E3 2013: Meanwhile, In NintendoLand…

Posted on June 6, 2013 by geelw

All Hail King Reggie! Huzzah! Verily and forsooth, Sire Reggie of Redmond hath some gilded words for his loyal subjects! Huzzah!! OK, OK… I jest (and jest a little, hee ho!). Still, I bet that every executive at Nintendo is smiling a bit broadly (or just a little bit more) now that Microsoft has thrown down it’s gauntlet and four of the fingers clattered off onto the stone flooring. Oops. Well, my own Wii U and Wii are bouncing up and down as my two busted 360’s are doing the dead face thing. My PS3 isn’t saying anything, but it’s been batting its eyelashes at me every time I turn it on. Anyway, this should be a really interesting show this year, as it seems some plans aren’t going as planned and some will do better than expected. I say skip the boring stuff, show the games and just keep us all up to date on what we’ll be paying for and how the heck much it’ll all cost.

WayForward Brings Shantae Back (Yeah!) As A Digital Download (Argh!)…

Posted on May 20, 2013 by geelw

Shantae's Back OK, before some of you think I’m totally nuts, let me explain. Way back in 2001 and 2002, WayForward Technologies made two games for the Game Boy Color that were completely amazing from a technical standpoint: Wendy the Witch: Every Witch Way and Shantae, both of which got one production run and despite some solid reviews from all over, never got the sales they so deserved.

“So, er… what’s so cool about these ancient games?” you ask? Well, it’s funny you should ask, dear reader. Here’s a very nice (and pretty lengthy) long play video of Shantae from YouTube user cubex 55 to check out and see for yourself what’s what:

Nice stuff, huh? Yeah, now YOU want one of your own too, right? Well, these days, complete copies of either game are ridiculously expensive (even cart-only versions command top dollar on eBay and game trading sites) and although the developer did indeed finally make a Nintendo DSi sequel to Shantae (Shantae: Risky’s Revenge, which also ended up on iOS devices), folks who wanted something more physical to own got shut out once again (bleh!). Well, the original Shantae is coming back after eleven years, but this time, it’s also a digital download hitting Nintendo’s eShop on June 20, 2013 for the Virtual Console. Sure, it’ll do well, but cranky old farts like me want a better way to keep the gal around a bit longer than as a download.

eshop

Heck, I’d bet a wooden nickel that some sort of crowd funding deal could get both Shantae games (and perhaps a Wendy remake) onto a disc for PC with all sorts of fun extras. The chances of these coming back to a cartridge are slim (it’s probably not very economical for a few reasons), I’ll admit, but at least there would be a bunch of people paying WayForward more for a new game and not getting the old ones of torrent sites (as I know more people have played Shantae and Wendy than own legal copies of either). Eh, we’ll see what’s what down the road, I guess. In a perfect world, both physical and digital versions would be available, but I know that’s a pipe dream these days…

Nintendo Direct 4.17.2013: Making Some Intriguing Concessions To The Digital Age…

Posted on April 17, 2013 by geelw

So, Nintendo seems caught between a rock and the next generation, what with the PS4 and Microsoft’s new console on the way and Wii U sales not being as solid as they need to. The company is dropping some online channels from the console, but don’t make the mistake of thinking the system is dead by any means. There are a bunch of cool exclusives on the way for the Wii U, but once more, it’s the 3DS that’s stealing the show. A new Legend of Zelda game (well, one based on the classic SNES game A Link to the Past), the cult classic Earthbound (Hoo-freakin’-raaaay!) both coming as Virtual Console releases are but two of the super games coming for the company’s fans.

HOWEVER (dun-dun-dunnn!) Hmmm… I see a slight problem here in all the happy-happy going on…
Continue reading →

Capcom Makes With The Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Humor So You Don’t Have To…

Posted on March 18, 2013 by geelw

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! I have the funny as hell feeling that somewhere on the Internet, SOMEONE is thinking this video is for a REAL product and is very madly tapping out that 800 number, credit card at the ready. Sucker. Of course, if Capcom DID actually release swag like this and put it up on their web shop, it would sell out in about the time it takes to watch that video. Yeah, you know how those rabid fans are. A fool and his money actually NEVER get parted because he or she sits in the corner crying because that fake number didn’t dial though. A real smart dude or dudette is broke and happy because they have a crapload of too cool swag filling their shelves. That, dear reader is today’s wisdom. Now go buy something too cool for yourself… oh, a brand new Wii U and/or 3DS and copies of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for both systems would be a great start, I (and Capcom) would say…

Nintendo’s Got Lots (More) in Store (Retail and Digital) For Wii U Owners This Year…

Posted on January 23, 2013 by geelw

Apparently, that rather large launch lineup wasn’t enough for some gamers (and overpaid industry analysts who don’t game, but LOVE to over-speculate), so here you go, news of new Wii U releases coming in 2013. Sure, some stuff here is delayed from its initial announcements, but that’s no big deal as it SHOULD get some Wii U owners to try a game or three they may have ignored because they don’t play title in a particular genre. That said, what’s coming is definitely worth waiting for, as there are some nice games for every niche from casual, family-friendly stuff to more mature content (ah, Bayonetta 2 – and exclusive to the system at that!). It’s going to be a pretty big year for the new console, but 3DS owners aren’t being left out of the fun at all as you’ll see above.

The Cave Full Character Trailer: The Gang’s All Here (and Ready to Play!)

Posted on January 16, 2013 by geelw

Ahhhh… Smell that, kids? It’s the scent of ADVENTURE! Well, adventure gaming to be exact. Wait, you don’t have a “Sniff” key on that keyboard? Hey, it’s 2013 – where have you been? OK, I’ll try and describe what adventure games smell like. It’s sort of a rainy weekend, hot cocoa, graham crackers and recently laundered blankets. A touch of pet hair (*achoo!*) and if you’re really lucky, the lingering scent of tomato soup (not from a can) and a grilled cheese sandwich can be detected. You may only get a hint of that overall aroma, but it’s all in there if you close your eyes and lean back…

Nintendo “Sizzle” Reel Time: High Steaks on the Video Game Grill…

Posted on October 25, 2012 by geelw

Nintendo really wants you to know it’s that time of year again (no, not that time… THAT time – holiday shopping season), so here’s a little reminder that they want you to think about the 3DS if you haven’t already. That and hey look – their eShop is up and running nicely, they have a new console on the way they want you to buy (you may have heard of it) and yeah, if you’re a gamer (and Nintendo fan), all is pretty much right as rain these days. Or something like that – there’s a ton of stuff coming out, that’s for sure.

Nintendo’s eShop To Kick Into High Gear Soon…

Posted on October 9, 2012 by geelw

For better or worse, Nintendo is finally going whole hog (hopefully, say digital fans demanding the best) on this eShop thing. A quarter says it’s up and running when the Wii U launches next month. It had better be live, given the drubbing the company got when the 3DS launched with an incomplete shop function that left some gamers and journalist types wondering what the heck was going on. I’m betting they’ve learned that hard lesson, as the Wii U is going to need to be on point plus tax with no flaws in the ointment.