A More Constructive Banjo

By RAWKHAWK2010 - Get with the times, Banjo fans.

As I mentioned in my #IStandWithPhils article, we at KoopaTV have a healthy respect for a man by the name of Phil Spencer. Not just any man by the name of Phil Spencer (since there are at least two), but the recently-appointed new Head of Xbox who has made an earnest effort to get Rare and its IPs back on the right track. And the same Phil Spencer who, just last month, expressed his desire (or unusually-enthusiastic compliance) of seeing everyone's favorite hillbilly bear in Smash.

#IStandWithPhil

Of course, this immediately opened up the #BanjoForSmash floodgates since the Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot was announced just two days prior. And with Conker's Big Reunion having shown the world that it's never too late for a Rare character to resurface, this development been viewed by many as a dream-already-come-true, where they will at long last be reunited with the classic Banjo of their childhood.

...But wait a minute, classic Banjo? Huh?

Yooka-Laylee isn't Half-Bad...or is it?

By RAWKHAWK2010 - And is this seriously KoopaTV's seventh Yooka-Laylee article?

As someone who weathered the Yooka-Delaylee storm so that I could experience the game on Nintendo Switch, I'm at last prepared to provide my thoughts. Do I really want to? Well, not really. Reviews aren't really thing. It's why my Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney "review" is a gaggle of Miiverse screen captures. It's why my Paper Mario: Color Splash review hasn't happened and never will. But in this case...I suppose I must oblige:

It's me! (Six paces above "Ray and the Family Dickinson".)

And with that,

Rawk's Review of Yooka-Laylee:

Is Yooka-Laylee's Message Out Of Tune?

By RAWKHAWK2010 - Too much g-string.

First of all, I'm proud of that subtitle.

Second of all, the past month or so has been the bee's tits when it comes to Yooka-Laylee news. Articles...screenshots...and just this week we got our first real trailer -- a broad showing of the game's mechanics for anyone who hasn't been following.

Overall, the game looks good. Good gameplay, good graphics, good music, good dudes, good everything. It looks gooder than Banjo-Kazooie. It looks waaaaay gooder than insipid slog Banjo-Tooie. And you better believe that it looks astronomically gooder than that hunk-of-junk Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

#IStandWithPhils

By RAWKHAWK2010 - A simple philosophy.

A few weeks ago, something happened called CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference). Ludwig would know more about that than me, but I do know Phil Robertson was there, and Phil Robertson is an alright dude. He knows the value of Southern culture -- not the yuppie, carpetbag culture you're probably familiar with (aka indoor swimming pools, dog sled racing, and not waving at neighbors), but something with a little more heart. One that embodies things like faith, family, and grocery chains with silly names. (That first thing I could take or leave, but the third gets me more excited than fired ex-staffer YoshiRider123 at the eShop update screen.)

Duck Dynasty 3DS may be on eShop, but good ol' Southern values can't be bought!

Marvel vs. Capcom vs. Franziska's Lash

By RAWKHAWK2010 - Let's focus on the fools.

On a day known as #InternationalWomensDay, in response to a hashtag known as #IfWomenRuledTheWorld, I once tweeted that I'd be perfectly fine with a woman owner so long as she was akin to Lady Palutena's beauty and not some misshapen unsightly beast. Elements of danger such as the Power of Caging were considered a significant risk that came with the territory of being owned, but recently I played through the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney trilogy and was introduced to what the word "danger" truly means.

Franziska "Danger" von Karma?
...Or Franziska von "Danger" Karma?
(She'll decide when she's good and ready.)

It's Sea of Thieves Eve And I Must Grieve

By RAWKHAWK2010 - Happiness stolen in a Sea of Hype.

Well, after three long years it's finally out. The true beginning of a post-Kinect Sports renaissance for Rare Ltd. -- and according to several who have played it, their all-time magnum opus.

Upon its announcement, I was pretty brain-meltingly excited for Sea of Thieves. I made a video syncing the Sea of Thieves announcement trailer to Athena's Swashbuckler Spectacular from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, and another of Phil Spencer (widely considered to be the man responsible for Rare's rescue) eccentrically dancing. It was awesome, dudes. Sea of Thieves was gonna be Donkey Kong Country 2 but in almost-real-life. Sea of Thieves was gonna save my waning enthusiasm in video games while Nintendo stayed busy screwing over the Star Fox franchise (which involved first exhuming it from the grave) and making all kinds of other terrible decisions. Back then I was all like, "Bless Rare and Microsoft Studios", but skip three years into the future and the correct phrase is "Bless me", because I honestly couldn't have been more wrong.

The Curious Case of Brutlyn Jenner

By RAWKHAWK2010 - Bravery shmavery.

I personally have no qualms with "strange" transformations. I was okay with my Pokémon not evolving into the correct ones, I was okay with Scott Moffitt changing his name and undergoing minor surgery to make it look like Nintendo was hiring new talent in the form of "Doug Bowser",  and I was okay with Tiny Kong becoming something I never ever thought she'd become. And if they can all do it, then why not former track-and-field star Brutlyn Jenner who at least has the money to make it happen?

I'm okay with this.

Kirby Series: 25 Years Old! eShop Sale!

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Kirby himself isn't 25 years old. Just his franchise.

Did you know that the reason KIRBYBIRTHDAY is a usable password in Team Kirby Clash Deluxe (the ONLY usable password in North America. The other regions get more passwords, a sign of inequality) is because Kirby's Dream Land came out in April/August 1992 (again, depending on your region), and that means 2017 is Kirby's 25th year of being in business? Of course, when you consider the whole year to be a birthday, then every year is a birthday. (Remember: Anniversaries happen more than just numbers ending in 0 or 5.)

...Normally, I wouldn't cover this sort of silly thing as an article, because I don't give a damn about anniversaries. However, Nintendo wants me to give a damn, putting more effort into letting me know Kirby is 25 years old than... well, a lot of other franchises. There's a Wii U push notification. A 3DS push notification. A Nintendo eShop sale (ending August 8th). A Miiverse-wide announcement. (Keep in mind that Miiverse is supposed to be dying out, as seen by Nintendo not having any announcement about E3 2017 — an actual event. Also keep in mind that Miiverse announcements are supposed to be used for updates about Miiverse, like its horrible redesign, rather than marketing pitches.) There's also a press release and special My Nintendo rewards. (Such as spending virtual currency to get a wallpaper that you could download for free from Play Nintendo.)

Nintendo chooses to use a trademark symbol instead of a possessive apostrophe.

So... I guess I should detail the sale. You tell me if you want me to get anything from it. (You can also tell me if YOU want anything from it. As in, you'll buy it yourself. Put SOMETHING in the comments section, will ya?)

The Lion, the Witch Hunt, and the War on Sabreman

By RAWKHAWK2010 - An eye for an eye leaves the whole Wurlde blind.

Today marks the beginning of a new era -- one where washed-up Rare characters far and wide will rise up from the ashes to reclaim their FORMER GLORY. I'm of course referring to the release of Rare Replay, the remastered compilation package featuring 30 games from Rare's 30-year-long tenure, all for $30. It's pretty much the greatest video game deal to ever happen (as reflected by the fact that it was the most pre-ordered game announced at E3 2015), which means games like Grabbed by the Ghoulies and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts might at last get the accolades they've deserved all along. And if Rare Replay establishes its contents well enough, perhaps even old-timers like Sabreman could come out of retirement.

Because for anyone who remembers the canceled Sabreman Stampede (formerly known as the also-canceled Donkey Kong Racing), our ol' pal Sabreman has some...unfinished business.

About Eiji Aonuma's Gameplay Demonstration of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - I see lots of people are excited, but I know for a fact I wouldn't like it if I bought it.

Today, Nintendo released an over 13-minute video of The Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom while commentating. It's not unedited gameplay for sure, but carefully selected and choreographed gameplay clips stitched together to showcase shiny gameplay mechanics. There are no story spoilers. (There's little evidence that there is even much of a story to spoil if The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is anything to go by.) At the beginning, Eiji Aonuma states the game has completed development, which it better, since it's coming out quite soon.

In addition, Nintendo announced a The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom-themed Nintendo Switch (OLED model). The game releases on May 12 for 70 USD ($10 more than the MSRP for a standard Nintendo Switch game), while the themed console releases on April 28 for 360 USD ($10 more than the MSRP for a standard Nintendo Switch (OLED model)). There will also be a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to release on May 12 for 75 USD (only $5 more than the MSRP for a standard Nintendo Switch Pro Controller... a suspiciously smaller mark-up!).

As for the rest of the article, I'm going to share my thoughts on what was shown. If you're looking for a super deep breakdown of the gameplay demonstration with fan theories, you won't find that here, especially because I'm not interested enough to do that since I disliked The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

KoopaTV's Autumn Equinox Concert

By RAWKHAWK2010 - Eclipses are so last month.

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." (Oh hey, I'm already a bird. And I Fall all the time because I can't actually fly. ...So I guess I'm off to a good start, huh?)

The Autumnal Equinox is the envoy of Autumn and is also when day and night are are of approximately equal duration all over the planet. You know what it also also is? It's when KoopaTV's favorite dancers take the opportune opportunity to bust a groove for all y'all.

Let the Autumn Equinox Concert commence!:

KoopaTV's LIVE Reactions to the February 8 2023 Nintendo Direct

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Well, this is great! I thought so, anyway.

Today, we watched a Nintendo Direct featuring information mostly focused on Nintendo Switch games launching in the first half of 2023.

Joining me for live reactions are Heavy Lobster, Witch Princess, and Kamek Koopa. Read our reactions along with watching the Direct if you haven't watched it yet! (Time stamps help you follow along.)

[4:52 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMdUSVSEp7U
[4:53 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: brb bathroom
[4:56 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: back
[4:57 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: My expected wants include Splatoon 3 update(s) and Advance Wars's new release date. My unexpected wants include anything about Ring Fit Adventure (sequel, DLC, free update) and that Nintendo will in fact be at E3 2023.
[4:58 PM] HeavyLobster: I'm here.
[4:58 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: Howdy.
[4:59 PM] Witch Princess: Hey
[4:59 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: Hey! It's 17:00 in about 15 seconds.
[5:00 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: ...
[5:00 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: Well I counted to fifteen
[5:00 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: AHH
[5:00 PM] Ludwig Von Koopa: RP - M rating.

Nintendo Treehouse Live E3 2016: Day 1 — The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild all day.

You've been waiting for this moment forever: The Legend of Zelda on Wii U (and NX) is now The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. And we're watching footage of it. A lot of footage of it. And commenting. ...A LOT of footage. Over four hours worth. Including new news about the game's antagonist and amiibo.

I'm Nintendork 13 13, Rawk is him, and Vortexica is breezinabout. We have quite a lot of content to share with you, so get ready:

KoopaTV Live Reacts to Xenoblade Chronicles X Video Showcase April 24 2015

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Transsexual protagonists and Earth Day mechas.

How do you think KoopaTV's old-school gaming staff will respond to the very new-school, modern Xenoblade Chronicles X for the Wii U? Well, Nintendo and its Nintendo Treehouse did a special video showcase and presentation for the game, showing off all sorts of aspects including beautiful environments, exploration, skipped cutscenes, and... flying mechas called Skells!

Bill Trinen welcoming us with an unwelcome face.

 
I'm Nintendork 13 13 in this AIM log, Rawk is himself, and Vortexica is breezinabout. We got quite a collection of observations entailed within, so stick with us and watch along!

 

We got screenshots taken live as well interspersed throughout the log, so get past the page-break and enjoy.

The full Treehouse Presentation can be watched on YouTube here. 

KoopaTV's Microsoft E3 Conference 2015 Live Reactions!

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Does the hype meet expectations?

This is the conference to explain why our E3 2015 KoopaTV banner has Rare logos on it. It may be the conference that our collective KoopaTV staff energy is most hyped for. This is the Microsoft Conference, discussing the Xbox One, Windows 10, and all the games.

Of course, RawkHawk2010 is here. I'm here as Nintendork 13 13. Vortexica too as breezinabout. Let's go.

Phil Spencer with his shirt covered.

KoopaTV's Sony E3 2015 Conference Live Reactions!

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Otherwise known as "PlayStation E3 2015 Press Conference".

The last conference for this very long Monday is Sony's.

If you have been keeping up with KoopaTV's conference live reactions (see 'em all in one place here, with a schedule) then you know we do these live-reactions over AIM, and put in screenshots. I'm Nintendork 13 13, RawkHawk2010 is himself, and Vortexica is breezinabout.

Also, periodic Shenmue 3 Kickstarter updates throughout the log!

Andrew House looking nervous. Why would he be?

KoopaTV's Live Reactions to The Game Awards 2016!

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Spoilers: It's terrible, and we're asleep at the end.

Every year in early December, that thug Geoff Keighley hosts some kind of award show for the videogame industry, and the major gaming companies always sponsor it. It's always awful. Yet, without fail, KoopaTV has been live reacting to it since our own inception. Why? WHY DO WE KEEP DOING THIS TO OURSELVES?

The following program DID contain content that some viewers found offensive.
Viewer discretion is highly recommended, and I wish we had some.

This year, the only two staffers masochistic enough to sit around for it were myself, in this live reaction log as Nintendork 13 13, and RawkHawk2010, in this live reaction log as RawkHawk2010. Well, here we go, I guess. Read our reactions below:

KoopaTV's September 4, 2019 Nintendo Direct LIVE REACTIONS!

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Poor soul.

Apparently unlike the rest of the world, I didn't like today's Nintendo Direct. And that's not contrarian nonsense. You can see my reactions to everything, as it happens, in the reaction log below.

They promised to show lots of Nintendo Switch games, including Pokémon Sword, Pokémon Shield, and Luigi's Mansion 3. ...Those games ended up being pretty unimportant, though.

Here's the video on demand that I'll probably need to replace soon because it's the live stream:

I'm all alone because I'm more of a poor soul than anyone from Banjo-Kazooie.

KoopaTV's Live Reactions to Ubisoft's E3 2013 Press Conference

By KAMEK - Ubisoft's Blackout Night

Welcome to KoopaTV's live thoughts on Ubisoft's side of E3 as they happened. Ludwig Von Koopa as nintendork1313, Rawk as rawkhawk2010, YoshiRider as masteryoshirider, MarioSun90, a member of Koopa Keep, as ryudragon, and yours truly as Ultralink1000. Let's watch the fun. 

Treehouse Live: "Project Guard" and "Giant Robot" E3 2014

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - More live reactions to games that look awful.

Shigeru Miyamoto has taken the stage in Nintendo Treehouse Live. He has three projects to discuss: "Giant Robot", "Project Guard", and a new Star Fox game on Wii U...

We live-react. I'm Nintendork 13 13, Rawk is Rawk, and we have a friend named Mariosun90 as Ryudragon29.

"Please understand, Miyamoto's projects suck."