The Nintendo news and discussion thread

[Alex79]

Yeah but that's my point, it wouldn't be an extra few quid. A GBA (or even GBC) would be much cheaper than that thing!

[KSubzero1000]

I don't think I'll ever understand how so many people can view smartphone emulation of console and handheld titles as a perfectly acceptable substitute to the real thing. Do authenticity and ergonomy mean nothing to them? Does convenience trump everything else? Certainly seems that way sometimes...

A friend once tried to sell me on his new phone by showing me how he could play FF6 on it by using a virtual gamepad. I just... I had trouble processing the event. I must be completely out of touch or something.

[Joshihatsumitsu]

I own a Wonderswan, and a Neo Geo Pocket Color, two handheld consoles that were commercial failures and that no one cares about, and even I think that Hyperkin Gameboy-thing is dumb as all hell...

Not that I blame Hyperkin for trying. I mean, someone is bound to buy it, so more power to them, I guess?

[James]

I think it depends what you're looking for. If you want a full retro experience then, sure, you're going to need the original console, controller(s) and a CRT TV. Heck, for an arcade game you'll need an original (not MAME) cabinet and some decent soldering skills. Everything else is degrees of approximation, whether it's playing FF6 on PS1, PS3, PSP, PC, emulation, or phone.

I first played Mushihimesama on iPad, for example, because (until 2015) that was the only way to play it outside of Japanese import. I ventured that it'd be worth at least trying the iOS version, and I was right. I had a great old time playing a shmup I now count amongst my favourites, and its sequel!

Horses for courses, an' all that, but so long as everyone gets to play what and how they want to play, I'm personally all for it.

[Flabyo]

There's also the fact that for a lot of people they weren't even alive when the original hardware existed, so they don't have that mental attachment to the original physicality, they're just interested in the games.

Hyperkin's stuff does occupy a slightly strange middle ground though. They're hardware solutions that play the original games, but they're not the original hardware. (Of course they're mostly just simple Linux boxes running emulators, but they still work off the source carts not rom files).

[Suits]

It's the application of what they're trying to do that I find missing the target, not the fact that they're trying to get classic experiences into peoples hands.

As already stated, having to have original carts, is the real issue here, which I think will be this devices Achilles heel.

Although, I can honestly say, that I've never had a good personal experience with emulated devices running classic 8-bit games like the one that this device is designed for.

I'd probably never recommend someone play say Super Mario Land on an emulated touch screen device to play that for the first time but then it's not a perfect world I suppose.

Good luck to them but I do wonder what experiences these sort of devices give to first time players of classic titles sometimes.

[KSubzero1000]

Everything else is degrees of approximation, whether it's playing FF6 on PS1, PS3, PSP, PC, emulation, or phone.

I'm not necessarily trying to champion the purity of the exact original hardware here. But I think there's a major difference between playing the PS3 version of FF6 on a big-screen TV using a proper controller and emulating the game on a tiny phone screen while having to rely on garbage virtual buttons. You're still enjoying the game more or less in the way it was meant to be played in one case. Not so much in the other.

[James]

Everyone's going to have their own tipping point though. Playing FF6 on a phone, with a Bluetooth controller, for example would be much the same experience as playing on PSP, which is absolutely fine for a lot of people.

In fact, the marvel of having a big, console game on a phone or portable console is almost reason enough for some people to try it - GTA3's mobile version attracted a lot of attention because it could be done, rather than whether or not it should be.

I honestly think it's fine to experiment with how any game can be experienced. Be that HD versions, ports to modern systems, remakes, VR, projected on a cinema screen... it might not be how the game was originally designed, or how you or I would like to play it, but (especially when the original dev or publisher is involved) it's all valid as far as I'm concerned.

That said, I'm in no rush to try the Hyperkin. If I had the original carts, tracking down a Gameboy or GBA would be easy enough.

[Suits]

Has anyone tried any of this weeks new games on the eShop for the Switch yet ??

I tempted to pick something up and give it a whirl but wondered if anyone had any recommendations on the new games ??

[Flabyo]

Reminder: there's a Nintendo direct today on Splatoon 2. 3pm UK time.

[Stanshall]

Has anyone tried any of this weeks new games on the eShop for the Switch yet ??

I tempted to pick something up and give it a whirl but wondered if anyone had any recommendations on the new games ??

Flip Block or whatever it's called in English is pretty shite, basically. I got it on the Japanese eShop a while ago because I had some left over credit. It'll presumably have a number of modes patched in because it was not only simplistic but bare bare bones.

[James]

Flip Wars looked like Splatoon + Bomberman, but it sounds less fun then, Stanshall?

[Suits]

Oh, right, I'll maybe pass over that one then .

[Stanshall]

Flip Wars looked like Splatoon + Bomberman, but it sounds less fun then, Stanshall?

I thought it'd be very Bomberman-esque and good fun in local multiplayer but it just feels a bit wonky and simplistic. Kind of like you imagine Fast RMX to be like Wipeout but it falls short in reality. It also has a number of modes greyed out/coming soon, and I just didn't particularly enjoy it. I didn't get the chance to try out multiplayer in the end, I suspect it would be a lot more fun that way.

To be honest, Bomberman is pretty crap in SP but I've had loads of fun with it with mates.

[seansthomas]

Good that it looks like Platinum are releasing their Wii U titles on Switch, even as someone who's played them. Hope this pipeline of games that are coming out hurry up though. Feels a good time this fortnight to get stuck into something. But come September, we get a run of Skyrim, Mario, FIFA, Xenoblade and Rocket League. Games like Thimbleweed Park, Isaac, Rime etc would all be getting bought by me right now if they were out. But if they emerge in 3 months time, they probably won't.

[Joshihatsumitsu]

As someone who managed to wrangle a pre-order on the SNES mini, I found this Ars article to be of interest.

It was be nice to get an official release of Star Fox 2, even if the consensus is that it's not very good. I'll be curious to read up on the tear-down of the hardware and emulation. The wacky world of Nintendo never bores me at least.

[Craig]

Yesterday I played my Switch at a food court with a six year old and felt like it was straight out of the damn commercial.

1) It worked really well.

2) Thank goodness for the accessibility options in Mario Kart. You don't really appreciate how things like the steering aid are until you see someone who is terrible at the game whizzing around the track and having oodles of fun regardless.

Don't worry, we were on the same team so we both won!

[Stanshall]

After keeping my fingers crossed for some kind of Resident Evil collection, Capcom have just announced Revelations 1&2 for the Switch. I've never played either but heard they're decent. Not quite what I wanted, but I'll likely give em a go.

[Craig]

I enjoyed the first on 3DS, though can't really remember much of it. But it is a positive sign - come on Capcom, dip into that vault!

[Suits]

Yeah, I got a decent way into the first one on my 3DS too.

Although ultimately put it down for something else I think.

The idea of kicking back on the sofa with a HD version on my switch is very, very appealing.