VideoGame_Discussion

I think it's fairly evident that Nintendo hasn't really been too concerned with evolving the 2D Mario format for years at this point. As soon as they started in on the New Super Mario Bros series, they seemed content with just introducing a new power-up each game and pumping out levels that, while fun enough, never really broke the mold as far as the genre goes. In the old NES/SNES days, each 2D Mario seemed to introduce new elements to the actual gameplay and level design itself... NSMB always seemed like just more of the same in my opinion.

I feel like that was probably a direct result of the older generation of developers thinking that the majority of their eggs needed to be placed into the 3D Mario basket because they were around for the transition from 2D to 3D. Now it looks like some younger developers are reintroducing Nintendo to the idea that 2D platforming can be every bit as fun and innovative as it used to be, and that there really is a market of gamers who are still interested in that style of game.

So kudos to Nintendo for finally taking a chance in that realm. Here's hoping Wonder can meet the hype levels so we get more of this sorta thing.

I'm prepared to be disappointed if I'm being honest. The player seems super overpowered and I haven't seen anything too challenging yet. I'm concerned the difficult areas/stages will be short and easily avoidable/nerfed from the little I saw.

KCPenguins wrote:

People make all kinds of challenges to increase difficulty of games after they have otherwise mastered it. Examples:

Get through the game without collecting any extra lives (extra hard: also forbidden from collecting 100 coins and getting an extra life that way)
Get through the game without taking any damage from bosses
Get through the game without using powerups
Play in 4 player co-op, and whenever any player loses a life, treat it as permadeath and they are out of the game.

You can make a whole YouTube or Twitch channel about crap like this.

Anytime someone complains that a game is too easy, I say that they lack imagination.

KCPenguins wrote:

I don't feel like the trailers/released footage have really offered any indication one way or the other as far as difficulty goes. I could see it being either/or so far. I agree I'll be a bit disappointed if it's too easy... that's one of my main criticisms toward Mario Odyssey and the NSMB games -- way too easy. It's a modern Mario game, so I don't expect it to reach the same difficulty levels that a game like SMB3 reached at points, but I would like it to offer enough of a challenge so that I don't just run through the entire thing. But yah, I dunno, I can't really hinge my expectations on the difficulty from the footage we've seen so far. Hopefully the fact that there are designated "easy mode" characters means that there's a little more meat on the bone.

On a different note, my buddy gifted me No Man's Sky for Switch. I dug the game when I first got it a few months after it initially released -- the space travel is still my favorite from any game -- and I dug what I played of it about a year or so ago after all the updates... but I've never really fully immersed myself in it. With it being in the palm of my hand now, I expect I'll get into it much more this time around. I know the multiplayer elements patched into the game are missing from the Switch version, but that doesn't really bother me. Pretty crazy that they got it working this well on the Switch in the first place.

So I was browsing the e-shop to see all the weird crap in it when I came across this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Spencer_%26_Te...

How did I not know about this. I used to watch Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill movies when I was a kid. How on god's green earth did they end up as titular characters in a video game, and how did it do well enough to warrant a sequel!

I knew they were popular in Europe, but I never imagined they were THAT popular.

KCPenguins wrote:


I saw that in the eShop a few weeks ago. I didn't know it was based on already existing characters, I thought it was just another indie dev trying to make their game sound goofy and stand out from the rest..

PizzaTheHutt wrote:


I feel like "slaps and beans" is a reference I can't recall from Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill's movies.

Thinking about it more, Terrence Hill slaps the crap out of multiple people in some of the movies and they are always eating beans. So Hill must be slaps and Bud is Beans.

So funny a game got made in the 2010's based on 2 european actors who were popular in the 1970s mostly making C level cheap westerns.

Another stupid e-shop quirk. My kid had a small amount of eshop funds left and wanted a Minecraft pack. He bought it. It started to download like a new game instead of dlc for Minecraft. Turns out at some point in time there was a Minecraft Nintendo Switch Edition which just changed to Minecraft.

The DLC in the eshop is just for the Switch edition of Minecraft, and does not work in plain Minecraft on Switch. So he has DLC for a version of Minecraft he cannot download.

What a load of crap. Take the stuff down, or warn purchasers they are buying DLC for a game they don't have installed. No clue how we were able to use eshop to purchase the Avatar Minecraft pack.

Why in the fudge would they allow the same game to be released twice on the same console, obsoleting the first release?

Definitely need clear warnings about versions in that type of scenario. I'm pretty sure Nintendo would refund the purchase assuming it hasn't been too long.

Some good deals on Amazon right now. I got NMH 3 for $15:

https://www.amazon.com/No-More-Heroes-3/dp/B07SL77...

And Rhythm Festival for $10:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&lo...

Also saw Tactics Ogre for $25 and Metroid Dread for $30.

DragonBall FighterZ is under $15 on the eshop including the first DLC pack. I double dipped. It's a great MvC fighting clone.

Astronite for $10:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&lo...

Pretty good Metroidvania.

Someone made a level in Super Mario Maker 2 that takes over 19 hours to beat. It's basically entering and re-entering pipes and using every bit of that 500 second timer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozliNRSs2pE

PizzaTheHutt wrote:


I think that is a shot across the bow of USS DGR.

Mario Wonder Jet Run Badge gameplay

https://youtu.be/jNrenqNUrqw?si=g34TMZycNxQDDsQ5

The game itself looks great. I don't know if I can handle the sound effects. The jumping noise is weird. The constant yells are annoying. Like Peach has 2 yells during her Wonder Seed time, and they just keep repeating. The music also sounds very uninspired, which is not like Mario at all.

I'm a little worried.

bonham2 wrote:

Super Mario Advance says hi

"OH, JUST WHAT I NEEDED!"

bonham2 wrote:


"This video is private"

KCPenguins wrote:

Weird. They took it down and reposted

https://youtu.be/zkZgBNVLDTo?si=0KxcV6ppLBGhn51f

It sounds like they all have different jumping noises. I don't mind those too much. I could do without the yelling and whatnot, but it's not enough to worry me. The gameplay itself looks super fun.

I watched a video earlier today where the developers touched on the game's difficulty. Apparently one of the developers who has worked on every 2D Mario since the original SMB said that Wonder is the first one he couldn't 100% without help. It sounds like there are some decently difficult levels in the game, especially as you get closer to the end, with getting 100% (collecting/finding all the badges and secrets) being very difficult.

This does make me feel like the majority of the game will be fairly accessible as far as difficulty goes but it's nice to know that there are significantly harder portions.

Just snagged one of those Switch replacement docks that don't cover the screen and allows you to play while charging. Pretty neat. Setting it up right under my work monitors for easy access, don't tell my boss.

theJaw wrote:
Cool. I didn't know there was such a product. Official Nintendo product?

theJaw wrote:


I assume it's just a charging station that allows tabletop play? There is no HDMI out?

@KCPenguins There is HDMI output too for sure. And I think a few USB(-C?) ports.

@nonamesleft Nah, not official Nintendo. Meaning I didn’t have to shell out like $75 for it haha

theJaw wrote:


Post a link to where you got if you could, please. :D

@KCPenguins

https://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&lo...

Here’s a video of a guy trying it out. Just skip past the first minute or so of the guy responding to commenters lol:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx2D9-EYcN0&pp=ygVAS...

That's actually pretty cool. Tempted to pick it up, but I'll probably wait to see if Switch 2 is compatible with Switch 1 games and docks. Guessing no on at least the latter. Awesome you can switch from charge station to dock, bummer they didn't include any cables, but gotta cut costs somehow. Looks great for traveling (or sneeking in charged tabletop mode at work :P ).

Ohh yah, it’s gonna be perfect for a level of Mario or round of Rocket League in between cases at work. I work from home and literally only got this dock for the purpose of keeping it charged on my work desk for whenever I have some downtime haha

I have often thought about taking a paycut for a lower stress job that would afford me such opportunities...

KCPenguins wrote:

Triple dog dare you. Between my day job and my freelance writing job, I’m fairly comfy. No kids or anything though, just the fiance… so these days may be numbered haha

Death Road to Canada under $5 on eShop yall. Today’s a good day. Love this game, one of the best “pick up and play” games imo.

Newly Published Nintendo Patent Appears to Show the Switch 2

https://gamerant.com/nintendo-patent-switch-2-new-...

That looks awful

yeah I don't believe that's what it's gonna look like at all. I'm more inclined to believe that is a false patent to troll all the leakers and rumor mill people.

So Wonder out in less than 3 days, no? Who's got it preordered, who's getting it day 1, who's waiting for reviews and who's waiting for a discount? I'm sitting on a voucher, but thinking physical is the way to go once again with kids... and I'd like to here more about it in reviews. we'll see.

Got it preordered, so it’s a day 1 for me. Just about everything I’ve seen/been hearing has me very hyped up for this game. It’s got me actually sort of annoyed that I have a wedding to go to on Saturday so I can’t just spend my weekend with Mario. Gonna get a chance to use the Switch as it was intended though - at a hotel haha

I’ll get Wonder when Switch 2 comes out next year. For now I have Blasphemous 2 and Sea of Stars to warm my bed at night.

I went and pre-ordered Super Mario Bros. Wonder in the eShop last Friday and it's already downloaded. I wasn't originally planning to, but I'll probably start playing it right at midnight because I have no self control. This is very likely the last full priced retail game I'm buying for the remainder of the year.

Got Wonder digital and physical. My Kid was super into Mario until he discovered Minecraft and Farmin Sim. Looking forward to getting him off those for a bit and playing Wonder together!

This also means less time with Lords of the Fallen and Spiderman =(

KCPenguins wrote:

ordered on walmart.com since they had exclusive trading cards. I'll keep those sealed and packed in with the game. I'm playing crisis core but I'll take a break for a week to beat mario wonder, for sure.

Someone over at gfaqs (In case you're thinking "What are you doing over at gfaqs? A middle aged man on gfaqs? Seriously there are mostly middle aged men on gfaqs so gimmie a break, lol).

Nintendo removed the original switch announce trailer. I didn't think of this but someone posted, of course they won't want people searching and finding the original switch trailer when they announce switch 2. Which got me thinking, maybe they are actually planning on having a reveal trailer for switch 2 soon? It makes sense why they would remove the OG reveal trailer if you think of it that way.

Unless it is getting a surprise holiday release, why would they cannibalize their potential Switch 1 Christmas sales by announcing it now?

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/7891039...

Trailer still up on twitter

benstylus wrote:

just hopeful thinking on my end.

Nintendo Life has posted several reviews for Mario Wonderful ....

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/10/round-up...

93 on Metacritic too. 💪 Ninty flexing.

https://www.metacritic.com/game/super-mario-bros-w...

80 Reviews to boot. Might have to stop by Walmart Friday...

As of this edit:
22 Perfect Scores
38 90+
1 Sub 80

I have read that despite the developers claiming it to be real difficult in spots, Wonder is actually real easy. So if the difficulty was something you were apprehensive about, this is probably sorta bad news.

Personally not a deal breaker for me, because even those acknowledging the easy difficulty are saying the game is just so purely fun that it doesn't really matter. I'm still hoping for a level of challenge, at least toward the end of the game, but won't be TOO tiffed if it isn't there.

Sounds like the difficult parts are skippable which makes it easy. I'm not expecting the best 2d Mario, and honestly not even expecting it to be better than NSMBU. If it's better than the rest of the "new" series it's worth it. If the kids enjoy it it's worth it. It looks like a great game for my youngest. I'm guessing the older two go back to Minecraft pretty quickly.

I’m not expecting the best 2D Mario - Super Mario World still exists, after all. But it’d take a fart in the wind to be better than NSMB imo.

I like easy games, and Mario Wonder looks intriguing to me. So if it's easy, I'll enjoy it all the more!

Gargoyles Remastered is out today. Anyone planning to check it out?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z9VAlvDMnc
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/gargoyl...

I liked the Genesis one quite a bit. Happy to see a $14.99 price tag, I was expecting $30 to $40

theJaw wrote:

I generally like more challenging games, but some games are just so charming and fun to play, that I can overlook them being easy. Most Mario games come to mind, as well as Yoshi's Woolly World and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. I can tell just from the little bit I've seen that this game is going to be a blast to play. I'm so pumped. Me and my kids are camping out in the game room tomorrow night and are going to stay up as late as we can playing it.

KCPenguins wrote:

I enjoyed NSMBU, but come on, there's no way this game isn't going to be way better than it.

Scott wrote:


Opinions, but the reviews are promising.

KCPenguins wrote:

Of course it's an opinion. I was just calling out how crazy of an opinion it is!

Mario wonder will be better. I bought nsmbu for switch and couldn’t finish it. I think I love it on Wii U because of the excitement and newness of the controller screen at the time.

I really hope we get some DLC for Mario Wonder. It would be awesome if they released a set of really hard levels, like they did for NSMB2!

I bit for Wonder and used a voucher for it, pretty excited honestly for this game it looks trippy as hell.

I don’t know if I’m “excited” but I’ll put crisis core on hold to beat it.

PizzaTheHutt wrote:

I never played the OG game so I'm very interested in snagging this, but will probably wait until I'm done with Wonder and need another "bedside table" game for the Switch. Looking forward to it though. Between this and the news that a live-action Gargoyles show is entering development, I'm getting that Gargoyles itch that I felt as a kid back.

MrBean wrote:

That's pretty badass. Would probably make me sick after a while irl, but still a neat novelty.

Way too early to form a solid opinion just yet, but so far SMB Wonder is freakin' fun and I don't expect that to change. I'm not finding some of the music to be as catchy as past games, but maybe it will grow on me over time. Super easy, but hopefully that's just because I'm only an hour into it. Also if you want to play with the ghosts of other players in real-time, you have to enable it in the options menu. I don't think they bothered to explain that part, I thought it'd be on by default. But yeah, it's been fun so far but I'm gonna stop here for tonight, around 10-ish levels in (but that's including two of what felt more like bonus levels/mini-games).

I sorta (definitely) want that Bluey game for Switch, if only to play with my nephews and nieces (to play by myself).

theJaw wrote:

It looks charming as hell. The best children's show of my kids' and even my generation. My youngest, of 8, is showing signs of getting out of that junior age level, but Bluey is one she still goes back to. I'm hoping the game will make for a good Christmas gift.

It's honestly a great show. Like... actually good. It's definitely a kid's show, but there are elements of it that you'd never pick up on unless you were an adult. And not in an "edgy" way or anything like that, just little bits and jokes that resonate with the older crowd. They definitely took into account that parents would need to sit through the show WITH their kids haha

Bluey is amazing

theJaw wrote:


I had never heard of it until Johnny Gargano mentioned it in a promo (might've been when he returned on Raw). I'm out of the loop on children's shows post Yo Gabba Gabba.

This new King Kong game is looking like a real contender going toe-to-toe with Gollum as 2023's biggest turd of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XWdF7jJYvM

PizzaTheHutt wrote:

Hah, Yo Gabba Gabba, I'm not going to say its the best, but it's definitely one of my personal favorites. I put it right behind Bluey.

theJaw wrote:
It's a great show. The writers definitely had adults in mind.

Now you made me curious about the game.

It's been so hard to focus at work today. I just want to get home and play Super Mario Wonder!

Scott wrote:

Would really wanna know what you think of it since I have it slated to play tomorrow.

@longhornsk57 I'll definitely make a post on here after we've gotten to play a solid hour or so! It will be later in the evening though, like 8 or 9 EST.

Beat the first world. Going as expected for the most part so far. The castle was decent. Wonder is the perfect name for this game as you really do wonder what's going to happen next. There was one moment so far that I totally loved, but another spot I didn't do what the game wanted and got apparently stuck. The enemy that would get me where I needed to go didn't respawn. I had to do a blind YOLO jump air twirling to slow my fall and I was able to make the jump. Unless I missed something that was very unNintendo like. Did a couple stages in World 2 and actually died, so that's a good sign.

If they explained what the heart points are, I missed it. I'm at 01100 currently.

Ah crap. My kids got bored in 15 minutes and went back to Minecraft. I should've used my voucher.

Edit: If you dislike the talking flowers as much as I do you can turn of both their voice and/or captions in the options. Thank you N!

Finally got my copy in the mail. My buddy’s giving me a haircut at 7:30 then I’m gonna jump in. Very pumped.