Hey, everyone. We're kicking off July with a bang, as The Archives are now finally open for your viewing convenience. You can enter it by clicking on the ol' Mario picture to your left.
I've gathered most of the relevant posts on this blog and divided them into separate sections: Reviews, Columns and Features, and Game Journo Articles; not only that, but I've actually gone a step further and divided the first two into their sections. Reviews contain separate listing as per Series, Chronology, and System, whereas Columns and Features is split into two sections: one page will host my present works from 2013 on, while another page will hold my older pieces.
Also, Leave Luck to Heaven now has its own scoring system! It's provided in the review pages, but you can check it out here.
Some of these sections may be a bit bare at the moment (particularly in the case of Game Journo Articles, as Gaming Grunts seems to have shut down), but I plan for the blog to grow exponentially within the year, so don't fret. In the meantime, I've provided a link in The Archives to this post for any critiques you might have of the way I've set things up, so please fire away with your impressions and criticisms (oh, and make sure you browse carefully, for I've buried a hint for a future column...)
In any case, tomorrow will bring the Smash DLC Wishlist column to a close, and then there'll be nothing but game reviews for the rest of the month! See you soon.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Evaluating Star Fox Zero's Criticism (Nintendojo)
As described in the article, the criticism for Star Fox Zero continues to fascinate me long after E3's been over. As such, I felt it was only necessary to write my most ambitious article on Nintendojo yet: a nearly 2000 word analysis on the game's reception, the most common points of criticism, and my own thoughts. There was another article set in stone for the defense of Metroid Prime: Federation Forces, so I tried my hardest to establishing a more objective analysis as opposed to a straight-up defense. Please give it a read!
Thursday, June 25, 2015
E3 2015: My Thoughts
Another year, another E3. Nintendo's recent rounds of conferences have come under heavy fire in the
past three years, and while it seemed last year's Digital Event was a major step in the right direction, fans are once again left disappointed despite the same format.
Myself? I'm actually still wrestling with forming an overall opinion. While I share some of the hyperbolic dislike for several of the new games, I recognize that I like the majority of the games presented. The problem, however, lies in how they were presented, which has led to general apathy (or just plain hatred, as evident from my home of NeoGAF) from nearly everyone.
As already announced, since this conference wasn't a complete knockout like next year, we'll be returning to the regular format for reviewing E3. Given the nature of this particular E3, however, I won't just be talking about games. What exactly do I mean by that? Read on.
Star Fox Zero
Finally.
Finally, Star Fox has come. And contrary to the rest of the internet, I rather adored what was on display here. Most of the criticism (particularly in the graphics area) has fallen on my deaf ears, for I'm quite delighted that several of my predictions came true!
First and foremost, I'm glad Nintendo took Star Fox 64 3D as an opportunity to establish a reboot. Much as I dug Assault, most of the bullshit from Adventures and Command clogged up the series with pointless timeskips, the existence of Krystal, and the unforgivable sin of Peppy leaving the team. Now things are back to the simple, casual cheesiness of the SF64 universe, complete with Mike West and Lyssa Browne reprising their roles as Fox and Slippy. Even better, from what I could hear from the trailer and Treehouse streams, it sounds like they've toned down the deliberate cheesiness in the voices (as seen in SF643D and Smash 4) to let them sound more natural. Let's hope I'm right!
And I love the aesthetics. Roll your eyes all you want, but I'm quite pleased with the overtly "clean" look of the aesthetic. Continuing the Star Fox 64 3D artstyle brings the machines, planets, and characters to life as if they were toys and playsets, which gels so naturally with the setting that I can't wait to see what it'll do with other familiar locations in the Lylat System. Sure, Corneria might look a little too familiar, but have you seen what they did with Titania? I'm dying to see what they'll do with the likes of Macbeth and Aquas (assuming they make the cut). A fun piece of artwork below makes me just want to reach my hands out and toy around with all the machinery!
...and maybe the characters, assuming they're okay with it.
Also, everyone's fantasy collaboration with Platinum Games has come true! Granted, Nintendo's clearly still calling the shots, and it's sad Hideki Kamiya isn't directly involved with one of his dream projects (although I'm certain he'll sneak in some input, heheh), but I remain excited for how they'll influence the game's development. I get the impression this'll be a tad more reserved than their typical spectacle (as seen in the delightful Bayonetta and The Wonderful 101), but stuff like the Titania boss are good signs. I eagerly await to see how they'll handle the rest of the boss encounters...
There's plenty of other things I could gush over in what we've seen of Star Fox Zero, be it them bringing back the walker from the ill-fated Star Fox 2 or actually reviving the one-shot boss characters from Star Fox 64 (PLEASE BRING BACK MECHBETH OH MY GOD). But alas, much of that has been buried in the swath of criticism for the game. Believe it or not, I was quite shocked to witness the flood of complaints following the presentation. I wonder if it was because it took so long for me to jump on the HD train...?
While I feel several concerns (such as no bombs or alternate routes) require a deeper understanding of the full game, there's the matter of the two most ubiquitous complaints: locking 60 FPS for both regular gameplay/the Game Pad and looking relatively unambitious for a new Star Fox title. The former stems as being the main suspect as to why Zero's graphics fell short of expectations, and for the moment I think I'm okay with it. I mean, I dunno, maybe it'll take for me to see the game up close to finally realize it's "ugliness", but currently I love the direction they've gone with that, so the 60 FPS gets a momentary pass for me (that, and I think what they're doing with the cockpit/robot sections are pretty damn cool).
And as for the "unambition"...well, I think Nintendo recognized they had to go back to the basics. Like 'em or hate 'em, what Adventures, Assault and Command brought to the table weren't overtly popular with fans and Nintendo realized they had to go back to what worked in Star Fox 64. If anything, I guess I'm a little saddened there's no multiplayer (at the very least in the vain of Assault's), but knowing Nintendo I'm certain they'll limit its potential by rendering it local-only, so I suppose I'm glad they're beefing up the single-player for all it's worth.
In any case, the reception to Star Fox Zero remains fascinating to me even a week later, and I actually plan on writing a Nintendojo article by this Friday on it! It'll be a far more objective affair where I scrutinize the most major complaints and judge whether or not they hold merit, so there'll be none of the fanboy gushing you see here. Please look forward to it!
Nearly Everything About The 3DS
Regardless of the disappointment for the Wii U's lineup, I think we can all admit the 3DS had a fantastic roster of games (barring one particular bust, but we'll get into that later). I really liked how much of the new games had some really clever twists on some familiar formulas, and I remain as excited as ever for the 3DS's future.
Take Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. Bringing the RPG worlds of Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi together is such an "I didn't even know I wanted it" idea, and watching the creativity on display on the Treehouse Stream was great fun to watch. Already my mind is swirling with the possibilties of how the two worlds can interact with each other, such as familiar NPCs or party members returning to the fold. With AlphaDream behind the game, Here's to hoping they stay away from Sticker Star's influence as far as possible.
And this is "deepest lore" at it's finest, but...anyone else shocked at the confimation of Paper Mario taking place in an alternate universe? As a kid I had the head canon that Mario's world would magically transform into paper on occasion, which coincidentally set the stage for yet another adventure and would wear off soon afterwards. I guess I'm a little sad to see that theory go, but I think Paper Jam's take on it (where apparently Luigi knocks the book of Paper Mario off a shelf) is pretty funny in its own right, and I'm quite interested to see if it'll delve into that.
Come to think of it, I guess this also means Mario & Luigi is an alternate universe, too? I think I'd better move on before I get into any crazy Mario timeline ramblings.
Ah, Four Swords! Wait, no, it's only Tri Force Heroes this time? According to Aonuma, four Links would've been "too high" when piled together. That would've been a great display of 3D, if you ask me, but I guess I'll take the man's word for it.
And the game looks hilariously fun, anyway. The crossdressing and various poofy outfits work great with the "Toon Link" visuals, and watching both the stream and various videos was great fun with all the backstabbing. As someone who can't seem to help but toss his teammates in bottomless pits in New Super Mario Bros., I imagine I'll be getting quite some mileage out of this title, especially with the fantastic news that this game is ONLIIIIIIINEEEEEE!! A miracle in the world of Nintendo, but a much appreciated one.
Recent tidbits from Aonuma have implied the game will be quite meaty for completionists. With Tri Force Heroes hosting an elaborate setting and story (a kingdom obsessed with fashion? I'll take it), it's setting up to not just be another spin-off, and I'm quite grateful for that.
And here's a gem overlooked in all the hubbub. Praise be the lord that allows Chibi-Robo! games to keep being made, because as far as I know they're not even that popular. And yet Nintendo found it fitting to give the little guy his own adorable amiibo, one I shall certainly fight tooth and nail to nab.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash looks to be the most significant deviance yet from the series, as the game is set entirely within a sidescrolling adventure. Some of the maneuvers shown on the stream were impressive enough (my favorite being the robot's impression of Moses, although I think that was in the first trailer), but time will tell if Zip Lash will serve as a worthy counterpart to Chibi-Robo's previous open adventures. At the very least, I was charmed by the game's host of bizarre Pikmin knock-off enemies
Speaking of which, apparently someone asked Mr. Tanabe about the possibility of a Chibi-Robo!/Pikmin crossover. That...sounds right up alley, although the contrasting time periods of both series could pose a problem. Perhaps they could take a page from Paper Jam's concept?
Anyway, those were my highlights from the 3DS line-up. Some gamers are starting to spectulate we're in the middle of the system's twilight years, and I'm not sure I could bear with that. The 3DS has easily been the most fun I've ever had with a handheld console, and I'd hate to see it go. Another two years, Nintendo?
The Muppets
Nintendo knew how incredibly funny the Robot Chicken segments from last year's E3 was, and they built off that concept through cooperating with The Jim Henson Company. Watching Muppet versions of Miyamoto, Iwata and Reggie goof around was funny enough, but to witness them gradually mutate into Team Star Fox a beautiful once-in-a-lifetime moment. I've become something of a Muppet fan since the 2011 movie, so this was a real treat.
Some have suggested Nintendo should return to a regular press conference next year to secure a proper showing for the NX, and while I wouldn't be opposed to that, it'd obviously come at the loss of these fun segments. The games are what's important, of course, but these Digital Events have such charming presentations that are devoid of the occasional awkwardness found in live conferences. Granted, the dwindling significance of motion control have rendered Microsoft conferences watchable again, but nothing really beats Reggie zapping a MOTHER 3 fan to oblivion or a Muppet Iwata breathing awkwardly into the camera.
And watching the Big 3 Nintendo Execs confidently marching down a hallway while the heart-pumping Bowser's Castle orchestral from Super Mario 3D World plays in the background. If anything, I thought that set the stage really well.
Maybe a little too well.
Getting Tired?
Now here's where things get muddy. We've seen quite a few of the games featured before...in fact, we've known some of them for two years now! This is Xenoblade Chronicles: X's third E3, and Yoshi's Woolly World and the Fire Emblem x Shin Megami Tensei crossover were announced even before that. Not to mention, we've known about Super Mario Maker since last year, and already knew Star Fox was on the way.
In other words, not many surprises were in the conference. You could say it is what it is, but while I don't think most are doubting the quality of X and Yoshi, the wait's starting to get rather stretched out, don't you think? Take the former game, for instance; while I'm actually secretly excited for December launch since it gives me a world of time to complete my current replay of Xenoblade Chronicles, the game was hardly even presented in a localized state. It's just more of the same.
Yoshi's Woolly World presents an even bigger problem with the conference: too much padding with the Developer Stories. As interesting as they are, it can't be a coincidence that the Star Fox Zero one was the most interesting one, was it? We already had one for Woolly World last year, and this year's regurgitated much of the same info. As cool as it is to know we'll be getting copies of that Mario Maker booklet, I feel they should juggle which Developer Stories to keep in the Digital Event and what should be kept as bonus Youtube videos on the side. For instance, it's vital to explain the backstory of something new and exciting like Splatoon, but we're already well-acquainted with Wooly World to the point where such tales don't need to be reintroduced.
Look, I like most of these games. I can't wait to get my hands on Woolly World and am already dreaming up levels for Super Mario Maker. And if you don't have much new stuff to show, then...you don't much new stuff to show. The trick, then, is to show what you do have in either a) new ways we haven't seen before or b) keep their spotlight brief so they don't wear out their already long-awaited welcome.
Granted, what we saw of Super Mario Maker at the Nintendo World Championships was incredible, but...well, let's get into that now.
Too Much of Their Hand Too Early?
Here's something no one saw coming: The Nintendo World Championships held two days before ended up being more thrilling, involved, and just flat-out more exciting than the entire E3 event, and it wasn't just because Reggie embarrassed himself with his Smash Bros., uh, "skills". The hosts were incredibly on-point with their enthusiasm, Super Mario Maker's worth was proven to everyone with those crazy levels, and, to put the cherry on top, reveal on top of reveal with the likes of Blast Ball, the "one-two-three" round of reveals for Smash DLC, and numerous game reveals in the form of EarthBound Beginnings and the mysterious Blast Ball.
Including the mini-direct just a few weeks before showcasing new 3DS titles (such as the aforementioned Chibi- Robo!: Zip Lash), one question that's been on everyone's mind is "did Nintendo show too much too early?" With Nintendo's own Digital Event lacking many surprises, perhaps it would've been better to hold off, say, the Smash info until the Tuesday event. But would it really? As exciting as the new Smash content is, Nintendo's primary concern at E3 should be new titles. EarthBound Beginnings also falls into this category; while it's certainly exciting for yours truly western audiences, it's still just a port of a 1989 video game.
Regardless, it's difficult to juggle what should be shown. Showcasing Super Mario Maker's full potential in front of a crowd and livestream certainly invigorates the audience, but it tires out its spotlight on the stream. Meanwhile, stealthily introducing a budget title in the form of Blast Ball is a fun idea, but it's all for naught when...well, we'll talk more about in a moment.
So what should be done for next year? We already know Nintendo's gearing up for another World Championship next year, and with the Hyrule Warriors/Smash DLC leaks ruining surprises, the propsect of properly balancing the content between the two shows becomes even tougher.
To be honest, I'm not even sure what's the right thing to do here. It's easy to say the entire coverage for Super Mario Make (including the Developer's Story) should've been confined to the NWC, but with it being such an important fall title for Nintendo, it's also vital it gets shown off during the actual press event. It's also also important to remember this is the first time Nintendo's juggled both events at once, and with the NX on the way and the Wii U disaster fresh on Nintendo's minds, it might be best not to show anything new at all for next time.
Time will tell.
Metroid Prime: Federation Forces
I think the fact that the video has over 60,000 dislikes speaks for itself.
There's a lot to say about Metroid Prime: Federation Forces, so let's get the obvious stuff out of the way. In a world where 2010's Metroid: Other M single-handedly put the entire Metroid series on the fritz, this is entirely the wrong way to remind fans "Don't worry, we still care about this franchise." That Federation Force doesn't look anything like Metroid--from the gameplay right down to the bizarre "chibi" aesthetics--isn't even the worst part; it's that its mere existence during such a period proves just how out-of-touch Nintendo can be.
And what's even more heartbreaking isn't how the talented Next Level Games (Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon) are behind it. It's not how when stripped away of any Metroid influence, the game appears approachable to levels of fun, Blast Ball minigame and all. It's that this is an idea the game's producer, Kensuke Tanabe, had running in his head for the past ten years.
Talk about bad timing, yeowch.
What a shame that is, particularly since fans have admitted in the aftermath they've dreamed up Metroid titles featuring soldiers of the Galactic Federation. What everyone can't seem to get over the most is easily the graphics: clean "toy" graphics are fine for something cheesy like Star Fox, but when shifted to Metroid and compressed even further to cutesy soldiers and environments reminiscent of Dark Moon, it comes across as the most thematically dissonant Nintendo title since Star Fox Adventures.
Within a hypothetical period where Metroid was alive and well, Federation Force would be, like Metroid Prime Pinball before it, ultimately disposable. But alas, we live in a world where the Metroid Prime era has long since ended and Other M exists, and so this offering comes across clueless and even borderline insulting. Not to the levels of pathetic petitions begging for the game's cancellation, mind you, but not even the involvement of composer Kenji Yamamoto or advocacy from fellow Nintendojo co-worker Mr. Marrujo can change my mind on this downer.
Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival
And here we have this nail in a coffin. Nail to whose coffin, you ask? The Wii U.
A bold claim...if the system wasn't already dead in the water. Many had been speculating we'd be seeing Animal Crossing on the system due to various HD assets popping up from the AC theme for the Wii U menu, but I'd long suspected this wouldn't be happening. The series is one of Nintendo's few remaining bastions for the expanded market, and I can't imagine it'd serve any purpose on a dying system by the time it'd launch. While it certainly wouldn't bomb as hard as Wii Sports Club or Wii Fit U, it'd at best manage City Folk numbers. Development on a home console version would be best saved for the next system.
With spin-offs in development for both 3DS and Wii U, I can't take the announcement of Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival as anything but Nintendo's preparing to abandon the Wii U. Given comments by Reggie and Miyamoto at the show, I can't imagine the NX not being a home console.
Miyamoto discussed last fall about spin-offs padding the release schedule before meatier entries, and yet the first round since then hasn't gone too well. Zelda: Tri Force Heroes looks all well and good, yet Federation Force and amiibo Festival were met with universal scorn. In the case of the latter, while I think it's a cute concept (a money-based board game framed within the slice-of-life context of the villagers), it's something I can't imagine anyone would desire to play.
And sadly, it's probably the best Animal Crossing can currently do with the Wii U. With the series' potential best reserved for the NX, it's time to tide over Animal Crossing fans with some spin-offs. Happy Home Designer could've done the job well enough, but with amiibo selling like hot cakes, it might make financial sense to cash in on Animal Crossing merchandise. With the Wii U already flopping hard, they may as well release a harmless spin-off while planning out the next real entry.
There's no question amiibo Festival isn't suited for the E3 environment, but what can be done? Nintendo dealt their cards with the Wii U, and it blew up in their face. As a consequence, we're offered amiibo Festival, and so now we can only look forward to the possibility of Nintendo regaining their foothold with the NX.
Hopefully that'll happen next year. I don't think Wii U can support the company for another year.
Myself? I'm actually still wrestling with forming an overall opinion. While I share some of the hyperbolic dislike for several of the new games, I recognize that I like the majority of the games presented. The problem, however, lies in how they were presented, which has led to general apathy (or just plain hatred, as evident from my home of NeoGAF) from nearly everyone.
As already announced, since this conference wasn't a complete knockout like next year, we'll be returning to the regular format for reviewing E3. Given the nature of this particular E3, however, I won't just be talking about games. What exactly do I mean by that? Read on.
What I Liked
Star Fox Zero
Finally.
Finally, Star Fox has come. And contrary to the rest of the internet, I rather adored what was on display here. Most of the criticism (particularly in the graphics area) has fallen on my deaf ears, for I'm quite delighted that several of my predictions came true!
First and foremost, I'm glad Nintendo took Star Fox 64 3D as an opportunity to establish a reboot. Much as I dug Assault, most of the bullshit from Adventures and Command clogged up the series with pointless timeskips, the existence of Krystal, and the unforgivable sin of Peppy leaving the team. Now things are back to the simple, casual cheesiness of the SF64 universe, complete with Mike West and Lyssa Browne reprising their roles as Fox and Slippy. Even better, from what I could hear from the trailer and Treehouse streams, it sounds like they've toned down the deliberate cheesiness in the voices (as seen in SF643D and Smash 4) to let them sound more natural. Let's hope I'm right!
And I love the aesthetics. Roll your eyes all you want, but I'm quite pleased with the overtly "clean" look of the aesthetic. Continuing the Star Fox 64 3D artstyle brings the machines, planets, and characters to life as if they were toys and playsets, which gels so naturally with the setting that I can't wait to see what it'll do with other familiar locations in the Lylat System. Sure, Corneria might look a little too familiar, but have you seen what they did with Titania? I'm dying to see what they'll do with the likes of Macbeth and Aquas (assuming they make the cut). A fun piece of artwork below makes me just want to reach my hands out and toy around with all the machinery!
...and maybe the characters, assuming they're okay with it.
Also, everyone's fantasy collaboration with Platinum Games has come true! Granted, Nintendo's clearly still calling the shots, and it's sad Hideki Kamiya isn't directly involved with one of his dream projects (although I'm certain he'll sneak in some input, heheh), but I remain excited for how they'll influence the game's development. I get the impression this'll be a tad more reserved than their typical spectacle (as seen in the delightful Bayonetta and The Wonderful 101), but stuff like the Titania boss are good signs. I eagerly await to see how they'll handle the rest of the boss encounters...
There's plenty of other things I could gush over in what we've seen of Star Fox Zero, be it them bringing back the walker from the ill-fated Star Fox 2 or actually reviving the one-shot boss characters from Star Fox 64 (PLEASE BRING BACK MECHBETH OH MY GOD). But alas, much of that has been buried in the swath of criticism for the game. Believe it or not, I was quite shocked to witness the flood of complaints following the presentation. I wonder if it was because it took so long for me to jump on the HD train...?
While I feel several concerns (such as no bombs or alternate routes) require a deeper understanding of the full game, there's the matter of the two most ubiquitous complaints: locking 60 FPS for both regular gameplay/the Game Pad and looking relatively unambitious for a new Star Fox title. The former stems as being the main suspect as to why Zero's graphics fell short of expectations, and for the moment I think I'm okay with it. I mean, I dunno, maybe it'll take for me to see the game up close to finally realize it's "ugliness", but currently I love the direction they've gone with that, so the 60 FPS gets a momentary pass for me (that, and I think what they're doing with the cockpit/robot sections are pretty damn cool).
And as for the "unambition"...well, I think Nintendo recognized they had to go back to the basics. Like 'em or hate 'em, what Adventures, Assault and Command brought to the table weren't overtly popular with fans and Nintendo realized they had to go back to what worked in Star Fox 64. If anything, I guess I'm a little saddened there's no multiplayer (at the very least in the vain of Assault's), but knowing Nintendo I'm certain they'll limit its potential by rendering it local-only, so I suppose I'm glad they're beefing up the single-player for all it's worth.
In any case, the reception to Star Fox Zero remains fascinating to me even a week later, and I actually plan on writing a Nintendojo article by this Friday on it! It'll be a far more objective affair where I scrutinize the most major complaints and judge whether or not they hold merit, so there'll be none of the fanboy gushing you see here. Please look forward to it!
Nearly Everything About The 3DS
Regardless of the disappointment for the Wii U's lineup, I think we can all admit the 3DS had a fantastic roster of games (barring one particular bust, but we'll get into that later). I really liked how much of the new games had some really clever twists on some familiar formulas, and I remain as excited as ever for the 3DS's future.
Take Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. Bringing the RPG worlds of Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi together is such an "I didn't even know I wanted it" idea, and watching the creativity on display on the Treehouse Stream was great fun to watch. Already my mind is swirling with the possibilties of how the two worlds can interact with each other, such as familiar NPCs or party members returning to the fold. With AlphaDream behind the game, Here's to hoping they stay away from Sticker Star's influence as far as possible.
And this is "deepest lore" at it's finest, but...anyone else shocked at the confimation of Paper Mario taking place in an alternate universe? As a kid I had the head canon that Mario's world would magically transform into paper on occasion, which coincidentally set the stage for yet another adventure and would wear off soon afterwards. I guess I'm a little sad to see that theory go, but I think Paper Jam's take on it (where apparently Luigi knocks the book of Paper Mario off a shelf) is pretty funny in its own right, and I'm quite interested to see if it'll delve into that.
Come to think of it, I guess this also means Mario & Luigi is an alternate universe, too? I think I'd better move on before I get into any crazy Mario timeline ramblings.
Ah, Four Swords! Wait, no, it's only Tri Force Heroes this time? According to Aonuma, four Links would've been "too high" when piled together. That would've been a great display of 3D, if you ask me, but I guess I'll take the man's word for it.
And the game looks hilariously fun, anyway. The crossdressing and various poofy outfits work great with the "Toon Link" visuals, and watching both the stream and various videos was great fun with all the backstabbing. As someone who can't seem to help but toss his teammates in bottomless pits in New Super Mario Bros., I imagine I'll be getting quite some mileage out of this title, especially with the fantastic news that this game is ONLIIIIIIINEEEEEE!! A miracle in the world of Nintendo, but a much appreciated one.
Recent tidbits from Aonuma have implied the game will be quite meaty for completionists. With Tri Force Heroes hosting an elaborate setting and story (a kingdom obsessed with fashion? I'll take it), it's setting up to not just be another spin-off, and I'm quite grateful for that.
And here's a gem overlooked in all the hubbub. Praise be the lord that allows Chibi-Robo! games to keep being made, because as far as I know they're not even that popular. And yet Nintendo found it fitting to give the little guy his own adorable amiibo, one I shall certainly fight tooth and nail to nab.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash looks to be the most significant deviance yet from the series, as the game is set entirely within a sidescrolling adventure. Some of the maneuvers shown on the stream were impressive enough (my favorite being the robot's impression of Moses, although I think that was in the first trailer), but time will tell if Zip Lash will serve as a worthy counterpart to Chibi-Robo's previous open adventures. At the very least, I was charmed by the game's host of bizarre Pikmin knock-off enemies
Speaking of which, apparently someone asked Mr. Tanabe about the possibility of a Chibi-Robo!/Pikmin crossover. That...sounds right up alley, although the contrasting time periods of both series could pose a problem. Perhaps they could take a page from Paper Jam's concept?
Anyway, those were my highlights from the 3DS line-up. Some gamers are starting to spectulate we're in the middle of the system's twilight years, and I'm not sure I could bear with that. The 3DS has easily been the most fun I've ever had with a handheld console, and I'd hate to see it go. Another two years, Nintendo?
The Muppets
Nintendo knew how incredibly funny the Robot Chicken segments from last year's E3 was, and they built off that concept through cooperating with The Jim Henson Company. Watching Muppet versions of Miyamoto, Iwata and Reggie goof around was funny enough, but to witness them gradually mutate into Team Star Fox a beautiful once-in-a-lifetime moment. I've become something of a Muppet fan since the 2011 movie, so this was a real treat.
Some have suggested Nintendo should return to a regular press conference next year to secure a proper showing for the NX, and while I wouldn't be opposed to that, it'd obviously come at the loss of these fun segments. The games are what's important, of course, but these Digital Events have such charming presentations that are devoid of the occasional awkwardness found in live conferences. Granted, the dwindling significance of motion control have rendered Microsoft conferences watchable again, but nothing really beats Reggie zapping a MOTHER 3 fan to oblivion or a Muppet Iwata breathing awkwardly into the camera.
And watching the Big 3 Nintendo Execs confidently marching down a hallway while the heart-pumping Bowser's Castle orchestral from Super Mario 3D World plays in the background. If anything, I thought that set the stage really well.
Maybe a little too well.
What I'm Not Sure About
Getting Tired?
Now here's where things get muddy. We've seen quite a few of the games featured before...in fact, we've known some of them for two years now! This is Xenoblade Chronicles: X's third E3, and Yoshi's Woolly World and the Fire Emblem x Shin Megami Tensei crossover were announced even before that. Not to mention, we've known about Super Mario Maker since last year, and already knew Star Fox was on the way.
In other words, not many surprises were in the conference. You could say it is what it is, but while I don't think most are doubting the quality of X and Yoshi, the wait's starting to get rather stretched out, don't you think? Take the former game, for instance; while I'm actually secretly excited for December launch since it gives me a world of time to complete my current replay of Xenoblade Chronicles, the game was hardly even presented in a localized state. It's just more of the same.
Yoshi's Woolly World presents an even bigger problem with the conference: too much padding with the Developer Stories. As interesting as they are, it can't be a coincidence that the Star Fox Zero one was the most interesting one, was it? We already had one for Woolly World last year, and this year's regurgitated much of the same info. As cool as it is to know we'll be getting copies of that Mario Maker booklet, I feel they should juggle which Developer Stories to keep in the Digital Event and what should be kept as bonus Youtube videos on the side. For instance, it's vital to explain the backstory of something new and exciting like Splatoon, but we're already well-acquainted with Wooly World to the point where such tales don't need to be reintroduced.
Look, I like most of these games. I can't wait to get my hands on Woolly World and am already dreaming up levels for Super Mario Maker. And if you don't have much new stuff to show, then...you don't much new stuff to show. The trick, then, is to show what you do have in either a) new ways we haven't seen before or b) keep their spotlight brief so they don't wear out their already long-awaited welcome.
Granted, what we saw of Super Mario Maker at the Nintendo World Championships was incredible, but...well, let's get into that now.
Too Much of Their Hand Too Early?
Here's something no one saw coming: The Nintendo World Championships held two days before ended up being more thrilling, involved, and just flat-out more exciting than the entire E3 event, and it wasn't just because Reggie embarrassed himself with his Smash Bros., uh, "skills". The hosts were incredibly on-point with their enthusiasm, Super Mario Maker's worth was proven to everyone with those crazy levels, and, to put the cherry on top, reveal on top of reveal with the likes of Blast Ball, the "one-two-three" round of reveals for Smash DLC, and numerous game reveals in the form of EarthBound Beginnings and the mysterious Blast Ball.
Including the mini-direct just a few weeks before showcasing new 3DS titles (such as the aforementioned Chibi- Robo!: Zip Lash), one question that's been on everyone's mind is "did Nintendo show too much too early?" With Nintendo's own Digital Event lacking many surprises, perhaps it would've been better to hold off, say, the Smash info until the Tuesday event. But would it really? As exciting as the new Smash content is, Nintendo's primary concern at E3 should be new titles. EarthBound Beginnings also falls into this category; while it's certainly exciting for
Regardless, it's difficult to juggle what should be shown. Showcasing Super Mario Maker's full potential in front of a crowd and livestream certainly invigorates the audience, but it tires out its spotlight on the stream. Meanwhile, stealthily introducing a budget title in the form of Blast Ball is a fun idea, but it's all for naught when...well, we'll talk more about in a moment.
So what should be done for next year? We already know Nintendo's gearing up for another World Championship next year, and with the Hyrule Warriors/Smash DLC leaks ruining surprises, the propsect of properly balancing the content between the two shows becomes even tougher.
To be honest, I'm not even sure what's the right thing to do here. It's easy to say the entire coverage for Super Mario Make (including the Developer's Story) should've been confined to the NWC, but with it being such an important fall title for Nintendo, it's also vital it gets shown off during the actual press event. It's also also important to remember this is the first time Nintendo's juggled both events at once, and with the NX on the way and the Wii U disaster fresh on Nintendo's minds, it might be best not to show anything new at all for next time.
Time will tell.
What I Didn't Like
Metroid Prime: Federation Forces
I think the fact that the video has over 60,000 dislikes speaks for itself.
There's a lot to say about Metroid Prime: Federation Forces, so let's get the obvious stuff out of the way. In a world where 2010's Metroid: Other M single-handedly put the entire Metroid series on the fritz, this is entirely the wrong way to remind fans "Don't worry, we still care about this franchise." That Federation Force doesn't look anything like Metroid--from the gameplay right down to the bizarre "chibi" aesthetics--isn't even the worst part; it's that its mere existence during such a period proves just how out-of-touch Nintendo can be.
And what's even more heartbreaking isn't how the talented Next Level Games (Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon) are behind it. It's not how when stripped away of any Metroid influence, the game appears approachable to levels of fun, Blast Ball minigame and all. It's that this is an idea the game's producer, Kensuke Tanabe, had running in his head for the past ten years.
Talk about bad timing, yeowch.
What a shame that is, particularly since fans have admitted in the aftermath they've dreamed up Metroid titles featuring soldiers of the Galactic Federation. What everyone can't seem to get over the most is easily the graphics: clean "toy" graphics are fine for something cheesy like Star Fox, but when shifted to Metroid and compressed even further to cutesy soldiers and environments reminiscent of Dark Moon, it comes across as the most thematically dissonant Nintendo title since Star Fox Adventures.
Within a hypothetical period where Metroid was alive and well, Federation Force would be, like Metroid Prime Pinball before it, ultimately disposable. But alas, we live in a world where the Metroid Prime era has long since ended and Other M exists, and so this offering comes across clueless and even borderline insulting. Not to the levels of pathetic petitions begging for the game's cancellation, mind you, but not even the involvement of composer Kenji Yamamoto or advocacy from fellow Nintendojo co-worker Mr. Marrujo can change my mind on this downer.
Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival
And here we have this nail in a coffin. Nail to whose coffin, you ask? The Wii U.
A bold claim...if the system wasn't already dead in the water. Many had been speculating we'd be seeing Animal Crossing on the system due to various HD assets popping up from the AC theme for the Wii U menu, but I'd long suspected this wouldn't be happening. The series is one of Nintendo's few remaining bastions for the expanded market, and I can't imagine it'd serve any purpose on a dying system by the time it'd launch. While it certainly wouldn't bomb as hard as Wii Sports Club or Wii Fit U, it'd at best manage City Folk numbers. Development on a home console version would be best saved for the next system.
With spin-offs in development for both 3DS and Wii U, I can't take the announcement of Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival as anything but Nintendo's preparing to abandon the Wii U. Given comments by Reggie and Miyamoto at the show, I can't imagine the NX not being a home console.
Miyamoto discussed last fall about spin-offs padding the release schedule before meatier entries, and yet the first round since then hasn't gone too well. Zelda: Tri Force Heroes looks all well and good, yet Federation Force and amiibo Festival were met with universal scorn. In the case of the latter, while I think it's a cute concept (a money-based board game framed within the slice-of-life context of the villagers), it's something I can't imagine anyone would desire to play.
And sadly, it's probably the best Animal Crossing can currently do with the Wii U. With the series' potential best reserved for the NX, it's time to tide over Animal Crossing fans with some spin-offs. Happy Home Designer could've done the job well enough, but with amiibo selling like hot cakes, it might make financial sense to cash in on Animal Crossing merchandise. With the Wii U already flopping hard, they may as well release a harmless spin-off while planning out the next real entry.
There's no question amiibo Festival isn't suited for the E3 environment, but what can be done? Nintendo dealt their cards with the Wii U, and it blew up in their face. As a consequence, we're offered amiibo Festival, and so now we can only look forward to the possibility of Nintendo regaining their foothold with the NX.
Hopefully that'll happen next year. I don't think Wii U can support the company for another year.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
My Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS DLC Wishlist Pt. 3: Alt Costumes!
I wonder if this will be the shortest of my Smash DLC posts. Whereas the other two required elaboration, there's not much I can say about alt costumes except that I want them! If it ends up being brief...well, in the words of Iwata, please understand.
Smash Bros. has dabbled into alt costumes since the days of Brawl, where Wario players could choose between his WarioWare duds and his classic Wario Land outfit. This has since been briefly expanded into Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, where Olimar can turn into Alph, Zero Suit Samus is granted her Zero Mission shorts, Little Mac was given both his jogging jacket and cool arcade-inspired wireframes, three characters can change genders (Villager, Wii Fit Trainer, and Robin), and, best of all, Bowser Jr. can swap between the seven Koopalings!
Now that's a great start, but why not extend that to the rest of the cast? The modding scene for Brawl has proven how fun the idea can be, and since quite a number of other fighting games do it already, I don't see why the same can't happen here. While the new Mii costumes are awesome, I think it's time to pay attention to the characters' color and costume choices. Here are some of my suggestions.
As seen above, Project M brings some great ideas to the table. While I don't play the mod, I certainly wouldn't mind if some of their costume oncepts made it into Smash. Ness's Pajamas and Lucas's Masked Man disguise are musts, and I actually kicked around the idea of Shogun Dedede (from Kirby Super Star's Samurai Kirby minigame) before the mod unveiled its take on it. Just imagine those killer eyebrows in sweet, sweet HD!
Pikachu and Jigglypuff would be tough since their alt colors basically are just familiar accessories, so it'd be tough to pick just one or two. In the case of Pikachu, I think it'd be hilariously adorable if they brought some of the costumes from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Front and center is my personal favorite: Pikachu dressed in a Ph.D. outfit. Hey, come to think of it, those are all female Pikachus...hmm...
Unfortunately, my dreams of a Super Bell item didn't come true, so it's time for Cat Mario to enter the stage! I don't care if him standing upright is at odds with the original design; it simply has to happen! If you ask me, I don't think the Cat Mario "vote" in the Character Ballot announcement was a coincidence...
If it's not too much trouble, could Wario and Olimar have their cut colors back? Black-and-white biker Wario was amazingly badass, and he's just not the same without it. Olimar's dark costume was just as cool, although I wonder how it'd transfer to a primary color environment.
Due to Kirby's Copy Ability mimicking his opponents, it'd be rather difficult to pick a new costume for him that wouldn't interfere with his hats. They could just always give him new colors, but I wonder if he'd be satisfied with that? Truth be told, there's still a number of alt colors from Kirby they still haven't used, but think I have a cuter suggestion.
There. Since the inner tube is wrapped around his uh, "waist," it shouldn't come into contact with his Copy Ability hats. There is the issue of the drowning mechanic in water stages, but hey, they forgot to change Pac-Man's expression in his drowning animation, so I guess it doesn't matter.
Anyway, those are my most wanted suggestions, and that's still not even half the roster! Hopefully they'll get around to least some of the characters, but costumes for everyone would be ideal. If you've got ideas, sound off in the comments!
Smash Bros. has dabbled into alt costumes since the days of Brawl, where Wario players could choose between his WarioWare duds and his classic Wario Land outfit. This has since been briefly expanded into Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, where Olimar can turn into Alph, Zero Suit Samus is granted her Zero Mission shorts, Little Mac was given both his jogging jacket and cool arcade-inspired wireframes, three characters can change genders (Villager, Wii Fit Trainer, and Robin), and, best of all, Bowser Jr. can swap between the seven Koopalings!
Now that's a great start, but why not extend that to the rest of the cast? The modding scene for Brawl has proven how fun the idea can be, and since quite a number of other fighting games do it already, I don't see why the same can't happen here. While the new Mii costumes are awesome, I think it's time to pay attention to the characters' color and costume choices. Here are some of my suggestions.
As seen above, Project M brings some great ideas to the table. While I don't play the mod, I certainly wouldn't mind if some of their costume oncepts made it into Smash. Ness's Pajamas and Lucas's Masked Man disguise are musts, and I actually kicked around the idea of Shogun Dedede (from Kirby Super Star's Samurai Kirby minigame) before the mod unveiled its take on it. Just imagine those killer eyebrows in sweet, sweet HD!
Pikachu and Jigglypuff would be tough since their alt colors basically are just familiar accessories, so it'd be tough to pick just one or two. In the case of Pikachu, I think it'd be hilariously adorable if they brought some of the costumes from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Front and center is my personal favorite: Pikachu dressed in a Ph.D. outfit. Hey, come to think of it, those are all female Pikachus...hmm...
Unfortunately, my dreams of a Super Bell item didn't come true, so it's time for Cat Mario to enter the stage! I don't care if him standing upright is at odds with the original design; it simply has to happen! If you ask me, I don't think the Cat Mario "vote" in the Character Ballot announcement was a coincidence...
If it's not too much trouble, could Wario and Olimar have their cut colors back? Black-and-white biker Wario was amazingly badass, and he's just not the same without it. Olimar's dark costume was just as cool, although I wonder how it'd transfer to a primary color environment.
There. Since the inner tube is wrapped around his uh, "waist," it shouldn't come into contact with his Copy Ability hats. There is the issue of the drowning mechanic in water stages, but hey, they forgot to change Pac-Man's expression in his drowning animation, so I guess it doesn't matter.
Anyway, those are my most wanted suggestions, and that's still not even half the roster! Hopefully they'll get around to least some of the characters, but costumes for everyone would be ideal. If you've got ideas, sound off in the comments!
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Quick E3 Impressions
So, Nintendo's E3 Digital Event is done and over with, and just about everyone's crying foul at their showing. I kinda knew they wouldn't live up to Sony's incredible show last night, but not to this extent...
I'll provide my full thoughts later this week in my original E3 format, but here are some quick opinions to tide you over.
-Star Fox Zero was the star of the show and I'm absolutely baffled people are hating on it. "Clean" artstyle is akin to that of a playset and I think it looks very appealing within SF64's aesthetic. Also glad to see I was correct in that Star Fox 64 3D would pave the way to a reboot. Titania was GORGEOUS. They started out very strong with this and the puppet segment. What a shame they decided to move on to Skylanders, and I'm shocked that they didn't announce their collaboration with Platinum Games (you'd think they'd have learned from The Wonderful 101).
-The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes looks hilarious (especially with the plot: Hyrule is obsessed with fashion!). Glad to see both the A Link Between Worlds engine and Four Swords gameplay return.
-Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is such a wonderful idea! I'm really excited to see the best of Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi come together. Just make sure it's more open and Paper Mario has proper side characters. Also, stealth confirmation that Super Mario is host to alternate universes is...interesting.
-That's about it for good announcements, though. The less said about Metroid Prime: Federation Forces, the happier I'll be. Same goes for Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival. I had a feeling the series wouldn't arrive with a proper entry on Wii U (assuming that the NX was their next home console, anyway), but...not like this...
-Not to mention we've known a good chunk of this stuff (Super Mario Maker, Yoshi's Woolly World, and Xenoblade Chronicles: X) for some time. While Super Mario Maker is especially welcome, we've already seen it at its best at the Nintendo World Championships just the other day. I wonder if they showed too much of their hand too early.
-Fire Emblem: Fates looks great. Still not sure if Genei Ibun Roku is a proper crossover, though. Looks really weird.
-I need Chibi-Robo! Zip-Lash now.
So yeah, very mixed show. Definitely not their worst, but not their best. I have a lot to say about it, definitely. In the meantime, please keep a lookout for a reaction roundtable at Nintendojo!
I'll provide my full thoughts later this week in my original E3 format, but here are some quick opinions to tide you over.
-Star Fox Zero was the star of the show and I'm absolutely baffled people are hating on it. "Clean" artstyle is akin to that of a playset and I think it looks very appealing within SF64's aesthetic. Also glad to see I was correct in that Star Fox 64 3D would pave the way to a reboot. Titania was GORGEOUS. They started out very strong with this and the puppet segment. What a shame they decided to move on to Skylanders, and I'm shocked that they didn't announce their collaboration with Platinum Games (you'd think they'd have learned from The Wonderful 101).
-The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes looks hilarious (especially with the plot: Hyrule is obsessed with fashion!). Glad to see both the A Link Between Worlds engine and Four Swords gameplay return.
-Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is such a wonderful idea! I'm really excited to see the best of Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi come together. Just make sure it's more open and Paper Mario has proper side characters. Also, stealth confirmation that Super Mario is host to alternate universes is...interesting.
-That's about it for good announcements, though. The less said about Metroid Prime: Federation Forces, the happier I'll be. Same goes for Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival. I had a feeling the series wouldn't arrive with a proper entry on Wii U (assuming that the NX was their next home console, anyway), but...not like this...
-Not to mention we've known a good chunk of this stuff (Super Mario Maker, Yoshi's Woolly World, and Xenoblade Chronicles: X) for some time. While Super Mario Maker is especially welcome, we've already seen it at its best at the Nintendo World Championships just the other day. I wonder if they showed too much of their hand too early.
-Fire Emblem: Fates looks great. Still not sure if Genei Ibun Roku is a proper crossover, though. Looks really weird.
-I need Chibi-Robo! Zip-Lash now.
So yeah, very mixed show. Definitely not their worst, but not their best. I have a lot to say about it, definitely. In the meantime, please keep a lookout for a reaction roundtable at Nintendojo!
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Smash DLC Impressions + Nintendo World Championship + EARTHBOUND BEGINNINGS!!!
WHAT A DAY!!! Not only did I have my graduation party today, but it was packed to the brim with Nintendo going-ons! As expected, I only managed to get small tastes of them today, but it's all incredible nonetheless.
First up, Smash DLC! Despite the massive character leak yesterday, there were quite a few surprises in today's direct, not the least of which was stage DLC! One of them (Hyrule Castle 64) was actually chosen for my wishlist in the Smash DLC column, so as you can expect I'm quite happy about that. While Mushroom Kingdom 64 didn't make the cut, I can't be upset at more Super Mario 64 representation in the form of Peach's Castle 64! I'm really curious as to what their respective song lists will be...
...and sizes. Dream Land 64 is rather fun to have back (and I can't get enough of the new Ice Cream Island arrangement!), but the reduced size feels more than a little off. I know it's gone through some minor graphical renovations since we've last seen it, but I wish they'd put more effort into properly accommodating their sizes in relation to those of the fighters. Oh well.
And the characters! As you might expect, Lucas was the first one I tried. What's so heartwarming to witness is he now sports a winning smile. To pay tribute to Mother 3's somber tone, Brawl fitted him with something of a permanent, apathetic frown. True as that was to the source material, I can't help but be won over by this look. It's as if he's finally put his tragic past behind him, ready to live out the rest of his youth and engage life to the fullest. If you ask me, he's even starting to look rather confident of himself!
Also, Roy's returned! Truth be told, I've never cared for the idea of bringing this Fire Emblem protagonist back, but Sakurai worked his moveset magic to once again change my mind. Blending the designs from his original Binding Blade appearance and the Awakening cameo has made him look totally badass (seriously, it and the Melee model are night and day!). I guess after the magic Sakurai and co. conducted on Bowser Jr. (or should I say the Koopalings?) and his Junior Clown Kart, I guess it shouldn't surprise me that they made me a Roy fan once again. Heck, they could probably make me a Daisy fan, if they wanted to.
And RYU! It's funny how his Street Fighter moveset was basically the inspiration for Mario's, and yet the advanced button commands and whatnot render him totally unique! What's funny is that Sakurai once commented on the idea of bringing fighting game characters into the realm of Smash, stating they wouldn't be an ideal fit since they couldn't bring much new to the fold. Naturally, this is why Mega Man initially took the spot of Capcom rep over Ryu, but the way they've finally included him is pretty mindblowing when you think about it. Sure, by himself, Ryu doesn't introduce much to Smash,, but his natural Street Fighter controls render him unique by default! Quite impressive, and I can't wait to learn him further.
Now I suddenly want to play the 3DS port of Super Street Fighter IV again. AUGH! Maybe it's time I sat down with the PS3 version and finally learn those pesky controls...
Also, yeah, the Nintendo World Championship...I DIDN'T GET TO WATCH IT! *sob* The party was still going on during the first hour or so, and as I wanted to play the Smash DLC (AND THE GAME FEATURED BELOW), I only caught glimpses of the Mario Kart 8 tournament and Reggie's hilariously bad Smash showing. You'd think he's never played the series before! Regardless, I also did see Super Mario Maker, and it was glorious. I fully await its display as this year's E3 (and since I skipped over it in my last E3 review, you can definitely expect its inclusion for this year's article!)
But oh yes, by far the most exciting moment of the day was...
The original Mother is coming to Wii U's Virtual Console under the title EarthBound Beginnings!!! YEEEEEHAWWWWWW!!!!!
Those who've been following me on Nintendojo might remember I suggested a Mother trilogy pack during this weekend's roundtable for outlandish E3 ideas. I can't believe my idea, though not in the exact way I envisioned it, ended up partly coming true! If by some slim chance this means Mother 3 will be coming stateside...no, I should be belaying such thoughts, but now that the impossible's already happened...!
As a dedicated member of the EarthBound/Mother fandom since 2002, I'm beyond overwhelmed, in disbelief, and excited to finally have one of the two missing pieces of my favorite video game series finally come stateside (with the original, unreleased localization no less!). Watching Shigesato Itoi's message above welled up some tears in my eyes.
Gotta say, though, I don't think I'll ever get used to Mother being rebranded as EarthBound Beginnings. I know they had to, and I'm already way too accustomed to the original EarthBound title for Mother 2, but the reverse is true for both Mother and Mother 3. The thought of Mother 3 alone being titled as anything else is just...bizarre.
Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself! In any case, Mother is here, and it is good. Remember to always believe in the morning sun, cause you never know when the next miracle's around the corner!
---
So...yeah, that's the first of the "news" updates I talked about back in April. They're intended to be really quick updates (or indecipherable fanboy ramblings, as you'll likely see on Tuesday after Nintendo's conference), but today was an exception since so much happened. They'll probably only be this length maybe whenever a Direct hits,
Oh, and no Biweekly Music Wednesday! this week since it's not only E3 time, but I plan on wrapping up both my Smash DLC column AND my Kirby: Squeak Squad review by the end of the week, so stay tuned!
First up, Smash DLC! Despite the massive character leak yesterday, there were quite a few surprises in today's direct, not the least of which was stage DLC! One of them (Hyrule Castle 64) was actually chosen for my wishlist in the Smash DLC column, so as you can expect I'm quite happy about that. While Mushroom Kingdom 64 didn't make the cut, I can't be upset at more Super Mario 64 representation in the form of Peach's Castle 64! I'm really curious as to what their respective song lists will be...
...and sizes. Dream Land 64 is rather fun to have back (and I can't get enough of the new Ice Cream Island arrangement!), but the reduced size feels more than a little off. I know it's gone through some minor graphical renovations since we've last seen it, but I wish they'd put more effort into properly accommodating their sizes in relation to those of the fighters. Oh well.
And the characters! As you might expect, Lucas was the first one I tried. What's so heartwarming to witness is he now sports a winning smile. To pay tribute to Mother 3's somber tone, Brawl fitted him with something of a permanent, apathetic frown. True as that was to the source material, I can't help but be won over by this look. It's as if he's finally put his tragic past behind him, ready to live out the rest of his youth and engage life to the fullest. If you ask me, he's even starting to look rather confident of himself!
Also, Roy's returned! Truth be told, I've never cared for the idea of bringing this Fire Emblem protagonist back, but Sakurai worked his moveset magic to once again change my mind. Blending the designs from his original Binding Blade appearance and the Awakening cameo has made him look totally badass (seriously, it and the Melee model are night and day!). I guess after the magic Sakurai and co. conducted on Bowser Jr. (or should I say the Koopalings?) and his Junior Clown Kart, I guess it shouldn't surprise me that they made me a Roy fan once again. Heck, they could probably make me a Daisy fan, if they wanted to.
And RYU! It's funny how his Street Fighter moveset was basically the inspiration for Mario's, and yet the advanced button commands and whatnot render him totally unique! What's funny is that Sakurai once commented on the idea of bringing fighting game characters into the realm of Smash, stating they wouldn't be an ideal fit since they couldn't bring much new to the fold. Naturally, this is why Mega Man initially took the spot of Capcom rep over Ryu, but the way they've finally included him is pretty mindblowing when you think about it. Sure, by himself, Ryu doesn't introduce much to Smash,, but his natural Street Fighter controls render him unique by default! Quite impressive, and I can't wait to learn him further.
Now I suddenly want to play the 3DS port of Super Street Fighter IV again. AUGH! Maybe it's time I sat down with the PS3 version and finally learn those pesky controls...
Also, yeah, the Nintendo World Championship...I DIDN'T GET TO WATCH IT! *sob* The party was still going on during the first hour or so, and as I wanted to play the Smash DLC (AND THE GAME FEATURED BELOW), I only caught glimpses of the Mario Kart 8 tournament and Reggie's hilariously bad Smash showing. You'd think he's never played the series before! Regardless, I also did see Super Mario Maker, and it was glorious. I fully await its display as this year's E3 (and since I skipped over it in my last E3 review, you can definitely expect its inclusion for this year's article!)
But oh yes, by far the most exciting moment of the day was...
The original Mother is coming to Wii U's Virtual Console under the title EarthBound Beginnings!!! YEEEEEHAWWWWWW!!!!!
Those who've been following me on Nintendojo might remember I suggested a Mother trilogy pack during this weekend's roundtable for outlandish E3 ideas. I can't believe my idea, though not in the exact way I envisioned it, ended up partly coming true! If by some slim chance this means Mother 3 will be coming stateside...no, I should be belaying such thoughts, but now that the impossible's already happened...!
As a dedicated member of the EarthBound/Mother fandom since 2002, I'm beyond overwhelmed, in disbelief, and excited to finally have one of the two missing pieces of my favorite video game series finally come stateside (with the original, unreleased localization no less!). Watching Shigesato Itoi's message above welled up some tears in my eyes.
Gotta say, though, I don't think I'll ever get used to Mother being rebranded as EarthBound Beginnings. I know they had to, and I'm already way too accustomed to the original EarthBound title for Mother 2, but the reverse is true for both Mother and Mother 3. The thought of Mother 3 alone being titled as anything else is just...bizarre.
Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself! In any case, Mother is here, and it is good. Remember to always believe in the morning sun, cause you never know when the next miracle's around the corner!
---
So...yeah, that's the first of the "news" updates I talked about back in April. They're intended to be really quick updates (or indecipherable fanboy ramblings, as you'll likely see on Tuesday after Nintendo's conference), but today was an exception since so much happened. They'll probably only be this length maybe whenever a Direct hits,
Oh, and no Biweekly Music Wednesday! this week since it's not only E3 time, but I plan on wrapping up both my Smash DLC column AND my Kirby: Squeak Squad review by the end of the week, so stay tuned!
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
My Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS DLC Wishlist Pt. 2: Music, Music, Music!
Ah, Smash Bros. music! If the last entry was any indication, I can't get enough of the series' sweet, sweet arrangements of beloved Nintendo classics. The two latest Smash games are no exception, as I regularly listen to the Smashing Soundtrack and take frequent trips to both games' sound tests (god knows how many times I've listened to Magicant/Eight Melodies). As both titles amount to over 400 and 100 songs respectively, I know I won't be getting bored of the overall soundtrack anytime soon.
Especially since we'll be getting more! We know the Miiverse stage will arrive with quite the number of songs, and the 3DS datamine from April hints at music from the original Smash Bros., Kirby Air Ride and *gasp* Street Fighter II! With the potential for further stage DLC for the Wii U version up in the air, who knows how many songs we'll get?
But what about the possibility of individual music DLC? Ideas such as music packs have been kicked around on GAF and the like, and while I'd definitely love that, I don't think it'll happen. Barring what'll come packaged with the new stages, I imagine Sakurai thinks we have more than enough songs to Smash to, and who could blame him? There's over 400 songs in the Wii U version, for gosh sakes!
However, I imagine such suggestions come from those dissatisfied with the song selections for Donkey Kong, Metroid and Wario, and I can't say I entirely disagree. Is there truly no way to work around that...?
My own idea might have a shot: utilizing the SD card to upload music to the Wii U version's stages! Each stage could be limited to a selection of five extra song slots so as to respect the balance of the My Music ratio, and players could upload any songs they'd want! Yeehaw!
I won't deny it, after the April direct and the confirmation of more DLC, I've been thinking about this idea to the point where I'll probably end up heartbroken if it doesn't happen. Be it bringing back Brawl's Humoresque of a Little Dog arrangements on Onett to the original Kirby Super Star song rips for Halberd and The Great Cave Offensive, my mind's being going crazy with the possibilities. I think what's most appealing about it isn't just the dream scenarios, but in how it coincides with Sakurai's philosophy of adjusting Smash to the player's preferences, as evidenced by the wonderful My Music feature.
Although, whether it's probable is another story. For one thing, music can take up quite a bit of space, and I don't know if SD Card-uploaded music might have an effect on that. There's also the issue of looping tracks, which I can't imagine is done at the press of a button, thus leaving only obnoxious fadeouts that'd immediately contrast with the rest of the game's tracks. I do wonder how other games with such a feature handled all this (I know it was in Excitetrucks and Endless Ocean for Wii, but never found video footage of custom music in use). Curse my lack of tech knowledge...
But let us dream for a moment and ask ourselves, what if it were possible? What would we choose? Regardless, since this is probably the least likely of my suggestions, I'll be restraining myself and share my personalized choices for two veteran stages: Delfino Plaza and Luigi's Mansion.
Chainlink Charge (While this Super Mario 3D World song was never in a beach setting, I can easily imagine this Koji Kondo piece being set to a bustling port town. None of my 3D World favorites got in, so this'd be a good way to sneak 'em in.)
Sunshine Seaside (Fits like a charm, what else can I say? Just goes to show even if I didn't think 3D World was all that great, it had an excellent soundtrack, so in goes its songs!)
Especially since we'll be getting more! We know the Miiverse stage will arrive with quite the number of songs, and the 3DS datamine from April hints at music from the original Smash Bros., Kirby Air Ride and *gasp* Street Fighter II! With the potential for further stage DLC for the Wii U version up in the air, who knows how many songs we'll get?
But what about the possibility of individual music DLC? Ideas such as music packs have been kicked around on GAF and the like, and while I'd definitely love that, I don't think it'll happen. Barring what'll come packaged with the new stages, I imagine Sakurai thinks we have more than enough songs to Smash to, and who could blame him? There's over 400 songs in the Wii U version, for gosh sakes!
However, I imagine such suggestions come from those dissatisfied with the song selections for Donkey Kong, Metroid and Wario, and I can't say I entirely disagree. Is there truly no way to work around that...?
My own idea might have a shot: utilizing the SD card to upload music to the Wii U version's stages! Each stage could be limited to a selection of five extra song slots so as to respect the balance of the My Music ratio, and players could upload any songs they'd want! Yeehaw!
I won't deny it, after the April direct and the confirmation of more DLC, I've been thinking about this idea to the point where I'll probably end up heartbroken if it doesn't happen. Be it bringing back Brawl's Humoresque of a Little Dog arrangements on Onett to the original Kirby Super Star song rips for Halberd and The Great Cave Offensive, my mind's being going crazy with the possibilities. I think what's most appealing about it isn't just the dream scenarios, but in how it coincides with Sakurai's philosophy of adjusting Smash to the player's preferences, as evidenced by the wonderful My Music feature.
Although, whether it's probable is another story. For one thing, music can take up quite a bit of space, and I don't know if SD Card-uploaded music might have an effect on that. There's also the issue of looping tracks, which I can't imagine is done at the press of a button, thus leaving only obnoxious fadeouts that'd immediately contrast with the rest of the game's tracks. I do wonder how other games with such a feature handled all this (I know it was in Excitetrucks and Endless Ocean for Wii, but never found video footage of custom music in use). Curse my lack of tech knowledge...
But let us dream for a moment and ask ourselves, what if it were possible? What would we choose? Regardless, since this is probably the least likely of my suggestions, I'll be restraining myself and share my personalized choices for two veteran stages: Delfino Plaza and Luigi's Mansion.
Delfino Plaza
Rogueport (This song got ROBBED! It's easily the best part of the Paper Mario Medley, and obviously others felt the same since they ripped it independently from the medley. I've wanted an arrangement of Rogueport since the Brawl days and the one here is absolutely fantastic, so I'd put it on here in a heartbeat!)
Beach Bowl Galaxy (One of my favorite non-orchestral pieces from Super Mario Galaxy would work wonders here.)
Dolphin Shoals (Ah, yes, everyone's favorite Mario Kart 8 song! Being exclusively set to that AWESOME third act version would induce seaside euphoria all around.)
Luigi's Mansion
Bowser's Road (This song has been long overdue, but there's no Bowser's Castle stage around, so it goes to the spookiest Mario stage around. This is the incredible Super Mario Galaxy 2 version.)
Boo Waltz (Perfect, what else can I say? Maybe there's too many Galaxy rips as opposed to arrangements, but who cares when they sound this good?)
Booster's Tarantino (Now here's a special case. This is actually a remix--or should I say an OCremix--of a Super Mario RPG song. This has always been one of my favorite fan arrangements, and I think it'd go perfectly here. Speaking of which, I haven't listened to OCRemix stuff in a while...)
Night Play (Luigi's Mansion is home to a number of cameo tracks, so I figured one more couldn't hurt. After all, there's barely enough Chibi-Robo! content as it is!
Fly Me to the Moon (Okay, this one's mostly a joke, but that giant moon in the background would be too fitting. Generally I'm only considering Nintendo songs, but this Smash title was a lot more lenient with third-party titles published by Nintendo such as Baten Kaitos and Fatal Frame, so I figured Bayonetta should make the cut.
On looking this up on Youtube, I only just now learned this didn't originate from Bayonetta. Derp.)
There's actually quite a few more I'd want to put on here, such as the lovely earworm that is the Library Piano from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. I still hum it every now and then...
And that's about it. Rather short article by my standards, but again, I didn't want to go too crazy over an idea that has a low likelihood (relative to my other three parts, anyway). However, if my most desired feature comes true in this or any other Smash, I'd love to start a column where I list off my choice of custom music! So if that ever happens, please look forward to that!
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As there's only two articles left, I'll be finishing off this column sometime next week. Believe it or not, I honestly forgot the time since the first one as I was juggling Nintendojo work and the Canvas Curse piece, so trust me on this one!).
And there's a Smash mini-direct going down this Sunday!! You can bet I'll be reporting on it, but it just so happens to fall on the date of my Graduation Party, so if not that night, then definitely Monday!
On looking this up on Youtube, I only just now learned this didn't originate from Bayonetta. Derp.)
There's actually quite a few more I'd want to put on here, such as the lovely earworm that is the Library Piano from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. I still hum it every now and then...
And that's about it. Rather short article by my standards, but again, I didn't want to go too crazy over an idea that has a low likelihood (relative to my other three parts, anyway). However, if my most desired feature comes true in this or any other Smash, I'd love to start a column where I list off my choice of custom music! So if that ever happens, please look forward to that!
---
As there's only two articles left, I'll be finishing off this column sometime next week. Believe it or not, I honestly forgot the time since the first one as I was juggling Nintendojo work and the Canvas Curse piece, so trust me on this one!).
And there's a Smash mini-direct going down this Sunday!! You can bet I'll be reporting on it, but it just so happens to fall on the date of my Graduation Party, so if not that night, then definitely Monday!
Monday, June 8, 2015
Three Ways to Make Splatoon Better (Nintendojo)
Article Here
Ah, Splatoon. I've been disciplining myself to separate one-hour play sessions for games to complement the following hours of writing, and it's been quite difficult not breaking that rule with Splatoon. That said, there's a number of ways to improve on the game, and I go into that in the article above. You've probably heard some of these complaints, but there's no problem in adding noise!
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 25 ~Gaur Plain~ (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Origin: Xenoblade Chronicles
Plays In: Gaur Plain in the Daytime
Status: Original Composition
Composer(s): ACE+
Everyone's definite Xenoblade moment is soon after the quest begins, when you emerge from Tephra Cave and find yourself in marvel at the majesty of the Bionis' Leg. Cliffs and monsters of all sorts tower many, many stories over Shulk and his companions. The ominous gaze of the Mechonis bores down at the party as its outstretched swords pierces the heavens. There's smoke in the distance, but you do investigate it or leave it alone?
Whichever you choose, adventure awaits. And that is the essence of Gaur Plain.
Xenoblade was perhaps the freshest Nintendo property since Pikmin landed on our tiny GameCubes in 2001, and the soundtrack greatly contributed to that. While Yoko Shimomura graced us with a dozen or so tracks, much of the music was done by Nintendo newbies ACE+ and Manami Kiyota. The former, a group of three Japanese musicians, was responsible for our track of the day, and what a glorious piece of aural heaven it is. So good is it, in fact, that you wouldn't be wrong to suspect it's what immediately grabs players' attention to the area.
And what an area it is, indeed. I've been replaying Xenoblade in anticipation of the upcoming X and I just so happened to clear the first round of sidequests on the plain. A common criticism of the game is that the sidequests are too homogenized and generally uninteresting, and while the former's definitely true, I struggle with the latter. Yes, the context behind them is hardly ever interesting, but what you do most certainly is. They force you to poke around every nook and cranny of the massive, gorgeous environments the game provides you, and they're all so damn fascinating and bursting with imagination.
In the case of Gaur Plain, there's far too much to do. Hordes of triceratops and ponies roam the plain, but watch out, there's giant mutant tortoises and orangutans hanging around. Head into the caves, and maybe you'll find a hideout home to a colony of dodos. That mysterious off in the corner looks interesting, but a certain eight-legged surprise awaits you if you reach the end. Being so close to ocean level presents a lovely, if not dangerous, view into the abyss below. You can even spot Colony 9, where the game begins, off in the distance if you look hard enough.
And all the while, what is undoubtedly the best field theme in the entire game plays. It's accompanied by a night version too, and it's lovely and relaxing and all that, but it can't hope to surpass the sheer adventure it's daytime counterpart provides. Violins, drums, and piano work together to stir an adventurous spirit within the player, granting Xenoblade's true introduction an awe-inspiring depth.
Even when I'm replaying the game, the song tells me I've only just begun Xenoblade. This summer will be a great one, indeed.
Final Thoughts: They say the composers for Xenoblade didn't come back for X...after witnessing that weird rock battle theme with vocals, I wonder if I should worry.
In the case of Gaur Plain, there's far too much to do. Hordes of triceratops and ponies roam the plain, but watch out, there's giant mutant tortoises and orangutans hanging around. Head into the caves, and maybe you'll find a hideout home to a colony of dodos. That mysterious off in the corner looks interesting, but a certain eight-legged surprise awaits you if you reach the end. Being so close to ocean level presents a lovely, if not dangerous, view into the abyss below. You can even spot Colony 9, where the game begins, off in the distance if you look hard enough.
And all the while, what is undoubtedly the best field theme in the entire game plays. It's accompanied by a night version too, and it's lovely and relaxing and all that, but it can't hope to surpass the sheer adventure it's daytime counterpart provides. Violins, drums, and piano work together to stir an adventurous spirit within the player, granting Xenoblade's true introduction an awe-inspiring depth.
Even when I'm replaying the game, the song tells me I've only just begun Xenoblade. This summer will be a great one, indeed.
Final Thoughts: They say the composers for Xenoblade didn't come back for X...after witnessing that weird rock battle theme with vocals, I wonder if I should worry.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Ten Years of Kirby ~Reverie 11~ Kirby: Canvas Curse
2005. With the Nintendo DS defying nearly all projected market predictions and giving the Sony PSP a run for its money, no one knew what to expect from the two-screened handheld. Titles such as Nintendo's own WarioWare Inc.: Twisted! and Sega's Feel the Magic proved the unique hardware--complete with touch-screen play--could stand on its own as a genuine system that escaped the boundaries of mere gimmickry. With much-anticipated sequels for fresh IPs (Animal Crossing and Mario & Luigi) to brand new cult favorites (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Jump Super Stars) just over the horizon, it gradually became evident the DS was no Virtual Boy.
But it wasn't until the three versions of nintendogs hit Japan in April (and America in late summer) did the DS become something else entirely. The whole industry was blindsided that a mere pet simulator--a virtually ignored genre in gaming--exploded in sales overnight due to no part of gamers who grew up with Mario and Zelda, but to a brand new audience charmed by touch screen interactions with virtual puppies. Any traces of awkwardness found in the system's two screens went unnoticed by the game's consumers: the expanded market, affectionately dubbed by dedicated gamers as "casuals".
The Gamecube's eventual slide into neglect and complete irrelevancy during this period was perhaps no coincidence. Nintendo's promises of a Revolution transforming the console market captured the entire industry's attention, and the Tokyo Game Show fall reveal of an outlandish motion-sensitive controller--in the shape of a remote, no less--ignited the minds of gamers and developers everywhere. For once, Nintendo skeptics were at a loss: could the company possibly succeed with marketing this offbeat controller? Could the emphasis on motion taint Nintendo's track record for precise controls? Would this foray into the casual market finally restore the Big N to its former glory, or doom them once and for all?
And what was Kirby doing in all this? He was no longer a cartoon star, for starters; the anime had long since ended in Japan, and 4Kids's subpar Right Back At Ya! localization had just about wrapped up. But the pink puffball wasn't done yet. While 2004's Kirby and the Amazing Mirror had been outsourced to Flagship/Dimps, his home company HAL Laboratory was hard at work on their first DS title. Touch! Kirby--localized as Kirby: Canvas Curse or Power Paintbrush in select Western regions--gained immediate attention from the gaming media for the sheer novelty of its stylus-only concept.
Canvas Curse was something of an anomaly for the gaming world; the title was so divorced from typical Kirby gameplay that any investment into the series wasn't required for enjoying the game, undoubtedly proving to Nintendo and HAL the usefulness of the character's malleable nature (see the Wii's Epic Yarn). But most interesting of all was how it grabbed the gaming media's attention: whereas other Kirby games were quickly forgotten upon their typical 7/8 scores, Canvas Curse was championed as the ultimate proof of concept for the DS, vindicating for many the system's ability to craft compelling unique games.
With a sequel finally arriving ten years later on the Wii U, I suppose there's a hint of truth to the game's legacy.
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Playing Kirby: Canvas Curse is an exercise in low-key play. It's the rare sort of Kirby game that boots up with no fanfare on its part, asking only for the player to touch the screen before segueing into a menu host to a subdued, vaguely techno version of the Kirby 64 menu theme. It's a song that already expressed an ethereal solemnness in its source game, yet its being compressed further into a realm of moderated mellowness instantly sketches the world of Canvas Curse.
Indeed, Canvas Curse's dive into an unfamiliar atmosphere could be a cause for concern, but the way HAL Labs blends so many aesthetic and sound styles--be they an addictive techno-based soundtrack, the monotone menus contrasted by fancy touch-operated button and wheels, and gorgeous backgrounds ranging from watercolors to abstract scribbles to CGI-infused galaxies of geometry--all masterfully fuse together to not just craft an alluring atmosphere of its own, but one that coolly complements the already-exuberant world of Kirby (actually, since the game takes place in a dimension parallel to Dream Land, it's even more enticing as a mystifying counterpart).
Even the game's mood is just as malleable as the core series. Just take the first level -- the watercolors paint a familiar combination of blue and green, complete with a Vegetable Valley arrangement (one of the peppiest songs in Kirby history). If it wants to be energetic, it can be, just as it can dip quickly into realms of dreamy euphoria or bone-rattling eeriness. But no matter how many times it shifts tones, Canvas Curse never leaves that chill, sedate realm that seduces us so easily.
Because the game is so involved with touch control, we ease along with its calm no matter where it takes us. Even when Canvas Curse raises the stakes via rising lava, laser-filled corridors, or moving screens of death, we're too charmed and invested to be discouraged. In that sense, we can think of Canvas Curse as channeling the stimulating relaxation of 2010's Kirby's Epic Yarn, but as we'll discuss in a moment, it's far more difficult.
As the first experimental Kirby, its success stems from just how dang compelling its gameplay is. The touch-operated controls pervade everything from poking Kirby to dash, drawing rainbow-colored lines via stylus to guide him along, and operating machinery-based obstacles. It's a concept as fascinating as it is mentally demanding -- there's only so much concentrated rainbow to draw for Kirby, and because he spends so much time airborne, it's not uncommon to flail about in mid-air via hastily drawn scribbles, desperately trying to land Kirby on the furthest of ledges or avoiding spiky/bottomless pit doom from below. Knowing how to manage your paint bar will make all the difference in playing Canvas Curse, calling for a level of concentration that's already captivated by the overall aesthetic and concept.
This is just a fancy way of saying "Boy, Canvas Curse can get tough." A good deal more difficult than your average Kirby fare, in fact. And that calls to be celebrated as a triumph: that such a unique concept constantly demands the player's skill and judgment is rather bold for a series that champions beginner players. This is undoubtedly the key to why Canvas Curse was so successful among many non-Kirby fans, as the game provides bountiful content that's guaranteed to keep players challenged as they come back again and again, not the least of which are four unlockable characters (with his low health, the Meta Knight ball is essentially the game's hard mode).
"Bountiful content," of course, also refers to Rainbow Run--an assortment of time trials and challenges--and the mini-games, some of which are the most taxing affairs in all of Kirby. Rainbow Run alone is enough to give enough to give players aneurysms; so tough are its individual challenges that I have no choice but to leave them unnamed, lest their memory come to haunt my dreams once more. And that's a shame, for it's where completionists and players alike will spend most of their time in obtaining medals. They're all well-designed and engaging and fun and all that, just timed enough to drive players insane. Beware of the Special Courses.
I'm also quite fond of the Boss Sub-Games, particularly Block Attack, a Breakout-inspired diversion that stars the cloud bully Kracko. The "paddles" drawn by the player grant this mini-game a flexible, addictive depth that keeps my OCD in check; much as I'd love to demolish every block in Kirby's path, the time limit's urgency prevents that fantasy. That's not always the case, though, as evidenced by my pathetic high scores and that I've yet to clear Level 3. There's just so much of them, darn it! One day I'll figure out the secret to beating it, but for now it cleverly eludes me.
King Dedede's Cart Run is similarly challenging, although I confess to enjoying Paint Panic more as a concept. Drawing familiar Kirby icons within timed "connect-the-dots" sequences is a brilliant idea, but one that's rendered frustrating thanks to a rigid penalty system. Because you have to connect dots in a specific order, Paint Panic is quite unforgiving towards uneven lines, and an itsy-bitsy curve of the finger can dock off points. It's somewhat easier when meticulously dragging the stylus, but that's not an appealing solution when Bombers are ready to cook Kirby. We can chalk this up as one of the many instances where developers were just figuring out what did or didn't work out on the touch screen, but in this case I dearly wish it was fully functional. In any case, we hardly see the accompanying character (Paint Roller) as it is, so I guess I'm willing to forgive all that.
But all this talk of challenge and difficulty begs the question: has Canvas Curse, in its drive for ambitious utilization of the touch screen, forgotten the ultimate Kirby creed of treating beginners like kings? Of course, this is no concern to the aformentioned non-Kirby fans (if anything, I imagine they'd be delighted), but Canvas Curse is unnaturally tough for a mainline entry in the series. Regardless, fret not, for I can't speak highly enough of how HAL translated Kirby's tropes into the game.
Just look at how they've implemented Copy Abilities. All of them pull their weight and thankfully the developers remembered not to overcomplicate their function in a touch-operated game. That they work with or against the Rainbow Lines adds another layer to the gameplay entirely, be it having Needle or Wheel glide along its surface, guiding Missile to its destination, or finally rendering Spark useful within a mobile context as it summons kickass skyward bolts of deadly lightning. How I dearly wish it'd be able to do that again.
By successfully bringing Copy Abilities into the touch-operated fold, other familiar tropes rush in too. For example, those who've played the game may have noted how the iconic star blocks seamlessly integrate themselves into the levels. They can easily be tapped away, but their original purpose remains intact: to provide exhilaration and empowerment by plowing through hordes of 'em with the Copy Abilities, typically with those just newly introduced. While there aren't too many superpowers in Canvas Curse, the game isn't shy about decorating courses with star blocks for Beam, Spark and Wheel to smash through (in the case of the level Contrast Cave, this is actually utilized as progression. Fun times ensue).
While the deviant cousins that followed Canvas Curse--be they your Epic Yarns and Mass Attacks--are harder to peg down as true Kirbys, there's no mistaking the pink ball's touchscreen debut as a genuine foray. Oh yes, there's the absence of Dream Land's cozy landscapes and the familiar sugary atmosphere, but Canvas Curse echoes those setpieces all the while crafting its own unique, abstract feel. And the bridge between the ensuing gap is quite possibly the best part of the whole package: the music.
Helmed by series veterans Jun Ishikawa and Tadashi Ikegami, both composers dive into parts unknown within the Kirby realm: techno music. Not only that, but nearly the entire soundtrack consists of Kirby arrangements. Criticism could be made for the apparent lack of originality, but who cares when it sounds this good? Moreover, who's to say it's deliberately unoriginal? Even when dipped into foreign mellow tones or accompanied by unfamiliar instruments, the music remind yous "Don't fret, this is still Kirby."
This is perceived almost right away in the second level. Accompanied by the above Bubbly Clouds arrangement, while I'm at a loss to the name of the cartoonish artstyle for the level background, any Kirby fan can discern its alien nature. Such is the case for most Canvas Curse backdrops, but as all rules are off within the alternate world context, Bubbly Clouds is our ever-present lifeline within this bizarre new realm. What should be chaotic and off-putting is instead mellow and warmly familiar.
Again, the late-game level Frozen Fantasy presents an unfamiliar aesthetic, although it hits a tad closer to home. Note how the Rainbow Resort arrangement not only steals the show once again, but the way the background prods at the mind. Examples like Tiny Town's futuristic setting are, in fact, a rarity within Canvas Curse, for context and form are abandoned in favor of wondrous abstraction. Frozen Fantasy is barely discernable -- we could assume it's a frozen cave of some sort, but those weird purple branches and what exactly those rock spires (Is it snow? Water?) are protruding from throw a wrench in that. In the midst of it all lies a mysterious staircase, its destination unknown and its exact placement unclear.
On the furthest end of this extreme lies Collapse Castle. A formation of undiscernible constructs and shapes drift about in an orange abyss, accompanied by cloud imprints and a slow, faint recollection of Float Islands. That we're told its a ruined castle already prods at us; when putting the actual level aside, the stunning artwork above presents no relatable match to castles within reality nor fantasy, let alone fits by itself within the context of Kirby (or Nintendo games in general; its closest counterpart is Sector X's ruined space base in Star Fox 64). Considering this, to choose Float Islands as the level's BGM comes across as bizarre given its tropical origins until you remember it was already one of Kirby's more reserved songs. The end result unites two of the unlikeliest concepts into something that miraculously works: a dreary Kirby level with one of the most fascinating level backdrops in series history.
In that sense, Canvas Curse recalls the best sort of Kirby, the kind where we're so stimulated by both action and setting that our minds are enraptured by nostalgia and wonder. Again, that it establishes a reserved tone is a blessing; Canvas Curse operates as a mobile counterpart to show-stopping moments such as Kirby Super Star's save huts and Kirby's Adventure's silent arenas. Those pockets of awe captivated us as windows into the unknown, compelling us to question as we soak into their reverie.
One of my favorite examples is the above "lived-in" detail rarely found within this realm of abstraction. Dreamy Darkness (as well as Ghost Grounds) is decorated with lightened windows and balconies of all sorts within its landscapes, and I can't help but ask "who lives there?" Who would choose to live within Drawcia's artificial paint worlds, particularly in an area populated by ghouls and gravestones of all sorts?
The answer? Probably no one. All of the Paint World's inhabitants are merely replicas of familiar foes intended to halt Kirby's progress, and I imagine Dreamy Darkness's "homes" were designed so as to tickle Drawcia's aesthetic fancy. Such melancholy would suit the emptiness of her realm, and what a shame that'd be given the beauty found within..
Canvas Curse naturally picks up on this melancholy and enforces it on us at the end of every level, via a Jump Game meant to score points and extra lives as Kirby dashes off on Rainbow Line ramps. This is all accompanied by footage on the DS's top screen, depicting a familiar setting in decrepit sepia. It's the Kirby Super Star iteration of Dream Land, with five Kirbys lined up ready to perform the iconic Kirby Dance.
Kirby: Canvas Curse arrived at a time where, against my own will, I began drifting away from the idyllic realm of childhood and into that murky transition into the teenage years. That core of nostalgia and imagination I treasured so much was sapped away in favor of a nebulous purgatory, one that would gradually ebb away to reveal a future of dismal hope. From that perspective, Drawcia's interpretation of Dream Land mirrored my own, and these small glimpses into a bygone era--only three years prior into another life--were all I had to look forward to. Even today, where I'm much healthier and now have something resembling potential, do I grow more than a little sentimental whenever I see this.
For all the praise I've lavished upon it, I have difficulty considering Kirby: Canvas Curse a masterpiece. It has all the makings of one, and comes damn close to achieving that status, but makes the mistake of homogenizing nearly all the levels into just three acts. It makes for speedy pacing well-suited for a handheld, but I can't help but wish for more variety in level length. We witness this in Rift Ruin and maybe another level or two, and I'm certain elongating Frozen Fantasy and Mad Mechanism would ensure their outwearing welcomes, but homogenization in general rubs me the wrong way. I'm also still a bit heartbroken over the potential regarding the Paint Panic mini-game, even if I'm entertained enough by the other two.
Kirby: Canvas Curse is the closest Kirby has ever dipped into dreariness (aside from Brawl's Subspace Emissary escapades, if that counts), and maybe that can't quite match up to the feel-good reverie of Happy Kirby at its finest, but who cares? That it sucessfuly carved out its own niche within the series but also bridged together a product both fans and non-fans could greatly enjoy is something to be applauded, and that alone is why I consider it one of HAL's finest triumphs.
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You may've noticed this is a tad more condensed than the other Kirby pieces. As we're launching into a new phase for Leave Luck to Heaven, I'm still juggling what should be appropriate length since I'm aiming for a weekly to biweekly model for reviews now. Let me know what you think!
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