Ay, Carumba! OK, Nintendo, just stop it. STOP IT. Seriously. People thought the 2DS was a big fat joke because it had been done to death as a joke meme when the 3DS was announced, but you guys ended up taking that back with last week’s official 2DS announcement. Of course, that led to MANY Nintendo 1DS joke images that got lame after the first dozen or so images, but here comes Nintendo, pulling off the biggest joke with an actual fake site for a nonexistent device that will to some people who think it’s actually a great idea, something they’d actually want to buy. Duh. Yeah, and yep, there’s a disclaimer on the site that’s worth a chuckle, yet insulting at the same time to anyone not used to Nintendo’s way of following their own path and ignoring the mobile market (for now).
Anyway, yuk it up while you can, people – when your fans start clamoring for that 1DS, you’ll wish you’d never cooked up this shortsighted gag…
I overheard that at the laundry early this morning and got a chuckle because everything is a form of “work” even if you’re on a holiday. Hey, run that quote by my brain when it wants to get something done with words and it’ll chuckle at you too. “I can start anytime I want to” it will say in response before getting me into some sort of trouble after I post what pops out. It’s a messy process, people. Of course, this striving to put out content that changes based on a few things from a squishy, thinky thing needs to be continually fed and fertilized can lead to some minor to major distress on occasion. Oh, don’t worry, dear readers – I’m not the suicidal type at all, but it’s sure hard as hell to concentrate on stuff I need to do that’s of a mildly entertaining value when the rest of the world is perched on a ledge and no one’s called the cops.
Go ahead and jump, planet – the gawkers will click away with their cameras and get all social about the dive in their usual places online and off (not realizing that you’re taking those sheep-shaped dopes with you). Meanwhile, I’ll be here doing stuff (or letting my brain do stuff) while those who can handle it pick up the pieces and break out the library paste. Hmmm… maybe the planet just needs a vacation from the people on it and has been dropping some hints of the not so gentle variety. Oh well. At least I now have clean socks and underwear for the apocalypse, ha ha… eep.
Ah, ha-ha… *ahem!* OK, I’ll stop kicking Nintendo in the shins and say, YES, I will be buying that Legend of Zelda Windwaker HD remake later this year when it comes out along with Watch_Dogs and maybe The Wonderful 101 (although it’s not doing well in Japan, according to a few import sites that report sales figures) and Call of Duty: Ghosts (for the novelty of playing on that GamePad), but other than that, it’s pretty much collecting a few older Wii U titles from that launch window I missed out on now that they’re a lot cheaper. And in some cases a LOT cheaper than they should be so soon in the system’s life…
Tequila Studios’ upcoming PS4 exclusive, RIME looks wonderful in that ICO meets Journey manner with similarly rich (but more detailed) visuals and what sounds like a pretty lovely score (provided it’s not placeholder music). As for the story and gameplay, it’s tough to get a grasp on what the plot is and how this one controls from the video, but the game sure carries the influence of Team Ico’s work with those shadowy creatures and the protagonist using a torch to fight them off. It also looks like a more open world experience than ICO or Journey, but again, it’s tough to say much other than the game looks simply gorgeous.
I’m reserving any judgement on this one until it gets seen in person and played, so hopefully, Sony will get back to inviting those of us with smaller sites BACK to their press briefings, as they’ve been shutting out everyone who’s not packing in page views by the multiple thousands in exchange for what seems to be “strategic partnerships” with the big guns. This, of course… STINKS, as I used to be invited to SCEA events all the time and it’s a total pain in the neck to not get a response back to an email or a heads up that there’s something cooking in the city. Hell, I’m a train ride away and always thrilled to see new titles, so someone needs to start paying heed to the “little guys” (although after doing this stuff since 1998, I don’t consider myself “little”, grrrr…)
Hoo boy. Based on the internet collapsing in on itself yesterday and today, you’d think someone ran around kneecapping old ladies walking cute puppies or something across all 50 states and in too many countries around the world to count. It seems that this new age of short attention spanned, easily “outraged” fanboys and girls are forgetting their film history a few too many times, so let’s play Time Machine for a bit. Back in 1987 or ’88 when there was NO internet (well, not what we call the internet these days), I can distinctly recall Batman fans I knew flying far off the handle when the Batman movie was announced with a director they’d barely heard of and a guy playing Bruce Wayne/Batman who’d only been known for being a comedian with not so big a movie resume.
I remember reading the news and thinking one word: DISASTER…
As I noted yesterday, Microsoft also stormed Gamescom with a bunch of new titles, but I can’t even look at anything the company is doing with its Xbox One thanks to the seriously mixed messages they’ve been sending. Sure, that new console looks pretty awesome, but between the enforced evolution thing they wanted to dump onto their user base, then the backtracking and in between, insulting anyone who didn’t have the proper connection to be always online or didn’t want to use that new Kinect or maybe wanted to sell or lend the games they owned to anyone at any time (and so forth and so on), it’s been a nightmare they need to wake up from soon.
Sure, some of you out there have VERY short attention spans and tend to forgive anyone for even the most blankety blanket of minor apologies. But there’s been a nice swell of pissed off gamers kicking Microsoft around who have little interest in the system, which seems to be forcing the company to do some insane stuff like give Europe a free (digital) copy of the FIFA game while stiffing US buyers because we’re dumb enough to pay full price for Madden every year (well, I don’t anymore).
So, the abusive relationship will continue between Microsoft and its die-hard fans with some great games on the new system, less draconian mandates (for now… but they’re coming back bit by bit, mark my words) and All sorts of exclusive content. Hopefully, that new system will be a LOT less prone to dying randomly like the Xbox 360 (I went through FIVE, dammit!) and people aren’t griping about not being able to access some stuff because they don’t want to turn on that new Kinect and it’ll be mandatory for some games or services we’re not yet informed about. I’d have to say this is the FIRST time I’m not excited for a new console cycle since I started gaming back in 1972. I’ll probably pick up an Xbox One eventually… but I certainly won’t miss it this year at all…
While it’s incredibly easy to get a job in Hell (they’ve got a 100% employment rate there), you’d probably want to seek out a higher level position as opposed to being trapped in the usual entry level position for eternity. Granted, EVERYONE starts out as entry level there, but it’s the true go-getters that actually make their way up the corporate ladder. All you have to do is ask your supervisor about how he or she got his or her gig and they’ll probably NOT tell you anything at all, whip you some more (or send you to the lava wash… you really don’t want to work there, trust me) or flat out lie about it.
Perseverance pays off handsomely (as does pushing your old supervisor off something high onto something hard and flat, hot and bubbly or really pointy – bonus points for all three at once) and you’ll soon find yourself yelling and punishing with the best of them…
I don’t know if Activision knows this yet, but this hilarious ad is a nice twist on the two Japanese TV spots from 1995 for the PlayStation port of Wizardry VII where a guy playing the game is suddenly visited by characters from the game (actors in costume) who grab him and take into into the game world. I’ll need to figure out how to get those clips from the import demo discs I have here and maybe post them (with fingers crossed that YouTube doesn’t get all jerky about it). Anyway, I’m certainly looking forward to this one a HELL (ha!) of a lot more than a chunk of the nasty naysayers commenting on this over the internet. It kind of sucks to be them and so unappreciative of Blizzard doing a console port that looks as good as the PC game in many respects while being more accessible to all sorts of players, but what can you do. Some folks made up their minds to hate this game as soon as it was announced and that’s just too bad…
Ah ha, ha, ha. I just HAD to go there because it’s TOO obvious a joke these days if you’re a Wii U owner. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Nintendo is playing its cards as they usually do, but as a formerly ecstatic Wii U owner since launch day turned slightly sleepy and a tad grumpy, let’s just say I’m not getting as much use out of my console as I’d like to.
Granted, the good stuff is coming and a few really cool third party games have kept me busy for sure. However, there needs to be something big and non-retread-y coming from first and third party studios that’s going to knock my socks off or I’ll be snoozing next to Luigi and grabbing blankets like an icy cold M-F. Ah ha, ha…h…*yawn!* THUD! ZZZZZZZ!!!…
(Well, at least I’m a tired but hopeful Wii U owner…)
Here’s a simple test for those who think different types of media directly affect one’s behavior in every single case. Have the kids (or yourself) watch NOTHING but this classic Humphrey Bear short for an entire month and see if you become a lot less of a litterbug (and really great at doing cartoon dances). If you’re still tossing that fast food wrapper or soda can to the street or not cleaning up after the dog when you walk it, then you can shut up about little Johnny potentially becoming a mass murderer after he plays five seconds of a game rated above his age (which he shouldn’t be doing anyway if you’re a decent enough parental unit).
If, on the other hand, you’re humming that bouncy tune from the cartoon while scooping up trash wherever you go (and being very careful with any matchbooks you find)… well, you can throw every entertainment device in your home into that trash bin as well and go burn ALL of the books in your home while you’re at it. Can’t be TOO picky about where the kid will pick up a violent idea, right?
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 