Topic: Episode 353: Host Your Little Heart Out

[Pandareus]

Everything is back to normal. Almost.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/35652

The biggest news this week is the return of our intrepid host, Dr. Jonathan Metts. For the first time in a while, things are back to normal... except the fact James' reign of terror and ineptitude continues for one final week, while Jonny warms up. It turns out being a mouse while the cat is back can cause some performance anxiety.

Our return to normalcy begins with New Business. James kicks it off by breaking both of last week's new business vows: by talking about Valkyria Chronicles DLC and Wonderful 101. Jonny's triumphant return to New Business comes in the form of Nintendo-inspired Steam titles: Binding of Isaac, Dragon Fantasy Book 2, and Super House of Dead NInjas. Jon moves into the Wii U generation with New Super Mario Bros U. Lastly, Gui concludes New Business his closing thoughts on Shin Megami Tensei IV and its completely user-unfriendly sidequest system.

After the jump, Jonny recaps the harrowing experience of living through a flood and what he's been up to for the last couple of weeks. We conclude the show with a traditional banquet of listener mail. First up is a serving of 3DS ergonomics and our entree is the hypothetical: what kind of game would you make with GTAV's budget.

Next week we return to normalcy, which means we need listener mail. Send us your questions, complains, condolences, and concerns. 

[azeke]

Binding of Isaac not only justifies it's M rating but in my opinion goes beyond that. And yes, it totally IS about religion. And there IS some rather explicit images in there. just one of the things: one of the upgrades you can get is a dead fetus called "little brother" or "little sister" or something.

[Gwellin]

One thing I want to say to James, get Selveria's Mission DLC for Valkyria Chronicles. It's three challenging missions, where you play as Selveria and her unit. It's very much more worth its cost than the Edy missions. As a bonus, you get her over powered machine gun for your main game characters should you replay it in the future.

[broodwars]

One thing I want to say to James, get Selveria's Mission DLC for Valkyria Chronicles. It's three challenging missions, where you play as Selveria and her unit. It's very much more worth its cost than the Edy missions. As a bonus, you get her over powered machine gun for your main game characters should you replay it in the future.

A machine gun that's entirely unnecessary because Alicia by herself can wipe out pretty much anything in the game in 2 turns or less by the time she's maxed-out. Seriously, she's so hilariously unbalanced it's kind of amazing. 

[VickiL]

Oddly enough, I did skim the EULA, and this one did have the class action waiver that most of these things have.  But I've read so many of them that I don't even know if it was in previous versions of the Wii U's EULA.

[Leo13]

As for making the 3DS more comfortable to hold, I have the 3DS and the 3DS XL and although the XL was better they were both hard for me after awhile especially when using shoulder buttons. I bought the Nerf cases which make them thicker and on both systems it helped a lot.


3DS case

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/nerf-triple-armor-for-nintendo-ds-lite-nintendo-dsi-and-nintendo-3ds/4853116.p;jsessionid=D66D28DDFB88C7B766AD8710D2D40002.bbolsp-app04-172?id=1218551141749&skuId=4853116&st=3ds%20nerf&cp=1&lp=3


3DS XL case
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/nerf-armor-case-for-nintendo-3ds-xl/9009376.p;jsessionid=D66D28DDFB88C7B766AD8710D2D40002.bbolsp-app04-172?id=1218968538469&skuId=9009376&st=3ds%20nerf&cp=1&lp=2

[Crimm]

One thing I want to say to James, get Selveria's Mission DLC for Valkyria Chronicles. It's three challenging missions, where you play as Selveria and her unit. It's very much more worth its cost than the Edy missions. As a bonus, you get her over powered machine gun for your main game characters should you replay it in the future.

A machine gun that's entirely unnecessary because Alicia by herself can wipe out pretty much anything in the game in 2 turns or less by the time she's maxed-out. Seriously, she's so hilariously unbalanced it's kind of amazing. 

Alicia breaks the last four missions. The fight against Selveria is hilariously busted thanks to her.

[broodwars]

One thing I want to say to James, get Selveria's Mission DLC for Valkyria Chronicles. It's three challenging missions, where you play as Selveria and her unit. It's very much more worth its cost than the Edy missions. As a bonus, you get her over powered machine gun for your main game characters should you replay it in the future.

A machine gun that's entirely unnecessary because Alicia by herself can wipe out pretty much anything in the game in 2 turns or less by the time she's maxed-out. Seriously, she's so hilariously unbalanced it's kind of amazing. 

Alicia breaks the last four missions. The fight against Selveria is hilariously busted thanks to her.

Speaking of "hilariously busted", there are certainly a few reasons why Selvaria is almost as beloved to the Japanese otaku as Edy is.  Incidentally, I'm surprised you didn't mention the multiple endings that DLC has depending on how quickly you complete it. The ending where Edy sings is hilariously presented.  :

[azeke]

James' dream grand simulation game sounds something like Dwarf Fortress does when you create a new world. Dwarf Fortress takes about ten to twelve minutes (even on monster CPUs) creating landscape, history, mythos and lore for the world you're gonna live in.

Subversion, canceled Introversion game, also did something similar.

[TheXenocide]

Wait, so nintendo doesn't allow games with religious themes on their systems? Um... Darksiders 2...

[KDR_11k]

Binding of Isaac not only justifies it's M rating but in my opinion goes beyond that. And yes, it totally IS about religion. And there IS some rather explicit images in there. just one of the things: one of the upgrades you can get is a dead fetus called "little brother" or "little sister" or something.

Brother Bobby and Sister Maggy, IIRC.

Also after you have killed Mom in a previous run every following run doesn't end with the Mom fight, the level after that is the Womb and ends either with a fight against Mom's Heart or, if you've beaten that like 9 times already, unborn Isaac after which you unlock the joke character, dead, desiccated Isaac.

The game is likely designed to insult and offend religious people. In the Eurogamer interview McMillen stated that he grew up in a very religious household and basically made it his hobby to troll the rest of his family. Binding was supposed to be career suicide for him but instead people loved it.

[Jonnyboy117]

Nothing said above proves to me that the game is about religion. Of course, none of us has access to Nintendo's exact policy. I just think games like Bayonetta, Breath of Fire 2, Final Fantasy Legends, etc. have directly religious themes more than I've seen or heard about in this game.

[Ceric]

I hear enough talk that Binding of Isaac toes the AO line that I wouldn't see Nintendo oking that.

[Leo13]

Sorry Johny I agree with Ceric. From everything I've heard and seen about this game I'm ok with Nintendo choosing not to allow it on their console. On the other hand, I wouldn't freak out if they had allowed it on, but I certainly wouldn't buy it.

[azeke]

Binding of Isaac is about religion in the same sense as Stephen King's Carrie or "Jesus he knows me" or Amenabar's Agora.

But it's a real shame we didn't get this game on 3DS. It's a great game.