peterl0

Feels like the second year I have said this, but what are Retro Studios doing? Do they even exist anymore? The motion controls on Star Fox are fine for me - they work well enough in Splatoon, but looks like a Wii/Gamecube game.

Yes it does, but to play online they will need a nintendo network id. (I think you can make one there and then with an email address) Three members of my family have their own account, splatoon save file, and ID on my console!

I can understand why they did this from a sales perspective but no one who has the Wii U version could be interested in this surely? Less enemies on a smaller screen with the same game. EDIT: Could be worse, could be another Sonic Boom game..... Oh wait, they did that as well.

It is quite hard to understand why I liked the original so much now when I think back because it was for a whole host of different reasons. It goes something like (in order): Music, Story, Voice Acting(*), Exploring, Battle Gameplay (* Because they had english accents and it was refreshing. Never got irritated with the repetition) I already know the music is not going to be as good from videos etc. The story does not sound as good/epic from the 12 missions comment in the preview above. It sounds like exploring and battle gameplay will be similar (exploring might even be better) and the rest not as good. I had hoped the online options and a possible co-op play through would trump anything else that turned out to be not as good but this being Nintendo, those options are weird. The original really got me into playing the game at every waking moment I had, which I have not had since the N64 days. I doubt this will have the same effect, but will probably still be a good game.

Man I have a bad case of the wants for this: http://mrjoneswatches.com/sun-and-moon-miyamoto/ But its 175 quid for just a watch when I don't usually wear them and it does not even do much that is smart. On the other hand only 42 are left of the 100 run limited edition.....

With regards to kids, there is a wide spectrum of them and we tend to have the mindset of the enthusiastic gamer type kids and assume all kids are the same. Games were much harder back in the day, but there were less gamers because some people just don't have the time or patience for this stuff. I welcome the change to try and draw more of the people into playing the game. The overall popularity of the series is more important to me (in this case) than the reputation of the game as a core or difficult experience precisely because the series did not used to even leave Japan.

I don't think it is about laziness in gamers. Younger gamers are genuinely less able than older gamers to play games such as these and some just do not enjoy games that are difficult. I think it is a bit like the 'Tell me a story' difficulty in Mass Effect 3. Removing perma death does not eliminate the challenge entirely but does allow someone who is not as able or does not have the time for replaying a level or just does not enjoy the game enough to replay a level to get something out of the game. The warcraft comparison is not quite the same because all of the people (those that have levelled up the normal way and those that have not) are playing in the same world are they not? I understand why that would feel like a cheat.

Annoying that you cannot join friends in ranked battles: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/06/hands_on_checking_out_splatoons_freshly_unlocked_ranked_battle_mode

I prefer the game that way as well, but I would also like to play the game through with my family if possible and get them interested. This is one of the very few games where Nintendo has provided the option to make the change and not enforced a decision on me and for that I will be grateful!

Making the perma-death optional I think was the right thing. Many reviewers awakening that admitted playing with that option I think understood the game better (finally?) and played through further. Don't get me wrong I love the perma-death and part of me was disappointed that it was made optional, but I would rather continue getting the games than not and if that sort of implication is needed to let the game sell well enough then I think its fine. The audience for Dark Souls is clearly there for a harder game, but I don't think it is the same audience on the 3DS.

How do you mean? I was merely trying to point out that there are negative opinions on this thread that he has not jumped on, so it is not as if 'no one is allowed to have negative opinions' on this thread, but the style and tone of those opinions that is causing aggravation.

I think it is fair to point out in defence of @dazzybee and the board in general that there were many negative feelings towards the changes in this game (including my own) that were not attacked as being too negative.

I also had to stop for work as well. I wasn't sure whether there was an update overnight - I guess not as I did not have to enter and leave the game 42 times to get the new content.

Looks like Port Mackerel, The Zapper and Ranked Battle are open now! Had a quick blast with the Zapper before work - looks good but I don't like the special of showing where everyone else is.

Excellent review, thanks.

Mine is also from the game collection. I also got kirby from them as a test run and that came on day of release. Makes little difference to me at the moment as I am on holiday and won't get to play it until next week anyway.

That is a good point on the online mode I suppose. From the gamexplain and other videos it seemed as if ranking mode was available to play for those people who were higher than level 10 (as suggested by Nintendo). I was sure that Nintendo said that ranking mode would not become available until sufficient people in the world were above level 10 (and then only to those above level 10). Does this mean that the review copies/online experience will not be the same as the day one experience for the common or garden pleb? P.S> @Mr\-Paul I feel for you with the game reset like that!

Ahh, I had thought you meant yesterday. Quite soon before the release date this time considering when reviewers have had the copy. Probably not enough time to cancel a pre-order (not that I am planning to). I wonder if they are slightly worried thanks to the full game not being released on the 29th.

Is the review embargo now lifted? When is your review planned for @Mr\-Paul?

If that happens, in some ways it is a shame but, if it happens, I hope that Nintendo realise this for future games and don't make the same mistakes.

Started to play this in earnest last night. Bought it for the kids really, but I am loving it. In the first two worlds I am finding playing the game very relaxing - the perfect level of challenge whilst you get used to drawing controls.

For me I think that if one of Advance Wars, Metroid, F Zero or a new Retro IP were announced more than what we already know then I would be happy with E3. If it was mario strikers, punch out, animal crossing I would understand it but I would be left feeling a bit flat. If it was mario (or super) tennis then I would be very happy, but that is probably only me.

I was going to get it, but cancelled my per-order because there are too many games being released in May! I think some of the quite negative reviews (at the time of the US launch and now the UK launch) have had a cumulative effect of making me want it less as well.

I don't like it - seems like an unnecessary simplification that could have been relegated to casual mode. However, I would forgive them if they could just release the thing in 2015!

Haven't they already said that the ranked mode battles won't come out until later on when enough people are on level 10? If the full online update is not until summer that on't be too bad. Risky though, as people could conceivably have moved on by then.