Messages

1176

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns announced for 3DS

« on: February 14, 2013, 01:39:59 PM »

Newsflash!

1177

TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns Coming to 3DS

« on: February 14, 2013, 01:35:31 PM »

Can you imagine if this game actually required you to shake the 3DS to roll? Hahahaha. Part of me actually wants them to do this merely because it would be dumbest thing ever. The 'shake to roll' in the Wii version was already plenty dumb, but it would be even worse on 3DS given that it would totally mess up the 3D. That would be amazing, lol.

1178

Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last TV show you've seen

« on: February 14, 2013, 11:32:39 AM »

I might agree with you if hadn't already obtained the position he already has.  It proves that he is skillful in playing the game.  Probably not as skillful as he believes himself to be but, skillful none the less.

True. I'm looking forward to seeing where they take it from here. How cool would it be if the last series ended with Frank becoming president?

1179

TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns Coming to 3DS

« on: February 14, 2013, 11:29:39 AM »

While we're talking remakes, where's my Majora's Mask remake? I want to see what the moon looks like when it's tumbling from the sky in 3D.

1180

Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last TV show you've seen

« on: February 14, 2013, 11:20:29 AM »

After lecturing Russo about this and that he turns around and Sleeps with the Reporter.  Which is fine if it was just a business move like they played it off to be that episode later on but, then a couple episode laters when she wants to stop that side of it, one she initiated, he can't really handle it and throws a hissy fit.
I'm sorry you can't be that good of a Manipulator for 30 years and make such a Rookie mistake.

Wow, I read those scenes in a completely different way.
 


I didn't get the sense that Frank was throwing a hissy fit. It was a blow to his ego perhaps, but it's all about power for Frank. When Zoe reaches her decision to kill that side of their relationship I think Frank was upset not because of the rebuke, but because that relationship was one of the few things in which he was still in control. Despite his well laid plans, Frank's influence and power was being eroded on all sides by his wife, Sandcorp, his colleagues on the hill and in the White House etc. His control over Zoe was one of the few things he had left that made him feel powerful.

But she was still a tool that he could use and how he handled it was not the professional planned disengagement you would expect from him.  The realization that as a tool she had now outlive her usefulness because the control was gone and to phase her out quitely.

Perhaps. The way I look at though is that he's a person who likes to think he's above emotional responses, a person who is too intelligent to be blindsighted be someone he considers inferior to himself, but he's still a person. A person with faults and hang-ups.
 
Spacey's asides to the audience need to be put in context. His monologues are all from his perspective. I don't think we should assume that he is as effective a political operator as he believes himself to be. In fact, the conclusion of the series would indicate that his machinations have  been complacent and rather lazy. The real rookie mistake was using Zoe to publish two storys that could be linked together.
 
It seems like we both agree that Frank made some pretty stupid mistakes. Where we differ perhaps is that I think that those flaws are not only within his character, but are actually inherent to why he's such an interesting character.

1181

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive #26 Poll

« on: February 14, 2013, 11:03:45 AM »

Well, let's be honest, the original Castlevania trilogy ain't no cakewalk either.
 
I did beat Rondo of Blood when it was released on VC, but I did find it very challenging (not necessarily in a bad way). I remember the Death boss fight being particularly hard. Who knows though? Maybe I just suck at Castlevania.

1182

Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last TV show you've seen

« on: February 14, 2013, 10:55:16 AM »

After lecturing Russo about this and that he turns around and Sleeps with the Reporter.  Which is fine if it was just a business move like they played it off to be that episode later on but, then a couple episode laters when she wants to stop that side of it, one she initiated, he can't really handle it and throws a hissy fit.
I'm sorry you can't be that good of a Manipulator for 30 years and make such a Rookie mistake.

Wow, I read those scenes in a completely different way.
 


I didn't get the sense that Frank was throwing a hissy fit. It was a blow to his ego perhaps, but it's all about power for Frank. When Zoe reaches her decision to kill that side of their relationship I think Frank was upset not because of the rebuke, but because that relationship was one of the few things in which he was still in control. Despite his well laid plans, Frank's influence and power was being eroded on all sides by his wife, Sandcorp, his colleagues on the hill and in the White House etc. His control over Zoe was one of the few things he had left that made him feel powerful.

1183

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Direct Coming Thursday

« on: February 14, 2013, 10:36:35 AM »

I don't think I'll ever understand what the appeal of Animal Crossing is. It completely eludes me.

1184

TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns Coming to 3DS

« on: February 14, 2013, 10:24:08 AM »

I have a funny story about playing DKCR. I managed to 100% that game (at least, everything up to mirror mode) before I realised that in Cranky Kong's shop you can press down to get Squawks, Heart Boost and Banana Juice. For some bizarre reason I thought the Bird, the Heart and the Bottle were just icons for the balloons floating above them, lol.
 


 
I went into the shop a few times and thought, 'I don't need any extra lives' and then never went back. Do you have any idea how difficult some of those temple levels are? Had I known that I could have one extra hit or that I could briefly turn invincible I would have jumped at the opportunity!
 
I was too stubborn and idiotic though, so I just ploughed on oblivious to the fact that I was making it ten times more difficult for myself. I don't regret it though, because I really loved that game and thought that the challenge was part of what made it so much fun.
 
My point is. By the end of that game I truely was an expert at rolling, lol.
 
 

1185

TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns Coming to 3DS

« on: February 14, 2013, 09:57:57 AM »

I just hope this isn't the game that Retro has been working on the last two years.

I honestly wouldn't worry about it. There's no way in hell that Retro is not working on a Wii U project. If Retro did this port (which hasn't been confirmed yet) it would not have taken them 2 years and it would likely have been handled by a little splinter team within the studio.
 
Hell, I don't even believe that the whole of Retro was working on DKCR.
 
WHAT ARE THEY UP TO?!

1186

TalkBack / Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns Coming to 3DS

« on: February 14, 2013, 09:50:46 AM »

I'm a huge DKC fan (I think the first 2 DKC games are amongst the best on the SNES) but I thought this announcement was lame (as in 'ineffectual', not the whiney use of the term). A new DKC would have had me excited. A port of a Wii game that I played only a few short years ago is decidely less interesting (no matter how good that game is).
 
I guess people who didn't play it originally will appreciate this, but to those people I'd recommend picking up a cheap Wii copy. Plus, it's the type of game that I feel benefits from being viewed on a big screen.

1187

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive #26 Poll

« on: February 14, 2013, 09:34:22 AM »

I voted for Y's because that's the only game I haven't already played before. I hear it's a very interesting series.
 
Pulseman is...ok.
 
Rondo of blood is...difficult (but very good).
 
Zombies ate my Neighbors (or Zombies in Europe) is fun playing multiplayer, but I wouldn't recommend playing it alone.
 
I don't remember much about Startropics 2 beyond the fact that it was in the vein of Zelda.

1188

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Direct Coming Thursday

« on: February 14, 2013, 08:43:04 AM »

I'm sitting here waiting for the NOE Direct to start and just thought I'd take stock of the 3DS retail games I've owned since purchasing the system. The last retail game I bought for the 3DS was Sticker Star. The last one I bought and actually thought was any good was Mario 3D Kart, and even that wasn't particularly exciting. That's when I came to the very sad realisation that the only 3DS retail release that I've enjoyed wholeheartedly is 3D Land.
 
Part of it has to do with my tastes no doubt (NSMB didn't really do anything for me , I don't enjoy Resident Evil games so Revelations was out, and I thought Uprising was ill-conceived), but it's really sad to think that there's only one retail release on the platform that I can point to as being exceptional (Awakening looks and sounds amazing but I won't know for myself until April).
 
Here's hoping that Nintendo have some killer games lined up.
 
 
_{2D handheld Metroid, 2D handheld Metroid, 2D handheld Metroid}
 
...Ahem

1189

Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last TV show you've seen

« on: February 14, 2013, 07:47:52 AM »

They had Francis make a move in the 4th Episode that he wouldn't make by the established character and well it started going down hill from their.

I just finished this as well and thought it was gripping. Watching Frank do his thing was incredibly entertaining throughout the series, and I even got really caught up in Russo's arch which was tragic to say the least.
 
Remind me, what was the move you're referring to?

1190

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Direct Coming Thursday

« on: February 13, 2013, 10:27:56 AM »

Hello....
Today I brought along my Cat Sam to this Nintendo Direct. 
To share with you today. 
Now Imagine that you are Sam here. 
*starts to pet Sam*
Now when Sam starts complaining about not getting enough milk...
*continues to pet Sam*
His owner gets...upset.
When I get upset, things get hurt.
*grips Sam by the neck, twisting his head right while whipping the body to the left with a sharp crack*
You got the message bitches?
*drops the body on the floor and walks off camera*
 
 

1191

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Direct Coming Thursday

« on: February 13, 2013, 10:11:38 AM »

My 3DS is dying. Give it something to play NOE!

1192

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 325: Something About Tingle's Chest Hair

« on: February 11, 2013, 06:56:49 PM »

Everybody, especially Johhny is looking at how things are now and painting a doom situation, when its FAR to early to panic, I can tell you never played sports, and if you did, when you got behind, you thought it was over.

What podcast were you listening to?
 
Nobody is panicking and nobody has sayed they thought it was 'over'. The Wii U is facing serious problems as far as western third party support is concerned (that's not debatable, it's a fact), but that's not to say that Nintendo can't respond and initiate changes which can help foster a more healthy environment for third partys. In fact, that's exactly what I took away from what was said on the podcast, that Nintendo has at their disposal a number of tactics which could make the platform more enticing.
 
Let's not kid ourselves though, this is not the position that Nintendo wanted or planned to be in. The Wii U is facing a serious image problem at the moment, amongst a not insignificant proporation of gamers but more importantly at this point amongst western developers and publishers. Confidence in the system needs to be bolstered by Nintendo, but it needs to be done sooner rather than later. That's not being alarmist, that's just being practical.

1193

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 325: Something About Tingle's Chest Hair

« on: February 11, 2013, 05:35:31 PM »

LORDS OF THUNDER

That's so weird. I just suggested that game in the Retroactive nomination thread, and then popped on here to see if the article had been updated with the next nominees, only to see 'LORDS OF THUNDER'. Freaky!

1194

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

« on: February 11, 2013, 05:25:59 PM »

I know the next retroactive nominations have already been picked, but I'm going to go ahead and continue throwing them out there.
 
I'll once again nominate Faxanadu and Ufouria (I can keep this up for as long as it takes) as those are games that I think could make for some interesting discussion and they're also games that I think everyone should play.
 
I would also nominate Alien Soldier, which is the only Treasure game that I've played that I did not enjoy. An Alien Soldier Retroactive would be a useful opportunity to re-visit that game to determine exactly what it was about it that I didn't appreciate.
 
Bonus nominations
 
Yoshi's Island (this is topical given the new Yarn announcement, but there's also the fact that the debate about whether or not this game is a SNES classic or a case of style over substance cropt up on the boards recently. I'd be interested to hear everyone's opinion).
 
Lords of Thunder (for the music alone)

Alien Crush (Again, mostly for the music, but it's also a great pinball game and is a precursor to what Zen is now doing, albiet with licensed tables)
 

1195

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Needs to Stop Caring About What Other People Think

« on: February 10, 2013, 01:09:59 PM »

I think it’s time for Nintendo to embrace the fact that people buy Nintendo hardware for Nintendo’s own software. It should stop holding back its own development to make room for third party-support that will never come, and instead blow everyone away with the sheer force of its own weight.

 
Nintendo should definitely put it's own weight behind the Wii U, but to disregard the appeal that third party software holds would be risky. Quite frankly, there are genres and games with content and themes that Nintendo wouldn't touch with a 10 foot grapple beam. There are also games that Nintendo are simply not capable of making. Nintendo cannot be all things to all people, and it is in the spaces that Nintendo don't operate that third party's have traditionally found success on Nintendo platforms, providing the types of games that Nintendo can't or won't publish.
 
My worry is this. If Nintendo is not receiving third party support at a point when their system's technical aspects are comprobable to their competitors (ports being made that much easier), then what hope do they have come next year when Orbis and Durango have lept over the Wii U? Based on history I would have to suggest that the Wii U is likely to be another Wii (at least in terms of third party support). It is this worry that has urged me not to buy a Wii U yet. I had fun with my wii, but was continually frustrated by the huge gaps in the release schedule.
 
When I was younger I could play a game for months and therefore the gaps did not bother me so much. I'm at a stage now, however, where I can afford more games, I'm open to playing a broader spectrum of games, and I want a system that can support that diet. If the Wii U continues on it's current trajectory it's likely to be another Wii, and honestly? As much as I love 10 or so games on that system, I'm not buying another Wii.
 
What I'm saying is, Nintendo could throw as much weight behind their system as possible, releasing more games per year than ever before, and the Wii U would still not have a software library that could objectively be considered inclusive. So Nintendo can either court third partys in the hope that they can turn the situation around, or they can give up and just let the Wii U become another Gamecube (a secondary system owned almost exclusively to play Nintendo games).
 
Personally I'd prefer they try the former.
 
 

I'm not suggesting Nintendo try to do this entirely with their own internal studios. More projects along the lines of Bayonetta 2 or Wonderful 101, or Excitebots or Punch-Out or whatever, where they partner with an outside studio to make a game, would be a part of something like this.

I'm just saying that since there doesn't seem to be anything Nintendo can do to win over third parties and have them voluntarily support the platform, they should concentrate their efforts elsewhere.

I had a very well thought out , eloquent, and resonably robust (i.e. long) response in which I discussed several interesting things and tried to find a middle ground. Unfortuantely I tried to delete a coma and backed out of the page.
 
 
 
**** that's annoying!
 
You'll just have to take my word for it, because I'm not re-typing it all again. So pissed off right now, lol.

1196

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Needs to Stop Caring About What Other People Think

« on: February 10, 2013, 11:49:36 AM »

Frankly, Nintendo has shown with the N64 and the GameCube that they have the ability to support a system on their own.  And that's all they need to worry about.

That's debatable. There were huges periods of time with both consoles that I was bored senseless because of the lack of releases.

1197

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Needs to Stop Caring About What Other People Think

« on: February 10, 2013, 04:09:49 AM »

I think it’s time for Nintendo to embrace the fact that people buy Nintendo hardware for Nintendo’s own software. It should stop holding back its own development to make room for third party-support that will never come, and instead blow everyone away with the sheer force of its own weight.

 
Nintendo should definitely put it's own weight behind the Wii U, but to disregard the appeal that third party software holds would be risky. Quite frankly, there are genres and games with content and themes that Nintendo wouldn't touch with a 10 foot grapple beam. There are also games that Nintendo are simply not capable of making. Nintendo cannot be all things to all people, and it is in the spaces that Nintendo don't operate that third party's have traditionally found success on Nintendo platforms, providing the types of games that Nintendo can't or won't publish.
 
My worry is this. If Nintendo is not receiving third party support at a point when their system's technical aspects are comprobable to their competitors (ports being made that much easier), then what hope do they have come next year when Orbis and Durango have lept over the Wii U? Based on history I would have to suggest that the Wii U is likely to be another Wii (at least in terms of third party support). It is this worry that has urged me not to buy a Wii U yet. I had fun with my wii, but was continually frustrated by the huge gaps in the release schedule.
 
When I was younger I could play a game for months and therefore the gaps did not bother me so much. I'm at a stage now, however, where I can afford more games, I'm open to playing a broader spectrum of games, and I want a system that can support that diet. If the Wii U continues on it's current trajectory it's likely to be another Wii, and honestly? As much as I love 10 or so games on that system, I'm not buying another Wii.
 
What I'm saying is, Nintendo could throw as much weight behind their system as possible, releasing more games per year than ever before, and the Wii U would still not have a software library that could objectively be considered inclusive. So Nintendo can either court third partys in the hope that they can turn the situation around, or they can give up and just let the Wii U become another Gamecube (a secondary system owned almost exclusively to play Nintendo games).
 
Personally I'd prefer they try the former.
 
 

1198

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

« on: February 10, 2013, 03:31:02 AM »

I think Skylands has just supplanted military shooters at the top of my list of 'Games I don't give a s*** about'. Followed closely by Animal Crossing and everything Kojima has ever made.

1199

TalkBack / Re: Fire Emblem Frustration

« on: February 08, 2013, 01:39:33 PM »

Does it really auto save? I played through this for retroactive and I seem to recall turning it off and replaying certain chapters because I lost a specific character. I might be thinking of Radiant Dawn though, because I've played that within the last year as well.

1200

TalkBack / Re: Rayman Legends Delayed To September

« on: February 08, 2013, 09:15:02 AM »

Also have to say that, even assuming mediocre sales across all platforms, the delay probably makes sense for Ubisoft's bottom line.  Getting a small bump in sales (due to better marketing and removing the perception that PS3/360 versions are "just a port of an old game") across the massive PS3/360 install base will probably generate more sales than being a dominant game on Wii U at this point in the lifecycle.

That was my point exactly.