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Nintendo 3DS - first thread

Troublegum

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Asura

Asura

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Once again, services like Steam and Greenman Gaming prove otherwise.

The existence of Steam and PC services prove nothing, other that online services can be successful. PC is an open market of hobbyists and hardcore gamers. Even really big PC games sell a fraction on PC of what they do on console; take something arguably PC-centric like Skyrim, which has sold over 10 million on console but less than 3 million on PC. A better example might be Borderlands 2; 3.5 million odd on console but less than half a million on PC.

I'm not wanting to debate why that is, as it'd probably take us off-topic for pages - but just that a third party store on the PC can't be compared to an official store on console because they're like apples and oranges when it comes to business models. You also can't take the health of the PC market in a country like Holland and try to apply that across the world (though I will concede that we Britons are taking the woeful state of PC game retail in our country and are doing the same). I'd be curious to hear what it's like in the US, Australia and other developed nations.

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Massive Invisible Dog

Massive Invisible Dog

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Once again, services like Steam and Greenman Gaming aren't comparable to a platform holder owned and run digital monopoly.

They also both price games at the MSRP initially (I think, I assume it's about £30 for a typical PC game), but GMG do their 30% off voucher and both have regular sales.

The ball is in the publishers court on Wii U now, at least. There's already been decent discounts on the non-retail eShop games, but I can't see there being any major discounts on downloadable retail games for a long time.

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SMD

SMD

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PC Gaming can afford to be cheaper because there aren't any licensing fees paid to platform holders or need to own specialist devkits.

As always, if digital prices are stupid, don't pay them and eventually they'll come down.

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deKay

deKay

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Well, since this is a UK forum, I'm pretty sure the default country, when not otherwise specified, is the UK.

So when I said PC gaming as dead at retail, I was talking about UK retail.

Having said that, I'm amazed it isn't the same situation elsewhere. Do you not have Steam and piracy in the flatlands?

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gizmo1990

gizmo1990

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I was just making the point that Pilotwings is not worth £40. IMO of course, but the title doesn't have enough game to justify that price. This is separate to the whole digital price debate but does I think point to Nintendos unrealistic/overpricing sometimes. See also Steel Diver for example.

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SMD

SMD

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I was just making the point that Pilotwings is not worth £40. IMO of course, but the title doesn't have enough game to justify that price. This is separate to the whole digital price debate but does I think point to Nintendos unrealistic/overpricing sometimes. See also Steel Diver for example.

You're right, it isn't. But then that should apply to anything, really. If something isn't worth the money to you, there's no money in grumbling and paying it anyway - just don't buy it.

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Asura

Asura

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I was just making the point that Pilotwings is not worth £40. IMO of course, but the title doesn't have enough game to justify that price. This is separate to the whole digital price debate but does I think point to Nintendos unrealistic/overpricing sometimes. See also Steel Diver for example.

Yeah, admittedly, we're at cross purposes here. The debate about flat £40 price for Nintendo's online games, and the price of Pilotwings/Steel Diver are different concerns. Those two games arguably weren't worth full price when they were released; they were simply launch fodder.

If we're talking about the policy in general, Mario 3D Land is a better example.

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TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap

TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap

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Having said that, I'm amazed it isn't the same situation elsewhere. Do you not have Steam and piracy in the flatlands?

Yes on both accounts, but it seems there are enough people willing to buy boxed copies in stores to make it worthwhile.

We're a bit of a stupid people though, I don't even understand why people buy videogames in the stores here - they're so bloody expensive. I order almost all of my games from the UK. Generally a new console game will cost €60, and stay that for months unless it bombs. Usually I can buy the same game at Amazon UK for about €40-€45, and it will be delivered free of charge within 2 or 3 working days. And post-launch they drop really quickly in price too.

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Asura

Asura

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Yes on both accounts, but it seems there are enough people willing to buy boxed copies in stores to make it worthwhile.

Well DeKay isn't exaggerating. Even specialist stores like GAME in the UK stock, as he says, budget stuff and the range of World of Warcraft products (and MMOs in general - presumably they have to in order to sell the time cards?). Supermarkets and the like just stock those "3 for £5" hidden object and sudoku games. Retail PC gaming is pretty much dead.

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j.m.ratkos

j.m.ratkos

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did I stumble into the wrong thread? the past page and a half has been all about the shrinking shelf space for pc games :huh:

it's true that the EU has been screwed by NOE on the pricing for launch titles like nintendogs + cats, pilot wings and steel diver (games which can be had for a u.s. fiver or are frequently given away free with the purchase of a system here in the states for the past 8 months or longer)

but we all know that the market isn't fair on a region by region basis. while NCL continues to shower japan with limited edition systems and bundles just about every other month, europe has finally received the pikachu edition XL. meanwhile here in the states, the big draw for the holidays was the blue/black XL system with a digital version of mariokart (big deal :(). I find it interesting that even given all of the fevered interest for the limited edition systems and bundles that are released in japan by internet sites, blogs and press, that the markets outside of japan are either ignored or forgotten.

edit:

maybe (some of) this has to due with the fact that nintendo's own pokemon centres dot japan in every major city, but are virtually non-existant out of japan, but it's shouldn't apply to those things which are non-pokemon specific

additionally, even though they are free, the prizes being offering on club nintendo here in the states for collecting points (other than the 3DS card case and the golden nunchuk) have been abysmal for the past year (and this year's redemption items were a paper calendar or deck of playing cards?!?). maybe it's the size of the market that prevents it, but it's kind of sad that nintendo doesn't seem fit to award its loyal customers in *all* territories at least the chance at some of the nicer items (like those nice "metal" mariokart trophies and the limited edition raffle mario, peach and toad 3DS systems)

in more uplifting news, my copy of fantasy life should ship soon. can't wait to see what love level-5 managed to pour into yet another 3DS title that looks very intriguing :wub:

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Paulando

Paulando

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I got Paper Mario for Christmas, and it's bloody wonderful! I was a little worried after seeing the reviews, but it's far better than I expected.

It's a lot more streamlined than before, with a world map similar to SMW. There isn't much story, but some of the dialogue has already had me chuckling. The lack of XP isn't really an issue, and I'm getting well into the sticker collecting (there's a museum to put them in too!). I've always loved the battle system in Paper Mario/Mario & Luigi, and this seems as good as any so far.

Also, discovering the shiny stickers in the album and then tilting my 3DS has to be one of my gaming highlights of 2012.

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Steven

Steven

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I got Paper Mario for Christmas, and it's bloody wonderful! I was a little worried after seeing the reviews, but it's far better than I expected.

It's a lot more streamlined than before, with a world map similar to SMW. There isn't much story, but some of the dialogue has already had me chuckling. The lack of XP isn't really an issue, and I'm getting well into the sticker collecting (there's a museum to put them in too!). I've always loved the battle system in Paper Mario/Mario & Luigi, and this seems as good as any so far.

Also, discovering the shiny stickers in the album and then tilting my 3DS has to be one of my gaming highlights of 2012.

Just at the final boss now. Along with ZombieU, my favourite gaming experience all year. Just drips

brilliant touches all round. Sound is amazing and the visuals make me realise how much talent and

style can make up for technical grunt.

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Paulando

Paulando

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No, but they all seem easy to get hold of. You have a sticker for every attack - so you have to use them. You can re-buy rare stickers and items too, and coins are in quite a steady supply.

Stickers = MP, in a way. If you don't get obsessed with MP, you won't get obsessed with the stickers :) They're certainly not like one-use items in other RPGs that you tend to hoard forever!

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hub2

hub2

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I went into GameStop yesterday to buy a Nunchuk, and came out with Paper Mario.

Great decision! Loving it so far. I kind of like the lack of experience so far, means no grinding and you're free to just skip as many battles as you want.

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Paulando

Paulando

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The more I play it the more I realise that XP and levelling is there, in a sense.

Stickers are basically MP points, and as you get further into the game the attacks get more powerful and the cost of those stickers go up (so, just like more powerful attacks using more MP), and getting extra sticker book pages is your MP limit going up. So levelling up is kind of there, it's just been hidden behind a simpler and more inviting system. Pretty well thought out.

The opportunity to 'grind' is still there, as you can visit areas again for coins. Whether or not you'd need to I couldn't say!

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Yiggy

Yiggy

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Well I just noticed the offer of a free download game for my already registered 3DS XL. I can't believe I missed it. The annoying thing is that I had downloaded Layton about an hour before (Yes I paid £40 for it for my shame but I wanted it to be always on the console) so the only one left I needed was Art Academy so I got that.

I have heard good things about it so will see what all the fuss is about.

Quite a good offer that.

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Paulando

Paulando

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Yep, I haven't skipped any. I just love the battle system, and taking a bunch of goombas out with some well thought out and well timed attacks to win coins never gets old.

The majority of RPGs have enemies that become pointless/tedious to fight after a while (i.e. you get 1 XP for the privilege), so XP/levelling wouldn't really solve that at all.

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joffocakes

joffocakes

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Glad to see so much love for Sticker Star - it really is a special little game isn't it?

Spainkiller in answer to your question:

Do you mean World 1-6 Goomba Fortress boss? In which case either Scissors or the Giant Fan would take him down.

Yeah, I think it's a combination of

scissors when the shiny goomba flips to reveal the individual tiles, then the fan when they're lying in a heap

The bosses do seem to be about figuring out the right 'thing' sticker to use, which can be annoying if you've already used it, since you can only have one of each at a time. I tend to take every new sticker to the museum as well, so I have to go fetch the thing again, then convert it to a sticker. That's probably the only aspect of the game that's felt like a chore, but it's not a huge deal. You can buy those stickers back again if you can't be bothered finding them in the world, but it's usually a few hundred coins.

I'm about seven and a half hours in now, and just at nearing the end of world 3. I've not been bothered at all about the loss of experience points and I'm sure without the stickers I'd have been using two basic attacks the entire time. It's a brilliant wee system. Also, I've not avoided much battles either, but I went on a return run of a level to collect a 'thing' dashed through it and got the star thing at the end, and the coin drops were significantly less; is it tied in some way to the battles you have on the way?

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Aphex Tim

Aphex Tim

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Yeah, I think it's a combination of

scissors when the shiny goomba flips to reveal the individual tiles, then the fan when they're lying in a heap

The bosses do seem to be about figuring out the right 'thing' sticker to use, which can be annoying if you've already used it, since you can only have one of each at a time. I tend to take every new sticker to the museum as well, so I have to go fetch the thing again, then convert it to a sticker.

Wait - there's a museum? That's totally passed me by somehow. Is it in the main hub?

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