Why you should criticize what you love

Last week Nintendo specified the use Amiibos would have in the upcoming Metroid: Samus Returns for the Nintendo 3DS. And to say it bluntly, they are pretty dumb. Since releasing the figurines Nintendo has struggled to find a good use in games for them. Right now it's a hit and miss kind of thing. Either you'll get next to nothing or Amiibos work as physical DLC.

From the get go the Amiibo Idea, as great as it is, was facing a lot of challenges. Because everyone has a different threshold on when he thinks Amiibo implementation becomes intrusive there was never a way to truly win. But still Nintendo use of these figures has ranged from excellent to being a insolence to their customers.

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So what is the Problem with Samus Returns? Well it's simple. If you want to play the Hardmode then you better own the new Samus Amiibo that launches alongside the game on the 15^th of September. Just like the Black Airwing in Star Fox Zero, which was unlocked via the Falco Amiibo, this forces players, who want to face the biggest challenge the game has to offer, to pay 15$ extra. I have criticized that the first DLC of Breath of the Wild unlocked the Master Mode for that game because a difficulty should never be locked behind a Paywall, but only behind a skillwall. And this is exactly the same.

Like I said there have many different uses for Amiibos in the past. Some of the good and some of them bad. And I don't want to talk about that again or why the use for Samus Returns is bad. It has been said time and time again. And as you've probably guessed from the tittle this isn't todays topic. This news is only the catalyst because it once more showed the problems of modern fan culture.

Fan vs Fanboy:

Being a fan of something is great. It helps us connect with other, similar minded, people. It gives us lots of things to look forward. And it inspires us to create our own works of art. There are thousands of stories of people finding happiness and even love through a shared fandom. So yes being a fan is something great that should always be celebrated and never hidden.

Still being a fan also poses some dangers. The danger of losing focus on anything not related to your fandom is a very real one. Also identifying to closely with it will blurry the line between you and the thing you're a fan of. In that case any critique someone may offer to it will be taken personally. And that is the downfall of all meaningful conversation.

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This is especially true if you're fan of a company like Nintendo or Sony. Or any videogame publisher to be honest. Because if you take something personally it's only natural to lash out in defense. When the info about the Amiibo Use in Samus Returns got out many where quick to rightfully criticize it. But just as many quickly joined to defend Nintendo, calling all who had a different opinion hater or even threatened them. Now I'm not one to take these online threats seriously, but it shows the problem we currently have in the online age. Everything has to be about me. Social Media is one huge narcissistic shit show. If someone critiques something I like that must mean he critiques me.

That's the thought process that lies at the bottom of this problem. Identifying to closely with a company leads you to becoming blind for it's flaws and problems. And to be honest everyone and everything has flaws. Yes even Nintendo. Because first and foremost these companies only want your money. Some may call this a cynical world view, but this is the endgame for every company. Yes some of them surely care for their customers, but in the end all these ways of binding people to your brand only serve to get these people as customers. And if these customers happily consume without complaining then all the better.

One thing that every company tries is to maximize it's profits. That's just how our capitalism driven society works. Our ''job'' as customers is not consumption, but instead acting as controlling organ to keep the companies in check. And that is something that being a blind fan undermines. Also it sooner or later kills itself. What I mean by that is that being a blind, always supporting fang will kill your love for the product. Because even if you are a huge Nintendo fan there will always be things about them that bug you, but you won't be able to say this outright. To admit that your favorite company has flaws, is the same as to admit that you are flawed because you choose them. So instead of voicing your opinion you start to simply accept everything, but the frustration won't go away. And because there are thousands more like you, your company doesn't see any reason to change their ways. One day there will be the point where even you are fed up with their antics. And that's when you cease being a fan. One thing that is important to realize is that you don't owe these companies anything. You don't need to defend them or protect them. What you need is to call them out on their bullshit before it can destroy what you love.

Let's just take a look at the X-Box One. When it was announced Microsoft planned on it needing to be online all the time. If you couldn't connect to the Internet you wouldn't be able to play. Luckily the fans lashed out and that stupid idea got canceled. But what if blind supporting Fanboys would have been in their place?

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Well like everything anti-consumer that isn't fought before it can take root the idea would have bloomed and quickly became an accepted standard. And like any standard it would get copied by other competitors.

You should always criticize what you love.

What I'm saying with that is not to never be happy about your fandom. Just that you should never grow blind for problems. Engaged fans help their fandom to evolve and grow. Also taking critique aimed at your object of passion personally is the dumbest thing you could do. It destroys all hope of ever reaching your discussion partner and only leads to hardened fronts.

Just remember. You don't owe those companies anything. Not your love, nor your money. This has to be earned time and time again. Or we'll end up with a 60$ game for which you need five different Amiibos to unlock the true ending. And one more if you want to play it Co-op.

And as always

thanks for reading

Nintendo Direct 12.04.2017

After the unfortunate passing of Nintendo President Satoru Iwata nearly two years ago Nintendo Directs have become quite the rarity. And while the Nintendo Switch event was held in similar spirit, the formal atmosphere couldn't match the carefree fun the Directs often had.

If you missed the Directs as much as I did, I have good news for you. Tonight we got treated to another Nintendo Direct, focusing on ARMS and Splatoon 2. Two of the biggest upcoming titles for Nintendos new console. But of course other titles were also mentioned.

So was this a good Direct? First take a look for yourself.

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It was tightly packed and eventful, that is for sure, but let us start at the beginning. So after the Nintendo Switch event it seems Yoshiaki Koizumi is going to be the new, permanent host. And while he hasn't reached Satoru Iwatas level of charisma yet, I'm positive that he will grow into the role. Overall his presentation was a little bit stiff at times. Still overall I found the Direct rather charming and well done.

But, and this can't be denied, the whole presentation felt rather rushed. Apart from Splatoon 2 and ARMS no game got much more than a minute of screen time. Also there weren't any meaningful announcement, but more on that later. For now let us focus on the information that we were given.

We started of with a slew of 3DS titles, but really now meaningful information on any of them. Granted it were all games we had seen before, but still it felt really rushed. The information we got, apart from a very basic overview on the games, were mostly release dates. Still I find it reassuring that Nintendo still supports their six year old handheld. This reinforces their stand on the Switch being a true Home Console and not some sort of hybrid, which replaces the Wii-U and the 3DS.

And the titles coming to the handheld system aren't bad either. Ever Oasis and Monster Hunter Stories have me interested the most, but there seems to be something to enjoy for everybody. And the Pikmin game, which is now called Hey! Pikmin looks really good. It is a big departure from the main series, but as a Spin-off the 2D Side-Scrolling approach could really work.

But something that has become painfully clear is that Handheld game development is now entirely a Japanese Club. There has been no game announcement from a Western Studio for the 3DS. Not even from an Indie Studio. While the handheld market has always been eastern dominated it is a shame to see that the West seems to focus solely on Mobile Games nowadays.

Still I think most of us are fine with mostly Japanese games for the 3DS. And like I said earlier there is a wide array of different games and genres coming this year, so we have lots too look forward to. So far Nintendo does an excellent job in keeping the 3DS alive and I hope they will keep it that way for at least a year.

List of 3DS releases:

• Hey! Pikmin: 28^th July 2017
• Ever Oasis: 23^rd June 2017
• Monster Hunter Stories: Fall 2017
• YO-KAI Watch 2 Psychic Specters: Fall 2017
• Culdcept Revolt: 29^th August 2017
• RPG Maker Fes: 27^th June 2017
• Miitopia: 2017
• Fire Emblem Echoes DLC: 2017
• New Kirby Multiplayer Game: Holiday 2017

But of course the 3DS wasn't the only focus of this Direct. There will be also new Amiibos. First up the already speculated new Zelda Amiibos finally got confirmed. On 23^rd June Kid Link from Majoras Mask, Link from Skyward Sword and Link from Twilight Princess will come to stores. The Data Mined Skywards Sword and Fierce Deity Outfits from Breath of the Wild already revealed that these Amiibo were in the making, but now we finally have a release date.

But that's not all .Because soon we'll all be able to hold Bayonetta in our hands. Yes that's right. On 21^st July 2017 the final three Amiibos from the Smash Bros. Series, including our favorite Witch will launch.

And now let us get to the main event.

Even with only a hand full of games the Nintendo Switch launch has been a huge success. But, and this has to be said, launching with on of the best games in history (Breath of the Wild) won't be enough to sustain a long term success, if there isn't a steady support of other games. And in this regard I'm not fully behind the Switch yet. On 28^th April we'll get the definitive version of Mario Kart 8 with Mario Kart 8: Deluxe, but apart from that there is no truly big title coming till e3. At least fans of Japanese games can get the Switch without any worries.

While the support of Western developers is still in the air somehow it seems their Japanese colleges are fully behind Nintendos newest console.

But as for now, except from Sonic Forces, there is no big third party title announced for the Switch. Still if you missed out on the Wii-U the Swich is worth a purchase.

But were the 3^rd Party developers dropped the ball (till now) Nintendo luckily is ready to pick it up. While the Wii-U suffered a long drought of games after it's launch this time it seems they have a slew of titles ready to launch overt he coming months.

Just like with Splatoon when it was first unveiled, ARMS looks better and better with each showing. It seems they truly have packed the game full with great Multiplayer content. The short presentation of a fight between Spring Man and new Character Min Min really showcased the intense and quick fun this game will (hopefully) provide. I'm still unsure if ARMS is going to be the next big thing, but it seems like a solid multiplayer title which will be loads of fun with your friends.

ARMS launches on 16^th June 2017.

And only one month later we will be treated to the first true highlight of the Switches post launch line-up. Splatoon 2. As we all know the first game was a blowout success, especially in Japan where it even managed to outsell Final Fantasy 15 and Mario Kart 8. So of course the announcement of Splatoon 2 created a lot of buzz. After the original Splatoon was Nintendos first attempt at a Multiplayer Shooter Splatoon 2 now builds and expands on this basis. New Weapons, New Equipment and new Game modes.

If you're a Sony or Microsoft Gamer you're probably familiar with Horde Modes. They are quite popular in games like Gears of War or Call of Duty after all. Well now Nintendo only games can join the fun in Splatoon 2. The goal of this mode is to defend and survive against Waves of Enemies, who continuously grow stronger. It's a simple premise but with the right team of friends it's nearly endless fun.

The Nintendo Switch will get it's next System Seller on 21^st July 2017 when Splatoon 2 launches.

List of Switch releases:

• ARMS: 16^th June 2017
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 28^th April 2017
• Ultra Street Fighter 2 The Final Challengers: 26^th May 2017
• Minecraft: 11^th May 2017
• Sonic Forces: Holiday 2017
• Sonic Mania: Summer 2017
• Project Mekuru (Working Title): Summer 2017
• Fate/Extella: 25^th July 2017
• Disgaea 5 Complete: 23^th May 2017
• Monopoly: Fall 2017
• Rayman Legends Definitive Edition: 2017
• Sine Mora EX: Summer 2017
• Battle Chasers Nightwar: (Late) Summer 2017
• Payday 2: 2017
• Namco Museum: Summer 2017
• Splatoon 2: 21^st July 2017

Verdict:

Was it a good Nintendo Direct? Well it was serviceable. Two months before e3 2017 I didn't expect a slew of unannounced games. Still with no announcement at all this only furthered my expectaions for Nintendos e3 presence this year. Only focusing on games we already know won't be enough. The Nintendo Switch needs to keep it's momentum and for this it needs the Hype of big announcements.

In regards to the Switch the Direct did it's job, but also reinforced the fear of the console being a Nintendo only machine once more. At least the support from Japanese developers seems to be a given, but even there the big titles are missing so far. All we get in the upcoming months are Indie and Retro titles. For the start this is enough, especially with Breath of the Wild keeping everyone busy, but in the long run the Switch needs to secure a steady supply of high profile titles to avoid the fate of the Wii-U.

But the Direct wasn't only doom and gloom. Because the first part, focusing on the 3DS, was really great, but also really rushed. It reinforced Nintenods statement that the Switch won't replace their dedicated Handheld. Instead they are focusing quite the resources into creating a lot of good games. Once again it is very Japanese focused content, but it is hardly Nintendos fault that most Western Studios nowadays associate mobile gaming with Phones and Tablets.

Overall it was a good Direct without any surprises or major upsets. The continued support of the 3DS is great and I withhold my judgement about the Switch until we have a clearer picture. Hopefully this will be the case after this years e3.

What are your thoughts on this Direct? Let me know in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

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Goodbye Wii-U

This is it. Soon we'll get the full picture about the Nintendo Switch and in only two months time we get to hold the new console in our hands. And with this the time of the Wii-U comes to an end. Nintendos sixth Home Console leaves a torn legacy behind. But I would be hesitant to call it a complete failure. But I also don't want to paint the picture of the console to rosy. The Wii-U failed in many regards, but not in all. So today I'd like to take a look back at it's History, the good and bad parts and where it succeeded.

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A Brief look back:

The Wii-U was announced at e3 2011 and garnered a lot of interest, but also confusion. The presentation didn't make it evidently clear that this was the successor to the Wii. Instead it seemed more like an accessory. This problem would stick to the Wii-U for its entire life cycle.

On stage many 3^rd Party developers promised to support the Wii-U with their games. A promise which wasn't fulfilled as we know now.

The Wii-U finally released on the 18^th November in the US, on the 30^th November in Europe and lastly on the 8^th December in Japan.

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The Problem Child:

Let us start with a negative point first. The Name. There is just no way around it, but the Naming of the Wii-U was a pretty huge fail and played a big part in the problems the console had with the Casuals. The Idea behind it was for it to be an extension of the Wii Brand. If the Wii was about We, then the Wii-U should be all about you, the hardcore gamer. You don't need to be an marketing expert to see that this is a dumb concept. Or maybe you need to. Because marketing experts came up with this.

To the surprise of no one the naming fell short. Many people didn't realize that this was a completely new home console. I worked at a store during that time and I often got the question why you'd have to pay 300€ (or even 350 for the premium version) for the Wii-U, when the Wii was only costing 150€. Most casual customers didn't understand that it was a new console.

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Another problem was the price. It became apparent pretty fast that the Wii-U won't be getting a huge 3^rd Party support. With that the mainstream gamer was lost as a customer. Today you can't succeed if you don't provide Fifa, Madden, Call of Duty and Co on your platform. Without casuals and mainstream gamers only the Nintendo faithful remained. But there was another chance for the Wii-U. The life as a secondary console. Nintendo offers experiences you can hardly find on other platforms. And many gamer still long for those experiences, but they don't want deny themselves the 3^rd Party games. But with a lower price I'm sure many people had bought the Wii-U just to play Mario Kart, Smash Bros. and Co.

Also Nintendo completely misread the market. While the GamePad is a great idea, it was not an intuitive smash hit like the Wii-Mote. Just because people now use Tablets in their everyday life, they don't automatically get the concept behind your system. This together with the lower power, compared to it's competitors, was the final nail in the coffin of the console.

The last problem of the Wii-U, which was a result of the previous ones and bad sales, where the software droughts. With absolutely zero third party support for most of it's lifetime Nintendo alone couldn't provide a continues stream of games. The Wii had a similar problem with most high profile 360 and PS 3 games not releasing for it, but the lower technical threshold allowed small and medium sized projects to be realized for the console. The HD graphics of the Wii-U made this impossible. Even Nintendo themselves were surprised with the amount of work HD development demanded. This only furthered the software problem.

The Wii-U had some very glaring issues which kept it from succeeding, but it was not all doom and gloom with the console. So just like the life cycle of the console will end with High Point in Zelda: Breath of the Wild, let us now look at the positives.

Redeeming Qualities:

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While the Wii-U had many problems, some of them had also some positive effects. And while I overall would have preferred a good 3^rd Party support for the console, the absence of Assassins Creed (after the initial two years), Fifa and Co. also allowed the Indies to breath. Because of this the Wii-U has a great selection of Indie games. The games in general are a a high point of the console, and I'm sure that in the future we'll look fondly back at the great classics the Wii-U provided.

Another good aspect about the software droughts was that it forced Nintendo to step out of their comfort zone a little. Hyrule Warriors, Tokyo Mirage Sessions#FE, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Splatoon... These games would have been unthinkable on the Wii, but because they had to provide the software for the U basically alone we got this unusual concepts to enjoy. And with Splatoon it brought us the first big new Nintendo IP in over 10 years and a smash hit.

Apart from the software, which was sparse but excellent, we also got the only console with free online, which is something that shouldn't be underestimated.

And the last positive thing about the Wii-U is something that isn't directly tied to the console. But I think the lack of success coupled with the NFC reader build into the Gamepad led to the creation of Amiibo. Nintendo needed to think outside the box, because their console business wasn't earning them profits. Because of that they needed other ways of generating revenue. And Amiibo were the perfect solution for this.

Now the use of the Figures in actual games is still kind of lackluster most of the time, but even if you don't use them they're still very well made collectables.

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Sadly the good didn't outweigh the bad and so overall the Wii-U has to be called a failure, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the offering the console provided me with.

What are your thoughts on the Wii-U? Did you buy it? Or didn't it offer enough to justify a purchase? Let me know in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

Nintendo Switch: Facts and Rumors

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Yesterday Nintendo swept the internet of its feet when they unveiled the Nintendo Switch. Well most of the Internet anyways, because there will always be some negative people out there. But from what brief look we got, it seems as if Nintendo has learned from the mistakes they made with the Wii-U. The Switch has a clear and understandable vision behind it and the video explained it very good. Yesterday I already wrote down my initial thoughts about the switch and today I want to give you a overview about all known facts and rumors surrounding the Nintendo Switch.

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The Announcement has generated lots of positivity and many people seem excited for the newest Nintendo Console. So let us jump right in an start with some of the facts.

The Facts:

Nintendo sees the Switch as a home console and it should be treated as such. Source

The Switch supports Unreal Engine 4. Source

The Nintendo Switch is powered by custom made nvidia technology. It uses a customized Tegra processor and includes the same technology as the current top graphic cards. It also has a completely new physics engine and easier tools for developers to use. Source

The Switch uses cartridges as medium.Source

Because of that there won't be any physical backwards compatibility. To play Wii-U or 3DS Games you'll still need the respective console. However Nintendo didn't specify if there will be a digital backwards compatibility. So maybe you'll be able to at least transfer your downloaded games onto the Switch. Source

Nintendo didn't specify if the Switch will be able to play Smartphone games.Source

Nintendo didn't specify how long the battery life of the Switch is, but they stressed that it will be as long as possible and it should not be a problem while gaming on the go. Source

The Switch will support Amiibos. Source

The Docking Station only serves as a means to bring the picture fast and seamlessly to the TV-Screen. It doesn't contain any GPU or Processor. All processing and such is done inside the portable unit. Source

A lot of developers have already pledged their support for the Switch. The comments are positive throughout and several big publishers already announced that they have games in the works. Source

The Rumors:

The Nintendo Switch will be the first Nintendo console without a region lock. Source

There won't be anymore announcements this year. Source

The Switch won't have a lot of build in space for digital games, but it can be easily expanded via SD-Cards. You'll also be able to increase the space by using a portable harddrive with the Docking Station. This will, however, limit your range of playing those games. 

The Verdict:

The Nintendo Switch proves to be a bold new step, but I think it's a step in the right direction. By breaking up the line between handheld and console gaming Nintendo takes a big load of its shoulders. Instead of trying to keep two healthy systems afloat they can now concentrate on one.

The move back to cartridges also makes sense. They don't take as much space as disks, and in today day and age they are faster, more reliable and offer a bigger space. This should keep load times on the Switch low and also keep mandatory installations at a minimum.

The Switchs message is play how you want, anywhere you want.

Of course it remains to be seen if the Switch can truly capitalize on the promising outlook it presented so far. The price will be a huge factor. As well as battery life and power.

I think it's safe to assume that the Switch won't be more powerful than the PS4 or Xbox One, but if the specs are at least competitive I think it has a good chance of becoming successful.

In my opinion the biggest weaknesses of the Switch will be the limited storage. Have you seen how flat the actual console is? I can't imagine that there is a 500GB harddrive hidden inside.

The Switch seems to be aimed at the more casual players, as well as Nintendo fans. That is why I think the price point of the console will be the deciding factor. If it's competitive the Switch may warrant a purchase as secondary console for ''Hardcore'' Gamers, which mostly use the PC or Sony/Microsoft Systems, as well as be attractive for the more casual audience, who are drawn in by the promise to easily play on the go.

So what are your first thoughts about the Nintendo Switch? Are you excited or let down? Maybe tomorrows Trailer Watch, where we'll dig into the announcement and see if we can find hidden details, will help you with your decision. Anyways let me know your opinion in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

Nintendo Direct 01.09.2016

It was a good Direct. It truly was. I can't really complain about anything shown there. Even the more controversial games don't bother me. It really was a good Nintendo Direct focused solely on the Nintendo 3DS.

But first if you haven't watched it you can catch up right here:

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Objectively we got everything we could ask from this direct. New information about upcoming big games, Indie Love and some new announcements. And the skits in between are a great way to break up the continuous announcements.

Pokemon Sun and Moon look better and better each time they are shown. I like the concept of Alola forms for older Pokemon a lot. What I'm not so sure about is the restriction to Gen 1 only. It seems GameFreak is riding the Nostalgia Wave pretty hard with this one. But from the looks and information we got so far this Generation seems like it will break up a lot of established rules for the franchise. Something that is more than welcome after 20 years. To me it seems as if GameFreak intends Sun and Moon to be the next big leap in the Pokemon Franchise, maybe being as influental as the ground breaking first games.

Next up is one of the more controversial games in this Direct, but honestly one that I was expecting. Ever since it's announcement I was sure that Mario Maker will find its way onto the Nintendo 3DS. And on the first glance this is good. And on the second too. Yes I won't complain about them ''robbing'' the Wii-U of one of its exclusives, because in my eyes they're not. They're expanding the Playerbase and more Players means more wacky and more great designed courses. Of course it also means more trash courses, but let's ignore that for the moment.

But what I have to criticize is the way they implemented things. The idea of strengthening the local aspect of the game is great, but cutting down the Online functionality is not. For me this robs most of the games motivation.

But something that I imagine to be great would be like a level jam, where you meet up with other like minded People and you all create levels together and try to beat them. This is something this game offers. Anyway I'm sure it will be a huge success, especially in Japan.

Mario Party Star Rush also looks good, but for me it's still not really interesting because it has the same Problems every handheld Mario Party had so far. It's not the games fault, but more or less a platform problem. Mario Party works best with friends on couch. That's also why I've never missed online functionalities in those games.

Also something that I find quite interesting is the fact, that so far the classic Party mode (with or without car) hasn't been shown. Maybe they scrapped it all together in favour of Toad Scramble?

But anyways the game looks really solid and it offers a ton of different modes to play. So any handheld gamer, who was let down by Mario Party: Island Tour, can look forward to this iteration.

As for Animal Crossing. I'm not the hugest fan of the series, but a good friend of mine absolutely loves it. And she is looking forward to this new Update, which, for her, reinvigorated New Leaf. She is playing it regularly again in anticipation. Also the announcement of an Animal Crossing Direct raised some expectations. We'll probably get some new information about Animal Crossing for Smart Phones and hopefully a completely new Animal Crossing. As for platform I really can't make and prediction. It could be NX or even a new 3DS Title.

Tank Troopers and the Mii Plaza Games look like simple fun, and I'm pretty sure that they will find enough fans, who'll enjoy them.

The Zelda Amiibos look great and I'll definitely get Ocarina of Time Link. Also the release of Skyward Sword for the Wii-U Virtual Console reminded me that I have to play this game again before Breath of the Wild releases. Thanks Nintendo. You're always looking out for me.

And now we have the next controversial title after Super Mario Maker 3D. Yoshis Wooly World will be ported to the Nintendo 3DS with new levels and new features, as well as all the content that could be found inside the Wii-U Version of the game. And again I won't complain about them robbing the Wii-U one of it's exclusives, but instead try to stay positive.

The game looks great, even on the 3DS screen. The Yarn look is just timeless. Of course I prefer the HD Version, which looks more vibrant and detailed, but for someone looking for a great 3DS Yoshi game, after the disappointing Yoshis New Island, this is perfect. The new additions are not enough for me to say that I feel robbed and they are not enough to warrant another purchase of the game for me. So I'm just happy that more people get the chance to play this delightful game.

Ever Oasis got a little bit overlooked during this Years e3, which is a damn shame. It looks like Grezzo has taken all they learned from making Ocarina of Time 3DS and Majoras Mask 3DS and gave it their own spin with their first own IP. The game reminds me a lot of Fantasy Life, which was a great title for the 3DS. And with Level 5 chasing the mobile dream with that franchise Ever Oasis comes right along to fill that gap. The mixture of RPG, Town building and The Sims looks like a lot of fun. If Grezzo manages to balance all this aspects I think Ever Oasis could become a big success. Let's hope it will.

Mario Sports Superstars looks fine, but I really missed some wacky Mario like items or areas to spice up the Sports. So far it looks like it will be regular sports with Mario Characters attached, which really doesn't interest me. This was one of the main reasons I didn't buy Mario Tennis for the Wii-U. In a Mario Sports game I want crazy courts, abilities and items. I hope they deliver this to Mario Sports Superstars, because it looks like a solid game even without these features. But with them this could be a hit.

And lastly we have a surprising announcement. A new Pikmin is headed to the 3DS. Now to quench your worries. This is not Pikmin 4 and it's not created by the main Pikmin team. This new game is a 2D spinoff. The true Pikmin 4 is still headed to Wii-U or NX (probably NX).

This game focuses on puzzle solving and fighting in a 2 dimensional plane. On the one hand this reduces the complexity, but also opens up new ways to interact with your Pikmin. The announcement of this game took me completely by surprise and I'll hope it doesn't share Federation Force destiny.

Now I haven't talked about the worries of several people that Nintendo is robbing the Wii-U of it's games with these ports. I think this is an interesting topic and I want to discuss this in depth, so that's why this will be next weeks topic for the Wednesday Thoughtpiece. I hope you can be patient until then.

And now before I wrap this up I want to adress the people that called this direct disappointing. What did you expect? We got a lot of games. Big titles and smaller ones. New announcements completely out of the blue and more information on upcoming games. In fact let me just list all the games that where shown during this direct.

• Pokemon Sun and Moon
• Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
• Mario Party Star Rush
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf
• Mii Plaza Games
• Tank Troopers
• Picross 3D Round 2
• Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC
• Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice
• Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King
• Yo-Kai Watch 2
• Disney Magical World 2
• Sonic Boom: Fire&Ice
• Shin Megaim Tensei 4: Apocalypse
• Poochy & Yoshis Wooly World
• Ever Oasis
• Mario Sports Superstars
• Pikmin

And that's just the games. I haven't even included the merchandise like the New Amiibos.

So what are your thoughts on this direct? Are you happy? What would you have loved to see, but wasn't shown? Let me know in the comments

and as always

thanks for reading

Source of all Pictures: Nintendo

Nintendo News: 05.06.2016 - 10.06.2016

Hello and Welcome to Dillians Nintendo News Recap.

This week we have a healthy dose of new releases and interesting News, so without further ado let's delve right in.

New Releases:

• The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 – Wii-U
• B3 Game Expo for Bees – Wii-U Download-Software
• Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs – Virtual Console (Wii-U)
• Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia – Virtual Console (Wii-U)
• Kirbys Dream Course – Virtual Console (New Nintendo 3DS)
• Puzzle Labyrinth – Nintendo 3DS Download-Software
• Kirby: Planet Robobot – Nintendo 3DS Game Card

It got better. Although it wasn't hard after last weeks releases. Still this week is quite a good one. Kirby: Planet Robobot looks even better than Triple Deluxe. If you like Jump'n'Runs, Kirby or devouring everything, which dares to stand in your way, you should give this game a try. On the Wii-U we have two cool Pokemon Titles for the Virtual Console. Even though I never played the Ranger Series of games myself, I only heard good things about them. And The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is a extremely funny Point'n'Click Adventure. If you like Games like Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle or Deponia you should definitely check it out.

Source: http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Recent-Releases/Recent-Releases-753285.html

Splatoon:

We start this week with some Splatoon News. Nothing special, just a small update about the upcoming Splatfest. This time it will ask the difficult question of whether you'd rather travel around the World or travel through Space? World Trip or Space Adventure? Whatever your answer is, you can fight for your teams superiority on 11^th of June starting at 19:00 CEST.

Source: https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/739034303124869120?lang=de

Mario Kart:

Either Nintendo of Europe are genius trolls, don't know how to use hashtags properly, or they truly have given us a small hint that there maybe is more on the horizon for Mario Kart 8. In case you didn't hear it, Nintendo of Europe has tweeted the above picture with the message: Good things come to those who wait #MK8.

This message coupled with the Hashtag of Mario Kart 8 has led people to believe that more Mario Kart 8 DLC could be on the way. And I must admit that this doesn't sound to unlikely. It's pretty clear that apart from Zelda and Paper Mario Color Splash we won't be getting any more major titles for the Wii-U. But with some new DLC for the successful evergreens of the System Nintendo could expand the life cycle of their Console and satisfy customers. Whether or not this proves to be true, I think there is a good possibility that MK8 will get some more DLC.

Source: https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/738777797125144576?lang=de

Nintendo:

My Nintendo is Nintendos first try at an online service and so far it does an okish job. It get's updated frequently with new rewards for Platin or Gold Points. One of those new rewards are the Kid Icarus Uprising short movies, which were released together with Kid Icarus:Uprsing. These short movies were produced by renowned animation Studios Production I.G, Stuido 4°C and SHAFT.

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the e-shop in Japan these movies can now be download onto your 3DS via MyNintendo. It's unclear if these offer will also come to the West, but as someone who has seen all of the short movies, I definitely hope so. They are great.

Source: http://www.perfectly-nintendo.com/my-nintendo-kid-icarus-uprising-anime-shorts-added-rewards-tomorrow-jp/

But don't worry. The 5^th birthday of the e-shop will also be celebrated here in Europe by Nintendo and several other Publishers. From the 09.06.2016 till 23.06.2016 many games will be sold with discounts. Maybe you'll spot some gems you don't have in your collection yet, so here is the list:

Wii-U:

• Art Academy: Sketch Pad – 1.99€ instead of 3.99€
• Child of Light – 7.49€ instead of 14.99€
• Cube Life: Island Survival – 6.99€ instead of 9.99€
• Donkey Kong 64 – 4.99€ instead of 9.99 €
• EarthBound – 4.99€ instead of 9.99€
• Fast Racing NEO – 11.20€ instead of 14.99€
• F-Zero – 3.99€ instad of 7.99€
• Kirbys Adventure – 2.49€ instead of 4.99€
• Little Inferno – 4.99€ instead of 9.99€
• Metroid Prime Trilogy – 9.99€ instead of 19.99€
• Nano Assault Neo – 7.49€ instead of 9.99€
• NES Remix – 4.99€ instead of 9.99€
• NES Remix 2 – 4.99€ instead of 9.99€
• Super Mario Bros. 3 – 2.49€ instead of 4.99€
• Super Mario Galaxy 2 – 9.99€ instead of 19.99€
• Super Mario World – 3.99€ instead of 7.99€
• Super Mario 64 – 4.99€ instead of 9.99€
• Super Metroid – 3.99€ instead of 7.99€
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – 3.99€ instead of 7.99€
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – 4.99€ instead of 9.99€
• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap – 3.49€ instead of 6.99€
• Toki Tori – 0.99€ instead of 1.99€
• Trine 2: Director's Cut -8.49€ instead of 16.99€

3DS:

• 3D Clasics Kirby's Adventure – 2.99€ instead of 5.99€
• Colors! 3D – 2.99€ instead of 5.99€
• Dillons's Rolling Western – 4.99€ instead of 9.99€
• Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! - 2.24€ instead of 2.99€
• Gunman Clive – 0.99€ instead of 1.99€
• Kirby's Dream Land – 1.99€ instead of 3.99€
• Pokedex 3D Pro – 7.49€ instead of 14.99€
• Pokemon Link: Battle! - 3.99€ instead of 7.99€
• Pokemon Trading Card Game – 2.49€ instead of 4.99€
• Pullblox – 2.99€ instead of 5.99€
• Shin Megami Tensei IV – 9.99€ instead of 19.99€
• Steam World Dig – 4.49€ instead of 8.99€
• Super Mario Bros. – 2.49€ instead of 4.99€
• Super Mario Bros. 2 – 2.49€ instead of 4.99€
• Super Mario Bros. 3 – 2.49€ instead of 4.99€
• Super Mario Land – 1.99€ instead of 3.99€
• Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins – 1.99€ instead of 3.99€
• The Legend of Zelda – 2.49€ instead of 4.99€
• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX – 2.99€ instead of 5.99€
• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages – 2.99€ instead of 5.99€
• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons – 2.99€ instead of 5.99€
• Zen Pinball 3D – 1.99€ instead of 4.99€

Source: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2016/June/Nintendo-eShop-sale-Nintendo-eShop-5-Year-Anniversary-Sale-1111775.html

Next up we have some news regarding our friends from America. Nintendo has announced the Play Nintendo Tour. During the upcoming summer months you'll be able to test several Nintendo games in selected malls across the country. The games included are:

• Yoshi's New Island
• Kirby: Planet Robobot
• Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
• Mario Kart 7
• Pokemon Alpha Saphire and Omega Ruby
• New Super Mario Bros. 2
• YO-KAI Watch

All in all a good selection of games, but most of us probably own them already. It would have been cool if they offered a chance to play the new Zelda game, but then the onslaught would have been to great. Anyways here are the dates, so if the tour comes nearby you can check it out:

• June 17-19: Westfield Culver City – Los Angeles
• June 24-26: Arrowhead Town Center – Glendale, Arizona
• July 1-3: Flat Iron Crossing – Broomfield, Colorad
• July 8-10: Mall of America® - Bloomingten, Minnesota
• July 15-17: Bite of Seattle – Seattle
• July 21-24: Marriot Marquis San Diego Marina – San Diego
• July 29-31: Memorial City Mall- Houston
• August 5-7: Woodfield Mall – Schaumburg, Illinois
• August 12-14: Roosevelt Field – Garden City, New York
• August 19-21: South Shore Plaza – Braintree, Massachusetts
• August 26-28: Tysons Corner Center -Tysons Corner, Virginia
• September 2-5: North Point Mall – Alpharetta, Georgia

Source: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/06/nintendo_of_america_announces_12_city_play_nintendo_tour

And finally we have some news about e3. Well not directly. As we all know the video game convention starts in a few days and we'll all be discussing announcements and the new Zelda on every message board we know. But if you hate typing on a keyboard but absolutely love it on the Wii-U Gamepad Nintendo has a solution for you. Nintendo of America just announced on their Twitter that the Miiverse Community for e3 2016 is officially opened. 

Source: https://mynintendonews.com/2016/06/09/nintendo-opens-e3-miiverse-community/

Tokyo Mirage Sessions#FE:

The release of this game edges closer and Nintendo, trying their best to make us forget the censorship, have released two new videos for us to enjoy. One deals with the dungeons of the game, while the other is even better... It's a music video. Enjoy.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKrZBFua8bs

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFFuzwWZNsE

And lastly the fine folks at GameXPlain had the chance to delve into the newest RPG for the Wii-U already and opted to share the first hour of Gameplay with us. 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-o99UiT49c

The Legend of Zelda:

People who bought the Limited Edition of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD also got a Music CD with selected pieces from the Game. For everyone not lucky enough or who wants more Nintendo is now releasing the complete Soundtrack of the Game. At least if you live in Japan. Next month the Album containing 3 CDs with 108 Tracks will be released for 4.611 Yen (38€ or 43$). While there is no announcement yet if the soundtrack will also release in the West, we at least got the cover already.

Source: http://www.perfectly-nintendo.com/twilight-princess-hd-soundtrack-album-releasing-next-month-japan/

We also got a new Artwork for the upcoming Zelda game, which shows us nothing new really, but looks cool nonetheless.

Pokemon:

As we all know 2016 is the 20^th anniversary of the Pokemon franchise. To celebrate this Nintendo is giving away legendary Pokemon all across the year. For anyone not lucky enough getting Mew during it's first giveaway in February I have good news. From now till the 30^th of June you'll be able to download the mysterious Pokemon via the Nintendo Network. Just use the pasword MEW2016. But if you got Mew already in February you won't get a second one this time.

Source: http://serebii.net/news/2016/07-June-2016.shtml

Kirby:

And, like last week, we wrap things up with a new Kirby trailer. The game releases today, so this is probably the last time we see the Pink Ball for a long time. Enjoy an overview of the Amiibo features in the new game:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG0feUR6vZQ

And that was it for this week. Enjoy your games and enjoy the weekend.

And as always

thanks for reading