Topic: Nintendo Switch --OT--

@RR529 I just completed that level recently, it was a very cool easter egg they included!

Especially since they don't tell you in-game that it's reachable.

@KidBoruto, yeah, nearly every main Kirby game has a hidden "HAL" room (I think either Robobot or Star Allies had 2).

Another HAL room (& a clue how to find it).

I finally beat the main story for Kirby and the Forgotten Land, focusing now on all the post-game content that has become available.

Btw, here's a video that shows the 3 secret HAL rooms and 3 other hard to find areas.

@KidBoruto, I discovered three of those on my own, and was apparently close to a 4th (I can't believe I didn't notice that window was open).

Anyhow, I completed the post game world, with the final arena cup being the last major milestone left (though with how tough some of the post game world bosses were I'm not going to push myself to do so. I'll certainly give it a try, but I'll probably move on if I can't do it after a few tries).

You gonna go back and find the other secret areas? That's my next goal when I resume playing.

Yeah that final world cup looks tough as heck, will probably need to max out all your copy abilities to full power first.

That's what I plan on doing before I tackle the post-game worlds.

Xenoblade 3 is now July 29th. Maybe Splatoon was delayed by a few months? Or, even better, we're getting a new date for Advance Wars soon?

Combat system looks wild. Characters are combining into mecha forms. They look like something out of Astral Chain. Also weirdly kind of reminded of the transformation system in Digital Devil Saga.

Needless to say, all of my plans are different now.

Xenoblade Chronicles is one of my all-time favourite RPGs but I've still never played Xenoblade Chronicles 2 because I saw the character designs and then everyone I knew who'd played it told me not to. I'm kinda excited for 3 but I don't know if I should be or even if I should be playing it without playing 2. I should probably just play 2.

@johncalmc You'll probably miss some references, but I doubt they'll design it in such a way that you'll be completely lost if you haven't played the second game. Every previous game has worked as a standalone experience.

Which isn't to say you shouldn't play XC2. I loved it. WAY more than the first game.

But XC3 will probably stand just find on its own.

@Ralizah Is 2 related to the first game in any way?

@johncalmc ...yes. The ending of XC2 directly connects it to the first game. Also, XC1 characters Shulk and Fiora can be unlocked in the second game if you buy the expansion, although I doubt this is canon story stuff.

And this game is going to be a cross between the worlds of Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2, and integrates elements and characters from both. Although the main cast seems to be unique to this entry.

@Ralizah Hmm. I suppose I should bite the bullet and just play it then. I'll get it ordered when I've made more of a dent in my backlog. Why not?

SE: "Here Nintendo, we're giving you an exclusive Chocobo Racing reboot"!

Nintendo: "Cool, let's just slot that in right next to our Mario Kart 8 DLC".

SE: "Umm... Anyway, here's an exclusive Live a Live remake as well"!

Nintendo: "Oh great... yeah, it can have a month to itself, wait hold on a sec. Uh huh, really, earlier than expected? Good news SE, it can be bunk mates with Xenoblade Chronicles 3! No sales cannibalization, we promise"!

SE: "Are you... are you trying to tell us something? At least we had Triangle Strategy by itself..."

Nintendo: "...Cone Kirby..."

SE: -_-

My current prediction/theory is that we'll be getting a Zelda 35th Anniversary collection in the Fall.

Either that or them finally porting over some older Metroid games.

The fact that that XC3 article (on NL) has nearly 250 comments is mind boggling.

Yeah, XC2 leaned more heavily on the fan service than the first game, but overall it's not all that more unusual than your typical JRPG or Japanese action game (like Bayonetta or Ninja Gaiden). By no means am I saying that you have to like/enjoy fan service, I just don't see what makes XC2 in particular so special that has made it the center of the debate rather than any number of other Japanese games, especially in a world where stuff like Senran Kagura exists that is much more extreme with such content.

The only theory I have is that that there are a number of people who buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games (of which their number would be amplified on a Nintendo fan site such as this), and otherwise don't play a bunch of Japanese games. They're much more used to stuff like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, Kirby, and the like, bought XC2 as it was a big release during the console's first year & were in for a bit of a culture shock of sorts, kinda mythicising the level of lewd in the game. Granted, this is just a theory.

@RR529 Because it’s entirely unnecessary to the game. Something like Senran Kagura needs the fanservice to not be a largely mediocre beat-em-up. Xenoblade has a largely interesting story but gets bogged down by anime tropes, laughable voice acting and bizarre panning over characters’ chests. Doesn’t help that in Xenoblade X, half the characters were explicitly underage in the Japanese version. Or the fact they get around kiddie porn rules by saying that oh no, actually this character is like 400 years old, they just look like a child for totally not pedophilic reasons in the slightest.

@RR529 It's Nintendo Life's version of PvP. In this case, prudes vs perverts.

I dunno if you were around when the Senran Kagura series was still primarily associated with the 3DS, but articles about those games would attract hundreds of comments.

If nothing else, NL's writers has been doing better about not sermonizing about the evils of cartoon boobs, which I appreciate.

And yes, the degree to which people act like XC2 is some sort of softcore porn game still baffles me a little. People act like slightly risque character designs haven't been a part of video games and anime culture for decades now.

Of course, the thing to remember is that probably 90% of people who play this game aren't losing their minds over an anime character having large breasts.

@nessisonett, did you reply to me? I have an email that says you did, however I'm not seeing your comment. This page says it should contain comments 6,361 (I'm assuming yours) & 6,362 (@Ralizah's), but only theirs is appearing. I checked & I don't have you accidentally blocked or anything.

@Ralizah, was definitely around when Senran Kagura first popped up, but I guess I don't remember the comment sections too much. I first really started to notice the arguments once first party Nintendo games started having some of this content featured (or "censored") like the Fire Emblem games & TMS, and the whole Xenoblade drama seems to be an extension of that.

@RR529 I’m gonna assume it’s due to the fact I referenced Japan’s questionable attitudes towards characters under 18 and it triggered some blocked word list. Bit weird it doesn’t just censor it. The gist is that hypersexualisation can work in certain contexts where it makes sense due to the plot but can be rather tacky in practice. Exactly the same as any other form of media, and the same as the way violence, drug taking etc is treated. Plus, more female perspectives are needed in these studios. If you’re going to have boobs, at least make sure they follow the rules of physics.

I don't think the criticism on the sexism in Xenoblade is less valid because there are other offenders.

The stuff in Xenoblade Chronicles isn't innocent fun. It deserves to be scrutinized article after article, however annoying that might be to fans of the series.