October - December 2013 Quarterly Review: Admintendo 4

Balladeer: Here we go again!  Welcome to another exciting episode of Admintendo: the Extended Addition!  I'm your host, Balladeer, and I'll be multitasking by playing Bravely Default in between typing sessions!

I'm joined by Stu, Masofdas and Zero Jones on this occasion.  Care to introduce yourselves, chaps (in that order)?

Stu_the_great: The follically challenged one, Stu_the_great here! Hello all, and thanks for stopping by!

masofdas: Masofdas here to cover all your gaming needs.

ZeroJones: ZeroJones, present and (in)correct!

Balladeer: Splendid!  Moving on quickly to the first topic of the day...

As ever, it's been another quarter full of fun and games on the forum.  What have been your favourite GNamer moments of Oct-Dec?  Apart from Tenderloin Minimise, obviously.

ZJ, care to start us off on this?

ZeroJones: Participating in GNamer Secret Santa was great fun. We really are a fine community, aren't we? On a more personal note, the Wii U thread was a riot from start to finish.

Balladeer: Mas?

masofdas: Yeah the Wii U vote was great, I feel apart from my own Console Vote it was the one I could take part the most.

The piss you off thread has been a laugh these last months as well, especially from Buska.

Balladeer: Agreed with that, especially when he's "had a few".  And finally, Stu?

Stu_the_great: My personal highlight of the last quarter has to be Buska's Santastic Secret Santa thread. Everyone delivered on this in spades, and it genuinely made me grin on Christmas morn. A second shout-out has to go to Zero's Wii U vote, though. A refreshing amount of positivity surrounding Wii U for once. Bravo!

Balladeer: I'll agree with that - I'd been thinking it would be difficult to fill out a commendable top ten.  I was, happily, mistaken!  (Even if 101 was still massively disappointing…)

ZeroJones: Quite a close top three, as well.

Balladeer: Due to not having bought many (good) Wii U games, and being a dyed-in-the-wool Nintendo fanboy, I didn't feel I contributed much to either voting thread, sadly. But I did enjoy them nonetheless.  Buska's Secret Santa was a gem, as was… pretty much anything from his nights out ("Guys it happened again", anyone?).

The cricket thread was rubbish.  Moving on!

masofdas: At least people use the cricket thread.

Balladeer: Yes, me and Athrun.

It's not been a bad quarter for Nintendo consoles, this one.  Nintendo released arguably their first killer app. for the Wii U - too late some will say - though obviously we know better.  And the 3DS has continued to churn out top-quality software at an embarrassing rate.  Some real gems there.

So, what have we all been playing on Ninty's consoles?  Mas, would you care to start us off (while I go and remind myself of my 3DS collection)?

masofdas: Too much, Nintendo had a great Q4. The 3DS like you said has been the best system out there with the likes of Pokemon X & Y which kept me busy (Fairy type FTW), now Link Between Worlds which I really need to play, also Bravely Default. Wii U had my Number 1 pick in Wind Waker HD and Super Mario 3D World. Just so much good stuff.

Balladeer: So nice to see a multiformat gamer cheering Nintendo's consoles on! What about you, Mr. The_Great?  Lots of Sonic, I presume?

Stu_the_great: Partially correct! Animal Crossing has completely dominated an entire six months of gaming time, but inbetween that I've managed to squeeze in both versions of Sonic: Lost World (I've yet to finish either, but am progressing nicely) and a bit of Super Mario 3D World. For me, though, I can scarcely believe how excellent the 3DS was last year, with just about all my gaming time dedicated to the little handheld that can.

Balladeer: Six months!? What have you been doing in Stuville the entire time?

Stu_the_great: Doing just about everything conceivable: getting the top house, the perfect village, millions of Bells in the bank, and some complete collections in the museum for once!

Balladeer: That's… dedication.  Or possibly dangerous obsession: I can't tell which!

Stu_the_great: I know which. I need help!

Balladeer: And finally, Jones of Zero!

ZeroJones: It's been a 3DS-y quarter for me: SteamWorld Dig, Dual Destinies, Picross e3 but mostly Pokémon X have robbed my gaming time. The Wii U was pushed to one side... until Super Mario 3D World, EDGE and NES Remix came along. The final quarter always fills up the backlog, and 2013 was no exception!

masofdas: I forgot about NES Remix, it was a nice surprise.

Stu_the_great: NES Remix! I really must give that one a go.

ZeroJones: Great game. Y'all must get it!

Balladeer: Hmm.  I'm not a great retro fan, but this has been so highly recommended (by everyone but Jim Sterling, natch) that I feel I probably should.  That and SteamWorld Dig, which I keep meaning to acquire but am too overburdened to!  Come the dry summer months...

Anyway, my Autumn-Winter has been anything but dry (and I don't mean the British weather).  On the 3DS, I've played:

Pokémon X
Dual Destinies
Picross E3
Layton 6
A Link Between Worlds
and am currently playing Bravely Default.

And that's not counting the fact that I've actually had some good games for the Wii U (beavering on through Rayman Legends, and of course SM3DW) for the first time since launch!  Truly, it's a special year to be a Nintendo gamer.

If I leave everyone with one remaining idea from this Admintendo, let it be this: buy ALBW.  If needs be, buy a 3DS for it.  THIS MEANS YOU JAY.

Stu_the_great: Yeah, Jay.

masofdas: 3DS has been great, I can't see what Nintendo can do in 2014 for the system to live up to 2013.

ZeroJones: Pokémon Z?

masofdas: Pokémon Z makes me think of another great thread of Zero's, the prediction one.

He can buy a 2DS for £100 .

Balladeer: That was Axis'.

masofdas: Sorry Axis.

Balladeer: Okay, let's soldier on into the next part of our show.  This is a round I like to call:

Multiformat with Masofdas™

The three of us Nintendo-heavy plebs will each ask our one multiformat panelist a question about multiformat gaming over the last half-year (since it was me and Stu last time, and neither of us have ventured too far outside the Nintysphere): and he, in his infinite wisdom, will answer them.

ZJ, would you like to be the first sacrificial lamb to the slaughter?

ZeroJones: OK! This time next year, will it be the XBox One or the PS4 on top?

masofdas: I'm not Patcher, but personally I think the PS4 will be on top unless the XBox One has a price drop and Halo 5 comes out which will move SKU's.

Stu_the_great: Did Microsoft's constant flip-flopping last year change your opinion of the company and of their part in the console race?

masofdas: Yes. The 6th & 7th gen I was very much in the Microsoft camp, but their lack of quality 1st party games in the last few years of the 360 made me hope they would have plenty for the XBox One. Apart from the norm (Halo, Fable, Forza) they've not shown much for me really to justify getting a XBone at this time. And their flip-flopping didn't help, Sony just came out and went, "It's a games console it plays games, go play it." Microsoft don't know what they want to do.

Stu_the_great: As an outsider, that's the impression I came away with last year. Sony jumped all over that cock-up, and rightly so. I also think they've (Sony, that is) got the upperhand with the indie devs, too. (Outside Nintendo, of course)

ZeroJones: They still are, with the 4ThePlayers campaign.

masofdas: The ball is in Sony's court, it's their console war to lose but as someone who will own all 3 I think competition is good. If Sony pulls away it means Microsoft have to do something dramatic and vice-versa.

Balladeer: Agreed with the competition point.  There are too many idiots I see on Internet fora (mentioning no names CVG) who seem to want one of The Big Three to drop out.  Why?  What would it gain you?  You won't see Mario on your PS4 regardless!

masofdas: Why I will own all three: I won't get Zelda on my PS4 and I won't get Halo on a Wii U or Uncharted on an Xbox One.

Stu_the_great: I love how one of the Sony big cheeses (I forget exactly who) came forward and stated that he had respect for Nintendo, and that Sony needed them to be atop their competitive game. I just wish there was more camaraderie like that on the internet in this day and age. *sigh*

Balladeer: Agreed.

Anyway, my question.  Mas, what have been your favourite other-format games over the last helf-year?  It's not only Nintendo that's had a good Christmas.

masofdas: Okay well as I got the new shiny PS4 most of my other format gaming has been on that due to selling PS3 but I will start with the last game I played on a PS3: GTAV. As a few of you know I'm not a huge GTA fan never really liked the stories and the mechanics have always been okay. GTAV was different. I really got into it, the story seemed more relatable and everything worked well. Unfortunately I never finished it before selling my PS3 or playing the online (if I could get on), but I am hoping there's a PS4 version of some sort.

Back to the PS4. As I knew I was getting a PS4 I never bought likes of FIFA 14 on current gen, I waited. I can tell you FIFA is FIFA just looks better with better AI, Call of Duty: Ghosts is surprisingly good, looks good in single player, multiplayer is fun and the Dualshock 4 is just excellent. The other PS4 games I bought like Need for Speed I haven't played enough to really talk about, the best game so far though on the PS4 I've played has to be Resogun. It's just simple addictive fun.

And one last thing Stu can also chime in on is Tearaway on Vita. How good is that game? I've said elsewhere it feels like a Nintendo game. Sony should pack it in with every Vita to show what that system can do.

Stu_the_great: Shamefully, I still need to play Tearaway, but everything I've heard about it (outside of the combat sections) has been fantastic. It's about time the Vita had a killer IP.

masofdas: If any of you have watched my recent YouTube videos I put Tearaway in my top 10 games of 2013. Also Killzone: Shadow Fall was the PS4's so-called must have launch exclusive. What I played was OK but if you want an exclusive PS4 game buy PSN+ and download Resogun.

Balladeer: CVG says exactly the same, actually (although it likes KZSF too).

Shockingly, we're only just overrunning!  Achievement!

Stu_the_great: WOOO! A first!

masofdas: I went on a bit. Anything else multiformat-wise before Balla moves us on?

Balladeer: We may well have some more multiformat stuff in the next section, but I think that's it for now!

So, section four.  This Admintendo being at the end of the year, we're not just reviewing the quarter, oh no.  What have been your videogaming highlights and lowlights of 2013?  Mr. Jones?

ZeroJones: Highlights have included SteamWorld Dig, my new favourite eShop game. So clever and addictive.

3DS retail titles have been ace, too: my first Animal Crossing was a great experience, along with Luigi's Mansion 2, Pokémon X and A Link Between Worlds (and I've not even played Layton 6 or Bravely Default!).

The Wii U kicking up a gear was good to see, too. Any year with Rayman Legends and SM3DW in it is a good one. And - with apologies for harping on about it! - NES Remix was a lovely surprise.

Balladeer: All right, all right, I'll buy it!

ZeroJones: (My work here is done!)

Balladeer: Mas?

masofdas: 2013 has been great year, the 3DS has been the system to own. You got two new systems and the Wii U finally has some great games. But most of the real quality titles were at the start of the year with Fire Emblem: Awakening (best game on the 3DS, I've played), Bioshock Infinite (GOTY), Last of Us (I'm not the biggest fan, I don't think it's the best thing since the dawn of time but still very good game), and the Tomb Raider reboot. So many good things, the only lowlights has been Nintendo taking their time getting quality titles out on the WiiU, and Microsoft flip-flopping and their microtransactions.

Balladeer: Which leaves Stu!  (And me.)

Stu_the_great: Luigi's Mansion 2 and (of course) Animal Crossing: New Leaf are the runaway highlights for me. What's even better than that, though, is the lorry load of fantastic games I haven't got round to playing yet. I'm looking at stuff like Wind Waker HD, Bravely Default and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. here. Compare this to the first year of 3DS when I didn't turn the thing on from launch 'til Star Fox 64 3D, and I think you'll agree it's been a winning year for the Big N.

Add to this the fact that there are several spiffing Wii U games I've yet to unseal or even buy, and I'll be forgiven for looking forward to the inevitable Q1-2 game drought.

Balladeer: We'll get onto that in a second!

I echo everyone else's optimism.  I think much of the best stuff was released towards the end of the year anyway - besides Luigi's Mansion 2 (whaddagame), I think I've mentioned most of the games that have made the year a top one for the 3DS, and a… recovering one for the Wii U.  Although a real highlight for me was discovering the Phoenix Wright series.  Stop me if you've heard this one before… what?  Oh.  Right.

Lowlights… well, much of the year for the Wii U, sadly.  All two of the games that were meant to make the drought more bearable (Game & Wario and 101) were disappointments, 101 doubly so since I was so convinced it would be great. And I lost my 3DS.

One final highlight of this year has to be mentioned, and that's the forum.  A Stu-perb job!  (Sorry.)

masofdas: 101 is great.

Balladeer: LexLuthor.jpg

Stu_the_great: *chuckle* Cheers, Balla! But as I've said countless times before now, our splendid little forum would be nothing without you lot. Give yourselves a mahoosive pat on the back from me.

Balladeer: *pats self*

ZeroJones: *choking after pat*

Too mahoosive!

Stu_the_great: *passes a glass of water*

Balladeer: Oh behave.

ZeroJones: *glug* Cheers.

Stu_the_great: A toast! *passes slices of toast around*

I'm doing this wrong.

masofdas: Yum toast.

Balladeer: Which brings us (somehow) to the very last segment of this quarter's Admintendo: looking ahead to the future!  What things are you most looking forward to, firstly next quarter, and then next year?

Stu?

Stu_the_great: Well, I try not to look too far ahead on the games front, but for me the game I'm most looking forward to is Kirby 3DS: Whatever Subtitle They've Gone With This Time. As you may know, I love me some Kirby, and his absence from the 3DS roster is beginning to look very noticeable.

On the forum front, we have the small matter of GNamer Forum's first birthday on the sixteenth, kicking off with the GNamer Forum Awards! And, moving out of my own little bubble, I'm very much looking forward to laughing at everyone's accents in the first ever GNamer Podcast when it's uploaded. Exciting times ahead!

Balladeer: ZJ?

ZeroJones: Agreeing with Stu on the Kirby front. It looks like a traditional Kirby game rather than an experimental one, which is slightly sad, but any Kirby is good Kirby.

Aside from that, Tropical Freeze should be good, and I've got a keen eye on Bayonetta 2. Hubba hubba!

The forum continuing to go from strength to strength, too.

Balladeer: Mas, you're next!

masofdas: Okay I'll be continuing the release threads all year so Stu keep a eye on that. Personally looking at what should be coming out in 2014 (Uncharted, Halo, X might not) there's a few on the XBone & PS4 side there's Titanfall, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, Infamous: Second Son, Destiny, Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Order: 1886, Transistor and Lily Bergamo.

On the Nintendo side there's Bayonetta 2, Mario Kart 8, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Super Smash Bros, Hyrule Warriors and Yoshi's New Island.

So a lot of gaming to be had. Also would like to try Elder Scrolls Online but not sure if I want to pay a monthly fee and there's Pier Solar HD which will be coming to the SEGA Dreamcast which refuses to die as there's a few more games already confirmed for it in 2014. Which should keep the retro thread busy which has been a been a bit quiet since my over-enthusiasm, but the two new-ish members 2grundies & rattlecat seemed to join in over there quite a bit.

Also can't wait for the awards as I wasn't around on the old site to vote in them.

Balladeer: Which leaves me!  On the Nintendo side, this quarter I'm hoping to see MK8 (or shortly after), and hopeful Layton vs. Wright as well.  (If I'm not still playing Bravely Default by the end of it.)  This year, there's one big game that stands out (if it makes this year), and I'm looking forward to being drip-fed more titbits about it from Sakurai's Miiverse account.  I refer of course to Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 3…  I mean SSB4.

And on the forum side, there's the Grand Stu Awards, the podcast, and of course more wonderful musics!

Which… I think just about brings us to the close, unless anyone has anything else burning?

(Insert witty STI joke here.)

Stu_the_great: Only that feeling in my water, but I have some tablets for that.

Damn, you beat me to it.

Balladeer:

It hasn't even been two hours yet - I am impressed by our efficiency!

masofdas: Does that mean we can come back?

Stu_the_great: Balla's timekeeping must be better than mine.

ZeroJones: With my dodgy connection, too...

masofdas: And I didn't go on about how Destiny should be amazing or anything just bam.

Balladeer: With that I say thanks to our panelists Stu_the_great, Masofdas, and ZJ, Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, and Stu and I will see you again in early April with another stonking Admintendo.  TTFN!

ZeroJones: Bye! Thanks for having me!

masofdas: Cheerio, live long and prosper, may the force be with you, peace out, long live the Dreamcast!

Stu_the_great: Thanks, Balla! Thank you, Mas and Zero! It's been a pleasure as always, and of course a large, handsome thank you to everyone who'll be reading this on the forum. Let's make 2014 another cracker!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Out-takes

Balladeer: Er…  Except we appear to have lost ZJ. He did say his connection was a bit dodgy.  

ZeroJones: (Testing)

Balladeer: Ah, there he is!

ZeroJones: (Ah-HA!)

Stu_the_great: He's here! He was simply listening patiently at the back.

Balladeer: Good show.  Moving on!

ZeroJones: Sorry, team!

Stu_the_great: Worth it for the Alan Partridge reference.

(gets sued by BBC)


(while masofdas busies himself with writing a lengthy passage)

Stu_the_great: (Oh dear, I hope Mas hasn't fainted)

I was thoroughly called out during that there.   

Great taste in your GOTY Mas - that's mine too.

Good job chaps!

I must admit I probably laughed a bit too much at the "A Toast!" bit

The only time Bioshock Infinite could ever win a GOTY is when it's just Masofdas voting

Great job again and what a year it's been for both the forum and gaming in general. It'll be a tough one to beat.

Great fun was had, once again. And we have ZeroJones' GF to thank for his presence today: she apparently stepped in and loaned an emergency iPad to compensate for a knackered internet connection.

I can't believe how quickly these quarters are whipping by.  

andyman949 wrote:

The only time Bioshock Infinite could ever win a GOTY is when it's just Masofdas voting

And me. It's my GOTY for sure.

It was a pleasure to take part. And Jay is now my favourite Scot.

JayMoyles wrote:

andyman949 wrote:

The only time Bioshock Infinite could ever win a GOTY is when it's just Masofdas voting

And me. It's my GOTY for sure.

I didn't think you'd played GTA/TLoU/Mario though so I let you off

andyman949 wrote:

JayMoyles wrote:

andyman949 wrote:

The only time Bioshock Infinite could ever win a GOTY is when it's just Masofdas voting

And me. It's my GOTY for sure.

I didn't think you'd played GTA/TLoU/Mario though so I let you off

To be fair, you're right - not played those. I watched a full playthrough of TLoU on YouTube but not touched either of the other two.

Why the disdain for Bioshock then?

I really enjoyed it I just found it utterly underwhelming. I saw the twist coming from the start of the game and it just wasn't the game we were shown back when it was announced. I think Bioshock is a very tough game to try and better because it absolutely nailed everything as far as I'm concerned, so that doesn't help my opinion of it. It's still one of the best games this year though, just nowhere near the top.

All those game's you just said are in my Top 10 Game's of the Year YouTube video with a overall best in Bioshock Infinite Andy.  Jay can only pick what hes played for GOTY so if in his opinion of 2013 it's bioshock infinite that's great,  I didn't even consider Link Between World's to be in my top 10 as I've barely played it and be unfair on the rest even though more likely it should be there.

What Andy just said is how I feel about Last of Us, I didn't see all the twist coming in bioshock infinte and it was fairly close of what they shown apart from the horse. But you are right hard to top the master piece of Bioshock but were talking about best thing to come out in 2013 which imo is Bioshock Infinite after all this time I'm still fascinated about it to me is a sign of a great game.

andyman949 wrote:

I really enjoyed it I just found it utterly underwhelming. I saw the twist coming from the start of the game and it just wasn't the game we were shown back when it was announced. I think Bioshock is a very tough game to try and better because it absolutely nailed everything as far as I'm concerned, so that doesn't help my opinion of it. It's still one of the best games this year though, just nowhere near the top.

See, after being let down by Bioshock 2, I went in with lowered expectations. I found myself utterly blown away by the world which felt as exciting to explore as Rapture did in the original game. The only thing I think you can level any sort of criticism towards is the combat - everything else was spot on in my view.

Stu_the_great wrote:

Great fun was had, once again. And we have ZeroJones' GF to thank for his presence today: she apparently stepped in and loaned an emergency iPad to compensate for a knackered internet connection.

After showing her this reply, I am at pains to point out that it is the house iPad, and so belongs to both of us. 

Thoroughly enjoyed taking part - thanks for the opportunity! I feel, though, that I failed in my civic duty by forgetting about Bike Rider DX. It's another quiet 3DS eShop triumph. And GOTY? Look no further than Super Mario 3D World. 

Andy how you put about me picking (and Jay) Bioshock Infinite sounded like you think I made the wrong choice, I’ve not I picked the game IMO is GOTY 2013. In 2012 lots of places picked Journey as GOTY or Walking Dead is there opinion wrong no, is Jay’s or Zero’s (great choice by the way) this year wrong no. Is Daniel Kayser‘s (gaming celeb type person) choice of Brother: Tale of Two sons wrong no it isn’t there opinion. There has been some strange GOTY’s in the past like Dead Island and Deadly Premonition but if that is what someone wants to give GOTY it’s their choice be it me or gamespot with their choice this year of Link Between World’s which unfortunately has similar comments like yours “How can you pick a handheld game when there’s TLOU & GTAV blahh blahh” it’s their choice what they pick. If we all had the same opinion of let’s say TCK then there wouldn’t be any RPG’s, but were all different with we were all the same gaming would be boring as we all would have the same game without diversity. So respect other people’s opinion, everyone knows I think ZombiU a load of old pish and Jas thinks it’s great, doesn’t mean his opinion any more or less valid then mine if that what he likes that’s great and I respect that.

I think Andyman was just being his usual abrasive self, rather than genuinely calling you wrong.  The emoticon suggests that it was meant in jest.  They're good for that.

Anyway, I agree with Gamespot on this occasion.  ALBW is a truly brilliant game, head and shoulders above its competitors LM2 and SM3DW (in that order).  It was only let down slightly by - s**t, Jaster's coming.  (runs)

I just love ALBW to bits & as you all know I'm quite fond of 2d/top down Zelda games, for me even though I enjoy 3d Zelda's they haven't topped their 2d/top down brothers.

MY copy of ALBW is still sealed.  

There's nothing wrong with picking it really, I was merely expressing my distaste at the choice   I will outright say that anyone that gave Journey a GOTY is thoroughly wrong though.

Another great read (and not just because I love hearing how awesome I am) as always. My goitye is still definitely Mario.

Glad you enjoyed it, Busk!  

Okay, minor GNamergency here. For REASONS, Stu is going to be unable to take part in the next Admintendo, so I'm wondering whether anyone (who hasn't been on this before) would be free to type over Skype on one of the next three Sundays? One person would be fine, two even better. Let me know here or via MP. I'd really appreciate any assistance.  

*handraise*

This might clash with the podcast record, btw...

What's happened to Stu, to me it would seem weird without him.

I'm free most Sundays, so if you a really stuck just send me a MP.

The podcast is this Sunday, Balla says sometime over the next few Sundays.

Ach yes, good point. Definitely not next Sunday, then. Are 6th/13th doable, Beemoh?

And thanks for the offer Mas, but you've done it before and I'd rather get a new cast (admin. aside).  

Anyone else?

Both of those are good, although depending on what time it is, the 13th might be gooder.