larryisaman

@Pillowpants Name change basically meant nothing at all, everybody knows it’s the same thing

@Yosher Wish they’d update the key card system so that you only need to insert the card once every so often rather than requiring it to play every time. I’m sure they could make it recognize that the key is already in use so you can’t lend the card out during that grace period.

Poor little Microsoft, can’t even afford to do game key cards

Whatever the future of the Prime series is going forwards I’m grateful that Nintendo saw this game through to the end. Most publishers wouldn’t have kept plugging away at it after it got scrapped (Nintendo probably would have canned it too had they not announced it so early) but it feels like they made it as an obligation to fans even knowing from the off that it would be a hugely expensive endeavor giving it to Retro. Yes companies are out to make as much money as possible and Nintendo are no different but this is an unusual case and I’m thankful it happened when it was clearly never going to see the kind of success that would reflect its budget.

Sales wise this is a great start but it’ll probably have to sell a lot more to break even on dev costs, though hopefully the amiibos/art book will have offset some of their investment. Really hoping they give them Prime 5 now that they have a team in place that can do it and I think it’s clear from Prime 4 that they can make something special, it’s just the circumstances massively hampered them.

Stephen Totilo says a Nintendo rep confirmed to him that it sold over a million copies when both version sales are combined. I don’t know why Nintendo don’t just combine them anyway, it’s the same game and the physical works on both regardless of which version you choose.

@HalBailman Perfect Dark is cancelled 😔

Show some of the Persona 4 remake/confirm it for Switch 2 and then follow up with a P5R upgrade shadow drop. Started playing it again and it looks dog rough in handheld on Switch 2 and could do with a 60FPS bump for good measure

@Dman10 Been wanting NHL since the first Switch was revealed. Was so excited to get a console quality NHL on a handheld and it never happened. Then imagine my disappointment when I got a Steam Deck and discovered they don’t make them for PC either 😂

Not holding my breath but since EA have branched out to putting Madden out this time there’s a tiny bit of hope that they’ll finally get a hockey game out 🤞🤞🤞

Holding out hope that they’re making some DLC for Prime 4 that provides a more satisfying ending. Would be a good way of offsetting some of the high dev costs too

@johnedwin Right, but they can do both. Namco did a Switch physical version of Shadow Labyrinth with a free upgrade and a key card for the Switch 2 version without issue.

Even if they charge for the upgrade it’s still better to have a proper physical release of some version of the game rather than having to choose between two options that aren’t ideal for a Switch 2 owner. The way they’re doing it just makes me not want to buy either because I know they could easily offer a solution and aren’t willing to.

@MegaChem Just release the Switch version on a cartridge with the upgrade available to Switch 2 users as a download? And don’t bother with making a GKC at all? Sure you’re still having to download something but at least you have a full game on the cartridge versus nothing but a download key.

For the record I’m not inherently against key cards but when there’s an option to have the best of both worlds and they offer a catch 22 instead then yes it’s a joke.

It’s an absolute joke that there’s no Switch 2 upgrade for this (or DQ 1/2HD for that matter), especially considering they dropped a free update for 3HD proving there’s no reason they can’t do it.

Releasing a few months after Mario Kart won’t have done it any favours. That’s also the reason I didn’t buy Kirby Air Riders despite it looking great, I really don’t need another kart racer right now especially when I don’t plan on deleting World as it’s a great game to jump into for a few races and will hopefully be updated with new content for years to come.

6 Nintendo games in the top 10 with 4 at the top…but the UK don’t caaaaaare about Nintendo!!! It’s PlayStation territory!!!!

🙄

I struggle to believe Nintendo have anything to do with this considering Cyberpunk released recently, was heavily promoted by Nintendo and still gets a lot of visibility on the eShop. To change their stance on content like this right now just makes no sense.

Samus going into cardiac arrest in Prime 2’s game over screen is pretty grim stuff, probably the darkest they’ve ever gone with any of their core franchises

@Gofixmeaplate I was hoping for the same, that’s the one I had when I was a kid 😔

EDIT: Ah, it was made by and published by Sega so I guess it wasn’t going to happen regardless, these are all Capcom games I think!

Wish the Switch/2 just had a 3D screen as standard. So many games that would look incredible (Prime 4 🤤) and they could do this VB stuff without requiring a headset.

I understand why the 3D fad died as far as TVs and movies go but glasses free 3D on handheld devices was unobtrusive and added a lot IMO.

@Jeff2sayshi Doubt they’d refuse them, it would only benefit Nintendo to have more games. Microsoft are readying games for this Spring so they’ve had access to dev kits for long enough, can’t see why the same wouldn’t be true for Sony. Either they haven’t had enough time to port it over or the contract only said the game needs to be on Switch specifically so they didn’t bother with Switch 2.

I was initially excited about replaying Prime 2 on Switch even if it’s just the OG Gamecube version but then remembered its tank controls and harsh difficulty. No thanks. I’d rather pay for a barebones remaster with updated controls and the toned down difficulty from the Trilogy version.

@lyle_catcliffe There’s no physical version for Xbox

@SpaceboyScreams Kiwitalkz (interviewed several Retro devs) said in November he’d heard from “multiple people for over a year” that he’d be retiring after Prime 4 wrapped. Development process for that game might have pushed his decision but I doubt the response to the game (critically or commercially) was a factor.

@RumandCohibas South of Midnight? Indiana Jones?

@MK73DS GF are a third of TPC, they have a say. I bet if they wanted to they could put all of their focus on mainline games and fully outsource remakes and the Legends titles- even if Creatures said no I imagine Nintendo would say yes given their usual quality standards. Fact is GF make so much more money doing most of the RPGs in house so they won’t stop.

@Haruki_NLI BDSP had a 1.5 year development cycle apparently. ILCA are definitely capable of more but weren’t given the chance.

@FrenchVaniIIuxe At his age why not? Especially after Prime 4 which was probably one of (if not the) most difficult projects he’s ever worked on. OK, it wasn’t the game most people were hoping for but he saw it through to the end and we got a game that was at least good if unremarkable. I don’t think Prime 4 is a sour note to leave on at all.

@Not_Soos Frustrating as all hell that it’s not just an expected feature in Nintendo games (where it makes sense to include) especially since they started charging for online. Online multiplayer has been a standard since PS3/360 and it’s still expected that most Nintendo games won’t have it even when they have a multiplayer component.

@X68000 There’s really no rhyme or reason for when they announce things, I don’t think this indicates anything about a Direct not happening soon.

Honestly given the context of its development I think the fact it turned out to be a good game overall (7/10 IMO) is remarkable. Whatever your feelings are on it (and most critiques I’ve seen of it are valid) I think anyone saying it’s a terrible game is being objectively unfair to it, it is very flawed but it’s still highly polished and enjoyable on its own merits.

I really just wish they’d have gotten the story and handling of Samus as a character in a much better place. That’s a huge knock on the game for me that really shouldn’t have been as dire as it was. Attributing the overall lack of cohesion of the game design to its development hell is one thing but the narrative should have been something they could have nailed or at least handled much better.

I wish I could agree with him.

@ElkinFencer10 Those Wii/Wii U efforts were seriously underrated. They even had a dedicated team within Treyarch to make them instead of farming them out. Not that Activision ever tried to make them a success, they’d rarely show screenshots/footage prior to launch and I remember a few times it was a “will they won’t they” situation when it came to even getting a confirmation that a CoD was even coming to Wii until late on.

@NintendoWife It gradually gets more focused on the other characters and wants you to care about them. I was confused by the chatter about them too and those first few hours were really positive for me but sadly the quality dips as the game goes on and the NPCs are a part of that.

Absolutely fascinating to me how a developer can make both a universally acclaimed and financially successful game and yet (supposedly) relations with the rights holders sour right after. Same thing with the Sonic Mania devs, it’s bizarre.

@Neonix However you slice it, it’s Nintendo’s best selling game series of the last 15+ years. There’s genuinely nothing else that appeals to both hardcore Nintendo fans and more casual audiences in anywhere near the same way that Mario Kart does, it’s literally the perfect game to launch with and I’d bet my house that Switch 2 sales thus far wouldn’t be nearly as strong as they have been if MK wasn’t there at launch, bundle or not.

And I disagree that it’s too similar to MK8 but in any case, people in their millions buy games that are similar to their predecessors every year- CoD, FIFA, Madden. People wouldn’t care about the first true new Mario Kart in 11 years because it’s similar to the last one? OK, sure. 🙄

@Neonix “Agreed. And neither does Mario Kart.“

Uhh, considering Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold 70 million copies which is close to half the total sales of the Switch I have to say you could not be more wrong on that. MK Wii/MK7/MK8 were all the best selling games on their respective platforms too. It’s the definition of a system seller.

I don’t think I’d bother buying it again on Switch 2 but Black Ops 2 was the one I have the most affinity for so I’ll say that (plus it has that NIN main theme 🤤).

On a side note BO2 had my favourite use of the Gamepad out of any Wii U game. Two players online with both having a full screen was so good.

@DwaynesGames It was on the top of the UK/EU eShop charts for at least a short while.

I think when all is said and done it will have sold as well as Nintendo expected but probably not as well as they’d hoped given the expense of its development.

Metroid is the most niche of Nintendo’s “big” franchises (of which it’s not even a blip compared to the sales potential of Mario and Zelda etc.). Add the fact that Beyond is as divisive as it is within an already smaller fanbase and it’s not a huge shock it’s dropped off.

I also just think that the vast majority of people who were ever going to show up for it did so on day one. It’s not the kind of game that has evergreen appeal.

It’s not Myles (or any other NPC) that I had a problem with, it’s that they have Samus stand around like an absolute sausage not saying anything or barely even gesturing whenever one of them talks to her. It just feels completely awkward every time. I’m sure that Other M had plenty to do with their decisions on how to handle her interactions with NPCs in this game but this was a chance to do it better- instead they just tried to bypass the problem entirely and made it even worse in the process.

Yakuza 0 on Switch 2. It’s great and visually stunning despite being a 10 year old PS3 game at heart. I’ll definitely be picking up Kiwami if I see it through to the end especially considering it and Kiwami 2 are only £20-25 each. Not the biggest fan of Key Cards but for that price I’ll bite.

@DennyCrane Exactly. By Nintendo’s own admission it wasn’t the game it could have been because they had to both build up a team that could do it and had them work on a concept that they weren’t involved with from the start.

Prime 4 was obviously a much more expensive endeavor in the end than they ever set out for it to be but now they have a team with experience on a Prime game they should have a much smoother and streamlined process for a new one. Would be crazy to get a team set up for Metroid just to do something different after one game (especially one they didn’t get to pitch themselves). Sales figures be damned anyway- Nintendo keeps making Metroid games because of what the series represents for them and not because it’s a money spinner like Mario/Zelda etc.

Honestly given the troubles it went through it’s amazing how good it turned out in the end. It’s far from perfect and the development hell it went through really becomes apparent as the game progresses but to still have the highs it does and to be as solid as it is overall is impressive all things considered.

The story/ending though…I can’t commend that. Game design is one thing but if there’s anything that should have been an easy positive it’s the story but it’s such a mess that I can’t believe they couldn’t come up with anything better.

Between this and the new Persona 3 update it feels like 60fps docked/30fps handheld split is going to be more frequent than it was on Switch (I’m sure there’s more examples but the only one I experienced was Bowser’s Fury?). It’s still better than not having the option to play in handheld at all but I’m surprised we’re seeing these compromises for handheld so soon when resolution was typically the major hit on Switch 1.

The only thing that would make this statement true would be if it’s using a Nintendo IP/published by Nintendo. Otherwise there’s nothing about Switch/2 that can’t be done elsewhere- even if it’s using the split joy cons and heavily using motion control that can still be done with VR setups for example. He’s probably just trying to build hype but it would be cool if this was a Nintendo collaboration (I remember that was reported to be the case with this game but it was debunked/not confirmed?).

Got to be Bananza for me. Just an absolute joy of a game.

Silksong at number 2…loved it, probably would have edged out DK for number 1 but I think the difficulty was just too much a lot of the time. Felt the first game struck a much better balance with its level of challenge. Still, so much to love about it- I will go back to it and start/finish act 3 in the new year.

Prime 4 at 3…I really thought in those first few hours that it would be my GOTY but by the end the effects of its development hell really came into view. I still really enjoyed it on the whole and the highs were easily some of my favourite gaming moments of the year but sadly they dropped the ball in a few areas that I can’t excuse.

Cyberpunk is amazing technically. Shame the game itself never really clicked with me but it looked fantastic

@FX29 She even spoke directly to Adam in Fusion. She was only ever mute in games because she didn’t have anybody to speak to, it should have never been a controversial decision to have her talk in games where it made sense to. Definitely an overcorrection for Other M which is misjudged- it wasn’t the fact that she spoke in that game that annoyed people, it was the writing itself.

My biggest annoyance with the talking NPCs isn’t the characters themselves but the fact that Samus doesn’t speak back. I imagine the backlash to Other M is why they muzzled her in this game but it just makes interactions so awkward and unintentionally funny at times. If they were going to go so heavy on the dialogue then just have her speak or don’t bother having other characters that show up so frequently. I’m not that interested in the story in Metroid games but if they want to go heavy on it then at least do it in a way that isn’t so jarring.

Majority of people who are interested in Prime 4 will have bought it on day one- it’s just one of those kinds of games. Not surprising to see it drop off at all.

For what it’s worth most of my friends list (20+ people) have been playing it and it was number 1 on the eShop for at least a while, not sure if it still is. I think when all is said and done it’ll be at least successful enough for them to do another.

Gearing up to finish Prime 4…at the infamous end game that has people up in arms.

Overall I’ve adored it. Absolutely gorgeous, incredible atmosphere and plays great. The writing is pretty poor outside of the Lamorn stuff, the level design a bit too linear and this end section is padding at its worst but still- it’s Metroid Prime and there hasn’t been anything else like it since Corruption. The highs far outweigh the lows for me and I really think a lot of the negative response to it has been unfair. Hopefully they get another crack at it with a 5th game now they’ve got the foundations built up again.

@Waluigi451 For those extra Christmas sales probably.

@TerribleTerabytes It’s one of Nintendo’s most niche franchises…debuting at 3 isn’t bad at all. Especially considering they’re more than likely counting the bundles for Mario Kart World’s sales so it would probably be number 2 if they were counting pure physical sales.

Really hope it sells well enough for Nintendo to green light another. This was likely to have been the most expensive game Nintendo has ever produced (as far as development costs go) so hopefully between sales of the game and amiibos they’ll at least break even. Another crack at it with feedback taken to heart could result in something really spectacular (and surely wouldn’t take so long to make).