Club Nintendo August Rewards Update #2

Nintendo has updated their downloadable Club Nintendo rewards today replacing Golf with 3D Classics Excitebike for the 3DS.  The expiration date for this offer is now August 26 and the price is 150 coins.  Be sure to check back August 20 for the next reward, most likely for WiiWare or Wii Virtual Console.

3D Classics Excitebike - Nintendo 3DS
150 Coins (Available Until August 26)

Nintendo Land, The Pack-In Question?

As we approach the end of 2012, Nintendo is gearing up to release full details on the Wii U launch.  Within the next month, I expect that we will know the price, launch titles, hardware colors, etc.  A big question looms over the hardware that could make or break one game in particular, will Nintendo Land be a pack in or not?

To answer this question, we need to look at the three possible launch options.

• Pack-In Disc/Software:  This option would be the best in terms of penetration and recognition.  In the same way Wii Sports defined the Wii and spawned a million imitator's, Nintendo Land could define the gameplay and online functionality of the Wii U in a very critical way.  A pack in disc is nice but to maximize cost/profit ratio of the hardware, Nintendo should have this software pre-installed on every Wii U ensuring that everyone can play both online and off right out of the box.  
• Downloadable: If Nintendo doesn't want to give it away, they should allow players to pay for a digital version of the game.  Better yet, give the lobby and 1 of the mini-games away with the system at launch as bait and allow the gamer's to pay for each game module separately from the Wii U eShop.  This allows the gamer's choice of what they want to buy and Nintendo can sell a greater amount by keeping the price down.  The constant access to the game from the system memory would also go a long way towards keeping people playing with others.
• Separate Retail Disc: I feel this would destroy the potential of this game.  What has been shown is in no way strong enough as a standalone retail priced title, there is simply not enough depth.  Don't get me wrong, even failures like Wii Music sold a couple million copies but honestly it hurt Nintendo's image in a long lasting way that should be avoided by future Nintendo titles.  In our new digital age, people are not going to want to swap this disc in and out of their console all the time and I fear that this game which should be a celebration of Nintendo will eventually be a forgotten part of their past.

In the end, Nintendo Land may show a level of gameplay depth and value that destroys all of these arguments but it could also hurt Nintendo and be branded as the same type of mini-game cash-in that cannibalized the Wii library and drove fans away.  Which option would you like if given the choice?

Gold Nunchuk Shines On Club Nintendo

Nintendo of America quietly updated their Club Nintendo Rewards today.  Surprisingly, they have brought over the Gold Nunchuk which was formerly limited to Japan and Australia.  While some may scoff at the 900 Coin price tag, it does at least fall in line with the rest of their rewards pricing.  The odd thing about this is the timing, this piece is the other half of the Zelda: Skyward Sword limited edition Wii Remote released last year which seems like odd timing but at least we finally got it which might be a sign of better rewards in the future.  If you're interested, get it soon because it is listed as a Limited Time Offer.  Grab yours now!

OUYA Makes Video Game History Today!

As its Kickstarter campaign winds down with only 8 hours to go, OUYA has captured the imaginations of both gamer's and developer's worldwide in a way not possible only a couple years ago.  With more than 8 million dollars and over 60,000 backers (myself included), this little console that could has netted the attention of huge developer's such as Namco Bandai and SquareEnix which bodes well for some major franchise titles to come to the system with a confirmation on Final Fantasy III already in the bag.  Numerous indie developer's have promised a wide variety of games such as Minecraft with many Kickstarter campaigns cropping up already which promises a massive influx of brand new IP's as well as some established favorites.  Topping off the many announcements during its 30 day funding run, the media potential is already staggering with a massive set list of confirmed programs & services ready to satisfy your media needs such as:

• TuneIn
• iHeartRadio
• VEVO Music
• XBMC
• Plex
• OnLive

Considering the almost equal amount of negative press to positive, OUYA has really stepped up to the plate and delivered far more than any previous "potential" console such as the Phantom ever could.  While the mainstream cried that an "open source" console could never work, I believe those were the typical cries of the establishment scared of change.  While a company such as Nintendo will find ways to survive on the strength of their innovation and software, Sony and Microsoft finally have something to truly be afraid of and it's not each other.  OUYA still has to make it to release but instead of simply getting their foot in the door, they have smashed through that door with a f#@king sledge hammer!  Who else is insanely excited for March 2013?

Club Nintendo August Rewards Update #1

Nintendo has updated their downloadable Club Nintendo rewards replacing WiiWare title Bonsai Barber with WiiWare puzzle adventure title Fluidity.  The expiration date for this offer is now August 19 and the price is 150 coins.  Be sure to check back August 12 for the next reward, which will likely be on eShop or 3DS Virtual Console.

Fluidity - WiiWare
150 Coins (Available Until August 19)

Monster Tale Review

Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion is shaping up to be one impressive 3DS exclusive adventure but my interest for the game shot through the roof after playing the most recent game of the developer Dreamrift, Monster Tale.  Much of the team comes from an impressive DS puzzle/platform game called Henry Hatsworth but for me, the almost unknown Monster Tale released last year for the Nintendo DS has me absolutely captivated.  Never before has a completely new and original game so perfectly blended together so much that I love.  Trying to explain the elements outside of breaking everything down individually is too difficult so here's a quick breakdown of how the game elements relate to other games:

• Mega Man X: The abilities of wall climbing, wrist blaster and charge blast all make the main character of Ellie feel like a baddass version of X and this feeling is amped even more considering she doesn't have all the clunky armor, just her dress and satchel.  Honestly, after seeing this, I wish Mega Man was given to Dreamrift to flesh out into a full action/adventure game series which would go a long way to revitalizing the series.
• Metroid/Castlevania: This game is a Metroidvania all the way and I couldn't be more happy about that considering how underused this sub-genre is compared to things like RPG's, FPS and Sandbox games.  The game even improves upon this by indicating on the map your next objective without being pushy, something even Metroid Fusion couldn't get completely right.  Your health ups and abilities are boosted by finding them like Metroid but can be enhanced at shops like Castlevania.  This is a perfect compromise that keeps the game challenging despite its kid friendly presentation.
• Pokemon: You have a partner monster in the game that gains experience/levels up but is also used outside of battle to overcome obstacles for Ellie.  This monster also learns new abilities and even evolves and grows into different elemental versions of itself.  You find yourself battling just to upgrade your partner and learn new powers.  It's an awesome mechanic that allows you to become attached to your monster without overwhelming you like the Pokemon series had in the Red/Blue era.

Overall, I can't recommend this game enough.  Its got a little something for everyone and wraps it all in excellent presentation featuring great music, attractive graphics and compelling gameplay.