Grazza

Yeah, they're tough. Keep at it mate, because I needed about 30-40kg assistance with military wide pull-ups last November. Now I can do 11 unassisted!

Yeah, VIII has some really good British actors in it too - Ricky Grover, Simon Greenall (I'm Alan Partridge)... It really was a great European project. I have the MIDI and the orchestral soundtracks!

I'm surprised the Wii version didn't have an orchestrated soundtrack, but then again, that's like Dragon Quest VIII. The Japanese version was MIDI and the Western releases were orchestrated (with MIDI tracks kept when necessary - eg. Piano Bar). I suppose it's all about time constraints.

Whilst I instinctively agree with @darkjak's point here (and basically think he is right), I have to agree with @Jonnas that the Wii U's launch line-up is actually better than the Wii's. Nintendo Land is pretty much the equivalent of Wii Sports, whether it ever becomes as popular or not. Twilight Princess was a GameCube game we had been waiting ages for. The only reason it sold so well on the Wii and became known as a Wii game was because the GC version was held back one week (wonder why they did that...? ) So to my mind at least, that leaves New Super Mario Bros U, which I want to play more than any of the Wii launch titles, even if it doesn't have me all that excited! The area where I agree with darkjak all the way is regarding the awareness we had of Super Mario Galaxy, Smash Bros Brawl and Metroid Prime 3. Yes, there will surely be a 3D Mario and a Zelda (I'm not 100% sure about Metroid, although of course it's likely), but I just feel I need a little bit more confirmation of what they'll be like this time. Nintendo still makes good games, but I'm not quite as sure what their software will be like as much as I was in 2006.

By amazing coincidence, that's what I've been doing this past week, yet never thought of it before! (I don't have my own bench though, I'm using a very sturdy gym one.) But yeah, I agree, it's a very good exercise. I was surprised that it pumped my lats up as much as wide pull-ups (I say "surprised" because on paper it's more like Mid Row than pull-ups).

Also, Fierce Link, you can pop into the gym at the better place and do some pull-ups (assuming they've got the equipment), which work the latissimus dorsi and are difficult to do at home.

So, it makes it more real. Personally, I loved the fact that the trapdoors in Windfall Jail led to the correct part of the sea outside. I loved the view of the horizon in the rich man's house that changed depending on what angle you approached it from. I also loved the way you could glide down from the windmill and, if you could land on the right ledge, could enter a secret passageway into the photographer's house, surprise him and then leave via the front door. But if you didn't, fair enough.

Fierce Link, when you say Club 1 is 19 minutes away, I take it you mean by car? There is no way I'd (regularly) use a sports centre that far away, but that's just me. Mine is 30-40 minutes by foot, or a few minutes in the car. Personally, things like car parking charges irritate me, and I'd rather just spend a fairly large amount of money and have more facilities, but again, that's just me.

Thought this was quite interesting. Nintendolife interviews Matt Bozon: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/12/developer_interview_wayforward_technologies_on_the_first_days_of_the_wii_u_eshop So, a Wii U Shantae was on the cards, but the they decided on another handheld game instead. I wonder if the plan is to make everything in pixel art first, then make a hand-drawn HD version as and when deemed necessary?

HD itself would not automatically improve Zelda, although it'd play a part. You could potentially see further into the distance, for example. When you first played Wind Waker or Super Mario Sunshine, were you not impressed at the extra detail you could see in the distance? Processing power affects games in other ways too though. Some examples: 1. Castle Town, Twilight Princess - Remember the house that became occupied by Gorons? If you went up on the balcony, you saw a false representation of the street scene, rather than what was actually happening outside. Nor could you take a shortcut into the town square by jumping into it. The console wasn't really calculating it; it was all just an illusion. Same goes for other buildings - no front and back entrances, so secret passageways. Castle Town just wasn't intricately modelled in 3D. 2. Ice Mansion, Twilight Princess - I quite agree that this is what Nintendo should be aiming for, rather than the dungeon/overworld relationship in Skyward Sword (@Ronnie quite rightly describes the desert as an "obstacle course"). However, it is still a good example of how tech specs affect a game. You could not walk around the outside of the mansion, nor were there different entrances. You could not go through a window and land in the appropriate place outside. Ice Mansion was great, but it was still just a dungeon with a facade. With even more processing power, all those things I mentioned would be possible. Imagine a similar type of dungeon, but one that was genuinely placed in a snowy landscape! 3. Underground Passageway, Twilight Princess - One bit of TP that sticks in my mind is the passageway between Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain. I loved it! It really set my imagination racing, but you could not go either uphill or downhill on foot. The latter was enabled by a perfectly decent kayaking game, but the former took the form of being carried by a flying creature. There is nothing wrong with this, but it all added to the impression that the overworld didn't truly exist, even in the game. 4. Skyloft, Skyward Sword - Exploring the mini-islands was pretty much my favourite bit of Skyward Sword - there was a fair bit to discover and it really mattered which bit you landed on... except when it came to Skyloft itself. The town is a decent one, but it only had a few "landing locations". As you approached Skyloft, you were not seeing the town itself, but a simple model of it. I think this is pretty strong proof of something being done because of lower specs. There is no way they'd have done it like that if they could have avoided it. 5. Sand Sea, Skyward Sword - The "sea" area of this Wii game may have reminded some of Wind Waker, but it did not live up the technical build-quality of the GameCube Zelda. Getting into the boat simply activated another game mode, with a model representation of Link standing on a representation of a boat. Personally, I thought this area's dungeon (the ship) was one of the best, and in the same spirit as TP's Ice Mansion, but like the Ice Mansion, it was not really "there". Once you'd boarded it, you were in a dungeon as isolated as any of the others. ... I do not say this to belittle either of these games. Twilight Princess in particular is a highly honourable Zelda. If we can't have another Wind Waker, I'd love to have another game with the same atmosphere and feel as Twilight Princess. Nor do I think everything about these games is low tech. The Bazaar in Skyward Sword is fantastic, with its ever-changing music and NPC animations. It certainly couldn't have been done on the SNES! All I'm saying is that I think those points all prove tech specs affect what you can do with a game. It's hard to believe developers sat down with the Wii and thought "We can do what we like! We can let our imaginations run wild!" Instead, they will have been aware that they were working with a very limited machine. The Wii U will not be as powerful as Sony and Microsoft's next consoles, but it will have the advantage of being a whole generation (or Power Tier, if you like ) ahead of the GameCube/Wii, so it might be enough. We'll see. If Zelda Wii U arrives and it is far less technically-impressive than Wind Waker, that will prove Ronnie right and me wrong. Maybe they are just being lazy? I hope not though, because there aren't many games I would rather play than another truly great Zelda.

I honestly think tech specs have got a lot to do with it too. A Zelda will struggle to be considered "best game ever" when its overworld and game engine is eclipsed by games on other consoles. There were aspects of both Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword (the former is a bit more understandable) where the console had problems calculating the overworld in a pleasing way - I'm not talking about graphical detail, just the way things link up. But if you think back to 1998/2000, it's hard to think of a PlayStation game that seemed bigger or better than OOT/MM.

I don't think Nintendo play it safe with Zelda. If they did, every game would have the Twilight Princess style - improved as and when they can, but that style - and traditional controls. Perhaps that would be a good thing! (Personally, I think they should have the courage of their convictions that the Wind Waker style was great as well.) You can't dismiss motion controls when talking about Skyward Sword. They had an enormous effect on the enemies, bosses and the gameplay in general. Thankfully, I don't think it's a great game ruined by motion controls, as the overworld, exploration and atmosphere are very lacking themselves. Regarding Majora's Mask, I can't forget an interview I read which stated that they couldn't go physically bigger (than OOT), so they went bigger in time. The extra RAM allowed them to track NPCs in an unprecedented way. With the GameCube, they were able to make a physically-bigger game again, in the form of Wind Waker. To me, that's what it should be all about - not making a radically different experience every time, but one that's better. The only aspect of Majora's Mask that made it "obscure" or "risky" was the time limit, and in that regard I can't blame Nintendo for not using it again (much as I love MM personally). What they should have taken from it (and did initially) was the importance of sidequests and the daily cycle. I may not want a time limit every game, but I do want NPCs going about their business all over the land, doing certain things at certain times. Imagine how this could be extended to, for instance, boat or train journeys. The next Zelda could have a working transport system! Unfortunately this "living world" aspect was dropped from Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword, making both far less immersive (although I think TP is significantly better). My hope is that one day, we will again see a console Zelda as good as Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker or, indeed, Majora's Mask.

Maybe I shouldn't post in here because I am primarily a Nintendo gamer, but a lot of people don't like negative posts and I don't like upsetting people, so here are my thoughts. Like others, I strongly disliked the Wii (although I love the 3DS), but when first shown, Wii U seemed to fix everything. It had all the sticks and buttons you'd need, plus we didn't know at the time the L & R triggers weren't analogue. It also seemed plenty powerful enough (which perhaps it is). Furthermore, the Zelda demo was just fantastic, proving at least some within Nintendo still had all the right instincts. Fast-forward to E3 2012... I know I can't speak for everyone, but I think it's fair to say many were expecting a much better show than it was. If they had managed a Zelda demo that good a year before, they would at least have something similarly exciting, right? Well no, unfortunately. Almost everyone agreed it was disappointing, and yet Reggie called the demands of gamers "insatiable". Rather than be offended, it made me wonder if Nintendo just don't "get" it. See, I wonder if Nintendo as a company is too calm and rational nowadays. It may sound a funny thing to say, but I think they're basing their strategy on past successes, which does sound sensible but the Wii was a one-off. It seems to me like they've thought to themselves "Motion control sold well so let's come up with something - anything - as long as it's another innovation"; "Wii Sports was a phenomenon so let's make another Mii game like it"; and "New Super Mario Bros is a guaranteed success - that's the most important thing to have at launch". Like I say, all that might sound logical, but did they ask themselves if any of that was genuinely exciting? Nintendo have been at their best when they knew they had a great idea - a 3-day time travel experience or a vast ocean to sail. The trouble with stuff like Mii games and NSMB is that they depend on trends and don't arouse passion. Neither were going to make many people want a £300 console at launch. Despite all this, I genuinely believe the Wii U could be a brilliant console! It could be as good as the GameCube. Who knows? It's all potential. Whilst I do believe Nintendo are making better machines than they were five years ago, I probably have less faith in their software than ever. Sorry, but Skyward Sword just didn't seem right to me. As others have said, Sony and Microsoft will probably unveil their consoles at E3 next year, so Nintendo will need all their best games to counter that. Some may expect to see Metroid, Zelda and a 3D Mario (if the latter is still as exciting as it once was?) Personally, I wouldn't be too surprised if it turns out to be another disappointment...

That'd be brilliant. Although my enthusiasm for Ghosts 'n Goblins is not quite as high since I realised it probably won't have Restore Points, will it? I can barely get past the first level!

Ah, thanks @RedShell, that's certainly put my mind at rest (it's just the "very suspicious" bit that threw me). Sorry to hear you haven't got your code, @Dcubed.

Did anyone get sent an extra survey about this? My email client thought it looked "very suspicious" but I followed the link anyway, as I thought it must be genuine (as I had taken part in the promotion). I was asked to state my country, then asked whether this promotion influenced me to buy a 3DS XL. I said "No", and then was blocked from the rest of the survey as I "didn't meet the criteria". I'm probably being paranoid but I'm a bit concerned about it now...

Are you sure? This is all I could find for Ghosts 'n Goblins' hardware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosts_%27n_Goblins#Arcade_hardware_info Ghouls 'n Ghosts was CP System, but that has significantly better graphics. CP System is things like Final Fight, Street Fighter II etc (and indeed, most of Capcom Classics Collection on the Xbox/PS2): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CP_System#List_of_games

I'd love to have Final Fight and games of its ilk on my 3DS, but it seems this is mainly "8-Bit" games rather than CP System. I'll probably still get it though.

I toyed with the idea of picking this up in Tesco today, but they still didn't have it (despite telling me they probably would by Monday). Darn shame, can't have helped the sales. I know if you really want something you should pre-order it, but I was undecided about when to pick this up (I was going to get it, just not necessarily at launch). The sticker book swayed me but it's not much use if you can't impulse-buy the actual game.

Yeah, but now I know there's purple in the game!

Good choice indeed. Swinging through the city and climbing buildings was so satisfying, and the atmosphere was great. I assumed they'd make a better Spider-Man game this generation (simply building on what they'd done), but I suppose this is not the case?

For the record, @dr4hkon, I thanked Rummy's post because his response to Fused King had me in stitches, not because he called you a loser! Germans are amongst my favourite people on the planet!

Well, this is difficult. Whilst I understand the idea of picking replyable games like Street Fighter, the reality is that they don't hold my attention as much as a single-player game, even once. Here goes: Dragon Quest VIII - If there is one RPG world I could immerse myself in, it'd be this one. Even if I could only replay it every 10 years, it still deserves its place. No other game has ever quite grabbed me in the same way, with its towns and castles. Even more than that, I really believed in my role as a castle guard and escort to the king. Plus, the graphics are beautiful and the music stunning. Wind Waker - Similarly, if there is one Zelda world I'd want to live in, it'd be the Great Ocean. I often have fantasies about being at sea, or on small islands, and so this is the clear choice. Remember that cabin in the south? I wanted to live there! Again, the atmosphere is just unparalleled. Metroid Fusion - This game is included because it's so replayable. Every time I revisit it, I marvel at its tight design. It might be the best 2D game I've ever played. Shantae: Risky's Revenge - My 4th choice was the hardest, as I had to eliminate some truly great games. I've included this because, like Metroid Fusion, it's highly replayable and represents 2D perfection. In addition to that, I never tire of its aesthetic and find the whole vibe inspiring. RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 - This one is here as my "toy". I've spent hours and hours and hours building coasters, modifying them and placing them in parks. It just goes on and on and on... (Oh, and this was the peak of the series).

But really, Sega stayed strong for a lot longer than Sonic 2. The "AM" divisions carried them through the '90s, with Virtua Fighter, Sega Rally, Daytona etc. And, whether 2nd-party or not, they managed to have great console games like Landstalker, Beyond Oasis 2, Skies of Arcadia and the Panzer Dragoon series (which was Team Sonic, not to be confused with Sonic Team). I will admit they were poor at continuing franchises through different generations, but if it was a flaw it was a noble one - the assumption that enough people loved gaming for its own sake to play fresh and original IPs...

Finally got round to watching it! I was staggered at the effort and artistry that went into the video - a 3D Hyrule Castle and, of course, that mural with a curvature effect for the ceiling! Twilight Princess did indeed look great. Two shots of Ganondorf in particular looked higher-res than the original game, so I wonder if it was running on Dolphin? Anyway, you can tell a great deal about a series by the devotion of its fans, as in evidence here. Bring on the next entries in The Legend of Zelda!