Tag Archives: Nintendo

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

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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.

Transformers Prime – The Game: Today’s Lesson in Multi-Platform Visuals (Nintendo Version)…

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Ack! It’s a stupidly busy day for me (I’m buried in a few too many games this week), but here’s a quickie post about Transformers Prime – The Game, set to hit the Wii U (and Wii, 3DS and DS) on November 18th. I find it interesting that the visual style skews a bit younger than High Moon’s War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron, and it seems a few internet idiots are mistaking this for Nintendo’s new console not having enough power to render a more” realistic” looking game. The Wii U can indeed handle higher texture and model detail just fine. Go peek at more screens and HD movies of the launch lineup to confirm this. I’d gather that as the game was probably started on the Wii, the Wii U version is more likely than not using the same assets and will run in HD where the Wii version won’t.  Thus endeth the lesson – now go play some games!

 

Spy Hunter Returns – This Time On 3DS and Vita

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I was laughing when I saw this trailer because I have too many memories of the arcade original and I bet not a lot of gamers this one is targeted to even know where the theme song in the original game comes from. Oh well – if the game is as cool as the first one in terms of action and replay value, I’m all in and then some…

Nintendo’s eShop To Kick Into High Gear Soon…

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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.

Nano Assault Neo/Nano Assault EX Trailers: Shin’en Style: Super Shooters Inbound!

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Excellent – not only is Shin’en beefing up Nano Assault for a 3DS digital release, we’re also getting Nano Assault Neo on the Wii, which packs in even more all-new content and nicely uses the GamePad for two-player action. My only issue with both games are they’re going to bi digital downloads only. Personally, I’d pay for a retail release that features full-on Wii U remakes of Nanostray, Nanostray 2 and both Iridion 3D games. I bet fans of the developer’s shmups would agree, especially if they also got a discount voucher for Nano Assault EX included in the deal. Anyway, color me thrilled to see another Wii U game on the way…

 

3DS XL TV Spots: Nintendo Still Doesn’t Feel My Pain, But They’ll Get My Money…

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I actually love the new 3DS XL because I’m old as the hills and need something I can actually see, so yep, I’ll be getting one of these in a bit. My problem is the same as the one many who still play Game Boy Advance or other older Game Boy games have had since the DSi XL launched a while back. We STILL need to keep an older model small screen DS around (or have a dedicated GBA SP) when we want to play something that has yet to go up in the eShop. Yes, I still have my Game Boy Player attached to my GameCube, but you certainly can’t take that setup on the train.

Granted, the chances of seeing some of the more obscure GBA games I have here pop up as legal downloads are slim to none (and I refuse to be a pirate, arrr!), but hey, I’m in the minority at the end of the day. Compared to the masses who don’t give a hoot because they’re not interested in game history, treat it as easily disposable and move onto new things at a rapid pace, I’m an absolute dinosaur to Nintendo.  Hell, I still say some of us old farts NEED to keep all types of gaming alive for as long as we can…

 

Random New Additions, Random Edition (Some Games and Movies)…

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OK, I’m lousy at updating my library pics unlike some of my fellow collectors on WP, but here’s a random sampling of stuff I’ve picked up through budget buys or a few trades. I’ve played all of the PS3 games in the photo previously on the 360, but as I have the worst luck with that console in terms of keeping them working after a few months (shakes fist at non-working 360’s sitting nearby collecting dust), I’ve had to pick the games shown up again. All are great in their own ways with El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron and Shadows of the Damned near polar opposites in weirdness, tone and impact (bot are good, but supremely strange). Warhammer 40K: Space Marine is a big, beefy kill-fest extravaganza that’s quite well done but fairly linear. It’s one of the more visceral action games I’ve played in that you’re going to be wading into packs of Orks and chunking up enemies by assorted means, all of them satisfying. It’s too bad THQ has been having assorted financial issues, as this one NEEDS a sequel or new installment (perhaps on other platforms).

As for the DS stuff, I really liked Blue Dragon on the 360 (with the exception of searching, no, SCOURING maps for items found much easier in other RPGs), so getting Blue Dragon Plus was something I wanted to do for a while. Fortunately, Canada’s best kept secret, online entertainment retailer, iNetVideo.com had it dirt cheap new, albeit with a HUGE sticker on the outer cardboard slipcase (argh). THe DS game is actually a RTS with RPG elements and takes a bit of getting used to. While searching for this, I found out there’s a second DS Blue Dragon game (Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow) that got released in the US. It’s a bit more expensive from what I’ve seen so far, so on the wait/want list it goes. I think I ran a pic of Magical Starsign a while back, but in case i didn’t – here you go. Developer Brownie Brown also worked on Blue Dragon Plus, but the games are so different that you can’t tell at all.

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Wii U Launch/Launch Window List: 23 Games on Day 1, Many More To Come…

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OK, here you go: the full list of Wii U launch and launch window games. This is definitely Nintendo’s largest number of first and third party titles for a new home console and as you can see, nearly every popular genre is covered. Retailers here that were taking pre-orders have stopped and from what I saw at at least one site, are now taking orders for January shipments. So, if you were on the fence last week, you’re under that fence now. This holiday season will be an interesting one for sure as Nintendo hits the ground running on November 18 and hopes to keep that momentum going into 2013. I’ll let you know in a bit which ones I’m wanting to add to the library here…

November 18
Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Activision
Skylanders Giants – Activision
Transformers Prime – Activision
Wipeout 3 – Activision
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two – Disney Interactive Studios
FIFA Soccer 13 – Electronic Arts
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition – Namco Bandai Games America
New Super Mario Bros. U – Nintendo
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge – Nintendo
Nintendo Land – Nintendo
Sing Party – Nintendo
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed – Sega
Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper – Tecmo Koei
Darksiders II – THQ
Assassin’s Creed III – Ubisoft
ESPN Sports Connection – Ubisoft
Just Dance 4 – Ubisoft
Rabbids Land – Ubisoft
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 – Ubisoft
ZombiU – Ubisoft
Scribblenauts Unlimited – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Game Party Champions – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

November
Chasing Aurora – Broken Rules
Cloudberry Kingdom – Pwnee Studios
Madden NFL 13 – Electronic Arts
Trine 2: Director’s Cut – FrozenByte
Mighty Switch Force HD – WayForward
Tank! Tank! Tank! – Namco Bandai Games America
Nano Assault Neo – Shin’en
Little Inferno – Tomorrow Corporation
Toki Tori 2 – Two Tribes

January
Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien – Gaijin Games

Launch Window Releases (Before April 2013)
Funky Barn – 505 Games
NBA 2K13 – 2K Sports
007 Legends – Activision
Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 – Activision
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing – Activision
Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game – D3 Publisher
Ben 10 Omniverse – D3 Publisher
Family Party: 30 Great Games: Obstacle Arcade – D3 Publisher
Mass Effect 3 – Electronic Arts
Game & Wario – Nintendo
Lego City: Undercover – Nintendo
Pikmin 3 – Nintendo
Wii Fit U – Nintendo
The Wonderful 101 – Nintendo
Aliens: Colonial Marines – Sega
Jeopardy! – THQ
Wheel of Fortune – THQ
Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth – Ubisoft
Rayman Legends – Ubisoft

Source: Gamesindustry.biz

Kirby at 20: Still Round, Pink and Making Us All Smile…

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I’d say I identify with Kirby more than I do with Mario and his crew just because he’s such an outsider that manages to be the life of the party every time. Yeah, yeah, Mario gets to rescue Peach, beat up on Bowser and wonder why his lazy brother Luigi gets his own games from time to time. Kirby has pretty much stayed the same for two decades, Cute, strong and always smiling through even the worst of times. Happy Birthday, Buddy!

 

 

Oh yeah, never call Kirby fat or anything like that. He hates that a lot. Especially when he’s called crap like “big-boned, as he has none inside him (or so I hear). FYI, the last person who called him a “chubster” got inhaled and spat out a mile away with their tongue tied up in a double knot. Kirby might be cool and fun, but don’t get on his nerves.

 

 

And yes, you should buy him a present or else. Kirby loves presents. Or just buy his game instead, as he knows when that happens because Reggie gives him some spending money. Kirby likes spending money, too.

The Last Story: Great Game, But That Deluxe Packaging Is A Pain

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So, the copy of The Last Story I recently ordered finally arrived today and while I’m pleased as punch about this (the game is running in the background as I type this post), whomever designed the outer sleeve for the otherwise wonderful game packaging needs a spanking or something. The “book” design of the slipcase that protects the game and lovely art book gets an “A” overall, but after than, it’s a bit goofy.

I understand that yes, the “book” should open like a book, but that outer cover protective flap thing? Er, what the what are gamers supposed to DO with it once they open the package? It’s not going to fit inside the box, the two front flaps on the blasted thing stick up like gull-wing doors on a DeLorean and storing it like a book on a bookshelf is a bit of a lame idea (especially if you don’t have a proper bookshelf or like me, your bookshelf is packed to the gills with other games). Hmmm… maybe I should design a case for the case? Eh, not enough time, nor enough patience to fiddle with constructing something like that. Oh well – off to see if this Story is as great as it looks. I like Mistwalker’s games, so I intend to be suitably impressed when it’s necessary.  Back in a bit…