• 11Jun 13

  Nintendo Direct @ E3 2013 | Impressions

  Tis the season to be a Nintendo fan.

  Nintendo have thrown their hat into the E3 ring and honestly Ive been left speechless. Microsoft was just rubbish, with Killer Instinct being their only saving grace (and seeing the developer, who isnt Rare, thats not say much) and Sony was actually really damn good, with a great price tag for the Playstation 4, sweet games and even a Take That to Microsoft. Sony looked very hard to beat and it many respects, they still are. However, in the eyes of a Nintendo fan, weve been given a lot and heck, buying a Wii U no longer looks grim! Theres a bright future ahead of us and Nintendo will be there every step of the way.

  Direct was hosted only by Iwata-san, rather than having additional hosts like the Regginator. Even time I listen to him, Iwata-sans accent just fills me with glee and fuelling me more with glee was new Pokémon X/Y footage. First of all, some of the new designs are quite superb, with a dragon-esque Mon looking quite menacing and just seeing some old favourites like Charizard in the new graphical style put a smile on this guys face. Theres new a Nintendogs-like mode in the game which allows the player to interact more thoroughly with their Mon. It may seem far-fetched, but this is the closest well see for a long time actually communicating with a Pokémon and for any fan of the series, thisll be the most heartwarming experience trainers will have. Oh, and: Fairy-type is real! Old Pokémon like Gardevoir and Jigglypuff are now part Fairy-type. It is super-effective against Dragon-type, so lets see all those Jigglypuff mowing down Garchomp!

  Where would Nintendo be without Mario? Expected from the company who graced us with this plumber-doctor-referee-party host, they revealed two new games: one of them being the next instalment in the Mario Kart franchise, cleverly titled Mario Kart 8 which gives me my precious motorcycles back, with the addition of a zero-gravity gameplay mechanic which is very interesting, giving courses more dynamic designs but I wouldnt be so surprised if people developed motion sickness from playing it. Super Mario 3D Land gets a sequel entitled Super Mario 3D World, which will be on the Wii U rather than the 3DS. Itll incorporate four-player co-op, which is a first for a 3D Mario title, by not have two Toads and the Mario Bros, but just one Toad and Peach, giving it more of a Super Mario Bros 2 feel to it. The game looks great; the new cat power-up looks like fun and thisll be one Mario co-op experience that wont have you wanting to kill your friends.

  The sequels did not end there, with a new Donkey Kong Country game being announced exclusive to the Wii U. Instead of Tikis or King K. Rool, Donkey Kong and pals must deal with polar Vikings, as the island has seemingly frozen over. In terms of the antagonists, its justified that theyre more of something to laugh at, theyre not very threatening, but neither was a plank of wood. Theyre more-or-less adorable. However, game looks great and that jazz track in the trailer. If the entire soundtrack consists of jazz, I want a special edition with the soundtrack. PLEASE. Two other sequels were the widely well, wouldnt say anticipated Wii Party U and Wii Fit U, teaching players to effectively kill their friends and resuming being physically fit, respectively.

  PlatinumGames you may have played their recent title Metal Gear Rising or their older games such as Bayonetta or MadWorld. They seem to be one of those key developers for Nintendo recently, with more news on Bayonetta 2 and an actual release date, along with more footage for The Wonderful 101. Firstly, Bayonetta 2 looks to be just as mental as the first game which is awesome, seeing as the first game is something that I can only describe as PLAY IT NOW. The redesign of the titular character may seem unappealing to some, but Bayonetta with short hair seems more attractive. The game looks stunning; the titular character still has her sassy attitude, though, it was a shame we didnt get a release date, though Id assuming 2014. The Wonderful 101 looks wonderful, I guess. Its whole premise and process just seems so unique to me. It comes out in August I believe and I cant wait to see how Platinum struck gold once again.

  I never played Wind Waker there, I said it. I give you the freedom to through a Master Sword at me. Regardless, Wind Waker HD looks really, really good. I love the whole idea of a more cartoon-ish artstyle, its so synthetically pleasing to the eyes. What I have to say is that this game just it looks amazing. Though, theres one feature that strikes me to be rather odd. In the original, there was this feature involving Tingle, which used Game Boy Advance connectivity. In the new version, this feature is being used to send messages in a bottle over the Internet and uses Miiverse. Apparently, you can write anything, which I hope is not the case. Im usually that guy who doesnt care whats said online as long as what you say is justified, but I dont want some guy sexting me using a message in bottle. Of course, its completely optional. However, if I do get some sexts in a bottle

  Anyway, there was a game that really caught my eye during Direct. Monolith Soft is responsible for what is said to be one of the best RPGs ever made, Xenoblade for the Wii. I never played it, as when it came out is when I genuinely began focusing on my 3DS and PC. Regardless, the trailer they showed was something I can describe as breathtaking. The world for this upcoming game looks tremendous; it was something so beautiful I can hardly put it into words. The use of mechs to explore the world either by driving around or flying in the air seems like fun. What I can understand is that this will be another RPG, perhaps in the same vein as Xenoblade, not sure. What is currently known as X will be something to look forward to.

  Nintendo, you presented us with intriguing games, though most of them sequels, but the one sequel I want to see isOH. GOD. YES. The next instalment of Super Smash Bros. was the final game that appeared on Direct and it just goes to show Nintendo can still go out with a bang and a massive one at that. The trailer not only showcased the Wii U version, but also the 3DS version, whose graphical style is strongly similar to Pokémon X/Y. The gameplay on both systems looks rather great, but I cant say much without actually playing the game. Also the newcomers: Villager from Animal Crossing (seriously, that smile will HAUNT YOU) and wait for it Mega Man! Honestly, I was left without words. I think I died and was resurrected by Nintendo to say YOU HAVE TO WAIT ONE YEAR. CAN YOU DO THAT? To which I respond: yes. I will wait one year for Smash 4. I will accept any delays, as you did with Brawl its Smash Bros. and its always worth waiting for.

  To sum up what I thought of Nintendo Direct @ E3 2013, it was just magic the entire time. Similar to when 2009 was that year that Nintendo fans held on to something great, the trends repeats this year. Luckily, most of the games they showed/unveiled will be released this year, so looking forward to that. A lot of the new stuff seems interesting, though I guess surprises were rather thin. I was expecting that Smash trailer, I was expecting Mario Kart and of course, the third-party games which were announced months before this Direct. Nonetheless, Nintendo have given haters something to envy over. Haters gonna hate, sure. However, Nintendo fans cant deny that theyve got a lot more to look forward to and to quote a comment I saw:

  "For those 'injured' MS Fans, the ambulance is here to aid. *WiiU WiiU WiiU WiiU WiiU WiiU*"

  Enjoy E3, friends.

  • Posted Jun 11, 2013 9:16 am GMT
  • Category: Editorial
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• 11Jun 13

  One is Dead

  Killer Instinct just isn't enough, Microsoft. I'll be enjoying a Playstation 4 at the end of the year.

  • Posted Jun 11, 2013 12:44 am GMT
  • Category: Other
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• 10Jun 13

  My Totally On Time Top 5 of 2012

  Hey, its not that time of year!

  I play games, as do you and there are five games I loved in 2012. Now, since Ive been that guy whos been very inactive to the point where I dont really communicate with the community as much due to me Well, playing a lot more games than I should. So, Ive decided to wait sixth months, play more games that were released in 2012, as last year as more-or-less a year where I played older games. However, when I played a game from 2012, it was usually good. So, without any more hesitation, heres my Top 5 for 2012!

  Note: I did not play The Walking Dead or Journey, so dont expect them.

  5. Smite

  

  Just beating Halo 4, Smite is a game I never really expected to get addicted to. My friends told me it was like League of Legends, yet it was different. It wasnt a traditional MOBA in the sense that you had more control. LoL bores me with its click-and-action style of gameplay; it doesnt feel like I have much control whatsoever. Smite on the other hand allows me to assume direct control of a mythological god and praises my ability and skill rather than clicking frantically. If you havent tried it out yet, I recommend that you do. Its a free game, no pay-to-win model and hours upon hours of playtime awaits you.

  4. The Binding of Isaac: Wrath of the Lamb

  

   

  The vanilla Binding of Isaac was my number three on my 2011 list, yet after making that list I became more engrossed with the game and if I were to change my list, itd be at least number two. So, when I played the expansion, I was hooked for weeks and weeks. Its one of those expansion packs that just gave you a lot more, which means more maddening and chaotic possibilities. Wrath of the Lamb truly shined with its additional floors, harder bosses and a conclusion that fans talked about for months. Its nice to know that both the vanilla game and Wrath of the Lamb is being worked into a pixelated remake of the game, which I cant simply wait to play.

  3. Asura's Wrath

  

   

  When someone usually hears that a game will be similar to Heavy Rain, many people will shudder at the thought that either the game will be too boring or that your money would be better spent on a movie. Asuras Wrath to me is an exception. I already wrote a review on this game, so you can read that if you want know more. As an anime fan, I really loved this game. Its architecture, music, characters, art everything: I just simply adore it. Taking the insanity of Gurren Lagann and mixing it with the fighting from Dragonball, Asuras Wrath was a delight to experience. Its not a game for everyone, but it was a game for me that I thought was awesome.

  2. FEZ

  

   

  One of the games Ive more-or-less had to catch up on and even playing it on the PC rather than the Xbox, FEZ is one of those games that really captivated me. With a simple premise, it makes the player appreciate that its not so convoluted with an array of characters or branching story arcs. FEZ is pure eye-candy, boasting some of the most impressive pixel art Ive ever seen. Its main mechanic viewing the level from different perspectives is so simple that when you solve a puzzle or get that collectible youve spotted upon entering another area, itll fill you with glee and achievement, much like Portal. Say what you want about the games creator Phil Fish, youve gotta admit that hes made a damn impressive, intelligent game.

  1. Borderlands 2

  

   

  Being a fan of the first game, it was no surprise to me that the second one ended up being better than its predecessor. However, what Borderlands 2 did was not only better than its predecessor, but something that I believe that all games should take a look at. While many people were getting attached to Clementine from The Walking Dead, I got attached to characters such as Tiny Tina and Bloodwing. This game gave us perhaps one of the best villains ever in a video game, someone who you love to hate, but he was just so perfect. Its been criticised for its use of memes and popular culture, but its nice to know that theyre with us every step of the way. Borderlands 2 was dramatic, heartwarming and amazingly tearjerking. Its not just a sequel its the perfect sequel. Im still playing it, with 350+ hours and I wont be stopping any time soon.

  Peace,

  CamoBullo

  
  

  • Posted Jun 10, 2013 3:45 am GMT
  • Category: Opinion
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