The Damned

I have the Nyko battery pack, and it does double your battery life. It also makes it a bit easier to hold on to, since it give a sloped edge to rest your index finger on. The only thing is that if you have the top screen open, and you put it on a table, the 3DS tend to fall over a bit. This makes games where you can play it on a flat surface kind of awkward. It's simply just a balance issue. But for only $20, it works pretty good.

Yes, that's the one. Two touch screens, because that's twice as many as the DS had, and at least 1.5 times what the 3DS has right now. So take that, Nintendo! I thought it was bad enough when they decided to put gyroscopes in everything so the old "tilt the controller" habit actually did something, but all the emphasis on touch screen controls these days is just annoying. At least the 3DS and Vita offer actual buttons, because I can not stand touch-only controls.

The same as the PSP models, within an hour. Depends upon the settings. The biggest battery drain on the 3DS is the 3D screen. Because there are two screens that produce the 3D effect, it has to output twice the backlight brightness. Turning it off all the time almost doubles the battery life. Sadly, all accounts, from both Sony and third party developers, say the Vitas battery life is the same as the PSP and 3DS. I guess the DS Lite was the last of the long-lasting battery systems. I still get at least 15 hours out of my DS Lite, and it's still on the original battery. EDIT: I just realized that I have never actually paid for a copy of Link's Awakening. I got the original cart for a christmas present. I lent it to a friend, and someone stole his GameBoy along with it. He replaced it with the DX version. I've even tried the ROM a few times just for the hell of it. So I got the Virtual Console version tonight. It's the first time I've actually paid for that particular game in my life.

I doubt it will ever come up to any part of Canada (or at least any part I can even remotely get to affordably), so anyone that goes to it better enjoy it for me.

http://www.destructoid.com/playstation-vita-to-launch-on-october-28--207640.phtml October 28th is earlier than Sony said at E3. Nintendo ships their portable early, there is a lack of good games at launch (including all the ones they hyped up as launch titles), people complain about it, and it sells less than expected, resulting in a sudden price drop. Sony ships their portable early, and... ? If this date is true, this could be the most interesting first year between two systems in a long time.

http://www.destructoid.com/grandia-creator-takeshi-miyaji-dies-aged-45-207622.phtml Hmmm, that might have been a bit tasteless, but at least you'll remember this thread now, and by way of that, the guy who made the Grandia game series.

I do feel a little bad about paying full price for mine, but really, what would I do? I've already bought eShop games, have my Friend Code list made, applied screen protectors, etc... It's not worth it to me to go back and try to get some money back. I didn't complain about the price drops on any other video game system I've owned, so I don't see what the point is now. Unless Nintendo comes out with a new 3Ds model with far better battery life and some other features that could have been included in the current model, at the same or lower price as the upcoming new price, and within the next few months... I can't really feel bad about it. I find it funny that gamers will spend thousands of dollars on computer parts but they don't demand a refund or free software because the video card manufacturer decided to take $20 off. At least, none that I've ever met. Also, Trajectile is terribly fun (it's from the list that Dhsu posted). It's Arkanoid with Bust-A-Move.

TheGuitahHeroe has been working on several Pokémon remixes for some time now, and I'm glad to see it finally came to something. During the Missingno Tracks, I secretly followed every other remixer working on any pokémix. TheGuitahHeroe's work stood out a lot, and I wish I could have gotten him on it. This remix is why. It's three and a half minutes of delight and surprise. The percussion and the slightly distorted synths work well together, and then he changes it up with some organ stuff that fits really well. TheGuitahHeroe, you get an automatic reserved spot on any projects I run in the future.

Link above resulted in two eShop purchases so far. In related, actual 3DS news: Wal-Mart Canada is dropping their price of the 3DS to $198. Even with taxes, that's still a big drop... and because you can get this now, you can still get in on the free games from Nintendo. You're not saving as much as the $170 price would, but this way, you still get the freebies. Not too bad, huh? Also, there are lots of people that are talking about getting a 3DS before August 11th, and then having the store they get it from proactively price-match. That might work, but there are a few things to consider. First, not all stores will do a price-match if it's before the new price is set. They will do one after it goes on sale, though. Second, some stores will only match a price from another store. That means they don't care about what the manufacturer says the price is, it's only the competing stores prices they care about. If Bob's Game Store isn't selling it any lower than Best Buy, then forget about it. Third, some places will just outright refuse to do it. They know about the price-cut, but you already bought it before it was announced, so too bad. So if you can find a store that won't do these three things... good for you?

I'm going to get Cave Story 3D, as it's supposed to be filled with extras that the other versions don't have, plus it's the best looking of the three. Have you seen the latest screenshots? It looks beautiful. Shantae (the GameBoy one) wasn't something I liked. I'm not too keen on spending $12 on a sequel to something I didn't really like in the first place. But keep the suggestions coming. Eventually, I should find something I would like.

Any way... I got $50 on the 3DS eShop to use, and I got no idea what to get. I already own Link's Awakening and Mario Land, not to mention Kirby's Dream Land 1, so that pretty much takes out a quater of the Virtual Console titles, and the rest aren't exactly the cream of the crop. That leaves the DSi Ware titles and the various apps. Anything that is free, I already got, so don't bother saying "the 3D pokemons thing". Any other suggestions?

As someone that still plays L4D2 (and occasionally 1) on a semi-regular basis, you have to get the good fan-made maps. They really do add a lot to the game. A current favorite is "Let's Built a Rocket", where you have a small enclosure, with a building that spawns zombies at the other end. You can "build" fences and barriers, as well as a rocket, piece by piece, simply by holding your use button in select spots. This, however, takes time. To make things easier, you can place barriers that can slow down the hordes of zombies. You also can take a few seconds to look at the console behind you, and unlock and grab items and weapons. If you do it right, you can get medkits, laser sights and any of your favorite weapons pretty quick, but only if your team is able to properly cover the player(s) that are building defenses or unlocking guns from the console. Since it's such a small area, you have to be on your toes when Special Infected and Tanks show up. They can only come from one direction, but when they do, there are a lot of them. I've only managed to successfully complete a game of Let's Built A Rocket on Advanced once, and it was mostly because our team was constantly dropping out and getting players over the course. We finally managed to get a team hat could work together and we made. I'd recommend your first try at it on Easy, as it's not as simple as it sounds. Building your first line of defense takes 10 seconds per part, and each rocket section is 20 seconds. Unlocking and acquiring enough weapons and supplies to fend the zombies off until the rocket is done will also take a lot of time. But really, it's the custom maps and some of the newer fan-made mods that are making the game worth playing right now. Kind of like StarCraft 2 and the mods it's running.

Oohh, I hear talk of Kirby and The Amazing Mirror as one of the GBA downloads. Never did get that one, and I have most of the Kirby games. I really want to see what the other GBA games are. I already own one of them, and the others aren't exactly personal favorites.

The general consensus is that they wanted to get the extra time jump on the Vita, which hadn't received a solid release date at that point. The idea was that the Vita could launch anytime from just after the 3DSs original shipping date to several months after it. Get the 3DS out sooner, and you get that much more of a head-start. But yeah, I would have liked more high-level launch titles, but that's just the way things work: new systems hardly ever have anything good at launch.

I love how people bitch and complain about every generation's pokémon designs, and then they go and use some of those pokémon on their teams. Cradily was called hideous when it was shown the first time, but it's a common member on Sandstorm teams, even to this day. It's like nostalgia, in that it's retro-actively applied and no one will admit to it. /still have my RSE Cradily because he was cool the first time I saw him //still uses him, too

Fuck, Doulifée. Thanks a lot. Now I have to leave a mirror in front of my monitor when I'm not using it.

I thought it was the all drinking.

Really? A cat? That's what Bulbasaur looked like to you? I mean, I know the first gen sprites weren't very well done, but come on!

There is one seris I do not want on the 3DS VC. Pokémon. Now wait, put that phone down, no need to call the mental ward (or worse yet, an exorist). Hear me out. Nintendo had already remade the original Red and Blue, and we've already gotten remakes of Gold and Silver. I know Nintendo likes to port and remake big titles, but there is a point where it needs to stop. Also, unless they somehow redo the old games to allow wireless (and possibly online) linking, the major point of the series, trading and battling, will be completely cut off. Half of the fun of the series is trading for the ones you don't have, and then using the ones you do have against another player. Even then... classic game or not, the series has moved on from the first generation. The current systems Gen 3 and later have refined and improved are just better in every way. Retro game or not, the old Red and Blue games are just inferior in every way. Anything else, I don't mind (and might even want to get). But no Pokémon, please. Just let the series progress, not be stuck in the past.

Semantics. But yeah, early adoption of new technology is always like this. People just like to bitch and complain that they got "ripped off" because they didn't have psychic powers to known when they should get one. I don't even think this is the earliest price cut on a system, either. I think the Nokia N-Gage beats the 3DS. I'd have to find some numbers to be sure, though. On the topic of getting free VC games... I already own most of those games, in their original cartridge format. VC titles aren't really interesting to me, as I can play them on my GBA or DS Lite. They could have thrown in a coupon for a free 3DS game or something. That would be awesome. Then when the good games start coming out later this year, free Mario Kart/Starfox/whatever.

Nah, not everyone joins Club Nintendo. I never have and I had multiple GameBoys and DSs, not to mention a Wii and GameCube and all their games I could have registered. Club Nintendo is a bit of a joke. Send in some serial numbers, maybe get some wallpapers. Buy enough games and systems, get a free Mario poster. OOooooh, totally worth it.

The only difference between this price drop and every other price drop that every other system has had is it's sooner than expected. Other than that, it's still the same "shit, I should have waited a bit longer before getting mine" as before. As for the free VC titles... how are they going to tell the difference between the early adopters and new buyers? Are they just going to give them all away to anyone, and then immediately after the price drop goes into effect, put them back up to full prices/take them off the market?

But writing about him and posting pictures is fine somehow...

It totally has nothing to do with Inafune leaving Capcom. Just because he was the leading force behind pretty much all things Mega Man and now he's gone doesn't mean anything. AMIRITEGUYS?

The DS outsold the 3DS because there are games for the DS. People aren't buying 3DSs to play DS games. Wait until this winter, and we should be getting our fill of Mario and Star Fox, as well as other games. Seriously, Nintendo, you hyped games that you said would be available at launch, and then all the good ones are still delayed.