Nerd Rating

Tag: Nintendo

  • Scott’s E3 2014 Predictions

     

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    Last year’s E3 is but a distant memory. We now have shiny new consoles in front of us and now we are like an addict needing a hit. E3 is here to give us a fix, if only for a brief moment. Here are my predictions of what I think will happen as the unwashed masses descend on Los Angeles to play new games and bitch about how long we have to wait on them.

    1. Unlike last year, Microsoft will win the press conference war.

    Let’s not sugar-coat it, Microsoft got their ass handed to them last year. It was a beatdown of epic proportions. One that is still being seen today with the PS4 outselling the Xbox One by a good margin. Microsoft had an unpopular message (always online, Kinect must be plugged in, limits on lending games) and then to make matters worse they didn’t have their ducks in a row on the company’s message. One talking head would say one thing about always online then another would say something conflicting to that. It was as bad as bad could get. Then Sony shows up, announces the PS4 will play used games, not require an online connection AND be $100 cheaper. You could just see Sony with their arms wide open saying “we will take you in wounded gamer”.

    This year will be different.

    With no console announcements this year, Microsoft and Sony will have to focus on the games and just looking at games we know are in the pipeline, Microsoft has a lot more to offer than Sony. Microsoft will be showing off games like Halo 5, the unnamed Halo collection (Halo: The Master Chief Collection most say), Sunset Overdrive, Project Spark, Quantum Break, Fable Legends as well as rumored games Ryse: Son of Rome 2, Forza Horizon 2 and a possible early look at the next Gears of War.

    That’s a damn lot of games.

    Sony, on the other hand, has Drive Club, The Order: 1886 (which was just delayed to 2015) and…give me a sec.

    Yes, Uncharted may be shown, but with all the problems at Naughty Dog over the past few months that is not a guarantee. What else could set our panties on fire? God of War? After the sales of God of War: Ascension is that really something that will help Sony? Guerrilla is working on a new IP that could cause some excitement.

    See where I am going here? I am stretching to find Sony’s big moments. I hope they prove me wrong.

     

    2. Super Smash Bros. Wii U will get a release date.

    Expect a lot of gameplay shown and a heavy emphasis on the fighter since it will be Nintendo’s main selling point for the Wii U this fall.

     

    3. We will see gameplay from both Assassin’s Creed: Unity and Assassin’s Creed: Comet.

    And they will look nowhere near as fun as Assassin’s Creed IV.

     

    4. A new Battlefield will be shown.

    I cheated with this one. Battlefield: Hardline was already leaked. The part of this I am predicting is that it will be looked down on because of Battlefield 4’s complete lack of being able to work. Ever. The fact that Visceral, not DICE, is handling developing duties will not make gamers forget.

     

    5. Sony will show off more of Project: Morpheus

    Let’s hope it is more innovation than the next Move.

     

    6. Zelda Wii U is shown in some way.

    Whether it is pre-rendered video or gameplay, we will see a new Zelda. Don’t expect a release till late 2015 or 2016 though.

     

    7. Same for Gears of War.

    The new Gears of War will at most get a teaser trailer, but like Link, it won’t see release till 2016.

     

    8. Microsoft will make Games with Gold mean something.

    Playstation Plus is worth so much more than the $50 you pay. My PS3 and PS4 are loaded with so many games that I will never be able to finish them. Microsoft introduced Games with Gold last year and while they get a participation ribbon for trying, it has offered up paltry efforts compared to Plus.

    This year should change things now that free games will be coming to the Xbox One. Rumors are that Ryse: Son of Rome (which I liked) will be one of the free offerings. With Microsoft making an effort to bring newer games to the 360, Games with Gold should take a step in the right direction.

     

    That’s all I got so far. Give us some of your predictions for this year’s E3. I will be back after the show to see how my list did. I am going to say I get 5 out of 8.

    Games!

    hanni

     

  • The Koopalings Take Over Mario Kart 8

    WiiU_MarioKart8_scrn11_E3resized

    A new Mario Kart 8 trailer has been released and it is full of new footage showing the diversity of the tracks in the game. The Koopalings are introduced and are as annoying as in any other Mario game.

    Get ready for shells in asses. Mario Kart 8 releases in May.

  • Mario Kart 8 Takes You To The Airport In New Trailer

    This new trailer for Mario Kart 8 reveals a new track based at an airport that goes inside, to a runway, then inside of a plane. Then we see more tracks that show off the F-Zero style tracks that defy gravity. Get ready for shouting matches, knocking controllers out of people’s hands and koopa shells up the ass.

    Mario Kart 8 releases Spring 2014.

  • Quick Wii U Impressions (A Year Late)

    Photo courtesy wiiudaily.com
    Photo courtesy wiiudaily.com

     

    I finally did it. I knew it would happen eventually. I bought a Wii U. Despite dismal sales and severely lacking third party support I am a Nintendo fanboy at heart and I can only deny Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda and the rest for only so long. I thought I would give you my quick impressions of Nintendo’s successor to the Wii now that I have put more than a few hours into the system (a lot of hours actually).

    1. The Wii U feels like Nintendo’s “Dreamcast”. Now I know when Sega released the Dreamcast it was far and above better than the PS1 and I felt was a better console than the PS2 for the short time it lasted. The Xbox One and PS4 have already surpassed the Wii U by leaps and bounds in the horsepower department. Where I am making the Dreamcast comparison is that it is something completely new for Nintendo to attempt and it feels very fresh because of it. Sega teamed with Microsoft to bring the Dreamcast into the online world and had the VMU memory card that went into the controller for a second screen experience never seen in consoles. Likewise Nintendo is accepting that online play is the future of games (a little late) and incorporated the MiiVerse which feels like a simplistic, yet fun online experience. Think of it as Xbox Live without all the dickheads.

    The Wii U gamepad has had its importance lessened over the past year with the various apps that Playstation and Xbox offer for a second screen. Smartglass is a fun add-on but has not made me need it in any way and remote play on the Vita is the closest thing to the Wii U gamepad. Nintendo should not downplay the use of the gamepad in the future. They should embrace it more because it is still unique even with Sony and Microsoft doing their best to emulate it.

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    2. When you actually own a Wii U Nintendo’s marketing of the system is even more horrible than you think. Some people still think the Wii U is a controller that goes with your Wii. Some people know it is a new system but don’t care because they think it is too similar to the Wii. Nintendo is doing nothing to help themselves in this department and it boggles the mind because while the Wii U will never match the numbers of the Xbox One or PS4 with the better marketing it could sell way better than the paltry numbers it is putting up. No commercials I have seen have played up the ability to watch Netflix on the gamepad from room to room or that you can control your TV and cable through the gamepad and Nintendo TVii. The name of the system doesn’t help matters. It is not as sexy or cute as Wii U but Nintendo might have been better served calling it the Wii 2 at least to give consumers (the ones who do not pay attention) a better idea that this is a new console.

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    3. There are actual games to play. Yes I know for people that bought a Wii U last year this was not the case and there were months with no releases at all but now that the system has been out for a year there are plenty of titles to pick up and get your money’s worth. A lot of people just spent $500 (me included) for an Xbox One for the hope that March’s Titanfall will be as amazing as we want it to be. You have Dead Rising, Ryse and Killer Instinct to hold you over until then but I will be honest and say I am counting down the days until March 11th. For $299 I now have something to play Super Mario 3D World, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Zombi U, Lego City Undercover, Super Mario and Luigi Wii U, The Wonderful 101 and Pikmin 3 with Donkey Kong coming in February and Mario Kart shortly after. Then comes Super Smash Bros. I know the other next-gen consoles will always offer more but for right now I feel justified with the purchase with what I just listed. Only two of those games are third party. I am fine with that. I have no problem playing the Wii U as a Nintendo game only machine especially when their releases are almost always worth the wait.

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    4. I can’t help but play the “what if?” game. Now that I am entrenched in Super Mario 3D World I am convinced that only a few changes would have made Nintendo’s console a success. If they could have just released 3D World when the system launched instead of Super Mario Bros. Wii U (which we have seen a lot of over the past few years on Wii and 3DS) there would have been a true system seller. This game is getting wonderful reviews (9.5’s and higher) and for good reason. It is the best 3D Mario since Super Mario 64 but more on that in my review when the game is done.

    If Super Mario 3D World could not be released in time for November of 2012 why not just hold off the console until it is ready? Nintendo had a whole year head start and it got them nowhere. Imagine a world where Nintendo holds off the Wii U until a September 2013 release, still two months before the Xbox One and Playstation 4, and launches with a 3D Mario game that people see is getting near perfect scores along with Pikmin 3, Lego City Undercover, The Wonderful 101 as well as third party games like Batman: Arkham Origins and Assassin’s Creed IV releasing on the system in October. Then hit them with the news that there won’t be a post-holiday drought with Donkey Kong coming in February and Mario Kart in March. I believe the Wii U could have sold the same four million units worldwide from September to January that it took them almost a year to sell.

    Oh if only for that.

  • Nintendo Reports Wii U Sales. There Is No Good News

    Photo courtesy geek.com
    Photo courtesy geek.com

    It appears the Wii U price drop had a positive affect on the console’s sales but not enough to really make a difference. Nintendo says the struggling console sold 300,000 units in the last quarter which is an almost 50% rise from the previous quarter sales of 160,000.

    Nintendo dropped the price of the Wii U to $299.99 and focused on only selling the deluxe model and it is still not the push the console needed. Total Wii U sales sit at just under 4 million consoles and is going to need a miracle to reach the 9 million Nintendo forecasted to sell before the end of the year.

    Super Mario 3D World is the only big release of the holiday season after Donkey Kong was delayed into 2014. Mario Kart 8 will not release until April 2014 and Smash Bros. won’t see shelves until holiday next year. With horrible sales there is no use in hoping for third party support especially with next-gen consoles a few weeks away.

    Nintendo is offering different bundles to push sales including one with Skylanders: Swap Force and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

    This hurts as a lifelong Nintendo fan. I have yet to buy a Wii U because I still see no value in paying $300 for it. I have bought every Nintendo console but won’t think of getting one until it hits $199 which is what I was hoping would happen with the price cut a few months ago. I felt Nintendo needed to do like they did with the 3DS and just cut it way down to get sales moving. Alas, it did not happen and the Wii U looks like a defunct console as it heads to its first birthday.

  • Wii U Getting A Price Drop

    Photo courtesy wiiudaily.com
    Photo courtesy wiiudaily.com

    And the heavens open up.

    On September 20th you will be able to buy a Wii U for $299.99. The system’s 32GB model will be getting a $50 price reduction and come in two models: the existing set with NintendoLand and a new one that comes with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and a special edition Gamepad.

    $50 is not the drastic cut I think the Wii U needs, but it is a start and at least shows that Nintendo knows that something has to be done to save the system. If the drop and a strong fall lineup do not bring up dismal sales, Nintendo is going to have some tough decisions ahead when it comes to the future of the console.

  • Nintendo Reveals The 2DS. This Is Really Happening.

    Photo courtesy venturebeat.com
    Photo courtesy venturebeat.com

    Before you call this bullsh**, just keep reading.

    Nintendo has just revealed the 2DS, a non-folding, slate designed handheld that will play all 3DS and DS games, but not feature the 3D function. The system will release on October 12th and cost $129.99. It will come with a 4GB memory card and have all the features of a 3DS including WiFi. A slider at the bottom of the system will put the handheld in sleep mode like closing the 3DS. The screen is the same size as the 3DS, not the XL version.

    Nintendo is focusing the 2DS on the young (7 and under) handheld crowd. Many may laugh at this, but Nintendo is the leader of the handheld game market for a reason. This should be a big seller this holiday season especially with the very reasonable $130 price tag.

    Now let’s just not get started on the design of the system which is a bit…sandwich looking.

  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Releasing This October

    Photo courtesy technobuffalo.com
    Photo courtesy technobuffalo.com

    For [amazon_link id=”B009AGXH64″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Wii U[/amazon_link] owners it has been a tough 2013. Releases have been slim to none, but now it looks like you are in store for a good bit in the next few months. [amazon_link id=”B0050SWBAE” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Pikmin 3[/amazon_link] just released a few weeks back and [amazon_link id=”B002I08CSW” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Wonderful 101[/amazon_link] is coming on September 15th.

    Now it looks like October will get you another release. The HD remake of [amazon_link id=”B002I0GF72″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker[/amazon_link] will be on shelves October 4th. One of the most beloved Zelda titles ever is looking more beautiful with each new video and screenshot and should give Wii U owners a real reason to enjoy their console. God knows they need it.

     

  • Satoru Iwata Says The Wii U Needs Games, Not A Price Drop

    Photo courtesy stevivor.com
    Photo courtesy stevivor.com

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata continues to reiterate that the Wii U does not need a price drop to be successful against the upcoming next-gen consoles. In an interview with CVG, Iwata gave the reasoning of the premium bundle selling more than the basic that shows the price is not the Wii U’s main problem.

    “The basic version should have sold a lot, but the fact of the matter is that people are buying more of the premium version. So the issue is not there. I understand that the real issue is the lack of software, and the only solution is to provide the mass-market with a number of quality software titles.”

    The lack of titles is not the only problem with the Wii U. It is “a” problem, but not “the” problem. The Nintendo problem lies with the software deficiency, the marketing of the system (there are still people who believe the Wii U is a controller add-on for the Wii) and the $350 price tag which is getting harder to justify as we get closer to the PS4’s launch at only $50 more. Nintendo made all the right decisions when it came to turning around the fortunes of the 3DS, yet they seem to be stuck in a Nintendo 64 mindset when it comes to the [amazon_link id=”B009AGXH64″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Wii U[/amazon_link].

     


     

     

  • Check Out The Wonderful 101 Nintendo Direct

    Photo courtesy thegamingpixelshow.com
    Photo courtesy thegamingpixelshow.com

    After watching this 20-minute presentation of [amazon_link id=”B002I08CSW” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Wonderful 101[/amazon_link], I can once again say to Nintendo:

    “PLEASE GIVE THE WII U A PRICE DROP! I WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME, BUT CAN STILL NOT JUSTIFY $350 FOR THE CONSOLE.”

    This video goes very in depth into the core of the gameplay, like how you will save citizens and morph into the varied array of items like a giant fist, sword and whip. This is exactly the type of game that the Wii U needs to get people excited about the system. The only problem is that you need an exclusive game like this to come out every 1-2 months. With Pikmin 3 just coming out and The Wonderful 101 in September they are the first significant releases for the system in over 6 months.

    The Wonderful 101 releases on September 15th.

    All Wii U complaints aside, hot damn does this game look fun!