The evening Inbox hears from one reader who’s still enjoying Need For Speed: The Run, and gets an explanation for rubber-banding in Battlefield 4.
To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk
Multiplayer console
I watched the Super Smash Bros. dedicated Nintendo Direct and I must say the game really does look fantastic, 60 frames per second with 3D enabled is hugely impressive. One thing you certainly can’t accuse Nintendo of is rushing their biggest franchises, different maps on each console that pertain to format exclusives is a nice touch as is the interesting looking Smash Run. The only real negative was the release date for the Wii U, the ‘targeting’ a winter release announcement is slightly worrying.
If the multiplayer turns out to be as good as it looks then the 3DS will be my premier format for multiplayer gaming. I still play Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Pokémon regularly. I love that Nintendo have decided to embrace online play over the last few years and hope they continue to. If Nintendo announce a follow-up to Metroid Prime: Hunters complete with multiplayer at E3 I will never need to look to my Xbox 360 or PlayStation 4 for multiplayer games again.
I must have watched the recent Mario Kart 8 footage a hundred times already, it really does look amazing, being denied a well deserved first place thanks to a blue shell will be glorious in HD. Nintendo games have always been pretty because of the art direction, but with the power of the Wii U there games are going to be truly beautiful looking.
I’m considerably more excited to see what Nintendo’s biggest franchises will look like on Wii U than I am to see how good PlayStation 4 and Xbone exclusives will look. There has to be some mention of a new Metroid or Zelda at E3, these are the type of games that you can only get on Nintendo consoles and are the reason I have purchased Nintendo consoles in the past. Hopefully Mario Kart 8 will be the catalyst for a change of fortunes for the Wii U.
A dubious delay, belated reviews, no screenshots, omission of any gameplay and no TV ads (well I haven’t seen one) Microsoft seem to be doing their very best to detour people from buying Titanfall on the Xbox 360. I know they want to prioritise the Xbone but this is just ridiculous.
iLike Fat Ladys(gamertag)
Get well soon
Just caught up with the Super Smash Bros, Nintendo Direct. Well, I have to say how great it was – the perfect thing to cheer up a sick lady currently holed up in hospital. But thanks to free Wi-Fi I saw it this morning! Anyway, I do have a theory about the split release dates.
I think that by releasing the 3DS version first will allow players to practice or level up characters, then when the Wii U version is launched, you’ll be able to transfer stats and other bits of data. I also got the feeling like the 3DS version will be like a training tool and slightly geared towards less experienced players.
For example, in one part the Wii Fit trainer is smashing targets – could this be a training mode? The Wii U version, while accessible to beginners, will be more ‘hardcore’ and have other features. The 3DS version is shaping up to be great fun which is good for someone who isn’t that great at Brawl but enjoys playing it nonetheless!
I also get the feeling there will be a few more characters announced – maybe the last will appear at E3 and a demo announced? I’m glad that each version has its own stages but will have the same characters. By doing it this way, we get the best possible version for each console while being able to play as your favourite character regardless of which one you choose.
The 3DS was already on a roll and now it’s going to be on fire once again. I only hope that there’s more on the horizon for the Wii U as it’s going to be a very long wait indeed. The only comfort is that Wii U owners will have an amazing Christmas…
bouncer0304 (NN ID)
Two good reasons
I use to be a massive Nintendo fan but I never bought a Wii U as there just wasn’t any games that interested me, that is until now. I’ve just watched videos of Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. and it’s brought the child out in me again. The problem is I don’t have the money for another console and I’m wondering if its worth getting a Wii U just for two games. I’ll just have to wait and see how I feel once I play them.
I also recently bought Need For Speed: The Run, this was the only Need For Speed game I somehow missed but as it was cheep I thought I would give it a go. The last Need For Speed game I enjoyed was Most Wanted, well I’m glad I got it as it’s one of the better games. I really enjoyed the main game with some great set pieces and at times reminds me of the original Need For Speed that I had on the 3DO, but it’s online that’s got me hooked.
It can be a little rough round the edges at times but it’s a lot of fun with well-balanced racing. All my mates now have picked it up and have had some really intense race battles. The last time that happened was with the original GRID. Hopefully EA won’t turn the servers off for it soon as it’s a couple of years old now. There still seems to be a lot of gamers online with it, which means it’s not hard to find a full lobby.
robbie.j
E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk
Saying nothing
Regarding Titanfall on Xbox 360. From some of the footage I have seen the difference is slight between it and the Xbox One version. Drop in texture quality and lower frame rate. Not that it’s that noticeable.
When will GameCentral get to have an interview with the developer or publisher to get us some answers as to why Microsoft have been so coy about it? Really does show that the Xbox One is going to struggle if the step change promised for its games compared to last gen is more of a small improvement.
Ooohhhyeahhh (gamertag/PSN ID)
GC: Respawn barely gave any interviews for the Xbox One release, we doubt they’ll ever willingly talk about the Xbox 360 version or allow Bluepoint to be interviewed. But again we have to point out that the game is published by EA, not Microsoft. And while it’s easy to imagine Microsoft putting pressure on them there’s no proof, and it’s still ultimately EA’s call.
Keep it quiet
What a bizarre situation regarding the Xbox 360 version of Titanfall. This is the first time I can remember a company actually trying to hide a good game from public awareness. YouTube footage of the Xbox 360 version shows it to be a perfectly competent port of the Xbone version (oh the shame!).
The only conclusion I can draw from this whole debacle is that Microsoft are immensely embarrassed by the shortcomings of the Xbone, and that the quality of the ‘last gen’ game simply highlight the fact the ‘next gen’ is still far from a necessary upgrade.
The mighty Eyeballs
GC: The only similarity we can think of is the GameCube version of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which was quietly buried for what you might imagine are similar reasons.
Mercenary price
I was just wondering if you would have time or have planned to review Mercenary Kings for PlayStation 4? I haven’t really seen too much in the Inbox from any readers, it really is fantastic especially for anyone who loves their retro ’90s games.
It is a brilliant mix of ’90s shooters, platformers, and role-playing elements in one. It’s free with PlayStation Plus at the minute on PlayStation 4. Would love to see GC’s opinion of it.
HailToDaDuke
GC: Our review schedule is a bit skew-whiff at the moment because of all these big name games coming in late, but we’ll try and get a look at it.
Video game music
RE: DMR. Honestly, I can totally see those lyrics working, because I’ve listened to a lot of Skyrim-based stuff from Miracle of Sound. It can definitely work. I’m sure if it was something in the same vein of Sovengarde Song or Legends of the Frost, then it’d be fine.
DarkSapphire
Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here
No idea
I was all for Microsoft including Kinect as standard. Like you said Its only chance of success was if developers knew every Xbox One owner had one. But I also assumed that Microsoft had a few cards up their sleeves regarding its use.
I genuinely thought they had something other than sporting mini-games in mind when they started developing it. I’ve always been under the impression that it would never work on its own to control games. The idea of a steering wheel you can’t feel just doesn’t work.
I assumed it would be used in clever ways in combination with the Xbox controller for the likes of head tracking or subtle motion controls. It’s starting to look now like Microsoft really didn’t know what it was for. That maybe they’re hoping another developer would come up with something.
‘A solution to a problem which never existed’ is a good way of putting it. I was simply under the impression that Microsoft had discovered a problem, a brilliant use for a great price of tech. Why else put so much money and faith into it?
I was even trying to think back to the first announcement of the original Kinect. I’m sure there were some ideas then which got us all excited but for the life of me I can’t remember what they where.
@PjDonnelli
GC: We agree. The situation is very similar to the Wii U GamePad: an effective piece of technology that is the centrepiece of the system and yet no seems to have any real idea what to do with it.
Inbox also-rans
What is rubber-banding on Battlefield 4? I understand when it’s used in driving games but am slightly lost when in connection to Battlefield 4. It occurred to me I might be suffering from it but don’t know it.
Paulscott1972 (PSN ID)
GC: The use of the term is completely different from racing games, but we can see how it started as it refers to a judder, caused by a bad network connection, that really does look like you’re being snapped backwards and forwards in a big rubber band. DICE has been promising to fix it for months.
It must be really hard for Nintendo thinking up ideas for a new Smash Bros., what with them having not come up with a single new game in over a decade. The fact they had to resort to a Wii Fit trainer is hilarious.
Gordon Bennett
This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Iceman, who asks what game did you initially hate but end up loving?
What’s the most extreme turnaround you’ve ever had for a video game? Was it a game you were dubious about at the preview stage or one you disliked in the first few hours but then went on to really enjoy? What period of time was there between the two opinions and was there any specific moment or feature that changed your mind?
Is there anything you regret about your earlier attitude and do you blame it on bad marketing, inaccurate previews, or just you getting the wrong end of the stick? Did you just think it wasn’t the sort of game for you, only to later find out the opposite?
E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk
The small print
New Inbox updates appear twice daily, every weekday morning and afternoon. Letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.
You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word 4Player viewer features at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.
If you need quick access to the GameCentral channel page please use: www.metro.co.uk/games
