Julius

Yeah, I got back from a party after it finished, figured I had a bit of energy so would sit down and watch it. I was exhausted by the end, made watching paint dry look like Splatoon. I actually came here to type my thoughts straight after but was that unenthused by it that I decided I'd leave it for the following day (yesterday), where a less tired me made the correct decision that it was too bad an event to really comment on. Little Devil Inside looks great...and that was kind of it, but we didn't even get a date for their show closer and the only game we were told would be present beforehand. The new Star Ocean has a Xenoblade vibe to it which could be okay...if it didn't have faces from 2002 and fewer frames than an emptied out art gallery. Happy for KOF fans that the beta isn't too far away, but they built up to it like it was this weekend. Oh, and that OFK trailer was terrible, they could cut the awkward preamble and terrible jokes (the first minute or so of the trailer?) and I feel I still wouldn't have a grasp on what it was until they outright said it was an episodic release with choices to make. Not the worst show of the year, I think Gearbox still lays claim to that honour, but it's very close. My score: I'd call this a 3.5/10.

I'll figure out a better place to put my thoughts on it another time, but for now I really need to get my early thoughts on Metroid: Zero Mission off my chest. Holy heck is this game freaking awesome! I'm a couple of hours in and having an absolute blast. So far I've made it to Kraid, where I just finished up exploring the place as much as I could after defeating the boss, after making it through as much of Brinstar as I could, as well as Crateria, some amount of Norfair (I say that because I have a nagging feeling I'll be back), and these Chozo Ruins. I've picked up three Energy Tanks, got my missile capacity up to 80, and have picked up the Morph Ball, Long Beam, Charge Beam, Power Grip, Ice Beam, Speed Booster, and Bomb, and haven't had too much trouble so far outside of the bosses, though the first of which (the giant purple worm in the room with acid?) took me a few minutes to figure out. I think at this early stage the bosses have probably been the weak link for me. Yeah, the purple worm took a few minutes (it was also nice to have the opportunity to just get my health and ammo restored!), but the giant lizard and most of the enemies in this game so far have come down to just unloading every missile and their mother at them. It's cool and kind of fun, I just don't think - again, so far - that it's matched the depth I've seen from the rest of the game. Because that's where it has really sunk it's hooks into me: the exploration. Before this I'd only played the first few hours of Super Metroid a few times, but other than that, my understanding of Metroidvania concepts comes from it's clear influence on other games. Here, though, it's like every other room I walk into has something to do other than get to the other side, whether I need to come back with a new item at a later point to reach an item, figure out another way around, or solve a puzzle. And boy have I loved some of these puzzles! My favourite so far I think was on Kraid with the floating purple turtle dudes and the zip line up above. Been plenty of other times too. The first time I walked behind what appeared to be a wall to gain access to a hidden room, or any and every time where I get to use a Bomb on a worn or damaged block which takes me in a completely new direction (especially the ones underfoot and giving you access to tubes!), I absolutely love it. Also got pretty handy with the Bombs, the first time I scaled a massive room with them felt awesome. And then you have the map! I didn't know how I'd approach this game, and though I'm sure I won't 100% it going in blind, I'm having so much fun just trying to figure out every room's secret. Heck, on Kraid, before reaching the Map Room, I genuinely forgot some doors that I walked past trying to just look around the place, I was that absorbed in it! Anyways, need to close saying the Power Grip is awesome. The sprite work on Samus depending on if she's looking to the left or right of the screen while gripping to the edge, and when she can manoeuvre her arm cannon from these ledges, just looks fantastic. But a final shout-out to Brinstar, because this theme is just phenomenal: Can't believe how excited I am to get back to this

While the case gives you a bit more grip than without, it honestly doesn't feel like enough grip to give you the confidence that it's not going to fall out of your hand when it gets the chance. It could just be me not getting used to the phone yet, as my Pixel 3 was more than an inch smaller, noticeably lighter, and the fingerprint scanner on the back was a great groove to rest your index finger in and get more of a grip on the phone, which I would say was actually enhanced by having a case (as it gave you a deeper groove to rest your fingertip in). I'd probably say I have medium-sized hands, so maybe someone with larger hands would be completely fine with it, but for me so far the case has been a mixed bag. The camera "visor" serves as a pretty decent place to rest the outside of your index finger for a better grip and for more balance without a case on, but because this case (and most other cases I've seen for it) tries to create a more level surface across the back of the phone, it's not as pronounced with the case on, which I think only adds to the feeling of having less of a grip on it by comparison. The case does look quite nice though... Oh I feel you on this, the fabric cases were fantastic! I do find it funny that the first time they decide to make both the higher end and standard version of the Pixel more than 6 inches in screen size, the grippy, fabric cases are tossed out when we needed them most. How are you getting on with yours so far? I'm really feeling the growing pains so far moving to Android 12 on a new phone, and the fingerprint scanner feels like it takes an age compared to my old phone, which is really odd. And I still can't get over the fact they've decided to stick both your mobile network and WiFi under "Internet"

Still waiting on the Pro Controller, but my Wii U arrived today! The GamePad is in better condition than I thought it would be, just a really small scratch at the bottom of the screen, so that's pretty cool. My early impression is that the menus are a bit slow, and the eShop in particular tends to drag things out when compared to most other systems. It also gives a very strange first impression when setting it up for the first time that most of it is not done while looking at the TV, but instead at the GamePad's screen; I understand what they were going for, but it did in a way make the setting up of the console feel a bit less premium. It's one of those things where I'm sure I'll come up with more negatives than positives out of the box, I think they tend to just be a bit more glaring at this early point, but there are some positives. There are these things called Folders, which for some bizarre reason still aren't available on the PS5 or Switch, so the Wii U has them beat there! While using the GamePad for initial setup did feel less premium, typing on it through the touchscreen rather than using the controller to work a keyboard on the TV felt so much better. Most importantly for my experience so far, though, is that the eShop music is way more fun than I was expecting (apparently it's been in use on the 3DS for a while too, which speaks volumes of how often I use my poor 3DS). For now I'm working my way through some of the Virtual Console titles on my list and picking those up, think I'll get to ordering a few Wii and Wii U games on the weekend to help build a bit of a library up, but I might try and take my first bite at a game on the Wii U later this evening (likely Zero Mission). @sumo73 you were right about the eShop cards being the only way to add funds now, it's been a while since I've had to pick up codes like this! Think I'll need to sit down at some point and meticulously plan exactly what I'm buying digitally, to figure out just how many eShop cards I need to buy. @Dcubed thanks for the in-depth list, appreciate it! Ogre Battle 64 is something I'm not familiar with, but I've heard a whole lot about Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (what a title), so that's definitely being added to the list. I've actually added all of them except for the ones which require modding, only as that's not something I'm looking to do (yet, anyways!).

My Pixel count has doubled... ...and like a true Wii Sports champ, gone Pro Pretty happy the case arrived today after hearing in some of the reviews that the phone was a bit slippery, it originally wasn't supposed to arrive until the second week of November! Also had my new vacuum (a Dyson V15 Detect Absolute) arrive yesterday, so it's been a fun week of new tech arrivals!

First trailer for Lightyear and...I'm not a fan of his face. Or his haircut. Still, that aside, I'm very excited for this. Crazy how far animation has come since the first Toy Story, this really looks like Pixar going for it in terms of visual prowess. It's probably the most intriguing movie they have coming up, so fingers crossed it's good! Really hoping for some Buzz Lightyear of Star Command nods, and there's a lot of red-eyed robots around looking like the ones from Toy Story 2, so hopefully with this being like the Star Wars of the universe in Toy Story (a lot of references clearly, the planet he lands on definitely having a Dagobah vibe to it), that box opening at the end is Zurg. Also pour one out for Chris Evans, poor guy keeps getting cut off and–

Huh, you know, the thought of picking up the first Splatoon didn't even cross my mind, but at the very least checking out the single player could be a lot of fun! Game & Wario looks like it's a bit steep in terms of price for the physical version, like you say, but I'll keep an eye out for a good deal on that. Some of those mini-games do look like a hectic fun time. And Affordable Space Adventures looks like a charming and novel way to implement the GamePad. All added to the list, thanks! From what I can find it seems like you'll still be able to pick things up through eShop cards and the website, but not directly to the Wii U through a debit/credit card...which seems like a real pain. Of course I had to go ahead and jinx it! Thanks for the heads-up will definitely consider it, I might focus on picking up all of the Virtual Console and digital-only games I'm interested in before that happens to save the hassle. Looks charming as heck! Yeah, a lot of reasons for and against both at the moment, you're right. I might play it smart and just wait until the remakes release, and if it seems to be the general consensus that those are the definitive versions for whatever reason, I'll probably end up going for the Switch release. That being said, I do find the GBA sprites much more charming than the 3D models in the remake, I don't think I'd be particularly interested in online modes in a game like this, and like you said, the originals on Virtual Console are going to be the more affordable option, so I'm definitely leaning towards those at the moment. Just hope Nintendo doesn't do anything underhanded once the remakes release! Thanks for the advice! Yeah, I'll probably go straight to Blazing Blade, mainly because it's been a little while since I played Awakening and a refresher on Fire Emblem wouldn't hurt! Just had a look at the eShop and, funnily enough, it looks like they're all in the Wii U's Virtual Console! Drill Dozer in particular is one I've been curious about for a while (because Game Freak, plus those sprites) but had completely omitted from my mind when looking at the Wii U Virtual Console. Thanks! Damn, a lot of love for RE4 on Wii, it's nice to see! Well timed too with all of the hype around RE4 VR, I might just bite the bullet and play the Wii version first then based on the recommendations here! Heard of some of the others like Excite Truck before, but will definitely have a look into the others too! Will do thanks for the recommendations Jonnas, appreciate it!

Legendary and WB have confirmed that Dune - Part Two is aiming at an October 2023 release, and Deadline is saying that it's specifically going to have a slated release date of 20th October 2023. What's more, it will be a theatrical exclusive release. Not much of a surprise given the buzz, how some of the WB and Legendary higher-ups have hinted at this the last few weeks, and most of all Josh Brolin pretty openly saying they were gearing up to start filming next summer. May the spice flow

Official trailer for the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop:

Updates on Xbox from Microsoft's Q1 FY2022 earnings report. Just a heads-up, it's a pretty lean update... Got to imagine the decline in third-party sales might in part be down to the success of Game Pass. Still bizarre that - unless I'm mistaken - we haven't had any sales figures for Series X|S, and that because Game Pass seemingly didn't meet their earlier expectations for the quarter, that they're staying quiet about it this time around

I do already own Resident Evil 4 on PlayStation - have yet to check it out, picked it up on sale a while back - but I've seen a lot of love for the Wii version of the game on here based mainly on the motion controls, so even if I play it on PlayStation first, I definitely want to get around to it at some point just to try it out! Yeah, seen and heard a lot of not great things about Other M too. Probably not something I'll pick up immediately, but one I'll get around to after the other Metroid games just to see how I feel (and with expectations kept in check!). As for Yoshi's Woolly World, as it was originally a Wii U game I'd be up for picking it up either on Wii U or 3DS, depending on if there's a version generally considered the better one? But if not and it's down to TV Vs handheld preference, I guess I'd probably lean towards the Wii U version! Thanks for the recommendations Now that I think about it, I really don't think I've played any on-rails shooters on consoles, which is funny because I feel like they'd be right up my alley based on how much I enjoyed rail shooters on arcade machines as a kid. Just had a quick look at some gameplay for both and they look like a blast. Thanks, will add them to the list! It doesn't look like it is based on what I can see online, and I think the physical Wii version can go for quite a bit, but from what I remember hearing and seeing of it before (it's the Sakaguchi/Mistwalker game right?) it did have me intrigued. Will add it to the list and keep it in mind Ah okay, yeah doesn't sound like I'll be missing out on too much with just the Wii U Pro Controller. Thanks for the heads-up! Oh wow, never heard of Pandora's Tower before, but that definitely looks like something I'd like to give a whirl. It is on the eShop, but that black Wii case looks ridiculously good! I knew there was an NES Remix on 3DS, but had no idea there was one on Wii U -- think that says a whole lot about the console's success, or lack thereof! Am I reading it right that it only released digitally over here? Either way, thanks for the recommendations!

We're getting a better look at Little Devil Inside tomorrow! Finally!

Marketing really starting to pick up now.

Some footage showing off Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark: Why they'd give us a Kitsune mask to match Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark but then have the early purchase bonus outfit be based on Hisuian Growlithe I have no idea! Edit: Damn, another great Pokédex entry in the making.

Yeah, you'd think that it could be a cool reward for beating the game, but that's Pokémon I guess, their pre-order/early purchase bonuses have been a bit odd as of late. It would've been even cooler if there was a Platinum Episode and you got this before starting it, but well... At least we don't need to be short-sleeved Lucas with a scarf the whole time! Maximum RP will be me changing between the Diamond/Pearl outfit and the Platinum outfit depending on the weather where I am in the game

Another trailer: Still looks solid, even if some of the voice-acting early in the trailer seems a bit much

Music in this trailer seems a bit more up my alley compared with what we've heard before, which I'm very glad about. Still very hard to take characters like chibi Cyrus and chibi Volkner seriously, but hey, I'm sure I'll continue to complain about this game being chibi until well after launch Seriously though, I do wish they would've kept it fixed camera and basically just had the in-battle models in the overworked similar to Let's Go. Let's just pray Black and White don't get done dirty in this regard like these games have. The Platinum outfit being an early purchase bonus and Manaphy being our early Mystery Gift this time though? Sigh I'm buying this aren't I?

2.0 update adding Suspend Cycle and Photo Mode! Suspend Cycle is pretty much exactly what I was asking for, so I guess I know what I'm keeping an eye out for next month!

@Ike was right, nothing to worry about, N64 controller arrived safe and sound I've got to say, holding an N64 controller for the first time was certainly an experience

A new Wii U owner is on the horizon! So as I've mentioned a lot over the last few months, I've been increasingly interested in picking up a Wii U to plug the gaps Nintendo has left so far with the Switch. I can be pretty anal about wanting to experience things in some sort of order when it comes to my enjoyment of entertainment, and that's no different when it comes to games, as I love to see mechanics, gameplay loops, and tech evolve while going through a series. This has put me in a weird spot with Nintendo the last few years, as titles in both big and small franchises are currently trapped on the Wii U, and I just can't bring myself to venture forth in some games I already own knowing that there are games I would want access to afterwards trapped on an older console I don't have under my TV. Other than the GameCube (where I know Nintendo games are often going for a fortune these days), select GBA titles that weren't ported (like the GBA Pokémon games), and other select titles from older systems which were not ported, a Wii U would give me access to most of Nintendo's catalogue alongside my Switch and 3DS. This all culminated in me finally ordering a Wii U the other day, which is set to arrive by the start of next week. I've bought one in large part due to its Virtual Console offering like I mentioned before, but also because of some of its HD efforts and Wii backwards compatibility. Yep, even though I had a Wii to play on growing up, I feel like I completely missed out on some games on the platform just through a lack of awareness at the time of the wider range of games up for grabs. My Wii U hasn't arrived yet, but honestly, I'm really excited to set it up and dig in! So, N-E, I come to you in search of your Wii U recommendations to add to the wishlist of games I've compiled so far. I'm not going to go nuts and buy everything at once, because I feel like that would bring along a headache I'd rather not deal with, and also because unless they announce that the Wii U eShop is closing in the next year or so, I'm in no real rush. For starters, my wishlist is split between games available natively for Wii U, Virtual Console games, and Wii games, but there are some caveats in writing this list I've though about that I'll mention now: if a Wii U game has been ported to the Switch and has a Deluxe version available which is considered the definitive version, I'd prefer to buy it there. E.g. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Super Mario 3D World, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, etc. along similar lines, for Wii games, if it has been ported to the Switch (or even the 3DS) in a generally agreed upon improved version, I'll likely pick it up there. E.g. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Donkey Kong Country Returns (I hated the shake to roll and slam on the Wii version!). if a game is already available as part of Nintendo Switch Online's base tier as part of the NES or SNES apps, I'll try to save myself some money and play it there. for Wii and Wii U original games I'll probably try to track down physical copies rather than buy the game digitally, unless the physical copy has an insane mark-up. E.g. Metroid Prime Trilogy Essentially, I'm looking for recommendations that I wouldn't have had access to before this Wii U arrives. I suppose there's also the question of N64 ports or games that you think have a best version on Wii U, as I know @S.C.G has mentioned Majora's Mask's N64 port on Wii U might be preferable to the 3DS version, but in that specific case, I'll hold fire for now. Which brings me onto my wishlist so far: Wii U The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Xenoblade Chronicles X Nintendo Land Virtual Console Metroid Zero Mission Metroid Fusion Advance Wars Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising Fire Emblem Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap Golden Sun Golden Sun: The Lost Age Earthbound Earthbound Beginnings Wii Super Mario Galaxy 2 Metroid Prime Trilogy In terms of hardware, I've ordered a Wii U Pro Controller and Wiimote Plus + Nunchuk, but I'm open to any other hardware suggestions people might have. Is the Wii Classic Controller Pro worth looking into, or will the Wii U Pro Controller cover my needs there? Cheers in advance N-E

Yikes. That would have been unacceptable even if this were available at the base NSO tier, but at the launch of a new tier which they're effectively charging double for? And yeah, the button remapping options (or lack thereof) are terrible from Nintendo across the board, but man, it really does look uncomfortable here. Hopefully they get on top of this sooner rather than later.

It's just the time of the shipping email seems a bit late in the day for me to be optimistic about it turning up compared to the few other Nintendo Store orders I've made, would love to be wrong though plus my local delivery services have been a bit off the last month or so, which never inspires confidence! Yeah, seen this line of thinking a lot from other AC fans too, and honestly, can't blame you if you've got minimal interest in the N64 or Genesis offerings. Interesting point about online retailers seemingly not having codes, I wonder if that's at all down to the discount they're offering for existing members of NSO to transition over to the Expansion Pass? As I would have to imagine buying a code could potentially cause some confusion, for example if you bought a code for 12 months but were already 3 months into an annual NSO subscription, I'm not sure how exactly that would work without getting messy? I mean, more directly: I don't see Nintendo wanting to deal / actually dealing with that hassle stares intensely at Joy-Con drift videos Don't think of it as being part of the problem! At the end of the day when it comes to any buyer's remorse I may have - especially over things which are too expensive for what they are and "voting with your wallet" - I always come back to life being way too short to worry about things like that. When it comes to questions of ethics (Activision, Ubisoft) I won't touch it with a space elevator, but unless there's a seriously coordinated effort, "voting with your wallet" for most people I know becomes buying it on sale. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you want something and no-one is getting hurt, I say go for it As for Ocarina of Time, it's a good shout! When was the last time you played it? For me, it's definitely a game I still want to check out, but I'd feel almost guilty having the 3DS version on my shelf for years and not getting back to it, after getting about halfway into it a good few years ago. And knowing me I'll want some consistency, so unless anyone tells me the 3DS version of Majora's Mask is inferior, I'll probably end up tracking down a copy of that for 3DS too! Yeah, I recall reading the same. Am I misremembering or was that not mentioned in the Direct? As much as I did enjoy it, in hindsight, that seems like a pretty big thing to not mention in the Direct itself if it wasn't clarified there! I have very few memories tied to Nintendo home consoles and franchise characters prior to getting a Wii a few years into its lifetime (mostly related to playing games at other people's houses), but for some reason, Star Fox 64 / Lylat Wars is one which really rings a bell for me, which is funny because I don't recall ever even seeing an N64 being played in person! I've always been curious about it, so it's definitely a game I'll need to check out at some point or another. (and it's this kind of logic of mine which creates the mountain that is a backlog )

This basically ensures minimal price reductions, it's inclusion in sales, and the physical price not really budging, right? adds to PlayStation wishlist Nintendo publishing a remake of a Rockstar game is a match made in NPD heaven (or hell?), so I'm sure Mat Piscatella's going to be having a great day when we start seeing this turn up.

N64 controller has shipped this evening. Don't see how it could end up arriving tomorrow, but I guess we'll see. Not really in a rush for it anyways, as I'm not planning to move up to the Expansion Pack tier anytime soon. With the Expansion Pack going live tomorrow, is there anyone here who plans on picking it up? If so, what do you plan on checking out first?

Update from the PlayStation blog today. Looks a lot of fun! I'd been toying with the idea of playing through the first game again next year, but honestly, I think I might just wait for Forbidden West at this point. The Machines were a lot of fun to fight and the game looked beautiful, but things like combat against humans, the story of the past being far more interesting than the story in the present (shares that with BOTW I guess), and the repetition of certain lines (I still have nightmares about Aloy commenting on what felt like every herb she picked up) has really put me off and made me want to wait for this instead. So fingers crossed it lives up to the billing!