The Friday letters page hopes NFTs are on the way with all game companies as one reader prefers Obi-Wan Kenobi over Fallen Order.
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Going back
Because there are so few new games out right now, I did something I haven’t done in years: I put on Fortnite. At first I just wanted to see how long it would take to update, which I knew would be ridiculously long, but then I got curious about how it plays out these days, especially since there’s no build mode now.
I had heard about that before and almost had to dive back in when it happened, but I never quite got around to it. So I tried yesterday and it was a lot better without everyone building walls and sheds and whatever. However, what struck me most about going back was how… ordinary the action was. I wouldn’t classify it as bad, at least not for a free game, but I wouldn’t say it was good either, it feels a bit spongy and weightless and not at all like firing a gun.
The rest of the game… I was impressed with all the options and the things that happened on the map that had nothing to do with the Battle Royale itself. They obviously have put a lot of effort into keeping it constantly up to date. However, for me it is no longer worth playing, just a curiosity. If the action in an action game isn’t top notch, I don’t see the point, free or not.
Milo
just say no
I can’t say that Minecraft is a game that I’ve saved more than a second on in the past, but suddenly I have a lot of respect for Microsoft Says No to NFTs. There was a point where it looked like this was going to be the new loot box, but worse, especially when Ubisoft and EA started talking about them (Activision got a lot of booing, but it’s always those two that lead the way any bad idea).
I assume this will put the final nail in Ubisoft’s plans to use them, but as far as I understand one of the main reasons EA is giving up the FIFA name is that it could have the rights to use NFTs for to sell the game. We’ll see if they’ve reconsidered their stance, but I’m guessing not.
The only other major companies that seem interested right now are Japanese, so I can only assume NFTs are perceived differently there. Hopefully they’ll come along soon, because Square Enix in particular is currently making fun of itself.
Targo
First choice
So with SJC after a PC controller I thought I’d throw in my two penneths.
I’m using a standard Xbox Series X/S controller. It plugs into Windows easily, and most games are programmed to recognize the Xbox buttons (so in tutorials, for example, you’ll be told to use the ‘Y’ button instead of a generic button 1). I also prefer the analog stick location, but that’s purely personal preference.
My only real complaint is that it doesn’t have a rechargeable battery and uses AAs. However, there are plenty of good controllers, This article gives a good overview for different budgets.
Hope it’s helpful!
The guy stays
GC: It is, but even for PC we would never recommend a joypad that wasn’t a first party console controller.
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Still driving
Excite Truck on Wii remains a family favorite; 10/10 we’ve been playing every week for years now and have even come to appreciate and master the motion controls. The excellent Cruis’n Blast on Switch is the only new arcade game that appeals to our non-simulation tastes.
It’s criminal that a game like Need For Speed can have 20 sequels, but this genius design only has one iteration.
I’d take a new Excite Truck over F-Zero any day of the week as Excite offers multiple layers of control and bonus hunting. Such a waste of genius arcade game design that blows every boundary and limitation wide open.
Thanks for all the honest, entertaining reviews
will be sargent
Cleaning up on Game Pass
Game Pass has been a great value, with its wide range of genres, from indie titles to AAA releases… but what am I addicted to right now? Cleaning up other people’s dirt on Power Wash Simulator.
The OCD in me means I just have to hit 100% once I start each level
ttfp saylow (gamertag)
Now playing: Power Wash Simulator and Road 96
Cal for Obic
I know I’m late to the party here, but I just finished watching Obi-Wan Kenobi.
I remember the general consensus here, with inboxers, was that it wasn’t very good, and it just copied the Fallen Order story.
Well, not only was the show brilliant and “felt” like Star Wars, but it had absolutely nothing to do with Fallen Order.
There was the one location and the inquisitors. That is it. Not a single link.
Other than Darth Vader, I don’t think there was a single character in either.
I wonder if the people jumping on the cart even played/watched them?
JDB
GC: We agree with the Inbox consensus that Fallen Order did everything Obi-Wan did, but better. Characters don’t have to have the same name to play the same role in a story.
Infinite charge
I had long since packed up my DS Lite and upgraded to a 3DS, and bought a 3DS XL after ages of use, just as they were becoming obsolete with the industry standard Switch console.
Late last year I was flipping through my collection, getting some stuff ready for potential eBay sales, and pressing the power button on my DS Lite, it booted up and I don’t believe I charged it until I put it in put back the original box. Though I’m not sure, as it was easy more than six years ago, at least? Pretty ridiculous anyway.
Bad editing
Bonkers ideas
In response to Focus’s excellent letter recently about the direction Nintendo is heading with their next final console, I love it when the brainstorming starts, especially with the Kyoto company. I love how you can throw any idea into the air and no matter how absurd it is, chances are Nintendo has at least probably considered it.
So I thought I’d throw my two cents into the gaming creativity frenzy. I predict we won’t see a new console for the next three years as long as Nintendo can run this gravy train that long (it’s only a little over 1,000 days, after all).
I predict it will take a similar shape to the Switch, in that the controllers on the sides of the screen will be detachable. Only the controllers will flip out with touchscreens, a bit like a folding touchscreen phone.
That gives you the option to fold out your controllers and create an even wider screen to play on via touchscreen, Tetris would be interesting via touchscreen portrait gaming.
The docking station will likely stream images directly to your TV through the main console. Three people could play, two with the controllers and one with the touchscreen or all three with touchscreens or two touchscreens and one controller. If that makes sense?
Have I lost you yet?
Here’s the trick though, the two controllers fold out and join together to create a second screen that can be used, if you measure today’s Joy-Cons they are already equivalent to a quarter of the screen’s length. Expand both controllers and they will cover the same screen size as the Switch screen itself.
Then they could do even better and have the merged controllers click on the top of the original screen in some sort of hybrid duel screen console form and God knows we all know how successful the flip screen has been for the big N.
How this would translate into a ton of successful games is anyone’s guess, but that’s how Nintendo works.
All my ideas are crazy, of course, but that’s the fun of trying to doubt Nintendo.
It would be great to hear other readers’ ideas, no matter how crazy it may seem at the time.
highway 77
Inbox is running too
They missed a trick not to release Stray on the PSP, didn’t they?
ANON
GC: If that’s a joke, don’t we get it?
The free games in the Epic Games Store, starting Thursday 4pm, are Shop Titans and Tannenberg.
Andreas J.
This week’s hot topic
The topic for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Tolly, who asks what is the longest gaming session you’ve ever had.
Simply put, what’s the longest you’ve ever played a game without a substantial break? Have you consciously been playing for so long and if so, what preparations have you made for it?
Have you ever sat down to play and were surprised by how long it took you there when you finished? Did you think this was a good thing and what is your favorite length of time for a gaming session in general?
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The fine print
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