Messages

3551

Nintendo Gaming / Re: 3DS XL Mobility Question

« on: June 22, 2012, 04:18:10 PM »

I don't own a DSi XL but have used one.


Personally, I find the extra size of DSi XL model makes it too big for me to conveniently carry.  The current 3DS size is already slightly bigger than I prefer for a portable system (having been spoiled by the absolutely tiny Game Boy Advance Micro) but good enough since it still fits into my pocket.


The increased screen on the DSi XL is impressive. Games still look good despite being blown up slightly, and I imagine that 3DS XL will look much better due to improved screen resolution.


So for me the trade-off of screen size for portability isn't worthwhile without some other incentive or improvement, due to my personal habits and a desire to take my 3DS with me everywhere I go.  Other people who don't feel the need to always have their games available, who want a better viewing area for video or games, or who carry a bag or just have bigger pockets might easily find this revision worthwhile.

3552

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Has anyone seen this glorious Circle Pad Pro revision?

« on: June 22, 2012, 04:06:24 PM »

Might be interesting for people who want to use a battery extension and a CPP at the same time. I might consider buying this if the time to play a game that demands the use of the CPP – atm I'm very happy without one though.

When I think of some epic Monster Hunter sessions on Wii, this accessory makes a lot of sense. Improved control and extended battery life all in one swoop?  Count me in.  (I'm still waiting for reviews so I can have some idea about quality though.)

3553

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Is Nintendo Becoming Lazy?

« on: June 22, 2012, 04:04:27 PM »

I don't think they are being lazy.  They seem to be making a lot of changes to adapt to the marketplace, are still putting out some of the best software around, and offer as much innovation as anyone else in the business.


I do find their marketing a bit confusing at times and wonder if I'm part of their target demographic any longer... but that's a whole different discussion.

3554

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo of America Hosting '8-Bit Summer' on 3DS in July

« on: June 22, 2012, 01:03:06 PM »

Kind of unfortunate that only two of the games are worth playing, but forgivable since those two games are pretty awesome.

3555

TalkBack / Re: Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Announced for North American, European Release

« on: June 22, 2012, 11:34:37 AM »

After thinking about the announcements this morning, Professor Layton is probably the best thing (for me) to come out of the event.  I'm still working on Unwound Future between other games so don't really need a new Layton... but it's a great series and one that I will play through eventually.


You know what would be sweet? Releasing the Layton movie on 3DS over the eShop at the same time as Miracle Mask comes out.  Honestly, I'm not sure if that's even possible.  But it would be a compelling introduction to 3DS video for me at least.

3556

TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 22, 2012, 11:30:22 AM »

I have no idea on the Monster Hunter front. All I did was google it. The quote from Chris Svensson is a good sign though and that was the most recent thing I read about it.

I get not including the right circle pad (and extra shoulder buttons for that matter) even if I think it makes more sense to include it. I mean, Nintendo is going as far as not including an AC as a cost saving measure and a new Circle Pad Pro may cost them more. Including the right circle pad would have made it look like an entirely different handheld which might be detrimental at this point in the 3DS'sesses life. It might have been worth the risk though Monster Hunter is such a strong brand in Japan that people will buy a CPP for it.

Agreed.  The number of people who care about and will use the CPP features is probably so small that Nintendo couldn't justify the extra cost - especially outside of Japan.  So disappointing for me, but makes good business sense.

3557

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo 3DS XL Coming to All Regions This Year

« on: June 22, 2012, 11:26:19 AM »

I want my 3DS XL in black with a second stick and 4 shoulder buttons.
Cant give me that nintendo? i'll just use my launch day 3DS

Sounds kind of ridiculous when you put it that way. Until you realize that multiple system-selling games strongly recommend using an existing accessory that gives your 3DS a second stick and four shoulder buttons - you know, the accessory that won't fit the 3DS XL right now and would push it up to at least a double-XL if a revision comes out later?


As long as you don't care about the small set of third-party games that support and recommend the Circle Pad Pro accessory it probably doesn't matter.  That probably includes the vast majority of gamers outside of Japan, so even though I'm bummed it's a smart move on Nintendo's part to release "as is".


As for complaining about color choice, c'est la vie!  Can't please everyone all the time.

3558

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo 3DS XL Coming to All Regions This Year

« on: June 22, 2012, 10:45:27 AM »

No right stick no buy. >_>

I understand many people will see the large, attractive screens and buy the revision. But I'm with you.  If the only functional changes are increasing visibility with a trade-off of reducing portability and making some (optional, but potentially desirable) peripherals no longer work then I'm certainly not re-buying.


That said, I'm probably just not in the target market. Surely Nintendo wants to stop production of DSi XL units soon, and having a replacement on the market makes a lot of sense assuming that product was successful for them.  Netflix alone will make this an attractive option for some people.

3559

TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 22, 2012, 10:29:17 AM »

I just googled it. According to Edge magazine, Tri-G will be coming out in Europe and the US later this year. That was in February. In April, Chris Svensson of Capcom USA was asked if the game was not coming out in the US and he said, "Have we said that? I think it's fair to say I've said everything that I can on this topic without getting myself in trouble. Please be patient." that sounds like the game is being brought over but I suppose, we'll see.

I thought the Edge report was formally denied as rumor (which doesn't mean it's false), but could be wrong and don't care enough to check.  Regardless, no official announcement has been made by Capcom and there certainly is no official release date or window known for Monster Hunter in North America. I fully expect it to come across eventually because Capcom never met a port it didn't like, but have no intention of holding my breath until it gets here.

Oddly, even knowing if/when the Monster Hunter games are coming would only serve as further disincentive for buying a 3DS XL since it doesn't include the extra circle pad that is highly recommended for playing. Other games like Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid will also be affected by this design decision.

I'm probably in the minority, but I can't see why Nintendo would release this revision without building in the accessory - especially in Japan where Monster Hunter is the handheld system seller.

3560

TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 22, 2012, 08:52:16 AM »

Biggest non-surprise for North America? Wii is really and truly dead - the trend of Nintendo (of America) completely failing to support their consoles as the lifecycle is ending lives on.


3DS XL is a close second. Making a handheld system significantly less portable is typically a no-go for me... but I still would've bought one if it included a second circle pad built-in. Even if most games never use the extra stick, Monster Hunter alone would be reason to buy.  Oh wait, we don't have any idea if Monster Hunter is coming west either.


Good thing expectations were low going in or this would've been incredibly disappointing.

3561

General Gaming / Re: Okami HD Announced (Once again Capcom pulls an RE4 on Nintendo)

« on: June 21, 2012, 03:03:09 PM »

The Wii version was not superior. It removed the paper parchment effect (semi-ruining the graphics) and tried to fix the control issues with the brush of the first game with motion control (which only made things worse).

Oh, I highly disagree with this statement. It may have been worse for you, but I found that using the Celestial brush with motion control was fantastic. I very rarely had a problem painting the symbols, and I found the combat quite enjoyable -- even with the goofy waggle for attack. And this all coming from a guy who played the much inferior PS2 version, too.

I would say, "You're doing it wrong." But eh.. to each his own. :/ Whatevs.

Aww... you reminded me about the waggle.  While I thought the brush controls were good, the waggle was disappointing and largely ignored when I played because it's kind of annoying (to me at least). 


Shucks, had almost blocked that part of the controls right out.

3562

General Gaming / Re: Okami HD Announced (Once again Capcom pulls an RE4 on Nintendo)

« on: June 21, 2012, 01:21:23 PM »

I never understood the complaints about brush controls in the Wii version of Okami.  I agree that the recognition could have been better, but didn't experience any notable issues and felt it was better with a Wii remote than with dual analogs. To each their own, I guess.

(I did find it ridiculous how many people never learned to use the B button correctly for drawing straight lines, as shown in the tutorial and the instruction manual, and instead blamed the game for their own faults.  Not saying that is the case here - but it was the case for more than one professional reviewer.)

3563

TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 21, 2012, 01:10:05 PM »

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about the Fatal Frame 2 Wii version.  That'd be cool to see announced as well, ...

Apparently Nintendo cares about the Franchise.
http://www.vg247.com/2012/06/21/report-nintendo-has-co-ownership-in-fatal-frame-ip/



Just not enough to release the game here in North America? Hopefully that's wrong and they just want to surprise us by making a late announcement.

3564

Nintendo Gaming / Re: 3DS Repair Question (Top Screen Scratch) - Data Concern

« on: June 21, 2012, 01:09:26 PM »

... I'm conflicted about proceeding with the repair. I'm so glad my data has been saved and my 3D screen is nice now; but I am bummed about the other problems. I don't want to risk my data again, and I don't want to be ungrateful to Nintendo for resolving this. ...

Losing data is still a risk, but don't think that requesting your fix gets "done right" is ungrateful.  The problems you listed don't sound reasonable to me, and I'd be quick to request a do over if the multiple spots of damage you mention leave you feeling at all bummed.


Just one opinion.  Obviously you'll have to make up your own mind.

3565

TalkBack / Re: Realistic Expectations for June's Nintendo Direct

« on: June 21, 2012, 12:55:29 PM »

Expectations couldn't be lower after Nintendo's E3 showing. Maybe that's for the best, as anything of passing interest will leave me surprised and satisfied.  Animal Crossing release date? Project Zero 2 coming to North America? A game that I actually care about being mentioned?  Not going to hold my breath...


If you set the bar low enough, there is no fear of failure.

3566

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Has anyone seen this glorious Circle Pad Pro revision?

« on: June 20, 2012, 07:50:12 PM »

I like the image, but will wait for actual impressions about product quality before getting excited.  It does look pretty slick though.

3567

General Gaming / Re: Okami HD Announced (Once again Capcom pulls an RE4 on Nintendo)

« on: June 20, 2012, 11:26:19 AM »

Hmm... I'm missing the bad in this announcement.  Seems like a whole lot of "win" to me if more people get to play a solid game like Okami.

3568

TalkBack / Re: Club Nintendo 3DS Game Card Case Unlikely to Come Back in Stock

« on: June 20, 2012, 08:52:02 AM »

****! I was just about to get it because I have 250 coins expiring soon ( ), and I noticed that it was missing. That's just really exasperating of them. 

LOL... Exasperated because it's their fault that the item was so popular it sold out entirely, or that you didn't bother to order when it was still available?  I feel your pain, but it's possible that Nintendo aren't the ones to blame in this situation.
 


Maybe we'll get lucky and hear that this particular item gets a second print run.  There is probably enough demand to make it worthwhile, although it's hard to say what NoA bases their decisions on when generating rewards.


If it does come back, I bet they'll increase the coins required to buy one though.  It was clearly one of the best value buys for Club Nintendo rewards so far - the only real competition being Fluidity in my opinion.

3569

Nintendo Gaming / Re: People Need To Stop Bitching

« on: June 20, 2012, 08:39:25 AM »

Plus when a game comes to Europe it is translated into English which makes NoA holding the game back even more outrageous because the work is already done. True, the voicing may be in a British accent, but it would still be easily understood by Americans and Canadians. Reggie finally did cave with Xenoblade, but what was really sad was how much bitching it took for that to happen.
...

Except Reggie didn't "cave".  He was approached by an outside party that agreed to take on the publishing risks to see the game released in North America - otherwise it would still be the same "import or nothing" approach for people interested in playing a quality JRPG on Wii.

No matter how much you hate GameStop, that was a pretty cool move of them to take on.

When did this become about game localization and not about bitching about the Wii U...?

...

Not sure about others, but for me localization complaints are a symptom of why I was disappointed after Nintendo's E3 showing.  It is an example of why I don't trust Nintendo to provide a full gaming experience on a console, especially when they refuse to announce titles outside the launch window and fail to show me any software that I'm really anticipating. Localization complaints are an example of NoA saying they want to support core gamers but failing to back up their claim with action even when an opportunity is sitting in their hands.

Nintendo is a company that makes solid hardware, creates some amazing game experiences, and holds a nostalgic sway over much of my gaming choices.  They are also a company that consistently fails to make the most of their potential or promises.  It's frustrating; wanting to support Nintendo but knowing that if I do I'm cutting myself off from a lot of gaming that would otherwise be very appealing.

When I bitch now, it's because I'm not sure that I'm ready for another go-round on the same damn horse of seeing games that I want but being unable to ever play them.

3570

TalkBack / Re: Club Nintendo 3DS Game Card Case Unlikely to Come Back in Stock

« on: June 19, 2012, 12:01:09 AM »

Although I was skeptical when ordering a case, the quality was as good as everyone said and I'm really happy to own one.  Glad to hear some lucky (smart?) people ordered more than one case when they were available - I would've loved having a second case, but that's not in the cards any longer.

3571

Nintendo Gaming / Re: People Need To Stop Bitching

« on: June 18, 2012, 06:04:21 PM »

...
Captain Rainbow is as inherently "Japanese" as Tingles Rupee Happy Picking Land.   They should bring that out here too!

I'm so close to importing Tingle... but keep hoping (dreaming?) it'll be a 3DS download code for Club Nintendo members in the future.


Subtext: no, I can't imagine this game having a significant market although I'm extremely glad that it's possible for me to get an English version.

3572

Nintendo Gaming / Re: People Need To Stop Bitching

« on: June 18, 2012, 04:03:21 PM »

Nintendo didn't release the game in other regions or let other companies handle it because that's how Nintendo rolls. Unless there is a strong belief that the game will sell millions of copies, it's not deemed worth their time or effort to market. As much as I personally want the Wii Fatal Frame games, I don't believe they will sell enough to meet Nintendo's demands - bugs fixed or not.

So how do you explain all the niche titles NOE keeps releasing that have no chance of selling 1 million copies? 

Although I think it is a general trend for Nintendo to focus their resources on big games and consider anything that won't sell in huge numbers as light side-projects, I was talking about NoA in particular earlier.

NoE has done a smashing job of releasing core-friendly titles close to the end of the Wii's lifecycle.  Their track record isn't perfect and there are clearly some solid Wii titles that weren't release in Europe, but NoE has gone well beyond their presumed limits when you look at the games they've translated and brought over during the past year.  I'm grateful to them for spearheading the so-called "Rainfall" trilogy, offering the games as special editions, and even doing the cool "coin" promotion too.  I'm thrilled to know they are bringing out the upcoming Project Zero 2 release - the only thing left that excites me about Wii, even if I have to import to play the game.  Without NoE, I would have missed a handful of the best games of the Wii lifecycle.  (Yes, some of those games are getting released here in North America this year. But only after NoA was actively approached, had the financial risk assumed by other companies, and was able to license NoE's existing localization efforts for re-use.)

Regarding why NoE are releasing and supporting these games when NoA shows no interest, that is a good question.  Maybe they are making an effort to appeal to core gamers before Wii U is released - unlike the empty lip service NoA keeps offering?

People also fail to account for when a game - not even a bad game - doesn't meet the consumer's expectaions for that brand... it effects how the consumer sees that brand.

Just like folks here who see Nintendo market a handful of full-on "casual" titles, what happens when these casual customers see a Nintendo title, pay $50 for it, then it's something way beyond anything they understand?  Makes them more cautious the next time.

Sure, I can release Sin and Punishment 2 and sell it to a few thousand people... but what happens when the Wii fit Soccer moms pick it up?

But what casual gamer would buy Sin & Punishment 2 when it's sitting beside a Mario XXXX or Wii YYYY game?  People buy what they know and what they have nostalgia for.  Nintendo isn't losing the casual audience because there are too many core experiences confusing them.  And if Nintendo is consciously refusing to release core games in fear that they might confuse or turn away casual gamers, how does that convince me they are worth supporting next generation anyway?


That said, Sin & Punishment 2 being on the shelf at all is an aberration that I have no explanation for.  Sure it's a great game.  But how it ever got released here is a complete mystery to me... Maybe the sales data report from Virtual Console had a typo or was misinterpreted?

Well, I think we've beat the Fatal Frame thing to death. So what about Captain Rainbow? Does this one have game killing bugs as well? What's the deal with NoA not localizing this one? From what I understand its a 1st party game.

I'd buy Captain Rainbow.  But I honestly don't personally know anyone else who would.  There is niche, and there there is niche.

3573

Nintendo Gaming / Re: People Need To Stop Bitching

« on: June 18, 2012, 08:16:41 AM »

... and all the bugs were discovered within the first week of release because the Japanese version was so buggy it'd make Bethesda proud.

Bullshit.  Pure and simple.  People keep coming back to this report about bugs blocking the international release, but according to the sources I can find online there are only three notable bugs in the game - yes, only three.
(1) There are a small number of ghosts that can't be caught, so you will have a few empty slots in the ghost list at the end of the game. 
(2) Related to the first bug, after beating the game one of the bonus options can't be selected because you didn't catch all the ghosts.
(3) In special conditions there is the potential to lock your game. There is a clear and easy in-game workaround.


Minor bugs outside of that? Sure, there are other bugs that don't affect the game in a meaningful way. But the "big" bugs blocking release don't sound any worse than what was shown in Skyward Sword or Metroid Other M.  This isn't on the scale of a Bethesda game, and weren't so terrible that it prevented people from enjoying the game either in Japan or via import.


Nintendo didn't release the game in other regions or let other companies handle it because that's how Nintendo rolls. Unless there is a strong belief that the game will sell millions of copies, it's not deemed worth their time or effort to market.  As much as I personally want the Wii Fatal Frame games, I don't believe they will sell enough to meet Nintendo's demands - bugs fixed or not.

3574

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Club Nintendo Thread

« on: June 16, 2012, 11:39:43 AM »

Hopefully everyone who wanted one of the cool 18 card game cases for your DS/3DS ordered already.  They are sold out again, but apparently for good this time!  I wonder what the next good reward will be?


Too bad, after just receiving one I was very impressed and would've loved to order another. Oh well - having one is certainly better than none.


NWR Review: http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/30204
News that it's gone: http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=179419

3575

General Gaming / Re: What is your most recent gaming purchase?

« on: June 16, 2012, 11:33:31 AM »

So not really a new game... but my Nintendo 3DS Card Case 18 reward arrived in the mail today.
https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/24002.do

...  Strongly considering ordering another and throwing all my empty DS/3DS cases into storage to save desk space.

Well, guess that consideration is off the table as it's no longer possible. Apparently, these sweet DS cases are gone for good. It's no longer listed on the Club Nintendo website, and GoNintendo just posted the following article:
[size=78%]http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=179419[/size]