Messages

1

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo Direct Sept. 9, 2026 Thoughts

« on: September 11, 2026, 01:34:03 PM »

Context:

My son bought a Switch 2 with his own money a little over a year ago. He hasn't been thrilled with the purchase - so far, there just hasn't been content on it that interests him (that isn't available to us elsewhere already) so the console largely went unused until he bought Pokopia a while back. Pokopia is good... but maybe too cozy, and didn't hook him as much as he hoped it would.

Thoughts and Reaction to the Nintendo Direct:

"Finally, it looks like it'll be worth owning a Switch 2 before long!"

He's really excited about Kirby. I think the game looks fantastic too - some parts remind me of Amazing Mirror (which I think got short-changed a bit because nobody played multiplayer, dulling some of the puzzle/teamwork aspects) but this design looks like it'll be more modern and easier to dive into.

Xenoblade Chronicles is a favorite game for both of us, but we missed all Switch entries. Reported backwards compatibility issues saw us hold out for official Switch 2 releases - and weak reviews of the upscaling for the first game had us a bit worried. But the reviews for XC2 seem better, and we're particularly keen to give 3 a shot.

Fire Emblem isn't a series my son cares about. I think it'll be a great exclusive to look forward to.

A new entry in the Professor Layton series should be fun. I haven't touched that series since the 3DS releases years ago; my son wants to try the original DS trilogy to decide if these games are his wheelhouse or not.

Metroid hasn't thrilled us with recent releases - but we'll never say no to a new entry in this classic series.

Persona games are wonderful. I think I'd rather pay less than $20 for the existing Steam version of P4 than pay $100 CAD for an upgrade locked to Switch 2 though...

Beyond that, nothing really got us excited outside of just the fact that Switch 2 is finally the main ticket. There was a ton of software support announced, and it's exciting to know that (after a fairly long dry stretch) Switch 2 will soon be coming into it's prime!


Hot Take: Although we understand why remakes and enhanced versions get released, good lord we're sick of them taking up announcement space and dev resources. Give us new, exclusive games to get excited about, please!  (This won't happen in the current game dev scene. We're an odd case, owning tons of games and older systems to play them on... Totally understand why others might disagree here.)

Bonus hot take: neither of use enjoyed the art style in Zelda Ocarina of Time remake. It's fine... but everything had a weird, shiny plastic look that turned me off. Characters designs all have odd and off-putting proportions. The game will be great... but between doubts about the art design and owning older versions on a bunch of other platforms, we don't see any value in spending that much money for this revision.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch is so popular people don't even post

« on: January 15, 2024, 10:21:55 AM »

The problem specifically for me (which doesn't affect the majority of people) with copious Switch ports is that I've been around a long time, and have most of the original games available and playable already.

The only problem I see with this is that a lot of old hardware/software is breaking down. As in decomposing. It's unpredictable what is going to last past 40 years. I was watching this video on some old Mac Hardware from 20 years ago that is no longer working or badly corroded. Even if it was kept in immaculate condition .

Which is why Steam killed Nintendo for me...

Nintendo still doesn't manage digital rights very well - so all of this "it's great to have all my games on Switch" talk sounds wonderful for roughly the next year, before the system gets replaced with something newer and support dies out.

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NWR Forums ID Verification / Re: Unclebob posts bumps

« on: January 08, 2024, 12:10:21 PM »

I don't think so... but I guess discussing UncleBob would be better than pointlessly bumping the thread?

4

General Gaming / Re: Games Beaten, Completed, or Played in 2023

« on: January 03, 2024, 03:56:02 PM »

Zelda Game & Watch:
* Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link

Wii:
* Deadly Creatures
* Medal of Honor Heroes 2

Steam Deck:
* A Good Snowman is Hard to Build
* Alwa's Legacy
* Bejeweled 3
* Blazing Chrome
* Epistory - Typing Chronicles
* Everybody Wham Wham
* Garfield Kart - Furious Racing
* Haiku, the Robot
* Half-Life: Source
* Half-Life: Blue Shift
* Half-Life: Opposing Force
* Human Resource Machine (beat on Wii U previously)
* Iconoclasts
* Immortals Fenyx Rising
* Ittle Dew
* Ittle Dew 2+
* LIMBO
* PAC-MAN 256
* PAC-MAN MUSEUM+
* Pang Adventures
* Panzer Paladin
* Reventure
* Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate
* Sparklite
* Spinch
* SteamWorld Heist
* SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech
* The Darkside Detective
* The Indie Mixtape
* The Inner World
* The Nonary Games (beat on 3DS previously)
* Toki
* Toki Tori 2+ (beat on Wii U previously)
* Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion
* Vampire Survivors
* Yoku's Island Express

Genesis Mini 1 & 2:
I don't have detailed records about titles we beat on these mini-consoles... and can't recall if these were finished at the tail end of last year or the start of 2023. I'll add them anyway, as I really enjoyed the time spent playing them, but won't count them towards the total games completed.
* Beyond Oasis
* Castlevania: Bloodlines
* Shining in the Darkness

---

Finishing 39+ games sounds like a lot... but some of these were pretty bite-sized experiences. In fact very little of my gaming this year came from blockbuster titles. Still had a lot of fun though!

Steam Deck kind of revitalized gaming around here at the start of the year, and browsing through our backlog of Wii titles has given some incentive to keep playing as we move into 2024. One thing I've realized is that my backlog has hit critical state. There is years of gaming to be mined there... 

My goal for 2024 is to cut down on some of the Wii backlog, while avoiding any further bloat by not buying any games that I don't have time to play. Haha. Right, like that's going to happen.

Favorite game(s) played in 2023: Yoku's Island Express; Shotgun Chess
Next game I'll be playing: The Last Story (Wii)

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch is so popular people don't even post

« on: January 03, 2024, 03:10:56 PM »

The problem specifically for me (which doesn't affect the majority of people) with copious Switch ports is that I've been around a long time, and have most of the original games available and playable already. Sure, being portable can be a plus... but I mostly game at home anyway. Sure, enhanced graphics and/or bonus content is nice... but that rarely justifies a repurchase. Third-party games that weren't accessible to Nintendo gamers are amazing additions for people who haven't played them elsewhere, but between PlayStations and SteamDecks at home, we've largely got those covered too (at least the games that interest us most).

Objectively, I recognize that Switch is a fantastic system and that my complaints are super-specific to my situation. But how am I supposed to bitch if that's the whole story?

*bitching challenge accepted - how did I do?*

I'm just glad to know you're ok. You stopped posting during Covid and I began to wonder if something happened to you pertaining to that.

Nah, I just didn't have anything to talk about. Still pop in occasionally to read though.

...  I mean half of the GBA's success 20 years ago was getting handheld ports and remakes of SNES games. ...

Oh man... Final Fantasy VI GBA was my childhood dream come true.
I have to admit that the Switch getting the whole Xenoblade trilogy created a similar feeling... (RIP: X)

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General Gaming / Re: What is the last game you beat? Thoughts/impressions?

« on: January 01, 2024, 12:08:24 PM »

Woohoo. Just finished Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 (Wii).

Getting past that last checkpoint in the final mission sucked... twice I was about to jump to freedom, only to be shot down from behind and have to restart. Other than that, it was pretty satisfying. Game shows some age in both graphics and level design, but does a pretty good job of showcasing the better features of Wii controllers (good use of pointer; novel use of built-in speaker and rumble; keeping use of motion controls limited).

I'd play it again in Arcade mode sometime, because you can never have too much light gun-style gaming!



Now to select another Wii backlog title to clear out... maybe The Last Story? Still haven't played that game, and really should.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch is so popular people don't even post

« on: January 01, 2024, 11:59:21 AM »

Eh, I'm still working through my Wii backlog so no time to post about Switch.

Seriously, the Switch is pretty ok... but it's also absolutely flooded with ports and re-releases. I feel pretty bad about missing Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Xenoblade 3, but after getting past those games the selection of new titles we really want to play is actually pretty slim. (Note that we already played Tears of the Kingdom on a loaned console.)

We've also moved from Nintendo consoles to Steam Deck because family library sharing is MUCH more friendly and it still provides a great mix of docked/portable gameplay. When we want to enjoy some polished Nintendo software, we rely on our Wii and Wii U backlog which has about 80% of the Switch library available anyway.

*bitching challenge accepted - how did I do?*

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General Gaming / Re: Genesis Mini: Anyone else excited?

« on: November 28, 2022, 02:05:45 PM »

Mixed feelings about Genesis Mini 2.

The game lineup has some real winners - especially if you enjoy shmups - but a lot of questionable choices too.

Sega CD selection is a huge disappointment. Missing Lunar and Popful Mail hurts, since we know the Japanese release included them. Including a cult classic like Snatcher or even Rise of the Dragon would've gone a long way to make up for that, but apparently licensing wasn't in the cards there either. Final Fight, Shining Force CD, and Sonic CD admittedly look great. Everything else is a bit meh (or worse - Ninja Warriors and Night Striker just aren't good games).

As for included regular Genesis games, a handful will either appeal to a very niche crowd who hold nostalgia for bad games... or perhaps to nobody at all. (Apologies to any Clay Fighter "fans" that might be out there. You are a rare breed.)  It's disappointing that we still didn't get MUSHA in North America - Robo Aleste is close, but considered a lesser game by most reviewers - any representation from the Mortal Kombat series, hidden gem platformers like Rocket Knight or Pulseman, cult favorite RPGs like Shadowrun or Warriors of the Eternal Sun, or any sports games at all. Licensing probably made the top sports game choices impossible; but what about the very cool Mutant League series?

Then you get to the bonus games, which also fail to excite. They aren't terrible if viewed as curiosities and true bonus items... but only Fantasy Zone and the tweaked Space Harrier II feel like full experiences worthy of taking a full slot on the list of games included. Puyo Puyo Sun sounds awesome - until you realize that it's just the vs mode from that game, included on a mini-console that only provides one controller out of the box (which kind of sums up a lot of my feelings about questionable game selection overall).

And yet, once the initial disappointment at what is "missing" subsides, I came to accept that the Genesis Mini 2 offers a lot of great content! Fans of action games know that Shinobi titles are always a welcome sight, and we also get to jump into Granada, Rolling Thunder 2, Ranger X and more. Shmup fans have a wealth of options to choose from; I've loved my time with Truxton, Elemental Master, Lightening Force, and Hellfire so far and look forward to exploring others soon. Strategy RPG fans should be excited to see Shining Force getting excellent representation. There are also some solid racing games, arcade experiences, platformers, and fighting games to mix up the genres available.

Value can be a tough discussion, because no two people value things the same way. Genesis Mini 2 saw a significant price hike - partly due to shipping fees from Japan - over the original Genesis Mini, but if you are the type of person who prefers to buy your games instead of emulate there still may be justification for picking one up! Purchasing rare titles like Shining Force CD, Crusader of Centy, Splatterhouse 2, Elemental Master, Streets of Rage 3, and Alien Soldier would set you back a pretty penny elsewhere. The original cartridge for just one of those games might end up costing your more than this entire collection. Also noteworthy is that many games on the Genesis Mini 2 are being re-released for the first time. Gems like Atomic Runner, Desert Strike, Earthworm Jim 2, Granada, Herzog Zwei and a handful of others aren't available in other Genesis collections.

(If, on the other hand, you prefer to emulate then there doesn't seem to be much value in paying for specific hardware or collections of retro games anyway. This whole discussion probably isn't useful for you.)

The system itself is pretty solid. M2 does a solid job with emulation, although there is a slight audio delay, and they've packed the Genesis Mini 2 with more feature than the original. Sure, additional background images aren't that exciting... but being able to select and switch between audio modes that emulate the Genesis and Genesis 2 sound chipset is cool and has a significant difference when playing some games. I'm also a fan of the new option to adjust how responsive the menu button is - one of my complaints when using the six-button controller with the original Genesis Mini was getting unceremoniously dropped out of gameplay with the slightest tap of the menu trigger, an issue that is now entirely fixed for me.

Menu interface and game display options are essentially unchanged. It's a shame they didn't revamp the menu screen by using an approach similar to the PC Engine Mini - that mini-console had a lively menu with cool sounds and animations when loading a game - but the Genesis menu is functional and works well enough. Background music isn't as appealing as the original mini, but watching the attract mode scroll through openings for all the games if you leave the system untouched for a few minutes is still reasonably entertaining.

The six button controller is awesome. It's responsive and comfortable, and just generally a great piece of kit. Sadly they only include one inside the box, so fans of couch co-op or competition will need to track down an extra before they can share their gaming time. (Lucky for me, I purchased one six-button controller when the first Genesis Mini came out, so this ended up working well for us here... but  it's doubtful that many others can say the same.)

One missed opportunity is failing to include any form of digital manual for the games. Sega hosts PDF files for instruction manuals on the Genesis Mini 2 website and uses a QR code to refer gamers there for information, instead of giving an option to view the original manuals directly from the console. Perhaps there is a separate copyright license needed for the printed materials that prevents mini-consoles from providing this? Or the space concerns (PDF files take up roughly 260 MB) made them leave this feature out? Regardless, having replicas of the original manuals included with the system would have been much more convenient and valuable for gamers who may not want to jump to a separate device when learning how a game works.

In summary, there is a lot for hardcore retro fans to like here. Genesis Mini 2 probably isn't well-suited to casual fans who won't recognize many of the games, or people who are unwilling to invest enough time into obscure and non-obvious controls to learn to appreciate what is here. But if you are someone going out of your way to read this thread, then it just might be worthwhile for you.

9

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Best of the 3DS eShop: 2013 Releases (Part 3)

« on: April 03, 2022, 08:48:04 PM »

Star Wars Pinball - The Zen Studio pinball games are typically very good... but it's hard to recommend this specific one without caveats. There is a game-breaking bug in the first table that prevents you from being able to complete one of the missions. Zen Studios was made aware, but either couldn't or weren't willing to provide a patch. The Boba Fett table also is a rather poor recreation of other platforms. As a whole, it's not a terrible package - but it's perhaps the least impressive of the three 3DS pinball games they've released. Still a fun enough game if you enjoy pinball though.

Rage of the Gladiator - Do you like Punch-Out!!? Do you like the idea of a very similar game with a fantasy setting, various upgrade paths you can pick from, and special/magical powers? Rage of the Gladiator is a surprisingly good package and worth trying. It's also only available via WiiWare, 3DS eShop, and mobile platforms.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Dual Destinies - Most of us know what this is. Not my kind of game, but well worth playing if you like Phoenix Wright.

Picross e3 - Most of us know what this is. My kind of game, and well worth playing if you like puzzle games.

Niche games that are worth playing... but only if they fall into your desired niche...
* Summer Carnival '92 RECCA
* Boulder Dash-XL 3D
* AiRace Speed
* Solomon's Key
* Star Soldier


The only game that gets a full recommendation from me at this point is Rage of the Gladiator.

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General Chat / Re: NBA Thread: The Happiest Postseason Bubble On Earth

« on: August 03, 2020, 04:51:10 PM »

Sure dude, whatever.

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General Chat / Re: NBA Thread: The Happiest Postseason Bubble On Earth

« on: August 03, 2020, 11:47:50 AM »

Nope.

I'm pretty sure that after your team loses and you attribute that to a bunch of well-rested pros who simply "didn't feel like playing basketball" instead of giving credit to the other team for playing tough defense and giving more effort, that's a weak cop out and disrespectful to players on both teams.

AD didn't play well? Gasol (and overall team defense) might be due some credit.
Lakers couldn't stop the Raptors in crunch time? Lowry might deserve some credit for leading the offensive charge, knowing that the Lakers have lost a couple of key defenders at the point.

Not sure about where you grew up, but we were taught that humility includes giving some credit after a loss, instead of lame one-liners that discredit the opponent.


But maybe you are right. The loss is just because the Lakers didn't feel like playing, and I need to grow up.
 

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General Chat / Re: NBA Thread: The Happiest Postseason Bubble On Earth

« on: August 02, 2020, 08:12:48 AM »

The Raptors sweep the season series because the Lakers just didn't feel like playing basketball tonight.

Hahaha... I'm seeing a lot of this sentiment online, but it's crap. Lakers lost because they were outplayed.

Both teams are excellent defensively, both teams are a bit rusty. Games aren't all going to be beautiful - but shutting down superstar opponents and winning ugly games is exactly in the Raptors wheelhouse. They were the third best team in the NBA this season (right behind LAL in the standings) for a reason, and that script is something that played out many times over the season.

But hold onto those sour grapes if they make you feel better. Raptors being a legit (if unlikely) contender clearly isn't a narrative some people are interested in.
 

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Forum Retrospective Playthrough Planning Thread.

« on: August 01, 2020, 12:07:41 AM »

Love the idea, but I have about 60 hours left of Xenoblade at this rate and it's eating all of my time.
On the upside, I really love Xenoblade!

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U eshop games are getting delisted left and right! Recommend stuff here,

« on: July 31, 2020, 10:33:48 AM »

Welcome to the bright and shiny digital future. C'est la vie!

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General Chat / Re: NBA Thread: The Happiest Postseason Bubble On Earth

« on: July 31, 2020, 08:53:35 AM »

Mostly agree with everything Adrock said.

Lakers feel like a stronger, better team overall than Clippers right now... but games don't get much closer than we saw last night. Assuming the presumed collision course stays on-track, it will be very interesting to see their battles over the next couple of weeks.

The strict minute limit for Zion seems ridiculous. I get that he's considered the future... but they couldn't spare 3-5 extra minutes of play for him after months of layoff? Fans, players, and most importantly Zion himself all got robbed by not having him in the game for the closing minutes.  (But hey, I'm no doctor. Maybe there are really legitimate reasons that I don't know about.)

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NWR Feedback / Re: Forum Issues Due to Server Migration

« on: July 31, 2020, 08:47:53 AM »

So wrong, you're right?  Amirite?

(Down with core theme!  Boo!)

 

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NWR Feedback / Re: Forum Issues Due to Server Migration

« on: July 30, 2020, 09:41:42 PM »

Ewww. Why is Discord.Rss not using the core theme.

Haha. You got me.
Tried using the core theme. Gross! Right back to default.

18

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U eshop games are getting delisted left and right! Recommend stuff here,

« on: July 30, 2020, 09:35:42 PM »

Tried on a New Nintendo 3DS system. Yes, I'm sure. Searched multiple ways. This would be a fairly new development, because it was recently (maybe a month ago) available and on sale.

Nintendo's website says the game is available, but I think that's only for the physical version - note there is no option to buy a digital copy online like other games have. Check the Minecraft listing as an example.

19

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U eshop games are getting delisted left and right! Recommend stuff here,

« on: July 30, 2020, 10:42:58 AM »

Oh wow, so 3DS stuff must be getting delisted in the same way.

Runbow Pocket can't be purchased any longer, which is a bit of a bummer (was thinking about picking it up this week).  Oh well. Buying physical isn't that expensive and would mean I could share it between different systems instead of having it locked on one. (With kids who have their own consoles, this is useful.)

20

General Chat / Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery

« on: July 20, 2020, 09:42:08 AM »

I strongly disagree with Howard's health advice, which comes across as either selfish or (most likely) ignorant. People: please wear masks and look at the actual science (not pseudo-science, conspiracy theories, or social media hysteria) when talking about vaccines.


That said, I hope these silly comments don't detract from his advocacy and support for important and meaningful social change. Howard got that right, in my opinion. It will take long-standing effort, social awareness, on-going funding, and political will to remove systemic racial discrimination. But even though it's difficult and at times expensive, it's worth fighting for.

21

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U eshop games are getting delisted left and right! Recommend stuff here,

« on: July 17, 2020, 02:54:21 PM »

... Bonk 3 is ludicrously expensive on HuCard/CD so probably worth getting.  ...

Although worth getting for Bonk fans or people interested in retro games, I'd argue that Bonk gameplay hit it's zenith in Bonk 2.  Things get exceedingly weird in 3, perhaps a bit too far.

(Still a fine game and worth trying, and others might feel differently.)

22

General Chat / Re: The Fast Food Thread - Would You Like Posts With That?

« on: July 16, 2020, 03:13:19 PM »

Although I like the idea of wedges, I've never actually enjoyed eating them. Your comment about the difficulty in finding that perfect consistency due to different sizing might be why, or maybe I'm just not enough of a potato guy.

However, since they earned your recommendation I'll give it a shot and let you know what I think. Looking at the menu online, probably a 2-piece signature chicken meal is the way to go?  The buffalo chicken wraps also look good though.


Weirdly my favorite fries are probably Arby's curly fries... but I'm not even sure that they are good. A big part of my love comes from a tradition of only eating them during road trips, usually at least a year or two apart, and having nostalgia for the Arby's roast beef sandwhiches from when I was a kid.

23

Announcements / Re: Topic of the Day

« on: July 15, 2020, 11:29:55 PM »

Wow, big post Khush! (And sorry it took a week plus to read.)

Can definitely related to some of the things you've said. Since lockdown started, I've generally been super busy - things are just starting to get better now, and I'm hoping to take a few days off over the next month or two. Between that, and not having a Switch, and having two kids, gaming has been a forgotten hobby. Trying to read gaming forums or have anything useful/valid to say has been more challenging than I'd like to admit.

With that said, I like the people here and y'all haven't kicked me out yet, so won't be going anywhere even if not posting very often. Hopefully others are in the same boat, and keep posting irreverent things whenever the urge hits.

24

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U eshop games are getting delisted left and right! Recommend stuff here,

« on: July 15, 2020, 11:16:33 PM »

• Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water - There was no physical version on the US so this is the only way to go

I'm still salty at Nintendo of America for how they handled this series. Great Wii entries, and a decent Wii U title... and North America got shafted in all three cases. Pretty disappointing.

That said, thanks for bringing up PushMo World. The 3DS titles were pretty great; should add that one to my "please buy" list.

25

TalkBack / Re: LEGO And Nintendo Announce Retro NES Themed Set

« on: July 14, 2020, 12:52:00 PM »

The price might be out of my budget... but I really like it, and would love to get a set.
Great attention to detail, and the scrolling level with jumping 8-bit Mario figure is icing on the cake.