I wasn't sure what to think when Dragon Quest Builders was first unveiled last summer. I love the whole Dragon Quest aesthetic, but I haven't exactly been bowled over by Minecraft or its many pretenders, so it took me a good long while to realize I could have a blast with Builders.
If I hadn't come around yet, I'm pretty sure the game's latest trailer (below) would've done the trick.
I'm especially enamored with Dragon Quest Builders' character and creature models. The town-building and resource-collecting aspects look interesting, too, although I'm still not entirely sold on them. (I liked, but didn't love, that component of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, and I'm somewhat worried I'll be similarly underwhelmed by it here.)
How about all of you? Are any of you planning to buy either the PS4 or Vita version of Dragon Quest Builders upon its North American release on Oct. 11? If so, which version will you get?
Showing posts with label Harvest Moon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harvest Moon. Show all posts
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Tuesday, July 07, 2015
FYI: two awesome Internet pals recently sent me free copies of three Japanese DS games
Especially astute folks who read the entirety of my most recent #ADecadeofDS write-up likely noticed that in the "next up" portion of it I revealed that I'd play two (rather than just one) games before I publish the series' next entry.
The reason for that change in routine: as mentioned in this post's headline, two rather awesome people (who I've gotten to know via Twitter and elsewhere) recently sent me a trio of Japanese DS games that I'd previously never experienced.
One of those awesome folks (the lovely MintyPocky), sent me a complete-in-box copy of Bokujou Monogatari: Youkoso! Kaze no Bazaar e, which most people in the Western world know as Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar. Here is the Japanese version's vibrant box art:
Meanwhile, another person entirely--Brian, proprietor of the Japanese 3DS tumblog--sent me cartridges for two Japan-only DS games, one of which is Konami's Shounen Sunday x Shounen Magazine: Nettou! Dream Nine.
To be completely honest, I initially turned up my nose at this offering, as I assumed it was "just another boring baseball game." A quick Google search of its title, though, has me believing Nettou! Dream Nine's actually some sort of interactive comic, which sounds far more appealing (if possibly less accessible).
The other "loose" DS cart that was sent my way is Penguin no Mondai: Saikyou Penguin Densetsu! (The first part of the title apparently translates to A Penguin's Troubles.)
Apparently it's based on a rather famous Japanese manga series about a penguin named Beckham Kinoshita, who attends Kirikabu Elementary School and likes to eat hamburgers and "hot chips."
You may be wondering why I'm sharing pieces of cover art that were grabbed from GameFAQs rather than photos of the cases and carts in question. That would be because Blogger is being a dick (yes, that's the technical term) and screwing them up whenever I attempt to upload them.
So, I decided to cut my losses and use the images seen above instead. If you'd like to see the few snapshots I've collected of Bokujou Monogatari's case and manual, as well as Penguin no Mondai's and Nettou! Dream Nine's cartridges, check out my Flickr photostream.
As for what I think of the actual content of this these Japanese DS games, well, I've only played two of them so far--with the pair in question being Bokujou Monogatari and Penguin no Mondai--and even then I've only spent about an hour with the latter and a half-hour with the former.
Still, that's been enough for me to think I'll like both of them in the end--although I've got to admit that attempting to work your way through a Bokujou Monogatari title with only a minimal understanding of the Japanese language is a bit ... trying. It could do wonders for my vocabulary, though, so I'll stick with it for a while for that reason alone.
Penguin no Mondai also features a bunch of mostly unintelligible text to wade through, too, but that's far less of an issue for me because, at its heart, this game is a pretty basic--but still fun--platform. (The aforementioned text tends to be limited to between-stage cutscenes.)
I'll share more impressions about both of these games in my next "Shall We Do It?" post, which will be published shortly. In the meantime, if any of you have played one or more of the games mentioned here, let me know what you think of them in the comments section below.
The reason for that change in routine: as mentioned in this post's headline, two rather awesome people (who I've gotten to know via Twitter and elsewhere) recently sent me a trio of Japanese DS games that I'd previously never experienced.
One of those awesome folks (the lovely MintyPocky), sent me a complete-in-box copy of Bokujou Monogatari: Youkoso! Kaze no Bazaar e, which most people in the Western world know as Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar. Here is the Japanese version's vibrant box art:
Meanwhile, another person entirely--Brian, proprietor of the Japanese 3DS tumblog--sent me cartridges for two Japan-only DS games, one of which is Konami's Shounen Sunday x Shounen Magazine: Nettou! Dream Nine.
To be completely honest, I initially turned up my nose at this offering, as I assumed it was "just another boring baseball game." A quick Google search of its title, though, has me believing Nettou! Dream Nine's actually some sort of interactive comic, which sounds far more appealing (if possibly less accessible).
The other "loose" DS cart that was sent my way is Penguin no Mondai: Saikyou Penguin Densetsu! (The first part of the title apparently translates to A Penguin's Troubles.)
Apparently it's based on a rather famous Japanese manga series about a penguin named Beckham Kinoshita, who attends Kirikabu Elementary School and likes to eat hamburgers and "hot chips."
You may be wondering why I'm sharing pieces of cover art that were grabbed from GameFAQs rather than photos of the cases and carts in question. That would be because Blogger is being a dick (yes, that's the technical term) and screwing them up whenever I attempt to upload them.
So, I decided to cut my losses and use the images seen above instead. If you'd like to see the few snapshots I've collected of Bokujou Monogatari's case and manual, as well as Penguin no Mondai's and Nettou! Dream Nine's cartridges, check out my Flickr photostream.
As for what I think of the actual content of this these Japanese DS games, well, I've only played two of them so far--with the pair in question being Bokujou Monogatari and Penguin no Mondai--and even then I've only spent about an hour with the latter and a half-hour with the former.
Still, that's been enough for me to think I'll like both of them in the end--although I've got to admit that attempting to work your way through a Bokujou Monogatari title with only a minimal understanding of the Japanese language is a bit ... trying. It could do wonders for my vocabulary, though, so I'll stick with it for a while for that reason alone.
Penguin no Mondai also features a bunch of mostly unintelligible text to wade through, too, but that's far less of an issue for me because, at its heart, this game is a pretty basic--but still fun--platform. (The aforementioned text tends to be limited to between-stage cutscenes.)
I'll share more impressions about both of these games in my next "Shall We Do It?" post, which will be published shortly. In the meantime, if any of you have played one or more of the games mentioned here, let me know what you think of them in the comments section below.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Five things I actually like about Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley
Despite what I wrote in this post earlier in the week (and on Twitter over the last number of weeks), I don't hate Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley.
In fact, there are quite a few things I like about this decidedly and unfortunately controversial 3DS title. Among them are its:
* art style--I'm sure a lot of people absolutely loathe how this game looks, but I'm not one of them. In fact, I'm quite fond of its low-poly aesthetics, which harken back to the days of the original PlayStation and the Nintendo 64. I especially like the bobblehead-esque human characters, and the animals are pretty darn cute, too.
* soundtrack--The Lost Valley's soundtrack isn't going to outright wow anyone or make them think it was produced by Nobuo Uematsu or someone like that. (Instead, it was composed by Tsukasa Tawada, who previously worked on the Keio Flying Squadron title and a bunch of Pokémon spinoffs.) Still, it's enjoyably subtle, if a bit repetitive. I haven't yet gotten sick of any of its tunes, though, which I'd say is a pretty good sign, all things considered.
* characters--By this, I don't mean character designs, especially as I mentioned them earlier. No, I'm talking about the characterizations featured in The Lost Valley. Each of the non-player characters you encounter in this game have unique and appealing (for the most part, at least) personalities. I wouldn't call them amazing, mind you, but I'd definitely say they're more pleasant than they have any right to be.
* story--In a way, at least. I mean, in a way, I hate this game's story with the heat of a thousand suns--mainly because it's responsible for the first, in-game year taking place in a nearly constant winter--but aside from that, I like its overall arc about returning the seasons to this desolate land by enlisting the aid of its handful of denizens.
* developer's daring (some may call it bat-shit crazy) decision to put and leave players in a completely uncomfortable situation for long periods of time--This one's another odd choice (just like the last bullet point), I have to admit, as it's the aspect of this game that is sure to piss off nearly everyone who plays it. Still, you've got to give it to the folks at Natsume (and Tabot, Inc.) for having the balls to take such a route. If only it had resulted in something that were more artistic and less ... annoying.
See also: previous posts about Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley
In fact, there are quite a few things I like about this decidedly and unfortunately controversial 3DS title. Among them are its:
* art style--I'm sure a lot of people absolutely loathe how this game looks, but I'm not one of them. In fact, I'm quite fond of its low-poly aesthetics, which harken back to the days of the original PlayStation and the Nintendo 64. I especially like the bobblehead-esque human characters, and the animals are pretty darn cute, too.
* soundtrack--The Lost Valley's soundtrack isn't going to outright wow anyone or make them think it was produced by Nobuo Uematsu or someone like that. (Instead, it was composed by Tsukasa Tawada, who previously worked on the Keio Flying Squadron title and a bunch of Pokémon spinoffs.) Still, it's enjoyably subtle, if a bit repetitive. I haven't yet gotten sick of any of its tunes, though, which I'd say is a pretty good sign, all things considered.
* characters--By this, I don't mean character designs, especially as I mentioned them earlier. No, I'm talking about the characterizations featured in The Lost Valley. Each of the non-player characters you encounter in this game have unique and appealing (for the most part, at least) personalities. I wouldn't call them amazing, mind you, but I'd definitely say they're more pleasant than they have any right to be.
* story--In a way, at least. I mean, in a way, I hate this game's story with the heat of a thousand suns--mainly because it's responsible for the first, in-game year taking place in a nearly constant winter--but aside from that, I like its overall arc about returning the seasons to this desolate land by enlisting the aid of its handful of denizens.
* developer's daring (some may call it bat-shit crazy) decision to put and leave players in a completely uncomfortable situation for long periods of time--This one's another odd choice (just like the last bullet point), I have to admit, as it's the aspect of this game that is sure to piss off nearly everyone who plays it. Still, you've got to give it to the folks at Natsume (and Tabot, Inc.) for having the balls to take such a route. If only it had resulted in something that were more artistic and less ... annoying.
See also: previous posts about Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley
Monday, January 26, 2015
Shall We Do It? (Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley)
If you follow me on Twitter, you've likely seen me comment on my Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley playthrough quite a bit over the last couple of weeks.
A lot of those tweets have been pretty negative, and for good reason. This 3DS game--which was made internally at Natsume rather than by the folks at Marvelous Entertainment--does nearly everything it can to break the heart and soul of the person playing it.
First, there's the blink-and-you'll-miss-it passage of time. As in, each in-game day lasts about five minutes in the real world--which may not sound all that bad, but it surely is when you have to try to fit tending to your crops, milking and feeding your cow, chatting with semi-random visitors and many other, similar sorts of tasks into such a severely compressed period of time.
A lot of those tweets have been pretty negative, and for good reason. This 3DS game--which was made internally at Natsume rather than by the folks at Marvelous Entertainment--does nearly everything it can to break the heart and soul of the person playing it.
First, there's the blink-and-you'll-miss-it passage of time. As in, each in-game day lasts about five minutes in the real world--which may not sound all that bad, but it surely is when you have to try to fit tending to your crops, milking and feeding your cow, chatting with semi-random visitors and many other, similar sorts of tasks into such a severely compressed period of time.
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| This is what summer looked like in my version of The Lost Valley--for two whole days. |
That's especially true when it comes to the portions of the game that revolve around watering flowers and other plants as well as the Minecraft-y ones that involve re-sculpting the landscape (by digging into the earth or excavating stone) in various ways. Crops are fertilized, watered and harvested one plant at a time, for instance, and digging and excavating stick to a similar formula.
Another way in which The Lost Valley attempts to deter even the most Pollyanna-ish players is tied to all of the annoying "fetch quests" that are forced on those who would like to push along the story that sits at the center of the experience.
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| Here's a much more typical view of my particular portion of this 3DS game's world. |
And believe me, you'll want to push along the story as quickly as you're able, as doing so allows you to eradicate from the game one of its biggest and most obnoxious issues, which is its seemingly never-ending winter.
For those of you who've yet to read or hear much about The Lost Valley, you may be surprised to learn that it drops you (or, rather, your avatar) into a desolate, snow-covered landscape. Unbelievably, that's about all you'll see for the first 20 hours or so, assuming your playthrough is anything like mine has been so far. That's because, as per the game's story, your main task during your first year in The Lost Valley is to help bring the seasons back to this harsh and deserted environment. Although it's possible you'll be able to do what it takes to see a couple days of spring, summer or fall before they cruelly snap back to winter, the most likely scenario is that your initial 120 days with this title (each season lasts 30 in-game days) will be spent staring at a blanket of white.
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| Presented without comment. |
As I said while recording the latest episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever, a part of me actually respects and even appreciates that The Lost Valley's developers were so brazen as to plop players into such an uninviting world. Another part, though, absolutely hates them for it, as what seemed like an acceptable-enough situation for my first few hours with the game has since become almost unbearable.
Note I just said "almost" unbearable rather than, say, completely unbearable. That's because despite all of my complaints so far, I've still devoted more than 20 hours to The Lost Valley since I first crammed its cart into my 3DS a couple of weeks ago. Clearly, something keeps drawing me back, even if that "thing" is nothing more than a stubborn desire to prove--to myself, to shidoshi, to designers who surely snickered as they pieced together this masochistic experience--I can make it through the game's abominable opening salvo.
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| Believe me, I enjoyed summer as much as I could while it lasted. |
I'm nearly through my first year in The Lost Valley, by the way, so it's possible the game will take a turn for the better shortly. Being an avowed cynic, I'm not going to place any money on that coming to fruition, but who knows? Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised for once.
Even if I'm not, I'm planning to plow ahead (pun intended), at least for the time being. I won't be shocked if my interest in the game wanes sometime the next week or two, though, as I just can't imagine it's going to change enough once I rid the world of its oppressive frigidity to the bowels of hell--or somewhere similarly suitable--to keep my attention.
I'll let you know one way or the other in my next "Shall We Do It?" post, of course. In the meantime, have any of you played Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley? If so, what are your thoughts on its particular pros and cons?
Friday, January 23, 2015
I told you I've got Harvest Moon on the brain (plus a Binary Land surprise)
A couple of weeks ago, I admitted to buying the original, SNES version of Harvest Moon from the clunky old Wii eShop.
In that same post, I also admitted to having the Harvest Moon series "on the brain" at the moment. Which makes sense when you consider I got the latest 3DS-based Harvest Moon title, The Lost Valley, for Christmas, then I picked up the SNES iteration and then, about a week ago, I bought a loose copy of Harvest Moon 64 from my Internet pal, Jeremy--who also goes by "Nightmare Bruce" and "the guy who runs the Ribbon Black blog."
Inside that sparkly paper was the copy of Binary Land shown in the snapshot that sits just north of this block of text. How cool is that? It's a fully working cartridge, by the way, and the label was designed by Jeremy himself.
Now I just need to find the time to play both of these beautiful-looking carts.
In that same post, I also admitted to having the Harvest Moon series "on the brain" at the moment. Which makes sense when you consider I got the latest 3DS-based Harvest Moon title, The Lost Valley, for Christmas, then I picked up the SNES iteration and then, about a week ago, I bought a loose copy of Harvest Moon 64 from my Internet pal, Jeremy--who also goes by "Nightmare Bruce" and "the guy who runs the Ribbon Black blog."
Although I've had my copy of Harvest Moon 64 in hand for about a week now, it hasn't even sniffed the inside of my dusty Nintendo 64, as I've been too busy playing--wait for it--Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley.
In fact, I've put nearly 20 hours into The Lost Valley over the last couple of weeks, which has left me nearly no time for other games (aside from my #ADecadeofDS titles, of course).
Anyway, the photo at the top of this post showcases how fabulously Jeremy packaged the copy of Harvest Moon 64 he sold and sent me. He included a fun postcard, a strip of adorable Mario stickers and ... some sort of "bonus gift" wrapped in sparkly paper?
Inside that sparkly paper was the copy of Binary Land shown in the snapshot that sits just north of this block of text. How cool is that? It's a fully working cartridge, by the way, and the label was designed by Jeremy himself.
Now I just need to find the time to play both of these beautiful-looking carts.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
The Nichiest Podcast Ever turns 13
Not 13 years old, mind you. Thirteen episodes--or "takes," in shidoshi speak--old.
Anyway, another iteration of The Nichiest Podcast Ever is available for your listening pleasure, should you be a person who enjoys hearing a trio of fellow humans blather on about niche video games and systems.
As always, we cram a lot of niche-y game-y chatter into the latest episode, take, whatever you want to call it of the podcast. Among the topics covered this time around:
Speaking of which, look for me to expound on my feelings--both positive and negative--regarding The Lost Valley in a post that will be published tomorrow.
In the meantime, check out The Nichiest Podcast Ever 13 at radio.morningproject.com, if you dare.
Anyway, another iteration of The Nichiest Podcast Ever is available for your listening pleasure, should you be a person who enjoys hearing a trio of fellow humans blather on about niche video games and systems.
As always, we cram a lot of niche-y game-y chatter into the latest episode, take, whatever you want to call it of the podcast. Among the topics covered this time around:
- the impending release of the New 3DS in North America
- the episodic visual novel, Harvest December, that's being localized by the folks at Circle Entertainment
- the many Japanese 3DS, Vita and even PC titles that supposedly are being worked on (for Western audiences) by the folks at Xseed
- the plethora of Vita game announcements that followed the holidays (one of which was tied to an English release of Steins;Gate)
Speaking of which, look for me to expound on my feelings--both positive and negative--regarding The Lost Valley in a post that will be published tomorrow.
In the meantime, check out The Nichiest Podcast Ever 13 at radio.morningproject.com, if you dare.
Friday, January 09, 2015
Shall We Do It? (Coming Out on Top, Fantasy Life, Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley and Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3)
The first eight days of 2015 have been a bit tumultuous for me, I've got to say, but thankfully that hasn't kept me from putting a good amount of time into the handful of games that are named in the header above.
(I've also been working on my weeklong not-quite-playthrough of Okamiden, of course, but you'll have to wait until Monday to read my thoughts on it.)
Anyway, as is par for the course for these "Shall We Do It?" posts, here are a few impressions of the titles that have hogged my attention since the holiday season came to an end.
Coming Out on Top (Mac)--For the longest time, this gay dating sim completely avoided pinging my radar. Eventually, though, I noticed that its official NeoGAF thread was getting a lot of action (pun intended) and so decided to see what was causing all the hubbub.
Two playthroughs later, and I can report, without hesitation, that Coming Out on Top is a blast if you're into visual novels that drop you into the trousers of a cute college boy and then let you, well, get into the trousers (eventually, at least--assuming you do and say the right things) of other cute guys.
As is typical of the genre, you're probably going to have to turn to some sort of walkthrough if you want to nab some of these studs, but if you can get over that hump you'll likely get a kick out of it.
A couple of highlights for me so far: the ability to modify, on the fly, the facial and body hair of each of your potential paramours; the amusing and clever writing; and the surprisingly effective sex scenes.
Fantasy Life (3DS)--Last time I published one of these posts, I mentioned that I'd finished this RPG's main story. In the ensuing two or so weeks, I've chiseled away at its post-game adventure, the bulk of which takes place in a unique locale called "Origin Island."
That journey got off to a rather bumpy start, I'm sad to report, thanks to the fact that Fantasy Life's overt chattiness continues well into its bonus content. Once I finished skipping through all of that blather, though, it wasn't long before I was back to giddily bashing baddies with the best greatsword I could get my hands on (or make myself, as a blacksmith).
The DLC pack adds a bunch of new areas, enemies, materials and even pets to the proceedings, by the way, so it's well worth buying if you enjoyed the main campaign.
I've now spent just over 90 hours with the game, in case you're wondering, which means I've put more than 15 hours into the add-on content alone. Not bad for $9, if you ask me.
Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley (3DS)--Although I got this controversial cart for Christmas, I failed to get past its title screen until yesterday. I've only devoted about two hours to it since then, but even that brief foray was enough to make me wonder if maybe this game isn't as bad as it's been made out to be (by my Nichiest Podcast Ever cohort, shidoshi, among many others).
The Lost Valley certainly looks better than I was expecting it to based on screenshots, though that doesn't mean I consider it to be a visual standout among 3DS titles. I'm also finding its gameplay to be acceptably entertaining this far, so it'll be interesting if that holds true after I've devoted a bit more time to it (which I'm planning to do tonight and this weekend) or if my attention and affection will deteriorate to some degree.
Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 (3DS)--Sadly, I've barely given this Rocket Slime sequel any love in the last week or so, although I made some good progress on it early on in the new year. I'm now out on the open seas, tracking down new lands to explore and taking on any and all enemy ships that attempt to trip me up along the way.
That's one of the few ways in which Slime MoriMori 3 differs from its predecessor (the game known outside of Japan as Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime), by the way; rather than offering players more of the fairly infrequent tank-on-tank battles that were present in the series' second game, this third title ups the ante and not only increases their number (and switches them from tanks to ships, obviously) but also makes them more random, which I have found to be a welcome addition to the Slime MoriMori formula.
Another nice change of pace: it's possible to alter and upgrade your ship this time around, although I've yet to acquire the materials needed to accomplish that feat (or if I have, I've failed to figure out how to make use of them).
Although I've got plenty of other games on my plate at the moment, I'm going to do what I can to make sure Slime MoriMori 3 retains a spot on it for some time to come, as it's nearly as enticing as the DS title that came before it and that ended up being one of my all-time favorite games for the system.
See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts
(I've also been working on my weeklong not-quite-playthrough of Okamiden, of course, but you'll have to wait until Monday to read my thoughts on it.)
Anyway, as is par for the course for these "Shall We Do It?" posts, here are a few impressions of the titles that have hogged my attention since the holiday season came to an end.
Coming Out on Top (Mac)--For the longest time, this gay dating sim completely avoided pinging my radar. Eventually, though, I noticed that its official NeoGAF thread was getting a lot of action (pun intended) and so decided to see what was causing all the hubbub.
Two playthroughs later, and I can report, without hesitation, that Coming Out on Top is a blast if you're into visual novels that drop you into the trousers of a cute college boy and then let you, well, get into the trousers (eventually, at least--assuming you do and say the right things) of other cute guys.
As is typical of the genre, you're probably going to have to turn to some sort of walkthrough if you want to nab some of these studs, but if you can get over that hump you'll likely get a kick out of it.
A couple of highlights for me so far: the ability to modify, on the fly, the facial and body hair of each of your potential paramours; the amusing and clever writing; and the surprisingly effective sex scenes.
Fantasy Life (3DS)--Last time I published one of these posts, I mentioned that I'd finished this RPG's main story. In the ensuing two or so weeks, I've chiseled away at its post-game adventure, the bulk of which takes place in a unique locale called "Origin Island."
That journey got off to a rather bumpy start, I'm sad to report, thanks to the fact that Fantasy Life's overt chattiness continues well into its bonus content. Once I finished skipping through all of that blather, though, it wasn't long before I was back to giddily bashing baddies with the best greatsword I could get my hands on (or make myself, as a blacksmith).
The DLC pack adds a bunch of new areas, enemies, materials and even pets to the proceedings, by the way, so it's well worth buying if you enjoyed the main campaign.
I've now spent just over 90 hours with the game, in case you're wondering, which means I've put more than 15 hours into the add-on content alone. Not bad for $9, if you ask me.
Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley (3DS)--Although I got this controversial cart for Christmas, I failed to get past its title screen until yesterday. I've only devoted about two hours to it since then, but even that brief foray was enough to make me wonder if maybe this game isn't as bad as it's been made out to be (by my Nichiest Podcast Ever cohort, shidoshi, among many others).
The Lost Valley certainly looks better than I was expecting it to based on screenshots, though that doesn't mean I consider it to be a visual standout among 3DS titles. I'm also finding its gameplay to be acceptably entertaining this far, so it'll be interesting if that holds true after I've devoted a bit more time to it (which I'm planning to do tonight and this weekend) or if my attention and affection will deteriorate to some degree.
Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 (3DS)--Sadly, I've barely given this Rocket Slime sequel any love in the last week or so, although I made some good progress on it early on in the new year. I'm now out on the open seas, tracking down new lands to explore and taking on any and all enemy ships that attempt to trip me up along the way.
That's one of the few ways in which Slime MoriMori 3 differs from its predecessor (the game known outside of Japan as Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime), by the way; rather than offering players more of the fairly infrequent tank-on-tank battles that were present in the series' second game, this third title ups the ante and not only increases their number (and switches them from tanks to ships, obviously) but also makes them more random, which I have found to be a welcome addition to the Slime MoriMori formula.
Another nice change of pace: it's possible to alter and upgrade your ship this time around, although I've yet to acquire the materials needed to accomplish that feat (or if I have, I've failed to figure out how to make use of them).
Although I've got plenty of other games on my plate at the moment, I'm going to do what I can to make sure Slime MoriMori 3 retains a spot on it for some time to come, as it's nearly as enticing as the DS title that came before it and that ended up being one of my all-time favorite games for the system.
See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
What kind of idiot buys a Wii Virtual Console title in 2015? This kind!
Which Virtual Console game did I buy via my too-long-ignored Wii, you ask? The SNES version of Harvest Moon.
I bought it because I've had the Harvest Moon series on the brain ever since I received a copy of The Lost Valley for Christmas. Specifically, I've been thinking about the trio of Harvest Moon titles I've wanted to play for some time now: the aforementioned original, Harvest Moon 64 and Harvest Moon: Magical Melody for GameCube.
I pulled the trigger on this long-running franchise's first game yesterday because, well, it was a lot easier to trade in $8 worth of "Wii Points" and then download the digital version of that title in a matter of seconds than hunt for physical copies of the Nintendo 64 or GameCube sequels on eBay and then wait a week or two for them to arrive on my doorstep.
(That's not to say I haven't also done some of the latter over the last few days, but let's save that discussion for another day.)
Sadly, but hardly shockingly, I've yet to put more than a few minutes into this delightful-looking farming sim. I'm planning to devote an adequate amount of time to it this weekend, though, so look for a few thoughts on it in the "Shall We Do It?" post that'll be published late next week.
In the meantime, do any of you have any experience with the SNES version of Harvest Moon--or Harvest Moon 64 or Magical Melody? If so, I'd love it if you'd share your opinions of them in the comments section below.
I bought it because I've had the Harvest Moon series on the brain ever since I received a copy of The Lost Valley for Christmas. Specifically, I've been thinking about the trio of Harvest Moon titles I've wanted to play for some time now: the aforementioned original, Harvest Moon 64 and Harvest Moon: Magical Melody for GameCube.
I pulled the trigger on this long-running franchise's first game yesterday because, well, it was a lot easier to trade in $8 worth of "Wii Points" and then download the digital version of that title in a matter of seconds than hunt for physical copies of the Nintendo 64 or GameCube sequels on eBay and then wait a week or two for them to arrive on my doorstep.
(That's not to say I haven't also done some of the latter over the last few days, but let's save that discussion for another day.)
Sadly, but hardly shockingly, I've yet to put more than a few minutes into this delightful-looking farming sim. I'm planning to devote an adequate amount of time to it this weekend, though, so look for a few thoughts on it in the "Shall We Do It?" post that'll be published late next week.
In the meantime, do any of you have any experience with the SNES version of Harvest Moon--or Harvest Moon 64 or Magical Melody? If so, I'd love it if you'd share your opinions of them in the comments section below.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Santa Claus brought me a copy of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, and I'm going to play it despite shidoshi's warnings against it
I've been curious about Natsume's homegrown take on the ages-old Harvest Moon series since it was announced earlier this year.
There were all sorts of reasons even then to give this recently released 3DS game a pass, with the Nintendo 64-esque visuals and the fact that it was being made internally rather than by series creator Yasuhiro Wada and the folks at Marvelous being the most noteworthy.
Still, I wanted it. So, I included it on my birthday wish list--and then, when I failed to get it for my birthday (I got Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call instead), I moved it over to my Christmas wish list.
Considering it was the only game I named on said list, I really shouldn't have been surprised to find it was among the Christmas gifts my parents sent to me, but I was.
Sadly, but not shockingly, I've yet to even start The Lost Valley. That's mainly because I'm still busying myself with three of the games mentioned in my last post (Fantasy Life, Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 and Woah Dave!), but I'm planning to dial back my playtime with those titles over the next few days so I can find for myself if Natsume's effort is as crappy as everyone--including my podcast mate, shidoshi--says it is, or if it has even a couple of redeemable qualities.
I'll let you know either way in my next installment of "Shall We Do It?" In the meantime, are any of you playing Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley? If so, what do you think about it?
There were all sorts of reasons even then to give this recently released 3DS game a pass, with the Nintendo 64-esque visuals and the fact that it was being made internally rather than by series creator Yasuhiro Wada and the folks at Marvelous being the most noteworthy.
Still, I wanted it. So, I included it on my birthday wish list--and then, when I failed to get it for my birthday (I got Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call instead), I moved it over to my Christmas wish list.
Sadly, but not shockingly, I've yet to even start The Lost Valley. That's mainly because I'm still busying myself with three of the games mentioned in my last post (Fantasy Life, Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 and Woah Dave!), but I'm planning to dial back my playtime with those titles over the next few days so I can find for myself if Natsume's effort is as crappy as everyone--including my podcast mate, shidoshi--says it is, or if it has even a couple of redeemable qualities.
I'll let you know either way in my next installment of "Shall We Do It?" In the meantime, are any of you playing Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley? If so, what do you think about it?
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
All I want for Christmas is ...
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. OK, so that isn't completely true here in Seattle, although we did get a dusting of snow over the weekend. (A rarity here, I assure you.)
Still, it certainly feels like Christmas here, or it's starting to feel like it. As such, I can't stop thinking about my holiday "wish list"--which is kind of funny, as I'm sure to get a small handful of presents from my parents this year and that's about much it. (That's not a complaint, mind you. I'm just pointing out how things work in my family circle at this point in time. And given that, producing a "wish list," as I've done here, is kind of pointless.)
You don't really need to know the details of my family's gift-giving traditions, though, do you? No, you do not. So, let's push all of that to the side and get to the contents of my kinda-sorta holiday wish list:
1. A couple of Japanese and North American DS games--Which ones? Here are a few of the DS games I'd love to add to my ever-growing collection: the first Ace Attorney title, Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Ghost Trick and Okamiden. As for Japanese releases, the ones currently topping my "obtain as soon as humanly possible" list include Dig Dug: Digging Strike, Nanashi no Game and Ni no Kuni.
2. Cyber Neko-Nyan silicon cover for 3DS LL/XL--I've wanted one of these suckers ever since the guys over at Tiny Cartridge first mentioned them in a post. Specifically, I want the pink one for my pink-and-white (North American) 3DS XL and the tortoiseshell one (above) for my black-and-gold Pokémon Center (Japanese) 3DS LL.
3. Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley--Although I love that my parents got me a copy of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call for my birthday, if I'm allowed to be completely honest, I kind of wished they'd gotten me this 3DS game instead, as I've been curious about it since the first screenshots of it popped up months ago. Oh, well, that's what wish lists like this are for, right?
4. "Kirby Taikoushin" hard cover--Yep, another 3DS LL/XL accessory. I'm kind of hesitant to ask for this one, though, as I'm worried that attaching it to, or removing it from, my system may scratch its surface. Still, I'm willing to risk that thanks to the overwhelmingly adorable design of this particular "hard cover." (I especially like the message on the bottom lid: "Pink. Puffy. Powerful.")
5. "Kirby Friends" soft pouch--Isn't this just the cutest thing? Seriously, it's so cute it makes me want to barf--and I mean that in the most positive way possible. Another reason I want one of these beauties (which can be bought here): I just know my pink-and-white 3DS XL would feel right at home tucked inside of it.
6. Light pink/white PS Vita--If I'm going to get a Vita, it's got to be the pink-tastic version showcased above. Sadly, it's only available in Japan at the moment (and is unlikely to ever see an official release in North America), but that's not as unfortunate as it sounds given the strength of the dollar--in comparison to the yen, at least--right now.
Now that I've had my say, which systems, games or even game-related items are you hoping to receive from your loved ones this holiday season?
2. Cyber Neko-Nyan silicon cover for 3DS LL/XL--I've wanted one of these suckers ever since the guys over at Tiny Cartridge first mentioned them in a post. Specifically, I want the pink one for my pink-and-white (North American) 3DS XL and the tortoiseshell one (above) for my black-and-gold Pokémon Center (Japanese) 3DS LL.
3. Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley--Although I love that my parents got me a copy of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call for my birthday, if I'm allowed to be completely honest, I kind of wished they'd gotten me this 3DS game instead, as I've been curious about it since the first screenshots of it popped up months ago. Oh, well, that's what wish lists like this are for, right?
4. "Kirby Taikoushin" hard cover--Yep, another 3DS LL/XL accessory. I'm kind of hesitant to ask for this one, though, as I'm worried that attaching it to, or removing it from, my system may scratch its surface. Still, I'm willing to risk that thanks to the overwhelmingly adorable design of this particular "hard cover." (I especially like the message on the bottom lid: "Pink. Puffy. Powerful.")
5. "Kirby Friends" soft pouch--Isn't this just the cutest thing? Seriously, it's so cute it makes me want to barf--and I mean that in the most positive way possible. Another reason I want one of these beauties (which can be bought here): I just know my pink-and-white 3DS XL would feel right at home tucked inside of it.
6. Light pink/white PS Vita--If I'm going to get a Vita, it's got to be the pink-tastic version showcased above. Sadly, it's only available in Japan at the moment (and is unlikely to ever see an official release in North America), but that's not as unfortunate as it sounds given the strength of the dollar--in comparison to the yen, at least--right now.
Now that I've had my say, which systems, games or even game-related items are you hoping to receive from your loved ones this holiday season?
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
FYI: I'm still pretty darn keen on Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley (3DS)
Actually, I'm now more interested in this upcoming 3DS title than I was previously thanks to the trailer that can be viewed below.
Sure, the game still looks like an old Nintendo 64 or PlayStation game, but that's a big part of its appeal, in my humble opinion.
Also, I just think the Minecraft-esque gameplay that's been crammed into this iteration of the long-running series--which was made by the folks at Natsume rather than by creator Yasuhiro Wada and his crew at Marvelous--looks like a lot of fun.
Are any of you also planning to pick up The Lost Valley after it hits the streets (and eShop) of North America on Nov. 4 or after it finally makes its way to Europe?
Sure, the game still looks like an old Nintendo 64 or PlayStation game, but that's a big part of its appeal, in my humble opinion.
Also, I just think the Minecraft-esque gameplay that's been crammed into this iteration of the long-running series--which was made by the folks at Natsume rather than by creator Yasuhiro Wada and his crew at Marvelous--looks like a lot of fun.
Are any of you also planning to pick up The Lost Valley after it hits the streets (and eShop) of North America on Nov. 4 or after it finally makes its way to Europe?
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Five new and old 3DS games I'm planning to pick up between now and the end of 2014
Hearing that Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley finally was available for pre-orders (over at Amazon, for instance) yesterday prompted me to consider just how many 3DS games I'm still planning to pick up through the balance of this year.
One of them is the aforementioned Natsume release, of course. As for why I'm looking to add The Lost Valley to my ever-growing 3DS games collection, despite the fact that I've never before played a Harvest Moon title (although I've long wanted to, believe me), the only answer I can come up with at the moment is that it's giving me good vibes. Specifically, I like its odd art style--which harkens back to the Nintendo 64 era, in some ways--although I like its Minecraft-esque gameplay, too.
The four other 3DS games I'm pretty sure I'll purchase--or ask for as birthday or Christmas gifts--between now and the end of 2014:
Fantasy Life--I've wanted to play this Level-5 RPG ever since I first heard about it back in 2010. In fact, I've wanted to play it so much that I bought a copy of the Japanese version late last year that I've yet to unseal. (Hey, at least it was cheap.) Don't worry, there's no chance my copy of the North American version of the game, which will hit store shelves in this neck of the woods this October, will remain unopened for more than a few minutes once it's in my possession. After all, I'm pretty sure it's going to be the next 3DS title I put more than 30 hours into before moving on to something else (such as The Lost Valley, perhaps?).
Kid Icarus: Uprising--Why has it taken me so long to acquire this one, and why am I finally doing it now (or soon)? My response to the first question is that I've always been a little wary of Uprising, mainly due to all of the complaints I've heard and read about its controls, while my response to the second question is that enough people I trust have assured me in recent weeks and months that the game's worth checking out even with its sometimes-awkward control scheme. Toss in the fact that I've been a Kid Icarus fan since the beginning, and it should be easy to see why I'm still keen on this follow-up.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe--My original plan, before Triple Deluxe was released in early May, was to pick up a copy of it at launch. That didn't happen for various reasons I can't currently recall (I'm guessing a biggie was that I spent the money intended for Kirby on a Japanese GameBoy title or two), unfortunately, but I'm still very much interested in playing this portable platformer--especially since it has more than a passing resemblance to Kirby's Return to Dream Land, a Wii release I absolutely adored.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call--Speaking of games I absolutely adored, the first Theatrhythm Final Fantasy has been one of my most-played--as well as most-enjoyed--3DS titles so far. I'm expecting to have a similar experience with this sequel, which will hit North American store shelves on Sept. 16. As much as I'm anticipating that date, I have to admit I'd be anticipating it even more if the amazing special-edition system that accompanied Curtain Call's Japanese release had made its way to our shores as well.
What, no mention of two other big 2014 releases, Persona Q and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS? Actually, I'm very likely to buy them, too, but probably not until sometime in 2015--along with A-Train: City Simulator, Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai Remix and hopefully a couple more currently unknown games.
Are any of you looking forward to any 3DS games in particular between now and the end of the year?
One of them is the aforementioned Natsume release, of course. As for why I'm looking to add The Lost Valley to my ever-growing 3DS games collection, despite the fact that I've never before played a Harvest Moon title (although I've long wanted to, believe me), the only answer I can come up with at the moment is that it's giving me good vibes. Specifically, I like its odd art style--which harkens back to the Nintendo 64 era, in some ways--although I like its Minecraft-esque gameplay, too.
The four other 3DS games I'm pretty sure I'll purchase--or ask for as birthday or Christmas gifts--between now and the end of 2014:
Fantasy Life--I've wanted to play this Level-5 RPG ever since I first heard about it back in 2010. In fact, I've wanted to play it so much that I bought a copy of the Japanese version late last year that I've yet to unseal. (Hey, at least it was cheap.) Don't worry, there's no chance my copy of the North American version of the game, which will hit store shelves in this neck of the woods this October, will remain unopened for more than a few minutes once it's in my possession. After all, I'm pretty sure it's going to be the next 3DS title I put more than 30 hours into before moving on to something else (such as The Lost Valley, perhaps?).
Kid Icarus: Uprising--Why has it taken me so long to acquire this one, and why am I finally doing it now (or soon)? My response to the first question is that I've always been a little wary of Uprising, mainly due to all of the complaints I've heard and read about its controls, while my response to the second question is that enough people I trust have assured me in recent weeks and months that the game's worth checking out even with its sometimes-awkward control scheme. Toss in the fact that I've been a Kid Icarus fan since the beginning, and it should be easy to see why I'm still keen on this follow-up.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe--My original plan, before Triple Deluxe was released in early May, was to pick up a copy of it at launch. That didn't happen for various reasons I can't currently recall (I'm guessing a biggie was that I spent the money intended for Kirby on a Japanese GameBoy title or two), unfortunately, but I'm still very much interested in playing this portable platformer--especially since it has more than a passing resemblance to Kirby's Return to Dream Land, a Wii release I absolutely adored.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call--Speaking of games I absolutely adored, the first Theatrhythm Final Fantasy has been one of my most-played--as well as most-enjoyed--3DS titles so far. I'm expecting to have a similar experience with this sequel, which will hit North American store shelves on Sept. 16. As much as I'm anticipating that date, I have to admit I'd be anticipating it even more if the amazing special-edition system that accompanied Curtain Call's Japanese release had made its way to our shores as well.
What, no mention of two other big 2014 releases, Persona Q and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS? Actually, I'm very likely to buy them, too, but probably not until sometime in 2015--along with A-Train: City Simulator, Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai Remix and hopefully a couple more currently unknown games.
Are any of you looking forward to any 3DS games in particular between now and the end of the year?
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
I have a feeling The Lost Valley may be my first Harvest Moon game
This may surprise some of you who haven't heard me talk about it previously (such as on the most recent installment of The Nichiest Podcast Ever), but I've never played a Harvest Moon game--despite the fact that the decades-old series of adorable "life sims" would seem to be right up my alley for all sorts of reasons.
My short explanation for this admittedly embarrassing gaffe is that I ignored the first few titles for reasons I no longer can remember and after that I quickly became overwhelmed by the myriad options (and sequels) the series presented to me.
I'm starting to get the feeling, though, that Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, the upcoming 3DS iteration that's being made internally by long-time North American publisher Natsume and not series creator Yasuhiro Wada (who helmed the Bokujō Monogatari title that will be released here as Story of Seasons later this year), may be the game that finally introduces me to the Harvest Moon world.
Why? Because I really like this version's low-poly art style--which can be seen throughout The Lost Valley's first trailer, above--for starters. I also like its seemingly Minecraft-inspired elements.
What do all of you think of this divisive 3DS game? Are you interested in it, too, or will you be passing on it--possibly so you can pick up Story of Seasons instead?
(Via tinycartridge.com)
My short explanation for this admittedly embarrassing gaffe is that I ignored the first few titles for reasons I no longer can remember and after that I quickly became overwhelmed by the myriad options (and sequels) the series presented to me.
I'm starting to get the feeling, though, that Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, the upcoming 3DS iteration that's being made internally by long-time North American publisher Natsume and not series creator Yasuhiro Wada (who helmed the Bokujō Monogatari title that will be released here as Story of Seasons later this year), may be the game that finally introduces me to the Harvest Moon world.
Why? Because I really like this version's low-poly art style--which can be seen throughout The Lost Valley's first trailer, above--for starters. I also like its seemingly Minecraft-inspired elements.
What do all of you think of this divisive 3DS game? Are you interested in it, too, or will you be passing on it--possibly so you can pick up Story of Seasons instead?
(Via tinycartridge.com)
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
The question is: will I enjoy Hometown Story more than shidoshi has so far?
Full disclosure: I only bought Hometown Story now--as opposed to waiting and asking for it as a birthday or Christmas gift--because I wanted the "Red Ember" plushie seen in the photo below that was given to everyone who pre-ordered the game from Amazon.
Because as anyone who has visited this blog in recent months likely is well aware, the last thing I need at the moment is to add more games to my 3DS backlog. (My as-yet-unused copies of Etrian Odyssey IV, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask and Shin Megami Tensei IV are glaring at me right now, as are my underplayed copies of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.)
Still, I bought it. And now that it's in my hands, I can't say I regret that decision one bit. I mean, just look at the adorableness below:
Of course I've yet to actually pop the Hometown Story cart into my 3DS. There's a reason for that, though: rather than play it this past weekend, I put a good amount of time into Pokemon X, Sayonara Umihara Kawase and Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed (an import puzzler I've been meaning to try for ages) instead.
This coming weekend (if not earlier), though, I promise to put Hometown Story through its paces--or at least devote an hour or two to it.
By the way, do you think this game's cover has enough logos and other text on it? First, there's the "Family of Harvest Moon" logo in the upper-left corner, followed by the Hometown Story one to its right. Then you have the ESRB rating in the lower-left corner, Natsume's logo opposite and ... the gigantic blob of text you see above.
Although I applaud Natsume's design folks for their nod to French and Spanish gamers, I'm not sure we really needed the "Playable in 2D and 3D" blurb repeated three times.
Anyway, I don't suppose any of you also picked up a copy of this "Family of Harvest Moon" title--or plan to do so soon?
Because as anyone who has visited this blog in recent months likely is well aware, the last thing I need at the moment is to add more games to my 3DS backlog. (My as-yet-unused copies of Etrian Odyssey IV, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask and Shin Megami Tensei IV are glaring at me right now, as are my underplayed copies of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Paper Mario: Sticker Star.)
Still, I bought it. And now that it's in my hands, I can't say I regret that decision one bit. I mean, just look at the adorableness below:
Of course I've yet to actually pop the Hometown Story cart into my 3DS. There's a reason for that, though: rather than play it this past weekend, I put a good amount of time into Pokemon X, Sayonara Umihara Kawase and Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed (an import puzzler I've been meaning to try for ages) instead.
This coming weekend (if not earlier), though, I promise to put Hometown Story through its paces--or at least devote an hour or two to it.
By the way, do you think this game's cover has enough logos and other text on it? First, there's the "Family of Harvest Moon" logo in the upper-left corner, followed by the Hometown Story one to its right. Then you have the ESRB rating in the lower-left corner, Natsume's logo opposite and ... the gigantic blob of text you see above.
Although I applaud Natsume's design folks for their nod to French and Spanish gamers, I'm not sure we really needed the "Playable in 2D and 3D" blurb repeated three times.
Anyway, I don't suppose any of you also picked up a copy of this "Family of Harvest Moon" title--or plan to do so soon?
Friday, October 04, 2013
Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Hometown Story edition)
When it comes to the systems that I already own and actually play (i.e., the 3DS), there are only a few games I'm looking to pick up between now and the end of the year.
One of them is Pokémon X. Another is Hometown Story, the adorable-looking life-simulation game made by Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada.
I've had the latter pre-ordered since Amazon first allowed me to do so a month or two ago, and I absolutely can't wait for it to arrive on my doorstep sometime between Oct. 22 (when it's due to be released in North America) and the end of the month.
In the meantime, I thought it might be nice to devote a "Which Box Art is Better?" post to this title--especially since the cover art for the Japanese version (releasing on Dec. 12) finally found its way onto the Internet yesterday.
Speaking of the Japanese version's box art, here it is:
And here is its North American counterpart:
Sadly, I've yet to come across the European iteration's cover art. Of course, the game doesn't have a solid release date in that region yet (just "Q1 2014"), so maybe that's why.
Anyway, which piece of box art do you like best?
Me, I like both of them--although if I were forced to say I preferred one over the other, I'd probably go with the Japanese option. I like that it's less cluttered than the North American one (which has far too many logos and call-outs) and I also like its central illustration is softer and more focused.
Buy: Hometown Story
One of them is Pokémon X. Another is Hometown Story, the adorable-looking life-simulation game made by Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada.
I've had the latter pre-ordered since Amazon first allowed me to do so a month or two ago, and I absolutely can't wait for it to arrive on my doorstep sometime between Oct. 22 (when it's due to be released in North America) and the end of the month.
In the meantime, I thought it might be nice to devote a "Which Box Art is Better?" post to this title--especially since the cover art for the Japanese version (releasing on Dec. 12) finally found its way onto the Internet yesterday.
Speaking of the Japanese version's box art, here it is:
And here is its North American counterpart:
Sadly, I've yet to come across the European iteration's cover art. Of course, the game doesn't have a solid release date in that region yet (just "Q1 2014"), so maybe that's why.
Anyway, which piece of box art do you like best?
Me, I like both of them--although if I were forced to say I preferred one over the other, I'd probably go with the Japanese option. I like that it's less cluttered than the North American one (which has far too many logos and call-outs) and I also like its central illustration is softer and more focused.
Buy: Hometown Story
Friday, March 08, 2013
Animal Crossing x Disney? Consider me (surprisingly) intrigued ...
Although no one could ever confuse me for a Disney fanatic, I can't help but be intrigued by a Disney-themed game that'll soon be released (only in Japan, for the time being) for the 3DS.
The game in question: Namco-Bandai's Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life, which will hit Japanese store shelves on July 11.
Based on the trailer below, Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life appears to include elements of both Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon--with a bit of Fantasy Life's battles thrown in for good measure.
Oh, and according to tinycartridge.com, the game will feature over 80 Disney characters more than 1,000 collectible items. (Click on the link above if you'd like to catch a glimpse of the Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life-branded 3DS LL that also will be released on July 11.)
After watching the trailer above, are any of you curious about this title, too, or am I alone this time around?
(Via NeoGAF)
The game in question: Namco-Bandai's Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life, which will hit Japanese store shelves on July 11.
Based on the trailer below, Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life appears to include elements of both Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon--with a bit of Fantasy Life's battles thrown in for good measure.
Oh, and according to tinycartridge.com, the game will feature over 80 Disney characters more than 1,000 collectible items. (Click on the link above if you'd like to catch a glimpse of the Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life-branded 3DS LL that also will be released on July 11.)
After watching the trailer above, are any of you curious about this title, too, or am I alone this time around?
(Via NeoGAF)
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