Penfold

If I were you, I'd get it. The framerate problem should never have happened, but it's also not that bad. Also, you shouldn't skip out on what I think will end up being a great gaming experience because of "just okay" voice acting. Plus, I think the only extra value you'd get from the Switch version is some extra flexibility in where you can play. I can't speak as to the Wii U version, but the framerate issues on the Switch have been pretty limited in the few hours I've put in. I've experienced it only when playing on the TV and while on some grassy field, sort of like there are too many objects for the system to process. It might be good to hear from Wii U version owners about how the framerate is in that version. Also, I haven't experienced a ton of voice acting yet: What I've heard, though, isn't bad. Nothing to miss out on the game for. Hope you enjoy it!

I got to play just a little bit so far. It's a beautiful game. I can see this game being really immersive.

Did anyone pick up the neon blue/red version? I haven't been able to buy the system yet, but I'm drawn to the neon blue/red version. I'd be curious to hear impressions about how that color scheme looks in real life. Edit: I stumbled across the gray version at a store and just went with it. Really nice feel to the system, and the joy-cons have been pretty comfortable so far. Zelda is a beautiful game!

I've been looking to preorder either Master or Special Edition of Breath of the Wild, but I'm not sure if I missed the boat already. Has anyone see preorders for either edition yet? Thanks.

Off the current topic, but I recently picked up Bravely Default and, thanks to the sale, Pushmo and Crashmo. I expected Bravely Default to be good but didn't know what to expect in the Brave/Default options in battle - I'm really surprised how well it works and how much fun that game is. The art style is also really amazing. I haven't played Crashmo yet, but Pushmo is a lot of fun too. It's a really simple idea, and a lot of the puzzles are pretty straightforward, but the overall experience is just so good. I also really like its art direction.

It might look a little strange, but it's a pretty common scenario, particularly when you consider that it can take years for a patent to issue after filing. You can only enforce a patent after it issues, and any infringing activity after issuance is redressable, often including stopping sales of the infringing product.

Why is that funny?

Thanks! I'll follow your advice and see if any friends own it so I can give it a shot before buying it. By the way, does anyone have thoughts on USB charging for a 3DS XL? I've got a couple long plane rides coming up (14hr and 22hr), and I'm picking up a USB charge cable for the XL, but I'm going back and forth as to whether I should just use my laptop to charge the XL or if I should get an external USB battery. I know the two main issues are transfer rate and capacity, but I'm still not sure what specs I should care about. If anyone has used an external USB battery and has any recommendations, I'd really appreciate hearing it.

By the way, going back in time, but how did folks like Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon? I really liked the original game on Gamecube, but I'm curious how the sequel holds up.

I recently heard about this promo too - perfect timing for me because I'm just about to get a 3DS XL! I haven't played a Pokemon game since Ruby, so I'm pretty excited.

Has anyone played the new Donkey Kong Country? If so, how is it? EDIT: Best Buy is also selling Nintendo eShop cards for 20% off; it makes getting a digital version a little more worthwhile!

This is not directed specifically at you, Brandon, but I would like to point out that stock price is independent from a company's financials; stocks are priced according to investor expectation. For example, a company can see high growth and profits, yet its stock can stagnate or even go down because investors have a different idea as to the company's future growth. Basing a company's future on stock price does not necessary make sense.

I had a similar problem, though it didn't last as long: I couldn't get onto the eShop on Christmas, but I got connected by the early afternoon the next day. It was pretty annoying when the whole idea of packing a download code is mimicking the instant access of having a physical copy, but the eShop has worked really well since then for me, so I'm happy.

I got the Wind Waker bundle for Christmas, and I am really enjoying the Wii U so far. So far, I have played some of Wind Waker HD, Pikmin 3, NES Remix, and Earthbound, as well as running through Mega Man X again. I usually don't like buying the digital version of a game if a physical copy is available, particularly when there's no difference in price point, but between getting 20% off on Nintendo eShop cards at Best Buy during a sale, getting a $15 Best Buy gift card from purchasing the reduced-price gift cards as an additional promotion, and Nintendo's Deluxe Digital Promotion, it made it worth my while to get download versions of a couple retail games. I remember reading about complaints with the updated visuals to Wind Waker HD, but it's all been a nice improvement. Sailing is also slightly less tedious with the new sail from the auction. I only played the first few days of Pikmin 3, but it's been great so far. I was a bit concerned when I first heard about all the new Pikmin because I was afraid it was going to make the game overly-complicated when you need a specialized Pikmin for something, but selection between Pikmin groups works really well. It's also a really pretty game! NEX Remix is a lot of fun; I think the last time I played some of its featured games was back when the NES was still a new system. I read some review of the game recently, and its biggest gripe was the lack of multiplayer, which seems a little silly because only one person can play at a time anyway, and you can just take turns if you want to play with friends. Off-screen play is a really nice feature, and Miiverse is a lot more entertaining than I expected. I'm looking forward to checking out more of what the system has to offer when I have some more time!

I think by "fragmented user base," he was making the point that developers will be less likely to make 3D a central mechanic because there is no way to know whether a game's consumer base will actually take advantage of the 3D display functionality. If the 2DS really takes off, it would just compound that potential problem. I totally agree with you as to the reason there is a slider, and I think the 3DS needs the slider for all the reasons that have already been stated in this thread, but at the same time, it at least feels like it could be a major roadblock to getting the full potential out of the 3D functionality. That said, I do not own a 3DS and do not really know to what extent developers have really used 3D, though I am really interested in getting a 3DS/2DS at some point. Because I personally do not care about the form factor and could take or leave the 3D functionality if it is unimportant to the gameplay, the only thing that would keep me from getting a 2DS over a 3DS is whether there are games that really require the 3D display. Do you guys know of games for which you would be missing out on something if you didn't play it in 3D?

I am just getting started with this game and have really enjoyed it so far - the pacing, music, visual style, and overall experience has been great, and I look forward to getting more into it. I found some of the name changing choices were a little odd, like changing Oliver's friend's name from Mark in Japanese to Phil in English, though nothing that affects the experience. One thing that has kind of annoyed me, though, is the counterattack system; not game-breaking or anything, and maybe it is just me, but its timing just does not seem to work. By the time the visual indicator comes up, it seems like it is already too late to select attack and get the counter. Has anyone else had better luck using counterattack?

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The Wind Waker HD trailer was kind of nostalgic for me - I only played the original once, about 10 years ago, but the events towards the beginning were really memorable. I really look forward to playing this new version. No word on release date/window yet, right?

I imagine you will do this already, but I would really appreciate it if you could update the thread when the physical cd drops. I want to support this project, but I want the actual cd. By the way, I just heard the sample tracks on loudr.fm, and the album sounds great! Thanks!

I'm looking forward to the Wind Waker remake; as much as I liked Skyward Sword, I'm pleased to hear Wind Waker will use the GamePad rather than motion controls. Also, even though the WiiU's Virtual Console connection makes those who bought VC games on the Wii pay again to play on their new system, I'm glad Nintendo will allow transfer of those licenses in some form and not require re-purchasing.

Glad to see the high turnout for this; great job. Very excited for the finished product. Thanks for putting this together.

Just to clarify, are you asking about the lag between the action on the tv and the corresponding display on the tablet? I'd like to know this as well. I haven't played a Wii U yet, but I'd expect little to no lag. I'm envisioning this to be akin to the Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles experience, where the main action is on the tv and some correlated information (e.g., maps or inventory) is displayed on the tablet; I haven't been keeping up, though, so I don't really know the extent of the interface between the screens.

It's an interesting thought. If the tablet doesn't take time to be recognized, it would be a great way to interface the system: using the touch function to browse games on the system or the shop seems way more convenient than the Wii's interface. If there are those same connectivity issues as you describe above, that would put a big damper on the experience.

That would be good to know, particularly considering cross-platform eShop releases. If Nintendo would, say, confer a licensee of a VC title bought on a 3DS with a license to the same user to also download and play on the Wii U when the title is available for both systems, it'd be convenient and intiutive.

Thinking about the impending release of Okami HD, it would be a great fit on the Wii U if it were ported to take advantage of the touch controls (at least as far as the drawing mechanic is concerned).