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TalkBack / Re: Dragon Quest XI For Switch 2019 Or Later In West: 3DS Version Not Being Localized

« on: March 28, 2018, 06:03:44 PM »

It is hard to decide whether to wait for Switch or buy it on PS4.  If I had a good PC, I'd probably buy it for that.  As it is, waiting for Switch might make sense for a game that makes so much sense for portable play.  I don't think I would have purchased the 3DS version anyway, given the resolution.

A fan translation would be nice.  It would be a lot of work, though.

I wonder why it is taking so long for Switch.  It was one of the first announced games, and it doesn't look THAT technically advanced.

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TalkBack / Re: Super Smash Bros. Coming to Switch, New Character Revealed

« on: March 12, 2018, 11:46:05 AM »

With a fighting game series like this that is already so mature, I am pretty forgiving with what could be considered a sequel vs. port.  If they did a MK8 or Captain Toad style enhancement (straight port with DLC style additions/fixes), I would be disappointed and would not buy it.  But, that seems unlikely.  Chibi Robo didn't burn for that.

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TalkBack / Re: Super Smash Bros. Coming to Switch, New Character Revealed

« on: March 09, 2018, 03:03:22 PM »

I was super excited at the reveal, but the "2018" scares me.  Yet another port being sold at full price is the last thing we need.  I would guess that it will be inbetween, like a sports game revision -- marketed as a new game with a new name, but the framework will be from the previous game and not have a significantly reworked battle system.  Just a guess.

Apart from the obvious Inklings and Arms characters, I hope they add some more wacky characters as well.  It would be funny to have anthropomorphized versions of all the Nintendo consoles and handhelds.

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TalkBack / Re: New York Toy Fair 2018 Photo Roundup

« on: February 26, 2018, 05:28:17 PM »

Love the pillows.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Labo Announced

« on: January 18, 2018, 01:18:29 PM »

I'm not really expecting that interface either, since it wasn't shown, but I do think it is a requirement for the product to explode in popularity.  If the software is just for these specific cardboard creations, I don't see it gaining much traction, unless they put out a steady flow of new add-on packs.  It would be more specifically a small kid thing, though, like those LeapFrog activity books and cartridges.  It is odd that the promo featured an adult if it falls into that category.

Nevermind, it's gonna be huge:

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Labo Announced

« on: January 18, 2018, 12:44:15 PM »

Ian, there are many kid-friendly educational products (and even some for programmers) with easy to grasp visual interfaces for programming.  There would be sensor boxes with parameters (tilt angles, joysticks, distance from the depth camera, touch screen tap, etc.) and output boxes (generating sounds, vibrating, colors on screen, etc).  These interfaces typically work by dragging and dropping the boxes and sticking arrows between them, which is intuitive enough for most people to quickly understand.  If they include an interface like this for custom builds, and hopefully allow for sharing them online, then people could create their own cardboard devices and share the templates online.  That is the real appeal of a product like this.  The sets shown hopefully just act as an introduction to the concepts.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Labo Announced

« on: January 18, 2018, 10:58:54 AM »

I agree with ejamer that the success depends on the software.  What we've seen in the promo is premade projects that don't allow for much creativity, although they may be great projects for younger kids.  However, if the software allows basic logic with if->then, do->while, etc. in some graphical form, then it could be HUGE.  Raspberry Pi is going to be more flexible regardless, but it is also more intimidating than a simple game kit like this.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Labo Announced

« on: January 17, 2018, 07:27:02 PM »

The keyboard seems to use the depth camera to track how far the key being hit is from the controller, which determines the note.  When I first saw the camera, a theramin is what came to mind.  You could just build a little cardboard stand to hold the camera facing up for that.

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TalkBack / Re: New Interactive Switch Experience to be Unveiled Today

« on: January 17, 2018, 04:36:23 PM »

This reminds me of that depth camera at the bottom of one Joy-Con, which they must have something in mind for.  It could be fun to make a set with modeling clay, allowing kids to craft little creatures that they could "scan in" to a virtual playset.

EDIT: That actual concept seems more like a simplified version of those Raspberry Pi project kits.  Not sure how to feel about it.  I hope they include the ability to modify with some logic like the Pi kits, allowing creativity beyond coloring the cardboard.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Super Mario Odyssey Spoiler Thread - Spoilers here or I'll punch your face in.

« on: November 29, 2017, 01:20:08 PM »

Speaking of the Mushroom Kingdom, it would be fun to have a full village similar to the opening non-accessible area in Mario Galaxy.  I've always wanted to go there and see what the toads are up to in their normal lives.

What a game!  I had the most fun just exploring and finding areas to platform to.  Like Sunshine, the levels are as much playgrounds as puzzles.  Yoshi was still kind of a drag/liability in 3D, but not too bad.  The pointer tongue in Galaxy 2 made him more useful and interesting.

I started methodically finding all the moons in levels after beating the main story, which is a lot less fun.  I see now that the game really doesn't require you to get many for the full experience.  After 500, there isn't much that changes, so it is more enjoyable to just play casually.  As usual, the hardest platforming challenges are a lot of fun because the controls are a joy.  That even goes for the races, where I normally hate time trials in games.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 536: Yoshi Facts Matter to Me

« on: September 22, 2017, 10:20:28 AM »

Sunshine is a game that I appreciate more over time.  I was surprised to hear people complain about the controls, since they were so finely tuned.  It could be that the camera made them seem worse, since there was a periodic need to babysit whatever it was doing.  If you play the game more, it is easy to forget that, because you know what the scripted camera movements will be and subconsciously work with them.  There was only that one notorious area that seemed broken to me.

One of my favorite parts of the game was the main hub, which had a lot of verticality and room to play with the controls.  From the beginning, you see some areas that you can't get to, which invites you to figure out the parkour-like acrobatics.  There are many areas that you can get to out of sequence once you get the controls down.  I think part of the issue is that the group was playing it to get Shines for the retroactive, rather than just fooling around and having fun.  I don't mean that as a critique, since I would probably do the same thing.  An issue with that approach is that the game naturally teaches you all the moves through discovery rather than the cliche Mario 1-1 or Mega Man X intro.  BOTW takes a similar approach in some ways, and people might similarly trash it in a retroactive.

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TalkBack / Re: Thimbleweed Park (Switch) Review

« on: September 21, 2017, 03:48:49 PM »

Thanks for the review.  I didn't know this game existed and I like the old adventure games.  I hope King's Quest makes it to the Switch, since I keep forgetting it exists.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Is 2017 Nintendo's Greatest Year in Software Releases?

« on: September 14, 2017, 12:55:00 PM »

It is hard to compare with the big titles of the past, but I love that Nintendo is allowing more creativity and scope back into their game design.  It is a good time to own a Switch, unlike last year when there were no games.

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TalkBack / Re: Doom, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Coming to Switch; Skyrim Release Date Revealed

« on: September 14, 2017, 10:30:01 AM »

These types of games are perfect for a portable, and actually make sense to buy on Switch over more capable consoles for many.  I know that the portability has made me consider games I wouldn't normally buy.  This is great.

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TalkBack / Re: LA Noire Coming to Switch November 14

« on: September 07, 2017, 03:42:14 PM »

L.A. Noire sometimes felt more like an experiment than a game, but it was fun to drive around old L.A. and the odd nature of the game makes it worth playing through.  There are some awful elements, including the over-the-top ending that kinda spoiled the drama for me, but there are also many memorable set pieces.  With that said, it has zero replay value, so I am not interested in buying it again.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: I wanted to see Switch Infrastructure at E3

« on: July 12, 2017, 02:20:40 PM »

It looks like Nico Nico (Youtube-ish) is coming to Japan today.  I wonder if this is a sign of imminent Youtube, Netflix, web browser, etc.  I'd like a proper media player as well, but not holding my bananas.

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TalkBack / Re: What Could The 3DS Have In 2018?

« on: July 07, 2017, 01:05:51 PM »

As much as I am ready to move to one portable system and leave the 3DS behind, it is still a great system.  If they ported all the new games coming to 3DS to Switch, it would make a nice transition.

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TalkBack / Re: Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Switch) Preview

« on: June 30, 2017, 04:38:17 PM »

This game reminds me a lot of Battle Chess.  It is a coat of paint on a classic game and doesn't need to exist, but all the aesthetic touches make it appealing.  I do wish it was neither Mario or Rabbids based, with the artists given free reign to make new lighthearted characters and worlds.  I'd be much more likely to buy it.

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TalkBack / Re: Super NES Classic Edition Announced: Includes Unreleased Star Fox 2

« on: June 26, 2017, 12:38:53 PM »

That is a great collection of games!  They did a good job working with third parties.  The price is a little out of my range, unfortunately.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Is there any chance of Beyond Good & Evil 2 coming to Switch?

« on: June 22, 2017, 05:29:16 PM »

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-06-22-beyond-good-and-evil-2-reveals-awe-inspiring-in-engine-demo

Not sure this will even run on PS4...

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General-3 / Re: Members of the Kong Kollective: Come and get yourselves Kong Kristened

« on: June 15, 2017, 06:09:13 PM »

I was an impressionable human, turning to the kong gang without knowing what I was getting into.  It's a violent group with questionable morality, but it's the only family I have.  They made me rip the arms off a young plumber to be considered one of the crew.

I guess there's no turning back now...

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General-3 / Re: Kong Club

« on: June 15, 2017, 06:05:39 PM »

Sixth Rule of Kong Club - Make animal noises that are distinctly human, like a man who is hyperventilating with glee.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Is there any chance of Beyond Good & Evil 2 coming to Switch?

« on: June 15, 2017, 03:00:03 PM »

If it is a Switch exclusive, I am very impressed with the budget they had for the trailer.  In general, Ubisoft had trailers that made most others look like they came from a random Youtuber.  That's not to say that they had much to do with the actual games, but whatever team made them is crazy talented.

P.S.  Please leave my name like this forever.  Can't kong me now.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: The OFFICIAL Big N rumor thread *bring your own salt*

« on: June 14, 2017, 04:20:05 PM »

I don't like to think of Retro doing another Donkey Kong at the cost of their own passions, but they are so good at it that it would be nice.  They seem to be good at making pretty much any sort of game and are being used for technical support in games like Mario Kart, so I guess what they are doing is making Nintendo games better.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Is there any chance of Beyond Good & Evil 2 coming to Switch?

« on: June 14, 2017, 03:08:57 PM »

LKD is hit-or-miss with rumors, which is fine.  She is a conduit for people to pass rumors to without being identified.  I don't think she should be blamed when the rumors don't pan out, or given particular credit when they do.  The only thing that would discredit her is if she did something shady like revealing sources.  I guess there is a bigger philosophical/moral question of whether it is right to reveal these things to begin with.  Spoiling a surprise for the passionate team behind a game is pretty lame and immature.