Comments 800

Re: The Original Nexomon Game Is Coming Soon To Nintendo Switch

marandahir

@TheWingedAvenger

To be fair, Dragon Quest Monsters is more a refinement of the monster recruiting mechanic from Dragon Quest V and Dragon Quest VI than it is of Pokémon. It definitely only EXISTS because of Enix trying to cash in on the 'mon craze (Bandai took a similar route by turning their Tamagotchi-for-boys into a rival 'mon series of anime and games), but in terms of mechanics? As someone who came from Pokémon over to the first western release of DWM, I COMPLETELY misunderstood the tone and mechanics of the games. Pokémon's story is largely dependent on bonding with your partners. Even if you turn them into breeding factories from Gen II onward, you can still take them out of the Day Care and put them back into your party. Dragon Quest Monsters teaches you to use or lose your monsters. Too much time on the Farm means they'll be unusable (and you can only put so many to sleep at once). You have a very limited maximum number of monsters, so if you want to "catch 'em all" you actually have to get rid of monsters.

I tried to play the whole game through with Slib the starter 'mon Slime because I was used to Pokémon and bonding with that first creature. The game ACTIVELY TRIES TO PREVENT YOU FROM DOING THIS. Monsters don't evolve in DQM - you have to breed them to get stronger offspring. Catching boss monsters is actually only a good idea so as to get them for breeding stock. I should have bred or tossed Slib early on. I didn't want to breed Watabou to get a Nocturnus (Darkdrium/Darkdream in earlier translations) because after all the story interactions with Watabou I wanted him in my party, gosh darnnit! But he's actually quite poor a creature, as all non-bred creatures are, so I should have bred him a few generations with creatures like Rosevine and then bred the offspring with a Mortamor Final Form (DeathMore/Deathtamore 3rd Stage) to get the ultimate monster.

It's not the same emotional ties with monsters. This is a series more akin to what people attack Pokémon as: you're raising monsters to fight in cage matches against other monsters. It's not about bonding with creatures. I just didn't see that because it was marketed to me as LIKE Pokémon BUT DIFFERENT!

Notably, this led me to want to try Dragon Warrior I+II on GBC and Dragon Warrior III on GBC, but my parents took away the cart of DQ3 because the cover had a girl in skimpy armour on the cover and they didn't realise this when they bought it for a birthday present. And we were only like 10, so they didn't want us having negative body image stereotyping ingrained into us. Of course, in a game that pixillated, the most offensive thing that made it into the initial translation was the cover itself...

In any case, the themes of Dragon Quest are certainly darker and more oriented for teenagers or adults than Pokémon is, despite the child protagonists of DQM1 and the Pokémon-esque dual-versions of DQM2 (a marketing scheme that EVERYONE was copying from Pokémon right then, see Zelda and MegaMan Battle Network; it's not a good piece of evidence for saying Pokémon clone).

Re: Talking Point: Where Does The Switch OLED Announcement Leave The Rumoured Switch Pro?

marandahir

See it's articles like this that greatly distress me about whether to upgrade or not. I can't afford to upgrade my switch two years in a row. My current switch (a 2017 launch day model) is quite worn for wear and won't connect to any controller that isn't wired. I'm due an upgrade. But if I upgrade to OLED and then a Pro model comes out 3 months later to support all these resource-intensive 2022 games, I'm kinda screwed. What do I do?

Re: Xenoblade Chronicles Developer Monolith Soft Reports Huge Profits, Up By 138.2%

marandahir

@Captain_Toad

Xenogears is owned by Square Enix; Xenosaga is owned by Bandai-Namco. Even Baten Kaitos, a Nintendo-platform-focused Monolith Soft game with strong thematic ties to Xenoblade 2, is owned not by Nintendo but by Bandai-Namco.

So no, really, Xenoblade, Disaster: Day of Crisis, and Soma Bringer are their only series that are fully owned in-house. Otherwise, they're working on other Nintendo titles like Zelda, Smash, Pikmin, Splatoon, and Animal Crossing. And if they DO work on titles like Project X Zone or Super Robot Wars OG Saga, they have to both get permission from Nintendo to work with an outside studio and also get that outside studio on board.

There's a reason that Baten Kaitos hasn't been resurrected on Switch despite great interest from the devs at Monolith Soft. They just can't seem to get Bamco on board now that they're no longer owned by the company…

Re: It Looks Like Metroid's 'Dark Samus' amiibo Is Getting A Reprint

marandahir

@I-U Gotcha. That could be an interesting usage of the amiibo too.

I got confused because Series has a specific meaning with amiibo.

We've got Samus Aran (Super Smash Bros. Series) and Samus Aran (Metroid Series); there will be a "Dread-Suit" Samus Aran (Metroid Series) to complement those but it's not a replacement for either of the above. And Zero Suit Samus and Dark Samus and Ridley have only appeared in (Super Smash Bros. Series) amiibo while Metroid has only appeared in (Metroid Series) amiibo.

But now I get what you meant, thanks for the clarification.

Re: Netflix No Longer Works On Wii U Or 3DS, So Where's The Switch Version?

marandahir

I definitely used Netflix on Wii and Neflix on Wii U for years with non-smart TVs. Hulu on Wii U too.

But then we got a samsung smart TV in like 2017, around the same time as getting the Switch, so that sort of obsoleted the need for Netflix on Switch. I downloaded Hulu onto Switch but never once used it because we just change the channel on the TV to the Hulu app...

And if I want Netflix or Hulu on the go, I bring my laptop with me. The thing is, the Switch isn't a smart device with a cellular service access; it still needs to connect to WiFi. So it's not particularly useful for watching Netflix or Hulu on the go - at least no more useful than my laptop and a boat less useful than my iPhone for doing so.

Given all that, and the Netflix and Hulu etc apps on my TV, there's really no real reason for me to want Netflix on Switch beyond "they had it on past consoles so why not here?" It's an extra step of booting up the switch before booting up the app.

But I understand why some people want to use their Switch as their netflix player. It's akin to how a big selling point of earlier PlayStation and Xbox devices was the built-in DVD player. A lot of folks couldn't afford to buy more than one of these devices, and had limited cord hookups to their TV to boot.

Re: 'The Entire History Of JRPGs' Is Available Now From Bitmap Books

marandahir

@Krull MANY RPGs these days do not tie character progression to grinding but to story-based accomplishments or sidequests. Zelda does this too with the heart containers and stamina wheels and new abilities on top of the weapon progression.

In addition, the more dungeons you've completed, the better the drop rates you'll get on weapons, and the tougher the enemies will be on the field. It's very much an RPG; it's just an Action RPG.

Heck, the predominant progression mode in Dungeons & Dragons these days is story-based rather than xp grinding (rewarding xp for quest completion etc). And Xenoblade did that too, with the main way of growing in level from completing side quests, not from fighting enemies. BotW'ss "XP" are spirit orbs, and they can be obtained by clearing side dungeons, side quests, etc. Otherwise, it's all about equipment progression and exploration to find bigger and better loot. That's very much an RPG standard, as well.

Re: 'The Entire History Of JRPGs' Is Available Now From Bitmap Books

marandahir

@kkalata

This is mostly right. I'd say that Zelda's current releases (esp. Breath of the Wild) are as JRPGy as say, Xenoblade is. The turn-based combat D&Desque leveling with an overhead map screen and random encounters is just a subgenre of RPG that's particularly popular in Japan because of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy dominating the JRPG market.

Re: There's A Zelda Game & Watch Coming This Christmas

marandahir

@Stubborn_Monkey Past Game & Watch collections on DS from Club Nintendo had games like Ball reimagined with Mario, and Balloon Fight was remade for DS with Tinkle instead of the Balloon Fighter, so this isn't particularly a new concept to do. Not sure why they chose Vermin though. I can only imagine that they skipped on Zelda G&W because it sucks major *** and they want to pretend it doesn't exist. Like they do with Zelda Nelsonic Game Watch, and the 3 CD-i Zelda games –– and apparently like they do with Four Swords+ and ALttP GBA remake.

Re: Zelda & Loftwing Is The Only amiibo Compatible With Skyward Sword HD

marandahir

@Minecraft_Master

Who is forcing you to play the game again?

This game isn't for people like you or me who have already played it.

Nintendo can "get away" with it because there are a heck of a lot of people who never played Skyward Sword before and want to play it. There's literally no reason to sell it at a reduced price. It's a "new" game to them. And this amiibo looks beautiful and I'm going to buy it for my collection. Other people will too.

Skyward Sword never made back the cost of development. It was a colossal failure, financially speaking. From the preorder numbers, it sounds like they're going to be making bank on this remake. It's smart business, and people like me who WANT to revisit the game with improved QoL features and uprez'd graphics will pay for that, even though we can play it on our Wii Us and Wiis we still have.

If you don't think it's worth more than $25, then don't buy it. Why do you have to come onto a forum and complain about the cost of something you clearly don't think is worth the money it costs?

Oh, that's right, I forgot. Nobody is forcing you to buy it.

Re: No, We're Probably Not Getting An "Island Expansion" In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

marandahir

I think the thing that ultimately turned me off the game was the FOMO to play every day was so strong it actually was detrimental to my sanity. Had to cut cold turkey or I'd feel like I had wasted a day if I had missed making my rounds of checking the beaches, talking to villagers, weeding, gathering every last fruit off the trees, etc.

Basically, the game became a laundry list of chores rather than a relaxing way to spend an hour or two every so often. I'd argue the seasonal events were a part of this FOMO. Pokémon GO becomes like that for me for long stretches too, but the ability to send Pokémon to HOME sucked me back into the game this year.

Re: Sega Is Still Cool With Sonic Fan Games, Provided "No Profit Is Involved"

marandahir

This is mostly because Sega's Sonic Team has no idea what to do with Sonic games any more, and Sonic Mania proved that if a good enough fan game takes off, they can adopt it and make bank on it once it's "official."

There's no pressure to deliver on a major Sonic game success when Sega has owns many other great brands and they're not in the console business anymore (where each new console would make or break on the backs of a killer Sonic game to lead the charge for the system).

Re: Nintendo Realises It Needs A 'How To Create A Mii' Video For Switch

marandahir

I never understood why they pulled away from Miis on the Switch and hid them in the depths of the settings menu, to only be used by Smash or Mario Kart, etc.

Maybe it was too married to the branding of the Wii (and thus also to the Wii U) - and they wanted to make it clear that this is a clean break from the past two generations since people were so confused about the difference between Wii U and Wii (is it an add on like the Genesis 32x or the Nintendo 64DD?).

Re: F-Zero Isn't Dead - It's Just Sleeping, Says Nintendo Legend Takaya Imamura

marandahir

@mariomaster96 @jump
Yeah, I bet if Shin'en Multimedia were able to just make another Fast Racing series game but use F-ZERO skins and characters, they'd deliver a new F-ZERO experience that feels different enough from the older F-ZERO entries without being something completely different. The only thing lacking from Fast RMX is the lack of F-ZERO music and looks.

Re: Mini Review: Future Aero Racing S Ultra - Clever Ideas, But FAR From A New F-Zero

marandahir

I actually kinda like the music.

It grows on ya. We need more dissonance in our lives.

And I'm classically trained in the church choir and operatic traditions. I love Boroque, classical, romantic styles that don't clash. But dissonance often sounds bad because you're not used to those tonal combinations. Give it a listen for a while. Repetition is critical to making something wrong sound right.

Might even buy it to listen to the soundtrack!!

Re: It Looks Like Labo Is Being Put To Rest As Nintendo Takes Down The Website

marandahir

I can't use my Labo right now because there's a communication issue between my Switch and all wireless controllers. Nintendo said to fix it they might have to replace my entire Switch, which could mean wiping my games and save data that can't be backed up (Pokémon, etc). So I'm stuck with a bunch of Joy Cons and Labos and Ring Fits that I can't use…

Re: Three Brand New Bowser's Fury Spirits Are Joining Smash Bros. Ultimate

marandahir

@Manah Yeah, I missed the spirit event between BDII & Monster Hunter as well as the Age of Calamity spirit event, and guessing all of these will be added in come E3 (when I expect we'll see Fighter's Pass Vol. 10).

They'll all be there, but it's frustrating when I don't play for a few weeks because things get busy and an event passes me by. I'll keep my radar up for future events, though.

Re: Star Wars: Republic Commando Is Getting A Limited Run Switch Release

marandahir

@Ulysses
Disney snubbed Nintendo years ago, while Universal was friendly and supportive of Nintendo. That's why Nintendo has leaned heavily into partnerships with Universal.
You'd think Nintendo and Disney would be a match made in heaven but they may actually see themselves as rivals in terms of popular character IP owned (regarding potential for merchandising, theme parks, film/tv adaptations, etc). This is similar to how Nintendo actually competes with Apple and Google more than with Microsoft or Sony when it comes to the gaming market.

Re: Talking Point: Is The N64 Pad Actually The Best Controller Ever?

marandahir

GameCube, Wii U Classic Controller, and Switch Pro Controller are all better than it. I'd argue that the Wii Classic Controller is about equal to it and and NES/SNES controllers are slightly lesser than the N64 controller. Wii U Gamepad and Switch JoyCon controllers are the most versatile, interesting controllers, though GamePad is painful to use for long periods of time (as is the Switch in handheld, honestly). Joy Cons are the best - WHEN they work properly. I prefer the button layout on the Switch pro to the Wii U Classic. N64 is ultimately held back by the 3-prong format.

Re: Video: This Is What Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Looks Like Running At 8K With Ray Tracing Enabled

marandahir

@nessisonett

That's also a fallacy. Yes, the price for consumers may go down, but the price of the materials isn't strictly driven down too - it's just that the buyers and sellers are pushing the externalities onto other parts of the supply and consumption chain.

More powerful tech uses more non-renewable resources, it requires more intensive mining, it creates more emissions, and as the price is driven down, the workers in the supply chains are paid less for the work that they're performing. There are absolute costs to the continuous push for bigger and better technology using smaller and smarter computer chips.

At the same time, as we move to miniaturize computer chips, there is a point at which we reach a chemical wall: at the small size we're working with now, there is much greater chance of electrons going where they're not supposed to go - jumping from one location to another because everything is too close together. There are size limits to where we can advance the tech in that direction, and that limits the ultimate power of a device because there's only so many tiny chips you can put together to make the device more powerful.

The price may be driven down for better tech over time, but this is reflective not of just supply & demand economics but of the exploitative nature of capitalism. If Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Apple, etc were actually paying the health, environmental, and fair labour costs incurred in the chain of development of their devices, these devices would be thousands upon thousands of dollars to buy. We're only paying less because the corporations are able to get away with bloody murder and we have to pay the price instead.

To that end, Nintendo Switch is the most environmentally and economically sustainable device in the 8th/9th generation of console video games, not on account of any sustainability plan (Nintendo as a corporation has the worst plan of the 3 major console video game companies) but on virtue of having the "weakest" device. There is a VERY good reason to stick with "weaker" tech, not just from sustainability concerns but also from supply chain availability. This was the whole point of the Game Boy: take advantage of well-developed, aged tech rather than pushing on to the newer and "better" technology, and make a device that was easier & cheaper to create and thus also cheaper for consumers. Nintendo has played that card for decades, and there's no reason that they should stop now.