Nintendo 3DS

[Jumpman]

The no-manual thing makes me sad. Some of my favourite times was reading the manual on the way back from the game store, getting myself hyped up to play. Of course, a new video game was a twice a year occurrence for me growing up, so pretty much everything was majorly hyped as a kid.

I was a manual "Whore" as well growing up.


Like you said, I maybe got a few games a year, so each one became my life until the next one would arrive. I can't believe how much time I spent with each game back in the day. Nintendo was always my favorite, as they had the best manuals hands down. I can still remember the Legend of Zelda manual and thinking how EPIC it was at the time. A truly lost art form.


I also enjoy a really well made strategy guide as well, but where Nintendo was just about the best you could get in the manual department, their guides where just about the worst ever. I believe they allowed the US Nintendo Power crew to handle the guides, and almost 9 out of 10 times, 3rd party guides where always better. Which was very sad, considering how well their manuals where.


This is a little off topic, but for anyone who is interested in a great guide/art book for a great Nintendo game that Nintendo couldn't see fit to translate or release in the US, PLEASE check out the Mother 3 handbook over at Fangamer. http://fangamer.net/...cts/m3-handbook


This was released a few years ago after the english translation patch went live, and sold out very soon after. They have now decided to make some improvements, re-release it, and included a hardcover option along with the soft cover. The amount of quality in this book is off the charts, and shows what can be done by the community when Nintendo can't see fit to do it them selves.


I'm not sure if they ship internationally, but if your in the US, you owe it to yourself to get this handbook.


EDIT:And even if they don't ship worldwide, they offer a download PDF file as well. Check out the samples to see what you can expect. AWESOME!


Chris

 

[Prometheus]

I'm happy to say that Fangamer do ship worldwide - that's where I got my Mega Man E-Tank mug!


Also, I haven't tried the online multi-player in Mario Kart 7 yet, but I tried the local multi-player about an hour ago, and that works very well. It was single-card play, since the person I was playing the game with doesn't have it themselves just yet. Loading/sharing is quick, and all courses are available, but the no-cartridge player cannot choose a character (they just get Shy Guy, as was also the case in Mario Kart DS), cannot customise their kart, and (apparently - I couldn't hear it myself over my own 3DS) doesn't get any music - only sound effects.


I'll see if I can try it out online later.


On the matter of manuals, I was like you guys, too, and still am (the stories and suchlike in the manuals of old definitely influenced my writing, in my case), but that wasn't quite how it started for me. My first system was the Commodore 64, and tapes* were the dominant software medium for the C64 in the UK (the disk drive was VERY expensive here, but got traction within continental Europe), so at best, back then, I had the liner-notes - it was the move to consoles that brought better manuals, but the move to digital manuals does remind me a bit of the liner-notes of old in how they're constructed.


*The tape deck was usually included in C64 bundle packages, and games on tape were mostly priced between 99p and £4.99 (the most expensive they went to was around £9.99, but people were generally wary of this price - I got burned by it once, even :lol: ), and were usually carried in newsagents, near to the till, so it was an affordable system for a kid to get games for, and accessible too, since everyone lived near to a newsagents that would carry games.

 

[Prometheus]

Ok, online opinions are in!


The menus for getting online are refined from those of Mario Kart Wii, and searching for and finding players is considerably quicker than it is in that game. It's worlds ahead of how it was in the DS installment, too, as you might expect - the nightmare of Mario Kart DS' almost-eternal searching and matchmaking times is far, far behind us, now, thankfully. If there's not a racing slot free when you join, you get to watch the current race that's in progress, as with Mario Kart Wii. This is quite neat, and it can let you get some idea of how your opponents race, assuming that most or all of them stay in for the next round.


The players I raced with were a varied bunch - there were no signs of tons of people playing as the one same character, and I did not encounter any ragequitters (anyone who played Mario Kart DS online will recall how much of a problem these chumps were), either. Obviously, since - to my knowledge - cheating devices don't exist for the 3DS yet, there weren't any cheaters, either (these plague most match-ups on both Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, as you might be aware), which was nice.


I didn't encounter any lag, except the sync-time at the start of one race was a little longer than with the others (I played about four, but then my super-low-battery-alert started flashing, so I had to leave once I was given the option to do so).


I also found, after logging off, that my StreetPass Mii Plaza then contained the Miis of everyone I had raced against online today, which was fun to see.


Obviously, all of this may vary depending on who you end up playing with, and also, with regard to cheaters, as time goes on and the current situation with regard to cheating devices possibly changes, but for now, it works well and it's great fun - surprisingly so.

 

[DaMummy]

New 3DS Firmware update is out, at least in North America it is... v3.3.0-5U

 

[Miner49er]

Oohh sounds exciting. My (sorry my son's) copy is in the post!


I'm half-tempted to buy myself a 3DS, so I can race with my son (due to probably having to return what I hoped would be my christmas toy...)

 

[Prometheus]

The new system update is great. StreetPass Quest II (available only if you've previously gotten all of the hats in the first StreetPass Quest) is awesome, too - much more refined than the original.


I haven't tried the 3D video-recording yet, but I was glad to hear that they'd added support for recording stop-motion animation, too.

 

[WizardStan]

I played with the 3D video a little bit yesterday. Nothing major, just a fly through of my room and all the stuff I've got hanging around. Worked pretty slick though. I can't wait to see the things some people come up with.

 

[DaMummy]

too bad you cant upload the 3d video to youtube as actual 3d video


i still dont understand why nobody set up a mk7 pandora community channel

 

[WizardStan]

It's just an AVI file with two video tracks. I was able to start VLC and display both tracks side by side and then cross my eyes to get a 3D view on my desktop.


I don't know exactly how Youtube 3D works, but it's only a matter of time before someone figures out an easy way to do it.

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

must check this update now.

 

[crazyhorse]

looks like a flashcart may be available in January -


"A few months ago, appeared on a network called " Crown3DS "the burn card, then the burn card, also released a video crack , causing the majority of the player's attention. The GBA game support 3DS run, but then to now no new messages appear. Recently, we have received from an agent at the news, the flash card in volume production, the market is expected to be years ago, but initially did not support the 3DS game run, need to wait until January of the burn card before the firmware update 3DS can run the game. Then burn this 3DS card can not be completed in the end cause it to crack, let us wait and see. After the burn card, the relevant information, please pay close attention to our video bus network 3DS Chinese follow-up reports.


According to the latest 0DAY news, LGC DUMP out the organization of a new European version of the game 7 of the ROM, are "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D", "Super Mario 3D Land," "Star Fox 64 3D", "Flying Club: resort," "Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D", "Super Street Fighter 4 3D", "Dead or Alive: multiple dimensions.""

 

[PokeParadox]

Well I'm getting anoyed with streetpass quest 1... I can't get past the dark room... and no light Miis are appearing no matter how many cions I spend and streetpass hits are quite rare for me.

 

[Prometheus]

Do you know anyone else who has a 3DS, Poke?

 

[WizardStan]

That part annoyed me as well. I've got a coworker who owns a 3DS so getting a white shirt was never more than quick conversation away.


Now, though, I'm stumped on the new one. Everything is so new and exciting again.

 

[Prometheus]

I'm loving the new one. Just waiting for someone to change to a yellow shirt for me so that I can get past a shielded ghost in the ruins.


I love how you can take different paths, and re-hire past StreetPass hits, now, as well as use PlayCoins for Wanderers (as before) and for potions!


Loving it.


Also, the start of StreetPass Quest II made me laugh. Anyone else? :lol:


EDIT: Unrelatedly: Man, is Mighty Switch Force looking sweet. Please, Mega Fans, I urge you to support this one. Capcom is such a me-too company these days that they might actually follow WayForward's lead if this does well. :lol:

 

[DaMummy]

of course im gonna be the one whos getting annoyed to all hell by the mummies in Find Mii II....and Promotheous, you warent lying when you said the Blooper power up in MK7 really fills up the screen this time around, and you cant even get rid of it with a drift boost like you could in mk wii and mk ds

 

[PokeParadox]

Do you know anyone else who has a 3DS, Poke?

Unfortunately not... Well my boss but he doesn't have streetpass enabled... and he's generally busier than I am, so...

 

[Prometheus]

Still, I guess if you have a moment to ask him to enable it, that could work.

 

[WizardStan]

Also, the start of StreetPass Quest II made me laugh. Anyone else? :lol:

Yup.


Both prince and princess look very weird. My Mii has a 5 o'clock shadow.

of course im gonna be the one whos getting annoyed to all hell by the mummies in Find Mii II...

Me too. I've been stuck since I first started, but I finally figured out how to beat them. Assuming there are multiple.

 

[Prometheus]

of course im gonna be the one whos getting annoyed to all hell by the mummies in Find Mii II....and Promotheous, you warent lying when you said the Blooper power up in MK7 really fills up the screen this time around, and you cant even get rid of it with a drift boost like you could in mk wii and mk ds

Oops, missed this before!


I noticed the drift-boost thing... Like I said, it's much more dangerous now. :lol: It's actually worth something as a power-up, now - you can actually use it strategically! (It's especially dangerous when you get higher up on Wuhu Mountain Loop, by the way.)