Nintendo Says You're Playing Kid Icarus: Uprising Wrong

[McMarbles]

The control scheme isn't the best I'll openly admit, but he's giving you a few recommendations so that you don't develop carpal tunnel. That's not a bad thing, and the fact he has recognized the problem and is making a recommendation is just fine. How is this much different from a game developer giving tips on how to use the game mechanics a certain way?

Because it's Nintendo.

They are wrong. Always. Because reasons.

 

[GeneralFungi]

Pro-tip: If you have to tell people they're "playing it wrong", you probably fucked up somewhere.

This is what I was going to mention...it's never a good sign when you have to tell your fanbase that they're playing your game wrong.

This just in: the Nintendo Power Pad was always meant to be played with your genitals, the Power Glove was meant to go on your foot, and you were supposed to view your Virtual Boy through your ass.

He's not telling you that you're doing it wrong, he's giving you a few recommendations to find the way of holding the 3DS that suites you best. I suppose Nintendo also fucked up when they showed off the weapons in KI:U and gave you a few tips on how to use them. Because otherwise we'd be 'using them wrong'.

 

[RJ 17]

Pro-tip: If you have to tell people they're "playing it wrong", you probably fucked up somewhere.

This is what I was going to mention...it's never a good sign when you have to tell your fanbase that they're playing your game wrong.

This just in: the Nintendo Power Pad was always meant to be played with your genitals, the Power Glove was meant to go on your foot, and you were supposed to view your Virtual Boy through your ass.

He's not telling you that you're doing it wrong, he's giving you a few recommendations to find the way of holding the 3DS that suites you best. I suppose Nintendo also fucked up when they showed off the weapons in KI:U and gave you a few tips on how to use them. Because otherwise we'd be 'using them wrong'.

And my point is that you shouldn't have to make such suggestions to your fanbase. Now if it were only a couple people here and there that were having problems and complaining, alright. But when the majority of players need you to give them "a few recommendations to find the way of holding the 3DS that suits (them) best", then chances are it is a design issue that is counter-intuitive.

 

[evilneko]

Is this the biggest dev yet to pull the "You're playing it wrong" line?

Pretty sure Apple's bigger than Nintendo.

You're missing the context. Apple's main interface is a touchscreen, but we're talking about a game that is meant to be played with buttons and a touchscreen.

And for a long time, Nintendo's done a great job of making control schemes work for their main IPs, because they already knew how gamers played games.

But when you've been in the industry for so long, waaaay fucking longer than app gaming, and then come up short on something so fundamental as a control scheme... to say that it's the player's faults is nothing short of pathetic.

Not at all. When you're Apple, a company built almost entirely on the strength of its marketing and PR, telling your customers "you're doing it wrong" is also nothing short of pathetic.

 

[Samantha Burt]

I wonder what Yahtzee makes of this article...

Also does this remind anyone else of Apple's "the phones are fine, you're just holding it wrong" thing?

Oh I remember that. I refuse to believe that QA didn't pick up on the fact that an ordinary person would short out the aerial if they held it anything close to comfortably. ¬_¬

 

[Mahoshonen]

I don't even own the game and I am insulted at his attitude.
and I agree with Jim.

Was going to post this. This is a really arrogant comment, and I'm shocked that it's coming from Nintendo of all companies.

 

[theultimateend]

If your HANDHELD console game comes with a stand to play the game then the Developer is doing it wrong.

Also, honestly, who cares about multiplayer balance in a Kid Icarus game?

I didn't even know it HAD multiplayer? >_>

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

If your HANDHELD console game comes with a stand to play the game then the Developer is doing it wrong.

Also, honestly, who cares about multiplayer balance in a Kid Icarus game?

I didn't even know it HAD multiplayer? >_>

If you had been paying the slightest passive attention, you would have known that Nintendo had been pushing Kid Icarus's online multiplayer as a key feature.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

This is relevant:
If we're not playing properly, it's your own damn fault, Sakurai-san.

I've seen the Jimquisition's earlier episodes, but I only just now realized.

Music from Deadly Premonition!!

 

[crazyarms33]

Woah, hold on! Nintendo is not saying "You're playing it wrong." Nowhere in the article does Nintendo say anything along those lines. It's recommending a different style of play, not outright attacking players' choices. While the title of this article isn't an outright lie (although by writing 'Nintendo says', the author might as well be putting words into the company's mouth), there is no denying that the author of this article is writing this news in a deceptive, borderline sensationalist manner.

Really? I mean...really? How would you have titled it then? I would just like to know because I know that personally, I didn't read that as sensationalist headline at all given the context of the article. The subtext of what he said (as I interpret it) is essentially "If you played it like I meant for it to be played, there would be no issues!" And let's be real here, if squeezing the DS with a certain amount of force has to be factored into the way you play...then something is wrong.

 

[Reincarnatedwolfgod]

if the player is playing it wrong then the game instructed the player improperly. it the creator's of game is at fault not the players.
in other words i call bullshit on on that

 

[orangeapples]

I don't have a problem with the game's control scheme :3

One thing that helped was that I have a battery pack put onto the back of my 3DS making it more bulky and giving me more to hold on to. My problem with the portable systems is that they're too thin (with exception for Gameboy and GameGear). Without that added bulk my hands are just not comfortable.

My case is this one:
http://www.pdp.com/p-1104-energizer-charging-armor-for-the-nintendo-3ds.aspx

also helps that it holds 3 extra game cards and it gives access to all of the system ports. Throw that baby in my bag and good to game for quite some time. Without that case I doubt I could hold the 3DS for very long. I had troubles with the DSlite/i as well as the PSP2/3000 model.

The game itself is quite simple. You have 5 things you have to worry about.
Movement (circle pad)
shoot (any button)
aim (touch screen)
dash/dodge (touch screen)
items (touch screen)
If you have trouble with the stylus, get a stylus pen. They make those ya know.
And if you're getting carpal tunnel that isn't Nintendo's fault. You shouldn't be playing the thing for more than 20 minutes a session. 20 minutes is 2 stages. That is plenty of game.
And saying you need the circle pad pro is dumb. I have way more control with the touch screen than I ever had with a second analog stick.

I'm noticing that in my effort to justify why the game works, I'm suggesting one should buy $40 in peripherals... Not the best defense, but hey, we've all spent money on worse things when it comes to our gaming...

 

[Zydrate]

If more than just a few are "doing it wrong", then that's an issue with the tutorial not teaching correctly.

 

[Aprilgold]

If your HANDHELD console game comes with a stand to play the game then the Developer is doing it wrong.

If your HAND HELD* console game has a gimmick, it will require a extra thing to use the gimmick effectively, like the guitars in Guitar Hero or Rock-Band. You can play the games WITHOUT the controller [I've tried, it works] but it isn't as fun.

*Its two words mate, not a single word.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See what this needs to be on is PC, because the game...

I love the game but it really needs a mouse and keyboard.

Damn you and your ability to state points better then I. I shall now throw Watermellons at you and laugh.

 

[Lancer873]

Haven't played it, but it sounds exactly like the control scheme for Metroid Prime: Hunters (except for having a circle-pad rather than a D-pad) and that game was fine to me, so I don't see what the fuss is... Is the 3DS just that much heavier than the DS or something?
(EDIT) Apparently it involves flicking instead of just scrolling, so that sounds a bit odd. Seems like it could work given that it's a 3d-action game but I dunno. I haven't played it so I have no idea.

 

[madster11]

Reminds me of the bullshit apple tried to pull with the iPhone 4.
'No, EVERYONE is holding it wrong! obviously!'

If the majority thinks your control scheme/design is shit, it's shit.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Your right because I tried to play this shtty game I must be playing it wrong...time to not play it and scream and yell for my money back.

 

[PeaceRider]

I don't have a problem with the game's control scheme :3

One thing that helped was that I have a battery pack put onto the back of my 3DS making it more bulky and giving me more to hold on to. My problem with the portable systems is that they're too thin (with exception for Gameboy and GameGear). Without that added bulk my hands are just not comfortable.

My case is this one:
http://www.pdp.com/p-1104-energizer-charging-armor-for-the-nintendo-3ds.aspx

also helps that it holds 3 extra game cards and it gives access to all of the system ports. Throw that baby in my bag and good to game for quite some time. Without that case I doubt I could hold the 3DS for very long. I had troubles with the DSlite/i as well as the PSP2/3000 model.

The game itself is quite simple. You have 5 things you have to worry about.
Movement (circle pad)
shoot (any button)
aim (touch screen)
dash/dodge (touch screen)
items (touch screen)
If you have trouble with the stylus, get a stylus pen. They make those ya know.
And if you're getting carpal tunnel that isn't Nintendo's fault. You shouldn't be playing the thing for more than 20 minutes a session. 20 minutes is 2 stages. That is plenty of game.
And saying you need the circle pad pro is dumb. I have way more control with the touch screen than I ever had with a second analog stick.

I'm noticing that in my effort to justify why the game works, I'm suggesting one should buy $40 in peripherals... Not the best defense, but hey, we've all spent money on worse things when it comes to our gaming...

THANK YOU! Finally a sensible person understands.