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Messages - Penguin_Of_Thyme

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TalkBack / VOEZ (Switch) Review

« on: March 16, 2017, 06:41:00 AM »

The first touchscreen-only entry on the Nintendo Switch is a rhythm game worth experiencing.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/44314/voez-switch-review

Sans Joy-Con and Pro Controllers, the vast majority of Nintendo Switch games are impossible to play. One Switch game, Voez from Taiwan’s Rayark Games, falls on the other end of spectrum, and can only be played using the system’s capacitive touchscreen. One should not be deterred by the rhythm game’s mobile roots, though. The addictive gameplay, slick visual style, and plethora of songs help make Voez a great early addition to the Switch library.

At its core, Voez’s gameplay is reminiscent of Guitar Hero, featuring a stream of diamonds flying down a note highway. Using the touch input, one must tap, swipe, and hold the diamonds to the beat of the music. The Switch touchscreen does not appear to feature any input lag during gameplay, but players are welcome to adjust the calibration using an in-game tool. It’s worth noting, that the game is best played without JoyCon attached because it’s much easier to reach the screen without them in the way. 16 variances of difficulty allow players of different skill to easily find a song that fits their challenge preference. One can also switch the difficulty of a song from hard to easy or vice versa when a lesser or greater challenger is desired.

Voez first debuted last year on iOS and Android, but the Nintendo Switch version has some major differences. The requirement to always be connected to the internet is thankfully completely absent. In addition, unlike the mobile version, which was free to play with an ever rotating list of accessible songs, players are given access almost immediately to the game’s library of over 100 songs (click here for a list of them). One exclusive Switch song (“Ascension” by Xi) is in the game now and the developer has promised to add more music to the game via free updates. The vast music library mainly consists of songs originating from Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, all spread across a multitude of genres such as pop, techno, trance, and electronic. The in-game library is impressive for both it’s diversity and quality. However, one may want to listen to some of the game’s songs on YouTube before purchasing because if you don’t enjoy the music you’re likely to not feel the beat.

Visually, Voez is very pleasing to the eye. While it’s far from pushing the Switch hardware, the light show of multi-colored note lanes that change color during each song is mesmerizing. The note diamonds explode with a halo of light as they reach the bottom of the note highway. The game also features of story of sorts, which unfolds via the in-game diary. Players unlock new diary entries by completing tasks such as achieving a B ranking on a certain difficulty of song. The diary entries feature some lovely watercolor artwork, even if the cast of teenage band members is largely uninteresting.

Between bouts of Zelda, Voez has become a welcome musical break from Hyrule. The music charts in the game are very well designed leading to frantic, musical fun. Voez is a wonderful option for those desiring some rhythm action on the Switch.

TalkBack / NYC Switch Event Videos

« on: January 15, 2017, 03:28:23 AM »

Check out a number of gameplay videos and also watch our post event video impressions.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/43996/nyc-switch-event-videos

Watch the videos below.

TalkBack / Lifespeed Releasing in Early 2017 on 3DS

« on: December 14, 2016, 08:36:19 AM »

The futuristic racer will likely debut early next year.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/43798/lifespeed-releasing-in-early-2017-on-3ds

Lifespeed, a 3D racer inspired by F-Zero, will debut exclusively for the New Nintendo 3DS early next year.

Johh Owens, the CEO of Wee Man Studios, told Nintendo World Report that Lifespeed is finished and that the developer is currently waiting for the game to pass Nintendo's internal lot check. He further explained that a January release is very likely for the title.

Here are some videos of the game from E3.

TalkBack / More Super Mario Run Gameplay Footage

« on: December 11, 2016, 12:54:48 PM »

Check out some direct feed footage from the demo version of Super Mario Run.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/43782/more-super-mario-run-gameplay-footage

Watch the videos below.

TalkBack / 4 Minutes of Super Mario Run

« on: December 08, 2016, 07:39:11 AM »

Check out some off-screen footage of Super Mario Run.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/43772/4-minutes-of-super-mario-run

Watch the video below.

TalkBack / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS Impressions Video

« on: October 19, 2016, 11:20:52 AM »

Super Mario Maker on the 3DS will feel very familiar, but the portability factor alone may be worth the ticket.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/43564/super-mario-maker-for-nintendo-3ds-impressions-video

Watch the video below.

TalkBack / New 2D Pikmin Side-Scroller Announced For 3DS

« on: September 01, 2016, 03:47:00 AM »

It's the Flower Town sequel we never expected.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/43329/new-2d-pikmin-side-scroller-announced-for-3ds

A brand new Pikmin adventure is heading to the 3DS in 2017. Players will be able to throw Pikmin around the stages by tapping the screen.

Unlike previous entries in the series, the new game is a two dimensional side-scroller. However, Olimar and his Pikmin buddies will behave just like you remembered. Red Pikmin are fire resistant and will help in fiery situations. Blue Pikmin will come in handy in the game's underwater stages. In addition, it will be beneficial that electricity doesn't slow yellow Pikmin down. It was noted in the latest Nintendo Direct that the game was designed with action in mind. The game's trailer also showed Pikmin collecting stones to construct a bridge and attacking familiar enemies.

The untitled Pikmin adventure features 2D action on both screens and debuts sometime next year.

TalkBack / Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns Interview

« on: August 13, 2016, 06:46:07 AM »

Our interview unveils some new details on the next game in the Story of Seasons series.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/43178/story-of-seasons-trio-of-towns-interview

At E3 this year, NWR got to sit down with Yoshifumi Hashimoto, producer of the upcoming Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns to discuss the next game in the farm franchise.

Nintendo World Report (NWR): We just had an opportunity to play the game. It was really fun, very beautiful. Obviously the main deviation would be that instead of one town, now there’s three towns, very distinct cultures. What was the decision behind branching out like that?

Yoshifumi Hashimoto: So actually it’s going to be the 20th anniversary coming up soon in North America for Story of Seasons (Editor’s note: Harvest Moon debuted on the SNES in 1997.) and in the previous Story of Seasons you could only stay in one city, but it’s really hard to travel around a different town or country in real life so I thought it would be fun to implement this new system into the series for the 20th anniversary.

NWR: I think before with the Harvest Moon series, which is the same series in Japan they had The Tale of Two Towns so it did branch out before and then it brought it back to one town. Why go to two towns and then pull it back to one? Are you incorporating it in a different way this time?

Hashimoto: The reason we went from two towns back to one was timing, we switched out the hardware (Editor’s note: Tale of Two Towns was on DS, while the follow-up, A New Beginning, launched on 3DS.) and also people just think if there’s two towns then next there will be three towns so we just wanted to finish the two town story in the series and get back to one and start over with new things too. Also, at that time (in Tale of Two Towns), the two towns used to have a very good relationship, but then that relationship broke down, but in the new game the three towns it’s not like a relationship and more a whole city you can go through, it’s three towns, but it’s more like one. That’s the difference between three towns and two towns.

NWR: So is that something we can maybe expect in the future, for this to grow, for the maps to get bigger like this or will it go back to what the rest of series has been like?

Hashimoto: Yeah, it’s going to be hard to tell, but I’m so sorry if it turns into four different towns in a future title.

NWR: What’s your favorite features of the new game. What are you excited for old and new fans to experience?

Hashimoto: Since we implemented the three different towns in one game, they all have a different lifestyle and you used to only be able to enjoy one lifestyle in one town, but this time, for example in the Western themed town, the store opens in the morning and closes at night, regular business hours, but then in the tropical island themed town, which is called Lulucoco, in that town all the stores open super early in the morning and then they have this system called the Siesta where the store will be open and then suddenly close and later reopen. I think players will really enjoy all the different lifestyles.

NWR: Have you considered adding amiibo support?

Hashimoto: We’re not currently thinking of amiibo for this title, but we actually have a special feature in the Japanese version, we have a collaboration with Super Mario, we have Super Mario costumes, Peach, Luigi, Toad, and all the costumes have a different type of skill booster so that’s a really interesting feature too.

NWR: Will that be in the North American version too?

Hashimoto: Since it has a different feature booster, I’d love to put it in the North American version too, but we’re still adjusting. I can’t discuss anything about it.

NWR: I know you work very closely with localization for the games. Is there anything in past or with this title that hasn’t been able to come over, that’s been changed or eliminated? What are the challenges that come with that?

Hashimoto: Localization has become smoother since we started working with XSEED. Before there was an invisible rule that there are certain things we can’t change, but since we started working with XSEED, they’ve needed to translate from scratch so we were able to have a fresh start. We always get new questions so we can reconsider stuff and we get more ideas from the XSEED side, the North American side so it’s much smoother.

NWR: So instead of seeing it as a limitation when developing for an international market, it’s more opportunistic and helps the creative process?

Hashimoto: Yep.

NWR: With the series coming up on the 20th anniversary for the North American market and with the series originating on console, is there any interest in returning to a home console version in the future?

Hashimoto: It’s not going to be impossible, but we always think of the next console based on how many people are using that console and we have a lot of children players too. So we always want to be sure that lots of children have the console or handheld so the next Story of Seasons depends on how many people and what type of people actually have that console.

NWR: And of course 3DS has been great for families.

Hashimoto: I think I would be interested in porting it to PlayStation 4 too.

NWR: I believe this is the first in the series to have the protagonist’s whole family present. What was the decision behind that?

Hashimoto: We just wanted to put in more of a deep down storyline to Story of Seasons. In the previous Story of Seasons, all the other games you just played on the farm by yourself and there was no one on the farm to see you and watch how much effort you’re putting in, and you don’t get cheered up by anybody else. By adding a family member to the protagonist, it’s a really good opportunity to add an accomplished feeling so that’s why I involved the family.

NWR: What drives you to return to the next game in the series and what’s your favorite part of development?

Hashimoto: Since it’s been like 20 years in North America I feel like there’s going to be a lot of people who have stopped playing the Story of Seasons titles or a lot of people who heard about it, but never played, and also people who are still keep playing, but we always think about how to bring back past players and how to open up the door to new people. We’re always thinking about how to make things easier or smoother so we’re always thinking of ways to open up the door so that’s something we’re always thinking about during development.

NWR: Thank you very much.

Hashimoto: Thank you.

TalkBack / Axiom Verge Creator Still Interested in Bringing Game to 3DS

« on: June 29, 2016, 03:21:00 PM »

Tom Happ, designer of Axiom Verge would like the game to come to 3DS.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/42938/axiom-verge-creator-still-interested-in-bringing-game-to-3ds

At E3 2016, Axiom Verge creator Tom Happ explained to NWR that he’s very interested in bringing his Metroid-inspired game to 3DS.

A potential 3DS port would have to deal with the system's relatively low-speed processor and screen resolution, since the game was originally designed to run at 480x272 (which doesn't divide evenly into the 400 x 240 resolution of the 3DS). In addition, Axiom Verge uses shader effects quite heavily and currently requires more RAM than the 3DS has. However, Tom Happ told NWR at E3 that theoretically none of these hurdles in isolation would necessarily be insurmountable. While the announcement of a 3DS port is far from the imminent, Happ is currently investigating what it might take to make it a reality.

We first reported on the desire to bring the game to 3DS just after E3 last year, and at the time porting the game to Wii U or 3DS was thought to be difficult if not impossible due to running on the MonoGame framework. Earlier this year, developer Blitworks found a way to bypass the MonoGame issue for Wii U by converting the entire codebase to C++. As a result, the Wii U version will debut later this year with added GamePad functionality, and previously Wii U-only titles such as Runbow and forma.8 have had New 3DS exclusive versions announced recently.

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 482: The Legend of Zelda: Olivia Wilde

« on: June 26, 2016, 08:52:27 PM »

You really outdid yourselves with this week's episode title. Bravo folks.

TalkBack / 14 Minutes of Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice (E3 2016)

« on: June 22, 2016, 03:23:00 PM »

SEGA's Austin Keys tells us about Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice while we play through the E3 2016 demo.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/42915/14-minutes-of-sonic-boom-fire-and-ice-e3-2016

Watch the video below.

TalkBack / 37 Minutes of Skylanders Imaginators Gameplay Footage

« on: June 21, 2016, 02:01:00 PM »

Check out some direct feed gameplay from the PlayStation 4 version of Skylanders Imaginators.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/42902/37-minutes-of-skylanders-imaginators-gameplay-footage

Watch the gameplay below and be sure to check out our E3 preview of the game.

Note: The Wii U version was not playable at E3

TalkBack / Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Interview with Mat Kraemer

« on: June 19, 2016, 02:18:45 PM »

We talk Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice with the game's creative director, Mat Kraemer.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/42890/sonic-boom-fire-n-ice-interview-with-mat-kraemer

Watch the interview below.

TalkBack / 14 Minutes of Axiom Verge on Wii U

« on: June 19, 2016, 05:48:31 AM »

Check out the Wii U version of Axiom Verge.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/42889/14-minutes-of-axiom-verge-on-wii-u

Watch the footage below.

TalkBack / Re: Just Dance 2017 Coming To Wii U And NX

« on: June 13, 2016, 06:08:18 PM »

Ubisoft can't abandon the Wii just yet. In the launch month last year, the Wii version of Just Dance 2016 still sold the most units, which is CRAZY TAXI.

TalkBack / Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Video Preview

« on: May 30, 2016, 12:15:19 PM »

Check out a video preview of Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/42763/tokyo-mirage-sessions-fe-video-preview

Watch the preview video below. Also, watch two additional videos with some more off-screen gameplay.

TalkBack / Re: Super Meat Boy (Wii U) Review

« on: May 26, 2016, 06:25:43 PM »

I love Super Meat Boy. Have it on Xbox 360 and PC. I sadly have zero interest in playing the game with the new soundtrack. I thought the original music was perfect and playing the game without it just feels wrong. However, I think newcomers who didn't experience the original soundtrack will have a blast.

TalkBack / Re: Sega 3D Classics Collection

« on: May 01, 2016, 05:06:16 PM »

Quote from: Phil on April 26, 2016, 09:58:46 PM

Did you leave off the "(3DS) Review" from the title intentionally? I didn't know what to expect when I just clicked on the game name when I saw it in the row of news. hehe!

Anyway, I'm very excited to get this.

I simply forgot to include "(3DS) Review)." Been a while since I posted a review on the site and forgot that part.

TalkBack / Re: Sega 3D Classics Collection

« on: April 25, 2016, 09:55:20 PM »

Totally understand kokumaker. It will be nice if Power Drift and Puyo Puyo 2 become available as standalone eShop releases at some point.

TalkBack / Sega 3D Classics Collection

« on: April 25, 2016, 03:41:07 AM »

Sega’s new compilation features a slew of titles that not only stand the test of time, but have also been enhanced for the 3DS.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/42591/sega-3d-classics-collection

Scroll down to the bottom for a video review.

Over the last few years, Sega has released a number of 3D Classics for the Nintendo eShop. Every single one of the games in the 3D Classics series have been meticulously emulated in their translation to the Nintendo 3DS. Along with the utmost care in bringing the original arcade and console experiences to 3DS, Japanese developer M2 has also gone the extra mile by including alternative modes, improved graphics, and other extras in their games. Sega 3D Classics Collection contains nine Sega games, mixing them in an comprehensive package that will bring joy to both new and old gamers.

Upon boot up, you’re greeted to a short intro animation that shows images from all of the included games. Afterwards, on the game selection screen, you can choose from the seven titles that either originally appeared on the Sega Genesis or in the arcades. There’s a separate Extras area featuring the Sega Master System titles. The full list of games are:

Fantasy Zone II (1987) - The classic side-scrolling shooter for the Sega Master System that features bright and colorful worlds.
Thunder Blade (1987) - Pilot a helicopter and destroy the enemy forces.
Power Drift (1988) - One of the very first kart racers featuring plenty of rolling roadways and fast turns.
Galaxy Force II (1988) - Science fiction rail shooter that could be considered a precursor to Star Fox.
Maze Walker (1988) - 3D maze exploration game that originally used the Sega Master System’s 3D glasses.
Altered Beast (1988) - The Genesis beat-em up that everybody had because it was originally packed in with the system.
Sonic The Hedgehog (1991) - The platformer that introduced the world to the fastest hedgehog around.
Puyo Puyo 2 (1994) - A classic puzzle title where you must connect like-colored blobs.
Fantasy Zone II W (2014) - M2’s System 16 arcade hardware remake of Fantasy Zone II.

Sega did a fine job of including games that come from a diverse set of genres. Racing fans will be enthralled by the kart racing fun in Power Drift. The arcade title certainly shares DNA with past Yu Suzuki racers such as Hang-On and Out Run, but Power Drift dazzles with even more impressive sprite-scaling that creates a very convincing 3D effect. Players have five circuits to choose from, which each feature five racetracks (there’s a secret stage for each circuit as well if you manage to finish in first on all tracks). Every course feels like a roller coaster. There’s lots of hairpin turns, and the track elevation is constantly changing. Compared to other Sega racers, the tracks are quite narrow, which can make passing other racers quite difficult especially when it’s easy to fly right off the track. Fans of Out Run and arcade racers in general will enjoy the 60 frames per second 3D graphics, pumping music, and nail biting races to the finish.

The inclusion of Puyo Puyo 2 in the compilation is extremely welcome as a big puzzle fan. In the nineties, the Puyo Puyo games usually were altered for Western release to features graphics and characters from other franchises. Many may have fond memories of playing Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine or Kirby’s Avalanche, which at their core feature the wonderful Puyo Puyo puzzle gameplay. The 3D Puyo Puyo 2 in this compilation is the original Japanese version. While most of the text may not be in English, the gameplay certainly shines. Connecting the jelly-like blobs may seem easy at first, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed when your opponent makes multiple combos and sends a bunch of trash your way. The single player mode has you you play against numerous AI opponents with ever increasing difficulty and there is wireless local play multiplayer for those who have a friend who also own a copy of Sega 3D Classics Collection. Overall, the base gameplay is super addicting and will keep you engaged for a long time.

It’s the 25th anniversary of the original Sonic the Hedgehog and it seems fitting that it’s included in this collection. While I’m sure many have played this game already, it never gets old to roll on through Green Hill Zone. Sega’s well crafted platformer remains a lot of fun and the 3D effect makes peering into the 3DS almost like viewing an animated diorama.

Another Genesis title to make the collection is Altered Beast. At five years old and accustomed to the NES, the graphics of Altered Beast blew me away and the sound byte “Rise From Your Grave” will probably reverberate through my mind until the end of time. While I may still have some nostalgia for the game, Altered Beast has aged quite poorly. It can still be fun for a short while, but it’s hard to love a game you can beat in an hour and has little to no difference on each playthrough. I was never going to buy Altered Beast standalone on the eShop, but it’s nice to have it in the collection for a quick jaunt.

Galaxy Force II and Thunder Blade are the behind-the-back shooters of the collection (Thunder Blade does have some overhead shooting fun as well). In the arcades, both games excelled at pushing a crazy number of pixels and creating simulated 3D worlds. The 3D effect for both certainly enhances each game creating a wonderful depth of field effect that is matched by few others on the 3DS. The six stages of Galaxy Force II have you dogfighting in unique areas such as a fiery lava planet and a plant world where vines will attempt to entangle your ship. Galaxy Force II may be pretty short, but it’s an exhilarating ride from start to finish. On the other hand, Thunder Blade may look pretty, but I found the action to be repetitive and lackluster. It’s a wonderful game to look at, but Thunder Blade’s gameplay, similar to Altered Beast, is not that engaging in this day and age.

Fantasy Zone II W is possibly the most unlikely game in the collection. The sequel to Fantasy Zone originally debuted on the Sega Master System. In 2008, M2 decided to remake Fantasy Zone II using the arcade hardware that had powered the first Fantasy Zone. The graphically souped up version was originally included on a Japan exclusive PlayStation 2 title focusing on the Fantasy Zone series. Unlike many shooters of the 80s, which featured gloomy science fiction or war settings, Fantasy Zone II takes place in a whimsical and colorful 2D world. Players must shoot down enemy bases scattered throughout the levels, and have the ability to visit shops where they can upgrade their spaceship named Opa-opa. While the arcade mode alone is plenty challenging and enjoyable, Fantasy Zone II W also adds a new mode called LInk Loop Land, which transforms the game into an endless shooter. The new mode, which may remind players of Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, is very addicting and will please those who love beating their previous high score.

Link Loop Land is just one of the many extras found in the Sega 3D Classics Collection. Many forget that the original Sonic the Hedgehog, did not feature the spin dash move, which would become an iconic piece of Sonic’s arsenal. To include the move in the 3D Classics version, M2 reached out to Sonic co-creator and programmer Yuji Naka for tips on how to implement it. The collection’s version of Galaxy Force II also includes some improved graphical effects such as transparencies, which were originally added in M2’s PlayStation 2 port of the title. Many of the titles also have new widescreen modes so that the action can completely fill the 3DS screen.

While this is the first compilation of 3D Classics to be released in the West, Sega actually had a prior compilation released in Japan. The first collection called Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives, featured well known titles like Out Run, Space Harrier, and Ecco the Dolphin. The addition of a couple of those games to this collection certainly would have been welcome, but Sega may still have plans to eventually bring that collection to America. It’s worth noting that the Sega Master System version of the original Fantasy Zone is hidden in the Sega 3D Classics Collection. In Japan, the way to unlock Fantasy Zone was by having save data on your 3DS from Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives. The Master System Fantasy Zone is still hidden in the Western release, but there’s a new and very simple method to unlock it (PROTIP: Explore the Extras selection area).

The two Genesis games in this collection were originally part of the first batch of 3D Classics that M2 developed. M2 has admitted that they’ve refined their techniques for bringing Genesis titles into three dimensions. Recent 3D Classics such as Streets of Rage 2, Gunstar Heroes, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 look absolutely stellar in 3D. That’s not to say the 3D is bad in Altered Beast and the first Sonic the Hedgehog, but M2 has certainly mastered their 3D conversion tactics and the older releases do slightly pale in comparison.

One thing sorely missed in the collection is online multiplayer and high score lists. While Altered Beast and Puyo Puyo 2 have wireless local play, it would have been a ton of fun playing these games with opponents all over the world. It’s especially disappointing when one of M2’s final Virtual Console releases on the Wii was the arcade version of Puyo Puyo with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support.

There’s a lot of things to like about the Sega 3D Classics Collection. This collection marks the first home/portable releases of Power Drift and Puyo Puyo 2 in North America. All of the games are easy to pick up and play for a few minutes, but most are also addictive enough that you’ll be playing for much longer. M2 and Sega have executed a very polished compilation of games. They run exactly as you remember (or better) and M2 demonstrates once again that they are masters of converting 2D titles into 3D. If you’ve ever basked in the warm glow of a Sega arcade machine and wished you could take that experience on the go, then Sega 3D Classics Collection should be right up your alley.