Thinking about E3 2011 (Part 1)

E3's coming very soon and I haven't talked much about it. Of course this is the only site that actually matters:

http://e3.nintendo.com/

Live coverage of Nintendo's press conference! I hope I'll be able to catch it. Let's see now... the site says it's on at 9am PDT. Irish time is 8 hours ahead of Los Angeles time so I'll have to tune in at 5pm.

It'll be this day next week that it's starting. Nintendo's showing last year was great. The suspense and the big game reveals and the whole thing in general was so fun and entertaining! It was just what I wanted!

I hope it's entertaining this year too.

Retro Gamer Issue 90

BEAUTIFUL COVER! Not only does it have an awesome Zelda logo on it but it shimmers brightly as well. Pity I can't really show how it does. It really stood out on the magazine shelf and when I spotted it I felt like holding it over my head and singing "Da na na naaaaaa!". Pity about the ESRB style logo, they should've made it PEGI style instead!

As you'd expect, Zelda features in a big way what with the 25th anniversary and the Ocarina of Time coming out for 3DS. There's also a nicely informative piece about Four Swords Adventures. That's the feature I appreciate the most. People need to be informed of that game's greatness and how enjoyable it can be for even a single player!

Now for the other stuff besides Zelda.

There's a collector's guide about the Sega Saturn which seems nice. There's also an article which features games on the Apple Macintosh which I'm absolutely thrilled to see since I played those a lot as a kid.

Quite pleased with this issue so far!

I want Snatcher on Wii! (Part 5)

The guy behind the Nintendo DS game 999 recently said that visual novel games should be sold in bookshops as well as game stores. I agree with him.

In this part of the world, point and click games on the PC are often sold in bookshops and Nintendo has found success in bookshops with their Touch Generations series of titles. Even Nintendo's own Another Code R was marketed towards people who read mystery novels.

The Wii is very suitable for this kind of game since it has many examples of adventure games doing well on it and Nintendo could even sell it in bookshops.

Thinking about Skyward Sword - Characters Part 1

We've come across some fascinating characters in previous Zelda games. I'd love it if Skyward Sword had at least a few characters like the Yetis from Twilight Princess. (I'd also love another female character like Telma for obvious reasons).

Zelda herself had a very big role in Spirit Tracks and it's the most memorable and developed incarnation of her character so far. Maybe she'll have a big role in Skyward Sword too?

I'm also a big fan of Tingle. I gotta admit his spinoff game Rosy Rupeeland really made me appreciate him more. I wonder if he'll be in this?

The seemingly Jack Sparrow inspired Linebeck is another prevalent newcomer. Imagine him being in this? Hm... might be nice.

There's a lot to think about on this topic actually... Wind Waker for example was packed full of great characters. I'll talk more about them later.

Wii Play: Motion

I admit I've never actually played a MotionPlus game. I'll definitely try it out though when Skyward Sword comes out.

This Wii Play: Motion game might help to get me more excited about that feature. So far I'm just blissfully ignorant of what the experience is really like. Also, since both of these games are coming out soon Nintendo will surely show MotionPlus in a big way at this year's E3.

Also, let's say this Wii Successor is MotionPlus exclusive. Most people will then associate the Plus controls with the new console.

Director's Cut in Cork City have loads of new copies of Pikmin 2 for Wii

There are a lot of them there and the game costs €9.99. If you like Pikmin it's well worth checking out.

Xenoblade's alternative art cover winner

The voting's over and now we see that the first one with the lone character looking over a vast landscape won.

I didn't vote for this but it is my other favourite. Thank goodness the ghastly third one didn't win.

I want Snatcher on Wii (Part 4)

Just a moment, I feel like I need to get the business of treating the creator awesomely out of my system first.


*High fives Hideo Kojima*

Ok now that we have that out of the way we can continue.

This game deserves better than to be released just as a licensed download. It deserves its own disc and its own boxart. Wii boxart that is. It's completely ill suited to be released on a disc the other formats take. People just would not buy it and they'd complain that it wasn't released as a licensed download instead.

It would sell well on a Wii disc though. Why not? Wii has loads of successful adventure games. On discs.

Do we really want a game like Snatcher to be lost in the sea of licensed downloads? Do we? Actually it still could but we do need a "Final Cut" version of the game. On disc.

I want Snatcher on Wii! (Part 3)

I can't believe I haven't made more of these! The fact now that Nintendo has a successor in the works makes things interesting. Does this crush hopes of this game appearing on Wii? Let's not think that way. Let's think positively instead.

Snatcher is definitely on Hideo Kojima's mind in a big way lately. Sometime over the past two months he had been tweeting about the PC Engine version and that he had just readied it "for some reason". The Wii has PC Engine support as well as support for its CD add-on so it could be plausable that he's working on a remake of it. If Wii can get Rondo of Blood then Wii can get Snatcher.

It would have to be translated of course.

Actually a remake would be nice.

Actually the Mega CD version would be nice too.

I've got an idea! How about making "Snatcher: The Final Cut"!

Dragon Quest VI's packaging

Haven't played the game yet. But I'd like to say a couple of things about it. The manual thanks you for buying the game in that Nintendo way which is always appreciated. It seems to be very proud of calling itself an RPG, citing features like its massive overworld and class system. It's elaborate and colourful too and in just the one language. I can say the same for the game's website. I praised it before but it is brilliantly informative and easy to use for a website about a complex game.

I can tell you one thing. The people who worked on this certainly don't treat this game as if it wasn't as good or important as other entries in the series. I'm looking forward to playing it when I get the chance.

It turns out We Dare did get a release in Ireland

I went to a game store I don't usually frequent and I saw a couple of new copies on the shelf there. There was some ruckus over that title when it came out but it never got too out of hand thankfully. Maybe it's being sold now on the quiet? It could even be sold in the UK now too.

Corkonian launch of Dragon Quest VI & the Queen of England's visit

Wowee! There were a lot of Gardaí in the city centre this afternoon. I don't think I've ever seen so many in one place before. I heard Japanese launches of Dragon Quest games were hectic but they have nothing on the launch of this game today! Of course the Gardaí were all there for the Queen's visit and not at all due to this game being released. Funny if it was though!

Anyway it all meant that I didn't have as big a choice of video game stores to visit. I did get to one though and yes I bought the game! Horray!

Dragon Quest VI is out tomorrow!

Will I be buying it? Tomorrow in Cork with the Queen's visit and everything there might be so much going on it may be worth putting off buying it until the day after but I'll see what I can do. Some roads and streets are blocked off so I'm more worried about my commute than anything else.

What if she visited Japan on the same day a Dragon Quest came out? I wonder what the crowds would be like then? Would all her spectators be carrying a copy of that new Dragon Quest?

Ocarina of Time 3D's official website

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/games/nintendo_3ds/the_legend_of_zelda_ocarina_of_time_3d_31475.html

It's nice. Nintendo are really proud of this game. Maybe they can apply whats refreshed in their minds to future entries in the Zelda series? Anyway enough of that. The site isn't as elaborate and fast to load as Dragon Quest VI's though.

There's also preorder bonuses available, like an alternate cover and a poster. Have a look at them here:

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/2011/a__golden_opportunity_with_preorders_of_the_legend_of_zelda_ocarina_of_time_3d_33143.html

Personally I was hoping for a special 3DS bundle that had a nice Zelda theme like a triforce or something.

No Dragon Quest VI "coming soon" displays in other shops either.

GAME, HMV, Smyths... none of them had display boxes for the game. I'm sure most of them will have the game though when it comes out.

Dragon Quest VI has no "Coming Soon" display boxes in Gamestop

Even though the game is out in 4 days! Instead there's Xbox 360/PS3 "Coming Soon" game boxes all over the place. Don't remember what they're for. Actually this happens a lot so I probably shouldn't make too many posts like this.

I haven't checked GAME or HMV yet for display boxes. I will soon though.

Thinking too much about Twilight Princess' graphics

I came up with this kooky idea while I was playing Twilight Princess again: What if the twilight that plagued Hyrule was a symbol of Nintendo's opposition at the time, the HD console game? When Hyrule was still covered with twilight, didn't it look like a typical Xbox 360 game? The post apocalyptic setting was a very popular theme and still is to this day with games on that system. Twilight Princess was about a hero fighting this 'twilight' back. This whole struggle could be seen as a metaphor for Nintendo trying to save video games from this menace who's trying to make every game dreary and serious and depressing looking.

When you restore Hyrule in Twilight Princess it still looks somewhat barren but there are signs that life and colour are definitely coming back.

The Wii without doubt has the most colourful games of all the current consoles and Twilight Princess was a launch title. It's like it was some kind of commentary on what was happening in video games at the time! It's a land where it's a never ending struggle for such games to find their place against the dastardly looming of the dreary graphical menace!

This symbolism that I just made up seems like it will continue in Skyward Sword. Although chronologically speaking it comes way before Twilight Princess, it will be a bold and confident step forward for the series in terms of aesthetics.

Haha, overanalysing is such fun!

Vote for alternative Xenoblade cover art before May 25 in Nintendo of Europe promotion

Here's the site that'll be around for less than two weeks. You vote using your Facebook or Twitter account. Hurry!

http://microsite.nintendo-europe.com/xenoblade_cover/index.php?locale=enGB

Since this site will only be up for a small while I thought I'd share the choices on offer.

This one's lovely. The lone character looking over the landscape. It would remind you of Monster Hunter or Zelda. It's currently the majority favourite according to the site.

This one's gorgeous too. Everyone together looking over the landscape. It looks just like how a piece of Final Fantasy artwork would look. I had a hard time choosing between it and the first one.

This is the only one without vast landscapes or blue skies. I don't like it very much.

Lovely blue skies but no characters.

I eventually picked the second one. My mind associates it more with an RPG than the first one. I still really like the first one though. Man, this was a tough choice to make!

I'm guessing that by alternative cover art they mean the side that's normally blank when you turn it inside out which is the same idea that Sin & Punishment: Successor of the Skies had.

Skyward Sword's Graphics Part 2

I just started a playthrough of Twilight Princess again. The last one I did and also the last time I played the game in any way was over a year ago. After playing it for a while I have to say that I am even more excited about Skyward Sword's graphics. I said before that I like the fact that it's more colourful but now I like that fact even more. I feel like I am in desperate need of colour!

However, I'm going to follow on with the point I made in my last post concerning this matter. While my lust for colour is being sated I hope I will never have a need to start lusting for "coolness" or "badassness". I want that in this game too.

Dragon Quest I, II and III are being released as a retro compilation on Wii!

I just saw this on a couple of blogs and twitters. Wow! Yes! I'd love it if this came to Ireland! Dragon Quest is celebrating its 25th Anniversary as well you see so they're releasing both the NES and SNES(well SFC) versions on the Wii compiled on a disc. We never got the first three Dragon Quest games over here so something like this would be just wonderful.

It would certainly be better value for money if you were to buy this instead of the cartridges. They aren't on Virtual Console but the standard prices for three NES games and three SNES games would be about the same as this compilation disc, unless it was a budget release.

If they were going to bring this to Ireland they would have to put in the extra effort to translate the SNES versions which never got an English release. I'd still like them to do it though.

It would be truly great though if the GBC version improvements were in them. I also think they should give this free to people who'll buy Dragon Quest X.

What I would like from Nintendo for the Wii's successor (Part 4)

Make every non-interactive thing skippable.

This covers a lot of things! Those company logos at boot up, the cut scenes, dialogue, tutorial messages... It's just being considerate to the player to let them skip things like this or not even have those things interrupt gameplay at all unless the player wants to stop and check things out for themself.

I want Nintendo to have this as some kind of policy that third parties have to comply with. This consideration for the player does exist today but not as much as I'd like.

Dragon Quest VI's European website

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/games/nds/dragon_quest_vi_realms_of_reverie_32676.html

Just over a week and a half to go until it releases here! Can't wait can't wait! Here we have the official website which looks nice and isn't a stuttering pain in the bum to load.

Some nice gameplay videos there. I like the overview in the gameplay section which says:

"In Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie, gameplay is intuitive and easy to pick up for both RPG enthusiasts and adventure game fans - while providing enough depth for even the most seasoned player."

It's a sales pitch for people who are used to playing a lot of games. I did hear alright that this was one of the more complex DQ games.

I noticed that the hero's name is still "Patrick" in some of the screenshots. Heh I remember blogging about that. I'm really glad that they're bringing this game to Ireland.

What if Twilight Princess and Wind Waker were released at the same time?

Just me thinking here. It's hard to think of these two Zelda games without thinking about the divide. Both were very successful though, commercially and critically. I was just wondering what it would be like if these games were given the same treatment the Oracle games were and released on the same day. Which would do better? If they worked like the Oracle games would it matter? Imagine if they worked together in the exact same way the Oracle games did and say the connection between them was that Link continues his journey in the other game through some kind of dimensional swap thing. Farm boy Link would be confused that he suddenly has a family and islander Link would suddenly be confused that there's no sea around him. They'd play out their second adventure and go home.

What other incentive might there be for this to happen? Well let's say you played Twilight Princess to the end. You could then start Wind Waker and it would have the graphical style of Twilight Princess! It would work vice versa too! This would break the divide! Actually that's kind of a 'maybe'. But even if it didn't break the divide everyone in each camp would buy both games and this would mean higher sales! Marketing this feature could be a bit tricky though...

Skyward Sword seems like it could have the best of both worlds in terms of graphics and that's what I would hope for.

NGamer Issue 62

Hmm... not the greatest cover. It was an unusual issue as it came with one free gift (as opposed to the usual two or three) and there was no rubbishy scratchcard or DELL brochure shoved between the pages. The free gift was a containing sleeve for a 3DS.

They make fun of the tabloids that were going on about the dangers of the 3DS which I like very much! They also had a preview for the new Rocket Slime where they reflect on their review for the DS original and say they may not have given it "a fair crack of the whip"(They gave it 68%) which also made me smile. They generally go into a lot about what's coming up on the 3DS and there's a feature about games going to court for committing crimes like unskippable cutscenes which should be a fun read!

MotionPlus and Wii's Successor - my own "what if..."

I had an idea about something... Now there's no mention of this anywhere and there's no rumour or announcement - this is just a thought of mine. I was just wondering what if the Wii's successor was MotionPlus exclusive? Meaning you couldn't use a Wii remote that isn't MotionPlus enabled?

Imagine that! It would be a very bold move wouldn't it? The kind that would stir an uncomfortable feeling or two. Internet forums and comment sections of blogs would explode. But say what if it was something beneficial in the long run? It could be something comparable with the idea that modern day game consoles don't use a dial up connection for internet services.

I dunno, I gotta sit down and think about this one. I never even used MotionPlus before.

Accept Nintendo of Europe's new terms and conditions by 31st of May or your account will be deleted.

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/2011/important_information_for_club_nintendo_members_32864.html

More information here. So if you have an account make sure you sort this out with them before the end of the month.

I wonder if this is done because of recent events? (PSN thing, Wii successor etc)

Nintendo coming out with budget range of Wii titles for Ireland

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/systems/nintendo_selects_32867.html

After four and a half years we're finally getting a budget range of titles for the Wii over here. I don't know how much they'll cost but the website says they'll be light on the wallet. You can see what the games are when you follow the link.

Think about it though: Four and a half years! That's a long time. Those games must've sold extremely well!

Starting to think about Skyward Sword - Graphics

I've never given The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword much thought. I do remember wishing the graphics were more colourful than Twilight Princess'. Well I guess that wish came true. It should have lots of bright colours. I felt they were on the right track with making things more colourful.

I did feel though that the graphics needed a lot of tuning up. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time but I wanted them to look better.

Looking at Ocarina of Time 3D's revamped and much more colourful graphics kind of helps. Link looked "cool" in the original N64 version of that game, "badass" even. The brighter colours in the new version didn't lose any of this at all. Link when he first appeared in Skyward Sword's trailer didn't look especially cool or badass. If it was Ocarina of Time 3D's adult Link doing that swirling blade pose it might have been much better received, even though it would be the more colourful Ocarina of Time 3D Link.

So for now I'll conclude with the fact that Skyward Sword's graphics gets one out of two things right at least. More colourful graphics is great but there is definite lacking in "coolness" or "badassness" that Ocarina of Time 3D seems to retain even though it went more colourful.

I may not be entirely sure about it yet. I think I am getting somewhere with this though.

Retro Gamer Issue 89

A Commodore 64 cover. I haven't read much of this issue yet but they have a 3DS review roundup of sorts. Super Monkey Ball 3D got a right kicking with its score of 29. Like everybody else who gave the game a low score they actually like the game but think it costs too much for the content it offers.

Guadia Quest tasks completed

I finished the main tasks to be satisfied in Retro Game Challenge for this game. It took ages! But I finally got it. But hey there's still the main game to be completed which I may do someday. Moving on to the next game challenges now!

Retro Game Challenge is brilliant. It's a nice break from some of the more bad things that plague modern day video game playing.