3DS: Friend Codes on First Page, OMG THE THIRD DIMENSION

[Mirby]

There's a demo for Crush 3D up right now (along with Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever) on the eShop.

[DarkeSword]

Well then please enlighten me, because most comments, reviews, and Let's Plays I've seen over the past hour lead me to believe otherwise.

Nintendo is not going to refuse to sell a game because the gameplay is similar to one of its own franchises. That is stupid conspiracy theory bullshit. xD

[Dexie]

I honestly don't understand how people get 'Zelda' out of Isaac. Nearly every review or article I've read on the game has compared it to Zelda.

How? Just because it's top down and has a couple similar enemies? It's a roguelike without a grid, there's not much 'Zelda' in that.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

Nintendo is not going to refuse to sell a game because the gameplay is similar to one of its own franchises. That is stupid conspiracy theory bullshit. xD

There are a bunch of potential reasons. I just don't think "questionable religious content" is the sole reason, or that it's well articulated as to what they mean by that. I do however think that the game doesn't seem as hot as so many people make it out to be, and that Nintendo probably didn't stand to make a huge amount of money on the investment anyway so it's no real loss for them not to publish a very off kilter game in the first place.

[Calpis]

I'd like to know what kind of investment exactly Nintendo needs to make to publish a download-only game on the e-shop. I'd imagine it's pretty small, at least comparing it to a retail release.

Again, the religious content is the reason. They don't want the possibility of getting bad PR from releasing it.

[Deathtank]

So, after a lot of debating inside Nintendo, they've decided to refuse to sell Binding of Isaac on the eShop, because of:

"questionable religious content."

The IGN article goes into a little more depth, and they have a trailer posted for the game, which is currently available on Steam.

I had only heard about the game before this, but had never seen any footage or screenshots of it. After watching the trailer, all I can say is I'm glad Nintendo turned it down. As a christian, I do find the premise to be offensive, but even putting my beliefs aside it's a pretty sick premise for a game.

Some people have asked "why can't we, as the consumer, be allowed to decide what we want to buy?"

It's Nintendo's eShop, and therefore it's up to them to decide what to sell and what not to sell. I respect their decision to turn something down for having what they believe to be of questionable morality. Regardless of whether you agree with their decision or not, it's notable that they have the integrity in this day and age to reject a game based on content, when most publishers are money hungry pigs who will sell anything that could make a buck. My respect for Nintendo has gone up because of this.

Others have asked: "Games like Resident evil, which are much more violent, are fine, and Zelda has religious influences!"

Yes, but there's a difference between 'Zombies and mutants attacking you!', 'A goddess people worship to keep them safe from demons,' and 'A MOTHER TRYING TO KILL HER SON.' The game is messed, I have no desire to ever play it, and I'm relieved that Nintendo has some ounce of integrity left to turn it down.

In the end, any arguments against Nintendo are pointless: if you're posting on the internet, you probably have a computer, and it isn't hard to get steam.

lol, you are in the century 21st, man, wake up!

Im a christian too and I dont feel offended by the game! actually I play it in a daily basis!

Well from what I'm reading none of you guys have played binding of Issac (I mean no offense from this, it just sounds like I could help here.)

I've beat Binding of Issac a few times, every time you start it you are suppose to beat it in one go (it takes about 30 min to an hour and will extend to another level after beating it the first time)

Honestly, while I would like to have binding of issac on the 3ds, I can't fault Nintendo for not allowing it. Mainly due to the setting and how dark it can be (you can find guys being hanged from the ceiling). Especially the floor titled "The womb" (That is one messed up place). There are a ton of references to internet tropes,religious books , and video games (1-up, shoop da woop, dead sea scrolls, even My Little Pony)

As for appearing to be like Zelda, I got the same feeling when I was looking at the videos and gameplay from steam. When I was playing, I noticed that some of the enemies draw heavily from zelda enemies, but the overall feel of it issac very different. Zelda has that gigantic feeling of exploration, to search every nook and cranny to improve yourself for upcoming challenges.

Issac has just the opposite feel, in fact I would say that the gameplay of Issac is the anti thesis to Zelda gameplay. Every moment you are just trying to get out, trying to survive, yet you are forced to go deeper into the cave. Instead of looking for the next challenge, you fear what you could be facing. Everything is random in this game, everything. Layout, the bosses, the powerup's, and the items, some of which give negative effects, which you find out after you used it. Sometimes after a boss, you can make pacts with the devil to increase your powers at the cost of your max health. (Which sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't, it all depended on how much max health I had and previous powers I acquired) Just to add to the fear of losing there is perma-death makes it a very intense game.

Hopefully you guys can get some sort of useful information out of my random jibberish.

Agreed!

[Unstable Hamster]

lol, you are in the century 21st, man, wake up!

Im a christian too and I dont feel offended by the game! actually I play it in a daily basis!

Your moral code shouldn't be based on what age you live in. So I say good on him for not accepting everything that comes his way.

I will say I'm Christian as well, but I didn't buy this game for it's darker undertones. But ironically enough, there is an interesting message at the end.

The mother trying to kill her son thing is true. And it wants to poke at Christians from the reason why the mother is trying to kill her son. She hears "a voice from above" that says to show her faith she must sacrifice her son.

Sound like a pretty mean message against Christians right? Well here is the kicker. On your first time beating the game, it continues that story. What happens is that when Isaac is stuck in a corner about to get sacrificed, a bible falls down on the mother, knocking her out. The narrator says during this scene "But just as he accepted his fate, god intervened, sending an angle to stop his mothers hand."

It never once said the voice that required the mother to sacrifice came from god. So even though this game does have a TON of demonic references, there's at least that I guess.

So don't take everything for face value, but I still totally respect anyone who feels this game is just not for them.

[DarkeSword]

There are a bunch of potential reasons. I just don't think "questionable religious content" is the sole reason, or that it's well articulated as to what they mean by that. I do however think that the game doesn't seem as hot as so many people make it out to be, and that Nintendo probably didn't stand to make a huge amount of money on the investment anyway so it's no real loss for them not to publish a very off kilter game in the first place.

Still over-thinking it.

[Overflow]

Your moral code shouldn't be based on what age you live in. So I say good on him for not accepting everything that comes his way.

I will say I'm Christian as well, but I didn't buy this game for it's darker undertones. But ironically enough, there is an interesting message at the end.

The mother trying to kill her son thing is true. And it wants to poke at Christians from the reason why the mother is trying to kill her son. She hears "a voice from above" that says to show her faith she must sacrifice her son.

Sound like a pretty mean message against Christians right? Well here is the kicker. On your first time beating the game, it continues that story. What happens is that when Isaac is stuck in a corner about to get sacrificed, a bible falls down on the mother, knocking her out. The narrator says during this scene "But just as he accepted his fate, god intervened, sending an angle to stop his mothers hand."

It never once said the voice that required the mother to sacrifice came from god. So even though this game does have a TON of demonic references, there's at least that I guess.

So don't take everything for face value, but I still totally respect anyone who feels this game is just not for them.

Haha, thanks for the backup

That's an interesting ending, but it still doesn't sit quite right with me. The story of Abraham and Isaac was much, much different than this, with a very different message.

Also, the game actually does call it the voice of God. Watch the video in my link at 1:13 to see.

edit: Here, at 1:13:

Edited March 2, 2012 by Overflow

[Unstable Hamster]

Haha, guess I should of checked that before I made that statement. Good call sir.

Alright so moving on to more pressing matters...

Where are my swapnotes OCR?

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

Resident Evil has consumed me... Haven't thought up new Swapnotes yet, although it DID make me actually want to get into drawing and art in general, so hopefully for creative endeavors soon!

I also think I'm going to grab MGS3.

Also so after dabbling in Raid Mode on RE: Revelations, I can say that I enjoy it quite a bit. Essentially it's just another name for mercenaries, although instead of trying to rack up points and extra time in the same area, you're going through different areas present during campaign episodes(did I mention campaign was longer than RE5's?) taking out all sorts of baddies either solo or local/online coop. After clearing an area, you're graded for stuff like accuracy, time, etc., and given BP to buy weapons, weapon mods(upgrades), herbs, ammo, you name it.

I haven't played Mercs 3D yet, but from what I hear, it seems like the upgrading in Raid Mode seems to be inspired by that(minus the permanence). I think what I enjoy most about it is the fact that you can scale back your character level and gear if you have a friend who just got the game and wants to go for the challenge(of which there is plenty). In addition, raid mode has extra characters, outfits, weapons of varying strengths, awards(basically achievements), plenty of levels, the usual RE: Mercs deal.

Somebody play with meh!

Edit - Oh wow. Apparently you can get different missions and awards in raid mode by either street/spot passing or by playing coop online. I just got a mission to take out a specific target in one stage and a handgun ammo supply crate from a guy I played with. Sweet.

OK I'm done gushing over RE now. Go buy it if you haven't!

Edited March 3, 2012 by Malaki-LEGEND.sys

[CinnamonJihad]

So I recently learned that Zero Escape:Virtue's Last Reward is getting an American release. I am SO excited! I have been holding off on a 3DS for as long as I can, but this and the announcement of Ace Attourney 5 makes it so that I can no longer put it off!

Did anyone else play through 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors? It was a killer game!

[Deathtank]

Said by Danny Baranowski himself on twitter:

"Danny Baranowsky ‏ @dannyBstyle

the inimitable @JimSterling weighs in on Nintendo barring The Binding of Isaac from the 3DS eShop

http://www.gamefront.com/questionable-religious-content/

i support Nintendo's right to choose what content they wish to distribute, but I agree with Jim on virtually every point here"

Totally agreed with DannyB and Jim Sterling.

[Mirby]

The thing I'm the most excited by was revealed (to me, at least) in the latest Nintendo Power (which I only got for the KH3D feature).

Game Gear games coming to 3DS VC; first three are Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (the fourth Sonic Game Gear game and introduction of Nack the Weasel); Dragon Crystal (a random-dungeon top-down RPG), and Shinobi (with multiple playable characters), coming in spring. Also coming are Sonic Drift 2 and Columns, later this year.

So yeah, I don't care if this is old news. I was unaware, so it's news to me. And it's soon, since spring starts this month. :3

[Overflow]

http://www.gamefront.com/questionable-religious-content/

Opinions!

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

Said by Danny Baranowski himself on twitter:

"Danny Baranowsky ‏ @dannyBstyle

the inimitable @JimSterling weighs in on Nintendo barring The Binding of Isaac from the 3DS eShop

http://www.gamefront.com/questionable-religious-content/

i support Nintendo's right to choose what content they wish to distribute, but I agree with Jim on virtually every point here"

Totally agreed with DannyB and Jim Sterling.

I'm actually in agreement with Sword Breaker on this one. Should the game be censored? No. Does it add any artistic value and an entry point to an interesting discussion? In my opinion, not really. It just seems like another needless slam at religious faiths.

[Deathtank]

In my opinion, its just a game! Im old enough to understand that! its not like Im gonna kill my mother after playing this game!!

[Bleck]

I support Nintendo's decision if only because Nintendo's policy has always been to support the products they endorse

the binding of isaac is a game where a religious nutjob hears voices that tell her to kill her son - it's clearly a negative portrayal of religious people, and I can't really blame Nintendo for wanting to remain neutral on the issue of whether or not religious people are insane

[Toadofsky]

I just think that Team Meat was starving for some more attention with that Binding of Isaac game, which isn't surprising in the least bit. How ignorant can you be about that? If you've known anything about doing business with Nintendo, let alone their history on this sort of thing, of course the game wasn't going to come out on the e-Shop.

Besides, if they put it on there, and had buried it on the shop like Johnathan Holmes said COULD have happened, Destructoid, Team Meat, and all it's fanboys would be pissing and moaning about them not rolling out the red carpet for it. Much like Team Meat did even after having the front slot for like what, two weeks on XBOX arcade?

Currently playing Snake Eater, and I'm loving every bit of it. For me, this game has justified the 3DS better than Mario 3D Land, which was rather meh, for me.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Toadofsky

[Gollgagh]

is there actually anything new in Snake Eater

cos I mean I played the original and Subsistence close to 15 times

[Toadofsky]

is there actually anything new in Snake Eater

cos I mean I played the original and Subsistence close to 15 times

I'm not sure, considering this is my FIRST REAL play through of the game. From what I hear, this probably just the game.

I hear the HD collection has LOTS of content. May buy it for my brother in law.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

From what I understand, outside of the GAME CHANGING ability to walk and shoot while crouching(which is GAME CHANGING), you can use the 3DS camera to take pictures and then use color palettes and patterns from said pictures to create new camo with its own index.

I predict a lot of phallic camouflage coming from this feature.

[Gollgagh]

forgive me for failing to see how crouching and gunning would assist a no-kill, no-alert run

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

forgive me for failing to see how crouching and gunning would assist a no-kill, no-alert run

...OK fine in that scenario it probably wouldn't, although I guess if you're going for that type of playthrough, you're already at that Zen state where you've pretty much got the entire game mastered. Moving(and shooting) while crouching, aiming in third person, as well as having complete control of the camera(like Subsistence) just helps things move a bit faster. Also slightly easier to move around without being spotted. All and all it's just more welcoming than previous editions.

The graphics in the 3DS version have also been redone as well; more detailed textures, better lighting, etc. It isn't just an upscaled version like in the MGS Collection. This of course does leave a footprint on the framerate though, as even the final release build(demo was an old e3 build) has a bit of a problem in that department.

Being able to take pictures of whatever and have it function as camo with a functional index probably isn't going to redefine how you play, but it's a fun and goofy application of the 3DS camera.

Plus, the only other option for playing MGS3 on the go is to spend around $400 on a Vita(because who's seriously not going to grab a 32 gig memory stick with their Vita?).

[Mirby]

Soon -- Ketzal's Corridors, an aztec themed action/puzzler.

March 8 -- Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! & Punch-Out!! ft. Mr. Dream

March 15 -- Game Gear Day, with Dragon Crystal, Shinobi and Sonic the Hedgehog - Triple Trouble

March 22 -- Zombie Slayer Diox, kill zombies with the rhythm skills of a samurai guitarist.

March/April -- Arc Style Soccer!! 3D

April -- Colors! 3D

April 19 -- Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure (Demo)

found a list of upcoming eShop content, thought i'd post it here.