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[We remember the classic SNES launch title.]

151

TalkBack / Remembering Super Mario World

« on: September 30, 2015, 09:07:41 AM »

We remember the classic SNES launch title.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/41242/remembering-super-mario-world

Super Mario Bros. turns 30 this month. The fact that we are still talking about this game and series after all these years is a testament to how significant it has been since the start. Throughout the course of the month we here at Nintendo World Report will be sharing our thoughts and memories of different games in the Super Mario Bros. series. Today we are discussing Super Mario World.

While the following comments are from our staff we encourage our readers to share their own thoughts in the Talkback section below. Happy 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros.

Justin Berube, Features Editor

I don't remember exactly how I learned about the existence of Super Mario World, but I remember wanting it badly. I saved up my money for months as a kid but still didn't have enough for a Super Nintendo with the latest Super Mario Bros. game. My parents then made a deal with me. They told me if I gave up having a birthday party then they'd give me the rest of the money I needed for a Super Nintendo with Super Mario World. Of course, I accepted the offer.

Friends at school didn't believe me when I told them I got a Super Nintendo, but I quickly proved them wrong when I brought a SNES controller and a copy of Super Mario World in for show and tell. The questions I got from everyone then were all about what it's like using Yoshi.

You see, back then Yoshi wasn't a tired and true staple of the Mario series. He was a brand new character that also acted as a vehicle for Mario. Yoshi was a huge deal and a major draw to the game.

I have many fond memories of playing Super Mario World. The game was so much more vibrant than the Mario tiles before it, there were tons of secrets, and the music was great too. I remember getting stuck at the final battle against Bowser. The next day some older girl at school ended up giving me tips on how to win. I quickly went home and beat the game thanks to her advice.

Super Mario World may not have been the talk of the playground like Super Mario Bros. 3 was, but I think that is mostly because Mario World was for a new console that most people didn't have yet. With that said, I think Super Mario World is a better game than Super Mario Bros. 3 and it's still one of my favorite games of all time.

Bryan Rose, Reviews Editor

Super Mario World is the game I have the most fond memories of while growing up. I still remember my dad walking out of KB Toys with the Super Nintendo in his arms. When I got home I knew that would be the game I'd play the most on the system. This ended up being true because for the first few years I had the SNES it was the only game I owned until Street Fighter II came along. I think that's why this was the first Mario game I actually got pretty good at - I didn't have anything else to play on the system, so I had to play that to get my fix. Not that I was GOOD good, I always made sure to use Star Road in the Donut Plains section to get to Bowser and it took me years to fully beat the game, but it was the first video game I ever beat. I'll always remember the happy ending with the fireworks and all the Yoshis hatching because all was now well in Dinosaur Land. Warm, fuzzy memories!

People usually cite this or Super Mario Bros. 3 as their favorite game in the series. I'm partial to Super Mario World because it was the game I truly grew up on and was the first one I beat. I don't think the levels or graphics are as diverse as 3, but in every other aspect the game seemed to be a huge improvement. This was the first Mario game that actually made you feel like you were travelling across one cohesive world. It made players feel like they were on this long journey and there were so many secret pathways to Bowser it felt like an experience within itself just to get to his castle. To this day I think the game is one of the beefier experiences on the Super Nintendo despite being a launch title. The 96 different exits feels huge and I have to say I never really did clear each and every one of those levels. Maybe I need to go back...

Whenever I think of Super Mario World, it's nothing but positive memories. It was my first, and for a long while my only, experience on the Super Nintendo which is my favorite video game console to this day. Super Mario Bros. 3 does have it's number in a couple of areas, but it's still a fantastic game with great level design and new concepts that blew my mind back in the day. I never thought Mario would be able to fly in the sky so easily or that I could control a mysterious green dinosaur that eats everything until I turned on my Super Nintendo for the first time. I have nothing but great memories when it comes to this game, and it's probably in my top 10 favorite video games of all time to this day.

Andrew Brown, Associate Editor (Australia)

The SNES was my first Nintendo console, but my first experience with Super Mario World was through renting the game at my local toy store. In fact, the style of the game was first introduced to me through Mario Is Missing, which for whatever reason I had rented before this game. The SNES version of the *gag* edu-tainment title featured sprites, musical themes, and elements from Super Mario World, which came as an interesting surprise when I did finally get to play the big-name title.

After completing the original trilogy on Super Mario All-Stars, this next game blew me away. I particularly loved the morphing overworld map (something we didn't see again until New Super Mario Bros. U!), the incredible castle version of the theme music, and the secret level exits. Boy, was I surprised when the title screen stage actually turned out to be a playable level in the Special World!

Whenever I talk about how great game manuals used to be around the time of the SNES, this is one of those jewels - colorful artwork, a fleshed-out intro story, a full double-page map of the world. I particularly like the character descriptions, learning about Chargin' Chucks, Thwomps, and Wigglers. Stuff like this really made the world of Mario so much more immersive. I'd love it if the new digital manuals start to incorporate details like this in modern Nintendo games.

[It's time for us to look back at one of the biggest games released on the NES.]

152

TalkBack / Remembering Super Mario Bros. 3

« on: September 23, 2015, 11:34:46 AM »

It's time for us to look back at one of the biggest games released on the NES.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/41204/remembering-super-mario-bros-3

Super Mario Bros. turns 30 this month. The fact that we are still talking about this game and series after all these years is a testament to how significant it has been since the start. Throughout the course of the month we here at Nintendo World Report will be sharing our thoughts and memories of different games in the Super Mario Bros. series. Today we are discussing Super Mario Bros. 3.

While the following comments are from our staff we encourage our readers to share their own thoughts in the Talkback section below. Happy 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros.

Justin Berube, Features Editor

Super Mario Bros. 3 was a huge game to me as a kid. I don't remember much of the buzz or build up to its release, other than the McDonald's Happy Meal promotion. I do, however, remember trying it at a friend's house before I eventually got it for Christmas.

I remember frequently talking with people in school about Super Mario Bros. 3. Secrets about the game were shared and quickly tried after school. This was a large part of the experience. Unfortunately, rumors were frequently spread that ended up being false.

One of the biggest additions to the Super Mario Bros. experience was the introduction of various power up suits. The most important being the Raccoon Suit which transformed Mario into Raccoon Mario and gave him the power of flight. Flying in a game seemed like a huge deal back then. I also went nuts when I discovered the rare Hammer Bros. suit. It was just really cool but always made you feel terrible if you lost it.

While Super Mario Bros. 3 does a ton of things right, when I look back on it I feel like it may have some of the worst feeling controls out of the other games in the Super Mario Bros. series. To me, Mario feels a bit slippery and I don't enjoy the running speed power bar you must charge up in order to get full speed.

With that said, I still enjoy Super Mario Bros. 3 a great deal and consider it to be one of the best games on the NES. The overworld, stages, power ups, and secrets are a lot of fun to explore and discover. Additionally, the game offers a fair challenge that can still be enjoyed to this day.

Donald Theriault, News Editor

I think my favorite memory of Super Mario Bros 3 is that it just gave players so many things to do and years before Pokémon did it, it was a source of rumors. The second time I played it, I managed to trigger the coin ship through total accident and thought I had won the lottery, but didn't figure out how to consistently trigger the event until I was near the end of high school when I had full-time internet access.

I mean, the White Mushroom house throwing P-Wings at you randomly? Who comes up with that?

But what always kept Mario 3 at the top of my Mario game rankings - in fact, it's the only Mario game in my top 10 of all time - is the sheer variety of items and how they change the game. Sure, the Frog suit is useless outside of water levels, but the game actually calling you out if you manage to finish a world with it still cracks me up. Also, we need the Hammer Brothers suit in all games in place of the Super Guide.

Bryan Rose, Reviews Editor

My memories of Super Mario Bros. 3 are limited as far as the NES version goes. My only memory of it is that I paused it one day, went to kindergarten, and was amazed that was it was still on the TV when I got home. I don't know why I remember that so vividly, but I do!

It was the auto scrolling levels that did me in early on. I was five years old and was barely used to not getting hit by Goombas or Koopa Troopas. Once I got Super Mario All-Stars (the best remake collection EVER) for the Super Nintendo, I was more prepared to take on the challenge. And man, what an amazing game. They took everything that was fun about the original Super Mario Bros. and seemingly multiplied that by ten, bringing in new items, power ups, level structures, themed worlds, and everything for the third entry in the series. It really showed just how fun a Mario game could be, and just how imaginative the developers really were. In particular, I have fond memories of using all the new suits. The Tanooki and Frog suits were fun, but my favorite was the Hammer Bros. suit, something I didn't realize was in the game until much later on when I was actually good enough to make it to world 6. If there's one suit that needs to come back for future Mario games, it's totally the Hammer Bros. suit!

Super Mario Bros. 3 is nothing but fond memories for me. I loved exploring the worlds, listening to the awesome music, experiencing new level mechanics, and finding hidden warp whistles and enduring the hell that is that final world. As for that original ending, all I have to say to Princess Peach is don't quit your day job.

[Happy Home Designer can be fun, but can also be very fleeting.]

153

TalkBack / Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS) Review

« on: September 22, 2015, 03:00:00 AM »

Happy Home Designer can be fun, but can also be very fleeting.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/41199/animal-crossing-happy-home-designer-3ds-review

I’ve always wanted to be a home decorator. Well, okay, not really. But Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer gives me the opportunity to become one without having to lift heavy furniture or pick out the right fake plant to put in a living room. The game is meant to be a spinoff of the core Animal Crossing titles in that you focus solely on the home designing aspects of the game. While decorating houses and buildings is fun, and it’s nice to see a desolate town turn into a thriving community, the whole experience just all feels so shallow in execution.

When you first start the game, your avatar arrives in a town that doesn’t have much going on. You join Nook’s Homes, an interior decorating firm that focuses on building houses for the town’s residents. The first part of the game has you building houses for townspeople who have a theme in mind. This is all well and good, and there is creativity to be had with these themes, but once someone has a theme, you’ll unlock items that make these themes much easier to complete. For example, one neighbor loved apples and wanted an apple themed house. Once I went in the house to design, many apple related items were unlocked and available to use. You don’t have to use them, necessarily, but it makes things a lot easier for you when it comes to concepts. You can also upload completed houses or building designs to Miiverse and also can view and even visit other people’s houses and buildings. This was fun, as it was nice seeing all the creative ideas other people had with the same theme. So I do get why they went with themes for the houses, but it still feels limiting.

The most fun part about the game was probably the tasks Isabelle, who works at the town hall, gives you in helping the town. This is all through decorating town buildings such as a schoolhouse, a restaurant, a hotel, and so on. These felt like the most fun, as they were more challenging than building a house for a resident - it requires you to think of what a specific building needs and how it can blend all together in one cohesive design as opposed to just decorating one or two rooms. It also gives you more freedom in being truly creative and coming up with cool concepts for the buildings.

But even then, there's not really any kind of difficulty when it comes to this game. As long as you give a homeowner whatever theme they want with the items they give you, they’re fine. And as long as you have the requirements Isabelle needs for the buildings, you’re good. Heck, even if you forget a requirement Isabelle will politely remind you to add the required furniture to complete the decorating. With the main game experience clocking in at around six hours, there’s not much to go back to do unless you want to unlock all the handbook chapters, which give you more items and decorations to use. The use of Play Coins to unlock these features is really well done and does add more creativity to the mix, but it didn’t feel like a vital part of the game.

It’s weird, because overall I did enjoy making cool houses and buildings with my own creative flair. The problem for me was what you could do after you make all those buildings and houses. The answer is...not much, and that’s probably the most disappointing part of the game. I knew going in this would not be the complete Animal Crossing experience, because the focus is supposed to be about creating and designing structures. But I didn’t think the experience beyond that would be so superficial and shallow. You can talk to the owners or other people in the buildings who will say one or two generic lines about what they like or what they’re doing but there’s not much to go on after that, unless you want your giraffe teacher to switch roles with the elephant student or so on. Even when I scanned in my amiibo card that came with the game, all I could really do is either build a house for Lyle, who did not even give me a theme to go on, or invite him to another person's house where he’ll hang out and not say anything. Not exactly the most interesting use of amiibo cards, I have to say.

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer has its moments, but overall it can’t escape the feeling of being a superficial game. The creative aspects of building a house or building are fun and easy to do, but almost too easy, especially when it comes to houses. It’s also very nice to see a dead town turn into a thriving community before your very eyes; I just didn’t expect to see it in about six hours. The most disheartening part of the game, though, are the NPCs who barely seem to exist in this world beyond saying “I like apples, please make me an apple house”. While the charm of the series is fully represented here, the wit and deeper experiences of the franchise are not, and that leaves me feeling like the game overall is just a shallow title in a series that can do a lot more.

[It's a strange game, but it's still part of the Super Mario Bros. series.]

154

TalkBack / Remembering Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)

« on: September 16, 2015, 04:49:00 AM »

It's a strange game, but it's still part of the Super Mario Bros. series.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/41165/remembering-super-mario-bros-2-usa

Super Mario Bros. turns 30 this month. The fact that we are still talking about this game and series after all these years is a testament to how significant it has been since the start. Throughout the course of the month we here at Nintendo World Report will be sharing our thoughts and memories of different games in the Super Mario Bros. series. Today we are discussing Super Mario Bros. 2.

While the following comments are from our staff we encourage our readers to share their own thoughts in the Talkback section below. Happy 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros.

Justin Berube, Features Editor

Super Mario Bros. 2 is a game that really flew under my radar as a kid. Even back then I didn’t think it felt much like the original Super Mario Bros. and I think many people back then would admit it just seemed a bit weird. It wasn’t until years later that I learned about its origins as Doki Doki Panic.

While I didn’t appreciate Super Mario Bros. 2 as much back then, it was a title I learned to like more when it was re-released as part of Super Mario All-Stars on the SNES. One of the coolest aspects about it was that it was possible to play as four different characters each with their own strengths and weaknesses. However I, along with many others, ended up just using Princess Toadstool 90% of the time because that floating ability was just too good.

It should also be said that Super Mario Bros. 2 greatly affected Mario pop culture here in North America since this game was strongly used as a base for the Super Mario Bros. animated series that aired during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Yes, it took elements from the original Super Mario Bros. as well, but the importance of Super Mario Bros. 2 on the series can’t be understated.

Looking back, Super Mario Bros. 2 is a very unique Mario game that I wish was explored a little bit more in a direct sequel. Sure, some elements found their way into Super Mario 3D World, but what would happen if Mario and friends made another trip to Subcon? Wart, I hope we haven’t seen the last of you.

Bryan Rose, Reviews Editor

I liked Super Mario Bros 2. Not as much as the other two NES games, but it's good in its own right. I remember playing it a lot on the NES and I really enjoyed throwing enemies around. I thought some levels, especially the sand ones where you did a lot of digging, weren't interesting, but the gameplay was unique and original for its time. Things like throwing items, entering the Subcon world, and more make the game really stand out.

I like the first and third Super Mario Bros. games a lot more, but Super Mario Bro. 2/USA doesn't deserve any hate. It's not a COMPLETELY original title, as some will know, but it did bring some new ideas to the platforming genre. I wouldn't mind an entirely new Mario game using Super Mario Bros. 2 gameplay as I think more could be done with the ideas. Also, as far as "this was only a dream" endings go, this was one of the better ones...though let's be real, those endings hardly ever work. Mario had a nice sleeping hat, though.

Donald Theriault, News Editor

Super Mario Bros. 2 was actually the first game I ever completed as a seven year old NES owner. I remember reading about it voraciously in the old How To Win At Nintendo Games books, and used those books to help fight through the game. I ended up using the warps once I learned how, and then began to abuse Luigi's flutter jump in order to do things I had no business doing. To this day, I still want to sit down with a strategy guide and do a 100% run (every level beaten with four hearts) to see if I still have the same sense of wonder when I sunk that vegetable into Wart's mouth and realized that was the way to beat him.

Also, **** Clawgrip.

Adam Abou-Nasr, Associate Editor

Super Mario Bros. 2 is my absolute favorite Mario game. I totally suck at traditional 2D Mario, but SMB2's health upgrade system and pick-up-and-throw combat mechanics helped me reach the end. The levels are big and full of secrets, something that the linear levels of most Mario games can't compete with. The music is also still fresh and fun. I like the adorable enemies and fun setting more than the tired Mushroom Kingdom, and I'd argue that this is the only Mario platformer with any real bosses.

I'm still waiting for a real New Super Mario Bros. 2, not the 3DS coin-collectathon we got. I want to find magic potion doors and health upgrades. I want to not be terrified when I need to jump on an enemy. I want to play crazy branching levels with undefined ending and start points. I want to explore Birdo's crazy backstory. Please, Nintendo, revisit this game style. I know it isn't "real" Mario, but it's Mario as I loved him most.

[Formerly served as president of Nintendo of America.]

155

TalkBack / Tatsumi Kimishima Named President of Nintendo

« on: September 13, 2015, 08:23:00 PM »

Formerly served as president of Nintendo of America.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/41146/tatsumi-kimishima-named-president-of-nintendo

In a press release statement issued today in Japan, Nintendo has named Tatsumi Kimishima its new president following the death of Satoru Iwata in July.

Kimishima has previously been Nintendo of America's president, reigning from 2002 to 2006 when he was succeeded by the current president Reggie Fils-Aime. He has also served as Chief Financial Officer of The Pokémon Company, as well as the president of the US branch.

Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto, who were named co-representative directors of the company in the wake of Iwata's passing, have also been given new titles. Takeda has been named Technology Fellow, while Shigeru Miyamoto has been named Creative Fellow. Nintendo defines the new Fellow role as "An individual selected from among the Representative Directors who has advanced knowledge and extensive experience, and holds the role of providing advice and guidance regarding organizational operations in a specialized area".

Other personnel changes include:

Shigeyuki Takahashi - General Manager, Finance, Administration Division Supervisor of General Affairs Division In charge of Quality Assurance Department

Satoshi Yamato - General Manager, Marketing Division In charge of Advertising Department

Shinya Takahashi - General Manager, Entertainment Planning & Development Division Supervisor of Business Development Division, Development Administration & Support Division

These changes in leadership will go into effect on September 16.

[We share our thoughts and memories of Super Mario Bros. in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the game.]

156

TalkBack / Remembering Super Mario Bros.

« on: September 09, 2015, 05:19:09 AM »

We share our thoughts and memories of Super Mario Bros. in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the game.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/41112/remembering-super-mario-bros

Super Mario Bros. turns 30 this month. The fact that we are still talking about this game and series after all these years is a testament to how significant it has been since the start. Throughout the course of the month we here at Nintendo World Report will be sharing our thoughts and memories of different games in the Super Mario Bros. series. Today we are discussing Super Mario Bros.

While the following comments are from our staff we encourage our readers to share their own thoughts in the Talkback section below. Happy 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros.

Justin Berube, Features Editor

Super Mario Bros. was the game that made me a Nintendo fan all those years ago. It wasn't the first video game I played, but it was my first home console experience. I remember thinking it was amazing that I could control what was happening on the TV rather than just sitting and experiencing entertainment. It was as if I was given some sort of control for the first time ever.

Even though Super Mario Bros. did steal ideas from other games at the time, it managed to be revolutionary for combining the good ideas into one complete package. It was a leap for gaming and is arguably Nintendo's most important title ever released. So many different games owe credit to Super Mario Bros., and the game helped save and shape the video game industry.

I have so many memories of playing Super Mario Bros. One of my favorites is how I used to play this game with my father. Really, it's the only game I've ever gotten him to play. I remember talking to him about strategies and how to work our way to the end of the game. Eventually, we did beat it. I think my father threw in the towel shortly after though when we would play two player. I'd get to the last stage without even dying and then my discouraged father would start on stage 1-1 and die at the first Goomba. Sorry Dad, I'm still laughing.

It's probably for all these reasons that the original Super Mario Bros. is my favorite game of all time. It's my go to game when I have a bad day, or just want to burn some time. I love just rushing through the game since a skilled person can complete it in less than 10 minutes. What makes it better these days is that it's a game that is available on multiple Nintendo platforms, so it's hard to go without it.

So happy birthday Super Mario Bros. This year we both turn 30 and I'm happy to grow old with you.

Bryan Rose, Reviews Editor

I don't remember a whole lot about being four years old, but I do remember that all I asked for Christmas in 1990 was a NES. I think I might have liked the toy gun that came with it, I don't know. But I got the console with the Duck Hunt/Super Mario Bros. combo and it was all that I ever wanted in life as a kid. Super Mario Bros. got me into video games, and that's why I'm here 24 years later - because of this game alone.

Now granted, I wasn't GOOD at Super Mario Bros. For many years I never beat it. I learned where the warp pipes were and I even got good enough to make it to the third or fourth stage, but I was never good enough to actually beat the game. It wasn't until Super Mario Bros. Deluxe that I actually finished the original Super Mario Bros., mostly thanks to being able to save after every level. But no matter how many times I died, I had fun. The game had a goal and an ending, but like most Nintendo games of today, it wasn't necessarily about completing the story. It was about having a fun time, learning the mechanics of each stage, and using it to your advantage to clear the level. Gameplay was emphasized over story, and for me the gameplay was always my favorite thing about the original title. Today, I see it not being a hard game at all, but a rather simple game with some hard levels, but easy enough for anyone of any age to play and get into. That is what makes this game so special.

Also, 8-3 sucked. To this day the Hammer Bros. remains my least favorite enemy OF ALL TIME.

Donald Theriault, News Editor

When I got my NES, I had vague memories of playing Atari games and reading the manuals which pretty much told you everything about the game. So I was shocked when I saw my brother playing in world 4-2 when he managed to find the Warp Zone just by randomly jumping around.

Super Mario Bros was the first game that actually taught me that exploration was possible - I totally missed out on Atari's Adventure - and as a five year old, I wanted more of it. It took me until I was 14 to actually beat the game thanks to Super Mario All-Stars, but I'll always have that moment of my jaw dropping as Mario climbed a beanstalk to look back on.

[We discuss some of the games that wowed us during various generations.]

157

Podcast Discussion / Episode 186: Mom in the Woods

« on: September 09, 2015, 12:33:06 AM »

We discuss some of the games that wowed us during various generations.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/41119/episode-186-mom-in-the-woods

Welcome to Connectivity 186!

This week, Nick, Bryan and new NWR staffer Adam come together to discuss the games that wowed them within a generation. The kind of games that caused them to constantly want to play and think about.

The musical selections for this episode include the round game music from Wario's Woods, along with the Pokémon Red and Blue ending theme from the album Pokémon Hikerukana.

Be sure to send us your listener mail by clicking here.

Thanks for listening.

[Crossing it seems simple, but can be challenging...]

158

TalkBack / The Bridge (Wii U) Review

« on: August 21, 2015, 10:32:36 AM »

Crossing it seems simple, but can be challenging...

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/41000/the-bridge-wii-u-review

One of the puzzles in The Bridge had me perplexed. I was supposed to obtain two keys within the level that would allow me to make it to the next room. One was easy to get, but the second was way more trickier; it could easily fall off a ledge into the abyss, never to be see again. But as it turns out, there was actually a way for that key to slide to me - all it took was the right positioning and just the right gravitational pull for it to slide without falling off. In The Bridge, it’s all about positioning and the gravitational forces at hand. The presentation is basic and the game is on the short side, but it’s an intriguing puzzler with unique gameplay and a macabre atmosphere that’s very memorable.

I wouldn’t say that there is a story to The Bridge. There is, but there isn’t, which I’ll explain in a bit. You control an older looking man immediately as you load the game and enter his house. There are four doors (or chapters) that will lead to six levels each in the game (you can also unlock the tougher mirrored versions after beating the four chapters). The first few levels are relatively simple, but as you advance further in the game, they become more difficult, using vortexes and other elements that will hinder progress. I never felt that the game was extremely difficult, but there were a few times where it took me a while to solve a puzzle. Thankfully, there is also a rewind feature that can take you back in case you mess up. This made it even more simpler to complete a level and the frustration level was never that high.

The game’s mechanics are the most intriguing part of the game. Again, you control a nondescript older gentleman as you travel through various rooms with the goal of going to the next room. Sometimes, you’ll need a key. Other times, it's all about figuring out how to solve the puzzle of a room - there’s no jumping. Rather, it’s all about using the L and R buttons (or ZL/ZR) to shift gravity in your favor that will allow you to go to the next room.

Presentation wise the game is rather simple. There’s no color to the game; it’s all in black and white, but the hand drawn graphics look very impressive and polished. The music is somber, and there’s not much story. But all this actually enhances the aura of the game, in all honesty. It’s a somber, mysterious game with gameplay that challenges the mind. The goal of the game is not to tell a written story, though there are some text that tells some sort of story after you’ve completed each stage. It never seemed that important to dwell on as I ventured further in the game, as the gameplay always seemed to be emphasized over everything else. I’m fine with this, as any story told would probably not be as interesting as manipulating gravity, after all!

I had fun with The Bridge. It’s a bit short, and the lack of a narrative can be jarring for some. But it’s a simple puzzler that focuses on the gameplay, and it works here as it’s one of the more interesting puzzlers that I’ve played as of late. This is the kind of game the works well on the Wii U; with its gravitational gameplay element it fits perfect with the GamePad’s gyroscope features as well as the touch screen controls. While it lacks in certain places when it comes to presentation, the ambiance makes up for it. The Bridge is different than most puzzlers on the Wii U eShop, but that, along with its emphasis on gameplay, is what makes it stand out the most.

[Assuming that Nintendo had one final ace up their Wii U sleeve, what would it be?]

159

TalkBack / Baseless Speculation: Wii U's Last Stand

« on: August 10, 2015, 05:13:00 AM »

Assuming that Nintendo had one final ace up their Wii U sleeve, what would it be?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/40921/baseless-speculation-wii-us-last-stand

Baseless Speculation is a new feature where we poll our staff and readers on a speculative question, and corral the responses.

This week on Baseless Speculation:  Assuming that Nintendo has at least one more ace up their sleeve for Wii U, what would it be?  We put the question to our staff and our Twitter followers, and here's what you came up with!

Neal Ronaghan, Site Director:Alright, let's roll up the sleeves and play the ever-popular "WTF are the Nintendo EAD Groups Doing?" game. EAD Group 1 most recently worked on Mario Kart 8, but that group's producer Hideki Konno is moving over to work on mobile. It's possible that team is working on something else for Wii U, but not likely. EAD Group 2 just released Splatoon and is also working on the pair of Animal Crossing spin-offs. They might be tapped out for the rest of Wii U's life. EAD Group 3 is the Zelda team and we know what they're working on. EAD Group 4 is working on Mario Maker, but they are also likely working on another project. That group also worked on the Pikmin series, and while I doubt we'll see Pikmin 4 out on Wii U, that same team could be working on an original Wii U game that could be launched next year. EAD Group 5 is working on all things Star Fox, so they're occupied. There's a chance EAD Tokyo is working on a final Wii U game, but all hints and signs point to EAD Tokyo moving their biggest resources to the NX. Eyeballing the other studios that Nintendo works with, I suppose Retro Studios could be working on another Wii U game.

To summarize, I don't really know. Maybe something from the Pikmin team or Retro Studios?

Matt West, Associate Editor:

Unfortunately for the Wii U, all signs are beginning to point toward a holiday 2016 release for the NX. The biggest sign of all was the lack of a major home-run hitter for Wii U in this year’s E3 Digital Event. 2016 is going to be all about ramping up hype for the Wii U’s successor, so all of Nintendo’s resources are going to be thrown onto ensuring they do not have (another) disappointing hardware launch.

I don’t believe Wii U has another major surprise from Nintendo itself. Outside of the next Zelda game and what has already been announced for its systems in 2016, I think all other projects are for the NX (with the possibility that Zelda for Wii U ends up getting the dual-release Twilight Princess treatment). Recent history suggests that the final year of a Nintendo console’s lifespan isn’t very kind to the system’s library, as they usually choose to abandon it in favor of the future.

However, just because Nintendo itself probably isn’t going to develop another hit Wii U title, that doesn’t mean we won’t see anything. Nintendo seems very happy as of late to allow other companies to play around in their IP sandbox. Maybe we could get a Hyrule Warriors 2? Or some other kind of crossover project like the Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem project? I have no idea. What I am sure of, though, is that we’re very unlikely to get a mega surprise announcement for Wii U with NX on the horizon. While that may be disappointing for Wii U owners and fans of series like Animal Crossing, Metroid and Paper Mario, it’s just the reality of the situation when it comes to an under-performing console in its twilight year.

Donald Theriault, News Editor:

If Nintendo has one last Wii U card to play, it's not going to be coming out of any of the usual development suspects - the ship has sailed from those studios as they go great guns to get the next handheld a decent launch lineup for next holiday. There's one of two ways this could go. The first big idea is a collaboration with an existing 3rd party in the vein of a Hyrule Warriors. This could be a home port of Pokken Tournament, Project Treasure being fleshed out into a full product or even something we don't know about yet. I highly doubt we're going to go 27 months between announcement of a deal with a 3rd party and first trailer as happened with the Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem project.

The other possibility is something that may have been buoyed by the success of Splatoon - something from a Nintendo studio's younger developers that moves into a field Nintendo hasn't touched, and would be necessary to appeal to core gamers even if it has the Nintendo touch. Splatoon went from first reveal to a disc being in stores within twelve months (note the difference between "disc in stores" and "complete") and if it plays well and has a good plan for content that's free even if it's not fully fleshed out, the Nintendo audience would certainly eat it up. Having a couple of extra franchises to work with on the new OS is really going to help Nintendo expand and prove to 3rd parties that there is a market for the kind of games they want to port.

Bryan Rose, Reviews Editor: Whatever it may be, I don't think it would be a new project. Evidence seems to be piling up that Nintendo seems to be committed to the NX by the fall of 2016. That doesn't mean we'll see any more games for the system, but in terms of major games...I think we might be seeing the rest of the Wii U's big game lineup with Starfox Zero and Super Mario Maker.

However, I do think there will be one last big game after those two releases, and it will be the new Zelda game that's due for release next year. I think it's far enough in development that we'll see it on the Wii U. But we'll also see a more enhanced version of the same game on the NX. Ironically, it's totally a Gamecube/Wii Twilight Princess sort of deal, but it makes sense. The NX needs a killer launch title to do well right off the market. New Super Mario Bros. U was good for Wii U, but not great. A brand new Zelda game, with as lofty ambitions as the next one has, might just do the trick. A dual release on both systems will give the Wii U one last hurrah and the NX a great head start.

From our readers via Twitter:

@Nintendo_NWR Ice Climbers gritty open world reboot.

— J. Aponte (@j_laeme) July 21, 2015

@Nintendo_NWR Gyromite U

— My Little endy? (@Dynamus_Lives) July 21, 2015

@Nintendo_NWR Baten Kaitos Pinball #baselessspeculation

— DuckHuntDog (@DuckHuntDog1000) July 21, 2015

Want to find your tweet featured in the next edition of Baseless Speculation?  Just follow us on Twitter at @Nintendo_NWR and click refresh repeatedly until you see us ask for a response!

[More slime filled adventures await in the future!]

160

TalkBack / Dragon Quest XI Announced for Nintendo 3DS, Considering NX

« on: July 27, 2015, 10:32:00 PM »

More slime filled adventures await in the future!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/40829/dragon-quest-xi-announced-for-nintendo-3ds-considering-nx

Square Enix in a video presentation today announced the next main entry in the Dragon Quest series, Dragon Quest XI, for the Nintendo 3DS, as well as the Playstation 4 and Nintendo's upcoming system, currently codenamed the NX.

Footage was shown of the 3DS version during the event. This version showed 3D graphics on the top screen and 2D sprites on the bottom. It also showed battles in both 2D and 3D. At the very end of the event, it was announced that XI, along with Dragon Quest X, will be making it's way to the Nintendo NX as well. The director of the game will be Takeshi Uchikawa.

It was noted in the conference that they aim to release this on Dragon Quest's 30th anniversary, which is next year. But no solid release date has been announced.

UPDATE: SquareEnix's Japanese PR statement indicates the company is "considering" the NX.

[Harken back to the RPG days of yore…for a short while.]

161

TalkBack / Dragon Fantasy: The Volumes of Westeria (Wii U) Review

« on: July 23, 2015, 10:40:51 AM »

Harken back to the RPG days of yore…for a short while.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/40804/dragon-fantasy-the-volumes-of-westeria-wii-u-review

I love a good retro inspired title. So when Dragon Fantasy popped up for review, I decided to give it a go. NES role playing games are fun, but they tend to show their age after a few hours of play. Dragon Fantasy manages to recreate both of these kind of experiences down to a T. The graphics are fun and colorful, the battle system is very easy to learn and the story is simple and enjoyable. But the grinding and overall short nature of the game makes it feel like a game that has great potential, but never fully realizes it.

The game’s story is told in three chapters. The first and longest chapter has you as Ogden, a former hero who is forced to come out of retirement to deal with the Dark Lord who has arrived to cause mischief for he and the royal family. The second chapter is a side story, dealing with Prince Anders and his travels to an ice cavern, the same where his father perished, in search of an interesting item that plays into the overall story. The third is another side story, with a thief and his niece looking to escape their surroundings. There’s also a fourth chapter not related to the others that’s based on the Minecraft world, looking to retrieve creator Notch’s hat from a dragon. The game very much has an Earthbound feel to it; there’s humorous descriptions during battle (such as Ogden wishing he’d stay retired whenever he falls in battle) as well as in the script itself. I wouldn’t say it’s as witty or as deep as Earthbound, but it works and I enjoyed it for what it was. Going through all of these different stories are fun, but they’re over just as you feel like you’re getting to know the characters. It’s weird that it’s fun at the same time, but the experience is so superficial and out of place in an RPG it feels pretty weird, to say the least.

It’s funny; one of the things that I didn’t like in Earthbound Beginnings (a game that came out in 1989 for the NES) was the huge amount of grinding I had to do that made the game a bore. Dragon Fantasy is nowhere near as long (under 10 hours) but there’s still some hefty grinding to do if you want to make things easier in battle. A good example is early in the game where a sword would do wonders for the next dungeon. It’s 700 gold for that sword, and with enemies dropping 20 coins at the most, it’s a long while before I can get that sword. While I like that Muteki Corporation wanted to carefully recreate the NES RPG experience, grinding isn’t something that I particularly liked in those RPGs, and would rather do without in 2015.

The NES-era presentation is faithfully represented. There’s two modes to look at - the default version has enhanced graphics that make it feel and look more like a early 16 bit title, such as Final Fantasy IV. The original mode, which was seen in the original iOS version of the game, comes with more 8-bit flair and has NES inspired music. The music itself I didn’t find as memorable, but it was faithful to what games sounded like at the time, so at the very least it worked well there. Overall, the presentation is as authentic of a NES experience as possible, but nothing that makes it truly stand out from other games that go with the retro NES aesthetic.

Dragon Fantasy is a fun game while it lasts. It feels like a title that’s starting to get really fun right as the game ends. The game never takes itself seriously, so it’s fun to go through and experience the story and settings. But the experience is a short one, shorter than those NES games it replicates, and that’s with the grinding the game requires. If you’re looking for a fun, retro inspired title, this may be it. Just be ready to run into many rock based enemies.

[Satoru Iwata’s contributions to the Pokémon series is bigger than you’d think]

162

TalkBack / Iwata’s Influence on the Pokémon Series is Profound

« on: July 17, 2015, 10:03:49 AM »

Satoru Iwata’s contributions to the Pokémon series is bigger than you’d think

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/40762/iwatas-influence-on-the-pokemon-series-is-profound

With Satoru Iwata’s passing on July 11, a huge outpouring of emotion was felt in the Nintendo community. When I heard the news, it was particularly disheartening. To see someone, anyone pass away at such a young age is very sad. But at the same time, while people mourned his loss, many of his contributions to Nintendo were brought back into the forefront, especially his days as a programmer. I had a vague idea that there was a connection between him and HAL Laboratories before his passing, but didn’t know much of his career as a programmer before he passed away, unfortunately. But now that I have a better understanding, I really didn’t realize just how big his contributions to the Pokémon franchise were, particularly in early titles that many people still remember fondly to this day.

Although he wasn’t president of Nintendo at the time of the original Pokémon games release, Iwata served on the board for Creatures, Inc., which was is a company affiliated with the development of the Pokémon series and merchandise. With the original titles, he helped in the localization of Pokémon Red and Blue overseas, looking at the source code and figuring out how it could be localized so that it would appeal to a mass audience in the United States. Obviously, Pokémon Red and Blue would prove to be a massive hit, not only in Japan but in the United States as well, and soon the franchise took off more than anyone could have expected.

Iwata’s first major contribution programing wise to the Pokémon series was Pokémon Stadium for the Nintendo 64. As a child, I remember thinking how cool it was how I could transfer my Pokémon from the Game Boy all the way to the N64, complete with nicknames and move sets. And seeing them for the first time in full 3D was awesome! Of course, in order to do this, extensive programming was required so that the games could communicate with each other in the most effective way possible.

In order for this to work, Pokémon Stadium needed the same battle references and logistics found in Pokémon Red and Green. This was an effort that was taken on by Satoru Iwata. Not only did he manage to do this flawlessly, he was able to get it done without any reference documents- rather, he read through the games’ source code on the Game Boy and was able to convert it over to the Nintendo 64 in roughly one week. That didn’t mean the system was without a few glitches when Pokemon Stadium launched, but the quick turnaround is impressive regardless. Say what you want about Iwata when it came to taking charge of Nintendo, but as a programmer, he had mad skills.

And those mad skills also gave us something else in the Pokémon world. One of the most amazing contributions that Iwata gave to the series, in my opinion, is one of Pokémon Gold and Silver’s most talked about features to this day - the ability to play in the previous region, Kanto. Originally, developers had only planned to include the brand new Johto region. But Iwata thought that gamers deserved more. He implemented a way to heavily compress the entire region of Kanto so that it would be able to all fit in one cartridge. There were some things removed, such as Viridian Forest, most of Cinnabar Island and the Safari Zone, but to this day, when you ask me what my most memorable experience of Gold and Silver was, it was being able to travel across two different regions. No one thought it was possible, and it was never accomplished again, but programing wise it was one of Satoru Iwata’s most memorable contributions to the series.

Iwata’s work as a programmer for the Pokémon series is something that needs to be highlighted and looked upon as another of his career highlights. Without his help, we would have never gotten the wonderful experience of visiting Kanto three years after Red traversed the region. And we might have had a completely different experience when it came to Pokémon Stadium - that series of games were very successful, especially if you want to count Colosseum, XD and Battle Revolution. Imagine how those games would have been if Iwata didn’t help program the very first Stadium game! When I think of the great contributions Iwata gave to the industry, I just don’t think about how he saved Earthbound from cancellation or all the wonderful games he oversaw as his run as President, but just how much of an impact his work on the Pokémon titles had on me. Gold and Silver remain one of my favorite games of all time, and that’s partly due to his work. His work on the series will be felt for decades to come.

163

TalkBack / Re: Beating The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the First Time

« on: July 15, 2015, 02:35:19 AM »

I find it kinda interesting how on one side, I see this "Ocarina of Time is so overrated" narrative pop up frequently nowadays, with some people going as far as to call it the most overrated game of all time. One of the main arguments from these people is how poorly the game has aged. Yet I also constantly see people who have just recently played it for the first heap as much praise onto it as people who played it in when it first came out, or list it among their most favourite games of all time. I fall into the latter camp as well. It wasn't my first Zelda, but I didn't play through Ocarina of Time (or play it at all as far as I can remember) until Ocarina of Time 3D and I came away feeling the same way Bryan did. Granted, a lot of the "outdated" talk is based on the visuals and the 3DS version obviously helps in that regard, but the game's magic certainly wasn't lost on me even a decade and a half later, and it's legitimately one of my favourite games of all time. That's a pretty impressive feat considering how much hype surrounds this game and how built up our expectations are. Living up to that kind of legacy for some many people, all those years later, is a pretty damn strong counter to "overrated" and "outdated." Needless to say everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however.

It doesn't feel outdated in the least bit. Graphics obviously have aged but the gameplay is as good as anything out there. The presentation was tremendous as well given the N64's power.

Obviously these were more impressive in 1998 as opposed to 2015, but this didn't like a title that showed its age. It looks old, but plays extremely well.

164

TalkBack / Re: Beating The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the First Time

« on: July 14, 2015, 07:12:40 PM »

wait how many games have you beaten?

a million

[Bryan talks about what made him give Ocarina of Time another try.]

165

TalkBack / Beating The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the First Time

« on: July 14, 2015, 11:21:29 AM »

Bryan talks about what made him give Ocarina of Time another try.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/40741/beating-the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-for-the-first-time

I had never beaten a Zelda game before until recently when I struck Ganon’s tail one last time and beat the 1998 Nintendo 64 classic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

There are certain game series that I’ve just never gotten into, for whatever reason. Zelda is one of them. I’ve played Link to the Past, but never got past the first time you enter the Dark World. The furthest I got to Ocarina of Time previously was the Forest Temple. I bought Majora’s Mask on the Wii Virtual Console, but never really played it. I bought Link’s Awakening recently, but it’s sitting in a drawer, ready to be played seriously one of these days. Same goes for Wind Waker.

So it’s weird for me now that I took my time over the last week to play Ocarina of Time from start to finish. After watching the ending, all I could think about is how excited I was to try other games in the series. But I also questioned why, out of all the other chances to play it, this Virtual Console iteration was the one that grabbed me? I’ve tried so many times before to play this one, considered one of the greatest of all time, but I’ve failed. I had the Ocarina of Time/Master Quest disc for the GameCube, I had the Wii Virtual Console edition, and I even rented the N64 version a few times. What made this time work?

I would have to go back to all the times that I stopped playing, or why I had decided in my head not to continue. One of the things in particular that turned me off the first couple of times was how daunting the dungeons could be. I made my way fine past the first few dungeons the game throws at you before you travel forward in time, but once I got to the Forest Temple things started to become serious. I had also failed to collect many heart pieces by the time I got that far in the game, or get the items necessary to make the dungeons much easier. To say that I was constantly dying and getting frustrated would be an understatement. I hadn’t learned how to play a Zelda game successfully, and that turned me off from the series for a good while.

What compelled me to go back and try one more time? Probably the prestige. Ocarina of Time is still considered one of the greatest games of all time. If you look at Metacritic, the game stands as the highest ever at 99%, a record that will remain for some time. Even our 2011 Ocarina of Time 3D review gave it a 9.5. How could I keep continuing to just ignore and never play a game that’s been so well reviewed? It’s not that I didn’t like the game - I just never felt a compelling reason to continue. So I set it upon myself to beat the game, whether I liked it or not. If I didn’t, at least I’d have an interesting story to write here. If I did, even better, as then I could judge the game by the sum of its parts.

The end result? Well, I didn’t want to do a full review, as I thought that I would rather write an article on why I got into the game rather than how I felt about it as a whole. But if I were to give Ocarina of Time a score now that I’ve beaten it, I would give the game a 9.5. It’s recognition as one of the best video games of all time is fully warranted now that I’ve completed it, and it will stand the test of time as a revolutionary video game that so many other games have emulated from since its release in 1998.

People will rag on me about this, but I’ll say this: the Wii U Virtual Console release, complete with save states was also a big reason why I gave the game another try. That, along with a walkthrough, helped me tremendously. Obviously, those who played the game when it first came out in didn’t have that luxury. But things like walkthroughs and save states helped me learn how to play a Zelda game the right way. It taught me how to get heart pieces, use weapons properly, solve seemingly impossible puzzles, and so much more. Yes, I had a helping hand in beating the game, but now that I’ve beaten it, I want to play more Zelda games. I may be late to the party when it comes to the series, but hey, better late than never!

Ocarina of Time is an incredible video game that every person needs to play. Whether you play it like I did, or you go about it with zero help, it’s a game that you’ll play now and instantly get why other games are designed the way they are. The graphics are a bit dated, sure, but other than that this feels like a modern video game but released in 1998. It’s truly amazing just how revolutionary Ocarina of Time is. And now that I’ve played it, I understand why it’s considered one of the best video games of all time. Zelda is a series that I’ve been trying to get into for ages, and through the Wii U Virtual Console release of Ocarina of Time, it finally helped me gain an appreciation for the series.

166

TalkBack / Re: Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (Wii U) Review

« on: June 29, 2015, 07:12:09 AM »

Bleh, that's a shame. I wouldn't mind giving it a try someday, though.

Same with the SNES one but I'd imagine it's a bit more archaic than it's predecessors.

[Who would have thought you'd be reading this review now?]

167

TalkBack / Earthbound Beginnings (Wii U) Review

« on: June 29, 2015, 12:08:46 AM »

Who would have thought you'd be reading this review now?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/40645/earthbound-beginnings-wii-u-review

I always felt that the original Mother for the NES would make its way to North America in some form or fashion. The game was mostly translated in the early 90s when it was shelved late in development so focus could be put on Mother 2’s localization, which would later become Earthbound for the Super NES. It took a long time, but roughly 26 years after its release in Japan, Mother has officially been released in North America as Earthbound Beginnings. People may have played the unreleased ROM that surfaced about 15 years ago, but now it’s out officially in North America. The question remains...is it any good? To compare Beginnings to its more well known sequel would be unfair. But by its own merits, Earthbound Beginnings is a fun, engaging title that, for the most part, manages to stand the test of time.

The game’s story revolves around mysterious occurrences in the United States. After battling what appear to be poltergeists in his own house, a young boy by the name of Ninten sets out on an adventure to figure out just what exactly is going on. The story here is engaging and the game’s script, while not as strong as Earthbound’s, is pretty funny at times. It’s not without problems, though. Sometimes it does show its age and is hard to fully follow. There are also a few grammatical errors here and there and weird yes or no prompts strewn about the game in places where they don't really belong. Despite these issues, overall the story is fun and quirky, setting the tone for it’s future installments.

Enemies you’ll come across are also unique with everything from dragons to grizzly bears to even hippies confronting you during battles. This definitely has the “Earthbound” touch to it in that this doesn’t feel like a conventional RPG. Graphically, it's a mixed bag - it feels kind of flat at times with repetitive surroundings, but at the same time it’s also pleasant, colorful and ultimately gets the job done given the NES’s limitations. The music is a big highlight. Familiar tunes fans of the series will recognize immediately can be found here, such as Pollyanna and the Onett theme, but there’s also some really great tracks here as well, such as the Yucca Desert and Magicant Castle. Overall, the presentation of the game makes it feel uniquely different from other role playing games of its time. It’s somewhat out there, but also manages to be believable at the same time.

I did have one complaint about the game. While I don’t mind the overall gameplay, as it was relatively easy to get into, the grinding that it took to beat the game became a chore by the game's end. For example, when I reached the game’s final destination, Mt. Itoi, I was nearing level 30. If I wanted to make my confrontation with the final boss a bit easier on myself, I would have to grind to level 38 to learn a new PSI technique for Ninten. To say that I was not looking forward to having to grind eight more levels would be an understatement - I had already did that plenty on my way there, traversing through a long swamp area. Of course, like most RPGs of the era, grinding was a necessary evil in order to make games longer, but it doesn’t make Beginnings a better game. Setting battles to auto mode is a nice touch that counteracts this at times, but it’s still boring to spend a few hours grinding just to further the experience a bit more before you go back to more grinding.

Earthbound Beginnings is a game I didn’t imagine I would be playing a few weeks ago. But now that I have, I enjoyed the experience. It shows its age, with an antiquated script and relentless grinding, but the wit and humor that other Earthbound/Mother games possess shines through. Even with the grinding, my fascination with the game never truly peaked. Judging it solely on it’s own merits, the original Earthbound is a charming, engaging game that lays a great foundation for its future sequels.

168

TalkBack / Re: Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (Wii U) Review

« on: June 28, 2015, 06:28:36 PM »

Is 64 another version of this game/the PSX game? I've never played it.

[Nothing spells romance like spa-boiled eggs.]

169

TalkBack / Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (Wii U) Review

« on: June 26, 2015, 09:27:53 AM »

Nothing spells romance like spa-boiled eggs.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/40637/harvest-moon-friends-of-mineral-town-wii-u-review

Harvest Moon isn’t a tough series to figure out. You raise animals, plant certain food during various times of the year, participate in festival mini games, and try your hand at romance. Coming out way back in 2003, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town has all of this. It’s more or less a port of the previous PlayStation Harvest Moon title, Back to Nature. But Mineral Town takes a lot of likeable qualities about that title and refines them, making it one of the more enjoyable Harvest Moons of not only it’s time, but also to date.

The story of the game has you as a boy who is tasked with running a farm after an old friend of his dies. The goal of the game is to restore the farm back to how it once was, as it’s now in disarray. This all involves having the boy raise animals such as chickens, cows and sheep in order to produce content that you can ship out for profit. On top of that, you can also collect minerals, plants, and other items that will help produce enough income to help upgrade your tools and buy items that will help restore the farm to it’s previous prestige. While doing these kind of tasks can be pretty mundane at the start, it becomes less of a chore as your level up the tools and upgrade them with ores that will make farm life a bit easier.

Beyond maintaining the farm, there’s also the romance and festival mini games to toy around with. There’s a number of lovely ladies to woo, and they all have favorite items that will help boost their affection towards you. One new aspect of romance not seen in other games are rivals, who will also try and spark a romance, so that’s another aspect you have to watch out for. It took a long while before I was ready to move on to marriage and children (isn’t that true for all of us?), but it’s something that you can build up over a period of time, and I found it rewarding to finally get married after spending forever giving Ann spa boiled eggs and upgrading the house. The festival mini games are a fun diversion as well. One has you cooking up a favorite dish, another has you racing your horse and playing frisbee with your dog, and so on. They’re superficial, but it’s a nice break in between maintaining your farm and talking to girls.

There are some problems, although they’re minor gripes. The script, for one, could be a bit better. Sometimes the translation felt a little off, and since this was a game about romance, it can be melodramatic at times. But I never got bored with the game's story, and the reward of having a successful farm and marriage at the end of the game was a nice conclusion. The only other complaint is equipping items and weapons. You only get three slots in the beginning of the game. You can later upgrade to a larger rucksack, but I wish things were a little easier to start. It takes a while to get used to Harvest Moon games, but if you can withstand the plodding nature for the first year, once things get going it can be a pretty fun game.

Mineral Town takes everything about Harvest Moon and ties it up into one refined, enjoyable package. Seeing your farm slowly transform into a barren wasteland of dirt, rocks and twigs into a bustling, productive area of distribution is fun to witness. The romance aspect of the game is also fun, though it takes a while to get used to. In fact, a lot of the game can take time to get used to. The script’s rather abrasive delivery can be off putting sometimes, and the game doesn’t hold your hand. But if you can look past all of that, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town is one of the best in the series to date.

[A healthy dose will do you good.]

170

TalkBack / Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure (3DS) Review

« on: June 26, 2015, 09:17:00 AM »

A healthy dose will do you good.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/40636/dr-mario-miracle-cure-3ds-review

The funny thing about the latest in the Dr. Mario series, Miracle Cure, is that it’s pretty formulaic, ironically enough. The “miracle cures” that the game’s title refers to are in the form of new ways to clear viruses and capsules from the map. It’s something new, and honestly I did have a fun time with the game. It could be a bit more polished, but there’s enough to do here that makes it a worthwhile adventure.

The core gameplay hasn’t been changed much in Miracle Cure. Dr. Mario is tasked with getting rid of viruses by dropping pill-shaped puzzle blocks on these pesky villains; matching four in a row will get rid of them. The newest addition to the series, however, are the “Miracle Cures” that will arrive on the field once you fill up a meter by clearing four in a row of the same color. These cures, such as bombs, arrows, and capsule blocks and squares, will help you clear more viruses. This was a welcome addition to the series as it helped me plan out clearing the various challenge modes that the game provided using clever strategy.

There’s lots of things to do in Miracle Cure. There’s the challenge mode, which is split up in three parts. There are 20 basic levels, 30 advance levels, and 10 training levels that will help you get started if you’re unfamiliar with the series. The levels themselves are broken up are broken up over various gameplay methods. Some will have you playing under classic Dr. Mario rules. Others will have you playing as Dr. Luigi, which is mostly the same as Dr. Mario except he throws out “L” shaped capsules, meaning clearing viruses is a bit more difficult. Other stages will have you be either doctors as you pit it out against the other doctor is a versus style battle. These challenges are fun, but relatively easy once you get the hang of the gameplay. Versus mode is trickier, but these challenges were easily done in a weekend’s worth of gameplay. There’s also an endless mode, as well as online play, which gives you a variety of options to choose from. Online play was relatively lag free and I had no problems being beaten by better, stronger Dr. Mario (or Luigi) experts.

If there’s anything off with Dr. Mario’s latest adventure, it’s in the presentation. Those who have played any game in the series will find themselves at home with all the familiar tunes and sound bites that the previous games are known for. But while the game feels meaty for an eShop title, the presentation itself comes off as bare bones. For one, there isn’t even a title screen - the game just puts you right at the options. Mario and Luigi’s models look fine, but don’t do much other than swing their arms and act sad or happy when you win. The music is perfectly average, as well as everything else. Not that I expect a ton of bells and whistles from what is supposed to be presented as an eShop title, but I still couldn’t help but think this part of the presentation was a bit rushed.

Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure is what it is- it’s Dr. Mario. It’s a fine puzzle game that kept me busy for a good weekend that I might pick and and play every now and then, but won’t put too much thought to in the future. The new gameplay additions are a nice twist, and there’s plenty to do, with the various challenge modes and online play being key components of the game. I wish there was more in terms of presentation, but perhaps Dr. Mario doesn’t need the same kind of polish other eShop games need. If you’ve played a Dr. Mario game, you’re not missing a bunch here. But regardless, it’s a nice addition to the series.

[Using your brain has never been this rewarding.]

171

TalkBack / Typoman (Wii U) Hands-On Preview

« on: June 21, 2015, 03:37:00 PM »

Using your brain has never been this rewarding.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/40582/typoman-wii-u-hands-on-preview

Typoman is one of the more unique titles I have played during the Mix Indie Game Showcase last Wednesday night. It's a platformer, but not in the sense that you just run aimlessly, grabbing and killing monsters at will. Rather, it's a cerebral game that requires using your brain at all times. While it seems to be a platformer at heart, Typoman borrows more from the puzzle genre in which you must figure out how to move past the traps the game sets up as well as enemies that lay ahead of you. Once I was able to get the hang of things, I found its challenges to be immensely rewarding once they were finally completed.

The demo I played started off simple. I ran, jumped, and figured out the controls rather easily. The main goal of the game is to use words and put them in the correct order that will help you solve the puzzle needed to get to the next area. For example, one area had me swinging through letters, eventually grabbing the last word that spells “DRAIN”. That puzzle had me using precision platforming action, combining both genres together fabulously. Another puzzle, towards the end of the level, was churning out letters. At first, none of these letters were spelling out anything legible. But soon, I was able to spell out the word “STOP” with only a few of the letters being used, which in fact stopped the falling spike platform so that I could move on top of it to the next area. Sometimes the hardest puzzles require the simplest of answers.

Presentation wise, I very much enjoyed the unique atmosphere that Typoman exudes. You control a figure made out of letters who is in search of his other arm, which has been taken by a mysterious presence.  The level I played was dark and foreboding; dark shadows were everywhere as I traveled through the first stage, with zero color to be found. The hero's journey will be a dark one, and it’s unique aesthetic will stayed on my mind for a good while.

The one word that comes to mind when it comes to Typoman is “different” - it's immensely unique in the way that it plays. Many games are dark and ominous, but not many use letters that will help you advance to the next area. It was a challenge to figure out how to solve these puzzles; combine that with some of the precise platforming that was needed during some stages of gameplay made it a tough experience. But it was tough in a good way – it's just enough to where once you finally figure out that one word that will help you make it to the next section of the game is immensely rewarding. Scheduled for release later this year, Typoman is rife with promise and ingenuity.

[Putting pedal to the metal.]

172

TalkBack / Lifespeed Hands-On Preview

« on: June 18, 2015, 01:24:00 PM »

Putting pedal to the metal.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/40555/lifespeed-hands-on-preview

The future will be full of high speed vehicles cruising along ultra sleek, supersonic highways sometime in our lifespan, I’m sure. But in the meantime, I played WeeMan Studios’ upcoming racer Lifespeed today. Once I was finished cruising along a futuristic race track, with it’s impressive visuals and gameplay, my time with the game ended up being an enjoyable experience.

One of the more intriguing bits of information I learned from my time with the game is that it is exclusive to the New 3DS, with head developer John Owens explaining to me that the hardware and performance capabilities were what led to the decision. And from the get go, I could tell that this is one of the better independent Nindie titles that I have seen graphically. The track I played looked great, and everything has a sleek presentation (including awesome 3D visuals) which makes it really stand out among other 3DS games.  

The Lifespeed demonstration started with sleek comic book style panels that explained some of the game’s backstory, in which you're tasked with saving your home planet. Following that, I manned my ship and blasted off against 8 other racers. The vehicle moved without issue; these vehicles fly so using the circle pad will help steer it. Whenever a weapon is attained, you can fire that off using the A button. The R button initiates a barrel roll that helps the drivers attain a good boost that’ll help fly past rival drivers. Everything was easy to learn and was completely accessible. Beyond just gameplay, Lifespeed will also feature online leaderboards and also promises to have Miiverse integration.  

Lifespeed is a great mix of familiar racing games, such as F-Zero and Mario Kart, rolled into one cohesive unit that stands out on it’s own. The slick presentation, fun gameplay and smooth controls all gel well to form a fun racing game that stands out amongst other Nindie titles coming soon to the 3DS. You can check it out this September.

[Bryan wonders what changes, if any, we'll see with the 3DS version of the blue bomber's first six adventures.]

173

TalkBack / What's Up With the 3DS Version of Mega Man Legacy Collection?

« on: June 16, 2015, 09:11:57 PM »

Bryan wonders what changes, if any, we'll see with the 3DS version of the blue bomber's first six adventures.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/40499/whats-up-with-the-3ds-version-of-mega-man-legacy-collection

When Mega Man Legacy Collection was announced a few weeks ago, it was somewhat of a disappointment for me. I had wanted something something new in the Mega Man series for a while now, and although a remastered collection sounds nice, that wasn’t what I had in mind for a new entry in the Mega Man series. But I remain optimistic on this compilation of the first six games - it could wind up being a blast to play.The real problem, however, is the 3DS version of Mega Man Legacy Collection. While I did play the game on the show floor, this particular version was nowhere to be found, which raises a couple of questions.

I asked about the 3DS version of the game when I first arrived to play, but it wasn't there. When I inquired about the status of this,particular version of the game, I didn’t get a lot of comments. All that was said that it would be out this winter. Nothing on what would be added, removed, changed- zip, nada, nothing. I assumed I’d get these kind of comments since the game wasn’t on the show floor to be demonstrated, but I got less of an reaction than expected. I wanted something, anything other than a tentative release date, but got nothing.

But I don't want to make boo boo faces when it comes to Legacy Collection. I played the Xbox One version and had a fun time dying a lot (hey, it happens in Mega Man). Both Mega Man and Mega Man 2 brought back some fun memories. Mega Man 2 remains one of my favorite Mega Man games from long ago, and in HD it looks fantastic. The challenge modes, where you complete a set of obstacles in a set amount of time in various stages of certain Mega Man games, was indeed just that- a great challenge that brought back memories of dodging lasers and spikes as you fall to the floor, giant tigers that need that right weapon to wipe out, precision jumping, annoying enemies, just about anything and everything that make a 2D Mega Man what it is. As far as home consoles go, Mega Man Legacy Collection looks to deliver what it sets out to do - provide remastered editions of Mega Man games people have come to love for nearly 3 decades.

But I’m starting to wonder about just what kind of remastering we’re getting with the 3DS version. It won't get full 1080p support, but I'm sure it will still be nice - every asset from these first six Mega Man games have been cleaned up for a better, clearer picture. But I almost must bring up the question when it comes to graphics..why isn't there a Wii U version? Certainly if a game promising new HD graphics and cool retro is coming to two other HD consoles, the Wii U would have been a better fit here.

Perhaps when it comes to this lack of 3DS information, it’s just over thinking on my part. Maybe it’s still in a early development state, thus the later release date and lack of a demo. But its absence at E3, in the very least, raises some questions. What can we expect from this version? Would the 3DS receive different options when it comes to filters, or other additions that home consoles won't get? We don't have answers yet, and they won't come today. so while Mega Man Legacy Collection has a ton of potential of being a fun look at Mega Man's history, let's just hope whatever the 3DS version brings will be the collection Nintendo fans deserve - as faithful as it can be to its home console counterpart.

[Just how well do the worlds of Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi mesh together?]

174

TalkBack / Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam - A Meeting of Two Worlds

« on: June 16, 2015, 11:44:00 AM »

Just how well do the worlds of Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi mesh together?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/40489/mario-and-luigi-paper-jam-a-meeting-of-two-worlds

When it comes to Mario and RPGS, we have two series to choose from. Paper Mario, aside from a 3DS title a few years ago, has mostly been on consoles with a paper aesthetic. Mario and Luigi has a more traditional art style and has solely been on handhelds since its inception. But now these two universes have combined into one as Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam sees Paper Mario and their counterparts meet their Mario and Luigi counterparts in a story of parallel universes meeting each other in a bizarre twist of fate. I spent time with the game, and I’m happy to report that if you have been disappointed with recent Mario role playing games, Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam has a ton of potential with its new ideas.

The first mode that I played was quest mode. Here, I was tasked with finding seven Toads in a field area. This features traditional Mario and Luigi gameplay - A controls Mario, B controls Luigi, and Y controls Paper Mario. I traversed through a small field on the lookout for these missing Toads. The first three toads were relatively easy to find, but It took me a while to find the next three. Eventually they popped out, disguising themselves as a wooden gate to shield themselves from Bowser. I learned a dash mode from these Toads that was able to help me catch a Toad that was freaking out, running around rapidly. The final Toad was found through a hidden pathway, where I used Paper Mario as he slid past some rocks to find the last Toad. This all was traditional Mario and Luigi gameplay with action commands and moves on the field that spiced things up thanks to Paper Mario’s abilities, which will open up new ways to solve puzzles.

Next up was Boss mode. A magikoopa set upon me Petey Piranha, who was not going to make my day very fun. There are a couple of new additions when it comes to gameplay. One involved using cards during battle. I collected stars every time I hit an attack successfully that enabled me to spend points on cards that helped the gang in a number of ways, such as increasing defense for a number of turns. At one point in the battle, Petey Piranha chased Mario and Luigi. Paper Mario saved the day, however. He became a paper airplane that would help lift the dynamic duo as Petey flung mud balls at them. Once he was stopped Paper Mario returned to his current form and smashed him for more damage.

Paper Mario also seems to have his own different set of battle commands than Mario and Luigi. While the latter duo have their usual moves, such as jump and hammer attacks, Paper Mario has copies. As he is hit, more copies disappear. But the more copies he has, the more damage he can dish out with his jumping attack. Eventually, the trio was eventually able to take out Petey and the threat was over. With the addition of Paper Mario's abilities, this turned into a fun boss battle that was really fun to play, especially when Petey was chasing since you could see him chase the duo in full 3D.

The last feature I played was Papercraft Mode. In this, Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario controlled a paper mecha that they moved around to attack giant, paper-shaped Goombas that were on the field. To charge up the mecha’s power there were pads strewn about that initiate a rhythm-based game where you press Y each time a wave reaches the end of a circle. The better you’re at it, the quicker the meter will charge. Once ready, I was able to wipe out the Goombas by charging at them with the B button. Once the enemy was down, the Mario mecha was able to spring out of its pad and unleash a devastating pounce that often destroyed the enemy before me. The boss of this mode, a Mecha King Goomba, pounced at me. But when I dodged, he left open an opportunity to attack. I was able to take him down pretty easily soon after. The controls were a bit tricky at first, but once I got the hang of things it turned into a pretty fun battle that I'm interested in seeing how it's implemented in the full game.

There’s a lot of potential for Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam. The time I played with it was fun, and there’s plenty of new ideas and concepts that are being brought forth both in battle and on the field. One has to wonder just what kind of moves Paper Mario will possess that will help Mario and Luigi during their quest. I’d also love to see more of Paper Mario in battle and what else he may do that’s different from the usual arsenal of moves Mario and Luigi have. There’s a ton of fun and interesting ideas that can be thought up of thanks to the worlds of both Mario and Luigi and Paper Mario combining into one that we may soon see come to fruition when the game comes out next spring.

[Are these the next two combatants to enter the 3DS and Wii U games?]

175

TalkBack / Ryu, Roy Revealed as Smash Bros. Leaks Emerge

« on: June 12, 2015, 11:56:00 PM »

Are these the next two combatants to enter the 3DS and Wii U games?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rumor/40151/ryu-roy-revealed-as-smash-bros-leaks-emerge

A series of videos and screenshots have emerged featuring Ryu (Street Fighter) and Roy (Fire Emblem) as the next set of DLC characters for the 3DS and Wii U iterations of Super Smash Bros.

Early this morning, someone on the Super Smash Bros. Reddit posted videos of what appears to be Roy and Ryu's celebratory videos when clearing Classic Mode. Further leaks found on NeoGAF reveal that there are possibly plans for Lucas and Inkling trophies, music from Rhythm Heaven, as well as a new stage for Ryu (seen above) and the return of the Dreamland 64 stage. The leak allegedly comes from a Japanese patch uploaded early this morning on the game's servers.

Of course, until Nintendo confirms all of this as fact, we don't know if this is 100% confirmed but we'll keep an eye out for further developments, as Masahiro Sakurai is scheduled to talk about new Smash Bros. content on Sunday. You can see the videos of the alleged leaks below.