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Messages - CurtDogg

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26
TalkBack / Hands-on with Ironfall Invasion
« on: January 15, 2015, 03:50:00 PM »

Third-person action never felt so good on the go. But is that enough?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/39411/hands-on-with-ironfall-invasion

You gotta admire VD-dev, the developers behing Ironfall for the 3DS eShop. Even if their projects aren't perfect, they know how to really take advantage of Nintendo's hardware. Just one look at COP: The Recruit on Nintendo DS, and you'll see what I mean. Now they're taking what they've learned not only about the 3DS hardware, but the New 3DS XL hardware as well, with their own take on third-person cover-shooters.

If you've played games like Gears of War, then you'll feel right at home, as the game plays nearly identical. You control a soldier who has to gun down hordes of enemies by taking cover behind walls and popping out at the right time to take them out. It's a very difficult game to take a run-and-gun approach to, due to the tank-like controls of your main character. I kept forgetting this during my playtime with the game, and ended up taking way more damage than I would've liked.

In most TPS games, you have regenerating health to help you out in these situations, and Ironfall has it in the form of a heart-rate monitor. While aesthetically it does make for an interesting twist, it still functions the same as any other game with the feature. That was a main running theme with my time with the demo: it's the same as every other TPS game out there. Aside from the fact that it's on the 3DS, and making use of the New 3DS' C-Stick, nothing about the game really stood out. Not to say that any part of the game was bad, it's just... bland. Here's hoping the full game can prove me wrong.

Ironfall Invasion will be released on the 3DS eShop in February of this year.


27
TalkBack / Hands-on with Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
« on: January 15, 2015, 03:00:00 AM »

I'm really feeling this port!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/39410/hands-on-with-xenoblade-chronicles-3d

Considering that gamers had to practically beg Nintendo to bring Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii stateside, I was actually shocked when I learned that the 3DS port of the game was announced during the same presentation that we learned of the New Nintendo 3DS XL's North American release date. Not only that, but the game was also playable at Nintendo's press event yesterday, and I'm happy to report that the game is an extremely faithful version of the original game... mostly.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is just that: Xenoblade Chronicles in 3D. Aside from taking advantage of the 3D display and the New 3DS XL's C-Stick, It is the exact same game as it was on the Wii. The game looks about on-par with the Wii version, albeit at a lower resolution. The demo I played basically dumped me in the middle of one of the massive fields early on in the game, and just gave me free reign to explore and fight enemies. The gameplay felt pretty much the same as it did on the Wii, however there was one thing that annoyed me: selecting my attacks.

On the Wii, I felt like it was easy to move around, attack, and select attacks at the same time using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, since the analog stick and D-Pad could be accessed via both my thumbs at the same time. On the New 3DS XL, the Circle Pad and D-Pad are on the same side, so I would have to choose between moving and selecting attacks, which left me extremely vulnerable to attack. I couldn't find a way to switch the method of selecting attacks, so hopefully it's an option that I overlooked in the demo, and will be included in the final release.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D launches exclusively on the New 3DS XL in North America in April.


28
TalkBack / Hands-on with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
« on: January 14, 2015, 03:45:00 PM »

The thrill of the hunt is still going strong.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/39407/hands-on-with-monster-hunter-4-ultimate

It's been a long-time coming, but Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is finally heading stateside. At Nintendo's press event yesterday, I got to go hands-on with the game on the New Nintendo 3DS XL, and while the game feels very similar to the previous game, I still found myself rather enthralled by the demo.

Similar to the demo for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, you're given a choice of a preset set of armor and one of the game's many weapons, along with three missions of varying difficulty to hunt down a specific monster. For my time with the game, I chose my old standby the Hammer, and one of the new weapons, the Insect Glaive. The Glaive allows the hunter to essentially pole vault onto or towards monsters, and slash them from above. It also can summon insects to attack monsters and steal their "essence" which gives the hunter a boost in one of their attributes.

While the Hammer is still my weapon my choice, it was hard not to enjoy the Insect Glaive. Along with being able to run and climb onto small ledges with ease, and jump onto monsters from above, they definitely gave the game a more fast-paced action feel, which helps the fact that the game seems to function nearly identical to the previous entry in the series. I have no doubt the full game will offer more of a variety of missions and gameplay elements, but like the game before it, the demo hardly does the actual series any justice.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate launches on February 13.


29
TalkBack / Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Amiibo Support Detailed
« on: January 14, 2015, 02:00:00 AM »

A shiny new Toad Amiibo means shiny new Toad challenges!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/39389/captain-toad-treasure-tracker-amiibo-support-detailed

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker will be gaining Amiibo support on March 20, the same day as the Toad Amiibo launches.

While Nintendo didn't go into detail during this morning's Nintendo Direct, they announced that if you scan the Toad Amiibo, you will unlock new challenges within the game involving finding a small 8-bit Toad sprite.

It is unclear if these sprites will appear in every stage, or if any other Amiibo will be compatible, but we will update this story once we find new information.


30
TalkBack / Mario Party 10 Release Date Announced, Amiibo Support Detailed
« on: January 14, 2015, 01:45:00 AM »

Use amiibo as virtual board game tokens in a new game mode.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/39387/mario-party-10-release-date-announced-amiibo-support-detailed

Nintendo has detailed its amiibo functionality in Mario Party 10, via a new mode called Amiibo Party.

By scanning a Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Toad, Rosalina & Luma, Donkey Kong, or Wario amiibo, you can summon a token to use in a virtual tabletop game board. Each amiibo represented will have a special unique game board, with various traps and features.

In addition, Nintendo also revealed that the game will be releasing on March 20 in North America and Europe and March 12 in Japan, the same day the Super Mario line of amiibo will hit store shelves. There will also be special bundles containing the game and one amiibo from the same line. Nintendo confirmed that in Japan a special bundle with the Mario will be available at launch.


31
TalkBack / Sony Working on a Super Mario Bros. Movie?
« on: December 12, 2014, 10:27:37 AM »

The idea sounds clean and dirty at the same time.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rumor/39215/sony-working-on-a-super-mario-bros-movie

Nintendo and Sony Pictures are working on an animated Super Mario Bros. movie, following the ongoing massive leak of e-mails from the movie studio.

While nothing is officially greenlit, the e-mails suggest that film producer Avi Arad recently acquired the rights to produce animated films based on Super Mario as of October 23 of this year. “I am the proud father of mario the animated film" said Arad in an e-mail to Sony Pictures co-chairman Amy Pascal. Arad then forwarded Pascal photos of him with Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata. Pascal forwarded these e-mails to Tom Rothman, chairman of the Sony-owned TriStar Pictures, and added "Avi closed Mario brothers, animated."

The e-mails also include Arad thanking Michelle Raimo Kouyate, the President of Production at Sony Pictures Animation, for a gift basket filled with Mario merchandise, with replies from Koutate of wanting to "build a Mario empire!” and that she "can think of 3-4 movies right out of the gate on this. So huge!”. There are also talks of bringing on Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of the cartoons Dexter's Laboratory and Samurai Jack, as director of the film.

Nintendo and Sony Pictures have yet to officially comment.


32

The eight new tracks are going live soon, so let's get a first look bright and early at 12m PDT!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/39216/live-stream-nwr-fun-club-42315-new-mario-kart-8-tracks

Hey everyone, Curtis here. I'm gonna be taking over the official Nintendo World Report Hitbox channel normally on the second Saturday each month at 12pm PDT. The focus will be on playing Wii U and 3DS games online with the NWR community, but I'll also be playing some of the latest titles from those systems as well from time to time.

The second Mario Kart 8 DLC pack goes live today, so let's be there at 12pm PDT to check it out! Feel free to follow our Hitbox channel, or tune into the embedded stream below!


33
TalkBack / Pier Solar HD Review
« on: December 02, 2014, 07:45:00 AM »

The fan-made Genesis RPG makes the jump to the Wii U

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/39140/pier-solar-hd-review

The Sega Genesis was never really known for very many RPGs. There were games like the Shining Force and Phantasy Star series, but the Super NES definitely had more to offer in the genre. That didn’t stop the homebrew scene from releasing Pier Solar and the Great Architects on the Genesis in 2010. Now, WaterMelon Studios, the developers behind the game, have released an HD version of the game on modern consoles. Does the game still manage to maintain its charm on the Wii U?

The game starts off with the main character, Hoston, going into a mysterious forest with his friends to find a cure for his father’s terminal illness, after being advised not to do so. The three friends then stumble upon an ancient temple and unintentionally unleash an ancient power, which forces them to leave the village they grew up in, in order to embark on a quest to set things right. It’s pretty much JRPG 101 in terms of plot and story, so you’re not going to find anything in this game that hasn’t been done in several games before it. Perhaps it’s an intentional choice, seeing that they’re paying tribute to JRPGs of old, but it’s hard to see past that when the game takes itself so seriously.

Usually I can forgive a generic story if I feel the gameplay has a unique twist to it, but unfortunately it doesn’t.  It has your basic Attack, Spells, and Defense commands, and you’re able to equip new weapons and learn new spells. Unfortunately, nothing really sets it apart from other games in the genre. There’s a “Gather” system in place that allows you to sacrifice a turn in order to do a more powerful attack, but it rarely came in handy aside from boss battles, as it’s way more efficient to just use a normal attack twice in a row. Though the mechanics of battling are solid, you can just as easily set every party member to Auto-attack, and you’ll get through battles just as fast as you would selecting your commands from the menu.

The game doesn’t really fare that well outside of battle either. Instead of a giant overworld to explore, you have to manually choose your destination on each part of the continent, making progressing in the game feel linear and restrictive. The areas that you can choose from vary from villages to campsites and monster-filled areas such as forests and dungeons. The game relies on random encounters for its battles, and with how labyrinthian some of these areas are, they get old very quickly. Even the in-game map isn’t very helpful, as it’s about as detailed as that Snake game on late-’90s cell phones. It’s hard to know where you’re going, especially when various foreground elements get in the way. There are even parts in the game I got stuck on because there was a switch or platform hidden away behind one of these foreground options, which the game expected me to just GUESS that it was there without any sort of clue.

You can switch between the original 16-bit visual style and music, or an updated HD or HD+ mode. The 16-bit mode is virtually the same as its Sega Genesis counterpart, but the HD mode offers redrawn character portraits, scenery, and clearer text but keeps the original character and monster sprites. The HD+ mode replaces those sprites with hand-drawn versions of them, but they look way worse. The character models look like transparent PNG images, but with an ugly white border around them, making the game look like something out of an old version of RPG Maker. The music however is top-notch in both modes, although I prefer the more synth-y tones of the original 16-bit compositions.

If there’s one thing that makes the Wii U version of the game stand out is its usage of the GamePad. Not only is there off-TV play, but it also gives you every bit of information you could possibly need. You can have a constant map and radar system, view character’s status and HP/MP levels, drag and drop items in your inventory, and even have your notebook viewable at all times, so you’ll constantly know where you should be heading next. It does tend to glitch out sometimes by repeating lines of text, but it’s never really game-breaking. The in-game menus can be a bit confusing to navigate, though, as it’s hard to tell just exactly what features or commands you’re switching on and off, as it doesn’t give you a clear indication or confirmation of what you’ve changed.

Overall, Pier Solar is just an average JRPG at best. Perhaps some of its novelty was lost due to it being a downloadable title rather than an actual, physical Sega Genesis cartridge. It’s really hard to recommend unless you’re absolutely starved for an RPG on the Wii U.


34
TalkBack / Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Review
« on: December 03, 2014, 06:20:29 AM »

Time for adventure! UPDATE: Now with a video review!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/39128/captain-toad-treasure-tracker-review

The Captain Toad levels in Super Mario 3D World were an absolute delight to play. The clever, small puzzles proved to be just as engaging as the main game. I was secretly hoping that they would put out a DLC pack for the game, solely focusing on those Captain Toad levels, but it never came to be. During Nintendo’s E3 Digital Event this year, they unveiled the trailer for Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and despite some concern that a retail game made up entirely of Captain Toad levels would lose its luster, I was immediately on-board. Now that I’ve completed the game, I’m happy to say that those concerns can be put to rest.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a puzzle-platformer where you control our titular hero, as well as Toadette, as they explore over 70 different levels in search of treasure. What set these levels apart in Super Mario 3D World was that they were mostly one giant cube in which you have to manipulate the camera in order to find your way around the environment and collect five Green Stars. Toad cannot jump, and there are plenty of hidden passages, platforms, and items that are only visible by carefully manipulating the camera, which makes for some very tricky and clever level design.

Despite some changes, Treasure Tracker manages to surpass the Captain Toad levels from 3D World by a longshot. Instead of collecting Green Stars, your goal this time is simply to get to the end of the stage and collect the Power Star. Each stage also has three Super Gems to collect, which you’ll need to unlock later levels in the game. Once the level is complete, the game encourages you to play through it again with a special challenge, which range from sneaking past all the enemies, moving obstacles a specific number of times, and more. While the levels are still small and compact, they are a big step up in size and complexity from the 3D World levels, due to some clever design choices and additions, such as the new ability to pick turnips and throw them at enemies a la Super Mario Bros. 2, and the Super Pickax item, which allows you to break through bricks blocking your path or hiding Super Gems. Careful camera manipulation, of course, makes the game feel like an actual treasure hunt, and completing a level with everything collected is extremely satisfying.

Treasure Tracker also makes some clever, if occasionally annoying, use of the GamePad as well. The game features Off-TV Play by default, but you can also use the touch screen to move certain platforms. Thankfully, it never feels like these actions interrupt the flow of the game, as you’re rarely vulnerable while doing so. I can’t say the same about the game’s motion controls, however. In addition to the right analog stick, you can also manipulate the camera using the GamePad’s gyroscope. Unfortunately, you cannot turn this feature off, which is predictably annoying. Combined with another new feature, however, it becomes frustrating: the game also forces you to blow into the microphone to move certain platforms, so when you inevitably move the GamePad towards your face to blow into the mic, the camera angle moves along with it. This caused me to lose a few too many lives, forcing me to play the game in certain positions.

Another slight disappointment is the game’s presentation. Treasure Tracker is $20 cheaper than almost every retail game at launch, and it shows. The main menu is very basic, and there’s a lot of recycled music and assets from Super Mario 3D World. Despite the stage select being presented via storybook, there’s not really much of a story to speak of in this game. Wingo, the game’s main antagonist, kidnaps a Power Star along with Toadette (or Toad later on in the game), and it’s up to you to find both of them. They recycle this scene a few times, along with Toad/Toadette sitting by a campfire as they see Wingo fly off in the distance. While I know that story has never been Nintendo’s strong suit, it still is disappointing to see such wasted story potential when they have so many characters, locations, and personalities to work with.

Despite these issues, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is an incredibly charming game. Getting from beginning to end should take you just under six hours, but if you want to collect every single Super Gem and complete each stage’s special challenge, it’ll last you way longer. In addition, there are also quite a few bonus levels if you have save data from Super Mario 3D World on your system. If you manage to track down this game, you’ll have a real treasure on your hands.


35

Curtis steps up to the plate, and offers his thoughts on which characters should've made it in.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/39079/the-nintendo-top-tendo-2-the-top-ten-characters-that-shouldve-been-in-the-new-super-smash-bros

Now that The Superb Smash Bros. for Wii U is out and we know about all the characters, I can’t help but be disappointed. Sure we have over 50 new characters, but in this day and age, that’s inexcusable. When a game like Pokemon can have several hundred monsters to choose from, why can’t we have the same for Smash Bros.? Well this is where this week’s episode comes in. Here’s the top ten characters that should’ve been in Smash Bros.


36

Curtis takes on challenges that have haunted him for a long time in his new video series!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/39012/curtdoggs-challenge-donkey-kong-country-tropical-freezes-bopopolis

There are quite a few games that I've beaten, but not every one of those games was completed. There have been tons of extra levels, challenges, and bonuses that have been left unfinished over the years, and I feel like this is the time to fix that. Join me every week as I face a new challenge from Nintendo's history, and see if I have what it takes to come out on top.

This week, I take on one of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze's bonus levels, Bopopolis! Some precise timing with your jumps is required to beat this course, as well as avoiding the bottomless pit that makes up most of the level. The first two parts are up now, and later parts will be added as they come out.


37
TalkBack / The DOGG Show - Excitebike World Rally
« on: November 10, 2014, 02:24:15 PM »

Curt has more than a few words to say on this WiiWare classic!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/38982/the-dogg-show-excitebike-world-rally

There are games that have come and gone in the Wii's lifespan, especially on WiiWare. With little promotion or fanfare, WiiWare titles didn't get nearly enough attention as they deserved. In my first WiiWare Special episode of The DOGG Show, which he will be continuing on my personal YouTube account as well, we'll be taking a look back at some of the more criminally underlooked games the industry had to offer.

Today, we're taking a look at Excitebike: World Rally!


38
TalkBack / Pyramids 2 Review
« on: October 28, 2014, 10:03:18 AM »

One of the first eShop games ever released breaks familiar ground with a sequel.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38856/pyramids-2-review

When the 3DS’ eShop opened its digital doors in May 2011, it took nearly five months for more than one game to be put out that wasn’t part of the Virtual Console. Those first games being Let’s Golf 3D and Pyramids. The latter was a simple puzzle-platformer, but wasn’t anything too remarkable. Has Pyramids 2 been able to make itself stand out from the crowd? Well, not really, but that doesn’t stop it from being decent.

Pyramids 2 is almost exactly like the first game, except that it takes place in a jungle setting instead of a desert, and there are a couple of new obstacles and enemies. The main feature of the game is that you’re able to construct and destroy an unlimited amount of bricks that allow you to create platforms, trap enemies, and block projectiles. You can also find bullets in certain stages to take out enemies--but those are rare. Once you find a special key, you can make your way to the stage’s exit, similar to games such as Donkey Kong ‘94, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, or Boomer’s Adventure in ASMIK Land.

The puzzles themselves are well designed, for the most part. Every single stage feels unique in its setup, and I never felt as if they were repeating the same kind of puzzle twice. Some of the stages and their associated puzzles that had me both scratching my head and wanting to yank the hair out of it. The latter was especially true when the game introduced a new lamp-lighting mechanic, only to trap me once I found the key, forcing me to restart the level. Thankfully, it’s rare that this situation occurs in the game, but it’s still annoying.

While Pyramids 2 doesn’t outright tell you how its mechanics work, it offers enough hand-holding within the first few levels to learn them, making the game extremely well-paced in the process. Controlling the main character felt a bit stiff to my liking when I first started playing, but considering that Pyramids 2 is built around these controls, it’s excusable. The game does a good job of placing enemies and hazards in a way that if I die, it was my own fault. Similar to games such as Castlevania and StarTropics, it made me feel that much more satisfied when I completed a level, being able to do so in spite of its odd control scheme.

In the end, the only really bad thing I can say about Pyramids 2 is that it’s bland. The music is forgettable, the art style  and graphics look generic and bland, and there’s nothing in this game that makes it stand out. Sure, there’s a level editor that allows you to share custom-made levels via QR Codes, but when trying to scan other people’s codes, the game didn’t seem to recognize them, making it almost useless. Despite this, I still had some fun with the title, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a brain-teasing puzzle-platformer. Just don’t expect greatness.


39
TalkBack / Super Smash Bros. for 3DS Sells Big in North America
« on: October 22, 2014, 06:23:58 AM »

Hardware sales for 3DS also see an uptick.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38800/super-smash-bros-for-3ds-sells-big-in-north-america

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS managed to sell over 705,000 copies in its first two days on North American shelves.

Despite launching on October 3, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS managed to push enough copies to become the fourth best-selling SKU in September's NPD sales chart. 135,000 of those copies were sold digitally through Nintendo's eShop, which accounts for over 19% of the sales.

The lead-up to the launch also saw a jump in 3DS hardware sales. Between the three different versions of the system, over 140,000 units were sold during the month of September, which is a 55% increase over August.


40
TalkBack / Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Preview
« on: October 20, 2014, 09:14:19 AM »

Toad finally gets his own game in this treasure-hunting puzzle-platformer.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/preview/38785/captain-toad-treasure-tracker-preview

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a game no one really saw coming. While Captain Toad started out as a few sub-levels in Super Mario 3D World, the popularity of said levels was enough to warrant a full-fledged retail release full of them. While priced $20 lower than most retail titles, the game  has 70+ brand new levels to keep people busy.

Captain Toad levels were sprinkled throughout Super Mario 3D World in which you controlled the treasure-hunting Toad. These levels were small, compact, cube-shaped levels, which you could freely rotate using the gyro sensor or right-analog stick. The twist is that Captain Toad cannot jump, making each level require more than just platforming skills.

Treasure Tracker seems to expand on that concept quite a bit. You collect gems instead of Green Stars (though you need to still collect a special Power Star at the end), and levels are no longer restricted to a single cube. Though they’re still floating in a mysterious spacious void, the levels have a lot more detail. The levels include gardens filled with Shy Guys, haunted houses with Boos sneaking around, ancient ruins that take you on a mine-cart adventure, jungle swamps with pirahna plants lurking about, Arabian palaces with stone guards, and even giant, flashy pinball machines. There are a few boss battles in the mix, including a giant magma monster who spits giant fireballs as you ascend a giant volcano.

Toadette will also be playable in certain portions of the game, marking the first time she’s ever starred in a non-sports game. She is accidently snatched up by the game’s main antagonist Wingo, a giant raven wearing a turban, while she was grabbing the same Power Star that he was after. It’s unknown if there will be any sort of co-op, nor if Toadette will have any major differences in control or play-style, but having her in the game is a welcome addition.

Some of the newer mechanics in Treasure Tracker include the ability to pick and throw turnips from the ground, paying tribute to Super Mario Bros. 2, as well as new items like a pickaxe that lets you dig through bricks and other terrain, and pull-switches that unhinge different objects. The game also borrows various elements from 3D World, including the Double Cherry power-up that allows you to control multiple Toads at once, and the P-Switches that cause various changes in the level. Several enemies from 3D World such as Biddybuds, Conkders, Walleyes, and Pirahna Creepers also make a return appearance.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is shaping up to be an expansive follow-up to the Captain Toad portions of Super Mario 3D World, and is due out in Japan on November 11, and in North America on December 5. Europe and Australia will have to wait until January of 2015.


41

Sakurai hints at dropping some bombs regarding the console fighter in the near future.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38768/nintendo-direct-featuring-super-smash-bros-for-wii-u-incoming

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will have way more to offer over the 3DS version, according to the game's director, Masahiro Sakurai.

When asked about the differences between both versions, Sakurai told Famitsu that an announcement is in the works for the Wii U version that showcases "the true potential of Smash Bros.", possibly in the next Nintendo Direct. He did not offer a specific timeframe for the announcement.

On development of the Wii U version, Sakurai claims that he's "Not done yet..." and that "Game development is very hard. You cannot get through it without sacrificing everything, including your own private life, and you often get hurt. However, I'm grateful that so many people have been involved, for the games that are completed, and all the people who play the games."

Sakurai also hinted at two new single-player modes in the Wii U version via Miiverse, called "Master Side" and "Crazy Side", showing images of Master Hand and Crazy Hand, two prolific Smash Bros. bosses, atop piles of coins. We'll most likely be learning more details about these modes in the upcoming announcement.


42

Update: Nope, it just works with Smash Bros.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38673/gamecube-controller-adapter-only-compatible-with-smash-bros-on-wii-u

Update: Nintendo confirmed that the GameCube Controller Adapter will only work with Super Smash Bros. on Wii U. The original story is still below, even if it is just kind of a bummer now.

The upcoming GameCube Controller Adapter will be backwards compatible with all games that support the Wii U Pro Controller and Classic Controller.

According to the description on Nintendo's UK online store, not only will the adapter be compatible with Pro/Classic controller games, but also games through the Wii Mode on Wii U, as well as the Wii itself, if you happen to own a Wii without the GameCube ports.

Nintendo announced the Wii U GameCube Controller Adapter a few weeks before E3 as a means for hardcore Super Smash Bros. players to play the upcoming Wii U release to play with their preferred controller, but this is the first confirmation that it's compatible with something other than Smash Bros.


43
TalkBack / KickBeat: Special Edition Review
« on: September 18, 2014, 04:00:00 AM »

Kick it to the curb.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38542/kickbeat-special-edition-review

Rhythm games have always been one of my favorite game genres. Even though I’m not the best at them, I still feel as if I gain a sense of pride and accomplishment when tapping, drumming, dancing, or even singing along to a bunch of fun songs. Even if the soundtrack is primarily made up of songs I normally wouldn’t listen to, it wouldn’t matter if the overall experience was enjoyable, as games like Elite Beat Agents have proven.

KickBeat is a game I was hopeful of falling into the same camp. One look at the tracklist made me flash back to the early 2000’s, where angry, meat-headed rock bands like Papa Roach and P.O.D were overtaking the radio and MTV. Songs and bands like these made me not care about music for a long, long time. Unfortunately, KickBeat does very little to help me enjoy any of the songs they’ve chosen to be in the game.

KickBeat is a rhythm game in the most basic sense: You progress through a list of songs, and you press the corresponding button along with the beat when prompted. The main idea is that you’re a man named Lee who is tasked with fighting hordes of enemies from an organization called Radio Earth, who wants to rid the planet of musical expression. When the enemies show up on the designated marker, you have to press the corresponding button to send them flying with a kick or a punch. It’s a very simple but effective system, and I’ve had no issue with missing a beat or obtaining the game’s various power-ups and point bonuses due to imprecise timing.

I don’t care much for the KickBeat’s soundtrack overall, but the repetitive nature of the gameplay doesn’t really help. Each song in the game has the same angry, thrash-y feel to it, making the rhythmic patterns of each stage feel nearly identical to the one before it. The only real difference is the change of scenery every three or four songs as you progress through the story. You can change things up by adjusting the difficulty, but once you do that, the button icons are gone, making the game nearly impossible to play. The enemies will blend together due to their monochromatic nature, and make it extremely difficult to discern what button you need to press at which time.

KickBeat’s presentation is just as shiny and impressive as all of Zen Studio’s Wii U titles. The game runs at a constant 60 frames-per-second, and all of the characters are extremely well animated. The music itself is crystal-clear, but the rest of the audio definitely could’ve used some more work. While the voice acting during the game’s mostly-static cutscenes is decent, it’s bogged down by constant audio popping, making it difficult to hear any of the spoken dialogue without turning on subtitles. The sound effects during actual gameplay are extremely quiet, almost completely gone if you don’t change the levels of the game audio and music in the Options. The default settings make beating up hordes of enemies feel weak and unfulfilling.

KickBeat is a game I could’ve enjoyed a lot more if the soundtrack had more varying genres. It feels like a game stuck in 2002 (complete with a reference to the Verizon Wireless “Can you hear me now?” ad campaign), especially from a gameplay standpoint. While there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the game, nothing really makes it special either. It’s just a very basic rhythm game with a very specific style of music. I can only recommend this game if it’s your… Last Resort.


44
TalkBack / Ultimate NES Remix to Include 'Speed Mario Bros.'
« on: September 12, 2014, 07:17:00 AM »

Speedrunners, you have met your match.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38494/ultimate-nes-remix-to-include-speed-mario-bros

Speed Mario Bros. has been announced as a new sub-game for the upcoming 3DS release, Ultimate NES Remix.

Speed Mario Bros. is essentially the same as the NES classic Super Mario Bros., only sped up. Everything from the movement, the enemies, and even the music will be at a much faster pace, making the game much more difficult.

Ultimate NES Remix is a compilation of the best games from NES Remix 1 and 2 on the Wii U eShop, and will be released in North America on December 5.


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Club Nintendo Platinum members also getting the demo early.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38493/super-smash-bros-demo-to-be-released-in-north-america-on-september-19

The demo for Super Smash. Bros. for Nintendo 3DS demo will be hitting the North American eShop on September 19th, as revealed on the Nintendo Treehouse live stream.

Acknowledging that the Japanese demo has already been released, the Treehouse crew stated that they didn't want Western audiences to wait until just before the game releases for the demo to drop. For that reason, the demo will be going up on the North American eShop two weeks before the game's release on October 3rd.

Select Club Nintendo Platinum members will also be getting four demo codes each later today, according to the Treehouse stream.


46
TalkBack / Teslagrad Review
« on: September 11, 2014, 08:39:00 AM »

A very attractive platformer.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38489/teslagrad-review

At an event in 2013, I got to check out a little Metroid-inspired platformer called Teslagrad. Its magnetic polarity-focused design immediately hooked me in, and I anxiously awaited its final release. Well, an entire year after that demo, Teslagrad is finally out on Wii U. Thankfully, the game still managed to capture my imagination just as much as it did at that first glance despite a few oddities along the way.

Teslagrad’s story is one of its most interesting parts. You play as a boy who finds his way into an abandoned tower, filled with mysterious machines and creatures. While inside the tower, you encounter numerous allusions to the tower’s history, as well as the nation’s former ruler. All of this is told without the aid of written dialogue or voice acting, making the general atmosphere that much more unsettling and intriguing, especially when it has a fitting hand-drawn, dark, old-European art style. Where most games would interrupt the flow with cut scenes, long-winded exposition, or hidden journals and diaries, this game gives you the option to piece together what happened yourself, giving you just as much information as our hero. I personally found this method of storytelling extremely well executed, and made me more invested in the game as a whole throughout its six-hour playtime.

The gameplay is simple yet complex at the same time. It’s a Metroid-inspired platformer, but instead of various weapons and upgrades, you come across a few different polarity-manipulation devices, such as magnetic gloves and force fields. These allow you to reverse the magnetic polarity of different platforms and blocks, allowing you to traverse various rooms and defeat enemies. These items also allow you to float and glide against magnetically charged pads as well as stick to various platforms and ceilings, making the platforming segments more than just moving boxes around. All of these powers are extremely fun to use, and they work quite well for the most part. The later areas get complex, requiring very precise platforming that is hard to execute with the unpredictable physics. It’s a challenge to pull off the right combination of moves at the right time to the point of frustration.

Speaking of the difficulty, Teslagrad is very, very tough. You have unlimited lives, so there’s not too drastic of a punishment for dying, but it can be annoying at times. If you get hit once, you’re dead. No life meter, no health shield, nothing. This can be extremely frustrating during boss fights, as you have to start right from the beginning of the fight the moment you take damage. This isn’t too much of an issue against the first boss, but as the game went on, I was extremely close to throwing my GamePad right out the window.

The GamePad provides Off-TV Play with a simple press of an on-screen button, but other than that, its usage is limited to your hidden item collection and a map. The map shows you your general location, but not a precise one, making it very difficult to navigate some of the larger rooms due to the inability to pinpoint your exact location within them.

Even with its frustrating parts, I still enjoyed my time with Teslagrad immensely. If you're hungry for a moody, isolation-themed platformer on the Wii U, this is definitely the cream of the crop. Teslagrad may have been a long time coming on Wii U, but it was worth the wait.


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TalkBack / The Nintendo Top-Tendo - A Very Legit Countdown Show
« on: September 04, 2014, 12:59:58 PM »

Curt showcases his expertise in the world of Nintendo by determining the best of the best in a handy countdown list.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/38428/the-nintendo-top-tendo-a-very-legit-countdown-show

If there's anything the internet loves, it's a good countdown list. Who has time for forming ones own opinion on who or what you like when the internet can do it for you?

Join me in a weekly adventure, where we count down anywhere between seven to ten different games, characters, people and more, to determine who's the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Don't bother trying to refute any of my choices, however, because I used science.

This week, we take a look at the top seven Pokemon of all time.


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TalkBack / Teslagrad to be Released on September 11
« on: September 03, 2014, 07:43:04 PM »

This extremely attractive platformer finally finding its way to the eShop.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38415/teslagrad-to-be-released-on-september-11

Teslagrad, the magnetic Metroid-inspired platformer from Rain Games, is finally being released on the Wii U eShop next Thursday.

Originally scheduled for release near the end of 2013 alongside the Steam release, the Norwegian studio confirmed via Twitter and their website that the game will be released September 11. The team is also working with Soedesco to release a physical retail copy of the game for Wii U, PS3, PS Vita and PC, which was most likely the cause of the delay, according to this post from the developer on Reddit.

NWR got to go hands-on with the game at last year's PAX, so if you'd like an idea of what the game is like, click here.


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TalkBack / Bayonetta 2 Releasing in North America on October 24
« on: August 31, 2014, 10:39:41 AM »

Europe still without an exact date.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38401/bayonetta-2-releasing-in-north-america-on-october-24

Nintendo has announced that Bayonetta 2 will finally see release in North America on October 24.

"The game features over-the-top battles with wild weapons that take place in gorgeous set pieces" the press release states. "A new snake transformation lets Bayonetta better navigate underwater. The original Bayonetta game, complete with some Nintendo cosplay options for the powerful heroine, comes bundled with the retail packaged version of Bayonetta 2."

We have yet to learn the specific release date in Europe, but it is still planned to be released in October.


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16 new courses are also coming our way.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38367/link-animal-crossing-coming-to-mario-kart-8-in-dlc-packs-update

Two new packs of DLC are coming to Mario Kart 8, as announced by Nintendo of Europe's official online store. Both packs will include three new characters, four new karts, and eight new courses.

So far, Nintendo has only revealed a few details about each pack, but we do know that the first one, which will be available this November, will include Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, and Link from the Legend of Zelda series. The second pack, due out May 2015, will include Dry Bowser, as well as the Villager and Isabelle from Animal Crossing: New Leaf. If you buy both packs, you will also get an assortment of alternate colors for Yoshi and Shy Guy.

Nintendo didn't go into specifics of the track listing, but we do know that Wario's Gold Mine will be returning from Mario Kart Wii, and there will be new courses based on F-Zero and Animal Crossing.

UPDATE: You can pre-purchase both DLC packs starting tomorrow for $7.99 each, or $11.99 for the bundle. Once purchased, you will be able to play as the multi-colored Yoshi and Shy Guys immediately.


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