Kirby's Epic Yarn survey e-mail

Club Nintendo of Europe's site has a survey link e-mailed to everyone who registered Kirby's Epic Yarn. Make sure you check it out - in my opinion it's quite comprehensive about the Kirby series! You'll earn 50 stars if you complete the survey so go check it out now.

Let's research Pilotwings Resort and Steel Diver

Gonintendo.com had a topic in one of their recent "End of day thought" features in which they ask where the love is for Steel Diver and Pilotwings Resort. Since I don't know anything about these games I thought I'd do a little intel gathering on them.

After watching a few videos of Pilotwings Resort I can say that it probably will do what Pilotwings does very well and certainly better than ever before.

Now for Steel Diver. That periscope thing where you turn the actual 3DS looks like something I'd like to give a go just to test it. Mightn't be able to comfortably play it on a bus but we'll see.

Both games sound nice as far as potential for exploration goes. They could both be games it would be nice to just relax to.

On Kirby's Epic Yarn's loading times

They're not too game breaking but a screen does come up for about 5 seconds while the level or world loads. The worst part is you get those screens when you're simply going in and out of apartments at Quilty Court, which is bizarre.

Kirby's Epic Yarn out today in Ireland!

I'm really looking forward to buying this today! I have high expectations for this game - that is to say I'm hoping it will be better than Donkey Kong Country Returns and even better than Sonic Colours!

Got final star sprite in Paper Mario!

Wow that boss put up some fight. The dungeon was kind of interesting too with the mirrored hallways and those enemies that like to wear disguises. I was so engrossed I missed yesterday's post! Sorry! I'll do another one today.

Some Dragon Quest VI reviews are out

These reviews more or less confirm what was always the general, most common opinion on the game. I'd still like to play a European release though...

The 3DS apparently has a built in RPG

I don't know much about this but what I hear people saying is that there's a built in RPG on the 3DS called "StreetPass Quest". StreetPass  is when your 3DS shares Miis when you come close enough to pass by another 3DS owner. It's like contact mode or bark mode in regular DS games.

So the idea behind this is that you're on a quest to escape from a tower with any other Mii companions you may have met this way. Battles are turn based.

This is quite interesting... I'll keep an eye out for any more news on this cool sounding feature.

I'm celebrating Legend of Zelda's 25th birthday with a fangame

Happy Birthday Legend of Zelda! You could say I'm celebrating by playing this great Zelda fangame called "The Legend of Zelda: Wheel of Fate". It's very solidly done and it has an amazing premise - instead of playing as Link going on a quest to rescue Zelda from Ganon, you play as a female character whose quest is to kill all three of them. Doesn't that sound amazing? I better play more of it right now :)

Big Super Monkey Ball 3D video feature on Gamespot

(To see this video, go to Gamespot's "Today on the Spot" page and look for the video dated Saturday, February 19th, 2011. Super Monkey Ball 3D is featured about 3m15s in)

This game is looking more and more promising and this feature is hugely informative! There's a representative from SEGA here talking about the features in the game. Here's a list of stuff I learned from the feature that I like a lot:

- NO LOAD TIMES!
- The game can be controlled with either the circle pad or by tilting the 3DS itself.
- 80 levels (8 worlds at 10 stages each) in the main game.
- Although I can't make out what the 3D effect is like yet, the game looks just as appealing as the Wii Super Monkey Ball games without it.
- In the 1-4 multiplayer games you can choose one out of 16 different monkey characters.
- You can play multiplayer with other 3DS owners who don't have the game.
- Monkey Race, the first of the two other modes is a kart racer.
- You have a choice out of 16 different Karts.
- There seem to be 3 cups in Grand Prix mode. They probably have several tracks each.
- Some tracks have ramps and multiple paths.
- You can use a disco ball item that makes other players slow down and spin.
- A star-like item that turns you giant and allows you to plow through your rivals.
- Monkey Fight, the second of the two other modes is just like Smash Bros!
- I see 3 stages so far.
- The object of this game is to finish with the most bananas, a bit like the coin battle from Smash Bros.
- A golden barrel appears now and again that works just like the smash ball from Smash Bros Brawl.

I must admit I'm warming a bit more to the 3DS now.

Question asked about Rocket Slime delights game developer

There isn't any plans for another Rocket Slime game but what I liked in this interview was the developer's reaction to the question. Part of what they said to the interviewer was "You ask good questions. We like you."

Who would answer a question like this unless it was about something absolutely delightful? I believe this to be the magic of Rocket Slime! Haha!

Looking at display boxes for 3DS games

I went into GAME the other day and saw some 3DS display boxes. I picked up the Super Monkey Ball 3D one straight away(naturally!) and looked it over. It was the exact same size as a normal DS game box. Seeing the 3DS label on the right side instead of the left was momentarily disorienting but I think I could get used to it.

Kirby's Epic Trouser Scoop!

Wow that was a nice reception my post got yesterday when I tipped Gonintendo.com off about our localisation of Kirby's Epic Yarn. Everyone behind that site and their readers rock!

While we're on the subject of localisation, in Ireland we normally say pants instead of trousers but we get British names of things all the time as well as American names of things so honestly we would've accepted either term comfortably.

In that case it would make sense that someone like me would notice this kind of change straight away! When I do I get the urge to tell as many people that will listen to me about it and that makes this blog a nice little outlet for this kind of desire. After all, how many people in real life can I pester about this kind of thing? :)

I'll keep looking out for stuff like this because I find it hugely fascinating. I'll start using a tag whenever I post another example so stay tuned!

Kirby's Epic Trousers!

The official European website for Kirby's Epic Yarn has gone up and it is packed with footage of the game's features like Kirby's move set, the stages and co-op play. Have a look at it here:

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/games/wii/kirbys_epic_yarn_18260.html

My favourite bit though is where they show the game's prologue! Remember the American one where they said "it feels like... pants"? Well, our localisation says "it feels like... trousers". Have a look here:

Funny isn't it! They also changed the narrator's voice for us. It's an English guy now.

The 3DS has load times :(

I watched some footage of 3DS games being played and it shows loading times going up to 15 seconds and more. That is just awful for a handheld.

Dragon Quest VI is out in America today

I'm kind of a broken record at this stage but I really want this to come here to Ireland. In America at least they have a nice launch of the game and there was a cool promo event with Yuji Horii doing signings.

Just thinking what I'd like from a new Donkey Kong Country game

First off I'd love to see graphics like the SNES games had. I'd also like to see it called Donkey Kong Country 4 along with a DS counterpart called Donkey Kong Land 4! I'd also like it to have the amazing production values Donkey Kong Jungle Climber had. I don't want any stupid blow move!

Playing through Donkey Kong Land 3 for the first time ever is making me think about these things.

Cave Story is getting another release but in 3D!

This is some eyebrow raising news. Nicalis is all excited about making a 3DS version of the game and putting in the effects. It might be interesting. Who knows!

Shantae is out on European DSiWare today!

I'd get this immediately but I don't have a DSi and I'm going to wait for the 3DS first since that's coming out very shortly. There may be a lot of other fans with the same idea as me too so I hope sales won't be too bad!

I look on in envy as promos for Dragon Quest VI appears in American games blogs :(

There's a few things happening such as a "be my Valenslime" t-shirt promo. I'm really really jealous! Not a sign of a release date for here in Ireland and I desperately want the game to come out here.

Completed Ghost Trick!

I finished Ghost Trick today and I must say I enjoyed it. Some great characters and the plot keeps you interested with each little thing that happens which includes some nice twists. It's well worth checking out. The only thing that is slightly annoying about this game is the fact that when you save and quit you restart at the last significant event. You also cannot save during dialogue scenes which is really stupid. The idea around saving people from their doom is very well implemented, especially for the busy commuter who only has a half hour or so for a play session.

It's better than 999 by miles and it's much less talky than Ace Attorney.

The 3DS analogue circle pad and older DS games

The analogue stick or circle pad on the 3DS can be used the same way the d-pad is used for older DS games!

I'm sure that is known by a lot of people already but I'd just like to be emphatic for this post.

Some might've felt the d-pad on the DS can feel awkward if you're trying to press its buttons in diagonal directions and right now I'm fantasising about playing Bangai-O Spirits with the 3DS' circle pad. I imagine it would feel lovely going in all 8 directions around the screen. I wonder if the experience of Mario 64 DS could be improved too? If it was improved just right then it would truly be the definitive version of that game!

Reggie Fils Aime's banter with Geoff Keighley about 3DS

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/reggie-fils-aime-nintendo-3ds/710261

Have a look at this video. I think it's rather enjoyable. One thing I like to do is imagine that Geoff is acting the part of an average kid ignorant of all positive things about Nintendo and Reggie is playing the equivalent of Troy McClure in those Simpsons educational videos where he explains things that make the kid go "gee whiz!"

Donkey Kong Land III's placenames

Oh I put off playing this game for wayyy to long! What happened was I was an avid follower of the DKL series because I only had a Game Boy at the time and sometime after DKL2 I got a SNES and eventually got DKC3 for it. I kind of ended up putting DKL3 off which I really shouldn't have done. Take the following screenshot for example:

RARE had all these clever placenames put into it including this one. Now, American readers probably won't get this but we have a dessert over here called "Black Forest Gateau" and this is a fun play on words. This is the kind of typical RARE stuff that would make you smile :)

Retro Gamer Issue 86

Well here it is. They rate Cave Story for the Wii very highly (94/100) and the cover feature talks about isometric views in old games. I used to play Monster Max for the Game Boy a lot myself. Nowadays I'm not sure if I could play those kind of games comfortably. Maybe if I could turn my controller's D-Pad 45 degrees and map the buttons appropriately!

Shantae is finally coming to Ireland!!!

Wow! It's been a long time since I used the Shantae tag! Anyway it's official, Shantae as Wayforward put it is coming to PAL players even though that has nothing to do with handhelds!

I guess that means I have to get a DSi or its larger version... Or should I wait for a 3DS? I'm in a pickle!

Anyway, it's out next Friday!

Ghost Trick never lets you forget what you're playing

Why's that? Because the game's title is plastered across the top screen for the very most of the game! When I heard this was going to be on the Japanese iTunes store as well I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe Capcom had the iPhone/iPod in mind as well when they were making it? It would make sense since just the one screen is used for the very most of the time. But who knows. What's important is that it's on the DS.

A couple of 3DS games I'm interested in

Well there's Super Monkey Ball 3D anyway but I guess I'd like to check out the new Paper Mario as well. I guess I got Paper Mario fever from playing the original ^^;

Just one more star sprite to go in Paper Mario!

I'm finally coming towards the end of this game! Urgh, it took me long enough. I wonder if I would've enjoyed it more had I played it during the N64 generation? Well, who knows. I just know I enjoyed the flower garden area, probably because it's not very dungeon like and it being like a break from the norm. We'll see how it goes from here on out...