Nintendo on App Fire!

Title pun very much intended.

A few weeks ago I had popped back onto the ole bloggarooski to let you know what I thought about Pokemon Duel. And now, just a few weeks later, Nintendo has released an app of their own: Fire Emblem Heroes. And let me tell you, this app is awesome.

Now the first thing to understand about this impression is that I am a Nintendo fan who has never played any of the Fire Emblem games. Yeah, yeah, I feel bad about it, and I'm not saying this will please you if you're a hardcore fan, but there is a lot to like about this app.
First of all, the app is very well done and is very comfortable to use. The controls make a lot of sense as all of the gameplay is set in a grid so utilizing the phone's touchscreen is natural and super easy. The game is loaded to the brim with Fire Emblem characters, so even I could recognize Roy, Ike, Marth, and Robin, among some others while my friends who had actually played the Fire Emblem games pointed out to me that Eliwood is a badass and not just some ginger shmuck who rides a dope horse.
Second, the game offers a variety of modes to try out. There is training, special duels, the game's story mode of sorts, and player vs. player. I have tried each and every one of these modes out and have had a good time with all of them. And there's plenty of incentive to rack up wins online in player vs. player as a counter keeps track of your streak, providing you bonuses up to 7 games in a row.
Now, as is the case with most free apps, the game does offer micro-transactions, but from my experience, these are definitely not needed and would only provide a diminutive advantage as the characters that you purchase with the in-game currency are randomly given to you, so even if you pay, there is no way of assuring that you get that 5 star Marth character.

As of now, I have played the game for about 6 hours and I'm very impressed so far. After seeing how Nintendo handled this app, I'm even more excited to see what they will do with their 2017 release Animal Crossing app. Because I've only played 6 hours, what I say is by no means definitive, but if you've got a smartphone or tablet, be sure to check out Nintendo's latest release: Fire Emblem Heroes.

Pokemon Duel First Impressions

So there I was sitting on the toilet the other day, watching some YouTube videos when I see a trailer for a new Pokemon game is up, so obviously I'm going to watch it. After watching about a minute of some rather interesting board game-style Pokemon, it was revealed that the game was available for download immediately! So I downloaded it and played it for a bit and soon came to realize that this game was actually a lot of fun. So here's what I thought.

First of all, the game had a horrible, horrendous, horrifying first day. The servers were slammed with everyone trying out this new game, because for some reason, the Pokemon Company can't figure out that Pokemon is popular in the U.S. too? Crazy. So, if you played the day it came out, you had a bad time because you could boot up the up for a few minutes and then be sent back to the home screen over and over until you got a black screen or you closed the app altogether. Bad times.
However, these server issues were mostly fixed with a hot little maintenance that night and now I would give the app a 95% smoothosity rating. Finding a game online can still take a few minutes, but that's not a takeaway in any sort of fashion. Merely a small problem.

Now, for the gameplay. The game is a strategy game with a very large luck element to it as well. Two players play with six Pokemon each on a small board. The goal of the game is to get your Pokemon to the other player's back side of the board, which will trigger a victory. There are other ways of winning as well, although those are more difficult to achieve. When a Pokemon encounters another Pokemon on the board, they begin a battle. Battles are determined by the spin of a wheel, with slots on the wheel being attacks, special attacks, priority attacks, defend, or miss. Each of these components takes up a different percentage of the wheel, and as you level up your Pokemon, you can grow these sections while simultaneously shrinking your miss section.

There is an extensive amount of single player levels to play as well as a fair amount of tutorial levels while also having the online mode, and all of this in a free-to-play app with payments.
Overall, so far I am definitely impressed with the app and will be continuing to play it for the foreseeable future. After I get a little more time under my belt, I might do a review, but you should check it out for yourself. It's free.

Until next time, kcduckling out.

Split Personalities

Oh hey Internet, didn't see you there. It's me, kcduckling, wanting to address a minute detail of the blog that I'm sure 0% of my reading audience has noticed.
Whenever a post is uploaded to the ol' bloggo, there is an author line underneath it and for years it has displayed the name: KC Duckling. Well, because that was with an old e-mail and I have a new personal e-mail, I have decided to switch the e-mail for Blogger, but Blogger won't let me remove the original account from the blog, so now I have registered my current e-mail as the new admin for the blog. Those posts will be authored as: kcduckling. Don't fret my loyal readers. It is still me. I bid you adieu until our next chat. kcduckling out.

Weekly Update Update

The cherished and always highly anticipated weekly update series will return March of 2017. The format this time will be a little more in tune with the post I did yesterday, with the news and then my opinion coming below the news. Such as:

The Nintendo Switch will release with Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a launch title on March 3rd 2017.
This is incredibly awesome and I have already pre-ordered both.

Like that. Good shit, right? So I have made the executive decision to have the weekly update return in March, coinsiding with the release of the Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo Switch Presentation Breakdown and Thoughts

Yep. The Nintendo Switch hype train has just received a pretty heaving scoop of coal and now it is chugging along at max speed just less than two months before its launch. The one hour presentation that Nintendo had the other night can be found right here, in case you missed all of the madness. If watching 60 minutes of video doesn't suit your liking, simply read on, as I'll touch on just about everything from the event and give my thoughts on it all.

First things first. The release date is March 3 and the retail price is $300.00.
This news is absolutely incredible to hear. From presentation to release will be less than two months and that is some seriously impressive secrecy that Nintendo has kept this system in. As for the retail price, that's pretty good and very competitive with XBOX One and PS4. Although, given that the Switch does not come with any games bundled with it, this price seems a little less fair.

The Nintendo Switch online service will become a paid online service. Starting in March, Nintendo Account owners can enlist in a trial for the new service, but come Fall 2017, that service will be paid. No news on price, but a few incentives are listed. Firstly, Nintendo will offer exclusive discounts and deals on digital games. Secondly, Nintendo will have one free NES and SNES game every month, although this is literally just for that one month. A companion app will be used for chat/setting up lobbies.
A gargantuan loss for Nintendo here, giving up on their free online service that they have held over Microsoft and Sony for years now, but oh well, I guess we have to move on. As for Nintendo's "incentives", also extremely weak. One NES and SNES game for that month. No playing it after the month ends. Ridiculous.

The Nintendo Switch will not be region locked.
This literally effects me zero, but I realize this is really cool of Nintendo to do.

Battery life for the tablet outside of the dock is 3.5-6.5 hours and the dock uses a USB Type-C charger. The tablet has a capacitive touch panel and supports up to eight player local multiplayer.
All good news. Obviously the Switch was not going to outlast a 3DS battery, so the announced life seems reasonable for playing Skyrim or Legend of Zelda for three hours outside the dock. The USB Type-C is incredible, amazing, fantastic news, as is the news that the touch screen will not be a stylus touch screen, but rather a capacitive touch screen, the kind most phones nowadays have. Local multiplayer could be pretty neat if the Switch market gets big enough. Especially for Mario Kart and Splatoon 2 games.

The Joy-Con controllers are packed to the absolute brim with neat little functions and features. The details are shown below in a handy little picture.

Most notable new features are the HD rumble feature, which the presenter compared to holding a cup with one, two, or three ice cubes in it. Additionally, the IR Motion Camera allows the sensor to see how far away something is and what shape it detects. 

The Joy-Con controller could honestly be one of my favorite controllers of all time. I always liked the feel of the Wii remote with the nunchuk, hanging my arms down the sides of my body, fully relaxing while I played, but there was always the cord there impairing me. These Joy-Cons are incredibly versatile in addition to their functionality, which is what I think makes them so damn impressive.

1-2 Switch is the first game that Nintendo announced for the Switch during their presentation. 1-2 Switch is a party game with the main premise that to play the game, players do not even need to look at the screen, just each other. There will be a variety of games within. 1-2 Switch is a launch title and will be $50.00.

1-2 Switch looks decent. I think it looks like a great introduction to the new features of the Joy-Con. My biggest complaint about this game is that it will not be bundled with the Nintendo Switch. I think it was huge for the Wii having Wii Sports, and for the Wii U having Nintendo Land. Nintendo has come out and said that they settled on the $300 price point and would let players decide what games they wanted, but I still can't help but feel like the new console would have benefited from some kind of game support in a starter bundle.

Arms was the second game announced in the presentation. Arms is a new fighting game for the Nintendo Switch. Both local and online multiplayer will be supported in the game and Nintendo described the game as having lots of replay value. Arms comes out in the spring and will be $60.00.

Arms looks incredibly intriguing and frankly, a lot of fun. What gets me about Arms is the price point. I haven't seen enough of Arms yet to really make an informed decision, but as of now I for sure would not purchase this game for a full $60.00. Nonetheless, the game looks like a lot of fun and I really liked the description "Arms is to fighting games what Splatoon is to shooters". Now to the big boys.

Splatoon 2 is the sequel to the Wii U's Splatoon that will feature new weapons, maps, hair styles, and special weapons. The trailer did not go into any detail about the game's single player adventures, but Nintendo confirmed that Splatoon 2 will have periodic updates after release, similar to the updates given to the original Splatoon after its launch. Splatoon 2 will come out this summer for $60.00.

For absolutely sure Splatoon 2 is one of my three top games for the Nintendo Switch as of now. The new additions to the game look really, really good, and the gameplay shown was very impressive and left me with very few questions regarding how the game will play. I will absolutely be buying Splatoon 2 upon its summer release.

Super Mario Odyssey is the new, previously unannounced, 3D Mario title that Nintendo had been working on for the Nintendo Switch. Super Mario Odyssey is set up like Super Mario Sunshine, in that it has a hub world and from there, you depart to various other worlds for levels. Super Mario Odyssey has new abilities for Mario, from rolling to clambering and shimmying, to his newest signature move for the game, throwing his sentient hat. The game also has loads of new characters and a new style for Bowser. Super Mario Odyssey will be released this holiday season for $60.00.

Jesus Christ, Super Mario Odyssey looks beautiful. From the Sunshine vibes to the new abilities and characters, this game looks extremely promising. The hub world of New Donk City (or whatever its called) looks a little off, with Mario running alongside regular human beings, but this is quickly washed away by the stunning views of the different worlds. From running along a forest path to wall jumping between two city buildings, Super Mario Odyssey is an absolute treat and I cannot wait for its release.

Several projects were given updated news, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Skyrim, and 80 other games are in development for the Switch. EA also announced that FIFA is coming to the Switch.

I figuratively fell asleep during this part, because I literally. Literally. L i t e r a l l y. Could not care less about these announcements. If you like these games, good for you.

What comes in the box?

These things. The Nintendo Switch has a grey pack and a red/blue pack.

Neat.

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild received another trailer. Zelda was shown for the first time and it was revealed that most of the major characters would be voiced. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be a launch title for the Nintendo Switch for $60.00.

WOw. And yes, that was on purpose, because holy goddamn crap. Legend of Zelda continues to impress me more and more every time I see it. This trailer was pretty much nonstop goosebumps, and I simply cannot wait to get my hands on this masterpiece, come March 3rd.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was officially announced after the presentation on the Nintendo YouTube channel. The game is virtually the same as Mario Kart 8 for Wii U, with a few roster changes, (King Boo, Dry Bones, Bowser Jr., and the Inklings) kart additions, (two new Splatoon-themed cars and Bowser Jr.'s Clown Car) the ability to carry two items, and a completely revamped battle mode, featuring new and returning battle maps and some new items, the return of the Boo item and the brand new Feather. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe comes out in April for $60.00.

This is coming from the guy who loved Mario Kart 8 dearly, holds Mario Kart as his favorite franchise of all time, and believes Mario Kart 8 was the best game for Wii U. I am not excited for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Why?

1. The main addition to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is Battle Mode (I never was a fan of battle mode)
2. The roster additions are too little, too late
3. There are zero new tracks for grand prix or online racing

And 60 dollars for battle mode and some characters who should have been in the game in the first place just doesn't sit well with me. And, seriously, still no Diddy? What the hell does Nintendo have against Diddy Kong? C'mon man. 

Will I get the game eventually? Maybe. Will I be proud of that purchase. Almost certainly not. But, if you did not own a Wii U and Mario Kart 8 and are now getting the Nintendo Switch, I can tell you that this game is one of the most fun games you will ever play. And you absolutely should not pass up on it.

Well, there you have it. The complete Switch Presentation condensed into some brief sentences. I'll include a few more resources down here at the bottom of this post for you to keep up to date on Nintendo Switch news. And, until next time, kcduckling out.

https://www.nintendo.com/switch/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGIY_O-8vW4rfX98KlMkvRg

Quick Break

Hello all, kcduckling here. A few things to keep in mind moving forward for this fine year of 2017.

1. Weekly Updates will return! Albeit not for a bit. I'll start em up come February. Same format, weekly, although probably not on Sunday because I tended to forget about it or be away from my computer on Sundays, so stay tuned.
2. Videos! Yeah, not gonna happen. After a fair amount of false hype, I have ultimately decided to hold off on any gameplay videos featuring everybody's favotite blogger: kcduckling.
3. I don't have a third point.

Also, if you're a Nintendo fan, or even a fan of video games in general, you simply have to check out Nintendo's Switch presentation coming up on the 12th. The YouTube page is already up, so prepare yourself. This event will show price, specs. games, and release date. HYPE HYPE HYPE. As for when I'll see you guys again, look for a Switch Presentation follow-up a few days after. Until then, kcduckling out.

2016 Game of the Year

AND now before I show the number one game of the year, check out the previous winners of the most coveted prize: kcduckling Game of the Year

2013 - Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

2014 - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

2015 - Rocket League

2016 - Titanfall 2

Man, I love this game. From the newly introduced single player campaign to the redesigned and revamped multiplayer. 

First of all, the single player campaign is a decent challenge, but more importantly, Respawn has created some of the greatest levels of platforming in any first person shooter that I have ever played. Because Titanfall is so heavily based on the platforming aspects of sprinting, jumping, boosting, sliding, and wall running, Respawn perfectly tailored each and every level to utilize these mechanics to their fullest. My favorite level of the campaign and definitely one of my very favorite levels of any shooter I've ever played is a level where the main pilot, Jack Cooper, must traverse a mechanized assembly line to track down his Titan, BT. Jumping from line to line while avoiding getting crushed or lasered or shot my security really was fun over everything else. Another point about the campaign is the Titan that you travel with, BT, providing his dry, robotic takes on Cooper's human expressions and sayings. It's been done before, but this banter provides an extra layer to the campaign that is really enjoyable. Final point about the campaign is that there is one level with, and I'm going to avoid spoilers here, a watch and it is the most incredible level of a video game that I have goddamn played in a long time. Enough campaign notes though, let's get to the meat of this feast.

The multiplayer is incredible. Also vastly improved from its predecessor, which was already a good game in its own right, the new multiplayer offers more variety while maintaining the same fluidity and fast-paced gameplay as before.

Final notes: calling in a Titan is just as freaking awesome as ever, the gameplay is the best feeling gameplay that I've gotten to experience in recent history, and the addition of a single player story mode really puts it over the rest of the field as the greatest game of 2016.

Also note: the game is available on sale in a lot of places right now, so if you haven't nabbed it yet, do it!