#easily the best fire emblem in a long time as far as gameplay goes | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mannatea · 5 years

Text

Pokémon Shield: A Review

DISCLAIMER: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS HERE!

First, my credentials/gaming history, so you can see if my opinion is valuable to you or not. I would like to make it clear from the start that I do not consider myself a ‘gamer’ by any stretch of the imagination. I’m a filthy casual at best.

I’ve been playing video games since I was maybe eight or nine years old. I’ve always enjoyed dabbling in a variety of genres, and have a great appreciation for the work that goes into creating each and every game, no matter the intended audience. Some of my all-time favorite titles include Tales of Symphonia, Fire Emblem (7), Final Fantasy IX, Legend of Dragoon, Chrono Cross, Tetris, Bust-a-Move, Project Gotham Racing, Ecco the Dolphin (PC,DC), Roller Coaster Tycoon, Harvest Moon (N64/PS1), World of Warcraft, and of course our beloved Pokemon!

I started with Pokemon Red, and enjoyed it immensely, but Silver stole my heart and my imagination. My brother and I used to sit at the kitchen table with guide books open and notebooks at the ready to craft and create new, extremely cool teams. I sank an unbelievable amount of hours into that game, and into Pokemon Stadium (1 & 2), Hey You! Pikachu, Pokemon Puzzle League, and even Pokemon Pinball. Unfortunately after Silver, my interest waned. I was an adult by the time Emerald debuted, and while I was initially charmed by it, found my interest waning quickly. I bought and played Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, SoulSilver, and Black & White, but didn’t beat any of them. I felt like the magic had…disappeared somehow.

But when X and Y released in 2013, I binged on Pokemon X, beat it, and for the first time since childhood started breeding a competitive team just for the heck of it. I also found myself really enjoying Pokemon Sun a couple of years later (though the post-game of breeding didn’t really do it for me this time).

They lost me with Ultra Sun/Moon. I wanted to like them, really, but it was too much of a rehash, and too much handholding (like the originals were, and I could only stand going through that once).

Now here we are with Pokemon Sword and Shield. They released just a few days ago (15 November, 2019) and the controversy has been wild. It seems to me that everyone has some kind of very strong opinion, and a lot of people are very angry.

Pokemon has always been one of my favorite franchises, but my history with the games is far from spotless so I like to think I can manage a mostly unbiased review, though of course everything in this post is my personal opinion.

Here’s what I’ve done in the game:

40 hours played.

200 pokemon in the pokedex.

Main story and post-game story completed.

I played with no specific self-imposed rules and was not spoiled for hardly anything before I started playing.

The Game’s Introductory Sequence [8/10]

As is standard for the franchise these days, the game flings you into the world with little fanfare regarding customization. Rather than the intro being a dialogue of sorts between your character and a professor, you are now instructed to choose what you look like (from a sparse few options) after typing in your name.

The first ‘cinematic’ is pretty boring, but I think the attempt at immersion is genuine enough (the idea being that your character is watching Leon’s broadcasted fight on your new smart phone). My character has a better house in-game than I do in real life. I’d kill for all that storage in the kitchen!

My biggest gripe with the introduction is that it reminded me too much of Sun & Moon’s introduction—in the worst of ways. I wouldn’t say it’s slow-paced, but the constant interruption by other characters is about enough to make a person rage-quit. Luckily I’ve been blessed with a lot of patience; it makes tedious content easy to bear (so long as it’s not difficult), but even I was feeling antsy before the first hour of the game was up, just because Hop and Leon never shut up and I was chomping at the bit to Explore.

Considering this is the first thing a player experiences…I really feel it could have been improved, especially the dialogue, but there were a few really positive things about it, too. The outdoor BBQ was a nice touch (considering everyone knew we’d be going off on Adventures in the morning and all), the game does let you avoid having to learn how to catch a pokemon (your mom slips a few pokeballs into your bag at one point without telling you and if you use them to catch pokemon, Leon will not teach you how to do it later), and I feel like as far as introductions go, this one was fairly short when compared to Sun and Moon’s introductory period.

While I’m being positive, the game plops you down into an idyllic little English countryside and not only do you get to enjoy that aesthetic, but the Slumbering Weald is probably one of the prettiest/most charming places in the game, and you get a peek at it early on!

The Starter Pokemon [5/10]

I’ve experienced worse? I wasn’t spoiled for any of the starter pokemon’s evolutions starting out, and while I didn’t exactly hate any of them, I sure didn’t love ‘em, either. I named my Scorbunny “Chad” on the assumption that he was likely to turn into a chad, though I’m not sure that accurately describes the pokemon I ended up with. Clearly modeled after soccer players, my Chad is a cocky all-star jock. They went all out on his Pyroball animation but Double Kick can see itself out of my house. No love in this club.

I just really wish I found any of these starters or their evolved forms to be charming, but they’re not. Rillaboom is basically George of the Jungle but 3% less of a himbo, and Inteleon is Greninja’s younger brother in accounting.

Gyms, Gym Challenges, & Game Balance [6/10]

This is probably one of, if not the, most debated topic over at Reddit. Is the game balanced? Are the gyms too easy? Are they making this game for 5-year-olds suddenly?

Eh. I do think the game is, perhaps, Too Easy, but a game being easy isn’t a shortcoming in and of itself. Check out my section on the story and characters for more on this topic, but I’ll post the short of it here, because it’s relevant: if the gameplay is going to be easy, we either need an option to make it more difficult, or the characters, story, and world have to carry the game in such a way that the easy gameplay still feels fun.

Shield had, uh, none of that going for it, unfortunately. The plot is lackluster (more about this later), and the gameplay wasn’t able to pick up the slack. In other words, the gameplay didn’t make the game feel Substantial in any way.

Which is kind of bad, considering Dynamaxing is a new feature!

The biggest issue for most people was the Experience Share. It’s turned on by default and there seems to be no way to turn it off. You get insane amounts of XP for defeating and catching pokemon, and your whole team seems to level pretty evenly even if you only occasionally use some pokemon in the party.

I personally played the game with the default battle option (where it asks if you want to switch out to a new pokemon when the enemy is going to send out a new one) because I barely remember half the pokemon in the game’s typing. Knowing the name of what’s coming next doesn’t always help me. (How’s that for an embarrassing truth?)

I personally liked the experience share, though I feel having the ability to toggle it on/off (or even on for certain pokemon and off for others) would have been ideal. The idea with having it on all the time is that your team will level fairly evenly so you’ll be able to switch in any of your six pokemon to battle without having to struggle through leveling some of the weaker ‘mons up individually. Additionally, it enables you to easily replace a pokemon on your team mid-game if you so desire. And I did (I replaced my shiny Orbeetle with regular cotton candy Rapidash).

My team at end-game was as follows:

Cinderace (Chad)

Greedent (Moriah)

Thievul (Penelope)

Liepard (My)

Corviknight (Octavia)

Rapidash (Calliope)

As you can see, I have no grass pokemon, no water pokemon, and no electric pokemon. I have two dark types. My move coverage mostly sucked throughout the game, because Thievul had 3 dark moves, and My had 3 normal moves. I’m an official idiot, thanks for coming to my TED talk. Usually I can struggle through no matter how garbage-tier my team is, and this game was…no exception.

I steamrolled the first few gyms and their challenges even though I wasn’t vastly overleveled for any of the content. After the ghost gym (which was easy for me with my dark types) I’d say the difficulty level went up slightly, mostly because my brain has refused to hold type advantages/weaknesses that came after Gen1. I feel like most original type weaknesses made some kind of sense to me and I was never able to incorporate dark and steel into that mix, let alone fairy.

At any rate, once you fight a pokemon once, the game will tell you if your moves are super effective against them or not. I remember people complaining about this feature when it was added (in Sun/Moon I think), but I like it. It doesn’t actually help a lot if you don’t know what the moves do/aren’t looking at move power/effects, but it’s useful for my sieve of a brain in a pinch.

Hop as a rival was almost never challenging. He always starts with the same pokemon, and his team is fairly easy to sweep. That might be kind of the point, but I wish you could have encouraged him to take the starter that’s strong against yours for a bit more of a challenge. Yeah, it’s not much, but it would have been something. Marnie is a better rival than Hop in the sense that she’s actually a better battler, but I swept her team pretty easily too, every single time we fought.

The only real challenges in the game were fighting Raihan (I only had one very weak fairy move and no ice to counter his dragons) and Leon (he definitely outleveled me). On Leon I had to use revives and potions!

The gym challenges started off as pretty cute (herding Wooloo, pipe puzzle maze) but quickly grew into lazy boring doldrums (basically gauntlet fighting of one kind or another). I guess I’d say ‘nice try’ for these and say I don’t really care if I see them again or not unless they’re going to actually give it a real go.

Overall, the story part of the game felt balanced enough for me personally but if I’m being completely unbiased: it was too easy to get levels. I could have wandered around less/caught fewer pokemon as I journeyed and enjoyed more of a challenge, but I just…gotta catch ‘em all, y’know? Most people do! GameFreak should have known this and designed accordingly.

The big issue with game balance feels like it comes…after the game, and I don’t mean the post-game so much as the Max Raid Battles that require other people, but the NPC trainers you can battle with are legit trash at what they do, which kind of forces you to find other trainers, but…

Online Compatibility & Features [3/10]

So I think the rating speaks for itself, here. The interface is confusing, the stamps are annoying, and the ability to see other players but not interact with them in any meaningful way is rage-inducing (and not just because of the FPS drops).

X/Y had a better online system!

Sun and Moon was better!

I don’t know why we regressed. I’m glad they kept the “wonder trade” (renamed to random trade, I think), because I always did enjoy doing that, but the GTS was the best idea they ever had and they abandoned it for random trading? I don’t want to trade with randoms? If I wanted to do that, I’d just do a random trade in the first place!!! The inability to put what you’re looking for into the stamp that people see? Oversight. Or just bad design. Probably both!

I’ve never hated a pokemon online experience more than this. I’m just astounded by how bad it is. I tried to join max raid battles last night and kept being told the event was over, but the stamps just…didn’t refresh? For HOW LONG? I can’t even tell you because I don’t know, and I couldn’t find a way to manually force them to refresh. It’s like they update every 15 minutes instead of every 15-30 seconds (which they should if I’m browsing for trades to make or battles to join). There are ways around this (according to Reddit) but the interface should be intuitive and easy to use by default.

C’mon, guys, you can do better. This is legitimately embarrassing in the year 2019.

Music [5/10]

There are some really magical tracks in this game, and there are some really terrible tracks. It doesn’t feel at all cohesive or thematic. I absolutely hated the gym battle remix; it was worse than the regular gym battle music. I feel like the gym battle theme would have really caught on if they didn’t have any other synth sounding tracks in the game, but they kind of do, so it blends in instead of sticking out as a bop.

Notable nice tracks were Hulbury, Glimwood Tangle, Slumbering Weald, and the desert route (which I can’t remember offhand). Some of the better music reminded me of the soundtrack for Tales of Symphonia, which is high praise coming from me. Unfortunately for every good track there were probably 3 forgettable ones.

There wasn’t anything particularly engaging when it comes to the music here, but it’s at least passable.

Graphics, Design, and Animation [6/10]

I should clarify that this is 6/10 for a pokemon game, not in general. I don’t expect flashy realism in a pokemon game and neither should you. The graphics are adequate most of the time, but the animation leaves a lot to desire when you look away from the pokemon that feel like they were Chosen Ones (and received a lot more attention).

Rapidash, for example, is using the same base model and animations it’s been using since it’s been in 3D. I’m not going to claim since Stadium, but holy cow the animations are for sure the same as they’ve been since at least X/Y for all the older moves. I’m not impressed.

The characters all have dopey expressions on their faces always. The models just use one talking animation loop and it almost never changes. The main character still looks on like a smiley face emoji when turmoil occurs, and though this isn’t as bad as it was in Sun/Moon, it’s still…kind of jarring?

The Wild Area looks kind of bad sometimes, and some areas in the actual game were lackluster compared to what they should have been. Ballonlea is the town you step into after walking through the (honestly) magical Glimwood Tangle, and it’s this charming fairy wonderland…with two houses and a stadium the size of two billion football fields. Uh. Okay? You’re telling me they destroyed how much natural habitat to make this gym? It just doesn’t jive with the scenery/theme out there, especially considering Opal’s theatre is tiny. And it’s not just that I think the game is lacking thematically (though it clearly is), but there’s this…laziness to the design when it comes to places like Ballonlea. It could have been SUCH an enchanting town to explore, but it was two houses with nothing important in them and a sports arena that feels completely at odds with its surroundings. (In this town you do learn that an NPC you spoke to earlier was a ghost, but it’s not as if this is very important information/goes anywhere, really.)

Spikemuth, for all its flaws, was at least memorable. I can’t say the same for most of the towns in this game. I really enjoyed the music in Hulbury but you best bet I had to look it up to remember the name of the town! Time is partly to blame. We don’t spend a lot of time in each town, and we have no real reason to go back to them aside from visiting the nearest Pokemon Center to heal and rest up. But I would argue that, beyond that, the individual designs just…don’t feel memorable because they’re not memorable. The names are mostly meh (every time I see Ballonlea I think of Bologna for some reason), but without anything else to connect to the place as more than just a place…there’s no reason to remember any of it.

Like the music, these are all passable, graphics more than animation, animation more than design, but that’s all there is to it.

Camping and Cooking, Feathers and Fetch! [4/10]

I don’t actually have a lot to say about this. It’s a cute idea, and it’s fun maybe the first ten times that you do it, but then it’s just really boring. The game is terrible at explaining how to create different curry dishes, but it’s almost idiot-proof. I’ve yet to fail at it.

But I’m not sure I care about it, either?

You get like 1/100th of the amount of berries you need to cook while you journey along, so it feels disproportionate. I dunno. Just not a fan.

Playing with your pokemon is the only real joy that comes from camping, but its fun is limited. When you’ve tossed the ball a few times, or watched Liepard smack the feather toy a while, it has that, “Okay, I’ve seen it!” kind of feeling to it. That doing well at cooking can heal your party/cure status conditions is incentive to do it, but it’s faster to just fly to a pokemon center and run back on your bike most of the time than to pitch a tent with your ‘mons.

I feel like there should just be…more you can do when you’re camping together. I’m glad Pokemon Amie is dead (it was cringey), but it felt more personal than this.

I wish I had more to say about this feature, but it felt tacked on and lackluster after I camped a few times.

Dynamaxing, Gigantamaxing, and Max Raid Battles [4/10]

The urge to give this a zero was high, but I am making an effort to be balanced.

That said, I hate dynamaxing. Gigantamaxing is almost the same thing, it’s just Worse Somehow. Until yesterday I thought they were basically the same thing (and that some pokemon just got extra cool dynamax forms). As it turns out, they’re not the same thing at all! Or rather, they are, but they’re also not?

Dynamaxing makes your pokemon grow large and gives it these generic MAX moves that it can use in combat (Max Knuckle, Max Flare, Max Strike). It lasts for three turns and then your pokemon reverts back to its regular ‘ol self.

Gigantamaxing is when your pokemon grows a little larger than large, gets a special Look, and gets the same generic MAX moves (but with special effects added to them). Oh, and better stats.

At least, that’s how I understand it.

Both are great for Max Raid Battles, where you team up with NPCs or other players and take down huge dynamaxed pokemon that are out in the wild.

Neither is a fun feature as part of the actual gameplay. I guess as a gimmick it works all right, but just like Z-moves it has a long annoying animation sequence, and like Mega Evolutions only some pokemon get to gigantamax (everyone else is just a pleb, I guess). I dunno. I just didn’t find the concept very engaging…maybe because it seems evil and wasteful in-universe, and this is more or less stated in the game itself, but what-the-hell-ever, we’re just going to keep doing it ‘cause it looks cool!

It’s just too goofy a concept for me. Maybe if Dynamaxing doubled or tripled their size, I’d find it more understandable and more aesthetically pleasing? I hate seeing my pokemon, or the opposing pokemon, grow 50+ feet tall and scream at three billion decibels.

(For the record I never liked Mega Evolutions or Z-moves as a concept, so it’s not like I’m nostalgic for a different gimmick. That said, at least I’d accepted Megas as a thing, and Z-moves were overall not too groundbreaking or gamebreaking.)

The design of dyna/gigamaxing is to connect it with specific places so that you can’t just max your pokemon in every battle and sweep every team you fight against, but it still feels like it gets used too much. I’m currently at a point where I find having to dynamax feels like a chore.

Considering this is what the game tried to sell itself on in the initial trailer…? Yikes? I don’t know. I think some people are more ‘okay’ with the concept of dyna/gigantimaxing than others, and I think I’d be fine with it if we only had dynamaxing. Introducing both just feels like overcomplicating things for no real reason, and maybe also poking a little hard at the hornets’ nest that is the competitive community.

Because now you have to go out and grind gigantamax pokemon to catch one, so it forces you to do the thing you might not like to get a pokemon that can do the thing you don’t like, because it’s objectively better in combat? But really, who knows? Maybe these overpowered phenomena will end up banned, anyway.

Despite my disdain for this release’s gimmick, I do think Max Raid Battles are pretty fun, at least…when I’m not getting my ass completely kicked while some NPC trainer’s Eevee is using Helping Hand… It’s actually pretty enjoyable when you can somehow find other people using the y-comm and take on a gigantamaxed pokemon with the help of actual human players. But y’know…good luck using that…lol.

Overall I think the biggest downfall of Dynamaxing/Gigantamaxing is that it doesn’t really add anything of substance to the game. I don’t think it makes it more fun. It’s also not necessary for max raid battles (this could be a phenomena we don’t understand yet that randomly seems to affect wild pokemon, just like with the UBs—hell, Anabel and Looker could return and claim this is all related to that stuff and I’d probably find that believable enough). So what does it add? Flavor? Culture? Nah. It’s just kind of there.

Post-Game: Is That All? [3/10]

Post-game in Sun and Moon was the Alola version of the Battle Maison, breeding, and a somewhat lengthy (for a post-game) story where you assist Interpol agents Anabel and Looker in hunting down and capturing Ultra Beasts. The plot was somewhat woven into not only Sun and Moon’s storyline (Lusamine’s shenanigans), but also borrowed from the Sapphire/Ruby reboots and X/Y. If you didn’t already know Looker from Ruby/Sapphire/X/Y, or Anabel from Pokemon Emerald, you’ll still probably find them somewhat compelling/interesting as characters. Also, they did a really good job in Sun of making circumstances seem dire—of showing instead of telling you how dangerous the UBs were and how important it was to protect the people of the towns and villages you’d visited throughout your adventure.

Shield has… Max raid battles, a battle tower, and…breeding. Oh, and a storyline about the legendary dogs that barely makes any sense and is plagued by really irritating new characters.

The terrible truth is that the post-game of Sword/Shield is embarrassingly bad. You’d think they’d want to outdo themselves with every release. Sun and Moon hit it out of the park with their post-game content. Most people enjoyed the hunt for UBs, or at least the characters of Anabel and Looker. Sword and Shield have…. Sordward and Shielbert. DID I STUTTER?

They’re terribly designed characters, and so insulting as to not really be any fun at all. The Pokeball Guy mascot is Actually Fun; these dudes aren’t. They’re barely even villains? It was an excuse to try and pull what Sun and Moon pulled, but it didn’t work. I never felt like anyone was in danger at any point, probably because magically everyone was evacuated before I even arrived on the scene to stop Sordward and Shielbert’s vile schemes. :U Oh, and because I felt little or no connection to any of the towns I visited along the way, let alone the gym leaders. Maybe if these guys had showed up partway through the game and we sort of knew who they were already, this wouldn’t seem so out-of-nowhere, but it was, and that made it even worse than it had to be.

When it’s all over, you get your legendary dog (I named mine Goodest Boy), but it wasn’t a fun storyline at all. Who are these guys? Why should I care about them? I cared about Looker and Anabel because they came onto the scene and showed that they cared about each other as people (and showed it, multiple times). These guys? They wreaked havoc and didn’t even go to jail. At least Rose went to jail!

I don’t think the post-game is terrible so much as I think it’s underwhelming, especially considering what it came on the heels of. I don’t expect More More More from every game, but I do expect improvements to be made. A decent post-game storyline is all I was asking for, and I didn’t even get that.

But there’s the tower and you can breed pokemon and train EVs and all that stuff more easily now, so…

Characters, Story, and Worldbuilding [4/10]

Let me put this as delicately as I can: I’m not a fan.

I could easily rant about bad character writing, bad stories, and weak worldbuilding for hours, but I’ll limit myself because 1) this is a pokemon game, and 2) nobody really looks for exceptional characters here.

As I said earlier, I feel like Sun and Moon did it Better. Most of the main characters in Su/Mo were likable, interesting, had a fun design, or were amusing. Not so in Shield.

Hop has a terrible name (literally a million names to choose from and they picked this?), but the biggest crime he commits is that he doesn’t get a satisfying story arc at all. When he got down about himself I had hope there would be some cool development, but there wasn’t. He ended up getting his crap together and making a Team and Picked a Strategy (which still involves sending the sheep out first I guess). And then randomly in the post-game decided he was going to be a professor…lol.

I felt like 20 different people wrote that plot, because it was terribly cobbled together and didn’t flow at all. Natural progression would have been nice.

Marnie barely has a story and barely develops. Piers seems to kind of have more ‘meat’ to his character but not a lot is done with it.

The gym leaders are otherwise really meh. Okay, so Nessa and Sonia are pals. Gal pals. Pals that are gals. Gals that are pals. Great. I don’t think we ever see them talk so it doesn’t matter. Melony has a son…and it’s just a nod to the other game where her son is the gym leader instead? Boring.

Bede is an asshole with a sob story who doesn’t really get redeemed but gets the redemption option anyway. They could have REALLY done something amazing with this guy but chose not to. His backstory is actually pretty interesting! But they didn’t utilize it worth a damn. And also he was right about the mural soooo…

Sonia was maybe the best character in the game, and that’s just from a technical standpoint. She had development, she developed, she grew as a character. Emotionally, though, I felt detached from her. Maybe it was being called a child all the time that did that? I’m not sure. I get that the protag is a child but I’m living independently and doing well for myself so maybe have a little respect idk… Especially when the first 2/3 of the game you’re told the adults will handle things, and then randomly you’re interrupted every fifty seconds to take care of other people’s nonsense. :|

In fact, I felt emotionally disconnected from pretty much every character. I didn’t really like or feel for anyone. Hop came the closest (feeling guilty about losing a battle cause it might make his brother look bad), but the bad dialogue options and inability to actually cheer him up was frustrating more than anything.

There are zones that are breathtakingly lovely (Slumbering Weald! Ballonlea! Glimwood Tangle!) but all the rest are more or less forgettable. The characters are connected to the world…sorta, but there are times it feels like they force-connected them through dynamaxing and dialogue accents instead of trying to make characters who naturally fit into the world. Like I talked about before, Opal’s gym felt completely disconnected from the reality of her environment. She lives there for a reason. Doesn’t the stadium’s presence jar her? How many fairy pokemon lost their homes when that thing took away tens of acres of forest? What’s the story here? Or anywhere for that matter?

Spikemuth was a waste of space but at least it felt like an attempt to show us a poverty-stricken area… Unfortunately it all fell flat the second they used two models for Team Yell! Team Yell could have been really cool, especially if they’d had different models with their names (challenged by Team Yell Grunt Sierra/Troy/Nellie/whatever), and the same team yell outfit/clothes/paint on. Then we could see these are just regular guys and gals from this poor area who want to cheer on their hometown girl!!!

But that was a weakness throughout the game, because Team Yell were all gym trainers, and all shared models…just like all the other gyms. It felt lazy to me. The outfits can be the same, but way to go making all the models literal clones. That’s just laziness.

The villains are all meh. Rose? Of course he was a villain. The problem is that he’s not a villain for being a capitalist pig or anything. He’s a villain for wanting to fix a power issue that’s 1,000 years from happening. Meh motivation. If it was 50 years away then we have a compelling villain! But no, not 50. A thousand years from happening. And he can’t wait five fucking minutes.

Oleana was boring.

Leon was exactly the person he was the entire game…

The taxi service is a cute idea, and a nice gameplay addition, but it doesn’t really add anything to the world because they didn’t make the effort to integrate it.

Anyway, I’ve rambled enough.

The short of it is this: I walked away from this game not really caring about the world or any of the characters. I don’t even have a favorite character. I can’t remember the last time that happened to me. YIKES.

The Wild Area [8/10]

I don’t want to cover this for too long, because I feel it’s been done to death, but the Wild Area is what the whole game should have been. Or at least, more of the game. I don’t expect we’ll ever get a fully open-world pokemon game EVER, but this foray into the true 3D tells me that it could be a lot of fun, actually, even in somewhat constrained environments. (Oh, and with a good map.)

I enjoy the idea of the Wild Area, but I think its usefulness is limited without the appeal of having more pokemon patched into the game later. Until I get sick of it, though, it’s a pretty neat concept, and it makes hunting for new pokemon to catch a little more fun than it usually is. I like that they kept the overworld pokemon in this area as well as on the routes you have to travel; it feels like more of an adventure to dodge a huge Steelix and scoot closer to see what that yellow thing is in the grass you can’t quite make out. :)

Basically: fun concept that is enjoyable for now but has limited enjoyment. As far as negativity goes, I don’t have much to complain about here that I didn’t complain about in the Online Compatibility section above.

The Pokemon Themselves [6/10]

I was challenged by @hijauindah to list my top five favorite new pokemon from the game, so here we go!

Nickit (cute design!)

Boltund (smooth, well designed—not too cluttered)

Ponyta/Rapidash (MY LITTLE PONY… I think Rapidash could look better, but I’m just glad they cared enough to try something new with them…)

Frosmoth (Super pretty pokemon design.)

Dragapult (Nifty design.)

Most of the new designs are just…okay. There are a lot I don’t actually care for. But I’m biased; I just want more creature-based pokemon that look like they could exist and function in the world they live in. Some of these designs they come up with look like they’d have died out ten thousand years ago due to being Poorly Evolved lol.

Final Thoughts [6/10]

The worst part of the game for me personally was probably feeling like I was getting interrupted constantly by other characters. JUST LET ME PLAY. But the best part was definitely exploring the new areas, catching a shiny 2 hours into the game, and getting to the end more or less with the team I started with.

The individual scores don’t add up to a 6/10 (they actually add up to a 5.16/10) but I think it’s worth noting that I did have a fun time playing through the game, I intend to hop into the breeding stuff, and even though I don’t have to keep max raid battling and stuff, I probably will.

It’s far from the 9s that it was getting by certain people from certain places that won’t be named here, but it’s not as if it’s a dumpster fire game. I don’t regret the money I spent on it, and I hope to keep enjoying the game for a few more months (albeit more casually than I did over the weekend), but I hope GameFreak has learned from its follies and puts its best foot forward with the next game, because I will not manage to be this forgiving again.

#pokemon sword and shield #pokemon #pokemon spoilers #pokemon review #long post #really long post #pokemon swsh #i didn't really edit this so sorry if there are any typos

5 notes · View notes

pangtasias-atelier · 5 years

Note

Hey, what are your thoughts on three houses?

I have a lot of thoughts on each FE game cause I really do love the series and I'm just a very opinionated person.

These are my thoughts after beating Golden Deer and mostly done with Blue Lion.

Gameplay:

I really enjoy the gameplay but cavalry and fliers are absolutely broken. The game acknowledges it by having most advanced classes being them but it's absolutely ridiculous. Also promoting gains are basically non-existent to the point that there's no reason to not just go mounted if you're not a mage.

So far it's really fun though and the map is a huge boost from Awakening, Revelations, and Echoes but nowhere near as good as Conquest map design, and Tellius map design.

The maps are easily able to be broken with the way that magic is. Warp is available every map once you have a character learn it and so maps can be broken almost as much as Shadow Dragon and New Mystery of the Emblem.

Story:

The story is really good but the plot progression feels completely too fast. Part 1 also just feels like a stupidly long prologue. The basis and format isn't bad but there's just not enough writing with how most of it goes to Garreg Mach snippets and with the 4 routes.

Golden Deer just goes by so fast without enough time dedicated to certain events. Blue Lion has better character development but it happens all of a sudden and feels out of place.

Also don't like how certain routes gloss over or ignore certain plot points just to relegate them to other routes.

Story and plot writing is probably middle lower half of Fire emblem series.

Characters:

The best part of Three Houses hands down. While some characters do feel more 2-dimensuonal and their supports feel the same with a slight twist. Supports are so much better than the previous renditions and there are so much that help reveal a bit more of characters. The supports being for development instead of just silly events is so nice and I missed it.

Overall, I really love Three Houses but I do have some issues that I feel no one ever really talks about it or they just gloss it over.

I'll probably make a list of how much I personally enjoy each FE game, but the routes are different so I'll probably do that after I beat the other 2 routes on Three Houses

Once I acclimate to stuff, I'll probably open up requests for a bit just for Three Houses characters.

#random

3 notes · View notes

needlekind · 6 years

Note

I've been aware of Fire Emblem for quite a long time, but have never played any of the games. Is there a specific order that I should play the games in?

for the most part, the answer is no! fire emblem is kind of like pokémon or (as far as i know, having never played any final fantasy) final fantasy, where some games are loosely interconnected (taking place on the same continent/in the same world, featuring characters from other games) but, with a few exceptions, each is still completely standalone and can be enjoyed by itself! there are a couple games where the order matters but not many.

for starting points i would probably recommend either fire emblem: awakening/fe13 for the nintendo DS, or fire emblem: the sacred stones/fe8 for the gba! FE13 is the game that got a lot of people into the series; a big draw for beginners is its casual mode, a newer feature which disables permadeath. in general it’s accepted as being easier to play! it also has a ton of new features you’ll find that most of the games don’t, though, like marriage and the avatar unit and having so many goddamn support options and skills and shit, so working backwards might be hard. FE8 is probably my favorite in the series; it’s one of the easier FE games in general and it isn’t super long, so it’s a great way to introduce yourself to FE in general! the plot is really good and the cast is an absolute riot with a lot of heartening friendships. this game also absolutely has the best and most diverse villains of any fire emblem game in my opinion. i just really adore it! if you’re okay with playing with permadeath (which usually means resetting the chapter when someone dies lmao), i would absolutely recommend fe8 as an entry point to the series.

as far as games where the order matters go!

so there’s fire emblem fates/FE14. fates is actually made up of three games; fire emblem: birthright, fire emblem: conquest, and fire emblem: revelations. the protagonist has to make a choice about which country they’ll side with at the beginning of the game; birthright is one choice, conquest is another, and revelations is a “true end” sort of deal where they refuse to take a side. they follow the same premise in the same world where the difference is, of course, “how does this choice affect how the story goes.” fates is hugely popular, but very polarizing in the fandom; i haven’t played it myself and don’t really recommend it, though i’ve heard conquest has great maps if you’re really into the gameplay part of things.

there’s also fire emblem: path of radiance/FE9 and fire emblem: radiant dawn/FE10, for the gamecube and wii, respectively (the Tellius games, named for the continent they take place on). they’re kind of crazy difficult to get your hands on these days but can be emulated easily enough using Dolphin! FE10 is a direct sequel to FE9, and you probably actually do want to play these ones in order. these games receive less love in general because they’re so hard to find but they’re very good, featuring one of the most heartfelt casts you’ll ever find in a FE game, and some of the best political intrigue.

fire emblem: blazing blade/FE7 is a prequel to fire emblem: binding blade/FE6 (the Elibe games), each for GBA, but each is standalone and can be enjoyed on its own in any order! FE7 is a classic, so you should definitely play it at some point. FE6 never got an english release so it’ll have to be emulated with a patch. i never actually finished it myself, i think it’s kind of higher up on the difficulty scale?

the only other games with a prequel/sequel situation are fire emblem: shadow dragon/FE11 and fire emblem: new mystery of the emblem/FE12 for the nintendo DS (the Archanea games). these are remakes of the very first fire emblem (and the third, its first remake + sequel)! Shadow Dragon can honestly be skipped, it’s not very exciting, support conversations (the only real source of character interaction) are removed entirely for some reason, most characters don’t get more than a line or two of dialogue total ever so it’s hard to get invested in any of them—it’s not great. New Mystery is really good, though, and neatly summarizes the plot of Shadow Dragon in the first like ten minutes. unfortunately New Mystery never got an english release (probably because Shadow Dragon did so poorly) so it’ll have to be emulated with a fan patch, but i really highly recommend New Mystery! archanea doesn’t get as much love these days but New Mystery is just such a fun game with some real gems in the character cast. Awakening also takes place 2,000 years after the Archanea games on the same continent, so you get all kinds of cool nuggets of backstory and lore that way (and also one returning character!).

the one other game i wanted to mention is fire emblem echoes: shadows of valentia/FE15 for the DS. it’s a remake of the second fire emblem game, fire emblem: gaiden/fe2, for the famicon. i wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as an entry point just because it’s very different, mechanically, from literally every other fire emblem game. a lot has changed in FE since the 90s, but the remake kept all of the battle mechanics exactly the same, while updating the plot and characters. SOV is honestly probably my favorite FE game, usurping FE8′s decade-plus-long reign, and if that one garners most of your interest, i don’t think it’s a bad place to start by any means! it has a causal mode option, and also an “undo” that lets you go back however many turns/moves you desire for a limited number of times per battle, so you can make your own difficulty that way. just be aware that if you do start there, adjusting to literally any other game might be tough. it takes place in the same world and time period as the archanea games and features a couple of cameos, and the continent also appears in awakening all those years later.

honorable mention goes to fire emblem: genealogy of the holy war/FE4 and fire emblem: thracia 776/FE5, both for the SNES, neither of which i’ve actively played but they are each completely standalone, and they have small but active and dedicated fandoms so i think they’ve held up very well even though they’re older! FE5 is legendarily difficult iirc, though.

happy fembleming anon!!! if you want more specific recommendations based on your personal tastes let me know and i’m happy to provide :> i really love this series so i’m super happy you came to me to ask about it!!!

#anonymous

7 notes · View notes

geekysweetie · 8 years

Text

Top 10 Nintendo Switch 2017 Games for Girls

Like a few of our lucky readers, I was fortunate enough to get a day-one Preorder for the Nintendo Switch. Sadly had to get the plain grey one, but beggars can’t be choosers right? 🙂 What games are you most looking forward to? For me, the only launch title right now that has caught my eye is Zelda, but that’s sure to change as we get closer to release. There are a ton of interesting looking games coming out by the end of the year for the new console.

Here are the Top 10 Nintendo Switch Games Due out in 2017 that I am most looking forward to.

NEW UPDATE: Check Out our List of Upcoming 2018 Nintendo Switch Games for Girls here.

Top 10 Nintendo Switch Games

Mario Odyssey

Mario Odyssey – The new Mario Game looks amazing. It reminds me a lot of Mario 64 with a huge open world full of lots of fun and crazy looking levels. Mario has some new abilities too such as being able to throw and jump on his cap to cross large areas. Mario will fly on an airship to travel to “strange new worlds” (for Mario and his friends), but the world is actually made up of different places that we know in real life such as New York City, and Latin and South America. Mario Odyssey’s release date is December 29th, 2017.

Pokemon Stars

Pokemon Stars – Although it is still a rumor at this time, several retailer leaks such as one that has since been taken down on Gamestop seem to refer to the existence of a new Pokemon Game for Nintendo Switch. The rumor is that it is a new version of Pokemon Sun and Moon with over 20 new pokemon added in. This rumor has not been confirmed by Nintendo and so no release date has been given.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley – I actually spent the majority of this past weekend playing the PC version of Stardew Valley. True, you can already play this game right now today on PC and other consoles… But imagine being able to play it ON THE GO, away from home. This will be the title’s first entry into mobile or handheld gaming. Stardew Valley is an amazing “tribute” to classic Nintendo games such as Harvest Moon and Rune Factory – so it makes sense that it would find a home on the Nintendo Switch as well. It is such a relaxing game and the type of game that you can pick up and play as little as an hour, or easily spend 20+ hours straight with. The Nintendo Switch ability to switch from handheld to console form lets you play Stardew Valley whenever, wherever, and however you want. Although it is definitely for sure coming to the Nintendo Switch, there is no official word on a release date.

youtube

Seasons of Heaven – Seasons of Heaven is a confirmed Exclusive title for the new Nintendo Switch. Graphically it looks pretty amazing for a Nintendo console and much more like something that we would see on a PS3 or PS4. The game is based on a novel by the same name and features a boy with his dog as they travel a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. The fact that it’s exclusive to the Switch gives Nintendo some more advantage. In my opinion a console is only as good as its exclusives! I’m looking forward to learning more about Seasons of Heaven in the months to come. No Release date has been set yet for this title.

Dragonquest XI

Dragonquest XI – There will now be three versions of the newest Dragon Quest game all set to release in 2017. These include a fully 3D version for the PS4, a 2D/3D style for the 3DS and a 3D style version for the new Nintendo Switch. Clearly still, from trailers and screenshots, the PS4 version is going to still have the upperhand when it comes to graphics and resolution. However, the ability now to have a version where you can play on the go (as with the 3DS) OR play on the big screen (as with the PS4) all in one version now (on the Nintendo Switch), gives one some pause into deciding which version of the game to pick up. Regardless of which version you get, this already looks set to be an amazing game. Dragonquest has long been the best selling RPG franchise of all time (yes, even more so than Final Fantasy) and many fans around the world are anxiously awaiting the newest installment into the Dragonquest saga.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Another exciting Nintendo Switch exclusive. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a direct sequel finally to cult classic Xenoblade Chronicles from back on the Wii. The Wii U also saw Xenoblade Chronicles X – However, that was more of a side game, and not directly related to the first. Xenoblade Chronicles remains one of the greatest games on the Wii and until the recent release on the Nintendo E-Store, it was a highly sought after collector’s item. Not only that, but it is a fantastic RPG. I’m so thrilled to see it getting a sequel that I’m almost just as excited for this title as for the new Zelda or SMT.

Fire Emblem Warriors – There is extremely little details known about this title yet. There’s going to a live event on January 18th at 5pm EST dedicated fully to the Fire Emblem series. Speculation includes that the live event will reveal more details not only about Fire Emblem Warriors but also about the upcoming mobile game that was originally announced for 2016 but got delayed until “Sometime in 2017”.

Shin Megami Tensei

Shin Megami Tensei – I am the biggest Atlus fangirl ever. Tokyo Mirage Sessions is my favorite Wii U game – and I’ve been hooked on Persona and SMT games ever since Playstation One days. I suspect that this will be a much darker game than say Tokyo Mirage Sessions or Persona, and go back to gameplay similar to that in Devil Summoner and Devil Survivor. I’m really excited to hear that a new SMT game is in the works. It is such an underloved and underrated series. I was most surprised by this announcement at the Live event last week. There’s barely any details yet, just that it will coincide with the series’ 25th anniversary.

youtube

Project Octopath Traveler – a brand new exclusive from Square-Enix. The trailer seems to hint at an open world with multiple endings and a branching plot that is determined by choices the player makes. These types of games are always my favorite, so I am super interested in learning more about Project Octopath Traveler. It is being developed by the same team who worked on Bravely Default. The artwork is retro which is an interesting approach because as we’ve seen with other titles such as Seasons of Heaven, the console is definitely quite capable of more “Next-Gen” style graphics as well. This leads me to believe that this title will try to pander to us older fans from the 16bit era. Graphics and gameplay seem to remind me in some parts of some older Square games such as Final Fantasy Tactics, Saga Frontier, Legend of Mana, Live A Live, and Ogre Battle. Very excited to see where this one goes.

zelda breath of the wild

Zelda Breath of the Wild is by far the most anticipated and exciting launch title for the Nintendo Switch. There are several different collector editions for quite a large price! The collector editions include things like a carrying case, replica sword, soundtrack, cloth map, and coin. Amazon and Gamestop both sold out of these sets already. Best-buy began preorders for them today. But no matter if you get the Special Edition, or Master Edition, Or the base game is available for $59.99 you will be getting one amazing game. Keep in mind, if ordering the digital version, it will take up over HALF of the storage on the Nintendo Switch. Yikes! It is the first time for Zelda to take a more “western” approach to gaming, emulating features commonly found in Elder Scrolls games such as an open world and sandbox style gameplay. It also will have more than 100 Shrines of Trial to explore. It’s going to be a huge game. And from the launch trailer video, I feel that the story is also going to be very emotional and exciting. More so than any other game on the list, this is the one that should not be missed.

I also have to give a nod to a few other 2017 Switch games that didn’t quite make the list including the new Bomberman Game, Skyrim’s first foray into handheld gaming, Minecraft Switch Edition (for much of the same reasons as why Stardew Valley made the list), Mario Kart, Sonic, and Splatoon 2. With strong support from third party developers, and a few iconic Nintendo franchises making appearances, the gaming library for Nintendo Switch is already looking extremely promising.

Also the fact that the console is not region locked gives the fan translation community a chance to shine and bring us all the great games that Nintendo of America will either censor, or simply take a pass and not localize for North America. This could in theory mean that we could see some visual novels or otome games or more JRPGs on this Nintendo console provided that the English speaking Fan Translation community get behind certain projects.

The one franchise I expected to see, and didn’t see, was Smash Brothers. Also would love to see a new Donkey Kong Country game.

Although it is still early days, the future looks bright for Nintendo’s newest console.

Let us know in the comments below what Nintendo Switch Games You’re most excited for!

Top 10 Nintendo Switch 2017 Games for Girls was originally published on GeekySweetie.com - Geeky & Kawaii Anime, Tech, Toys, & Game Reviews & News

2 notes · View notes

tech-battery · 4 years

Text

MSI Clutch GM30 Gaming Mouse Review: Comfy RGB Pointer

When it comes to finding the best gaming mouse, what some require is optional for others. While the most hardcore gamers may seek a mouse sensor boasting the highest CPI counts, a braided cable and a pile of programmable buttons, mainstream or casual gamers can do with a little less.

The MSI Clutch GM30 (available for $50 - $60 as of this writing) isn’t quite entry-level but cuts costs with a lower CPI (counts per inch) count than some similarly priced rivals, as well as fewer buttons. But what it lacks there it makes up for with a fabulous design with RGB lighting and a build you’ll appreciate from your fingertips to your palm.

MSI Clutch GM30 Design and Comfort

The Clutch GM30 isn’t the lightest gaming mouse around, especially when compared to first-person shooter-focused ones offering lightweight designs that make flinging it across your best mouse pad a breeze. Instead, the Clutch GM30 has a bit of weight to it at 3.46 ounces (without the cable) compared to the honeycomb-style Glorious Model D’s 2.4 ounces or even the Razer DeathAdder V2 (2.9 ounces). But it’s still on par with something like the HyperX Pulsefire Raid (3.35 ounces). Very competitive gamers seeking a lightweight design should look elsewhere, but others might appreciate the Clutch GM30’s substantive feel.

The matte black Clutch GM30 measures 5.03 x 2.01 x 1.38 inches (LxWxH), which is pretty standard (the Deathadder V is 5 x 2.43 x 1.68 inches). It’s the perfectly curved rear (hello!) that made it fit so nicely in the palm of my hand that I almost thought the mouse was made for me.My palm made a home there similarly to how my cheek does a well-fluffed pillow.

MSI targets the Clutch GM30 toward gamers with medium-sized hands who use palm or claw grips. Either grip style both offered me long-term comfort and easy accessibility to the Clutch GM30’s two programmable and polygonal side buttons.

Speaking of programmable buttons, there are six in total, including the left and right buttons, scroll wheel and CPI button south of the scroll wheel. The CPI button lives in a small channel that also makes a great spot for resting the index finger during long scroll sessions.

The sides of the mouse are also slightly comfortable resting places, thanks to double-injection soft rubber “dragon scale grips.” I’ve felt softer and cozier, but these areas are softer than the rest of the plastic mouse and have enough texture to prevent slipping. Plus, the “scales’” rigidness may help with durability over the months (although I’ve only had the mouse for about 10 days).

Meanwhile, the thick scroll wheel, with aggressive tire-like markings, has a forgettable feel that isn’t as slick or desirable as those of other mice I often use, such as the Cooler Master MM711 or even the non-gaming Microsoft Wireless Mouse 4000. There were no issues with the wheel’s stepped movements. But for heavy scrolling it’d be nice to have the option to switch to a smooth-gliding wheel, such as seen in the more expensive Razer Basilisk V2 gaming mouse ($80 at the time of writing) or productivity-focused Logitech MX Master 3 (about $100).

The MSI Clutch GM30 provides RGB fanatics with three independently-controllable RGB zones (more in the Features and Software section): the scroll wheel, the channel framing the CPI button and the Lucky Dragon logo kissing the palm. It’s nice for so much of that to be in between the left and right buttons, where they’ll usually remain visible. The mouse looks best with prismatic effects flowing from the top of the scroll wheel down to the dragon logo.

Unfortunately, the Clutch GM30’s wire isn’t braided and looks as vulnerable to damage as any other typical, standard cable. But at least its connector seems pretty solid with extra thick plastic and gold plating inside. Additionally, the cable has a plastic casing to ensure that that part of the cable stays 4.8mm (0.19 inch) off the desktop. You can slide that rubber bit up and down the wire with a good amount of effort.

After about 10 days of using this mouse regularly, I noticed a lot of dust gathering in cracks on the mouse’s underside, but you’ll rarely look there. And if you do, hopefully the additional dragon will garner most of your attention instead.

MSI Clutch GM30 Gaming Performance

The MSI Clutch GM30’s optical PixArt PAW3327 sensor fared well in the Nordlys story of Battlefield V. At work here is a sensor with polling rates of 125, 250, 500, or a speedy 1,000 Hz with 30G acceleration and a max tracking speed of 220 IPS. The CPI switch toggles between 400, 800, 1,600, 3,200 or 6,200 and was easy to swap through on the battlefield without straining my pointer finger, as I was easily able to reach into the groove where it lives with the tip of my finger or, more easily, the middle of the index.

Other mice in this price range bring higher CPI counts (the DeathAdder V2 goes up to 20,000, and the PulseFire Raid goes to 16,000). But I could easily do rapid scans of the Norwegian battlegrounds and quickly stop to pinpoint an enemy’s small helmet. The mouse also kept up with my most erratic movements, such as jerking my head about to locate an enemy.

Another standout for gaming was the clickiness of the left and right buttons’ Omron switches. They’re supposed to be durable and last for over 20 million clicks. In our testing, they offered a snappy responsiveness that you don’t see with other gaming mice, such as the Cooler Master MM711. During rapid-fire attacks the two buttons felt as eager as I was to jump into action with audible, sure clicks to accompany the bangs of the MP40.

The scroll wheel offers line-by-line movement and doesn’t move far, even with my most powerful flicks. In games where I would do a lot of scrolling, like if I used it to spam a critical attack, it’d get a little tiring.

While gaming, it was easy to engage either of the two angular side buttons because my thumb was usually resting on them and they jut out sharply. If I had my way, the front one would be a slightly further back so that it’d be as easy to press as the back one.

The mouse’s cable never snagged during gameplay or work during my week-and-a-half with it. It’s purposely elevated 4.8mm, and the plastic casing really helped ensure that, plus I could slide that down to make sure the cable never became a drag.

MSI Clutch GM30 Features and Software

The Clutch GM30 is supposed to work with MSI’s Dragon Center app for controlling features like RGB lighting and programmable buttons. However, the software wouldn’t install properly at the time of writing. I reached out to MSI, which confirmed the issue. For now, that means the mouse has limited customization options, including, sadly over use of the six programmable buttons.

The pointer’s RGB lighting is still wowing me, but I don’t have easy control of its effects. Sans software, you can control the lighting effects by holding down the CPI switch and one of the other buttons. You can still change brightness (3 levels, plus off), switch lighting effects (9 modes, including steady, breathing, radar and whirlpool, plus off) and change speed, direction or color and fade off spee). Of course, none of this is as seamless -- or seamless at all -- without software.

Bottom Line

The MSI Clutch GM30 is a winner when it comes to design. Despite its dragon emblem and RGB lighting, it looks tasteful. More importantly, its well-curved design, snappy Omron switches, textured side grips and easily accessible buttons make long-term use -- whether gaming or doing work -- not only a breeze, but enjoyable.

Similarly priced rivals, such as the HyperX Pulsefire Raid ($60) and Razer DeathAdder V2 ($70), bring higher CPI counts and more buttons. But the average gamer will be able to navigate games well with the MSI Clutch GM30.

For a palm/claw grip companion that your hand will gravitate toward and good-looking RGB, the MSI Clutch GM30 is a well-priced choice. If only we could get some working software.

0 notes

tortuga-aak · 7 years

Text

The best Nintendo 3DS games you can buy

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

The Insider Pick:

The Nintendo 3DS is a great handheld gaming console with many fun games. We've rounded up five of our favorite 3DS games to help you build your collection.

Nintendo wrote the book on portable gaming with the release of the classic Game Boy in 1989 and the company has kept the handheld market all but cornered since then. The original Game Boy, as well as its successors – including the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS – all boast great libraries of exclusive first- and third-party titles. And while it got off to a somewhat slow start following its 2011 launch, the 3DS, Nintendo’s latest handheld console, might just be the best portable gaming system yet.

The beloved Japanese game company is nothing if not innovative, and in 2004 Nintendo re-invented the wheel with the unique DS handheld which featured a dual-screen design (hence the name) with a lower touch display. The format proved to be a hit with gamers. The DS sold more than 150 million units worldwide. The 3DS carries on this basic format with one major addition: stereoscopic 3D that lets you view your games in three dimensions without the need for any special eyewear.

Although this 3D feature was greeted with some skepticism by many, there’s no denying that the Nintendo 3DS delivers where it counts: the games. The 3DS has built up an incredible library of awesome exclusives over the past six years, from first-party franchises like Mario and Animal Crossing to third-party hits like Pokémon and Fire Emblem. Don’t turn up your nose at the stereoscopic 3D, however. The redesigned New Nintendo 3DS added a face-tracking feature which greatly improves the stability of the three-dimensional visuals, and this really shines in certain games for a truly unique and visually dazzling experience.

Whether you’re new to the 3DS and are looking to jump on the handheld bandwagon (if you haven’t already, then now is the time), or if you’re already a proud owner of Nintendo’s latest handheld and simply want to know that the must-have games are, our guide has you covered: We’ve pared the 3DS lineup down to what we consider the five best titles that every handheld gamer should have in their collection.

Our favorite Nintendo 3DS games include "Super Mario 3D Land," "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds," "Animal Crossing: New Leaf," "Pokémon Sun," "Pokémon Moon," and "Fire Emblem: Awakening." Read on to see why we love these titles and to decide which ones pique your interest.

The best platforming game

Nintendo

Why you'll love it: “Super Mario 3D Land” has all of the coin-collecting, baddie-stomping, platforming action you could possibly want from a Mario game, along with perhaps the best level design seen in the series since “Super Mario 64.”

Our favorite red-clad mustachioed Italian plumber has had a long run, dating all the way back to 1981 when he made his debut in the arcade classic, “Donkey Kong.” Then, a few years later, players were introduced to the game that would come to define a whole genre of platforming games. 1985’s “Super Mario Bros.” became an instant hit worldwide, spawning a franchise that enjoys massive popularity to this day.

Nintendo has continued to experiment with the Mario formula over the years, producing a myriad of sequels and spin-offs that include everything from puzzle games to RPGs. You can’t beat a classic, however, and Mario still shines brightest when Nintendo sticks to the fundamentals of what made him so popular in the first place. “Super Mario 3D Land” is a shining example of this and earns its place as possibly the best core Mario platforming game since “Super Mario 64.”

Visually, “3D Land” features timeless Mario aesthetics that hark back to “Super Mario Bros. 3” and “Super Mario World” with a dash of “Super Mario 64” thrown in for good measure. And while many were initially unimpressed with the Nintendo 3DS’s stereoscopic 3D feature, it shines here.

There are levels where you will absolutely want to turn your system’s 3D all the way up in order to fully experience the world and art design. For example, some stages feature particle effects, and when you activate the stereoscopic 3D, the particles appear to “float” above the 3DS screen as you play. It’s really quite stunning at times and proves that this 3D feature is far from a gimmick.

In terms of gameplay, “Super Mario 3D Land” feels the most like “Super Mario Bros. 3,” complete with flying battleships and the famous Tanooki Suit, along with some new additions. The world design hits a perfect sweet spot between 2D side-scrolling and 3D exploration.

Certain stages are set up like the old-school Mario games, where you run from left to right, although with an added third dimension that lets Mario move around from front to back. This makes for unique multi-layered level designs that put a three-dimensional spin on the old two-dimensional formula. Other areas play more like those found in newer Mario games, where you move and explore in 360-degree open environments, and many of these angles the camera in unique ways to create visual depth that is only amplified by the stereoscopic 3D.

“Super Mario 3D Land” also boasts what is easily some of the best level design and world-building we’ve seen since “Super Mario 64.” The gameplay is extremely addictive and should keep you busy for awhile; even after you beat it, remixed challenge stages await to offer you plenty of replay value.

All of this makes “3D Land” one of the best core games in Nintendo’s long-running flagship series, one of the most fun platforming titles of all time, and an absolute gem for any 3DS owner who still can’t get enough of Mario’s brick-breaking, coin-collecting, princess-rescuing goodness.

Pros: Some of the best level design seen in a Mario game, a fun and catchy soundtrack, great 3D effects, and highly addictive gameplay

Cons: Lacks the interesting overworlds seen in previous Super Mario titles

Buy "Super Mario 3D Land" on Amazon for $31.47

The best action-adventure game

Nintendo

Why you'll love it: With classic old-school gameplay and fantastic dungeons, “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” is a long-awaited sequel that lives up to its legendary SNES predecessor.

Like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda is another decades-old Nintendo series that remains beloved by millions. It got its start on the NES with “The Legend of Zelda,” the game that laid down the basic formula, but the breakout hit that really put this action-adventure franchise on the map was “A Link to the Past” for the Super Nintendo. “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” is the highly-anticipated sequel to the SNES classic, and Nintendo has once again delivered a stellar game that more than met players’ expectations.

The Zelda series has a long and varied history, and Nintendo continues to out-do itself with each new installment. It first made a jump into 3D on the Nintendo 64 with the hugely popular “Ocarina of Time,” and most of the core Zelda games have followed this new format with great results.

With “A Link Between Worlds,” however, Nintendo returned to the birds-eye-view perspective first seen on the NES and SNES. It’s a fitting choice given that “Between Worlds” is a direct sequel to “A Link to the Past,” and, as good as the newer Zeldas have been, it goes without saying that the traditional formula still works: “A Link Between Worlds” is an absolute joy to play and illustrates that some things simply never get old.

Gamers who enjoyed “A Link to the Past” will be in familiar waters here. “A Link Between Worlds” boasts updated 3D graphics, but the old-school gameplay elements are all there (with some new additions, naturally).

You’ll roam around Hyrule fighting baddies – classic Zelda music playing in the background – when you’re not venturing into wonderfully-designed new dungeons filled with puzzles, rupees, and bosses. At first glance, the game looks and feels a lot like its 16-bit counterpart, and fans of the original will have a lot of fun re-visiting the old instantly-recognizable overworld and seeing what’s changed since Link’s last adventure.

“A Link Between Worlds” adds a whole new spin to Hyrule, however, with some novel mechanics paired with the ability to travel to Lorule, a dark mirrored version of the normal game world. Lorule contains its own unique set of enemies, dungeons, and challenges for you to complete. The familiar Zelda tools and weapons are there for you to play with, but this time around, Link has a few new tricks up his sleeve, such as the ability to transform into a flat 2D image in order to solve certain puzzles.

You can also buy your power-ups at any time, which allows you to complete dungeons in any order. These new elements breathe new life into the old formula and blend seamlessly with the classic gameplay, crafting an experience that is both fresh and nostalgic without getting bogged down in fan-service.

Although the newer 3D Zelda games have been fantastic (many critics, including Peter Brown of GameSpot, have hailed “Breath of the Wild” as the greatest Zelda game ever made), “A Link Between Worlds” is an incredible entry in the series and a serious treat for old-school fans. It’s not only possibly the best 2D Zelda title to date, it’s also one of the best entries in the entire franchise and a must-play for veterans and newcomers alike.

Pros: Classic 2D Zelda gameplay, seamlessly blends the old and new, a great soundtrack, and brilliantly-designed new dungeons

Cons: The old-school formula might appear dated to some

Buy "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds" on Amazon for $41.62

The best casual game

Nintendo

Why you'll love it: Handheld games are great for relaxing and it doesn’t get much cozier than “Animal Crossing: New Leaf,” a charming life sim that appeals to all ages and feels right at home on the 3DS.

Animal Crossing is an interesting franchise that is difficult to describe to the uninitiated. Each game follows the same basic blueprint: You move into a new town, buy a house (home loan and all), and then carve out a happy existence as the only human in a village filled with friendly anthropomorphic animals.

You can fish, collect fossils, go shopping, gossip with your neighbors, celebrate holidays, and expand your house as you pay off your mortgage, to name just a few of the many activities that await you. You can even invite your real-life friends to visit your town (and you can visit theirs) through online play.

It doesn’t exactly sound like riveting, edge-of-your-seat gameplay, but Animal Crossing is packed with a unique and addictive charm that makes it difficult to put down. Although it got its start on consoles (it was first released in Japan for the Nintendo 64, then ported to the GameCube for Western audiences), this series really feels at home on handheld systems.

“Animal Crossing: New Leaf” is the latest core entry and, along with easily being the best Animal Crossing title yet, is also one of the most fun and endearing games to be found on the Nintendo 3DS.

“New Leaf” isn’t a major departure from the standard Animal Crossing format, but after three previous games which were all quite similar, fans will be pleased to see some major new additions. The most notable of these is that your character is quickly made mayor of your new town, giving you the power to enhance the village with public works.

You can commission simple things like benches, signs, and lamp posts as well as larger ones like shops, a cafe, and various remodeling projects. This adds a nice new layer to the classic gameplay, letting you customize your town. However, placing new landmarks feels a little clunky at times, and it can take a few tries to get things just how you want them.

One of the highlights of the series has always been expanding and furnishing your home – leave it to Nintendo to actually make paying your mortgage fun – and this system is expanded upon in “New Leaf,” which sees the raccoon merchant, Tom Nook, now running his own real estate agency. There are many ways to earn in-game money, or “bells,” in order to pay your debt and buy things, although the tropical island in the game almost makes this too easy.

Daily trips to collect tropical fruit and rare bugs are a quick way to net a ton of cash, which was likely made easier in order to help you pay for the new town projects. However, it does hamper some of the satisfaction found in previous games where it took a bit longer to fully pay off and expand your house.

All in all, however, “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” is an absolute gem and the new features are a joy to experience. The game, just as much as others in the series, appeals to players of all stripes and ages. And while you can play it on your 3DS pretty much anywhere, the wonderfully relaxing and cozy atmosphere of “New Leaf” is perhaps best enjoyed indoors on those rainy or chilly days when you’re wrapped up in a blanket with your favorite hot drink on-hand.

Pros: A myriad of welcome additions to the Animal Crossing formula, expanded house- and town-building features, a comfy and relaxing atmosphere, and charming characters

Cons: Earning money and buying everything in the game is almost too easy, and the public works feature feels awkward

Buy "Animal Crossing: New Leaf" on Amazon for $27.95

See the rest of the story at Business Insider from Feedburner http://ift.tt/2zihC4h

#Feedburner

0 notes

tech-battery · 4 years

Text

MSI Clutch GM30 Gaming Mouse Review: Comfy RGB Pointer

MSI Clutch GM30 Design and Comfort

MSI Clutch GM30 Gaming Performance

MSI Clutch GM30 Features and Software

Bottom Line

For a palm/claw grip companion that your hand will gravitate toward and good-looking RGB, the MSI Clutch GM30 is a well-priced choice. If only we could get some working software.

0 notes