My Date With the Calendar Man – Day 12: Labor Day September 3, 2012

Happy Labor Day everyone!

It’s been a whole year since we started talking to Julian Day, better known as the Calendar Man, in his cell in Arkham City.  Now, on Labor Day, we speak to him on this final holiday, and see just what this year has brought us.

Metroid Prime Hunters – European Version Compatibilty Questions September 1, 2012

I wanted to get some classic DS games for my new 3DS XL and you can’t get any more classic than Metriod Prime Hunters.  The problem was, when I bought the game off Amazon, the seller sent me the European version of the game, NOT the North American Version, and made no mention that this was the version of the game they would be selling me.   Other sellers who were also selling the European Version of the game made that fact clear.  The game plays fine on my North American 3DS XL, but I have no idea if it will continue to work, or if I’ll be able to play against North American players online.

I have done a lot of research online and on various Metroid Fansites and have seen no pages documenting any differences between the North American or European Versions of the game, which makes me believe that the internal data on the game cart is probably identical worldwide.  As I said, the game does play fine and is in English, but does not have a North American registration code, and all the phone numbers and websites listed in the manual are European, which won’t help me if I have a problem with the game.

If anyone knows if the game versions are completely identical please post a comment.

Getting Started with RPGs September 1, 2012

Maniac asks Twitch how he got started with RPGs, and what game he would recommend to someone who was interested in getting into them. Twitch had plenty to say, and one game in particular to recommend.

The Last Story Discussion August 28, 2012

Joined once again by Twitch, we talk about The Last Story, a Wii-exclusive RPG which released last week.  We talk about the game and the long story behind how it got a Western release.

The Last Story had one heck of a grassroots campaign behind it, as it almost did not come to North America.  It took a huge campaign to bring it over, and it only saw a limited release.  However, the version that we did get in North America practically looks like a Collector’s Edition.

Take a look for yourselves!

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Unboxing August 20, 2012

With the release of the 3DS XL I was finally able to unbox the copy of Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance that has been sitting in its box for over a week.  A continuation of the Kingdom Hearts series by Square Enix, the game blends in famous Disney and Final Fantasy characters and puts them in enviroments from some of the best Disney movies over the past fifty years.

If you want to know more about the Kingdom Hearts series, you should check out my podcast on the subject, produced just before the new game was released.

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance is exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo 3DS XL Store Demonstration August 20, 2012

If you want to make the most out of your Nintendo 3DS XL then you’re going to want to take a trip through the Nintendo Store program.  Here’s how to download some free applications on it.

Note, Nintendo Store requires WiFI internet connection and the most recent 3DS firmware to access.

Nintendo 3DS XL Initial Setup August 20, 2012

Maniac shows the initial setup screens on the Nintendo 3DS XL and its initial 3D effect.  The screens are pretty basic when you set up things like time and internet settings, but the 3D startup effect really was unique.

The 3DS will ask you at start to set up your current time and location, your WiFi settings, user profile and parental settings.  Some of these options, like internet or parental settings can be skipped, but if you already have a WiFi network set up in your home for example, I don’t recommend skipping the initial setup, as it is more convenient to set it up at first use.

Unfortunately the camera had some problems picking up the 3D effect, but it was there when I looked directly at the screen.

The Nintendo 3DS XL is out now.

Nintendo 3DS XL Unboxing August 20, 2012

Maniac unboxes the Nintendo 3DS XL handheld, which released yesterday.  This is the blue/black model, although you can also find it in red/black at launch.  The unit comes with a 4GB SD card, 2 larger screens, and a higher capacity battery.

What’s in the box?  Lets find out.