That's legit - as a 29-year-old, I'm very share a similar cultural background with you. I was certainly raised by parents who thought that taking games out in public was poor form, and wouldn't have done so in school simply due to social pressures. Heck, I wouldn't play a video game at work, on a phone or a dedicated…

Couldn't you argue that they've been coasting on gimmicks since the SNES era? SNES had SuperFX pseudo-3D effects and a significantly more complex controller than what came before it, while the N64 had an analog stick, rumble, and polygonal graphics. Those features got picked up by the wider industry, but they were…

Admittedly, while the Wii U was a commercial dud, it was certainly not a critical dud. Weirdly, the Wii U is what got me into Nintendo stuff after decades away from it, as I didn't enjoy the N64, Gamecube or Wii all that much. The ability to play off-screen, or have unique ways of interacting with games outside of the…

That's fair. I would be sad if Nintendo had moved away from hardware development over the past few generations, as it means I'd be without a Wii U or Switch, but I can understand wanting to play Nintendo games but being unwilling to drop money on the hardware. I think it's just a matter of which entertainment options…

Yeah, there's something about the Zoras reaction, particularly the elderly ones who knew Link a century ago, that is beautifully melancholy.

Do you feel the same when people pull out their smartphones in public? If so, that's fair, but I don't really see the two as significantly different. If someone is going to be stuck in a situation where they are uninterested in their surroundings, why not give them the freedom to engage their minds rather than sit…

As I work my way through Zelda, I'm comparing it to my recent experience playing through Dark Souls 3. It's a fascinating comparison, since both are beautifully crafted games, but they sort of strive for different ends. I might give the edge to Dark Souls for environmental design, as it's just a bit better at densely…

I've heard for years about how good the Gamecube controller was, but I thought it was awful, haha. Still not sure what's appealing about it, to be honest.

I find having a Nintendo console and a decent PC is a pretty accommodating setup. There's enough content out there that you really don't have the time or money to appreciate all of it, so at some point I guess you decide which arts and entertainment you want to spend your time and resources on. After having ignored…

The only major benefit, and this only applies to the 3DS and (as-yet-unseen) Switch Virtual Consoles, is that you can take classic games with you on the go. This is nice if you're stuck at a hotel, or if you live in a house with one TV and other family members looking to make use of that screen. It's not an inherent…

Unfortunately, I think this remains to be seen. We know they're tied to an account, but does that mean that you can transfer them forward through console generations? I don't think the company's actually made that clear yet, and given past evidence, I remain skeptical until they make a conclusive statement.

It's AWFUL. I'd argue it's the most frustrating thing about Nintendo's current situation, and I say that as a fan (though not an uncritical one). Their unwillingness to modernize their digital infrastructure is eternally grating, and while it's not enough to keep me away - I love their modern software and hardware too…

There is an element of truth to this more generally, I suspect. I didn't like the Wii, as I found the legitimate SD visuals to be painfully muddy on an HDTV, but once Nintendo moved into the realm of 720p and 1080p with the Wii U, I found that more than adequate for my eyes. I've not found the difference as…

I loved the Dualshock when it first appeared, but had forgotten how it felt for the entirety of the Xbox 360/PS3 generation as I moved over to having a Microsoft console. When I finally picked up a PS3 at a great price in 2015, I was surprised how little I liked its controller. Microsoft really pulled off an…

I had been using an Xbox 360 controller on my PC until it gave up the ghost, so I upgraded to an Xbox One controller (off-brand, admittedly) and it's a solid replacement. The Wii U Pro Controller has been my recent go-to when I feel like configuring it to work on the PC using an app, as it's uncannily comfy, but I…

They work better than you'd expect! I was actually planning to buy a pro controller, since I thought the layout of the ABXY and right stick was too tight - so I would be hitting the right stick when trying to tap the ABXY buttons - but I was entirely mistaken. Humorously, this works out poorly for Nintendo, as I have…

I would prefer Nintendo stay in the hardware game for a few reasons:

Gosh I love Mischief Makers. It's one of the only Nintendo 64 games that I still own!

ZELDAAAAAAAAAA!

I just got to Zora's Domain last night, after circa 20 hours of play. What a massive game! In any case, just earlier in the evening my wife was asking me if the continent had any urban areas larger than Kakariko or Hateno, and I told her I doubted it, due to the Calamity, but who knows. Then, boom, I got the quest to…