The X Button Podcast: Reacting to the Nintendo Direct (2-08-2023) ft. Sebastion Mauldin

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Sebastion is taking his love for gaming over to The X Button Podcast, where he’s giving his impressions of recent Nintendo Direct with the X Button Hosts, Alejandro and Paul. The trio gives the good, bad, and everything in-between February Nintendo Direct. How was the show? Was this a good Nintendo Direct?

This episode has all those answers.

Tune in for all this and more!

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Sebastion Mauldin

Transcript
Sebastion:

what's up and welcome to the Single Player Experience. As always, I'm your host, Sebastian Malden, and you probably saw this in the description or the title of the episode, but this episode's gonna be a bit different than the norm. So recently I was a guest on the X Button Podcast, a really dope podcast that you should check out featuring Paul and Alejandro, where they talk about the gaming news that you need to know about, and they do deep dives into video game review. So in that episode, the three of us dove into the recent Nintendo Direct. We gave our impressions, the good, the bad, and everything in between, and what had us hype about that Nintendo Direct. So Alejandro and Paul were nice enough to let me post that episode on the Single Player Experience Podcast, and that's what you're about to hear right after the intro. DJ start the intro. Mine.

Alehandro:

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to a new episode of the X Bottom Season three, episode five. I'm your host, Alejandro. With me is the 6.5 giant teddy bird defect. Paul. Hey

Paul:

everybody. How's it going? How you doing, Paul? 6.5. Yeah, Oh man. Uh, what's, what's going on today? Aandra? What feels like we got a lot to cover.

Alehandro:

We got our, our friend that we teased already that was gonna be next week to talk about a certain game that came out this week. Uh, we got him in earlier because he reacted with us. Uh, thankfully. Thanks for timing to the Nintendo React, Sebastian from the, um, single Player Experience podcast. How you doing Sebastian? I'm

Sebastion:

fine, I'm fine. Thank You'all for having me on. Always a pleasure to be on this show. And also a pleasure to just react to all this like video game goodness with y'all.

Alehandro:

Oh yes. So quite an antenna direct, I would say. It is like one that initially I was like, I'm not sure about this. Then they hit me right in the nostalgia fields. And then they showed a little bit more. They played dirty. Yeah, they played dirty and then they showed a little bit more of that, uh, breath of the wild sequel. But I would say it was for, I wasn't expecting anything after getting my hopes up in the last one. So, and we talked about this at the earlier in the show, Paul, I would say it turned out better considering we were a little, like not expecting much

Paul:

So we, we've really lowered our expectations for the sake of it. And it's kind of a shame that setting our expectations low is the only way to feel happy in this, uh, kind of industry. But mm-hmm. here we are. And we're gonna take joy wherever we can get it,

Alehandro:

so. Oh, absolutely. So now we're moving into the news. So Paul press x press for

undefined:

some

Paul:

news.

Alehandro:

All right. So yeah, we just sat an Nintendo Direct and I have, uh, the, uh, Thank you Warrior 64 for taking on the role of the Nian left in the boys. Oh, true. So I'm gonna kind of like read, just like, just basically recap. We're gonna cut the first two stories, Paul. We're just gonna make it Nintendo centric today. Cool. So, so just like real quick, uh, Howard's legacy broke at 1.2 million, like concurrent like abuse on Twitch, which is insane for a game that everyone wants to boycott. And the kingdom hearts, uh, soundtracks are now on Spotify. Those were the first few news. So now we're, uh, it's all Nintendo stuff from here, from here on out. So, uh, the Nintendo, right, just real quick. The games that they were, that were showed here, at least from what War 64 got in, uh, is we started out with Pickman for that is coming out on July 21st, 2023. Then they showed us a scene, noble Chronicles Street expansion. That volume three of the DLC is gonna come out on, uh, and it's gonna be available on February 15th. So that is the first thing from the first half for, uh, the stuff that Nintendo was promised, this was gonna be a first half, uh, direct. It felt like it was more 2023 in general, so they're like a little bit there, but yeah, that's coming there. Then they, uh, they showed somebody Amigo Party Central. That's a game from like Sega for like Moras and dancing rhythm that's coming out on summer 2023. DEOs Cast DLC that we heard, uh, was announced back at the Game Awards got a date for March 6th, so that's real soon. Then, uh, we got Fashion Dreamer that it's just out this year for everyone that loves fashion games. You have that. Around that time we got Sebastian to join in our Reacts, which you'll eventually see see live eventually there. And um, and then they announced that Ghost Streak, which is out this summer. Uh, this is like, uh, that weird sort of detective game that, or that I think Paul you mentioned was like, uh, Phoenix. Right? When it,

Paul:

when it was, yeah. A spinoff directly or if it was like the, a similar team. I couldn't remember, but there was some kind of crossover between the two at one point.

Alehandro:

Yeah. Then, uh, Toronto Identity, uh, out on Switch. That was the Mike Bethel game. We, we saw back at the Disney, at the Disney Showcase, uh, Beckett Police from developer level five. That game that I, I thought it looked initially like, um, ASL chain because it was like with the cops, but it was like the game that y'all mentioned in the ua, like both a persona. and, uh, and the tails and, and a tail and a tails game. That's also just a 2023 game. Then, uh, split tune three, the expansion passed. That includes two waves of new content. Wave one is in Enco in en couples, and it's out on spring 2023. And then wave two will be, uh, something called the side order, which is, they didn't date, but we know that is gonna be coming whenever that happens. Uh, Disney EU Island, again, that looks like, uh, Raymond, Raymond Legends from, from your US up. Got a date July 28th. So then after that we got the announcement of the Fire emblem engaged expansion passed Wave two that is also out today. Then, uh, Harmon Lee, the fall of Revere the Game from Donno that had like a cool art style that, that, that was the first thing actually in our, in our reacts that Sebastian said was the first thing that actually looked interesting and cool and new from like, the things that we were seeing at the time. Then, uh, they announced that the octopus traveler to demos out today and, uh, Save that is gonna transfer to a full game like SCO has been doing with everything except for spoken. So Sea of Stars also announced with a demo out today. Comes out on the demo? Yeah, comes out on, they were just probably saying it. We didn't see the demo out today. They were a bunch of stuff that they were mentioning. So that's out on August 29th. So another thing from the second half will up Kaari Reroll, uh, Royal Re out on June 2nd. So what this tells me is that they were just saying the days without putting the slogans there So, because that was another one that just transitioned in the, in the direct, yeah, that's right. Then Etri and Odyssey Origins collection, that con that contains the first three ET and Odyssey, uh, Odyssey Games from Atlas comes out on June 1st. Good luck with that. With, uh, Diablo, literally around the corner there. Uh, advanced Wars finally coming out on April 21st. Sebastian was opening, was gonna be like, uh, the day of drop. They decided to do that with another game So Kirby returned to Dreamland Deluxe, uh, they, uh, announced the Magor Epoch, which is like an at the, an add-on too that they're doing for this deluxe edition. The demos also out today after this direct, and that game comes out on February 24th. Then to me the big one was that Game Boy was confirmed for Switch Online. It was, it includes games like Tetris, super Mario Land two links, awakening DX Gargo Quest Game and Watch Gallery three alone in the Dark and Nightmare Metro Two Wire Land Three and Kirby's Dreamland. And they all will have either GameBoy Game of Pocket or GameBoy Color filters. And they also announce that if you have the expansion pack, you're going to get game advanced games, including Super Mario Advanced four, which is uh, Mario Myer three Warrior War Inc. Rin Mario Card, super Circuit, Mario, Mario, Luigi Superstar Saga and Sell Diminish Cap Plus a bunch of other games are coming later, including my beloved. Metro Fusion. Then the greatest announcement of all time happened, Metro Prime is actually happening. It's coming as a remaster to the switch today as a, as the, uh, as a shadow drop. And it's the Sebastian to it's 40 bucks, so not $60. A game

Paul:

and physical version available on February 22nd.

Alehandro:

Yes. Mm-hmm. And uh, then they announced Rain Code, which is the game from the Rappa people. That was at the detective game. Yeah. Yeah. They gave it a date for June 30, yeah, for June 30th. That was also announced last direct. They just now they put a date and Bannon Catos one and two, HD E Master, these were RPGs from the band named Manko that were like in the cubes. Those are also coming this year on, available on summer 2023. Fantasy Life Eye, the game that look like, uh, animal Crossing Whistle Cellar is coming also in 2023. We can move on from that. Professor Laden's coming back, which as our friend Sebastian noted, uh, noted in our reacts, uh, that's, uh, they used to be like a, eShop game that no longer, that's no longer available. Mm-hmm. Now Professor LA is gonna be available like on switch. I don't know if this is like a new game or Yeah, this is like a new,

Sebastion:

new installment. This looks like a new installment to the press Professor Layton like series. Yeah.

Alehandro:

So maybe eventually they remastered the old ones. Then um, Mario Card Aid. Wait for the D L C, you still have the expansion pack. You get this Ford DLC for free as far as your subscription. And then they made a, a bunch of montage of games like including, uh, games like Minecraft Legends. That's out on April 18th, the Gamelan. That's out on February 14th. Uh, mega and Battle Network Collection, that's out on April 14th, 2023. Uh, Sebastian's number 10, uh, most anticipated game of the year. Have a nice death coming out on March 22nd, 2023. Then, uh, the baseball game. W B S C E, baseball Power Bros. Also another shadow drop for today. Uh, 99 cents. Yeah, So 99

Paul:

cents. Not a lot.

Sebastion:

I'm looking at it right now. At the E Doors. Dotty Don Suit. That's amazing. I don't know how you made a direct as the 99 cent game, but shout out to y'all. Yeah.

Alehandro:

Uh, Disney Dream, uh, the Disney Dream Light B gets a new REM update. They announcement for April, 2023. That's gonna be obviously for our platforms. Tales of Syon. Mastered item February 17th, 2023. And then we got more clips for that, for, for sel, the Tears of the Kingdom. And that game is, that's a small indie game named Sel That's what that, that, that just kind of like that. You just throw it out there at the, at, at the very end. Just like now Lake will be able to like drive cars and like a freaking, uh, what's the. Ship hover like a, like a hovercraft, so. Mm-hmm.

Paul:

I mean, they put a freaking motorcycle in the last game, so Yeah, that's true. Anything's

Alehandro:

possible now. Oh yeah. As a dlc. Do you need to as a DLC for that?

Paul:

Um, wasn't that free or am I crazy? No, I think that

Sebastion:

was part of the expansion, expansion pass. You're right.

Paul:

Mm-hmm. you're right. Uh, but

Alehandro:

yeah, shoot. Yeah. And, uh, and yeah, and, uh, this would be a story for later that we're gonna gonna read because this was from U PPG C and the attempt to briefly list the SOAR of the kingdom for $70 in the shop, we can confirm that it's actually $70, so that hurts my heart. Yeah. So, top level thoughts. Why were your thoughts on this data direct? Uh, Sebastian, you're, I'm gonna be honest

Sebastion:

with you. Like I, uh, I like aspects. I like how mm-hmm. for a Nintendo fan, there's a little something for everyone. Mm-hmm. I am a little disappointed in the sense. 90% of this direct, and I kid you not, I'm li when you were listening, add it out. I was like, I was checking off the boxes. Mm-hmm. 90% of these games are older games. Mm-hmm. like, where they're just remastered or ports and I'm like, I, I think that's fun and fine for the people who wanna read live nost like games for nostalgia purposes. But I ultimately like, It, it sort of fuels that narrative that's sort of been popping up every now and then of like, how are we gonna remember this switch generation? Like, whereas like when you look at the Game Cube, but when you look at like the Game Cube, then the, the Game Boy, the Game Boy Advance include the 64. Those games were packed full of games that when you l like, where you kind of like get excited to hear about like, oh, game Cube games are gonna get be reported. Oh, game Boy games are gonna be poured over when we have like two generations from now when they're saying, Hey, we have a switch, like the switch games come into the online service. What games are we gonna be really excited about? And I'm, you know, like this direct sort of mirrors that kind of narrative of like, where are the new games? Mm-hmm. you know, and I, I think this is a good direct, but I do kind of miss that new, new aspect from it, you

Alehandro:

know? Yeah, I can, I can see that. Uh, how about you, Paul?

Paul:

I think, um hmm. I balance this weird knife sedge between. Terrible cynicism and, uh, ignoring all the bad sides. Mm-hmm. for the sake of ide uh, idealism. And this kind of has me in this weird middle ground right now, because on one hand it's got all of the earmarks for things that I'm like, I like that. That sounds good. And then if you have any sort of knowledge about like, where Nintendo is in general, it almost sours everything about you because on the service level, you're like, that's the thing I recognize. That makes me excited. I'll spend money on that. That's the whole point of what they want to do. Mm-hmm. because they don't either have anything or they refuse to release new things for the sake of. Printing money on old things that they hold hostage so that the tech literally moves further than you can literally play the game that you liked, to force you to buy it again. And on that side, it's like that is really scummy and terrible practice. Uh, the fact that it works is like disappointing to no end. Um, and then whenever it hits that specific button that you get excited for, you feel almost bad that you're excited for it, you know? Mm-hmm. and it's like, Like, you are not immune to propaganda. It's, it's really just that in the end. And, uh, it's a real shame that there's always that one thing in each of us that it's like, I will cave for that specific thing. Mm-hmm. and I know it, and I hate it about that. And it almost like makes me not want to enjoy the things that they make at a certain point. Because I mean, that's like, you can't, you have to vote with your wallet, you know? Mm-hmm. um, in the end because they're not gonna listen to anything else. But, um, then it's like, it's inevitable that you're going to cave for something in the end. So I kind of find myself just kind of trapped here, you know,

Alehandro:

Yeah. Yeah. My thing is that, uh, with Nintendo has always been the thing that to me, they, they're always gonna be like my nostalgia box. I have just come to realize that from them, that they do announce new stuff, like fairly o often not from their own, like not, not from like their own developers, but sometimes with the partnerships that they do. and none of that really ever speaks to me, obviously, because Nintendo's my, it is not my primary box. We have a, as Sebastian, we have a fellow friend with me, between me and Paul, his name is Parker. Uh, he goes by, he, he goes on due to by the name it's j o k and also by on Twitch. He is a big Nintendo fan. Like he actually like, tries to play almost everything that Nintendo does. Like that he actually makes that his primary system in a way that I can't imagine ever doing. So I can imagine a lot of the stuff announced here would be like, Hey, they're giving them something to eat. And to be fair with Nintendos, like when, uh, me and Paul did our year end review of, of 2022 for like all the three my manufacturers, we read the games that they released and n intend released a bunch of stuff in 20, in 2022. It was just not stuff that spoke to us. So I always try to re uh, remove myself from that and, but it's just so funny that it's rare that I get excited about anything new from them. It's been a while since that has happened. In fact, I think the last time I got excited about something from I was Luis Management three. Mm-hmm. So can you imagine like how long, how long ago that was? So, and also me being like I play, I played the bit like I know Zelda of the wildest, like this really amazing game that revolutionized at some open world design and all that I get, I think I, I get sick of my butt with all people calling it the greatest game of all time. I just, because I just disagree with that and I like, I like probably being in the other side because I just don't feel that way, but mm-hmm. that to me is sort of exciting because to me that breath of Dewal is still the best game I played on the Switch, so, Yeah. Even though now we got the confirmation that's gonna be $10 more expensive and what that could mean for like Nintendo games going forward. To me, just the fact that they hit me in the things that I wanted out of it. It's like G B A being the g B A library being brought in. Imagine whenever, like they shock people. It's like Pokemon, gold, silver, yellow, all of those are gonna be there in the in, in the, in the service. Me, they got me with Metro Fusion's coming soon. I want like, my favorite GameBoy advanced game of all time. Metro Prime, like it being shadow up today and me like singing the praises of the Prime series and being so like Crest falling, it, being stuck in Game Cube is like, those are the things that that's gets me excited about from a new stuff. I get your perspective, Sebastian, like it's like. It's crazy. It feels like we got all the new stuff at the front, at the front end of the switch, and now like they have been coasting by under success since then. And if this reinforces that, so,

Sebastion:

yeah. Uh, let me ask you a question. And I like both of y'all, and I don't mean to be like cynical. Um, I don't want No, be the

Alehandro:

cynical No, be the cynical. We have to balance this house.

Paul:

Usually it's Alejandro being the cynical one too, so that's really

Sebastion:

nice. I, you know, um, I don't, I don't want to be that way, but like, I wanna ask you, so if this was PlayStation putting out this, putting out this level of um, let's say their state of play to where like they had majority, 90% of the games were remastered games. Mm-hmm. or ports, and then they just ended it with say, I'm a use God award three for an example. Mm-hmm. like, let's say they announced, uh, sequel to Ragner Rock. Mm-hmm. Do you think that, I feel like the discourse would be a lot more heated than what it would be for this direct

Alehandro:

Yeah. To be for you get what I mean? Yeah. To be fair to that, like we have to like remember also the early years of the ps4. Mm-hmm. a lot of remastered also. And a lot of people were critical toward, toward, towards them. Also around that time because it's like, we're we basically just getting your old crap again? Like where is like the new, where is the new crap? To be fair to them, like in the plays, uh, for ERA for example, a lot of those games, like we got them late because they didn't know the PS4 was gonna hit everyone. If you remember when we got into that generation, the, we was a disaster. Everyone was like, uh, all the, uh, console, like consoles, gaming is dying. Look how the, we use like bombing. It's like the PS4 and the Xbox and whatever the next Xbox is is gonna come out and no one's gonna buy them. It's all gonna be mobile. And then those consoles like shocked everyone be like, no, people want consoles. Crap. We gotta make games now. So that's why the 20 16, 20 17 era onwards from that generation was so good because they. they, they really nail like they, they got remasters to kind of like caution them to, before we got the new stuff and eventually we got the new stuff. Nten has been the opposite. We got the new stuff at the beginning. Now they're just cushioning us with old stuff and it's later half. And around the time that we know that they're being so successful, that makes it, they feel like Nintendo's just kind of coasting on their success and just don't really care because they know everyone just got, wants to buy them. And they had the benefit that out of D three they got everyone buy the balls with the nostalgia that they can get, that they can get you in a way. I don't think PlayStation can, if this was a safe play for them and it was just remaster stuff. It would, I think in the other side, because Sony conditions, people with new stuff, they would get criticized.

Sebastion:

Oh yeah, they get like beat to hell and back. But you, I'm like, but you know, like PlayStation now is starting to like have that portfolio to where like they can also like milk that nostalgia. I don't want them to, because you know mm-hmm. like I, I like news New is like, I wanna see we're gonna get

Alehandro:

a horizon remake for some reason. Then it's just five years old. It's like, and people cr rightly have criticized them for it. People like, yeah. It wasn't until part one came out and they were like, OkaySo was part one. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but it was actually really good of what they ended up doing with that ga with that version of the game. You can even attest to that, Paul, you are not excited until you actually had your hands be like, oh, I can play ramble. Like I did part two. Like, you are like doing it. It's like, yeah, okay. You couldn't do that in the original. It's like they in the end justified it even though it was hard. It's just that it feels like they're not treading in, uh, if they're bringing stuff back, they're doing it in a way that makes them really feel new.

Sebastion:

Like when you think, think of like the, the PS two era, one of the most successful eras of gaming of all time, you know, like that has a catalog that I would say it, it goes toe to toe with almost every Nintendo catalog of, of like, if you were to pick like the Game Boy catalog versus the PS two catalog, there's a argument on, you know, like they're, they're tit for tat so to speak, but you don't see PlayStation like going to that well of saying like, Hey, we're going to just like lean on nostalgia to carry us, you know? Mm-hmm. and I, again, I like this direct, I think this direct was really good and it had a lot of things going for it. I just, I, I, I want to point out though that there is like, I wish they would've leaned closer and a little bit harder towards like, giving us some new stuff to where it validates like, Hey, you, the, you should have the switch because this is the only place you can get these new fresh games. Versus like, half those games are gonna be steam day games. No. Uh, I think that that's, that's kind of the point I was hitting that. Yeah.

Alehandro:

And usually that's how we see an intend to direct in a way that sometimes I see what I'm gonna be eating on my own systems, because a bunch of those games can sometimes also overlap that can come with the, in the systems that we actually are invested in. So like when we saw Chain

Paul:

decos, for instance. Mm-hmm.

Alehandro:

that was, that was something direct. No, that was gonna be on Game Pass. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Sebastion:

So Paul, what had you most excited about this direct? Mm-hmm. uh,

Alehandro:

His number four game of the year, his number four Most anticipated game probably. But at

Paul:

the same time, I think I've just like, I've cooled off so much, I just want tears of the king to come out. Just just

Alehandro:

do. I feel you're in the point how you've been hearing it for a while. It's been like four years now. Yeah, even close to five. And now

Paul:

I have so many other games that are doing the cool things that I wanted out of a sequel to Breath of the Wild now. Mm-hmm. that I'm like, well, I mean, I hope it's gonna do the things that we were hoping for. I wanted to continue the story. I wanted to give me more cool ways to break the game and the world. Mm-hmm. and just find myself lost in it. But now they have so many quality of life changes in other games that are modern, that it's like, are we going to step back in when tears of the Kingdom comes out? And I'm gonna have to just deal with that now.

Alehandro:

I will say, uh, Sebastian, you probably would agree with me with this. Some parts of that trailer absolutely look like part of the wild D l C.

Sebastion:

Yeah. Yeah. It does. It looks like more breath of the wild. But I mean, I, I think the, the curious thing is like, how does Breath of the wild look and feel to a lot of gamers after, after Eldering.

Paul:

Mm-hmm. Yeah. I, and I, I kind of, I wouldn't say I specifically didn't go back to Breath of the Wild after Eldon Ring came out. It was just one of those, I don't feel like bringing my switch out and dealing with all of that process. Mm-hmm. because like, one of the things, it's gonna sound dumb, but like, uh, the fact that you can't take your horse with you wherever you go,

Alehandro:

and if you fashion, you should get too far. You just have to play. You're

Paul:

on your own. Best of

Alehandro:

luck to you. I did, uh, before we recorded our top 10 most anticipated games around that time, uh, I did try Breath of the while a little bit because I was testing that doc that I was telling you Paul on the tv. There I was and just wanted to see it. And the annoyances of that game is like that, that, that to me is like, what grinds me more. Like when people call it the greatest thing ever, it's like, man, so people like their weapons breaking, they like their, the, the, their rain constantly happening. So then when you're like climbing, you're like sliding down the horse thing. It literally, that was my last thing that I did before we recorded the horse thing. Uh, I

Paul:

do like, I want to like clarify it though because some people really, really do like the survival elements of that. I mean, there's why, there's a reason why the weird survival, uh, bubble didn't pop. Mm-hmm. for many of them. And you got Anaheim, you got your rust, you've got your arc and it's like that's what people love about it and people really love those survival aspects. Put into legend Zelda cuz one, that was what was popular when the wild came out. Mm-hmm. now and two, it's like it added this level of

Alehandro:

things and Yeah. And I feel sel up being sel, that's what got people into embracing survival stuff. Like, I feel like N ip, like we talk about a lot about this Paul, something like you, not like genres, but a genre. A genre you don't like being put like on an IP that you actually do like, it's what sometimes make you trash in because you just love that world. It's palatable. So,

Paul:

Maybe that's what happened on that. Sometimes it doesn't. But yeah, I think that's exactly what happens. And I think that's why stuff really succeeded after the fact. Cause it primed people to be more okay with those gameplay choices. And I think it's one of those, like you can make the best apple pie in the world, but you're gonna find somebody who doesn't like apple pie. Mm-hmm. And I think that's what happened here, where it's like Legend Zelda did a really great job adding its survival elements, but then you have a lot of people that really don't like survival games. Mm-hmm. saying, wait, this game isn't all that good because of those reasons that a lot of other people like it. I'm, I'm on the former where I'm like, I don't like survival elements really at all. And I think it took me until breath a while to be like, yeah, no, I don't like that concept.

Alehandro:

And since, because I then I tried playing survival games outside of breath of the while and I didn't like them. And so, I think it, it, it, it proves that. It proves that. Correct. But hey, we're gonna have such a, by May 12th, we're gonna see all the 10 outta tens. We're gonna see all the people calling you the greatest things in sliced bread. And I'm already bracing myself So, but I also can't wait to play it. It is my, what was my eighth, ninth, most anticipated game of this year, because I'd really wanna see it and see if they fix things. So, so real quick, like, just to kind of remain here in the, in the Nintendo news, I'm gonna read a few from that were that, that we're also gonna talk about Paul here. So we hinted at this, at the, um, at our reacts that we recorded. Uh, so the first story I wanna read from like BGC by Andy Robinson was Nintendos racing. Its employees based. By 10%. In Japan, the decision follows, calls by Prime Minister FU KK for Japanese companies to pay workers more. As inflation takes hold in the economy, rotor reports, it's important for long-term growth to secure our workforce. Nintendo President Shinwa earnings briefings. Reuters knows that for Japanese companies that can afford to do so, higher salaries help attract talent in a country where a following birth rate and low immigration have led to labor shortages. So this was the first thing that popped up this week, which was interesting that we heard that news because immediately after we got S story number two, Paul, it was Nintendo stock price dropped 7.5% after latest financial results. The company lower sales targets and set exchange rates were partly to blame for a decline and profit. The company's Tokyo Stock Exchange price dropped from. Thousand 624 down to 5,000 200 201 Yen. Its biggest drop in over a year. The drop put intend to share price back to roughly where it was in January, 2022 when it dropped to 5,192 Yen and suggests a negative reaction to the publication of Nintendos latest financial resort. Results on Tuesday in its results for denying first nine months of fiscal year 2023. Nintendo said its net sales were down 1.9% at at 1,295 billion Jan, which is 9.9 billion in dollars if you wanna know. And net profit was down 5.8% at 346.2 billion. Jan. To 2.6 billion. The companies have fluctuations in foreign exchange markets, had had contributed to sales and profits declining despite strong sales of switch games and hardware. And, uh, then a third story real quick that, that, just to add to that, Nintendo says it's not planning switch price cuts. As this console business enters uncharted territory company plans to grow, switch 122 million installed base with new and classic titles. A story by Tom Ivan, also from bdc, the company announced this week. Switch shipments had reached 122.55 million units as of December, 2022 f e, only better by its intended as handhold 154.02 million units, and Sony's PlayStation two 155 million. However, Nintendo also said it now expects switch Harbor sales for the current fiscal year ending in March to total 18 million down from 23 million units a year earlier, and 28.8 million a year before that given the downward trend as switch prepares to enter his seventh year in the market in March. During a financial results briefing this week, Nintendo was as wide as vision for the future lifecycle of the console is in his response. Nten, uh, Nintendo President Shinara for Kawa admitted it will be tough to continue selling the console at previous levels, but the price cuts are in a solution is currently considering. We believe that we are now entering on target territory within our dedicated game console business, he said translated by BBC contributor Robertson. Within this environment, it will not be easy to sell hardware at the same pace as before. As a result, we realized that our new challenge will be convincing consumers who are considering new purchases, replacement purchases, or additional purchases to pick up the Nintendo Switch with a company yet to announce the switch successor for a Kawa said Nintendo aims to grow the console's user base by continuing to support it with both new and classic games. Regarding hardware, we believe that there will be opportunities for new customers to purchase or products by proposing both new and classic titles. So it's.

Paul:

And this chicken's kind of dry. Yeah.

Sebastion:

So, um, I was just gonna say, you need some water, man. You've been reading

Alehandro:

this. Yeah.

Paul:

Yeah. So in, in the end, um, there's a lot of Nintendo stuff going on. Basically with the weird timeline between them, clearly planning all of these quick things out between the, Hey, we're gonna raise everything. Mm-hmm. uh, for the employees base salaries followed quickly by revealing their financials and dropping 7.5% mm-hmm. and then raising the price of something like tier of the kingdom and claiming that they're not cutting the price of the switch. It is just like a weird domino effect outta all this stuff that was clearly planned up. And yes,

Alehandro:

you know what this feels to me, you know what this feels to me? They're holding onto dear life to, to the switch. It's like, it is, like, it feels like a boat that may have got hit by a bullet. It is like, it's still like going by. It may be sinking a little bit. It's still, but it still will make it to the destination. They don't feel they have to panic yet.

Paul:

It kind of strikes me as like a goose that lays the golden egg thing where like they don't quite understand what made the switch so good that they're so afraid of moving on, that they're worried of another. We use situation mm-hmm. where like they think they understood what made the we do really well. And then so they made the weu and then it freaking crashed and burned and they're like, oh God, what, what's going on? What do we do? And then they just threw everything together and then put out the switch and was like, oh wait, we did good again. Yay.

Alehandro:

Mm-hmm. no better than we ever done

Paul:

Um, yeah. So I, I think they're worried about losing the lightning in the bottle that they have with the switch, that even though the power is so low on it that they don't even want to touch it because they're afraid it's gonna fall apart,

Alehandro:

not work anymore. Yeah. Here's also was interesting. The Switch has never received a Paris cut ever. It has been a 299 consult since this came out on March, 2017. The price cut, quote unquote, was getting switched light. The 1 99 Burch on 2019, I think it was. Yeah. And obviously we got the old that that's 349, so that one's a little bit more expensive, but it's basically the same machine. It's like, I feel at this point, it's like it's just such a profit driver for them that even as everything is just being inflated, that they feel like it has given them so much profit before that that still is not gonna cut so much into a profit. So they can't afford to keep it there, even though they have a console competitor in the Excel series as being in the same price. and I,

Sebastion:

I think the real competitors that Steam deck. Yeah. I don't think they even think about Xbox. Mm-hmm. so to speak. Mm-hmm. I, I think they look at that steam deck and being like, Hey, that does the exact same thing we do. It's only a, it's only $100 cheaper and mm-hmm. quite frankly, it's taking the indie market away from us, so to speak. It's not, you know, taking into the thing on

Paul:

Steam. Not just you're all

Alehandro:

games. Like you're all games. And, and the thing is that the, because people tend to forget the Steam deck because they had that soft launch last February because it was like, sign on to pro, eventually you will get it in Waves and all that ad everyone that plays the steam deck freaking loves it. Mm-hmm. because it's like, that is the Switch Pro. That is what people have been wanting like seven, like six, seven years after this thing came in. The idea of like a powerful thing where you can play fallen order on the go or God of war on the go, because those games were on pc. It's like they, uh, I feel like right now they, they are, the intent is still in their ivory tower, but. Depending on how Valve handles steam deck going forward, I'm glad that I always see Steam Deck verified. in a bunch of, like pc, I don't know if you see it at Sebastian, that so many games likes a PC version, and eventually they're like steamed deck verified.

Sebastion:

Yeah. Like Hogwarts legacy for instance. Mm-hmm. It's, yeah, it's one of those things to where I'm like the market though. It's like everything is leaning up against Nintendo in the market and where, like the io um, the IO portable devices also like a low key competitor, even though it's priced extremely high at this point. Like that one, the one X player, which is another steam deck alternative, which just hit the market. The, um, G P B um, win four, which is like another, it's like a sidekick, kind of like vita, but it's also playing PC games at the, at this point I'm like, there's so. There's so many competitors that are entering into that, that portable space that they're not the only game in town. But, um, before we like, go on mm-hmm. I wanted to say like, everyone is facing this e uh, this economic difficulty as far as like where we're at in, in the, in the economic state. It's just the way these companies are reacting are kind of telling us like how either one, how well run they are, or two, how customer focused they are. Mm-hmm. And I th I hate to say this and you know, cuz I've been a little negative on this show, but like, this Nintendo's given me a little bit of, of Netflix vibes right now to where like mm-hmm. They're making anti customer friendly moves to where the blowback is, like the blowback substantial and people are upset about the way they, they're I implementing these new, new phases.

Alehandro:

Yeah. And I think you can attribute a hundred percent to the price increase of, of tears of the kingdom is like mm-hmm. because there's just no way that you can look at that game. Like from. if you wanna compare objectively with its, uh, quality. Some people say like, what sell, sell as a video game is better than everything else in the market. But it's like when you look at other games that are in that price point that looks so much exponentially better, run better, it is like, it's a harder, it's gonna be like a harder sell. And then, and they know they can get away with it because Nintendo, uh, if something has proven Nintendo, anything, this generation is that they have pushed the balls. So they, they, they keep like pushing the ball on how far can we get away with this kind of things. To me, the big one was like, it started with the Skyward Sword Avo, that lot behind fast travel, like 25 bucks. And I don't know if you remember Paul, I went on a whole Tyre and I had to like, go back and forth with our friend Parker. I don't think I could forget. Yeah, It was, it was a, it was a heated moment in our chat because. Uh, because, and that, that shows me, it's like so many people are going to bat for Nintendo. They defend everything. Then to me, the other one was, uh, the $35 increase. The $35 increase for the Nintendo Switch online. For the, yeah, for the, for the expansion pass. Uh,

Sebastion:

yeah. And then the, the three Mario games where they released a Mario collection mm-hmm.

Paul:

Until like March

Alehandro:

31st. March 31st. And then they removed

Sebastion:

it. Yeah. And I mean, and also charge full price for that. Mm-hmm. And you know, like that, that to me seems rather steep for a game that's just poured over,

Alehandro:

so to speak. And not only that, with like that, that, that's one of like the most low effort re masters in recent memory. That, that three collection, like

Paul:

no improvements at all. No.

Alehandro:

Mario Sunshine at least got put in wide screen and 10 80 p. But that was just, they were just like up presses. That's, that's just what they are. The games were exactly the same, but they were charging 60 bucks. The find metric is 40 is actually kind of surprising. Because I could have sworn it was gonna be like a $60 game just based on prior.

Sebastion:

I, I think with the all the bad news today, I don't think they thought they could got get away with 16. Yeah. I, I, you know, it's just cuz it was hit after hit after hit after hit. Mm-hmm. And, you know, like, they didn't say anything about any of the bad news in the direct. They're like, hey, we'll like foreshadow that in the, the times to come because they didn't want the pr like candle of Yeah. Hey, like, hey, our games are gonna be $70 now.

Alehandro:

And, and we saw with High-Fi Ra, uh, just a week or two ago. How long ago was the developer direct? Was it like two weeks ago? So it, it

Sebastion:

feels like a month ago now, but yeah. Yeah. What was saying Paul? Yeah.

Paul:

No, I was like, I think it was a week, but yeah. No, it was

Alehandro:

like, it was probably two. Yeah, it was probably two. Yeah. Uh, a Shadow drop does so much to like, earn your, like so much so good will and so it felt manufacturing. It's like we're, man, we're, we're shadow dropping the metric. Prime one of the greatest games we've ever made. Like nine right now, and it's gonna, it's not gonna be the price. We usually is bad. Hey, we're like raising the prices over here. That's gonna be the thing going forward, blah, blah, blah. So yeah, I can see it's like, it's, it's interesting how they be like this whole week, which is what the news I got here, we're getting like all these different, like talking pole news from them.

Sebastion:

I think it's also like a, you know, look

Alehandro:

at the cameo s. Oh,

Paul:

hey,

Sebastion:

Yeah, I think it's really weird that, you know, like it's also gonna be, what, 40 bucks versus High five Rush, which comes at, came out of 30 Uhhuh And you know, like I, I would argue quality wise, you know, with it being a modern game as well mm-hmm. like, they seem like they should be both the same price, you know? Yes,

Alehandro:

yes. We're just on the time and, uh, I definitely can't wait to just give a try. Tome. I am gonna, I'm gonna be that sucker because I think 40 makes it a softer like deal.

Sebastion:

Mm-hmm. So it's like Paul said, we're all gonna be a sucker for, for something or

Paul:

another. Mm-hmm. there's something. Yeah, there's something there. It's, it really lines up if like, if overall we chain together on most things that go down, it's almost okay for like, all right, that's your one thing that you're allowed to kind of shill for. Mm-hmm. And as long as there's not

Alehandro:

all that, Hey, I, I, I made my toxic Nintendo personality then nostalgia. So they got me there True. So then I'll see if they get Metro Prime too. I doubt they will because I can kind of sucks. I hated playing it. I remember Paul, all my cursing at 1:00 AM playing through

Sebastion:

that game. So at, I asked about the most anticipated game that, you know, after the direct. So is, is there a game that sort of like, took you by surprise that you want to play out this spec at this direct? Yeah.

Paul:

Um, honestly, Pickman four is higher on my mm-hmm. like theoretical list than it was because I think it was in my honorable mentions, uh, I don't know if it would deone anything cuz I can't even really remember what my top 10 was right now. Mm-hmm. But I, I think it would, uh, it would be higher than it was in my

Alehandro:

honorable mentions. I'll say this, uh, Sebastian, we got a date for, uh, the, your number 10, what was it name to have a nice day. Have, have enough day. Yeah. That now we got a, a solid data around the time that has already become a little bit more vacant since the, since the delay for, uh, Jetta survivor. So I'm more excited to play that now because I know it's so close. I'm very like my, I derive a lot of my excitement to how close I am to being able to experience something. So

Sebastion:

I hope that's like a death's, I hope that's gonna be this year's death's door to where it's just gonna take a lot of people by surprise and just be that, that indie hit, so to speak, to where, and only

Alehandro:

that the same month that sells cast. See, being able to go back to that game as a cast, that's gonna be so good to go back to. So again, the tiny stuff that's not even in from them. Mm-hmm. So it was, the wreck just kind of gave us a gateway to solidify when we're gonna be able to experience that. But Metro, I mean, you saw my reactions, like that's, that, that, that was like my and the G, the g b, the that one two punch of the Game Boy stuff when Metre like altogether was like, that was my, that was my golden eye moment because remember, I, I also, I also popped her Golden eye in the last direct Paul

Paul:

and I

Sebastion:

beat, uh, um, sorry to interrupt, but Paul, are you gonna actually go back and play any of the the Game Boy games or Game Boy color games?

Paul:

Oh, I, um, I'm gonna be honest, like the, the responsibilities of being an adult have pretty firmly meant that a lot of those ships have sailed for me. Um, because the time that I do have, I would rather devote to like the bigger name titles that I know are coming out that I haven't played yet. And as much as I would love to revisit games that I played in the past, it's like I don't want to like buy a new subscription for the ones that I'm gonna have to buy a subscription for because all of my money is tied up in everything else that I buy. Uh, this is like real adult hours here, And then at the same time, everything else that I could buy on its own, it's like I've already got that slot filled with the time I'm going to be spending playing something else that I've already talked about. Like the top 10 is like the games I'm going to spend money on not just the games I'm excited for. Yeah. So it's, it's, I think it's kind of the choice. The die is cast almost

Alehandro:

for me. Okay. Yeah. You know why you wanna play this year. Yeah, it makes sense. Like, I mean, like, uh, with tier of the Kingdom, I knew I was gonna play that my number nine was excited one, right? So this didn't change, it didn't did this, didn't move it up and it move it down. Maybe it move it down because of the price. But who knows,

Paul:

I'm not able to pick up Pickman four for like Christmas or something, but like mm-hmm. maybe pri uh, prime as well, honestly, like, just to know I've played it cuz I've only watched a friend play it

Alehandro:

before. But Paul, after we are done, we're gonna talk about an arrangement. So, yeah. All right. We'll talk about it. Yeah. Yes. So,

Sebastion:

yeah, I, I, I'm looking at tears of the kingdom as one that, you know, I, it wasn't super high on my list, um mm-hmm. that we mentioned on the show, but like, it is one that I am intrigued about because like, I want to, I want the game to be good cuz I don't want Nintendo to fail. Contrary to like the, how negative I came

Alehandro:

across. And I think like, at the very base, the game will be good because I thought the wall was good. Great. Mm-hmm. I would even daresay it's just now everyone has taken their bat, the, the, the baton of like what they started and made it better for us. So

Sebastion:

yeah, I want it to be good and, uh, but I also want it to be like, I want, I'd want people to review that game fairly, and I want to see like on, is this gonna be good game on its own merits or is this, uh, are the nostalgia of Berthel Wild gonna come in? Is this mm-hmm. are we gonna get that same conversation that we got for God of War Ragner Rock where everyone was saying, Hey, this is just more God of war. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, I, I'm so confused. I'm so curious on like the,

Alehandro:

the standards are Yeah, the standards of like, how like, uh, it always just, I guess a sliding scale and like mm-hmm. it just feels in bad faith that if you're gonna like, criticize something for looking the same as one, like you can't watch a, that, that the Kenan thing and not see that 80% of the things that they were showing were. Lifted from the previous one they just heard. Yeah.

Sebastion:

So I, I, I want it to be, you know, like, I want it to be good. I want it to be great. I wouldn't even care if this was the greatest game of all time. Like I am, I'm, you know, I want, I be

Alehandro:

like, to me, I just imagine that like the best case scenario, what if tears of the kingdom is exactly the game that everyone tells me? Breath of the wildest. Yeah. Again, that I actually like champion as like, holy crap, because Paul knows me, like I'm a sucker. I'm, I'm a sucker for the sequel that improves on things. Mm-hmm. what if it's

Sebastion:

that? So this might be the one. Yeah. Yeah. I, I'm ex I, I'm hopeful that this will be, that, that sequel, that kind of, I, cuz I'm like you, I like, I like sequels that kind of take what worked and kind of made everything better.

Alehandro:

I like that. Just last, yeah, just last year we got that with Vin and West and uh, and Rag Rock. That's what they were those words.

Sebastion:

So I hope, I hope that breath of the wall, I mean tears of the kingdom is everything we, we want and more. I also want to shout out, you know, like Professor Laden mm-hmm. being a game that's, you know, that they didn't have to announce that that was a new game that mm-hmm. from a beloved series. This game is, I would probably say like D Tier Nintendo. It's not necessarily like A or B, but

Alehandro:

like, but at De Deter Nintendo right now, whenever they reuse so much. Feels like a beat tier almost. Yeah, it does.

Sebastion:

Yeah. Uhhuh it does. It's like almost if they announced Cap another Captain Toad game to where like, it's not gonna sit the world on fire. But yeah, captain Toe was

Alehandro:

so good. It was like such an ingenious way of taking that mini game. From, was it 3D world and

Sebastion:

making it I

Alehandro:

think so, yeah. And make, and making it a full game. So

Sebastion:

yeah. It, it is one of those things to where, like that auto path traveler, I mean the baseball game for 99 cents, the W B S C, um, baseball game.

Alehandro:

Yeah. Just for being a buck. Makes me curious. Just for the waltz.

Sebastion:

I, I, I think that's gonna, I think that's gonna sneak, that's the Burger

Paul:

King game levels. Mm-hmm. of, uh, charm. I, I feel

Alehandro:

Yeah. And that, that Burger King game was better than it needed to be. I remember it

Paul:

so vividly. Both of them. It was like the racing game and the sneak

Sebastion:

king. Huh? Sneak king. Yeah. That, that was exactly what I was thinking about. But yeah, it is, it's one of those things to where I'm like, They, they've had some bangers here. I mean, you had, um, Blan looks interesting from gearbox. Um, yeah. That's on next week. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Blan looks interesting. Um, Minecraft legends, I, that game doesn't speak to me at all. Like, you know, I throw it out the window as far as I'm concerned, but like, that's gonna speak to a lot of people and it, it looks like it runs well and switched surprisingly so. Mm-hmm. shout out to that. And then the Mario cart deluxe like that, the fact that they added birdie and added, um, a lot of the, um,

Alehandro:

and apparently I was reading and I was reading that an actual new track with the Yohi Island thing that was not in the previous, uh, in, in, in a previous, uh, Mario cart. This, from what I was reading from the Warrior 64, uh, 64 threads, so Oh, yeah.

Paul:

Yeah. It was, it wasn't just a remaster of an old track. It was like they actually

Sebastion:

made a new one. Yeah. From the Mario World game. I'll say with they,

Alehandro:

the way she worlds with the way they've expanded that like Mario Card is like, why would he need another Mario card? It's like so massive. It's kinda like, why would he need an another smash?

Paul:

More and more, I kind of respect it because everybody always complains. It's either one or the other, and you can never have both where it's like, oh, why don't you just make a new sequel to it? But then you split the game. Mm-hmm. the, the game base. Now it's like, well, that's the answer. You make the one and then you keep iterating on it and making it better. And Mario is in such a way, Mario Card specifically is in such a way that you can just keep doing that. And then everybody has the same game already. Yeah.

Alehandro:

And people never stop buying it. The game just kept win for, yeah. Yeah. Mario Cardi just kept selling. It's insane how much Mario Card, uh, Mario Cardi

Sebastion:

sells. I'm gonna be real with you. Like I, you know, like to praise Nintendo for a second, I completely love that model of, of the way they're doing things. Cuz Destiny does the exact same thing. They just basically put out, you know, destiny too withstanding, but like, they just keep building off of destiny too, and mm-hmm. this is something I would love to see in the sports franchise, like the sports game to where like, instead of you doing a yearly iteration, just throw us a couple of like updates or maybe we can buy a $20 like refresh every

Alehandro:

year. You know, especially, especially as you mentioned, especially right now, the sports games are the worst they've ever been because they can no longer keep up with the yearly, uh, with a yearly development, installments without like the game suffering. So they would benefit a lot. It's just unfortunately that a lot of people are just so used to the idea of like, that's your big purchase of the year, year in and year out. So they're kind of tied to that. But I feel those could be the ones that. They could do like, just, just keep updating it. It's like, and keep making it like, that way you keep iterating in that same version. Making it even better, like the, the, the changes are like more subtle. Instead of having to make like a full new game where you have to like be taking features in and out like they do. So yeah, I

Sebastion:

would, you know, I would, I almost stagger my teams to where like one team is the update team to where like you're just working on different scans, you're working on different updates throughout the year. And then like while the update team's going, I'd also have a development cycle to where like that development team can like, so like you do a game every three years, that development team can really push the, push the software forward and push like innovation forward for those three years of development. And then boom, when that new game comes out, it, it comes out with like all guns blazing. It has features that we haven't seen before. Maybe it takes like a street mode from like the Old Street games and such like that and actually like Hass, a whole game within a game sort of thing?

Alehandro:

No, just street games. N b a street, fifa.

Sebastion:

Exactly, exactly. It was so good.

Alehandro:

Exactly. What are they like? Especially for me, I hate Paul knows this. I hate sports games, specifically fifa. I hate them. But like with all the passion of my being and the street games were the ones that I was like, this are actually fun. They're not

Sebastion:

pretentious. So, you know, I was really surprised, um, that we didn't get a Mario Sports game here, cuz I thought we were gonna get like the baseball one.

Alehandro:

Yeah. Considering how the last two years of sports games have been with, uh, golf and strikers. I'm glad it did. It's

Paul:

a shame. Strikers honestly

Alehandro:

was that, that one bummed me out hearing that. It was so bare bones. I was like, damn you. It was like that was the one that I wanted. Yeah. It's even

Sebastion:

volleyball. Yeah. I mean not volleyball, but tennis. Tennis, exactly.

Alehandro:

It was like tennis. And that was

Paul:

even years before strikers and I don't think we've gotten any baseball.

Alehandro:

Baseball would be the next one if they ever Yeah.

Sebastion:

Yeah. That's why I was thinking, I was just like, we're just missing baseball at that point. Didn't see that. And, but I was really shocked that we're not gonna get that. But, you know, I wouldn't be surprised if the, the Mario Sports like team is working on baseball next. Probably.

Alehandro:

I just hope that they release full. It's like, I, I feel like, uh, the intent, like the way they Nintendo sold those games. Shameful, like absolutely shameful that, uh, that then eventually they got into where they were. But at that point it's like the side has, has already passed. So I would say that would conclude our like, talk with Nintendo, this Nintendo centric podcast. Uh, Paul, uh, read as a release. The game releases for the week of February. Talk to 18 20 23. All

Paul:

right, let's hear this Blan. Uh, first one on here. Going from Stop it. of coming for Switch and PC on February 14th. Journey to the Savage Planet on PlayStation five. Xbox series X and S Place, uh, on February 14th, soles of Kronos on PlayStation five, switch and PC on February 14th. That

Sebastion:

sounds like a cool

Paul:

name. Reloaded on iOS and Android on February 14th. Wanted dead on PlayStation five. Xbox series X and S PlayStation four, Xbox One PC on February 14th. A lot of Valentine's Day. Now narrow the new, a new era on PC on February 15th, returnal PC version on February 15th, shadow Warrior three on PlayStation five, Xbox Series X and S. February 16th, obviously NextGen version of a existing game. Yeah,

Alehandro:

PS4 version came out last year. Yes. So yes,

Paul:

theat Rhythm, final Bar line on PlayStation four and Switch on February 16th. Gigantic sous Dino Cart on PlayStation five, Xbox series X N S, PlayStation four, Xbox One, switch, and PC on February 17th. Tales of Syon. Remastered on PlayStation four, Xbox One, and Switch on February 17th. And the settlers, new Allies on PC February 17th. Wild Hearts. Rounding it out on PlayStation five, Xbox Series X and S and PC on

Alehandro:

February 17th. From all of those, I'm interested to see how Wild Hearts does because as the Monster Hunter competitor, yeah,

Paul:

I hope it does well. Just to give them

Alehandro:

some competition. Yeah, yeah. But Daniel's like. I hope that because I, I scheduled you for next week, uh, Sebastian, because next week is like, because I, all I wanna play is Howard's legacy. So already

Sebastion:

I'm gonna be on it. I'm gonna be on it. Let's

Alehandro:

go. Yeah, because you're getting it all right. On Friday, Paul and I, uh, like plopped up the deluxe editions. Uh,

Paul:

I've been, uh, I've been playing it for the last couple of days. Yeah, I gotta say it's, it's pretty tight,

Alehandro:

honestly. Yeah. We, we held, yeah, we held up on saying our thoughts because we wanna like, share the, whenever you joined in. Okay. Yeah, we're playing it. Uh, I wasn't expected to have you here this week, Sebastian, so I'm pleasantly surprised that we're able to get you in. So, but yeah, next week all about Hogwarts.

Sebastion:

Oh yeah, for sure. I'm excited. Yeah.

Paul:

So that means you gotta put down Prime Alejandro, you gotta go play it.

Alehandro:

Yeah. I have to finish High-Fi rush first. So how far are you

Sebastion:

into the game? Chapter nine. Okay, so you're, you're pretty much there. Yeah. Yeah,

Alehandro:

he's pretty much chapter nine out of 12. And then, uh, I'm gonna, for the sake of the show, I'm gonna like focus on Howards for next week.

Sebastion:

Uh, let me ask you like, uh, like say we were doing a game of your power rankings right now. Mm-hmm. to where like you were like ranking the games as it came out. Is this as how far rush on your power rankings, number one so far? No, it's

Paul:

not on one. Yeah, I

Alehandro:

think it's probably two right now.

Paul:

For me it's dead, uh, dead space remake. Then I might honestly be Hogwarts legacy and then High-Fi rush and

Alehandro:

then for spoken. So that's the thing. I played a little bit of hog, I, I played a little bit of Hogwarts legacy. I think that's number one right now. Uh, What I play because at Paul Devar, that space remake, I left it. Uh, yeah, I played that space before. It's like, I know, it's great. I know it's gonna be there. I finish the first game.

Paul:

Exactly. So I wanted

Alehandro:

to see it. Yeah. I'm for spoken right now. It's Stanley Klin the list just for by default It is. It is by default. Default. Just by default. Like a number four right now that's gonna bit dump dumped out, like when all the other games eventually come in.

Paul:

But, uh, and I need to say it too because I was really hoping it would be a lot. Yeah.

Alehandro:

I will say High-fi rush before today was number one. Today was when I dropped to number two for me So, and we talked about it earlier in the show with Paul. I guess I, what are you feeling so far? Yeah. What are you feeling? Sebastian?

Sebastion:

Um, I have, um, you know, like I haven't played the Dead Space remakes and I have not played for spoken, so I can like, whatever you're feeling though.

Paul:

What have you played though?

Alehandro:

Yeah. Okay. From what you played? Yeah. From what you've played of 2023 so far.

Sebastion:

Okay. So I will, um, I will say so far High Five Rush is probably in my first play spot. I just smile every time I play that game. It's, it's a breath of fresh air. I don't think there's, and it's one of those things to where it has it's amalgamation of like, all the things I really like about games so far. And it kind of nails a lot of those aspects. Um, and I can't re, I can't come up with a comp to say, Hey, this game is exactly like this. You know, like I, I, it's um, it's like so mish mashy of a lot of different things, but I think it does everything. It wants to really,

Alehandro:

well, yeah, the style alone is like, what makes me want to make it number one. Uh, as I was telling Polar earlier in this episode, before you came in, uh, This may be just my me pro, like, I'm like a me problem. And like I, I'm a big fan of combat games in the style of demo may cry. This is definitely in that style. I love, I love how satisfying chaining ch chaining the combos are, especially when you unlock the, unlock the, uh, the support characters you put in the right trigger. I don't know. How many have you unlocked from those? Uh, I have three unlocked.

Sebastion:

Um, you're talking about I've, I've rolled credits on

Alehandro:

half hour rush. Ah, you already finished? Okay. I'm, so, I'm in chapter. I'm in that boss fight with that for your dress like shark from the shark. That's uh, that's for that the reminder of the Katy Perry like, uh mm-hmm. super, super Bowl. I need to show you the experiential because I'm love shark. The last shark, your dress is love shark and you fight and you fight this like singer. Uh, and that's what I was fighting. That was like getting so frustrated. Like share, share him. Paul, go to our chat and share him the, the screenshot.

Sebastion:

I, you know, the cool thing about the, like, one of the things I really like about, um, about, um, high Five Rush is like, it feels like all the, everything was a music themed, like mm-hmm. because like, Shai 8 0 8, those are Kanye West themes. Like those are ka mm-hmm. West, like, um, like Easter eggs. And then you have like, so many things in the game to where like everybody's name is like, almost like a song, a name of a song. And

Alehandro:

I like that. Like, everything in the, in the music theme is like so great to me. It's more like, I feel like this is maybe like unfair to the game. It's like based on like the style and the energy that it has. I wish this gameplay was more than just like going from room to room and clearing enemies and some small platforming and uh, uh, tiny bit of like parcel, uh, not po like environmental puzzle solving that like you mix the three char. I have three. Do you get a fourth character by any chance? Because you, I have three Peppermint, the big guy on the chick with the stuff. One more,

Sebastion:

right? Yeah, there's one more. There's

Alehandro:

one more. Okay. Mm-hmm. So, so yeah, I like that. But if you know what this game looks so much like that's a radio, then it made me want like, I wish like the gameplay would be broken up into like more quicker pace. Like stuff where you're like jumping around more that's not just a cousin, because that's also in the cut scene. Because then, uh, when I'm just playing a game that's just like the comedy, it makes me like realize do, am I a big, am I really a big fan of like this a kind of action based game, or I like it when. It has both the tight comedy, it can bury the gameplay a little bit more. And so far, like, because what I was telling Paul, I feel like I, unless you tell me otherwise, where I'm currently are in the game, uh, Sebastian, I feel, at least gameplay wise, I've seen everything I've seen, like what this game is in a way that, to me, everything like that, what props it up is its style.

Sebastion:

So yeah. I mean, you're, you're not wrong there. I mean, like, once you do get like that fourth installment, so to speak like that, it does, it adds just another layer to like the gameplay and another layer to like, um, uh, of like, I wouldn't say traversal, but like another layer of like level design to where like it'll give you another thing to explore through that. Mm-hmm. But like outside of that, you really don't have anything that it adds to that. So what you've seen so far is like, Almost the medium potatoes of the entire game. Yeah,

Alehandro:

and that's the thing, and I like it a lot, it's just that it's in a few moments, especially where I feel like maybe it doesn't happen to you. I feel like difficulties like spiking right now in a way that it's annoying me a little bit. So that's like dampering. It dampening it a little bit, but it's still a really great game. I really like it. In fact, it's like I like it so much that even as hog were the thing that I saw, Hogwarts was like, damn, this is so good. And also hearing Paul like, because he played more than than I have, let's put in boats six to eight hours. Yeah, I put two. So, okay. So, so that's why I'm like, this is good, but I don't wanna let go. I don't wanna let go. High fire rush. And I feel like I it, that game deserves to be beaten by me. Like right now. It's like where we are right now instead of like waiting until later in the year where I'll probably forget it. If we get swamped with all the things that are supposed to come out this. So, but I really like, it's good. Yeah. That one's really good. Yeah. So, so yeah, high rush pretty great. It's just not before today, before I start recording, it's, it was definitely my number one. What

Sebastion:

I play my number two on my list right now is season a letter to the future. It is, yeah. I

Alehandro:

forgot that that came out also such a, the million things that came out in that week. Right.

Sebastion:

such a gorgeous game. What was that one so high up on your list? Um, I think it's just the, the narrative. Uh, there's a mil, like it speaks to me on a personal level because like, as a, you know, like you're playing as like a chocolate guy and I am, you know, like a chocolate guy. And we normally don't get to be protagonist in a games for one thing. And then like you add that, you add that like it's a smaller indie game that is beautiful. It has a really stylized art style. But like, the fact that like it, the storytelling there is like, it has like, it's not quite, um, what, um, what is that game? It's not quite on, um, A level of like some journey? Well, not journey. It's the, I'm trying to think. The, the life, um, I got it on the tip of my tongue life is, is strange. Oh, okay. Life is strange. It's like, it has storytelling elements from life is strange to where like they tell us j they tell a story that's very like right on key and on point, just like, life is strange, but like the way that the way they tell the story is more like streamlined and it's more like, get you to the point of everything like that. So I like that and I feel like, I don't feel like there's a narrative that does that, has told a story quite like this in a, in video games. And I feel like for everything that it, it wants to do, it does it on an exceptionally well level, especially for a game of this budget. So I'm like, when I'm looking at. When I'm looking at games, I often think to myself, I'm like, how big was your budget? How, what did you execute everything you set out to do? And you know, like, what are some of the things, did I find that I felt like I was missing something? Or like it was missing that secret sauce that to where they elevated up to higher echelon. Mm-hmm. and this game didn't feel like it was missing anything the same. Uh, it felt like it was nailing everything it set out to do and it felt like it was so stylized to where like, if you play this game at the end of the year, I don't think you'll like, and you're listing off your top Indies of the year. I don't think you'll forget to leave this off your list. Mm-hmm.

Alehandro:

Nice. Makes sense. Yeah. I don't think end of the year, but yeah, I think that will be, especially because it was, uh, that was featured in one of the state of place. I think it was the one that gave us a residue full remic pole that was, I remember that was there right before Final Fantasy. Yeah. Final fantasy? Uh, no, not revert. Uh, 16. Mm-hmm. I feel this will be like a big, a big like PlayStation, extra like game like soon. Yeah. I feel like I get that Bob. Yeah. So maybe that's what I'm gonna, I'm gonna try it right now. There's so much. And also because I will be ready getting ready for two other reviews later this month that I have to savor right now. My time for like, being able to like play what I wanna. So, and listen to February

Paul:

20. Do you have any others on your

Sebastion:

list? Um, you know, like some of 'em were, were, I was cleaning up some other ones from like late 2022 that I didn't get a chance to actually play. Like one is a game called Arcane Veil. Um, arcane Veil. Um, it's a game that came out in December of 2022. Fantastic. Smaller indie game. It is, um, uh, um, almost like a mixture between Sky Room, but like Sky Room and um, star Valley. And it has like some dark soul elements into it, but it's all in this like, indie, um, it's almost like that 2D art style. And it's, it's a game that I, it took me by surprise because like, it is difficult. Like I said, it has like a soul's kind of vibe and when you die, you drop all your gear, but like you, yeah, you drop every single gear that you have, you keep the money that you earned, but all the gear you have, you have to go back to that spot and pick it back up. Like pick up every single gear, whether it be armor, whether it be like swords. Yeah. All that sort of things. But I, I mentioned Sky Room. The, it's a game like Sky Room to where like it's a action packed, open world RPG where everybody gives you a quest and everybody to a, and basically ask you a favor. But like, you can basically tell, you can basically do anything you want in this like 2d, in this 2D dimensional game. And I don't really see that in 2D games a lot to where you have that scru esque effect to where like you playing in an open world where you're playing in a game to where like you can be a villain, you can be a hero, you can be anything you kind of want to be. And yeah, so it's a mid evil fantasy RPG that kind of has just taken me by surprise. And ultimately I don't think the game's perfect, but I do think this is like a strong eight outta 10 or nine outta 10, depending on who you talk. so sick. Yeah, it is. It's a game that I think like if more people played it, abo would've probably gotten into the at least discussion for Indie Game of the year last year. All

Paul:

right, man. Now I want to go look things up.

Sebastion:

man. Just hit your boy up, man. I have indies for days as far

Alehandro:

as that. No, that's what I love about having you and Paul because, uh, I mean, uh, Sebastian. Sebastian, I got, he doesn't want me in No, dude. Because you bring that perspective that me and Paul, I, Paul and I lean more into the big games unless I could and, and Indy game really. Uh, stands out. It really, really stands out. And I think you are like our gateway to like hear more of, like, hear more of those like without you, like what happened is this would've been in my, like, in my radar mm-hmm. and now that's like in, in, in March.

Sebastion:

So yeah. So I, yeah, I cover quite a bit of the indies, but yeah, it's also that thing to where like, I am looking at like, what is going to be my time filler in between those big games. Mm. Because like yourself, like I play those, but like some of those, like, you know, I haven't played dead space, but I know I can both do dead space in like two or three sittings if I tried, you know, like mm-hmm. that's a two week kind of game. So what do I play in for the, the three to five weeks where there's nothing there, you know?

Alehandro:

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Especially the last year would've been big for, it was specifically big for that. Mm-hmm.

Sebastion:

sorry, what were you saying though? Uh, I'm sorry to interrupt. No, no, no. Sorry. No,

Alehandro:

because we're gonna like, uh, segue way out now, It's, uh, yeah, Paul and I, we've been like recording for a while.

Paul:

About, uh, three hours. Yeah. Three hours. Oh my goodness.

Alehandro:

Yeah. Cause yeah, we started recording the podcast and then we paused to react and, and then continue the episodes.

Paul:

So, so, uh, I gotta go make dinner. Yeah.

Alehandro:

So, Sebastian, when

Sebastion:

can people find you? Man, you already know. You can find me at the Single Player Experience podcast. That's, uh, the perfect podcast for single player gamers to find out about good single player games to play. We've, um, had some really cool episodes on this week, including the episode where yours truly the mm-hmm. one of the hosts of this podcast joined us and, and talked about some really cool things that were happening, and we

Alehandro:

reacted to the direct, to the developer direct the same

Sebastion:

day. Remember? Yep, yep. The Xbox Developer Direct. Thank you for being on the show for that. And then we also, you know, like I also had a, you know, a couple of different things. We had, um, Dustin Brady, the author of, um, uh, the author of Trapped in a Video Game and escaped from the video game. He's a best bestselling author on the show. He came, uh, came on the show to talk about like some of his, um, video game backlogs. How like video games inspired him to create, um, his own, uh, own almost. Book series very akin to, um, captain Underpants and different things like that. So had him on the show recently. We've, um, had the senior animator for PlayStation on the show recently. You, you, yeah.

Alehandro:

You teased, uh, in your appearance back in January that you were gonna have, so that happened already, right?

Sebastion:

Yeah. Yeah. So the episode should be coming out really soon. Um, be on the lookout for that. We, we've, we are doing an expose into a e w fight forever, the upcoming wrestling video game that's coming out. We also have, um, the top horror games that you should be playing right now. So I'm like, if you're in the mood for single player gamers, we got you covered in any state or genre. So check us out at the Single Player Experience podcast. You could find it on all your favorite podcast platforms. Yeah.

Alehandro:

And Paul, where can people find.

Paul:

As always, y'all can find me at Dork of Art on Twitter is where I well used to post, uh, videos of me breaking things, but it sounds like I might not be able to do that for very long. Thanks. Uh, thanks Musk That happens. Uh, I post art there pretty regularly or just retweet funny things. Alejandra, we're gonna find you. They can

Alehandro:

find me at Aand cord, sego beyond tweet Twitter at a Beyond hive, Alejandro Sego 93 on Instagram, and my written content whenever I write stuff [email protected] and my reviews [email protected]. My first spoken review is live, and sometime in the future you'll see a review of at Atomic Heart and Destiny. Two. Delightful by yours truly. So Sebastian, us Yeah, Sebastian, always a pleasure getting to get you in whenever we can get you in. And Paul, always a pleasure doing the show with you. We're off to play some games now, so everyone else, stay healthy, stay safe. And remember, press

Sebastion:

X to play button. Let's go. Yes, good night everybody.

Alehandro:

Step baby.

Sebastion:

so that's it for today's episode. I wanna give a special shout out to Alejandro and Paul for having me on the X Button Podcast and for letting me cross promote and publish this episode on the Single Player Experience Podcast. I also wanna let you know about the single player experience Discord server. It's the perfect place for single player gamers to talk about the good single player games they've been playing lately, and to get video game recommendations. Think of it kind of like a book club for single player gamers. The link to join will be in the description. Once you're in, feel free to share your video game backlog list. Talk about the good games you've been playing, or give your feedback on the show if you have a game that you think should be recommended or that you think I should talk about. Let me know in the single Player Experience Discord server. I'll see you there. Before we go, I just want to thank you so much for listening to today's episode. Stay safe, stay gamming, and I hope to catch you in the next one. Peace.

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