Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS eShop, News, Screenshots | 1 Comment

Wee Man Studios has shared the first official screenshots as well as new details about Lifespeed with Nintendo Everything.

For those who haven’t heard of Lifespeed previously, it’s a futuristic flying racing game for 3DS. It’ll come with 11 playable characters, online leaderboards, and a story mode.

Speaking of the story mode, we have new information on that front. We’re told that cut-scenes happen after almost every race, and there’s even a bit of story that plays our during races themselves. The latter is on the subtle-side, so you’ll have to be careful not to miss it. There are also two alternative endings to the comic book storyline. What you’re able to see will depend on your actions on the race track.

Characters in Lifespeed come from different planets, have their own backstory, and personal rivalries. Personalities are reflected in their statistics, style of racing, and their communications during races. Wee Man Studios hopes that, in the future, they can weave in characters not featured in the story currently as well as introduce brand new characters.

Finally, we have some information about Lifespeed’s weapons. Players fly through rings in order to obtain power-ups and weapon pickups. By flying through a multiplier ring, you’ll receive a big speed increase for a short period of time. You also fly through a weapons ring to obtain a weapon, which include lasers, missiles, mines.

Players can only hold one weapon at a time in Lifespeed. Weapons need to be targeted at the enemy and will only work effectively if you get a strong lock on. Wee Man Studios says that using the weapons locking system effectively is something you’ll need to develop in order to be good at battling in Lifespeed.

Oh, and one more tidbit: it’s possible to perform a starfox-esq barrel roll using the shoulder buttons.

Lifespeed launches on the 3DS eShop this summer. View some screenshots below.

More: highlight, indie, Lifespeed, top, Wee Man Studios

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Wii U | 33 Comments

Let’s Talk #11: How are you liking Splatoon?

Splatoon launched in North America and Europe on May 29. That means it’s been out for exactly one week! Given that, I wanted this week’s Let’s Talk topic to be focused entirely on that game, as well as your impressions.

The nice thing about Splatoon is that it’ll likely be fresh in your memory for at least the next few months. Nintendo has already released new weapons and a multiplayer map even though it’s only been out for a few days. The Inkbrush just came out roughly an hour ago!

So let’s get this Splatoon train rolling. Let us know how you’re liking (or not liking!) Splatoon in the comments below. Have you had a chance to complete the single-player campaign? What do you think of the different multiplayer maps? Any thoughts you have are welcome here!

Highlights from last week’s topic: Do you prefer playing alone or with others?

LordDisco

I honestly like playing solo the most. Don’t get me wrong, I do love playing with my friends and family when the timing is right, but amongst those people, there are only 4 that I can think of that value video games like I do. It is with those people that I enjoy multiplayer with the most, but because I live in Japan and 3 of those 4 friends live in North America, I definitely mostly play alone, which is FINE BY ME.

For me, playing video games is a lot like reading a book. If the game is good, it usually introduces itself well, gets you immersed into the game world, and eventually sucks you in until the end. The nice thing with video games is that they don’t necessarily need a story in order to fulfill this, which is pretty awesome and unique. A game like Pushmo, which has very little story, can still suck you in with a great introduction to the game, puzzles, and world.

I also work extremely long and difficult hours, so when I have down time, I usually just sit down and play. Again, like a book, I love to be pulled away from my reality and enjoy time in a make-believe world of sorts. It’s nice to escape reality and enjoy the fantasy of what video games can offer. Escaping that reality with friends is nice, but mostly, I just like playing alone.

??????84

Both. But if I play local multiplayer, it’d have to be with people I have good chemistry with. It’s annoying when some people get competitive and childish instead of enjoying the moment of playing video games with a mate

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Giveaway, Wii U eShop | 61 Comments

Update: Apologies for the slight delay in announcing our winner. A family member of mine has been in the hospital over the past few days, so to say things have been crazy here lately would be an understatement.

With that out of the way, let’s announce our winner. Congratulations to Kyoko! Your code will be sent out soon.

With Adventures of Pip’s North American launch slated for Thursday, we’re celebrating with a quick giveaway. We have one code to provide to a lucky winner (thanks Max Criden!).

In the title, Pip undergoes crucial transformations and evolutions. Excluding Pokemon (since that’d be too easy!), we want to read about your favorite physical transformation that a character goes through in a game. Just leave a comment below with your thoughts.

Our giveaway will run through Thursday evening. Note that the code can only be redeemed on a North American Wii U console.

By the way, in case you missed it, Dennis played through nearly an hour of Adventures of Pip over the weekend. You can watch our live stream archive below.

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Just a Chat, Videos | 4 Comments

No Friday Just a Chat this week, so the discussion Daan and I held a couple of days ago comes in handy! Giving this a quick bump for those who missed it.

It’s only been a few days since the last Just a Chat, but Daan and I thought it’d be appropriate to hold another discussion in light of the big Nintendo news that’s come in over the past couple of days. There were actually two new Nintendo Directs to chat about! And that means talk relating to the new Chibi-Robo, Monster Hunter games, Bravely Second for the west, and much more.

Stuff:

Brian’s Twitter
Daan’s Twitter

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Posted on 9 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Game of the Month | 15 Comments

Edit2: I’m sorry Brian. I’ve caused a fuss and it’s all my fault. To everyone just joining us: Don’t worry. Everything is okay. I definitely didn’t accidentally brand this post with the wrong game, cause a kerfuffle, and then fix my mistake like a ninja. Direct your complaints to this Twitter account.

Edit: Due to site reader grumpiness, I’ve changed the image and title to better reflect the fact that GOTM really has to do with a whole franchise, developer, etc, rather than just one game. If you’re unclear on what GOTM is for NintendoEverything, check out this post!

It’s E3 month which means it’s actually probably a silly idea to even have Game of the Month, but since we’ll inevitably hear more about Xenoblade Chronicles X at the show (and maybe a North American Disaster: Day of Crisis localization– fingers crossed) it fits pretty well. All month long we’ll have articles about the Xenoblade series, its developer, the older games the developer made, and various other things relating to Monolith Soft and large Japanese robots. Stay tuned for our first article this weekend!

And don’t worry– we’ll have E3 articles too.

~Austin

More: highlight, Monolith Soft, top, Xenoblade, Xenoblade Chronicles X

Posted on 9 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Podcast | 10 Comments

The fun is finally over: All of our podcast crewmembers are now separated and doing the podcast remotely over Skype, which means a return to a more “normal” show for you.

Chapters today:

Opening Shenanigans

00:35 – Greetings
02:18 – Nature Valley bars are waaaay too crumbly.
06:15 – Picture of the Day
07:00 – Game of the Week: Alleyway!

What We Played

11:37 – Austin has an inkling to be a squid. (Splatoon)
29:27 – Jack goes bananas and murders someone. (Donkey Kong 64)
37:27 – Laura burns herself at the stake. (Layton vs. Phoenix Wright)
40:14 – Layton vs. Wright spoiler skip point.

Secondary Shenanigans

46:55 – Question of the Week – Playing games alone or with friends?
48:18 – Freetures
50:00 – Fun facts! Nindie Bundle + Splatoon music.
51:38 – Splatoon music break.

Listener Questions Mail

53:18 – Expectations, evangelism, and egregious behavior.
1:01:28 – Random questions for Austin
1:05:00 – The evolution of boss designs from unary state to binary state. (new terminology alert!!)
1:13:24 – Splatoon solving shooter stealth problems.

Ending Shenanigans

1:16:32 – Why we acted so weird
1:17:43 – Alleyway Quiz and Goodbyes

Download this episode (click this link)

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Subscribe with Google by clicking this thing!

Subscribe with Yahoo something-or-other by clicking this thing!

More: Donkey Kong 64, highlight, podcast, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Splatoon

Posted on 9 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Wii U | 2 Comments

System: Wii U (eShop)
Release: June 4, 2015
Developer: TicToc Games
Publisher: TicToc Games

Author: Dennis

In the HD world we live in, we’re spoiled by the copious amount of pixels that deliver us vibrant colors in a sequence of images on our TV screens and phones. Each pixel helps support the next, all the while providing a fragment of whatever is being displayed – regardless of resolution. In the Pixel Kingdom, those who have more pixels live in luxury. The other “low-rez” inhabitants live basic, humble lives. After a terrible attack threatens those with many pixels, all watch in absolute terror except for one that was bound to save the day. A single pixel. Enter Pip.

Read More

More: Adventures of Pip, highlight, TicToc Games, top

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Just a Chat, Videos | 1 Comment

This week’s Just a Chat puts the focus on two topics. Brian and Daan talk about the Humble Nindie Bundle, as well as the imminent Japanese Nintendo Direct.

Stuff:

Brian’s Twitter
Daan’s Twitter

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Let's Talk | 11 Comments

Let’s Talk #10: Do you prefer playing alone or with others?

There are two very different ways to play games. Way back in the day, is wasn’t as easy being able to play with a friend, but now that online play is being incorporated into more and more games, it’s become a very tangible option. Of course, quite a few games offer local multiplayer as well – notably titles made by Nintendo.

So what side of the fence do you site on? Are you more of a single-player gamer? Or do you prefer getting in your gaming fix by playing with others? Perhaps you sit somewhere in the middle. Do you have any memorable experiences playing alone or with friends with a particular game? Regardless of how you feel, be sure to let us know in the comments below!

I’ll kick off the discussion with my own thoughts.

Honestly, I’ve always been more about the single-player experience. I really enjoy getting immersed in a game, and the genres I enjoy the most are typically about playing alone. Platformers, adventure games, RPGs… those are right up my alley. Shooters, fighters, racers, party games, etc. focus more on multiplayer, and tend to be experiences that I’m not a huge fan of. That isn’t to say that these are defining rules. Super Mario 3D World, for example, does have a pretty big multiplayer component despite being a 3D platformer.

Even in multiplayer-centric games though, I’ve generally played through the single-player aspects much more than multiplayer. Take Smash Bros., for instance. Tons of people enjoy playing that title with friends, but I haven’t dabbled with the multiplayer much since Super Smash Bros. on the N64. The same even goes with something like Splatoon, which places the emphasis on online play. I see myself playing more via the campaign versus the multiplayer modes.

I do want to mention that I’m not against multiplayer gaming at all. Actually, it can be quite fun! Back when we did Game Nights with Mario Kart Wii and other titles, those were some pretty good times. It might be neat to bring that back one day.

Highlights from last week’s topic: What is your favorite Nintendo franchise?

Auragar

The Legend of Zelda. Best series. One of my top favorite series overall.

saltypop

This is tough. I’m going to go with Pikmin though. I’ve always loved the idea of exploring our world as a little person. And better yet they’re aliens so it’s all different to them. I love hearing what they have to say about our objects and fruits and even giving them new names, i.e. Strawberry is called “Sunseed Berry”. Oh and the gameplay is really fun.

Lolo

This is kind of personal, but my favorite series is the kirby series. Back in the early 90s, my dad was looking for game for me for my gameboy. Usually I would play mario games but he bought me kirbys dreamland for the gameboy. I looked at the game in disgust when I first saw it, so my dad played it first. I watched how much he sucked at the game, and I watched all the cute enemies walk into him, throw bombs in his face, until he died over and over and over. He let me play, and I enjoyed the game…it was different, and I felt the need to avenge my dad and beat the game. So I reached the end, and I finally meet the main bad guy of the game, King dedede. I honestly was puzzled as to why this Daffy Duck impersonator in robes with a hammer was the final boss. After fighting him, I was in awe at how he fights you like if he was another kirby, since he knew kirbys moves. I yelled in my room in shock when dedede sucked me in and spit me out, I yelled “HEY!! That’s what I do!”. I was especially shocked by how he could jump so high to hit kirby if you’re flying to get away. I had never seen a boss that acted like the hero…it was groundbreaking to me as a child. Since this game I was after my dad to get kirbys dreamland 2, and when he got it, I was very happy. I loved the animal buddies Rick, Coo, and Kine…and I wish for them to return someday. Dreamland 2 taught me, that not everything is what it seems. I honestly thought King dedede was at it again, and I never understood why he was sleepy when I fought him. I would beat the game countless times, puzzles at the one eyed black thing at the end of the credits, saying “that’s so stupid, why name all the characters, and then put a question mark for this one eyed black thing I have never seen”. To me it was stupid how the game ended that way. I never understood the deal behind the rainbow drops, but several years later when I was 9, I got them all. Then I faced king dedede again. I was officially scared when I beat dedede, because the game’s usual ending was changed. I watched the rainbow drops purify dedede from being possessed by the one eyed black thing that was always unnamed at the end of the game for me. It was then I realized, games can have an alternate true final boss and ending. This game was no longer cute, it was scary for me. But it made me realize that King dedede wasn’t always to blame for bad things to happen. It taught me that a character can’t always be labelled as a villain for just doing bad in 1 story. Which is why King dedede became my favorite character. He is funny bird that likes to be King, even if no one agrees that he should be. He surprised me as a child and made me laugh when I would race with him in gourmet race. Things like the gourmet race and the ending to kirbys adventure reminded me that even if someone does a bad thing, they aren’t always responsible for if something bad happens, and they are always capable of doing good.

Since my childhood, I have played though all the kirby games. I will conclude with this. A grew up with an older lady in my neighborhood, in recent years. Her grandaughter had a mother that along with her room mate, abused her. This granddaughter now lives happily with her grandmother I know. I introduced to them kirbys return to dreamland and they loved the game. This older lady, even though I am not related to Her, has taken me in like one of her children. Because if kirby I introduced to her, she loves play video games with her granddaughter. would you believe she has 100% on her own time games like snowpack park wii and animal crossing city folk? I was amazed. Together, we love kirbys return to dreamland (mario is too hard for her), because you can play as a team and its easier on the players than other games. She loves to play as King Dedede, and she loves to give enemies a “headache” with her hammer, I love that haha. She labels King dedede as “our buddy” because of how funny he is and how helpful he can be in the adventure.

If you don’t believe me, I have some videos of us playing. A 3 part kirby game of us 3 playing.

So this why I love the Kirby series and I eagerly await more of them. So I will conclude with this fan art I drew for my “grandmother”.

http://unclelaurence.deviantart.com/art/Kirby-and-his-friend-King-DeDeDe-365987290

FireFrog

I love almost every Nintendo franchise but the one that is my favorite and that I can always go back to its Yoshi. The Yoshi games are so calming imaginative and all around fun to play. They are great platforming games with tons of elements and mechanics that make it constantly enjoyable. Yoshi’s Story is actually my favorite in the series because of how crazy fun and innovative it is. I’m more excited for Woolly World than any other game right now.

shaw98

The main Super Mario series. Many people forget that Mario has a main series because of how many spin offs he has. I love all the main Mario titles except for Mario bros 2 both Japan and U.S.A. What I love about the mario franchise in general, is that even the spin offs are masterpieces. Usually spin offs are simple cash ins on the main series but Mario makes his spin offs so good to.

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Giveaway | 15 Comments

Update: Our winners are in!

Splatoon: Lunar_Radiance
Vector Assault: Exy, LordDisco

Congratulations to all! Prizes will be sent out soon.

Our Nihilumbra giveaway officially ended today, but we’re definitely not done with giveaways as a whole. In fact, we’re now kicking off two new ones!

Over on Twitter, we’re giving away a Splatoon amiibo 3-pack. Just make sure you’re following us and re-tweet this post.

Right here on the site, we have two copies of Vector Assault to share. Leave a comment below telling us about your favorite dual stick shooter. Note that you’ll need a North American Wii U console in order to redeem the code.

Winners for both giveaways will be announced next Friday (May 29). Good luck!

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