Topics

101

NWR Forums Discord / Rich at IGN lied about the Nintendo Direct for America?

« on: September 28, 2012, 11:47:19 PM »

He said it would be tonight, after the Japanese one. I've been waiting all day, and nothing happened. No announcement, no hints, nada.

102

General Chat / What happened to "Iwata Asks"?

« on: September 28, 2012, 07:07:58 PM »

I used to love reading the interviews that Satoru Iwata conducted with his employees at Nintendo. Lately, it seems Nintendo has been shifting their focus away from those for the more direct (pun intended) "Nintendo Direct" broadcasts.

Is the "Iwata Asks" series dead?

Also, Nintendo of America took down their official "Nintendo Direct" webpage. I guess they don't want to stream them directly from their site anymore.

103

General Chat / Bands that I like (but other people hate)...

« on: September 27, 2012, 09:39:43 PM »

I'm changing the topic of this thread to bands that I like (but other people hate).

First up: Matchbox Twenty (including Rob Thomas' solo work)

Discuss.

104

General Gaming / The PS3 "Super Slim"

« on: September 22, 2012, 07:12:30 PM »

Is the new PS3 model replacing the current PS3 Slim? I hope not, cause it looks like a massive downgrade from what we currently have. The sliding, top-loading disc drive looks terribly cheap, and it pales in comparison to the smoothness of the current PS3's slot-loading drive.

The whole thing looks like a cheap, low-end DVD player. I'm surprised that Sony decided to downgrade the hardware even further just to cut costs. The damn thing doesn't even come with an HDMI cable (the Wii U does, ironically). I thought Sony had a penchant for quality products?

Typical of Sony to release an upgraded product that's inferior to its predecessor.

EDIT: Another thing I just realized, the new top-loading tray prevents people from storing the system in an entertainment center. Slot-loading drives are much more convenient and simple to use, which is why I'm glad the Wii U has one.


This is what the new PS3 Slim looks like:

105

General Chat / Another shitty tendoboy thread

« on: September 15, 2012, 06:35:50 PM »

It's amazing how the Japanese have such high standards with animation and cartoons. You don't see this level of craftsmanship with American / Western cartoons anymore.

106

General Gaming / Mario Builder

« on: September 15, 2012, 05:49:18 PM »

Anyone here use it? I've made a few levels that I posted on Youtube.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 7 (edited and reuploaded)

What do you think?

107

General Chat / Calling all Apple fans! (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.)

« on: September 12, 2012, 05:06:45 PM »

At Apple's press event today, they unveiled the new iPhone 5, which has a taller 4-inch screen. The device itself is thinner than the older iPhone 4S, but it's the same width.

iPhone 5





________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Apple also unveiled a redesigned iPod Touch. Like the iPhone 5, the new iPod Touch has the same tall 4-inch screen. It also has an A5 chip, meaning games play smoother and faster, with graphics that are more detailed. The new iPod Touch also comes with iOS 6 pre-installed, with features like Passport, Apple Maps (replacing the old Google Maps app), and even Siri. Yes Siri is finally on the iPod Touch, but of course it only works on Wi-Fi.

iPod Touch 5th Gen






________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Siri on iPad 3, iPhone 5, and iPod Touch 5th Gen


There's also a new iPod Nano, with a slightly taller 2.5-inch screen. Pretty underwhelming.

108

General Gaming / What kind of controller is this?

« on: September 10, 2012, 08:35:58 PM »

I found this photo on GoNintendo, which was allegedly taken from a video showing Valve's offices.

SOURCE:  http://gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=185130




It looks like an Xbox 360 controller with a screen. Is it the Xbox 720's new controller? A controller for Valve's new TV gaming service/thing? What do you think?

109

General Chat / Everything Android - The Official Android Thread

« on: September 06, 2012, 10:21:06 PM »

Do you think Android gaming devices like the Ouya, Archos GamePad, and Wikipad can be a success? If you want dedicated controls on a handheld device, why not just buy a 3DS or Vita?

110

General Chat / Android OS updates compared to iOS and Windows Phone

« on: September 05, 2012, 11:31:03 PM »

Why does Google do such a horrible job with sending Android updates to consumers? A very small percentage of people are using the most current versions (Ice Cream Sandwich and Jellybean). Fragmentation is a big problem in the Android ecosystem.


iOS users don't have that problem, a majority of iPhones and iPads are running iOS 5. And I'm pretty sure Microsoft sends out Windows Phone updates in a timely manner as well.


Maybe Google should make Android updates automatic and mandatory, like how Windows Update works.

111

General Gaming / Anime video games compared to games based on American cartoons...

« on: August 29, 2012, 07:50:20 PM »

Why does it seem that games based on anime are higher quality than the games based on American cartoons?

112

General Gaming / Nintendo Direct - Which version do you prefer?

« on: August 29, 2012, 07:21:55 PM »

Do you prefer the North American Nintendo Direct, or the Japanese Nintendo Direct?

I prefer the Japanese version because of it's simplistic presentation. It's just Iwata standing in a room with a single camera, talking directly to the audience. It's direct and to the point.

Contrast this with the North American version, which is set up like PR video with it's quick edits and multi-camera setup. It looks too jarring.

113

General Chat / Favorite movie directors?

« on: August 25, 2012, 06:19:34 PM »

Who are your favorite movie directors? My favorites are:


- Steven Spielberg - Jurassic Park, The Lost World [Jurassic Park 2], ET, Saving Private Ryan
- Peter Jackson - Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong
- Robert Zemeckis - Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future trilogy, Forest Gump
- James Cameron - Terminator 1 and 2, Aliens [Alien 2], Titanic, I still haven't seen Avatar yet
- Ridley Scott - Alien, Gladiator
- Quentin Tarantino - Reservoir Dogs, Death Proof
- Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight Trilogy, I still haven't seen Inception yet
- Martin Scorsese - Shutter Island
- Tim Burton - Beetlejuice, Batman, Batman Returns, A Nightmare Before Christmas [creator and producer], Corpse Bride
- Henry Seleck - A Nightmare Before Christmas [director], James and the Giant Peach, I still haven't seen Coraline yet

It's good to see more movie directors pursuing their own creative projects, instead of being tied to a popular book / TV adaptation.

114

General Chat / The Muppet Thread

« on: August 23, 2012, 11:03:33 PM »

"It's The Muppet Thread, with our very special guest, YOU! Yaaaaaaaaayyyyy!!!"


Jim Henson and his team created something amazing with The Muppets and Sesame Street. He made the art of puppetry relevant again.

Anyone glad that Disney bought back the Muppets? I know Disney has owned the Muppets for years, but the series went dormant for a while. Hopefully the success of the new Muppet Movie will cause a resurgence in their popularity.

It's odd that Sesame Street has been popular for decades, yet the Muppets have only been popular in phases.

I remember owning a game for the NES called "Muppet Carnival Adventure", or something like that. It was amazing terrible, being a licensed game and all, but for some reason I kept playing it.

115

General Chat / Favorite streaming music service?

« on: August 13, 2012, 06:04:32 PM »

Which streaming music service do you like best?

- Last.fm

- Spotify

- Pandora Radio

- Slacker Radio


I used to like Pandora, but their music selection is very limited, and you can't play individual tracks. The interface is also very sparse.

I actually never heard of Slacker Radio before I discovered the app on IE9's "Bing Bar". The Slacker website has a horrible interface, and has the same problems as Pandora.

Last.fm is more like a social networking site, and the interface is confusing. I couldn't find a way to play an individual song, just a 30-second preview.

Long story short, I like Spotify best. You can create stations and listen to individual tracks. Also, the PC app looks a lot like iTunes, with the same clean interface.

116

General Chat / PC/Mac "app stores"

« on: August 09, 2012, 10:44:38 AM »

Are these new app stores for Mac OS X and Windows 8 going to take away consumer freedoms? In the past, you could download software from anywhere on the internet. Now everything is being put in a centralized web store. Does that mean we will no longer be able to download stuff from actual websites?

117

Nintendo Gaming / Wario Land (3DS Virtual Console)

« on: July 29, 2012, 10:44:12 PM »

I can't believe it's finally out in North America. I used to play this game endlessly, trying to find all the treasures and getting my coin count as high as possible.


Anyone else feeling nostalgic over Wario Land?

118

General Gaming / Which modern Sonic game best replicated the Genesis games?

« on: July 26, 2012, 09:17:16 PM »

In your opinion, which modern Sonic game best replicated the Genesis games?


The choices are:
- Sonic Advance
- Sonic 4: Episode 2
- Sonic Generations (Classic Sonic)

119

Nintendo Gaming / Nintendo's reasoning for not including an AC Adapter with the 3DS XL...

« on: July 24, 2012, 07:11:33 PM »

I found this in the latest "Iwata Asks" article.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iwata -
According to the original specifications, if you were playing while charging, you were surpassing the capacity of the existing AC adapter. For that reason, there was a time that, you thought you might have to prepare a special version.

Koshiishi -
Yeah. But later on, through cooperation with the manufacturer, we were able to get by with the existing adapter. We also discussed cost and whether we needed to include the charging cradle. And you suggested not including the AC adapter.

(Editor's note: The North American version of the Nintendo 3DS XL does include an AC adapter.)

Iwata - That's right.

Koshiishi -
We worried over it, but during that time, all the groups within the company naturally shared a desire to separate what was absolutely necessary and what wasn't. In the end, we decided that it was best to sell the AC adapter and the charging cradle separately.

Iwata -
About the AC adapter, this is the fourth of this type since the Nintendo DSi13 system, so I think many people have the previous AC adapters. That being the case, we thought we should make it easier, even if just a little, to buy the system. However, you have to have the stores notify shoppers that this product doesn't come with an AC adapter, so if you don't already have one, you have to buy it separately. This project required the sales division to be thorough on that point as well.

Koshiishi -
That's right. I was relieved that everyone on the staff understood that we were saying to the players, "We won't make you pay for something you don't need."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We won't make you pay for something you don't need."

What a bullshit excuse. The device needs an AC adapter to charge, yet Nintendo expects consumers to pay extra for a necessary item? I guess the company really is out of touch with reality.

120

General Chat / GarageBand for iOS

« on: July 18, 2012, 09:40:10 PM »

Anyone have GarageBand for iOS? I've been making a few drumbeats with it (posted on my YouTube channel), and I love how easy it is to use.

121

Nintendo Gaming / Wii Remote Plus has a defective motion sensor?

« on: June 09, 2012, 12:42:43 AM »

I just bought a new Wii Remote Plus. While I was playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii, sometimes Mario would do his little spin move while I wasn't even shaking the controller.

It's not a huge problem, but I don't want to end up running into an enemy because the controller misjudged what I was doing. The point is, can a Wii Remote Plus have a defective motion sensor?

I tried using my other Wii Remote Plus and it doesn't have the over-sensitive motion problem.

122

Nintendo Gaming / Wii U and multiplayer gaming

« on: June 07, 2012, 06:07:19 PM »

People were complaining about multiplayer gaming on the Wii U, but I think the Pro Controller solves that dilemma. It has everything the GamePad has, minus the screen.

4 shoulder buttons
A B X Y buttons
2 analog sticks
D-pad

Yup, that just about covers everything.

The Wii U uses the following controllers:

- Wii Remote with Nunchuk
- Classic Controller Pro
- Wii U GamePad
- Wii U Pro Controller

That's a lot of options for multiplayer gaming. So I guess that settles it then?

123

Nintendo Gaming / New Super Mario Bros. U

« on: June 07, 2012, 03:07:42 PM »

I'm warming up to the game. I love the new detail they gave the backgrounds, and the level design seems more interesting.


Boost Mode seems like a fun way to get casual gamers to participate. It is kind of cheating though, since you could use the assist blocks like a bridge, extending them over all the traps on the ground.

I am extremely disappointed that there is no level editor in either the 3DS or Wii U versions of NSMB. The touch screens of the 3DS and Wii U would make creating your own levels a breeze. Nintendo has a huge opportunity to go after the LittleBigPlanet players, yet they fumbled it again.

I am also confused by the naming of the NSMB games. It should be like this:

NSMB (DS) = NSMB 1
NSMB Wii  = NSMB 2
NSMB 2 (3DS) = NSMB 3
NSMB U (Wii U) = NSMB 4

The games should be numbered in the order they were released. The 3DS version is the 3rd NSMB game, so it should be called "New Super Mario Bros. 3". Or maybe Nintendo considers the handheld and console NSMB games to be separate from each other.

124

General Gaming / Nintendo Network

« on: June 06, 2012, 11:19:16 PM »

Just what is Nintendo Network? Satoru Iwata discussed it briefly in one of his investor's meetings a month ago. And E3 came and went without any new info on the service.
Despite this, we are already seeing this logo on a few 3DS games. And Nintendo says the service will come to the Wii U. Why would Nintendo put the Nintendo Network logo on game boxes, and fail to discuss what the service is?

Miiverse Is The New Name For Nintendo Network?
At E3, Satoru Iwata unvieled a new social messaging service called "Miiverse" for the Wii U, and stated that it will also come to the 3DS and mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) in the future. We were all expecting details on Nintendo Network, but they acted like it doesn't exist.

Is Nintendo Network just a name? Or is it an actual online service comparable to Xbox Live, Steam, and PSN?

125

Nintendo Gaming / New Super Mario Bros. 2

« on: June 06, 2012, 10:12:33 PM »

I just watched the 3DS conference, and I like the new ideas of New Super Mario Bros. 2.

As we all know, the game is all about getting tons of coins. The coins you collect all add up to a "million coin" counter. There's a new golden Fire Flower that lets you shoot fireballs that turn bricks and enemies into coins.

There is a "Coin Rush" mode that has you play through 3 levels at a time. You have to finish a level quickly, because any leftover time is added to your coin total.

You can share high scores via StreetPass, and the Mii's high score is displayed on the top of the screen.

There is also a co-op mode for the single player campaign.

Here's the official info from Nintendo:

New Super Mario Bros. 2: This new side-scrolling installment in the fan-favorite Super Mario Bros. franchise launches Aug. 19 as the Mushroom Kingdom bursts with more coins and gold than ever before. Players can transform into Gold Mario and Raccoon Mario, and challenge friends to beat their high scores in the new Coin Rush mode. Also, for the first time in a hand-held Mario title, players can enjoy a cooperative two-player mode for the entire game via a local wireless connection.

God damn it Nintendo! No online play is a huge missed opportunity!