What kind of idiot buys Final Fantasy IV: The After Years WiiWare episodes in 2018? This kind!

I nearly did something really dumb earlier this week. Yes, even dumber than buying Final Fantasy: The After Years WiiWare episodes in 2018.

The dumb thing in question: I got this close to ordering a Japanese Wii just so I could buy a bunch of that region's Virtual Console releases before Nintendo stops letting people buy Wii Points on March 26.

Actually, the first part of that plan wouldn't have been the dumbest decision in the world. Used Japanese Wiis aren't too expensive at the moment, after all. What would have been pretty dumb, though: dropping a load of cash on a ton of games I already own in physical form.

In the end, I decided picking up a used Japanese Wii wouldn't be the best use of my hard-earned cash.

I still had the Wii eShop on the brain, though, and that prompted me to start thinking about the North American Virtual Console and WiiWare titles I could purchase with some of the money I previously planned to plop down on the aforementioned imports.

My first thought was to grab some of the old games I've stupidly overlooked since they first hit the Wii eShop--like Phantasy Star for the Sega Master System, Monster Lair for the TurboGrafx-16, and Kirby 64 for the Nintendo 64.

I actually bought two of those games--Monster Lair and Kirby 64--yesterday. Along with those titles, I bought all of the Final Fantasy IV: The After Years WiiWare episodes I'd previously passed on.

Thankfully, I only had to buy three of them--for a total of 1,400 Wii Points ($14). I went in thinking I'd have to pay for all but the initial three episodes and maybe Rydia's, so discovering I'd nabbed three others at some point was quite a thrill.

Why did I waste $14 on all this, especially considering I own Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection for the PSP, which includes the entirety of The After Years?

The only explanation I can offer up is it didn't feel right to me that my "copy" of the WiiWare version of The After Years would forever be incomplete if I failed to pay for the rest of its optional content.

Also, I'm more likely to boot up my Wii than my PSP at this point in time, strangely enough. And then there's the fact that I've already completed the game's first three chapters (the prologue as well as Ceodore's and Kain's "tales")--not that I can remember anything about them now.

The question is: will I ever work my way through all of these colorfully titled episodes ("The Eidolons Shackled" and "The Vanished Lunar Whale" among them) I just picked up, or will they forever remain unplayed?

Your guess is as good as mine. I'm certainly going to give it my best shot, though. Final Fantasy IV is one of my all-time favorite games, so I'd really like to experience this direct follow-up--and sooner rather than later.

Have any of you played the WiiWare version of Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, or even one of the versions released for the PSP, PC, or mobile? If so, what did you think of it? And based on that experience, do you think I've made a wise move or gone off the deep end?

12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now: Orbital (GameBoy Advance)

What you see in the photo below is one of seven games that were released as part of Nintendo's bit Generations series for the GameBoy Advance.

All seven titles hit store shelves in 2006 and remained Japan-only affairs until three of them--this one (renamed Orbient in the west), Dialhex (aka Rotohex) and Dotstream (light trax) were remade into WiiWare releases in 2008, 2009 and 2010. (A fourth, Digidrive, made its way onto Nintendo's DSi shop in 2009.)

Although I'd love to own each of these bite-sized Q-Games- and Skip, Ltd.-made titles at some point, I decided to start with Orbital because I've thoroughly enjoyed the time I've spent with its WiiWare counterpart thus far.

I should note that I'd been warned before I bought the copy of Orbital seen above that gameplay found in the original version is often considered to be a bit less accessible than what's included in the follow-up.

Unfortunately, I can't yet support or refute that claim because, well, I've only booted up this Orbital cart (using my hot pink GameBoy Micro) long enough for me to know it's in good working order.

I promise to give it the attention it's due soon. In the meantime, consider picking up Orbient (and Cubello, if you've got the dough) via the Wii's (or the Wii U's) online shop if you're at all interested in captivatingly unique digital games.  

See also: Previous '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now' posts

It pains me to say it, but I'm kinda, sorta interested in Super Pokemon Scramble

Why? Well, for starters, there's this recently-announced 3DS game's rad (hey, I'm a child of the 1980s) box art:

And then there's this super-cute Pikachu paper craft, which will be given to folks who purchase the game--which is a sequel to the 2009 WiiWare title Melee! Pokemon Scramble (aka Pokemon Rumble in the West)--from a select group of Japanese retailers after it's released on July 28.

All that said, I'm not sure I can see myself dropping $39.99 on such a game once I finally pick up a 3DS--especially if titles like Luigi's Mansion 2, Paper Mario 3DS and Super Mario 3DS are even half as enticing as it seems they're going to be.

(Via andriasang.com)

The Muscle March fanfic you've all been waiting for (don't deny it)

I don't know about you, but when I first played Namco Bandai's wacky WiiWare game, Muscle March, I thought to myself, "You know, this could inspire some really great fanfic!"

OK, so that's not what I was thinking while I played the game for the first time. Still, I'd be lying if I said that I was anything other than intrigued when one of my most favorite deviantartists, madamluna, shared (via Twitter) a link to a piece of Muscle March fanfic she'd penned a while back.



The piece is called "Love and Muscles," by the way, and it's quite a hoot. (Does anyone under the age of 80 use that term? No? Oh, well.) Don't take my word for it--read the following paragraphs and find out for yourself:

Call him typical, but Pedroso lived for the hunt. The hunt of the heart, that is--the passionate dance of flirtation and courtship that set his Spanish blood a-boiling. The stolen glances, the gentle kisses, the tiny, expensive presents given to coax out the glow in a lady's eyes! Oh, just the thought of it was enough to have him dancing on air for days! Pedroso knew his stuff, all right, and many a señorita had fallen gracefully into his arms.

Which is why it nearly broke the poor man's heart when Abebe, gorgeous, chiseled, newest-member-of-the-team Abebe, spurned Pedroso's every advance. He used the man's rose petals to line his pet chick's 'fro-nest, pulled away in boredom at his veiled romantic poetry, and didn't look at all impressed when the keepsake silver bracelet snapped in half as he flexed his wrist. Pedroso could only watch in horror as every one of his attempts turned into a disaster right before his eyes, and at the end of it all he dragged himself back to his villa, in the deepest despair he'd ever known.

If you were at all tickled by what you just read, I'd highly recommend reading the rest of the piece at archiveofourown.org.

See also: Previous Muscle March posts

I'm a bit horrified by BurgerTime HD

When it was revealed a few weeks ago that an HD revamp of the arcade classic, BurgerTime, would soon be released (digitally) for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, I was intrigued. After all, the Data East-developed original was one of my favorite games as a kid, and I still play both the arcade and Famicom/NES versions with some regularity.

Anyway, as I just said, initially I was intrigued by this so-called BurgerTime HD, which is being developed by Monkey Paw Games. After seeing it action, however, it probably would be more accurate to describe my feelings as horrified.

More BurgerTime HD Videos

My main beef with what's displayed in the video above is the game's setting. Why does it appear to be set in space? Granted, it's difficult to image an acceptable setting for a game in which players are tasked with assembling giant hamburgers, but surely the developers could ape the original's "burger factory" theme a bit more closely?

Despite my overall lack of interest in this title at the moment, I'm still planning to keep an eye on it between now and whenever it's released. Who knows, maybe the final product will be far more appetizing than what's shown in this teaser?

Is there any chance I'll get to be this good at Ivy the Kiwi?

Hey, for once the question mark at the end of Ivy the Kiwi? worked for me instead of against me!

Anyway, back to the point at hand: Prope's upcoming DS/DSiWare/Wii/
WiiWare title, Ivy the Kiwi? Specifically, how much I'm going to suck at said game (assuming, of course, I actually buy it).

Why do I think I'm going to suck at it? Take a gander at the following:



Now, I'm guessing the person playing the game in the video above is one of its developers, but I'd be lying if I told you that made me feel better about my own prospects with this so-cute-I-could-puke platformer.

(Via siliconera.com)

I still don't understand why there's a question mark in this game's title

Is it possible the protagonist in Yuji Naka's upcoming DS/Wii platformer, Ivy the Kiwi?, isn't, in fact, a member of the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae?

Hopefully the Prope founder will answer that burning question before the titles are released on April 22. In the meantime, enjoy this "fresh out of the oven" trailer for the DS version of the game:



See also: 'Screw Sonic, I'll take Ivy the Kiwi instead'

It saddens me that Nintendo seemingly spent more money to promote this title than it did to promote Rhythm Heaven

"This title" being the Club Nintendo-only WiiWare offering, Grill-Off with Ultra Hand. Anyway, here's what Nintendo's promotional dollars paid for in this instance:



I'm glad that a portion of the ad is used to show people how to join Club Nintendo, but it kind of begs the question: Why hasn't the company made similar ads that show people how to use the Wii Shop Channel? After all, a lot of people still don't realize you can use said channel to purchase and download a slew of classic titles.

Buy: Rhythm Heaven

See also: 'Rhythm Heaven: My favorite DS game of 2009'

(Via gonintendo.com)

No longer a Cave Story virgin

I've played the WiiWare version of Cave Story for about three hours now, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, how could I not enjoy it? It's basically a cute 'n cuddly Metroid clone.

The graphics are a wonderful mix of retro and modern, and the music is adorably and appropriately winsome. And then there's the gameplay, which I consider to be just as tight and well-tuned as the above-mentioned Gunpei Yokoi classic.

"I Am A Cave Story" by Annabelle Kennedy

That's not to suggest the game is faultless. It requires a bit more backtracking than I'd like, for instance, and it can be a smidge befuddling from time to time (i.e., I'm not always sure where I should go or what I should do next).

Neither of those negatives will keep me from completing Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya's action-adventure triumph, though--nor should they keep you from giving his charmingly challenging title a try.

See also: 'I can't wait to pop my Cave Story cherry'

I can't wait to pop my Cave Story cherry

Yep, I've never played any version of Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya's amazing freeware game, Cave Story (aka Dōkutsu Monogatari). That will change on Monday morning, though, when I download the WiiWare version of the Metroidvania-esque title.

Until then, I'll daydream about Quote, Curly Brace and the rest of the Dōkutsu Monogatari crew while listening to Annabelle Kennedy's "Cave Story Anthem."



The WiiWare version of Cave Story will set you back 1200 Nintendo Points, by the way. For more information on what's included in this iteration of the game, check out developer Nicalis' blog and/or the title's official NeoGAF thread.

I'm a sucker with a capital 's'

Or maybe I should say "with a capital 'f.'"

After all, I just purchased the last chapter of Final Fantasy IV: The After Years--which means I spent $37 ($8 for the first chapter, $21 for the next seven chapters and $8 for the last chapter) on the game when all was said and done.

Although I've enjoyed the journey so far (I just started Yang's tale), I'm not sure it's worth $37--especially when the original can be picked up (via the Wii Shop Channel) for the bargain-basement price of $8.

Have any of you given Final Fantasy IV: The After Years a go? If so, what do you think about it?

'The fish you can watch on your TV'

You know, Nintendo (and its numerous second-party development teams) have done a great job this gaming generation of producing downloadable titles that differ--creatively, meaningfully and significantly--from the titles that show up on store shelves.

The DSiWare title mentioned in my last post is a great example of the above, as is the soon-to-be-released (in Japan) WiiWare title known as Aqua Living: The Fish You Can Watch On Your TV.

Now, aquarium sims normally don't "do it" for me, but this one seems to be an exception to that rule. For starters, there are so many options they'll make your head spin: After selecting one of eight themes, users can alter the layout of their tank and populate it with fish (there are 40 types). Users can alter the background music (there are seven songs) and the wallpaper that appears behind their virtual aquarium, too.

The first thing I'm going to do when I download this title is drop

my Liza Minnelli Mii into the tank and force her to feed fish.

That's not all: Users also are given a number of options when it comes to viewing their aquarium, including one that allows them to send in a Mii who can simply swim around or feed fish.

Aqua Living will hit the Japanese Wii Shop Channel on March 8 with a price tag of 800 Nintendo points. Hopefully the title will swim into other territories soon.

(Via andriasang.com)

Looks like someone needs a second job ...

Before its "media summit" in San Francisco began this morning, Nintendo of America promised (via Twitter) that it had "new info to share." Boy, did it ever.

A surprising number of release dates were announced during the company's presser, including:

DS:
WarioWare: D.I.Y. - March 28
Picross 3D – May 3
100 Classic Books – June 14
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (which will be published by Nintendo of America) – Summer

DSiWare:
Metal Torrent – Spring
Photo Dojo – Spring
X-Scape – Spring

Wii:
Monster Hunter Tri demo – March 8
Monster Hunter Tri Classic Controller Pro Bundle – April 20
Super Mario Galaxy 2 – May 23
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor – June 7
Metroid: Other M – June 27
FlingSmash (formerly known as Span Smasher) – Summer

WiiWare:
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase – March 29
Art Style Light Trax – Spring
Art Style Rotozoa – Spring

Also, the Nintendo DSi XL will be released on March 28 for $189.99. It will be available in two colors: Burgandy (eww) and bronze (double eww).

Looks like a pretty good spring/summer line-up, if you ask me.

The only disappointments in my mind: The lack of an announcement regarding the North American release of the black Wii and red DSi systems that were released in Japan last year, and the lack of an announcement regarding the North American release of Zangeki no Reginleiv.

OK, I officially hate the folks at Namco Bandai

Why? They sent the following Muscle March-ified Wii to destructoid.com and not to me, that's why.

Destructoid is planning to give this wondrous Wii to someone willing to pose like one of the Muscle March characters in a public setting, so I guess it's possible it'll end up where it belongs (with me)--but I'm not going to bet on it.

Anyway, go here to learn more about the contest. Oh, and if any of you should enter the contest, send me a copy of the photo you submitted so I can post it here.

See also: 'The folks at Namco Bandai really know how to hurt a guy's feelings'

Pitfall + Rez = Bit.Trip Runner?

That certainly seems to be an apt description (equation?) after watching the following trailer--one of the first to show Gaijin Games' latest chiptune-backed, rhythm-based creation in action:



OK, so the trailer above is more Pitfall than Rez, but other recently released gameplay vids suggest the opposite. (Here's one, and here's another. Oh, and here's a "boss battle"!)

In a recent interview with nintendolife.com, Gaijin Games' Alex Neuse suggested the game was nearing completion and should appear on the Wii Shop Channel "this Spring."

See also: 'When it comes to WiiWare, (second and) third parties do what Nintendon't'

Screw Sonic, I'll take Ivy the Kiwi instead

Full disclosure: I'm not the biggest fan of Sonic the Hedgehog. I spent a bit of time with the series' first two titles back in the day, but neither one left much of an impression on me.

So, when the folks at Sega announced a few days ago the forthcoming release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, my reaction was "meh."

I had a much more energetic and excited reaction to the announcement that Yuji Naka, lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, and his team at Prope Ltd. will soon release (in Japan--sigh) a cutie-patootie platformer called Ivy the Kiwi? (Yes, the question mark is part of the game's name.)

Based on the trailer below, the title seems to be a sepia-toned combo of the DS classic Kirby: Canvas Curse and the upcoming WiiWare release Max and the Magic Marker.



DS and Wii versions of Ivy the Kiwi? will hit Japanese store shelves on April 22, although DSiWare and WiiWare versions supposedly will be released soon, too.

Should the titles be brought to the States, I'll probably pick up one of the Wii versions--even though I imagine it'll be easier to play on the DS.

Surprise, surprise: Sega's Project Needlemouse = Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Last September, Sega of America's Associate Brand Manager Ken Ballough let it slip that the company was working on a game with the rather cheeky codename of Project Needlemouse.

Honestly, he should have just admitted his colleagues were working on a new Sonic the Hedgehog game, as any Sega fan worth his or her salt knows that designer Naoto Ōshima's original name for Sonic was Mr. Needlemouse.

Anyway, a few days ago the folks at Sega finally told the world what it already knew: That Project Needlemouse is in fact Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

That's not to say the announcement was free of surprises. One of them: The game will be released as a digital download (for the 360, PS3 and Wii). Another: It will be episodic--with the first episode expected to hit the PlayStation Store, WiiWare and XBLA this summer. (Rumor has it the title will hit the iPhone as well.)

A teaser trailer for the title can be found here, while more info can be found here and here.

The folks at Namco Bandai really know how to hurt a guy's feelings

So, I was randomly surfing the Interwebs a short while ago when I came across this image:

The bright blue Muscle March-branded Speedo (right) was delivered to the MTV Multiplayer offices packed inside the similarly branded jug of protein powder (left), by the way.

Maybe if I give the Namco Bandai's PR folks a ring and promise to model said Speedo on this site they'll send me one, too? :)

(Via multiplayerblog.mtv.com)

When it comes to WiiWare, (second and) third parties do what Nintendon't

Did you know that none of the WiiWare games Nintendo has published were developed in house? Well, it's true.

The amazing Art Style titles, for instance, were developed by Skip Ltd., while Dr. Mario Online Rx was developed by Arika. Even the Pokemon WiiWare titles were "outsourced"--with Ambrella handling My Pokemon Ranch and Pokemon Rumble and Chunsoft handling the as-yet-unreleased-outside-of-Japan Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games.

Second parties aren't the only ones picking up Nintendo's slack--third parties like Capcom, Frontier, Gaijin Games, Hudson Soft, Konami and Square-Enix have helped make WiiWare the distinguished download service it is today.

That trend looks to continue in 2010, thanks in large part to the following third-party titles:

1. And Yet It Moves (Broken Rules)--Now this is a platformer with panache. For starters, there are the game's superficial aspects: The protagonist has been drawn with pencil and the worlds he progresses through look like they're made of ripped and crumpled paper. And then there's the gameplay, which allows the player to spin the world in 90 degree increments in order to solve puzzles.



2. Bit.Trip Runner (Gaijin Games)--I only recently tried the first Bit.Trip title, Bit.Trip Beat, thanks to the free demo available on the Wii Shop Channel. Truth be told, I'm not (yet) very good at it, but it doesn't really matter because I have a blast even while I'm getting my butt kicked. I'm hoping Bit.Trip Runner, which Gaijin Games is calling a "rhythm platformer," is a little less hellacious, but who am I kidding? I'll buy it regardless.

3. Heartbeat (Capybara Games)--I know next to nothing about this game, but I want it anyway. What I do know: It's being made by Capybara Games, the company responsible for a pair of critically lauded titles you may have heard of: Critter Crunch and Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes. As far as I can tell, Heartbeat is a bit more abstract (OK, a lot more abstract) than Capybara's previous products. In fact, it looks more than a little like Nintendo's esoteric Electroplankton. If Heartbeat contains even a smidge of that cult classic's sublimity, it'll be well worth whatever it ends up costing.

4. Max & The Magic Marker (Press Play)--I've been salivating over this game since it was unveiled early last year. The only way I can describe it is to say that it's like a wicked mashup of Kirby Canvas Curse and Crayon Physics. Who wouldn't want to play a game like that? What seals the deal (for me, at least) is that it oozes cuteness and charm. Yep, it's my kind of game all right. Thankfully, it seems I'll be able to buy it soon enough, as it was just released in Europe. (Here's a trailer for the title, in case you've never seen it in action.)

5. NightSky (Nicalis)--Before I say anything about NightSky, I have to mention that I'm also awaiting (eagerly) the release of two other Nicalis games: Cave Story and La-Mulana. That said, I'm awaiting the release of the moody NightSky with even more eagerness. I can't even say why, really, as once again I don't know much about the title--other than it's a pensive, physics-based platformer. Assuming the finished product expands on the premise on display in this early trailer, I'm sure it'll be worth picking up.



6. Zombie Panic in Wonderland (Akaoni Studio)--Full disclosure: I'm not a fan of shooters. At all. So why am I excited about the release of this one? I know this is going to sound crazy, but I love the fact that at least one of the game's environments is filled with what looks to be cherry blossom trees. Also, the main character wears a pink scarf while wielding a machine gun. And then there are the zombies--which are an incongruous combination of creepy and cute. Yeah, I think this might be the first shooter to earn a spot in my heart (and on my virtual game shelf).

So, is Muscle March worth $5?

The folks over at TheHanafudaTimes.com sure seem to think so:

"Despite being absolutely ridiculous, this game is actually one of WiiWare’s more entertaining titles: Not something I can say for most games priced at 500 points," writes reviewer prettymanfairy. "If you’re into the WTF genre, don’t let this game get away."

Having spent some quality time with Muscle March, I have to agree--both that the game is entertaining (and ridiculous) and that it fits squarely into the "WTF genre," as prettymanfairy so creatively calls it.

Does that mean it's worth 500 Nintendo points ($5)? I think so--if you're a fan of other WTF-esque games like Katamari Damacy and WarioWare: Smooth Moves.

One more thing to think about before you hit the "buy" button: Muscle March is fun, but the fun is over fast. I'm OK with that, as I have the attention span of a goldfish, but if you're a more dedicated gamer you may feel a bit ripped off.

See also: "Monday, Jan. 18 = the gayest day ever for American Wii owners" and "The best (and probably gayest) ESRB ratings summary ever"