Josh64

I'm happy with Shulk's alternate costume :p And the CD is coming to the UK! YES! Register the 3DS and Wii U version in the promotional time and you'll get the CD for free. http://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2014/August/Find-out-how-you-could-claim-a-Super-Smash-Bros-soundtrack-CD-via-Club-Nintendo--913822.html

They should have had another normal sized slide-pad under the ABXY buttons, exactly opposite where the D-Pad is on the other side. Other than that, it looks very nice. I'd be interested myself but have gotta know how much it would be over here (and we probably won't get the face plates else I'd have been ALL OVER that). Question is, with Xenoblade only running on this... will this be the way forward for a good few years like GameBoy Color or fizzle out quick like the DSi? I actually think we could have a GameBoy Color situation, doubt Nintendo are gonna risk a brand new handheld platform in the next few years considering how much effort went into getting the 3DS off the ground.

Not many games use it yet. Kid Icarus, Monster Hunter and Resi are the only one I can think of so far (with the circle pad pro) but I'm guessing more might now. Improved 3D viewing angle sounds great and looking at those Miiverse speeds - wow. It might actually be useable on 3DS now! Also... is this 3DS Xenoblade I see?!

I haven't had any issues either! And I only recently got into frantic mode. Played it for the first time a few days ago and it was great fun with about 8 people, but ever since I've only managed to get 2 or 3 other racers for it at best

I don't know much about Majora's Mask at all, just that it's apparently awesome, I really want to play it, and a lot of things have pointed towards it coming out on 3DS for a VERY long time now. So I'm hoping it does get announced! I heard it does use a time-based thing though? Is that why you don't think it will work for 3DS? Is it integral to the entire game or could it be altered to make it less restricting on gameplay. I heard you have to complete it in 3 days or something weird. It's actually one of the reasons I never got 'round to playing it, I take 6 months to complete anything :p

@Cube That's what gets me most! WarioWare of all games would have been perfect for 3DS and Wii U, both of which have gimmicks bursting out of them. Game & Wario is just a depressing view of what could have been. The weird unlockables in that are genius, and show just how great a true WarioWare game could be on the system. And yeah, WarioWare DIY seems even more suited, it was fun on DS but the screensize alone made menus and stuff a bit awkward at times I thought.

haha okay fair enough then, and like I said it's still decent, I just really hate that series. And at the worst, New Super Mario Bros has a pretty good re-sell price I think, so you could always eBay it away for plenty!

It depends what they mean by this. Obviously, if they actually stick to their word (something they barely ever do) then it could be a good thing as it could spell the return of F-Zero and Starfox. Quite honestly though, I wouldn't believe any of this until you see evidence of it. After all, the Wii U was set to have fantastic third-party support. ...as was the Wii... and the Gamecube. And 'casuals' is a bit vague anyway. If it means less Wii Sports and Fit, then that's great. I just hope it doesn't also mean less inventive titles like Nintendogs (it's tarnished now with the countless clones and whatever, but back then, the touch controls, mic, pre-streetpass stuff was amazing) and WarioWare.

I would see how you go on the Hard Drive and GamePad front. I did end up getting a hard-drive but only back when I was reviewing games. I generally buy at retail because it's not often the eShop has great deals (and if there are good deals, they're usually on the small file-size indie titles as opposed to full releases) and if you're interested in first party games, with the exception of Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze (11GB or something!?), Nintendo are good at compressing, so most games will be 3GB or under. I haven't got a Pro Controller yet, probably good for multiplayer games like Mario Kart (though most my friends are fine with Wiimotes and nunchuks) but I don't have a problem with the GP. I find it quite comfortable, especially if you're just using it as a controller. The only time it seems a bit heavy/cumbersome is if you're playing touch-screen games that require stylus use for an extended period. And my suggestions: Only get the NSMB bundle if its a good offer/ you really want the game/ haven't played a previous one as New Super Mario Bros U doesn't bring anything new. Saying that though, if you haven't played a 2D Mario in years, it's a more than decent title. For me though, Rayman and especially Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze are amazing 2D platformers, DK being one of my favourite of all time. And I was VERY against Retro taking Rare's spot for a long time :p Mario 3D World is fun, no Galaxy, but decent all the same. Mario Kart 8 is fantastic. And again, Wind Waker just because :p For a cheap thrill - ZombiU, it's great use of the GamePad and like £8 (in stores or on sale in the eShop). ASS FLAG is also great, though I haven't played the PS360 versions so don't know how it compares. That's also £10ish on the eShop or in most stores. For multiplayer fun (3 or more) Nintendo Land is awesome (and again, about £10 - £15 in places like CEX or eBay) and Game&Wario has a couple of really fun multiplayer games (though I'd suggest trying to get that for about £15 too as single player is short lived).

I've enjoyed 3 weeks off already :p And I don't wanna get complacent, I've been sending CV's out all that time, and put mine up on Indeed, it's been hit and miss. I have someone interested in giving me a job in October but I haven't heard anything for a while so I don't wanna be too hopeful on that. I potentially had two jobs but both needed me to drive I'm gonna start driving again in 2 weeks though (I hate it but it's gotta be done), I did masses of lessons before and have already passed my theory, so I'm hoping now that my head isn't as fuzzy I'll have a better chance of passing! I seemingly just quit most good things earlier this year, but I'm trying to get back on track now :p

Monster Hunter-type areas instead. I would die. Of anger. But yeah, I really don't know what to make of that statement.

The GamePad is a pain for me now, too. It's definitely nowhere near as good as when I first got it. Probably doesn't help that I usually keep it on the charging stand that's always plugged in, so I only have myself to blame. Anyway, as far as paid exclusives/collaborations are concerned, do you think Nintendo are doing enough? Now that third parties have all but gone, now more than ever they seem incredibly important. I mean, just imagine how bleak this year would be WITHOUT Hyrule Warriors, Bayonetta and, to a certain extent, Sonic Boom. We actually have got a fair few coming this year as I mentioned but what would you like to see next year? We've clearly got some good games on the way for 2015, like Zelda, Toad, X, but what collaborations would you like to see to fill the gaps? The Pokémon announcement today was weird to me. I'm not fussed about it anyway, I hate traditional fighters, and I don't think it's really what anyone was asking for (in the West at least, I don't know what's going on in Japan but they're probably all for it) - But it seems weird it's going to arcades. It's the kind of thing you'd expect Nintendo to sway onto the Wii U instead, and fill the barren release-list we currently have. Also, look at the GameCube era. Give SEGA some money, and sanity, to make another F-Zero. Everyone wants one and it'd mean they don't have to churn out another bloody Sonic game (which is all the seem to do these days). The Capcom five also did wonders for the GameCube, and is the kind of thing they really need to be doing right now. Whenever I see a Direct or E3 recently, I'm always initially impressed, they always have great games to show but they're always so far away and so few and far between. They really need to go all guns blazing and get some damn games out, and quick.

I didn't have high hopes in the first place but man.

After 7 years, I finally left my job last month, the day before my brothers wedding on August 1st! I was gonna post about it at the time, but there was lots going on, lots of goodbyes, people to see, speechs to nail, weddings to attend, best mans to be, and my head was spinning as, I'm sure some of you know, I wasn't in a great place in my mind whilst in that place! So at the start of July I asked if I could move departments because I really couldn't stand where I was right now due to a mixture of all sorts of things. I don't get on with the manager at all, I have tried, so many times, but he constantly talks down to me, treats me like shit, and expects me to bend over backwards for nothing in return. So yeah, I decided to write a letter to HR, which is the official way of doing it, and also meant I wouldn't have to speak directly to the manager right away. I walk in with the letter to give to HR but they aren't in so I slip it under the door. One of the supervisors see me do it and ask what the letter is about, and I simply say "it's just a letter for Andy" (HR guy). Half hour later, I get called upstairs, sitting opposite me is the manager and supervisor who saw the letter. "Is there something you want to tell me Josh? What's all this about passing letters along to people? This isn't school where we all speak behind each others backs and pass notes to one another, if you have a problem with me or anyone else then just say" in his usual threatening way. If he'd have asked me normally I may have just told him in the end but I thought why the hell should I so I said "well it was just a letter for HR, I didn't think I'd need to bother you about it yet seeing as your the store manager and they sort out this sort of thing anyway". Anyway, I end up telling him whats in the letter because I figure it's easier that way. He says "we don't need HR to look at it then do we Josh? I run this store, I make the decisions, and I say, there's no way it can be done. Sorry Josh, but we're understaffed on there as it is, you'll just have to deal with it" That's that. I thought great, over 6 years and they can't even fucking try and move me. The next day, HR guy is in, and I ask if he's read the letter, but that I spoke to manager anyway, he asks what the manager says, I tell him and he says "well, what can I do?". ...Great. It may not sound like much, but for anyone who was following my posts (I purposely stopped posting so much because I was quite a mood killer :P) you'll know how much I fucking hated the situation I was in. Anyway, I write my notice that day and put it in my locker. I have no intention of giving it in anytime soon, but just liked the thought that it was there, and if things ever got so bad, I could use it. Fast forward a week and I'm being spoken to like shit, ater an hour being on damages (literally sorting through broken glass, maggot ridden jars of crap and god knows what else and scanning them as waste), doing my actual job, being called to checkouts, being called to the restaurant (which I'm not trained in but whatever), called to produce, having customers speak to me like shit because there's no one around to help them I go upstairs to take my break/possibly break down in a cubical. It's at that point, when I'm washing my face in the stinking toilets, looking like crap, in a bright green fucking shirt, I think to myself, I've gotta get out. I give my notice to HR guy, he panics and says would I stay if they try and move me, in my fuzzy, panic state I'm like "sure I would...but I'd like a time-frame, to know it's actually gonna happen, and not just get told 'we'll let you know in a few weeks' and then have it forgotten" so he agrees that he and manager will discuss it and get back to me ether later that day or the next day. I see the manager guy on shopfloor a few hours later and ask him if he's spoken to Andy and he erupts into the fucking mad ape he is. "I've spoken to many people today, Josh. I mighthave, I might not, is it really any of your business? I choose who I do and don't speak to" and I was like "I was just referring to the letter I gave him, because he said you two might have an answer today, it's fine if you don't, I just thought seeing as your here I'll check" and he was all "you don't tell me what to do, Josh. I did speak to him, but I'm not willing to speak to you about it. I run a multi-million pound shop, and I don't have the lowest workers here telling me they're going to move departments or leave. You're putting a gun to my head, bending me over the table and expecting me to do as you say. I don't have time for this right now" so I finally gave up and just said "neither do I. Don't bother checking, I've decided I'm leaving, for sure. I don't care what you offer, if anything, I'm just going, I can't bare to be around you or any of this any longer" "Well now you're holding two guns to my head. If I let you move departments now, everyone's gonna act as though they're a big-shot and say they're doing as they please or threaten to leave. Well, you can't threaten me Josh, and I really don't appreciate you swinging your manhood around thinking you can do what you want. I'm the boss of this store and I'll say what does and doesn't happen." I try to explain that he's clearly took it the wrong way, that I didn't say "I change departments or leave" and that I was actually going to just leave, but it was suggested by Andy that I might be able to move departments. "That's not how it sounded to me, I think you're just trying to manipulate everything in your favour. I can't just change everything so precious little Josh can have his way" So I just say "forget it, forget everything, I really don't give a shit if I can change departments or what, I was unsure but YOU have made my mind up for me now, and I'm done" and start to walk off (also, it's not like me to ever raise my voice or swear in these situations but this was years of hatred for him coming out :p he then starts backtracking and says "Josh, don't be so rash, you're clearly not right in the head right now. Look, your lip is quivering (anxiety thing, doesn't happen often unless someone is pretty much bullying you on the shop floor infront of customers) why? Why are you doing that? You're too angry, I know psychology, I can tell, you look as though you're going to hit me or something. haha, we just need to have a calm chat, I'll make sure someting is done, we'll get you on another department" Again, I stick to my guns and say I've just had enough now and I can't bare it anymore and leave it at that. He left the store at 8pm, HR guy was in till 9 and as I was leaving asked how the close went and I said "good, but I had a chat with [manager], he blew up in my face and I decided I'm definitely leaving". The next day I'm called up to the office right away, it's [manager] and the supervisor guy from the letter day. manager says "can I have a word, supervisor is here as a witness" "I don't know what you thought happened yesterday, but I think you weren't in the right frame of mind as I did not 'blow up' at you, I don't know if your a precious little snowflake (it sounds like im making this up honestly, but he's such a prick in how he speaks and the other supervisors are too scared to say anything/just laugh along with him) or have some sort of personal problems, but I didn't make a scene or shout at you yesterday" I said "I've seen you try and get your way out of things before, but (turning to supervisor), I want this on record that he's not gonna charm his way out of it, or make a joke of this, or pretend its all fine now, he made a huge scene, on the shop floor, spoke to me like I was crap, was really out of order and I'm not changing my opinion on that" and manager says "I have a heart josh, I'm not gonna be happy with myself if I know I'm one of the reasons you leave (he's just worried about how it will look on him), I think a lot of you, you're clearly not right in the head right now, stressed or something, because what you saw was different to what I saw". Anyway, I asked some of my co-workers, as most of the fucking shop saw it, and they all agreed he was out of line and agreed with me. The next day, some of my friends had put on facebook "Management need to sort themselves out, we're losing good staff because of what's happening here" and that got about 8 people called up to management (the one who wrote it and the many people who commented) so I felt pretty terrible about that too that loads of people got into trouble because of essentially an argument I got into. Anyway, as the week went on, the manager kept approaching me all happy every day, telling me if I can change my mind up until the last minute, and can go on any department I like. But 5pm, a week later, I finally left. Said goodbye to some of the good co-workers I know and left before saying goodbye to any of the seniors that fucked me around for all these years. And I felt relieved, and happy and then had a great day the day after as I was the best man at my brothers wedding! Loads of work people went too so it was a nice way of saying goodbye as well. It's been 3 weeks now and it sounds ridiculous but I literally dreamt about that place every day since until last week, some form of waking up in a panic, thinking I need to be there, or dreaming I was trapped there or whatever. And I had a few days where I'd completely freak out that I have no job and wonder if I made a massive mistake but now that it's all settled down and I've had lots of time away from there I know that, despite what happens next, it was definitely the right thing to do. I finally feel myself again and can actually do things. I was so obsessed with time before that I'd never want to play a game, or watch a film in my spare time because... it takes up too much time. I'd end up just checking my phone constantly or checking the facebook feed, purposely staying up really late so the next day wouldn't seem to come so fast. When I look back now, I can't believe I let things get that bad (in my head) but I guess it's easy to get stuck in a hole and just get deeper and deeper. Anyway, the purpose of this post is meant to be happy so.. IM FREE

Still £10 too much in my eyes, but good find anyway. As you said, it's better than those ridiculous eShop prices :p

I've heard such mixed opinions on Watch_Dogs but I am seriously interested in it, too. I do think it's dead on Wii U though. I really don't think it's gonna happen, but if by some miracle it does, it will no doubt be heavily reduced on PS360 by that point anyway so I'll just get it on one of them along with most other people who haven't bought it yet.

The Wii U is probably the perfect example, as in a way, the GBA to GameCube connectivity is an add-on that shows how the Wii U concept was, to a degree, done on past hardware.

That's amazing! Let's Tap is wonderful, especially that soundtrack! It's on iTunes, I suggest you give it a listen even if you don't get/aren't interested in the game. Rhythm Tap is the most worthwhile game, plays out like Donkey Konga but with light, medium and strong taps. Everyone's go-to minigame tends to be tap runner, which I'm not overly taken by but everyone else seems to enjoy! There's an awesome Balloon Trip type game too and a jenga one. Really interesting controls, inventive and again, I just can't get over that soundtrack omg

They messed up the Scribblenauts releases so bad on Wii U that I gave up even trying to figure out when it was available. Wasn't it a 6 month delay or even longer? And then it had been delayed so long that the marvel version came out like a month or two after that anyway. It's sad but support for the Wii U is about as strong as support for the GameCube in 2006 or the Wii last year. It really does make me wonder how much longer Nintendo are gonna stick with the console for. The big saviour, Mario Kart, has been and gone and whilst it had a good effect on sales, 2 months have passed and I think it's clear that nothing is truly going to save the U now. Sales are up but they're still in the gutter. No matter how good a game is, Nintendo need more quantity (and diversity, 2D platformers seem to be the Wii U version of FPS titles) to really get it off the ground and it just doesn't seem like that's going to happen any time soon.

Anyone blaming the success of third-parties on the third-parties themselves are blind. Again, with the exception of EA, who seemingly did purposely kill the few Wii U releases they had, the ports we have had have been of good quality. The only reason they're missing DLC or have performance issues are because of Nintendo. The awful, almost pathetic online capabilites of Wii U (yesterday, there was actually a loading screen before the Friends List because I was also playing a game online) are no doubt why many don't bother with DLC, and the performance issues speak for themselves - An underpowered system with, again, architecture different to most. Will they ever learn? Not until they've burnt themselves into the ground because they're so stubborn. Those of you mentioning the GameCube, that's the closest we've come to parity between systems, and we got some great third-party support because of it, espeically from Capcom and SEGA, and that's despite that system also having a number of stupid handicaps, storage space on the mini-discs being a big one, terrible advertising and aesthetics along with really bad timing (was it released a year or more after PS2?) As for the Wii, that's hard to argue, but again came down to power and online capabilities - Another oversight by Nintendo but a forgivable one at least, as up until around 2010 I think the Wii stood up well against the other consoles, instead of being trumped within the first year like the Wii U.

Seems a bit out of character for Smash Bros., but I imagine it's what a lot of fans wanted lol. There was a slight discussion in the Wii U thread comparing Brawl and Melee and one of the comments was how much better the levels were on Melee. I have to agree, that game just seemed a lot more fun in general, wheras for the most part, Brawl felt like the same general level layout with different backdrops. I really hope this isn't the case with Smash 4. The 3DS certainly seems to have some very inventive levels but I haven't seen as many Wii U levels that have really caught my attention. That will all change if there's a PokéFloats 2, mind.

You better check yourself, pal. And I can see why, I got both ASS Creed games on Wii U, and I'm the only person I know who did :p I don't know about worldwide sales, but I saw the Japanese top 1000 games last week, and Black Flag sold just over 2,000 there on Wii U. Compare that to the other systems and I can see why they really wouldn't bother. Not to mention the trouble they have porting over in comparison to 360/One/Ps4.

Keep the faith! I'm just hoping with their recent love for iOS it doesn't get thrown on the App Store to die. I'm not totally against mobile gaming like a lot of people, but I was just really looking forward to playing a console version of this. From what was said in 2013, I guess we could at the least hope for a 3DS version. Considering this looks like a very Japanese game, and considering both the Wii U and Japanese console market isn't doing great right now, I'm not so sure they'd port this to Wii U, I think they'll probably just scrap the console version, but I'm staying optimistic anyway.

Regarding that app though, what is the deal with the Pokémon Company and the app store? I know they are partly owned by Nintendo, but not fully, so if they did want to make a game for iOS (even just a spin-off title) would they be able to? Or would they have to get permission from Nintendo? Or is there something in the contract outright saying it can't happen? I know they've done some stuff on phones already but none of it an actual game so I'm just curious.

I got ASS FLAG 6 months ago as a physical copy, played it for an hour and never touched it again. This is why you should never buy 3 games at the same time :P Anyway, after the sale I noticed some miiverse activity about it and finally started to get stuck in with it this week and I love it, totally worth the £9.99 I would say. Sadly for me, the receipt in my case says £22.00 :P If only I'd have waited!