When recently visiting a Gamestop in Manhattan I noticed this display image for the new Kid Icarus: Uprising 3DS title. It’s been getting some great exposure recently, especially with a newly released featurette as presented by the game’s director Masahiro Sakurai himself. If you’re not aware of Sakurai’s previous work, just know that he has been behind all three Smash Bros. games. I have a feeling his new title for the 3DS may have the ability to create a new multiplayer atmosphere that will survive for years.
Kid Icarus: Uprising will be released on the Nintendo 3DS on March 23rd, 2012 at $39.99.
So I haven’t posted a Weekly Review write up in a bit over a month, and for this I must apologize. When new episodes in Japan decided to take a break around Christmas time I decided to take one too. Only thing is I forgot to come back! I have also been caught up in a number of life-changing events that take precedent over writing for the blog, mainly including my move to New York and an internship with MTV Networks.
But don’t fear! I intend to still write for Symposium For Geek, but content may become scarce at times. I have some stuff in the works though, so there will be content coming. This includes my impressions, or rather reviews, of Super Mario 3D Land, Skyward Sword, and Dragon Quest IX. I also intend to keep up in some shape or form with the Weekly Review writing for Chihayafuru, Guilty Crown, and Last Exile Fam. To be honest, I was thinking of dropping Guilty Crown and Last Exile Fam from the lineup but we shall see.
Expect to see more articles related to anime, video game, and geek culture in New York City. I have already written articles for Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos and The Secret World of Arrietty as they were both screened in NYC. Just today I purchased tickets to see Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below and A Letter to Momo in March as a part of the New York International Children’s Film Festival. I have visited some excellent stores that cater to anime, manga, and video games and I plan on traveling back to take some photos and share them with you. These locations include the Nintendo World Store, Video Games New York, and Book Off.
Please bear with me as I partake in my internship in New York City and spend the majority of my days between work at the internship and travelling to and from. At least I get to play the 3DS on the train and subway each day! I will certainly continue to write for Symposium For Geek, and I apologize about the sporadic posting! See you soon!
Yesterday I made a trip to the Nintendo World Store in New York City. I expected to get some street passes, see merchandise that’s available nowhere else, and see children running around having fun. Or rather adults who are children at heart. I did not expect to have a Circle Pad Pro put in my hands from behind the counter and then check it out with a Nintendo World employee’s 3DS. The best part? They just got the device in that morning and even they weren’t used to it yet. Cool!
As you can see, the Circle Pad Pro is just a bit larger than my hand and it’s not as ugly as originally predicted. It’s actually fairly light and only adds a bit of weight to the overall handling of the system. Although I will admit that it will make fitting the 3DS into your jean’s pocket more of a chore than before.
The design isn’t entirely sleek, but what Nintendo does go for is the theme of being comfortable. When holding the system with both hands, it really does fit well. It’s much better than just the 3DS alone, and it will make playing Mario Kart 7 a more enjoyful experience for your hands.
The Circle Pad Pro will be adding an additional circle pad that is identical in function to the one that is already in place on the left side of the system. For those of you who have used the 3DS’ existing circle pad, you will know that an additional analog stick on the right will be very beneficial. The add-on will also extend the left and right shoulder buttons, adding R1 and R2-like triggers to the right side and an R2-like trigger to the right. I tried seeing how reaching for the shoulder buttons would work, and it sort of doesn’t. This actually makes me question the device’s compatibility with Mario Kart 7, as the game was released before the Circle Pad Pro. It sure would be nice to have these new left and right triggers to drift with.
The Circle Pad Pro will be a GameStop exclusive which is interesting in its own right. The add-on is certainly more than just a piece of plastic, as it will enhance the experience with future games. But what if you decide not to purchase the Circle Pad Pro? Will future games give the option to use just one thumb stick? If a game is designed to use the two thumb sticks it would be beneficial with the add-on, so why not get it? I personally believe it will take some sort of a bundle with a great game that makes excellent use of the Circle Pad Pro to get me to invest in the attachment. Bundle the game with the add-on and Nintendo will sell a lot of Circle Pad Pro’s. Just a theory!
Oh wait, Resident Evil: Revelations is being bundled with the Circle Pad Pro and is releasing February 7th. My bad! Although the bundle price is $70 when the game and attachment bought separately total $60. Hmm...
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is regarded as one of the best games of all time, or simply the best game ever made. It is now 13 years old and although it may sometimes look dated, the mechanics presented first in this game have carried on as landmarks in most action/adventure games since. Its simple story, lovable characters, fun gameplay, sense of courage and heroism all add up to one of the largest adventures presented in the land of Hyrule. It is with my utmost confidence that I can say that Ocarina of Time 3D only improves on these facets of excellence.
It is easy to sit back and push this one to the side because Nintendo has re-released Ocarina of Time a couple times before, right? I can certainly see where you are coming from. People played it, a lot, on the Nintendo 64. People played it and the Master Quest on the Gamecube. More people played it on the buggy Collector's Edition, or on the Wii's Virtual Console. So really, why play it again on the 3DS?
The first thing that must be pointed out is the entire game has had a graphical overhaul. Every tree, every stone wall, every enemy, NPC, skulltulla... everything you can imagine. It all looks better. The framerate's been improved to 30 frames a second. It all just feels good.
Here are two images that compare the original Ocarina of Time to the 3DS version:
Ocarina of Time 3D is just that, a title for the Nintendo 3DS. The depth is simply incredible. It really allows you to feel like you are in Hyrule, as if you are the hero traversing across time to save a land corrupted by evil. If you run down a hallway you can see the end of it and truly sense that you are approaching it. I could sit here for hours trying to explain what the 3D looks and feels like, but it's something that must be experienced individually. It brings the world to life.
One of the coolest new features is how the game makes use of the 3DS' gyroscopic abilities. This means that the 3DS senses when you move the handheld which allows you in turn to look around in the game world. You simply L-target and move the 3DS in any direction you like. You move the system left and Link looks left. The same goes for using your bow, hookshot, boomerang, and slingshot. In the first-person perspective you no longer use a joystick to aim, but rather move the 3DS to target your enemy. It all feels natural.
This leads to my only problem with this release on the 3DS. The 3D can become bothersome if you are either lazy or you are in an area where the 3D simply does not help. If you go into a first-person perspective and try to aim with your hookshot, you need to move the handheld to find your target. But with such a limited window for viewing the 3D effect, moving the 3DS too much can cause the image to split or have a flickered-like reaction. This isn't an end of the world issue, but rather an annoyance. The reason I bring up being lazy is because all you have to do is either shift your eyes or move your head a certain way to see the 3D clearly. But after repeating this process many, many times it can be a bother. Honestly the easiest way to deal with this is to just turn the 3D off when you don't want it on. That's all I had to do to get through certain areas or fight certain enemies. At the same time the 3D effect heightened the visual experience altogether. If you were to ask me how much I had the 3D on or off during my experience with Ocarina of Time 3D, I would have to say 70% on and 30% off.
I must admit that the 3D did glitch on me once, and I was even able to record it:
When I was doing my duty to shake my booty and save Hyrule, I noticed a new feature that definitely was not in the original game. This feature is a seeing-eye stone that Link can use to access special hint videos. This feature was added for those who are new to Ocarina of Time, or for those who need help every now and again. I did check out some of the videos, but preferred the good ole' Prima's strategy guide for the original game whenever I got stuck.
Other new features include a boss challenge mode that allows you to visit the bosses you've defeated in the game and an updated Master Quest experience. Not only are the dungeons more difficult than before, but the game is also mirrored. Master Quest is unlocked only once you beat the original game. It's a solid way to guarantee replayability. And I have to mention the new menu system. It's completely awesome and allows you to access your gear on the fly. Items are conveniently located for your fingers to tap what you want. It is especially helpful for locations like the Water Temple. Remember putting on those boots only to take them off a second later, over and over again? Well now it's just the tap of a button. It's simple and cleverly designed.
Ocarina of Time 3D is scored with blissful amounts of nostalgia that we all remember when we were kids. We remember those great moments in gaining Epona, dealing with Princess Ruto, learning Sheik's true identity, and ultimately becoming the hero of time. We remember those catchy tunes and hum along with them, and we're proud to own our real ocarinas. Bolero of Fire is my personal favorite.
The magic poured into this game is incredible. If I had to define it, I would say this is one of NIntendo's finest masterpieces. Their games already have the ability to feel magical, but this one is at the top. As this title in the Legend of Zelda series allows you to become the hero of time, it has certainly aged well over time. Will another video game ever achieve what The Ocarina of Time has presented to us as one of the best video games ever made? Hey! Look! Listen! It could be around the corner.
Title: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Developer: Nintendo, Grezzo
Genre: Action/Adventure
Year: 2011
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Completion: According to the 3DS's stats application, I beat Ocarina of Time 3D in 24:50. I did skip out on a number of sidequests such as the Biggoron sword, two of the bottles, a number of heart pieces, and more. I played through the boss challenge mode, unlocking the additional gauntlet mode.
