N-E Café Podcast

[Dufniall]

I think @Jonnas has struck gold with his guess. I googled the song and I didn't realise it was such a classic, covered so many times!

About the podcast, good call to cut it in half because 3 hours would have been too much for one sitting I reckon. When listening myself I notice that after an hour I start to drift and loose concentration while listening, so often I cut my personal listening in 2 and listen about half on one day and the rest on another day.

Interesting news about Astral Chain, I wonder what it means besides the fact that it won't show up on any other platform soon. How is it now with Bayonetta, is that in full Nintendo license or still split between Platinum and Nintendo? Anyway, it's an incredible game and I really enjoyed my time with it. To be honest I would be a bit hesitant seeing another developer use this IP but we'll see.

I've recently played through DKC again and I share @nekunando's sentiment here that the first one is the best one. However, I have big nostalgia for that one as it's the only one I played on the SNES, the other ones I only played on emulators later on. So I'm going open into DKC2 soon and I wonder if my opinion changes if I turn down my nostalgia glasses!

I drifted away a bit during the racing game/PS4 part, because I don't have much interest in either. I don't mind hearing about PS stuff though, despite being an Nintendo-themed podcast it's good to hear what "the competition" is doing. But since I don't have the system or the desire for racers I kind of buzzed out here.

But all in all a good episode once again, it always brightens up a boring work day haha. Curious to hear the in-depth Zelda talk! I didn't quite get the end, are you planning to release this next week as 63-b or can we expect two episodes next week?

[Nicktendo]

1 hour ago, Vileplume2000 said:

I think @Jonnas has struck gold with his guess. I googled the song and I didn't realise it was such a classic, covered so many times!

About the podcast, good call to cut it in half because 3 hours would have been too much for one sitting I reckon. When listening myself I notice that after an hour I start to drift and loose concentration while listening, so often I cut my personal listening in 2 and listen about half on one day and the rest on another day.

Interesting news about Astral Chain, I wonder what it means besides the fact that it won't show up on any other platform soon. How is it now with Bayonetta, is that in full Nintendo license or still split between Platinum and Nintendo? Anyway, it's an incredible game and I really enjoyed my time with it. To be honest I would be a bit hesitant seeing another developer use this IP but we'll see.

I've recently played through DKC again and I share @nekunando's sentiment here that the first one is the best one. However, I have big nostalgia for that one as it's the only one I played on the SNES, the other ones I only played on emulators later on. So I'm going open into DKC2 soon and I wonder if my opinion changes if I turn down my nostalgia glasses!

I drifted away a bit during the racing game/PS4 part, because I don't have much interest in either. I don't mind hearing about PS stuff though, despite being an Nintendo-themed podcast it's good to hear what "the competition" is doing. But since I don't have the system or the desire for racers I kind of buzzed out here.

But all in all a good episode once again, it always brightens up a boring work day haha. Curious to hear the in-depth Zelda talk! I didn't quite get the end, are you planning to release this next week as 63-b or can we expect two episodes next week?

Next week will be 63.2 (or 63 and 1/3 if you prefer 😁) we’ve already recorded it I just need to edit and because I need to work on Sunday and we can’t record we’ll push back 64 and the podpals episode. 

[S.C.G]

10 minutes ago, Nicktendo said:

Next week will be 63.2 (or 63 and 1/3 if you prefer 😁) we’ve already recorded it I just need to edit and because I need to work on Sunday and we can’t record we’ll push back 64 and the podpals episode. 

If that's the case, It'd definitely be good to make it  N-E Café  Episode 63⅓ because that's too good an opportunity to waste.

Also, the banner art that week might feature a certain infamous N64 fighting game.

[S.C.G]

N-E Café Episode 63 now available!

Now up on the main page.

- - - - -

Nicely done, I think making this into two episodes is a good call, looking forward to N-E Café  Episode 63⅓ with all of the Zelda talk.  

Also, I was listening to this episode earlier, I registered that Panzer Dragoon Remake was on sale for less than £6... I was going to get it, and... I forgot, so now I'll either wait for the next time it goes on sale, try to secure a review code, or just not bother and be glad that I've saved a few quid, but I would have picked it up for just over a fiver, ah well.

For future reference, if anyone is picking up a game on sale from the eShop, it really does change the price, bang on midnight now.

[Londragon]

N-E Café [063⅓] Zelda’s 35th Anniversary Special is now live at all good podcast providers.

Recorded on the 31st of January, 2020.  

Episode 63⅓ of the N-E Café has regular hosts Lee Davies, Gregory Moffett and Nick Lone discussing the history and future of the Zelda mainline games. Join us for the fun!

This is episode 63⅓ of the N-E Café Podcast, an N-Europe Podcast. Enjoy!

⦁ Intro Music: Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Ballad of the Gods

⦁ Introductions: 0:00:35

⦁ Part 1: Top down roots: 0:02:01

⦁ Part 2: One step back, two steps forward: 00:15:52

⦁ Part 3: A tale of two sequels: 00:28:42

⦁ Part 4: A wolf in sheep’s clothing: 00:46:09

⦁ Part 5: Blue skies and re-made hearts: 00:58:38

⦁ Ending: 01:20:14

Can you guess what game the Transition Tunes come from?  If they ring a bell, get in touch with us, or if you have a Listener's Question you’d like us to discuss, contact us right here.

 

[nekunando]

Spoiler

Not acknowledging Link's Crossbow Training as one of the top 5 Zelda games ever released during this episode 😢

 

[Dufniall]

It's always interesting to hear how people get on with the Zelda series, especially as every game has its own unique elements and different styles.

I love Zelda as a series, although it's not my favourite IP of all time. It started with A Link To The Past, a game which we had on the SNES. I was quite young still, so I wasn't really trying to finish it but just going around whacking everything with the sword. My brother who is 5 years older played it as well but couldn't finish it, and after not that long a time he traded it in for Super Soccer. I played it later on an emulator, but really played it intensely and finished it on the Game Boy Advance.

In general I actually prefer the 2D ones over the 3D ones. The big exception here is Breath of the Wild which is just the best Zelda game. But besides that I prefer Link's Awakening, Phantom Hourglass and A Link Between Worlds over Twilight Princess, Wind Waker and yes, Ocarina of Time. I don't know what it is, I think I enjoy the top-down dungeons a lot more than the 3D counterparts. But I think it also helps I played a lot more handheld Nintendo in general in those days.

Out of the main game series (not counting the remakes as separate ones) I never played Majora's Mask and Skyward Sword, so they are definitely on my list for completionist goals. Zelda and Zelda II on the NES I've played on the NES app, but I haven't finished them (yet).

As a matter of fact I started Triforce Heroes yesterday, and it is very charming but I can see how it won't be a perfect experience in single player. I posted about getting the game before and I think some people were saying they want to play it again so if you do, let me know!

Maybe a question for next week if you guys are diving into the spin-offs: We've seen Link in Soul Calibur, we had Hyrule Legends which is a Warriors-type game, and we got the cross-over with Cadence of Hyrule. Where would you like to see Link or Zelda appear in or cross over with?

[nekunando]

7 hours ago, Vileplume2000 said:

..and after not that long a time he traded it in for Super Soccer. 

Correct decision 

[Jonnas]

Haven't had much opportunity to respond earlier, but this was a lovely episode. It's great to hear other people's experiences with one of my favourite series, and it sparked a lot of nostalgia in me in unexpected ways.

For example, my first contact with the series was seeing pictures of the first NES game on an old Latin American magazine. To me at the time, every game was a sidescrolling platformer, so I was deeply confused at what I was looking at. It wasn't until the early 2000s, when I saw a TV ad for the Oracle games and read a review for Majora's Mask, that I became truly intrigued by the series. A friend at school let me play through the first dungeon of Oracle of Seasons, and I liked it plenty. Eventually I got an used copy of OoT (luckily, I distinctively remember going into the store hoping to buy Kirby Crystal Shards, but settling for Zelda when I saw that's what they had) and became a fan for life. Even at the cusp of the PS2/Gamecube era, I was captivated by what Ocarina of Time had to offer.

I'd also like to mention that I have very fond memories of the 25th Anniversary, when I pre-ordered Skyward Sword (first time I ever did so, I really wanted to guarantee the WiimotePlus bundle, plus it was a bargain deal). The orchestral CD included in the deal turned out to be one of its best aspects. It was a really uplifting surprise, hearing official remixes from the more underrated games, like Link's Awakening or Spirit Tracks. Plus, the poster with all the Links was great, a true celebration of one of my favourite series ever. I was going through a bad phase of my life on a personal level in 2010-11, but that bundle was a very bright spot for me.

So yeah, hearing you talk about the original NES Zelda, the Oracles, Skyward Sword... Those memories all came back to me while listening to the episode, so thank you very much.

Me, I wasn't planning to do any special Zelda playthrough this year... But Breath of the Wild is in my backlog, so it's fitting that I do it this year, sooner rather than later. I may also replay Spirit Tracks (one of the few Zelda games I never replayed), a game that I remember loving.

[WackerJr]

I really enjoyed the discussion about my favourite gaming franchise.  Great to hear all the thoughts and the associated memories. I was pleased to hear the praise for the often overlooked Oracle games too, which really were excellent & don’t receive anywhere near as much attention as Link’s Awakening.

The crossovers question is a good one. I can only think of a few other games where Nintendo have allowed Zelda characters to appear, which given the popularity of the series is a little surprising and very restrained on Nintendo’s part. Saying that it does give more opportunity for ideas in your discussion though!

Out of the existing ones, I did find Link’s inclusion in Mario Kart to be the worst fit, and surreal seeing him squeezed into the go-kart.  Ironically though I loved the track that it inspired!

[S.C.G]

N-E Café Episode 63⅓ now available!

Now up on the main page.

- - - - -

It was interesting to hear how you all started out with The Legend of Zelda series, for me, it was Ocarina of Time, that was the first game in the series I played from start to finish.

Then, I went back through the games from there, because even though I had played A Link to the Past on a friends SNES back in the day, I didn't own one until later, same with the NES.

I've played every main entry in the series since then, aside from the spin-offs, as I'm not that bothered about Tri-Force Heroes or the Hyrule Warriors titles, I could go back to them and play them properly, but it's unlikely, though I'm interested in playing Cadence of Hyrule.

Definitely some great memories of the series though, playing through both Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask at around the end of the year, something about playing a new Zelda title during the last few months of the year, just seems right.

[Londragon]

N-E Café [N64] is now available at all good podcast providers.

Recorded on the 14th of February, 2021.  

Episode N64 of the N-E Café has regular hosts Lee Davies, Gregory Moffett and Nick Lone discussing the last two weeks of the biggest Nintendo news, and the best of the 90s, with the N64. Join us for the fun!

This is episode N64 of the N-E Café Podcast, an N-Europe Podcast. Enjoy!

⦁ Intro Music: Mario 64 - Bob-omb Battlefield

⦁ Introductions: 0:00:30

⦁ Nintendo News: 0:03:16

⦁ Sales Data: 00:29:30

⦁ Download Delights: 00:41:55

⦁ N64 Retrospective: 00:50:45

⦁ N64 Quiz: 01:58:49

⦁ Closing: 02:39:13

Can you guess what game the Transition Tunes come from?  If they ring a bell, get in touch with us, or if you have a Listener's Question you’d like us to discuss, contact us right here.

 

[Nicktendo]

Transition tunes challenge!

There are 12 transition tunes this week (including intro and outro music). If you're feeling brave, write down the name of each game and we'll see if we can announce a winner + prize in two weeks. One of the transitions is not a tune, but comes from something related to the N64. You have to get where that's from as well to be in with a shot of winning. No Shazam allowed (I'll know ).

PM me the answers by the way, so no one can steal them! We'll put all correct answers into a hat and draw the winner live on the show.

Edited February 19, 2021 by Nicktendo

[nekunando]

You can now see why we couldn't allow last week's episode to be titled with the number 64..

[Jonnas]

Haven't had the chance to comment yet (busy evenings and some problems with my internet), but it's also clear I'm not as deep into the N64 as you guys are! So I can only tell my own story with it.

My first contact with it was a local games store in the late 90s. I got to try Super Mario 64, but I wasn't feeling it. Not only was I holding the controller wrong (and can you blame me?), I didn't really understand the game, since there were seemingly no stages or endgoals (what do you mean "Get the star" is the goal? How absurd). So I was unimpressed and turned off. I was a Mega Drive boy anyway, can't drive me away from Sega that easily.

Fast forward to 2001, and I would finally eventually get one used, at the beginning of the summer. The game that made me get it was Pokémon Stadium 2, which I was incredibly hyped for (I was a Game Boy & PC gamer only at this point). Just one issue, Stadium 2 would only be released in October, so I spent the summer playing Stadium 1 (the game I chose to get) instead. When I eventually got Stadium 2, it almost felt plain, though the Challenge Cup, the incredibly hard Gym Leaders, and the ability to Mystery Gift with that game were great.

That Christmas, a cousin got me Tetrisphere and Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon. I probably made a weird face at those games since I never heard of them, but honestly... I'm really glad she got them, because they were both real gems. Just one catch: Goemon required a Save Pak (or whatever it was called) and I owned none, nor could I find it anywhere. As such, I never completed that game, but to this day I have very fond memories of it. Tetrisphere was also quirky, bizarre, and pretty good, a combination I would certainly appreciate more today.

As I said last week, while looking for Kirby Crystal Shards, I ended up getting Ocarina of Time instead, and that became my favourite game ever for a good while. It truly was the beginning of my love for that series, even if I was unable to get Majora's Mask at the time (I'd only get that luck during the Wii era). I would also eventually get Super Mario 64 (now that I realized I had been holding the controller wrong all those years ago) and be floored at how good that game turned out to be.

It is no exaggeration to say OoT made me into a Nintendo fan. Literally the only reason I got a Gamecube was because Sheik and Ganondorf were in Melee, and I needed to see them fight with my own eyes. This in turn would lead to me being introduced to Metroid, Fire Emblem, etc. and all the stuff I now consider important to my formation as a teen gamer. And it all started with my first Nintendo home console, an outdated thing I got for Pokémon Stadium 2, but went and delighted me with every other game I had for it.

(I actually sold it so I could afford the Gamecube. Quite sad in retrospect, can't go back to Goemon, Tetrisphere, Stadium, or even the muslim blocks in Ocarina. Haven't done something like that since)

[Londragon]

(I actually sold it so I could afford the Gamecube. Quite sad in retrospect, can't go back to Goemon, Tetrisphere, Stadium, or even the muslim blocks in Ocarina. Haven't done something like that since)

That was a great read Jonnas. I too have fond memories of Mystical Ninja starring Goeman, it was a game I rented, but didn’t put down until it was complete. I sold all my NES, SNES, N64 and GameCube stuff when I made the move eastwards, but it highlights for me the need for Nintendo to make these games available as an N64 app for the Switch Online service. Long overdue.

[S.C.G]

N-E Café Episode N64 now available!

Now up on the main page.

- - - - -

Thanks for sharing your N64 memories with us, I enjoyed hearing about your early experiences with the console, it was a similar story for me, when we got an N64 as a Christmas present from our grandparents on Boxing Day of 1997, I believe it was... I'll never forget playing Goldeneye for the first time with my brothers.

That N64 quiz was great, there were plenty of tracks I didn't recognise, but also a fair few which I knew instinctively, as for the transition tunes, there may be twelve in total, but I only picked out ten, so I must have missed two early on in the podcast, but I can definitely name ten of them with near-certainty; anyway, best of luck to anyone who gets all twelve and enters the challenge.

There weren't that many .png images under N64 which fitted in very well with the banner, so I decided to make up an N64 boxart of sorts for the episode. 

[Londragon]

Hell yeah, the official N-E Cafe N64 game. Wonder what genre it is?

[WackerJr]

Just to add that I really enjoyed the nostalgic discussion about the N64 days. It still remains my favourite era of gaming, with many a multiplayer session with school friends.

Wow, when you all just listed them it was a reminder of just how many good games came out for the N64! 

I’m glad to hear I wasn’t the only avid reader of N64 Magazine too. The Ocarina of Time review was my first copy & I enjoyed their sense of humour & honesty when reviewing. Randomly, Tim Weaver, who was editor around that time, appeared on ‘Pointless Celebrities’ on BBC here in the UK a week ago. It seems he’s now an author of thriller books!

[nekunando]

1 hour ago, WackerJr said:

Just to add that I really enjoyed the nostalgic discussion about the N64 days. It still remains my favourite era of gaming, with many a multiplayer session with school friends.

Wow, when you all just listed them it was a reminder of just how many good games came out for the N64! 

I’m glad to hear I wasn’t the only avid reader of N64 Magazine too. The Ocarina of Time review was my first copy & I enjoyed their sense of humour & honesty when reviewing. Randomly, Tim Weaver, who was editor around that time, appeared on ‘Pointless Celebrities’ on BBC here in the UK a week ago. It seems he’s now an author of thriller books!

Aw wow.. The Weavernator? I might have to try and watch a bit of that episode

[Londragon]

N-E Café [065] PodPals (What Remains of Edith Finch) is now available to download from all good podcast providers.

 

Recorded on the 21st of February, 2021.  

Episode 65 of the N-E Café has regular hosts Lee Davies and Gregory Moffett holding down the fort in Nick Lone’s absence.  They discuss the Nintendo Direct, and the PodPals community game of choice, What Remains of Edith Finch. Join us for the fun!

This is episode 65 of the N-E Café Podcast, an N-Europe Podcast. Enjoy!

⦁ Intro Music: Edith’s Theme (What Remains of Edith Finch OST)

⦁ Introductions: 0:00:44

⦁ Nintendo News: 0:03:38

⦁ Nintendo Direct: 00:15:53

⦁ Download Delights: 01:06:43

⦁ PodPals (What Remains of Edith Finch): 01:16:16

⦁ Closing: 02:43:10

Can you guess what game the Transition Tunes come from in our [N64] Special episode?  If the whole 12 ring a bell, get in touch with with @Nicktendo by DM, or if you have a Listener's Question you’d like us to discuss, contact us right here.

 

[Jonnas]

Greg felt cheerier than usual this episode. His spirits must've been skyward-high.

The first Lego game I remember playing was for the PC, something like... Lego Adventure Island or something? 25 years ago sounds about right. Lego Racers is also one I remember. I'm actually surprised those 3D PC games were their first ones, you'd think they'd want videogame representation back in the 2D days... then again, maybe they felt that customization and setting blocks ought to be part of the Lego experience. Can't blame them for wanting to stay on-brand.

I already gave a my thoughts regarding the Direct in the respective thread... and I did mention elsewhere that I did buy Inside (on GOG) and Katamari Damacy (on Switch) in this past sale. A man just doesn't have self control...

Regarding Edith Finch, it's kind of surreal to hear the mini-review I wrote in 2018 as the intro to the discussion. Thank you for that I remember exploring that space on the left early on (I think there were some tree stumps and a see-saw?) and then finding my way back to the path. I also recall peeking through some keyholes early on (definitely on Molly's room), but the GOG version that I played had no achievements either.

Spoiler

My interpretation behind Molly's story is that it was half imagination, half hallucination (she did eat fake berries and tooth paste). Interesting interpretation about the disease "eating away" at her, hadn't thought of it that way. Either way, her sequence showed her whimsical ideas of freedom, represented by her love for animals. I get the idea she was sickly girl who couldn't get out much. And of course, she was absolutely starving that night.

Calvin and Barbara's segments were both relatively straightforward from a story perspective, so not much to add there. I'm only up to the beginning of the Walter part (I'll hear the rest tomorrow), so I might have more to say on other tales tomorrow.

I still have some podcast left to hear, so maybe I'll have more to say tomorrow.

As for the transition tunes:

Spoiler

I guess it's What Remains of Edith Finch! The tunes are more atmospheric than melodic, and the cheery one that anticipates the discussion is likely played during the cannery segment

[nekunando]

4 hours ago, Jonnas said:

Greg felt cheerier than usual this episode. His spirits must've been skyward-high.

I'm sure I'll be back to normal next week

In fairness, it's amazing what a few games to look forward to can do for your optimism!

Mario Golf: Super Rush, No More Heroes 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword may not represent entirely what we need on Switch but it'll be 3 games I'm fairly certain I will enjoy, the latter of which I've been wanting to play again for a while

I'm now a little more confident that there will be a couple of nice surprises in the second half of the year too!

[Jonnas]

So, continuing from yesterday:

Spoiler

I do think Walter died some way other than train (he either fell off a cliff, or more likely, got hit by a landslide). The tracks may be there, but the existence of a train does not make sense to me. This is an island, and the train we see in the flashback is not going through a particularly sensible route (going around the coast, behind the Finch's huge isolated house). Furthermore, there are no other tracks anywhere else other than that point, which leads me to believe that those were likely built for limited purposes (private or industrial), so you'd see cargo being moved around, but not a huge locomotive going full speed.

Finally, and this might be me misremembering - but there were train pictures in Walter's room, right? If so, it would support the idea of him, in his final moments, picturing the death he'd rather have (a recurring theme in the game).

Agreed on the kite segment being too awkward. I do find it amusing that his biggest wish (ruining his dad's wedding) was the family's pettiest. Fitting for a rebellious 13 year old. His strained relationship also ties in with Sam's own death, right as he's finally managing to bond with his remaining daughter. I think Sam looks so old for his age due to him being an army veteran, but that might just be my preconceptions talking.

Your thoughts on Gregory's death mirror my own. I was filled with dread at the beginning as soon as I realized what would happen, but felt much more at ease by the end. It's kind of sad to think, with the way these deaths are set up (with the Finches dying while finding their greatest joy), it means that Gregory's parents were fighting so much, that playing in the bathtub was the only happiness the kid has in his life. That's how it feels like, anyway.

I've seen a few theories regarding Milton. I like to think he's travelling around the world, not just hanging around California the whole time

Maybe this wasn't felt with controllers, but playing with a mouse and keyboard, the way the cannery segment works is that the mouse controls the fish, while Lewis' imagination is controlled on the keyboard. In other words, my right hand was doing the repetitive task while the left hand was doing the escapism. Gameplay-wise, the game found a great way to actively split my attention, and feel the same mental disconnect as Lewis': my right hand just moved automatically at some point, and I barely even noticed.

You also brought up an interesting topic, on how walking simulators (story-driven games in general, really) should be measured. As I said in the Gaming Diary thread, 1979 Revolution - the game with the clunkier interface - felt more immersive thanks to how disjointed everything felt. The game would introduce sudden and impractical QTE segments, as well as arbitrary tasks with no tutorial or introduction ("Put this bandage in that wound, quick!") that actually mirror the chaos and stress of the situation, and how unprepared our main character is to handle it.

By contrast, Life is Strange had the cleaner and simpler UI, but it also meant that the player instinctively understands how the game is structured and how everything works. Furthermore, the time rewind mechanic encourages experimentation and bold behaviour from the player, but none of that reflects on the main character's dialogue, that remains as socially awkward as a regular teenager should be.

So, which game should get the higher score in "Gameplay"? The one that feels outdated, but fitting to the story and setting? The cleaner and more fine-tuned game, but whose interface doesn't enhance the story much? The way we approach these kinds of games is different than how we approach action-heavy games, like platformers, shooters, or adventure games. Does it make sense to use the same x/10 scoring system with Edith Finch, Ethan Carter, or Phoenix Wright?

There was another idea you brought up, the question of would Edith Finch be better as a film... I don't think it would. There a lot of things that wouldn't work as well in a film:

Spoiler

• Off the top of my head, how do you hide your main character's pregnancy? It's clearly meant to be a surprise;
• Molly seamlessly and non-nonchalantly turning into a cat while leaving her window works great from a fist-person perspective. It also could work great in book form (potentially, you could start a sentence by describing her hands, and end it by mentioning she has paws). But in a film? How do you do a sudden shift without feeling awkward or forced?
  • The sea monster feels immediately different because you need to drag yourself to move. How to convey this in film? Without ever showing how the monster looks, at that?
• Would Barbara's comic book segment work at all?
• As I said, the cannery segment works best when it actively makes you feel the same disconnect as Lewis;
• Throughout the game, you see how the house is designed, and eventually explore and see for yourself the various spots where previous Finches died. In a film, these moments tend to not be too quiet, and if they are, they definitely have a different feel to them than how a game allows the player to meander for as long as they feel the need to.

Not to say it would be impossible to do a film adaptation or anything, but doing so in that medium would have a much different feel than how the videogame presents it.

(Sorry if this post feels like a ramble)

[Londragon]

Thanks for the banter @Jonnas

And if anyone missed them.  We did interviews with staff members for our 50th episode.  They've now started to appear as separate episodes on my Youtube Channel.

N-E Café Excerpts [050] Interview: Lee asks Sam: Super Mario Bros. Advance