All you need is Nichiest

Can you believe that shidoshi, Anne and I have gotten together and recorded two episodes of The Nichiest Podcast Ever in the last month? I sure can't.

The latest one is our 10th, by the way--which is pretty impressive ... until you're made aware of the fact that the first Nichiest Podcast Ever was published 24 months ago.

Anyway, we're doing our best to get things back on track. Just don't go expecting to hear our 11th one in the next three or four weeks, as Anne's traveling to Japan shortly (jealous!) and I believe she won't be back until mid-August.



In the meantime, I hope those of you who enjoy listening to gaming podcasts get a kick out of this one. We certainly had a blast recording it.

As for what's covered in this "take": we chatted about the many niche games that were announced at or around E3 2014, we talked about Tomodachi Life and the likelihood of its sequels allowing (or not) same-sex relationships, we discussed Anne's JRPG Community Game-Along (aka #JRPGJuly) and a whole lot more.

Should the above have piqued your interest, you can download or listen to the latest Nichiest Podcast Ever at radio.morningproject.com.

See also: previous posts about The Nichiest Podcast Ever

The reports of The Nichiest Podcast Ever's death have been greatly exaggerated, take two

The last time I published a post about The Nichiest Podcast Ever, it was late January. So, if you thought I might never write about it again, I can't really blame you.

Anyway, what do shidoshi, Anne and I cover in this particular episode of the podcast, our ninth? Well, we chat about what we’ve been doing in the months since we last recorded, we reminisce about tennis RPGs (yes, you read that correctly), we look into the big Harvest Moon shake-up, we discuss some of the niche games that were on tap for E3, we talk about the titles we’d most like to see announced at the show (one of which came true!), we go rogue in our re-titled segment "Harassment Squad & The Lone Cheerleader" (Hyperdimension Neptunia Producing Perfection, Tomodachi Life and Yoshi’s New Island) and we square off once again in "The Nichiest of Them All." Oh, and we read a letter sent in by a listener!

Should you want to check it out, you can do so by directing your favorite Internet browser to radio.morningproject.com.

And if you'd like to check out previous posts I've published about The Nichiest Podcast Ever, click here.

A few quick thoughts on Nintendo's presence at E3 2014 thus far

Yesterday at E3 2014 was quite a day if you're any kind of fan of Nintendo's systems or games. After all, not only did they offer up a 45-minute "Digital Event" (their pre-recorded take of the traditional press conference) that quite literally was crammed full of content, but they followed that up with a number of hours of "Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3" coverage that shined even more light onto the titles that had been all-too-briefly discussed during the "Digital Event."

Here are a few quick thoughts on all of the above and more (as Nintendo announced a couple of 3DS games during one of the aforementioned "Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3" broadcasts--which are the hit of this event, in my opinion):

Amiibo, eh?--To be completely honest, I'm not yet sure what I think of Nintendo's NFC-enabled "toys to life" figurines that will be put to use in upcoming games like Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (and possibly already released ones like Mario Kart 8, too). Still, I'm pretty sure I'll pick up at least a couple of them just so I can display them on my desk or something--especially if they release Birdo, Tingle, Pikmin or Ness ones.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker--I love it when Nintendo announces a game I didn't even know I wanted until I see it in action. Of course, it helps when the game in question looks as cute and charming (there's that word again) as this one does. Anyway, I'll definitely pick up Treasure Tracker after I finally acquire a Wii U, whenever that may be.



Fantasy Life--No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. This enchanting-looking 3DS title, made by Level-5 (of Professor Layton fame), will finally see the light of day in North America this October. Even better: it looks as though this is a localization of Japan's Fantasy Life Link, which added in an online multiplayer option. Now if Nintendo of America would just announce a North American release for Dragon Quest VII so I could die happy.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse--Who could've predicted that Nintendo would ever make a sequel to one of the best (as well as one of the most over-looked, at least commercially) DS games around, Kirby's Canvas Curse? Honestly, this will be the first game I buy for my Wii U--assuming I wait until 2015 to buy one, I mean--thanks in large part to its drop-dead-gorgeous claymation art style (which can be seen it in all its glory in the trailer below).



Mario Maker--If you've ever wanted to make your own Super Mario Bros. levels, this 2015 Wii U title is for you. I'm not entirely sure it's for me, though. I mean, I like Mario platformers as much as the next guy or girl, but I can't say I've been chomping at the bit to make my own. As such, whether or not I buy this 2015 release likely will depend on its price. ($9.99? Sure. $39.99? Probably not.)

Xenoblade Chronicles X--This is the final name for the Wii U title previously known as X. And, truthfully, the teaser trailer shown during Nintendo's "Digital Event" was ... dreadful. Thankfully, the actual gameplay footage shown during its "Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3" session looked worlds better. Definitely another title on my Wii U "wish list"--despite the fact that I've yet to finish its Wii-based predecessor.



Yoshi's Woolly World--First, I was glad to find out this Wii U game hadn't been cancelled (as had widely been feared). Then, I was sad to hear its release had been pushed into 2015. And after seeing some actual gameplay footage of it? I'm feeling both glad and sad, to be honest. I mean, I absolutely love the look of it, and I'm sure it's going to control like a dream, but it also looks a bit too derivative of Kirby's Epic Yarn. Hopefully this game's devs will be able to differentiate this one from that adorable Wii effort enough to make it a worthwhile purchase.

A handful of other 3DS and Wii U titles (mostly the latter) also were highlighted during yesterday's festivities, but I don't have much to say about them--well, other than to say that I like the looks of the Wii U Zelda title, but that in no way assures I'll buy it once it's available. I most likely will be buying Bayonetta 2, though, especially as retail copies (which will hit store shelves in October) will include the first game, too.

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think about Nintendo's E3 2014 output so far--assuming you have any thoughts on the matter at all?

Three trailers for PS4 indie titles that caught my attention yesterday

So, yesterday afternoon I published a post about a trio of trailers for Xbox One indie titles that caught my attention at E3 2014.

Not wanting to play favorites, I thought I should publish a similar post about a few of the awesome-looking PS4 indie titles that were shown during Sony's early-evening press conference at the same event.

Here they are:



The trailer above is for ABZU, a captivating title that's being made by Giant Squid, the development studio opened by former Journey art director, Matt Nava.

I do wish this trailer gave viewers a better idea of how the final product will play. Even in its current state, though, I'm curious about it and will keep an eye on it (despite the fact that I don't own, and may never own, a PS4).



This second trailer, above, is for a game called Entwined. Sadly, it offers up even less gameplay than ABZU's trailer.

PS4 owners won't have to wait months or years to discover how this Pixelopus-made title plays, though, as it's already available for purchase on the PlayStation Store for $9.99. (Apparently it'll be made available to PS3 and Vita owners down the line, too.)



Finally, there's the trailer for No Man's Sky, above. This one's all about "exploration and survival in an infinite procedurally generated universe," according to developer Hello Games.

The question is: will the gameplay be able to live up to the hype created by this trailer? I certainly hope it will, although I've got to admit I'm a bit skeptical.

How about all of you? Did any of these PS4 indie titles trip your trigger yesterday? If so, which ones--and why?

Three trailers for Xbox One indie titles that caught my attention earlier today

I know Nintendo has gotten a lot of play on this blog over the last few weeks and months--mostly due to my obsession with the company's first handheld, the GameBoy--but I'm no Nintendo fanboy.

Or, at least I'm not such a Nintendo fanboy that I can't find games made and released for the systems of other companies (like Microsoft and Sony) appealing, too.

Cases in point: the following trio of Xbox One indie titles that were showcased during Microsoft's E3 2014 press conference earlier today.



This first one (above) is for Cuphead, a uniquely styled platformer that's being crafted by Studio MDHR, a game developer I'd never heard of before this morning.

Anyway, the main point of interest for me when it comes to this title--which isn't expected to see the light of day until sometime next year--is its Steamboat Willie-esque art style.



Android Base's neon-tinged Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, above, is quite a looker, too, if you ask me.

Like Cuphead, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime also will be released for PC (and Mac, via Steam), although when those releases will occur is still up in the air.



Last, but not least, there's Ori and the Blind Forest, by Moon Studios. Actually, I'm a bit less enamored with this one than I am with the others, but that's not saying much as I'm still pretty keen on it.

Were any of you similarly blown away by any of these digital Xbox One titles? If so, which ones--and why?