Top 25 Worst Nintendo Games

I have been a huge and devoted Nintendo follower as their games are always top notch and their games never let me down in term of quality or sheer excitement and fun. They have also produced so many great games in different genres that you won't have to crack your head just trying to figure out which titles that can cater to your taste. Of course, there are some genres that they are really good at and excel like platformer, cart racing and ARPG. The most beloved series from Nintendo for me is certainly the Legend of Zelda series. Even though the core formula hasn't changed for all these years, the games are still fun with certain additions that Nintendo will surely include with every iteration and I am glad the magic is still there after playing so many Zelda games.

But I guess no matter how good developers they are, it is still inevitable that occasionally they will produce games that are not up to par or simply garbages. Games that have wonky controls, nightmarish collision detections, fraught with unimaginable(and imaginable, pun intended)bugs, you name it. Same thing happens to Nintendo as well but as long as most of their games are exceptionally good and outstanding, we should just get over the bad apples and always long for the better games from Nintendo. So far I am really glad that I haven't really bought any crappy games from Nintendo thanks to several gaming sites out there which can always provide me some insights before getting games I am interested in.

Here is 25 worst Nintendo games by Gamedaily. Do you ever own or you are still having games that in the list? Do you really agree that those games listed are as bad as purported by Gamedaily? Please leave your comments here.

Play-asia Removal Sale is here

Surprisingly, Play-asia is holding another sale before Christmas. I am hoping that it doesn't leave out the possibility that there will be another sale for Christmas where it should have more discount(30% discount sales? keep them coming!). Personally I am not really interested in getting anything currently as those which pique my interest are uneligible for this deal(Castlevania Order of Ecclesia is just released for less than 1 week) but I know there are people out there who can benefit a lot from this deal.

So what are you waiting for? Head here to browse through a huge catalogue of stuffs that are still in stock. Better be quick or you are gonna miss out some games that you have been rooting for to drop in price.

Chrono Trigger and....its preorder goodie?

I have been torn whether I should join the bulk since the price has been bumped up to usd40 and it makes no difference if I purchase this from play-asia. Most importantly is most of time I will holding out for sales just to get it at a cheaper price. Not that I have time for it if I get it earlier as I am currently too preoccupied with study and other sealed games as well.

But oh well, it seems like the particular news is gonna draw me in for the bulk again. As the title suggests, it seems like Amazon will be giving out a soundtrack cd for those who preorder it.(Just check at Gamestop, this deal is available there as well)

This soundtrack seems to be more lacklustre than the Castlevania Order of Ecclesia soundtrack though. It will only feature 2 themes from Chrono Trigger and I am unsure how good they are since I have never played this game before. Nevertheless, it is still a bonus who plan to get it on day one.

PS. If you are interested in preordering it and would like to join the bulk, please head here for more details.

More on Castlevania preorder goodie...

Previously I was having a deliberate discussion with why_79 trying to come up with a conclusion. Are we getting a physical copy of the Castlevania soundtrack or just a couple codes to access to the digital version?

Now that the game is released(have you got your copy?), our question is answered as well. Apparently this is some of the silliest business decisions that is gonna offend some of those who opted to preorder earlier. Instead of deciding whether those soundtracks should be distributed in digital form or physical copy, they have chosen to give away those soundtracks in both forms. Anyway to tell that you are gonna receive which of it? Not until you get either an email of the codes or just the cd itself with the game you order.

Apparently some Gamestop don't have the cd for grabs so if you are really interested in the cd itself, I would really suggest you to head down to a brick and mortar Gamestop now to find out whether they the cd. The cd should still be available at some shops so better be haste if you are really interested in it.

As for me, I am really glad that I didn't go through all the troubles just to discover that I am merely getting some numerical codes later(and not to forget the part where "the supplies last..." That is deplorable and unacceptable!).

For those who are unable to get hold of this cd, you might be tempted to see how the real deal is.

Preorder good of USA version of Castlevania Order of Ecclesia.(finally!!)

Remember when I complained about the lack of preorder goodie for Castlevania Order of Ecclesia unlike its Japan counterpart here? It seems like someone at Konami has heard our rantings and has been kind enough to include something for those who preorder it now at Gamestop. Even though it still pales in comparison with Japan version of preorder goodie, why should you complain when the whole thing is still retailed at normal price while you will be getting a free thing? You shouldn't, really.

Ok, for those who are gonna preorder it at Gamestop, you will be getting yourself a soundtrack cd. It is not gonna include all bgm available in the game(not sure whether the soundtrack included in Japan version is gonna feature all the bgm though), but still this should make a cool addition (and not to mention it is virtually free you know?). The track list could be found below.


The question now is should I even bother to get it? Trying to get something in USA now has been a hassle since my friend in USA has refused to help me anymore with all the purchases there(haha because apparently I have been getting lots of stuffs after she went there to further her study). Should I get it or more accurately how should I get it if I am interested? Why, what will you do?

Upcoming DS software line up.

In the conference, Nintendo has also released a trailer for upcoming DS software release until 2009. There are some interesting new titles like Mario and Luigi 3 where you can control Browser. Do note that those games are Japanese versions, so you might want to check your region release date for certain games that you are interested.

Releasing date for various games found in the trailer. Do note that this list might be incomplete because I will only list out titles that I know. Sorry for all the troubles because I just don't understand Japanese.
1. Kirby Super Star Ultra(nintendo)-6th November 2008.
2. Cooking Guide: Can't Decide to Eat in Japanese?(nintendo)-4th December 2008.
3. Mlb Bros 11(Konami)-4th December 2008.
4. Mega Man Star Force 3(Capcom)-13rd November 2008.
5. Valkyrie Profile(Square Enix)- 1st November 2008.
6. Chrono Trigger(Square Enix)-20th November 2008.
7. Chocobo and the Magic Storybook: The Witch, The Maiden and the Five Heroes(Square Enix)-11th December 2008.
7. Shiren the Wanderer DS2(Sega)-13th November 2008
8. Phantasy Star Zero(Sega)-25th December 2008.
9. Tales of Heart(Bandai Namco)-11th December 2008.
10. Another Harvest Moon(Marvellous Entertainment)-18th December 2008.
11. Avalon Code(Marvellous Entertainment)-1st November 2008.
12. Professor Layton 3(Level 5)-27th November 2008.
13. Mario and Luigi 3(nintendo)-2009
14. Warioware?(nintendo)-2009
15. 3d picross(nintendo)-2009
16. Phoenix Wright Miles Edgeworth Perfect Prosecutor(Capcom)-spring 2009
17. Final Fantasy Chronicles Echoes of Time(Square Enix)-29st January 2009
18. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days(Square Enix)-winter 2009 ?
19. Seventh Dragon(Sega)-spring 2009

Haiz, I was expecting for Dragon Quest IX trailer but it is nowhere to be seen. Hopefully there will be a trailer for it during Tokyo Game Show.

Nintendo DSi is finally announced!

Finall,the big day is here and as expected, Nintendo has announced a redesigned Nintendo Ds, which is called Nintendo DSi. The meaning of the i still remains to be solved, as they never explained what does it stand for. Maybe it is an abbreviation, or it just doesnt have any special meaning. I am guessing that the i should stand for Interaction.

Let's have a look at changes shall we? The notable changes include:
1. An embedded 0.3 megapixel camera inside of the console and one 3mp camera outside of DSi which could be seen clearly on the pic above. Pictures captured can be edited using touch screen. SD memory card slot is now available so that you can transfer picture taken by DSi to your Wii and upload it into Wii Photo Channel.

2. Size has been reduced by 12% and 2.6mm. Too bad that they decided to omit the Gba slot.

3. DSi will have larger screens now, which are 3.25 inch compared with NDSL 3 inch screens.

4. DSi can adjust pitch and playback, which makes it suitable for learning language and music playing.

5. There will be onboard memory now just like psp which maybe used to shorten the loading time, but it remained to be seen how big the memory will be.

6. With the inclusion of Sd memory card slot, you can finally download DSi wares to your ds with previous Wii point, which has been renamed to Nintendo Point.

Another rumored feature is not included with the DSi, which is double touch screens.

The most shocking truth that I learned from this announcement is Nintendo decided to eschew the GBA slots. Oh come on, Nintendo. Just to make it lighter and smaller(which isn't THAT apparent in DSi), you remove a slot that has supported so many peripherals to date including the popular Guitar Hero grip. Don't forget this game is the most hot selling third party DS game in USA,I bet Activision is not gonna be happy with it because they will be releasing sequel of Guitar Hero On Tour soon. There are some people who think that Nintendo will release a redesigned DS soon again, only this time by including the GBA slot. What do you think?

Nintendo may have positioned its previous portable consoles as a merely gaming machine, it doesn't hurt that DSi has now featured music playing capability. Although I rarely listen to musics, I still welcome this feature as I foresee myself to be using it a lot. The audio quality is still questionable though until it is released. But for a guy who rarely listens to musics like me, I don't think that I will ever complain, haha.

I am really glad that Nintendo doesn't try to implement both touch screens because in my opinions, it could be disastrous. As we know currently NDSl has the notorious cracked hinge epidermic and it seems like Nintendo has done little to the design of DSi, so I expect(touch wood)there maybe some problems regarding the hinge after it is released. By implementing touch screen capability on the upper screen, it will just worsen the whole thing as gamers will clearly poke the upper screen incessantly(and unbeknown to them, some may have actually poke it too hard, which maybe too much for the upper screen), so there is a possibility that it will worsen the hinge. Ok, even if the hinge problem no longer exists, do you really favour wobbly upper screen after some time of using your DSi? This one should happen to every one after of owning a NDSL(not sure of NDS phat though) for some time as I am currently experiencing it as well. The upper screen is wobbly maybe due to the long-used loosen hinge. It is not really a serious flaw because it may happen to electric appliances that have designs like NDSL, but I am sure no one likes it, me included. If upper touch screen does materialize, I guess it will get wobbly very short after as you have been messing around with the hinge by poking at the upper screen almost every time you play some games.

There are still questions regarding the DSi wares. It remained to be seen whether those games are original games like Wiiwares or we will be able to download games from virtual console or the best of all from the catalog of previous portable consoles like Gameboy, Gameboy Color or Gameboy Advance. And they never even mention DLC. With the support of SD memory card, it surely does open up unlimited possibilities for DSi user. This is the only change I applaud them for and certainly most of the gamers have been waiting for.

Oh ya, forgot to mention some important details of NDSi. This baby will see its light out in Japan on 1st November 2008, which is less than 1 month away and it will see its release in other regions 2009. It retail price is 18900yen(about 180usd). It will be released in 2 colors which are white and lack. Corez may want to be an early adopter for this, but this time I am not gonna be like him like I did for DS Lite last time because the alterations just don't warrant a quick purchase for me. I am gonna hold out and see its review before I decide to pay for it. Hopefully I would be able to try it out during the November gathering, haha. For those who are interested, you might head to our friendly neighbourhood, Play Asia to preorder it now so that you won't miss it when it is released. White DSi could be preordered here while black DSi can be obtained here.

Fun as well!

As you guys knew, I have recently purchased Final Fantasy Tactics A2 from an internet friend. Initially I wasn't planning to play this game considering that this might just have some minor upgrades from its predecessor, the gba version of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.(You guys must be wondering why did I get this game in the first place then. Haha, you will understand me if you are a game collector like me). But as time ticked away and I had nothing better to do(well, it is holiday now and I dont feel like studying) and since I have completed Rondo of Swords thrice, I might as well play this game while waiting for another 2 games I have ordered. How wrong was I? This game is simply a blast, even you have played the previous version before.

When I first fired up this game, first thing I notice about this game is the similar bgm that I can simply hum. Even though some bgm are just ported from the gba versions, there are still some new tracks which in my opinion are greater than the old bgm. Those new bgm are simply memorable and I will just use headphone when I hear them.

Next, some may complain that the graphics dont see major improvement than the gba version. I do admit, it still looks familiarly same but nonetheless, the graphics seem to be more intricate and I was just simply marvelled when I look at the cutscenes of espers appearing. One thing I have been puzzled though, why Square Enix never bothered to make the characters in upper screen during battles less blocky? It might seem ok after playing for some time but I still think that Square Enix could have done something to remedy it.

This game still plays the same like before, so if you have played the gba version, I am sure you will have no problem managing your team. Laws are still here, but it is much less punishing than before. In this game, if you uphold the laws, you will get some special items after the battle and you will be able to enjoy law privilleges during the battles. However, if you break the laws, deceased characters will be sent to prison and you can no longer enjoy the benefits of those privileges. Do not misunderstand though, those sent to prison will remain so for the battle ONLY. At first I thought I am gonna lose those characters permanently so I quickly restart my games once I have broken the laws and have my characters killed. Never did I know they will resurrect once the battle is over until I tried it accidentally. How stupid am I? The worst thing that could happen is those characters wont receive desirable experience points due to unable to participate in the battles anymore. Regarding the special items you receive after upholding the laws, you will soon realize those so called bonus items are no longer useful later as they tend to be weaker than those we can get from bazaar. Other than that, I don't think there is any problem and I have no qualms letting some characters die and be sent to prison. Also, I notice in this game, unlike the GBA, missions and battles are simply tied to same laws and there is no way you can change it like you did in the GBA version, which means if you are in some battles with some really absurd laws, either you are going to uphold it or you are going to break it! Worst of all, opponents will never be punished when they break the law, so they can exactly do what they want with disregard to the laws. Unfair huh? Luckily we don't have to pay too much for breaking the laws, or else I foresee many paying for their second consoles(haha because of throwing their NDS after getting screwed by the law systems. What? Not funny? Ok...)

For those who plan to upgrades themselves to powerful classes early on, there are some restrictions now as you can only unlock certain new jobs after completing certain missions. It is to prevent gamers from abusing some powerful jobs I guess and I am certainly ok with it. As usual, there are new jobs and even 2 new races here. So far I still haven't managed to try any new jobs except for arcanist for Nu Mou and I can't really tell as I haven't unleash it's full potential yet.. What I cant forget to mention is the new race, Seeq. A berserker Seeq is really great and it surpasses my expectation. In my opinion, it is more useful than white monk because of some of its abilities. You guys should try it yourself and shouldn't let its oversize body fool you guys.

Other notable changes from this game are:
1. You can no longer create your own maps like before. It seems like there will be a larger fixed map this time and it will require you to use airship to travel to other continent. Sweet!
2. Missions are more diversified this time. Even though most of the missions are still battle focused, this time it will add in around some extra storyline, so the whole affair isn't just as mundane and tedious like before.
3. You will no longer battle with other clans to gain the ownership of certain areas, instead you will be competing out with other clans in auctions to own those areas before the next auctions. The auction itself serves as an interesting mini game and it might take a couple of trials and errors before you can manage to get all areas in one auction. Nevertheless, it is fun and it is certainly rewarding once you do so as you will be able to bid for powerful weapons once you become an area master(you become one after winning all areas in one auction)
4. There will be a new section called bazaar in this game. You will be trading loots you gain from missions or battles for some powerful weapons that you can gain access to at a shop.
5. Our characters will start out with 0 MP in every battle and every round each character will restore 10 MP automatically. This is not some change that I favour as later on you will find there will be many restrictions as the magics you want to unleash will consume MP. Luckily you will get a new clan privilege that will double the MP restoration each round.
6. There will be clan trials in this game. You will get new law privileges after meeting certain requirements and new titles as well.

All in all, for those who expect a deep storyline here, I would suggest you to steer clear of this as this game main selling point is its deep customization system. This may sound complicated to some newcomers but be rest assured that once you get hang of the whole thing, you will soon be enjoying this like the rest of us do. Just don't shy away from this just because this seems to be so alien and strange to you. I remember I used to have same feelings when I started playing the gba version but I am really glad that I have taken to first step to experience it, or else I wont be hooked to strategy rpg games at all. I have clocked in around 32 hours since last week and I only managed to complete 75 mission and there are actually 400 missions in this game. Long? Yes. Addictive? Of course. Satisfaction? Priceless!