Nintendo Direct - 03.8.2018

Last night, there was a Nintendo Direct special presentation which revealed a shocking teaser of Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo Switch.

The teaser provided a good look at the Inklings (from Splatoon) as they sprayed each other with ink along with closeups of Mario and Link (from Zelda: Breath of the Wild), as well as a brief glimpse of several other characters shrouded in shadow.

The last Super Smash Bros. game had 58 different playable characters total, so it's likely that the Nintendo Switch roster will be the same size or even larger. At the very least, we can confirm that the Inklings will be included the the fighting title.

As of yet, we don't truly know if this an enhanced port of the Super Smash Bros. Wii U version or a brand-new game entirely. If it is a port, it could follow the model of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Mario Kart 8 was originally released on Wii U before coming to Switch which featured more content. Both the trailer and a subsequent press release remain heavily ambiguous about what form this game will take.

Nintendo hasn't announced a specific release date yet for the Smash Bros. game, but they did indicate that it will arrive later this year.

Since everyone is going to be making fan rosters, I might as well start off with my own top 15. I think honestly, that the roster could use more playable female characters and representation. It's become increasingly difficult to come up with new, highly desired additions to Nintendo's wide list of original IPs (intellectual properties).

1. Crash Bandicoot -
   
   Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy | July 10, 2018
   
   Following its release on PlayStation 4 last year, Activision's Crash Bandicoot remaster is coming to Nintendo Switch. As such, this can open up negotiations towards adding Crash to the third-party roster.
   
   

   

   
   
   
2. Magnus (Kid Icarus: Uprising) - The blade that Magnus uses is quite bulky in addition to being sharp, yet he can swing it with great precision. The end of the sword's hilt is also decorated with a curved piece of metal that matches the rest of the blade.
   
3. Knuckles (Sonic and Knuckles) - The current guardian of the Master Emerald, a powerful ancient relic which is his solemn duty to protect from anyone seeking to abuse it. He is also the sole remaining descendant of his clan. A trusted ally of Sonic the Hedgehog, he's gullible, but a fierce rival. He can trap the wind under his dreadlocks to glide through the air.
   
4. Krystal (Star Fox Adventures) - She made her first appearance in the series in Star Fox Adventures. Krystal is the latest recruited member of the Star Fox team. She joined the Star Fox team after the Plight of Sauria, taking Peppy Hare's place as the fourth pilot.  She serves as the team's main telepath, acts as an additional fighter pilot, and is Fox McCloud's main love interest.
   
5. Impa (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) -  She typically serves as a nursemaid and/or bodyguard to Princess Zelda and often offers guidance to Link. Impa is the Commanding Officer of the Hyrule Imperial Guard and a playable character in Hyrule Warriors. She is the attendant and vassal of Princess Zeld. That is the version I would like to play as she's got a giant sword.
   
6. Viewtiful Joe (Viewtiful Joe) - Viewtiful Joe is the red-costume Superhero version of Joe, an average movie lover whose world was turned upside-down when he found himself brought into the World of Movies.
   
7. Twintelle (Arms) - Twintelle is a dark-skinned woman with white hair and pink highlights. Her  hair consists of two ARMS arranged in pigtails. She wears a black mask, a white sleeveless top with her emblem on her chest, tight black pants with a purple sideline all the way down, and a pair of sneaker heels. She has an athletic yet curvy build. Twintelle is a mega celebrity, yet is unstatisfied with her awards and accolades, despite being a star of the silver screen.
   
   

8. Ribbon Girl (Arms) - She is a pop idol in the ARMS world. Her jumping ability has given her the nickname, "The Airess". Ribbon Girl has blue eyes, blonde hair, and a pink skirt. Both her hair and her arms are ribbon-like and she has a pink mask on the top of her face. Ribbon girl wears glowing dark blue earrings.

8. Spring Man (Arms) - Spring Man has blue hair stylized like a spring and blue eyes. He wears a red and white tank top with his logo in the center and dark blue trims, and his ARMS are composed of springs.

9. Shantae (Shantae) -The half-genie guardian of Scuttle Town, Shantae works tirelessly to thwart the plans of the nefarious lady-pirate, Risky Boots, or other forces threatening the town. The character was created by Matt Bozon and his wife Erin Bozon.

10. Geno (Super Mario RPG) - is a warrior from Star Road and one of Mario's partners in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. He is sent by "a higher authority" to restore peace to Mario's world. During the events of Super Mario RPG, he teams up with Mario's team, which consists of Mario, Mallow, Princess Toadstool and Bowser and helps them out on their quest to defeat Smithy, the main antagonist and final boss of the game. In battle, he has high attack, but lower defense.

11. Midna (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) - Midna, a member of the Twili, teams up with the protagonist, Link, to battle Zant. She has a playfully mischievous sense of humor, and showed a somewhat cynical demeanor during most of the game.

12. Elma (Xenoblade Chronicles X) - BLADE colonel and the team leader of the Reclaimers Division. In the prologue, she is tasked with retrieving the Lifepods that were ejected from the United States Ark Ship, the White Whale.

13. Linkle (Hyrule Warriors) - Linkle has a courageous heart and heroic spirit, though she is far more talkative (in contrast to Link's traditional role as a silent protagonist), and has a deeply held belief that she is destined to be the legendary hero. Her grandmother, gave her a magic compass branded with the Triforce logo that Linkle considers to be proof of her status as the legendary hero, despite her fellow villagers dismissing the idea (by pointing out this is just a folkstory that everyone's grandmother says to their grandchildren). Upon hearing of the Dark Forces' attack on Hyrule Castle, Linkle quickly dons a hooded green tunic and equips herself with two crossbows that she normally uses to defend her Cucco flock from Wolfos, determined to aid Princess Zelda and the Hyrulean Forces as the legendary hero she believes herself to be.

14. Lana/Cia (Hyrule Warriors) - Cia was originally the Guardian of Time tasked with watching and keeping the balance of the Triforce, Cia eventually began to harbor romantic feelings for the hero Link. These affections turned into jealousy towards Princess Zelda, a close friend of Link's. As Cia's resentment grew, she became vulnerable to the will of an evil being that was thought to have been sealed away long ago. With the light half of her soul driven from her body, thus becoming Lana, Cia was corrupted by the darkness in her heart.

Lana is fiercely determined to put a halt to Cia's plans, even at the cost of her own happiness. Despite her overly optimistic nature, her natural athletic energy serves her well and allows her to quickly dive around her enemies and attack with her book of sorcery, which utilizes electrifying spells that her enemies never see coming. She has a bright spirit and positive energy, dancing and striking cheerful poses in battle.

Cia

Lana

15. Sans (Undertale) - Sans is the brother of Papyrus and a major character in Undertale. He first appears in the forest after the protagonist exits the Ruins. He serves as a supporting character in a Neutral and True Pacifist Route. is a short skeleton with a dimpled smile and large orbits. He wears an unzipped blue hoodie, a white t-shirt/sweater, black shorts with white stripes, and a pair of sneakers/slippers.

Dragon Quest X (Upcoming PS4 Version) Update and Beta Test Announcement!

Next month in Japan marks the release of the PlayStation 4 version of Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Online. Square Enix shared a brand new trailer (depicted below) that highlights scenes from the MMORPG title on PS4. The new “All in One Package” edition of the game, features enhanced visuals with improvements on facial textures and other parts of the game with 1080p resolution and 60fps performance on PS4 (which is a great improvement when compared to the original Wii version). It also contain the game’s first three expansions, or rather "versions" since it was launched back in August 2, 2012.

Dragon Quest X releases in Japan on August 17, 2017 for PlayStation 4 and Fall of 2017 (estimated September 21, 2017) for the Nintendo Switch. Both of which are priced at 4,800 yen (approximately $42.14 USD). The game is currently available on Wii U, PC, iPhone, and Android.

PlayStation 4 users will need to pay about 1,500 yen a month for five characters and the Switch version will cost around 1,000 yen (approximately $8.78 USD) to 1,500 yen a month (approximately $13.17 USD) for three to five characters.

A beta test for both versions was announced, and it will go live from Wednesday, July 19, 2017 through Thursday, August 10, 2017. Unfortunately, the Beta test application period ended Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 23:59.

The link to the BETA test can be found here: http://www.jp.square-enix.com/DQXBETA2017/

In order to participate, users must:

• Have a PlayStation® 4 / PlayStation® 4 Pro or Nintendo Switch ™ main unit 
• Have 16 GB of free space in their PlayStation® 4 / PlayStation® 4 Pro HDD
  
  OR:
• A Nintendo Switch ™ Main unit storage memory or microSD card with 16 GB of free space
  
  In addition:
• There must be an environment where you can connect to the Internet 
• Users must have a Square-Enix account
  
  If Nintendo holds up on their claim that their console is region free, the earliest Nintendo Switch users could see this game is September of this year.
  
  You can read all about my past posts regarding this title here.

Works Cited
Dragon Quest X Highlights Scenes In A New Trailer For Upcoming PS4 Version. (2017, July 06). Retrieved July 08, 2017, from http://www.siliconera.com/2017/07/06/dragon-quest-x-highlights-scenes-new-trailer-upcoming-ps4-version/

Dragon Quest X On Switch Gets Its First Footage, Release Dates For PS4 And Switch In Japan. (2017, May 27). Retrieved July 08, 2017, from http://www.siliconera.com/2017/05/27/dragon-quest-x-switch-gets-first-footage-release-dates-ps4-switch-japan/

My Review of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Hey everyone! This is your pixel pal Dave here with an update in gaming! I have recently completed the main storyline of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Wii U in less than a week of launch (I started on 03/03/2017 at approximately 12:33 PM). I have to say, overall, it wasn't a bad game. My only complaint is that the difficulty of certain fights needed a bit more balancing. Other than that, it's a fairly decent experience. Dungeons seem a tad smaller compared to say, the Wind Waker, but the puzzles typically found in them are now in shrines and there are more of them scattered about the realm of Hyrule. For every four spirit orbs obtained from these shrines, Link can trade them for a heart container or a stamina container.

*******Spoiler Warning!!!*******

This is where I will discuss ALL aspects of the game. If you're still playing it and don't enjoy spoilers, please discontinue reading.

As the story goes, Link is awoken by a mysterious voice (later discovered to be Zelda herself) urging him to awake and be a beacon of hope for the kingdom of Hyrule. After an encounter with an elderly man (not surprisingly, the King of Hyrule himself.) he points you in the direction of the first four shrines, which (after completing the challenges accompanied by them) permit your tablet Sheikah Slate to perform certain functions necessary for Link to begin his journey. King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule reveals that he is actually a spirit long since past from this world, but could not pass on the the next realm until he had fulfilled his role. He proceed to give Link his paraglider (a nod to Skyward Sword, the previous game) and from then on, he is to travel to Kakariko Village to meet with Impa, a member of Zelda's former guard. Impa then tells him of the history of Ganon (10,000 years old) and how Link came to be placed in the Shrine of Resurrection. He is then told to free the Divine Beasts under Ganon's influence in order to rescue Zelda in Hyrule Castle. After that, he is sent to Hateo's Tech Lab to regain some of the "basic functions" of the Sheikah Slate. ("I'm going to save Hyrule, but first, let me take a selfie") Joking aside, the photo album hidden in the Sheikah Slate is Zelda's personal scrapbook of sorts and they're locations that Link can traverse the wilderness for in order to regain his lost memories (an unfortunate side-effect of using the Shrine of Resurrection). After that limited direction, players are free to roam about and do as they see fit in order to better prepare themselves for the final encounter with Calamity Ganon.

Defeated on 03/10/2017 at 6:53 PM

The last boss fight wasn't particularly difficult (I had thought it would be excruciating, especially after the torture I went through with Thunderblight Ganon) but, it was a tad underwhelming. I had hoped for a serious challenge and was met with minor inconvenience. If you manage to obtain the favor of all four of the Divine Beasts, their operators manage to blast Calamity Ganon from the start of the fight, down to half of his total hit point value. This alone would be an amazing boon, but in addition to that, if the player has yet to use any of the champion's abilities, he or she is able to do substantial damage to the final boss even without the Master Sword, so long as they continue to move away from oncoming laser blasts. The afterbattle was even easier as you are mounting your steed shooting light arrows at Ganon's monstrous beast form (with his attacks not specifically aimed at you but rather the landscape). Weapon durability was an interesting design choice and at times caused me a little bit of frustration, only in that my inventory was either constantly full, or barren when I needed it to be the opposite in either instance. Some weapons have become my favorite and so coveted that I didn't want to use them as often as needed...of course there were some that could be repaired for a fee and the acquisition of certain materials, but once say, the Ceremonial Trident was damaged, I'd move onto another weapon altogether. (It's costly to repair it).

Some of the places in Breath of the Wild are subtle nods to past adventures like the Springs of Power and Wisdom from Skyward Sword. This really intrigues me as a longstanding veteran of the series as I am now somewhat actively looking for more of these "Easter eggs". I'm not accustomed to many free-roaming games and ironically, growing up playing video games (and board games too I suppose) I've gained a subconscious "goal-oriented" mentality. So I tend to focus heavily on plot points and achievements. I tend to lack the capacity for the enjoyment of subtleness or the nuances that come with a vast, open world of discovery. I guess I just get rather bored without progress or some form of productivity...(ironic again as my parents both view gaming as childish and not a productive use of one's time...which I vehemently disagree on a number of levels, one of which being puzzle solving, but I digress...). Nonetheless, my opinion of such games should not influence another's expectations of this title. I'm just the kind of guy that can't figure out what to do in Fallout 4 after the major storyline is finished as it bears little weight on the finale...

Replayability/Replay Value: Questionable/Varies
Overall Score: 8.75/10.0 - Worth a Purchase
Grade Score: A-


Worth noting (perhaps...they don't really bother me all too much) were a few frame-rate drops (namely when I was working with explosives or running around Kakariko Village). That may frustrate players who are accustomed to a "standard" of 60 frames per second. In addition, some other reviewers have complained of inopportune instances of the "Blood Moon Rising" cutscenes interfering with puzzles in the outer world (not the shrines) and boss fights. In some instances, refreshing the boss fights to the very beginning...but I haven't experienced any such issues. Probably because I was doing a substantial amount of climbing during those times...I also avoided areas that I knew were going to be quite hostile. The motion controls for the Myahm Agana Shrine, weren't a challenge to me at all with my level of coordination, so I fail to see what all of the fuss is about (although the Nintendo Switch has been known at launch to have some synchronization issues, especially with the left Joy-con) with regards to that. At any point players could press the B button during the motion control portion, lay the controller on a flat surface, then re-attempt to maneuver the ball to the goal...the number of complaints to me seems a bit bizarre to be perfectly honest. The trick is to fling the ball upward on the last stretch so it can make the gap...

I think my biggest disappointment was that Ganon in this iteration had NO human form. No Ganondorf...no dialogue, no monologue about power or corruption. That, to me, was a huge letdown. A story's protagonist is only as impactful as the villain's ambitions...I enjoyed when Ganondorf had a grand speech in Wind Waker about his homeland and how envious he was of the land of Hyrule...it made him relatable, and I actually took pity upon him. It's reminiscent of Batman's rogue, Mr. Freeze in a way, a villain you can't help but feel empathy for. In this game, he is a "faceless" entity of destruction. It can't be reasoned with, it can't be understood. It just EXISTS. I'm still puzzled as to how he claimed the "guardians" that the Sheikah from 10,000 years ago crafted. That to me, was alarming. A neutral force that aided the Hero of Time more than a millennia ago...yet suddenly, it's under Ganon's control? That particular detail seemed really suspicious to me and I've wanted more information ever since.

I've decided to purchase the DLC Season Pass for the additional $19.99 (+Tax) but my concern is that it renders 100% completion moot now because if Nintendo updates the game with the new mode, presumably, all progress would be reset to begin the game anew on the harder difficulty (which is mind-boggling, especially when there are 900 Korok Seeds...).

I hope you've all enjoyed my review of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and I hope to continue to keep you all posted on upcoming games!

Dragon Quest X Is Headed To The PS4 And Nintendo Switch This Summer (At Least In Japan)

Square Enix has recently announced during a livestream that their MMORPG title Dragon Quest X releases on PS4 this summer, while their Nintendo Switch version will arrive this summer or autumnal season in Japan.

A beta test period is being planned prior to Dragon Quest X’s launch on PlayStation4 and the Nintendo Switch. Production of the Wii version of the game has already ended and they’re planning on terminating online services for it.

I'm still hoping for localization of this title here in the United States. Even if Square Enix determines that it would not be suitable for Western markets and doesn't follow through, I will either import the game physically, or download it via the e-shop to play (if that option is available). Both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 consoles will be region free, meaning any game manufactured for the respective console can be played on it. I've been looking forward to this for about five years now.

Dragon Quest X is currently available on Wii, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, iPhone, Android, and PC.


Works Cited

S. (2017, February 21). Dragon Quest X Headed To PS4 This Summer, Switch This Summer/Fall In Japan. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from http://www.siliconera.com/2017/02/21/dragon-quest-x-headed-ps4-summer-switch-summerfall-japan/

Sigler, (2017, February 21). Dragon Quest X Heads to PS4 in Summer, Switch Later in 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from http://nichegamer.com/2017/02/21/dragon-quest-x-heads-to-ps4-in-summer-switch-later-in-2017/

New Year, New Nintendo Treehouse Live Stream!

Hey everyone! I sincerely hope you've all had a great new year thus far and I'm here to announce that Nintendo will be hosting a Nintendo Switch event. Following the January 12, 2017 Nintendo Switch Presentation, which is being held at 8pm PT/10pm CT/11pm ET, there will be a Treehouse Live. The Treehouse Live with Nintendo Switch presentation will air at 6:30am PT/8:30am CT/9:30am ET and be viewable on Nintendo’s YouTube and Twitch channels.


The Treehouse Live will be focused on Nintendo Switch games. People will be able to get an in depth look at games announced during the Nintendo Switch Presentation.


Look forward to the Nintendo Switch being released sometime in March of 2017.

Go! Go! Go! Pokémon Go! - Augmented Fun Gets Exercise Done

Pokemon Go is an augmented reality based mobile app developed by Niantic which has surged in popularity since its release on July 6, 2016. The game is available for iOS and Android in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. (It was later made available in Japan on July 22, 2016).
Pokemon Go allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual Pokémon which appear in the real world via computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphic imagery. It makes use of mobile GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) location technology and the cameras of compatible devices.

Despite being a free-to-play application, it does support in-app purchases of additional gameplay items. Pokémon Go Plus, an optional companion Bluetooth wearable device, is planned for a future release and will alert users when Pokémon are nearby.

After logging into the app for the first time, the player creates their own personal avatars. They can choose the avatar's style, hair, skin, and eye color, and outfit. Players begin the game with a brief introduction by Professor Willow, who explains the mechanics of the game and guides you through catching your choice of the three starter pokémon — either a Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur, which should all be familiar to Pokémon regulars. If players decide that they do not wish to have the original starter Pokémon, they can bypass them and attempt to capture Pikachu as their first companion.

There are three basic parts to Pokémon Go: Catching Pokémon, visiting Pokéstops, and battling gyms.

In order to capture a Pokémon, you simply walk around with the app open on your phone, which will buzz (providing force-feedback) when Pokémon are nearby. Tap on the Pokémon on the map, and you’ll switch to the catching interface. The color of the ring surrounding the pokémon helps determine how easy it is to catch — green is easiest, yellow is of intermediate difficulty, and red is the most difficult.

Pokémon are found at different CP (Combat Power) levels, which determines how powerful the pokémon will be. To raise a pokémon's CP, you'll need two resources: stardust, a generic item you obtain with each pokémon that you catch, and the pokémon's specific candy, which can be obtained by catching duplicates of that particular pokémon.


For example, to level up a Meowth’s CP, you’ll need stardust and Meowth candies. Similarly, to evolve your Pokémon, you’ll need to use more of that Pokémon’s candies, which will also dramatically raise the CP of that Pokémon. As your character level increases, you’ll encounter higher level Pokémon in the wild and be able to level up the CP level of your Pokémon more.

Pokémon Go is unlike any other installment in the Pokémon series, as players do not battle wild Pokémon in order to capture them. Rather, the game relies on a unique capture system where the player must throw a Poké Ball with the proper force at the right time in order to make a successful capture.

PokéStops and Pokémon Gyms

PokéStops and Pokémon gyms are typically located at popular meeting places, such as memorials, places of worship, parks, and tourist attractions.

Pokéstops in particular, are places in Pokemon Go that allow players to collect items such as eggs, Poke Balls (to capture more Pokemon), or other additional items to help on one's journey. Their location is indicated on the map with blue spinning Pokéball icons.

After you've collected items from a PokeStop, the icon's color will change to purple, and you will not be able to collect items from it again until it refreshes to blue, which takes about five minutes. Players do not need to travel away from the PokeStop for it to refresh. This is convenient if you live or work on a PokeStop because you can get items often!

PokeStops typically grants players three to four items at a time. Until a player has reached level 5, PokeStops will grant them Pokéballs and Pokemon Eggs exclusively. Once they have achieved level 5 status, PokeStops will occasionally generate up to six Pokeballs, and other items such as Revives or Potions for use. Trainers can only access Gyms and battle other Pokemon once they have ranked up to that level.

PokéStops can only be interacted with once a person is within range of the stop - if you are on a bus or other form of transit, you may not be able to sync up with the servers and GPS location data in order to interact with it in time, unless the vehicle is slowing or stopped.

If a player purchases one of the Lure Modules from the in-game Shop, the player can place it at any PokeStop to increase the amount of Pokémon who will gravitate to that area thus, benefiting any other players in the immediate area.
A PokéStop is shown to be under the influence of a Lure Module on the map by a showering of pink petals, and interacting with the PokéStop will produce an icon that details who used the lure.

Players earn experience points for various in-game activities which allow them to rise in level. At level five, the player is able to join one of three teams (red for Team Valor, which uses Moltres as their mascot; blue for Team Mystic, which uses Articuno as their mascot; or yellow for Team Instinct, which uses Zapdos as their mascot). These teams act as large factions within the Pokémon Go world. If a player enters a Pokémon gym that is controlled by a player that is not part of their team, they can challenge the leader to lower the gym's "prestige". Once the prestige of a gym is lowered to zero then the player will take control of the gym and is able to deposit one Pokémon to defend it. Conversely, a team can upgrade the prestige of a gym under their control by battling their gym leader.

Battling in Pokémon Go is basically a simplified version of the classic Game Boy game. Pokémon face off one-on-one, and can use one of two attacks — tapping on the enemy pokémon to do a low-damage light attack, and tap-and-holding to unleash a special attack once your meter has filled. Additionally, you can dodge enemy attacks by swiping left and right. Battles continue until one of the pokémon has fainted. And of course, standard pokémon damage type rules are in effect: water pokémon are effective against fire types, fire against grass, etc. Pokémon can be healed or revived using potions and revives that you can obtain from visiting pokéstops.

Miitomo - The Best Nintendo App for You and Mii

As of March 17, 2016 Miitomo released in Japan. A new video in English has surfaced, courtesy of TiLMENDOMiNATiON (via YouTube, shown below) detailing the app. The video gives viewers a brief look at Mii customization, the Miitomo Shop, and many other features.

Miitomo is an app for iOS and Android devices created for people to interact with others via their Miis. Miis are personal avatars created by Nintendo first seen on the Nintendo Wii Entertainment System.

The app also has a "Miiphoto" function, which lets players create different kinds of pictures featuring Miis. These can then be shared through multiple social media network platforms (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

Miitomo will be available in eight languages which include Japanese, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Russian.

It will be made available for Japan, the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand.




Works Cited:

C. (2016, March 17). Miitomo Video Shows Us A Demonstration Of Its Features And How They Work - Siliconera. Retrieved March 18, 2016, from http://www.siliconera.com/2016/03/17/miitomo-video-shows-us-demonstration-features-work/

S. (2016, February 02). My Nintendo’s Points Program Rewards With Discounts, Digital Content And More - Siliconera. Retrieved March 18, 2016, from http://www.siliconera.com/2016/02/03/nintendos-points-program-rewards-discounts-digital-content/

S. (2015, October 28). Nintendo Reveals Their First Smartphone App Miitomo, And Nintendo Account Service - Siliconera. Retrieved March 18, 2016, from http://www.siliconera.com/2015/10/28/nintendo-reveals-their-first-smartphone-app-miitomo-and-nintendo-account-service/

New Year, New Games, New Possibilities!

Hey everyone! How have you been? Did you all have a great New Year's celebration? I'm back with some insight into some of the games I'm looking forward to seeing in this upcoming season. So, let's get started with a favorite series of mine, the Mario and Luigi RPGs!

On January 22, 2016 Nintendo will release Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam, for the Nintendo 3DS. The game is the fifth title in the Mario and Luigi series.

The story of Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam cross-over of the universes of the Mario and Luigi series and Paper Mario series, which results in presumably hilarious conversations and interactions between the two dimensional characters and the three dimensional ones.

The Mario and Luigi RPG series is well-known for its whimsical and witty nature. The dialogue in particular can be a rip-roaring laugh for veterans and newcomers alike.

Not too much is known at this time regarding the premise of the story, however a trailer for the North American release has been made (Shown below). I'm a tad bit disappointed that Paper Luigi does not make an appearance (in teasers, trailers, or otherwise) which leads me to believe that his inclusion was left out.
I eagerly await this game in the franchise and look forward to playing it soon.

Nintendo's President, Mr. Satoru Iwata, Dies At The Age of 55

I regret to inform you, my readers that Mr. Satoru Iwata has passed away as of July 11th, 2015.
Nintendo has released a statement regarding this loss:

"Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth."

Sometime in June of 2014, Mr. Iwata had been advised by his physician to "not to travel overseas in the immediate future" (Web. Kotaku. June 5, 2014) due to health concerns. Presumably, these were related to a malignant bile duct growth, that was later removed during that month. As a result of the following recuperation that took place, Mr. Iwata was unable to attend the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.

“On my business card, I am a corporate president.
In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer”
 - Satoru Iwata, GDC 2005

In November, Mr. Iwata Tweeted to his followers to let them know that he was "...progressing well."

Unfortunately, Mr. Iwata's time was cut obscenely short. He was born in Sapporo, Japan on December 6, 1959 and passed away at the age of 55.

As a final farewell to this legendary person, I would like to share a few words:

Mr. Iwata was someone I truly respected in the video game industry. He made his share of mistakes like anyone would in such a high position of authority and while there were times that I too, found myself questioning his methods, he always managed to keep the company's best interests at heart.

Those goals always involved providing a fun, upbeat, and whimsical nature to the games that they produced & published. He made me laugh time & time again with his Nintendo Direct segments and provided boundless insight into what makes a truly great title through his "Iwata Asks" interviews.

Everything he did in the public eye seemed to instill joy and proved to be slightly less business oriented (thus, far more approachable to the populace).

Nintendo, more than any other company, has been purely centered around family entertainment, and I sincerely hope that the next person to fill Mr. Iwata's rather larger shoes will honor his legacy and the traditions of the company. Today, we've lost a great, imaginative, and innovate mind. May he rest in peace.


Source List:

Ashcraft, Brian. "Nintendo President Responds to Worries Over His Health." Kotaku. 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 12 July 2015. 

Plunkett, Luke. "Nintendo's President Had Surgery To Remove A "Bile Duct Growth"" Kotaku. 24 June 2014. Web. 12 July 2015. 

Plunkett, Luke. "The Video Game Community Pays Tribute To Satoru Iwata." Kotaku. 12 July 2015. Web. 12 July 2015.

Stephen Totilo, Stephen. "Nintendo Chief Satoru Iwata Missing E3 On Advice Of His Physician." Kotaku. 5 June 2014. Web. 12 July 2015. 

The Underrated Underdog Console: Wii U

So the Wii U has been out in the U.S. since November 18, 2012. It's barely even three years old yet and people are tossing it aside like it's not worth making games for...it's gotten to the point where even Nintendo has started to convince themselves that the console is a sinking ship and that everyone should move on to the next project, codenamed: NX.

Developing software for the Wii U is a Catch-22 situation: Publishers and developers seem to think that they will not make much profit on the fledgling console, but by not developing for the system at all, Nintendo will never truly grow outside of their first party franchises.

What irritates and frustrates me the most is that these companies are often providing "half-assed" games when they do decide to contribute to the Wii U library because on the competing platforms (PC, XBOX 360/XBOX ONE and PS3/PS4, respectively) the games have all of their original features intact. As such, players that pick up a copy of the game for the Wii U are not getting the full value of what they initially paid for.

Warner Bros. for instance, did not include an online multiplayer mode for Batman Arkham Origins, while Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist has an online multiplayer mode, but no local split screen co-op.

Granted, this isn't the first instance of companies applying this "laissez-faire" (or "do-nothing") type of approach to Nintendo's platform. However, this practice has become far worse due to the sheer number of companies hopping on this informal policy bandwagon.

Treyarch, (and by the transitive property, Activision) in my opinion, is one of the worst offenders of this nonchalant apathy towards Nintendo and is guilty of making false promises on more than one occasion. This was evident during the Wii era with Call of Duty: Black Ops lack of DLC (although, that console's limitations were clearly evident) and with Call of Duty: Black Ops II on the Wii U now. It took Treyarch two years after the game was released to develop the Nuketown 2025 map, which was long overdue. Call of Duty: Ghosts by Infinity Ward in comparison managed to finally get the Freefall map several months after the other consoles received it.

Ubisoft proved that DLC was possible on Nintendo's latest hardware by offering transactions for Assassin's Creed III. Sources reported however, that these options would not be available for the latest installment of the franchise, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

On a much more positive note, Ubisoft creative director Jonathan Morin had briefly discussed his latest title, Watch_Dogs, stating in an interview with CVG (ComputerAndVideoGames) that it is "...a beautiful game on Wii U and it's cool to play it just on the GamePad". In addition a comparison between that version and the other on PS3 and XBOX 360 was made of Morin and he claimed that "On the Wii U, you can play on the GamePad screen. There are no new features or anything like that - it's the same game, but we're optimizing the controls for the beast that is the Wii U GamePad".

So there is some hope for the Wii U considering that a few (if not many) games will have all of the bells and whistles that the other platforms come with naturally. (You can read the conversation in its entirety here.)

That's not to say that all of the blame is on the third-party developers. Au contraire! Nintendo has not exactly done an optimal job of generating public awareness of what the Wii U actually is, or what it is capable of either. Initially, many folks believed it to be an add-on to the existing Wii console (perhaps due to the name). Thus, perhaps folks viewed it as an unnecessary peripheral rather than an entirely new home console.

The sad thing is that most companies are advertising that their games will be on "next-gen" consoles, but they deliberately exclude the Wii U. As such, it's fallen into this abstract, unknown, unspoken category.

How can Nintendo get back on top? I would suggest just belting out as many games as possible. There has been a positive shift since Mario Kart 8 was released and even moreso with Super Smash Bros. Wii U. Hopefully, with the sales of the Amiibo figures, profits gained from those sales can apply to some of Nintendo's major financial losses.

How this information will affect other publisher and developer opinions remains to be determined, but it does not bode well in this economic climate. On one last positive note, Nintendo's latest intellectual property, Splatoon for the Wii U is doing quite well as a third person shooter. It's a game where characters known as "Inklings"— beings that can transform between humanoid and squid-like forms, hide or swim through colored ink sprayed on surfaces using gun or brush-based weaponry. The object of the game is not to score points via kills, but through covering territory with the most amount of ink. It's a game that has become quite popular despite the sluggish sales of the home consoles themselves.

We as gamers need to be patient and keep watching to ensure that Nintendo gets its fair share of publicity and we need to stop treating it like the third political party in an election. The more competition between the three major competing companies, the lower the prices will be for the consumer.

My E3 2015 Predictions & Expectations

Nintendo

I'd like Nintendo to ideally make a new Custom Robo game. The last one that came out was back in March 19, 2007 with Custom Robo Arena. The development company is called NOISE and has worked with Nintendo for a number of years, however, it has been quite some time since their last title.

As such, I think it would be a great undertaking if Nintendo were to re-visit the franchise, especially with the release of the upcoming game, Little Battlers eXperience. In that game, (which is based off of an animated series about kids building miniature, remote controlled mecha models, battling them, all while taking on a secret conspiracy that utilize the mechs for their own ambitions) players can customize their mechs with a plethora of different parts and weapons. I feel as though this would be the perfect time to make this upcoming year the year of the mechs!

This holds merit when one considers that the upcoming title Xenoblade Chronicles X has giant humanoid mech suits called "Skells" ("Dolls" in the Japanese version), which are used to combat the various enemies in the expansive open world environment.

I also expect to see Starfox Wii U with an all new trailer for the game, as well as a brief glimpse into the main plot (if possible). I've been a fan of the Starfox games since the release of Starfox 64 (I have yet to beat it sadly, as I've only recently downloaded the game on the Wii's Virtual Console). I did however manage to complete Star Fox Assault and rather enjoyed the game.


Although Nintendo mentioned that The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U would not be featured at E3, I still sort of hope that maybe they will toss out a teaser trailer or something to whet our ferocious appetites. In addition, I eagerly await more information on Fire Emblem and the Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem crossover.

I'd like to see a brand new Pokémon Snap, and a new Metroid game as well, but perhaps those ideas should be locked away for now. I think it would be fantastic to be able to once again revisit the Metroid Prime Hunters universe with a sequel that has a truly dedicated multiplayer first person shooter experience (most desired on the Wii U) with Samus Aran, Weavel, Sylux, Kanden, Spire, Noxus, and Trace.

Sony

The one game I'm most interested in with regards to Sony is Tom Clancy's: The Division. I eagerly anticipate more details and gameplay footage that will assure that my decision to purchase the game will be a worthwhile investment.


Microsoft, Activision, & et cetera

As for Microsoft, Bethesda, and the rest, I want to be surprised and dazzled by their showcases. I don't know exactly what to look for, but I'm hoping that overall, I will be impressed.

Splatoon Global Testfire

In the upcoming title Splatoon, players will be shooting colorful ink blots at opponents as well as surfaces, which the player characters, known as "Inklings" can swim through, in order to hide from enemies, increase movement speed, or climb up walls. In the online multiplayer mode, two teams compete to cover the map in most of their color of ink. In the single-player campaign, the player infiltrates an enemy octopus army that uses its own arsenal of various ink weapons.

During a very special Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo announced the Splatoon Global Testfire, an open beta test for the upcoming Wii U action-shooter game.

For those interested in participating, you must download the beta demo from the Wii U eShop, which is available now. Splatoon’s Global Testfire will run during specific dates and times in the United States. These times are listed in the schedule below:

May 8 from 8:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. PT / 4:00 - 5:00 A.M. GMT / 11:00 P.M - 12:00 A.M EDT
May 9 from 4:00 A.M. - 5:00 A.M. PT / 12:00 - 13.00 P.M. GMT / 7:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M. EDT
May 9 from Noon to 1 P.M. PT / 16:00 - 17.00 P.M. GMT / 3:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. EDT


Participants that work for Nintendo will have their Inkling avatars wearing Lab Coats during the event. Nintendo has not indicated any additional dates or hours for the worldwide Splatoon Global Testfire at this time.

The Nintendo Direct Presentation revealed a plethora of information regarding the central hub, Booyah Base. It also provided an in-depth look at the vendors and types of equipment available for purchase. The Splatoon Amiibo set will unlock three NES-style mini-games when the game launches on May 29, 2015.

Smash Bros. Fighting Ballot - Cast Yours Today!

"Who's the manliest man to ever wear a red-clad clad outfit with a pink cape? Viewtiful Joe of course! He's the embodiment of every wannabe superhero out there. With the mystical V-watch given to him by Captain Blue, he fights to save Movieland! He's perfect for the Smash Bros. battlefield because of his signature moves of slowing down or speeding up time (something that the timer item already does!). He would look great on the big screen with his catchphrase transformation, "Henshin-A-Go-Go, baby!". Joe would just be a perfect fit for the franchise. Please give him his shot in the spotlight!"

 

This is the message I sent to Nintendo regarding my pick as the next Smash Bros. Character. Submit your vote here: https://cp.nintendo.co.jp/us/

Please only one vote per person.

Shantae: Half-Genie Half-Hero ALL AWESOME

I have some exciting news for those of you that are interested in the upcoming Wayforward game, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero! According to Siliconera, the action platformer has hit another of its extended stretch goals, and will now include three more playable characters—Rottytops, Bolo and Sky—each with their own unique stories and abilities. The following is the tweet from Wayforward themselves acknowledging this momentous achievement:

#FUNDED #ShantaeHalfGenieHero : Hero Modes!! Expect to see something fancier Monday ^_^ Congrats Tinkerbackers! pic.twitter.com/ls8anZHo0A
— WayForward (@WayForward) August 24, 2014

There is a video available right now detailing some of the gameplay we will come to experience soon.

I find myself extremely pleased to have supported this title and I heartily look forward to its completion. Once again, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero will be available on the Nintendo Wii U, Sony PS3, PS4, VITA & VITA TV, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Xbox One and Steam (Windows PC).

Is there a Hyrulian Warrior in you?

Hello everyone! How've you been? Three days ago (August 4, 2014) Nintendo had a Hyrule Warriors Nintendo Direct presentation which aired 8:00 p.m. PST (11:00 p.m. EST). It can be viewed here for
those of you that missed it the first time.

Some of the highlights include the announcement of two-player co-op, additional playable characters including Ghirahim, Zant, and the ultimate face of villainy for the Zelda series, Ganondorf himself. Also, some other familiar faces made the roster such as the Goron Darunia, Princess Ruto of the Zora, and Sheik.

Lana, the White Sorceress (shown above), seems to be the most refreshingly new character (at least from my personal perspective) because she's key to the main plot of Hyrule Warriors and not much is really known about her motivations or backstory at this time. A majority of the Nintendo Direct presentation exposed more playable characters, but didn't touch up too much on the main villain for the game, the dark sorceress, Cia (shown below).

Image borrowed from IGN.com 

This is merely speculative on my part, but I would not be surprised if it were revealed that both Lana and Cia were related in some way, shape, or form (I'm predicting that they might actually be sisters). I have no real evidence to support this claim, but I'm putting this out there in the event that my theory proves to be true.

If players register the game with Club Nintendo between 9/26/14 and 10/23/14, they can receive a free download code for the Demon King Costume Set DLC (Downloadable Content), which contains two costumes for Ganondorf that you can use interchangeably.

There will be additional costumes that are specific to certain retailers, so be on the lookout for more information as it is made available. Hyrule Warriors will be available in North America starting September 26, 2014

Thank you for reading, your support, and comments! Please, if you are responding to a post, put a hashtag saying #Legit or #TrulyNotSpam because (as you might have surmised) I've been getting a lot of spam lately despite the word captcha tests I have put in place. It will help me to address your concerns or questions more efficiently. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it's been a bit of a nuisance.

New Nintendo Direct -- It's going to be a real SMASH hit!!!

A brand-new Super Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS oriented Nintendo Direct presentation will be streamed from the official website on Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (3:00 p.m. Pacific Time). It will be available 23:00 UK time.

Nintendo Direct Video Link Featured Here

In addition to this important update, I have posted my personal top twelve desired fighters list for the new Super Smash Bros. IV game.

(Please note: Recovery moves HAVE to be kept in mind when picking characters. B+↑ not only has to fit the character, do some damage, and propel them upwards, but it's best if it is thought of as something from the character's universe.)

1. Viewtiful Joe (Nintendo Gamecube, Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2, Wii, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom) - Henshin A Go-Go Baby!!!
   
2. Krystal (Nintendo Gamecube, Star Fox Adventures, Star Fox Assault, etc.) - My only stipulation is that she keep her staff for combat. Other than that, Nintendo could use the more modern costumes/outfits that she's worn in the Star Fox series and I wouldn't mind.
   
3. Geno (Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Mario RPG)
   
4. Lucina (Nintendo 3DS, Fire Emblem: Awakening) - More strong, independent female fighters are desperately needed in the series and I for one, think Lucina would fit the bill nicely.
   
5. Gaius (Fire Emblem: Awakening) Gaius was a thief in Fire Emblem: Awakening with a sweet tooth like no other. He's got a great personality and I for one, would really like to have him playable as a character. At the very least, he should be an assist trophy.
   
6. Owain (Fire Emblem: Awakening) I really liked this character. When I was reading his speeches about his legendary sword hand, I got really pumped up and I wanted to make sure he joined my team in the game. Unfortunately, that never came to pass as no matter how many times I tried, he'd always die in the end. Still an awesome wielder of the "legendary" blade Mystletainn.
   
7. Magnus (Kid Icarus: Uprising) - He's got a big sword, he's pretty much a mercenary with a mouth (No, not like Deadpool), but I figure this recommendation will most certainly satisfy those Cloud (Final Fantasy) fanboys.
   
8. Amazon Pandora (Kid Icarus: Uprising) -  She's a stunningly gorgeous fighter, and she's got *drumroll* A SWORD!!! 
   
9. Mii Avatar - Would be sort of neat to see yourself in Smash Bros. I'm a bit concerned over some of the Miis created though (a lot of those created have inappropriate faces and you can download quite a few of them online) but if the movesets are customize-able, that would only further my desire for a Mii character option. I could visualize a B+↑ move being somehow related to Pilotwings: Resort in some manner, most likely a jetpack or something.
10. Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles) - Although I've never been given the opportunity to play Xenoblade Chronicles, this blonde haired, blue eyed hero has a pretty killer looking sword. I happen to really like swords. I also like RPGs. BAM! He's made my list.
    
11. Fawful (Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga): He was a brilliantly hilarious villain and I would constantly taunt people saying "I have...FURY!"
    
12. Prince Fluff (Wii, Kirby’s Epic Yarn) - It would be nice to have a yarn looking character in Super Smash Bros. because you get to pummel string. Plus, it might get people more used to the idea of Yarn Yoshi coming out soon.
    

Honorable mentions:

1. Hades (Kid Icarus: Uprising) - He's a fun villain character because of the dialogue in the game. However, due to his standing (being a deity of sorts and his gargantuan size) he does not make my list. Palutena in Super Smash Bros. Brawl was part of Pit's Final Smash, Palutena's Army where he calls to the goddess Palutena for her army of Centurions. She was a large image in the background. If Sakurai intends to keep that attack the same for this new game, it would set precedent for her not to appear AND for Hades to be larger than life. I suppose he could be shrunk to the same height as the other fighters (like how Olimar from Pikmin was heightened to be relatively average to that of the other fighters but even so, it's way beyond what Ridley sized shrinking would be). In hindsight though, Palutena was normal sized in-game when you fought against her with the parasitic Chaos Kin so it's not too difficult to imagine a similar situation...
2. Zoroark and/or Mewtwo (Pokemon) - With Lucario and Pikachu returning, these two fighters would be a nice fit (I'm still dreaming of a Lucario vs. Mewtwo battle). With Zoroark in particular, it's a new pseudo-legendary Pokemon and would have the ability to look like other player characters. That could add an element of surprise. Maybe utilize their movesets perhaps?
3. Groose (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword) - He was a jerk in the beginning, but ends up a pretty solid hero in the end of the game, but as to his moveset I wouldn't have a clue as to what his B+↑ would be, so he makes my honorable mention list.
4. Knuckles the Echidna (Sonic The Hedgehog 3) - He's got SPIKES on his huge knuckles. If he's not a "brawler" I don't know what is. Just don't put in the new version of him in Smash Bros. that makes him look like a buffed out Hulk or Crunch Bandicoot. I would love to glide with him (because his dreadlocks help him do so in previous games) and it would be interesting to see if some sort of digging move could be incorporated into his skill set because he's a treasure hunter.
5. Isaac (Golden Sun) - He was an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and if Little Mac went from that to a playable character, I don't see why Isaac can't make the cut either. Once, again, this is another character from a game & franchise I've never played before, but I would be more than happy to welcome him to the roster.

Wii U Call of Duty: Ghosts - The Dead DLC Has Risen and It's Free(Fallin')!!!

The Wii U FINALLY has the FreeFall Map as of March 4, 2014.

@A_Trey_U posted at 4:26 PM - March 4, 2014: "Free Fall is now available to Wii U players in #CODGhosts and has been added to various playlists!"

This is the original YouTube Trailer that was shown for the PS3 and Xbox 360 version:

The map is absolutely free and comes with an update. You can see all the details of the most recent update here.

It's a 130 MB download for the Free DLC Map Free Fall and it's mandatory in order to play online multiplayer. All I can say is that it's about time that Treyarch and Nintendo got their acts together. For a VERY long time, the Nintendo versions of Call of Duty titles have been absent of downloadable content and maps from Treyarch/Infinity Ward/Activision. Now players can breathe a small sigh of relief that they'll be able to at least try one of these nearly exclusive stages. Hopefully, this will be a stepping stone towards future third party support and integration. Nintendo desperately needs all the help it can get right now.

One of Swords: Playing With Swords: COD Ghosts Game Day

One of Swords: Playing With Swords: COD Ghosts ... | Community

It looks like on Friday, February 21 from 6pm PT to 8pm PT (9:00p.m. -11:00p.m. EST) there will be an event hosted by OneOfSwords (That's his Nintendo Network ID) for Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Wii U. The link is enclosed above if you are interested. Basically it will be friendly matches in core objective playlists, mostly Domination.

Now, I know for some of you this is a bit short notice and I do apologize, but this knowledge did not come into my possession until this very morning. The original post was made on Feb 18, 2014 5:35:16 PM and wasn't brought to my attention until today. Nonetheless, I will try myself to make an appearance online if time permits. My Nintendo Network ID is Supergamesniper9.

You can follow Treyarch specifically for the Wii U version of Call of Duty: Ghosts on Twitter by following
@A_Trey_U

Kickstarter Finale!!!

Hey folks!!! How're you doing? Check this out, although the Mighty No.9 and Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero Kickstarter funding periods have ended, you can STILL donate and get the rewards for doing so!!! You'll have to have a PayPal account (which is relatively simple and easy to sign up for). Mighty No. 9 has surpassed my expectations and managed to meet ALL of its stretch goals. They raised a combined total of $4,031,550!!! Mighty No.9 is expected to be released sometime around April 2015.

Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero on the other hand needs your help. Although it has managed to meet four of its nine stretch goals, the fifth one is inching towards completion.

If successful, the WayForward team would be able to allow players to go through the main story as one of three additional characters, Rottytops, Bolo, and Skye!!!

As of this blog post, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has earned $816,529. WayForward needs another $83,471 to meet this goal. So, tell your friends and neighbors that are gamers that they can still contribute!!! The game will be available on multiple platforms (Wii U, PS3, PS4, VITA & VITA TV, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Steam (Windows PC)) and will be available sometime in October of 2014. Spread the word any way that you can!!! You can find the link to their main website (with PayPal options) here.