Nintendo Okie Podcast – Episode 117
This podcast is almost not about video games. It starts off with a huge tangent about Amazon.co.jp and it ends with the Statue of Liberty fighting a Gundam. I think Tony has some news at some point but we are weeks away from E3, so there is no news. Can’t E3 get here sooner?
episode-117
Starring – Tony, Micah, Shannon, Shelby
Run time – 1:20:46
It’s late so here is a link dump. The Question Block, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, forum.
Nintendo Patents New Way to Track Club Nintendo Coins
Club Nintendo coins are familiar to anyone that buys Nintendo games. The insert comes in every first-party game, and some third-party titles. You enter the code in Club Nintendo and you earn coins that can be used to purchase rewards from an online catalog. Well, a patent that was made back in 2010 reveals Nintendo is thinking of some interesting ways to track those coins.
The little inserts that are in the cases would be removed and instead the code would be on the package itself. When the cashier at a store scans your game, the information automatically goes to Club Nintendo and the coins are added to your account. Accounts that have several duplicate registrations would be flagged and potentially removed.
The most interesting part of the patent could potentially be a way for Nintendo to discourage trade-ins and help them combat used game sales. Should you decide that you don’t like the game and you return it to the store, those coins would be removed from your account. If you decided to actually spend the coins from that purchase through Club Nintendo, you would not be allowed to return the game to the store.
Is this a way for Nintendo to combat used games and piracy? Would any of this discourage you from returning games to the store in any way?
Block Factory Review (eShop)
When you think of falling block puzzle games, what’s the first one that comes to mind? If it’s Block Factory, you may want to see a psychiatrist. Block Factory is a game that is more of a chore than it is a game. Here’s the premise, “Hey dude, remember all those fun times you had playing Tetris? Well get ready to spend thirty minutes making something almost like it but not as fun!”
What You Need To Know
Block Factory was released on April 26th, 2012 and is a game where you design falling block puzzle games. The game starts in the main hub. From this main hub you can play the four predefined games or any other games you create or acquire. The aim of the games is to avoid filling the playfield to the top. When a block hits the top of the playfield, the game will be over. Blocks can be cleared by making lines in a Tetris-like fashion.
The Opinion Herd: The Launch of the Wii U
The Wii U is set to launch later this year. Nintendo has experienced some hiccups with the last couple of systems they launched. The Wii saw shortages for months after it was released. The 3DS saw a great release with an immediate plummet in sales figures. That was attributed to a lackluster library and just a general lack of knowledge about what the system was.
Nintendo is hoping to avoid those mistakes with the launch of the Wii U. Our question today takes a look at that. “You’re in charge of the Wii U launch. What would you do to avoid problems and ensure the most successful launch for a Nintendo system yet?”
Gaz Says: If there is one thing to take from the 3DS launch it is that Nintendo systems launch best with strong, first-party content. Perhaps it was fortunate that Nintendo learned this lesson with the 3DS, a system that was always going to sell well thanks to the positive associations of the DS brand. With Wii U however, Nintendo have a massive challenge; not only do they need to launch a brand new system and get it selling, but they also need to throw off the negative connotations of the Wii name and bring back the alienated fans that have been turned off by the influx of casual games. Read more…
The Question Block – Episode 51
This is our first prize show of the season, folks. Listen to this week’s show for a chance to win the Resident Evil: Revelations soundtrack. You can also expect to learn about the Konami code, pinpall games published by Nintendo and spies. Turns out Tony is a spy. Who knew?
The Question Block – 51
Round 1 – Konami Code Music
Round 2 – Nintendo Pinball
Round 3 – I Spy
Round 4 – Resident Evil (Prize)
If you like our banter here, you can get even more from our normal podcast. You can keep up with the goings on of the site by following us on Twitter, joining our Facebook group, chatting on our forums or subscribing to our YouTube channel.
Oh, Fun With Logos
What do you do when you’re bored on a Thursday night and there’s no news to actually speak of? You make funny things in Photoshop to pass the time. This one is for you, Shelby. The whole post is inspired by our love of Capcom and their constant misspelling of things. If you can’t have a little fun during a slow news period when can you have fun? [=^) There’s plenty more fun after the break.
Project X Zone Being Developed by Monolith Soft
Fresh off the heels of their hugely anticipated RPG Xenoblade Chronicles, developer Monolith Soft has another project on their hands. According to a report from Andriasang they are the team that is behind the development of Project X Zone. The game is a collaboration between Namco Bandai, SEGA, and Capcom, but the actual development work is being handled by the Nintendo subsidiary. This isn’t the first time the studio has handled another company’s project. They were actually the ones responsible for games like Namco X Capcom a few years ago.
If you don’t know what Project X Zone is, it’s a strategy RPG that stars characters from the rosters of stars of the different companies. We’re not even sure the game will make it over to North America, but I would wager it probably will. Stranger things have happened.
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The Question Block Is Back!
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