Nintendo
After last week’s media summit, here are three things I’m sure of:
1. The developers of Metroid: Other M are awesome for incorporating the same kind of Wiimote-only NES-to-pointer control scheme found in Super Paper Mario. I was excited about the game before, but I cannot wait for it now. The setup felt wonderful in SPM.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is still a really odd move for Nintendo. But it does look fun.
3. Okay, three little things: Light Trax and X-scape look incredible, and this party mystery game for Wii could be really cool. I’ve always wanted to see a good Wii version of Clue.
[Edit] I forgot about Cave Story. 3/22 will be a nice day.
I like the art style for X-Scape quite a bit. I’ve always been into the blocky, low-poly look, and the DS has been great for showing people that it can be a legitimate aesthetic instead of just an unfortunate effect of technical limitations. It’s good to see more developers capitalizing on that.
Iron Clad Lou - 03.01.10, 3:43 pm
SMG2 is what happens when Nintendo realizes they aren’t releasing enough games (Iwata said this multiple times about the whole Animal Crossing/Wii Music holiday line-up). They attribute the softening of the sales during that period to lack of software support.
Combine that with the fact that the SMG-style lends itself to experimentation and “modular” game design (the ideas in a planetoid don’t have to be cohesive to form a greta galaxy… quite the opposite, actually). And you’ve got SMG2.
Also note that EAD Tokyo has had an AMAZING platforming run thus far. DK: Jungle Beat was brilliant, SMG was brilliant, and it looks like SMG2 is brilliant. Those Tokyo kiddos seem to have a natural inclination to push the limits of platforming.
Also – let’s not complain. This may be the year we get Metroid, Mario, and Zelda in the same damn calendar year. Amazing.
Benny - 03.01.10, 4:29 pm
Oh yes, I know I will love it. And good point on game design. It’s just that the Nintendo purist in me is a bit concerned, that’s all.
Zelda in 2010? I’ll believe that when I see it! Would be nice, though. I can’t wait to see this Motion+ enhanced Zelda. Part of me trembles at this, but I have a feeling it will contain a first-person element.
Nick - 03.01.10, 7:22 pm