Topic: The OFFICIAL Big N rumor thread *bring your own salt*

[Bill Aurion]

Neither "No More Heroes", "de Blob". "Boom Blox" and "Samba de Amigo", among others.

"First-party"...

[Tanookisuit]

Yeah, I'm not sure where this attitude of a weak 2008 comes from.  Maybe a disappointing holiday season, but we got Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing which I'm really enjoying), Wii Fit, and Warioland.  Hmm... what's the problem?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

They're making up for their low Hatorade(R) quota in the first half of the year.

[NWR_pap64]

Neither "No More Heroes", "de Blob". "Boom Blox" and "Samba de Amigo", among others.

"First-party"...

Last I heard, they were part of the Wii lineup of games, and have received far more nods than Nintendo's own efforts.

Regarding the weak 2008 attitudes, here's how it might happened...
At E3 2008 everyone expected Nintendo reveal its hot holiday lineup. The rumors of a new Punch-Out and Kid Icarus fueled this even more. Everyone was geared up for an amazing Holiday season...if the rumors were to be believed of course.

But once the conference confirmed that nothing more would be released outside of Animal Crossing and Wii Music THAT'S where the weak 2008 lineup belief was born. The impression was so deep that even when solid games were released the idea still persisted, Game Trailers going as far as to say that the future looked bleaked for Wii owners (this was before the Fall conference, though).

Also, I think players are talking about how the other consoles had these mega hyped killer apps, and Nintendo had none.

[KDR_11k]

I think it might just be short memory, when people think about 2008 they think about the last few months.

[Bill Aurion]

Last I heard, they were part of the Wii lineup of games, and have received far more nods than Nintendo's own efforts.

Hey, I personally enjoyed 2008...I was just saying that in the context of the posts before, where Halbred mentioned the "rumour" of 2009 having a better first-party line-up... =)

[Mop it up]

For me, Nintendo's 2008 lineup was decent overall. It started with disappointment (SSBBrawl), but then it got a lot better (Mario Kart Wii), although after that it was either "meh" or things which didn't interest me. As such, I'm sure there will be at least one gem released by Nintendo in 2009, I just don't know what that is yet.

[Kairon]

I think that Nintendo's emphasis on revealing new titles at their fall conference is really making them look weak to pundits earlier on in the year, especially with the weight that so many still attribute to E3.

[Bill Aurion]

As such, I'm sure there will be at least one gem released by Nintendo in 2009, I just don't know what that is yet.

So far we know of two...(Another Code R and Sin & Punishment 2)

[Spak-Spang]

Trace Memory 2
Punch Out Wii
Sin & Punishment 2
Another Code R---or is this Trace Memory 2???
Wii Sports Resort

I count 4 or 5 gems.

[Bill Aurion]

Another Code and Trace Memory are the same game, yeah...

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Don't forget Trace Code and Another Memory.

Plus Sports & Punishment 2, and Punch Resort R.

[Stogi]

Poor poor Conduit.....

[NWR_pap64]

Is Sin and Punishment 2 being developed by Treasure?

[EasyCure]

Don't forget Trace Code and Another Memory.

Plus Sports & Punishment 2, and Punch Resort R.

Punch Resort doesn't sound like a fun place to stay...

[Stogi]

Isn't Endless Ocean 2 coming this year?

[NWR_pap64]

Isn't Endless Ocean 2 coming this year?

It looks like it. It doesn't look like the type of series that needs deep localization.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Isn't Endless Ocean 2 coming this year?

It looks like it. It doesn't look like the type of series that needs deep localization.

There is quite a bit of text in Endless Ocean though, the fish descriptions for one, along with the various story elements.

[Bill Aurion]

Poor poor Conduit.....

Not first-party...

Is Sin and Punishment 2 being developed by Treasure?

Yep, but it's a Ninty franchise, so in it goes!

Isn't Endless Ocean 2 coming this year?

Most likely, but a localization hasn't been officially announced or shown in English form...

[Mop it up]

Trace Memory 2
Haven't heard of this before, maybe I'll look into it.

Punch-Out!! Wii
I own both of the Punch-Out!! games but I've no idea why. The game is sort of like a cross between a fighter and a puzzle game, since each opponent has some sort of trick(s) to beating them, but I don't like fighters and that aspect really turns me off. I didn't really like Mario Strikers either, another series developed by the same company.

Sin & Punishment 2
I'm not really into shoot-em-ups. I kicked some broomsticks in Contra back in the day but that was about the only shooter I've liked. Gradius and R-Type just aren't my thing. I'll still probably watch over this though as it's a sequel to an N64 game, and N64 > mops. And I love mops.

Wii Sports Resort
I don't know much about this but it seems a bit unimaginative, like it has the Wii Sports name just to sell it. I also couldn't possibly express how much I despise the Wii Motion+ accessory, at least not without being seen as a huge troll.

Endless Ocean 2
The first one was magical... and I actually forgot that it was released in 2008. That was a good game to start the year with. I'll be watching to see how this turns out (and if it's released outside Japan).

New Play Control! Pikmin
I rented this back in the day just to get the Olimar trophy in SSBMelee, so I never played past the first save point. Does that make me a bad person? If so, it's time I remedy that by giving the game another chance. Having Wii controls may make the game better... but I guess I won't know that as I have no comparison...

New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis
I skipped over the original because it doesn't have Toad and Birdo as playable characters. Yes really. I wouldn't mind having a good Tennis game on Wii though so I'm going to see how this one turns out.

That's all I've heard of from Nintendo for 2009. The year just started so there's probably something else on the way which hasn't been announced yet. Still, I can't tell what a gem is until I've played it; the game of 2008 I thought I'd like was the game I despised, and the one I'd thought I would dislike is the one I became enamoured with. I'm just going to wait and see.

[Bill Aurion]

Trace Memory 2
Haven't heard of this before, maybe I'll look into it.

It's the sequel to a very good DS adventure point-and-click...Definitely play it first, then Hotel Dusk if you haven't already...The sequel seems to take from both games...

Sin & Punishment 2
I'm not really into shoot-em-ups. I kicked some broomsticks in Contra back in the day but that was about the only shooter I've liked. Gradius and R-Type just aren't my thing. I'll still probably watch over this though as it's a sequel to an N64 game, and N64 > mops.

Sin & Punishment is more comparable to Contra than either Gradius or R-Type...I do recommend giving Sin & Punishment on the VC a try if you are willing to risk 10 bucks...

[Mop it up]

I just recently got a DS so I'll look into Trace Memory and Hotel Dusk. I enjoyed Shadowgate and Uninvited on the NES, so if they're anything like that then they're probably for me.

As for Sin & Punishment: I can't bring myself to pay for a download, so it's more like a $30 gamble for the original cartridge. But I could always sell that cartridge if I didn't like the game. I've actually considered buying it off eBay numerous times now but always ended up bidding on something else.

[KDR_11k]

Talking about games for 2009... DYNAMIC SLASH!

[decoyman]

Nintendo missed a huge opportunity this holiday season.

But for reasons unknown, Ninty has apparently decided to NEVER release Disaster: Day of Crisis over here. Could've filled the gap really nicely. I know I would've been all over it, as would any gamer in search of a "core" sort of gaming experience.

[Chiller]

I just recently got a DS so I'll look into Trace Memory and Hotel Dusk. I enjoyed Shadowgate and Uninvited on the NES, so if they're anything like that then they're probably for me.

Hotel Dusk and Trace Memory aren't quite the same as the older point/click games (they have a different feel and style), but as someone who enjoyed Shadowgate and Uninvited (and even Deja Vu), I would say that they are worth checking out.