Kinda Funny Gamescast: Video Game Podcast - Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review & Nintendo Speculation! - Kinda Funny Gamescast

Episode Date: February 14, 2024

Roger tells Tim all about the Nintendo Switch Remake of one of his favorite childhood games Mario vs. Donkey Kong! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Mario vs. Donkey Kong Remake Review - What Else is there to Port? - What Does the Switch 2 Launch With? - Tim’s Definitive Switch Peripheral Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up and welcome back to the kind of funny games cast. Of course, I am Tim Geddes and I'm joined by The Lock, Roger Percorney. Yipcha. Yipcha, everybody. Is that type of day? Is that what we're doing? Yeah, for many years, I thought that in Mario versus Donkey Kong, the original, that Mario said yipchah when he did a flip.

He does not do or say a yipcha. Uh-huh, uh-huh. So where do you think that came from in your mind? Your dumb little kid. See, I think I might have just, maybe because like, Game Boy advanced. I didn't have the original one garbled, you know, no backlight, nothing.

So I probably was just making shit up, maybe just having like hallucinations. I had an extra fun. Yeah, exactly. Maybe I'm just like playing it on mutant. I'm just doing all the sound effects. That's probably where it came from, honestly. Yeah.

Well, I'm excited about this because that's what we're talking about today. Mario versus Donkey Kong. We're going to be reviewing the remake that is coming out on Nintendo Switch. And I'm happy to have you on the show because you did play the original back in the day. And you were really excited when they announced this remake. So that's going to be fun. We're going to talk about that. We're also going to talk about just some general Nintendo stuff.

I got some updates on the Tim Getty's search for the perfect pro joycon alternatives. Right in time for people to enjoy all the Switch games. You know what I mean? Like just right in time for so many things to be coming out. But anyways, we'll talk about that. And I'm excited because we don't get to talk about Nintendo enough here. Kind of funny. I'm going to say it.

I'm going to be honest. You know what I mean? So I'm happy that we're doing that today on this games cast. I'm happy that it's me and you. and I'm happy that all of you are watching and listening right now. Of course on YouTube.com slash kind of funny games or podcast services around the globe. You can get the show each and every week where we usually reviewing things, previewing things, doing predictions.

It's a great show where we talk about video games and all the things that we love about them. If you wanted to go above and beyond, though, you can become a kind of funny member by getting a membership on Patreon or YouTube. Doing so allows you to get the shows ad free. You get live recordings as we're recording them. Pretty damn cool. and you get a daily exclusive Greg way where Greg talks about whatever he wants to

or answers a bunch of audience questions. A ton of fun and I highly recommend you guys go over there just like our Patreon producers, Carl Jacobs, Streaking 8 Easy and Delaney Twining. Thank all of you so very, very much for your support. Roger, I want to start at the top. What is your history with Mario versus Donkey Kong? With Donkey Kong even.

Oh man, my history with Mario starts with Mario versus Donkey Kong. Mario versus Donkey Kong, I lived a sad life, Tim, was my only Mario game as a child and continued to be my only Mario game until Mario Galaxy, but I only bought that and played that

when I was like 17. So, like literally it was just Mario versus Donkey Kong, nothing, Mario Galaxy. That's it. So, yeah, it is truly like my bedrock of video games, which is an insane statement to say, but that explains a lot about me. So that's interesting. Let's break that down

a little bit more. Being your bedrock video games, it was your first and only for a long time Mario game. But was it your first game? No, my first game was, I had the PS2. So I was, my first game was Spider-Man Enter Electro. Jesus, I'm so sorry. My dad, my dad would get me PS1 games because I'm three years old.

He's like, you don't know the difference between a PS2 game and a PS1 game. Got me a bunch of PS-chity PS1 game, so that's fine. Yeah. And to be clear, Enter Electro. Not the worst thing. No. It was the sequel to NeverSoft Spider-Man, and it was just okay. Yeah, it was, but I mean, for me, it's the same shit. You know what the same shit, for sure.

So that game at a PS2, and then I got a gay boy advanced. And yeah, Mario v. Donkey Kong, I think my parents were just like, this is a Mario game. Yeah, sure, why not? Had the little Mario toys. I was like, oh, my God, it's perfect for me a child. I'm so small. I'm small. I'm small hands.

This is a small game boy. Exactly. My favorite character back in the day was Robin because he was small. And I was like, this is fucking perfect. Yeah, it's incredible. Robin. Like Batman Robin. Oh, okay.

I don't know why I was like, I was like, what are you talking about here? Okay, that's, that explains a lot. And what's cool about that, though, is like, I don't think that you're that far off from, like, that being that crazy of a thing because Mario's history in many ways starts with Donkey Kong, starts with this rivalry, a different type of gameplay that is still a platformer, but a bit more puzzle focused. And we really saw that with the evolution of the Donkey Kong games from the original arcade game, which featured you playing as Mario through to the,

Donkey Kong game on Game Boy, which is one of the hidden gems of the Game Boy, which is funny to say now, over the years it gets less and less hidden. But people don't understand how amazing that game is. And I got to be honest with you, I totally until this review, when I was doing the research for this game,

did not realize that this is pretty much just a reimagining of that game. Exactly. Isn't that, I completely had no idea. So it's really funny to think back at the legacy of Mario and Donkey Kong as characters, as games, as genres even of like puzzle platforming,

but to think about this being a remake of the GBA game that in a lot of ways was like a spiritual remake of the Game Boy game that was just a remake plus sequel to the original Donkey Kong arcade machine, right? So wild. Yeah, a lot of lineage there. But I love that you were jumping in on the GBA one, a game that I pretty much missed out on. The Game Boy one was one that I was really into,

but I was old enough with a Game Boy Advance when Mario and Luigi came out that I was a, or not sorry, not Mario and Luigi, the Mario versus Donkey Kong where I was playing Mario and Luigi I was playing the RPGs I was like trying to like okay I've done that before I don't really need it like I'm out here buying Metroid Zero mission and shit

so I never I never beat it never fully got into it but I know it was really good yeah but you loved it right so not only was it one of your first games like you you beat the hell out of it Oh yeah that was the thing is that I actually for this review number one game is journalists in the world he's not here Roger Borkorney

now not Andy Cortez I replayed the entirety of the original Game Boy Advanced Mario versus Donkey Han game in preparation for this review right before we got the codes and I was looking through it and I was playing this game and I was like you know what there's probably going to be a moment because for me as a kid I'm a dumb little kid I'm not finishing these fucking games right so many of these games that I got I never finish I was like there's going to be a moment where I hit a world where I have no recollection of it

and that moment didn't happen I realized when I got to the ending of this game that I've played this entire game as a child and that just blew my mind mine because that shows either one how small my game boy advanced library was which it was very small it was that and it was uh the prince of persia the one where he turns into a bad guy too like he's like yeah yeah i got that for the game boy advanced two thrones yeah two thrones i got two thrones for the game boy advanced those my two games great uh and uh yeah so it was either that i had a small library or i just love this game so much i think it was i just love this game so much well i also think that it's goes back to the brilliance of what this is it is it's a mario game it's a donkey

game, it's a puzzle platformer that's very Nintendo. It is every single moment is a delight. They're throwing things at you. It, from my memory, it does a very good job of introducing mechanics, making you think and understand and you solve problems, and then you feel good about it. Like, it's a really

good reward system for these games. Nothing kind of overstays. It's welcome. But my question of you now, let's just jump into it. You've now reviewed Mario and Luigi Oh my God. You have, you have reviewed Mario versus Doggy Kong, the Nintendo Nintendo Switch 24 remake,

one of the horsemen of the final Twilight Days of the Switch, probably. What are your thoughts? Mario versus Donkey Kong, the remake for the Switch, is a three out of five, okay game, right? And that is,

for a multitude of reasons. One, it looks great. It's a good-looking remake. But it's not a faithful, visual remake to the original game. In the sense that it feels like you're dropping in just generic Mario characters,

into this world. They do some things to kind of make it a little bit more visually cohesive in terms of making maybe the booze, like little toy booze, and like kind of making it feel more of like a toy atmosphere. But other than that, it just feels like any other old Mario game that you could

just pick up and find. When you look at the original GBA game, it has a lot more life to it. Visually in with the animations, and a lot of these animations feel a lot more toned down and not as fun or dynamic as the original game. And the thing that we're going to talk about here is the game is a very faithful

recreation of Mario versus Donkey Kong. You are, there's no levels really where you are, the solutions are changed or there's anything crazy really rearranged other than, you know, the fact that it's 16 by 9 now, so they have a little bit more space to play with. So it is very faithful in that sense. So if you like the original one, you're probably going to like this one. But the thing that really kind of made this a three out of five for me was that they have two new worlds in this game. And those two new worlds are so good. that they make the other worlds feel lesser than. And it makes me feel, as I'm playing through this game,

like, this should have just been a new game. Like, truly, like, it has two great worlds that feel modern, that feel new, and all the other older levels feel old, and they feel stiff, and they feel like a GBA game. So I guess if you are looking for a full-on remake of this classic game that you really love, you're going to get that. You're going to really enjoy this game. But if you're looking for a more modern interpretation of that,

classic idea. You're not going to really get that unless you play just those two extra levels. Wow. Okay. So with that, you did just play through the entirety of the original before you did that. Do you think that that might have gotten in the way of you feeling like those levels are special? Or do you just think that like, no, they did a great job of replicating them, but it's just in 2024, that it's not as satisfying. Yeah. No, when I was replaying it, I actually felt very similar to what I feel right now, right? It did feel very slow. They do a good job, which we'll talk about,

of making the difficulty less difficult. They have a casual mode, and they have a regular, you know, traditional mode where it's a one-hit kill. In the casual mode, you know, get hit, and now you're bubbled, and you can kind of infinitely replay every level. But other than that,

it is the same stiff gameplay where you are just picking up, you're basically trying to find the one solution for every single. single world. You're trying to get into the mindset of the puzzle maker and find the exact route to get to the ending. It just doesn't feel as dynamic as I feel like a lot of other puzzle games would feel like in 2024, especially when you do play these two extra worlds, it feels much more dynamic when you're floating through the worlds or you're slipping on ice. And those new

elements that they add in those worlds are not carried over into the original game elements. So Yeah, I think replaying it on the GBA did allow me to have a little bit more context for this game. And I'm glad I did it because I think if I didn't do that, I wouldn't be able to go into this. I wouldn't be able to see what was new, what was not new. And the reality is it's not much as new other than those two worlds. So I'm glad I did it for sure. Yeah, it's interesting too because in a lot of ways, like the look of this game, you were talking about it kind of just having that generic look.

And it's because Mario now looks a certain way. We have an understanding of what Mario is supposed to look like, and that can kind of get samey and old. And I'm a broken record on this, but like I missed the days of Mario 1, Mario 3, Yoshi's Island, like all of them having distinct styles that are so different. Same-ish gameplay. Yosh's not being more different.

But the visual style kind of dictated some of the gameplay elements and like what that game was, what made it special. You look at this, you're like, oh, yeah, that's Mario. That's what Mario is supposed to look like, quote, unquote. but it's not it doesn't play the way that it looks necessarily because you look at that and you're like oh this it's probably going to play like a new super mario brother's game but instead it it plays like a donkey con game because it is a donkey con game which is more tile-based movement like it is it's stiff by design and i think that that is something that you either can wrap your head around or you're just

going to be like i just want a freaking backflip man yeah no and it's it's that's an interesting one because I'm excited to see when normal consumers who are not into the Mario versus Donkey Kong lore or know about this game, just see this on the shelf, pick it up and play it if they are going to fall in love with it or be disappointed by it because it is a one-hit-kill situation. You are jumping on top of people, picking up things, trying to switch buttons so then you can pick up a key to get to the end of the level and then at the ending of every single, I guess, level pick up a mini Mario. So that is kind of like the gameplay loop. And then every world ends with a boss fight, which is essentially a Donkey Kong level, where you're going on

ropes, hitting people, hit him in them on the head or just trying to get to get to him and take him out. So it is, it is a more Donkey Kong experience than it is a Mario traditional experience. So it is a puzzle. Yes. Yes. Yeah. So with the puzzles, like, were you, did you get that, that's satisfying feeling often? Or like, what's the balance between like, that was a good challenge and I'm satisfied versus I know exactly what I need to do and I'm just going through the motions here. Yeah, it's a lot of that for me. And again, that's the weird part of replaying the game on the GBA and then replaying it on the switch is that I, of course, knew the solution.

So I was able to get through the game a lot easier on the switch. But either way, it is a lot of you kind of just looking at it and just being like, I know what I have to do. I just need to go through the slow motions of trying to now hop on top of this character. and then up, I screwed up the exact timing and I hit him just in that one frame where he's in front of me and not on top of me and now I'm dead, now I'm in the beginning of the middle,

now I've got to go redo it and have to wait for this stupid little Mario guy to follow me. And like, it is a lot of you just seeing the whole answer, seeing, like, you see it all in front of you, but now you just have to execute it and it takes just enough time that they prescribe you really to make it happen, especially when you get to the later plus levels. Yeah, it is not like, there's been very few times,

I would say maybe like five or six times throughout this game where I had a moment where I was like, wow, that is really clever. And again, all of those moments happen in the new worlds. Like, even when I was originally replaying it on the GBA, when I played it on the Switch, I only had those moments when I was playing with the new worlds because they did feel fresh,

they did feel unique, because they add things that feel like a more modern Mario puzzle game. So you're saying, like, having just played the GBA one again all the way through and this and then being, it being such a, a faithful remake for the most part besides the new stuff. Would you also give the original a three out of five? Yeah, I would probably say.

So, I mean, for the time, probably four out of five, but like now in modernette time, yeah, for sure, it's a three out of five. And so do you think that this is the definitive way to play this game? Yeah, because it's easy, right? Like, it's not, this is, this is, yeah, this is the easier way to get this video game. So I would say it's the definitive way. There is a part of me where I look at the original GBA game and just visually, it's wild to think because this game does look pretty, right?

Like, it is look pretty in the sense that it is, it is my childhood brought into HD essentially. That's what this feels like. But there's something about the old GBA game that feels interesting to me, at least from an animation style, that I think is just not translated here. But I would say, yeah, this is the definitive way to play. This is the way that I would recommend it to 99% of people, especially just for the casual mode. Because that just makes this whole experience way less frustrating, for sure. Yeah, which is great. And I think those are the little things that really make these remakes, like,

valuable and more worth it than just, oh, it's prettier because, yeah, of course, it's prettier, but prettier and a better art direction are different things. And I think that the nostalgia play of all of it can get in the way oftentimes. Or it be good where if you're used to a certain thing, looking a certain way, you want this mimicked. But mimicking something sometimes just doesn't work.

So it's like, no, let's just give it the more generic Mario treatment so that it has a visual understanding for people that are just looking at it. Like, the insane trilogy when they remastered it or remade it. And I love those games. And I love it.

And I love the look that they have. But every time I play it, I'm always like, man, it's missing the like crunchy black levels of the original PS1 crash games. Like there was something about how dark the lines were and everything that gave it a vibe that the new one's beautiful,

but it doesn't have the vibe. And looking at the GBA stuff, GBA as a whole, had a vibe to it, you know? So remaking those games, you're going to miss that. And it's like,

I wonder, I, I, I, I'm interested in giving this game a shot myself. Just, uh, because like, I am not the biggest fan of, um, the Donkey Kong games overall, I would say. Um, like the GB, GB one. I love, but I'm like, cool, that was my fill. Like, and it feeling stiff and that kind of like that type of, in my opinion, frustrating puzzle platforming where it's like, yeah, you make one wrong jump that you really just hastily did just because you want to get through it. And then you have to do it.

all again and wait for the platform to come. Like, not my favorite type of gameplay. So combining that with an art style that is not my favorite Mario art style. I'm like, I don't know that this one's for me, which is fun. Yeah, for sure. And I think a lot of that frustration I think still carries over mostly for me in the boss battles, right? Like they're fun and they're good, like, I would say Donkey Kong boss battles, but

it is very much that you miss one thing. Oh, shit. Now you're, now you're out of commission. Now you're dead. Now you've lost a life. And it's, it is, that to me is the part of the game that is so funny because it is technically a Donkey Kong game, but like, it does not feel as refined still than even the puzzle elements of it. I would very much replay all of this, the puzzle elements of the game rather than replay any of the boss battles. Okay.

And that's, that's just a personal thing, but it just felt like it was more unfair than it was an actual like, oh, wow, I'm actually, I figure out how to do this exact thing perfectly. It's like, no, you just have to kind of get lucky and. be in the right place at the right time where Doggy Kong isn't throwing the thing and it isn't as just perfect platforming or anything like that because platforming again is kind of the back seat to this as the puzzle element is the

in the driver's seat of the entire situation. Did you, so you beat the game? Yeah. Did you 100% the game? No, because God, this is the cool thing about this game is that when I was playing the original, the GBA one, I didn't,

I guess this is where I probably stopped is because I realized that there is plus levels to all this game, right? there is six levels, there's six worlds with 13 levels each. And then when you finish that game, they're like, cool, all six of those worlds have another, I think, six levels each. So now you just continue the game in a plus variant that is remixes of every single one of those levels.

So basically the gimmick for that one is instead of having a two-part levels for each one, where one part is you picking up the key and getting to the end and then picking up the mini Mario person, you instead just have a mini-mario. Mario, sorry, you have a mini Mario guy behind you that you kind of have to just like get to the end of the level. So it recontextualizes the levels in a really interesting way. So I did all of that. And then I was like, cool, I finished the game. I 100%ed it. There's expert levels, which I did not account for. So I did not 100% it. I probably won't go back to those expert levels, but I got my fix from just

playing the main game and then the plus levels. So it's, you're saying it's a three out of five. And it's like, I know there's oftentimes we're just like, it's a three out of five. We're like, it's a three out of five. Like just different intonations of like, eh, it's kind of letting me down or hey, this one surprised me more than I expected to, but it's still not that,

like great or amazing or anything. Where are you leaning there? I would say it's a good. It's a three out of five. Like I would say it's a more positive situation. Again, because I think it is those two levels, the two levels show promise of like,

there's something here. You guys have a modern version of this game and I think without those two levels, I would be like, yeah, this is a pretty generic remake of the original game. I'm happy they made it, I guess, but also you guys could have just put it on the Game Boy Advance Nintendo Switch Online situation. That could have just been that.

But adding those two levels, making a casual mode, I think it makes it a more positive experience. But for me, honestly, at $50, I'm like, ooh, that's still a little too steep, especially when I look at the time that I guess it's accurate, but it feels like I played longer, but it says five hours. And like, I don't know. I don't know if that, that to me feels like a $50 release. Yeah, so $50.

There is a demo. People can download now. So if they're interested at all in this, giving it a shot, you can do that now on the Switch. But yeah, $50. I am also a little surprised by that, but I also get it.

Like, that's just the price you Nintendo has and they just do things that way. It doesn't make it right. Yeah. Because, yeah, I'm with you. Like, do you think that there was enough new stuff added to at least attempt to justify that? Yeah, so let's talk about that really quick.

So the remake has, of course, updated visuals. It has a casual mode. So it gives you checks points. for every single level, multiple checkpoints, which is really nice. And the cool thing about that is that if you have a mini Mario behind you, it has like separate checkpoints for them. So you can't like fudge the game by like going ahead and then having your mini Mario follow you or whatever. I don't know.

It's very well designed this casual mode. There's a new co-op mode. I did not play. I did not play the co-op mode. I looked at my girlfriend. I was like, you want to? She's like, no. No, absolutely not.

That's not my type of game. There's a time attack mode, which I was happy about because in this game, they kind of simplified the way that you get scores in it. So in the previous game, you would need to get like basically in order to get like the star for every level. You need to get like a certain like high score, which included you doing it really fast or, you know, killing enough enemies. They've done away with that and they've made it simple.

So all you need to do is get all of the presence that are hidden around the world in order to get a star. And then on top of that, they added a time attack mode. So you can replay all the levels and try to beat your high score. And then they have the two new worlds, both are really great. And then, yeah, those are the new editions. Awesome. Any final thoughts on Mario versus DonkeyGon, the Nintendo Switch remake of a Game Boy Advance

Classic? I am, I'm happy they did it. I do hope that this is, this does well enough for them to make a real sequel. I never played the actual sequels of Mario versus Donkey Kong. I know they're different. Minis? Yeah, there's two of them. There's two of them both on D.S.

Yeah. Yeah. They're not like this game. They're like Lemmings type situations. It's a lemming situation, everybody. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. So I never played those. I don't know anything about those. I know people, there's like a cult following for that as there is for every Nintendo property. But I do hope that they revisit this and kind of make a new version because there's something here. There's something here with those two levels. And if you are into this, if you grew up like me, obsessed with Mario versus Donkey Kong, I'm happy for you guys. And also watch that intro. That intro for this game. really, I was obsessed with it of him falling in love with the Mini Mario at Donkey Kong and then stealing everything. Them redoing it in full 3D animation is really great. One thing they did remove though, it was very weird, which I don't know the implications of this time. When Donkey Kong looks at the ad and he sees the Mini Mario in the original version, heart eyes appear. Hard eyes aren't there anymore. Oh, what? What are they trying to say? They're leading into the verses even

harder then. Oh, no. No. No. I mean, I don't know. Who knows? I don't know. Now, okay, cool. That's the review of this. I want to take this and use it as a jump-off point for a conversation here, which is kind of Nintendo as a whole of looking at the Switch. This being one of the final announced releases so far for the Switch. They could announce a whole bunch more, but rumors are circulating enough that we believe the Switch 2 would be coming later this year. We know we have Mario Donkey Kong. We have Princess Pete Showtime. We have Paper Mario 1,000 Year Door remake, which looks utterly fantastic. We have a date on that? No date for that. I don't think.

Unless it was summer or something. Hold on actually. Let me pull that up here. But that game is incredible. Like that is going to be so good and especially hot off of Super Mario RPG remake that came out last November that I was just so obsessed with because I never thought we'd actually see that game remade. And at first blush, I looked at that. I was like, ah, you're taking away the magic and what I was talking about earlier about the nostalgic look and vibe of that game. This looks a little more generic than I would like.

Playing through it, I was like, oh, I was so wrong. Oh, really? They brought that magic back in a, the Super Mario RPG remake is utterly fantastic art direction. And I think that it, it nailed the vibe and tone of the original. If you want the original, play the original, right? Like, it's not one to one exactly it. But I think that they really did a good job of making a modern visual style that

invokes the feelings that looking at the old game did on top of everything else about the game just being excellent. So that being so good. it sold incredibly well. It already outsold in like one month. It outsold the entire life of the original, which is good for them. And good notes of, hey, these good games can you do well.

Pitmark 1000 in your door, what we saw of it, it looks fantastic. And I think that game already has such a great art style that just literally plusing it up a bit, making it HD is enough. But seeing what they're doing here, it's like, damn, this thing looks so good. It is a remake.

It is, it is something. But it's a remake of a game that, to this day has been trapped on GameCube. Right? And like, you know, there's ways around that. And I do feel like the Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario Mario 1000 Year Door are two examples of games that people that maybe didn't own Nintendo console have looked into. Yeah. In various ways. Yeah.

And looking at this, I mean, like, I mean, what do you think just looking at it? I mean, it's gorgeous. Yeah, this is the one that everyone has always recommended to me to play. I've never played any of the Paper Mario games. I haven't played Mario RPG. but that for me is like a day one. That looks incredible for sure. Yeah, and I think it's going to be. I'm trying to find the release date. It's just hard because it's a remake,

and I'm not looking for July 22nd, 2004. So we'll see. But at the end of this trailer, all it says is 2024, and this was the direct back in September. Yes. So that makes sense. And that was the direct,

if I remember correctly, that also included Super RPG, which then came out in November, which was so quick. And we're starting to look at Nintendo's releases and we're like, okay, this is making sense of where we're at. I'm very excited about Peach for what it looks like, which is like a fun,

offshoot gimmicking Nintendo game. And those can really hit Luigi's Mansion is a great example of it. Of like, yeah, let's do something that's a little weird. And showing Mario versus Donkey Kong more love is, I think, a good thing as well. Looking back at the Switch's life, like obviously we talk about all the Wii U ports, we talk about all the amazing games it had itself. But I do appreciate that they started going back to GBA games

more than they ever have in the past of like seeing advanced wars, right? Seeing the like the warrior wares coming back and like there's just a reverence for the GBA era that I honestly didn't expect to see this generation, but we really got to see it kind of from beginning to end of this life cycle. Yeah, no, it's it's, it means a lot to me as again, somebody who's my only Nintendo concept for so long was the GBA to see that jump over here even with Nintendo Switch online stuff coming over. Like it, it means a lot to me to see even these games that advanced wars like.

like had no idea that even existed when I was a kid. So to see that fully remade was, is really great. Yeah, I'm happy. And I wonder if it, do you think it will continue into the next switch? That's what I think is interesting is there's not much left.

Like that's the thing is. I mean, there is there's always going to be more. But like, you start getting into that, what you say? Fusion. Uh,

well, Metroid Fusion and stuff like that. Yeah. That's the thing is like, I don't, I mean, never say never. Yeah.

At some point we're going to like remake literally everything. But like, I do feel like the Nintendo Switch online, having Fusion, the game holds up. The game works that way. I don't think we necessarily need the remake. And that's not always the end all be all argument.

Because I do think while, yeah, it's available here, putting it on store shelves and having a game called Mario versus Donkey Kong and look the way that it does is going to speak to a completely different audience than the people that are like, well, I can just get this on Switch online or whatever it is, right? You bringing up the sequels, though, to Mario versus Donkey Kong that were DS games.

I think that's where things get interesting. The DS line, DS and Thirteen, DS, DSI, everything in between, games are stuck there because of the novelty of the dual screen.

So developing those games, like remaking those games isn't as simple as just, oh, hey, you can play it on a DS online type system and maybe they find some way and they're smarter than I am, so like they probably will.

But I'm interested in seeing when we're going to get that wave of DS remakes. And I could see it happening, but I don't know if the switch two is going to be the time for it. I feel like, It is the time in the sense that time is moving on.

You know what I mean? Like it's, I feel like it has to happen nowish because, yeah, we're getting to the point now where there's so many games that like, yeah, my girlfriend, she loves her D.S. She loves her D.S so much the fact that she just bought a new battery for it, she like keeps it updated all the time because that's the only way she can play some of her favorite video games. So if we're at the point now where we're not going to figure out potentially a not, I would a ideal way to emulate these games within like a Nintendo Switch online situation.

I'm sure they could figure out something. It's not going to be a DS, right? So it's never going to be the best way to do unless the Switch 2 has dual screens. I mean, never. There was rumors for a while. Never say never. I don't buy them. But like there were rumors for a while.

Yeah. So I, it has to happen. I hope it is, it is sooner than later. And I think that that to me is a more compelling argument for a remake of this caliber, right? Like if, if let's say Mario versus Donkong was stuck on the DS. and we were like, hey, we figured out a way to have just one screen, and we figured it out, we redesigned the entire thing.

That to me is like, oh, that's a great value proposition right there. You put in the work, you made this happen, and this is a unique product for sure. I want to keep talking about this, Raj, after a word from our sponsors. We are brought to you by Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Font Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a standalone game that welcomes fans and newcomers alike. You don't need to have played Final Fantasy 7 remake or any other Final Fantasy titles to play and enjoy Final Fantasy 7 rebirth. The combat is not traditional turn-based and has more action-focused gameplay,

with even deeper improvements since remake, with new synergy attacks and team-based combos. And there are large open sections to explore, with Cloud and his comrades venturing across the planet, their fate's unwritten, making every step in the expansive world outside Midgard fresh and mysterious, and of course, there are dozens of mini-games. There's a story recap video of Fallen Fantasy 7 remake

for those interested in learning more about the stories so far, and those looking to experience Final Fantasy 7 remake fully can pre-order the Final Fantasy 7 remake and rebirth twin pack, which includes the game plus the DLC episode intermission at no extra cost. You can download and play a demo of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth right now on the PlayStation Store, and you can pre-order the game in the link in the description. The wait is almost over. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is out February 29th.

Get hyped! This episode is brought to you by Factor. Factors delicious, ready to eat meals make eating better every day easy. Wherever tomorrow takes you, be ready with pre-prepared, chef-crafted, and dietitian-approved meals delivered right to your door. You'll have over 35 different options a week to choose from, including keto, calorie-smart, vegan plus veggie, and more. What are you waiting for? Get started today and have a feel-good week of meals ready to go. Two-minute meals allow you to fuel up fast with factors, restaurant-quality meals that are ready to heat and eat whenever you are. Factors less expensive than takeout and every meal is dietitian-approved to be nutritious and

delicious. Get as much or as little as you need by choosing six to 18 meals per week. Plus, you can pause or reschedule your deliveries any time. No prep, no mess meals. Factor meals are 100% ready to heat and eat so there's no prepping, cooking, or cleanup needed. Head to factormeals.com slash Kind of Funny 50 and use code Kind of Funny 50 to get 50% off. That's code kind of funny 50 at factor meals.com slash kind of funny 50 to get 50% off. We're talking about these remakes. We're talking about ports. We're talking about everything. All of that, right? there's this Mario guy

there's this Donkey Kong guy they've been friends sometimes they've been lovers apparently they've also been enemies I think that they've also never been harder than right now in 2024 hot off the Mario movie

Nintendo Switch being the dominant Nintendo console like what a success story and video games as a whole but also just for Nintendo especially when you look back Roger I spent hours this weekend watching a Scotland

the Waws video. Shout to Scott the Wallace. Love you, Scott the Hawes. Breaking down just the history of the Wii U. I watched that very video. I don't know why I did it, man. I don't know why I watched that video because it's a fantastic video. Scott, you're amazing. But why did I do that to myself? Why did I have to relive

some of the worst days of my life, Roger? I've sitting here as a Nintendo fan watching these directs and it's really wild to look back at the history and look at this direct to this direct to this direct. What did they announce and what games came out

and what did they make a big deal for not only the launch of the Wii which we all remember but then year one year two year three and do not get me wrong the Wii has an incredible library of amazing nine out of ten out of ten games we know that because we all

played them on the switch. Yeah exactly yeah but man just like the support that thing had was abysmal the choices they made of like we're going to push Lego City undercover as like a big prestige time. Animal crossing the board game. A Vibbo festival or whatever that hell. Like, yeah, a lot of, a lot of weird calls during that era. But that's not where we are now. We're now at a point

that in the same direct, we're getting a Mario RPG and a thousand year door remake announcement. Holy crap and they come, they deliver. It's fantastic. I do think, though, that we're on the precipice of a brand new Nintendo. Yeah. But I don't think it's going to be a revolution. I think it's going to be, like, at this point, it's a switch to. Let's just go off that assumption. Yeah. Switch to more of a switch, more of what we enjoy,

they got it right, no more split systems, here we go. Is the launch title going to be a 3D Mario game? No. And, oh,

you're going with a no. No, absolutely not. No. Sorry, continue. I didn't want to interrupt you. Wow,

oh, wow, because the point I was driving towards is whether or not the launch title, the next 3D Mario game, is it not just going to be a

Mario and Donkey Kong game? Oh, interesting. Because think about it. Interesting. And I'm not, say anything that's freaking rocket

science here but yeah the movie they blended those worlds more than we've seen in the past

right? Like they treated like Donkey Kong as part of the mushroom kingdom or at least adjacent to it right?

And where have we not platformed does Mario Donkey Kong lands way that's and then corrects me Tim

weren't there rumors that the Odyssey team was working on a donkey Kong game that's why that just blew my mind and those rumors were a

two-D Right. Bigger thing. But what if? What if? And I think it really adds up. I think it and you add on the amusement parks, right? You add on Nintendo World and the focus on obviously Mario, but then Donkey Kong getting so much love too.

I think there's something there. And I think that that's what's right for the audience. Now look, looking at patterns and looking at Nintendo and trying to make any sense of it, it's a fool's errand. And I'm a fool, everybody. Because you look at it, no one would have been like, they're going to give Mario a water gun. No one would have been like, he's going to throw his hat in. turn into a Gumba. You know what I mean?

It's like we don't freaking know. Yeah. But something about where we're at right now makes me feel like the safe bet is it's not going to be a WND. It's just going to be the right call, which is a Mario and Donkey Kong 3D platformer. So let's walk through that, right? Are you playing as both Mario and Donkey Kong? So here's where I'm Matt.

Is it co-op? I think it's a rivalry. I think a rivalry. Oh, I think he said a Ragnarok. It's an old Ragnarok situation. No, I can imagine. I mean, there's so many ways they can take it where it could actually be a co-op multiplayer, like you playing as both of them.

It could be some levels of Mario, some levels of Donkey Kong, whatever. But the fact that they took the hard eyes out, like I don't actually think that that is evidence of this, but I do think that when you look at the relationship that Mario and Donkey Kong had in the movie. Yeah. It starts creating a narrative here of like, oh, I can see. what this game potentially could be. Now, at the end of the day, do they team up to fight

Bowser, probably. Bowser and King K rule, the boy can only hope. You know? Now, my only issue with this, what do you call that game? And it just feels like it should have just been called Mario versus Donkey Kong. And he just released it, Mario versus Donkey Kong.

So that's exactly why I'm bringing this up in this episode. Is I'm, on one hand, I'm like, well, they're investing in Mario and Donkey Kong as an IP. On the other hand, I'm like, oh, man, this could get a little confusing for me. Yeah. On the other hand, does Nintendo

give a fuck? That's true. I don't know. Mario versus Dong Kong, too. I don't think it'll be versed, right? Yeah.

But I feel like, like, Super Mario and Donkey Kong. Yeah. Super Mario, yeah. Super Mario country. But again,

they make weird ass titles. Super Mario dunk. Yeah, exactly. I mean, why not? But yeah, I see that. I like that.

There's a potential. But you were like, no, it's not a launch. No, I don't think it's going to be launched. Shuttle. I don't know. I just feel like, I just think that they are, in terms of, we talk about the weird Nintendo

Distrusions all the time. I feel like they got movie money now, right? And I feel like we got movie producers in years. And I don't think that they're going to release a Mario game this year if the next movie comes out probably two years from now, three years from now. What would you say? I would say two years from now. Two years from now. I think that they're going to stagger this a little bit. I think they may be the switch. You don't even need anything because it's the fucking new switch. Oh my God. All your old games look brand new. Please buy a new switch. Next year, hey, real deal.

We're doing a 3D Mario game. Okay, after that, we're doing a movie, right? Like, I think that they want that momentum. I think maybe having a year where it's like either not a full-fledged Mario game or something. Like, I don't know. I think that they would just wait a little bit. My counterpoint to you is I feel the momentum's already there. Yeah.

You can't stop that. That's true. We got the movie and we haven't had, well, we got Mario Wonder. Yeah. But we haven't had. the follow-up. And I feel like setting that up, if they knocked out of the park

with the Mario movie, which for any metric they're looking at, they did, right? They want to keep that going. We know we got a Donkey Kong movie coming. We know we got a Zelda movie coming.

They're going to want to do this for other IP. I don't think you hold on to Mario. I think that you let Mario build this even more so you can just keep going. Is it a launch title? I'm leaning towards yes. The biggest thing that's holding me back from that. And the evidence for it,

I think, is easy to build up. it's been a long time since we've gotten a 3D Mario game Mario Odyssey 2017 right Mario 3D world plus Bowser's Fury not that long ago but you start looking at the year started adding up and obviously that was a much smaller experience as well incredible though um but it's time we don't know what that team's been working on we got to assume it's this uh and you're the switch I do think needs a major win because while they they we look at the Wii it was a success but then the Wii you did not

keep all those same people, right? We all understand why. Switch 2 can't do that. Switch 2 needs to have the value proposition day one, which is essentially for me, it's a repeat everyone. Yeah. You're getting Mario, you're getting Mario Kart. You get an Animal Crossing.

Boom, boom, boom, let's go. And I think you've got to do that sooner than later. See, my counterpoint to your counterpoint is that I think that this year is kind of like a piecemeal Mario year. You make sense, right? So we have Mario versus Dunkung, we have Paper Mario, we have Peach, probably get a Donkey Kong. It's four games.

You think we get a Donkey Kong? I think we might just get a Donkey Kong instead. That's insane. I mean, that's the rumors. That's the rumors. If we just get a Donkey Kong, right? Were you talking to the Nintendo EAD rumors? The Odyssey teams making a Donkey Kong game?

Wow. I'm just saying, I mean, that's been the rumors, right? So if we look at those rumors, right? And if we add that up, plus a Nintendo Switch launch, right? The exciting excitement of that. And we potentially announce that the Mario game comes out next year. year. I think that all works for

a big Mario year. I think that works for a big Mario. And especially in my mind, my mind for the launch, I think we have Mario Kart. Right? So I think we also are going to get that as well. I think we have Mario Kart. I think we get Metroid Prime 4. I think we get Animal Crossing. Okay. You're absolutely

crazy, man. I think we get Animal Crossing. This kid clearly grew up with the fucking Switch Direct era. I was with him until Animal Crossing. I think it's going to be, I don't think we're close. to another animal crossing. Oh, I think we are. I think there's a reason why they stop that,

that, all that, uh, DLC. There's a reason why they just kind of halted that production of that game real fucking fast. They realized they got something on their hands. And they want to get that out real fast. I don't know if it's this year, might be next year. But I think in my heart, it is, hey, everybody, the next animal crossings here.

My, my counterpoint to, not a counterpoint, but I just let, yeah, yeah, yeah. The counterpoint episode. Yeah. The counterpoint that I have with that is that, essentially the rumors that we're hearing or the reports or whatever the hell is that they want to like not go super crazy for the switch too right uh it seems like yes it's hard to predict nintendo but they seem to have found something that they do actually kind of want to stick with

strategy wise and i think a big part of animal crossings success obviously people uh stuck at home during uh like the work from uh home era during like the first year of covid um but also that was a year where like hell of switches were also already out. I don't think you put out an animal crossing when it's so early on in a like a new life cycle of a new console. I think you wait a couple of years and then you get that animal crossing on there with a bigger player count for a new switch. And that's also depending on like, is it a switch family?

Does like switch two games work on the OG switch? What does that all look like? but at least in my head, in my mind palace, I would say they would probably wait a couple of years for another Animal Crossing. I'm with the on the Mario Kart. I wanted to launch with the Switch. I think it was a very smart pickup for me

in the Fantasy Critic League to pick up Mario Kart unannounced next main line. I thought you were crazy, but then I was like, you know, and I picked it up for $2. Hell yeah. So I think you're spot on, Barrett, with Animal Crossing. Where Animal Crossing, I think, is it's a golden ticket, but you need to play that ticket at the right time.

and I think that you need the systems out there. And things can change of like what a system seller is. I don't see Animal Crossing as a system seller. Which, but it could be. It could be. I just do see it as a, like, it's more of a future promise of people like buying it for other games.

And then it also that they're like, well, then I'm also going to get the animal crossing. Because I think for me, I see it as like the sleeper cell of like, you and I were like, oh, that's, it's just another game that people. people buy on to the other thing. For a lot of people, that is their only switch game.

Like, that is the only reason that they even own a switch. And they bought that during the pandemic when nothing really mattered. You know what I mean? So what's buying another console for another Animal Crossing? I don't know. I think they see those numbers. I think that this is where we just, we haven't seen this before with Animal Crossing specifically of what is the power of the next one taking out the context of the pandemic and all that. That clearly had a lot to do with it, but I do think that the, where the success of the switch leading to that point and the

library of games there, I think the power of Mario Kart cannot be understated. And so to me, I think Animal Crossing is a, you wait a little bit, I don't think you wait long, but I do think you weigh a little bit. And the 3D Mario, like, I just can't, looking at how Nintendo's been in the timing of stuff,

I find it hard to believe they don't launch with the 3D Mario on this thing. But it I wouldn't be like, oh my God, I'm fucking shocked. I'm just like, it adds up. I think it makes sense

for it to be there. The biggest wrench in all this is Metroid Prime because we just don't understand where that game is. Is that game still going to be on Switch to Barrett's point? Are all these games still going to be on Switch?

I don't think so, but potentially somehow, we need more answers about Metroid Prime for it to be able to really look at the launch because you don't want to put out too many games because then you're bearing yourself and then everyone's like, what's next?

You can't have too many bangers at launch. Honestly, I feel like it'd be kind of crazy. crazy to have more than one. But I mean, like, it's, this is a tough example because the switch like relaunched with like a bunch of stuff that was Wii U. and so like even though Mario Kart 8 existed before the switch, I would consider that a relaunch of Mario Kart 8 for an entirely big new audience. And Mario Kart 8 did launch with, um, Legend Zelda Breath of the Wild.

So I could. It didn't though. Was it not a launch title? It wasn't. It was like a, a, month and a half later. Oh, Jesus.

Which I know it doesn't sound that crazy, but like, launch window. It's launched window, but I do think that there's a difference there. Like, that was, I think,

a big part of the Switch's, uh, successful strategy, which was release, there was like a big switch release like every month. And even if the big release was like super or street fighter ultra or whatever the hell, street fighter two ultra or whatever for one of the months.

Like that was like the, eh, month. Otherwise, it was kind of banger, banger, banger, banger, uh,

back to back. Or swings, things like arms, a new IP that Nintendo was trying. That was all first year of Switch. And obviously we're not even talking about Breath of Wild and Mario Odyssey. So Counterpoint's not launching with more than one.

There's Breath of the Wild, Snipper Clips. Never forget. Nipper Clips. But see, that makes sense. Having the Breath of Wild allows the Snipper Clips to rise. Yeah, oh, 100. And I think that Nintendo gets that. I wonder if you, if you, I just feel like right now, at least in my mind, Metroid Prime 4 feels like primed

to release. That can't be the only one. That's just like, that's the only thing that my brain goes to. Absolutely. And that's my thing is like, Prime 4 is not a launch title. Unless you call it just Prime or something. But even then, like, Metroid is just not that thing. Like, it is not the thing that is going to sell everyone on Switch. And on top of that, and this is coming from, like, Metroid lover.

I want this game so damn bad. But just strategically of thinking about this, it's just, that's not the only one. I do think that it wouldn't make sense for them to do Metro Prime and a Mario or and another, like a Mario Kart or something. that that's too much, but I can kind of maybe see the argument because they're like going for slightly different audiences. You look at the Wii.

Like here's the biggest thing. The Wii had Wii sports and it had Twilight Princess and Twilight Princess was also a GameCube game. I can see that kind of happening where it's a Ventured Prime 4 is a Switch game. It's also a Switch 2 game. And they also did that with Breath of the Wild because they stated for years that Breath of the Wild

was going to be a Wii U game. Then they announced the Switch. And I feel like the only reason they still launch Breath of the Wild Wild on the Wii U is because they said for years, it was going to be a Wii U game. So I think Metroid Prime is going to be both because they said it was like, oh, it's, did they, they said at one point it was going to be a Switch game, right? Oh, that's all they've ever said.

That's all we go. But here's the, here's the counterpoint, uh, is that Metroid Prime 4, does it fucking exist? What is that game? Like, and it does. I think it does. But they relaunched it, uh, five years ago at this point. Which is crazy, right?

So I, like, they read the relaunches. We just don't know the status of this game is what I'm trying to say. And I, at any moment, it's Nintendo. Like, it's been done for years and years. I don't think that's the case. But I think that at some point, we have not got in an update on Metroid Prime since we started talking about Switch 2. Yeah. So it's like, I just don't know where they're at.

And again, we'll see when we understand what the Switch actually is. Barrett? What if? Um, Metroid isn't a lot. launch title, but it does come out this year. I mean, I think that that... Especially with, like, the thought of, like, it isn't a system seller.

Metroid is for the, the hardcore Nintendo nerd who know and appreciate that franchise and what it offers and what delivers. Like, does that, like, is that the final horseman of the Switch? And then maybe with, like, what is it, not crossplay, but like, just cross-generation stuff, people can just get it on Switch 2 if they want to wait for that, you know? So it seems very likely

that the Switch 2 is going to offer enhanced stuff. Like I would bet that that's the case. The problem is how you turn that into a marketing proposition and does that matter? Because I look at Last of Us 2 and it coming out at the very tail end of the PS4, Last of Us 2 and the PS5

came out within months of each other. Yeah. Pretty wild to think about. And leading into it, I was like, they're gonna have some type of cross system. There's gonna have it. It's enhanced here, even if it's like just wait a couple months

after it launches on PS4, then the enhanced version plays. And I'm like, I don't want that. I don't want to wait for the better version. I'm not going to. I'm just going to play the game. It creates this problem, right?

I guess what? That didn't even happen. Yeah. It just didn't happen. So like, there is a chance, Ventred Prime. It's just a switch game. Yeah.

I think that's unlikely, though. Didn't the last of us have a 60 FPS PS5 patch? When was that? I mean, it wasn't like... It wasn't like a few months after the PS5 came out. But I think it's a different strategy here. It's a different thing we're talking about. But there is a chance that Metro Prime 4 is just a pure switch game.

I just feel like that's very unlikely. And this is when it comes down to like this new switch is like, I am so concerned about the marketing and the way that they're going to tackle this, right? I don't want a DSI new situation. I don't want a situation where I'm confused. Oh my God, is this a Switch or Switch 2 game? I don't understand what's happening here. And oh, I get this game, but then it's upgraded on this thing.

Like, I just, I want very clear messaging. And I don't, I don't know how they do it because we've never seen that from them really. I don't want the 2DS, 3DS XL, 2DSXL. No, I don't. But so, I'm more with you than anyone on the fucking planet. And like, Nintendo, don't fuck this up. I just have faith they're not going to. Like, I look at the choices they've made with the Switch.

They make the right. faith too. I just, what is that answer, though? Like, I just don't see it in my head. I mean, here's the thing. Personally, and I've changed my mind on this a lot. I am sure there's clips of me saying something different weeks ago or whatever, but with where I'm out right now, I really feel like for the first time in Nintendo history, it's going to be the Switch too. Like, I think that they just, they make it. That's the cleanest way to explain exactly what this is. It's the Switch too. That thing that you love, it's the next one. Add Super Switch at all that stuff. It's cute. I think it gets in the way. I wouldn't be surprised.

if they did it. But I'm leaning towards they know the importance of the marketing. The market domination of the switch is so good. This is the next gen switch. This is not a switch I, a switch light, a switch whatever. Even though you look at the DS and the 3DS and those are market generation gaps.

Like there is a huge difference there. BDS didn't do as well as the DS. You know, the switch two could do as well as the switch. Yeah. I don't think a you know, switch whatever the fuck else subtitle is going to do as well. Twitch. If they get too cute, it's like

No. Then you have the Michelle Obama situation. Remember this? When a kid asked her when it was like, it was when she was first lady and a kid was like, I want a Wii you for Christmas. She's like, is that a that like an add on to the Wii? She had the whole like parent thing and it's like we just don't want that. I am

with you. Do you think they reprint boxes of old Switch games to say switch to an ant on it? Is that? That's probably the answer? I can imagine. So and I it's so. It's so. It's so. funny that we just don't have enough information to to know. But I think it's going to be similar to PS4 and

5 where it's like PS4 games just play on PS5. And then you have a little thing in the Nintendo shop that says enhance for Switch 2 or whatever. Whatever it is. And what those enhancements even look like, I don't think it's going to be every game, but maybe it is. Tears of the kingdom can compute grass finally. Yeah, exactly. Like that type of stuff. 60 FPS. But yeah, it's, you know, the Mario cart of it all

is like, you know, them just ending the DLC. And like the end of the end of it. of that DLC feeling like a moment. Yeah, you know. Yep. A thank you for playing. For 10 years. I can kind of, yeah, for 10 years.

I can kind of argue both ways of like that. I'm like, well, that stuff was fairly low effort, all things considered when you can like look at the, the, the, the fidelity and stuff of those courses compared to the main game's courses. Yeah. That team last that we know, they worked on arms in 2017. What have they been up to? Yeah. So I think that in addition to this DLC stuff,

which when you look at the sales, Mario Card 8 makes so much sense that they supported that game the way they did, even though it's weird as hell that years later, they're like, here's an endless amount of DLC for this game, right? So it's like they've been working on the next Mario Kart. But then there's the other side that I'm like... Is there a possibility of this DLC that we've been getting

for the last few years is like, there are scraps for the next game where they're like, they had an idea of like maybe in the next one will like re, re do some old levels and bring over the um world maro cart world tour or whatever into mario car nine and then eventually they're like

nah it doesn't fit with this game let's let's put it out for dLC it is weird that it was just like randomly after years they're just like hey we're going to do dLC packs like what was it six of them so weird over the course of like two and a half years i mean in my mind

I feel like this is is the next game just like Mario car ultimate where it's just everything We just put everything in there. And then we, it is Mario Kart 9 for all intents of purposes, but it's just everything. So here's the thing. That's Mario Kart 8.

And that's, I think they're in a weird place with this, where I'm like, well, that team, we don't know what they've been working on. Mario Kart is the answer to sell the switch to, to hardcore and casuals to then prep them for the animal crossing domination and like just this amazing swell.

You had Metroid. You had Mario 3D, all this stuff. Oh my God, you're winning. But the problem is we just ended this DLC after a 10-year run of them building up Mario Card 8 to essentially be

Mario Card Ultimate. Hey, here's all the best courses from all the old games. Like, we're down to the point that like, there is a handful of courses people even want back. Like, they're just in it looking better than ever, sounding better than ever, custom music to like fit the vibes and all and stuff. Like that's what that game was. So I think that just putting out a Mario Card Ultimate,

even if it was, it's every course ever before and all that stuff. I don't think that's exciting enough for a Switch 2 and to like system sell. I think it needs to be in the same way we all saw Mario Kart 8 and it's like oh the hover like the gravity stuff like that needs have a gimmick it needs something. Yeah. It needs to be big. I just I don't know I don't know where you go after anti-gravity like that's just like I thought I think about it nightly tip. Every day. It's like it's it's I think that they're going to have an answer and I don't think it needs to be the like craziest thing ever like even just in Mario Kart 7 introduced. the like going underwater and like the airplane thing. I think that was seven, right?

Yeah, like the glide, I think was introduced in seven. That type of stuff. I'm like, oh, that goes, that goes a long way. Yeah. Yeah. It's just such an interesting. Bring back like the double dash two, like a cart first guy in the front and then that's not a bad idea.

Especially with how many characters they started like, like, if you look at the roster of what Mario Kart 8 was when it started and what it is now, you're like, holy shit, that's a lot of characters, man. Mm-hmm. Them going in such a pro-consumer. situation of them being like, okay, well now, potentially, I mean, this is all, the rumors and everything, but if they actually go down this route of like,

hey, you can have full backwards compatibility, hey, we're going to actually enhance a lot of these games, potentially, I don't know if it's going to be for free or not, but maybe, maybe it is. It puts them in a weird place where, yeah, a last generation, I would have looked to you and say, yeah, ultimate is the way that you would want to go with this, right? You would just want to package this all together,

throw it up there and then just call it a day. But now it forces innovation for them to, have to actually have to reinvent the wheel. Hey, hey, the Wii wheel coming back, everybody. You heard of here first? Yeah, no, very exciting. I'm sure we're going to hear a lot about this. I'm sure we're going to be wrong about most of it.

Yep. I sure we'll be right about some of it. So that's really, really interesting. Yeah, hey, we'll see, man. We'll freaking see. It's exciting time to be an Nintendo fan. And like I said, I've been on a lifelong Nintendo journey since I was a Wii lad to play in the Wii on launch day.

And now here I am, living my best life. on the switch and I've enjoyed, I don't want to say every second of it. I've enjoyed many seconds of it, all right? And one thing that's always driven me bananas, Roch, is the controllers. All right, JoyConn's fantastic concept. Love the idea of it. It's love that you can like multiple ways to play. And I've always been a fan actually of the detached nunchurch style of play from the Wii.

So I'm like, this is kind of cool. But I'm also a fan of big buttons. You know what I mean? And Joy Cons, the opposite of big buttons, right? Pro controller, good controller. Not the best thing ever, but good controller, right? At least out its big buttons. The one thing that I do love the most, though, about Nintendo Switch joycons and pro controller

is the HD rumble. It's real good, real good haptic. That and the dual sense love that stuff. So my problem is I've been on a journey to find the perfect Wii U, sorry, perfect switch pro joycons, portability when I'm in handheld mode playing on my SWIF. Switch. Because I found the perfect Nintendo Switch Pro controller.

It's the dual sense edge. Oh, you just did the... When I'm playing on TV, I'm dangled up, and I'm just playing on the dual sense edge. And the HD Rumble doesn't translate to the haptic dual sense perfectly,

but it's close enough that I'm like, it's worth... It's worth the quality. Any Bluetooth issues, anything weird with... It's fantastic. It's just perfect. It's perfect.

That's awesome. I love it. And I might... This is the way... It's how I play. Wonder. It's how I plan to play whatever's left on the Switch and whatever.

But I've been on Games Daily talking about a whole bunch of different controllers. I'm gonna bring some of them out right now. Hold on. He's a carrot top. Over the last. Many props. All right.

So many different things. And every time I'm like, this is the best one yet, but here's the problems with it. All right. Recently, I talked to you guys about the Nitro deck. Yeah.

All right? This essentially turns your switch into the form factor of a steam deck. Want to touch it? Feel free. It's good. It's really good. I would honestly say it's great.

I think for most people, a solid purchase. The Rumble, horrible. Yeah. Really not a fan of it. It feels very light. It feels like you put the switch in there. It starts getting a little heavier.

Yeah. Go for it. Have some fun. Buttons, pretty good, pretty clicky. I'm not the biggest fan of the shoulder buttons. They're a little musher than I like. I like that, that clicky, clicky, you know? Yeah.

But overall, nice trick, very good. I don't think people are going to regret their purchase if they're looking for something to make their switch feel a little bit more grown up, you know? This is the press button? Not working. I don't know. I'm going to tell you.

Then there's also for people that were like, remember when the switch was first announced, Roger? And everyone's like, oh my God, there's joycons. Oh my God, can you imagine if they just like

made GameCube controller side for the sides of them? Well, they did, everybody. That was the wrong one. They did. God, that looks so dumb. Yeah. So you could play with a GameCube thing.

I'm like, that's kind of cool. But then you hold this It doesn't feel like a GameCube controller The GameCube controller is one of the best feeling controllers In your hands That trigger Ugh It is yucky, it is yucky, it is yucky

You hold the GameCube controller though That thing was made to be put in hands You know, this thing, no man Big chunk of chunk of junk It's all I'm to say That looks like a chunk of junk And the original GameCube controller Also a chunk of junk

Oh my God How it feels? Yeah Bro what? GameCube controller Bad. That's crazy. Barely better than the N-6-4 controller.

It's insane. Listen, Barrett, I love a bad take. That's a real bad take. I mean, don't be surprised. I've been saying this for years. Oh, my God. We've had this conversation before. That's...

I hate the game tube's controller. To my very core. I'm trying to find what else I want to bring out here. So then there was the Nixie. NYXI. Yes, I've heard about this one. And again, for a while, I was like, oh, this is pretty damn good.

Most of these have... have the back, back buttons. That's nice. So let me stop for a second here and explain a couple of the criteria I'm looking for, all right? I want it to feel good. That's very important. Yeah. I want to feel premium.

It's a pro. You want heft? What are you looking for? I don't, not necessarily heft, but I want it to feel good. I want it to feel solid. I don't want to feel like cheap plastic.

I don't want to feel like when you shake it, you hear that, you know what I mean? No, it's like, I want something that's nice here, all right and i want the rumble to be good rumbull's very important to me i don't want to just rumble hard i want to rumble well there's a quality to it people don't understand that rumble is

sound sound is vibration right so part of the immersive experience is the rumble that is added to and nintendo does a great job with this you play mario card and here's a big test for me i play mario card eight uh using all these controllers and within 30 seconds of playing rolling over a coin and then drifting I know if it feels good or feels bad. And I think that that is a big test for people. Once they do that, they're like, oh, that's how HD Rumble enhances your experience with games

in ways you're not necessarily thinking about. You know what I mean? Yeah. You're looking to me like I'm crazy. No, I mean, I get it. And I appreciate that. This is what I love about Tim Yettings, right? I appreciate the passion.

And I'm so happy he has that passion. It's just so contrary to everything that I do in my life. You know what I mean? Like, I loved having a conversation with you a few months ago about like HD G-DMI's and like the settings and TVs and stuff. And you were going so deep about black levels and I'm like, and you had a moment where you stopped yourself and you're just like,

you know, it's probably good for you though. It's probably totally what you're looking for. Yeah, it's probably good that you don't care about. Yeah, exactly. But it's like, but I'm happy you care about it. No, no, no, for sure. But like not only am I happy I care about it because I am.

Yeah. It does pain me though because like it's a curse that I feel like for the majority of my life has not been served. Like I feel like people are not looking to, to care about that stuff. But that's changing. And that's why I look at a lot of these products. I'm like, you're missing the mark here.

You're missing the mark there. But you look at Nintendo. You look at PlayStation. They're designing their games with this stuff in mind. Like it wasn't just marketing stuff in the beginning of like when they first launched the systems, that how I think most people think about it. They're actually committing to every one of their first party games taking advantage to that stuff in ways that really enhances the experience.

And it's subtle and it's over time. But like it, to me, is the thing that makes it feel next gen. compared to older games or whatever. But yeah, it's tough to be, it's tough to be me, everyone. So I'm out here and I'm playing with this stuff. And for a while, I was like, this is the best. But then there's another thing I'm looking for, the balance of weight. And just sheer size of this thing.

You're playing on OLED, right? I was playing all that. Yeah. The switch is portable. And literally, I'm buying these four handheld use, right? So it needs to be, feel good, be able to, like, carry it for a while and it not be like, the weight distribution's all wrong or whatever. And that's one of the weirder things of over time

I was like, I actually like the joycons just because of how light this thing is and if I'm gonna be handheld, I'm really looking for a joycon alternative. And that's what got interesting because in terms of the big dog ones, more of like, hey, let's just cut a controller and half put on the side.

These Nixie ones pretty damn good. Yeah. But not good enough, Rodge, not good enough. Because the rumble, horrible, some of the buns a little too plasticy. God, let me just say real quick, Tim, I thought when you were telling me all these stories about you buying all these stuff,

I thought you were returning these. Oh yeah, no. No, because real talk, dude. Like, it's been an evolution of, oh, this one is better than the last one. And the new one comes out, well, that one's better. So I've put fucking hours into these things, y'all.

This is the biggest reveal of this whole thing because I thought you returned all of these. No, no, no, no, no. I've used these things a lot. And again, I'm providing a service to the people. Yeah, you are. I'm providing a service, again, at the right time, the end of the Switch life.

When there's no games left to play. What is the chances that any of this is a competition? for the next year. Yeah, that's a great question. Slim, real slim, but not impossible. And it doesn't matter. I still have games to play on the Switch. That's what I'm like,

I do think that there's a lot of people out there that this stuff could be interesting too. I understand there's a lot that aren't. But you know what? Thanks for listening anyways. So now here's where we get to a turning point, I would say, personally. The hoary split pad.

Excuse me? Horry split pad pro. Okay? I saw this and I was like, oh, I think this might actually be the answer. I only have one side of it here, but you guys are going to need to understand that it's another one. It's a full-size controller thing. And I'm like, okay, it's got good reviews. One of the, I think, one of the most popular of these type of things. And also, it's, uh, the most accessible.

You buy it on Amazon in a million different colors. And it's like, uh, cool, exciting stuff. But my problem with it, hold it. It's just way through life. There's just no, there's nothing to it. So it's big, it gets uncomfortable to hold. It just doesn't feel solid at all. And there's no rumble. I don't think I've ever felt a controller this light. It's weird. It's crazy. It's weird.

And then there is another thing that is more an optional need, but like something I keep in mind, is it playable detached? Yeah. Or does it have to be? And a lot of these, just not playable detach.

Also, I don't like this stick. It's a bad stick. It's a bad stick. It's a bad stick. It feels like it's like it's like a worn down PS4 controller. Yep.

Yep. Not a fan of that. So then I got to what I call my daily drivers. All right. And I've been shocked at this because it's not, Looking at all of them, I'd be like, these are the ones I'd be like,

that's definitely not what I'm looking for. But going back to the joycons of like, there's something about the size of these that just feels right. So here we have the Hori split pad compact. So the not pro version. Okay. They have a little bit more half. Attach it to that and just see how it goes.

Yeah. I'll say the best feeling overall for portability, for not adding too much weight, but still feeling solid and good on the switch. and much more JoyCon like button placement, but with the right fixes of it's not things on top of each other. Like this feels good in your hands. The back button is customizable and great.

Saved my ass and here's the kingdom. Problem with this one. No rumble. You can't play it attached. Zero rumble at all. Zero. Zero. Yeah.

Which is better than any of these so far. Because the rumble they have sucks. Oh, you would just have no rumble rather than good, okay rumble. It's not okay. It's bad. Everyone should be ashamed. okay it's not HD

but that has no rumble that has no rubble and I've been using those the most I like the sticks I like the healing of them they flick nice this is good yeah

yeah I'm not out of again good good yeah like it's I've been using them the most but whatever yeah everything's changed every single thing has changed let me introduce you all

oh there's some other ones too I don't remember what these are called but they're there let me introduce you to the mobile pad HD6 this is the winner everybody these are it's they're everything

I wanted flaws none this is it this is it now let me talk to you about this before I hand it to you okay Raj first off comes in beautiful white it matches my everything I got going on in my life

it feels good feels good isn't a 10 out of 10 no because it's not as premium as like a dual sense edge or Xbox elite or any of that stuff but like for what this is pro joycons. This feels good.

The D-pad. Fantastic. We got the hall sticks. We got that magnet and stuff. We got everything we need. We're not getting that stick. None of that shit. All right.

We have all the functionality you need, including the Amoebo NFC stuff that none of these even come close to have. The biggest thing about this, though, HD Rumble. Pure HD Rumble. The Promise Land is in my hands, everybody. It's actual HD freaking Rumble.

And it feels so good. feels as good as a joycon. How? Feels as good as a pro controller. They got it all in here, man. Triggers, everything. It's like keyboard clicks. Like, tactical, tactical,

whatever, clackety clack. I'm clicking like a madman here, Raj. It sounds like a mechanical keyboard. It's insane. Yes, I can detach this and play with it as a joycon. Just by itself.

It's amazing. I love this thing. Now let me head it to you. I'm excited. I just, I'm confused as how they got HDB. Oh, fuck. This is nice.

It only took them a million years. at the end of the switch life cycle. Do you think that they just did it because they didn't think anyone would care? Like they would just be like, oh, we can put the cheaper drivers in there without HD Rumble. But the other Rumble?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because again, that's what I'm saying. It's like, I feel like people like write off HG Rumble as if it doesn't matter because again, it doesn't matter a lot of people. But like, why wouldn't you want the nicest thing of the thing when the developers are making sure that it feels good and that it adds to the experience?

This is it, man. The Mobapad. And again, here's the problem with a lot of these things. Horry, easiest one to go. You go Amazon, you can buy it multiple colors. A lot of these other ones, like you've got to, there's some sketch sites. There's some sketch sites going on. You're logging in your like, I'm not really about to put my credit card info here.

But I will say this mobile pad, man, I am absolutely blown away by the quality of it. Yeah, I'm blown away by it too. This is really wild. Because I'm the person that's like, I don't do. Switch controller is fine. Pro controller is fine. That to me, I'm like, you know what? If I got, if this was the first year of the switch, if the next switch has the same exact accessory

situation. I'm getting that. I'm very hopeful for that. The Mobapad M6HD is the name of this. There's an M6S, that's not this. That's different. That's different. But the Mova pad M6HD.

Not bad. $80. You know, we're talking. Things are getting pricey overall. I get it. But I'm telling you all, if you care about this. And if any, I know there's at least one person out there that's been following my dumb ass journey with this is looking for the answer.

And it probably went through a lot of the woes I have. Yeah. This is it, man. I can't believe it. It's good. Wow. I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of you, Tim. This is important.

This is important to me. It is. I'm going to click around. I know. We've got to figure it out. But anyways, thank you all for listening to my rants about plastic toys. Thank you for listening to Roger.

Thank you for an excellent review of Mario versus Donkey Kong. It's a fun time. Coming to the Nintendo Switch. But until next time, I love you all. Goodbye.