[Let’s Talk] What are you playing? – September 2016

When you think about it, September is a busy month for games. We’ve already received the new Ace Attorney, Picross 3D: Round 2, Axiom Verge, and Jotun. Over the next few weeks, we can also expect Dragon Quest VII, Yo-kai Watch 2, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, Azure Striker Gunvolt 2, Severed, and Noitu Love: Devolution.

So what’s everyone been playing lately? Maybe you’ve just picked up Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice? Or maybe you’re giving one of the new indie games a try. Maybe you’re holding out until more of September’s big games show up! Regardless, let us know in the comments below.

Highlights from last week’s topic: September 2016 Nintendo Direct reactions

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My take on the some of the new announcements:

Mario Maker 3DS: Already have the Wii U version. Also, no online sharing = trash
Tank Troopers : I need to see more of this game
Picross 2 : Never been a fan of Picross, but this is cool for those who are fans
Trinens’ beard: Best part of the Direct
Woolly World 3DS: Already have the Wii U version. Pooshy amiibo looks great
Ever Oasis: Looks cool. Will probably pick up
Mario Sports Superstars: Could be the first Mario sports game I buy in a while
New Pikmin: I need to see more of this game

Obviously, the 3DS’s biggest first-party releases, excluding Pokémon Sun/Moon, were released years ago, and this Direct makes that clear. This direct was definitely aimed at recent 3DS owners who never bought a Wii U, as indicated by the Mario Maker and Woolly World ports. Nevertheless, if this is the final 3DS oriented Nintendo Direct we will ever get, it was certainly a good way to cap things off for the handheld.

theFooFighter

Pikmin spin off: kinda interested, people keep drawing federation force parallels but pikmin 3 is only 2 years old and we actually know about the future of the series. Also it looks pretty charming

Mario maker and woolly world ports: meh, currently own neither but I’ll probably end up with the wii u versions

The Mario spin off’s: too tired of mario too care

Ever oasis: looks good, kinda like a cross between fantasy life, monster hunter and final fantasy explorers

Pokemon: not feeling it

Smt4 apocalypse: that 20 seconds of footage had little affect on my already immense hype

Dragon quest 7: same as smt

Supporter

The 3DS Direct was pretty much what I expected, nothing super exciting but still pretty decent. Pokemon Sun and Moon’s Snorlax reveal was one of the best moments alongside the fun Bill and Reggie skits.

The Super Mario Maker and Yoshi’s Woolly World ports were a little disappointing to me, but if more people can enjoy those games, that’s a good thing. However, one game I hope stays a Wii U exclusive is Splatoon. Super Mario Maker’s limited online features seem like a big problem as well.

The Zelda news was cool. I’m nearly done with amiibo (still waiting for Corrin), but I might change my mind for the Wind Waker Link & Zelda. It’s too bad the last Smash amiibo STILL weren’t announced. I definitely want to get the digital version of Skyward Sword and the new Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC!

The new Pikmin side-scroller looks like a unique change to the series and a potentially really cool spin-off game. I doubt it’s the Pikmin 4 game Miyamoto said was nearly done though. Mario Sports Superstars looks interesting too because of its’ collection of games instead of focusing on one.

Besides some of the StreetPass games and the mention of Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice (I’m an optimistic Sonic fan), nothing else really grabbed me. Mario Party Star Rush looks like a decent title and Dragon Quest VII looks like a solid game though. I was expecting some more localization announcements. No Monster Hunter Stories, Puzzle & Dragons X, or Great Detective Pikachu?

I will admit these announcements did seem to indict that the 3DS is past its’ heyday so I really would like to see a new 2D Metroid game, and a fast 3D Sonic (unlike Lost World’s slower gameplay) before support for the system ends. A proper amiibo game and a new Advance Wars title would be nice too. But definitely Metroid and Sonic. Fingers crossed!

AquaBat

Mario Maker was obviously underwhelming, sure, but Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World, much like Hyrule Warriors Legends, was a great update to the game while also being a slap in the face to anyone who owns the original. But even Legends allowed players of the original version to get the DLC characters. Owners of Yoshi’s Woolly World get squat. I’m buying the Poochy Amiibo regardless, but of course it won’t work with the Wii U version of the game, so it’s nothing but an adorable, fuzzy paperweight.

Don’t care about the new games. Genres aren’t my cup of tea.

Not interested in Animal Crossing.

Mario Sports Superstars seems like an improvement, but not big on sports games.

Pikmin 3DS looks great! Making a Pikmin 2D sidescroller could turn out to be extremely lucrative.
Too many people referring to Chibi Robo: Zip Lash, but that was by completely different developers, and that was ruined by mechanics. As long as those mechanics aren’t in this game, it seems like it’ll be fine. And for fans it’ll be a nice way to alleviate the wait for Pikmin 4.

The new Zelda Amiibo look good. I’m wondering what they’ll do in Breath of the Wild.

Mario Party: Star Rush looks pretty good, compared to Island Tour, which was AWFUL. However I hope it’s at a budget price because it doesn’t seem like it has that much overall content, just a lot of replayability.

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Mario Maker and Yoshi’s Woolly World on 3DS are probably the only games from this direct that I’m not getting. Mario Maker on Wii U had a great online sharing community that had great (and terrible) fan-made levels and sweet amiibo costumes. All that is gone from the 3DS version. Yoshi’s Woolly World on Wii U had amazing graphics and co-op, also gone. What cool new features do we get in the 3DS versions? Local sharing for Mario Maker and Poochy Pups for Yoshi – yeah great job Nintendo. Not to mention bringing these Wii U games to the 3DS just lowers the appeal of the Wii U even more. RIP Wii U ;(

Pikmin on 3DS actually does look interesting to me. I might just get that one, even though I know it will never come close to being on the same level as Pikmin 3. I just hope we actually do get a Pikmin 4 on NX sometime.

Ever Oasis does interest me, especially with that Zelda content. Not sure if I’ll pick it up though. I haven’t been getting games that much on 3DS lately, I’ve been trying to complete my Wii U collection. I will say this, it does look a LOT more interesting than Fantasy Life (do people still remember that game?).

I was excited to find out that Picross 3D: Round 2 was released on the day of the direct. One of the best puzzle games on the DS was original Picross 3D. Sad that NOA isn’t releasing a physical version just like Rhythm Heaven Megamix.

Those Legend of Zelda amiibo are just flksahlafasahlfhakj I WANT THEM ALL!!!!

Mario Sports Superstars and Mario Party Star Rush look decent, but those games are barely on my radar.

Tank Troopers looks like a fun game, but I’ll pass on it for now. I have other games I need to play to empty my backlog.

Alolan Ratatta looks like a black Speedy Gonzalez (terrible joke), and seeing Snorlax using his Z-Move was just hilarious to me. Good job, Game Freak!

Overall, it was a good direct, but nothing mindblowing.