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[Ultimate NES Remix will feature online leaderboards and much more.]

1251

TalkBack / NES Remix Coming to 3DS This Year

« on: August 29, 2014, 08:52:52 AM »

Ultimate NES Remix will feature online leaderboards and much more.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38390/nes-remix-coming-to-3ds-this-year

Ultimate NES Remix, a new entry in the Wii U series NES Remix, is coming to 3DS in North America on December 5 and Europe on November 7. Additionally, the NES Remix Pack on Wii U is coming out the same day in North America.

The 3DS game, which will cost $29.99, will contain "quick-fire" challenges from 16 different NES games and include online leaderboards as well as a Championship Mode. Ultimate NES Remix is coming to both the eShop and retail stores.

The NES Remix Pack includes NES Remix 1 and 2 for $29.99, which is the price of both games if you were to buy them on the eShop separately.

[The idea of the New 3DS is awesome, but is dividing the user base worth it?]

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TalkBack / Is the New 3DS More Game Boy Color or Game Boy Micro?

« on: August 29, 2014, 08:36:40 AM »

The idea of the New 3DS is awesome, but is dividing the user base worth it?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/38385/is-the-new-3ds-more-game-boy-color-or-game-boy-micro

Somewhat unexpectedly, a bomb dropped this morning: a new model of the 3DS and 3DS XL, called the "New 3DS," is coming to Japan in October (and Europe in 2015 and North America in probably 2015). This new system is like your old 3DS, but it also can play exclusive games that will only work on this new upgraded system, like Xenoblade Chronicles, which is coming to 3DS in 2015.

It has a whole slew of other additions, too. It has two more shoulder buttons and a weird Circle Pad nub as a second analog stick. The 3D viewing angle is improved. It uses microSD instead of SD. With an improved CPU, it will run better.

The last time Nintendo did a system upgrade like this, there were problems. The DSi, an improvement over the DS and DS Lite, allowed for exclusive games and an online shop for games. Though I'll always carry a torch for the DSiWare lineup, those DSi-exclusive games appeared to bomb. Nintendo's upgrade didn't increase software sales. The hardware sold, but mostly because of the success of the DS and DS Lite, as well as the existing software base.

More recently, Nintendo did something similar, spinning the 3DS off into the 2DS. The new system wasn't technologically different, but aesthetically, it was a drastic departure in the same vein as the Game Boy Micro. The Nintendo 2DS and the Micro both sold under expectations. While we don't know exact 2DS numbers, the fact Nintendo hasn't trumpeted the sales regularly in a press release means the 2DS wasn't a slam dunk, even more surprising considering it launched alongside a Pokémon title.

Looking further back, Nintendo did something similar with the Game Boy Color back in the late '90s, but that's a much different situation. The Game Boy Color came out almost a decade after the original Game Boy, and the landscape wasn't as crowded with downloadable games, mobile platforms, and more. As a kid, I remember it not being super clear what worked on the Game Boy Color and what didn't, and that’s with much clearer branding than "3DS" and "New 3DS."

So what makes the new 3DS different? Well, it does hit a different audience. The 2DS was seen as a downgrade or at best, a sidestep, meaning people didn't upgrade to the 2DS. In that respect, the New 3DS is more comparable to the Game Boy Color, since both systems are an upgrade to their predecessor. Current 3DS owners, including probably 75% of the staff here at Nintendo World Report, are more likely to upgrade to the New 3DS. Splitting the audience with another version of the 3DS seems treacherous.  Xenoblade Chronicles only works on the new 3DS, and even though Xenoblade is a supremely rad game, a new 3DS version of that RPG won't bring the sales thunder. At this point, you're going to have four distinct versions of the 3DS, and only one of them has exclusive games. From a parent or even a retail employee prospective, that can't be easy to explain, especially in a world where folks still confuse the Wii and the Wii U and there is a DS, a 2DS, and a 3DS.

I'm stoked for the new 3DS model. Everything about it is essentially what I'd like to see upgraded about the 3DS, and hopefully that weird little C-stick nub thing is comfortable. However, I believe splitting the market with a system that has its own exclusives won't work that well, especially given the recent track record for Nintendo. Then again, with Miyamoto’s recent comments, maybe Nintendo is indeed doubling-down on their loyal audience, hoping that their fans who want to upgrade carry them through. That makes sense especially when it seems like the company bet hard on the 2DS last year and that seemingly floundered.

Only time will tell, and we will have to wait even longer since the New 3DS isn’t slated to leave Japan until next year. As a fan, I can’t wait for this new system and a port of a game I’d love to play on the go, but on the other hand, the entire 3DS system situation is confusing. I just hope that Nintendo somehow remembers what made the Game Boy Color successful as opposed to the middling reception of the Game Boy Micro, DSi, or Wii U. A more powerful version of a system can work, but all I can do is just raise an eyebrow and fret that the New 3DS will fall flat.

[As the next Layton game comes out, could the series’ players be wearing thin?]

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TalkBack / Professor Layton and the Lapsed Gamers

« on: August 28, 2014, 09:32:31 AM »

As the next Layton game comes out, could the series’ players be wearing thin?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/38378/professor-layton-and-the-lapsed-gamers

The Professor Layton series, which is, for the most part, wrapped up as far as we know, has been prolific since the series came to North America in early 2008. There have been six entries across the DS and 3DS, a movie, and a spinoff with Phoenix Wright (due out stateside on August 29). That's not even counting whatever the hell that Layton Bros. iOS game was. If you've had a hankering for some puzzles and a lavishly presented story with ridiculous twists and turns, you have had ample opportunity to play a Layton game.

For me, I adored the series from day one. I blew through the 2008 debut Curious Village. I loved the 2009 sequel Diabolical Box. I was sincerely touched by the 2010 release Unwound Future. I enjoyed the first of the prequel games, The Last Specter, in 2011 and got sucked into London Life, the Animal Crossing-like bonus mode.

Then, Layton's 3DS debut, Miracle Mask, came to America in 2012. I was actually out of town when it released, and I connected to shoddy hotel Wi-Fi to download it the minute the game launched on the eShop. Now, almost two years since I bought Miracle Mask, I only just finished it. I have no idea why it took me so long to finish a game in a series I adore.

It's not that I didn't enjoy Miracle Mask. I love the changes to the exploration in the 3DS version. I think the new 3D art style translates the series' 2D origins expertly. The puzzles, as always, are fun and challenging. The story is satisfactorily absurd and intriguing. But for some reason, I essentially just play an hour of it every month or two and then put it back away, repeatedly telling myself I'll finish it during the next game drought.

And then Azran Legacy, the sixth and final (maybe?) mainline Layton game, came out earlier this year. I almost instinctually bought it, but I held back because, well, I never finished Miracle Mask. I played a demo of Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney last month and loved it, but I'm torn as to whether or not I want to get either of those games because I'm not sure if I'll actually play them in some kind of timely manner.

It doesn't seem like I'm alone in my fade from the Layton series. Back when the second and third games released, I saw a lot of my fellow Nintendo World Report staffers and community members fade away from the series, waiting for it to be "shaken up." Slowly, over the course of six entries, it seemed like less and less people were staying on for the next adventure. I've never heard anyone call a Layton game bad, but it seems like a series that a lot of gamers faded away from for some unexplainable reason.

With the (maybe) final Layton game coming to 3DS in North America this week, it's weird to reflect on a series that seemed so original and fresh when it came out that got so driven into the ground and formulaic. Even still, it's sad to think that Hershel and Luke's adventures are basically over. Maybe the duo is just doomed to become Yo-Kai Watch ghosts or Inazuma Eleven characters. Maybe they'll appear in a future Smash Bros. title. Maybe we'll see them return in a big, bad way in a new game. Even with my lackadaisical approach to playing through Miracle Mask, I'm curious to see where this series goes.

[A number of videos appear to confirm last week's major leak.]

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TalkBack / Smash Bros. Leak Potentially Reveals New Characters

« on: August 25, 2014, 06:14:03 AM »

A number of videos appear to confirm last week's major leak.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rumor/38352/smash-bros-leak-potentially-reveals-new-characters

Several characters new and old might be joining the fight in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS if a leak that started circulating last week is accurate. The newcomers that are a part of the leak are Shulk (from Xenoblade), Bowser Jr., Dark Pit, the Duck Hunt Dog, and — returning from Melee — Dr. Mario.

Last week, several leaks that shared similar reveals popped up. While some aspects of the leaks seemed flimsy, a series of videos posted today appear to confirm Bowser Jr. (complete in his clown car) and Shulk as newcomers and Ganondorf as a returning veteran.

If other parts of the leaks are correct, then Ness, R.O.B., Mr. Game & Watch, Falco, Jigglypuff and Wario will also be returning. That also means that Lucas, Wolf, Ice Climbers, and Snake might not be returning.

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS comes out on September 13 in Japan, so it looks like we will find out soon enough if this leak is legitimate or not. If it is, then the cast of Super Smash Bros. is at least as high as 49 characters.

For a good rundown of the full leak, check out the NeoGAF thread.

[This week, we discuss our favorite boss and battle themes and take a look back at Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3.]

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Podcast Discussion / Episode 147: Skate or Die

« on: August 23, 2014, 11:44:46 AM »

This week, we discuss our favorite boss and battle themes and take a look back at Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/38342/episode-147-skate-or-die

Hello and welcome to this week's Connectivity! We have two segments for you this week.

Kicking the show off, Zach and Scott get together to share their absolute favorite boss and battle themes. Pulling from Donkey Kong Country, EarthBound, Dragon Quest IX, Xenoblade Chronicles and more, the guys go over what makes a boss or battle theme so memorable and why they love these particular themes. Have your own favorite theme that we don't mention? Mail us a link and tell us what makes it so great! We'll feature user submissions on a future episode.

After that, Neal and Zach take a look back at Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, this episodes Game of the Week. Here, you'll learn what makes THPS3 so timeless and that Zach used to skateboard. It's true! They also read your entries for who should be included in a future Tony Hawk game as an unlockable character. We don't have a contest this week, but you should still be excited for next episode's Game of the Week: Metroid Zero Mission!

Be sure to click here to send us your listener mail and favorite boss/battle themes. We'll see you next week!

[Stop showing your Pokémon and start drawing them this fall.]

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TalkBack / Pokemon Art Academy Gets a Release Date in America

« on: August 22, 2014, 09:07:00 AM »

Stop showing your Pokémon and start drawing them this fall.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38340/pokemon-art-academy-gets-a-release-date-in-america

Pokémon Art Academy is coming to retail and the eShop in North America on October 24.

The Headstrong Games-developed 3DS game comes several months after the Japan and Europe releases, which were back in June and July respectively.

Pokémon Art Academy is also hitting on the same day as Fantasy Life in North America, mirroring the same release pattern that Nintendo of America used earlier in the year when Kirby Triple Deluxe and Mario Golf World Tour came out on the same day in May.

[3DS owners in Japan will be playing Square's new RPG before the year's over.]

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TalkBack / Japanese Release Date for Final Fantasy Explorers Announced

« on: August 22, 2014, 08:50:45 AM »

3DS owners in Japan will be playing Square's new RPG before the year's over.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38339/japanese-release-date-for-final-fantasy-explorers-announced

Final Fantasy Explorers is slated to launch on 3DS in Japan on December 18.

Explorers is a new action RPG from Square Enix that eschews the story-driven nature of most Final Fantasy games and features more of a Monster Hunter style where players go on quests. The combat is focused on a job-based system and players can even play online with up to three other players. The game is directed by Atsushi Hashimoto, who most recently worked on Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Square Enix is airing a series of videos in Japan starting on September 3 at 8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT/9 p.m. JST/2 p.m. CET  to explain the mechanics of Final Fantasy Explorers.

As of now, there is no word on a North American or European release for Final Fantasy Explorers.

[Get ready for Mighty Gunvolt, an 8-bit throwback starring characters from Mighty No. 9, Azure Striker Gunvolt, and GalGun.]

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TalkBack / Free Retro-Inspired Bonus Game Included with Azure Striker Gunvolt

« on: August 20, 2014, 10:29:59 AM »

Get ready for Mighty Gunvolt, an 8-bit throwback starring characters from Mighty No. 9, Azure Striker Gunvolt, and GalGun.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38327/free-retro-inspired-bonus-game-included-with-azure-striker-gunvolt

Mighty Gunvolt, a retro-styled side-scrolling action game from Inti Creates, is being bundled in with the 3DS eShop side-scrolling action game Azure Striker Gunvolt for free until November.

Azure Striker Gunvolt, available for $14.99, comes out in North America on August 29. People who buy the game will receive a free download code to get Mighty Gunvolt, a short five-level nostalgic retro game that lets you play as Gunvolt from Azure Striker Gunvolt, Beck from Mighty No. 9, and Ekoro from the Japanese-only game GalGun. The offer is good until November 28. When you buy Azure Striker Gunvolt, a download code for Mighty Gunvolt will appear on the eShop receipt.

"Mighty Gunvolt is our little way of thanking our fans for buying Gunvolt, and supporting this kind of classic Japanese-style 2D action gaming that we don't want to see disappear," Inti Creates' President and CEO Takuya Aizu said. "We hope it'll give you a big smile - and maybe a laugh or two - to anyone who remembers the 8-bit days fondly, or even those just curious on what they missed out on back in the 'good old days.'"

Azure Striker Gunvolt is now available in Japan and is coming to North America on August 29. No word on a European release yet.

[The wildly successful Japanese 3DS RPG is making the jump to other regions in 2015.]

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TalkBack / Yo-Kai Watch Coming to the West Next Year

« on: August 19, 2014, 09:20:13 AM »

The wildly successful Japanese 3DS RPG is making the jump to other regions in 2015.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38320/yo-kai-watch-coming-to-the-west-next-year

Yo-Kai Watch, a 3DS RPG from Level-5, is releasing in North America and Europe in 2015 according to Level-5 President Akihiro Hino in a Japanese interview.

He said that they have been looking into launching the series, which also includes a toy line, anime, and manga, in other regions. Level-5 is planning to launch the Yo-Kai Watch series globally in 2015, and are even working with a large toy manufacturer.

Yo-Kai Watch first debuted in Japan in the summer of 2013, and was a sizable hit. The sequel, which was launched as two versions in July, was an even bigger success, shipping 2 million units in three weeks.

Hino didn't dive into specifics of the release, but given the company's past history, it wouldn't be a shock to see Nintendo publish Yo-Kai Watch in other regions. To date, the only games that Level-5 has self-published on Nintendo systems are the Guild series and Inazuma Eleven on the 3DS eShop.

[Watch Dogs is still set to hit Wii U, but it will be the "only mature game" Ubisoft releases on the system.]

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TalkBack / Nintendo Fans 'Don't Buy Assassin's Creed' According to Ubisoft CEO

« on: August 19, 2014, 07:48:24 AM »

Watch Dogs is still set to hit Wii U, but it will be the "only mature game" Ubisoft releases on the system.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38318/nintendo-fans-dont-buy-assassins-creed-according-to-ubisoft-ceo

Nintendo fans aren't buying Assassin's Creed games according to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot.

"It’s very simple. What we see is that Nintendo customers don’t buy Assassin’s Creed," Guillemot told Game Informer. "Last year, we sold in very small numbers. What we see is that they are very interested in Just Dance, very interested by other kinds of games."

However, Watch Dogs, which came out on other platforms in May, is still set to launch of Wii U later this year. According to Guillemot, "it will be the only mature game [they] publish on it."

Around the launch of Wii U, Ubisoft had seven games available, including ZombiU. In 2013, the company released seven Wii U games total across digital and retail, including Rayman Legends and a pair of Just Dance games. In 2014, Ubisoft has only released one game on Wii U so far, the eShop title Child of Light. Watch Dogs and Just Dance 5 are the only other games slated for release later in the year. Ubisoft is also waiting for the Wii U userbase to expand before launching an unspecified amount of completed Wii U games.

[The Level 5-developed 3DS RPG will let you team up with two other players online.]

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TalkBack / Online Multiplayer Confirmed for Fantasy Life in the West

« on: August 19, 2014, 06:55:33 AM »

The Level 5-developed 3DS RPG will let you team up with two other players online.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38319/online-multiplayer-confirmed-for-fantasy-life-in-the-west

Both online and local multiplayer are coming to the North American and European versions of Fantasy Life when it hits 3DS later this year.

Players can adventure with two other players locally or online. For online, players will be able to communicate using a text chat system. Multiplayer isn't a separate mode; it is a part of the main game.

The RPG also makes use of StreetPass, where players can share items and more. It even has a screenshot tool that seems similar to the one included in Tomodachi Life.

Fantasy Life is coming to 3DS in Europe on September 26 and North America on October 24. Read our recent preview for more details.

[This week, we talk Mario Party, NBA 2K14, Tetris, Final Fantasy VI, and Kid Icarus: Uprising.]

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Podcast Discussion / Episode 146: Mario Party 9 Forever

« on: August 16, 2014, 05:13:17 AM »

This week, we talk Mario Party, NBA 2K14, Tetris, Final Fantasy VI, and Kid Icarus: Uprising.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/38299/episode-146-mario-party-9-forever

Welcome to episode 146 of Connectivity! We have two segments this week.

Kicking the show off, Alex, Danny and Josh discuss a wide array of new and old games they've been playing. The guys talk Mario Party, NBA 2K14, Tetris, Final Fantasy VI and P.T. Also, the gang gasps in horror when Alex announces he just watched Star Wars for the first time. Shocking, I know.

After that, Neal and Zach return to announce last week's contest winners and talk about the Game of the Week, Kid Icarus Uprising. Neal and Zach go over what makes this somewhat divisive game memorable and worth playing. Next week, the Game of the Week will be Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and we're doing another contest. To win a code for Siesta Fiesta (North America only), e-mail us and tell us: who would be the coolest unlockable character in a new THPS game, and what would his/her special move be? Get your entries in by August 22!

Be sure to click here to send us your listener mail for the next mail segment and your contest entries. We'll see you next week!

[While it still winks and nods at the past, DrinkBox’s debut Wii U title is an excellent example of how to make an original Metroid-like game.]

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TalkBack / Guacamelee Is Nostalgic Metroid-Style Design Done Right

« on: August 14, 2014, 02:23:00 AM »

While it still winks and nods at the past, DrinkBox’s debut Wii U title is an excellent example of how to make an original Metroid-like game.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/38277/guacamelee-is-nostalgic-metroid-style-design-done-right

This is a follow-up to a discussion on a recent episode of Connectivity. Go check it out!

DrinkBox Studio's Guacamelee, which came to Wii U last month (here's our review if you're curious), is overtly a Metroid-style affair. Right down to the Choozo statues that you break to unlock abilities, this exploration-based platformer is, in most ways, a love letter to the style of games popularized by Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. But what makes Guacamelee work so well is that it's not just a shallow package meant to prey on our nostalgia. No, Guacamelee is the right kind of retro-inspired game: one that takes aspects of a classic game and genre and iterates on it in a way that makes it something wholly new.

Guacamelee wasn't the first game to do that correctly and it likely won't be the last. To a degree, Symphony of the Night did just that, taking Metroid-like mechanics and adding ample amount of RPG elements and more. Shovel Knight, another recent Wii U (and 3DS) release, also nails that magical crossroads of nostalgia and innovation. Shovel Knight makes you think of Mega Man and Ducktales and Zelda II, but it carves (digs?) its own path.

The core of Guacamelee is its combat. Exploration and platforming are a major part of the experience, but the combat and the abilities you accrue tie every element together. Nearly every ability in Guacamelee serves multiple purposes. The Rooster Uppercut not only gives you a combo starter in battle, but is also used to break red blocks and give you an extra boost in traversal. As you progress further, you can even use the uppercut with other abilities to reach even more areas.

Guacamelee constantly challenges you to use all of your abilities in interesting ways to fight enemies, discover secrets, and reach hidden areas. It's that Metroid-style design done right, and it's a triumph because Guacamelee leaves a mark on the genre, with its melee-focused combat, dimension switching, and goofy Mexican theme.

[Dance like Darunia, throw a Chain Chomp, and open treasure chests with a mulleted Ganondorf.]

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TalkBack / Hyrule Warriors Looks Dumb and That's Awesome

« on: August 05, 2014, 10:44:00 AM »

Dance like Darunia, throw a Chain Chomp, and open treasure chests with a mulleted Ganondorf.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/38229/hyrule-warriors-looks-dumb-and-thats-awesome

During last night's Nintendo Direct for Hyrule Warriors, I was enamored with the overall insanity of the entire experience. It's neat seeing each character do their thing, whether it's Zelda firing off a light arrow, Ruto riding water thanks to a Zora Scale, or Agitha using insects to knock moblins around. It's fun to see the little nods to past Zelda games, like the chest opening animation being done by Ganondorf, or the Fierce Deity Mask badge that can be equipped. One prevailing thought kept running through my mind during all of this: Hyrule Warriors looks so dumb in a really excellent and fun way.

Much like a lot of people out there, I've never been big into the Warriors series. I've dabbled in a few, most notably Samurai Warriors Chronicles on 3DS, but I always fade away quickly when I sit down to play them. Something tells me the added fan service of Hyrule Warriors might be a way to keep me around longer, as I unlock different characters and weapons, forge new items, and traipse through the deliciously retro Adventure Mode. It just looks so unfathomably goofy and self-aware.

Adventure Mode, which was first detailed during the Direct, doesn't seem like it'll deviate much from the Warriors gameplay. Despite having a world map inspired by the original Legend of Zelda, it just takes you to challenges in regular levels from the rest of Hyrule Warriors. However, that wrapper might be something more compelling for people who aren't as into the lengthier affair that the story might present. Adventure Mode might be something better for the sect of gamer that is interested in Hyrule Warriors because it is a Zelda game.

Still, I think for me, the dollops of Zelda fan service are all I need to keep me going through Hyrule Warriors. It might not be for every Zelda or Nintendo fan, but the wild worlds-colliding story, absurd finishing and special attacks (for real: you hookshot the moon from Majora's Mask), and the hunt for unlockables sure as hell get me excited.

Although, if Tingle isn't in Hyrule Warriors as a playabe character, I don't know what's going on at Nintendo and Koei Tecmo. They have one job. I trust they won't leave out everyone's favorite creepy old man elf thing.

[After two months with Tomodachi Life, I still don’t know what it is.]

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TalkBack / Making Sense of Tomodachi Life

« on: August 04, 2014, 05:09:51 AM »

After two months with Tomodachi Life, I still don’t know what it is.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/38220/making-sense-of-tomodachi-life

This is a follow-up to a discussion on a recent episode of Connectivity. Go check it out!

Like most people, I didn't really understand Tomodachi Life until I actually played it for myself. It's a weird, peculiar experience that can be somewhat reductively boiled down to Nintendo's version of The Sims. It's also something I've slowly put a ton of time into over the past two months.

There's something relaxing about checking in on my island filled with Miis, ranging from friends to video game characters to Snoop Dogg. It’s a joy seeing each character develop over time and oddly mimic their real life counterparts, or even seeing where they deviate. My Mii is married to my real life wife's Mii in the game. When we had our first child, every time I checked in, her Mii would be out hanging with friends while mine was stuck at home taking care of the baby. I hope that doesn’t mirror real life.

Then there are the fictional character interactions. My version of Toon Link has been hanging out with Ganondorf lately. The two are buddies now, and there isn't really much I can do other than watch them hang out. I can't direct their interaction. I can only watch it. Tomodachi Life is a very passive experience, but it is, in turn, reliant on your interactions with each Mii character. You spend most of your time setting up dominos for all of your Mii characters by feeding them, giving them items and clothes, and making them sing songs, but you don't have any direct control. The closest you get is the RPG Tomodachi Quest, but even that is overly simplified to the point that it feels almost random.

Games are usually empowering. You play Mario games to take control, defeat Bowser, and save the day. Link's quests are about accumulating powerful items to defeat bosses. Tomodachi Life is about watching your Miis engage in a rap battle. Or see what characters become friends and maybe lovers. Tomodachi Life is kind of like watching a soap opera where every character has a weird robot voice. It’s something kind of dumb, but it’s also something that’s really unique. Tomodachi Life is weird.

[Depending on who you ask, Wii U sales are good or bad. So we made a way to figure it out.]

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TalkBack / Choose Your Own Nintendo Financials News

« on: July 30, 2014, 05:21:59 AM »

Depending on who you ask, Wii U sales are good or bad. So we made a way to figure it out.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/38184/choose-your-own-nintendo-financials-news

With news of Nintendo's financials from the first quarter of the 2014 fiscal year (running from April 2014 to June 2014) hitting, I noticed dueling takeaways from it. As with pretty much everything related to Nintendo sales these days, there's always a positive way and a negative way to look at things. Sure, Wii U sales might be up 300% from the same time last year, but last year was really miserable.

Instead of writing another editorial about Nintendo's sales, I decided to take another approach. I created a Choose Your Own Adventure game courtesy of www.twinery.org">Twine. Enjoy!

[Maybe we can call it NintenFable?]

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TalkBack / Nintendo’s Next Big 3DS RPG Is More Fable than Final Fantasy

« on: July 29, 2014, 04:28:00 AM »

Maybe we can call it NintenFable?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/38172/nintendos-next-big-3ds-rpg-is-more-fable-than-final-fantasy

Before seeing a demo of Fantasy Life, the Level-5-developed 3DS game (with help from 1-UP Studio and h.a.n.d.) coming to North America this October thanks to Nintendo, I was blissfully unaware of what exactly the game is. I assumed, incorrectly, it was just some sort of Animal Crossing/Harvest Moon game. Maybe there was a town or a farm that you ran? I don’t know. I do know I was wrong. From the basic overview I saw and played, Fantasy Life seems more like a Nintendo version of Microsoft's Fable series to a certain extent.

At the base is a job system of sorts. Controlling your avatar, you can focus on one of twelve different life classes that include Blacksmith, Mage, Angler, Cook, and much more. Depending on what life class you have active, you can build and use different abilities and actions. However, unlike most other job systems, you pretty much keep the majority of those abilities when you change your class. For example, when you start fishing as an Angler, you can still do that when you switch to another class. As near as I can tell, you just lose some stat bonuses and maybe an ability when you don’t have the class active.

You take those abilities and classes out on a grand adventure, where you fight a lot of gigantic enemies that all look just as gorgeous as you'd expect from classic Final Fantasy series artist Yoshitaka Amano. Combat is simplistic, and that's where, to me, the comparison to Fable was more evident. You can build up your avatar however you like, with a focus on melee or ranged combat. Most of the combat actions are simple as you move around in a real-time environment. You can even pal around with other people locally (and likely online, too, but Nintendo wasn't confirming that yet despite the option showing up in some E3 live streams).

I only got to see a sliver of Fantasy Life, but from what the Nintendo Treehouse representative hinted, it seems to be an epic, expansive adventure. That rep has currently played through it three times and had a different experience each time thanks to what classes she focused on. Fantasy Life seems like it's packed with content. Personally, I can't wait for it to get here October 24, and I’m totally jealous that Europe gets it in September.

[We answer a ton of great listener mail and take a look back at Muramasa: The Demon Blade.]

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Podcast Discussion / Episode 143: Follow Us on Titter

« on: July 27, 2014, 04:52:23 AM »

We answer a ton of great listener mail and take a look back at Muramasa: The Demon Blade.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/38154/episode-143-follow-us-on-titter

Hello and welcome to Connectivity! We have two segments for you this week.

Kicking the show off, Scott, Alex, Danny and Addison answer a bunch of great listener mail. Is Splatoon a MOBA? What do we think of GameStop preorder bonuses? What the hell is all this stuff about Diddy Kong Racing 2? Can you be vegan in a video game? We answer these questions and a whole lot more.

After that, Neal and Zach return with their "Game of the Week" segment, this time focused on Muramasa: The Demon Blade. Originally released for the Wii, Muramasa has since been ported to the Vita in, as it turns out, a much more definitive version. The boys break down what makes this gorgeous 2-D game so special, regardless of platform.

Be sure to click here to send us your listener mail for the next mail segment. We'll see you next week!

[Watch some additional gameplay footage from the 3DS version of Smash Bros.]

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TalkBack / More Super Smash Bros for 3DS Gameplay Footage

« on: July 19, 2014, 06:23:00 AM »

Watch some additional gameplay footage from the 3DS version of Smash Bros.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/38110/more-super-smash-bros-for-3ds-gameplay-footage

We recently had the opportunity to play a little more of the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. Check out some new videos of the game below. Also, please come back to this article throughout the weekend because we'll be updating it with more videos.

[We break down an exciting week of news and look back at Tomodachi Life.]

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Podcast Discussion / Episode 142: I Like to Grind

« on: July 18, 2014, 10:20:15 AM »

We break down an exciting week of news and look back at Tomodachi Life.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/38103/episode-142-i-like-to-grind

Hello, and welcome to Connectivity! After last week's show posted late, we figured we could make it up to you by posting this one early. How nice of us! We have two segments this week.

Starting things off, Scott and Alex break down this week's exciting news. Smash Bros. character reveals, NPD numbers and lackluster Club Nintendo rewards; no stone is left unturned.

After that, Zach, Neal and Curtis do a retrospective on Tomodachi Life now that the game has been out for a couple of months. See what the guys think about the quirky life sim now that they've sunk in nearly 60 hours or so. And, be sure to stick around for exciting, relevant discussion about Twilight Princess!

Be sure to click here to send us your listener mail. We are definitely doing a mail segment next week, so why not send your questions in? We'll see you then!

[Is this new action-packed 3DS game fun?]

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TalkBack / Strike Force Foxx Review

« on: July 16, 2014, 03:27:00 PM »

Is this new action-packed 3DS game fun?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38095/strike-force-foxx-review

If you were to tell me that Strike Force Foxx, a new 3DS eShop game from Big John Games, was a remake of a classic arcade game, I wouldn't doubt you. That's because, in a way, it kind of is, as this game is essentially a fresh take on Choplifter, an early '80s Apple II game that made the jump to arcades and other platforms (and even got an HD remake a few years ago). Strike Force Foxx takes that formula, where you control a helicopter in a side-scrolling environment to shoot down enemies and rescue hostages, and constructs a fun, action-heavy eShop game out of it.

The gameplay is pure arcade action as you guide the helicopter with the Circle Pad through side-scrolling 2D environments firing at foes and saving friendlies. The shoulder buttons direct where your copter is facing and aiming, and holding one of them down is also how you fire your basic gun in that direction. It's a little awkward at first, but that's about as complicated as it gets. Upgrades and other abilities are unlocked as you progress, even adding missiles and bombs to your supply. The downside is that unless you're a savant acing every level early on, the more interesting upgrades take a long time to show up. The action is still frantic and fun, but it would be nice to have the bombs and missiles earlier, especially since the difficulty ramps up fast.

The basics don't change much along the way, but Strike Force Foxx keeps the gameplay fresh by giving you new objectives and vehicles. A mid-game section puts you in control of a weaker medical helicopter – changing the focus to just rescuing hostages. Other segments just have you blowing stuff up without worrying about saving anyone. Though the game focuses on only two concepts, the final result works well by being a delightful mixture of wanton destruction and artful rescuing.

Broken up into more than 30 stages, Strike Force Foxx tells a cheesy Saturday-morning-cartoon-meets-Top-Gun story about Raymond Foxx, a devil-may-care maverick renegade of a pilot who is trying to defeat the villainous Doctor Synchros. While the presentation of the story is just a bland series of static images, some of the dialog is amusing, especially when it hits romantic and tragic tropes with a wink and a nod.

The variety and balance between saving people and blowing stuff up results in gameplay that never wears very thin over its 3-4 hour runtime. It's nothing more complicated than some good old-fashioned arcade-driven action, so if you're looking for a fun and challenging action game on your 3DS this summer, Strike Force Foxx is something to keep an eye on.

[More Act Zero than a Saturn-inspired Blast.]

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TalkBack / Bombing Bastards Review

« on: July 11, 2014, 07:00:11 AM »

More Act Zero than a Saturn-inspired Blast.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38055/bombing-bastards-review

With Hudson's Bomberman series out of commission ever since the company died and was merged with Konami in 2012, there has been a great multiplayer void for little robots bombing each other into oblivion. Bombing Bastards, from Sanuk Games, is a new Wii U eShop game attempting to fill that void. While it certainly tries really hard to capture the Bomberman magic, it winds up ruining the experience, delivering a dreadful multiplayer mode coupled with a passable single-player one.

The multiplayer, supporting up to five players using virtually any controller the Wii U supports, is the biggest appeal in my eyes, making its failure sting even more. It only supports local play, but even if online play was included, it wouldn't make a difference. Each multiplayer game is extremely slow, with bombs taking seemingly forever to blow up and matches dragging on to the point of boredom. When I played with five players, I had a hard time trying to get people to keep playing with me after a few matches. Everything is arduous at the outset, and while the action gets frantic and fun once obstacles are cleared and the bastards are powered up, it's a chore to even get to that point.

The single-player campaign, however, fares a little bit better. It’s spread out across five worlds with six randomly generated levels, each filled with a variety of enemies. In here, the slower pace is a little more welcome as it becomes almost more of a puzzle game to figure out the best and safest way to snuff out the enemies. The bosses build on those concepts, testing the limits of your skills by placing you under constant duress. The levels themselves are already pretty challenging, but the bosses are downright nasty. Death is a very regular event in Bombing Bastards' single-player portion.

Both modes are wrapped in a presentation that feels cheap all the way down to its mouse pointer menu interaction. The single-player is narrated (sort of) by a goofy voiceover that spews a stream of dumb jokes, and both modes are backed by a soundtrack of remixed public domain songs.

Bombing Bastards has its moments, primarily in its single-player, but the failure of its multiplayer really drags the entire experience down. It's a noble attempt at recapturing the Bomberman spirit, but it just misses the mark.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 389: Best Practices

« on: July 09, 2014, 08:10:17 PM »

I love Jonny and he is one of my favorite podcast personalities, even before I joined staff.

[The Kirby: Triple Deluxe mini-games are getting expanded.]

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TalkBack / Kirby Fighters Z and DeDeDe's Drum Dash Z Coming to 3DS eShop in Japan

« on: July 09, 2014, 09:13:00 AM »

The Kirby: Triple Deluxe mini-games are getting expanded.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38039/kirby-fighters-z-and-dededes-drum-dash-z-coming-to-3ds-eshop-in-japan

A pair of Kirby-themed 3DS eShop games called Kirby Fighters Z and DeDeDe's Drum Dash Z are coming to Japan on July 23. Both are expanded versions of mini-games featured in the recent retail release Kirby: Triple Deluxe.

Kirby Fighters Z is a Smash Bros.-like fighting game that pits Kirbys against each other using different abilities. Players can choose between 12 abilities, two more than the mini-game in Triple Deluxe. However, the two new ones, Bell and Beetle, are only usable if StreetPass for Triple Deluxe is activated.

It will add five new stages, a team battle mode, and an expanded single-player mode complete with boss battles. Beating the single-player mode will unlock hats for Kirby and can even unlock Shadow Kirby as a playable character.

The second game, DeDeDe's Drum Dash Z, is a rhythm game that will feature 7 new stages (and harder versions of each stage). It will also add new mechanics, including drums that flip to reveal hazardous spikes in rhythm and coins that must be collected in order. Players unlock wearable masks throughout, though three of the masks (Kirby, Waddle Dee, and Meta Knight) are exclusive to players who have StreetPass on Triple Deluxe turned on.

Both games are coming out on July 23 in Japan for 750 yen (roughly $7) each. There is no word on a North American or European release yet, but it is likely both games will come over.

A couple of Japanese trailers for the games can be viewed below.

[We're a-rockin' and a-rollin' on this week's show!]

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Podcast Discussion / Episode 140: Aaronmillo

« on: July 06, 2014, 01:04:00 PM »

We're a-rockin' and a-rollin' on this week's show!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/38011/episode-140-aaronmillo

Happy birthday America! You're another year wiser. To celebrate, we got you this episode of Connectivity, featuring two wonderful segments. First up is a roundtable discussion on the new Wii U indie game Armillo. It's an enjoyable segment, as is the game itself. Then, Scott and Zack K catch up with each other's PC gaming habits and go deep on the games they've bought in the recent Steam sales.

We'll see you again next week. In the meanwhile, why not full our mailbox by submitting your questions and/or comments by clicking here. Please also rate and review the show on iTunes!