Archive for the ‘3DS’ Category
28
Sep
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, DS, Games, GB, GBA. Tagged: 1, 2, 3, 3DS, 4, 5, 6, advance, Best, cons, DS, game boy, Games, gen, generation, nostalgia, Pokemon, pros, videogames, worst. Leave a comment
Games
Pokémon Black Version
Pokémon White Version
Pokémon Black Version 2
Pokémon White Version 2
Platform
DS
Region
Unova
New Pokemon
156
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+6. Generous seasoning
I wanted to make an entry devoted solely to the auto-prompt that pops up when you run out of steps on a Repel item in Gen V and beyond, but I definitely don’t have the space.
In a rare example of consistent visual iteration within the Pokémon main series, Gen V built on the significant attention to day-night cycles that Gen IV exhibited so thoroughly by introducing a seasonal cycle. Not quite one-to-one, the cycle saw the region of Unova change seasons at the start of every real-life month, changing up the look of several pivotal routes, slightly altering the encounter rates of certain Pokémon, changing the appearance of Deerling and its awesome evolution Sawsbuck, and even granting/removing access to certain items or events. I kind of wish the developers went even further than they did with the concept, affecting more than just isolated areas, but I’m still very happy it was included.
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25
Sep
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, DS, Games, GB, GBA. Tagged: 1, 2, 3, 3DS, 4, 5, 6, advance, Best, cons, DS, game boy, Games, gen, generation, nostalgia, Pokemon, pros, videogames, worst. Leave a comment
Games
Pokémon Diamond Version
Pokémon Pearl Version
Pokemon Platinum Version
Platform
DS
Region
Sinnoh
New Pokemon
107
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+6. It’s all in the details
I remember quite vividly the day I brought home my copy of Pokemon Diamond to play. It would be an understatement to say I had followed the game’s Japanese release rather closely, and yet I was still surprised, not to mention floored, by the sheer number of tiny yet noticeable changes the game brought to the series as the first entry I could enjoy on my already treasured DS. From the way my Turtwig appeared to physically eat a berry in battle, to the slightly randomised animations of certain moves, to the vastly improved bag and PC Box structures, to the way buying 10 Pokeballs would just grant you a free Premier Ball, completely un-advertised, all these small touches added up to give me the same wide-eyed feeling of wonder I had experienced four years prior with Gen III. And at that point in my life, I had not thought that was possible.
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22
Sep
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, DS, Games, GB, GBA. Tagged: 1, 2, 3, 3DS, 4, 5, 6, advance, Best, cons, DS, game boy, Games, gen, generation, nostalgia, Pokemon, pros, videogames, worst. Leave a comment
Games
Pokémon Ruby Version
Pokémon Sapphire Version
Pokemon Emerald Version
Platform
Game Boy Advance
Region
Hoenn
New Pokemon
135
.
+7. Starker contrast
When a new generation of Pokémon games is announced, said games inevitably come in pairs, and there is inevitably very little difference between the two versions. While it may not quite be an exception to the rule, out of all the main series releases Gen III arguably brought the loudest suite of differences between its corresponding games. The third generation arguably has the single most robust lineup of version-exclusive Pokémon in series history, and they begin to show up very early on. What’s more, Ruby and Sapphire are still the only games to offer a version-exclusive villainous team, which changes the flavour of the story, the types of Pokémon you face in enemy battles, and even the type of natural disaster that befalls the region late in the game (not to mention its accompanying music track). Only Gen V even comes close to that level of contrast.
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20
Sep
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, DS, Games, GB, GBA. Tagged: 1, 2, 3, 3DS, 4, 5, 6, advance, Best, cons, DS, game boy, Games, gen, generation, nostalgia, Pokemon, pros, videogames, worst. Leave a comment
Games
Pokémon Gold Version
Pokémon Silver Version
Pokemon Crystal Version
Platform
Game Boy/Game Boy Color
Region
Johto/Kanto
New Pokemon
100
.
+6. Ooooooh shiny!
Ever found a shiny Pokémon in the wild? There’s no feeling quite like it, is there? You can thank Pokémon’s second generation of games for that very feeling. The design idea was so simple – give every single Pokémon a colour scheme variation, however slight, make the odds of encountering that variation astronomical, and watch human nature go to work. Introduced via a story-integrated red Gyarados, the thrill of seeing that trademark flash before a wild encounter would go on to become one of the most consistently treasured experiences in the entire franchise.
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17
Sep
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, DS, Games, GB, GBA. Tagged: 1, 2, 3, 3DS, 4, 5, 6, advance, Best, cons, DS, game boy, Games, gen, generation, nostalgia, Pokemon, pros, videogames, worst. Leave a comment
Games
Pokémon Blue Version
Pokémon Red Version
Pokemon Yellow Version
Platform
Game Boy
Region
Kanto
New Pokemon
151
.
+6. Straight lines, good times
You won’t catch many people pretending any iteration of the original Game Boy was a powerful piece of hardware, even for its time. And yet walking around the world of Kanto in Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow still set off a generation of kids’ imaginations. Sure, part of this was due to having the anime as a point of reference, but even playing the game nowadays, it doesn’t look all that ugly (at least outside of the battles – see below). And that’s because its art direction is on point. Everything that can follow the natural pixel lines of the screen, does – and all those right angles and all that charming sprite art adds up. Not exactly pretty, per se, but not distracting either. Just a canvas for building a world inside the player’s mind.
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16
Sep
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, DS, Games, GB, GBA. Leave a comment
So Nintendo pulled a surprising move this year (one of many) – For the first time since 2008, they aren’t planning to release a new main series Pokemon game within a calendar year. This decision is being mitigated by all kinds of tangential announcements and releases, from shiny Pokémon giveaways to interesting spin-offs like Pokémon Shuffle, Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, Pokken Tournament and current hype train conductor Pokémon GO, but none of that changes the fact that it looks like we won’t be earning another bagful of gym badges by Christmas.
This unusually long separation from the series has energised me somewhat, and now I feel like writing some stuff about the main Pokemon games. It’s also September, and given that last year this month was devoted to a countdown series (my top 30 favourite Nintendo franchises – on which Pokemon placed first), and the year before to 15 Zelda-themed countdowns, I figured I’d do another Nintendo-flavoured series – this time a set of pros and cons for each generation of main series Pokemon games.
Now I started these countdowns on paper in a “five pros, five cons” format, but I just couldn’t stretch my brain enough to make things that even. So some of the lists you’re going to see have six pros and four cons, while others go for a seven-three split. This does not necessarily mean I like the generations with seven pros more than the ones with six. After all, more pros/cons might just mean smaller, less consequential list entries. I will not, for the record, be singling out which generation is my favourite.
Also, it goes without saying that these lists are entirely my opinion, and they WILL differ from yours. On that note, thanks for checking them out! Let’s get started in a little bit with Gen I.
16
Apr
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, Games. Tagged: 3D, 3DS, 4, 4g, Best, Game, hunter, monhun, monster, online, Portable, Ultimate. 1 comment
This guest writing week begins with a returning blogger, the man who wrote that Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate beginner’s guide for this very site a couple of years ago. Returning to one of his favourite topics, its ZaonTheFirst.
—Written by ZaonTheFirst—
—Edited/formatted by Vagrantesque—
So I am back everyone, and I have got another Monster Hunter post for you all! It has been just over a month since the release of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and let me tell you, it is by far, my favourite Monster Hunter game in the series to date. Honestly, I am glad Capcom have managed to release a game worthy of taking the title of “The best Monster Hunter game” from its previous, long-time holder, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on the PSP. These are just some of my thoughts on MH4U as a whole.
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1. Online multiplayer is always fantastic
I cannot stress how important online multiplayer is for a game like this. I say this because the whole concept is that you get into a party of 2-4 hunters (or solo if you want) and strategically take down a gigantic, hard-hitting, and yet majestic-looking beast. It’s so good to see that MH4U has included multiplayer, as opposed to its previous instalment, which to be honest is essentially redundant at this point. Just having the ability to hunt with not just random people all over the world, but your friends as well (Shout outs to all you!) has made the overall gaming experience of MH4U a lot more fulfilling, and I’ve been a lot more motivated to stick with it. To put things into perspective,
– Hours on MH3U on 3DS – 27 hours.
– Hours on MH4U on 3DS – 386 hours and still going
Online multiplayer is the main reason for such a huge difference in time spent on each game. I really think it’s a crucial feature for a Monster Hunter game, so I am glad that they incorporated it into MH4U.
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1
Apr
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, Games, PC. Leave a comment
Sorry LoL, the Monado is waiting.
21
Mar
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, Games, N64. Tagged: 3D, 3DS, 50, alterations, changes, fifty, improvements, majora, mask, Portable, remake, remaster, sixty, Zelda. Leave a comment
I totally, completely underestimated how long it would take to write this. Blame Monster Hunter.
So I finished The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D on 3DS a couple weeks back, and my oh my, it was quite an experience. This is a game I once called my favourite of all time, so I wanted to make sure I devoted the proper amount of time to revisiting the whole thing. After 36 hours of gameplay (according to the Activity Log app) I had completed the Bomber’s Notebook, collected all the heart pieces and beaten the final boss. As soon as the cartridge was out of my 3DS, what was the first thing that comes to mind about the game?
They sure did make a swag of changes to Majora’s Mask for this remake.
You see as it turns out, ever since Nintendo partnered with co-developer Grezzo to release the 3D remaster of Ocarina of Time in 2011, they were apparently working on this follow-up. Even as Zelda fans went back and forth on the idea that a remake of MM even existed, the developers were tweaking away, rebuilding the creepy, unique game piece by piece. But unlike with Ocarina of Time, which only received a sprinkling of non-visual changes, Eiji Aonuma and his team saw in Majora’s Mask a game with some issues, particularly with regards to a quest structure that may not have been friendly for the generation of gamers who missed out on the N64 original.
As a result, Majora’s Mask 3D is one of the most comprehensive remakes I’ve ever played. It’s still pretty much the same game, don’t get me wrong, but while playing I managed to jot down no less than sixty changes I think are worth mentioning, ranging from miniscule to massive, over the N64 original. And if you ask me, the vast majority of them are for the better. If you’ve played the game before and are tossing up whether to play it again in this new form, this list may help you decide on a purchase. If you’re new to MM, most of these probably won’t make any sense to you, and I may end up in spoiler territory. Regardless, here they are, in the rough order I discovered them.
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9
Jan
Posted by vagrantesque in 3DS, Games, Lists, Wii U. Tagged: 10, 15, 20, 2015, 3DS, amiibo, Games, nintendo, ten, twenty, Wii U, Year. Leave a comment
So I normally take a break from blogging around this time of year, and I probably still will, but it doesn’t look like Nintendo of Australia is taking time off at all, kicking into their 2015 right away. So I feel like I have to throw out this post right now.
2015 is going to be a pretty special year for videogames, with an impossibly exciting lineup of titles on all platforms slated for release throughout the whole year. And for the first time in a long while, it looks like Nintendo will be mixing it with the best of them consistently throughout the year on both of their primary game consoles. It has been a really long time since we’ve reached the start of a new year with such a clear picture of what that year will look like for Nintendo, and for the Wii U in particular, this one looks absolutely packed with the good stuff. And so it gives me great pleasure to present no less than twenty reasons why being a Nintendo fan is going to rock in 2015:
time that .
1- Captain Toad Treasure Tracker (Wii U)
With Captain Toad‘s January 3rd release, Nintendo is getting out ahead of every other major game publisher in 2015, and it’s honestly a very strong opener to the year. I’ve only played a small percentage of the budget-priced retail game so far (which, admittedly, came out about a month ago in the US), but it’s absolutely adorable and can get deviously challenging when trying to find all the hidden diamonds and constantly-changing optional objectives in its bite-sized “puzzle box” levels. The game is impeccably well designed and a real joy to play.
When will it come out? It already is! Go enjoy this amazing game right now, you lucky things.
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2- Splatoon (Wii U)
I played a few rounds of Nintendo’s first-ever entry into the realm of competitive shooters at the EB Games Expo last year, and I immediately wanted to play more. The choice to emphasise territory gain rather than kills, and then to turn that territory into an actual physical advantage in a firefight (paintfight?) by having it improve your range and speed of movement makes for a deceptively deep competitive experience that is simple to understand but tricky to master. The gameplay flow of Splatoon is hella fresh, and I’m excited to see what its single player component holds to complement it.
When will it come out? It’s slated for the first half of the year in all Western territories, and from what Nintendo has shown it looks mostly done, so my guess is March if not even earlier.
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3- Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)
When I was in Japan in late 2013, the super-popular Monster Hunter 4 had just launched, and it just seemed like everyone was playing it – businessmen, old ladies, children, couples, you name it. I’ve experienced firsthand the highly addictive qualities of its 3DS predecessor Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and have amassed quite a few friends who are ready to dive in to a new monster-slaying, armour-tweaking sinkhole when 4 finally comes west, fairly soon no doubt, in upgraded “Ultimate” form. Brace yourselves.
When will it come out? Something about this one screams “first quarter of the year” to me, but that might just be because the last Monster Hunter game released in March over here.
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Vagrant Rant 