Home › Posts tagged Nintendo › Page 14

Nintendo

Online Infrastructure Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Forget my two front teeth. All I want for Christmas is a solid online infrastructure for Nintendo Switch!

Add Friends

Can friend codes please go die in a deep, dark, flaming, sulfury smelling hole? Thanks.
There’s no reason that friend codes should still exist. They’re long, impersonal, impractical, and not used in any other modern technological setting.

See Friends

Nintendo has historically been all about the “couch multiplayer” experience, but it’s time those sensibilities were extended to online play. Their preferences don’t excuse them for providing trash solutions over the Internet. When my friend comes online to play a game, I get a little pop-up in the top left corner of my screen… but that’s it! I can’t tap on it, can’t spectate their session, can’t send them a message… nothing. Nintendo could also bring competitive leaderboard features to the forefront by notifying me when my scores are broken by a friend, even before I pop the cartridge in!

Join Friends

It should be easy to play online with my friends, no matter which mode. It should also be painless to make sure we’re on the same Splatoon team, rather than randomly being pitted against each other. Nintendo has always brought friends together, so let’s write the extra lines of code necessary to facilitate that when we aren’t in the same room.

Talk to Friends

Tools. That’s all we need! We just require the tools to speak to our friends, the tools to monitor or restrict that usage for our children, and the ability to use our own equipment. You won’t catch me dead with that horrid squid dongle with a web of cables running every which way… keep it simple.
It shouldn’t matter if we’re playing the same game, either. System-wide party chat has been solved for a couple console generations, so the Big N needs to jump on the bandwagon.

I’m not being too demanding because Nintendo’s competitors have all of this covered already. This is nothing new.
Nintendo starts charging for online play in 2018, and the ramp-up hasn’t looked very promising with how they’ve handled their mobile app and voice chat so far. For crying out loud, Discord has even gone on record saying that Nintendo could contract them to handle this whole infrastructure! There are no more excuses. They have to get this right if they think fans will subscribe to their service.

Kickin it 8-bit: Super Mario Bros. (NES)

Posted on by — No Comments ↓


We’re throwing it all the way back to Super Mario Bros. on NES! The Nintendo Entertainment System: Classic Edition is getting busted out for some “not-so-speedy” speedrunning of this original 8-bit platformer that started it all.

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Does This Game Bring me Joy? Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

After multiple articles on downsizing your dusty gaming collection, you’ve probably gotten rid of a bunch of junk, right?

No?

Today’s thought is a simple one, and it can bring you a surprising amount of clarity.

When trying to decide what to keep, throw away, sell, or even what to play next… ask yourself one question:

Does this game bring me joy?

If yes, keep. If no, bye bye.
(Psst… this principal works on movies, clothes, books, pretty much everything. Except living human beings.) Here’s to decluttering!

YouTuber Given a Switch by his Audience!

Posted on by — No Comments ↓


We did it. We banded together in secret and set Simeon up with his own Nintendo Switch. Simeon is a faithful YouTuber who has been creating Nintendo content for years, day in and day out. But 2017 hasn’t been easy on him and he hasn’t been able to afford his own Switch console. We thought that was wrong; as someone who reports on the latest Nintendo news, we thought Simeon deserved the latest and greatest. That’s why TBC viewers from all over the world pooled their funds to buy him a surprise package including the console, games, and accessories. A sincere thanks to all of those who have supported Simeon (and Scott) over the years. The Crew is the best.

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Which Games are “Perfect for the Switch”? Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

“That game is perfect for Switch!”

I’ve heard that phrase every day since the system launched. But what does it mean?

What makes a game perfect for Switch? I started getting a little confused when I heard it simultaneously applied to games like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Picross. Two completely different, polar opposite experiences.

  • Is the Switch perfect for long, single-player adventures because you can chip away at them whenever you have time, on the go?
  • Is the Switch perfect for bite-sized games that you can boot up and score a quick-win in a couple minutes?
  • Is Nintendo’s new console a match made in heaven for single player games that you can hold up close and personal?
  • Or is it perfect for multiplayer, competitive games in a LAN setting?

The answer, of course, is yes. Yes to all of the above. Nintendo seems to have caught lightning in a bottle and created a piece of kit that’s begging to have every new release, multiplatform game, indie title, and definitive edition developed for or ported to it.

There has never been a home console or portable that draws games toward it with such a magnetic force, attracting a diverse collection of titles at that.

A new phenomenon has started to happen where multiplatform announcements are discussed as “coming to Switch and other platforms.”

For Real Though—The Joy-Con IR Sensor?! Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

$50. That’s how much it costs to buy half a controller in the Nintendo Switch era.

Don’t get me wrong! I like the Joy-Con. They’re packed with a lot of technology with plenty of inputs, HD rumble, NFC read/write, and weirdest of all: an IR camera.

This useless feature was announced in January, and was shown off with the ability to detect rock-paper-scissors motions.
I don’t know about you, but I can play rock-paper-scissors in real life, and I’m not particularly eager to face off against a computer opponent.

Oh, and I can’t forget the 1-2-Switch implementation in Eating Contest, which totally works and no one is ever frustrated with.

Sigh.

As usual, Nintendo went overboard and had one too many ideas with their new hardware. The Wii Classic Controller clip comes to mind.

Infrared has been used successfully on Wii, for pointer controls, and on 3DS for amiibo accessory connectivity. This is not one of those times.

Prove me wrong, Nintendo! Your move.

How Many is too Many? WARNING! Super Mario Odyssey Endgame SPOILERS

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

Most platformer games usually have one common goal in place: collecting. Whether it be jinjos, jiggies, stars, or moons, these games are usually referred to as “collectathons”. In order to bulk up the experience, or add more to the game, is it safe to simply add more things to collect? How do developers keep the experience fresh? If you missed the spoiler warning for Super Mario Odyssey in the title and don’t want anything to be spoiled, now is the time to stop reading.

There are 999 moons to collect in Super Mario Odyssey (not counting all the additional moons that you can buy, but those don’t count toward the maxed out 999 moons that can power your Odyssey). It’s true that every moon is a little different, but when you boil it down, there are some recurring ways to get most of the moons, with little uniqueness. Some moons are collected by ground-pounding a certain area, dressing up in a specific costume, walking in a perfect circle, stacking Goombas, finding paintings, racing, etc. Despite this repetition, and the vast number of moons spread across the world, I never got sick of the experience. In my 45 hours spent, I collected everything I could, and the experience never felt stale or like I was crawling my way through.

For me, this game ended at the perfect time. Anything more, and the experience likely would have started to decline. Nintendo found the sweet spot, and I think that is largely in part due to the differences in the levels. No two areas were similar in any way, and I appreciate that Nintendo didn’t play it safe with their usual grass, desert, snow/ice, mountain, and lava worlds. Starting out in the Cap Kingdom is so different than anywhere that Mario started his adventure in the past, and the sense of adventure really sparked as soon as I entered the Cascade Kingdom for the first time. The Dia de los Muertos tie-in to the Sand Kingdom was also a nice touch. The Metro Kingdom is something that I was skeptical about, as it gave me vibes of Sonic ’06, but it was done so well. Sometimes I still just go back and run around that giant playground. Even Bowser’s Kingdom looks like it never has, with a Japanese Dojo style theme. Simply wanting to experience every meticulously crafted level is what kept me going to the pursuit of 999 moons. The reason this didn’t feel like a collectathon to me is that I wasn’t motivated by the desire to collect more moons, but rather exploring and being immersed in the environment.

A game shouldn’t be driven by collecting, but exploring.

I realized that these games don’t get their longevity from the number of things to collect, but from the quality of their worlds. In Odyssey, Nintendo found the perfect balance. After I inserted that 999th moon into the Odyssey and saw the cap resting on Peach’s castle, I felt a great sense of accomplishment, and at that time, I was ready to be done. Not done exploring and playing around in the worlds, but done collecting moons. To answer my initial question: is 999 moons too many? In this game, no. In any other game, it probably would be. It all depends on the quality and creativity of the world. Not to mention that throughout my entire 45 hour completion play through, I had a pretty dumb smile on my face (except during a few moons – looking at you, Dark Side).

Nice photobomb, Captain Toad.

I just want to conclude with a more personal note: thank you as always for your time to read these blogs. I know your time is valuable, and when I write these blogs I try to approach with a fresh or new perspective, as there is already so much circulating the internet about games. So thank you, and I wish you safe and happy Holidays. Hopefully it’s not only spent with Mario on his incredible odyssey, but with family.

Where the Metroid Series Needs to Go Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Samus has been all over the galaxy, answering distress calls everywhere from overrun space stations to giant baby bottles.

Her contemporaries (Mario and Link) have had huge shake-ups in their respective series, much needed to avoid fatigue and bring something fresh. Where does Samus need to go from here?

Earth.

Samus needs to land on planet Earth and defend it from invading aliens.

That’s how this series can mature and raise the stakes all in one fell swoop. It’s great that she’s a solitary and silent hero, and I know the Metroid series is lauded for its isolation and atmosphere. But…

We can’t just keep fighting Ridley and Space Pirates over and over, acting surprised when the Metroid race is not extinct (again).

The entire game doesn’t have to be set on Earth, either. She can speed off in her gunship to stop a planetary attack from being launched—that kind of thing!

I don’t expect a monumental shift like this to occur in Metroid Prime 4, because that wouldn’t be a logical way to proceed after the trilogy. However, the Metroid franchise will need to take a big step sooner or later.

Although this series of games was born at the same time that most of Nintendo’s IP were created in the NES era, Metroid titles always sell surprisingly low compared to their peers. The Big N needs to shake things up and attract mainstream attention to this series, or it will probably always exist in a state of sales flux with long periods between sequels.

Metroid could also benefit from dropping the “Metroid” name. It’s weird to have a franchise named after a common enemy (like Goomba Odyssey or Bokoblin of the Wild) and only serves to box in the developers’ creativity.

But now I’m just talkin’ crazy.

SteamWorld Heist, Street Fighter News!

Posted on by — No Comments ↓


SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch! Also announced as a multiplatform game from Capcom: Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Which announcement are you most of excited about? Let us know in the comments!

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Which Nintendo Character Am I? Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Today, I endeavor to discover which Nintendo character I identify with. I hope to find the perfect match, one that resonates and rings true. Without further ado…

Mario

I don’t think so. Mario is more like a father figure than an equal. He’s very sporty and multi-talented, which is in contrast to my narrow set of specialized skills. He wears loud clothing (especially in Super Mario Odyssey) and is a brave hero that throws himself into danger without a plan. All around: no. Not at all.

Link

Hyrule’s silent protagonist is a more likely match. He doesn’t waste any breath, which I appreciate, and he is guided by a strong sense of loyalty. Link always tries to do the right thing, and once he has found a noble cause, he applies himself and sees it through. These are all personality traits that I admire and (at least attempt to) share. However, Link is also quite the outdoorsy fellow, and can often be found traversing planes on horseback or scaling imposing mountains. He’s probably too adventurous to be considered my analog.

Donkey Kong

This big brown brute is way too strong to resemble me. He’s bigger, faster, and stronger, too, after all. I am none of those things.
DK is also easily pleased. All he needs is a pile of bananas to be content. First of all, I hate bananas because they make my mouth itchy. Second, I’m not in touch with the “simple pleasures” of life. I require technology, innovation, and the cutting edge. I wouldn’t no what to do with a stack of fruit in the jungle. Donkey kong can keep his lifestyle and I’ll keep mine, thank you very much!

Samus

Another strong contender, because like Link, Samus doesn’t say a whole lot. This is pleasing to my introverted tendencies. We’re both completely happy with alone time; in fact, this bounty hunter pretty much blasts anything alive until it stops moving. She doesn’t spend a lot of time outdoors, and she’s on top of the latest tech. I think we’d get along well.
There’s a pretty big difference that separates us, though. Samus is compassionate, and when push comes to shove, she lets even the most vicious creatures live when it means that their race will be spared. I don’t share that same level of empathy, unfortunately. But she’s currently leading the pack!

Captain Falcon

Captain Falcon enjoys everything I don’t; cars, speeding, rivalries, working out, yelling loudly, taunting people, wearing skin-tight unitards, and I could go on. Suffice it to say: FALCON NO!

Kirby

While I do enjoy eating a lot of food, the similarities end there. I am not round, cute, smiley, or cuddly, and I don’t look like a girl.

Tom Nook

Okay, this is a possibility. I do have an affinity for money, and I enjoy some aspects of business and entrepreneurship. But I hope I don’t match this raccoon’s level of greed, because he’s gone so far as to break child labor laws and employ underage animals at his store. He’s also after your real life $ bills now in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Please tell me that I am not like Tom Nook.

Captain Olimar

He traverses alien planets and commands little living plants around all day (until the annoying timer runs out). I don’t think I’ve ever done anything like this.

Fox McCloud

I’m running out of options here, but Fox is promising. He also likes technology, leads a team, accepts missions and gets them done, etc. He’s got this huge amount of self-confidence and determination though, that I’m not sure I measure up to. Fox also spent a long leg of his life outside the cockpit, galavanting around Dinosaur Planet and acting like a low-rent hero of Hyrule.

However, there was one man (bird) that refused to leave the cockpit…
This guy knows what up. He prefers the air, and that’s where he stays (when he’s not shooting people up in Assault or smacking them silly in Smash Bros.). He has a narrow but deep skillset and can always be relied upon for bombs. He has a quick wit and isn’t afraid to crack a joke even in the face of danger. He appears cold on the outside, but deep down he cares for his friends and is always bummed when they get shot out of the sky. Falco is a loyal, skilled, sarcastic and cool wingman. I am Falco Lombardi!

Nine Parchments – Can We Work Together?

Posted on by — No Comments ↓


Simeon and Scott tackle the brand new Switch eShop game, Nine Parchments! Spoilers: It’s great for two player co-op. This is an unusual twin-stick shooter, not taking place in outer space but grounded in the world of fantasy. Check the demo out for free on Switch eShop!

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Switch 2.0 Inbound Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

I’ve seen the pattern.
Nintendo releases a new console, which is disruptive and revolutionary in the gaming industry (innovate).

Next, they follow it up with a system that refines and advances their previous console (iterate).
Then the cycle repeats.

  • NES: brought arcade-level gaming to the home | SNES: improved graphics, added buttons
  • N64: introduced 3D gaming, rumble, 4-player | Gamecube: improved graphics, added a c-stick
  • Wii: debuted motion control, wireless gaming | Wii U: improved graphics, had some good games

Switch followed in the footsteps of NES, N64, and Wii, changing the way we think about and interact with games.

It’s also experiencing an outstanding amount of success, with a warm reception from core gaming enthusiasts.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Nintendo will continue the trend and stay on the trail that Switch is blazing. Their next console will be a Switch 2.0.

It will be more powerful, will have a few of those features that we wanted but did not get, and will be an easy upgrade. VR is a no-brainer, but time will tell if that’s the main focus.

Mark my words!

What a Wonderful (Super Mario) World

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓


Super Mario Odyssey might be all the rage right now, but Super Mario World was also released this year! On the SNES Classic Edition, of course. Simeon and Scott are taking a trip down memory lane to a game that many still consider the best of its class. Super Mario World changed things dramatically for the Mario series, and introduced many beloved mainstays.

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Devolution of Paper Mario Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

I remember being drawn to the first Paper Mario like a magnet.

It was in a video rental store, and I saw the N64 cartridge sitting on the bottom shelf. I didn’t know why Mario was paper, or why it was turn-based, but I immediately brought it home.

Of course, an RPG like Paper Mario can’t really be explored and beaten during a rental period, so I ended up buying it. I had to! The story, the characters, and the gameplay were so compelling that I had to see the adventure through to the end.

The Thousand Year Door was a beautiful follow-up on GameCube, which I first laid eyes upon at a WalMart. It was one of those demo kiosks where you had to stare up at the ceiling and snap your head backward to see. It continued the wonderful characterizations, thickened the plot, and introduced exciting new transformations for Mario that shook up the gameplay.

Super Paper Mario was memorable. Although stripping out the beloved traditional RPG elements, the game introduced a compelling tale of love and tragedy, alongside an interesting 2D-to-3D mechanic.

And then it all went downhill.

Unique, lovable, captivating characters were replaced with gimmicks of stickers and paint.

This image sums it up well.

The modern entries have their own merit, and bring some amount of charm. But along the way, the franchise lost focus. Paper Mario became more about churning out a quick win for sales and marketing than it was about world-building.

It might have been when the father of Mario gave the Sticker Star team these directions:
There were two main things that Miyamoto-san said from the start of the project—”It’s fine without a story, so do we really need one?” and “As much as possible, complete it with only characters from the Super Mario world.” –Iwata Asks

Miyamoto was wrong.

Nintendo’s Job ≠ Parents’ Job Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

I grew up with three parents: Mom, Dad, and Nintendo.

My mother and father were great—kept me out of trouble, let me earn trust, and gave me some slack on the leash.

Nintendo, on the other hand, has always been the stereotypical helicopter parent.

And still is.

When I moved out of my Mom and Dad’s house, I took my Nintendo games with me. Along with them, I brought some overbearing restrictions along for the ride.

I got my own place to live, my own car to ride, and my own job to cover my bills. That’s what we call “adulting.” Unfortunately, I still feel like a kid when I try to play online and use the limited internet services built into Nintendo systems.

This company from Japan thinks it’s their job to raise me. It’s not, and it never was.

If Nintendo wants to provide a parental control app—great. The one for Switch has some neat features. That needs to be the end of their responsibilities, so parents can do the rest.

It would sure be nice to talk to my friends… or even my competitors if I want to!

Innovation vs. Iteration Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Innovation: to revolutionize, change, transform, or evolve.

Iteration: to repeat, improve, patch, or expand.

Historically, Nintendo is a very iterative company. Most of their characters and concepts came from the mid-80s, when the company created its first batch of games for NES.

For many subsequent generations, they’ve followed the formulae, making a Mario game. A Zelda game. A Metroid game. Sequels got marginally better, improving upon past issues.

They’ve been honing their craft. Perfecting.

The only problem with this tradition is that it’s not very exciting. People start saying things like “if you’ve played one, you’ve played them all,” and “they keep recycling the same story over and over again.”

Nintendo Wii was the company’s first major hardware innovation in a long time—and they knew it, naming it codename “Revolution.” We were starting to see a brand that was ready to transform the gaming industry. Funny enough, the console’s success caused the console-maker to follow up with a safe “half-step” successor, but the masses weren’t listening anymore.

The good news is: innovative Nintendo is back, and that culture is seeping into their most beloved franchises. Breath of the Wild and Odyssey took a big leap in evolving the gameplay front. Next, we’ll see bigger shifts in story and presentation.

Buckle up! Your responsibility is being open to the change.

Mega Man 11 and Portal* for Switch!

Posted on by — No Comments ↓


Every few days, a brand new game is announced for Nintendo Switch. We’ve started doing a news segment weekly and we can barely keep up! In this installment, we discuss the (blue) bombshell that Mega Man 11 is blasting his way to Switch next year, followed by the biggest surprise in a while… Portal is back?

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Nintendo Fans are Running the Company Scott's Thoughts

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

For a few years now, Nintendo execs have been talking about passing the torch. Younger developers are starting to take the reigns on new intellectual property like Splatoon and ARMS, as well as helping more seasoned devs shake up existing franchises that have stagnated.

These youthful employees are of a new generation, cut from a different cloth than Nintendo management has typically been made up of.

They’re Nintendo fans.

Kids who grew up a couple decades ago have been playing the company’s games their whole life, learned how to design and code, then landed a job at the Big N itself.

There’s a lot of respect for Nintendo’s stable of franchises, yet, the new employees aren’t as emotionally attached. That distinction allows for more change, experimentation, and advancement than we have previously seen.

When Nintendo fans run the company, you start seeing decisions that make more sense (to us fellow Nintendo fans). Things that we would actually come up with! Like naming a two-dimensional 3DS the 2DS. Like bringing back Star Fox 2 on a Classic Edition. Like reproducing the excellent GameCube controller for Super Smash Bros. 4.

We’re in good hands!

NEW Mario + Rabbids Vs. Mode!

Posted on by — No Comments ↓


Ubisoft just dropped a brand new Mario + Rabbids mode on us, their unsuspecting fans. Vs. mode?! Yes please! Simeon and Scott will showdown and see who is the better strategist. Oh, and one more thing… BWAAAAAAAAAH!

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/