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  1. All of this actually happened yesterday to schedule change, and anyway, Davy and I are officially engaged~ Ring also getting resized because measuring ring size hard.
    8 points
  2. So, fellas. Uhhh. I might have ordered an engagement ring for Davy. It's silly, but I was trying to find something that looked not unlike Sigurd's emblem ring in Engage ( pic for reference). I found this, a bit expensive but not unreasonably so, with the biggest caveats being: aquamarine which as far as I can tell is the lower bound of "acceptable for an lifelong ring but expect to one day replace it" gem. Anyway, this is a very weird feeling and I'm honestly a bit anxious for the ring to arrive. Especially since this is the most money I've spent on something that wasn't, like, rent or some other necessity.
    7 points
  3. And I'm not talking about my ex-husband Nestor. Heyooo! You know that one box in that attic that's way in the back? And none of the other boxes had anything good, so this one's not worth the cobwebs? Well apparently it was the NES which I had one vague childhood memory of seeing, which we'd assumed had just vanished into the ether of the ages. Contra was in there, so the brother and I are trying to beat it. Who knew it had more than one level!? (Not the 4-year-olds who played it back then.) Maybe it's just that I'm tired and bewildered these days, or the fuss of cables, a lousy TV, and cartridges not reading, but I wasn't as stunned as I expected to be. Still awesome though! One of the coolest Nintendo treasures out there... when it decides to work. I wish the boys could see how hard I've been blowing tonight. Coincidentally I'd recently bought a NES controller just as a little Nintendo treasure. I couldn't believe it was only $8 at a retro game store. Same with the games I just got for $30--Super Mario Bros, Jackal for more co-op, and Wheel of Fortune with the original box and manual. I want to get The Legend of Zelda with its original packaging, and beat that and every level of SMB. I've beaten them on the 3DS Virtual Console, but beating the original games on their original consoles feels like a rite of passage to me.
    7 points
  4. Technically have today off because district holiday (Lunar New Years observed), but have so much work to do, including: Getting my work laptop setup now that I finally got it. Hopefully I remember how to use a Mac because it's been 3000 years. Getting grades online. District hauled ass to get my email and some kiddos legit thought this class wasn't graded because I wasn't their first semester teacher. (longterm sub=no grades according to their logoic) Grading some loose assignments so they have better overall idea of their grade going into Monday. Additionally, I'm in the process of learning how to drive (a carry-over of my job search that I might as well see through), so today is when I practice driving more with my parents. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- But tomorrow and the day after I will releax! Currently doing odds and ends in Judgment (rare RGG game where I never got around to side content) to let Yakuza 7 simmer. Not sure what to start next, but thinking Another Code R or Dangranponpa 3
    5 points
  5. Coming in here to say that I love y'all. As far as my 2024 goals: - Learn Blender. I bought two udemy courses to get started. Doing a little most days, and it's fun. I used Google SketchUp all the time a decade ago. Blender is much more complicated, but hopefully I'll figure it out. - Exercising on a regular basis. Going to the gym twice a week is the goal. - Learn to say "No." People all around me ask too much from me. - Travel again. I travelled a lot last year. I did my first week-long solo road trip and it was one of the coolest things I've done in a long time. As far as videogames, I'm trying to get caught up on Pokemon games. Started Part 2 of the DLC for Scarlet, then I need to go back to doing the DLC for Shield. I also still have barely played Legends Arceus. I'm also looking to jump on Persona 3 Reloaded. I was convinced it was coming to Switch until yesterday. I may instead get it for Steam so I can still play it handheld on the Steam Deck. I decided to pop in tonight after reading a thread elsewhere about people losing their online friends. I had friends from online during middle and high school, but it's been about a decade since I've heard anything from them. I have fond memories of messaging them most evenings on GaiaOnline, or voice-chatting through online battles on Pokemon D&P. I would check the Weather Channel on the Wii to compare the weather in our locations. I still have letters they sent me on my board at home. I know life will always take its course, but it's sad to see bonds fade away. I hope they're doing okay out there.
    5 points
  6. I’m gonna guess this is from my Secret Santa! 11/10 on the gifts and it is amazing! ❤️
    5 points
  7. Thank you so much!! I’ve had the itch to play a Tales game recently. This is perfect timing. I’m going to start playing it today.
    5 points
  8. Everything is back up to speed now. There would've been a couple of <5 min interruptions, but it's performing as expected again.
    5 points
  9. Haha, it's all good! That's just how things shook out and I don't mind it. I'm just happy that I raced well enough to get that far; I'm in it for the fun and chilling with you all whether I end with 18 points or 118 points. The Mario Kart experience for me is half the game Nintendo developed and the other half is sharing good times with good people.
    5 points
  10. Y'all! I've been playing this game since after work and it's pretty awesome. That's not the best part. I totally had all intentions of just getting the amiibo and the standard edition and being good with it. After all, I missed out on the preorder window for the collector's edition and surely none would be left for just walk-in buys. I was wrong. Walked up in Target and requested the game and the clerk asked if I wanted the Collector's Edition or the standard? Me, being a bit shocked, asked what was in the Collector's Edition. I already knew what was in there, I just needed the extra time to process the good fortune I stumbled onto. All that said, I got the Collector's Edition!! ^ _ ^
    5 points
  11. Hoping to finally leave the hospital today!
    5 points
  12. Getting a Direct tomorrow 40 minutes, so that’s pretty nice amount of time Looking forward to it
    4 points
  13. I went to one of those card-cover sites that you can get customer vinyl stickers for your credit/debit cards and customized these for mine (the blank part is the chip location):
    4 points
  14. It's that time of the year again! Hello and welcome to Ninfora's Secret Santa event for 2023! I am your host, Santa Chrom, here once again to make everyone's holiday season a great one. Whether you are a returning or new participant to this annual community event, getting involved is quick and easy! What is Secret Santa? It's the holiday gift exchange event you know and love we hold each year here on Ninfora! Sign up, get paired in secret, and send & receive gifts with your fellow members, even by postal mail! You'll want to read the rules below to see how it goes! The Rules to Secret Santa Purchased gifts should have an estimated collected value of at least $10 USD or equivalent. Pay what you want, but don't be cheap. DIY gifts are waived from this rule. This exchange event is open to all members of Ninfora regardless of residence. Santa Chrom reserves the right to decline a registration if he believes an applicant may not be suitable to participate. Gift wrapping and postal tracking are strongly encouraged if possible With tracking, please share this information privately with Santa Chrom. Please only sign up for this event if you are committed to participating to the very end. If you have participation concerns, send a private message to Santa Chrom as soon as possible. Received gifts must be shared in this topic with some kind of visual proof (namely a photograph or screenshot) by the recipient. Recipients have a flexible grace period to share what they have received after getting them, but should do so in a timely manner. If a recipient has not received any gifts by a certain date, Santa Chrom will personally deliver a gift of his own as compensation. The dates to remember, take note! Nov 26 - Last day to sign up Nov 27 - Pairings disclosed Dec 11 - Gift deliveries begin (if international, consider shipping sooner!) Jan 05 - Santa Chrom makes his rounds for anyone still empty-handed ➡Sign up here!⬅ (Sign-ups closed as of November 27, 2023)
    4 points
  15. Welcome to the 7th Annual Ninfora Game Awards, written, directed, produced, and catered by yours truly. It's pretty incredible how consistent the Switch has been through its lifetime. We're close to wrapping up its seventh year on the market and it had arguably its best year since its first, which isn't particularly surprising considering both years had a powerful combo of new Zelda and Mario games. Outside of those heavy hitters though was a year packed with fantastic games, so I hope you enjoyed the Switch's 2023 as much as I did. The "Should've Been on the List Last Year" Award: Tunic First off, an omission from last year: Tunic. I am but one gaming-obsessed man and can't always play every new release in a timely manner, so Tunic missed getting any recognition in the last Ninfora Game Awards. I still want to recognize it though, because this loving throwback to classic gaming takes the retro vibe to a delightfully inventive level, not through graphics or gameplay mechanics but in the broader way you solve the game's puzzles. The less said the better, so go ahead and give it a go if you enjoy classic adventure/Zelda experiences. Best Second Life: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective It's always a bit disappointing when a game you love seems to get passed over or ignored by the larger audience, so imagine my delight when Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective got a second chance in the spotlight with this Switch version. With style and charm, Ghost Trick puts a clever spin on the classic detective story formula, weaving together clever puzzles and memorable characters into a one-of-a-kind experience. Hopefully not too one-of-a-kind though, because I'd love to have a sequel or spiritual successor. Best Lovecraftian Horror: DREDGE How do you get me to care about a fishing game? Fill it with horrific monsters pulled from the deep, apparently. Although on the surface DREDGE is essentially a fishing simulator—complete with gradual upgrades that allow you to catch bigger, more varied fish—the game's setting and presentation make it far more than a sim game and instead offer an experience that will easily have you hooked. Best Gameplay Mashup: Dave the Diver That's right, two fishing games on this list. I'm as surprised as you are, but when developers make a fishing game as charming as Dave the Diver, I can't help but give it some recognition. And again this is far more than an excuse to sit back and fish. Dave the Diver combines scuba diving with serving sushi in a frantic restaurant a la Overcooked, then manages to sprinkle even more gameplay mechanics and humor on top of it. With so much depth to this game, it's an easy recommendation for fishing or fish aficionados. Best Surprise: Super Mario RPG Nintendo loves keeping its in-development games close to the vest, so it's always a surprise what will be announced in any Nintendo Direct video, but this remake was particularly shocking. Although Super Mario RPG has been re-released on Virtual Consoles and the SNES Classic, getting a full visual upgrade and gameplay adjustment to Mario's first RPG adventure was exciting news. And while the new features are a welcome shakeup, the core adventure is the main draw as it remains a hilariously quirky, odd, and fun game. Best Encore Performance: Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is up there on the list of most surprising delights for 2023. I definitely did not expect the 3DS Theatrhythm games to get a sequel on the Switch, nor did I expect the button-only controls to work as well as they do, both from a rhythm gameplay perspective and a challenge perspective. In the end, the input method doesn't even matter though, because when you're jamming to classic Final Fantasy tunes you can't help but be swept up in the epic music. Best Origin Story: Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon The little peek of Bayonetta Origins hidden within Bayonetta 3 left plenty of players confused, and although Cereza and the Lost Demon is a far cry from the usual Bayonetta experience, it's a beautifully engrossing adventure in its own right. Not many games bring storybook presentation to life with such a richly colorful, surreal setting that's ripe for exploration. Although I'd still like to see action-adventure Bayonettas, Origins proves there's plenty of room for gorgeous spin-offs as well that are packed with the witch's signature style, just in a different format. Best New Retro Experience: Sea of Stars I'm breaking my own rules just a little here to highlight Sea of Stars even though I didn't actually play it on the Switch this year. Still, the retro-inspired game has a lot going for it, including an engaging and unusual combat system and delightful 2D graphics. Shockingly, the writing may be the weakest link in this RPG, but the way that Sea of Stars takes inspiration from classic games while still adding new ideas makes it a highlight of the year nonetheless. The "Put a Ring on It" Award: Fire Emblem Engage Fire Emblem Engage seemed to come out of nowhere and passed by almost as quickly since it was released so early in the year. It also had the unenviable task of standing in the shadow of Three Houses, a particularly large and complex Fire Emblem game. Despite all that, Fire Emblem Engage delivers a richly engaging strategy experience, one that is open to even more team-building possibilities thanks to the ring system, so it's well worth committing yourself to hours and hours of tactical action. Best Hope for a Franchise Revival: Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp Sure, I know it's still pretty unlikely, but this is the best position the Advance Wars franchise has been in for years. Re-Boot Camp may have been a relatively no-frills remake collection, but even having an Advance Wars release in 2023 has me pining for a larger return of the series. Hopefully Re-Boot Camp's straightforward but rich strategy gameplay, easygoing cast of characters, and endless potential for strategic content has lit a fire under other players as well. Best Alien Dog: Pikmin 4 You may have played a Pikmin game before, but have you played one with an alien dog as a companion? Pikmin 4 finely tunes the Pikmin formula into possibly its most polished state yet. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the most difficult or complex Pikmin game, but the satisfaction of setting your Pikmin on their little tasks and seeing everything fall into place is always an incredibly rewarding experience. Doing it all atop a big fuzzy dog is an extra bonus. Best Comedy: Shadows Over Loathing Shadows Over Loathing does everything its predecessor, West of Loathing, did but in an even bigger and sillier package. In any other situation a game packed with visual gags, puns, and goofy jokes would get tiresome quickly, but Shadows Over Loathing makes it work in a hilarious way. Some RPGs you play for the deep gameplay mechanics, while others you play to see all the goofy ways your character can walk across the screen. Best Musical: Figment 2: Creed Valley A musical game—not a rhythm game like Theatrhythm—could easily be designed around a quick laugh, so for Figment 2: Creed Valley to once again play the musical card on an emotional story is a big swing that plays out well. Although the combat and puzzle design leave a little something to be desired, the catchy, clever tunes propel this game beautifully. Best Drama: This Way Madness Lies It doesn't get much more dramatic than quoting Shakespeare and fighting monsters to save the world, right? This Way Madness Lies is an insane mashup of genres and influence that comes together shockingly well for a quick, engaging RPG adventure. The combat and exploration is solid if bareboned at times, but the game's unique premise is more than enough to keep you hooked until the final bow. Most Wonderful Game: Super Mario Bros. Wonder If there's one thing you can count on from Mario titles, it's that they'll be joyful adventures. Colorful, bubbly, and bursting with the fun of playing video games. Super Mario Bros. Wonder manages to turn this franchise philosophy up to eleven with a game filled with 2D platformer creativity to the point that, even though it's a fairly average length for a Mario game, I felt like it ended far too soon and all of its creative ideas could've kept going for world after world. Whether you're playing solo or with friends, you always know you're in for a fun, creative, wonderful time with every level of Wonder, and isn't that a mark of quality all games should aspire to? Best Remaster: Metroid Prime Remastered As you can see from the rest of this list, this was not an easy category to win. Sure, Metroid Prime Remastered doesn't add or change too much from the original GameCube game, but when the original is already one of the best games released in the 2000s, why mess with perfection? In the grand scheme of things, a visual upgrade isn't the most vital change for a video game, but being able to re-experience Metroid Prime with graphics that feel at home on the Switch makes for an incredible time and only serves to highlight how incredibly polished and well-realized the original game is. Now if we could just get some Metroid Prime 4 news already… Best Journey: Octopath Traveler II Everything about the first Octopath Traveler resonated with me perfectly, from the HD-2D art style to the turn-based combat system to the unique anthology structure of the narrative. At the time, I didn't have major complaints about the experience, but Octopath Traveler II is one of those games that comes along and polishes the concept of its predecessor to an even more brilliant shine. The combat remains as engaging and thoughtful as ever, the new characters are just as charming, the visuals are still beautiful, and the little ways that each character's journey is tied to the others creates an even more rewarding narrative. In a different year this would have been a shoo-in for my Game of the Year, and the fact that it's not just speaks to the quality of games released in 2023. Game of the Year: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Apparently the best way to follow up a massive, breathtaking game like Breath of the Wild is to do it again, but bigger. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom strikes a perfect balance between the familiar and unfamiliar by letting you play in the massive landscape of Hyrule once again, but this time with new toys that truly let you run wild. It's a smart approach that embraces the freedom that made BotW so magical and challenges you to think up your own clever, creative, and ridiculous solutions to all manner of situations. TotK is not just a bigger game than its predecessor, it's a deeper and richer game, one that will completely consume you with its promise of adventure and exploration around every corner. The best part is, the game 100% delivers on that promise, and follows up an all-time Zelda title with yet another one.
    4 points
  16. Shout out to Krazy for tracking down and getting me the Pyra/Mythra amiibo set for Christmas! ^ _ ^
    4 points
  17. Mine was scheduled to arrive earlier today at a specific time, but I failed to take into account different time zones, so it may or may not have gotten there yet... EDIT: Just received confirmation that it has indeed arrived! My recipient just needs to check their email!
    4 points
  18. Santa has delivered a present to my recipient! He's an expedient fellow!
    4 points
  19. 走れ轌よ~ we managed to get a couch n our apartment is finally startin to look like a real place
    4 points
  20. Aheh... heh... hehehehe... hehehehe... ahahahaha... Ahaha... Ahahaha... ha... aha... AHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
    4 points
  21. Here we go!!! All messages have been sent out as of today! Check your inboxes for all the details. Thank you very much for waiting! I now leave it to everyone's hands to take things from here and be someone's Secret Santa.
    4 points
  22. Hello everyone! I am here to announce that sign-ups for this year have officially closed! However, it has come to my attention that a few responses did not actually make it to my inbox, even though they should have! It's no one's fault, I just should've caught this sooner. For that reason, I'm going to need a little extra time to message a few participants and reconfirm their details. Once I get everyone down, we'll move right ahead to the next step and everyone will be paired. If you haven't gotten any message from me about missing info by now, you're already good to go! Appreciate the understanding over this technical difficulty, as long as we're swift there won't be any inconvenience. I'll be happy to have us continue to the next step as soon as I have everything I need.
    4 points
  23. Soooo would anyone be down for a quick gift exchange for the holidays? You know, Secret Santa 👀 I missed doing it last year and thought I should at least check for any interest before doing anything official. Let me know and I can set things up before long! Just a couple people would be enough to make it worthwhile!!
    4 points
  24. Treated myself to this last weekend: Also got a tempered glass screen protector and the Skull & Co Neo Grip for handheld play. Looks so good!
    4 points
  25. Everything is running off the fibre connection again, but the upload is unusually slow. The local fibre company is looking into it, and indicated there may be a brief outage as they reset some things. That should be a much shorter interruption, and hopefully may even fix some of the lingering issues they're seeing. They'll also look into why the outage earlier today was much longer than they'd have expected.
    4 points
  26. As the wait for Metroid Prime 4 stretches on, Metroid fans will have to content themselves with simply replaying one of the best games of all time. Metroid Prime was an absolute shock when it first released in 2002, partially because, not counting the simultaneous release of Metroid Fusion, it had been about eight years since the previous Metroid game (can you imagine waiting such a long time for more Metroid?) and partially because putting the Metroid formula into a first-person adventure seemed unfathomable. The doubters were proven wrong though, and now new players can enjoy revisiting the absolute magic of Samus's premier first-person quest with Metroid Prime Remastered. First, a quick rundown of the original game. As the original foray into first-person Metroid gameplay, you might imagine there were some flaws to work out over time, but the truth is the GameCube original was completely outstanding. The first-person shooting worked nicely even with the more tank-like controls of the GameCube's unique controller, and the opportunity to explore and discover secrets in a 3D world was enchanting. Metroid Prime masterfully translates the joys of Metroidvania exploration into a 3D adventure, with hidden items, backtracking, and massive bosses. Swapping among different arm cannon beams and visors was a smart, fluid way of incorporating familiar Metroid elements while making it all feel natural in a 3D environment. Investigating every little detail and creature with the scan visor was immensely satisfying and added up to a great sense of storytelling and depth while remaining mostly optional for anyone not interested. And of course, the sense of isolation and exploration was perfect. Even without the upgrades that this remaster brings, the core Metroid Prime experience absolutely holds up as an engaging, exciting, and mysterious adventure. And all of the upgrades in Metroid Prime Remastered simply make the experience better. The HD overhaul is the biggest and most obvious change, but it's still hard to overstate how amazing this new version of Metroid Prime looks. Fans of the original will be stunned when they see familiar locations brought to life with more detail, more complex shading and particle effects, notably on Samus's visor. In fact, new players may be shocked that this is all based off of a 20 year old game at all. You'd be hard-pressed to find the "seams," so to speak, that show that this was originally an SD game from three console generations prior. It helps that the game runs at a silky smooth 60FPS, meaning there's no choppy animation and in fact virtually no load times as you move from room to room (a small improvement over the original game). It's also a testament to how excellent the original game's art style and art direction was that it all translates into HD visuals with such stunning clarity. The controls are the other major addition to Metroid Prime Remastered, and no matter how you like to play you'll find accommodations here. Traditionalists will be happy to find a "classic" control scheme that mimics the original GameCube's. It's great to have as an option, though anyone used to the kind of dual-stick FPS controls that have become standard with shooters will be happy to find a more modern control system as well, which allows you to move with one stick and aim with the other, using ZR and R to fire your beam and missiles. Despite not being the original intent for the game, this dual-stick setup works wonderfully and many players will probably prefer it. Finally there are the gyro controls, which inch a little closer to the Metroid Prime Trilogy's IR controls on the Wii. Perhaps if you're a seasoned Splatoon pro you'll be happy with the motion-controlled gyro aiming here, but ultimately it doesn't feel as smooth or natural as it should be. The Wii's IR controls worked beautifully but here the gyro aiming never quite feel natural. There are a couple other small changes that consolidate various little differences between the GameCube and Wii versions as well as the North American and Japanese versions. It's nice to have more little options but they don't fundamentally affect the experience. The only other notable addition is the extended gallery that adds even more lovely concept art to enjoy. Metroid Prime Remastered takes a masterpiece and makes it even better. Upgraded visuals and control options may seem like superficial changes, but they do an excellent job of making Metroid Prime at home on a modern system, and they're well worth the return to the planet of Tallon IV. Even without considering the original game's age, the visuals look fantastic on the Switch and hold up against any other recent release. Metroid Prime was an unprecedented joy when it first released in 2002, and Metroid Prime Remastered keeps that experience alive in a beautiful way. 10 out of 10 Metroids
    4 points
  27. Tattoo day tomorrow! Getting Link's TotK arm markings worked into my Zelda sleeve and on my shoulder and chest.
    4 points
  28. 4 points
  29. Mario FUCKING RPG?!!?! ARE YOU SHITTING ME?! LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOooo
    4 points
  30. The SMB Movie theme tonight? Race As: The Bros. (Mario, Luigi) Any of the main cast (Bowser, Peach, Toad, Donkey Kong) I kind of feel like @TKrazyO and @Kezay NEED to race as the The Bros.
    4 points
  31. The ring arrived today. I think I more or less planned how our day off together (Sunday) will go. Take train into the city and get seafood at a nice place by the waterfront, and ask him there or the nearby park. I do not have any idea how exactly I'll hide the ring until I ask. I have cargo pants which can maybe mask a big bulging square, but idk. I do not feel comfortable taking it out of the box lest I lose the ring.
    3 points
  32. Site: https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/f-zero-99-switch/ Price: Free for NSO Members (Exclusive) Line up with 98 other F-ZERO machines and race to the finish in this thrilling take on the original Super NES™ game. Keep an eye on your power meter as you boost and bash, because speed is just as important as survival. Defend yourself with a Spin Attack and collect Super Sparks to breeze past the competition on the elevated Skyway. The F-ZERO 99 game is available only to active Nintendo Switch Online members. Outpace and outlive your opponents in rotating modes The core F-ZERO 99 mode is just one way to race at breakneck speeds. Mini Prix and Grand Prix modes appear on a set schedule and challenge you to compete and qualify in a series of races. Team Battle and the extra-tough Pro Tracks mode rotate throughout the day. Prepare yourself in Practice Mode and race against your ghost. Complete challenges for even more customization Boost your Skill Rating by excelling in races and take on challenges to unlock customization options. Make your F-ZERO machine your own with alternate colors, decals, and boost effects. Complete achievements in your Pilot Card and receive different unlockable backdrops and display badges. *About from Nintendo.com *Click to Enlarge* ----------------------------------------------- OMG! I know people have joked about this, but I actually can't believe that Nintendo went and did this. Well, Nintendo did say F-ZERO would come back if they could come up with something new and interesting. This looks like it's going to be a lot of fun!
    3 points
  33. It's hard to believe that it's already been about 17 years since the release of New Super Mario Bros. on the DS, which at the time was hailed as a return of 2D Mario platforming, and that the last NSMB game was released 11 years ago. Mario is so ubiquitous in the world of gaming that it's easy to forget that mainline games can be released rather sporadically, but that's all the more reason to stop and take notice when a new title is released and promises wonder and fun in every level. And I'm happy to say Super Mario Bros. Wonder is just as delightful and imaginative as its title suggests. Let's address the Elephant Mario in the room: Charles Martinet is no longer the voice of Mario, Luigi, or any other character in the franchise. The news sounded like it could be a shift for the series, but if you aren't paying close attention you might not notice the voice actor change in Wonder (it helps that, as usual, Mario & co. don't say much). The new voice, Kevin Afghani, clearly models his performance on Martinet's and does a great job of keeping Mario's spirit of fun and whimsy alive through the brief voice lines. There's another large bit of voice work featured in Wonder thanks to the talking flowers scattered through each stage that comment on what's happening or offer encouragement. It seemed like a strange feature when the game was first released, but once you're deep into the action of the game their presence isn't all that noteworthy. They'll occasionally add some fun quips, but just as often you'll probably just kind of forget that they're there. Thankfully though you can turn the voices off if you don't like them. Story-wise, Wonder is pretty classic Mario: Bowser is up to no good and it's up to our favorite mustachioed heroes to stop him. However, this game also includes Princesses Peach and Daisy as playable characters (a first for Daisy, in a mainline Mario platformer), as well as Blue and Yellow Toads, Toadette, and a bunch of Yoshis and Nabbit, who act as an Easy Mode and don't take damage from enemies. So in the end, Wonder splits the difference nicely between a classic Bowser bad-guy story and adding a bit of a fresh twist with more playable characters. That's really the core of what Wonder is all about: classic sensibilities but presented in a fresh, fun way. The 2D platformer gameplay here feels like it could be pulled out of any title in Mario's history, and features the hallmark tight controls, fluid movement, and beautifully balanced difficulty and progression that is perfectly designed to ease players into the experience. Stomping Goombas and reaching flag poles is as simple and satisfying as ever, whether it's in a grassy plain, desert, or snowy mountainside. For new players, there's really no bad place to start in the Mario series, and that remains true with Wonder's gradual approach to adding in new challenges only after you've mastered the previous basics. On the other hand, Wonder is more than happy to throw some wild, wacky scenarios at the player as well. Not in terms of difficulty or challenges, but just in terms of unique, flashy moments that help break up the core platforming action. All of the main levels feature a Wonder Flower, which transforms the stage in some bizarre way. It might cause a herd of enemies to rampage across the screen so you have to run ahead of them, or cause the warp pipes on screen to wiggle around like inchworms, or it might transform your character in some way. You never know what's coming next with a Wonder Flower, and the developers clearly had a lot of fun dreaming up wild new effects. There's a ton of variety to the Wonder effects and they'll keep you on your toes in an exciting way. It's really great to be continuously surprised by a game like this. In fact, there's a ton of variety to the game as a whole. Thanks to the Wonder Flowers, the game is constantly throwing new ideas at you to keep the adventure feeling fresh and vibrant. There are also numerous shorter challenge stages to break up the action of the main platformer levels. On one hand, it's a bit of a shame that the classic level structure feels a little bit short-changed in Wonder, and aside from the super secret extra-difficult bonus level you're not going to face wildly challenging platformer design, but overall the experience is still so vibrant and engaging that it's hard to be too upset. Additionally, a lot of the shorter challenge stages are Badge Challenges, which reward you with an equippable Badge that augments your abilities in some way. Most of them add helpful bonuses, like the ability to float through the air or a higher jump, while others feel more like an extra difficulty mode, such as the Badge that causes you to never stop running. Generally you'll probably stick with the helpful Badges, but the more complex ones could make for interesting challenge runs. Wonder also puts a slightly different spin on multiplayer by allowing you to play with friends locally, online, or with random players online. No matter the situation, this game has removed collision, meaning you can't pick up another player and toss them into a pit (I mean, toss them to a ledge to help them, of course). Instead everyone operates independently, but you can still help each other a bit. When you're playing online you'll see other players as ghosts, and if they die you can revive them by touching their ghost within a few seconds. You can also place standees that have the same effect. You'll also see standees frequently used to offer a helpful hint about a hidden item or a clue for reaching a secret area. It's cool to have this level of cooperation with other players in a Mario platformer, though purists might want to play solo so as not to spoil any hidden secrets for themselves. Despite the wide variety of level designs, Wonder does feel like it's a bit on the short side. It still takes a good eight to ten hours to finish the game, and around twice that to uncover every little secret possible, but overall the experience feels too brief. However, that may also just be an indication that there are so many great ideas constantly rotated through the game that the experience never gets old or stale. And if you finish the game 100% and still want to play, you can always jump online and help shepherd other players through by reviving them or dropping standees. Much like its gameplay, Wonder's presentation beautifully balances classic sensibilities with stylish new ideas. The game fully resides in Mario's fun, bubbly vibe, but there are also tons of little touches that add personality and charm to the experience (something that later NSMB games might have been lacking). The elephant power-up alone is kind of charmingly goofy, plus there are Wigglers on rollerskates, colorful Wonder effects and the aforementioned talking flowers. The little details of the playable characters' movements feel more energetic and varied. It's vibrant and lively and joyous while still feeling right at home in a 2D Mario platformer. The soundtrack is excellent as well, perfectly matching the excitement and energy of the whole game. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a delight. It's playful, flashy, and knows how to build upon the core Mario platformer mechanics intelligently to create surprising and engaging new scenarios. The Wonder Flowers add a seemingly endlessly inventive flair to the typical 2D platformer experience, and it's hard to play through many of these levels without a big grin on your face. Sure the challenge level might feel a little light for longtime players, and the adventure ends all too soon, but ultimately all of the bouncing, coin-collecting, and Koopa-stomping adds up to a wonderful time. Rating: 9 out of 10 Wonders
    3 points
  34. Here are all the Mii costumes coming to MK8D via Wave 6.
    3 points
  35. 200cc is set, it's time to... d-d-duuuuuuueeeeeel! Oops, wrong thread..... 2 Fast 2 Furious!
    3 points
  36. Captain Hyrule v2 Aaaand compared to last year's:
    3 points
  37. Yup yup, good races @TKrazyO and @alienboyva. I was surprised with how many races we got in together just by selecting the race types on a verbal countdown. Clearly shows that while not perfect there is some way of circumventing the 'battle royale' aspect of the game. Also in case you were curious, this is the end of the White Land I race in the GP that I was freaking out about. I honestly don't know how I managed to get through that whole final lap in such a state.
    3 points
  38. Also, Sand Ocean is never picked. After finally playing on it the other day, I can see why no one wants to go there. @alienboyva If you're in front of someone when the arrow indicator is on the bottom of the screen, you go faster. It's like a reverse draft. But you pretty much have to be lucky to cross the starting line in 1st when the race officially starts.
    3 points
  39. Hold up, I just had an epiphany: Paper Luigi: The Marvelous Compass as a fully-realized side-mode, a la Bowser's Fury.
    3 points
  40. we're back from our tiny trip to the next city over and now i must return to reality and look for a job my last job was minimally involved with making actual food but i did end up liking that part of it a lot more than i thought i would...considering looking for more food service type gigs to see if i'd enjoy it as the full job i wanna try being a barista...
    3 points
  41. RE4 remake is very good. I finished my first playthrough on hardcore and it blew my expectations out of the water. It's easily one of my favourite games ever. The game was fresh and challenging enough that at times it almost felt like playing the original 2005 release as a teenager haha.
    3 points
  42. This was a good year for me, played a lot of games. Nintendo was there with two booths. NintendoVS, which is just where you play currently existing Nintendo multiplayer games, and one for Pokemon TCG, where if you play a round, you'll get a card and a Pinny Arcade pin. Unfortunately ToTK isn't there, but there is a photo booth for it there, and you can get a ToTK pin as well. May put up some of the Nintendo merch I got there in the merch thread. And oh, the Super Mario van was there as well for a short while. Alone in the Dark (2023 THQ Nordic remake) Based on the original 1990s version of the series, the demo they had was an prologue to the game proper. It felt like a classic Resident Evil in a way, appropriate given the game's history and its role in survival horror. It had more of a focus on exploration than fighting from what I've played, and it ended with a scene that's reminiscent of the opening of original game Gal Guardians: Demon Purge (Switch bound) Originally called "Grim Guardians" until legal issues happened with Grim Guard. This Portrait of Ruin inspired platformer is a quite a bit of fun. Inti Creates also sells JP version of their games, so I did pick up a Japanese copy of Grim Guardians, making it my very first import game, so it is something I am looking forward to playing some more. Why did they decide to settle on Gal Guardians. Well, it is a spinoff of... Gal Gun Returns (Switch bound) A very weird lightgun-like game where you are struck by a love arrow so powerful that EVERY girl in school falls for you. I've played Gal Gun 2 a fair bit. Didn't like it at first, due to its odd analog controls, but when I switched the gyro on, gameplay fits like a glove. It's an stupid and amusing game. Sadly the build I played did not have that option, so...yeah. Toxic Crusaders (Switch bound) A four-player coop belt scrolling beat-em-up. I joined in mid-game, so that means you can join in mid-game. I did not grow up with this series, so I'm not who anyone is except for Toxie. Just the fact that all four of us "juggled" the level boss is amazing. Classic tactic there. Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum (Switch bound) This is a real NES game. As in I've played this on an NES clone console. I didn't grow up with GPK, but it is a very smooth platformer. All the kids play differently, and you can switch between them to fit whatever you need to do. They even have their own health bars. Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils A Game Boy Color/Neo Geo Pocket Color looking platformer where this your bunnygirl ex-friend kidnaps your boyfriend, and you gotta rescue him. It's a neat little game, bought it the next day. It's a mix of Mario, Wario Land, and I think they mentioned Kirby as well. Rift of the NecroDancer This follow up to Crypt of the NecroDancer primarily takes its inspiration from Guitar Hero and other rhythm games. Kinda like Crypt, the notes don't descend smoothly, but in steps to the rhythm. Every note has its own properties on how they are defeated, like bats will jump from lane to lane as you hit it. One of the skeletons will lost their head and get send back up the lane before falling back down. There is a Rhythm Heaven inspired yga segment that tests your timing skills, and a boss battle segment that feels ALOT like Punch-Out. I only had 15 minutes to play it, and as I beat the boss to finish the demo, the timer JUST ran out. One of the booth workers and I cheered at the timing of it. Elsie A very aggressive Megaman-style rouge-like. A lot of parrying and counters. It was kinda tough to get into, but since I've learned the timing on the parrying, it was some decent fun. Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 (Switch bound) Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 2 (Switch bound) These two I'll link together since they are both kinda similar. This series I still need to get into. Reminds me a lot like Megaman Zero, with Luminous Avenger being the larger one of the two. Appropriate, since this series took the slack Capcom left behind. Honkai Star Rails From the makers of Genshin Impact (and the Switch port is unfortunately never to be found, I have a hunch it was developed for the now cancelled Switch Pro.), instead of an open world action RPG, it's a Final Fantasy X style Conditional Turn-Based RPG. Didn't play too much of it, since the copy the Intel booth was given was an actual beta it looked like and not a crafted demo. Idol Hell (Switch bound) Advertised as an accessible bullet hell shooter, and I think it earned it. I am pretty rusty on the genre, and the difficulty level I chose felt like a really good sweet spot. I liked this one. Street Fighter 6 Do I need to say more. Played as Ryu and Kim. I like it. Will need to learn how to use the Drive bar mechanics. They didn't have a dedicated booth, but Intel, Aorus, and I think IBuyPower had the game. Alien Hominid Invasion (Switch bound) It's more Alien Hominid. But instead of a linear platform shooter, each level felt like an arena, where you run around back and forth fulfilling objectives before escape. It was good to see this yellow alien again, and the characters in it. So...that's it. It was fun, will go back next year.
    3 points
  43. Wow Nintendo really saw all the crazy videos of people doing crazy stuff with Stasis and whatnot in Breath of the Wild and said "let's up the ante" didn't they? Can't wait to see what people cook up with these new abilities.
    3 points
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