Messages

2126

TalkBack / Re: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

« on: June 23, 2012, 05:05:59 PM »

I definitely agree that this game is a great place to start. I know this because I tried to get into Fire Emblem a few years ago with Radient Dawn and found it to be pretty tiresome. Sacred Stones won me over though, and I am now eager to play other games in the series.

2127

TalkBack / Re: Sakurai and Kobayashi Release Messages Regarding Smash Bros.

« on: June 22, 2012, 05:34:14 AM »

With the involvement of the Tekken team, I wonder if the competitive aspects and potential of Smash Bros. will be taken more seriously for the fourth game. I would welcome it as some of the randomness (e.g. tripping) and absurdity (e.g. New Pork City) of Brawl ultimately detract from the game.

This is my hope aswell. As with Mario Kart, Smash Bros has the esssentials for a fun competitive game, but in the past it's been undermined by Sakurai's insistence that randomness be given a certain precedence over skill.  I've also never been a fan of Brawl's overly floaty physics. Given the nature of the game (players being hit up into the air and then trying to land again) a certain amount of buoyancy is necessary, but I would argue that Brawl pushed it too far, with every character bouncing around like they're in a Kirby game. I hope this new game gives more heft and weight to the characters.

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TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 22, 2012, 04:55:40 AM »

So I was correct in the sense that Fire Emblem was discussed and that the release date would be mentioned, but boy am I dissappointed. Fire Emblem (along with SPM) was perhaps my most anticipated upcoming release. It really is a huge dissappointment that we'll now have to wait until 2013. I also don't get why Shibata put the delay down to Nintendo wanting to put out the best game possible. It's out in Japan. Surely it's just a case of localising it?

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TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 21, 2012, 08:48:06 PM »

To be fair, I did that for one of them (I think the February one). It was all exciting, and then I slept in between the Japan and Europe/NA ones.

That actually sounds kind of cool. My problem? I just enjoy sleep too much.

Although, having said that, I'm not working tomorrow, it's currently 01:45 am and I'm about 22 levels into Mutant Mudds (released  today in Europe). Who knows? Maybe I'll make it to 5 am.

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TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 21, 2012, 08:08:00 PM »

Well, the reason is so it's directly after the Japanese one.

Oh, absolutely. I'm just laughing at the fact that the Letter Box message from Shibata tried to portray this as if it were a strategically chosen time; as if people were going to wake up at 5 am to watch a Nintendo Direct conference, go back to sleep for one or two hours, and then wake up refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

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General Gaming / Re: Aesthetically Pleasing Home Consoles

« on: June 21, 2012, 07:49:26 PM »

I don't like how the Japan/UK SNES has two shades of grey.  The American one has a much cleaner look, at least until it becomes all yellow.  The Famicom looks tacky and like a flimsy plastic toy.  It's design doesn't suggest being an electronic device.
 

Perhaps it's just nostalgia, but I honestly think the Japanese/Euro SNES looks better. The North American version for me has too many unnecessary angles and contours. You're correct, though. The Famicom does look like a toy, but that in and of itself is not necessarily bad. I kind of like the fact that it doesn't look like other devices from the '80s.

The problem with videogame systems is that they're very much a design of their times so their physical appearance can often be based on the then current fads and trends.  The Atari 2600 wood paneling and the NES's boxy design with 80's science fiction font really reflect some embarassing and very dated trends.  But you can tell the time period they're from just by looking at them.

True, that's half the fun. I enjoy pulling out these old systems and enjoying them for what they are and were. I don't have any illusions about it. It's almost entirely sentimental.

 

2132

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo 3DS Discussion

« on: June 21, 2012, 06:30:34 PM »

I bought a "Midnight Indigo" (Purple) 3DS today along with Resident Evil Revelations (+Circle Pad Pro) and a free copy of Pilotwings Resort.

I purchased a Black 3DS at launch, but I'd absolutely love to have a purple one. I just can't justify swapping it though without a revision.
 
I still haven't played 'Revelaitons' or Pilowings. I haven't managed to find Pilotwings going for an appropriate price, and Revelations is a Resident Evil game, which for me is a deterrent.
 
I'm really looking forward to Sticker Star though. I was pretty disappointed by SPM, so I'm hopeful that this game does away with it's predessor's bland platformer elements and returns to the series' RPG roots. I love the idea of a platformer mixed with an RPG in concept, but having played SPM I've been soured on the idea.

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General Gaming / Re: Aesthetically Pleasing Home Consoles

« on: June 21, 2012, 06:15:45 PM »

That's what happens when Nintendo testers try to force their Gamecubes to be black? It looks more like what happens when Nintendo try to take cues from Sony's Marketing team circa 2004. 0:15 was truely, truely disturbing.
 
Welcome to the third place indeed.

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General Gaming / Re: Aesthetically Pleasing Home Consoles

« on: June 21, 2012, 04:57:14 PM »

You use the wrong color of Cube.

...No, I'm pretty sure I had the black one. lol.
 
That's the one I had, and that's the one I loved.

2135

General Gaming / Aesthetically Pleasing Home Consoles

« on: June 21, 2012, 04:28:28 PM »

One of the items I think we all expected Nintendo to address at E3 2012 was the matter of what the Wii U console itself would look like. I don't think many of us expected that the console shown at E3 2011 would be the actual form factor which would be released to the public later this year. As it happens it was. As it goes, Wii U is perhaps Nintendo's most non-descript design we've ever seen; being essentially a smoother version of the Wii. When it comes to video games systems people rightly remember the games, but being a bit of a romantic for the devices themselves, I often find myself admiring the shape and design of the consoles themselves.
 
Car enthusiasts judge the worth of a car not purely on it's performance, but also on its aesthetic qualities; it is something to be admired with the eye as much as it is something to be driven. As a video game enthusiast I too find myself admiring not only the technical specifications of video game consoles, but also their aesthetic design and how they're constructed. Whereas the technical enhancements we see with each generation of consoles lessens our appreciation of previous generations' graphical and audio quality, good design is timeless. These are my Top 10 most aesthetically pleasing home consoles.
 
10- PC Engine - A very minimalist design with some unique dimensions.
 

 
9 -Magnavox Odyssey - Has a bulky frame, but I love its unorthodox shape. It's almost like something out of CEOTTK.
 
 

 
8 - Atari 2600 - Designed to look like it was chiseled from a solid piece of lumber, the 2600 is pleasing on the eye almost despite itself.
 

 
7 - Dreamcast - A very clean and precise design punctuated by two irresistibly chunky buttons.
 

 
6 - Playstation 3 Slim - A significant improvement on the original, the PS3 Slim is an impossibly slick looking device and also allows for more room and less finger prints.
 

 
5 - Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Japan & Uk) - Moving away from the VHS styled NES, Nintendo sought to remove any harsh angles and round off the corners in what is a classic design.
 

 
4 - Wii - With  its iconic glowing disc drive and it's inclined stand, the Wii is proof, if any were needed, that Nintendo know how to execute on clean utilitarian design.
 

 
3 - Famicom - It's been reported in recent years that the Famicom's colour scheme was not a matter of design but rather a matter of cost. It seems that the iconic white and scarlet colour scheme we know and love was a financial consideration, as those two colours happened to be the cheapest plastics to obtain. Regardless, it's still an incredibly evocative looking system.
 

 
2 - Xbox 360 Slim - As far as I'm concerned, this is when Microsoft finally got it right. Improving upon its predecessor in every concievable way, the slim took the concave shape of the original 360 and compacted it into a much sharper looking design.
 

 
1 - Gamecube - There is something indefinably joyous and fun about the design of the Gamecube. Much like a small wrapped gift, it's cuboid frame for some reason brings out the child in me. Everything from its shape, to it's large buttons, to the fact that it has a handle, just makes me remember what games are supposed to be. Fun.
 

2136

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

« on: June 21, 2012, 03:54:11 PM »

I'm telling you guys. We need to get a retroactive on both Faxanadu and Ufouria. In fact, it's been about 3 years since I played Ufouria, I think I'll play that tomorrow (you know when I'm not playing Mutant Mudds).

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TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 21, 2012, 03:47:11 PM »

@NWR_Neal
 
lol, that's even worse! Now there's no excuse for it to be on at that time in the morning.

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TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 21, 2012, 03:13:15 PM »

Also, what's with it being on at like 5am in the morning in Europe? I got a message from Shibata earlier today saying that the live stream will start at 6 CET. He ended the message with something to the effect that 'we want you to enjoy the presentation before you go to school or the office'. Seriously? They expect us to believe that's the reason it's on at that time in the morning? I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that the European stream will just be the Japanese ND with subtitles and some asterix stating 'Release date in Europe still to be announced'.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

« on: June 21, 2012, 12:52:40 PM »

@guitardeth3
 
Metroid II has already recieved a retroactive segment. I can't remember the exact episode but it would have been in 2010 I believe.

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TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 21, 2012, 12:43:19 PM »

For the European ND I think we're likely to see more Fire Emblem, perhaps even getting a release date, and they'll probably remind people that Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise is on it's way. Other than that, I have no idea what else might be shown. If I was to guess? I'd say not much.

2141

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Limiting the Wii U to one Gamepad for now - Nintendo's smartest move yet.

« on: June 18, 2012, 01:55:21 AM »

To be honest, local multiplayer generally holds limited appeal for me. Asymmetrical gaming is great for those who actually have friends or family who actually play video games together in one room, but that's not something that seems to happen often for me. There were a few occasions when I first got my Wii that I was able to play Wii Sports with family, but they soon got bored and that was the end of that. I fear that there are many more people like myself, for whom asymmetrical gaming is a cool concept but ultimately impracticable.
 
My issue, therefore, is not that Nintendo's first slate of games will not support multiple gamepads, but rather that Nintendo still seem to be reluctant to build their games with online multiplayer in mind.

2142

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 294: Something in Common

« on: June 17, 2012, 05:57:14 AM »

I have to agree with Mr Metts. I too have taken issue with the 3DS touch screen. I'm glad to hear that the Wii U screen is somewhat better, but also a little dissappointed that it still has some responsiveness issues. A capacitive screen would have been really cool.

2143

Reader Reviews / Re: Mario Tennis Open (3DS)

« on: June 17, 2012, 05:22:26 AM »

No new reviews since last year? What about my amazing Kid Icarus review?  :
 
Anyway, nice review man. I'm a huge fan of tennis, I actually wasn't aware that it wasn't as big in the states.
 
The special games seems like the most appealing thing about this game for me, but those alone have not convinced me that this game would be worth the price. It just seems a little bare bones. It's a shame about the online. I had so much fun with Grand Slam Tennis online on Wii. It'd hoped this would have been as much fun.

2144

Reader Reviews / Re: The Amazing Spider-Man Demo Impressions

« on: June 17, 2012, 05:15:52 AM »

Interesting impressions. It's a shame that other players have had what appear to be quite serious issues. I'd like to try this demo myself when it comes to Europe.

2145

TalkBack / Re: Mutant Mudds Sequel Coming in 2013

« on: June 16, 2012, 05:21:56 PM »

I'm really looking forward to it being released in Europe. I really hope they price it appropriately. There seems to be a tendency to overprice eShop games in Europe, and I often worry that sales are accordingly affected.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Learning from E3 about Best Way to Sell Wii U

« on: June 16, 2012, 10:45:24 AM »

I have not seen any mention of friend codes, at the very least they never mentioned them at E3.

Yeah. They did not mention friend codes at E3, but it has subsequently been confirmed that friend codes will exist on Wii U in some capacity. It has been reported that the system will be streamlined, although it has not yet been announced what this means.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Learning from E3 about Best Way to Sell Wii U

« on: June 16, 2012, 02:40:53 AM »

Nintendo have been on the back foot ever since E3. Almost every news story seems to be someone from Nintendo being asked about why they did or didn't do something. Why have they not reveiled what Retro have been working on? Why are they retaining friend codes? Why are they not releasing any games at launch which support two gamepads? Why are they not including a hard drive? Why have they chose to introduce a draconian filter system? Do they have the ability to surpass their competitors online systems? Why does the gamepad not support multi-touch? Regardless of whether or not you're satisfied by their answers (and I'm more often not), it's really dissappointing to see Nintendo on the defense. Nintendo for me is always at it's best when it's pointing forward rather than being reactionary.
 

 

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Explains Choice for Single-Touch Wii U GamePad Functionality

« on: June 16, 2012, 02:39:30 AM »

Nintendo are kind of bad at hiding their motives. It's no fun when they straight up declare that cost was a crucial consideration. Sony and Microsoft would no doubt try and put some spin on it so that it looked like they were doing you a favour by not including a feature. At least Nintendo seem to be pragmatic about it. Is the cost of implementing this feature commensurate with it's utility? In the case of multi-touch they're probably correct that it is not. I tell you what though, this resistive screen had better be improved from the 3DS one. Luckily from reports I've heard, it is.

 

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TalkBack / Re: Wii U Launch Titles Will Not Support Two GamePads

« on: June 15, 2012, 03:48:33 AM »

I would have at least expected Pikmin 3 local multiplayer to support two pads. I was thinking that there might be an option to put a virtual curtain over the TV screen, so that neither player could see what the other was doing. Allowing each player to have their own separate window into the game would have given the multiplayer an additional element of strategy. Oh well.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Learning from E3 about Best Way to Sell Wii U

« on: June 14, 2012, 11:19:09 AM »

"Asked directly about whether consumers could understand what made the Wii U a desirable purchase, Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata said the company was still working on the issue."
 
They're still working on the issue of how to make consumers understand what makes their system desirable? That's a pretty big problem to have this close to launch. At this point Nintendo should have had a finely honed message, one which highlights exactly why you would want to own a Wii U. They should be shouting such a message from the rooftops not 'working' on it. It seems to me that Nintendo's whole approach to the Wii U has been ad hoc.