Why play a silly flash game on a PC when I can play a good game on the DS? What's wrong with playing games like Powder, ZXDS, and many other good games that nice developers spent their time on and gave for free?
What's wrong with wanting to develop for a nice console like the DS or the Wii? I'll tell you: NOTHING.
If you can't believe that many people won't pirate games while still wanting to develop or play games/apps from people that make them available for free then I'd say you have a problem...
Playing DVDs on the Wii is not that great, but there's other stuff you can do with a hacked wii that has nothing to do with piracy and there are some great free games too
Unfortunately they bump piracy and homebrew together which is a shame. They should be more open about who can develop for their platforms and focus on stopping people from distributing illegal copies of the games themselves.
Flashcarts are not really illegal and should not be.
BTW, I just called Nintendo to check and their answer was "If your DSi breaks you will lose all your downloaded games".
I really hope they fix this eventually because I think it's totally unfair. It's funny they complain about piracy so much when this kind of behavior really promotes it...
right... Anyway, based on the possible scaling issues when playing DS games on the 3DS, I want a DSi XL more now, as it seems it will be the ultimate machine to play DS games even after the 3DS is released. Also, the shoulder buttons on my DSi are semi-broken (luckily there aren't that many games that need those...).
The only thing keeping me from upgrading is the fact I bought quite a few downloadable games and I'd lose them....
Frankly, It's amazing they don't do anything about this problem as it's probably keeping them from selling a lot of systems...
BTW, at least with the wii, if it breaks and you buy a new one, they will transfer the downloaded games to the new one. Not so with the DSi
I didn't like the original DKC very much but I loved Jungle Beat. The level design was much, much, much more interesting... I wonder how this title compares with Jungle Beat, as when I saw the triler it did seem very similar in style
I'd love such a feature. Having to drag all the carts with you is pretty bad and they can get lost, especially with small children around the house...
Since you can already do this on the DS and even on the Wii by using flash carts or cracking the console, I think Nintendo should provide their own, approved methods to do it. There's clearly a demand for this feature, and as long as they don't support it, someone else will and that someone else doesn't care about stopping piracy, so it's in Nintendo's best interest to add these features in their own way
Hope they don't look at DK64 for inspiration as that game was so boring, but I'm curious at what they can do with it. I loved Jungle Beat as a GC game. It was an excellent 2d platformer with a great control system. I'm sure the experience is not as good on the wii without the phisical feel of the bongos...
Anyway, I too was hoping they were working on something else... a good Starfox game would be excellent. I also want a new F-Zero although I'd rather Nintendo do it themselves this time
so you get votes via the "like" button on youtube... doesn't give me a lot of confidence... what's stopping people from making multiple youtube accounts to cheat?
Anyway... in the end this is the typical contest where the person that manages to mobilize more "friends" will win...
Looks good, but the no-export really kills it... I'd rather use a free tool like http://nitrotracker.tobw.net/ which is pretty powerful too and you can export your songs directly to the computer...
While it is pretty cool, it defeats the purpose of a portable system... carrying a wiimote around doesn't seem that great, and if you're going to play at home you can do the same using a similar app for the computer... Anyway... if it works with an Android-based tablet then it's something else
I don't care for pirated games but I hope you can still play homebrew on it...
Nintendo should find a way to allow homebrew developers without allowing piracy. But of course, they'd rather stop free apps/games so they can charge you for silly stuff like flashlight apps or note taking apps which are freely available on every other handheld system...
It's sad that the only way to enjoy wonderful free games like ZXDS, Powder or PuzzleManiac is by hacking the system and opening it to pirated games...
I find it amazing that they're even considering to cover the breasts of a "classical-art" like statue... if that's offensive, then most museums should be 18+ too...
I agree, I bought this on release and have been playing it and enjoying it. But this seems strange:
"Nevertheless it's pleasing on a handheld that is full to bursting with pet simulators, instantly forgettable movie tie-ins and puzzle games, to see a title as ambitious and unapologetically niche as Infinite Space"
The DS is full of interesting games, and there's no shortage of RPGs. Yes, there's a lot of crap, but there have been many daring games released these last few years...
ok,ok... I know what you mean, but this game is not even a 18+ game... I just have a hard time believing a game about samurais in the old west can be considered something "adult" in any sense... but well...
Edit: As I think about it, I must ask: what's so important about 18+ games anyway? What makes them essential? 18+ movies aren't usually the most important in film industry, nor in books. Why are they so important in videogames for some people? When something is aimed at adults in the sense that children just can't understand the underlying themes then yeah, I can see it, but those stories usually can be seen by kids (they just won't understand them) and usually don't have a 18+ rating. Take a film like 2001 A Space Odyssey (a PG film). I'd much rather play a videogame I can compare to that movie than any 18+ game about killing zombies (or other gory stuff). Age rating is pretty meaningless when it comes to measuring how deep or mature a movie/book/videogame is...
Everyone keeps calling this game mature. Seriously??? To me this game is as kiddie as anything released by Nintendo. I mean, yeah, I may want to give it a try but I won't fool myself thinking it's mature... Like saying Madworld is mature because of all the blood and stylish graphics...
As far as I know, there are almost no mature videogames in the same sense as in other media. But that's ok, because I don't look for mature themes and deep stories that will move or affect me in videogames. If I want those I'll read a book or watch a serious movie... Heck, even Opoona with its "kiddie" graphics, deals with more mature themes than most FPSs...
FPSs are not mature just because they have lots of action, they're for everyone, teens and adults alike. Gory themes are not mature just because small kids should not be exposed to them, and they seem to appeal mostly to teens and young adults anyway...
Why do adults don't play what most gamers call "hardcore" games? Are adults less mature than kids now? You forget people play videogames to have FUN. There are many ways to a accomplish that, and to me someone that solves the hardest sudokus quickly is as much a gamer as anyone else...
And it's not like I hate FPSs, I bought most of the Metroid Prime games and almost finished the last one (got bored with the last boss) and loved the game, but I wouldn't say it's mature, just a nice adventure through a well thought out Sci-Fi world.
There's a reason why all videogame movies are crap, you know?
I agree it's too soon to jump into conclusions especially without numbers and as someone said, the game was released on Friday....
I'm sure the game will do pretty well, but it has to compete with some very good games in a time where most people don't have much money to spend on games... I considered getting it but I couldn't get both Infinite Space and this, so I got just Infinite Space. I just enjoy Science Fiction Better. And with Sin and Punishment just around the corner, then Wario Ware DIY, then SMG2, then Metroid other M.... well... chances are I won't be getting this one anytime soon...
haha... he's basically saying. We don't have a clue of how to implement 3D on an handheld, let's wait until Nintendo does it and if it works, we'll copy it
"NO! Optional 3D is pointless, because it's just proof that it didn't need to be there. What they need to do is create game experiences that wouldn't even work WITHOUT it!"
Well, I guess that would be left to the developers on a title by title basis. If the screen can display two images (one to each eye) it can also display just one, so 3D is optional, just like the second screen or the touch screen was in the DS. Not every game has to use 3D just as not every game uses the touch screen or takes advantage of the 2 screens in an innovative way...
Let me say that this game deserved a 9 and it is the best Picross all around. Picross DS was good, but it had problems when translated to such a small form factor (had to zoom in the puzzle and it didn't fit the whole screen). Picross 3D soves this and gives you puzzles that fit the screen perfectly. Also the camera works perfectly and I have had no problems with the harder/bigger puzzles. You just go, layer by layer and have no need to adjust and dig through small spaces.
And what kind of complain is the fact that you can't play harder levels before you complete easier ones? No Picross game ever did that and I see no complains either. And almost no game does that anyway. It's just the way videogames usually work. You've got to complete the first level, then the second, etc...
My only gripe with the European version is that usually, Nintendo doesn't make all the online puzzle packs they release for Japanese versions of their games in Europe (that was the case with Picross DS). That's why I went for the Japanese version this time and I'm not disappointed. But if they eventually do release all the packs here, then if you like Picross in general, you won't regret getting this one
Well. This game is good news for people that like strategy boardgames and have a Will. It's the first turn-based strategy game that offers online play on Wiiware, isn't it? Hopefully it's not the last...
To me the controls were great. Not as good as the real analog stick, but the thumb thing was a great way to substitute an analog stick for the DS. In fact I've kept the one that came with my original big DS as modern DSs don't come with it anymore and I still like to play this game from time to time
BTW, the thumb thing worked very well with the Metroid Prime DS game and I wish more games that used it were released. But well.
Nice article. I had a couple of G&W games as a kid, and later got DK3 (one of the 2 player games). My girlfriend had the double screen DK game which we still have at home and play from time to time.
But I must say I miss the G&W colection games that were released for the GB and the GBA. My GBA one broke a few years ago and I've been waiting for a DS version to be released with no luck... why won't Nintendo release a new G&W collection for the DS? I even enjoyed the "modern" versions of the games...
Yeah, let's all blame Nintendo for putting out quality games that people buy. It's clearly their fault how they polish each game until it is miles ahead of all 3rd party games around...
First, if Nintendo would allow homebrew on their consoles without the need for one of these devices then that would remove the need for them except for piracy. Also, there are some flashcarts that can only be used for homebrew. Anyway, I'm not sure the actual manufacturers are really the ones that do any protection cracking. Seems to me the cracking is done by other people who then release the necessary patches/roms that then work on regular flashcarts (but maybe I'm wrong). So flashcart manufacturers don't seem to be doing anything illegal, just giving you a tool that can be used to break the law, but has other uses too (just like a knife, or almost any other tool). But Nintendo's actions would certainly gather more support if they'd concentrate the fight on real piracy and wouldn't try so hard to stop homebrew with the excuse of fighting piracy.
And second. I'd like to see the same kind of comments against infringing copyright on this site when a news item about a fan translation for an existing commercial game is posted here. Translating a game's text means creating a derivative work which if done without permission means: copyright infringement too. Which is illegal. There are many reason publishers wouldn't want a fan translation to be released, especially if it's easy to apply. While it can drive a few sales of the original Japanese game, it can also hinder a possible release in English and most probably will just drive more people to pirate the game. I'm not personally against fan translations, especially of games that have almost no chance of being released here, just pointing out that they're not really legal too (And if it's true there will be no Retro Game Challenge 2, I'd love to see a patch for the Japanese version as I loved the first one which incidentally I imported from playasia)
@Ren: Of course it wouldn't sell at 50$ because it's not worth 50$. Thing is, if you bundle a collection of multiplayer games with a wiimote (which people already are going to buy to play multiplayer games) it's logical many people are going to pay the extra 10$. But those people are actually, knowingly, buying this game for the extra 10$. So if it sells well, it deserves to be listed here.
Now, if the only way to get an extra wiimote would be to get this game then I'd agree it'd be unfair.
"Fuzzy: I don't think Wii Fit's controller should be held against it because the balance board has few uses outside of Wii Fit. Wii Play is the only one whose controller you'd want to have separately from the game."
I don't think so, my balance board has seen much more play with other games such as Family Ski & Snowboard and Rock'n'Roll climber. In fact, if there's one peripheral that has only been used with the game it originally came bundled in is the M+ (with Wii Sports Resort). The little amount of support for the M+ is disappointing, even though it was announced one year before release... Hopefully it will change eventually.
I agree Wii Play is not very good (although the Tanks game is pretty fun) but the question here is, people had to pay extra. It's not fair to say people only bought it to get another wiimote because you also have the option of just getting the wiimote and paying less money.
People actually thought it was a good deal so they bought it. This is something other game companies should learn from...
Anyway, what seems pretty impressive to me is the fact that the only platform exclusive games that made the list were for the Wii... that's pretty amazing...
I seem to remember seeing Wii Sports counted in sale charts, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, A game bundled with the console is different than a game bundled with a controller or other peripheral. All the other examples I gave are still valid.
The only difference between those games and Wii Play is the fact that Wii Play sold so much and the fact that it is crap. I agree it is crap, but it sold what it sold. And anyway, it's not like people were actually forced to buy it in order to get another wii mote. The wiimote is available separately for a cheaper price. People that bought Wii Play wanted to spend extra money to get the game. So maybe the message is: Cheap game + useful hardware = BIG sales
It's so funny... Like it or not, Wii Play IS a game, and everyone knows it just sold so well because it included a wiimote, so what? Wii Sports is also one of the biggest "sellers" and came bundled with the wii, is it not a game either? Or Wii Sports 2, which to many was a way of getting a M+, is it not a game either? Link's Crossbow? Wii Sports? Any game that comes bundled with a a piece of hardware?
A game is a game, no matter how crappy it is or how it is sold. What part of the definition of game does Wii Play break? (and no, "fun" is not part of the definition...)
BTW, talking about Apple, not only can anyone code for the Mac or iPhone platforms, but Apple even gives you the tools for FREE. Look at the success of the iPhone and the App Store. It's even becoming a worthy competitor in the handheld gaming market. Nintendo should take a hint and learn a thing or two...
"No, because a computer is not made by one company but consoles is. I bet if Microsoft was the only way to get a PC then youd have to pay to make games for that as well."
Well, Macs are only made by Apple, and I can still use any software I want on them, not just software made by Apple. What makes a console so different to a computer? Mac OS X is already pretty different from Windows and that doesn't mean a thing.
I think what happened here is that this guy didn't have the means to defend himself properly and that might be why he was convicted unlike the cases in France and Spain which weren't against one person.
"I dont see how? CD-R, DVD-r etc. are for you to burn your stuff to like pictures or movies youve done, it is illegal to copy copyrighted music or movies or games with them."
Exactly: CD-Rs aren't illegal just because they can be used for piracy. If you listen to the big recording companies, they claim 90% of CD-Rs are used for piracy, but they're legal. Downloading pirated games and playing them (on your computer or on the DS with a flashcart) is what is illegal, but the flashcart itself is legal just like CD-Rs and CD Recorders are legal.
"Also, computers are made so you can use alot of stuff, consoles are not."
But who decided this? It's not the job of Apple or Microsoft or whoever sells you a computer to decide how it will be used. You can buy a computer and never pay for software by using free open source applications. The same way, Nintendo shouldn't have the power to tell us what software we can run on their consoles. That's why Flashcards are and should remain legal.
They're trying to force a monopoly and they shouldn't be allowed to ust like Microsoft can't force you to use IE instead of Firefox, etc...
I'll add ZXDS, probably the best ZX Spectrum emulator around. Incidentally, the DS has exactly the same screen resolution as the Spectrum, and games look and play amazingly well (and btw, most ZX Spectrum games can be legally distributed online, see www.worldofspectrum.org which is even endorsed by Amstrad who owns the rights to the Spectrum)
Also, Puzzlemaniak is an excellent compilation of puzzles (it is a port of an opensource java game available on most computers),
Powder is a very good rogue-like game (think Mystery dungeon series which are derived from classics such as Nethack and the original rogue, opensource games that started on Unix computers long ago).
It's true, there's a lot of bad stuff out there, but just those I mentioned make the purchase of a flash cart worth, heck, even just ZXDS makes it worth to me...
BTW, isn't Korg DS-10 just an emulation of the original synthesizer? With Nitrotracker you can use any sounds and create almost any music. I used to make music with the same kind of trackers on the Amiga, back in the 90's and it was lots of fun...
@pikmaniac02: by that logic, all DVD-Rs, CD-Rs and computers with drives or mp3 players that allowed you to copy stuff should be illegal. Consoles are very much like computers and Nintendo can't stop people from running whatever they want on their machines. Homebrew is legal and so must be the tools needed to run it.
There was a very big precedent when content producers decide to sue video players/recorder manufacturers and guess what, content producers lost. As long as the hardware can be used for a legitimate purpose, it is legal.
BTW, France also ruled against Nintendo in a similar case.
This comment was funny: "Try developing independent software for something that doesn't go hand in hand with piracy, like a PC for example. "
What??? PC has as many pirates if not more than any console!!
France even went as far as saying it could force Nintendo to open their systems so people can develop freely.
Flashcarts are a problem for Nintendo, not only because of piracy, but because they don't want you getting software for free when they could force you to pay, and I don't mean pirate software, but freely developed software. For example, why pay for a notebook app on the ds if there's one for free, why pay for a puzzle game when there's the excellent puzzlemaniak with more than 20 excellent games, etc...
It's very much about controlling what get's played on their console, but as soon as I buy one, it's mine and flashcarts give me the freedom to use it as I want. And they're not illegal
BTW, seems this guy said he was guilty, no wander the sentence was what it was....
I agree with JimLad. And anyway, why would nintendo have to put out "mature" titles? That bit about nintendo releasing games mostly for 3-7yo kids is so silly! I mean, just because a game is not gory doesn't mean its gameplay is aimed at kids, and afterall, gameplay is much more important than whether a game has losts of blood in it, and as an adult gameplay interests me much more anyway...
If Sega wants "mature" games on the wii, they should just do them and market them accordingly, but they'd better be good games too, or else they won't sell very good either... if they only release niche titles with no publicity, they shouldn't be surprised by the low sales...
Another complain of poor sales for a rails zombie shooter... what if the problem is we want something else??? It's silly if they expect anything they release to be a success. There are many other types of hardcore games that they could be doing instead...
And anyway hardcore ≠ mature. I couldn't care less if they stopped making mature games, but please, keep the Megaman goodness coming!
You can bash Wii Sport Resort all you like, but have you even finished all the games in it and gotten all the seals? Behind the cutesy graphics, there's some real challenge, and quite a lot of innovation in how games are controlled.It's also showing developers ideas to use the wii motion+ in different situations.
If Nintendo does one thing right is create games that appeal to a more "casual" audience while still adding enough challenge for more "hardcore" gamers to enjoy.
Comments 270
Re: The War on DS Piracy may be Hard to Win, but Iwata Optimistic with 3DS
Why play a silly flash game on a PC when I can play a good game on the DS? What's wrong with playing games like Powder, ZXDS, and many other good games that nice developers spent their time on and gave for free?
What's wrong with wanting to develop for a nice console like the DS or the Wii? I'll tell you: NOTHING.
If you can't believe that many people won't pirate games while still wanting to develop or play games/apps from people that make them available for free then I'd say you have a problem...
Playing DVDs on the Wii is not that great, but there's other stuff you can do with a hacked wii that has nothing to do with piracy and there are some great free games too
Re: The War on DS Piracy may be Hard to Win, but Iwata Optimistic with 3DS
Unfortunately they bump piracy and homebrew together which is a shame. They should be more open about who can develop for their platforms and focus on stopping people from distributing illegal copies of the games themselves.
Flashcarts are not really illegal and should not be.
Re: Review: The World Ends With You (DS)
I loved this game. The combat system is amazing plus it has a very interesting story full of twists.
Re: DSiWare Will Not Be Transferable Unless Nintendo Makes Changes
BTW, I just called Nintendo to check and their answer was "If your DSi breaks you will lose all your downloaded games".
I really hope they fix this eventually because I think it's totally unfair. It's funny they complain about piracy so much when this kind of behavior really promotes it...
Re: DSiWare Will Not Be Transferable Unless Nintendo Makes Changes
right... Anyway, based on the possible scaling issues when playing DS games on the 3DS, I want a DSi XL more now, as it seems it will be the ultimate machine to play DS games even after the 3DS is released. Also, the shoulder buttons on my DSi are semi-broken (luckily there aren't that many games that need those...).
The only thing keeping me from upgrading is the fact I bought quite a few downloadable games and I'd lose them....
Frankly, It's amazing they don't do anything about this problem as it's probably keeping them from selling a lot of systems...
BTW, at least with the wii, if it breaks and you buy a new one, they will transfer the downloaded games to the new one. Not so with the DSi
Re: E3 2010: First Impressions: Donkey Kong Country Returns
I didn't like the original DKC very much but I loved Jungle Beat. The level design was much, much, much more interesting... I wonder how this title compares with Jungle Beat, as when I saw the triler it did seem very similar in style
Re: E3 2010: Rumour: 3DS May Allow Game Installs
I'd love such a feature. Having to drag all the carts with you is pretty bad and they can get lost, especially with small children around the house...
Since you can already do this on the DS and even on the Wii by using flash carts or cracking the console, I think Nintendo should provide their own, approved methods to do it. There's clearly a demand for this feature, and as long as they don't support it, someone else will and that someone else doesn't care about stopping piracy, so it's in Nintendo's best interest to add these features in their own way
Re: Rumour: Retro Bringing Back Donkey Kong
Hope they don't look at DK64 for inspiration as that game was so boring, but I'm curious at what they can do with it. I loved Jungle Beat as a GC game. It was an excellent 2d platformer with a great control system. I'm sure the experience is not as good on the wii without the phisical feel of the bongos...
Anyway, I too was hoping they were working on something else... a good Starfox game would be excellent. I also want a new F-Zero although I'd rather Nintendo do it themselves this time
Re: Make Beautiful Music, Win Nintendo Points with this Rytmik Contest
so you get votes via the "like" button on youtube... doesn't give me a lot of confidence... what's stopping people from making multiple youtube accounts to cheat?
Anyway... in the end this is the typical contest where the person that manages to mobilize more "friends" will win...
Re: Review: Rytmik (DSiWare)
Looks good, but the no-export really kills it... I'd rather use a free tool like http://nitrotracker.tobw.net/ which is pretty powerful too and you can export your songs directly to the computer...
Re: Don't Get Too Attached to 3DS Name, says Iwata
I think 3DS sounds too much like DS so to the general public it could seem to be just another iteration of the DS.
Re: Wii Controller App For Android Goes Live
While it is pretty cool, it defeats the purpose of a portable system... carrying a wiimote around doesn't seem that great, and if you're going to play at home you can do the same using a similar app for the computer... Anyway... if it works with an Android-based tablet then it's something else
Re: Software Pirates Beware: No 3DS Booty For You
I don't care for pirated games but I hope you can still play homebrew on it...
Nintendo should find a way to allow homebrew developers without allowing piracy. But of course, they'd rather stop free apps/games so they can charge you for silly stuff like flashlight apps or note taking apps which are freely available on every other handheld system...
It's sad that the only way to enjoy wonderful free games like ZXDS, Powder or PuzzleManiac is by hacking the system and opening it to pirated games...
Re: La Mulana Developers Discuss Religious and Rating Issues
I find it amazing that they're even considering to cover the breasts of a "classical-art" like statue... if that's offensive, then most museums should be 18+ too...
Re: Teyon Releases A-Maze-ing Trailer for 1001 Crystal Mazes Collection
especially since there are a few free versions for DS already... (with better graphics, btw)
Re: Review: Game & Watch Donkey Kong Jr. (DSiWare)
I'll be getting this one. One of my favorites... btw, aren't they traps and not crocodiles?
Re: An In-Depth Look at Dive: The Medes Island Secret
They said they were inspired by the old Spectrum game Scuba Dive One of my favorites when I was a kid! I'll be getting this one for sure...
Re: Review: Infinite Space (DS)
I agree, I bought this on release and have been playing it and enjoying it. But this seems strange:
"Nevertheless it's pleasing on a handheld that is full to bursting with pet simulators, instantly forgettable movie tie-ins and puzzle games, to see a title as ambitious and unapologetically niche as Infinite Space"
The DS is full of interesting games, and there's no shortage of RPGs. Yes, there's a lot of crap, but there have been many daring games released these last few years...
Re: Transformers: War for Cybertron Deemed Too Aggressive for Wii
Isn't Transformers already for kids?
Re: Red Steel 2 Blunted After Poor UK Chart Debut
"Just take it easy, okay?"
ok,ok... I know what you mean, but this game is not even a 18+ game... I just have a hard time believing a game about samurais in the old west can be considered something "adult" in any sense... but well...
Edit: As I think about it, I must ask: what's so important about 18+ games anyway? What makes them essential? 18+ movies aren't usually the most important in film industry, nor in books. Why are they so important in videogames for some people? When something is aimed at adults in the sense that children just can't understand the underlying themes then yeah, I can see it, but those stories usually can be seen by kids (they just won't understand them) and usually don't have a 18+ rating. Take a film like 2001 A Space Odyssey (a PG film). I'd much rather play a videogame I can compare to that movie than any 18+ game about killing zombies (or other gory stuff). Age rating is pretty meaningless when it comes to measuring how deep or mature a movie/book/videogame is...
Re: Red Steel 2 Blunted After Poor UK Chart Debut
Everyone keeps calling this game mature. Seriously??? To me this game is as kiddie as anything released by Nintendo. I mean, yeah, I may want to give it a try but I won't fool myself thinking it's mature... Like saying Madworld is mature because of all the blood and stylish graphics...
As far as I know, there are almost no mature videogames in the same sense as in other media. But that's ok, because I don't look for mature themes and deep stories that will move or affect me in videogames. If I want those I'll read a book or watch a serious movie... Heck, even Opoona with its "kiddie" graphics, deals with more mature themes than most FPSs...
FPSs are not mature just because they have lots of action, they're for everyone, teens and adults alike. Gory themes are not mature just because small kids should not be exposed to them, and they seem to appeal mostly to teens and young adults anyway...
Why do adults don't play what most gamers call "hardcore" games? Are adults less mature than kids now? You forget people play videogames to have FUN. There are many ways to a accomplish that, and to me someone that solves the hardest sudokus quickly is as much a gamer as anyone else...
And it's not like I hate FPSs, I bought most of the Metroid Prime games and almost finished the last one (got bored with the last boss) and loved the game, but I wouldn't say it's mature, just a nice adventure through a well thought out Sci-Fi world.
There's a reason why all videogame movies are crap, you know?
Re: Red Steel 2 Blunted After Poor UK Chart Debut
I agree it's too soon to jump into conclusions especially without numbers and as someone said, the game was released on Friday....
I'm sure the game will do pretty well, but it has to compete with some very good games in a time where most people don't have much money to spend on games... I considered getting it but I couldn't get both Infinite Space and this, so I got just Infinite Space. I just enjoy Science Fiction Better. And with Sin and Punishment just around the corner, then Wario Ware DIY, then SMG2, then Metroid other M.... well... chances are I won't be getting this one anytime soon...
Re: Sony: 3D Handheld Gaming Might Not Work
haha... he's basically saying. We don't have a clue of how to implement 3D on an handheld, let's wait until Nintendo does it and if it works, we'll copy it
Re: DS Successor To Offer 3D Gaming
"NO! Optional 3D is pointless, because it's just proof that it didn't need to be there. What they need to do is create game experiences that wouldn't even work WITHOUT it!"
Well, I guess that would be left to the developers on a title by title basis. If the screen can display two images (one to each eye) it can also display just one, so 3D is optional, just like the second screen or the touch screen was in the DS. Not every game has to use 3D just as not every game uses the touch screen or takes advantage of the 2 screens in an innovative way...
Re: Review: Picross 3D (DS)
Let me say that this game deserved a 9 and it is the best Picross all around. Picross DS was good, but it had problems when translated to such a small form factor (had to zoom in the puzzle and it didn't fit the whole screen). Picross 3D soves this and gives you puzzles that fit the screen perfectly. Also the camera works perfectly and I have had no problems with the harder/bigger puzzles. You just go, layer by layer and have no need to adjust and dig through small spaces.
And what kind of complain is the fact that you can't play harder levels before you complete easier ones? No Picross game ever did that and I see no complains either. And almost no game does that anyway. It's just the way videogames usually work. You've got to complete the first level, then the second, etc...
My only gripe with the European version is that usually, Nintendo doesn't make all the online puzzle packs they release for Japanese versions of their games in Europe (that was the case with Picross DS). That's why I went for the Japanese version this time and I'm not disappointed. But if they eventually do release all the packs here, then if you like Picross in general, you won't regret getting this one
Re: Review: Military Madness: Nectaris (WiiWare)
Well. This game is good news for people that like strategy boardgames and have a Will. It's the first turn-based strategy game that offers online play on Wiiware, isn't it? Hopefully it's not the last...
Re: Review: Super Mario 64 DS (DS)
To me the controls were great. Not as good as the real analog stick, but the thumb thing was a great way to substitute an analog stick for the DS. In fact I've kept the one that came with my original big DS as modern DSs don't come with it anymore and I still like to play this game from time to time
BTW, the thumb thing worked very well with the Metroid Prime DS game and I wish more games that used it were released. But well.
Re: Trailer: Metroid: Other M FMV Teaser
"Team Ninja first order of business: give Samus the obligatory/signature Team Ninja boob job. Good work."
Well, it's not like she was flat before, isn't it? There's not much difference with Samus Zero from SSB...
Re: Review: Mega Man 10 (WiiWare)
Great review, although after reading it I wonder, why not give it a 10?
Re: Review: ChuChu Rocket! (Game Boy Advance)
Check out All Present and Correct ( http://www.bobs-stuff.co.uk/allpresentandcorrect.html ) for a nice ZX alternative (no multiplayer though). You can even play it on the DS with the wonderful ZXDS emulator!
Re: Feature: The History of the Nintendo Game & Watch
Nice article. I had a couple of G&W games as a kid, and later got DK3 (one of the 2 player games). My girlfriend had the double screen DK game which we still have at home and play from time to time.
But I must say I miss the G&W colection games that were released for the GB and the GBA. My GBA one broke a few years ago and I've been waiting for a DS version to be released with no luck... why won't Nintendo release a new G&W collection for the DS? I even enjoyed the "modern" versions of the games...
Re: Sony: Publishers Pulling Resources From Wii Development
Yeah, let's all blame Nintendo for putting out quality games that people buy. It's clearly their fault how they polish each game until it is miles ahead of all 3rd party games around...
Re: First Impressions: Rage of the Gladiator
cool. I'm glad to see M+ support. More titles need to use it and I think there are enough units out there to justify it
Re: British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
Two more comments:
First, if Nintendo would allow homebrew on their consoles without the need for one of these devices then that would remove the need for them except for piracy. Also, there are some flashcarts that can only be used for homebrew. Anyway, I'm not sure the actual manufacturers are really the ones that do any protection cracking. Seems to me the cracking is done by other people who then release the necessary patches/roms that then work on regular flashcarts (but maybe I'm wrong). So flashcart manufacturers don't seem to be doing anything illegal, just giving you a tool that can be used to break the law, but has other uses too (just like a knife, or almost any other tool). But Nintendo's actions would certainly gather more support if they'd concentrate the fight on real piracy and wouldn't try so hard to stop homebrew with the excuse of fighting piracy.
And second. I'd like to see the same kind of comments against infringing copyright on this site when a news item about a fan translation for an existing commercial game is posted here. Translating a game's text means creating a derivative work which if done without permission means: copyright infringement too. Which is illegal. There are many reason publishers wouldn't want a fan translation to be released, especially if it's easy to apply. While it can drive a few sales of the original Japanese game, it can also hinder a possible release in English and most probably will just drive more people to pirate the game. I'm not personally against fan translations, especially of games that have almost no chance of being released here, just pointing out that they're not really legal too (And if it's true there will be no Retro Game Challenge 2, I'd love to see a patch for the Japanese version as I loved the first one which incidentally I imported from playasia)
Re: Nintendo Download: 22nd January 2010 (Europe)
At least Excitebike has been dated for Europe, but not Dark Void Zero... Those are my most anticipated downloadable titles right now...
Re: Wii Play is the US's Best-Selling Game Ever
@Ren: Of course it wouldn't sell at 50$ because it's not worth 50$. Thing is, if you bundle a collection of multiplayer games with a wiimote (which people already are going to buy to play multiplayer games) it's logical many people are going to pay the extra 10$. But those people are actually, knowingly, buying this game for the extra 10$. So if it sells well, it deserves to be listed here.
Now, if the only way to get an extra wiimote would be to get this game then I'd agree it'd be unfair.
Re: Wii Play is the US's Best-Selling Game Ever
"Fuzzy: I don't think Wii Fit's controller should be held against it because the balance board has few uses outside of Wii Fit. Wii Play is the only one whose controller you'd want to have separately from the game."
I don't think so, my balance board has seen much more play with other games such as Family Ski & Snowboard and Rock'n'Roll climber. In fact, if there's one peripheral that has only been used with the game it originally came bundled in is the M+ (with Wii Sports Resort). The little amount of support for the M+ is disappointing, even though it was announced one year before release... Hopefully it will change eventually.
I agree Wii Play is not very good (although the Tanks game is pretty fun) but the question here is, people had to pay extra. It's not fair to say people only bought it to get another wiimote because you also have the option of just getting the wiimote and paying less money.
People actually thought it was a good deal so they bought it. This is something other game companies should learn from...
Anyway, what seems pretty impressive to me is the fact that the only platform exclusive games that made the list were for the Wii... that's pretty amazing...
Re: Wii Software Sales Outmuscle Xbox 360
I seem to remember seeing Wii Sports counted in sale charts, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, A game bundled with the console is different than a game bundled with a controller or other peripheral. All the other examples I gave are still valid.
The only difference between those games and Wii Play is the fact that Wii Play sold so much and the fact that it is crap. I agree it is crap, but it sold what it sold. And anyway, it's not like people were actually forced to buy it in order to get another wii mote. The wiimote is available separately for a cheaper price. People that bought Wii Play wanted to spend extra money to get the game. So maybe the message is: Cheap game + useful hardware = BIG sales
Re: Wii Software Sales Outmuscle Xbox 360
It's so funny... Like it or not, Wii Play IS a game, and everyone knows it just sold so well because it included a wiimote, so what? Wii Sports is also one of the biggest "sellers" and came bundled with the wii, is it not a game either? Or Wii Sports 2, which to many was a way of getting a M+, is it not a game either? Link's Crossbow? Wii Sports? Any game that comes bundled with a a piece of hardware?
A game is a game, no matter how crappy it is or how it is sold. What part of the definition of game does Wii Play break? (and no, "fun" is not part of the definition...)
Re: British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
BTW, talking about Apple, not only can anyone code for the Mac or iPhone platforms, but Apple even gives you the tools for FREE. Look at the success of the iPhone and the App Store. It's even becoming a worthy competitor in the handheld gaming market. Nintendo should take a hint and learn a thing or two...
Re: British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
"No, because a computer is not made by one company but consoles is. I bet if Microsoft was the only way to get a PC then youd have to pay to make games for that as well."
Well, Macs are only made by Apple, and I can still use any software I want on them, not just software made by Apple. What makes a console so different to a computer? Mac OS X is already pretty different from Windows and that doesn't mean a thing.
I think what happened here is that this guy didn't have the means to defend himself properly and that might be why he was convicted unlike the cases in France and Spain which weren't against one person.
Re: British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
"I dont see how? CD-R, DVD-r etc. are for you to burn your stuff to like pictures or movies youve done, it is illegal to copy copyrighted music or movies or games with them."
Exactly: CD-Rs aren't illegal just because they can be used for piracy. If you listen to the big recording companies, they claim 90% of CD-Rs are used for piracy, but they're legal. Downloading pirated games and playing them (on your computer or on the DS with a flashcart) is what is illegal, but the flashcart itself is legal just like CD-Rs and CD Recorders are legal.
"Also, computers are made so you can use alot of stuff, consoles are not."
But who decided this? It's not the job of Apple or Microsoft or whoever sells you a computer to decide how it will be used. You can buy a computer and never pay for software by using free open source applications. The same way, Nintendo shouldn't have the power to tell us what software we can run on their consoles. That's why Flashcards are and should remain legal.
They're trying to force a monopoly and they shouldn't be allowed to ust like Microsoft can't force you to use IE instead of Firefox, etc...
Re: British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
I'll add ZXDS, probably the best ZX Spectrum emulator around. Incidentally, the DS has exactly the same screen resolution as the Spectrum, and games look and play amazingly well (and btw, most ZX Spectrum games can be legally distributed online, see www.worldofspectrum.org which is even endorsed by Amstrad who owns the rights to the Spectrum)
Also, Puzzlemaniak is an excellent compilation of puzzles (it is a port of an opensource java game available on most computers),
Powder is a very good rogue-like game (think Mystery dungeon series which are derived from classics such as Nethack and the original rogue, opensource games that started on Unix computers long ago).
It's true, there's a lot of bad stuff out there, but just those I mentioned make the purchase of a flash cart worth, heck, even just ZXDS makes it worth to me...
BTW, isn't Korg DS-10 just an emulation of the original synthesizer? With Nitrotracker you can use any sounds and create almost any music. I used to make music with the same kind of trackers on the Amiga, back in the 90's and it was lots of fun...
Re: British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
@pikmaniac02: by that logic, all DVD-Rs, CD-Rs and computers with drives or mp3 players that allowed you to copy stuff should be illegal. Consoles are very much like computers and Nintendo can't stop people from running whatever they want on their machines. Homebrew is legal and so must be the tools needed to run it.
There was a very big precedent when content producers decide to sue video players/recorder manufacturers and guess what, content producers lost. As long as the hardware can be used for a legitimate purpose, it is legal.
Re: British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
MarcusA is right
BTW, France also ruled against Nintendo in a similar case.
This comment was funny: "Try developing independent software for something that doesn't go hand in hand with piracy, like a PC for example. "
What??? PC has as many pirates if not more than any console!!
France even went as far as saying it could force Nintendo to open their systems so people can develop freely.
Flashcarts are a problem for Nintendo, not only because of piracy, but because they don't want you getting software for free when they could force you to pay, and I don't mean pirate software, but freely developed software. For example, why pay for a notebook app on the ds if there's one for free, why pay for a puzzle game when there's the excellent puzzlemaniak with more than 20 excellent games, etc...
It's very much about controlling what get's played on their console, but as soon as I buy one, it's mine and flashcarts give me the freedom to use it as I want. And they're not illegal
BTW, seems this guy said he was guilty, no wander the sentence was what it was....
Re: Nintendo Download: 18th January 2010 (North America)
Hopefully Dark Void Zero will come to Europe soon.
Re: Sega: Nintendo Should Support Mature Gamers
I agree with JimLad. And anyway, why would nintendo have to put out "mature" titles? That bit about nintendo releasing games mostly for 3-7yo kids is so silly! I mean, just because a game is not gory doesn't mean its gameplay is aimed at kids, and afterall, gameplay is much more important than whether a game has losts of blood in it, and as an adult gameplay interests me much more anyway...
If Sega wants "mature" games on the wii, they should just do them and market them accordingly, but they'd better be good games too, or else they won't sell very good either... if they only release niche titles with no publicity, they shouldn't be surprised by the low sales...
Re: Capcom Growing Less Keen on Wii?
Another complain of poor sales for a rails zombie shooter... what if the problem is we want something else??? It's silly if they expect anything they release to be a success. There are many other types of hardcore games that they could be doing instead...
And anyway hardcore ≠ mature. I couldn't care less if they stopped making mature games, but please, keep the Megaman goodness coming!
Re: Wii Dominates 2009 Sales
You can bash Wii Sport Resort all you like, but have you even finished all the games in it and gotten all the seals? Behind the cutesy graphics, there's some real challenge, and quite a lot of innovation in how games are controlled.It's also showing developers ideas to use the wii motion+ in different situations.
If Nintendo does one thing right is create games that appeal to a more "casual" audience while still adding enough challenge for more "hardcore" gamers to enjoy.
Re: Sega to Abandon Mature Wii Audience?
@Laxeybobby: Sorry about that