Happy Essential Sundays! This week we're looking at an incredible interview and some more great discussions surrounding the Switch and it's software. Let's dive right in! The Completionist Interviews Miyamoto & AunumaFans of the Completionist already know how much he loves the Zelda franchise. Well, it turns out that in the midst of his trip earlier this month to test the Switch out in New York, he was given the opportunity to interview the heads of the series! It's awesome seeing Jirard interact with such legends, and hearing their thoughts on the game--and Jirard's accomplishments--is a treat. GoNintendo Speaks on Switch's launchGoNintendo has been the calm voice of reason amidst the recent Switch attacks online. Here, he takes a different look at the launch lineup and attempts to understand Nintendo's long-term strategy. GameXplain Discusses Splatoon 2Excited about Splatoon 2? Wondering what other enthusiasts have to say about the reveal? Look no further! GameXplain's Derrick invites a couple special guests (one of which, Chuggaconroy, has a fantastic in-depth Splatoon series on his channel) to just kick back and share their thoughts on everything we've seen so far. If you have a good chuck of time set aside, give this one a listen!
That's it for me guys! I'll see you later this week with my next Road to Awesome post! Look for it Thursday! Cheers!! --Brent
0 Comments
Happy Sunday everyone! Welcome back for another iteration of Essential Sundays, where I gather the top three video game/Nintendo videos I recommend watching from the past week. Get comfy and let's have some fun! ProJared Interviews ReggieEver wish Nintendo would just be asked the hard-hitting questions? Well, that's exactly what ProJared did during his lighthearted interview with Reggie. Energy is kept up by constant movement, and the twist of Reggie interviewing ProJared is absolutely perfect. Of course, you also get a closer glimpse into Reggie's (and Nintendo's as a whole) consumer awareness and brand strategy. It's a true treat of an interview to behold. Artificial Demand Created for the Switch?It's long been held that Nintendo creates artificial demand for its systems. By purposefully undershipping units, advocates say, scarcity of the product is used to drive sales. The most recent supposed example of this? The NES Classic. Spawn Wave takes a deeper look at the claims now leveled against the Switch, and if the number of units prepared for launch really is underwhelming. Surprisingly Expansive Fire Emblem DirectStrategy-RPG fans, rejoice! Nintendo's Fire Emblem Direct revealed pleasant surprises and a first look at the upcoming free-to-play mobile game. There's a huge amount of Fire Emblem goodness coming over the next year--take a look!
Thanks for hanging with me again today guys. Every Sunday I'll be here to give you my recommendations for fantastic videos. I also post an article or two every week, so feel free to check those out as well! Have a great rest of your day. --Brent Out of all the launch window titles Nintendo has announced, ARMS is the one that has me the most excited. Don't get me wrong, 1-2 Switch looks fun, but at $50 it's a huge bullet that many (including me) aren't willing to bite. It isn't that Bomberman R doesn't look like fun either--it actually gives me fond memories of playing Bomberman 64 when I was little. However, it doesn't look anywhere near a full-priced game; if it came in at $40 like Binding of Issac Afterbirth+? Then maybe we'd be in business. Character Roster: Last year's Street Fighter V launched with 16 characters. Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS launched with 51 characters. To be worth the price of admission, ARMS needs to launch with (at least) 12 characters. Street Fighter fans complained loudly about the small original roster when SFV came out, but keep in mind that ARMS is a new IP, not a sequel. To imagine it premiering with dozens of characters like Smash would be far from reasonable. No, for a new IP with fresh ideas and gameplay, 12 would actually be a great deal of variety, especially if each had slight perks and control differences like the first five do now. We've only seen one villain so far, and since I expect the representation between the two sides will be equal, we'll (hopefully) see many more of Master Mummy's pals. Campaign/Arcade Mode: Almost as essential as an expanded character roster, a campaign mode would do wonders for ARMS for several reasons. ARMS is part of the fighting genre, one of the most repetitive gaming genres out there next to sports and racing. So naturally, the game can't just consist of single-player and local/online multiplayer (though all of those are confirmed). No, there has to be a reason for why you're fighting. Fight Night was so successful and beloved by fans because it had a deep single-player story about the player's rise to the top. If ARMS has nothing but an Exhibition mode, it'll be fun, but it'll also be seen as having much less value to the consumer. Even if it's just a simple Arcade mode (what Smash 4 and many Soul Caliber games have), it'll be better than nothing. Player value is the key here. Plenty of Stages: In the vein of player value, a variety of stages is a no brainer. During the treehouse stream they referred to one stage as "Master Mummy's stage," so that may imply that each character has their own stage aside from the standard arena. As long as the stages feel different and offer a variety of gameplay options (they really seem to be going all out with trampolines) it should be fine. Unlockables: Replayability. That'll be another major key to making ARMS worth full retail price. Alternate costumes is an obvious choice, as is unlocking other, more exclusive ARMS in the campaign or after winning enough online matches. But what about catch phrases? Whenever a character wins, they say a catchphrase and pose. Unlocking alternate catchphrases could be a fun bonus. Leaderboards: ARMS already awards points based on hits and combos--why not offer global leaderboards? A ranking system similar to Pokken Tournament would also be welcome. Difficulty Settings: This MUST be there for single-player modes. It goes without saying, but you never know.
Leaderboards: ARMS already awards points based on hits and combos--why not offer global leaderboards? A ranking system similar to Pokken Tournament would also be welcome. Solid Online Service: Nintendo is charging for online now, so hopefully the online service will be better than ever. No lag, no sudden disruption, no long wait times to get into a match. It all has to work at least as good as it did on the Wii U if not better. DLC: New characters/skins? Sign me up! If it's free, I'm all for job if it's paid DLC, there has to be enough for the value to be there. But supporting the game after launch either way is a great sign for its longevity. I'm incredibly interested to see where ARMS goes, and hopefully it'll be a sleeper hit like SnipperClips is shaping up to be. It isn't set to release until Spring, so we've got a few months to wait and see! --Brent Hello and welcome to Cream Basics! It's great to be back with the final part of my 3-Part Retrospective on the Nintendo Switch Presentation. For this last segment, I'm focusing on what's perhaps the biggest concern for the Switch right now (aside from launch games)--third-party support. The way the internet exploded after the show, you'd have thought there weren't at least 15 third-party games shown. We're going to take a look at all of them here. Dragon Quest 10&11: If there's one developer that's behind the Switch more than any other, it's Square Enix. The developer has a whopping total of FIVE games coming to the system, and those are just the ones announced for this year. Dragon Quest 11 looks especially promising--it's beautiful on the PS4, and its sprawling open world is reminiscent of Xenoblade Chronicles X. Fire Emblem Warriors: There's going to be a Dragon Quest Direct on January 18th, and though I doubt that we'll hear a release date for FE Warriors before Fall, the devs behind Hyrule Warriors certainly have my interest peaked. Fire Emblem has gradually been growing as one of Nintendo's AAA franchises since Awakening (my first introduction to the series), and I couldn't be more excited to play with all my favorite characters from both that game and Fates. Shin Megami Tensei: Atlus' most revered baby next to Persona, SMT's name rings loud around the hardcore JRPG scene. A new iteration exclusive to Nintendo's new console would be huge to this demographic, and even if it's not exclusive, it'll still be a plus. (But really, hope it's exclusive!) Project Octopath Traveller: The most disappointingly named game of the night came from the Square team behind the beloved Bravely series. The art style harkens back to Final Fantasy Tactics, which is by all means a compliment. A Facebook page was just started for the game by the development team, so we'll be learning a whole lot more about it in the coming months! Sonic Mania: Thank goodness this didn't get passed over by SEGA. There was legitimate confusion when Sonic Mania was announced and the Switch's logo was nowhere to be found. Now we thankfully have confirmation that, yes, this is indeed coming to the system. A vague 2017 release hovers in the air for all consoles, but it's a definite win for the Switch nonetheless. Bomberman R: Oh look, Konami made a game. Bomberman 64 was one of my favorite Nintendo 64 games, and many other gamers of yesteryear (I'm only 23, mind you) have fond memories of the series. However, the demo looks incredibly low budget, with cringeworthy textures and animations. It's a launch day exclusive for the Switch, and yet the lack of resources put into it make it feel less like a pleasant surprise and more like "you really don't care about this console, do you?" All that said, if the gameplay is there, it'll sell. Ultra Street Fighter II: A re-release of the classic fighter with all the characters from Super Street Fighter II, two "new" characters, a new co-op mode and the ability to switch between HD and classic graphics? And it's an exclusive? Price this right and it'll be an instant must-have for Switch owners. Everything Else Shown:
FAST RMX--Includes the Wii U dlc, plus 6 new courses, 5 new racers and 1080p/60fps all around. Truly beautiful game. Skyrim--Not even HD Remastered version? Dang. I Am Setsuna--Pretty and unique, though there's been mixed feedback on the game. Has Been Heroes--Could be a fun indie title. Disgara 5 Complete--Actually reallly excited for this one! Looks to be a crasy, over the top fun rpg. And it's releasing in March! Rime--Interested, but haven't seen enough. Puyo Puyo Tetris--Fun, fast-paced puzzler. Loved Puyo Pop on the DS. Shovel Knight--The Knight strikes again! FIFA--Welp...I guess this is good for Europe? Dragon Quest Heroes 1&2--You can never have enough rpgs, but man. Merry Switchmas! Third-Party Software Grade: B-. I know what some of you are thinking--Brent, how could you give such an absence of huge AAA third-party games like Final Fantasy XV and Battlefield 1 anything more than a C!?!? To me, the third-party offerings are appealing enough to where I'm not hurting for Titanfall 2 or Overwatch. Would it be cool to have those? Sure, but as someone who cuts their teeth on jrpgs, there's so much to look forward to here. At the same time, I know that Nintendo didn't hit it out of the park with their third-party support, and I was genuinely disappointed that there weren't any major games announced that would've sent shockwaves through the gaming world. In the end, though, I'm more positive than negative, and am cautiously hopeful that Nintendo has some aces up their sleeves. And there you have it guys! The end of the massive retrospective we did on the Nintendo Switch Presentation. In the end, the presentation averaged out to a B-. It's been both a lot of fun and a lot of work, so I hope you'll come back Thursday to hear my impressions of the Fire Emblem direct! Cheers til then! -Brent Welcome back family! In Parts 2 and 3 of the Retrospective, we're going to be taking a look at the software lineup for the Switch in the order that it was revealed Thursday night. Part 2 will focus on first-party software announced, and then Part 3 tomorrow will focus on third-party announcements. There's a lot to go over here, so sit somewhere cozy and enjoy! Section 2: First-Party Software 1-2 Switch: Fun, silly party game. Instant callback to the Wii with hints of WarioWare thrown in for good measure. General reception ranged from "Oh no, Nintendo, not again!" to "Meh, it'll be fun for families." Pack-in would've been ideal, $20 would've been great, but at $50 it's a severely hard sell. Maybe if there's 50 mini games inside? ARMS: Colorful, vibrant new IP that's not getting as much love as it deserves based on most of the reactions I've seen. The intense boxing gameplay looks fun and challenging, the art style is striking, and it's one of the games that takes advantage of the Joy-Con's motion controls (which are optional! Long play sessions will be possible). Only 5 playable characters and 4 stages have been shown so far, but if there's double that plus an arcade/story mode (both online and local multiplayer play have been confirmed as well), it could be a solid launch window title. Splatoon 2: YESSSSSSS!!!!! Ahem. The sequel to my favorite game of all time, the game from which this blog took its name, has been announced. Literally everyone leading up to the event seemed sure that it'd be a port, and here we are getting a full-fledged sequel! New and returning weapons, new stages (and remixed ones), all-new specials, new music, revamped hub world, seemingly new story beats and (finally!) a spectator mode have all been shown off over the course of the last few days. Some people feel like it looks too similar to the original, but it looks better to me personally. This is easily going to be a day 1 purchase, and probably the only reason (as of now) that I'd pay for Nintendo's new premium online service. Super Mario Odyssey: Absolutely gorgeous game. Reactions across the board have been glowing with positivity, especially at the fact that it's an open sandbox-type game in the vein of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. My jaw was dropped the entire trailer! There's so much possibility with this game, it's incredible. The only things that rubbed a couple people the wrong way were seeing Mario in a city environment and Odyssey being a holiday title. But hey, at least you know there's something to look forward to. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Strangely, this wasn't formally shown at the presentation; there were small clips of it throughout, but no title or release date were given. It was only afterwards was this info released and an official trailer was put on Nintendo's YouTube: Deluxe, coming out April 28th. It'll feature all of the dlc from the first version, a /fantastic/ value for those who never picked that one up like me. The game will also include what looks like 5 new characters (including Inklings!), a new Splatoon-based track, a couple returning items, and a revamped battle mode featuring bomb battles and balloon battles, something fans have been clamoring for for years. Owners of the Wii U installment may not find enough here to warrant a second purchase, however, and consequently this revamp wasn't too much of a highlight for many people. Snipperclips: Cute little co-op puzzling game where you and a partner control characters designed as colorful pieces of paper and work together to cut yourselves into a variety of shapes. This game went fairly under the radar, though people have been reporting good things about it from the Nintendo Treehouse event on Friday. It luckily has a single-player mode in addition to the co-op, and only retails for $20. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Nintendo agonizingly teased it's release towards the end of the presentation, and yet it was totally worth it! The trailer they showed was one of the best trailers I've ever seen for anything, and if you haven't seen it yet (or even if you have) I included it below for your viewing pleasure. The cherry on top: it's coming out at launch! After years of waiting, everyone will finally be able to play this game. I haven't seen anyone who hasn't been absolutely floored with this so far, but at the same time many are claiming that Zelda alone won't be a system seller. It looks like we'll just have to wait and see in the weeks following March 3rd. First-Party Software Grade: B+. Everything Nintendo showed looked fantastic (except, you know, 1-2 Switch...), but they were almost all games we knew about. ARMS ended up being a pleasant surprise (one that I'm really hopeful for), and I've actually heard nothing but great feedback on Snipperclips, but there weren't enough new to games announced to fill out the first-party roster this year. Will more probably come at E3? Definitely. But Nintendo needed to smash this presentation. On the bright side, aside from 1-2 Switch and Snipperclips, I'm already looking at 5 must-buy games this year, and that's not even counting third parties. That wraps it up for my coverage of the first-party Nintendo titles coming to the Nintendo Switch. Look out for Part 3 tomorrow, and have a Happy Sunday! --Brent Man, what a week. Welcome back to Cream Basics and another installment of Essential Sundays, where I round up the top three YouTube videos you need to watch from the previous week. Unsurprisingly, this week is once again all about the Switch following its massive presentation on Thursday night. These are my top picks for getting all the information you need! Easy Allies Switch Presentation LivestreamWhile there were dozens of Switch presentation livestreams that went up Thursday night, the "group of friends" atmosphere is what sets the Easy Allies' stream apart from the rest. These guys are genuinely excited for the reveal, and they offer honest reactions and lighthearted humor throughout. I'd just recommend skipping through their pre-show to the actual presentation if you haven't watched it yet--they go over some rumors that end up being spoilers. 59:00 is the perfect starting point. IGN's In-Depth Hardware WalkthroughI thought I'd seen everything available about the console until IGN released their in-depth walk through. Here you learn about key features, stats, and a thorough look at the Switch that you won't find anywhere else. They struck gold with this video. GameXplain's Hands-On Impressions of the SwitchSimilarly to livestreams, there are a ton of hands-on videos circulating from some of the biggest YouTubers (heck, even Casey Neistat went back to YouTube to vlog his experience there). The crazy thing about this impressions video is that there isn't even any gameplay featured--the discussion around it is just that great. GameXplain are known for having classic gaming discussions, and this one is no different.
I hope you all enjoyed this expansive look at Nintendo Switch coverage, and come back later today for Part 2 of the presentation retrospective! --Brent Well friends, it finally happened. The Nintendo Switch was revealed at last, and reactions to it have been pretty mixed. The general consensus seems to be that while there were bright spots here and there, the presentation as a whole fell flat. And I'd agree with that, though I think I'm a bit more positive than most. Enough stalling though--Let's have quick impressions of everything that occurred Thursday night! (These consist of both my impressions and impressions I collected from various YouTubers live streaming the event and their chats). Section 1: Hardware Release Date: Hearing that the release date is March 3rd was a huge shock--every single YouTuber and journalist covering Switch developments that I'd followed had predicted a mid-late March launch. Positive reactions all around! Price: $299.99. Not the magic number of $249.99 that most were expecting, but hey, that's the risk that feeding into rumors runs. While initially disappointing, this price is still relatively competitive for the market, not so much higher that people won't pay it, and seems to be justified by the tech in the Joy-Con. The fact that the Joy-Con Grip and Joy-Con straps are included also doesn't hurt. However, what does hurt is 1-2 Switch not being a pack-in title like Wii Sports was so long ago. I wrote a more extensive piece on this over at Goomba Stomp (I'll link it at the end), but essentially, I think it could both sell systems and generate buzz for the Switch if it was bundled. Paid Online: Something I had been wanting (and wrote about in my Predictions post) but a lot of other people were upset about. Seriously, people are furious that they have to pay a yearly fee starting in the Fall. I was excited about this originally because I anticipate it only costing about $60 (like Xbox Gold and PlayStation Plus) and getting free games every month. However, it's since been outlined on their website that only NES and SNES games will be available, and even then they'll only be playable for a month. Sooo yeah...not the paid service I was hoping for. Region-free: Nothing bad about this. A pleasant surprise! Hardware Introduction Videos: Clean and succinct, confirmed USB-C and 8-console local connectivity. though,Live Showcasing of the Joy-Con: Unnecessary, plain and simple. Most people who watched this presentation had already seen the reveal trailer back in October, and thus had already grasped the concept of the controllers. Yes, we found out that Amiibo could be read using the analog stick and had the SL and SR buttons on the inside of the Joy-Con confirmed, sure, but that could've been left to the on-screen hardware presentation beforehand.
Joy-Con Functionality Video: Nice that we get color variations. Wrist straps: meh. Genuinely interested to learn more about the HD rumble, but ice cube analogy became a joke to many of the people I watched. The new IR capability also seemed interesting, but a live demonstration would've sold the concept more. Hardware Grade: B-. The Switch hardware looks amazing, don't get me wrong, but the fact that they lead with it for 15min. before a single game was announced killed the hype so many people had built up for the presentation. The beginning was crucial, and yet it was executed in a way that was more for investors than fans. There's so much more to unpack about the presentation, so check back again tomorrow for Part 2 of the retrospective! Take care! 1-2 Switch Article: https://www.goombastomp.com/1-2-switch-couldve-next-wii-sports/ It's almost here guys! The Nintendo Switch presentation at Tokyo Big Sight (pictured above) is finally happening tomorrow, and the hype from the Nintendo community (and the gaming community at large) is absolutely insane right now. This January 12th presentation has such high expectations to live up to, it's hard not to feel a bit bad for the Big N; no matter what they do or present, there's no way everyone's going to be satisfied. With that in mind, I'm going to give both what I want and what I predict will happen at tomorrow's conference. That way, you can get compare and contrast your wishes and realistic expectations with mine. Let's get to it! Price: What I want: $250 base model (Switch, dock, grip), $300 deluxe model (Switch, dock, grip, extra storage, limited edition color scheme). What I predict: $250 base model (Switch, dock, grip), $350 deluxe model (Switch, dock, grip, pro controller, pack-in game, limited edition color scheme). The real difference here is the inclusion of a pro controller in the deluxe bundle which causes the price to skyrocket. I don't know about you guys, but I'll be fine with the grip as my home controller--that's an extra $50 I could be spending on games! Launch Games: What I want: Breath of the Wild confirmed for launch, as well as Splat2n and some high quality, cheaper indie titles (think Stardew Valley). What I predict: Breath of the Wild at launch, "enhanced ports" of Splatoon and Mario Kart 8, and the Mario/Raving Rabbids rpg. Breath of the Wild not making launch would be horrible, though naturally I'd rather they release it when it's ready. Splatoon being a sequel would easily make my most anticipated game, and it being a launch title (which isn't too out there seeing as it's almost been two years since the first Splatoon came out) would be a dream! Virtual Console: What I want: The virtual console rebranded as Classics, a buy-once-own-forever system, regular sales on Classics titles and an updated, slick UI. What I predict: No name change, a buy-once-own-forever system, and GameCube virtual console games. Nintendo really needs to flaunt their crazy-impressive library of games, and do it in an intuitive fashion. The Classics label and an updated UI would do wonders. Online Infrastructure:
What I want: An online experience where I can communicate with other people online (both by text and voice chat) and where I can send friend requests to people I play with. I want to log in to my Switch and feel connected and welcome, not restrained or shut-off. As the only person in my group of friends who's getting the Switch, I really want to be able to connect with others and have a robust, interactive friends list. Also, I think having a paid online service with monthly "free" games akin to PSN would be amazing. While I enjoy not having to pay for online play, getting free classic or indie games on a monthly basis would more than make up for it. What I predict: A complete DNA-helmed revamp of their online interface. I really, really, really hope that my want comes true here. While I imagine they'd revamp their online service (especially because they're working with DNA now), it's hard to tell to what extent. The paid online feature is more of a stretch, but it could also be a great extra revenue stream for Nintendo. Accessories: What I want: A quality and reasonably priced carrying case (around the $15 mark), official game-inspired joycon and dock plates/decals like the ones above (photoshopped, but could become a reality!), and a proprietary Nintendo headset. What I predict: A carrying case and cartridge cases. Third-party accessory manufacturers have already made Switch carrying cases and game card cases--what it really comes down to is the pricing. While anything officially from Nintendo would likely be at a premium, it'd also probably have a better build quality, so consumers could choose whichever they prefer. Well, that's about it for my predictions so far guys! I hope you're as hyped as I am for the event tomorrow night!!! I'll be over at the Commonwealth Realm livestream, so stop by and say hi! --Brent Happy Sunday everyone! Every Sunday we're going to look at some YouTube videos that I think really deserve more attention. Naturally, it's all about the Switch this past week as everyone is eagerly anticipating the huge January 12th reveal. So sit back, get comfy, and enjoy some of this week's most essential videos! Go Nintendo Responds to the IGN PlayStation Team's Remarks on the SwitchSo for some reason, early last week IGN decided it'd be a great idea to have their PlayStation team give their thoughts on the Nintendo Switch. It's certainly worth a listen, and Go Nintendo includes clips of it here as well as a thorough rebuttal. Spawn Wave Analyzes Rumored 30min Charge Times for the SwitchFollowing analysis by several YouTubers of the Switch reveal trailer, it was discovered that there's what looks like a USB-C port on the bottom of the system. New and prominent channel in the Switch news cycle Spawn Wave takes a closer look at what this could realistically mean for the system's charge time. SwitchForce Shares Personal System Launch StoriesOur last entry of the day is a series of heartfelt reflections by the SwitchForce crew. There's nothing quite like recalling memorable system launches as a gamer, and with the Switch launch quickly approaching, the trio each tells an entertaining tale of full of nostalgia.
Happy YouTubing, and I'll see you all again on Wednesday! --Brent Hello and welcome to Cream Basics! After a year and a half hiatus I'm back and more excited than ever to give you a peek into my mind and bring you guys some quality gaming articles. Thank you for your patience.
If you're new here, you're probably coming from Goomba Stomp. Welcome! It's such a blessing having the opportunity to write for the site, and I've genuinely been welcomed with open arms. That's really what lit the fire under me to start the blog up again--there's so much I want to say about so many things gaming-related, and this blog is perfect for capturing my thoughts on everything less-formal than my work at GS. So, what can you expect? Short think pieces. This year is shaping up to be a banner year for Nintendo. Hear my thoughts on everything as it happens (here and at Goomba Stomp) and let's talk about it together. Weekly YouTube Updates. One of my favorite little series before the break were the YouTube Updates where I highlighted a few videos each week that I thought deserved more exposure. Occasional Mobile Spotlights. It's getting harder and harder to deny the quality of some mobile titles, and though I consider myself a "hardcore gamer," I also love gaming on my phone. If you give me (and these games) a chance, I swear you won't be disappointed. Mini Reviews. Bite-sized looks at a wide variety of games. I'll cover some new titles as well as some older ones I think deserve a little more love. I'm beyond excited for the future of Nintendo, gaming as a whole, and the future of this blog. Let's go through this New Year together! --Brent |
Archives
January 2017
Categories
All
|