Eliwood8

Considering the fact that Nintendo never confirmed that they were working on localizing Mother 3 and haven't announced any Rhythm Heaven game in the works this doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Though I admit I'd like to see Mother 3 localized and don't really care for the Rhythm Heaven games.

Never played the original but it sounds interesting. PS1-era games aged so poorly that I would probably never would have bothered to try this game before this remaster.

Lehran's Medallion is a good one. I always liked the idea of it being a dangerous token, and the way characters had to sing to it to keep its power down. And then your understanding of what the medallion really is changes between the two games which is also a clever way of expanding the story and lore of Tellius without betraying the concepts established in PoR.

Do we have many charger users here? The Classic Squiffer was released on Friday: So we've been getting new weapons (I mean, "new," since many of these are from the first game) each Friday, but I think we're overdue for getting a new stage. Splatoon 2 started out with a lot more content than Splatoon had at launch but they still need to spice up the stage rotation soon.

Yup that's right, re-rolling abilities and adding slots to gear that only has one or two. Last Splatfest I played entirely solo (since most people here were team ketchup) though the first Splatfest from before the game's launch I played a lot as a team. It's essentially the same; teams might be better coordinated but you're not missing anything by only playing individual or team.

Pikmin makes the leap to handhelds for the first time with Hey! Pikmin, a spin-off that trades the real-time strategy of the series for puzzle/platformer stages. This time Olimar isn't exploring vast areas with numerous paths and hazards but instead plays through 2D levels with pre-set Pikmin selections and a handful of treasures to find. Despite the change in gameplay the style of Pikmin is preserved: Hey! Pikmin is a charming adventure, even if it doesn't live up to the quality of the main series. Olimar may have the worst luck of any Hocotate Freight pilot. Once again his ship crash lands on a strange planet, and this time his ship is out of fuel. But as always Pikmin are here to help, and the treasures they collect can be converted into Sparklium fuel by Olimar's ship. Hey! Pikmin lacks the end-of-day journal entries found in other Pikmin games but it does have log entries describing all of the creatures and treasures Olimar finds. Just like the main series the log entries are the heart of the game: charming, funny, and sometimes introspective, it's always worth taking the time to read Olimar's notes. Additionally you'll occasionally see little skits play out in the middle of levels which have the Pikmin being their cute, curious selves. There's nothing plot related in these but they add to the game's charm. Much like Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash from a couple years ago Hey! Pikmin takes the 3DS as an opportunity to try something a little different, something more linear and platformer based. The change may disappoint long-time fans but as a puzzle/platformer Hey! Pikmin does a decent job. Within each stage you can find Pikmin and recruit them to help you progress. The Pikmin variety is the same as Pikmin 3, and each is used for specific tasks. Since you aren't selecting which Pikmin to bring into each stage there's no sense of planning or preparation in this game–if there's a fire hazard, the game gives you red Pikmin. You're also limited to at most twenty Pikmin in a level so Hey! Pikmin doesn't have the same sense of miniature army that the main series does. What the game does have is fairly typical platformer challenges, tailored to Pikmin abilities. If you need to climb a ledge you might need to use Pikmin to move a nearby platform, or if there is treasure in an out-of-reach spot you can toss Pikmin up to grab it and bring it down to you. Hey! Pikmin does make use of both 3DS screens which isn't seen often enough on the 3DS, but that still doesn't distinguish the game from many DS platformers. You do need specific types of Pikmin to overcome certain obstacles, but since the game gives you those Pikmin throughout the level–and will give you more if you happen to get your Pikmin killed–a lot of the exploration and treasure hunting feels a little simple. If Hey! Pikmin has one main fault it's that there isn't a lot that jumps out as particularly unique and exciting. The game is enjoyable enough for what it is, but it doesn't have the same depth of other Pikmin games or even other platformers. If you try to collect every treasure the game can be a tiny bit more challenging, and if you try to keep all twenty Pikmin alive throughout each level the game does have some tough parts, but the only incentive for no-death playthroughs is personal satisfaction. Hey! Pikmin is a fun but uninspired adventure. It doesn't help that there are a couple of small but annoying aspects of the game. Compared to their console counterparts the Pikmin in this game can be pretty dumb. The pathfinding system isn't quite as efficient as Pikmin can easily get stranded, plus you can't tell them to halt so sometimes they'll try to follow you to their own demise. What's more obnoxious is that Pikmin can't fight for themselves. You toss Pikmin in order to attack predators but if you miss the Pikmin will just walk into damage and get itself killed. This is mostly an annoyance with small enemies that can be hard to hit with the game's touch controls. Thankfully though, since the game gives you Pikmin if you ever fall too low, losing one or two is only a problem for completionists that insist on finishing a level with all twenty Pikmin alive. The controls require both the circle pad and the stylus, which means lefties are stuck using the ABXY buttons to move around. On the bright side though the game doesn't require highly accurate or quick controls so lefties can even get by using the stylus in their right hand. It's still a missed opportunity not to use the N3DS c-stick or Circle Pad Pro as an option, though. Since it's on the 3DS Hey! Pikmin isn't going to have the same beautiful scenery as Pikmin 3 on the Wii U, but the game's graphics are decent enough. Between the returning predator creatures and the new ones there are some good designs, and while the jagged edges of the models are unfortunate they're somewhat unavoidable on the 3DS. The music is in the same boat: it's decent, it gets the job done, but there's nothing particularly notable about it. You can finish Hey! Pikmin in around ten hours, which isn't bad compared to the other Pikmin games, especially for a spin-off. It's a shame there aren't any bonuses for collecting all treasures, but the log entries are reward enough most of the time. Additionally, Hey! Pikmin supports amiibo, including a brand new Pikmin amiibo. Once scanned you can collect amiibo as treasures in special stages, which is handy for bonus Sparklium but the real draw is having more log entries to enjoy. The Pikmin amiibo can also be used to summon extra Pikmin in a level (still twenty max) if for some reason you desperately need a few extra hands to help. Hey! Pikmin is a charming spin-off but don't expect the same depth as the main series. Outside of the cute Pikmin humor there isn't much to truly distinguish the game against other platformers, and the lack of real-time strategy gameplay makes the sense of Pikmin collection and selection moot. Hey! Pikmin is enjoyable as a somewhat easy, somewhat slow-paced platformer, but it doesn't leave much of a lasting impression beyond that. Rating: 7 out of 10 Sparklium

I wouldn't hold my breath for it. I feel like Nintendo's store-exclusives don't normally jump ship to other stores, but I don't know for certain.

I'm not going to be able to play that weekend but I think I'll join team flight. Just seems like it'd be more fun than invisibility. Pretty much the same, super sea snails are still the reward, though the losing team gets more snails than before–you're only missing out on three snails at most compared to six in the first game. There's also a Splatfest exclusive stage called Shifty Station that is slightly different for each Splatfest. And you can either play individually (and group up with other random players) or as a team (and fight other teams). Individual and team win rates are separate tallies for the final score.

Gonna get Chicken Wiggle sometime, maybe when I finish a couple other games I'm playing right now.

Not a bad bundle if you haven't gotten a Switch/Splatoon 2 yet, but more importantly for those of us that have there'll be another Splatfest in two weeks. Unfortunately I'm going to be out of town that weekend (it's PAX West weekend!) but I think I'll be rooting for team flight. Kinda seems like they should've released the bundle before the Splatfest though to get new players in on the action.

His special ability must be to make the opponent stop for hammer time.

The characters in XCX are less interesting, and it's a bummer. XCX still has great environments, exploration, and combat, and I enjoyed it and encourage others to give it a go, but XC is overall a better game. Though if XC2 ends up being "only" on the same level of quality as XCX I'll probably still be happy.

Has anyone tried to complete all story mode stages with each weapon? Last night I started going through just the stages I missed with the Hero Shot and I'm realizing this would take a long time to do every weapon. You mean to post drawings and whatnot? Go to the red postbox on the left side of the plaza next to the shops.

A couple of recent acquisitions: Not a bad figurine and pretty useful in the game when you need a few extra Pikmin. I love the detail on all the Fire Emblem amiibo. Although her sword seems a little curved.

- Slime-san (Switch) Hardcore platformer with pixel art and chiptune soundtrack. It may seem like a genre that's been done but there's a lot to enjoy in Slime-san if you like these types of platformers. [image] - Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry (PSN - PS4) The good thing about this being DLC for AC4 is I don't have to sit through a long tutorial about how to play a game that hasn't had significant changes in years. Otherwise the game is okay–not a super interesting side story but sailing/piracy is still fun. [image] - Hey! Pikmin (3DS) A charming spin-off but don't expect it to have the same energy or depth as the main series. [image] - Phantom Trigger (Switch) Stylish but ultimately the gameplay is kind of shallow. Combos in particular should have been a lot more useful than they actually are. [image] - Super Motherload (PSN - PS4) Very similar to Steamworld Dig but doesn't have the same charm. And somehow mining seems way more boring in this game compared to SD. I also really did not like how the final boss introduces this combat element that isn't anywhere else in the game. [image] C: 59 H: 16 P: 0 M: 0 O: 75 Challenges: 35 points