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Post by ThirdMan on Jun 14, 2017 12:43:12 GMT -8
So, based on the Mario Odyssey trailer, I have to ask, when did Mario become The Shadow King? Is his soul in his moustache? His hat? Inquiring minds want to know!
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Jun 14, 2017 14:39:21 GMT -8
So, based on the Mario Odyssey trailer, I have to ask, when did Mario become The Shadow King? Is his soul in his moustache? His hat? Inquiring minds want to know! At one point, Mario will turn into Aubrey Plaza, and the game will become black and white. Just for a few minutes of course.
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Post by Zarnium on Jun 29, 2017 10:03:08 GMT -8
It finally happened.
I got a Switch! I had to show up at Target on a shipping day right when they opened to get one. I'm not going to play it until I have a chance to apply my screen protector and then wait for it to set, but I can answer any questions anyone may have about the hardware.
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Nintendo
Jun 29, 2017 10:55:36 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by ThirdMan on Jun 29, 2017 10:55:36 GMT -8
Cool! Yeah it's annoying that a screen protector is even required. I've heard some folks have scratched their screens when putting it in docked mode. Hopefully you don't have any bubbles, as I did when I tried getting one for my Wii U (my tablet screen has scuff marks from shaking items in Mario Maker).
So, I gather you were holding off on getting BotW until you were able to get a Switch? The first batch of DLC is out for that tomorrow.
I'm gonna have to grab a Switch by October, so I can play Odyssey. That looks so wonderful.
Re: the hardware, when it's docked, I gather you can play with the Joy Cons still attached to that gray block thing? That's the only thing that confuses me a bit about the console. And how you charge the console and the Joy Cons. Are you gonna fork over a bunch of cash for a Pro Controller, and what do you imagine will be your preferred method of play (motion control or not?) when it comes to Odyssey?
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Post by Zarnium on Jun 29, 2017 13:10:57 GMT -8
Cool! Yeah it's annoying that a screen protector is even required. I've heard some folks have scratched their screens when putting it in docked mode. Hopefully you don't have any bubbles, as I did when I tried getting one for my Wii U (my tablet screen has scuff marks from shaking items in Mario Maker). The dock scratching the screen is one of the few complaints about the Switch hardware that's actually a big deal. I'm not sure how prevalent it is, but it's a pretty big flaw that there's not some kind of built in soft padding or bumper on the inside. So, I'm not taking any chances. I bought this tempered glass protector from Amazon (doesn't seem to be available in stores) since it seems to be the most recommended one, and supposedly, if you apply it in a steamy bathroom after a shower, the moisture causes the dust to fall out of the air so nothing gets caught underneath. I'll tell you how it goes. I've also bought this dock cover to provide additional protection. There are a ton of different designs on Etsy, I'm surprised no big manufacturers are producing anything similar. And yes, I was waiting until I got a Switch to buy BOTW, I figured I might as well get it for the newer system since I was planning to get one eventually. I'm still mulling over whether I want to start playing it tomorrow, or wait until after I've settled into my new job that starts next week. I'm definitely going to start playing Fast RMX, though. The Joy Cons are detachable from the system, and can then either be played with one in each hand or attached to the plastic grip to make them easier to hold. The one that comes with the console (and which can also be bought separately) is just plastic, it contains no additional electronics. While it looks weird, it's actually pretty comfy and I don't anticipate having any problems using it. The Switch can be charged either by plugging the power cable directly into the device, or by plugging the cable into the dock and placing the Switch on the dock. Whenever the Switch is charging, on the dock or otherwise, the Joy Cons will also charge if they are attached to the Switch. There is also an external charging station for the Joy Cons as well as a more expensive grip which can charge the Joy Cons while playing, both of which are sold separately, but I don't think either of them will be necessary. Even with multiple sets of Joy Cons, I doubt you'd be using them so much that you can't just charge them off the Switch when you're not playing. I did buy a Pro Controller, largely because I knew I'd want an additional controller regardless. I'll admit, it is more expensive than Xbox One or PS4 controllers were at launch, but only by ten dollars, and it seems very high quality. I haven't used it yet, but it really feels like the nicest controller I've ever had in my hands. I don't have any doubts it'll be my primary controller for anything that does not use motion controls. That said, it's not really necessary, either. Everything you need to play a game single-player comes with the system, which is why I'm a bit puzzled as to why so many people have been complaining about how expensive everything is. Yeah, a lot of the peripherals are overpriced and you can spend a thousand dollars if you buy every unnecessary accessory, but you really don't need any of it. Just get the Switch and a game and you're all set. As for Odyssey, I was not aware that it had motion controls, so I don't know!
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Post by ThirdMan on Jun 29, 2017 14:50:44 GMT -8
Yeah, the motion controls are optional (even if you're just using the Joy Cons), though apparently more precise in terms of flinging/spinning your cap, once you get the hang of it.
Glad to hear the Switch Pro Controller is sturdy, because I feel like the Wii U Pro Controller (which I rarely use) isn't. Mind you, neither is the PS4 controller (the PS3 one was).
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Post by ThirdMan on Jul 6, 2017 14:50:59 GMT -8
So, Zarnium, are you playing Zelda: BotW yet? I don't know what else you'd play on the Switch at this point. I mean, you've probably already got Mario Kart on the Wii U.
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Nintendo
Jul 6, 2017 19:33:28 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by Zarnium on Jul 6, 2017 19:33:28 GMT -8
Yup, more on that later. Also, as far as other current Switch games go, Fast RMX is pretty great.
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Post by Zarnium on Jul 10, 2017 20:15:53 GMT -8
So, I've been playing Breath of the Wild nonstop for almost two weeks, and it's amazing! Everything I hoped it would be. I can't get over just how huge the world is, I've been playing for ages and have only been to around half of it. The early reviewers weren't kidding, it's really easy to investigate something and only intend to be away from the main quest for a few minutes and then spend two hours marching around in the wilderness. This is easily the best Zelda game in terms of exploration, and it's not a slouch in the puzzle department, either. I do have a couple quibbles, though:
One, the combat is not quite as engaging as it is in most of the other 3D games for a variety of reasons. While the capacity for sneak attacks does open up a lot of new possibilities, the actual swordplay is a bit lacking. It's mostly just mashing the Y button and then holding up your shield or jumping back, or finding an especially powerful weapon and using it to kill something that's been giving you trouble in just a few hits. Maybe there are harder enemies later in the game that require more than just brute force, but I have yet to come across any combat situation as complex as fighting darknuts in Twilight Princess or Wind Waker, for example. This is also compounded by the fact that you can warp out of danger any time you want without limit, and you can also stock up on tons of free food and then refill your health back up to full the split second after getting hit, so unless you get hit so hard that you're dropped from full to zero instantly you'll never die. Death doesn't even have any negative effect as long as you save often, since it just sends you back to the exact spot where you last saved. This removes practically any feeling of danger or urgency, of which there was at least some in most of the other games since your inventory space was much more limited and death usually sent you back to the entrance of the dungeon, so dying was actually likely as well as being an inconvenience. I think this could have been solved by having a cool down period after eating food so that you can't instantly heal any time you want, and also not letting you warp away for thirty seconds or so after receiving damage. Alas, as it is, I find combat to be somewhat dull. Maybe the Trial of the Sword added in the most recent DLC will satisfy me when I get to it.
Two, the story and characters really aren't doing it for me. Zelda has never had Final Fantasy level of story detail, but most of the more recent games have at least come up with something halfway engaging, and usually a few decent characters to boot. I have yet to come across anyone as interesting or amusing as Groose or Midna or Linebeck, and there's not much of a developing plot, either. Supposedly Calamity Ganon is on the verge of regaining his full power and destroying the world, but so far I see little evidence that things are in danger of getting markedly worse than they have been for the previous century, and there aren't really any villain characters or minions around to give you a figure to fight against. There's just a vague evil that floats around a castle that doesn't seem to do anything. This isn't a huge deal, and I get that forming a continuous plot around an open world game like this is difficult, but it's still a bit disappointing.
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Nintendo
Jul 11, 2017 1:21:05 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by ThirdMan on Jul 11, 2017 1:21:05 GMT -8
I don't really disagree with anything you say here, but I just think the mechanics of the gameplay and movement are way less restricted than in previous games -- I played the Wii version of Twilight Princess recently, and it felt really stiff by comparison -- so overall, I enjoy it more. Yeah, by allowing the player to attack the story in whatever order they want -- or, heck, go straight to the castle -- there was always going to be a limit on how one's progress would influence the overall world. And yes, the proliferation of food -- particularly items where one cooked piece replenishes your entire life meter -- removes some degree of tension in the overworld. Between this and Mario Odyssey, Nintendo seems to be moving away from traditional means of punishing players for losing, favouring the exploration elements above all else. We'll see how that plays out in the coming years.
Personally, I really enjoy how you can experiment in how you take out large groups of enemies, using conventional swords or using some of those powers afforded by the Sheikah Slate. And it takes a while before you build up a good deal of hearts, or find the aforementioned one-piece cooked food replenishment, so one swing from an enemy can often take you out. Having the player be sent to a far-away distance after a death, in an overworld that large, could be pretty tedious, though. And I think the shrines offer a great deal of variety in gameplay.
Some of the enemies (particularly the Lynels) can be pretty tough, at least until you get the timing down on quick-time-dodges. And the Guardians are a bitch if you don't have a good shield, the Master Sword, or some ancient arrows. Thunderblight Ganon is quite difficult.
And the trials are tough, because you have to use whatever food and weapons you can pull together in each of the three tiers, and you often can't use some of the swords you find, given environmental circumstances. I actually gave up on the final section, and haven't gone back to it.
After beating the game, searching around for the remaining shrines and Korok seeds provided much of the same addictive appeal as the Riddler trophies in the Batman Arkham games, which really extended the life of those games.
Much of the crucial story of BotW is told in flashback, as you track down the memories. I didn't personally find those characters you mentioned from previous games any more memorable than the four primary races featured in this game, but I will concede that it's a more solitary experience without a buddy tagging along on your journey.
I kind of feel the Zelda series has been recycling a fairly similar story for most of its run, so I don't mind that they backgrounded it a bit in favour of more immersive exploration elements. They can always make the next game more story-focused and, well, linear.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Jul 11, 2017 14:57:31 GMT -8
A friend of mine lent me his Wii U to play Breath of the Wild....and it's so damn good. Absolutely addicting. With other open-world games exploring always feels like a chore; with Breath of the Wild, I want to play it whenever I'm not playing it.
As a personal rule, I don't buy a console unless there are six first party Triple A games I want to play for it. Since I'm playing Breath of the Wild right now, there's Super Mario Odyssey, and Xenoblade 2. And Metroid Prime 4, whenever that comes out (probably around 2029).
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Post by ThirdMan on Jul 11, 2017 15:43:48 GMT -8
Oh, I'll buy a Switch just to play Odyssey, and continue to fiddle around with my Wii U until the Switch fleshes out its list of games. Not a Mario Kart fan? The most recent game is generally regarded as the best in the series. That Mario/Rabbids game looks fun, and the new Yoshi game looks utterly adorable. I'm not saying I'd buy those, but it looks like they're putting out some good early titles.
So, the big question, folks: how many shrines and Korok seeds have you found?
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Jul 11, 2017 17:21:51 GMT -8
Oh, I'll buy a Switch just to play Odyssey, and continue to fiddle around with my Wii U until the Switch fleshes out its list of games. Not a Mario Kart fan? The most recent game is generally regarded as the best in the series. That Mario/Rabbids game looks fun, and the new Yoshi game looks utterly adorable. I'm not saying I'd buy those, but it looks like they're putting out some good early titles.
So, the big question, folks: how many shrines and Korok seeds have you found? I never bought a Wii U. My PC has infinitely more games, even though Nintendo is special to me. The Switch looks like it's gonna have some awesome games....just not for a while. I was sure the thing would be swimming in games right now due to the fact that the Wii U had an awful final year. I thought the teams were busy working on new awesome games for the Switch, but evidently that's not the case. Apparently only the Mario team had something big up their sleeves. The Mario/Rabbids does look fun, but I think I'm still salty that we haven't gotten a proper Super Mario RPG or Thousand Year Door sequel. The Yoshi game looks cute, but they've been making an abundance of 2d platformers for about a decade now. I am looking forward to that Metroid 2 remake and Sonic Mania, but too many 2d platformers! I doubt it'll be better than Shovel Knight anyhow. A 3d Yoshi or Kirby game would be awesome. I do like Mario Kart, but I've played almost every other game in the series to death. Not sure how much different Deluxe can be. Heck, even the Smash game they're probably working on, might not be the best game in the series (Project M for the wiiiiiin!) 38 shrines, 99 Korok seeds. Still haven't done a Divine Beast. It's too much fun exploring, and I hear the main dungeons are underwhelming anyway. No rush for me.
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Nintendo
Jul 11, 2017 20:00:58 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by ThirdMan on Jul 11, 2017 20:00:58 GMT -8
In some cases, the battle you engage in to enter the dungeon is more fancy than the dungeon itself. That said, I think the Divine Beasts are cool, but they're definitely more puzzle- than combat-based.
Did you play Mario Kart 8 to death on your friend's console?
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Jul 11, 2017 22:44:12 GMT -8
In some cases, the battle you engage in to enter the dungeon is more fancy than the dungeon itself. That said, I think the Divine Beasts are cool, but they're definitely more puzzle- than combat-based. Did you play Mario Kart 8 to death on your friend's console? That sounds pretty fun! Maybe I'll check one out soon. I haven't played MK8, but I've played every other game in the series, except for the first one. I even liked Super Circuit. Smash has a replay ability that MK just doesn't have. I feel like I'd get bored after I played all the tracks. There's always online of course, but they're going to start charging for that next year. Just not worth a purchase. If they announce a Pikmin or Animal Crossing or something, then I'll start throwing money at them . If they actually bother to make Switches that is.
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