Topic: Episode 348: Pikmin Replanted

[Pandareus]

This fast-forward edition covers New Business, 2DS, Wii U pricing, AND emails!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/35320

This "kitchen sink" of an episode starts with an unusually short New Business, as we wanted to reserve time for everything else. The list of games is just as long and weird as ever though, from the hack-mod Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii (with a comparison to New Super Luigi U) to gloriously wacky Saints Row 3+4, with a side of Halo for Windows Phone 8 (you read that right) and Divekick, wrapping up with Gui's more seasoned thoughts on Shin Megami Tensei IV, a game whose extreme strangeness gets a well-deserved re-emphasis here.

When something truly interesting happens around Nintendo, you can bet our listeners will jump to their keyboards pretty quick to write to us about it. That was certainly the case this week, as we had our choice of emails to set up discussion of the just-announced Nintendo 2DS hardware and Wii U price drop (couched in a query about a GamePad-less version of the console). The convenient overlapping of segments gave us enough time left over to wrestle with even more emails that handle reprinting of hard-to-find Nintendo games and the bold suggestion that Nintendo may be "creatively bankrupt". Our team is on the case!

We're probably going to start the Pandora's Tower discussion next week, so please do stop into the RetroActive forum thread and remain there for the duration of our flight.

[Oblivion]

Who are these guys on the forum? I don't know everyone's real name.

[pokepal148]

Who are these guys on the forum? I don't know everyone's real name.

Crimm is also known as James Jones (the world renown box hunter)
Jonathan 'apparently no longer interested in Magic the gathering' Mettz is Johnnyboy117
Guillaume 'not Greg' Veillette is called Pandareus(and can be found upstairs)
NWR_Lindy is John 'I don't play video games, I collect them.' Lindemann

[Oblivion]

Crimm seems a lot less fun on the forums than he is on the podcast.

[Shaymin]

Artist's rendition of the Jeopardy results:

[lolmonade]

I usually don't post in these threads until I've listened to the entire episode, but this quote regarding Nintendo:

"This is a company that sells expensive plastic to babies"

Is probably one of the funniest things I've ever heard on the podcast.

[Hey Einstein!]

Hey, Nintendo make a console that looks like a slice of bread and I get a slow hand clap! The humanity!!!

[daverhodus]

Newegg has the Wind Waker Wii U bundle for $299 + $5 shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16868100140

[Leo13]

You guys mentioned that Metroid Prime was the Game Cube game that made PS2 owners say wow maybe I need to go buy a Game Cube.


It looks to me like X might be that for Wii U. And depending on which month in 2014 it releases it could make a huge impact. If it comes in March right before the end of the fiscal year it could help sales for the rest of 2014.

[ejamer]

...
It looks to me like X might be that for Wii U. And depending on which month in 2014 it releases it could make a huge impact. If it comes in March right before the end of the fiscal year it could help sales for the rest of 2014.

Surely X won't be ready that soon... will it?  I was guessing the game would be at least a full year beyond March 2014, if the size and scope of Xenoblade Chronicles is any indication of how big this game could be.

[Leo13]

We really don't know how long it'll be. We also don't know how long they've been working on it. All we know is that they said 2014 and they usually don't like to bring games to E3 that won't be back by next E3 (although they have had delays that caused that to happen many times). So we just don't know.

[Jonnyboy117]

X wasn't at this year's E3. I don't expect to see it releases in the West before next Christmas.

[Oblivion]

"At" as in not playable? Because it was at this year's E3 in the form of a trailer.

[Leo13]

Good point Johnny I didn't know it wasn't playable I just know what I saw in the E3 Nintendo Direct.
So is that why you think we're looking end of 2014, because it wasn't playable? Sounds reasonable.

[azeke]

I really have no idea what are people are talking about when they say DS games on 3DS look horrible. I have both systems and play DS games on both interchangeably and see no difference.

If you're looking for the "it" game for Wii U, it's already out: it's Wonderful 101. People who said Bayonetta was their favorite games of the last generation are now crowning W101 as an even better game. And i agree -- some sequences in this game are easily on par with Super Mario Galaxy games and ever surpass them.

Of course the audience for this kinda of game is rather small, but so is Metroid's.

As i mentioned many times, Bayonetta was one of the games i bought Xbox360 for. And when i actually started playing it, i loved so much if i had Bayonetta as my only xbox game, it would still 100% justify my purchase.

And Platinum Games are now doing the same for Wii U for other people. There are people who begrudgingly say they're gonna buy Wii U just for two upcoming games for PG alone. Of course there are other people who refuse to budge because hate Nintendo more than they love Platinum Games, but it's really their own loss in gaming (and in life, really).

W101+Bayo 2 is a one two punch right into the heart of action game lover.

[ejamer]

Good point Johnny I didn't know it wasn't playable I just know what I saw in the E3 Nintendo Direct.
So is that why you think we're looking end of 2014, because it wasn't playable? Sounds reasonable.

Still seems early to me but I wouldn't complain if it's available at the end of next year. X is by far my most anticipated game for Wii U - or any other console that is either released or coming soon.

I really have no idea what are people are talking about when they say DS games on 3DS look horrible. I have both systems and play DS games on both interchangeably and see no difference.  ...

There certainly is a difference in appearance when playing DS games on a 3DS console. Colors and resolution just don't look the same. But calling the appearance "horrible" seems like a pretty significant exaggeration. Maybe other people are just more sensitive to these differences?


I feel like the option to play DS games on the 3DS console is a real boon, especially considering (a) how strong the DS library is, and (b) how rare it is to get full backwards compatibility in any type of console these days. If loss of some graphical fidelity is the cost for hundreds of hours of excellent gaming at very low prices, then so be it.

[Leo13]

I never owned a DS so I'm not a good source on comparing how DS games look on DS vs 3DS, but I do own and play several DS games on my 3Ds and 3DS XL and I've never had a problem with how they look. I keep buying more of them (last week I bought Final Fantasy XII it's pretty cheap on Amazon) so I guess actions speak louder than words