Messages

3626

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 12: SEAL OF EXCITEMENT

« on: May 30, 2012, 11:58:09 PM »

Haven't listened to the episode yet (although am excited to!) but wanted to note that there is only one thing I'm hoping to hear about from Nintendo at E3:  Fatal Frame. 


The first game on Wii never came west, and the soon-to-be-released-in-Europe remake hasn't even been mentioned here in North America.  Too bad because this type of game is right up my alley.


Did the poor reception of the gimmicky 3DS spin-off sink chances of a real Fatal Frame game appearing on Nintendo's dying console here?  Did they have any intention of taking a chance on the series anyway?  Hopefully E3 will provide a happy answer...

3627

TalkBack / Re: Heroes of Ruin Delayed to July 17 in North America

« on: May 30, 2012, 10:53:24 PM »

I've been mildly excited about this game... but the delays are starting to create doubts. What's going on that keeps pushing this one back? Surely development has been long finished, and if the European release is unchanged then I don't understand why Square Enix is making North America wait almost an extra month beyond the (already delayed) date previously announced.


At least there will be no shortage of reviews from across the pond by the time the game releases here.

3628

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 36: Eponymous

« on: May 30, 2012, 10:50:17 PM »

Very good show. Discussion was solid, interview was outstanding, and Jeopardy is always a fun romp.  Best Connectivity episode yet?  You guys are making me proud to have bought that shirt!

3629

TalkBack / Re: Zen Studios Announces CastleStorm

« on: May 30, 2012, 02:40:05 PM »

Not sure what to think about this.  Zen Studios has a lot of good will from me due to Zen Pinball.  This new game looks polished enough, and might be fun... but I'd much rather see details about their Marvel tables or other pinball DLC than something from an unrelated genre.


Ronimo's Swords & Soldiers game on WiiWare was a lot of fun, and maybe the similarities mean I'd enjoy CastleStorm too?  Guess I'll look for more information (and probably some reviews after release) to help make up my mind.

3630

TalkBack / Re: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate Confirmed for 3DS

« on: May 29, 2012, 01:50:09 PM »

Can't believe you guys are talking about Castlevania backstory and canon; I've never been able to care about the half-baked stories. For me, it's all about good gameplay - a common staple for the majority of the Castlevania series.


Very excited to learn more about this game.  Was Lords of Shadow any good?

3631

General Gaming / Re: Any Vita owners here?

« on: May 29, 2012, 09:54:29 AM »

The main three I'm considering are Uncharted, Resistance and Unit 13. Despite mediocre reviews, I'm leaning toward Unit 13 at the moment, because most of the things people complain about are things I don't care about, and it seems well-suited to a handheld.

(I don't own a Vita, my brother-in-law does. Comments are based on limited experience with the games from me and his comments after playing extensively.)

Unit 13 isn't really a game worth owning.  It's competent but unimpressive.  However, for a launch title it does well enough that it's not a bad choice at this point in the Vita lifecycle.  My take is that you might be better off grabbing one of the more impressive PSP titles even though they are older and don't take advantage of the Vita improvements.

Uncharted is a better game and probably worth playing despite being really short and with limited replay value. Better to buy second-hand if you have the chance.  The only complaint I have (outside of being short on content) is that touch controls felt forced and out of place. I'm not against touch controls at all, but it felt like they were added here just to "break in" gamers who aren't used to Sony systems having a touch screen.

No comments about Resistance as I haven't seen or heard anything that one yet.  Early reviews aren't promising... but it probably depends on how much you pay and what your expectations are going in?


I agree that Vita probably won't see a price drop so soon. Sony really needs some quality software to hit... but right now even a price drop probably won't spur sales enough without games to sustain the momentum, so why bother cutting into their (eventual) revenue? 

Frankly, it's not like 3DS is killing them on the software front either. A handful of very good games have been released on that platform but it's been quiet since Kid Icarus and I'm not sure when the next "big" game is coming. So there isn't really any pressure being applied by the competition.

3632

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Club Nintendo Thread

« on: May 29, 2012, 08:45:27 AM »

Well, with all the sad changes to Club Nintendo surveys, I'm thrilled to report there's been a new change that, while very minor, is awesomely helpful.

Surveys in your To-Do List are now in order of when they expire!  Knowing this, you should be able to come up with a pretty decent estimate of what year they expire.  Worst case, you know what order to do them in.

...

Very helpful indeed.  Thanks for the heads-up!

3633

TalkBack / Re: Better Living Through 3DS

« on: May 29, 2012, 08:37:36 AM »

NdIGiTy:  'Grats on joining the 3D revolution!  Hope your love for the system only grows from here out.  Added your friend code, mine is 0001-3482-5503


I still find that there are a limited number of games that I really want to play on the 3DS. DS games take up a lot of my system time since there are plenty of good/cheap DS games available, but the 3DS titles that I lusted after were more than enough to justify the purchase and more "must haves" are on the way.

Now if only a "Monster Hunter in North America" announcement would come out my portable gaming life would be complete...   

So you recommend buying one?  I am seriously thinking about it. 

Getting in on the Ambassador program ensures I have no regrets buying last year, but if looking to buy now I'd strongly consider checking local Craigslist/Kijiji  or watching for sales. Several times in the past 3 months I've seen new 3DS systems selling for $120 in stores, and lightly used ones going for even less than that. If you were on the fence, then it's really hard to say no at those prices!

3634

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

« on: May 28, 2012, 11:02:02 PM »

Doesn't the game have to be readily available?

Which games aren't available at minimal effort/expense?  Some of the GameCube titles I'd guess?


Nice thing about Infinite Space is that the game is cheap to import, and both DS/3DS units can play imported DS games with no problem.  I tried finding a copy in North America for anything bordering on a reasonable price for ages without luck before realizing that there is literally no barrier of entry for DS imports if you already shop online.


Personally, I'd nominate one of the Wonder Boy games that were just released - either the Wonder Boy in Monster Land arcade original or the newly-translated Monster World IV.  Both games are now available for minimal investment on multiple systems, aren't they?

3635

TalkBack / Re: New Mini-Ninjas Game Coming

« on: May 27, 2012, 10:04:56 AM »

I always thought that profits drove sequels - not sales. This could mean that the original release sold enough copies to turn a healthy profit, or that re-using the initial investment in tech and IP lowers the number of sales required to reach a profit for subsequent efforts.  Sometimes the first game in a series can be a loss and still get a sequel if the second (third, etc) game can be quickly and cheaply created using already existing engines and assets.

3636

TalkBack / Re: SF Classic Controller Review

« on: May 27, 2012, 09:30:36 AM »

Had some money sitting in a PayPal account last week, and wanted to buy something fun. Looked long and hard at these controllers... but not knowing what the actual quality would be, I decided to opt for NWR/Connectivity T-Shirts instead.  Sounds like that was the right choice.


Good to know that tinkerers have a cool classic controller option available. Disappointing to hear that it's not so hot as an out-of-the-box solution though.

3637

TalkBack / Re: Mariobilia #1

« on: May 25, 2012, 12:30:12 PM »

Cool collectibles, but which are your favorite figures?

3638

TalkBack / Re: New Mini-Ninjas Game Coming

« on: May 25, 2012, 08:43:35 AM »

Was the first game very popular?  It was definitely charming and was better than I expected despite being aimed at a slightly younger audience.


If the sequel is released on Wii - probably a long shot at this point of the life-cycle - then I'd buy it.

3639

TalkBack / Re: Radio Free Nintendo: The T-Shirt

« on: May 24, 2012, 09:45:40 AM »

Has anyone checked to see if the free shipping coupon works?


Coupon code: SHIPFREEUS
http://www.spreadshirt.com/spreadshirt-coupons-C3627




Not good for international customers (like me), but I ordered anyway.

3640

General Gaming / Re: POLL: When is The Last Guardian going to ship?

« on: May 24, 2012, 09:30:22 AM »

When is the last time that studio released content?  Good or bad, won't they have to release something before long just to keep revenue coming in? I'm not sure that the remastered Ico/Shadow Collection on PS3 is enough, unless Sony doesn't mind spending money without any return for another couple of years in anticipation of a hit...

3641

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Touch! - Games that wouldn't be the same without a Touch Screen

« on: May 24, 2012, 09:22:27 AM »

Nintendo made a big stink when the Wii debuted about introducing a new standard with motion control.  My attitude was that the previous standard (which ironically Nintendo created) was pretty much unanimously adored so the whole "problem" Nintendo was trying to solve didn't exist.  And they weren't building on the standard they were replacing it which is a pretty arrogant thing to do.  I had considerable concerns about the accuracy of motion control and how suitable it would be as the new way of controlling videogames.  And I was right.  Nintendo resold me a Gamecube on the promise of this new controller which turned out to be a worthless joke.  They essentially swindled me, so I'm going to be pretty damn hard on this nonsense.

I don't like how Nintendo treats these "innovative" ideas.  They're lame gimmicks but they act like they're on par with the d-pad and then shoehorn them into numerous games they don't belong.  If they didn't do that I probably wouldn't care.  But there are Zelda games that control like **** now.  The Wii was full of games that would have been great but were frustrating to play because of the controls.  I think Nintendo would make better games if they never thought of the idea of using these gimmicky ideas.

I compare these ideas to the analog stick as well because it's a example of great Nintendo controller innovation.  Any controller idea that isn't broad enough to become an industry standard is not something Nintendo should spend considerable time with... and yet that's exactly they do.  If they didn't waste time trying to "prove" concepts that aren't that hot like the touchscreen they would make BETTER GAMES.  Of course the Wii U continues down the same path and we're going to have to deal with wonky ass controls until Nintendo stops with this nonsense.

Are you serious?  Arrogance is the right word, but maybe it's applied in the wrong direction with that post...


Standard controls might have been "universally adored" among core gamers who have grown up playing games, but that's a small market and hardly could be called universal in the big scheme of things.  The very reason Nintendo was so successful with Wii is because they they expanded the audience that their games would appeal to by reducing the barrier of entry of complex controls. Maybe you didn't enjoy Wii Sports, but there hasn't been a more influential or widely played killer app in years (exception: Angry Birds).


And regarding "industry standards", please remind which system doesn't currently include some form of motion controls right now?  Sony has an almost direct rip off of the Wii control scheme. Microsoft uses a different type of motion control, but still makes Kinect a major part of their marketing and sales pitch these days.


If you don't like touch/motion/pointer controls, that's fine. Everyone has different opinions about what feels best, and that's fine. I totally agree that it can be annoying when developers shoehorn novel control schemes into their games instead of finding the best match for that particular game.  But don't act like the new control schemes Nintendo has introduced with this generation were failures or didn't have a permanent effect on how video games are viewed, played, and created.

3642

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Touch! - Games that wouldn't be the same without a Touch Screen

« on: May 23, 2012, 09:05:53 AM »

Did anyone else enjoy Pac-Pix?  I know it's not a deep game... but I'd love to buy via eShop and have it as a quick "always available" time waster on my 3DS.

It might sound silly, but I really like having a touch screen for Fritz Chess. Playing using the d-pad would work without issue... but loses some of the tactile feel that I associate with board games and makes me feel distanced from the game for some reason.

Meteos and Kirby: Canvas Curse were both really fun.

A huge YES to both of these games.


Finally, I want to mention Animal Crossing: Wild World. The single biggest improvement made after the GameCube release is the addition of touch/pointer controls. Selling goods to Tom Nook suddenly became much quicker, writing letters to town residents was no longer an annoying chore, and designing your own content was more convenient.  They also did a great job of mixing touch and traditional controls - letting you easily change up on the fly depending on what you felt more comfortable with and what made sense.

3643

TalkBack / Re: Diamond Trust of London Impressions

« on: May 22, 2012, 08:20:36 AM »

As someone predisposed to like board games, this sounds right up my alley.  Hope the Kickstarter project exceeds the target.

3644

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Xenoblade Chronicles.Confirmed for North America April 6th 2012

« on: May 19, 2012, 01:19:23 PM »

That's cool. Was the mini-boss a giant spider?

Yep, that's the one.  Totally missed that area the first time through while following the storyline without much extra exploration.  Must be a quest item for later, I'd guess.

3645

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Xenoblade Chronicles.Confirmed for North America April 6th 2012

« on: May 18, 2012, 08:26:31 AM »

Why I love this game:


So I re-started a while back after getting my North American copy and have been greatly enjoying Xenoblade a second time. Honestly, I hadn't been able to put in as much time as I wanted initially so didn't lose that much progress - maybe a couple of dozen hours.


Progress is faster/better than expected in many places because the learning curve has been reduced, and I've learned a lot of new tricks from tutorials that had been skipped through a bit too quickly the first time through.  Progress has been slower than expected in other places because I (again) got caught up with side-quests, doing a bunch of early quests that I had skipped my first time through.


But today I had a moment that made me stop and appreciate the game again.  Fairly early on I was exploring and checking out the world while trying to finish some side-quests when I stumbled onto a partially hidden pathway that lead to a cool secret area where I found a special item that triggered a huge (for that point in time) mini-boss to ambush my party.  This stuff was all totally optional as far as I can tell, and was totally missed during my first time playing the game.  Yes, my party got destroyed in a single hit - my efforts to run lead to a short pursual and painful death. No, that death didn't matter or cause me to lose any progress.


So yeah. Xenoblade isn't a perfect game, but moments like this where I'm filled with wonder, excitement, and dread over the span of a few minutes makes it a perfect experience for me.

3646

General Gaming / Re: Favourite Video Game Podcasts.

« on: May 16, 2012, 02:44:30 PM »

I've listened to quite a few different gaming podcasts, but found myself turned off by the smug comments and rampant ignorance typically thrown in Nintendo's direction during most multi-platform podcasts.


The only gaming podcasts I actively make a point to listen to now are those from this site (Radio Free Nintendo being the banner show, but Radio Trivia Podcast, Connectivity, and The Famicast all being solid diversions).


Nintendo Heartcast from www.nintendojo.com is currently in a trial phase and seems ok.  I think the Airship Travelogues podcast from that site might be better than the Nintendo-centric one though.


I should give the RebelFM crew another listen. I remember distinctly enjoying what I heard from them in the past, despite some episodes getting hilariously off-track.  Seemed like a good group of guys who just loved gaming.

3647

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Club Nintendo Thread

« on: May 16, 2012, 02:33:00 PM »

Every time I go to the Club Nintendo page and the 3DS card case isn't available, I die a little inside.

Available again as of today.  Pretty nice piece of swag, but I'm still waiting for the new Club Nintendo year to start before registering anything else.  Doubt I'll reach Platinum again in 2012/2013 otherwise... and like getting those limited rewards more than a cool DS card case.

3648

General Gaming / Re: What is your most recent gaming purchase?

« on: May 16, 2012, 08:05:34 AM »

Watching AVENGERS reminded me that once upon a time I looooved Hulk Ultimate Destruction. So I bought a used GameCube copy for $8. Hopefully it's aged as well as my memory has.

It has aged well. Still one of the best superhero games of the past 10 years in my opinion.
Nice grab!

3649

TalkBack / Re: Project Zero 2: Wii Edition Australian Release Date Revealed

« on: May 14, 2012, 01:27:32 PM »

Well, you know, you wouldn't want to crowd Pikmin 2...

Ok, that made me laugh...
 

3650

Nintendo Gaming / Re: How Can Nintendo Revitalize the Virtual Console?

« on: May 14, 2012, 09:22:01 AM »

This makes me rather curious if, functionally, there would be a difference between having an ESRB rating and Nintendo providing their own "Nintendo Rating". What I mean is if Nintendo just slapped on their own version of a content rating, but one that is decided during the vetting process presumably so that no extra labour cost is really incurred. Then they can cut out the ESRB submission fee (if they want to be dicks, they can then impose their own slightly cheaper fee).


Maybe this doesn't fly with congress and parent's groups?
However I figure the language and functionality and "rating accuracy" would be largely unaffected.


Just curious!

I think they lose some "legitimacy" by doing a small-scale rating system in-house instead of relying on the "industry standard".  More importantly, if there were objections (ie: lawsuits) then Nintendo would be responsible for defending the ratings and system in place.


Certainly not a bad idea, but it's probably cheaper and more efficient to rely on parental control systems to entirely replace ratings for digital-only content.  There are meaningful business precedents for viewing ESRB as a retail-only solution, and making the publication process as cheap and easy as possible is crucial if Nintendo wants to attract more content.