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TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Direct Recap

« on: June 18, 2025, 10:12:04 AM »

Wow that got me a little emotional for a moment there. Nintendo trying to legit tell a story in platformer is neat novelty.

The Bananza transformations look to take the place of Animal Buddies with their functionality. I'd rather be riding Expresso but this does look really good! I mean look at the booty! Also at the very least Rambi is ridable in those Diddy + Dixie challenge sections. So you know maybe there is hope for other Animal Buddies with a similar role.

The opening narration makes me think K Rool is in the game.

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TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Nintendo Direct Set for This Week

« on: June 16, 2025, 11:07:19 PM »

I really didn't expect this game to get a direct. Like Odyssey I felt if it didn't have a really involved level up/skill tree system, tons of multiplayer options or some really wacky new gameplay mechanics for audiences to wrap they heads around, then a trailer in a general Direct would have been enough.

But then again there are a lot of people worried that the destruction will be mindless and ruin the level design. So this is their chance to put those fears at ease.

Not for me though! I was sold the moment I saw those banana shaped rocks.

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TalkBack / Re: Switch 2 Sells 3.5 Million Units In First Four Days To Become Fastest Selling System In Nintendo

« on: June 16, 2025, 12:54:09 AM »

What's interesting to me is the discussion of game pricing. At some point too much is too much but I really don't think we are there now. I remember many discussions revolving around Pokemon specifically. Every generation the games went up and the idea of going from $39.99 3DS Pokemon games to $59.99 Switch Pokemon games had some people up in arms. Obviously there wasn't much uproar outside of Pokemon communities and not to mention console games were already $60 for ages by that point. Still some people were convinced there was no way Pokemon games would be able to reach the sales heights of R/B/G/Y or even G/S/C. Lo and behold a full gen later we would see that even the questionable quality of Sword and Shield surpassed Gold and Silver! Then lo and further behold Scarlet and Violet with it's own major controversies surpassed Gold & Silver along with Sword and Shield within the same generation.

It's certainly a reasonable assumption that higher priced games will sell less but man I really don't know. There could be some perceived premium value associated with the higher prices and some people(in the case of the Switch generation MORE people) are just willing to pay.

The extra budgeted Prime Remastered certainly didn't light up the charts but Retro's other title, Donkey Kong Country Returns, upped in price and did pretty well lol. Granted I understand there are huge differences between the IP's, marketing etc. However I think there is something to be said about the online discourse of both. The $40 Prime Remastered was just sure to get the Switch effect with that budget price point and take the series to new heights. The $60 Donkey Kong Country Returns was overly priced, sure to bomb and further disgrace the "forgotten" series.

My entertainment budget is like 80% video games. Occasionally taking my family to the movies and whatever silly streaming services we have. If push came to shove I'd prioritize my Nintendo any day of the week. Smash, Mario/Kart, Zelda, Donkey Kong, F-Zero and Tetris are just too difficult for me to put down. I'll sacrifice my movie and streaming dollar for my gaming dollar. For my personal needs the gaming dollar gets carried a heck of a lot further than my theater dollar. 

I suppose I'm saying that like with anything else people will adjust to the rising costs around them and be more selective with their expendable dollar. Does that mean less games or gaming services? Or maybe less streaming, 1 less super deluxe coffee in a given week, or one less trip to the movies?

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo Switch 2

« on: June 09, 2025, 12:31:50 PM »

I've been hearing that the Switch2 feels more like a premium product than the last Switch and I'd say that is definitely true. Feels sturdier, looks a bit sleeker and just functions more efficiently.

I was waiting for a Xenoblade X patch to finish my run of the game but decided to play anyway. Holy smokes, the resolution and the frame rate! I can clearly make out the creatures and armor sets now! I was not prepared for darn near every game getting some form of a boost in a generic resolution and/or frame rate boost. It really is an amazing plus especially since I have so many games just sitting unfinished.

I tell you what though, Mario Kart World really is something special. I remember being wowed by Mario Kart 8's visuals on the Wii U so long ago but that was about where it ended. I enjoyed my time with Mario Kart 8, but haven't LOVED Mario Kart since the DS version. I buy all of them, I play them when there is nothing else to play and it serves it's purpose as a family game to bond with everyone.

Now though? Nah bruh, this Mario Kart? I haven't smiled so hard or laughed this much with a game in a very long time. There are a few moments during races where I am in awe. The spectacle and presentation really hits me hard sometimes! There are some really cool tracks in 8D,  but with this game there is real context of where everything is and later on if I want to I can go there, so these tracks don't just feel real, they are real!

The wide open spaces do not detract from the experience. Not when there are 23 other racers trying to clobber you at every moment. Not to mention the wild life, road hazards and local vehicles going to and fro. I am always jumping, dodging and moving my butt to keep from being annihilated.

And with so many tracks like Big Blue and Mount Wario I am in absolute love! For my tastes this is just what the doctor ordered! A race around the world like Flash vs Super Man. I don't mind 3 lap traditional races but man am I glad this is no longer the majority of races any longer.

The item balance isn't nearly as maddening as it once was! I mean you get hit over and over but the recovery of the vehicles is just better! Charge jumping can get you out of a few jams if you are skilled enough and reliably dodging blue shells with mushrooms is so much easier now!

And Donkey Kong looks like sentient being again. Thank God!

Just let me adjust the music volume! That music is so good I really want to hear it without all the frantic engines and items all over the place. Oh and there is no way to join friends while they are playing randoms online. Hopefully they add that in like it was in 8D.

Anyone try Gamechat? I see a few of you online with your chats set up and eventually I'm gonna send you a chat request. We've been on these boards typing since we were in our teens and now that I'm nearing my 40's you should all enjoy my receding hair line! Game Chat works really well, and it's surprisingly a seamless and pleasant experience. I did not think I would be into it but playing while chatting with one of my buddies was really nice.

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TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Announced for Switch 2

« on: May 27, 2025, 02:04:47 AM »

I thought the intro looked pretty engaging with a little mystery to see what’s coming next.

On another topic… I’m only realizing today that when Nintendo uploaded the trailer to Nintendo News the trailer was edited. Not on YouTube but only the Nintendo app, there is a quick scene of DK giving Cranky some high fives. I can only imagine much like Sakurai and his ear to the ground for us ravenous Smashers, the Bananza team knows what DK fans are concerned about. At first glance when you watch that trailer it feels a lot like Jungle Beat where there is seemingly very little connection to previous games. I think they wanted that, they wanted players to find relief with Cranky and spread the word during the Treehouse segments. As time went on there were a lot of little Easter eggs and direct references to past games. I’m guessing there are going to be massive amounts of call backs to every era of DK.

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TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Announced for Switch 2

« on: April 22, 2025, 01:47:19 PM »

I saw someone playing this and DK's movement options look so fun! The trailer didn't really convey exactly what I saw recently at one of the Nintendo events. Maybe because most of the shots showed DK smashing and bashing but I saw other footage of DK running, jumping and climbing in long strides along with his smashing abilities. It looks so good!

There are other classic characters here too. Cranky and Rambi are confirmed. Naughty's are referenced as fossils and I believe Professor Chops as well. Not to mention the Crocoid skeletons look straight up like DK64 Kremlings in skeletal form. There is a lot of neat little nods that point to even more classic characters appearing including Expresso and K Rool and I just can't wait!

Man I hope Diddy and Dixie can be apart of this gameplay! Dixie is generally viewed as having more raw strength than Diddy because of that amazing hair so I could see this gameplay justified with her in it. Diddy might be a little harder to justify but he's always been strong but just not as strong! Ripping smaller chunks from walls and maybe takes a few more hits to smash things might be all that's needed. 

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack Adding Switch 2 Exclusive GameCube Library

« on: April 07, 2025, 01:15:34 AM »

I don't have evidence, but I always equated Soul Caliber II with killing off F-Zero. Or at least put it into that coma it only recently awakened from.

These 2 games released within days of each other. And trust me, allllllllllllllllll the hype went to Soul Caliber. We were starved of a realistic Link due to the Space World Zelda demo filling our head with dreams and and ending up with Wind Waker. The promise of realistic Link in this amazing fighting game series coming to Nintendo was the talk of the town. Soul Caliber changed my life so I am far more grateful for it than I am slightly resentful hehehe.

I find it so funny that of the 3 games launching the Gamecube on NSO, all 3 are entwined in the fall of F-Zero.

Granted I understand there are a million aspects that COULD HAVE equated to GX underperforming. Lack of online, marketing, etc. Whatever. The fact is I was there Nintendo World Report. We were all there. We know the truth...

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TalkBack / Re: Will Mario Kart World Satisfy My Single-Player Demands?

« on: April 06, 2025, 11:11:44 PM »

Caterkiller say's yes! Yes it will! I never get too excited for Mario Kart, I buy them all, I play them, but ever since Diddy Kong Racing I have just never been too thrilled with the series. This open world stuff gives me serious Diddy Kong Racing vibes! I know we haven't seen bosses or missions or anything like that but I have a good feeling this open world is going to be utilized greatly.

Mario Kart always just kind of found its winning formula very early and the best ways to seemingly iterate on it was to just make that formula a little bigger. More characters, more tracks, more opponents per race, online. I didn't expect much going into this game beyond that so my eyes went wide during the Direct.

Open world, traveling between tracks and just being able to screw around with friends? Holy moly that alone has me ready to go! I can't imagine we won't be able to do "things" within the single player. Significant "things" that would make playing alone feel oh so satisfying.

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TalkBack / Re: EA, 2K Loading Switch 2 Up With Sports And Entertainment

« on: April 06, 2025, 07:31:28 PM »

Wow, to think there hasn't been a Madden on Nintendo for over a decade. Also to think the switch did as well as it did without a Madden!

Watching all these graphical comparisons between Switch 2/PS5/XboxX/PS4pro/XboxS of 3rd party games I am thrilled that the Switch 2 is a comparable power house. Or rather it can keep up well enough to what's available now using it's own unique techniques instead of with brute force.

Madden will look comparable to Sony and Microsoft, that's something that people can be excited about.

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TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Announced for Switch 2

« on: April 06, 2025, 06:35:36 PM »

The more I look at this game the more infatuated I become. DK is my boy! I love love love Donkey Kong! When I first witnessed the commercial for Donkey Kong Country in the 2nd grade I made it my mission to be able to comfortably run on my hands and feet like an ape. By the end of high school I looked quite the fool but I looked totally at home in Kongo Jungle.

I can see a little bit from every Donkey Kong here. Some of the arcade, some of Rare's Country, DK64, Jungle Beat and Retro's Country. It's a wonderful amalgamation for what came before.

During my 200% run of Returns HD, I would begin to really analyze every single level. Retro made a real working world. There is so much logic and reason behind nearly every platform and peace of terrain. Floating barrels aside, there was a logical "realism" to nearly every set piece.

After a while I began to ask myself, how does this island sustain itself? Everywhere Donkey Kong goes, the place is left in absolute shambles. I can't imagine EAD took inspiration from Retro's bombastic set pieces but there really is a nice bit of cohesion between Retro's 2D games and this 3D game. Darn near everything is reduced to rubble in Donkey Kong's wake.

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TalkBack / Re: Pauline To Be Partner In Donkey Kong Bananza?

« on: April 05, 2025, 08:53:54 PM »

You look at the wrist of this “Pauline” and you can see a bracelet made of that purple rock. That purple rock boy is made up of VoidCo caution tape, the same stuff used to block off an exit in the demo. It was sang away. I assume this rock and this girl are one and the same. Or Little Rock Boy transformed himself into the girls bracelet. This is Pauline’s daughter or Pauline is younger for some reason.

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TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Announced for Switch 2

« on: April 02, 2025, 01:25:43 PM »

Huh... Now that I think about it, King K Rool's body type would fit with this gameplay pretty well. But no way.

Or way?

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TalkBack / Re: Zelda and Street Fighter Amiibo Announced, Switch 2 Compatible

« on: April 02, 2025, 12:57:33 PM »

Wowsers! I thought Amiibo were done. Color me surprised!

Hey maybe Donkey Kong and get in on this fully now! Such a shame Tropical Freeze missed the Amiibo wagon! Two times no less!

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TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Announced for Switch 2

« on: April 02, 2025, 12:47:05 PM »

Not my vision but I do like what I see. Another 3D character action game by Nintendo is always a good thing. Hopefully we see a few classic characters in there. If this does well I imagine this is what we can expect from DK going forward. This is the Mario Galaxy/Jungle Beat team through and through.

I hope we see Diddy, Dixie and Cranky in here but at the moment it's not looking likely at all. However we've seen so little so who knows? My real question is that if those characters do get to be playable in a game like this, do their character designs lend themselves to this smash and bash gameplay?

Diddy and Dixie are far smaller than DK with much smaller arms. It is probably a nothing issue as Diddy's Pop Guns and Dixie's hair provide the necessary destructive muscle in Retro's titles. Still I can't help but wonder if their character designs wouldn't fit to well with this gameplay.

Maybe the Treehouse will give us answers.

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TalkBack / Re: New Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Footage Shown

« on: March 29, 2025, 10:18:25 PM »

I mean people are going to judge one way or another. I don’t blame anyone for “yawning” at this first impression any more than I get on others for being super excited. On both accounts I can see where each side is coming from.

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TalkBack / Re: New Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Footage Shown

« on: March 29, 2025, 02:46:10 PM »

I would agree that the negativity online is bit over blown. However when it comes to gameplay and animations, what we have seen so far does look very dated. It's not necessarily a bad thing either, if what people want is more Prime they certainly have it. Seemingly anyway.

As far as I'm concerned this is par the course for a Nintendo trailer. We first see what we generally know and love. It's very safe. Months later just before release we find out a major hook and gameplay loops that have half of us screaming in delight.

The arm cannon and morph ball gameplay look to play and animate exactly as we remember. Granted there are additions shown. It looks like she can dash backward and controlling shots like the Beatle from Skyward Sword will definitely change things up.

Add that to the somewhat slippery and jittery animations of the 4 armed enemies along with the relatively closed off environments I can see why people are disappointed for now. After 16 years I would just say it looks a little too similar to what came before.

Now I'm personally expecting all this footage to be only the tutorial. Not to mention Retro is a 5/5 studio. Between Donkey Kong and Metroid they haven't missed yet. I have full faith they'll wow me like every other time before.

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TalkBack / Re: New Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Footage Shown

« on: March 27, 2025, 01:26:20 PM »

I really enjoyed the first 3 Prime games and I'm looking forward to this but so far I am not impressed. There is one particular thing I look for when it comes to Nintendo franchises and that is traversal and movement options.

I 200%'d Donkey Kong Country Returns HD because the fluidity in Donkey Kong's movement and momentum is extremely addictive for my tastes. I went for 900 moons because I love the way Mario feels bouncing around all over the place, launching him to and fro with Cappy. I found 900 and 1000 Koroks because Link could get around climbing, gliding and horse riding in a way that felt very satisfying. If I like my movement options I can be in heaven.

I've stopped midway through Prime Remastered because I'm just slightly bored of Samus's speed and agility. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved Prime 1-3. So much so that I have 4 big ol' high end Metroid Prime statues displayed in my home. Say what you want about all the wackiness of Other M but I LOVED the way Samus controlled beyond the first person moments and despite the sideways Wiimote. When I play Dread I feel like a space ninja that is nimble as heck.

The last FPS I played was one of the Doom titles and I loved how fast the dude was jumping around climbing and ripping those monsters apart. I look at this and for the most part I see the same relatively slow paced battle mechanics and movement options. It's still very early but I've basically been waiting for more movement options that are speedier and higher energy.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: 3D Yoshi's Island

« on: December 17, 2024, 03:15:42 PM »

Yay Kush! So happy you responded with all of this! I was going to make separate topics on both Star Fox and 3D Donkey Kong as well. I wanted to in large part because you brought up exactly what I was thinking, that since the N64 many Nintendo properties never tried or just regressed from attempting 3D gameplay. It really is a strange thing because one would have to imagine that the general formula that 2D Mario started is carried on and differentiated so successfully, then why not the 3D side of that? I suppose time and resources but come on!

3D Mario as a base but with:
1 - Wario style brawling, bashing, stealing, destroying and transforming!
2 - Yoshi style tongue and egg projectiles!
3 - Donkey Kong style speed, agility, swinging, momentum! He's Nintendo's Spider-Man. I got a topic coming!

When it comes to Metroid and Kid Icarus I got so many ideas as well!

Also I totally agree about Forgotten Land. Much like when Pokemon went 3D the first time it was very much just a perspective change to me. The game didn't feel like the evolution that I always envisioned even though I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Where is Iansane, BlackNMild, The Perm, Mop It Up, Broodwars and so many more of the classic crew I'm still friends with on Switch and Facebook but never actually play games with? Oh I see you guys online from time to time! Let's talk about old topics 30 years in the making!

In case anyone doesn't know my general user name in all my games and other forums it is Romacedawn. So if you see that name and 150+ hours in F-Zero 99, 400 in Tears of the Kingdom or nearly 2,000 in Smash you know its ol' Caterkiller.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: 3D Yoshi's Island

« on: December 15, 2024, 10:21:48 AM »

I've got to imagine the Joycon separation would allow "pointer" tongue to function as intended. With Galaxy we could aim the star bits with gyro so seems like a tongue could function well enough.

But yeah a pointer for the tongue and egg tossing sounds like a must to differentiate from standard 3D Mario platforming.

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Nintendo Gaming / 3D Yoshi's Island

« on: December 15, 2024, 12:05:33 AM »

When the N64 launched I could not wait to see what they were eventually going to do with Yoshi. I wanted to see Mario 64 Yoshified. When Sunshine hit I really loved the way Yoshi handled and I just knew they would take that as a base for a solo 3D outing. Years later when Galaxy 2 released I really really knew they would take that Yoshi as a base for a solo Yoshi game. By the time Odyssey came around all faith had been lost, Yoshi would only ever have 2D and 2.5D games for the foreseeable future. The best we could get were the amazing power ups he'd provide in 3D Mario titles. Yoshi in Mario 64DS wasn't so bad but not what one might call full on Yoshi gameplay either.



Doesn't this just look so inviting?!

Anyone have any idea if Nintendo has ever expressed interest in a fully 3D Yoshi title? Any interviews floating around from ages ago? There is so much to work with from the Mario series already I am surprised Yoshi hasn't been fleshed out more in a 3D setting.

Beyond fruit or magical power ups, Yoshi's design has so much gameplay utility just built in.

Yoshi's tongue does so much and it has always been so fun to utilize. Sunshine made it extremely long, homing in on enemies and fruit. Galaxy 2 allowed us to point it manually and depending on what we grabbed it would tether him forward and swing like Samus' Grapple Beam. In Odyssey it worked like the Hook Shoot! It felt so good to slurp the walls back and forth sticking for a moment like a weird chameleon Spider-Man.



Like Mario, Yoshi could Triple Jump and Spin Jump and of course the hovering allowed for a little cushion when platforming.

Fruit was always fun in the 3D and 2D games. Spit seeds, fire, ice! Chili's would have Yoshi running up walls and those funny blue berries had Yoshi taking his own version of the P-Balloon. Does no one else long for more of that but expanded significantly?



And then of course there are the eggs! Only Mario 64 DS gave Yoshi projectile eggs in a 3D setting. Super limited but it was nice to see. I want a 3rd person shooter with Yoshi! I want to toss those things left and right bouncing them across walls and using trick shots for puzzles. Skipping eggs across water and nailing far off enemies right between the eyes always felt good. I have to imagine it would be a significant step up for the series if given a try.

Yoshi's Island was given A-Team star treatment back in the day, you could just feel it! As a kid there was nothing I was looking forward to more than 3D Yoshi and 3D Donkey Kong. With each generation it just felt like solo Yoshi would just be continuously handed off to the B-Teams. That isn't to say that Wooly World or Crafted Island weren't very enjoyable games, I just would personally love super ambitious 3D outings to go alongside the safer 2D types.

If we can have watered down Yoshi gameplay in 2D Mario titles side by side with full on 2D Yoshi titles, there is no reason the same can't be done for 3D. Mario, Zelda, Metroid and now Kirby both have 2D and 3D options. 3D could really give the Yoshi IP a boost, I just wonder why it hasn't been done yet. Maybe with the success of Forgotten Land, other studios at Nintendo will consider making the 3D Jump.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: My Video Game Collection/Museum

« on: December 14, 2024, 11:32:46 PM »

Thank you Reakes. Indeed those are the infamous Michaels Baseball Bat displays hahaha. Once measured properly they do kind of look like a single unit line up like that. I didn't like Amiibos until I saw someone else display them in these little cases. Behind a little bit of glass they are given a bit more sophistication hahaha.

I was telling a friend of mine. No matter what you collect, no matter how weird or silly. Put it behind glass and you'll gain the respect of your fellow man. Don't ask me why, some things just are.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo Music

« on: November 27, 2024, 04:34:17 PM »

I wonder why some of the sound tracks are incomplete? It's Donkey Kong Country 2's, Jib Jig, that made me realize songs were missing. No way it's legal issues right? Gotta be some strange oversight.

One OST that I never thought I'd be so attached to is Kirby Star Allies. My son was so into that game a few years ago that I guess I just tuned out most of the music while playing. Now that I listen to it I'm finding so many of those songs really nice and already nostalgic.


This thing is a winner so far.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: My Video Game Collection/Museum

« on: November 25, 2024, 04:29:04 PM »

That's cool collection!!

Thanks. I've rearranged and added a few things since I originally posted this but I'm not quite satisfied with it all yet. I hoping and praying for a Land Master from First4figures as well as a new Modern Sonic and modern Knuckles.


Donkey Kong his the holy grail license I'm hoping some company picks up soon. I'll clear all the shelves for DK and the gang.

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TalkBack / Re: Interview: Ace Combat 7 Producer Talks Switch Port Development

« on: July 15, 2024, 05:36:05 PM »

Yooo! John! I don't know if their Star Fox answer was your hope or intent with that last question but right on none the less!!!

The only reason I'm purchasing this game is because I love Star Fox. To me these games have no overlap beyond mid air dog fights but that's all it takes for me.

Any time any developer talks about Star Fox openly it feels like it's one arbitrary step forward to a brand new game.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Announces Final Financial Results For 2023-24 Fiscal Year And 2024-25 Projections

« on: May 10, 2024, 12:41:44 PM »

It's looking like the Switch will sell will into the Switch 2's early years. With cross gen gaming so much more of a thing these days I have to imagine some of Nintendo's smaller titles will get duel Switch/Switch2 releases.

What was the wording in regards to Pokemon Legends Z? Releasing simultaneously world wide? Simultaneously where? The Light and the OLED? That type of wording appears very deliberate and tells me we will see a Switch version and Switch 2 version for legends.

Games like that and the usual evergreens will probably keep late adopters coming and busy.