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[mobilesworking]

Just started listening -- hey, better late than never! -- on the advice of Jon Irwin (Kill Screen, Paste). I enjoyed the two episodes I've heard and will, before long, begin my long descent into the other 496 installments.

 

[silks]

Just started listening -- hey, better late than never! -- on the advice of Jon Irwin (Kill Screen, Paste). I enjoyed the two episodes I've heard and will, before long, begin my long descent into the other 496 installments.

Good luck and Godspeed

 

[Ondore]

This week in... oh dear god.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43656/nwr-chat-episode-1-season-1-a-new-hope

James has left for Japan, leaving a potentially deadly power vacuum at the top of the RFN food chain in his absence, along with an opportunity for an off-brand podcast. Jon emerges from the wilderness to claim the hosting throne, the prodigal son returning after having last hosted on the immensely successful RFN Episode 105. The beginning of his reign is marked by his reading of a prepared statement, meant to foster unity in these troubled times. Speaking of troubled times, Dr. Jonny Metts takes a seat in the vacant guest chair to salve our wounds, with Greg and Gui along for the bumpy ride as always. This week's New Business covers the end of Wii U production, Gui comparing platformers with Sonic CD and Freedom Planet, Greg dealing with a buggy F-Zero X on Virtual Console, and Jonny diving deeper into Dragon Quest VII with a little Rhythm Thief thrown in for good measure.

After the break it's Listener Mail. Our resident pre-order expert Jonny Metts advises us on whether or not we should pre-order Switch, and we also analyze potential Switch launch SKUs, prices, and games. We then discuss the small marketing window leading up to Switch launch, and whether or not there will be a successor to the Nintendo 3DS. You can get inside our small marketing window by sending your inquiries to our inbox.

Don't forget that we're still looking for RFN Episode RetroActives for use during the voyage of self-discovery that will be Episode 500. Find one of your favorite RFN episodes (we recommend anything without "103" in the title) and send us your thoughts, RetroActive style. And by "RetroActive style" we mean "dumpster fire". Get writing!

Time: 2'12"59
Outro: Soaring Through Azure Skies (Gurumin 3D)
Download: MP3 | AAC
Normal service resumes: ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

 

[Makonero]

I'm sad that it wasn't a trainwreck.

 

[leroidys]

I'm sad that it wasn't a trainwreck.

There was plenty of train wreck to go around last week.

 

[Ondore]

We're trying to have Jon call for hep with James, but the wrong slot keeps coming up.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43695/nwr-chat-season-1-episode-2-the-fire-type-strikes-back

James continues to wander abroad, and has almost certainly married a life-sized Gundam during a sake-fueled bender by now. While he sorts out his pending annulment, we present you with another episode of NWR Chat. Jon brazenly assumes the hosting chair yet again, with Pokemon superfan Alex Culafi joining us along with the baleful stares known as Gui and Greg. This week New Business features Alex with a ton of thoughts on Pokemon Sun/Moon, Gui giving us a LEGO City Undercover update along with initial thoughts on Excitebike 64 on VC, Jon finally trying out Super Mario 3D World, and Greg offering "early" thoughts on Dragon Quest VII.

On the other side of the break is Listener Mail. This time around we discuss Switch, unsurprisingly; its price vs. handhelds, the potential for Wii U games to be ported for launch, and why you might buy a Wii U after Switch releases. You can experience your own release by sending any and all questions to our inbox.

Episode 500 is near and still yearning for more RFN Episode RetroActives. Deconstruct your favorite RFN episode from the past and make us laugh, cry, and feel shame. In short, it'll be just another day at the RFN office.

Time: 2'01"12
Outro: Orchestral Teaser No. 1 - The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Other Alex: With me on Nintendo News Report most weeks - now on iTunes!

 

[Effect]

I have so many episodes to catch up. Haven't had time to really listen to many podcast lately. Got all but the last two downloaded and likely going to to go through them over the next few days. Going have to skip the telethon for now though.

 

[Morfeo]

I really miss Johnny on this podcast, and i am just so tired of James. He 1) constantly trolls, 2) his new business is always the same ("this game is bananas and i respect it"), something Guillaume even callef him out on a few weeks ago, and 3) his analysis is at times good, but plagued by talking in absolutes ("capcom is like this", "the nes was about this", "this is the best/worst" and so on). More nuance would be good.

Now the show is still good, and i appreciate the effort they put into it. I also am sure James is a great dude, but yeah, the show used to be much better when Johnny balanced him out more.

Love Guillaumes weekly rpr/plattformer update though, he has good taste (although he is wrong on Order of Eclessia).

 

[leroidys]

I like the show now more than ever and think that James is great ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

 

[plufim]

Yeah agree James is great.

 

[Morfeo]

I am glad for you!

Maybe its just me that is getting old

 

[Ondore]

Well, that little insurrection lasted all of two episodes.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43722/episode-499-nintendo-hard-girls

Welcome back to Radio Free Nintendo. James has returned from his expedition to Japan an enlightened man. Just a week before episode 500, he has a lot of work to do to get back into form for the big episode. This week is a good start, retaking the reigns and putting the show exactly where it belongs: the ditch.

James kicks off New Business bearing gifts for his co-hosts. He then expands on his thoughts from the latest Famicast episode during which he talks about his trip to Japan. Although jet-lag, a cold, and an unhealthy dose of cough syrup conspire to render this segment insufferable, James is adamant - he does not need help on that front. Jon and Greg are the Sun and the Moon of Radio Free Nintendo (Guillaume is the star, if you're wondering), so it's apt that they are playing Pokémon Sun and Moon, respectively. Expanding on Alex Culafi's comments, the two give some early thoughts on their quest to be the best. Gui wraps up New Business with a look at Paper Mario: Color Splash. Replete with charm, witty writing, and captivating humor, this is the ultimate charming game for the ultimate charming gamer.

After the break we tackle a trio of Listener Mail. Topics include Nintendo Hard Girls, making Super Mario Maker even more super, and how to build on the success of NES Classic Edition. You can have us cast the next Gamindustri adventure by sending sending us an email. Remember, next week is 500, so get us your comments ASAP if you want to hear them on the show.

Time: 2'00"58
Outro: Muramasa The Demon Blade - Seasonal Beauties
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
The best part of Nintendo's Switch publisher list: Ideaf**k is NOT on it.
Special request: Resolved by someone from Japan. Domo arigato.

 

[Zonic]

omg

OMG

my email not only got answered, but became the actual name of the episode title

I cannot wait to listen to this tomorrow during work.

 

[OMG Aero]

I don't know if this was covered in the Famicast but, James how friendly would you say Japan is as a holiday destination if you don't understand the language at all?
I've contemplated going there for a while but the language barrier has always put me off. Is there enough English signs/understanding people there that you can get by with the bare minimum of knowledge and a translation app, or do you really need to know some yourself/have someone with you that knows the language?

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

I don't know if this was covered in the Famicast but, James how friendly would you say Japan is as a holiday destination if you don't understand the language at all?
I've contemplated going there for a while but the language barrier has always put me off. Is there enough English signs/understanding people there that you can get by with the bare minimum of knowledge and a translation app, or do you really need to know some yourself/have someone with you that knows the language?

I visited with very limited knowledge of the language and a translation app (lingopal talking phrasebook saved my butt more than once). It does pay to memorise a few key phrases like:

Hello
Goodbye
How much?
What's the local specialty?
Do you have it in a bigger size?
Do you speak English?

I planned ahead too. Google Street viewing the route between your hotel and local train stations etc ahead of time makes it far less daunting. You can also book a lot of stuff online, so you're not just wandering around lost.

 

[Crimm]

Depends on where you are, but largely it's fine. I was the only person in my travel party that had any language skill, and while it undoubtedly gave me a bit of a leg up they seemed to manage just fine when I was off somewhere.

People are unfailingly helpful, even if they don't come off as outgoing. That said, make sure you have data and a smartphone. Google Translate isn't perfect but it does a passable job translating block printed text. Google maps navigation barfs a bit in cities with huge high rises but it still gets the job done. Japanese addresses work differently (not sure exactly how how to describe it) than they do in the west and sometimes locals aren't able to advise, even if they desire to. I booked a pocket WiFi before I left and it was waiting at the Narita airport post office for me when I landed. It was like $70 for two weeks and was worth every penny. You could also get a SIM card but if your phone is locked that's a bit hit and miss - also you can't get voice on a temporary SIM card. Weird Japanese law.

Station worker at JR Line stations are always somewhat English capable, and should at least be able to assist you in finding the right platform - and again Google Maps does a pretty solid job at this. Outside major cities (we went to Inari, Nara, and Himeji) it can be a bit more hit and miss but there's really only two platforms in Inari so you'll figure it out. Inside Tokyo: JR, Toei Subway, and Tokyo Metro all post their signs in English and announce stops in the train in English. Inside Osaka: JR and Osaka Subway are perhaps even better at it. Kyoto: JR service is good, subway is fine but not as sprawling. All subway systems have a kiosk you can buy tickets or recharge your IC Card at. They always have an English selection on the menu.

If you're going to do any significant travel get a Japan Rail Pass before you go - exchange it at Narita airport and they'll even book your train ticket to your destination (for me that was a N'EX ticket to Shinawaga and a Shinkansen ticket to Shin-Osaka) - again, her English was unfailing. It does not cover subways or non-JR train lines. Hyperdia is also a great resource for finding your train route. Plan your train trips and you might be able to figure out how to squeeze them in on a 7 day pass rather than a 14. It will save you some cash, but the pass is a great investment. Just walk past the station window and show them the pass. The station manager will wave you on.

Likewise, get an IC card for the Subway. Research ahead of time where you can get one. Machines that sell them aren't as prevalent as the machines to recharge them. If you don't have a JR pass you can also use them for the JR.

Inside shops lack of Japanese skill is fine. A lot of stores, restaurants, and attractions in and around tourist areas have signs in English. They are usually fine. Usually. Shop clerks will greet you in Japanese, it's fine. When you want to buy just take the items to the register, the price will almost always display on the register screen. At the same time, learning numbers up to 100k probably wouldn't hurt. It isn't an especially complex system if you're just doing numbers (and not counters).

Spend some time ahead of time getting familiar with their coinage (AND BRING A COIN PURSE YOU CAN SORT THEM IN). This is a cash based economy with a lot of coinage. Be prepared to make change quickly. If you have your money sorted and you are familiar with what each coin is worth this is a stress-free process. If you're rushing yourself it isn't. There is likely a tray to put the money in sitting on the counter, just count the money out as you put it down. Clerk will reciprocate when making change.

Restaurants largely have picture menus, although that doesn't always explain WHAT it is. Google Translate to the rescue. Some have English menus - especially chains like CoCo and Yoshinoya. Others, like sitdown diners, will have a machine you order at, and they print a meal ticket you hand to the staff. These all have an English button. Failing all of the above, the staff will still make an effort to assist. Take a risk and point at something at some point. Also note, some English menus are hilariously not useful. You'll manage.

Last piece of advise is make sure you understand pronunciation of Japanese words. Relative to English it is an absolute cakewalk. Vowels make the same sound at all times. The language only has a handful of sounds (either a vowel on its own or a consonant + a vowel). The only real modifiers are the Ys (such as in Tokyo) and indicators about shortening or elongating. You can get away without the second. This is useful when asking for something. Need to find the platform to get to Ikebukuro (pronounced: E kay boo coup row)? You can probably just say Ikebukuro and inflect it as a question to the station employee and they will point you the right way. Being able to say the nouns correctly will help you ask for things. There are untold number of YouTube videos on how to pronounce Japanese. It wont take long to pick-up.

Like I said, having some language background definitely helped but it was in no way a prerequisite. Research where you want to go a bit so you don't find yourself completely adrift at sea, but don't be afraid to get lost. I got lost on the side of a mountain, with no people to be seen (except for monuments to the dead) and I got back just fine. I'd encourage finding a few friends to go with you, you don't always have to roll together but it's good to come back to base in the evening and compare notes, maybe buy some of that 7-11 brand beer and enjoy it together (just kidding, DO NOT DRINK THE BREW).

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

It's also worth noting that the country is pushing English hard in preparation for the olympics, so staff at touristy places, cab companies etc. are getting better all the time.

There are already millions of tourists that come through here every year, and the Japanese tend to take it for granted that their language is impossible for foreigners to learn without a lot of dedication (that said, once I hit N3 level, people just starting acting like "oh okay, you know Japanese. Here, let me hit you full blast.") They've made the country very navigable as long as you're on the beaten track. Once you get off it though...best of luck.

__________

The Nintendo Hard Girls conversation this week was pretty hilarious. I've never played one of those games because they sound terrible, but I do kind of love the idea of a game that has the Dreamcast & SG-1000 as characters on principle. Maybe one day if one hits a $5 sale on Vita I'll get it for curiosity's sake.

maybe buy some of that 7-11 brand beer and enjoy it together (just kidding, DO NOT DRINK THE BREW).

7-11 brand wine is surprisingly less rubbish than I expected. Like, it's not good, but it's potable.

 

[Crimm]

That's a huge point about the Olympics. You can see the work all over. It's also pushing more places to except cards instead of being cash only/preferable.

The Brew is so awful I retched. I got through a third of the can and had to stop.

 

[Ondore]

Five hundred episodes. Good lord almighty.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43748/episode-500-wouldnt-it-be-an-auditory-rash

After weeks of delaying tactics, it is finally time to celebrate the 500th episode of Radio Free Nintendo. BUT FIRST it's time for Listener Mail! This week's topics include: the 87 Mario Kart games, catching up on Wii/Wii U downloadable software, the shape of Switch (and James' blatant self-promotion), and we get castigated about our Pokémon knowledge by a man who literally sent James explosives in the mail. You can call out our ignorance of Weedle-stroking via the inbox.

After the break, and us exhausting all possible avenues of delay, it is time for us to commemorate our 500th episode. We start off with your memories of RFN episodes of yore. It would be touching if we got a bit misty-eyed, but it's mostly reflections of past idiocy so the segment devolves into us blaming each other for each particular failure. After that, Greg put together an RFN questionnaire. Ever wonder what Jon's favorite RetroActive is? Me neither. Find out, inside!

As always, I want to thank each and every one of our listeners and everyone who has made this show possible.

For reference, this is actually Episode 680.

Time: 2'56"00
Outro: Special Arrange Medley - Final Fantasy Theatrhythm Curtain Call
Downloads: MP3 | AAC

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Only 3 hours? Psh. I thought you guys were serious about this stuff.

Spoiler

Will marathon tomorrow.

 

[Tom_Cody]

Number 500!

I'll look forward to listening to it.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

How bad is it that as soon as I heard the words "Dion Sanders' g-funk classic" I not only knew the song, but the chorus started playing in my head?

 

[Ondore]

You are slave. Want emancipation?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43781/episode-501-faint-praise

Jon was unprepared for a harsh revelation, and is potentially still hungover from our ultra-exclusive Episode 500 party. He was the only cast member invited. We're not bitter.

Greg, Gui, and James soldier on with New Business. Greg starts us off with thoughts on Picross 3D Round 2 (it's more Picross), F-Zero X on the Wii U VC (they fixed it), Shovel Knight (Plague Knight should be interesting), and Pokémon Sun/Moon postgame. Guillaume explores PC adventure game Read Only Memories, the game that dares to envision a future San Francisco that is more San Franciscan than the current one. He then gives an update on Paper Mario: Color Splash. James starts his New Business with a quick thought on setting up his AV setup to accommodate his new PS4, and very early thoughts on Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. He then returns to his Japanese import products with Game Center CX: Arino no Chousenjou 2. Guess what? That game's really hard in Japanese. It might be time to turn to the translation patch.

This week Listener Mail doubles as a way to cover the latest Nintendo news. We have questions about the rumored Virtual Console upgrade plan for Switch and the GameCube VC, the Switch demo on The Tonight Show and a potential Zelda delay, and an observant listener who noticed two conspicuously similar video game tracks, which is also how we end our show! You can help us combine two or three show segments by sending us an expertly-crafted email.

Time: 2'07"20
Outro: Minish Village - LoZ: Minish Cap / Sound Test 10 (unused) - Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Also available: Jonny's interview with the man who named Nintendo World Report, Steven "Windyman" Rodriguez

 

[Zonic]

Is it wrong to say that I kind of have a soft spot for Evolution Worlds? It was one of the first "real" RPGs that I played that wasn't something among the lines of Paper Mario or M&L. Hell, I even went out & got Evolution 2 on Dreamcast, despite knowing Worlds just combines both games into one. It's something I should revisit one of these days, even if I'm pretty sure it hasn't aged well....

Also, now that I just bought Skies of Arcadia Legends, I look forward to Sega porting it to the Switch VC since they never did a HD version.....though considering we somehow STILL don't have the Sonic Advance series on the US Wii U VC (but Japan has them), maybe not? They haven't re-released a ton of VC titles outside of the Game Gear, & even then, that stopped years ago. I just wonder if they'd release their GCN titles like Sonic Heroes, Sonic Adventure DX & 2 Battle, SoA Legends (which I just paid $65 for & expect now to be ported finally), etc.

The Color Splash talk was very relatable. It's even worse when there's a few insta-death parts in the game that you're not prepared for, so you just want to quick hurry up & try again. Or even worse, right before a boss battle that takes a while. It's SO close to being a great game because it nails the presentation, but a few missteps like the mentioned game over stuff & the annoying "need the right Thing card to win this boss battle" crap prevent it from doing so.

Also, because it was brought up a few times, the Kokoro Scan trailer. Hell, part of that should be made into the end credits when James finally gets around to playing it.

 

[Dingens]

despite all the episode 300 delay shenanigans, I still somehow managed to miss it entirely -.-

kinda surprised nobody said "F-Zero GX" when asked about with gamecube game should come to switch

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I'd really like some of the more obscure GCN titles on Switch VC.

Geist, Second Sight, Cubivore, Evolution Worlds, Lost Kingdoms, stuff like that. Hopefully they take a more Wii-like approach and the release schedule is fairly healthy.

 

[Zonic]

I could've sworn F-Zero GX got a brief mention because it was one of the more "obvious" choices.

I saw Cubivore at my local used game store for freakin' $100, sure would be nice if it hit the VC so then I could try it out for $15ish.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Gamecube is a system whose library was small enough that I played almost everything I wanted to, and has little I want to go back to. It also doesn't help that a lot of its classics like Metroid Prime and RE4 have newer, more definitive versions. Battalion Wars looks fun though, and I never did force myself to finish Mario Sunshine...

despite all the episode 300 delay shenanigans, I still somehow managed to miss it entirely -.-

Wow, you have got some catching up to do.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I could've sworn F-Zero GX got a brief mention because it was one of the more "obvious" choices.

I saw Cubivore at my local used game store for freakin' $100, sure would be nice if it hit the VC so then I could try it out for $15ish.

I bought four copies of Cubivore at a Gamestop towards the end of the GCN's life. I sold three of them about a year ago and had enough money to cover my rent for two months.

 

[Crimm]

I have about 10 or so games I'd want. Keep in mind, this is games I don't currently own that I would strongly consider biting on.

In no particular order:

• Cubivore
• Kururin Squash! [IMPORT]
• Gotcha Force
• Chibi-Robo
• Capcom vs SNK 2 EO
• Paper Mario
• Gladius
• Metal Arms
• Beach Spikers
• Radirgy
• Lost Kingdoms I/II

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

For me, my experience with both of the Xenoblade games makes me curious regarding what Baten Kaitos is like.

 

[Zonic]

You actually got me excited over the possibility over GCN VC since you reminded me of games like Baten Kaitos + Origins, Chibi-Robo, Cubivore, etc. & other games that're a bit rare nowadays & would be nice to actually be able to afford. All the talk reminded me of all the titles on my mental bucket list & now I'm hopeful some third parties will join in. Heck, maybe since we got Bomberman 64, we could get Generations & Jetters.

I got Gotcha Force a year or so ago for only $10 at my used game store in town.......then a few days ago, looked up the price it goes for online & daaammmnn, did I score. But WOW, does the game have some of the worse voice acting I've ever heard.

Also portable Thousand Year Door would be amazing.

 

[Somnid]

Listening to the talk about read-only memories 2 things came to mind:

- No David Cage jokes?
- Has Guillaume played Undertale, because that's like the guillaumeiest game in existence.

 

[Crimm]

For me, my experience with both of the Xenoblade games makes me curious regarding what Baten Kaitos is like.

I love both of those games. Definitely play them in release order. I think they dumbed down the cards too much for Origins but the scaled-down roster makes for some unique storytelling. I talk about Origins on a really old episode of the show. I would happily replay both.

I got Gotcha Force a year or so ago for only $10 at my used game store in town.......then a few days ago, looked up the price it goes for online & daaammmnn.

It's one of those games where it isn't 100% clear WHY it's so expensive. Obviously, it's rare but I'm not sure where the demand is coming from. It isn't especially well-known, even if the game is well-regarded. I even have some mild appreciation for the horrendous voice acting.

Listening to the talk about read-only memories 2 things came to mind:

- No David Cage jokes?

One does not joke about Omikron. It's the only game that TELLS YOU EXPLICITLY that the person who created it is evil and designed the very game you are playing to destroy your soul. It is in fact crucial to the plot

 

[Zonic]

What's amazing is that back in 2012, Capcom actually did a re-print of the game in Japan. It was one of those games where I think I would've loved as a kid & was looking forward to it when I saw the previews.

...also, thinking about it, it seems Capcom has a lot of games that're considered rare, especially from the PS1/Saturn & Dreamcast/PS2/GCN era. Killer 7, Gotcha Force, MM Legends 2 & Tron Bonne (though they're now on PSN), Cannon Spike, Mega Man 8 on Saturn, etc.

 

[Ondore]

Presenting the second episode of RFN to break out into a revival. ALL PRAISES TO THE SUPER SANDWICH!
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43810/episode-502-have-you-heard-the-gospel-of-excitebots

Sometimes it's nice to just get back to a regular episode. A relaxing calm settles in, with Greg's return to Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. He's got significant experience playing as Sir Arthur, so this notoriously tricky SNES classic is no more difficult than folding his Arthur cosplay boxers. Jon reports from the smoldering crater that is Titanfall 2, one of EA's two well-received first person shooters for Q4 2016. He has thoughts on the series' first single-player campaign, and the poor sales that doomed it to being the series' last single-player campaign. James takes a look at PS+ game of the month, The Deadly Tower of Monsters. Produced by ACE Team, who gave him Rock of Ages, this movie-themed brawler should be right up his alley, but is instead a repetitive chore. In order to inject some eShop flavor to the proceedings, James takes a look at the current offers for 3DS and discovers a new nightmare: Sweet Memories - Blackjack. To quote the eShop, "The time you spend playing blackjack [with your childhood friend], increases the connection between the two of you." Guillaume takes a look at Ys: The Ark of Napishtim, and we spend far too long trying to determine how many Ys games there are. He then closes New Business by playing as a turtle who: makes sandwiches, swings on poles, and bounds across the desert with Excitebots, now available on the Wii U eShop in North America. Hopefully its gleeful stupidity finally makes its way to Europe soon.

After a break we pry open the mailbag to answer questions about: a rash of flops and Switch the Savior, traveling in Japan, and the Virtual Console on Switch. Get those sirens ready, it's time for some old-school Switch speculating. You can speculate about our future by sending us an email.

The upcoming holidays are going to alter our normal release schedule. At this time, we don't have our plans hammered out for the next few weeks. Keep an eye on the official RFN Twitter account and RFN Facebook page for announcements.

Time: 1'57"30
Outro: Xenoblade Chronicles - Snowy Valak Mountain (Night)
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
How does the Titanfall calculus change: It was the #4 game in the US in November by revenue (trailing only Pokémon Sun and Moon, Infinite Warfare and Battlefield 1)

 

[Zonic]

oh man, I swear that Sweet Memories - Blackjack is always on sale, will be interesting to hear how "good" it actually is.

 

[Crimm]

oh man, I swear that Sweet Memories - Blackjack is always on sale, will be interesting to hear how "good" it actually is.

 

[Zonic]

at least it'll live up to its name in that you'll always have memories* of playing blackjack

Spoiler

*memories may not actually be sweet, results may vary

Seriously, I feel like it's always in the sale section whenever I see what discounts are on the eShop. I cannot wait to hear how they could've possibly screwed up such an easy concept.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Honestly, Switch picking up Vita's market as it begins its long, slow fade into the sunset is my personal dream for the system. Vita's been home to a stream of darker, slightly more mature mid-tier narrative-oriented Japanese development that started on obscure Japanese PCs, found a console home on PC Engine CD, then Saturn, PS2 and then PSP. Granted, a lot of those games have stretched the boundaries of taste in a way Nintendo may not welcome, but stuff in the vein of SMT & Zero Escape is all I care about anyway and they were cool with that on the kid-oriented 3DS.

Portables are a natural home for visual novels, rpgs & classic games, and they've made the Vita probably my favourite portable of all time (taking into account its BC capabilities). I really do hope the Switch picks up that ball and runs with it.

 

[Ondore]

Warning: This podcast contains Devil's Third discussion roughly equal to 1 minute per point on Metacritic. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43855/episode-503-is-this-five-o-three

Episode 103 is famous for James' folly in inviting a "Dangerous Duo" to guest on the show. Exactly 400 episodes later, and necessitated by the holiday absence of Jon and Gui, James invited another duo to join the show. This week, Greg and James are joined by eShop eXpert Daan Koopman and Hyperdimension Neptunia fan Syrenne McNulty. The seasoned-hand of a now veteran host kept the show (mostly) on course, beginning with Daan's look at two Japan-only 3DS titles. First, he attempts to answer the question: "What IS Miitopia?" The answer is startling. He then takes a look at Match 4 RPG Puyo Puyo Chronicles. Syrenne gifts us with her Top 10 games of 2017 - all formats. And I do mean ALL formats.

James and Greg forego New Business to instead talk about the state of the games industry and games media. This crew, all experienced in different formats of the video game press, and in Syrenne's case development, is well-positioned to discuss the health of the industry and to answer a Listener Mail question about the preponderance of 7.0 ratings in reviews. In lieu of flowers, please send your questions to our inbox.

You can check out Daan's Coffee Talk on SoundCloud. The NintenDaan YouTube is a treasure-trove of Nintendo content. You can see what Syrenne has been up to later this month, but for now it is a contractually-mandated mystery. I am not linking to the Devil's Third video; find it on your own.

Time: 1'52"41
Outro: Ending Theme - Super Castlevania IV
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Did Syrenne actually livestream Devil's Third in its entirety: Yes
Can I have a link: FUCK NO.

 

[plufim]

I loved the mix of chaos and intelligent discusssion in this episode. One of the best discussions on videogame scores I've heard. I'd love Syrenne to be back at least yearly to discuss her top 10.

 

[Dingens]

I was almost worried I'd have to go 3 weeks without any rfn... crisis averted
very entertaining episode,but I kinda wished it was longer

regarding how to discover interesting games... Following recommendations can be nice, but you could also get trapped with similar games. like "you liked crayz rpg x? great, I'm sure you'll like crazy rpg y also!", you get the idea. Since I accepted the fact that there is just too much content out there and I'll never be able to play everything, I just reduced my attention to one platform, the 3ds. To stay up to date, every once in a while, I just type "3ds" into the search option here on gaf, and see if I missed any news/announcements. From that, I created a pretty comprehensive list I tend to randomly pick games, not necessarily the ones I'd be interested in, but something I haven't played before. Additionally, the more niche a game is, the more likely it is I will play it sooner rather than later - the usually stuff everybody plays isn't going to disappear from shelves any time soon
That way I discovered quite a few new concepts I wouldn't have played otherwise (also never saw any recommendation for them). Those include, for example, the infamous "if I was locked in a room with a girl I'd XXX" (which is... interesting...) or "New Love Plus" (which is surprisingly a competent visual novel made by professional scammers) or Culdcept (no localisation still hurts) or even the Airport Hero games. As for he latter, two of them are actually on the NA eShop... Too bad nobody checked them out yet (probably because there's nobody to recommend them... you see where this is going? ^^)

 

[Ondore]

Those airport games are actually half off on the NA eShop right now.

 

[Ondore]

It's the week before Switchmas, and Jon is serving mulled wine to the neighbours with no... we said CLOVES.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/43888/episode-504-a-burst-of-jonesty

We're back from the holidays, just in time for next week's Switch presentation. More on our plans for that shortly. This week we opted for the standard New Business/Listener Mail format, and James kicks off New Business with Chase: Cold Case Investigations ~Distant Memories~, the Visual Novel from the makers of Hotel Dusk. He is not pleased. Jon is back from his multi-week Pokémon Go-dictated walkabout. He went places. Guillaume has restored his 3DS collection, and lets the world know he isn't evil enough to play Mario Party 10 with kids. He then offers his thoughts on the unambiguous, and complete, business failure that is Super Mario Run. Greg shares some quick thoughts on Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation and then takes a look at SEGA 3D Classics Collection, inadvertently kicking off a wide-ranging conversation about SEGA and their arcade games.

After the break, we take a couple of emails from the inbox. First, we offer some eleventh hour thoughts on the upcoming Switch events, and despite prompting there is no Glitter Metroid-level creativity. We then try to assemble a Game Boy Classic Mini, inventing new sizes of batteries in order to maintain scale. You can bait us into weird ideas by sending us an email.

This Thursday, Nintendo is going to be announcing the launch details for Switch - and we're going to be right there alongside you. Join us at NWR for a chat during the show, and RFN will be going LIVE on the air as soon as it ends - interacting with you and taking a few call-ins. Chat starts at 11 PM Eastern. We hope to see you there!

Time: 2'30"00 (well played, Gui)
Outro: Pikmin - The Forest Navel
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Metroid Musou: Coming soon to the Nintendo Switch, and the tears will make me immortal.

 

[Crimm]

I loved the mix of chaos and intelligent discusssion in this episode. One of the best discussions on videogame scores I've heard. I'd love Syrenne to be back at least yearly to discuss her top 10.

Thank you; I know it's something we talked about ages ago - but it's the kind of topic that can go very different places based on who is around. As for Syrenne's top 10, I'll see what I can do.

you could also get trapped with similar games. like "you liked crayz rpg x? great, I'm sure you'll like crazy rpg y also!"

About a year (I think) ago, we had a conversation about the "Recommend for You" on the eShop, and we were trying to figure out if it has any intelligence behind it based on your play history. I can tell you, you just described my Steam store during the sales. Sometimes to disastrous results. You liked anime mech shooter and a VN? You're going to love all 400 Nekopara games we have available. VA-11 Hall-A was the exception of it doing well, not the rule.

The strategy of focusing on a single platform would probably work, but I like to play with different gameplay situations. Sometimes I want big console other times I want to game in my study or in bed.

I did consider the "I am an Air Traffic Controller: Airport Hero" when I was in dire need of a New Business game. It looked appropriately weird. Instead I went Anime Blackjack. Fun story: I got grief for my discussion of that game.

Just to call it out, we'll be talking LIVE after Thursday's Switch stream and we are going to be SUPER TIRED so look forward to it. I'll have a link Monday or Tuesday.

 

[Zonic]

One thing that I wanted to bring up was, what was with the censorship during last week's episode? It made for a hilarious bleep near the end, but considering you guys seem to not censor any "fucks", it seemed kind of weird that you started doing so now.

Again, I don't really have an issue, just something that stuck out.

 

[Crimm]

It was a joke, something to distract myself/keep myself focused (confusing, I know), but it was mostly done to amuse myself. It is not a permanent thing.

 

[Zonic]

Ahhhh, okay. Wasn't sure if it was a request by one of the guests or something, but yeah, it lead to a hilarious bleep at the end.

Wish I made a post earlier, there was some stuff I completely agreed with, but now I can't remember the specifics. All I can remember is "man, Persona 5 sounds amazing, why did it have to get delayed? At least Tokyo Mirage Sessions is getting some recognition"

 

[Dingens]

I'm not sure if this warrants a listener mail, or any discussion at all, but there is something I noticed a long time ago, and recently I noticed it again, so I was kinda curious if this just happens in my vicinity:

For some reason people who gladly buy 60+€ games are reluctant to buy games on Nintendo systems at all, and the tolerance for piracy seems to be a lot higher. At first I thought that had something to do with the ease of pirating on Nintendo systems in the past, but even that isn't as true when compared to the competition. People just seem to deem games on Nintendo systems not worth the price (which usually is way lower). Also this mostly affects 3rd party stuff, since the 1st party games everybody buys regardless.
Only recently I met a guy who I meet regularly. He asked me about DQ8 and I told him I thought it was great. He sad he couldn't wait for the file to leek so he can download it... I further asked him with a series like this which already has a weak standing over here, if he isn't worried that localizing efforts may disappear again. He just said "well I'm going to buy the PS4 games, this should suffice" ... so basically buying to games for 100-120€ is ok, but a 3ds game for 35-40 not? not to mention this guy is somewhat wealthy...

I'm not sure why, but it feels like for many people it's easier to justify piracy on Nintendo systems, which I don't fully get
have you ever experienced something similar?