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Episode 545: Gangsta-Ass Console

by James Jones, Greg Leahy, Jon Lindemann, and Guillaume Veillette - October 29, 2017, 2:10 pm EDT
Total comments: 12

In this case, "O.G." stands for "Odyssey Game." It's out, and it's gangsta.

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Thanks to the magic of time zones, Greg has Super Mario Odyssey. We made him wait. James kicks off New Business with Jonny Metts' trash, a duo of GameCube games he sent to James in an unmarked package. First up is an import copy of Beach Strikers. Pringles, Coca-Cola, America, and Future Cop are all in play (video available). James also has impressions of PC Genjin, a poor GameCube port of the PC Engine/TG-16 classic Bonk's Adventure (video available, with less product placement). Jon pre-ordered the SNES Edition of the New 3DS XL, a device he admits is "ugly" but can't look away from. This is a cry for help, and we fail him utterly. Guillaume continues to make weird library checkouts with The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+. He also looks at Halloween Costume Quest 2, which he enjoys despite finding its console performance lacking (he recommends it on PC instead). He finishes up with Super Castlevania IV, an RFN staple. Greg wraps up New Business with a look at an obscure title that released on Switch a few hours prior to recording called Super Mario Odyssey. His impressions are very early, and if you're reading this you've probably already played more of the game than he had. Rest assured, next week we'll all be ready to go.

Just two emails this week, inquiring as to what games will constitute Nintendo's 2018 line-up, and what Indie games we are excited to play. You can stealth-ask us for an impromptu predictions segment by sending us an email.

This episode was edited by Guillaume Veillette. The "Men of Leisure" theme song was produced exclusively for Radio Free Nintendo by Perry Burkum. Hear more at Perry's SoundCloud. The Radio Free Nintendo logo was produced by Connor Strickland. See more of his work at his website.

This episode's ending music is Waltz of the Boos from Super Mario Galaxy. Composition by Mahito Yokota. It was selected by Greg. All rights reserved by Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Talkback

I am not a fan of Binding of Isaac either, but I feel like there's probably a fan out there that can tell Gui what-for. :P


also, Please don't hate on Kirby Fans! :C


I think our tentpole 2018 release might actually be the Switch main line Fire Emblem that was promised, along with Pokemon, Shin Megami Tensei 5, and Octopath Traveler. Switch will be established as the new place for JRPG devs to find their footing. I also think that we're due for From Software's next title to show it's face to the world and be for all console platforms, as well as maybe... I dunno, a Tales of Xillia F?

This is where I get into the crazy crackpot theory time though.

See, I think with a fighter and a shooter, it's time for the third in this trilogy of eSports centered but goofy takes on things, and with that big Chinese MOBA coming, we get Nintendo's take on the MOBA, with copacitive touch/pointer control. it will, however, have a far different goal than most MOBAs to try and set it apart.

We finally start to hear the ideas of F-Zero being shopped around for a developer. HD rumble and being able to steer the console like a steering wheel being the catalyst of Miyamoto finding a decent enough reason to make a new F-Zero.

Sora LTD reveals they've found a way to make a single button, single Joycon only reboot of Stunt Race FX, including a cheesy saturday morning style plot where the cars talk to each other.

Nintendo publishes a Mega Man X remake with the graphics from the iOS version, but with the playable Vile from the PSP version, as well as a playable Zero who's so stupidly Overpowered that he trivializes the whole game. There's also a motion controlled Maverick busting mode where you hold your right joycon out like an arm cannon to carge shots and then thrust it forward to dash through the level in first person!

Ubisoft partners with Nintendo again for Rayman Warioware battle, Where Rayman has to play through 100 diabolical Wario games that all feature Microtransactions and pre-order bonuses of a collection of 'Iconic' caps!

Level 5 continues to have Nintendo publish Yokai watch games on 3DS.

mereelOctober 29, 2017

I know the RFN crew likes to pitch themselves as amateurish faux-podcasters, but I have test drove so many other Nintendo podcasts, and nothing comes close to RFN. That was true during the Jonny Metts days, and is still true with James at the helm. Love the humor, the camaraderie amongst the cast, the critique of older games in depth, the extensive collective knowledge of Nintendo history, and on and on. Just want you four to know that nothing else compares to RFN. Hope it continues forever!

also, hey! you guys got my rambling Manifesto on La Mulana!

Shame to hear your copy is trapped on the ol' European Wii though, Greg. :C But that's why I had you guys bring it up! It'll be Greg's chance to double dip and give the game a shot proper! you'd think he'd be into it, given the very Castlevania/Ghosts n' Goblins Jump arc that Lemeza has going on in that game.

For the rest of you who venture into the comments here on the episode, let me say that i'm not kidding; La Mulana is a game that actively tries to troll it's fanbase. There's a couple of traps in the remake that are specifically there just to Merc people that played the freeware version.

This is minor spoilers, but there's a part with a collapsing bridge in the original game where it'd drop you into a previous room if you fell in. In the remake, if you don't trigger the collapsing bridge and just jump over it, a giant stone fist comes out through the door you're supposed to go through and punches Lemeza in the face to knock him onto the bridge so that it collapses and knocks him into the pit. and then the bridge resets, and you have to actually trigger the bridge collapse to not have the fist come out.

Thankfully that's part of an optional area, that's essentially meant to take the piss out of the 'post game optional super hard area.' Whereas Cave Story just embraced that sort of thing, La Mulana makes you jump through hoops and solve a series of puzzles that there actually AREN'T hints for in the game to access it, and then the area is designed... not so much to kill you as it is to knock you back into previous rooms and give you the means to refill your health as you do so. There's no save in this place, and if you ever leave, the puzzles and thus your progress through it reset.

La Mulana's hell temple is meant to make you suffer. and they make you do it twice to actually get to the end of it. and when you get to the end of it?

You've been told the entire game that this place houses some forbidden thing that was never meant to be seen. you are then treated to one of your items getting turned into... well.[/spoiler

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0alZp48Q3NM/UCAOtIV7SgI/AAAAAAAAAg0/FCyX1UqIdW0/s1600/PBS.png

The effects of your reward is that it  changes all the NPC dialogue so that they're all weirded out by you and don't want to talk or look at you any more Lemeza's idle animation on the pause screen also changes from the normal animation of him eating a bowl of curry to him doing pelvic thrusts and shaking his ass to show off his cursed provocative swimwear.

azekeOctober 30, 2017

On The Binding of Isaac:
Enemy projectiles do have a shadow, see for yourself. And dodging them is relatively easy and not random occurrence at all. Of course all this dodging comes from practice but if the game didn't hook you -- you won't be motivated to play further.

It's probably for the best that you didn't liked this game -- noone needs that type of time sink, i spent 600+ hour on PC and 300+ hours and counting on Switch version.

MASBOctober 30, 2017

Nothing gets the ladies in the mood quite like Jon talking about MMOs. That's why Greg cut so much of it out of RFN over the years. It was just too powerful! Greg knew more than 15 minutes every three months would contribute to rampant overpopulation. I guess that was what the Magic The Gathering podcast was for: To stem the tide. ;)

Absolutely delightful conversation concerning Owen's email for thoughts on 2018. Nothing too out there as far as predictions. Pretty reasonable outside of Pikmin for WiiU. ;) What's the theory about that game? What is Miyamoto's definition of "finished"?

Little disappointed with your safe, albeit entirely probable, Retro Studios prediction. Personally, I think Retro is being allowed to create a game in the Zelda Universe. That's right, you're Malon and you're in charge of Lon Lon Ranch. You have the choice of continuing the milk production or branch off into bringing to market as much prime brisket as possible. Watch out Harvest Moon. There's a new bull in town!

To mereel: Hear hear! I think RFN is the best Nintendo podcast and one of the best podcasts out there, period. It's too bad the NWR staff don't work out of some central location. Could you imagine a 1UP Show-like program from these guys? :)

Michie_October 30, 2017

I still think Smash Bros is a safe bet for early 2018.


There needs to be a game to make people want to pay for Nintendo's online service. I wouldn't rule out an November direct.

EnnerOctober 30, 2017

James is broken right in the beginning. Excellent!

OedoOctober 31, 2017

I think you guys are underestimating the power of Animal Crossing on a handheld. Animal Crossing: New Leaf has sold 11.23 million on the 3DS so far. Even Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer managed to cross 3 million units. In Japan, a new mainline Animal Crossing game on a handheld is a monumental release that rivals even Pokemon now.

I know Animal Crossing has a reputation as being a casual game, and it certainly leans in that direction very strongly, but you can't sell those kinds of numbers without capturing a good amount of the more dedicated gaming audience too. I seem to recall that New Leaf had a lot of fans on the NWR staff, for example. Nintendo would obviously still need more titles aimed at dedicated players, but I think Animal Crossing is absolutely a game that could be their major 2018 release. The fact that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is coming to warm people up helps too.

I don't think Pokemon Switch is a 2018 game. These were Ishihara's comments about Switch in an interview that went up in early September:

Quote:

“I told Nintendo that Switch wouldn’t be a success before it went on sale, because I thought that in the age of the smartphone, no one would carry out a game console. It’s obvious I was wrong. I came to realize the key to a successful game is quite simple: software with absolute quality leads sales of hardware.

The fact that the president of The Pokemon Company seemingly had such little faith in the console until, apparently, some time close to or after launch does not really make it seem like Pokemon Switch has been in development for a long time. When you consider other factors like this being the first HD mainline Pokemon game and that Pokemon and Switch's demographics should line up much better in a couple of years (when we might see a revision and/or price drop as well), I think a 2019 release is much more likely.

Shin Megami Tensei V is another one that sounds like it's pretty far off. Koizumi said that Atlus had just started development on the game at the January event when it was announced. We didn't get a release window last week when it was officially revealed as Shin Megami Tensei V, and the director of the game would not commit to coming "soon" in a Famitsu interview that was published shortly afterwards.

Regardless, I'm really looking forward to seeing what we do get on the Switch in 2018. Nintendo's output in 2017 so far has been absolutely incredible (and we've still got Xenoblade Chronicles 2 coming in less than five weeks), and Fire Emblem Switch, on its own, is enough to get me incredibly excited about next year.

I have faith Pokemon will make it for 2018 simply because Gamefreak actually made their Pokemon X and Y assets use such excessive ammounts of polygons that they effectively future-proofed having to make new models for existing pokemon for some time. yes, there's texture and environment work to be done, but i believe that there is a fast turnaround to be had when it comes to Pokemon, especially since while maybe graphics aren't in place, I most certainly can believe that Scenario writing, new pokemon design, and mechanical nuiances were most certainly in place well before a platform was decided on.

OedoNovember 01, 2017

It's not just HD textures and graphics. Pokemon Switch is going to be a console game that is (likely) $60, and the world design and scope needs to reflect that. People who expect this to be Pikachu of the Wild are obviously setting their expectations way too high, and I still believe Pokemon Switch will feel very much like a handheld experience (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), but there has to be a significant jump in how expansive the world feels and how it's designed. That's to say nothing of the fact that most people will rightly expect a great improvement in areas like music, story, cutscenes, character models (which, unlike the Gen I-VII Pokemon, will likely have to be made from scratch), and the introduction of new elements like voice acting.

Given that it took Game Freak two years to make Pokemon Sun and Moon, I just think it's going to be difficult for them to release their most ambitious game yet so quickly. The Pokemon Company and Game Freak obviously care about the series a lot, and I think they'll recognize that it's more important to get this first Switch entry right than to get it out as quickly as possible. Obviously I'd love it if they could do both and I was getting ready to play Pokemon Switch around this time next year though.

I think they're busting / staffing up to try and get Pokemon on Switch out next year, but a 2019 release would be in line with the series's history.

Working from first releases (so Japan until Gen VI):
Gen I - 1995 - 1998
Gen II - 1999 - 2001
Gen III - 2002 - 2004
Gen IV - 2006 - 2009
Gen V - 2010 - 2012
Gen VI - 2013 - 2015
Gen VII - 2016 - 2018

That's not to say there's going to be a new Pokemon game next year; they've already said Ultra Sun / Moon are it for the 3DS. But we could see another gen VI situation where there's a year off to prepare for a major event (20th anniversary / first Pokemon game on a console).

Quote from: Oedo

voice acting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcW-mukM6Fs

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