@Adam - If you haven't tried it yet, pick up a copy of Pinball Hall of Fame: Williams Collection. It's a perfect replica of real pinball tables. Plus the game does a good job explaining how the tables should be played.
It's the only video pinball game that has ever made me better at the real thing.
Maybe I'm alone in this, but I liked the story elements in Mario Galaxy. They were a simple reward that encouraged me to continue playing. In fact, the hardest time for me in a game is whenever I hit that long stretch of repetitiveness where the game stops rewarding me for my actions. Which is about where I got in SMG.
(My kids have beat it though. Must be nice to have too much time on their hands. )
I will say that story is a balancing act. A little bit of story can be a reward system for playing the game. Too much story and you start creating paradoxes. i.e. How do I work this character into this situation while being internally consistent with everything that's happened before?
Miyamoto's take has always been, "it doesn't matter". Save the princess. That's all you need to know. All these dragons, walking mushrooms, odd tortoises, and squishy two-footers don't need to be explained. Just. Save. The. Princess. Good 'nuff.
@noname875 - It's not misspelled. That's how they spell it in British English. Don't be surprised if you see the occasional colour or cheque pop up as well.
I was also pleasantly surprised when I downloaded this game. I had heard the number 16 bandied about for the number of levels. Which made me wary of the value of this title. But in the end, this game is worthy of being a cartridge game. If we see more of this, DSiWare has a bright future ahead.
As for the level size. I'd be shocked if it's more than a few kilobytes in size. If you count the grid, it's 16x12 blocks in size. If you assume that each block is identified by a 4 byte value (32-bit integer), that's 192 bytes. Throw in a bit of extra info for where the door and the minis are at the beginning of the level, and you still can come in below 1K.
Use a less compact encoding scheme and you can bloat that a bit. But in the end it's still a rather small amount of data. In case anyone is interested, here's an example of what such encoding can look like. It's basically an array of numbers that represent the types of blocks with a bit of meta-data to describe where the blocks are positioned on the screen. Total size is 445 bytes.
@Corbie - How does playing web-based games designed for the console violate that creed? You're not "browsing", you're not sending email, and you're not typing documents. You're gaming, just as God (and Nintendo) intended.
You don't know what you're missing. Relent! **poke** Relent!
Price is obviously a key factor for DSiWare users. Otherwise I would expect Mighty Flip Champs to rate quite a bit higher than Paper Airplane or even Wario Snapped.
For everyone who downloads the browser, don't forget to check out some of the coolwebsites.
@Starwolf_UK - The "mainstream" press only considers blockbuster titles. Indie games and games from smaller studios don't show up on their radar. Which is a large part of why the mainstream press has trouble with the Wii. The Wii's strengths are in its diversity, not its blockbusters.
@Corbie - Shante? I'll just jump straight to the groveling.
Pleeeeaaassse give us Shante, WayForward! PLEEEASSE? We've been patiently waiting since WiiWare was released! Please?
@warioswoods - I do agree that MFC doesn't have a great deal of replay value. Most games of this genre don't. (see Toki Tori for another example) IMHO, that does nothing to devalue this game. There is more than enough levels to make up for the lack of replayability.
Art Style games are decent, but I hardly find them inspired as puzzlers. Aquia was repetitive and got rather boring rather quickly. PictoBits was probably one of the best Art Style games I've seen, but I personally can only take it in small doses. In result, I've put far more time into MFC than I have PictoBits. Ergo, the value proposition makes sense IMHO.
And yes, you could call the base game of Tetris and Dr. Mario minigames. What separates them is the implementation. Tetris is rarely shipped as a straight-up, one player, infinite game. That option is available, but there are usually puzzles, weapons, multiplayer, and other features added in that make the total package more than the sum of its parts. Same goes for Dr. Mario, Panel de Pon, and other popular puzzle titles. (Except for Bejeweled. Total minigame. I can't believe people pay money for it.)
Obviously we're talking about different strokes for different folks. If you feel PictoBits is more fun, more power to you. But there's no denying the size and scope of the MFC title. Perhaps you would disagree, but I feel there is very little that would have prevented this from becoming a cartridge title. Especially when compared against other entries in the overarching genre. (e.g. Polarium)
@MrPanic - For the record, I'm a programmer by trade. By the way you use "memory" and "cpu" interchangeably (not to mention such colorful and inaccurate uses of "synchronization" and "work to the max") Mr. Wesbert and I are not the ones in need of programming lessons.
That explains a LOT about why the DSi was so rushed. If I read this news right, basically Nintendo had a completely new platform ready. Someone (probably Iwata-san) looked at the DS market and said "no, we have to continue supporting that". So instead, Nintendo pushed through an upgrade to the DS rather than a new system.
Of course, that still leaves the question of external market pressures that forced the deadline. Nintendo never struck me as the type to be overly concerned about artificial boundaries on "generation". Perhaps they were concerned about something Sony or Microsoft was working on?
Which would only be more confusing. Because the PSP Go strikes me as the same sort of rush-job done on the DSi. (Only a lot worse.) Hmm... it's a mystery wrapped in an enigma...
@Wesbert - The physics in this game are not a computational issue. For all the glitz they have, the physics are fine. If you want to argue that it's too difficult from a networking perspective, I can buy that. It isn't even a bandwidth issue as much as it is a latency issue. That's why racing games and what-not tend to show a lot of jitter.
That being said, it doesn't change that Miyamoto's answer was a cop-out. "After evaluating the situation with home networks, we didn't believe the experience would be good" would be a better answer. This nonsense about the CPU being too busy is just that. Nonsense.
@Wesbert - That's a lot easier to keep track of than you think. You can throw thousands of objects on the screen and not make a CPU sweat a 2D game. Think about it. You're talking about managing X/Y & Acceleration values. Throw in a bit of gravity and collision. Still not that much when compared against 800,000,000 cycles per second.
The graphics could be an issue if the system didn't have a powerful GPU. But it does. And the GPU is designed to handle several million textured polygons per second. Granted, that's an upper bound. But dealing with a few thousand scalable sprites per frame shouldn't make it sweat too badly. Certainly not enough to get the CPU involved.
The networking thing is a cop-out. Pure and simple.
@Kelvin - I'm expecting we'll see WM+ showing up in the next generation of console. Nintendo will probably integrate the new sensor package, add Wii Speak as a standard part of the sensor bar, add a camera to the the sensor bar, and possibly add a few more sensors to the package.
I have not noticed any yellowing with the Wii. Yellowing shouldn't happen as the white plastic is sealed inside a transparent finish. That helps the console maintain its color by preventing exposure to oxidization. The console can still get dirty and the finish can get scratched, but it should be possible to restore the look with a cleaning and polish.
I would be jealous, but it's just black. Black and white are kind of boring options. I'd like to see the fruity rainbow that Nintendo originally promised us.
That being said, does anyone know if there are any hardware differences between the Japanese Wii and the American Wii? I'm just thinking that if one wanted to be unique, one could import a black Wii Remote and Nunchuk from Japan. Anyone who did so could take it with them when visiting with friends, and thus be the envy of their circles.
To do it right though, make sure you store it in a fancy metal case. When you pull it out say, "I love the black Wii Remote. It's so bad." Especially good after you beat someone in Excite Truck.
@LEGEND - Correct. It's more of Nintendo's "Little Bit of..." strategy they're using to fill the gaps in the DSiWare library. I wouldn't count on this being anything incredible if you already have MvDK2. It will probably be more interesting for those of us who don't have the DS title.
(Though I should really check into what I can get MvDK2 for. It might make more fiscal sense to purchase the cart.)
Edit: Hmm... Amazon sellers are selling MvDK2 for $40-$60 new. It seems that the DSiWare option might make a lot of sense.
I'm with Corbie and Dazza on this one. The Art Style games are nice, but they feel like the minigames they are. Mighty Flip Champs looks, feels, and plays like a full-blown DS game.
MFC deserves a 9/10. Though it's shocking that Corbie didn't give it a 7.... (I kid! I kid! )
Urk! Swords & Soldiers AND Mario vs. Donkey Kong? Is Nintendo trying to bankrupt me? I still haven't gotten Adventure Island! Help! I'm drowning in good games! glupglupglup
I think the archery game in Wii Sports Resort pretty much tipped off the development of a new Zelda. I think it goes without saying that Miyamoto is trying something very different this time around. Something that better fits the Wii's capabilities.
@Starwolf_UK - Cammie did say that Moving Notepad (excuse me, flip book something something) is coming out this summer. So sometime within the next 3 months. That's firmer than we had before.
Speaking of Cammie, she did a better job this year. Getting rid of the creepy fake smile helped a lot. Her biggest problem was that she kept doing the robot rather than gesturing. (Get your elbows away from your body, woman!)
And she needs to drop her arms when not using them. She looked like a maitre'd, walking around with a cloth hanging from her arm. Especially in that (surprisingly stylish) white suit.
As I said, she did better. But Nintendo could really make an effort to train her better. Clothing makes the woman, but it only goes so far. Coach her a bit and she could actually (gasp) be an effective presenter.
I'm sorry, I laughed out loud when Iwata presented the Vitality Sensor. I just imagined saying to someone, "Here, stick your finger in here! Trust me, it's fun!"
New Metroid + 2 New Marios + Mario & DK isn't bad. Unfortunately, I came away feeling like there was nothing I really wanted. All the properties they announced have been tread and retread on the Wii & DS. Where's some of their other stuff like Star Fox or FZero?
No Wave Race or Pilot Wings, but I'm more convinced than ever that they're coming. Anyone see the parachute sequence? That was exactly the type of thing I had in mind when I said Wii Sports Resort would have flying games. i.e. The stuff that you'd expect to see in Pilot Wings.
Nintendo probably wants to wait until Resort sells like hotcakes before offering Wave Race and Pilot Wings.
The bow and arrow were very interesting. Shadows of a new Zelda title? Maybe?
^ Those will be big announcements. Also some third party motion plus games. (Though I think we might have heard them all.) Cross your fingers for some DSi love! Maybe a VHC (Virtual Handheld Console)? One can hope.
Something's not right here. The top word is definitely "Super". However, the rest doesn't quite seem right. The last character appears to be a Roman Numeral 3 (III). The S before it seems like it's backwards. Either that, or it's an 8. (After a bit of color manipulation, it does appear to be an 8.) In fact, I don't think the bottom says "Mario Bros" at all.
@NESGamepro - It probably works fine in real life. Cameras are sensitive to wavelengths that humans aren't (e.g. infrared and UV) and sometimes manage to see through fabrics. That's why you occasionally see photos of celebrities wearing "see-through" garments. The garments aren't actually see-through in real life. The camera is simply picking up invisible wavelengths that penetrate clothing.
You know what bizarre thing I just realized? Nintendo isn't using the term "Nintendo Points" in their press releases! Instead, they separately say, "Wii Points" and "Nintendo DSi Points".
I wonder if the lack of unified naming (as had originally been intended) is due to the lack of a unified points pool? It sucks as-is that your DSi Points and Wii Points can't be moved back and forth. Nintendo probably doesn't want to draw attention to the fact and make their jobs even harder.
Yay! Mighty Flip Champs! I can't wait to get home and download it!
we've heard rumours that [FFIV:After Years] might come in as many as nine episodes
As long as they don't pull a Space Invaders: Get Even. e.g. Crystal Defenders didn't bother me too much, because at least you got a full game for your money with many hours of game-play. But if they're going to pull a $5 == 15 minutes stunt again, I won't be happy.
What really needs a patch is Bit Trip Beat. Having to repeat levels is a serious PITA.
@King Elemento - There was a whole flap earlier about how Nintendo doesn't make patching possible with WiiWare. It's not a technical problem, it's a business one. Texas Hold'em must have been really glitchy for Nintendo to actually issue a fix.
Putting aside the fact that Reggie always denies before he confirms, I don't think there's any way Nintendo is getting into the phone business. It's a completely different market than the one they're in, with practically no overlap. (From a business perspective. You iPhone users can put down your pitchforks.) Moving from one market to another provides almost zero leverage. Not to mention that many people would be weirded out by MARIO on their phones...
Which kind of sucks. I was looking forward to the return of the awesomeness that is... SIDE TALKIN'
@KDR_11k - That's hardly a show-stopper. Rome: Total War was well liked.
@Corbie - I'm perfectly legal, and even I lie on those things. It's easier to spin the scroll-wheel on year and accept whatever pops up. A yes/no box would be less annoying.
@Djungelurban - Arkanoid != Breakout. Breakout was a simple game where you smashed the blocks, got a score, passed the level, rinse, repeat, ad nauseum. Arkanoid shook up the genre a bit by adding arcade elements.
In Arkanoid, you had power-ups to help you achieve your goal, enemies that could deflect your ball, a early-exit power-up to keep you from the repetitiveness of smashing the last few blocks, and unique levels that each presented you with new and interesting challenges.
Referring to Arkanoid as Breakout is like referring to Super Mario Bros. as a Pitfall clone!
@Tony - I agree. The NES version was quintessential for many gamers back in the day. And if they do manage to screw up the remake (it's been known to happen ) at least we'd have that to fall back on.
@Nintendo-Naut - Don't you think it's been a bit overdone, though? I mean, there are more Puzzle Bobble implementations out there than you can shake a stick at. There is free OSS versions, access through GameTap, and even a Wii budget title (which is currently showing the most bizarre price on Amazon).
Granted, Arkanoid has also been done to death, but the vast majority of clones don't capture the full gamut of features that make the original so much fun. (Not even my own, I'm sad to say. ) e.g. When was the last time you saw enemies in an Arkanoid clone?
Even newer titles in the series (e.g. Arkanoid DS) fail to capture the charm of the original. So personally, I'd love to see an enhanced game with all the original gameplay intact.
@KnucklesSonic8 - Unless you absolutely must have more Tower Defense, I don't recommend going backwards. R1 is the same games as R2, but with less stuff and fewer challenges. Which means that you're bound to be disappointed.
However, I am a more casual player. The hardcore completionists have stated that there's a lot of fun in trying to get Perfect on every level and drive up your score on the crown levels. So if you're totally hardcore about it, maybe. Otherwise don't bother.
Comments 551
Re: Review: Galactic Pinball (Virtual Boy)
@Adam - If you haven't tried it yet, pick up a copy of Pinball Hall of Fame: Williams Collection. It's a perfect replica of real pinball tables. Plus the game does a good job explaining how the tables should be played.
It's the only video pinball game that has ever made me better at the real thing.
Re: Feature: Tending and Feeding Your Japanese Wii
As a result you can simply buy a Wii power supply for your territory to swap out for the Japanese one without incident.
Wouldn't a power converter be easier and just as effective?
You could be playing this right now!
Hey, isn't that Cho Ani-- OMG! MY EYES! MY EYES! IT BURNS! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!
Re: Chronos Twins DX Coming to WiiWare
The first one was published by Lexicon. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the series.
The product page says it's an "adventure" game, but the screenshots look like a platformer. What kind of game is it?
Re: Miyamoto Borking Super Mario Galaxy 2's Story
Maybe I'm alone in this, but I liked the story elements in Mario Galaxy. They were a simple reward that encouraged me to continue playing. In fact, the hardest time for me in a game is whenever I hit that long stretch of repetitiveness where the game stops rewarding me for my actions. Which is about where I got in SMG.
(My kids have beat it though. Must be nice to have too much time on their hands. )
I will say that story is a balancing act. A little bit of story can be a reward system for playing the game. Too much story and you start creating paradoxes. i.e. How do I work this character into this situation while being internally consistent with everything that's happened before?
Miyamoto's take has always been, "it doesn't matter". Save the princess. That's all you need to know. All these dragons, walking mushrooms, odd tortoises, and squishy two-footers don't need to be explained. Just. Save. The. Princess. Good 'nuff.
Re: Review: Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (DSiWare)
@noname875 - It's not misspelled. That's how they spell it in British English. Don't be surprised if you see the occasional colour or cheque pop up as well.
Re: Review: Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (DSiWare)
I was also pleasantly surprised when I downloaded this game. I had heard the number 16 bandied about for the number of levels. Which made me wary of the value of this title. But in the end, this game is worthy of being a cartridge game. If we see more of this, DSiWare has a bright future ahead.
As for the level size. I'd be shocked if it's more than a few kilobytes in size. If you count the grid, it's 16x12 blocks in size. If you assume that each block is identified by a 4 byte value (32-bit integer), that's 192 bytes. Throw in a bit of extra info for where the door and the minis are at the beginning of the level, and you still can come in below 1K.
Use a less compact encoding scheme and you can bloat that a bit. But in the end it's still a rather small amount of data. In case anyone is interested, here's an example of what such encoding can look like. It's basically an array of numbers that represent the types of blocks with a bit of meta-data to describe where the blocks are positioned on the screen. Total size is 445 bytes.
Re: Top 20 DSiWare Games in USA (10th June)
@Corbie - How does playing web-based games designed for the console violate that creed? You're not "browsing", you're not sending email, and you're not typing documents. You're gaming, just as God (and Nintendo) intended.
You don't know what you're missing. Relent! **poke** Relent!
Re: Top 20 DSiWare Games in USA (10th June)
@Corbie - I'm hurt! You don't want to check out the gaming goodness available through the browser? For shame!
I shall poke you with that ancient tool of journalism - the pointy stick - until you relent! Take that! And that! **poke** **poke**
Re: Review: Knights in the Nightmare (DS)
RPG and bullet-hell? Those are two terms you don't usually hear together...
Love the intro, Chris! And great work on the review! I might have to check this game out.
Re: Top 20 DSiWare Games in USA (10th June)
Price is obviously a key factor for DSiWare users. Otherwise I would expect Mighty Flip Champs to rate quite a bit higher than Paper Airplane or even Wario Snapped.
For everyone who downloads the browser, don't forget to check out some of the cool websites.
Re: Eduardo the Samurai Toaster Release Date Trailer
@vampirelich - Took the words out of my mouth. AWESOME!
This looks kind of like Contra meets Paper Mario.
Re: Review: The Munchables (Wii)
@Starwolf_UK - The "mainstream" press only considers blockbuster titles. Indie games and games from smaller studios don't show up on their radar. Which is a large part of why the mainstream press has trouble with the Wii. The Wii's strengths are in its diversity, not its blockbusters.
Re: Upcoming DS Titles Get Dates
Yes, even the ugly ones.
Leonardo: Take the ugly one!
Raphael: No, you take the ugly one!
Donatello: I'll take the ugly one.
Michaelangelo: Which one's the ugly one?
(In honor of our TMNT story )
Re: Turtles In Time Remake No Longer Coming To WiiWare?
If we get the Virtual Console release, I'll be happy. If not... I suggest we organize a mob and storm some offices.
Re: Oh No, There's a Zombie Panic in Wonderland
@NintendoGamer - Kill zombies? I thought they were already dead?
Re: Review: Mighty Flip Champs! (DSiWare)
@Corbie - Shante? I'll just jump straight to the groveling.
Pleeeeaaassse give us Shante, WayForward! PLEEEASSE? We've been patiently waiting since WiiWare was released! Please?
@warioswoods - I do agree that MFC doesn't have a great deal of replay value. Most games of this genre don't. (see Toki Tori for another example) IMHO, that does nothing to devalue this game. There is more than enough levels to make up for the lack of replayability.
Art Style games are decent, but I hardly find them inspired as puzzlers. Aquia was repetitive and got rather boring rather quickly. PictoBits was probably one of the best Art Style games I've seen, but I personally can only take it in small doses. In result, I've put far more time into MFC than I have PictoBits. Ergo, the value proposition makes sense IMHO.
And yes, you could call the base game of Tetris and Dr. Mario minigames. What separates them is the implementation. Tetris is rarely shipped as a straight-up, one player, infinite game. That option is available, but there are usually puzzles, weapons, multiplayer, and other features added in that make the total package more than the sum of its parts. Same goes for Dr. Mario, Panel de Pon, and other popular puzzle titles. (Except for Bejeweled. Total minigame. I can't believe people pay money for it.)
Obviously we're talking about different strokes for different folks. If you feel PictoBits is more fun, more power to you. But there's no denying the size and scope of the MFC title. Perhaps you would disagree, but I feel there is very little that would have prevented this from becoming a cartridge title. Especially when compared against other entries in the overarching genre. (e.g. Polarium)
Re: New Super Mario Bros. Wii Only Multiplayer At Home
@MrPanic - For the record, I'm a programmer by trade. By the way you use "memory" and "cpu" interchangeably (not to mention such colorful and inaccurate uses of "synchronization" and "work to the max") Mr. Wesbert and I are not the ones in need of programming lessons.
Re: New Nintendo Handheld Dropped Amid DS Success
That explains a LOT about why the DSi was so rushed. If I read this news right, basically Nintendo had a completely new platform ready. Someone (probably Iwata-san) looked at the DS market and said "no, we have to continue supporting that". So instead, Nintendo pushed through an upgrade to the DS rather than a new system.
Of course, that still leaves the question of external market pressures that forced the deadline. Nintendo never struck me as the type to be overly concerned about artificial boundaries on "generation". Perhaps they were concerned about something Sony or Microsoft was working on?
Which would only be more confusing. Because the PSP Go strikes me as the same sort of rush-job done on the DSi. (Only a lot worse.) Hmm... it's a mystery wrapped in an enigma...
Re: New Super Mario Bros. Wii Only Multiplayer At Home
@Wesbert - Don't worry about it too much. I have the same problem.
Re: New Super Mario Bros. Wii Only Multiplayer At Home
@Wesbert - The physics in this game are not a computational issue. For all the glitz they have, the physics are fine. If you want to argue that it's too difficult from a networking perspective, I can buy that. It isn't even a bandwidth issue as much as it is a latency issue. That's why racing games and what-not tend to show a lot of jitter.
That being said, it doesn't change that Miyamoto's answer was a cop-out. "After evaluating the situation with home networks, we didn't believe the experience would be good" would be a better answer. This nonsense about the CPU being too busy is just that. Nonsense.
Re: Club Nintendo Japan offers limited edition Wii Sports Resort controller pack
Considering that I need another controller anyway, I'd love to have it in NA no matter what color it is. Maaaann.
Re: New Super Mario Bros. Wii Only Multiplayer At Home
@Wesbert - That's a lot easier to keep track of than you think. You can throw thousands of objects on the screen and not make a CPU sweat a 2D game. Think about it. You're talking about managing X/Y & Acceleration values. Throw in a bit of gravity and collision. Still not that much when compared against 800,000,000 cycles per second.
The graphics could be an issue if the system didn't have a powerful GPU. But it does. And the GPU is designed to handle several million textured polygons per second. Granted, that's an upper bound. But dealing with a few thousand scalable sprites per frame shouldn't make it sweat too badly. Certainly not enough to get the CPU involved.
The networking thing is a cop-out. Pure and simple.
Re: New Console Colours to Hit Japan
@Kelvin - I'm expecting we'll see WM+ showing up in the next generation of console. Nintendo will probably integrate the new sensor package, add Wii Speak as a standard part of the sensor bar, add a camera to the the sensor bar, and possibly add a few more sensors to the package.
I have not noticed any yellowing with the Wii. Yellowing shouldn't happen as the white plastic is sealed inside a transparent finish. That helps the console maintain its color by preventing exposure to oxidization. The console can still get dirty and the finish can get scratched, but it should be possible to restore the look with a cleaning and polish.
Re: New Console Colours to Hit Japan
I would be jealous, but it's just black. Black and white are kind of boring options. I'd like to see the fruity rainbow that Nintendo originally promised us.
That being said, does anyone know if there are any hardware differences between the Japanese Wii and the American Wii? I'm just thinking that if one wanted to be unique, one could import a black Wii Remote and Nunchuk from Japan. Anyone who did so could take it with them when visiting with friends, and thus be the envy of their circles.
To do it right though, make sure you store it in a fancy metal case. When you pull it out say, "I love the black Wii Remote. It's so bad." Especially good after you beat someone in Excite Truck.
Re: Mario and Donkey Kong's Rivalry Returns Next Monday
@LEGEND - Correct. It's more of Nintendo's "Little Bit of..." strategy they're using to fill the gaps in the DSiWare library. I wouldn't count on this being anything incredible if you already have MvDK2. It will probably be more interesting for those of us who don't have the DS title.
(Though I should really check into what I can get MvDK2 for. It might make more fiscal sense to purchase the cart.)
Edit: Hmm... Amazon sellers are selling MvDK2 for $40-$60 new. It seems that the DSiWare option might make a lot of sense.
Re: Oh No, There's a Zombie Panic in Wonderland
I just have one comment: Where the heck is Red Riding Hood?!?!
(Insert comment here about who's backside you'd rather watch for the duration of the game. )
Re: Review: Mighty Flip Champs! (DSiWare)
I'm with Corbie and Dazza on this one. The Art Style games are nice, but they feel like the minigames they are. Mighty Flip Champs looks, feels, and plays like a full-blown DS game.
MFC deserves a 9/10. Though it's shocking that Corbie didn't give it a 7.... (I kid! I kid! )
Re: Swords & Soldiers Out in North America Next Monday
Urk! Swords & Soldiers AND Mario vs. Donkey Kong? Is Nintendo trying to bankrupt me? I still haven't gotten Adventure Island! Help! I'm drowning in good games! glup glup glup
Re: New Wii Zelda Game in the Works
I think the archery game in Wii Sports Resort pretty much tipped off the development of a new Zelda. I think it goes without saying that Miyamoto is trying something very different this time around. Something that better fits the Wii's capabilities.
Re: E3 2009: Nintendo's Announcements
@Starwolf_UK - Cammie did say that Moving Notepad (excuse me, flip book something something) is coming out this summer. So sometime within the next 3 months. That's firmer than we had before.
Speaking of Cammie, she did a better job this year. Getting rid of the creepy fake smile helped a lot. Her biggest problem was that she kept doing the robot rather than gesturing. (Get your elbows away from your body, woman!)
And she needs to drop her arms when not using them. She looked like a maitre'd, walking around with a cloth hanging from her arm. Especially in that (surprisingly stylish) white suit.
As I said, she did better. But Nintendo could really make an effort to train her better. Clothing makes the woman, but it only goes so far. Coach her a bit and she could actually (gasp) be an effective presenter.
Re: E3 2009: Nintendo's Announcements
I'm sorry, I laughed out loud when Iwata presented the Vitality Sensor. I just imagined saying to someone, "Here, stick your finger in here! Trust me, it's fun!"
New Metroid + 2 New Marios + Mario & DK isn't bad. Unfortunately, I came away feeling like there was nothing I really wanted. All the properties they announced have been tread and retread on the Wii & DS. Where's some of their other stuff like Star Fox or FZero?
No Wave Race or Pilot Wings, but I'm more convinced than ever that they're coming. Anyone see the parachute sequence? That was exactly the type of thing I had in mind when I said Wii Sports Resort would have flying games. i.e. The stuff that you'd expect to see in Pilot Wings.
Nintendo probably wants to wait until Resort sells like hotcakes before offering Wave Race and Pilot Wings.
The bow and arrow were very interesting. Shadows of a new Zelda title? Maybe?
Re: Confirmed: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Mario Galaxy 2! With Yoshi as a ridable character!
Re: Confirmed: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Glad I was wrong! Go Mario!
Re: Nintendo's E3 Conference: Predictions
^ Those will be big announcements. Also some third party motion plus games. (Though I think we might have heard them all.) Cross your fingers for some DSi love! Maybe a VHC (Virtual Handheld Console)? One can hope.
Re: Super Mario Logo Spotted At E3?
Something's not right here. The top word is definitely "Super". However, the rest doesn't quite seem right. The last character appears to be a Roman Numeral 3 (III). The S before it seems like it's backwards. Either that, or it's an 8. (After a bit of color manipulation, it does appear to be an 8.) In fact, I don't think the bottom says "Mario Bros" at all.
I dunno. I guess we'll find out shortly.
Re: Super Mario Logo Spotted At E3?
@NESGamepro - It probably works fine in real life. Cameras are sensitive to wavelengths that humans aren't (e.g. infrared and UV) and sometimes manage to see through fabrics. That's why you occasionally see photos of celebrities wearing "see-through" garments. The garments aren't actually see-through in real life. The camera is simply picking up invisible wavelengths that penetrate clothing.
Re: Nintendo Download: Flip Champs, Final Fantasy IV, Boulder Dash (US)
You know what bizarre thing I just realized? Nintendo isn't using the term "Nintendo Points" in their press releases! Instead, they separately say, "Wii Points" and "Nintendo DSi Points".
I wonder if the lack of unified naming (as had originally been intended) is due to the lack of a unified points pool? It sucks as-is that your DSi Points and Wii Points can't be moved back and forth. Nintendo probably doesn't want to draw attention to the fact and make their jobs even harder.
Re: Nintendo Download: Flip Champs, Final Fantasy IV, Boulder Dash (US)
Yay! Mighty Flip Champs! I can't wait to get home and download it!
we've heard rumours that [FFIV:After Years] might come in as many as nine episodes
As long as they don't pull a Space Invaders: Get Even. e.g. Crystal Defenders didn't bother me too much, because at least you got a full game for your money with many hours of game-play. But if they're going to pull a $5 == 15 minutes stunt again, I won't be happy.
Re: Mighty Flip Champs Coming June 1st
Real games! Woohoo! My DSi is jumping for joy!
Re: Texas Hold'em Tournament Gets Patched For Europe
What really needs a patch is Bit Trip Beat. Having to repeat levels is a serious PITA.
@King Elemento - There was a whole flap earlier about how Nintendo doesn't make patching possible with WiiWare. It's not a technical problem, it's a business one. Texas Hold'em must have been really glitchy for Nintendo to actually issue a fix.
Re: The NintendoPhone: Not Happening, Says Reggie
Putting aside the fact that Reggie always denies before he confirms, I don't think there's any way Nintendo is getting into the phone business. It's a completely different market than the one they're in, with practically no overlap. (From a business perspective. You iPhone users can put down your pitchforks.) Moving from one market to another provides almost zero leverage. Not to mention that many people would be weirded out by MARIO on their phones...
Which kind of sucks. I was looking forward to the return of the awesomeness that is... SIDE TALKIN'
Re: Teyon Announces Two DSiWare Puzzlers
Chicken Brutus sez... Who on Earth would build a robot with teeth?
The same people who would design them with floating eyebrows, duh.
Re: Gladiator A.D. Trailer Is Ready To Shower You In Gore
@KDR_11k - That's hardly a show-stopper. Rome: Total War was well liked.
@Corbie - I'm perfectly legal, and even I lie on those things. It's easier to spin the scroll-wheel on year and accept whatever pops up. A yes/no box would be less annoying.
Re: Teyon Announces Two DSiWare Puzzlers
/me looks at ads... thunk Owwww...
Truly, the DSiWare service is the very epitome of quality.
Re: First Impressions: Arkanoid Plus!
@Djungelurban - Arkanoid != Breakout. Breakout was a simple game where you smashed the blocks, got a score, passed the level, rinse, repeat, ad nauseum. Arkanoid shook up the genre a bit by adding arcade elements.
In Arkanoid, you had power-ups to help you achieve your goal, enemies that could deflect your ball, a early-exit power-up to keep you from the repetitiveness of smashing the last few blocks, and unique levels that each presented you with new and interesting challenges.
Referring to Arkanoid as Breakout is like referring to Super Mario Bros. as a Pitfall clone!
@Tony - I agree. The NES version was quintessential for many gamers back in the day. And if they do manage to screw up the remake (it's been known to happen ) at least we'd have that to fall back on.
Re: First Impressions: Arkanoid Plus!
Yay! I've been waiting for Arkanoid for the NES, but getting a WiiWare remake is even better!
Now make it come out in the US Taito! And for the Bubble Bobble+ price of only 600 points. KTHXBYE.
Re: Taito Announces More Retro-tastic Games
@Nintendo-Naut - Don't you think it's been a bit overdone, though? I mean, there are more Puzzle Bobble implementations out there than you can shake a stick at. There is free OSS versions, access through GameTap, and even a Wii budget title (which is currently showing the most bizarre price on Amazon).
Granted, Arkanoid has also been done to death, but the vast majority of clones don't capture the full gamut of features that make the original so much fun. (Not even my own, I'm sad to say. ) e.g. When was the last time you saw enemies in an Arkanoid clone?
Even newer titles in the series (e.g. Arkanoid DS) fail to capture the charm of the original. So personally, I'd love to see an enhanced game with all the original gameplay intact.
Re: Taito Announces More Retro-tastic Games
Wasn't Arkanoid Plus just released in Japan? It looked like a pretty standard, classic Arkanoid to me. Which is exactly what I've been waiting for!
For those of you who need an Arkanoid fix while you wait, feel free to point your DSis at my web game Defend Our Home. (aka DOH - Get it? )
Re: Nintendo Download: 26 May 2009 (Japan)
Dang. I need to get DOH out the door before Nintendo eats my lunch!
(Still very cool to see Arkanoid show up, though. )
Re: Review: Crystal Defenders R2 (WiiWare)
@KnucklesSonic8 - Unless you absolutely must have more Tower Defense, I don't recommend going backwards. R1 is the same games as R2, but with less stuff and fewer challenges. Which means that you're bound to be disappointed.
However, I am a more casual player. The hardcore completionists have stated that there's a lot of fun in trying to get Perfect on every level and drive up your score on the crown levels. So if you're totally hardcore about it, maybe. Otherwise don't bother.