Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, Just a Chat, Wii U | 22 Comments

I had a set plan in place for this week’s Just a Chat, but everything changed when Nintendo announced a delay for Zelda Wii U. That’s the big story for this week’s discussion. Still, Daan and I get around to some other topics as well, including tidbits from Satoru Iwata, Splatoon, and Smash Bros.

Stuff:

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Daan’s Twitter

Tell us about your favorite Nintendo game here!

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Let's Talk | 65 Comments

It’s been awhile since I last hosted a Discussing Everything session. There’s a reason for that: I’ve been thinking about how to proceed with it going forward. I believe I’ve found somewhat of a solution, though that means ending Discussing Everything to pave the way for something else.

This is where Let’s Talk comes in. I know – it’s another incredibly uncreative name for one of our features. Despite that, I’m hoping that we’ll be able to generate some interesting discussions with this new initiative.

The idea behind Let’s Talk is actually very simple. Each week, we’ll have one post dedicated to a particular topic – almost like a forum post. I’ll kick off the discussion in the main post, and then you guys will be able to follow up with your own thoughts in the comments. I’ll be replying to some of the responses, and other staff members may chime in as well. You guys can also respond to each other comments.

Basically, I’m trying to generate focused discussions. I also want Let’s Talk to be a place where everyone can interact with each other in a positive manner!

So why should you participate? Well, for one thing, hopefully you’ll find it entertaining! If you love talking about Nintendo like me, perhaps some of the topics we bring up will interest you. We’ll also be selecting at least one response per week that will be highlighted in the following week’s post.
With that out of the way, let’s move on to this week’s topic!

Let’s Talk #1: what is your favorite Nintendo game?

Note: we’re opening things up, so this can be any game made for any Nintendo system.

I’ll get things started. This answer tends to change for me occasionally. Sometimes I feel like I’d go with games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 or Xenoblade. But when it comes down to it, I’d have to choose The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Ocarina of Time is really what jump-started my interest in gaming. For one thing, it was the first console title that I truly owned and completed on my own. I’ll never forget going to Best Buy and picking up my GameCube, which included with a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Collector’s Edition (it also came with a CD player – random, right?). Even though it was technically a N64 title, my brain didn’t really know that, and I was very impressed with the graphics at the time. Getting immersed in the world, travelling across Hyrule, and taking on the various dungeons still fills me with plenty of memories. Like many players, it was amazing stepping into Hyrule Field for the first time!

Now it’s your turn. What is YOUR favorite Nintendo game? You can choose to do whatever pleases you with your response. It can be short, long, or anything in between. Whatever! Just go for it. Let’s have a nice discussion and talk about the games we love!

I’ll be checking up on the comments over the next few days. We’ll be featuring one of your responses in next week’s post, which will also include a new topic to talk about!

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Screenshots, Weekly Screenshot, Wii U eShop | 0 comments

Affordable Space Adventures’ launch is just on the horizon. We’ll be seeing the game on April 9, but KnapNok Games has shared with us another screenshot from the title to tide you over until then.

View the new image above. We also have an official description of the action below.

Not all the dangers of space come from artifacts trying to detect and destroy you. Sometimes peril comes from things far more organic, like these dark plants which will reach out to you in an attempt to wrap themselves around your ship, drag you over to their base and… And that’s pretty much it. What these plants do to you afterwards is a mystery, but certainly nothing good. So stay away from them as much as possible. Or… perhaps you have something that might scare them off?

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Posted on 9 years ago by Kirara Koneko(@KiraraKoneko) in 3DS, Features | 2 Comments

Author: Kira

So let’s get down the to serious-and-yet-unserious side of Monster Hunter. Monster Hunter as a franchise has had a long history of games, starting in 2004 with the original entry, to a decade later with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. I have always been intrigued by the series and have enjoyed numerous forays into the wild to hunt many monsters, but I have generally felt that there was something missing. I always enjoyed the fact that the games have had an air of silly humor via some of their support characters, and that they have even given you various minions to help you along the way, but none of these bits of charm have made me smile as much as much as the Palicoes in the latest entry, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate! Who knew that a furry little critter could make such a difference; could this be what this series has been missing?

Felyne’s – small, bipedal cat creatures – have various roles in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, but the bravest of them all are named “Palicoes”. These furry hunting companions will travel with you during solo quests, as well as with you and one other hunter and their chosen felyne warrior. You select and create your Palico at the beginning of the game right alongside your own character, choosing their color, markings, and even bestowing upon them a name. I took the latter very seriously as I thought long and hard about my felyne companion; I wanted every aspect of my choices to be just right. After probably way to much time and thought (I honestly think I spent more time on him then my own character), I made my decisions and my furry little friend and I set off on what would prove to be some wild adventures!

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Weekly Screenshot | 0 comments

KnapNok Games has sent us another screenshot from its upcoming Wii U exclusive title Affordable Space Adventures. Check out the new image above, and view the official description below.

Solving puzzles is one of the core gameplay elements of Affordable Space Adventures. While some of them might seem easy at first (you still have to be able to control the SmallCraft alone or collaborating with friends) things will soon get more complicated as you put all of the ship’s systems to good use.

Of course all this without alerting the nearby artifacts that might try to attack you if you produce too much heat, noise or electricity.

Get your Wii U console ready! Affordable Space Adventures launches on April 9.

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Posted on 9 years ago by Vincent Ward in 3DS, Reviews | 3 Comments

System: Nintendo 3DS
Release: February 10, 2015
Developer: Access Games
Publisher: Bandai Namco

Author: Vincent W.

For those who aren’t aware, I’m not what you’d consider an action fan. While most people love to sit back and cause explosions and mayhem, I’ll typically be found cutting grass in the fields of Hyrule and unleashing my Wii Fit Trainer fury in Smash Bros. The last game I thought I would find myself enjoying was an aerial combat simulator, but with Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy+, I loved flying through the skies with my highly fashionable Princess Peach-skinned jet and saving the world. However, this title holds one fatal flaw that made every neat looking explosion feel not quite as awesome in the long run.

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Giveaway, Wii U eShop | 111 Comments

Winners are in! Congratulations to Van Nostrom, Tom, Derek, Pedro Capello, and Link Floyd. We’ll be sending our codes tomorrow!

Thanks a ton to all who entered! This isn’t the end of giveaways, so we’ll have more opportunities for you all to enter in the future.

Elliot Quest launches this Thursday on the Wii U eShop, and we have five codes to hand out to you guys (thanks Max Criden!). Just leave a comment in this post and tell us about your favorite 2D action RPGs. We may give more consideration to those who put effort into their submissions. Note that the code will only work on a North American Wii U console.

Winners will be announced on Friday. Good luck to you all!

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Just a Chat, Videos | 3 Comments

No weekly news discussion per usual today, but you can listen to the recording Austin and I put up a few days ago. It covers all of the big Nintendo announcements made earlier in the week!

There was plenty of Nintendo news to go around today. Austin and I talk about it all, which includes the Nintendo and DeNA partnership, new membership service, and upcoming “NX” system from the Big N.

What do you think about all of today’s news? Leave a comment below!

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Posted on 9 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Podcast | 1 Comment

Podcast Crew: Austin (Twitter), Jack (Twitter), Laura (Twitter)

Hello everyone! This is Satoru Iwata from Nintendo here to present to you Here’s a Podcast – Episode 112. As usual, this is an enhanced podcast, which means that– if your player supports it– you can skip chapters and look at images we reference right on your listening device, such as a smartphone or a tablet. Speaking of smartphones and tablets, I’d like to speak a little bit about a new partnership we’re forming with DeNa. Here are today’s podcast chapters:

Shenanigans

1. Intros, what to expect, and other things
2. GAME OF THE WEEK – Kirby’s Adventure

What we played

3. Jack and Austin’s bad fur day. (Conker’s Bad Fur Day)
4. Vacation slides with Laura.
5. Austin learns to love. (Sin & Punishment: Star Successor)
6. Jack finally digs into a new game. (Shovel Knight)
7. Title screen songs, and some other things. (Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy+)

Shenanigans Redux

8. Earthbound farms endorsement.
9. Site Features.
10. Ace Combat Music Break
11. Book club begging.

Listener Mail

12. Does Mario Maker spell the end of NSMB? What’s the future of 2D Mario?
13. What do you think about Donkey Kong Country?
14. Games that surprised us with how good they were.
15. Game endings, and other ramblings.
16. Our Kirby recommendations.
17. Do we want a stylus-controlled Zelda on Wii U?

Final Shenanigans

18. Kirby’s Adventure Quiz!

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, Just a Chat, Videos, Wii U | 2 Comments

This was an interesting Just a Chat. I was feeling completely out of it during the talk, and we had a few technical issues. But the Nintendo news discussion went on!

This week’s topics include the sad cancellation of Keiji Inafune’s Kaio: King of Pirates, a big upcoming Level-5 event, impressive Nintendo sales, and “controversy” surrounding Xenoblade Chronicles X’s music.

Listen to this week’s discussion below!

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