N5S Gut Reaction: Final Smash Bros Presentation

Well, Smash Bros had a final thing and apparently we have a blog thing, so I guess I have to do the thing for all you 7 poor unfortunate souls.

(Also, here's the British link to the presentation, because Donald Trump won the American ballot and no one needs to see that)
 

 

N5S Gut Reaction: Final Smash Bros Presentation

N5S Reactions: Nintendo E3 2015

Well, Nintendo E3 Direct came and went faster than a restock of amiibos, and naturally the team at N5S will give their two cents worth is how the show faired. Did we like it? Did we hate it? Well, some of both...

N5S Reactions: Nintendo E3 2015

Nintendo Direct 11.5.14 Impressions

I see a bad moon arisin'. I see bad puns on the way.
  
(Wii U/3DS Direct Impressions blog)

Nintendo Direct 11.5.14 Impressions

3 Reasons Why the 'New 3DS' is Going to Confuse Everyone

 

If you haven't already heard, during a Japanese 3DS Nintendo Direct this morning a new iteration of the 3DS model called the, I kid you not, 'New 3DS' is on the way, because if you hadn't realized it by now: Nintendo's console/game naming department is filled with cocaine addicts. This 'New' handheld features an upgraded CPU, a second analog stick that looks more like a zit, two additional ZR and ZL shoulder buttons, and a sleek new design that looks exactly like the previous 3DS(es)! It's literally the DSi of the 3DS generation, and if that console is any indication to the future of this 'New' handheld we're going to experience the whole "Which DS is which" scenario all over again, because...

3 Reasons Why the 'New 3DS' is Going to Confuse Everyone

Nintendo @ E3 2014 Impressions

I'm not one to immediately jump to conclusions as to which big company "wins" E3 every year, so that's probably why you're reading this three days after the Digital Event, but now I've had time to come to a consensus and from what I've seen this year, Nintendo really knocked it out of the park. While Microsoft and Sony were catering to the teenage angst of fan services, glorifying 60 fps and exclusive DLC like they were the raining holy mana bread of gaming, Nintendo took the Digital Event and Treehouse after party as a means to showcase what games are truly meant for: fun. Here are the main highlights from this week's Nintendo @ E3:

Nintendo @ E3 2014 Impressions

Last Week's Nintendo Direct(s) impressions.

After the end of  the first half of Summer '13, Nintendo fans all around the world have already been pleased with some of the... uuuh... hottest titles for the season (no pun intended), with more yet to come in the near future. On top of that, a double Direct appointment has been spread around the world last week, focusing more on what we'll be getting in roughly the next three months for now! One is our regular-sized Nintendo Direct feature, while the other one is a 20-minute feature about The Wonderful 101, Platinum Games's incoming new game for Wii U. The American version of both the videos can be seen below:

Much like for the pre-E3 Direct, I watched all the three editions of the regular Direct presentation, but this time our focus will be only with the stuff in common in all the editions, with some exceptions. The reason behind this choice is because I would end to talk about some topics I already discussed the past time (eg. not-JP games in the JP market, localization difficulties for most of the JP-exclusive games and so on), thus losing focus from the main things.

So, without further ado, let's dive right into Nintendo's latest news-based marathons and see what's new on the table this time.

THE AWESOME

Look over there! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a...

Cross-over localization: The biggest bombshell this time wasn't brought by a new game, but instead by a welcomed import of Level-5 and Capcom's Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright, which is set to release in NA and Europe next year, after the last Professor Layton game. But when a puzzle-addicted university professor and a well-respected attorney merge their forces, hilarity ensues in the not-Japanese directs. Just look at Satoru Shibata above!

The Wonderful 101 Direct: This special edition about a single game alone is worth of a space among the Awesome stuff in there. As we have already seen in the past, Nintendo hasn't make the world aware about this title as well as they already did with other titles, and last Friday's feature presentation was definitely a step in the right direction.

THE GOOD

You know if your catchphrase works if you crack up a smile when a digital yellow dog uses it.

Home-console Majors Unite: Another relatively-big thing introduced is a new free channel about the Animal Crossing universe, simply called Animal Crossing Plaza. With the opportunity to daily meet a large selection of the game series's anthropomorphic villagers and discuss about them on Miiverse with the rest of the world, this add-on is another welcomed addition to what it's shaped to be the ultimate portable Animal Crossing game of all times.

Release Dates Roundabouts: Once again, the majority of the presentations was an update about the already-announced games with tentative release dates, both for Nintendo games (Zelda on 3DS/Wii U, Pokemon Rumble,...) and third-party/independent contributors, like Sonic Lost worlds and that February game which we will be able to try "only" in about 3-4 weeks from now... Anyway, since it manages to touch both the physical main releases and the eShop/Virtual Console markets, this over-ally results in a complete look of the gaming horizon for ol' N's gaming machines.

A Wonderful Spoiler...?: These Direct-related posts on N5S don't tend to have something like a "THE MIXED" section to talk about, but I want to discuss anyways about the 7-minute trailer which ended the Wonderful 101-themed Friday presentation. While it's great to see more of a future game which had very little content revealed before, said trailer feels more like a fast-forward wrap-up of the majority of the game's plot, which is good for a common movie trailer but for a video-game this may spoil the fun for who wants to fully discover it by simply playing it. My tip is to totally skip said trailer, if what you already seen of the game before is enough for you guys to buy Platinum Games's latest opus.

THE BAD

... we also would like to introduce a brand-new game mechanic: B-button special moves!

Painfully Obvious: As nit-picky as this title sounds, we can't deny that these two Directs had their little flaws that have been received from the viewers as an insult to their intelligence. The Net has already been swarmed by dumb, whiny comments like "Oh, Luigi is coming back to Smash Bros YOU DON'T SAY" or "Yes, tell me once more W101's release date! It may be changed drastically after TWO MINUTES", but for an event so anticipated and suddenly-revealed like a new Nintendo Direct, people usually expects to hear something more of what almost every random fanboy can "predict" with their home-made magic 8-balls.

Slow-Paced Forecast: In a period when industry, reporters and random gamers are continuing to bash Kyoto's gaming industry for well-polished topics about Wii U's poor start and "Why Nintendo should do the Sega gaming approach or totally move into the mobile market" (even if it's probably because most of the reporters seem to have only mobile-related stocks), a Nintendo Direct packed in this way still seems more aimed to already-interested people to Nintendo consoles than actually the whole gaming community. While the Wii U its still waiting for this year's biggest games, this Direct doesn't seem to persuade other people to change their mind by supplying new content about well-known incoming games.

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FINAL DIRECT: 3/5 STARS

Overally, do these iterations speed-up or slow-down the player's hype for Nintendo's products? Once again, this is not the case of any rhythm change. Even if little to no ground-breaking reveals occured this time, this Direct simply holds the good pace of the past iterations, proving once again to be a fast and fine update compilation for an average Nintendo player. But will the next ones be able to drag an even bigger audience?

Lokamp out.

Last Week's Nintendo Direct(s) impressions.

Pre-E3 Nintendo Direct Impressions.

Summer is (almost) in the air and today's world-spread Nintendo Direct presentation is here to fastly recap the biggest things for their platforms which will be out in the next three months from now, with some twist and turns in each of the individual editions as well. The American Direct broadcast is linked below:

Compared to some of the older entries, today's Direct felt a little lack of content to talk about just with one of the editions, so this time I've watched three different runs of the same event -European, American and Japanese- in order to provide to you a wider range of opinions. Let this ride begin!

THE AWESOME

Boy, someone forgot to put their Heroscape board back in the box...

Nintendo meets Sega: Once arch-rivals in the 16-bit console era, the two companies are going to combine their forces once again in a world-wide collaboration, where a new set of games will be specifically made for Nintendo's consoles. The first entries announced are the new Mario & Sonic entry about 2014's Winter Games in Sochi (Wii U) and a new 3D platform game for the blue hedgehog called Sonic Lost World (Wii U/3DS). Also a big line of games from Sega's Game Gear is on its way to the 3DS Virtual Console.

Convenience E3 Saga: In the very end of the American edition, Nintendo of America sensation Reggie Fils-Aime revealed a pretty interesting way to enjoy what the Electronic Entertainment Expo will have to offer: during the E3 week, over a hundred of Best Buy stores in the USA will feature playable demos of the Nintendo games which will be announced in the aforementioned fair. Good news for whoever trusts their personal impressions of a future game more than the opinion of a random press reporter!

Gangsters and Music at the Rising Sun: The Nintendo x Sega collab acquired a different level of influence in Japan, as their Direct edition was mainly labeled as a 'Sega Direct'. Aside from the Sonic-related games already listed above, the Eastern country will be pleased in the next future with another couple of titles from beloved franchises, such as the Wii U remake of the first two Yakuza videogames and a 3DS sequel to the popular Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai.

THE GOOD

Ten bucks less for the package-less game? If only digital retail games were like this...

Release Dates (...again!): As already said, the main focus of today's video was a complete sight of what Nintendo gamers will be able to buy during the Summer period. In all the three editions, Pikmin 3 and New Super Luigi U had the biggest role, but some release dates for other games have been revealed, like for Platinum Games's The Wonderful 101. It's funny to see that Europe will be able to get great part of those games earlier than both America and Japan, that's for sure!

Pricing Details: For some reason or another, the American streams have been more focused on the reveal of future games's prizes recently. In a market where a lot of new products are announced almost every day, it's a relief to know earlier how much we are going to pay at Day 1 in order to enjoy what we are planning to buy. Will those prices be the same in the rest of the world as well?

The Old Lady's Gold: To see already-released European games in Japanese Directs is always refreshing, since this means that its players love to see something which comes outside from their homelands. Lego City Undercover's feature presentation in the JP broadcast proves that a game nowadays finally doesn't need any kind of specific nationality in order to shine, as long as the experience offered is fun and there is someone who wants to fully enjoy it.

THE BAD

I know you were expecting a different image from me, but... have an otter instead.

The Fastest Leak Alive: Aside the Sega stuff and the usual big N games, there was something else about third-parties today, this time consisting of the reveal of The Wonderful 101's release date. The official logo appears, followed by a couple of sentences by Iwata, ... aaaaaaand it's gone. Granted, today's Direct is meant to be nothing but a sneaky trailer for this summer's goodness but the game really got the shaft, especially compared to the screen time the other titles got!

To Be or Not to Be (localized)?: Surely this point is no surprise for the gaming world in general, but still is worth of a mention. The fact that some of the freshly-announced Sega games have been showed only at the Japanese Direct can be easily translated as unplayable games by the Western audience, thanks to the Region Lock policy issued by Nintendo since eons and eons. While there are many gaming fans out there who are waiting for an international port of other kind of games from Sega (like -say- Yakuza 5), on the other hand we have a relatively small group of people which can't play their favourite game unless on region-specific consoles.

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FINAL DIRECT: 3/5 STARS

Bottom line, today's Nintendo Direct iteration felt more to be like a pre-E3 appetizer than an actual ground-breaking reveal source like in the past. After considering that there will be another Direct episode before the E3's beginning, this doesn't sound that bad, doesn't it? The stuff to tell about is still there, but just in a lesser scale in sight of bigger reveals in the incoming month.

Lokamp Out.

Pre-E3 Nintendo Direct Impressions.

My 5 Wishes for the Next Smash Bros.

We're just a month away (or sooner) until the reveal of the fourth installment for Super Smash Bros. While I'm not one to promote hype (says the guy who already wrote two "Top 5 Wishes" blogs) I think it's a perfect time than any to share my optimism for the next Smash Bros. Like...

5. A More Innovative Stage Builder (Or none at all)

Chances are, after you played versus mode against four Lv.1 Jigglypuffs for 200 hours straight, you probably decided to check out Brawl's Stage builder mode expecting a robust set of features, because dude, this is the best game ever made- with the lamest Stage Builder ever made. Lack of any nostalgic set pieces aside (where the heck is my Chozo set piece, dammit?!) the Stage Builder offers a ho-hum assortment of platforms, while offering three stage sizes where if you pick small, for example, you can't use the medium level sized pieces even though they would fit, and freakin' vice-versa. Instead of being able to recreate the classic Hyrule Castle Stage, we're given pieces to allow douchebags to make "Spike Stage", guaranteed to ruin every friendship every time it's randomly select in Versus Mode. Either give us better variety of pieces/scenery or remove the Stage Builder entirely- it's taking up room for more playable characters. Speaking of which...

4. More 1st Party Characters/Assist Trophies  

 

Yes, Internet, you're welcome. 

As much I like having guest characters like Snake and Sonic appear in Smash Bros., there needs to be more love for the 1st party troopers, because this is Super Nintendo Bros. after all. To name a few I personally would love see make it in: Prince Fluff (Kirby's Epic Yarn), Ridley (Super Metroid), Baba (F-Zero GX), Lady Palutena (Kid Icaurs: Uprising), Waluigi (Mario Party), Shulk (Xenoblade), Zoroark (Pokemon Black/White), Bowser Jr. (Mario Sunshine), Mii's (Misc.); and as for Assist trophies: Cuccos (LoZ) and Dr. Kawashima (Brain Age- NINTENDO CHOP!) would make hilarious items. With Namco Bandai in development, there's a big chance we'll be seeing Pac-Man, Tekken, and SoulCalibur characters in the melting pot as well, so we'll get a good share of 3rd party characters too. That said, Mega Man would be an awesome guest character...as long as he's not a Samus clone. And that's another thing... 

3. No Clone Characters/Identical Smash Attacks 

It's as if whenever a fighting game is being made, someone in mid-development throws his arms up and shouted "F*** it, let's just give them all Landmasters." The lazy palette-swap strategy has been around since the dawn of gaming, and there's far worse examples than Smash Bros. (see "Mortal Kombat 2 Character List") but it doesn't make it any less worse. Granted, there are distinct differences in weight comparing Link and Toon Link; Fox is a lot faster than Falco, etc., which is okay, fine, but why give them the exact same Final Smash? Ness doesn't necessarily have a different ultimate attack than Lucas, but at least reverse the direction of his PK Thunder or something. Toon Link should be summoning a wind hurricane; giving him the same Final Smash attack as normal Link is redundant. I fear clones the worst with Namco Bandai at the helm, but hopefully they'll follow SoulCalibur's direction and eliminate clones altogether (Don't increase Peach's bra size though, there's children who play this). I will cherish the day when all characters are balanced so on-line doesn't feel like Attack of the Clones. That is, however, if on-line is even usable...

2. Better On-Line Play For Pete's Sake 

  

No, DK, I want better. 

Enough said. 

1. Physical Trophy DLC  

Let's get one thing out of the way: Skylanders was an expensive money vacuum cleaner toy gimmick to unlock in-game material that was already on-disc. Why would I want this in SSB4? Because Nintendo does DLC the right way, and this would prolong game content to at least 3 years (albeit price-y). Also, you must be joking with that smirk, because you don't even know how awesome this will be for the SSB faithful. Disappointed that Nightmare isn't playable? Just wait for the bundle pack to be released and you'll get not only Nightmare, but a Stage pack, bonus story chapter, AND you get to keep a physical figurine you can set next to your moniter! It's a bit of an optimistic dream, but if they can do it with Pokemon Rumble U, then why stop there?  And how would this not be the biggest selling game of all time?

 This is what your room would look like. (Though you might want to invest in lighting first, Count Dracula)

But let's think beyond just Namco Bandai/Nintendo licenses: think how pants soiling awesome this would be if gaming giants like Konami, Capcom, Square Enix, etc. joined in group support with their character trophies. My wallet aches just thinking of these implications. Scorpian versus Captian Falcon? Hell, yes. If this is the future for Smash Bros., I'm going to be on life support for all the blood I'll be donating just to collect em' all. But I'll be fine either way, because I'm going to be clocking in over 600 hours beating up four Lv.1 Jigglypuffs anyway.

My 5 Wishes for the Next Smash Bros.

Last Wednesday's Nintendo Direct Impressions.

Iwata and pals showed up once more to deliver juicy reveals about the incoming stuff for the Nintendo 3DS, and... my GOD. Somehow I think this one might have found the receipe to keep the attention of both old Nintendo attenders and new gamers. For me, this surely helps out planning how to properly stab my wallet waiting until the next E3's venture, with loads of stuff that people waited for a pretty long time. The whole Direct presentation can be seen here:

But enough texting! Here's how I sorted the stuff revealed yesterday:

THE AWESOME

All in all you're just / another Link in the wall...

Sequel Fever: A new Yoshi's Island for Nintendo 3DS is in the works. The next portable Legend of Zelda adventure has been revealed for 3DS and it's scened in Link to the Past's world. WHERE'S THAT GODDAMMIT PIGGY BANK WHEN I NEED IT

More Year of the Luigi: Aside from the hilarity ensued by the Mario and Luigi costumes, all the stuff previously announced on the Valentine Direct for Mario's green twin brother has been featured again with new video footage, release dates (we'll discuss of this later) and the introduction of a new Mario Party game.  I think this will be enough to let people finally forget Mario is Missing. Am I right? *runs*

Nintendo 3DS/Wii Direct: From the beginning, Nintendo has labeled this Direct as a 3DS edition about the handheld's gaming panorama, but the Wii U stuff also had its fair share of spotlight, with more details about the next system update (which will be live next week), the New Super Luigi Bros. U DLC adventure, Virtual Console's return and the introduction of a new type of Pikmin for the namesake franchise's third game, coming up this summer. Nice to see some Wii U manna after some relatively-deserted months for the console.

THE GOOD

...WHY only Japan can have this?!?

Release Dates: Another jolly parade of release dates for the next 4-5 months! It doesn't matter if you live in Japan or you are waiting the localization of your 1st-party 3DS game; lots of games now have their launch dates (and boxart, most of the cases) as bright as the sun's light. Plus, it will be possible to buy those titles as bundled in a customized 3DS XL as well!

Fan Service (Not the One with Lots of Perviness): It's nice to see that the pleas of many Nintendo players have been listened by Nintendo, as Earthbound and the two twin Legend of Zelda GB Color games (Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages) will be part of European/American Wii U's eShop service somewhere in 2013, as well as the localization of the Square Enix RPG Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. What an upbeat streak for RPG fans!

DKC Returns + : Another nice thing to see is that the 3DS reharsh of Retro Studios's Donkey Kong Country Returns for Nintendo Wii will feature more than a simple "3D" sticker on the cover. An easier game mode for more casual playing -the New Mode- and a whole new world after the main adventure is over can be worth of a shot even for who already has played the game on Wii.

THE BAD

:

C'mon, spot the differences! It's a fun game for the family.

Retrospective... a bit Retro: Sadly, what I told to you in the Good section is only the abridged version of the reveal's build-up, which consisted in... speaking again about the core of the game. For a good 1-2 minutes. Since this is a remake of a videogame we already know from about 3 years, why to waste time by telling us things we already know from the past game? The new stuff they wanted to say today is still here, but we had to wait for a good chunk of filler moments before it.

No mention of (some) major titles: Directs have been a good vehicle so far for advertising other companies's games as well, like for Level-5's future 3DS eShop games and the final Professor Layton game's release outside Japan. However, some other games are still silent in the NA/EU fronts, like the Professor Layton x Phoenix Wright crossover videogame, always from Level-5. We users don't threat the companies for more details in merit at any cost, but at least state if these games will have a chance to reach other countries as well! It's better than the 'gaming limbo' we experience in similar situations...

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FINAL DIRECT: 4/5 STARS

Nitpicking aside, this has been a great Nintendo Direct for me, as it not only continued the job of the past "episodes" but also proved that they tend to listen to the people's requests for the consoles in order to have fun even more than now. Only two months are between us and the next E3 event, but I'm already sky high towards the future with this additional lineup refresh.

Lokamp out.

Last Wednesday's Nintendo Direct Impressions.

My 5 Wishes for the Next Mario Kart.

During my usual gaming rounds of playing Taiko Drum Master and Xenoblade nonstop for several hours (I' not addicted, I CAN QUIT WHENEVER I WA- ooh a side-quest!) another game series has always shared a special place in my heart (in exchange for at least 3 years of my life), Mario Kart. I've been with the series since Double Dash!!! and have played every game in the franchise, save for Super Mario Kart, in one form or the other. I've seen the highs and lows, and if I were to make the next Mario Kart game(s) this is how I'd do it:

5. Release Mario Kart GP on consoles (In America/Europe too).

Once upon a time, Namco and Nintendo thought it was damn well time they mixed chocolate with peanut butter, and thus, a Mario Kart/Pac-Man hybrid (Mario Kart GP) was born. Sequels featured a Taiko drum and a Tomagachi as playable characters as well tracks inspired by the former character. It's appearance in America is literally shrouded in obscurity for it only appeared in select arcades, and the Nintendo World Store in New York City wasn't one of them, strangely enough. Why these games have never took off outside of Japan is a baffling mystery to me. Sure, the game featured a ridiculous "take-your-picture-and-have-it-look-like-Donkey-Kong" gimmick, and a ludicrous amount of items, but other than that the games are pretty sane for non-Japanese audiences. Everyone knows who Pac-Man and Blinky are, and that's the only selling point you need. Tune up the gameplay for normal play, make more courses, and port it to the Wii U, Nintendo. Don't make me use a Basin on your head! (Yes, the items are really weird)

4. Do a Crossover with SASASR.

If Mario Kart inspired anything it would have to be copycats. Sega and Sonic All-Stars Racing was one such copycat that actually took a slightly altered path and varied itself from the Mario Kart formula by featuring different items and short cuts every new lap. Now combine that experience with the Mario Kart fanfare. Whatever the result would look like this crossover would be PERFECT. Retro tracks could be combinations from both series (akin to Mario & Sonic: Olympic Games- and also, if we can get that game we can get any M&S crossover), and what the heck, why limit the Nintendo roster with just the Mario universe? Bring in the whole Nintendo gang! I want to race as Captain Falcon on a Mario Galaxy/Sonic Colors inspired course, and by the love of Robert Downy Jr, I'll be disappointed if it doesn't happen this generation.

3. Bring back Special Items.

          Ooh yes, you know you want to use this bad boy again. 

Double Dash!! was the only Mario Kart game to feature special items, because Nintendo apparently said "pffflthphtffft, we don't need those any more!" and they were completely from the next game, Mario Kart DS. Which was a terrible idea, because the special items were a blast to use. With only one character per kart in today's Mario Kart games, it might seem redundant to go back to limiting bombs to Wario or triple shells to Koopa, but to bypass this ordeal we only need to make new items or return past items (give Toad the Megashroom as a special item for example). But who wants to use those characters when you can throw giant spiny shells with Bowser? Okay, forget everything I said about bringing back special items, let's just bring back that item and we're good. 

2. Add Characters we would actually use. 

NO. 

One negative factor from Mario Kart 7 is it's ridiculous unlockable characters. Queen Bee and Lakitu were humorous additions, but Metal Mario has to be the most laziest clone character since Dr.Mario appeared in Smash Bros. Melee (See, this is where special items would've been a good niche to have but nooooooo). Mario Kart Wii was no different, having no fewer than FOUR baby characters not counting Bowser Jr. As much as I...um, like?...playing as Wiggler and Baby Daisy it's time give more Mario characters their spotlight. To name a few: Mallow from Mario RPG, Goombella from Paper Mario: TYD (if you want to go obscure), Fawful from SuperStar saga, and if anything else, please add MC Ballyboo from Mario Party 8. Make a Metal Block an item and ditch Metal Mario ASAP. The Character Select screen is getting as bad as Mortal Kombat. 

1. 200cc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Forever have I been racing behind the wheel, and never once have I felt the blur of insanity that is to go over 150cc. That has to end. I want a speed limit in Mario Kart to match that of F-Zero- no. No limitations; just speed. We've got none of that. All we have is Mirror Mode, which is a lame joke to make you believe that turning left instead of right counts as a harder difficulty option. 

"Holy s***, this is harder than Lost Levels!" -said no one ever. 

This isn't making the game harder, it's just giving you the same exact courses as filler content. I hunger more. Give me SPEED. Give me a challenge. Give me a new challenge around every corner, every lap, every drift, and a reason to keep going when I get knocked back to 5th place because ArseMcCloud7 from New Jersey used a Lightning Bolt when I was in a mid-jump for the third straight time.  

Don't get me wrong; I'll still buy any and every Mario Kart game that Nintendo makes, but to keep me occupied longer, the series needs at least a few tweaks to keep my engines running. Now if you'll excuse me I have a revenge match to attend to with Mr.Arse.

My 5 Wishes for the Next Mario Kart.

Review: Cave Story 3D

Review by EggBeatr8

Title: Cave Story 3D
Developer: Nicalis
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Bottom Line: Cave Story 3D retains all the goods that the original freeware version perfected- if you can overlook the revamped gritty art style.

This isn't flying- this is falling...with STYLE! 

 

I've never been the type to judge an appearance of a video game, but the idea was brought up in my mind literally seconds into playing Cave Story 3D. Maybe I'm a traditionalist and fancy the phrase "If it isn't broken, don't fix it" over anything, but to me, Cave Story 3D's darkened gloomy atmosphere amid it's bouncy, chibi enemies doesn't sit well with me. The gritty art style approach and slightly slanted overview perspective (used for a better 3-D affect I imagine) will sometimes obscure and most definitely throw off players who will accidentally run into enemies that blend in with the background of the same shade, or fall into spikes that didn't appear until you got close enough. Don't get me wrong: if the grittiness is the only thing considered bad with Cave Story 3D, I am in no way implying it's an unplayable or broken game. Just don't expect the 8-bit charm of it's freeware cousin to be present through the adventure.  

 

Cave Story 3D lets you play the game in two different modes: Story or Classic. There's little differences between the two modes, but I found Story mode to be a little more easier than Classic (or maybe my experience with the freeware version made it seem so?). I recommend newbies to play the game in Story Mode on the Normal difficulty setting (Subjective opinion, of course), but even if you're familiar with Cave Story, I suggest avoiding the Hard difficulty setting which sets your HP at a default 3 through the whole game, and removes all health and missile upgrade tanks, eliminating the need to even explore the world. 

 

Regardless of how Cave Story looks like, the gameplay is fun and challenging; and that's all what really matters. Increasing weapon strength requires defeating enemies to require XP points; get hit by an enemy and your weapon's power goes down. It's a brilliant design for an action platformer, and makes the game extra challenging by preventing gun ho players from using just one weapon over and over. Cave Story has a perfect blend of action and platforming with RPG elements thrown in to make it a must play for any gamer.  

 

Cave Story is no cheater when it comes to having "story" in it's title either. Cave Story's plot is just as engaging as it's gameplay; having just enough characters you actually care about while adding a little mystery to the main protagonist's origins. Repeated play-throughs indirectly hint at alternative endings, unlocking bonus levels to explore, so it doesn't feel like you're replaying the whole game over just to answer a question differently after the credits, or something. With every new choice you make comes a more challenging boss battle or secret item to pick up. Cave Story lives up to it's name, and the accompanied music has to be heard to believe. The remixes still have an 8-bit flair to them, which can sound out of place to the game's more realistic 3-D look, but they're still a joy to hear, so I can't really complain.

 

While I still enjoyed Cave Story 3D, It's hard to recommending it to returning fans. The revamped art style is hard to take in, especially with the awkward looking re-designs a few of the characters experienced (Balrog looks especially bad). I just don't feel this game is worth the $40 asking price, but if you're still unsure, the original 8-bit version is on the 3DS eShop for only $10, so consider that. It's clearly a subjective decision, but both iterations in their own art styles are still fantastic games. It's probably best if you try out both for yourself. Whatever version you pick, expect one of the best platformers you'll ever play.

 

The Good: 

+Excellent gameplay hook and epic boss battles. 

+Story draws you in until the very end. 

+Music, whether original or remixed, is sweet ear candy. 

 

The Bad: 

-Gritty and dark atmosphere destroys most of the 8-bit charm from the original game.   

-Hard Mode literally kills a fun experience.

Review: Cave Story 3D

Review: Adventure Time, Hey Ice King! Why did you steal our Garbage?!

Review by EggBeatr8. 

Title: Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why did you steal our garbage?!
Developer: Wayforward
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Bottom Line: Even if you don't watch the show, this game will keep you entertained at least until the Credits roll.

 For the sake of brevity I'll just call the sub-title "3DS" for this review. 

Many video game heroes have a good reason to set out on the adventure: princesses being kidnapped by fire-breathing turtles, finding some 16 year-old girl's memory because she has amnesia, to tracking down a maniacal warlord set on controlling all worlds (but first, let's go sing with Ariel!)- Finn and Jake are out on an adventure because a wizard stole their garbage. Now they have to trek the land of Ooo in search of Ice King to see what he's up to, while helping Princess Bubblegum find her stolen panty hose on the way. You can probably guess by now that this is based on a ridiculously weird Cartoon Network show, but it's just like any other Adventure Time episode, albeit in video game form. While licensed games are usually bargain bin material, WayForward steps in and makes a very decent game while retaining the odd charm of the show. The adventure lacks some depth, but it's still a very enjoyable game. 

Fans of Zelda 2: Adventures of Link* (*raises hand) will really enjoy the retro shout-out to that game, for Adventure Time 3DS is inspired heavily from it. On the map screen you'll travel top-down RPG style, while enemies appear randomly on screen, and you have the choice of either confronting them or avoiding them altogether. All battling/exploration turns the game into a side-scrolling action game, again, akin to Zelda 2. Rewarded items in random battles can be viewed on your BMO, the Game Boy look-like-alike that appears on the bottom screen, and any item can bee used by touching it twice or holding down L and using the D-Pad to help Jake rummage through the bag. Both method makes you a sitting duck, so using healing items early on is a much wiser tactic against boss battles. You can also mix and match items to make better items with even stronger healing properties. Some of the possible item combinations will produce some very weird concoctions that are surprising still edible. (Salt on their Ice Cream anyone?) 

Adventure Time 3DS captures all the goofiness of the show and adds much more than just used fart jokes. The writing is hilarious, though it may lead to a confusing adventure at the first half of the game when you get the Ragged Sock for instance: "Yeah give it to the elephant, Tree Trunks, to make a pie of course!", but even when the storyline is obscure as it is I couldn't help but to play it through just to see what happens next. I couldn't help but chuckle when "It's Dangerous to go alone, Finn" was quoted, and the amount of implied innuendos the game offers will make you wonder how this game got just an E+10 rating.

The game also has a few customization options to make the journey feel a little less tedious. Jake's special powers like morphing into a bridge or an umbrella, and smashing road blocks with his fist are fun to use and makes backtracking less of a chore later in the game (though it can be tedious in the beginning of the game). Finn can't level up by just defeating enemies. You'll have to search high and low for stat boosting up stars in treasure chests in key locations in the land of Ooo. Leveling up gives you the choice of increasing either your Health, Attack, or Attack; at a maximum of four stat boosts for each stat. While this allows more experienced gamers to make the game a little harder, it still doesn't change the fact that Adventure Time 3DS is pretty easy throughout the whole game. Enemies always go down in a few hits no matter how great your attack power, and there is always an abundance of healing items- so great in fact, you'll fill up your bag in a matter of a few battles. I played almost the whole game with only two hearts, and I only died a few times at one boss fight and only because I was paying too much attention to the finicky item screen; the other instance where I failed was at the final boss fight the same way. The rest of the game was a pushover. Thankfully, a New Game+ offers a harder challenge, but it's a shame it's not an option at the beginning. 

While Adventure Time 3DS may not pose a huge challenge to some, it's still a very good game in my book, particularly for a licensed game. If nothing else, Adventure Time 3DS will give you a good laugh for your money (but maybe find it for cheap).

The Good:
+Gameplay inspired from Zelda 2 will make retro fans happy.
+Hilarious writing. SO SPICE! 

The Bad:
-An abundance of  health items and generous stat boosts make the game a little too easy.
-Backtracking at the beginning of the game is tedious.

Review: Adventure Time, Hey Ice King! Why did you steal our Garbage?!

Valentine's Day Nintendo Direct Impressions.

Nintendo Directs are a funny thing now. It's not common that we see so many new game announcements before E3, yet now we've had three full Directs, showcasing more new games than I have fingers to count. It's probably overwhelming for anyone with a wallet, and especially those anticipating more games in E3, which will we. That's why I loved today's Direct. Sure, it announced more games (wallet: eeek!), but its focus on new DLC was the deal breaker. It wasn't amazing, BUT THAT'S OKAY. You can view the whole Direct here:

And without a further ado...here's what we thought about it: 

THE AWESOME:

Luigi...wake up! You're the star now! 

 

Year of the Luigi: Luigi has always been something of a second fiddle gag for the Mario series, but this year Luigi is starring in no fewer than three games, as a great aspect in-game than just a supporting character. Seeing Iwata sporting a Luigi hat is probably the best justice for the Green caper. Better hang onto Peach, Mario, Luigi is the new man in the house! 

 

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: At first I was disappointed with a port of a Wii game instead of a brand new adventure, but the 3D affects blew me away- this game was made to be on the 3DS. If you have a 3DS, I recommend downloading and viewing the trailer from the Nintendo eShop. 

 

Mario & Luigi gets a fourth installment: Tweaking Luigi's nose forms a staircase in the hilarious new trailer for the fourth M&L installment: Dream Team. The sprites, a combination of Mario RPG and 3D Mario style graphics, are sure to please. And who wouldn't want to tweak Luigi's nose? 

 

THE GOOD: 

 

Is your body Ready? 

 

Release Dates: HarmoKnight on March 28th, Animal Crossing New Leaf in June 9th, Pokemon Mystery dungeon and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon both released on March 17th, a Monster Hunter Tri Ultimate demo on February 21st, and many more 3DS games being released this Summer. Can you say: HELL YES? 

 

DLC done right: 80 full new levels for New Super Mario Bros. U?! More Fire Emblem: Awakening DLC maps at half price? This is how you do DLC. 

 

Waluigi: WALUIGI IS BACK, BABY! 

 

THE BAD:  

 

This makes somewhat sense now, maybe?

No mention of major titles: When are we going to see more NA screens for Project X Zone, or any other titles after the first Q1?  

Aren't Directs a little.................long?: It's great to watch Directs, but 40 minutes is still too long just to show a few new titles. Keep Directs shorter and avoid any more Miiverse updates- we had enough! 

- 

FINAL DIRECT: 3/5 STARS 

This was a decent Direct that gave me what I wanted and left without too many teases. The 3DS got it's spotlight, and E3 is just 4 months away to deliver more. Well done. 

Happy Valentines, and have a great Luigi year, everyone! 

-EggBeatr8

Valentine's Day Nintendo Direct Impressions.

N5S 2012 Reflections - What games Influenced us the most.

In our quest to savor every Nintendo-themed morsel that comes our way and anticipate whatever tasty delicacy or nasty dish we encounter in the near future, we take a quick stop and reflect back on what it was like the previous year in gaming. 2012 has come and gone and the plates are clean, and now it's time to compliment the chef. Did we enjoy the meal? Are we still hungry? This is what the good folks at Nintendo-5-Star, including me, had to say about 2012 (Note: new submissions may be added eventually):

CRAZ1Ah     
  Most influential game:
Xenoblade Chronicles (it was released for NA in 2012 so I guess that still counts?)

The single player MMORPG game. Seriously, although this is a single player game it just feels so much like an MMORPG, with a gigantic not to mention BEAUTIFUL world, hundreds of quests and unlocking/upgrading Arts for all of the characters.

Everything about this game is spectacular from the story down to the voice acting. Also, the graphics and scenery in this game will make Zelda and Monster Hunter developers cry. Start crying suckers. 

pikaby 

Okay let's see if I can make this short....2012 was an epic year for gaming, with so many killer apps being released for Nintendo's new portable console, the 3DS, and also the release of its new home console, Wii U, towards the end of the year. That would have been some really great gaming moments.....except I own neither of them. So where am I then? Still stuck with good ol' DSi and my precious Wii, whose lineups have been getting thinner than the hairline of a 50 year old man. That's not to say there weren't any high notes for the two legacy systems though; both consoles have had their swansongs this year.

For DS, the most influential game I played came in September; the launch of Pokemon Black 2/White 2 in English. Having played the JP version some time back I knew what to expect, but for me, traveling through Unova never got old, training the same Pokemon from my roster of Gen 5 favorites never got old (I love you Reuniclus) and even better, reconciling with some Pokemon which I liked but unexpectedly found them rather useful now (Huge Power Jolly Azumarill with Ice Punch, Aqua Tail and Superpower). Despite how much I played the sidequests never seemed to end. There's just so much to do whether you're into battling (Treehollow, Subway, PWT) or not (Link Avenue, Musicals, Pokestar Studios). Pokemon has always helped me get through a boring afternoon and keep me occupied even in the most stressful of times, and I'm happy to say this was the best of the bunch in a year where there really was nothing else on DS. 

For Wii, putting aside my obvious obsession with Taiko no Tatsujin and rhythm games in general, the game to beat was Xenoblade Chronicles. Alright so where do I start raving about this game....The graphics? So-so when you're up close looking at the textures, but taking in the grand picture from up high or far away is amazing, with scenery you never even knew existed. And the realization that the water and mountains you saw in the background can actually be traveled to...woah. The soundtrack? Epic and matching the huge scale of the overworld. The story? Evolves so many times until Shulk reaches a sort of ultimate focus, and so much character development going on with the 7 possible party members, though the voice acting still needs some work. Very absorbing. The gameplay? You'll be easily spending more than 100 hours on this even on the first playthrough. With so many sidequests to complete and relationships to develop, it almost feels like a world instead of being, you know, a country or something. Xenoblade does everything so huge in scale than sometimes you just step back and gape admirably at the overwhelming things you can do. And the elite monsters (sub-bosses in the game) are fun to take down and have really fun names too. Simple as the battle system is, it eschews so much of the traditional JRPG stuff (no random encounters, skip travel, realtime battle system) that it becomes something entirely of its own. Xenoblade has kept me occupied alongside Kirby's Dream Collection and my vast collection of Taiko no Tatsujin (oops) throughout the year, and stands as one of the best.

Yes, I know, there's a whole bunch of other great games on other consoles, some of which I really admire and want to try out (Borderlands 2, XCOM Enemy Unknown, Hotline Miami, Journey to name a few.....no, screw you Halo/Call of Duty), and to be honest makes me regret a little for limiting myself to only Nintendo consoles. But that doesn't mean my year has been any less fun despite only being able to play two consoles and not upgrading to the newest ones. I thank Nintendo for supporting their old consoles to the very end for people like me.   

EggBeatr8 

If I could define 2012 in one word it would be 'WHOA'. It sounds very vague, I know, but it's the only way to express what I feel to be the most insane roller-coaster of a gaming year I've experienced yet. Where do I begin? You tell me! But let's start with Operation Rainfall: these guys need a freakin' medal for forming such a large group of gamers and succeeding at convincing Nintendo to bring (at least) two of the three JRPGs they've been previously reluctant to release stateside. The first of which, and the game I claim to be the best JRPG ever made (and what my fellow admins have described in grand detail above) is Xenoblade Chronicles. I could go on for five paragraphs of how this game added 100+ hours of amazing exploration and gameplay that I haven't experienced in, well, I never experienced anything like this game to be able to compare it to anything else- but I already exhausted a review, and well, my fine admins have already covered it. The second JRPG was The Last Story, the most visually appealing Wii game I have ever played/seen since the system's upbringing. Hironobu Sakaguchi couldn't have developed a better game after he retired from Squaresoft, and his partnership with long-time Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu created some of the most ear pleasing music I've ever heard in a video game (search Youtube for "Toberu Mono" and you won't be sorry), not to mention that the voice overs are fantastic. Thankfully, the work on making the game visually appealing isn't distracted by a boring battle design, for the the gameplay is satisfying and tight, and demands a well thought out strategy and quick trigger finger- this is definitely not your average stand-in-one-place-and-attack JRPG we're used to. Both Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story are a huge step in the right direction for JRPGs, and it's shameful on Nintendo's part for holding these amazing titles from us for a whole year. Hopefully the sales of these games encourages more localizations in the future, because I can't imagine a gaming world without these titles. 

 
If there was ever a highlighted year for the 3DS, 2012 was THE. YEAR. For the sake of brevity, I'll try to keep a brief summary for every 3DS game I played, but it won't be easy. Kid Icarus: Uprising was definitely the best game of the year for the handheld system, there is just no way I can give credit to any other game. Keeping the well written, and sometimes laugh-out-loud hilarious, storyline going on the bottom while you fight baddies on the top screen keeps things flowing perfectly- so perfectly, it almost seems alien, but more like the lovable ALF you want to keep in your house just to see what he does next and not a facehugging Xenomorph who's trying to breed with you. The land battles are clumsy at first, but that's the only complaint I have for the best 3DS game I've played yet. I can't think of any other character who can best that comeback. Other worthy mentions include the extremely addictive Threatrhythm Final Fantasy, which is unlike any rhythm game I played before; Adventure Time: "Hey Ice King, Why Did You Steal Our Garbage?!" a Zelda 2 inspired platformer with both clever show cameos and nostalgic video game references scattered throughout made for a really fun game; Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, which is absolutely the best in the series thus far if you can look past the confoundedly confusing plotline; and then we have great eShop titles like Colors! 3-D, and a bevy of previously unreleased Virtual Console titles like Mole Mania and Castlevania Adventure. Pokemon Black/White 2, the final hoo-rah for the DS, was just as unexpected as this year's X/Y announcement and proves that the Pokemon series isn't as predictable as previously assumed. That was just scratching the surface of games the handheld received last year, and that's not to mention the games we'll anticipate in 2013 including Brain Age: Concentration, Fire Emblem: Awakening, the unannounced Monolith soft game, and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon to name a few. Not bad for a system that was 'DOOOOOOMED' a few years ago.

It was also a great year for Mario fans too, with three Mario games released in one year. Love or hate the 'New' Super Mario Bros. games, you got to give Nintendo for at least trying to differentiate between titles, though I agree that it's time for Nintendo to work on different IPs for 2013, because there's only so much 'New' I can take.  

I only briefly tried out the Wii U in a Best Buy store demo, but I'm certainly convinced that it's a bright future for gaming. The response of the game pad to the TV was astounding, and both screens have a perfect resolution frame rate and texture. The gamepad also feels pretty comfortable despite looking like a paper weight. While I won't be getting a Wii U this year, when I do obtain one Rayman Legends and ZombiU will be at the top of my want list. But other than that, my hype is pretty low. Nintendo's E3 conference last year only showed games we'd be expecting until Q2 this year, but nothing much after that. It makes me both concerned about their future and curious to see what they're planning for this year's E3.  

While 2012 didn't give us everything we wanted: TWEWY sequel ended up being a remake of the first game for the iPhone, the Tokyo Game Show teased games we'd never get to play, Paper Mario: Sticker Star could've been better, Nintendo Power collapsed, and Pokemon Snap 2 was unfairly debunked for no good reason - but at least we got something out of it. Who knows what else this year will bring? Will it be worth the wait? Maybe it will be something we never expected? If 2013 can best what 2012 already accomplished I have only one word to say: WHOA.

N5S 2012 Reflections - What games Influenced us the most.

The Big N5 of the Week - Brave LEGO ninja soldiers know the Force

It has happened. We are all scavenging survivors of the apocalypse: never to know the life we had before and forced to eat each other once our Twinkie supply has run out. ...Wait...what's that you say? We're still alive? Well, I guess this would be a good time to reflect on what happened in the past week, before we resort to cannibalism...because you're looking mighty tasty... 

5. Swords and Soldiers coming to 3DS eShop. 
The WiiWare cult hit Swords and Soldiers is coming to the 3DS eShop next year. No word on a release date, but a Demo was hinted for next year. New DLC was also confirmed for all you viking mercenaries who want more post-game content. 

4. Senran Kagura Burst Localization teased? 
This busty ninja 3DS game from Japan (courtesy of XSeed) might be getting a Western eShop release. Producer Kenichiro Takaki, hoped to bring the game westside in downloadable format. The game is already on the Japanese eShop, and while it may never reach the West, Takaki had this to say: "I'll wrap the world in happy bobs next year." Well, that could mean many things, but it still gives hope for future localizations.

3. LEGO Zelda was almost a reality.
Sadly it was debunked at the last second in favor of Back to the Future. It was so close too. This would've been incredible as an actual game, but now we at least get to cheer on LEGO Mario or LEGO Metroid in the future. (Come on, make it happen!)



 

 2. Animal Crossing New Leaf outsells in Japan (Over 2 Million copies!!) 
Every copy sold in just one week: both retail and in pre-paid cards. New Leaf outsold more in Japan in one week than any other game released during or prior to it's launch, also boosting 3DS sells, outselling the Vita 46 to 1. Game sales now reach just over 2 million copies, both physical and digital. Judging by the size of Japan, I'd say literally everyone with a 3DS has AC: NL- or five 3DS's each, yeah that could be it. I can't wait to see how well it does worldwide! 

1. NP spiritual successor Nintendo Force Magazine! 
With the closing of Nintendo Power magazine, came the loss of a great childhood memory to all of us. But luckily for you, it is not ending: the internet's most faithful Nintendo fans are coming together to bring you the spiritual successor to the magazine, called Nintendo Force. You can view their home page to learn more of this exciting new project. May the Force be with you.

In other news, a new Mother (Earthbound) re-release is in the making, and GameFreak will reveal big news concerning Pokemon on January 8th! We'll be sure to bring more info once we learn more! 

Happy New Year, Everyone!  

~EggBeatr8

The Big N5 of the Week - Brave LEGO ninja soldiers know the Force

Liberation Maiden Review

Review by EggBeatr8

Title: Liberation Maiden 
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
Platform: 3DSWare
Bottom Line: An ambitious shooter with amazing production values, but leaves me wanting more.

 Dat...hair.

With a team like Grasshopper Manufacture helmed by renowned Suda 51, an assorted all-star collaboration of  top animators and composers, and a little promoting power from Level 5 of Professor Layton fame, it would seem Guild01 is the most ambitious 3DSWare project yet, consisting of four completely different games made by four talented developers. And the first one out the gate for the Nintendo 3DS eShop is Liberation Maiden. As president of New Japan, you play as the skin-tight clad lady, Shoko, and pilot a mech called Kamui, as you liberate Japan from "The Dominion", an army of machina that polluted the world, and return Japan to it's former beauty. Liberation Maiden is a free roaming Mission-based shooter, where you'll pilot using the analog stick, while aiming with the touch screen to send missiles and lasers flying. Build up enough combos to send your saber crashing into the battleground. A quick tutorial, and constant support from Shoko’s general Kira, will always lead you in the right direction and also point out bonus sub-missions. Gameplay is very fast-based, the bosses varied, and the game offers a well balanced option of difficulties, which give it a very distinct AAA game feel. While it’s hard for me to gripe about such a well made game, one factor sticks out like a soar eye: this game is unfairly short. Five stages are no where near enough to satisfy any shooter with an itchy finger, and to make matters worse, the game just ends in a middle of a cut scene after a boss fight that could’ve very well been the first boss in a different shooter. Anyone expecting at least some story arc will be disappointed for there is literally no character development to be interested in whatsoever. All we know about Shoko is in brief cut scenes where she’s blowing stuff up and the camera pointing various viewpoints of her large rump. You might argue that the game is meant for short bursts of play for beating high scores, but then what’s the excuse for them not adding an on-line leaderboard? A few obtainable achievements does not warrant constant replayability.
 
If nothing else, Liberation Maiden is a well made fast-paced shooter despite it‘s shortcomings, though it’s hard for me to recommend it for the current asking price. If you want a quick fix it’s worth the try, but don’t expect an AAA grade title. 

The Good:
+Fast paced shooter with balanced difficulty levels and controls.
+From the beautiful anime cut scenes to big butts, the game delivers some nice eye candy. 
+Great Voice Acting.

The Bad: 
-Unbearably short, with a shallow amount of bonus content.
-Stagnate characters.
-No on-line leaderboards defeats the purpose of Score Attack mode.

Liberation Maiden Review

The Big N5 of the Week - (Insert bad Wii U pun here)

We're back! Miss us/me? Here's what *U've been missing!

*Disclaimer: EggBeatr will be thrown into a pit of tar for this remark.

5. Wii U low Google searches. 
If you can see it, that tiny red line is all the Wii U has via Google searches. Ouch. But don't worry, once it gets more media coverage it will be the talk of the nation! Oh wait...

4. News Anchors making awful Wii U pun jokes.
Wii Wii? Pii U? Come on! These jokes have been done a year ago, and they weren't funny then! You can see the awfulness in all it's (glory?) here. Don't say I didn't warn you...

3. Mass Effect Trilogy not coming to Wii U.
In a more "are you f*cking kidding me" news this week, EA announced the complete Mass Effect trilogy for all consoles, including PC, but not Wii U. For those wanting answers this what NeoGaf had to say: "EA did not expect Wii U owners to buy Mass Effect, anyway, so no point in porting over three games. If ME3 sells gangbusters, they’ll consider it a proper summer home for Mass Effect." Sounds like reverse logic to me. Why would anyone buy just one game more, when you could buy all three for less? At this point, EA seems hard pressed into not bringing this to Wii U, but at least we have one game coming to the system at launch.

2. Denpa Men: They Came by Wave now available for the 3DS eShop! 
Denpa Men are all around us; you just need to use the 3DS camera to spot them out and catch them! From your own little Denpa Men army and journey through caves to find hidden items, fight baddies in turn based battles, and potentially level up your Denpa Men to repeat the cycle. The Demo and full game are available now only the Nintendo 3DS eShop!

1. Wii U pre-orders sky-rocketing. It's 2006 all over again!
First GameStop closed all pre-orders on the upcoming system, and now several other store outlets are following suit after a storm of pre-orders on the Wii U flooded across the hemisphere. And it's not just America; Wii U pre-orders in Europe have also hit influx this week. Still want one? You still have time! But as I previously said, quantities are running out so hurry before they're all **gonU!



 **EggBeatr will be thrown in a second tar pit for this remark.

The Big N5 of the Week - (Insert bad Wii U pun here)

The Big N5 of the Week - We Want U!

Well Nintendo held another Nintendo Direct last week, which makes it the 39th show this year (I kid). A lot of exciting news was showcased, and we FINALLY got the official Wii U price and release date! But that's just only the tip of the iceberg!

5. Wii U games will be $59.99 each.  
Better break open that piggy bank, because Wii U games will be officially $59.99 at release. While that's $10 more than Wii games, hopefully Nintendo won't wait 5 years to introduce a "Nintendo Select" for these games or at least lower the prices.

4. Monster Hunter Tri 3G HD Ver. coming to Wii U! 
It's a surprise in itself that Capcom actually announced something for the Wii U, but even more surprising is that it's getting localized for America and Europe! The 3DS version is also being localized, and both versions will be able to connect and share save data. Tri 3G will be a Wii U launch title for Japan and is scheduled for a Spring release everywhere else.

3. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon headed to the 3DS! 
Mystery Dungeon returns to the 3DS as revealed last week. This time around your default character is Pikachu (as opposed to starting out as a random starter based on your answers to some in-game questions) and you can pick from 5 starter partners +Axew and journey through 3-D environments in the series first new look overhaul. An interesting new feature has you takine AR pics of objects and turning them into dungeons (lucky sweater dungeon Ho!). Watch the trailer and see for yourself!

2. Bayonetta 2 revealed as Wii U exclusive! 
Probably the most surprising news of this week is the unveiling of Bayonetta 2, an Xbox360 hit, being a Wii U exclusive! This has been met with extreme hate comments from previous fans of the first game, but it's worth noting that Nintendo is the only reason this game is being released, since SEGA was going to cancel the series. Better throw Nintendo the bone instead of hitting them with it!

 1. Wii U 

Price: $299.99 

Release: November 18 

IS. YOUR. BODY. READY? 

Have a great week everyone!

The Big N5 of the Week - We Want U!