GAMER LOUNGE 20XX (NO CASUALS!!)

[11th]

I'm sure people are already aware of this, but nobody's mentioned it ...

The Japanese site for the upcoming Kirby game revealed a lot more information. The most exciting of which is that there is a third new ability called "ESP". (Will probably be renamed "Psychic" in the Western release). No actual details aside from the name are given though.

The site also tells us that Meta Knightmare mode is making a return, which has some Amiibo functionality to it. Additionally, there are stickers that can be found across the game which can be used to customize your robot. (I really hope they are actually visible and not just like a SSBB thing).


Given the current roster of confirmed abilities, here's my amiibo-given ability predictions:

Spoiler

Character names in (*) are secondary possibilities (i.e. they are possible for that ability but probably not their first choice).


==Archer==
Zelda, Pit, Dark Pit, (Toon Link)

==Beam==
Samus, ZSSamus, ROB, Mega Man, Mii Gunner, (Pikachu), (Robin)

==Bomb==
Duck Hunt, (Yoshi), (Bowser Jr.)

==Circus==
(Diddy Kong)

==Cutter==
(Toon Link)

==Doctor==
Dr. Mario, Wii Fit Trainer

==ESP/Psychic==
Mewtwo, Ness, Lucas, (Shulk)

==Fighter==
Ganondorf, Captain Falcon, Lucario, Donkey Kong, Ryu, Little Mac, Mii Brawler

==Fire==
Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Charizard, Bowser Jr., (Robin)

==Hammer==
King Dedede (confirmed), Mr. Game & Watch, Skylander Bowser, (Bowser Jr.)

==Ice==
???

==Jet==
Fox, Falco, Diddy Kong, (Bowser Jr.), (Captain Falcon)

==Leaf==
Olimar, Villager, Toad, (Toon Link)

==Mike==
Jiggly Puff

==Ninja==
Sheik, Greninja

==Parasol==
Peach, Waddle Dee (confirmed)

==Poison==
Splatoon Inklings, (Wario)

==Smash Bros==
Kirby (Smash version)

==Spark==
Pikachu, Chibi Robo, (Samus), (ZSSamus), (ROB)

==Stone==
???

==Sword==
Link (confirmed), Meta Knight (confirmed), Marth, Roy, Ike, Lucina, Robin, Shulk, Cloud, Mii Swordsman, (Corrin)

==Wheel==
Sonic, Wario, Pac-Man, (Jiggly Puff), (Bowser Jr.)

==Whip==
Yoshi, (Chibi Robo)


NON-CONFIRMED (BUT LIKELY) ABILITIES:
==Needle==
(Corrin)

==Spear==
Corrin

==Wing==
Duck Hunt, (Palutena)

The only ones I'm stuck on are Palutena, Bayonetta, and Rosalina. And Wolf Link, although he'll probably just be treated like normal Link and give Sword.

I didn't see anything about an ESP ability or a Meta Knightmare mode (either just by overlooking it or because I don't know Japanese), but I did see the stickers. I assumed that they'd be visible and collectibles like the keychains and figurines, but not necessarily have any other effects.

And I just noticed that Meta Knight has hand guards. Smash aside, I believe this would be the first time he's had them in-game if they have them on his non-cutscene model. That makes me happy.

Also, I'm late in saying this, but I really like your post from last week. That was a good post.

[TomGuycott]

I do hope that perhaps Meta Knight could have a customized robot suit of his own with his mask on the chest. Would be even more awesome if there was a boss fight of Kirby vs Meta Knight in a robot suit as if this was Rocket Knight Adventures or something.

[MrYoshbert]

I didn't see anything about an ESP ability or a Meta Knightmare mode (either just by overlooking it or because I don't know Japanese)

That was also mentioned on the North American page for the game.

...Or rather, was, since that info's not there anymore.  It also confirmed the return of The Arena, as well as a new subgame named "Kirby 3D Rumble".  Hmm.

[Jermungandr]

I do hope that perhaps Meta Knight could have a customized robot suit of his own with his mask on the chest.

I found something even better.

[TomGuycott]

H-H-Heav..

Heavenly Lobster...

[Koh]

That video could sum up problems with many ongoing series that forgot their identity. At least Zelda recognized that it strayed too far from its true roots, being actual exploration and the sense of adventure, but it took them way too long to get back to it. Final Fantasy just never knows what to do with itself, and it hasn't since like FF6. Castlevania most definitely ran into the ground after the bomb that was Lords of Shadow; they had two main types of genres within the series before, being classic arcade style platformer, and Metroidvania style gameplay, both of which were well received. Then they go and fuck it up with whatever the hell Lords of Shadow is supposed to be, and decided it needed a sequel. Megaman has undeniably lost its roots, which is what eventually ended up spawning Mighty No. 9.

It's like the companies don't know their own series. It's quite laughable that they'd end up fucking up so bad, when they started with something that was actually well received. How exactly does one knowingly, and intentionally stay on that path? Maybe they just know it'd sell well, just BECAUSE of the title. They could literally make a shitty Mario phone game, and have it sell millions, just because Mario is in the title.

So we can't put all the blame on them either, but also, the people stupid enough to buy anything and everything, just because of a title. If they didn't do such nonsense so blindly, and spoke with their wallet instead (collectively), then maybe these companies would actually pay attention to what the fans want. All they care about is your money. If you (collectively) knowingly buy a game that's clearly not going to be up to their previous standards, you're just encouraging them to continue that behavior.

[TomGuycott]

There's no solution to that issue, though. Mario games "got back to their roots" in the form of New Super Mario Bros, but now that series is panned for lack of innovation.

[NICKtendo DS]

Ehh... Paper Mario Color Splash might not be the Paper Mario we all hoped for, but the latest analysis of Gamexplain got me kind of interested in it. It's kind of unfair that I have to speak with my wallet, to not buy a game I'm interested in, just so maybe they'll make a proper Paper Mario title in a couple of years. No thanks. If I have the money, when the game is out, I might get it.

[Koh]

There's no solution to that issue, though. Mario games "got back to their roots" in the form of New Super Mario Bros, but now that series is panned for lack of innovation.

There is a solution, and it's actually quite easy.  You retain all the things that people actually liked about the games, and add to the formula, rather than just copy and paste the exact same thing and change the levels.

Perfect example being the 2D Final Fantasy games.  If we look at them mechanics wise, the evolution is quite clear; you go from the most basic turn-based combat with minimal customization in FF1, (skip the experimental FF2, as they were trying to find out what else works and what doesn't), to an even more layered turn-based combat system with heavy customization in FF3, with its job system.  FF4 brought in more intricate stories and introduced the more refined turn-based battle system, Active Time Battle, but took away the customization.  FF5 brought it back, better than ever with even more customization through the job and ability systems, on top of having an involved story.

Another perfect example being Pokemon Gen 2. It fixed and improved everything wrong with Gen 1, and added new mechanics on top of what was already there, which became series staples, like the Day/Night system with timed and daily events, breeding, new Types, and so on.

It's easy to innovate and retain what's good about the series, while also bringing new things to the table.  You just have to pay attention to what people actually like most about the games thus far, and expand on them.

[TomGuycott]

Innovation and pleasing everyone isn't "simple and easy". Eventually a series has a plateau. Take your own example; Pokemon. The following generation added Abilities. They have to decide what abilities will do, decide what abilities make sense for a Pokemon to have, balance the abilities as best they can so a certain type does not become overpowered, among so many other things, and do that not only for every Pokemon that came before 3rd generation, but every Pokemon made for it and every subsequent generation beyond.

[Helmo]

Pleasing Paper Mario fans is pretty easy:

Add partners and make it an RPG again...Thats all we want. After 3 strikes, no Paper Mario fan would complain if the game was just straight up TTYD with different partners.

[Kriven]

To be honest, as much as I would love a new Paper Mario RPG, I don't really mind not getting one... The first two games haven't been erased from history. They can be revisited as often as classic books and movies.

Yeah, I would be super stoked if a new one came out. But there's no reason to be salty if it doesn't. Granted, I understand that Paper Mario as a brand should mean something... and maybe they could come up with something to let people know that "Hey, this is in the Paper Mario world, but it isn't Paper Mario" so people aren't as disappointed.

[Helmo]

To be honest, as much as I would love a new Paper Mario RPG, I don't really mind not getting one... The first two games haven't been erased from history. They can be revisited as often as classic books and movies.

Yeah, I would be super stoked if a new one came out. But there's no reason to be salty if it doesn't. Granted, I understand that Paper Mario as a brand should mean something... and maybe they could come up with something to let people know that "Hey, this is in the Paper Mario world, but it isn't Paper Mario" so people aren't as disappointed.

Not everyone can get enjoy out of the same game after playing it like 20 times : /

[MrYoshbert]

Granted, I understand that Paper Mario as a brand should mean something... and maybe they could come up with something to let people know that "Hey, this is in the Paper Mario world, but it isn't Paper Mario" so people aren't as disappointed.

They billed the series as "action-adventure" in that recent Direct.  Maybe "Paper Mario" as a whole is not just strictly RPG anymore.

[Kriven]

Granted, I understand that Paper Mario as a brand should mean something... and maybe they could come up with something to let people know that "Hey, this is in the Paper Mario world, but it isn't Paper Mario" so people aren't as disappointed.

They billed the series as "action-adventure" in that recent Direct.  Maybe "Paper Mario" as a whole is not just strictly RPG anymore.

I don't think Nintendo considers it strictly an RPG series anymore, and I don't think they have for a while, but that doesn't change the fact that for everybody else the Paper Mario brand indicates an RPG. Maybe they could call the Action-Adventure releases "Super Paper Mario" instead... "Super Paper Mario: Sticker Star".

Although I'm not sure that works either, because Super Paper Mario is its own thing, and the Sticker Star sub-franchise now has two games to it. Don't know.