Hello and Welcome
to todays episode of Lost & Found.
It's
about a fan project again. But hey if it's good there is no reason to
give it the spotlight. Even if it's just on my blog. And this fan
project definitely deserves it.
As we
know there are thousands of talented fans out there, which create
great art, music and even games inspired by Nintendos countless
classics. And today I wanted to show you one of those projects, I am
most excited about. As some of you may know Links Awakening was my
first Zelda and is still one of my all time favorite games. The
unique humor and setting combined with the timeless Zelda gameplay
created a classic that I hold near and dear to my heart. So you
probably can guess my excitement, when I heard that a fan is working
on a mod, which recreates the game in the engine of Ocarina of Time
and Majoras Mask. This mod, called Links Awakening 64, finally got a
first trailer several days ago and I just had to share it with you
guys. So I hope you're as excited as I am for this project and are
looking forward to it.
Also
the creator of Links Awakening 64, Ty Anderson, released a video
detailing the process of recreating the Coholint Library for the
game. It's a great look at how much work creating a video game is,
and it made me appreciate the work of those countless talented fan
creators even more.
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.
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 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
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 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.
From the get go
the message is clear. It's much better done than the Wii-U, which
confused the people when it was announced. Not only do we have a
clear distinction by name, but also the console and the whole concept
behind it is clearly shown and explained. It is clear from the get go
what Nintendos intention was with this. Under this light I would call
this first glimpse at the switch a success from a marketing point of
view. Of course things like the Price, Battery life and games remain
to be seen, but for now I'm optimistic.
So let us talk
about what we saw in the trailer. The Nintendo Switch is indeed the
Hybrid concept that was rumored. And it exceeded my expectations.
Seeing the gameplay seamlessly switch from big screen to handheld was
quite impressive. Of course this also means that the docking station
doesn't have any GPU or CPU build in, because then it would have
never worked so easily. So the Docking Station is probably
exclusively for upscaling the games for a bigger screen. All the
processing and rendering is done by the handheld. This also means
that means that the Switch probably won't be as powerful as the PS4.
There is honestly no way to achieve that and keep a competitive price
tag. Don't forget that the Switch comes with an expensive HD screen.
And for anyone
worried that this will be a Wii-U 2.0. I can at least squelch your
worries. The Switch is not build on the foundation of two Screens,
but rather you can switch (see what I did there) the gameplay
seamlessly from one screen to another. And for anyone complaining
about a clunky controller Nintendo has found a solution in detachable
parts. Judging from the trailer there are countless ways to enjoy
games on the Switch. From using it like a handheld, to using the
small screen as a tablet and holding only the control elements in
your hands, to playing on the big screen.
Honestly it got me
quite excited.
But we didn't just
get a look at the console, but also some games. And although it was
only a brief glimpse the newest Mario game looks quite promising. It
seems to return to the freedom of Mario 64 and Sunshine, but mixing
it up with a pinch of 3D World.
Apart from that we
got some new Breath of the Wild Footage, which showed mounted combat
and a new overworld Boss enemy and it seem the Skyrim HD Remaster is
also heading to the Switch.
And that's not
all. Here is a list of confirmed developers, who announced their
support for the Nintendo Switch. And yes I know the Wii-U also had
developer support at first, but it seems Nintendo has learned from
their mistakes and there are some promising names on it.
It's an impressive
List and it shows that Nintendo truly tries to get third parties on
board this time. All big western publishers are on board and even
Bethesda (Elder Scrolls, Fallout), Take Two (GTA) and Warner Bros
(Batman, Shadows of Mordor) are listed. Let's hope that Nintendo can
ceep this support going this time. Because together with the
excellent games from in house studios the Switch could become the
ultimate gaming experience. Also From Software is on there, so maybe we'll get a Dark Souls on the Switch.
Nintendo Switch
promises games anywhere and anytime. It promises countless ways to
enjoy games. If they can hold that promise I'm pretty sure the
console will be a huge success. But of course this first trailer is
not enough information. We still need a price and specifics on how
powerful the Switch is going to be. But all in all I'm pleasantly
surprised by the Swith and I think Nintendo has satisfied the Hype
they build. At least for now.
So what are your
thoughts on this new console? Do you like it? Are you disappointed?
What are your expectations now that we have seen the idea behind the
Switch? Let me know in the comments.
Yes it's only a three minute preview trailer, but at this stage anything is better than nothing. Let's all hope Nintendo manages to satisfy the hype they've been building over the past couple of months. Anyways we'll find out at 7 a.m. PT (4 p.m where I am).
Nintendo
is often called the videogame worlds Disney. Hardly is it ever
associated with something dark and scary. But just like Disney has
its night on bald mountain Nintendo has several areas that are truly
scary. Areas where even adults may get chills down their spines. If
you stumble upon them in a Nintendo game they may hit you even harder
because that is something you'd least expect to find there.
Two
weeks ago I presented you my picks for the most haunted places in
Nintendo games. And while these places could get kinda creepy, the
five areas today really take the cake for me. These are areas that
really send shivers down my spine. As always there will be only one
area per franchise. So now enjoy my picks for the top 5 creepiest
Nintendo areas.
Kirby
games are always happy go lucky. Just like their protagonist. After
all it's a game series about a smiling pink ball and his adventures.
So you wouldn't expect visiting a dead earth along the way to reclaim
the Crystal Shards. This pic is solely on this list because of the
dark and depressing implications, which made the factory worlds of
Planet Shiver Star so unsettling to me. Even thousands of years after
its inhabitants died out or moved to another planet their robot
creations still continue to work. I find it kinda haunting traveling
through these still working factories. It's a small glimpse into the
past of a dead planet.
I
always found Shiver Star rather morbid and creepy. Even Kirbys
cheerful music and graphics couldn't help disguise this fact. Once
you realize the fact that you explore a dead, post-apocalyptic earth
the atmosphere of the worlds changes completely. It's a depressing
and dark outlook into the future of our planet, and the cutesy
presentation only serves to make it worse.
4:
River Twygz (Super Paper Mario)
This
game was rated E for everyone for gods sake. Just listen to this
music. It alone is enough to keep you awake for the night. But let's
not get ahead of ourselves. In Super Paper Mario one of the last
chapter sends you to this worlds heaven and hell to reclaim the last
pure heart. The River is located in the Underwhere. It's filled with
the tears of thousands of sinners, which give the river its purple
color. That is already pretty dark for a Mario game, but it gets
worse. Just like with the original River Styx there is a ferrymen,
who will take you across for a small fee. However if you choose to
swim instead (which is possible) you'll be greeted by those.
These
disembodied hands will attack you and Mario has no way of fighting
back. No amount of colorful paper graphics can diminish the fact that
you're swimming in the river of the dead, while under constant attack
from spook skeletal hands. Super Paper Mario is already a pretty dark
game beforehand (You know with all the destruction of reality in
Sammers Kingdom) ,but this easily takes the cake. It's a truly dark
and spooky area fitting for any horror game. And that is why it's
number 4 on this list.
3:
Shadow Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
The
Zelda series is home to lots and lots of dark and creepy areas. Be it
the Arbiters Grounds in Twilight Princess, Ikana Canyon in Majoras
Mask or the Bottom of the Well in Ocarina of Time. Even the forest
temple in the same game with it's eerie music sometimes sends a chill
down my spine. But the number one pick for me is without a doubt the
Shadow Temple. The game itself calls it the place where Hyrules Dark
Past is buried.
As
we know from Ocarinas backstory several years before the game took
place a huge war was waged in Hyrule. Links Mother brought her son
before the Deku Tree, so that he may grow up far away from the
horrors of war.
The
Shadow Temple looks like it was used as a prison during that time. A
prison where torture seemed to be the norm.
Exploring
the temple is a truly dark adventure. You can't trust your eyes and
without the Eye of Truth you'll have a hard time navigating through
the blood drenched corridors. The dark hallways are filled with
traps, ReDeads and Wallmasters.
The
final boss, the Demon Bongo Bongo, is a large, pale and headless
torso with a bloody neck and chopped of hands.
The
Shadow Temple is truly a testament to Hyrules Darkness. It is a place
of unspeakable horrors and crimes and the game does a good job
showing you that.
2:
GFS Valhalla (Metroid Prime: Corruption)
When
I talked about the list of my top 5 Nintendo villains I mentioned
SA-X from Metroid Fusion as my number four. The reason I put it on
this spot was because it managed to make the player feel helpless. No
easy feat when you're playing Samus Aran.
The
GFS Valhalla achieves the same without letting you face the source of
your uneasiness. This abandoned vessel fills you with dread and
constantly puts you on the edge. In good survival horror fashion you
only uncover what happened there bit by bit. The music and
environment seem hostile from the get go, and you'll get the ever
increasing feeling of impending doom. The game expertly creates this
high tension which keeps on building.
It
is hard describing the area without spoiling to much, but Retro
managed to create an atmosphere where even normal enemies seem
threatening to Samus. It's a perfectly crafted horror experience in a
game where you would at least expect it. And have I mentioned the
music? Because it's fucking great.
The
Mother games are all pretty dark beyond their colorful and happy
presentation. Just play Mother 3 and you'll understand. You'll
understand.
Anyways
Earthbounds (Mother 2) final Boss Giygas is well known by this point.
And his boss fight is a great part of why the final area of this game
makes this list. But even before the dark and incomprehensible chaos
that is Giygas you're face with the Devils Machine. This device was
created to contain Giygas unending power. After entering through a
hole in the Cave of the Past Ness and his friends follow several
pulsing flesh tubes till they reach the machines core. The whole
thing has a striking similarity to a female womb, and with all the
heavy symbolism surrounding Giygas this doesn't seem to be an
accident.
All
this combined with the creepy and unsettling music in the background
makes this place a truly spine chilling experience. And after that
you still have the Giygas fight to go through. The tream truly
managed make you feel the incomprehensible mass of chaos that he has
become. His boss fight is stressful and fear inducing. The twisted
visuals and his unstoppable attacks are truly nerve wracking. It's
something that still, to this day, makes be break out in cold sweat.
And that is why Giygas and the Devils Machine are the well deserved
top pick for this list.
So
what are your creepy experiences with Nintendo games? Which areas or
chapters send chills down your spines? Let me know in the comments.
I thought I'd
surprise you today with a topic I haven't talked about in a long
while. While most of the buzz surrounding Women in Games has died
down quite a bit, the clickbaity nature of this topic raises it's
ugly head form time to time.
I consider myself
to be part of the camp that values freedom of expression higher than
any kind of political agenda and I can accept if a game is not meant
for me. Sadly it seems that I'm the minority in this case. But I
don't want to go on complaining about the more and more self centered
nature of todays society.
Instead let us
talk about something positive. There are many ways to approach the
topic of women in video games. Many choose the route of complaining
about things they don't like, which often ends in simple uninformed
bashing of a character.
I want to talk
about positive examples. Or at least examples, who I deem positive.
Now you may disagree with me on this and that is your right to do so,
but I hope we can keep this whole thing civil.
As I said with my
post on Bayonetta and why she is a great character I'm pretty sex
positive. That's why I don't have a problem with female characters,
who openly live their sexuality. I don't think they are devaluing
women nor harm the picture of women in any way. But I also think that
such a behavior needs to fit the character. In other words I don't
think that a shy girl should wear slutty clothing, even if it's an
optional costume, but when Bayonetta rocks her High Heels I don't
have a problem with it.
So in that light
today I wanted to talk about another cool female character, who is
great, interesting, sexy and integral to the games plot. So let's
talk about Sylvia Christel from No More Heroes.
For anyone who has
never heard of No More Heroes before let me quickly recap the plot.
One night after the brutal murder of his family Travis Touchdown is
approached by the mysterious Sylvia Christel, who tells him a way out
of his grief. She convinces Travis to try becoming the Number 1
Killer in Santa Destroy and then sweetens the deal by promising to
sleep with him if he achieves that goal. What follows is a great and
surreal Story about School Girl Assassins, Magicans, Irish Twin
Brother and Killer Grandmas among others.
And tieing all
this madness together is Sylvia Christel. She is your motivation.
Your goal. And she is an awesome female character. If you only look
at her appearance and don't delve deeper into her character, you'll
probably get the impression that she is a standard fanservice
character. I mean just look how she dresses. That's horrible and only
serves to attract the male gaze. Am I right?
Of course not.
While there is no
arguing that Sylvia is a very sexy character and is often seen in
situation, where she serves as eye candy, she is also much more than
that.
Yes Sylvias look
is designed to appeal to horny men because that is exactly her goal.
She knows that men like Travis are easily manipulated by a beautiful
women. Her appearance is empowering, because she deliberately uses it
to her advantage. She knows that men, who think with their penis, are
easily controlled and she uses her looks to achieve that. That is
also the reason the camera often pans over her jiggling breasts or
ass. Travis is a pervert. A likeable pervert, but still a pervert,
and as the games protagonist the camera mimics his gaze.
By criticizing
Sylvia on the basis of her looks alone you remove her character from
the equation and, in the end, only devalue her and reduce her to an
object. Yes Sylvia is a very sexy and sexual character, but again
there is nothing inherently wrong with that.
Another thin I
truly like about Sylvia is that she is no saint. She lies, cheats and
steals for her personal gain. Still she manages to remain likeable. I
like such grey characters and find it refreshing if a women is
allowed to have such a character. This still happens too rarely,
which is a damn shame. As long as we don't stop labeling characters
instead of looking at the whole picture this won't stop.
Sylvia Christel is
a great character, she is intelligent, sometimes ruthless and always
sexy. And she uses her looks to her full advantage. And yes she often
wears revealing outfits, but it's justified via her character and the
games story.
She is a great
female character in video games and if you don't like her I would be
happy to hear your arguments. But if it only boils down to big tits
on a fictional character harm the self worth of women, then there is
not much self worth to begin with.
And if you don't like such characters and feel like they hurt you in any way or form, the solution
is simple. Don't buy games with big breasted women and instead let
the rest of us ''perverts'' enjoy them.
While the ending
maybe was a little harsh, I still would like to hear your opinions on
Sylvia Christel or the topic in general.
