[huckleberrypie]

There, just updated PHPBB to the latest build, as there has been a security issue plaguing the previous revisions. And I am not sure about the future of this board either, as there's way too little activity to justify running this site anyway.

[cpd2009]

There, just updated PHPBB to the latest build, as there has been a security issue plaguing the previous revisions. And I am not sure about the future of this board either, as there's way too little activity to justify running this site anyway.

For one, I would be saddened to see this website go, but Angel and Prue haven't been very active on here, and David is never coming back. But, with so little activity, I would completely understand your decision to close down the board.

[huckleberrypie]

There, just updated PHPBB to the latest build, as there has been a security issue plaguing the previous revisions. And I am not sure about the future of this board either, as there's way too little activity to justify running this site anyway.

For one, I would be saddened to see this website go, but Angel and Prue haven't been very active on here, and David is never coming back. But, with so little activity, I would completely understand your decision to close down the board.

Yeah, though I also do plan on selling the board to an interested party who can continue on where I left off anyway.

[cpd2009]

Though hardly anyone visits this board anymore, perhaps I should go ahead and rant a bit. I already went off on Nintendo, but now, I turn my focus on the Wii U.

I wanted to like the Wii U, and admittedly, I do... a little. The initial presentation was so promising... a tablet controller that would allow you to experience games in a new way along with the ability to control your TV viewing. Real 1080p HD graphics too! Last year, I finally purchased my Wii U to much excitement. Over time though, that excitement waned and at times I have a bit of buyers remorse. Nintendo's first-party games are good as always. (yes, I like StarFox Zero no matter what anyone else says) But that's one of the many problems with the Wii U... it was Nintendo's titles dominating the system. They skimped on the hardware once again, giving the Wii U similar performance to previous gen systems like the Xbox 360. Third party support was thus very limited and ports ended up becoming gimped or subject to performance issues. Many third parties skipped the Wii U altogether.

The tablet controller is hit or miss. Shovel Knight makes great use of it, acting as the inventory screen so you don't have to pause the game to activate your items. Other games simply duplicated what was on the TV, or didn't use it at all. The battery life is also poor, coming in at around 4 hours tops. The eShop wasn't much better, being very light with virtual console releases and being loaded with shovelware and other cheaply made games. Nintendo also really didn't invest in the development of online gameplay. I'm not a fan of online gameplay yet, but I can tell it's not as advanced as Xbox Live or PSN. Nintendo has tight reins on what is allowed on their network and Miiverse. Wanna talk about Project M? Get ready for the banhammer since Nintendo considers talk of Project M "illegal activity" as that game is a mod of Super Smash Bros Brawl.

I was a fan of the original Wii even though it had the motion control gimmick. It suffered from many of the problems the Wii U has (lower performance, lack of third party support), but it was Nintendo's best selling console because of the motion control gimmick. Despite lack of third parties, the Wii seemed to have many more games released for it than the Wii U. Once you get past the motion gimmick and shovelware, the Wii has a very diverse library of fun and interesting titles. The Wii U simply lacks all that. Hell, even the 3DS has more interesting games than the Wii U and you can play DS/DSi games to boot.

To that end, I decided that at latest opportunity, I will sell off my Wii U and Wii U games and accessories. It will be hard to get rid of it, but I simply don't have the time or resources to support a system that doesn't have much going for it anymore. I will keep my Wii games as I plan on acquiring a used Wii console with GameCube compatibility. Nintendo kind of let me down here, and given the recent rumors of their upcoming Switch, they may end up messing it up yet again. There is even news going around that Nintendo is pulling existing stock of Wii U consoles from major retail stores in the USA, though it hasn't been officially verified.

It's a good thing Mighty No 9 is on Steam. Yes. I like that game. It's not great and has it's problems, but I find it fun regardless. The upcoming Yooka Laylee is slated for PC release as well, and Pearl will come in handy for these games. Now I just need a wireless Xbox PC controller....

[huckleberrypie]

To say the least, Nintendo's basically causing their own fall from grace, just like what Nokia and Atari did. A number of commentators already reiterated that the big N's biggest nemesis is nothing but themselves, yet the company hasn't apparently learned from their mistakes.

[cpd2009]

Remember how I said that it will be hard to get rid of my Wii U? Well, I'm having second thoughts about it. Take this pro and con. The Wii U has a lot of cons that I described earlier, but a definite pro is the excellent first-party titles which are typical for Nintendo systems. While watching some YouTube videos talking about whether or not the Wii U is still worth anything, I saw Mario Kart 8. It looks amazing for a Mario Kart game. I'm also a tad interested in Devil's Third despite that games reputation.

Stay tuned.. I may end up selling off something else instead, if at all.

[cpd2009]

You heard me air my complaints about Nintendo's business practices, but now, let me talk about them in a positive manner.

There's no denying it. Most of Nintendo's first party games are still good fun to play, and lately, I have been wanting to give some of their more recent game releases a try.

To start, I played through Super Mario 3D Land and it's Wii U sequel last year. For those who don't know, Super Mario 3D Land is a game that combines the linear aspects of the old-style SMB games while introducing a free-roaming play style introduced in Super Mario 64. This allows the games to have a bit more depth and challenge, and can also create far more immersive environments. Both of these games have brought a new gameplay experience that breaks the monotony of the previous "New" SMB releases games, and the Wii U sequel is by far the most original Mario title in many years and it's not just a simple MissionPackSequel. I still await a proper "New" SMB sequel in the form of a veggie-throwing platformer similar to SMB2 or a proper sequel to Super Mario Galaxy, but these games will do just fine.

Second game I played last year is StarFox Zero. It's had it's share of criticism for Miyamoto's decision to include mandatory motion controls with the Wii U GamePad. To aim, you have to move the gamepad, and you must focus on both the main screen and the gamepad to play through the game properly. I was able to adjust to this control and have lots of fun. Many others hate it and wished they had a more traditional control scheme. They also decry that it's a rather weak effort story wise. It's another reboot of the StarFox franchise, taking elements from StarFox 64 while changing things up a bit. I do agree with the latter point of the story being a rehash in parts, but I still had a lot of fun.

Third is Yoshi's New Island for the Nintendo 3DS. Chronologically, this game takes place right after SMB2: Yoshi's Island and right before Yoshi's Island DS. Much like the first one, you guide Baby Mario through the game using various colored Yoshis, while throwing eggs at enemies and question clouds to obtain items and stars. There are also the collectables to achieve 100% completion. First time I played, I wasn't too impressed as I felt the design of the game started to get way too childish compared to the SNES classic. Recently, I took another try at the game, and it's starting to grow on me. Many of the level secrets are well hidden and some of the levels are a bit challenging. It's a decent game so far.

Fourth is one I have been occasionally playing on and off... Animal Crossing New Leaf. My town is slowly improving and I plan on investing a bit more time in it this year. An update was recently released called "Welcome amiibo". This lets you use various amiibo figures and cards to unlock new content and potentially invite new villagers to move into your town. It's an obvious money making strategy, but I do eventually plan on trying it out. I need an additional NFC reader for my own 3DS since it's the original release model. I have no current plans to acquire a "New" 3DS XL.

And now, my current game I'm playing through is Mario Kart 8 for Wii U. So far, it has the best graphics of any Mario Kart game and the first to have DLC. They released a free Mercedes-Benz DLC featuring three types of cars, along with Zelda and Animal Crossing DLC with characters and courses based on those two franchises. Believe me, it's highly amusing having Isabelle driving one of those Mercedes-Benz DLC cars.

As for other Nintendo franchises, I have the itch to try the newer Zelda games and possibly get Super Smash Bros for the 3DS. People do say wonderful things about the newer Zelda games, but the only games I completed are the NES original (first quest only) and IIRC, Zelda 2. I think. I played through a bit of A Link to the Past on SNES, but lost interest. I'm thinking of playing through A Link to the Past first, or getting Majora's Mask 3D.

I haven't forgotten third party titles. Some third party games Wii U games I want are DuckTales Remastered, Shantae Half-Genie Hero, Sonic Lost World, and Snoopy's High Flying Adventure. Yooka Laylee was coming to the Wii U, but it's being moved over to the Switch. Most of the retail Wii U discs are games actually worth playing, unlike the Wii which was flooded with shovelware and cheap motion-control games. As for 3DS third party titles, I have my eye on "Pinball Arcade: The Williams Collection" and maybe Rayman 3D.

Now, I leave you with the results of mixing Mercedes-Benz with Animal Crossing...

[huckleberrypie]

"An Animal Crossing character on a Mercedes Benz. Your argument is invalid,"

Seriously though, was it just me or am I thinking about having someone rip the said vehicles off MK8 and port them to The Sims as toy vehicles children might ride on? Or perhaps a GTA vehicle for the lulz.

[huckleberrypie]

There, as much as I am uneasy about migrating to another board software, I thought it wouldn't hurt to do the big move considering how insecure PHPBB is.

[cpd2009]

Looks like MyBB is working so far. I kind of miss the large avatars, but perhaps that can be adjusted?

Anyway, Nintendo Switch time! I just got done watching the entire live presentation, and from what I got, I'm almost ready to pre-order this thing. First off, the basics.

The Switch will release on March 3rd, and retail for $299.99 USD. It comes with the system, a dock, two detachable JoyCon controllers with wrist straps, an HDMI cable and a USB-C power adapter. The system will use game cartridges and will have no region locking. There will be a capacitive touch screen and the JoyCon controllers will act as motion controllers as well.

Among the games featured, there is a confirmed Skyrim port along with a new Xenoblade Chronicles sequel, a Fire Emblem game, a new RPG from Square Enix, Splatoon 2, a new original IP called ARMS, and the best one of all IMO, Super Mario Odyssey. The final game along is what is making me consider going for a pre-order, even though that game won't release until Holiday 2017. It's the best looking Mario game ever with detailed textures and a 60fps framerate. It's also an open-world game like Super Mario 64 and it's setting is also atypical for a Mario game. And yes, there is the new Zelda game, but I'm not a die hard Zelda fan. It looks good though.

Only one game was featured that seems gimmicky... 1-2 Switch. It's a game that is essentially a tech demo for the JoyCon's wireless capabilities. You and another player take a JoyCon and you play with your own facial expressions. It's a reaction-type of game meant for parties with the main Switch screen being secondary to the experience. It really makes it feel like a Wii-based game and harkens back to the days when Nintendo marketed to casuals, but as evidenced with the rest of the presentation, they are going after more than casuals with the Switch.

The Switch really could be a hit for Nintendo. The presentation was well done and showcased the games and basic features. What is still unknown is the underlying OS and the various software features the console will have. They didn't even announce the launch lineup yet, but since the release date is fast approaching, it's going to come soon no doubt.

You impressed me Nintendo, and you seem to be learning from your mistakes. Can you keep it up and make the Switch the success you need?