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[More than meets the eye.]

51

TalkBack / Saturday Morning RPG (Switch) Review

« on: April 30, 2018, 01:17:00 PM »

More than meets the eye.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47136/saturday-morning-rpg-switch-review

The ‘80s will always hold a place in the hearts of people who lived through and view the decade with rose-colored glasses. This is certainly the appeal of Saturday Morning RPG as it debuts on Switch. Developer Mighty Rabbit did a great job of providing a short, easy-to-grasp role-playing game that pays homage to the era of hoverboards, teen angst, power gloves, and Transformers. Noticeable problems can make the experience frustrating, but Saturday Morning RPG is a quirky game that makes it worth getting mad over.

Saturday Morning RPG is episodic, with the first five episodes available to play on the Switch. The overarching story deals with Marty, an average high schooler who just happens to have mysterious powers that help him ward off the group known as HOOD, an homage to Cobra from GI Joe. One thing that is very obvious from the get-go is that this game is a love letter to everything that is 1980s pop culture. From movies to television shows to verbiage, Saturday Morning RPG is chock full of references one can easily get if you grew up or are very familiar with the era. It’s smartly woven in the writing, which is both crisp and funny.

One of the highlights is the battle system. It’s a mixture of Super Mario RPG (timed hits and defense) along with a dash of charging multipliers for extra damage. With his powers, Marty is able to use many items he finds on his journeys to use against enemies, ranging from a Care Bear-like item that emits a rainbow beam to a paper plane that can turn into an actual airplane, causing massive damage. Many stat boosters can help you out in battle as well thanks to a Trapper Keeper-esque notebook that aids Marty with stickers and covers that up his magic, health, and other attributes.

The experience is a mostly positive one, but one drawback is that it can get difficult fast. There were many times throughout gameplay where I would be feeling comfortable, then all of a sudden lose three times in a row to a new, much more devastating enemy that would be quick to dwindle down hit points like they were nothing. It took multiple tries to defeat bosses at times, which can become a chore. Battles themselves can also be long and drawn out at times, especially when multiple enemies are on the field.

Saturday Morning RPG isn’t overly long -- it’s maybe about five hours at the most. It’s easy to understand why they went with the episodic format, since the goal is to feel like you’re playing a Saturday morning cartoon show, hence the name. I wish it wasn’t so linear in scope, because it was quite fun exploring the town and talking to people, Mini quests in each episode give a taste of Marty’s world, but I can’t help but think what it would be like if there was a full-fledged town to explore.

Saturday Morning RPG has a lot to like. The presentation is top notch, the gameplay is excellent, and the vast amount of ‘80s references sprinkled throughout the episodes are fun, promoting a positive vibe. I wish the world had a bit more depth, and the difficulty spikes get annoying fast. But with Saturday Morning RPG, the positives end up outweighing the negatives.

[Don’t let the cuteness fool you, Toki Tori is a smart puzzler with lots of charm.]

52

TalkBack / Toki Tori (Switch) Review

« on: April 13, 2018, 04:49:25 PM »

Don’t let the cuteness fool you, Toki Tori is a smart puzzler with lots of charm.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46997/toki-tori-switch-review

The original Toki Tori making its way to the Switch isn’t much of a surprise, as Toki Tori 2 has already been released on the system. This is definitely a good thing, as the original is just as good as the sequel. With its charming aesthetic and clever puzzles, Toki Tori is a wonderful reimagining of the original Game Boy Color release, constantly testing my brain in the best ways imaginable.

Toki Tori casts you as the titular character, a cute bird whose goal is to rescue his siblings, still trapped in their eggs. He has a ton of family, as his siblings are strewn across four different worlds. In addition to the 10 levels you’ll encounter in each world, there are a number of bonus levels and a set of more difficult levels you can clear once you clear enough stages in the main game.

At first, Toki Tori will walk you through the mechanics. The catch is that despite being a bird, he can’t fly or jump. What he does have are a number of tools that can help him reach his siblings, including an ice gun that freezes enemies and a tool that forms bridges between gaps. In some levels, you only get to use one of these tools a set amount of times, meaning you need to make every move count.

The look and feel of Toki Tori is cute enough that it hides that it can be frustrating at times to try to clear a level that, on the surface, should be easy to clear. but I like the balance between being clever but also tough at the same time. Toki Tori never felt difficult in a bad way -- if you get really stuck, there's a rewind feature that's really nifty and a “wildcard” option where you can skip a level and go to the next one. Great features to have for a game that can definitely test your wits.

Presentation wise, Toki Tori is excellent. It runs at 60 fps and runs smoothly; it looks great on a big screen. Each world is colorful and vibrant, keeping the world’s charm consistent as you progress throughout. The music is also fun to listen to and fits in with the overall vibe. You really can’t tell that this once used to be a Game Boy Color title -- it feels like a brand new experience.

Toki Tori is a fun, engaging puzzler that is sure to enthuse anyone who is a fan of the genre. It can be tough at times, but it’s the good kind of tough, a challenge that feels rewarding once you complete it. It also requires perfection in some levels, which can be a bit frustrating, but no level is ever too tough and there are ways to help alleviate frustration. With its clever puzzles and fun aesthetic, Toki Tori is definitely worth the challenge.

[A good game to have a cup of coffee with.]

53

TalkBack / Detective Pikachu (3DS) Review

« on: April 02, 2018, 10:15:09 AM »

A good game to have a cup of coffee with.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46880/detective-pikachu-3ds-review

I was not sure what to expect when I first signed up to take on Detective Pikachu. Developed by Creatures Inc., it’s a totally different type of Pokemon game, shifting to more of a point-and-click style of gameplay. Getting used to Detective Pikachu takes time but is worthwhile. The occasional tedium aside, Detective Pikachu is a charming, fun game that is uniquely different than any other Pokemon game before it -- and that’s a good thing.

Detective Pikachu casts you as Tim Goodman, a teenager who travels to Ryme City in search of his father, who has gone missing. Upon arrival, he encounters his father’s Pikachu, now rocking a detective hat while sounding suspiciously like Danny Devito. Together, they set off to find clues that hopefully lead to Tim’s father’s whereabouts, as well as clues to the mysterious goings-on in Ryme City.

One thing that becomes clear within the first half hour or so is that the pacing and character interactions within the story are very well done. Tim and Pikachu are a good pairing, and compliment one another. I always liked listening to their interactions as they looked for clues and tried to solve the mystery. Other key characters you meet are memorable as well, forming a strong narrative. Without spoiling the ending, I was a bit disappointed with how everything turned out. But much like Detective Pikachu’s signature quote, I guess it can’t be helped.

Gameplay-wise, Detective Pikachu is relatively simple to get into: you go around a linear area talking to various people and Pokemon. Using their answers, you and Pikachu solve questions  in order to advance to the next area or problem. The problems that are presented aren't difficult to solve, to the point where they often felt tedious. Thankfully, the complexity increases as the story advances, which upped the interaction and challenge.

Detective Pikachu’s presentation is another strong suit, with the Pokemon charm well apparent just a few minutes in. The game looks very nice, with the backgrounds and characters looking bright and detailed. Human characters don't exactly look like ones you'd see in the main Pokemon games, more resembling characters you'd see in a CGI movie, but I like that as it's something different. As you solve mysteries, Tim provides hand-drawn clues that also look really good. While you can only move around in linear paths in Detective Pikachu, it still manages to do a good job in capturing the feel of a big city.

Detective Pikachu is a solid, unique spinoff in the Pokemon series that stands out from other spinoffs. It’s a relatively easy point-and-click adventure game that won’t take much to complete in a few sittings. But some aspects of the gameplay do get clever, and the story does resonate. It’s nothing revolutionary, but I can always appreciate a fun with a fun feel and colorful aesthetic.

[The Trail can be rewarding if you look past its technical problems.]

54

TalkBack / The Trail: Frontier Challenge (Switch) Review

« on: March 12, 2018, 10:06:00 AM »

The Trail can be rewarding if you look past its technical problems.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46703/the-trail-frontier-challenge-switch-review

Going outside has its advantages. You get fresh air, it's a healthy form of exercise and also a nice change of scenery. So it’s a good thing The Trail, Kongregate’s first game for the Switch, lets you experience all that inside and away from people. The experience is marred a bit by technical imperfections, and an emphasis on backtracking can prove to be annoying. But overall, The Trail can feel rewarding at times, despite the poor presentation.

The Trail casts you as a person who has made it to the New World and is in search for a town called Eden Falls, following your uncle’s footsteps some time prior. As you move forward in your journey, you’ll find and collect items along your travels that can be used to craft items, such as tools, clothing, and food. The overall storyline isn’t that interesting, but the letters that you receive from home are charming enough that they make for a nice motivator on the trail.

As you hit each rest stop, challenges will present themselves, such as racing another person to the next stop, collecting certain items, or getting to an area in a set amount to time. Clearing these tasks will get you coins that can be used to unlock skills leading to recipes for better items and housing. It doesn’t look like much at first, but the skill tree gets more in-depth. The farther you go down, the more rewarding it feels once you unlock something that helps your travels.

The constant forced backtracking drags the gameplay down, especially early on. I would always be making progress, but then would have to backtrack because my clothes would fall off, causing me to go back to another area so I can get the items needed to get new clothing. Since some items don't appear in certain areas, backtracking is a must. The tedium escalates over time and it isn’t particularly fun worrying about having to backtrack when you just want to make progress on the trail.

The overall feel is calm and serene, with gentle music playing as you travel and collect items. The graphics also have a simple pastel look to them, presenting a cheery demeanor. Technically, however, the game is a chore to get through at times. The framerate sputters at every turn, with obvious pop up and slow down. The control scheme is also annoying. It doesn’t affect gameplay much, as the game’s travelling is automated, like an on-rails shooting game. Navigating the menus, however, are super annoying. It’s something one can get used to, but it just doesn’t feel natural at all.

I like some aspects of The Trail, such as the calm setting and the sense of fulfillment when finally crafting that recipe that you had been working on forever. But the negatives -- the framerate, controls, and uninteresting story -- do hamper the experience. They are manageable, and The Trail isn’t necessarily a bad game. It has its moments, but technical limitations do put a damper on things.

[Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion tells the story of the mysterious Agent 8.]

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TalkBack / New Single Player Mode Coming to Splatoon 2

« on: March 08, 2018, 09:44:00 AM »

Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion tells the story of the mysterious Agent 8.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/46650/new-single-player-mode-coming-to-splatoon-2

A new DLC single player mode is coming to Splatoon 2 this summer.

Revealed in today’s Nintendo Direct, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion casts you as Agent 8, who looks like an Octoling. She wakes up in a dark underground area resembling a subway without any memories. You’ll traverse around 80 different testing facilities that Agent 8 will go through by using her skills.  New stories will shed new light on Splatoon characters and add to the game’s overall lore. Once you complete the mode, you’ll be able to play as an Octoling in multiplayer battle.

Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion will be out this summer for $19.99. Purchasing the DLC early will enable you to receive Octo headgear and clothes that you’ll be able to use in Splatoon 2 today.

[Whoa.]

56

TalkBack / Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy Coming To Nintendo Switch

« on: March 08, 2018, 09:29:00 AM »

Whoa.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/46646/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy-coming-to-nintendo-switch

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is coming to the Nintendo Switch.

The game comprises of the first three Crash Bandicoot games that were released for the Sony PlayStation back in the 1990s: Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot: Warped. The game features updated graphics and cutscenes for all three platform titles.

N. Sane Trilogy will be released on the Nintendo Switch July 10.

[Square Enix's next RPG is arriving this summer.]

57

TalkBack / Octopath Traveller Coming July 13

« on: March 08, 2018, 09:21:49 AM »

Square Enix's next RPG is arriving this summer.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/46640/octopath-traveller-coming-july-13

Octopath Traveller, the official name of Square Enix’s upcoming RPG, has a release date and some new information.

In today’s Nintendo Direct, two characters were highlighted.Tressa, a merchant, can use her job to obtain items others normally can’t get. Alphyn, a apothecary whose job is to heal people around the world. He can “warm” out information from other people that others cannot.

The jobs system was also highlighted. You can mix and match jobs along with a character’s base job that will help in battle.  

Octopath Traveller will be out July 13. A special edition of the game includes a pop up book featuring the eight characters, a coin based on the in-game currency, a map and a CD of the soundtrack.

[The tower defense game lands on May 24.]

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TalkBack / Dillon's Dead-Heat Breakers Coming To Nintendo 3DS

« on: March 08, 2018, 09:09:00 AM »

The tower defense game lands on May 24.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/46634/dillons-dead-heat-breakers-coming-to-nintendo-3ds

Dillon’s Dead Heat Breakers was announced during this afternoon’s Nintendo Direct.

The Nintendo 3DS game blends tower defense strategies with action gameplay elements. Featuring Dillon, the star of Dillon’s Rolling Western, you’ll be able to team with animalized versions of Mii characters May 24. Friends will be able to join as gunners during gameplay elements as well.

A demo for Dillon’s Dead Heat Breakers will be out May 10 on the Nintendo 3DS eShop. The full release is set for May 24.

[Not a 15 out of 10, but these are still good dogs.]

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TalkBack / Puzzle Puppers (Switch) Review

« on: February 21, 2018, 11:14:21 AM »

Not a 15 out of 10, but these are still good dogs.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46488/puzzle-puppers-switch-review

I am much more of a dog lover than a cat lover, so giving Puzzle Puppers a try sounded like my jam. Featuring cute dogs and bright colors, this puzzle game developed by Cardboard Keep delivers its promise of providing both canines and challenging puzzles. There’s not much more to it beyond that, but Puzzle Puppers does a great job of providing challenging, simple gameplay.

The goal of each level is to take the dogs that appear on the puzzle field and guide them to their food bowls. The hungry dogs can’t intersect one another, and that is where the puzzle aspect of Puzzle Puppers lies -- they stretch out and have to be in the right position in order to collect all of the ham bones to fully clear the level. It starts off simple, but later additions like holes, more brightly colored dogs and other obstacles make things a bit more trickier.

Aesthetically, Puzzle Puppers is pleasing, but also shallow. The mood is constantly light, with pastel colors and a simple tune playing while you clear each puzzle. But that’s about it in terms of presentation -- only one song is in the entire game and the scenery really doesn’t change all that much while you progress. Regardless, it’s still nice to look and listen to.

It’s weird that there’s many levels to explore within Puzzle Puppers, but overall it feels like somewhat of a shallow experience. The puzzles are clever and can take a bit of time to clear, but once you get through the 80 levels provided, that’s about it -- no story or other modes are present to up the replay value. Even though Puzzle Puppers provides exactly what it advertised, I still wish they could have done more in terms of presentation and content.

Puzzle Puppers is a good, solid game that shouldn’t take too much time to get value out of. It’s one of those games that won’t keep you busy for days on end, but is nice to pick up and play for some pretty clever brain teasers. It does good on providing a warm, loveable aesthetic while providing quick and easy gameplay.

[Three games, one solid experience.]

60

TalkBack / Mercenaries Saga Chronicles (Switch) Review

« on: February 08, 2018, 02:18:52 AM »

Three games, one solid experience.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46387/mercenaries-saga-chronicles-switch-review

I am beyond bummed that after 2008’s Final Fantasy Tactics A2, radio silence has been the trend from Square Enix when it comes to another full-fledged entry in the Tactics series. Mercenaries Saga Chronicles, developed by Rideon, is a decent effort to alleviate the pain. Although every single aspect is incredibly generic, Chronicles gets the job done in providing a solid strategy role-playing experience.

In this collection, you’ll get three games that were released on mobile devices and the 3DS over the last decade: Mercenaries Saga: Will of the White Lions, Mercenaries Saga 2: Order of the Silver Eagle, and Mercenaries Saga 3: Gray Wolves of War. All three games follow the same formula in terms of gameplay and borrow heavily from the Final Fantasy Tactics series.

Very much like a game of chess, you can move characters around on a grid and attack enemies. As you level up, you’ll be able to upgrade your characters by spending skill points they earn in battle. They can also rank up after level 10 to another class. It’s very straightforward and easy to understand -- within 10-15 minutes I knew what to do, and was having a fun time with the simple, yet rewarding gameplay.

The thing about all three titles within the collection is that they’re all pretty much the same, to the point that they’re almost indistinguishable from each other. On one side, this isn’t a bad thing -- the graphics are nice, though animation is a bit poor, and the music is quaint, fitting in well with each stage. It has a pleasant vibe to it even though you’re in the middle of war.

On the downside, no real technological advancement occurs between the three games. In fact, all three borrow the same graphics, music, sound effects, menu designs, skill and levelling up systems -- virtually everything. You’d think between the trio there would be some sort of way to tell them apart, but beyond different characters in each games, I found there was little difference to be had.

The stories do differ between the three titles, but the plots and characters are so uninteresting and mundane that it really doesn’t matter. It revolves around kingdoms warring with one another, and it's up to you and a ragtag group of people along the way to bring peace in some form or fashion. Chronicles doesn’t have any points where it really tries to engage with you as far as story goes, and in fact I felt compelled a number of times to just skip cutscenes because I just wanted to continue playing. The translation is fine within itself, but it’s so bland it’s not worth investing the time.

Mercenaries Saga Chronicles will itch a scratch if you’re looking for a solid strategy RPG experience. The gameplay is fun, easy to get into and accessible for anyone that’s ever wanted to play a strategy RPG but didn’t know what to begin with. Beyond the solid gameplay mechanics lies a very generic presentation and a list of other things that come as cheap, uninteresting, or uncreative. In general, the game doesn’t have a lot of bad elements, but too many bland moments restrict it from becoming a truly memorable experience.

61

TalkBack / Re: WWE 2K18 (Switch) Review

« on: January 31, 2018, 04:17:44 PM »

I think minus five stars would be a game that I really wouldn't play at all or is just hilariously broken to the point of absurdity. Big Rigs Over the Road Racing, for example, is MINUS FIVE STARS.


This is like -**** on the Wrestling Observer scale.

[Battle Royale is fun while it lasts, but doesn’t offer anything substantial.]

62

TalkBack / Kirby Battle Royale (3DS) Review

« on: January 31, 2018, 08:14:00 AM »

Battle Royale is fun while it lasts, but doesn’t offer anything substantial.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46332/kirby-battle-royale-3ds-review

Kirby games have always appealed to me. They’re light, cheerful, and usually fun to play. Kirby Battle Royale, a collection of mini-games on 3DS, has all these qualities. For the most part, Battle Royale is fun and I never really had any real issues. The problem boils down to the lack of content. It clearly is nothing more than a bunch of mini games put together in one package, that, while nice, don’t offer any longevity.

A few different modes are available to choose from, though they all revolve around playing the same mini games. The story mode is simple, and probably the most interesting out of the lot. The setup is that Kirby meets up with Bandana Waddle Dee and together, they compete in a league hosted by King Dedede in the hopes of scoring a really lovely looking cake. Of course, Dedede isn’t going to let them win this tournament, and plans on making things tough for the duo.

It’s here that you’ll compete in a series of mini-games, aiming to earn enough points to fill up the meter that, when filled to capacity, will allow you to move on to the next league. You can also use these points later to unlock skills for use in the mini-games, as well as other collectables. The story mode isn’t particularly interesting and doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s a quick, mildly interesting quest that’s best parts are the familiar faces you see.

Outside of the story, the other primary mode is Battle, where you can just jump in and play the games. A separate Online mode lets you play against others online, a Training mode is there for training, and a Collection mode is there for, well, collecting. The names are self-explanatory.

10 mini-games are available at your disposal. I never had any problems playing any of them, but the fun I had varied.  Rocket Rumble, where you throw as many fuel cubes into your rocket ship before the timer expires, and Attack Riders, where you can use a motorcycle to bash opponents and to score as many coins as possible, are fun, for example. Battle Arena has you beating up other Kirby using the skills you unlock. This is fun, as it requires a bit of strategy since you need to knock out all of the Kirbys at once to win. Adapting skills for use in these mini-games are fun in general and spices things up.

But while some of the mini-games are fun, others are just kind of easy or boring. Apple Scramble, where you throw apples into a trap door where your partner is supposed to pull the lever, is rather boring, for starters. I liked the idea of Crazy Theatre, where it asks you a question and you have to answer quickly, but the execution is a bit too simplistic and easy.

Kirby Battle Royale comes off as a fine, but barebones title overall. Fun can be had, but it’s fleeting, and replay value is very limited. I rather like the idea of a Kirby mini game collection where you can play using various Kirby copy abilities and battle it out amongst friends. While Battle Royale lets you do just that, it feels like a concept or an idea as opposed to a full-fledged game. This is fun to play over a weekend, but not much beyond that.

[2K18 on the Switch is a terrible port of a game that already has problems.]

63

TalkBack / WWE 2K18 (Switch) Review

« on: January 23, 2018, 07:59:00 AM »

2K18 on the Switch is a terrible port of a game that already has problems.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46277/wwe-2k18-switch-review

I was very eager to play WWE 2K18 when it was announced to be heading to the Switch. It was the first WWE game released for Nintendo systems since WWE 2K13 for the Wii, and as a fan of wrestling, I was looking forward to playing a console experience on the portable Switch. Unfortunately, the port of 2K18 on the Switch is an awful mess, full of glitches and massive slowdown that makes it one of the worst ports I’ve experienced in quite some time on any recent Nintendo system.

The good news is that everything you’d come to experience in a recent 2K game is here -- create-a-wrestler is diverse with plenty of customization. Created wrestlers can even be downloaded so you can fill in the gaps of those who didn’t make the cut as you like. Modes like WWE Universe can showcase this greatly, where you can bring everyone from the past and present into one mode where you can create shows and edit them to your enjoyment.

What I’ve always liked about the WWE 2K games is that developers Yukes and Visual Concepts do a great job of combining past content with its current product. If you wanted to play as Ric Flair or a older version of Triple H or Undertaker, you can. If you wanted to fight in a number of memorable arenas ranging from last year’s WrestleMania to the WCW/New Japan Supershow arena that only the hardest of the hardcore wrestling fan would remember, you can. So much waxing of the nostalgia is present in 2K18, so plenty of fun can be had just going through the roster and seeing who you can face off against.

MyCareer is the main story mode where you take a created wrestler and start at the bottom, wrestling and training in WWE’s developmental league NXT to main eventing WrestleMania. Nothing is inherently wrong with this mode, but I found it kind of boring, no real pizzaz to it. The highlight is probably running into a number of WWE stars in backstage areas where they usually talk with on-the-brand type of exchanges that come off as kind of jarring, or dialogue that completely doesn’t fit their real life character. For example, I found it odd that Asuka talked to me in great detail about how delicious pizza and cupcakes were when in real life she speaks little English.

Controlling and working a match is simple and straightforward. Once you go through the tutorials, it shouldn’t be too hard to control the match. The problem I have with the gameplay is the reversal system -- it relies heavily on QTE button pressing when you aren’t in control of a match and want to escape. It’s so intricately timed that more often than not, you can either be too early or too late in getting a reversal completed, which is annoying. The submission system is also very complicated, enough where it feels like a chore to get it right. I’d appreciate the gameplay a bit more if it didn’t feel so overly complicated and tedious.

A lot of glitches are peppered throughout as well. Too often, I’d hit the ropes or try to enter the ring and then be sent to the other side. I saw glitches in my playthrough where wrestlers got stuck to objects, especially in the backstage area, and even saw wrestlers sometimes twist and contort unnaturally after taking moves. The level of polish here is pretty bad, so much so it’s easy to go on YouTube and see a compilation of all the weird glitches you can come across by just playing 2K18.

Worst of all, the Switch version comes with something not seen in the other console versions of WWE 2K18 -- massive slowdown. When just playing a one versus one match, everything is fine. Add any more, and gameplay slows down to a crawl. I’m not sure how Blind Squirrel, who developed this port, didn’t realize just how bad the slowdown was when doing a six-person tag match, because it’s borderline unplayable. That takes a lot of the fun out of modes like the Elimination Chamber or even something standard like a tag-team match. Even when Superstars make their entrance, the timing feels off due to slowdown. That doesn’t sound like a big deal, but in WWE, a lot of their content is about presentation. When it’s off, it’s extremely noticeable.

It's a real shame that WWE’s return to Nintendo systems is such a poor port of a game that already had problems. Alongside the glitches and bugs known in the other releases, we have a bevy of issues here, not limited to the terrible frame rate (especially in multi-man matches), the graphics downgrade, and tedious gameplay. Fans of both Nintendo and WWE deserved better than what we got here in this port.

[Square Enix’s long lost Super Famicom RPG arrives in North America, giving us an interesting RPG with some unique ideas.]

64

TalkBack / Romancing SaGa 2 (Switch eShop) Review

« on: December 27, 2017, 02:14:00 PM »

Square Enix’s long lost Super Famicom RPG arrives in North America, giving us an interesting RPG with some unique ideas.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46120/romancing-saga-2-switch-eshop-review

Romancing SaGa 2, originally released for the Super Famicom in 1993, never got a western release until a couple of years ago when it finally came out on mobile. Having fond memories of Square’s role-playing games of this era, hearing it would be arriving back on Nintendo consoles on the Switch made me eager to try it out. In the end, Romancing SaGa 2 is a game very much of its own time, meaning it hasn’t aged gracefully. If you can get through some of the more archaic features and the lack of any interesting story or characters, it can be a pretty decent experience.

Romancing SaGa is different from other RPGs in that while the main goal is to stop the seven former heroes (who once saved the world from evil) turned demons, another part of the game is kind of like a management simulator. Talking to various people within the kingdom of Avalon, you can choose different options and ways to expand your empire and collect weapons that will help your journey. Finding money within the dungeons adds to the kingdom’s treasury. As this game takes place over multiple generations, you can see these additions grow and prosper as you play along.

The overarching story is fine, and the generational aspect is actually cool, but there isn’t much here in terms of story or characters, which dampens the experience a bit. The writing is also awful for a Square Enix game, with much of the dialogue coming off as stilted and blunt.

Gameplay wise, SaGa 2 is  varied, and feels rewarding. Instead of just having one weapon, you can wield multiple weapons, up to four. As you use the weapons, you’ll accumulate points that will go to leveling up the weapons and other abilities you or your party use. While battling is fun, the grind of the game can get tedious and difficult pretty quick, especially if you grind, since the difficulty increases as you defeat more enemies. Backtracking in the game is also a big chore because enemies repopulate as soon as you re-enter an area, which isn’t a particularly fun when you’ve spent the last 10 minutes or so clearing the screen.

Presentation-wise the game looks pretty nice. ArtePiazza, who is well known for their work on the Dragon Quest games, made this game not only faithful to the Super Famicom original, but added detailed, wonderful new backgrounds that helps create a retro vibe that stays true to the original with a modern touch. It looks a ton better than the Final Fantasy remakes that have appeared on Steam or mobile devices in the last few years.

One gripe I have to get out in the open is that controls are pretty annoying. I had dash turned on throughout my run and I had a hard time getting through doors, which isn’t fun at all, especially if you’re trying to run away from enemies. Turning it off or going slowly feels better, but still doesn’t feel completely right.

Romancing SaGa 2 has a certain old school charm that invites any old school RPG fan to give it a shot. I don’t think it’s as polished as Square Enix’s other titles that came out during this ’90s era, but it’s something worth investing in if you want a different take on the standard RPG formula. It’s not for everybody, but Romancing SaGa has enough good qualities to give it a go if you’ve never played it before.

[The amount of nostalgia is debatable, but the Pokémon movie isn't too bad.]

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Podcast Discussion / Episode 238: Nostalgia I Choose You!

« on: November 29, 2017, 11:38:00 AM »

The amount of nostalgia is debatable, but the Pokémon movie isn't too bad.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/45912/episode-238-nostalgia-i-choose-you

Nick, Bryan and Adam open the show with some of Bryan and Adam's thoughts on Mario Odyssey, followed up by their thoughts on the release of the new Pokémon games, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. The main topic for this weeks show however is the guys thoughts on the latest Pokémon film, the anniversary celebration named 'I Choose You'.

This weeks musical selection is from Pokémon the First Movie and is the remixed opening theme.

Nintendo World Report is now on Patreon, and high rollers can name their topic for Connectivity, so head over to our Patreon page if you want to support us.

Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show!

Send us your listener mail by clicking here.

[Sometimes it isn't easy doing the right thing.]

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TalkBack / This is the Police (Switch) Review

« on: November 06, 2017, 07:33:27 AM »

Sometimes it isn't easy doing the right thing.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45780/this-is-the-police-switch-review

This Is the Police, developed by Weappy Studio, is a game in which you tackle an interesting premise in city corruption. As a police chief, you’ll tackle some pretty heavy issues while managing your police squad and making sure your unit is a well oiled machine as you head into a certain deadline that’s crucial to the plot. The way political issues are tackled is mixed, but overall the game is a pretty solid title in the management system genre.

The game casts you as Jack Boyd, a cynical police chief in a town called Freeburg. Set in the late eighties, Freeburg is a community rife with crime and corruption. Your goal is simple: try and make $500,000 in Boyd’s last six months on the job. As police chief, you’ll control a group of officers, investigators, and other personnel and assign various crime cases committed in the city. The overarcing plot has Boyd, in his last days as police chief, go from someone who played by the rules to diving in head first into Freeburg’s underbelly, trying to find a way to escape before he becomes another casualty.

Gameplay wise, it’s very much a management simulation game. There will also be strategic moments where you have to be aware of who is affiliated with who politically -- much like in today’s times, there’s a plot point in the game where Freeburg’s finest are tasked with having to choose ideological sides as part of the overall story, and you have to make sure of which side people are on in order to work together and keep cohesion high. I liked the gameplay, but towards the later parts of the game it got kind of mundane and a bit repetitive solving the same crimes over and over.

The most interesting part of the game is figuring out how to make the money to achieve the game’s end goal. As mentioned, Freeburg is a city rife with corruption: the mayor is entrenched in corruption, the mafia has huge sway in how the city is ran and the high amount of crime is just a way of life ordinary citizens have have normalized. Trying to keep all sides happy is the core part of the strategy behind the game, which it handles well.

I went into the game with every intention of being the “good cop”, but it doesn’t really work out that way. There’s a grey area to it all - if you want to get the $500,000, you have to make both the city and the mafia happy, all while making sure crimes are solved or else people will start to get angry. You’ll also tackle issues that are still relevant in today's society, some heavily political in nature. Many times, you’ll be forced to make a decision that’ll either be right on a moral level or wrong in the eyes of those who want to keep order, but the consequences in making those decisions are limited to firing one cop if you don’t want to do anything extremely dirty. I wished there were bigger consequences on the line, or at least try and delve deeper into those issues, but the game only keeps you and those issues in the shallow end.

Presentation wise, the game uses a lot of grey and muted polygonal models, which is a fantastic presentation for a story where hope is trashed and cynicism is the norm. The game’s soundtrack is pretty awesome, consisting of a lot of cool jazz compositions and other tunes that feeds the game’s overall atmosphere pretty well.

This Is the Police is a pretty interesting management simulator with an engaging plot and tackles issues that feel all too relevant in today’s society, despite it taking place thirty years ago. It gets kind of repetitive at times and the issues brought up don’t go that deep, but I still found it to be a competent management simulator with a unique aesthetic and gripping plot.

[I guess fart jokes are still in, who knew?]

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TalkBack / Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters (3DS) Review

« on: October 09, 2017, 02:03:10 PM »

I guess fart jokes are still in, who knew?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45611/yo-kai-watch-2-psychic-specters-3ds-review

I’ve been wanting to play Yo-Kai Watch for a while. It’s hugely popular in Japan, and while it hasn’t gained much traction in North America, the games looked fun enough that I wanted to give them a chance. There are many things to like about the latest sequel, Psychic Specters. There’s lots to explore, the graphics are wonderfully vibrant and there’s no shortage of things to do. But at the end of the day, it’s really hard not to compare it to Pokemon, which manages to do things just a bit better than Psychic Spectres.

The story takes place shortly after the first game, with antagonist Nate and his Yo-Kai pals all getting together once again after mysterious spirits come to his house one night and erase their memories. They soon find out more about new forms of Yo-Kai called Wicked Yo-Kai, who as the name suggests, are up to no good. Over time, Psychic Spectres evolves into a huge story featuring time travel, warring factions and other various elements that delve deeper into the story, all while a more devious plot threatens to disrupt Nate’s world.

Presentation wise, the game is great. The graphics are colorful and vibrant, with each new locale you travel to looking wonderful. Environments are big and plentiful, with a ton of side missions and mini games to take part in. Travelling to these places can be a big chore at first, as it takes a long time to cover the distance and you don’t get a bike until later on in the game. There’s even a stamina meter to hinder you further, which I don’t really get as it hampers the experience for no real reason. But once you get the bike, things do get a bit easier.

The writing is definitely aimed toward a younger audience, with plenty of fart jokes and other ridiculousness that probably isn’t targeted to someone as sophisticated (or as old) as me. But though most of the writing is pretty silly, there's a certain charm to it that makes it kind of endearing.

Befriending Yo-Kai is a big part of the game. Much like Pokemon, the goal is to battle and befriend other Yo-Kai to join your party. Each tribe (or Yo-Kai type) likes certain items that’ll help them become friendlier, but it's an unintuitive process and tough trying to figure out which tribe likes which kind of candy. It isn’t overly difficult, but for someone new to the series, it’s kind of a chore, and not nearly as simple as just throwing a Pokeball.

The battling in Yo-Kai Watch 2 is simple and easy to follow, but not particularly engaging. You can have up to six Yo-Kai during battles, and you get a bonus for having two or more of the same type in your party. Battling is easy, but a bit too simplistic at times. The three main goals during battle are for your Yo-Kai to dish out special attacks, rotating them out and purifying them in case of a status ailment, or replenishing their HP with items. It’s not a cakewalk, but not that interesting either.

Psychic Spectres is a follow up to Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls, which came out in North America last September. There aren’t major differences between this and the other games from what I understand, though there is a new mode called Yo-Kai Blasters (which has you team up with people to take on Oni and other Yo-Kai) and there is also a new tribe that can be befriended.

It’s hard not to compare Yo-Kai Watch with Pokemon: they both feature creatures to collect (or befriend) along fun, colorful environments with a relatively cheery demeanor. Yo-Kai differs in a number of ways that makes the experience a bit more drab. There isn’t much strategy when it comes to battling, and I wish encountering and befriending Yo-Kai were a little more intuitive. Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Spectres is a solid title that overall was a pretty fun experience, but it does have its flaws.

[Name a game with better post-game content.]

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TalkBack / Pokemon Silver (3DS) Review

« on: October 02, 2017, 10:18:00 AM »

Name a game with better post-game content.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45572/pokemon-silver-3ds-review

When you are designated to be the follow up to one of the most influential video games in history, Pokemon Silver had a lot to accomplish upon its release 18 years ago. It had to make what was great about its predecessors - catching them all - worth the time to do all over again. Silver did its job well, refining the original game’s positives and making it one of the best RPGs on the Game Boy. And although it shows signs of aging, travelling around Johto years later is still a great experience.

Taking place three years after the events of Red and Blue, Pokemon Silver casts you as a new youngster ready to venture out in the brand new Johto region and take the Pokemon League Challenge by beating the eight gym leaders. You’ll come across brand new Pokemon, each creative in its own design, with new types to play around with (Dark and Steel) as well as new moves and a revamped attack/defense system that gives you new ways to battle and strategize. The main game, which clocks in around 25-30 hours, is significantly easier to beat than the original. There’s a good reason why, however, and it’s one of the reasons why Silver is so revered among longtime Pokemon fans.

Pokemon Silver’s post-game content is incredible. Once you’ve beaten the eight gym leaders and become Pokemon League champion, you are given the opportunity to travel to the region from the original games to embark on yet another, more familiar Gym Leader challenge. In Kanto, you’ll come across familiar locales, along with a few new ones (it’s been three years, after all). Not every location from the original game is here (Cerulean Cave is blocked off, Safari Zone is closed, etc.) but it really is an amazing technological achievement to cram nearly two games worth of content into one Game Boy cartridge. And just for the record, the final battle on top of Mt. Silver is one of my favorite video game memories of all time.

It’s easy for me to look at this game with rose-colored glasses, so I have be realistic and admit there are faults to a game that’s being released as is 18 years later. The item management system, for one, still suffers from limit caps that can really bog down gameplay. You can use the PCs in the Pokemon Center to store unneeded items away, but at least twice during the game I had to completely stop what I was doing just to go to the Pokemon Center to clear my bag.

Another annoyance is that some of the best TMs like Thunderbolt, Ice Beam and Flamethrower can’t be obtained in Silver -- you have to go back to Red and Blue in order to obtain them. It’s frustrating, but what is it really annoying is that you need 2 3DS systems and 3 different game packs just to trade between one generation to another. This could be solved with a Pokemon Bank update, but as of this writing there’s no compatibility between the two (though it will be added sometime in the future).

There are signs here that Pokemon Silver doesn’t hold up as well as its later counterparts, but in the end is still a fantastic game. There’s hundreds of hours of gameplay, not just to complete the main story but capturing 250 Pokemon will also take a good chunk of time. It’ll be tough to catch ‘em all due to the aforementioned trade limitations, but regardless there’s lots of things to do in this game. If you can look past some of its more archaic features, Pokemon Silver is not just a great Pokemon game, but a fun RPG to boot.

[If you get stuck, call the hotline...]

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TalkBack / Thimbleweed Park (Switch) Review

« on: September 21, 2017, 08:22:16 AM »

If you get stuck, call the hotline...

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45493/thimbleweed-park-switch-review

I love the adventure titles of the 1980s. Developers like Sierra and LucasArts put out brilliant, funny and very clever titles in the formative years of personal computers. So when the co-creator of the Monkey Island series Ron Gilbert set up a Kickstarter for Thimbleweed Park, a homage to those types of games, I was very excited. And I gotta say, I wasn’t let down by what I played. If you loved the PC adventure titles of 30 years ago, you’ll love Thimbleweed Park. If you didn’t, this probably isn’t for you.

At the beginning of the story, you are cast as two federal agents in the year 1987 who are looking to solve a murder of a famous person in the titular town. Like most mystery adventure games there are twists and turns along the way that put focus on a number of people who could be behind the crime. As you progress, you’ll eventually be in control of five characters, some with their own connection to the town and to the murder that the federal agents are investigating. The two agents, Ray and Reyes, put off vibes similar to that of Mulder and Scully from the X-Files. But the other characters that come into the story are pretty different from one another, making it a completely different experience than that or other similar TV shows.

The gameplay is very much like the LucasArts adventure games of yesteryear -- using verb commands shown at the bottom of the screen. Puzzles are solved by roaming around areas, talking to people and picking up items that prove to be useful in later circumstances. Joy-Cons are used to control the action, or if you are in portable mode, you can use touch screen controls to interact with objects. The latter is actually easier to use as moving the cursor around to select items can be pretty annoying and doesn’t feel natural. With the touch screen, it’s less of a hassle. It’s times like these I wish I could use a mouse.

Like other adventure games of the era it’s paying homage to, Thimbleweed Park is rife with humor, a lot of it self-referential, all while highlighting the decade it takes place in. For longtime adventure genre fans, there’s tons of subtle references to Gilbert’s previous work, like Maniac Mansion and Secret of Monkey Island, and there’s lots of talk about a game company that sounds suspiciously like LucasArts. Even if you are new to the genre, Thimbleweed Park is charming enough on its own merits, filled with oddball characters and funny situations.

The one thing I have to point out about Thimbleweed Park is that at least gameplay wise, it’s designed with a focus on nostalgia. In other words, newbies to the genre will have a hard time adjusting to what will feel like archaic gameplay mechanics. While newer adventure developers have streamlined the process, emphasizing more on story, Thimbleweed Park is old school to the core, with both gameplay and storytelling on equal footing. Don’t expect it to hold your hand when it comes to solving puzzles, it can be tough to get through without a walkthrough. You can always call the in-game hint line, but it will just provide you a vague idea of what to do next.

Thimbleweed Park is a wonderful love letter about everything that made 1980s games great. The Switch probably has the best console version due to the touch screen controls, as the physical controls can be a chore if you’re playing on the TV. With such a focus maintained on nostalgia I’m not really sure someone who likes Telltale’s adventure games are going to appreciate Thimbleweed Park. Regardless, there’s enough humor and witty writing to keep gamers of all ages entertained.

[You can never have too much of a good thing.]

70

TalkBack / Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition (Switch) Review

« on: September 19, 2017, 11:14:53 AM »

You can never have too much of a good thing.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45471/rayman-legends-definitive-edition-switch-review

Back in 2013, Rayman Legends was met with great critical acclaim, with our own Scott Thompson raving about the game’s joyous platforming. Having played (and loved) both Legends and it’s predecessor Rayman Origins, I was very excited to try Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition on the Switch. Now that I’ve spent time playing through the game once again, I can’t recommend this enough for those that have missed out on Rayman’s current exploits -- with its varied gameplay, dozens of unlockables and overall charming presentation, this version of Rayman Legends is easily one of the top titles on the Switch.

Legends is a follow up to Origins, which takes place 100 years after the events of both Rayman 2 and 3. Dark Teensies have taken over the land, and it is up to Rayman and his friends to rescue the good Teensises and destroy the five Dark Teensises that have been wreaking havoc . You can play as Rayman andor his friends Globox, Barbara and her warrior sisters, other Teensies and many clones of these core characters that you unlock as you progress. It gets to be a bit silly just how many of these clone characters are actually in the game, but that’s part of the fun .

The gameplay mechanics are wonderful, absolutely the best part of the game. Each level managed to surprise and challenge me with new gameplay mechanics that I wasn't expecting to encounter. In one level, your character turns into a chicken and you have to completely rewire how you can pass this level as a chicken.  Another level has you shrunken down, where the goal is to figure out how to advance with your strength greatly diminished.

Like the best Mario games, every level in Rayman Legends feels unique . While many platformers do experiment with different ideas (The Mario Galaxy series’ varied worlds and challenges immediately come to mind) Legends continually changes the way you play, and it can really keep you on your feet. The exclusive Wii U’s single player touch screen levels (featuring Murfy, another of Rayman’s friends) are also here, and work really well in portable mode. They mostly consist of levels already found in the main game but with a touch screen twist, as Murfy helps you rid of obstacles and traps as you complete familiar stages..

Another thing that I love about Legends is the presentation. The graphics are so lush with color and detail that I often just sat back and admired, slack-jawed, the game’s wonderful aesthetic. The graphics aren’t just colorful -- they pop out and really make you admire the attention to detail. The orchestrated soundtrack is also a nice touch, adding to each level and the theme it’s trying to convey.  

It’s also amazing just how much content there is in Legends. This is where the “definitive” moniker really comes into play: there are tons of playable characters to unlock, challenges to beat, mini games to play, and scratch cards to obtain (which helps you unlock even more stuff).  It truly is amazing just how much you can do in Legends. Those scratch cards even reveal many of the levels from Rayman Origins, giving you nearly two games’ worth of levels in one package! Truly staggering.

There isn’t too much to complain about, but there are a couple of things to note. I noticed that one or two levels featured a bit of lag in TV mode, especially when there are tons of enemies crawling around at the same time. It doesn’t get terrible, and I never had problems in handheld or tabletop mode, but it is noticeable. Also, although this is the “Definitive” edition, there really isn’t much to this version that you don’t already get in the Wii U version -- it’s virtually the same game but with a tournament mode for the football mini game, which pits you against one of your friends in a battle to get the ball into your opponent’s goal post . It’s relatively simple, and I don’t even know if a tournament mode is worth the bother, but it’s in there!.  

Lack of new content notwithstanding, Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition is, at least for this moment in time, one of the best 2D platformers on the Switch. The level design and varied gameplay are top notch, the graphics and music are beautiful and I’m really amazed by just how much there is to unlock and accomplish in the game -- we’re talking dozens of hours of content. Unless you really like Legends, there isn’t much here for those that have played this on other systems But if you’ve missed out on Rayman’s resurgence on modern consoles, there’s no reason not to pick up this brilliant platformer .

[See, arcades were this place where you inserted quarters and...]

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TalkBack / Nintendo Announces Arcade Archives; Mario Bros. Out September 27

« on: September 13, 2017, 12:23:00 PM »

See, arcades were this place where you inserted quarters and...

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45405/nintendo-announces-arcade-archives-mario-bros-out-september-27

Nintendo announced during their Nintendo Direct today that they will be releasing a collection of their Arcade titles called Archive Archives, with Mario Bros. serving as its first release.

Other titles coming include VS. Super Mario Bros, VS. Balloon Fight, VS. Ice Climber, VS. Pinball and VS. Clu Clu Land. Punch-Out was also seen in the Nintendo Direct, but was not included in Nintendo's press release. These will be developed by HAMSTER, who has released a number of NEOGEO arcade titles since the Switch's launch.

The first of these titles, Mario Bros., will be released on the Switch September 27th.

[Bethesda is bringing their top titles to the Nintendo Switch very soon.]

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

« on: September 13, 2017, 12:06:00 PM »

Bethesda is bringing their top titles to the Nintendo Switch very soon.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45402/doom-wolfenstein-ii-the-new-colossus-coming-to-switch-skyrim-release-date-revealed

Along with the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda is also bringing Doom and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus to the Nintendo Switch within the next year.

Not a lot of information was shown regarding the latter two titles, but it was mentioned that both will feature online play. Skyrim will come with its previous downloadable content as well as Amiibo functionality, though you'll also be able to find The Legend of Zelda content without the amiibos as well.

Skyrim was given a release date of November 17. Doom will be out this holiday season, and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus will be out next year.

[This retro collection is polished with a mixture of classic Namco arcade games and some major clunkers.]

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TalkBack / Namco Museum (Switch) Review

« on: August 07, 2017, 11:28:33 AM »

This retro collection is polished with a mixture of classic Namco arcade games and some major clunkers.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45128/namco-museum-switch-review

Bandai Namco has been making games for nearly 40 years now, releasing many compilation titles along the way for various consoles. Namco Museum for the Nintendo Switch continues the trend, offering an array of classic arcade titles -- some that video game enthusiasts will instantly recognize, and others that have rarely been seen since their initial launch. The good news is that the presentation is top notch, providing a number of bells and whistles that bring some of the games successfully into the 21st century. Unfortunately, not every game is worth playing again all these years later, leaving Namco Museum with a   great presentation and a middling roster of titles.

The first thing I noticed was that Bandai Namco took great care in polishing these titles for release. Each game looks great, with arcade cabinet artwork being shown along the borders as you play. You can even flip the Switch’s screen horizontally to give it that arcade cabinet feel. The inclusion of game settings and save points make some of the games easier to go through, especially if it’s your first time playing and are still trying to figure out the controls. I went through that with some of the titles  since I have never played them before, so it was pretty nice to rely on more modern concepts like save states to help me through.

Some of the games included in the collection will be instantly familiar to long time video game fans. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Galaga are all here, faithfully represented and restored for 2017 consumption. All three games are timeless in gameplay and execution, making them still fun to play all these years later.

Lesser known titles round out the pack. Sky Kid, a horizontal shooter, was fun. It’s kind of different than other horizontal shooters I’ve played in terms of gameplay mechanics, but kept it simple enough to where I enjoyed it. Tank Force, making its North American debut, is a pretty cool directional shooter that has you clear tanks across a battlefield all while providing upgrades along the way that makes it easier to exterminate. Galaga ‘88 is a nice sequel to the original Galaga. It was a little bit harder than it’s predecessor, but I appreciated the updated graphics and great soundtrack.

One of the bigger inclusions in this compilation is Pac-Man Vs., a GameCube title that used the GameCube link cable to play a unique game of tag using the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance. For the Nintendo Switch, two consoles are required as one Switch console will have you play as Pac-Man, while three other players on another Switch play as ghosts running away from Pac-Man. The goal is to collect a designated amount of points, either by playing as Pac-Man and chomping away at ghosts, or as the ghosts trying to capture Pac-Man.

This was easily the best game out of the entire collection, and probably worth picking up for this game alone. It’s a wee bit shallow as I wish there were more maps or some power ups that could vary the gameplay and give it replayability, but this was still very entertaining to play. It does a fantastic job of taking the original Pac-Man’s gameplay and turning it into a very enjoyable multiplayer experience.

Not every game is a classic here, however. Rolling Thunder, a run -and -gun where you shoot random masked dudes, feels completely archaic both in presentation and control mechanics. The sequel is a bit more colorful and feels slightly more modern, but still suffers from its predecessor’s control scheme.

I was looking forward to playing Splatterhouse the most as I always felt it had a cool horror movie aesthetic. But unfortunately, it too also suffers from control problems, particularly during boss fights. Tower of Druaga is one of the slowest games in the collection and is a complete chore to get through. To me, it felt like such a bore trudging through the levels in the slowest manner possible. It’s pretty much one of those games that might have fared well in 1984, but doesn’t cut it at all decades later.

I had fun with Namco Museum. Some of the titles are bona fide classics that deserve a place on every console, past, present, or future. Other titles are probably best left as distant memories. The presentation of the collection is great, however, and the inclusion of save states, game settings, and online leaderboards make it feel like a fresh, modern day compilation. I think better games could have been included in a collection such as this, but for now, Namco Museum suffices as a decent, but flawed collection of titles.

[Life simulator meets RPG in a genre mashup that, some of the time, works!]

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TalkBack / Miitopia (3DS) Review

« on: July 27, 2017, 05:00:00 PM »

Life simulator meets RPG in a genre mashup that, some of the time, works!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/45055/miitopia-3ds-review

Tomodachi Life was a weird, quirky life simulation game that I admired for its uniqueness. So what would happen if you took that concept and threw in some role playing elements? That is where you’d have Miitopia, an RPG where you cast Mii avatars to stereotypical characters found in many role playing games. It keeps the quirkiness of Tomodachi Life in tact, and the role playing characteristics are pretty fun. Unfortunately, there are several glaring issues in Miitopia that damper the otherwise fun experience.  

You are cast as an adventurer looking to vanquish the evil Dark Lord, who has literally taken the faces of the various villagers across Miitopia. These villagers, along with people that join your party, are all played by either popular Miis found in Mii Plaza or ones that you’ve created yourself. This makes the various scenarios you come across in the game pretty fun -- I mean what other game can have you team with the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Shaq and Marie from Splatoon?

The way battles work is simple: players take turns battling and can use MP for bigger, better attacks. The most important aspect of it, which makes it unique, has you befriending and forming relationships with other Miis. The better the relationship is, the better chance that it will later help out in battle. This was very enjoyable as, unlike in other aspects of the game, constantly changing jobs and characters makes things fun and varied.

You foster and nurture these relationships by staying in Inns, which are usually found at the end of a level. It is here where the games feels most like Tomodachi Life -- you can see what your Miis are talking about, what they want to buy, and you can also feed them items that will help boost their stats. There are tickets which can be unlocked by finding treasure chests or swapping Amiibo, which will allow you to play mini games for money, items, or relationship boosts.

Miitopia is not without its faults. For one, levels are super linear. There will be the occasional level where you can go down a different route than you did originally, but there is no room for exploration in the game. There are towns, but they only consist of one straight path where you talk to troubled villagers. This makes things relatively easy and simple to clear, but I eventually just grew bored , with the adventure at times, just holding down the B button to trudge towards the next stage.

This is where the game can get pretty tedious, but other parts of the game make it even more so. Forming relationships with characters you create and continuing to build on those relationships is pretty fun until the Dark Lord takes them away and you have to start all over again. It does give you the option of starting over with another job, which does make gameplay a bit more interesting, but when the Dark Lord does this two other times during the game it doesn’t just get monotonous, it gets annoying.

Miitopia is a mixed bag. Mii interactions off and on the battlefield are fun, but the pacing and linear scope of the game hampers an otherwise fun experience. The game doesn’t last too long for JRPG standards (around 30-35 hours) but this feels like a fun 15 hour game stretched out with long periods of boring grind. You eventually do get everyone back, making the last part of the game a better experience towards the end. But while Miitopia makes up for a lot of things with its charming appeal, its faults are still pretty evident.

[Just what do the new Mario Odyssey Amiibo do?]

75

TalkBack / Super Mario Odyssey Developer Diary Highlights Amiibo Usage

« on: June 14, 2017, 11:12:43 AM »

Just what do the new Mario Odyssey Amiibo do?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/44854/super-mario-odyssey-developer-diary-highlights-amiibo-usage

Nintendo released a video highlighting various aspects of Super Mario Odyssey, with Amiibo details being the highlight.

The video features Kenta Motokura, Super Mario Odyssey's game director, talking about various aspects of the game, including the story and the new "capturing" mechanic that allows Mario to take control over enemies and other characters.

At the end of the video, Motokura brings up the three Amiibo figures announced at yesterday's Nintendo Treehouse live stream. The Mario, Peach and Bowser figures will unlock wedding costumes that players will be able to use in the game. Motokura also said the Amiibo will be able to "help you out in the game", although there were few details beyond that.

Motokura also mentioned that all other Amiibo currently on sale will be supported. The video says that this will be revealed at a later date, but during a Reddit AMA session Motokura did mention that every time an Amiibo is tapped, you'll receive a costume and "in-game assistance".

Super Mario Odyssey, along with the new Amiibo, will be released October 27. You can see the Super Mario Odyssey Developer Diary below.