income was from USAID.
Regardless it’s true to say that parts of the gaming media have generally become more focused on pushing a (largely left-wing) political agenda in recent times. And this has led to the recent push-back from gamers - who generally aren’t interested in the political messaging. They just want to play great games and read about them in the gaming press + have the gaming press help them figure out which ones to buy.
Games and politics will never be totally separate but I think the recent move to political agenda pushing is one of the main reasons behind the recent failures in the gaming media.
I’d personally really welcome a return to our roots as a gaming community - pushing politics out and getting back to building a broad community that’s focused on enjoying great games regardless of our differing political views.
Not much point in publishing a remaster if it plays worse than the original due to performance issues. It would have been better to hold it back for the Switch 2 if the Switch can’t handle the upgrades in the remaster. There’s a good chance it would have sold more as a Switch 2 launch title.
@Snatcher “So I’m honestly asking, well the people here at least that are upset about the “censorship” mad about Lins changes?”
I disagree with the changes to Lin’s outfits. From what I understand - so the reasoning behind my conclusions are clear - 2 somewhat revealing bikinis that were in the original Japanese release were removed from the original Western release. And that censorship will now apply to all regions for the re-release.
I checked out the artwork of the original Japanese release earlier this afternoon to make sure I understood what was being discussed. I’m not going to link it but it took me 10 seconds to find the relevant images by searching the internet.
IMO the costumes are harmless. The point was made above - and I agree - they’re no more than you’d see if you went to the beach. IMO a teenage girl’s body is nothing to be ashamed of. And looking at it from the perspective of a part of the target demographic for the game - teenage boys - it’s probably a (harmless) plus point for them. It was clearly the creator’s intent for them to be in the game. So all good.
I think censorship like this is unnecessary and possibly harmful. As a society we should be embracing and promoting positive body images for all ages. We shouldn’t be frowning upon it, suppressing it or in any way suggesting it’s not perfectly normal.
And we definitely need to get a bit more mature about discussing this.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I guess the example you’ve given is relevant but I don’t think public outrage over anime panty upshots can fully explain the situation. There’s a lot more going on here. There have been public statements from both a number of the larger Japanese companies and Japanese politicians on the influence of ESG, DEI and the push for market development of the Japanese entertainment industries outside of Japan, with adaptation of their products to suit the global market. Difficult to piece together all of the components - made harder by the language barrier.
@HeadPirate Yes I’d like to understand more about the Japanese angle on all this. It’s made harder by the language barrier. My understanding is that what you’re saying is true - there’s a general push for removal of the more sexual elements of some of their entertainment. But I know there is kick-back on it in some areas of Japanese society (the anti-censorship parts, like the rest of the world I suppose). And there are questions about the Japanese companies’ motives + links with “globalisation”, “appealing to modern audiences”, ESG and DEI. It would be great to get some decent journalistic insight to all this - but that’s unlikely with the increasingly agenda-pushing nature of the mainstream media nowadays. Ultimately it would be good to see more kick-back on this censorship and a return to pushing boundaries on art and entertainment is healthy - and often a lot more entertaining - without fear of offending people. IMO of course.
@Yoshi3 “Shouldn’t we all be having a serious conversation of other things about this great game? This is just NOISE”
For those that are unhappy with the increasing censorship of titles in recent years - this is a very big deal - hence the reaction on forums like this. If the censorship doesn’t bother you then - yeah - it’s a bit of a nothing-burger and you can play the re-release w/o any issues.
It’s good to see an open discussion on this on Nintendo Life though. Congratulations to the Mods for not censoring the hell out of it. Even if the framing of the article is still clearly - “it’s censored but it’s not a big deal and anyone who thinks otherwise is a bit mental”.
@Polvasti “Whereas popular media in general, and Japanese RPGs specifically, are chock full of fanservicey, sexist depictions of women, so losing one example of such is not a big thing. (And if you're against sexism, it's actually a positive thing.)”
I’m against sexism but pro fan-service-y content. You need to lighten up.
@Polvasti Not trying to misunderstand you, I’m actually learning about your point of view from your replies - but not getting it right all the time I guess. You’ve clearly thought it through and I get what you’re saying (I think) but for me the sexual elements of the XC games have always there (maybe less so in X, and toned down in 3). For me it’s part of the games - a fun and enjoyable part - that I don’t want to see sacrificed to the modern trend of watering down game content. I don’t agree with you when you say it’s objectifying women - and I think this is probably a difference that explains the differing viewpoints on the games and a lot of other things. It’s not about objectifying women for me - it’s about recognising the female body as a source of attraction - and is good natured fun. I think this is a consistent (and consistently misunderstood) theme in a lot of Japanese entertainment.
@Polvasti “ Of course the creators have the right to do whatever they want, just like I have the right to point out that sexism and objectification go against their themes of equality and personal autonomy.”
And this is where we get into the territory of telling people there’s a “right” way to do sex, rather than what people want or find attractive, or how the creators want to portray it. This approach is embedded in censorship. Hence why many people reject it.
@Polvasti “The XC games are serious, philosophical sci-fi RPGs that deal with issues of power, equality and personal autonomy, and sex and sexuality are not really important themes in them.”
No they’re not. Yes - they have elements of that. But there’s a whole lot of lighter moments and fun in them. Is sex taboo now or something? And who are you or I to tell the developers / creators of the game what should be in their games - it’s up to them.
@Polvasti “if you wanna make a game just for horny straight men, that's your prerogative, but I don't think that's what the XC makers were aiming for, so the fanservice elements in them just feel so stupid.”
I think this actually captures the essence of the problem with the changes to content moderation that we’re seeing in recent times (by which I mean the last 5 years or so). Anything aimed at “horny straight men” has become “bad”. But in the real world a very large part of the target audience for video games are straight men who are (sometimes!) horny. And what’s wrong with making **fun** games targeted at them? I mean, like the industry used to?!? The answer is - nothing. Absolutely nothing. It’s not exclusionary - as other games can be targeted other demographics too. But trying to tell what is the main demographic of the video game playing population that what it wants is “wrong” is ultimately doomed to failure. Hence a lot of the turmoil we’re seeing in the industry in recent times.
Censorship (or “content moderation”…) is unwelcome to a whole bunch of people for a variety of reasons. It should be called out so people are aware of it and can make informed decisions about whether to buy something.
This particular case is a clear example of censorship / content moderation. We know for a fact that the content was restricted in the original release in US / Europe and this restriction is now in the Japanese re-release. And there may be further changes - TBC.
Whether it’s important to you is your call. For some people it’s important, for some not. Bringing attention to it so that people are aware is a good thing.
@Bratwurst35 I think you’ve missed the point. Game content should follow the artist’s / developer’s vision. That approach inherently doesn’t exclude anyone. If you have an artistic vision for characters that are not white males - fine - put it in a game. No need for enforced DEI compliance.
I respect companies that resist the drive for DEI compliance and its artificial and forced inclusivity and diversity. It’s becoming a really bad influence on games and fundamentally moves them away from their primary purpose - which is to have fun.
Sony has fallen for this. I **really** hope Nintendo doesn’t.
My main hope is for backwards compatibility and it sounds like, based on all the evidence available, it will be an upgraded Switch - i.e. console / handheld hybrid. I’m sure Nintendo will throw some innovation in there in some way though so it’s not just a spec bump + new gameplay is encouraged.
If the biggest CON that be levelled at this game is the default difficulty is too easy when the difficulty is adjustable… well that’s not much of a CON is it?
I mean I get annoyed when the default Y axis movement for the camera isn’t inverted but I’ve managed to come to terms with toggling that before I start games.
Think it’s fairly common now for the default difficulty settings in JRPGs to be too easy. I’m bumping them up to max before playing nowadays and lowering if it gets too tough. I like the combat to be challenging, particularly in turn-based RPGs.
I don’t think there’s any lack of respect there, if anything the Japanese games like this go out of their way to be respectful and good natured. I agree it may not be inclusive for everyone, but should art always aim for that? That would be pretty dull IMO. For some people it’s a plus, for some it’s a negative - and that’s fine.
Greatly enjoyed ToCS 1-4. Been looking forward to this, and really pleased to see that the reviews are so positive. I’m probably going to play through the Sky games first though. I was disappointed when playing ToCS 3 and 4 about just how much I was missing out because I hadn’t played the earlier (pre-ToCS) games.
Not keen on this - it will be difficult to avoid spoilers. Even if I don’t watch the Direct there will be Twitter coverage etc. Going to try and stick my head in the sand until I’ve played it through. Which will probably be end of September based on the amount of content in XC2. Oh dear that’s a long time.
Really enjoying the Trails of Cold Steel games. Would definitely recommend them to people who enjoy JRPGs. And I’d strongly recommend against jumping in at no. 3, you’d miss so much of the plot and character development from 1 and 2 (which are both awesome games).
My main hope is the localisation process speeds up. The Falcom games are great, Ys games included. It’s frustrating that Japan are now 2 games ahead of us in the Legend of Heroes series!
Played Ys VIII on Switch and absolutely loved it. It’s a fantastic game. That said… it does look better on PS4/5. Just managed to get hold of a PS5 so will be playing Ys IX on PS5 when the price drops.
Moved to digital this gen. On my 3rd 1 TB SD card. Scary how many interesting games on Switch vs previous gens. The sheer volume of games is an amazing development vs previous Nintendo platforms. Working my way through them, will last years though.
For me there’s something magical about picking up a copy of an old game with box, manual etc and playing the game as closely as possible to what was originally intended.
I’m particularly enjoying the efforts of companies like Analogue in bringing these experiences to modern display / audio technology as faithfully as possible.
I think the Switch is possibly the last format I’ll go mainly physical. The benefits are really starting to move in favour of digital-only: instant access, relatively affordable large-scale storage, regular updates / patches for games. I think we’re right in the middle of the turning point to going fully digital. I’ve little doubt that in another 30 years people will look at physical games as a very strange concept.
But I’m glad, through a combination of physical and digital mediums, much of the beginning of video games history will be preserved thanks to the efforts of people who’ve grown up playing the games. It’s really cool to be able to go back and play an “old school” game and compare it to more modern takes (currently working my way through Cybernator on the SNES and Gigantic Army, alternating between the 2. IMO Gigantic Army is under-rated!).
@TJM Hope you’re right and this is the first part of a master plan! The new Nintendo head seems pretty switched on commercially, obviously Switch was (and still is) the priority but hopefully we’ll start to see a plan for the back catalogue reveal itself over the coming months. Then we can happily give Nintendo more of our hard earned cash
Nintendo’s back catalogue is a licence to print money, they could do so much more with it. This kind of thing shows sales are the tip of the iceberg. I’m happy they’re doing such a great job with the Switch, making great games and turning the company’s fortunes around like they did with the Wii. But if they focused on the back catalogue in a coordinated way I’m sure it would soon grow to be a pretty significant business for them. Maybe demand for this thing will help them realise!
NX will launch towards the end of 2016. The Wii U has failed, launching Zelda in 2015 won't change that. It's similar to the situation with the Gamecube.
Hopefully NX will achieve Wii levels of popularity.
The game is being delayed so it can be launched on Wii U and NX simultaneously. The NX version will be enhanced to take advantage of the new hardware capabilities - whatever they turn out to be. It will give the new platform a system-selling game at launch. With the additional development time Nintendo will ensure it's the best Zelda ever.
To all the people upset about the game not showing at E3 - chill. It's the right decision for Nintendo's future.
I was going to buy this game for my son, who loved the first demo. Especially the Black Betty level, which he's played so many times the music is engrained in my skull.
No way I'm buying it now. By September there will be a number of other great games on Wii U from Nintendo.
Comments 43
Re: Anniversary: 10 Years After His Passing, Satoru Iwata's Thoughts Are More Relevant Than Ever
Nintendo at their best. Up against it due to pressure from Sony, going their own way doing crazy and new stuff in gaming and pulling it all off with style. Maximum respect to Iwata.
Re: Editorial: Gamers, Support The People And Sites You Love, Before It's Too Late
Removed
Re: Editorial: Gamers, Support The People And Sites You Love, Before It's Too Late
I’m not sure if any of the gaming sites that are failing were getting funding from the US taxpayer-funded NGOs that Trump is taking a hatchet to. This seems to be the case in other prominent media outlets e.g. the BBC in the UK who’ve said that a chunk of their income was from USAID.
Regardless it’s true to say that parts of the gaming media have generally become more focused on pushing a (largely left-wing) political agenda in recent times. And this has led to the recent push-back from gamers - who generally aren’t interested in the political messaging. They just want to play great games and read about them in the gaming press + have the gaming press help them figure out which ones to buy.
Games and politics will never be totally separate but I think the recent move to political agenda pushing is one of the main reasons behind the recent failures in the gaming media.
I’d personally really welcome a return to our roots as a gaming community - pushing politics out and getting back to building a broad community that’s focused on enjoying great games regardless of our differing political views.
Re: Review: Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP (Switch) - This Choppy Remaster Of A Cult Gem Doesn't Bring Any Cheer
Not much point in publishing a remaster if it plays worse than the original due to performance issues. It would have been better to hold it back for the Switch 2 if the Switch can’t handle the upgrades in the remaster. There’s a good chance it would have sold more as a Switch 2 launch title.
Re: New Switch Anime Fighter Due Out In 2025 "Refused Classification" Down Under
@SillyG Great post, thanks for the background.
Re: Bullet-Hell Shmup Refused Classification In The West Over 'Expression Restrictions'
Available on Steam BTW for those interested, currently 20% off.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@Snatcher “So I’m honestly asking, well the people here at least that are upset about the “censorship” mad about Lins changes?”
I disagree with the changes to Lin’s outfits. From what I understand - so the reasoning behind my conclusions are clear - 2 somewhat revealing bikinis that were in the original Japanese release were removed from the original Western release. And that censorship will now apply to all regions for the re-release.
I checked out the artwork of the original Japanese release earlier this afternoon to make sure I understood what was being discussed. I’m not going to link it but it took me 10 seconds to find the relevant images by searching the internet.
IMO the costumes are harmless. The point was made above - and I agree - they’re no more than you’d see if you went to the beach. IMO a teenage girl’s body is nothing to be ashamed of. And looking at it from the perspective of a part of the target demographic for the game - teenage boys - it’s probably a (harmless) plus point for them. It was clearly the creator’s intent for them to be in the game. So all good.
I think censorship like this is unnecessary and possibly harmful. As a society we should be embracing and promoting positive body images for all ages. We shouldn’t be frowning upon it, suppressing it or in any way suggesting it’s not perfectly normal.
And we definitely need to get a bit more mature about discussing this.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@HeadPirate
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I guess the example you’ve given is relevant but I don’t think public outrage over anime panty upshots can fully explain the situation. There’s a lot more going on here. There have been public statements from both a number of the larger Japanese companies and Japanese politicians on the influence of ESG, DEI and the push for market development of the Japanese entertainment industries outside of Japan, with adaptation of their products to suit the global market. Difficult to piece together all of the components - made harder by the language barrier.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@HeadPirate Yes I’d like to understand more about the Japanese angle on all this. It’s made harder by the language barrier. My understanding is that what you’re saying is true - there’s a general push for removal of the more sexual elements of some of their entertainment. But I know there is kick-back on it in some areas of Japanese society (the anti-censorship parts, like the rest of the world I suppose). And there are questions about the Japanese companies’ motives + links with “globalisation”, “appealing to modern audiences”, ESG and DEI. It would be great to get some decent journalistic insight to all this - but that’s unlikely with the increasingly agenda-pushing nature of the mainstream media nowadays. Ultimately it would be good to see more kick-back on this censorship and a return to pushing boundaries on art and entertainment is healthy - and often a lot more entertaining - without fear of offending people. IMO of course.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@Yoshi3 “Shouldn’t we all be having a serious conversation of other things about this great game? This is just NOISE”
For those that are unhappy with the increasing censorship of titles in recent years - this is a very big deal - hence the reaction on forums like this. If the censorship doesn’t bother you then - yeah - it’s a bit of a nothing-burger and you can play the re-release w/o any issues.
It’s good to see an open discussion on this on Nintendo Life though. Congratulations to the Mods for not censoring the hell out of it. Even if the framing of the article is still clearly - “it’s censored but it’s not a big deal and anyone who thinks otherwise is a bit mental”.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@HeadPirate “So if you want the original publisher to retain control, there is no problem here. This is the version Nintendo and NOA both want.”
Agreed. And it’s good evidence that Nintendo of Japan’s outlook is becoming “Westernized” - which is a concern for a lot of people.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@Polvasti “Whereas popular media in general, and Japanese RPGs specifically, are chock full of fanservicey, sexist depictions of women, so losing one example of such is not a big thing. (And if you're against sexism, it's actually a positive thing.)”
I’m against sexism but pro fan-service-y content. You need to lighten up.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@Polvasti Not trying to misunderstand you, I’m actually learning about your point of view from your replies - but not getting it right all the time I guess. You’ve clearly thought it through and I get what you’re saying (I think) but for me the sexual elements of the XC games have always there (maybe less so in X, and toned down in 3). For me it’s part of the games - a fun and enjoyable part - that I don’t want to see sacrificed to the modern trend of watering down game content. I don’t agree with you when you say it’s objectifying women - and I think this is probably a difference that explains the differing viewpoints on the games and a lot of other things. It’s not about objectifying women for me - it’s about recognising the female body as a source of attraction - and is good natured fun. I think this is a consistent (and consistently misunderstood) theme in a lot of Japanese entertainment.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's 'Censorship'
@Polvasti “ Of course the creators have the right to do whatever they want, just like I have the right to point out that sexism and objectification go against their themes of equality and personal autonomy.”
And this is where we get into the territory of telling people there’s a “right” way to do sex, rather than what people want or find attractive, or how the creators want to portray it. This approach is embedded in censorship. Hence why many people reject it.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's Censorship
@Polvasti “The XC games are serious, philosophical sci-fi RPGs that deal with issues of power, equality and personal autonomy, and sex and sexuality are not really important themes in them.”
No they’re not. Yes - they have elements of that. But there’s a whole lot of lighter moments and fun in them. Is sex taboo now or something? And who are you or I to tell the developers / creators of the game what should be in their games - it’s up to them.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's Censorship
@Polvasti “if you wanna make a game just for horny straight men, that's your prerogative, but I don't think that's what the XC makers were aiming for, so the fanservice elements in them just feel so stupid.”
I think this actually captures the essence of the problem with the changes to content moderation that we’re seeing in recent times (by which I mean the last 5 years or so). Anything aimed at “horny straight men” has become “bad”. But in the real world a very large part of the target audience for video games are straight men who are (sometimes!) horny. And what’s wrong with making **fun** games targeted at them? I mean, like the industry used to?!? The answer is - nothing. Absolutely nothing. It’s not exclusionary - as other games can be targeted other demographics too. But trying to tell what is the main demographic of the video game playing population that what it wants is “wrong” is ultimately doomed to failure. Hence a lot of the turmoil we’re seeing in the industry in recent times.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X Fans Are Once Again Discussing The Game's Censorship
Censorship (or “content moderation”…) is unwelcome to a whole bunch of people for a variety of reasons. It should be called out so people are aware of it and can make informed decisions about whether to buy something.
This particular case is a clear example of censorship / content moderation. We know for a fact that the content was restricted in the original release in US / Europe and this restriction is now in the Japanese re-release. And there may be further changes - TBC.
Whether it’s important to you is your call. For some people it’s important, for some not. Bringing attention to it so that people are aware is a good thing.
Re: Soapbox: Nintendo Needs More Characters Like Paper Mario's Vivian
@Bratwurst35 I think you’ve missed the point. Game content should follow the artist’s / developer’s vision. That approach inherently doesn’t exclude anyone. If you have an artistic vision for characters that are not white males - fine - put it in a game. No need for enforced DEI compliance.
Re: Soapbox: Nintendo Needs More Characters Like Paper Mario's Vivian
Wow a lot of censorship on these replies…
I respect companies that resist the drive for DEI compliance and its artificial and forced inclusivity and diversity. It’s becoming a really bad influence on games and fundamentally moves them away from their primary purpose - which is to have fun.
Sony has fallen for this. I **really** hope Nintendo doesn’t.
Re: Digital Foundry Digs Into The Nvidia Chip Rumoured To Power 'Switch 2'
My main hope is for backwards compatibility and it sounds like, based on all the evidence available, it will be an upgraded Switch - i.e. console / handheld hybrid. I’m sure Nintendo will throw some innovation in there in some way though so it’s not just a spec bump + new gameplay is encouraged.
Re: Review: Star Ocean: The Second Story R - One Of The Very Best RPGs Of The Year
If the biggest CON that be levelled at this game is the default difficulty is too easy when the difficulty is adjustable… well that’s not much of a CON is it?
I mean I get annoyed when the default Y axis movement for the camera isn’t inverted but I’ve managed to come to terms with toggling that before I start games.
Re: Review: Star Ocean: The Second Story R - One Of The Very Best RPGs Of The Year
@LilyGoMEOW Yarp agreed. Just watched a vid of the combat and it looks interesting - definitely would want to make it challenging.
Re: Review: Star Ocean: The Second Story R - One Of The Very Best RPGs Of The Year
Think it’s fairly common now for the default difficulty settings in JRPGs to be too easy. I’m bumping them up to max before playing nowadays and lowering if it gets too tough. I like the combat to be challenging, particularly in turn-based RPGs.
Re: Review: Fire Emblem Engage - Relationships Get Sidelined By A Thrilling Combat-First Focus
Awesome, day one purchase. Very happy to hear the focus is on the tactical RPG gameplay rather than social sim.
Re: Monolith Soft Celebrates Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Fifth Anniversary With Special Artwork
I don’t think there’s any lack of respect there, if anything the Japanese games like this go out of their way to be respectful and good natured. I agree it may not be inclusive for everyone, but should art always aim for that? That would be pretty dull IMO. For some people it’s a plus, for some it’s a negative - and that’s fine.
Re: Monolith Soft Celebrates Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Fifth Anniversary With Special Artwork
For me 2 > 1 > 3.
The “anime fanservice” was a plus. Pyra, Mythra, Poppi, Brighid all awesome.
Rex was a bit annoying though.
Re: Review: The Legend Of Heroes: Trails From Zero - A Stellar RPG And A Stand-Out In Falcom's Storied Saga
Greatly enjoyed ToCS 1-4. Been looking forward to this, and really pleased to see that the reviews are so positive. I’m probably going to play through the Sky games first though. I was disappointed when playing ToCS 3 and 4 about just how much I was missing out because I hadn’t played the earlier (pre-ToCS) games.
Need to finish XC3 first though!
Re: A Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct Will Be Airing This Wednesday
Not keen on this - it will be difficult to avoid spoilers. Even if I don’t watch the Direct there will be Twitter coverage etc. Going to try and stick my head in the sand until I’ve played it through. Which will probably be end of September based on the amount of content in XC2. Oh dear that’s a long time.
Re: Scalpers Are Already Reselling Analogue Pocket Systems For Insane Prices Online
Not surprised this is happening. The reviews have all been really positive. Supply is very constrained.
Mine arrived this morning. It is very, very good. The screen looks great, the dock works really well + the picture on the TV is very sharp.
When it’s unlocked + there are extra cores it will be amazing.
Re: Japanese RPG Heavyweight Nihon Falcom Is Bringing Switch Development In-House
Really enjoying the Trails of Cold Steel games. Would definitely recommend them to people who enjoy JRPGs. And I’d strongly recommend against jumping in at no. 3, you’d miss so much of the plot and character development from 1 and 2 (which are both awesome games).
My main hope is the localisation process speeds up. The Falcom games are great, Ys games included. It’s frustrating that Japan are now 2 games ahead of us in the Legend of Heroes series!
Re: Unavailability Of Classic Titles Is "Holding Game Culture Back", Says Platinum's Hideki Kamiya
Not sure what all the fuss is about. There are good options for playing almost all retro games. Many mentioned above.
Re: Mini Review: Arcade Archives VENDETTA - Konami's Finest Belt-Scrolling Brawler? You'd Better Believe It
Hopefully this comes to MiSTer FPGA, it looks great.
Re: Review: Ys IX: Monstrum Nox - A Fine Action-RPG With Performance Issues On Switch
Played Ys VIII on Switch and absolutely loved it. It’s a fantastic game. That said… it does look better on PS4/5. Just managed to get hold of a PS5 so will be playing Ys IX on PS5 when the price drops.
Re: Nintendo eShop Growth Continues With Massive Increase To Digital Sales
Moved to digital this gen. On my 3rd 1 TB SD card. Scary how many interesting games on Switch vs previous gens. The sheer volume of games is an amazing development vs previous Nintendo platforms. Working my way through them, will last years though.
Re: Feature: Keeping It Physical In A Digital Age
For me there’s something magical about picking up a copy of an old game with box, manual etc and playing the game as closely as possible to what was originally intended.
I’m particularly enjoying the efforts of companies like Analogue in bringing these experiences to modern display / audio technology as faithfully as possible.
I think the Switch is possibly the last format I’ll go mainly physical. The benefits are really starting to move in favour of digital-only: instant access, relatively affordable large-scale storage, regular updates / patches for games. I think we’re right in the middle of the turning point to going fully digital. I’ve little doubt that in another 30 years people will look at physical games as a very strange concept.
But I’m glad, through a combination of physical and digital mediums, much of the beginning of video games history will be preserved thanks to the efforts of people who’ve grown up playing the games. It’s really cool to be able to go back and play an “old school” game and compare it to more modern takes (currently working my way through Cybernator on the SNES and Gigantic Army, alternating between the 2. IMO Gigantic Army is under-rated!).
Re: Poll: Did The Nintendo Direct Mini: Partners Showcase Meet Your Expectations?
2 SMT games, walked away happy. Prior to that was ... tumbleweed ...
A game of 2 halves.
Re: Can You Name These Third-Party Nintendo Games From Just Their Box Art?
11/15, happy with that as it was tough. Good quiz.
Re: Nintendo To Remaster 'Most Of Super Mario’s 35-Year Catalogue' For Switch in 2020, New Report Says
Sunshine in HD with “remastered” camera please
Re: It Seems Argos Is Cancelling Some SNES Classic Mini Pre-Orders In The UK
@TJM Hope you’re right and this is the first part of a master plan! The new Nintendo head seems pretty switched on commercially, obviously Switch was (and still is) the priority but hopefully we’ll start to see a plan for the back catalogue reveal itself over the coming months. Then we can happily give Nintendo more of our hard earned cash
Re: It Seems Argos Is Cancelling Some SNES Classic Mini Pre-Orders In The UK
Nintendo’s back catalogue is a licence to print money, they could do so much more with it. This kind of thing shows sales are the tip of the iceberg. I’m happy they’re doing such a great job with the Switch, making great games and turning the company’s fortunes around like they did with the Wii. But if they focused on the back catalogue in a coordinated way I’m sure it would soon grow to be a pretty significant business for them. Maybe demand for this thing will help them realise!
Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Attempts To Explain Why Zelda Wii U Wasn't At E3 2015
@MrPuzzlez
NX will launch towards the end of 2016. The Wii U has failed, launching Zelda in 2015 won't change that. It's similar to the situation with the Gamecube.
Hopefully NX will achieve Wii levels of popularity.
Re: Reggie Fils-Aime Attempts To Explain Why Zelda Wii U Wasn't At E3 2015
The game is being delayed so it can be launched on Wii U and NX simultaneously. The NX version will be enhanced to take advantage of the new hardware capabilities - whatever they turn out to be. It will give the new platform a system-selling game at launch. With the additional development time Nintendo will ensure it's the best Zelda ever.
To all the people upset about the game not showing at E3 - chill. It's the right decision for Nintendo's future.
Re: Wii U To Get An "Exclusive" Rayman Legends Demo Soon
Wow thanks.......
I was going to buy this game for my son, who loved the first demo. Especially the Black Betty level, which he's played so many times the music is engrained in my skull.
No way I'm buying it now. By September there will be a number of other great games on Wii U from Nintendo.
Seriously poor form from Ubisoft. Terrible.