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E3 2011: Hands On Star Fox 64 3D (3DS)

Justin Berube — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:15 +0000

Star Fox 64 is a game that I was so pumped for before its initial release on the Nintendo 64. How couldn’t a fanboy like me be excited after receiving that Nintendo promo video for the game? Now, 14 years later, I’m pumped to play the best Star Fox game ever with even better graphics… and in 3D!

Playing the single player mode did bring back some fond memories. The stage was exactly how I remembered it but it looked much nicer with the new graphical overhaul on the 3DS. The controls were simple and a former N64 Star Fox 64 player could easily adapt.

While the game indeed looked nice I was very disappointed that the voice acting has been redone. That’s right, all of the famous quotes have been done over, quote by quote, by a new group of voice actors. This really took some of the nostalgia out of the game for me and is one of the worst features of the new title. I don’t understand why the voices needed to be redone in the first place to be honest and I know some people that have already decided not to buy this game after hearing that.

Star Fox 64 3D also features a multiplayer mode. This mode isn’t exactly how it was on the N64, and features some improvements. Players will still face each off against each other in dogfights, but the multiplayer is only available over Local Wireless. Sadly there is no WiFi support for Star Fox 64 3D, which is clearly a missed opportunity. Star Fox 64 3D does take use of the 3DS inner camera so that everyone else playing can see the players face on his or her 3DS screen. This can be funny at times to say the least…

The stage I played on in the multiplayer mode wasn’t a multiplayer stage from the Nintendo 64 title at all, and honestly was much nicer than any level I could remember from the original game. I asked a Nintendo representative if the stages from the N64 version would also be included and they were unable to comment. I also asked if, like in the N64 game, the Landmaster or on foot vehicle options would be unlockable and useable in multiplayer mode but again they were unable to comment.

While Star Fox 64 3D does have some negatives this shouldn’t scare off the average person. Star Fox 64 3D is still the best Star Fox game ever with a new coat of paint! Those that have never played the game before won’t miss the old voices and even long time fans of the game should check it out for the new graphical face-lift and new multiplayer stages.

Want to stay up to date on the latest Nintendo news, information, editorials, and more? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Be sure to let me know what you think about my Star Fox 64 3D impressions!

The King Nintendo Fanboy’s E3 2011 Project Cafe (Wii 2) Predictions

Justin Berube — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:00:59 +0000

Trying to predict Nintendo’s E3 plans is usually impossible. Everyone knows Nintendo is very secretive and keeps their lips unusually tight regarding unannounced titles. With that said it’s still possible to make some educated guesses on what Nintendo is planning to showcase at the show.

Nintendo 3DS Predictions

Nintendo Wii Predictions

Nintendo DS Predictions

Project Cafe

Making predictions for Nintendo’s next generation console, currently known as Project Cafe, is extremely difficult. Almost nothing is known for sure, and most of the information we do have is only rumors. Even though this is the case I would like to try and make a few educated guesses on what we may see announced for Project Cafe at E3 2011.

New Super Mario Bros. Cafe

I think it’s possible that Nintendo could announce a New Super Mario Bros. game for the Cafe at E3 2011. This possibility is, in my opinion, much more likely than seeing a 3D Mario title from the get go. This is because the team that made both Super Mario Galaxy games is currently working on a 3D Mario title for the 3DS.

Additionally it’s possible for the Cafe’s rumored touch screen controller to take advantage of a multiplayer side scrolling Mario game in ways we have yet to see. Imagine players that enter pipes appearing underground on their own screens and not forcing all the players to go under with them.

I also think that a New Super Mario Bros. title for the Cafe’s launch could be beneficial in other ways. It’s no secret that New Super Mario Bros. Wii was a huge seller and that both core and casual gamers enjoy the title. This game could help bring the Wii’s casual audience over to the new system while offering a must have launch title to the hardcore crowd that grew up with Mario at the same time.

F-Zero

North American F-Zero fans haven’t seen an entry in the F-Zero franchise in nearly seven years. It’s time for the super fast futuristic racer to return and the Cafe could be the perfect place for it.

If the rumors are true about the Cafe having a greater online structure, F-Zero could be one of the best racing titles on the new platform. Racing against 30 other online opponents is every F-Zero fans dream.

Another reason I think an F-Zero launch title is possible is because we all know F-Zero isn’t as popular as Mario Kart. If F-Zero launches with the system racing fans won’t have many other options to choose from which will increase sales of the title from the get go. Nintendo could introduce a new Mario Kart title for the Cafe a few years down the line and not cannibalize the racing genre from the get go.

Pikmin 3

Shigeru Miyamoto has been hinting at a new Pikmin game for years now. While this was supposedly in development for the Wii, I’m currently expecting it to be released on the Cafe at this point. Hopefully Nintendo fans will hear something about this game since Nintendo hasn’t released a new Pikmin game since 2004.

Retro Studios Game

The talented team behind the Metroid Prime Trilogy and Donkey Kong Country Returns is probably working on something for the Cafe, but I honestly have no idea what. Retro could go back and make another Metroid Prime title, the last one ended with some questions left to be answered, or make a sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns. They may even be brining back another Nintendo franchise or making a new game entirely. Regardless I think there is a good chance we will hear something at E3 2011.

New Nintendo IP

It’s entirely possible that Nintendo will announce a new IP that will really take advantage of the new controller that the Cafe will support. This game could also be bundled with the hardware much like Wii Sports was bundled with the Wii.

Cafe Sports?

It’s entirely possible that a Wii Sports Resort sequel could make its way to Cafe. This title could bring some of the casual Wii fans over to the new system. While this game may not be a launch title, I think Nintendo could release a sequel to the popular series as soon as they plan the consoles first price drop hits to really hook the casual market again while maintaining a hardcore audience that is willing to pay higher prices from the get go. While this could take years to happen, it’s not that far fetched of an idea.

StarFox

Like F-Zero, it’s been a long time since Nintendo has released a new Star Fox game. Nintendo is re-releasing Star Fox 64 for the 3DS later this year and could be using this title to re-introduce people to what many consider to be the best entry in the series and to bring interest back to the franchise which has seen a drastic drop in quality over the last few titles.

Nintendo could use a possible greater online structure to really bring Star Fox to a new level. Imagine online co-op modes where each player gets their own flight path and whose actions and choices could affect the others! Communication would be key. Also online dogfights could be a ton of fun as well.

Super Smash Bros. 4

I have seen some rumors about a Super Smash Bros. game coming to the Cafe. While I’m sure one will eventually be released for the system, I do NOT think it will be seen at this E3. The reason is that Masahiro Sakurai, the man who has directed every entry in the Smash Bros. Series, is currently finishing up Kid Icarus: Uprising for the 3DS. While it’s possible that the series will move forward without him, it’s also hard to imagine.

Other

There are various other announcements I expect to see for the Cafe at E3 2011. I fully expect Nintendo to make it possible for Wii owners to transfer all of their WiiWare/Virtual Console titles over to the Cafe. Rumors are already going around that the Cafe will be backward compatible with both the GameCube and the Wii, so this idea isn’t too out there.

I expect the Cafe to take advantage of Virtual Console games in a new way. I think that as someone sits and plays a single player Cafe title that other people in the house will be able to load Virtual Console games to their Cafe controller (if it has a screen). This could give the person the ability to play a different game at the same time as someone else and will really help to stop siblings fighting over who’s turn it is. This technology could also be used to allow a person to play a game while someone is watching TV.

The Wii’s Vitality Sensor could also make an appearance for the Project Cafe. The reason I feel this way is that it would seem a bit late in the Wii’s product life cycle to announce another accessory. If Nintendo were to release the Vitality Sensor for the Wii there would only be a few titles that could take advantage of it.

Someone may claim that since the Cafe is rumored to be backward compatible with the Wii than Cafe titles could just take advantage of the technology developed for the Wii, such as the Vitality Sensor. My only argument against that is that it will take away from what could make the Cafe unique.

Fans should also expect some big third party announcements for the Cafe. If Nintendo is really going after the hardcore audience this time around they will need to bring over some big names to gain some interest. I have no idea what to expect in this regard, but I’m expecting something.

While everyone is talking about the Cafe’s new controller, I expect developers to have the option to use the old Wii Remote (and Wii accessories) in their Cafe titles if they choose to. This will likely be used for alternative control schemes, but I think that Nintendo will try to leave control options open, for most titles, to the player IF the game won’t really be taking advantage of the rumored screen built into the Cafe controller.

Other rumors are also going around about some sort of Haptic technology that will allow people to feel different textures on the touch screen. This could happen and I hope it does. One of the complaints I hear from many people that hate using a touch screen is that they don’t have any feedback after hitting a touch screen button. This Haptic technology could fix the issue and be used in new and innovative ways.

Overall, it’s way to hard to have many concrete guesses when it comes to Project Cafe. After the official Project Cafe reveal, scheduled for June 7^th, 2011, this article will likely be laughed at by how far from the truth it really is. It’s the unfortunate truth, but I figured it was worth a shot at taking a stab at what we could see regarding the Cafe at E3 2011.

This is a Super Subtle Star Fox Shirt

Sam Naylor — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:27:19 +0000

Joseph Baum has designed a wonderfully subtle Star Fox T-Shirt- and guess what? It’s for sale. As you can see, the shirt features Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, Fox himself, and Falco Lombardi, all nonchalantly standing on the moon.

The shirt is for sale at Threadless here, for just $18. Well, not just $18: it’s $5 for US shipping and $10 for Standard International shipping. So nearly thirty dollars for someone like me, then. Still, I think it might even be worth it- it’s really a fantastic shirt, and the designer should be commended. So, here I go: Well done, Mr. Baum!

[Via Dtoid]

Gaming Dilemma: Why Re-Make When You Can Just Make?

Sam Naylor — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:08:50 +0000

The online marketplaces of XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare have been a great place for gamers and developers alike. We’re seeing more small (and large) developers than ever before pushing out great games for these platforms, and the market for them can only get bigger. We’re seeing more original game concepts than ever before on these platforms, alongside a collection of classic games.

The current generation of consoles seems to be a perfect place for development teams to test news ideas, push out interesting concepts, or just work on short, well designed games. Think about games like Braid, Flower, Cave Story, or World of Goo. These games were released to great critical acclaim, and featured great, original concepts which were very well executed.

However, these markets, along with the DS, seem to have promoted quite a few remakes of old games. It’s not just the new markets that we see remakes for, but they are what prompted me to write this article. The classic games available on the virtual marketplaces (i.e. the Virtual Console) have been great, but full remakes of games have started to pop up everywhere. Perfect Dark was remade for XBLA, along with Earthworm Jim. The first two Monkey Island games have been updated for most platforms, as well as the original Prince of Persia. Boy and His Blob was even remade for Wii.

I see this as a problem. Not because these are not great games, or indeed great remakes. The remakes of Monkey Island, for example, were very good indeed. In fact, I enjoy playing these remade games a great deal. The problem, I feel, is that they represent a wasted opportunity.

The teams working on these games clearly have a lot of really good developers working on them. The quality of the remakes is testament to that in many examples. Why then are these people not creating new and innovative games? I realise that games are made to make money, but that doesn’t mean that new games don’t sell. If, for example, the development team that created the brilliant remake of Super Street Fighter II Turbo had been put on to a team to create a completely new 2D fighter, I feel that the quality would be high enough for the game to sell perfectly well. We’d also have a brand new fighting game to sink our teeth into, and new players would have a great place to start.

Even Nintendo are guilty. In fact, they might be the worst offenders. We’ve already seen two remakes for a platform that has not even been released yet- Star Fox 3DS and Ocarina of Time 3DS. Don’t get me wrong, I will buy and love these games, but I still feel like the development teams on these games ought to be spent on creating new games with new characters, or even just new games in a series. Just think- we could have had a new 3DS Zelda game (or indeed a new IP). Obviously a remake is much easier to do than a brand new game, but as I have said- the potential to create new rather than old is there.

Although there are a lot of good remakes, sometimes they just cannot capture the magic of the original. Perfect Dark, Earthworm Jim and Vigilante 8 were all great games. When released, they were some of the best games that one could ever play. Now, though, they are not. They have all had remakes, and they seem antiquated and just do not play well. That’s because these old games were not designed as well as games are now. They were good when they were the best available, but game design has advanced so much since then that they end up being purely nostalgia trips. That’s fine for some- but again, the resources pumped into those remakes could have been put into something much more interesting and well designed.

Games remain an artifact of their time. This is why I am skeptical of the new GoldenEye game for Wii, for example. Although going back to GoldenEye on N64 is a nice little nostalgia trip, one can tell straight away that it is just not a good game by today’s standards. For PC gamers, it wasn’t even close to being the best shooter, but for console players it was the messiah needed to push the genre onto their platform- and with four people playing, it was an absolute blast. Imagine playing a brand new game, with a great multiplayer component and great level design- one designed not for online play, but for you and your mates. Why must that game be trying to be GoldenEye? Well, because it sells units- and it will be of a lesser quality as a result, because they’ve got the name, and don’t need the review scores.

Think about the God of War Collection for PS3, as well as the upcoming Sly Raccoon collection. There are development teams that have spent a lot of time converting these games to the new platform. Once again, why couldn’t these teams be creating a brand new game instead of making some not-even-old games HD? God of War II is only three years old- no matter how good, it just doesn’t need a remake.

Obviously they did a great job, and have created a new audience as well as allowed people who might not have had a PS2 to play these games, but the time used to make these things happen could have been used to begin on a new game that will create an even bigger audience. Perhaps they could have even spent more time on God of War III, or InFamous, to make them even better. Perhaps the funds that went into updating the old games could have gone into marketing the new games better. In a way, a really good remake is even worse; when it’s obvious there was a lot of love in a remake, it just makes me feel bad that that love could have gone into a brand new game.

I’d like to reiterate just once more that I have played and loved a good number of remakes. In fact, almost every time Nintendo remakes one of their old games, I’m straight on them. However, as I play, the childlike glee that happens on the outside is undercut by a feeling that had the development time gone into something new, I could have eaten my cake and had it too. I could have been playing Mario 64 on my N64, and had a new Mario game to play on the DS. I could have been playing Pokémon Red on my Game Boy, and had a new Pokémon game to play on the GBA. I could even have been playing Monkey Island on the PC, and had a new 2D adventure game to sink my teeth into.

Shadows of Lylat Is Like Star Fox, But It’s Not

Demi Adejuyigbe — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:43:11 +0000

It’s been almost 3 years since the last Star Fox game was released for the DS, and while it was good, Nintendo’s left the series’ fans clamoring for more. Since we haven’t heard anything about a new Star Fox game, we’re led to assume that Nintendo’s not focusing on it for now, but I don’t plan to lose any sleep over that since the team behind a new fan-created Star Fox game, Shadows of Lylat, seem to be doing a better job of continuing the series than Nintendo undoubtedly would’ve done.

Based on the FreeSpace Open game engine, Shadows of Lylat is a high-definition game with a story that takes place between Star Fox 64 and Star Fox Adventures, but it’s not going to be a straight arcade shooter like Star Fox. The creators describe it as more of a simulation shooter, but the trailers give a much better sense of what kind of game it’s going to be. There’s no guaranteed release date for the game yet, but when it’s out, you’ll be able to get it for Windows, OS X, and Linux.

Hit the jump for the second Shadows of Lylat trailer, yo. [Shadows of Lylat]

Top Ten Developers – #1 Nintendo

James Fleming — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:10:44 +0000

Well, you knew it was coming. Nintendo has set the bar for gameplay and innovation since 1985, when it released its groundbreaking platformer Super Mario Brothers for the NES.

The gray, rectangular-shaped cartridge would revolutionize the way games were played and raise the videogame industry out of the ashes of the great crash that occurred earlier in the decade.

Shigeru Miyamoto, a man who needs no introduction, is the maniacal genius that manages Nintendo EAD (Entertainment Analysis and Development). He's possibly the most influential person in this modern video game empire, a kingdom that he helped create. Miyamoto would shine as Nintendo's lead idea man and obtain messianic status over the two decades for his contributions to videogames the world over.

His baby, Super Mario Brothers, was a bona-fide console seller. If you wanted to play it at home, you had to buy an NES, and everyone wanted to play. The game was like an adrenaline shot to the heart of an industry that crashed on poorly crafted software for graphically unimpressive consoles only a few years earlier.

With spot-on controls, challenging and intuitive level design, unforgettable characters and a high replay value, Mario showed us a glimpse of the future that was Nintendo.

But as this list shows, making one good game does not make you the world's greatest developer. While many promising companies are sprouting up in newly rented business parks, with high-budget, genre defying juggernauts in tow, time needs to be spent building a library before judgment can be passed down. For those of you who need things put in perspective, here you are: Super Mario Bros. sold more than 40 million copies!

Miyamoto received inspiration for his next opus by recalling his childhood. A young Shigeru once discovered a cave while trekking through the forests of Kyoto, Japan, an adventure that would linger until the boy became the man.

It was this memory of magic and wonder that would lead to the creation of one of his most vivid worlds-- Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda was a game that would, in many ways, show the possibility of becoming truly immersed in a videogame.

Before Zelda, games were closed track sprint sessions from point A to point B, all about gaining high scores and moving through portals. Zelda was more like a hike up an uncharted mountain. You were simply given a sword and an objective: save the world.

How you were to do this was in many ways up to you. Would you explore the wilds or brave the underground? Puzzle solving, boss battles, item collecting, secrets and exploration put Zelda in the spotlight, where it remains to this day.

Every few years brings a new adventure to the homes of gamers everywhere. The Zelda series has delivered unrivaled quality, time and time again. In 1998 Nintendo released what many consider to be the best game of all time: Ocarina of Time. Receiving perfect 10s from critics everywhere, the game would envelop a whole new crop of fans and keep the series popular almost a decade later.

And let it not be said that Zelda and Mario are the only mascots that would pave the way for the gaming giant that is Nintendo. Titles like Metroid, Star Fox, Donkey Kong, and Pokemon are interwoven into a gamer language, and they would further drive nails into the coffins of the competition. Lesser known carts such as Pilotwings, Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, and Kid Icarus may not have the worldwide acclaim of their bigger brothers, but they also have quite a big space in a lot of gamers' hearts.

For many, looking upon Nintendo's list of games triggers heartfelt nostalgia. Remembering a particular Nintendo game is to remember that point in time-- where you were, what you were doing, and what kind of person you were.

What makes Nintendo such a remarkable developer is the fact that many people can plot an entire lifetime by the release of one of their games. The first all-nighter you pulled trying to defeat Mother Brain in Metroid. That time you gave your brother a black eye for repeatedly bumping you into the wall in F-Zero. And who could forget the time you gave up a chance to get laid at your buddy's house party that weekend in 1998, because you were determined to beat the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time? We sure haven't forgotten.

Whatever your story, Nintendo has touched millions of people's lives on every continent, and for that they will always be number one.

Must Haves:
Super Mario 64 (N64),
Super Metroid (SNES),
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

Have Nots:
Luigi's Mansion (GC)

Top Ten Developer List: 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1