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gamersonthego · 4 years

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GOTG SP 8: The N64 Transfer Pak

A version of this posted is featured in episode 151 of The Casual Hour podcast.

Sparsely supported, finicky and a bit convoluted, the Nintendo 64 Transfer Pak is one of Nintendo’s many long forgotten peripherals, but it’s one I have a deep fondness for as a handheld gamer. In telling you its history, maybe you’ll learn why.

The Nintendo 64’s controller had a built-in expansion port in the back, originally designed to hold the console’s Controller Pak memory card unit. The Controller Pak would eventually fall out of favor: partly due to the more widespread practice of utilizing the N64 cartridge’s integrated storage, and partly because of the growing appeal of the N64 Rumble Pak that launched with Star Fox 64/Lylat Wars a year after in 1997.

But those two devices would not be the only uses of the controller expansion port. Nintendo would create the Transfer Pak, allowing the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy line of consoles to be able to connect and talk to one another, and they’d debut it with their biggest handheld franchise: Pokemon.

The Transfer Pak would launch in North America on February 29, 2000, bundled with copies of Pokemon Stadium. Japan would actually get in much earlier, August 1, 1998, with Pocket Monsters Stadium, a much more basic game that only featured 42 of the original 151 Pokemon (just the fully evolved forms…except for Raichu, who was replaced with franchise mascot, Pikachu). Both versions would use the Transfer Pak in the same ways: You could send over your Pokemon from Red, Blue and Yellow (and Green in Japan), and have them battle in Stadium’s various tournament cups. You could also examine your Pokemon and items, arrange them in your PC in a much more efficient way than on the Game Boy, trade Pokemon between cartridges and (perhaps most notably for GOTG fans) play your Game Boy Pokemon games on your TV through a built-in emulator. Even better, optional Doduo and Dodrio modes (unlocked by completing the games Poke and Prime Cups) would allow you to play these emulated versions 2x and 3x faster respectively.

Pokemon Stadium would go on to be the 6th best-selling N64 game, totaling almost 5.5 million copies. With that many Transfer Paks in the wild (even more as Nintendo also sold the accessory by itself), you might think other developers would take advantage of that hardware. They…would not. Outside of Japan, the N64 Transfer Pak only supports six games. You already know about Pokemon Stadium, so let’s break down the other five.

In Camelot’s Mario Golf, players could bring over their Game Boy Color campaign character to the N64 version to compete in tournaments and mini-games. Playing with your character in the N64 Mario Golf gains them experience that can then be transferred back to the GBC version (and your N64 scores could also be brought back over to display in your GBC game).

Camelot also made Mario Tennis, and it has a little more going on with the Transfer Pak. Similar to Mario Golf, you could bring over your GBC campaign character (and doubles partner) and play with them in the N64 game, but instead of being a temporary thing like in Golf, in Tennis, they’d be unlocked permanently. In addition, linking the games unlocked Yoshi, Wario, Waluigi and Bowser in the GBC game, as well as four mini-games featuring those characters. And if you completed those mini-games on the GBC, you could then link your games again to unlock four more tennis courts on the N64 version. I did all of this as a kid. Because Mario Tennis rules.

Connecting the Mickey’s Speedway USA games would get you Huey as a playable racer on the N64 version and...well, that’s it. Do you even remember which of Donald Duck’s nephews is Huey? It’s the red one.

So if you love this knockoff Mario Kart game (made by Rare) so much you’d buy both a $50 N64 game and a $30 GBC game, I mean, this is a thing you can do with them.

But Mickey’s Speedway USA wouldn’t be Rare’s only foray into the Transfer Pak. They’d also use it with Perfect Dark. Connecting the GBC Perfect Dark to the N64 version would net you four of the N64 game’s cheats: Hurricane Fists, Cloaking Device, R-Tracker (which makes it easier to find special weapon caches) and All Guns in Solo, which you’d otherwise only be able to unlock by beating the final mission on the hardest difficulty in under five minutes and thirty seconds…which you can only even attempt if you’ve already beaten every other stage on the hardest difficulty.

That’s not all that was originally planned for Perfect Dark though. The N64 Perfect Dark was also supposed to connect to the Game Boy Camera, letting you take a picture of your face and map it onto multiplayer characters. Rare officially stated that technical problems were the reason the feature was ultimately cut, but it should also be noted that we were a little less than a year out from the Columbine High School shooting at the time, and video games were still a favored target for politicians looking to be tough on gun violence without…y’know…doing anything about the actual guns themselves. A similar type of feature would be used in the Japan-only Mario Artist: Talent Studio, allowing you to use transfer faces over to avatar characters and use them in animations. Those characters could then be further transferred into a Japan-only SimCity 64 where they could live in your virtual town. Sounds complicated, but awesome.

The final game should be fairly obvious: Pokemon Stadium 2. While this version wasn’t bundled with the Transfer Pak like its predecessor, it did use the Transfer Pak to its fullest extent. Like the previous Stadium, it let you play with, arrange and trade your Pokemon from the Game Boy games, this time including Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal. But you could also trade items between cartridges, use Pokemon Stadium to unlock Mystery Gifts and redecorate your portable game’s room in 3D. Of course, like in Stadium, Stadium 2 also let you play your GB and GBC Pokemon games on TV with the built-in emulator. Hackers have gone on to open this feature up to work with a limited set of non-Pokemon games as well. It’s not as functional as Nintendo’s Wide-Boy 64, but since that thing was never officially released this hack is the closest thing to having a Super Game Boy on your N64.

And that’s pretty much it. Japan had 12 additional games that worked with the Transfer Pak, notably PD Ultraman Battle Collection 64 which was compatible with any Game Boy or Game Boy Color game as each game would unlock a random character (like in Monster Rancher or Skannerz or some games with Amiibo support). And notable for me since I’m such a fan of the series, Super Robot Wars 64 used the Transfer Pak in conjunction with the Game Boy Color’s Super Robot Taisen Link Battler to unlock additional mechs and pilots.

So despite most people only using the N64 Transfer Pak with one or two Pokemon Stadium games, it was technically a commercial success, if not a long lasting one. However, it lives on as an example of Nintendo’s experimental nature, a relic both ahead of its time and also kind of a mess. From the failures of the Virtual Boy and the E-Reader, to the flash in the pans like the Transfer Pak, to the incredible successes of the Wii, DS and Switch, Nintendo tries things other companies don’t. And it’s why I love Nintendo to this day.

But seriously, someone come over and play Mario Tennis with me.

#gotg sp #transfer pak #n64 #pokemon stadium #mario golf #mario tennis #perfect dark #mickey's speedway

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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15 Best Nintendo Multiplayer Games of All-Time

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Nintendo’s recent announcement that they’ve decided to upgrade their multiplayer servers after about 10 years of relying on the “NEX” system isn’t just a cause of celebration over the hopes of better days to come. It’s a chance to look back on the great Nintendo multiplayer games of years gone by.

It’s understandable if you don’t immediately associate Nintendo with multiplayer games, but a deeper look at the company’s history reveals a collection of classics that have led to as many memorable multiplayer matches as the genre’s heaviest hitters.

So what’s the best Nintendo multiplayer game of all-time? That’s a question we’ll try to answer as we look back at the best multiplayer games Nintendo has ever developed and published.

15. Pokemon Stadium

Granted, many fans argued that the Pokemon Stadium series never really lived up to its full potential, but for a generation of fans, this was the best way for friends to watch their Pokemon rosters fight it out.

The power of the N64 couldn’t quite match the visual elegance of the Pokemon anime, but its enhanced processing power added cinematic weight to multiplayer Pokemon battles that the GameBoy could just never replicate.

Even if the joy of Pokemon Stadium was short-lived, it’s hard to deny that it captured a unique time in Pokemon history and offered and remains strangely enjoyable in its own right.

14. Super Mario Strikers

While the Mario Golf and Mario Tennis franchises are better overall, Super Mario Strikers is arguably the most enjoyable Mario sports multiplayer experience Nintendo has ever crafted.

Clearly inspired by arcade sports games such as NFL Blitz, Super Mario Strikers’ lightning-fast gameplay still manages to stand out for both its mechanical excellence and the fact that there have been so few arcade-like soccer/football titles since that replicate this style.

It’s a shame that Strikers lacked the depth and variety of Tennis and Golf, as this early example of the concept clearly showcased its potential for multiplayer entertainment.

13. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure

While Four Swords Adventure’s hardware requirements ensured many fans never got to play it as it was meant to be played, this clever GameCube game proved that a multiplayer Zelda title could work.

Four Swords’ excellent puzzles and unique formation mechanics made the most of the additional players by using them as a way to expand the things that Zelda games traditionally do so well. The result is a game that feels more like a Zelda game only made possible through the participation of other players rather than a Zelda game you’re simply sharing with others.

Again, Four Swords could have benefited from slightly better minigames, but the core experience is substantial enough to make this experiment memorable all these years later.

12. Splatoon 2

Look, nobody considers Nintendo to be one of the best competitive multiplayer developers in gaming, but as Splatoon 2 shows, there is a kind of multiplayer game that only Nintendo could make.

If many multiplayer games are ultimately defined by how memorable the average match is, then Splatoon 2 has to be considered one of the most notable competitive experiences on the market. It’s not perfectly balanced by any means, but Splatoon’s core multiplayer mode offers enough variety and options to typically ensure few matches play out exactly alike.

Even if Splatoon 2’s quality of life issues hold it back, the heart of this experience beats hard enough to elevate it over even considerable competition.

11. Super Mario 3D World

There’s always been something enjoyable about sharing a Super Mario platformer with a friend, but it was Super Mario 3D World that properly capitalized on the true potential of that simple joy.

Through some nearly flawless level design, Super Mario 3D World makes sharing a Super Mario game nearly as enjoyable as it’s ever been. There are moments when the game specifically utilizes the extra players for unique experiences, but the joy of this game really does come down to how it allows you to share a truly classic Super Mario game with friends in a way that rarely makes you feel like they’re hindering you.

If you missed out on this game when it debuted on Wii U (which is certainly understandable), be sure to check out its upcoming Switch re-release.

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10. F-Zero GX

Even if the absence of the F-Zero series has made the heart grow fonder towards it, there is truly something special about this franchise that you just don’t find in many other racing games.

Nearly everything that makes F-Zero special can be found in the GameCube classic, F-Zero GX. Yes, this game is rightfully remembered for its blazing speed and how it leads to intense multiplayer matches, but it’s really the course design, soundtrack, and variety of vehicles that make F-Zero GX one of the most purely enjoyable competitive multiplayer games ever.

It’s been argued that it would be tough to make a modern F-Zero game considering that this title realized the concept so well, which is actually a reasonable position that does little to curb our interest in a new F-Zero.

9. Tetris 99

For many, the idea that Nintendo was making what essentially amounted to a Tetris battle royale felt like a gimmick. The popular theory was that Tetris 99 would offer a brief amusement that would gradually fade away as more Switch games became available.

Two years later, though, Tetris 99 remains one of the Switch’s best online multiplayer titles. The ability to so easily access online multiplayer Tetris is welcome enough, but Tetris 99’s unique battle royale mechanics actually add a layer of strategy that you start to miss when you play any other version of this classic.

Tetris 99 is quite simply one of the best free (minus the cost of Nintendo’s online service, of course) multiplayer games out there today.

8. Advance Wars Dual Strike

Despite the love it gets from its most adamant fans, there’s an argument to be made that this series is still deprived of the love it deserves as a genuinely great strategy series.

Much like how Dual Strike perfected many of the things that make Advance Wars great, this DS title features the best version of the series’ Battleship-like multiplayer mode that we’ve seen yet. Granted, it’s a trimmed-down version of a more robust strategy game, but the final product offers a purely enjoyable experience you can’t replicate anywhere else.

Worthwhile spiritual successors aside, this series needs to make a proper return.

7. WarioWare: Smooth Moves

The excellent WarioWare franchise and its collection of addictive minigames took a slight detour with this Nintendo Wii entry that emphasized the multiplayer mode.

The result is a truly brilliant party game the likes of which you won’t really find anywhere else. Up to 12 people can enjoy this chaotic party title even if you only have one Wii controller in the room. Actually, part of the fun of this fast-paced collection of five-second games is the frantic joy of passing the controller around in an attempt to get into position before the next game starts.

It’s absolutely time for a Nintendo Switch WarioWare game, and we hope that title features some of this gem’s best ideas.

6. Mario Party 4

The debate over the best Mario Party game will live on, but in lieu of a consensus, many fans will tell you that Mario Party 4 is among the best games in franchise history.

That also means it’s one of the most entertaining party games ever. Mario Party’s sometimes cruel randomness has always been the secret sauce that makes the whole thing work, but that madness is tempered in this entry by some genuinely great minigames and excellent board design.

At the very least, Mario Party 4 features all the things that make Mario Party the best digital board game series in the business.

5. New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U

I had to stop myself earlier from referring to Super Mario 3D World as the best multiplayer Super Mario platformer once I remembered that honor truly belongs to New Super Mario Bros. U.

Arguments about 2D Super Mario vs. 3D Super Mario aside, the defining element of this game that separates it from the back is the ability for one player to manually manipulate its levels. Not only does that mechanic result in instantly memorable experiences, but it opens the door for trolls everywhere to turn this into one of the most effective friendship destroyers ever conceived.

New Super Mario Bros. U is arguably the best multiplayer platformer ever made and a testament to the versatility of one of gaming’s greatest franchises.

4. GoldenEye 007

Yes, Perfect Dark maybe a mechanically better game, but who can deny GoldenEye its rightful place in the memories of fans everywhere?

It somehow feels vane to suggest we have anything new to say about this legendary title at this point, but one of the things you have to remember is the way that GoldenEye raised the bar for both console FPS games and local multiplayer titles.

Yes, there were bigger FPS multiplayer games on PC, but few of them replicated the feeling of playing this game with three close friends in the same room.

3. Wii Sports

There was a time when Wii Sports was mocked for its casual gameplay and motion controls in such a way that led people to question whether this was truly a great game or if we were all caught up in a moment.

The answer is a mix of both. Even if Wii Sports was a moment in time, it’s a moment many of us would gladly go back to just for the chance to play a purely enjoyable multiplayer game that appeals to nearly every demographic regardless of their skill level, experience, and perceived interest.

Few other games capture the pure pleasure of the local multiplayer experience quite like Wii Sports.

2. Super Smash Bros. Melee

Even though Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is clearly brilliant, Melee rightfully remains the definitive Smash Bros. game in the minds of many.

For many, Melee was the game that made them realize that this series was going to be so much more than a novelty sold on the basis of its basic concept. Melee instead featured a truly brilliant fighting game with surprisingly deep mechanics that shined in a multiplayer mode that offered various amusements based on the skill levels and expectations of the participants.

If Melee shipped with online multiplayer, there’s no telling how many more hours would have been lost to this all-time classic.

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The best-selling Nintendo Switch game to-date is worthy of that honor for a variety of reasons, but there’s little doubt that Mario Kart 8’s multiplayer mode is the driving force behind its otherwise unbelievable success.

The brilliance of Mario Kart’s multiplayer has always been based on its accessibility and how the game’s craziest moments oddly balance the title. Mario Kart 8 retains that quality and elevates it through the absolute finest collection of courses in franchise history as well as the most accessible online multiplayer mode in any Mario Kart game.

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There’s a strong argument to be made that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a fundamentally perfect game in terms of what it’s trying to achieve. That perfection is never more evident than after a truly great multiplayer race.

The post 15 Best Nintendo Multiplayer Games of All-Time appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3pUGpCl

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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entergamingxp · 4 years

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New Pokemon Snap Gives Me Hope for More Dormant Pokemon Spin-Offs

June 19, 2020 5:00 PM EST

With New Pokemon Snap, there are more possibilities for old Pokemon titles to gain new life after being dead in the water for so many years.

This week The Pokemon Company announced New Pokemon Snap, the long-awaited sequel to the 1999 original on the Nintendo 64. Having a second entry in the franchise was arguably the most wanted request from the Pokemon community for years, especially during the time of the Wii U where players could have used the Wii U Gamepad as the camera; quite a missed opportunity if I do say so myself.

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Nevertheless, with this announcement fans (like myself) have been clamoring for the revival of many other Pokemon spin-offs which may now actually see the light of day. Just like Pokemon Snap, there are many other Pokemon titles that deserve a second chance, including the ones you’ll find below.

Pokemon Pinball

The Pokemon Pinball series is my most beloved Pokemon spin-off. It is in my opinion the definitive version of pinball as we know it. When playing pinball, the objective is relatively simple–get the highest score–but there isn’t much more motivation than that. In Pokemon Pinball, however, you have a more engaging objective: catch all the Pokemon. The first entry of the series released on Game Boy Color in 1999, the same year as Pokemon Snap. Based on the Kanto region of Pokemon Red & Blue, the player’s objective was to catch the original 151 Pokemon. The Pokemon that you could catch would depend on which table you are playing on (Red or Blue) and which location you were at in Kanto, starting from Pallet Town all the way to the Indigo Plateau.

A followup to the original came out in 2003 called Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, which had a similar structure by allowing you to catch the entire Hoenn Pokedex along with Aerodactyl and the Johto starters Totodile, Cyndaquil, and Chikorita. With currently almost 900 Pokemon in existence, now would be more than an opportune time to have a new entry in the series.

Pokemon Stadium

Similarly to Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Stadium is one of the more beloved Pokemon side series that only got two games before never being seen again. Both games released on the Nintendo 64, but the original Stadium was the most beloved of the two. While it had its own single-player mode where you battled the gym leaders of Kanto, it also had a ton of addictive multiplayer mini-games, like eating different food as Lickitung or copying Clefairy’s directions in the classroom.

Stadium indirectly became the best party game on the N64 (sorry Mario Party and Mario Kart). The sequel, however, just didn’t seem to have as huge of a pull as the first one and sold less than half the units the original did, despite still being a great follow-up. The closest thing to a third title was Pokemon: Battle Revolution, but it was mainly just used for battling trainers with your Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum team in 3D. It would be so great seeing a traditional new game in the Stadium lineup.

Pokemon Conquest

Pokemon Conquest was the franchise’s attempt at creating a tactical-RPG title in its universe. Despite that, it didn’t really grab the attention of Western players due to its strategic nature, to the point where not even the charm of Pokemon could sell it for everyone.

However, after the major success of Fire Emblem: Awakening and even more recently Fire Emblem: Three Houses, I feel like players are more open to the idea now that if a Conquest 2 were to ever come out, that it would do much better than its predecessor. Realistically though, I doubt it will ever come to fruition.

Pokemon Colosseum/XD: Gale of Darkness

Image Credit: GameSpot

Back on the GameCube, The Pokemon Company released the first two 3D Pokemon adventures in Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness. Taking place in the Orre Region, Colosseum follows a trainer named Wes (or whatever you decide to call him) who is trying to stop an organization named Team Cipher who are using “Shadow Pokemon.” These Pokemon are identified by Rui, a girl who joins Wes on his adventure where he can “snag” these Pokemon from trainers. After using them in battle, the creatures can be purified which returns them to their natural state.

XD: Gale of Darkness is technically a sequel where you play as a new trainer named Michael, who uses a newly created “Snag Machine” that allows him to identify the Shadow Pokemon. A cool feature about these games as well is that your Pokemon could be transferred to Pokemon Ruby or Sapphire. This series of games was such a breath of fresh air that once Nintendo released the Switch, I thought that we would finally get a new Pokemon adventure that isn’t of the mainline or Let’s Go series. I doubt at this point that if there was a new title that it would be a continuation of Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness, but I would love a new addition that is similar.

Of course, there are plenty of other known spin-off games that I’m sure that Pokemon fans would love a new game for like Pokemon Puzzle League, Ranger, and Trading Card Game just to name a few, but I feel like the titles I talked about throughout are more popular and beloved than others by fans. There is so much opportunity for The Pokemon Company to bring these different series back from the dead. I hope that we see them do so sometime soon.

June 19, 2020 5:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/06/new-pokemon-snap-gives-me-hope-for-more-dormant-pokemon-spin-offs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-pokemon-snap-gives-me-hope-for-more-dormant-pokemon-spin-offs

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userwithnoname · 7 years

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been following you a while and wanted to know some game suggestions??? plz???

Oh wow, this is honestly the first time I’ve gotten an anon, I think. Huh.

Answer under the cut because this got a lot longer than I expected.

I’m going to be honest with you anon, I’m not the best person to ask about this because I’m picky as hell when it comes to games. If a story doesn’t grab me or a gameplay mechanic bothers me too much, I won’t play it. First-person shooters are a good example of this. I rarely play them because the stories all seem so similar and I honestly don’t care for first-person games (with a few exceptions). Turn based games are another example. A lot of them have great stories, but I cannot for the life of me get invested in them personally because the combat system is so disengaging. But there are always exceptions to the rule.

And then there’s the other aspect that comes into play: console and price. If you are, like me, a poor college student just wanting to spend some time elsewhere in your head, this might be the part that influences you the most. For instance, I have three gaming consoles: my laptop (which is shitty but works so), an X-box 360 (that I got with 5 games of my choice for $100), and a 3DS that was on sale used. Noticing a pattern? I only have a few games for the 360 and even less for the 3DS, most of my games are on my laptop both because it’s cheaper and because my 360 is a piece of JUNK.

Now, circling back around, Pokemon is an example of a game with a system I don’t like on a console I don’t play much. Growing up, Pokemon wasn’t really my thing. My sister and I watched the anime sometimes and we played Pokemon Stadium for the N64 (like eight years after it came out, but whatever), but the games never really caught our attention for two reasons: we didn’t have the consoles and had no exposure to the ads. About five years ago, Pokemon X and Y caught my attention because (as you will find out) I like games with a character creation process. I expected to have trouble getting invested in the game because of the turn-based style and was surprised when I didn’t. But it’s because a turn-based style in a largely stadium-esque game makes sense. Pokemon, with the exception of wild pokemon and rarely those, aren’t fighting for their lives, they’re being trained and fighting for the enjoyment of demented children. In a battle, it makes sense in-universe to take turns because it’s less about the fight and more about knowing your pokemon and reading your opponent. Whereas this doesn’t work so well in-universe in, say, Final Fantasy X.

But none of this is really answering your question.

In the simplest terms, it’s hard to recommend games to someone I don’t know and haven’t had the chance to discuss with. It really comes down to three things: console, price, and mechanics; and that’s something I really can’t help you with unless I know more.

But I can recommend games I like.

(Disclaimer, most of these games are on multiple consoles with a few exceptions, but almost all of them I have on PC because, once again, my 360 is LITERAL GARBAGE and I can’t afford an X-Box One).

(In no particular order.)

1) The Dragon Age Series.

An RPG had babies with a hack’n’slash game that then had kids with a strategy game. Dragon Age has a strong plot, decent characters, ok mechanics and gameplay, and a LOT of fandom discourse. Despite it’s flaws (which I can talk about some other time) the series is solidly one of my favorites. Character creation, choices, multiple endings, romance (or not), and ok graphics all in one package. Pretty easy to find, the first two are relatively cheap. Inquisition (the third one) is still pretty new and can be expensive.

2) Mass Effect (The Shepard Trilogy specifically).

Before you start screaming about me saying I don’t like FPS games, remember that there’s always an exception. And Mass Effect is third-person, thank you. An RPG with FPS elements, great characters, ok plot, and sometimes terrifying graphics. While not my favorite, it’s not a bad series, or at least the first 3 aren’t. I can’t afford Andromeda, so I reserve judgement until I can play it. The first three (not counting the DLC) aren’t too hard on the wallet while still getting enough bang for your buck. Availability is the issue here, especially on PC. Unless you get it through Amazon or Gamestop, you might have a hard time finding the first one specifically.

3) The Legend of Zelda.

An old personal favorite that, once again has the same problem as ME–availability. LoZ is exclusively Nintendo, and while you can hack it to play on the PC, that usually comes with a lot of bugs. It’s also a long-running franchise, so there’s a lot of games and a lot of confusion. Very story driven, great (if somewhat plain) characters, and just enough variety to be interesting. There’s no right or wrong way to get into the stories, though each of them play differently. My first LoZ game was Ocarina of Time and I fell in love, but my favorite is Twilight Princess. The newer games can be expensive and so can the old ones, I’d recommend you pick based on price and whatever console you have.

4) Skyrim.

In keeping with the above themes, I should probably put “The Elder Scrolls Series” above, but I’ve only played Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls Online, and MMORPGs aren’t my thing. Skyrim is a hack’n’slash trying to be an RPG which isn’t (in this case) a bad thing. You have the option of playing it first or third person and can switch at any time, so I won’t call it a first person game. The character creation is… ok, the graphics aren’t terrible most of the time, and the story’s actually pretty interesting. There are a lot of bugs, though, and not a bunch of character investment. But it is an open world and has more mods than I want to count. Plus, it’s just a lot of fun and sometimes really silly. Catch it on sale on Steam for the best price on PC, but it’s relatively cheap normally.

5) Saints Row IV.

Skyrim, but modern, with guns, more character investment, superpowers instead of magic, and a lot of mature themes. While not the best game, it is a lot of fun while still investing in the character. However, the other three games are a lot more Grand Theft Auto than Skyrim. But, as you may have guessed, I don’t/can’t play GTA, so… Saints Row IV is a good trade off.

6) Pokemon (specifically X/Y and Sun/Moon).

Full disclosure: Y and Moon are the only Pokemon games I’ve played other than Stadium and the tiniest bit of Yellow. Decent character creation, cute monsters that (usually) listen to you, and an interesting (though repeated) story. X/Y are pretty cheap with decent graphics, but like LoZ, are exclusively Nintendo. Without a 3DS, you can’t play them unless you do a hack, but once again, BUGS.

7) The Sims (3 and 4).

Once again, I was late to the party and these are the only two I’ve played. The creation kit on the Sims 4 is out of this world, and the Sims 3 isn’t too shabby, either. My biggest problem with the Sims is that we’re constantly getting new expansion packs and DLC that I can’t afford, but without make the game feel almost incomplete. PC exclusively (except 4 and that’s still coming). 3 is pretty cheap on Steam and Origin, but I can’t find 1 and 2 anywhere except Amazon and other retailers.

There’s more I could add, but this post got long. Sorry. If you have any more questions, feel free to message me again!

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extraquarterblog · 7 years

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The Wii U was made for Pokemon

Nintendo Wii U + Pokemon = Match made in Heaven

Nintendo has always been known for its unique and different approach to the Gaming Field. If the industry went left, Nintendo would go right. Everyone went to CD, Nintendo gave us, N64 Carts. Nintendo out of the box thinking, gives its brilliance and occasional failures. Some of Nintendo best ideas come from this philosophy, The Nintendo Wii and the DS were both completely polar opposites compared to the rest of the industry, but despite their differences it's what made Nintendo massively successful last generation.

The Wii U however, is a different breed for Nintendo. Coming off the success of the original Wii, Nintendo has this difficult situation. The Wii just isn't any console, its Nintendo best selling system ever, that was also known for its unique motion controls. How do you follow up to that? How do you reach out to the over 100 Million Wii owners? Nintendo again, being unique and seeing the market trends, decided to build off the Wii platform and introduced its most famous part, the Wii U Gamepad (aka the tablet thingy)

Sadly, despite the enormous success the Wii was, its successor is struggling. It's puzzling that the Wii U isn't selling more with its year lead and have released so many core titles like Super Smash, Mario Kart 8, Super Mario 3D, Wind Waker HD, Pikmin 3, Donkey Kong Country. I could go on and on, True, there's a large pool of 3rd party titles missing, but still. Nintendo first party games are typically power houses. Yet now, they can barely move any hardware units. So just why is that?

My personal belief is that it's all familiar, it's been done time and time again. Sure, Nintendo first party games are great, but to really win fans over, you need to pull out a trump card. Something so massive, only the wettest of wet dreams could compare. Tabooed from Fans every wishing for. A long lost dream that I swear, every time I look at the Wii U, I realize this entire system's existence was made just for one game.

Pokemon

As you know, if there's anything that could rival Mario in popularity and sales, it's Pokemon. Much as I love the favorite red Plumber, despite being featured in over 5 different titles. The Wii U still hasn't sold 10 million units yet. I think it's time for Mario to take a brief vacation, hang out with Peach, and let the good Professor Oak try, I mean, if there's one thing Pokemon is famous for, its reviving Nintendo.

Nintendo and Pokemon have a bit of a history of redemption and revival.

There's an old legend that's told around campfires, it goes like this: In the mid 90's, Nintendo was on the brink of disaster, the N64 was struggling and the Gameboy was falling off quicker than expected, while the Gameboy Color was in the works, it wouldn't be ready for release till years later. Putting Nintendo in between a rock and a hard place. With financial struggles, the unthinkable rumors of Nintendo closing began to circulate. Then, from the shadows of doom and despair, an underdog studio Game Freak, with barely any money left, released Pokemon Green and Red for the Gameboy. Saving the entire Nintendo company.

It's a cute story that has "some" truth to it. Despite all my attempts to find hard, concrete evidence of Nintendo being in such a terrible position and Pokemon saving the day remains unfounded. But that's not to say it's completely far-fetched. At the time the Sony PlayStation was hot, CD's were becoming all the rage and games were arguably cheaper to purchase compared to the N64 more expensive Carts, and towards the end of the Gameboy life had lost a lot of steam. It was one thing for Nintendo to go against Sega, but also competing with Sony caused a lot of stress.

The company Game Freak was almost out of money too, the reality is, Pokemon almost never happened. To get the game off the ground and finally ship, they had to cut content out and allowed some half finished artwork to pass. It's why Pokemon Green never came State side when Pokemon Blue had far better artwork. Truth be told, Pokemon Gold and Silver could be considered the first true complete Pokemon Game, Game Freak intended it to be in its entirety.

But was the N64 really in that big of despair? I wouldn't doubt it had various money issues, but don't forget, it also had Mario 64, Zelda Ocarina of Time and Golden Eye. Just, you know, some of the most iconic games of all Time. I doubt Nintendo was losing a lot of sleep, but there's no denying that Pokemon had some serious impact for Nintendo.

So, wouldn't it be poetic, to see, that relation from the 90's, the struggling Nintendo and Pokemon tag team match up, appear again. But this time...for the Wii U?

In Nintendo treasure chest of things that they could do. None could top a full fledged Pokemon title debut on a console. We've seen multiple Pokemon Stadium games, Mystery Dungeons and other spin-off titles. But never the full experience. Nintendo has always reserved the full Pokemon titles on the handheld side, despite fans cry to capture them all on the big screen TV.

Nintendo always had their reasons for not releasing a Pokemon game on console environment. Generally Nintendo kept such titles to push each Handheld system to boost sales and establish itself in the market. Well, the 3DS is doing plenty fine and there's already Pokemon X & Y for it. Its the Wii U that's needing a boost, and what better system to do justice for the Pokemon franchise.

When you look at the Nintendo Wii U hardware and controller, it's a match made in heaven for a Pokemon game. If you've played any of the recent Mario games, you can test to just how gorgeous and simple the visuals look. Nintendo really aims for the Pixar look of games. Imaging that, but for the world of Pokemon.

The Gamepad would be the bread n butter for this Pokemon game. Generally, when you play an older Pokemon Game, you'll always find yourself in a constant battle of sharing your screen with other windows. Like your item pack, list of Pokemon, the display Map, phone call list, ect ect. When the Nintendo DS had its big Pokemon release of Diamond and Pearl, it received tons of praise of having used the second display. The same prinicble could also be used here. A Pokemon game for the Wii U could possibly be the best use of the Gamepad in its history.

Now if you ever played Nintendo Land on the Wii U, then you know this game makes great use of the Gamepad. It's more than just a controller, it really brings a whole new experience. When I was playing the Zelda themed game, where you hold the Gamepad to aim and shot your bow n arrow. I was thinking, man, wouldn't this be so cool, to try to capture a Pokemon like this. Instead of shooting an arrow, I'm throwing poke balls towards a Pokemon. All the sudden, effects like sleep, paralysis would play a huge part. Trying to capture an Abara as it runs around the room, only giving you seconds before it teleports would simply be, insane. It would be raising the bar on what it meant to truly capture a Pokemon.

However, while it's all fun to play with our imagination and let our creative juices run wild on what a Pokemon game could be for the Wii U, the reality is, it needs to be a solid investment. That it has the potential to move so many units and gain mountains of cash that the risk involved would be well worth it. Sure, I've listed off a few reasons, but would a new Pokemon game using the Gamepad and having better visuals really make the Wii U a huge seller? Would it really make the Wii U a must have?

However, I still have one more trump card I personally saved for last, would make it so damn appealing, even Nintendo mouth would start to water. Imagine, the next Pokemon game, started using...

Amiibo

If there's one thing Fans and Scalpers have been going crazy for, its Amiibo figures. And the Smash Bros shows just how demanding fans can be for it. Can you imagine, the insanity for Amiibo Pokemon figures would be like? Super Smash Bros has over 48 characters. A Pokemon game could have over +250. You could be printing off Amiibo figures for years, with no end in sight to the demand. Not to mention Nintendo could intentionally do limited runs for some figures, causing pre-orders to explode. Fans would be lining up at the door with cash in hand to get their paws on one. Well, at least the scalpers would, they seem have nothing better to do these days...

Thoughts again raced through my head, Imagine, you could have your own Safari Park that gave you the chance to catch rare Pokemon through the use of Amiibo you've purchased. No longer would you have to own two versions of the game, or spend days trying to trade. You simply purchased the Pokemon Amiibo you were needing. Scan and few, and Bam. You're off on your Safari hunt. I could even see Nintendo having a selection of Pokemon only available through the use of Amiibo.

But why stop there, when Amiibo could even open up to items, and when I mean items, I mean the keys to finally capture those elusive Legendaries.

In almost every Pokemon Game, there's always 1 to 3 Pokemon that you can only capture via special events. More specifically, you are given an item. Typically a Ticket, that grants you special trip to a previously impossible location. Now, you no longer have to wait, cause now, you got yourself a S.S. Golden Ticket Amiibo. Legendary, Brace yourself, you got a trainer coming towards ya.

The list goes on and on. I could write a Novel on this, but ultimately. Would Nintendo explore such an opportunity? Could we awake to a new era of Pokemon games? Much as my heart says yes. My mind, impossibly stubborn, cruel and cold, says No.

Nintendo has continued to shoot down any possibilities of this ever happening and no matter how slow sales for the Wii U may be. Nintendo still has enough cash in the bank to weather several storms. But, It is one thing to survive an unpopular device, it's entirely different to win back fans. If Nintendo is serious about winning back its core, It will take more than a few Triforce pieces and a couple of red mushrooms.

#Nintendo #Pokemon #Wii U

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