# [[MFP49 - "The Children Yearn for the Mines" with wizawhat]] Transcript This transcription was completed on March 4, 2026 with the application MacWhisper on macOS. This was done automatically, without human input during the transcription process. The transcription used the Parakeet v3 model. My hope is that by offering this transcription – however accurate it may be done by a machine learning/AI – will help you, the listener. I’d love to offer full, proper transcription some day, but that is not feasible at this time. Thank you for listening and reading. I hope you enjoy the show and that this document was helpful. Enjoy. --- So I haven't even purchased Mario Kart 8 for myself either. *00:00* Which is good. *00:00* Yeah, I'm way through there. *00:00* I'm waiting for like the big the big reveal, which I think is coming. *00:00* And then you can go onto the map screen and just press a button and it all refills back in all the level design. *00:00* Yeah. *00:00* Uh there are fossils throughout the world, and if you find fossils, you can trade those in for outfits. *00:00* Oh my gosh, can we get K-Rule in this art style? *00:00* Uh dude, the music. *00:00* Like you just you kind of gotta cash in on it, dude. *00:00* Because I'm really crunching on that. *00:00* So whatever we can do to justify the purchase. *00:00* Kirby Air Ride, that has a 2025 release date right now. *00:00* resources because it was new fodder for them and probably easier. *00:00* With his his body language and facial animations and things like that. *00:00* Freaking uh Donkey Kong, what is going on with these devs, man? *00:00* I think that's super enticing. *00:00* With Donkey Kong games that are known for their super tight and exciting level design. *00:00* And give him his pirate hat. *00:00* It it's we're gonna see some s disgusting things, I think, uh in Donkey Kong artist mode and uh Nintendo's clearly prepared for it because or they're they've just signed it off because they're putting the mode in. *00:00* With sticker brush symphony, man. *00:00* Donkey Kong with me. *00:00* On the YouTube side. *00:00* it going once again I'm back I'm back thanks for having me oh my gosh of course so for those of you not familiar *00:00* Hello everybody and welcome to the Max Frequency Podcast. *00:00* I I this makes sense. *00:00* Do I want to just do this or just send it back? *00:00* They'll staple your switch. *00:00* the Almighty Nintendo rumor mill. *00:00* It's gonna be Yeah, I think when they put made a Mario Kart the launch game for it, that felt obvious to me given the success of Ape Deluxe. *00:00* one of the great tracks from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe basically is the game now. *00:00* That game came out so long ago. *00:00* And it was going to be during the Mario Kart launch. *00:00* the fits exactly what they were going for, but does feel like Mario Kart. *00:00* w what stands out in the booster pack is are the courses that were either desi original courses designed for the game or the ones from previous games that they brought up to spec. *00:00* And it just opens up the possibilities on like every single track in like unimaginable ways for past Mario Kart games. *00:00* hang out for my birthday. *00:00* Is it seven? *00:00* But when it comes to a game, it's like, well, if in a new Mario Kart, I just want more Mario Kart tracks and, you know, maybe a new type of mechanic, maybe instead of hovering or going underwater, like whatever, but I just I want more Mario Kart. *00:00* The two minute I made a video talking about what I what I n needed to see this generation because the novelty of the Switch itself is no longer that exciting to me. *00:00* It as we learn more about it, it's starting to feel like, like I was saying earlier, the big Nintendo game. *00:00* I wanted to get just a general vibe about the direct itself, which I think now when I saw Bonanza, I mean, I was immediately on board, just like, I'm here for whatever this is. *00:00* And we can just sink our teeth into the uh what do they call it? *00:00* They held a lot back, I think, in the treehouse. *00:00* My eyes were like half closed, like trying to I was like, oh my god, Donkey Kong, I gotta get up. *00:00* I don't think there were additional leaks. *00:00* Yeah, I I don't know that I was necessarily that surprised, but I think I was more surprised by like just how like *00:00* like fully voice acted, but Pauline at the very least, she's got VO. *00:00* And cartoon characters where they can stretch and bend and break the laws of all known physics because they're not real. *00:00* And he looks offended and then angry because they attacked the banana. *00:00* in Tropical Freeze with the animation. *00:00* being dopey without like in a sense overdoing it. *00:00* Of Donkey Kong. *00:00* Can we just talk about how uh like absolutely jacked and caked up Donkey Kong looks when he is all *00:00* Three of these? *00:00* The zebra is just so out there and it is so hilarious to me. *00:00* I'll put a link to that in the show notes. *00:00* when they show Khan Bonanza, they're literally air horns in the background like at a basketball game or something. *00:00* We have these younger developers that are doing things that are like play they're playing into the memes, man. *00:00* In the treehouse, they were just digging a lot, it seemed like. *00:00* And so as long as for me, if it facilitates different playstyles through all these different elements, then I will be happy because I know I can tailor the experience the way that works best for me. *00:00* And a tie. *00:00* The children yearn for the mines and they love they love their dopamine fixes. *00:00* Like I see maybe that's where Chunky is. *00:00* They had a big announcement about this. *00:00* Of course, there's two-player co-op, what, you know, ever since Galaxy, I th feel like every Mario 3D platformer kind of game from Nintendo has had a co-op mode. *00:00* Then you can copy the materials in the world so they can blow up or react like they would if they're materials. *00:00* You're using uh the motion controls or maybe it's just the analog stick. *00:00* theme park wristbands that are amiibo. *00:00* Nintendo. *00:00* It's all over the stylings of the game. *00:00* Well um additionally, like going back to this comment, like he says younger devs in the Odyssey team that grew up playing the DKC games, like *00:00* Like, I think I'm just okay to see what they want to do and what that's going to mean moving forward. *00:00* Uh the banana station. *00:00* Uh I'm kind of torn on Donkey Kong Bonanza video there. *00:00* I'm hoping that starts a series off of me of talking about a lot of Donkey Kong on the main channel, because it's one of my favorite series of all time. *00:00* destroy this game in a in a nor you know, an hour, which is just bonkers absurd. *00:00* were on here, but you were on the show. *00:00* from Nintendo with Wiz. *00:00* I kind of feel like it kinda at least given like the given the like long tail of Mario Kart *00:00* put across in that video, but um yeah, so I feel like if I didn't get it, I was worried about like potentially like *00:00* Boycott Nintendo. *00:00* But I think the the even better news is is you can still get one, I think fairly easily, without having to worry about a scalper markup or or waiting for shipments to come in. *00:00* Um now if it was super easy to find and they didn't sell a ton of them, that would be concerning. *00:00* a Wii or or a PS5 situation. *00:00* April and I kinda was looking ahead at that time of what they had announced for the year. *00:00* Yeah. *00:00* at the moment. *00:00* It that could move the needle for a lot of people. *00:00* convinced it was when we first saw it. *00:00* Now I'm like r very highly anticipating it. *00:00* when you're designing the inside of the homes and that is going to you know happy home designer but on your TV for realsies is gonna be so good and smooth and just *00:00* Crazy. *00:00* the Mount Wario experience. *00:00* I played Tour, uh, quite a bit 'cause I did one season or whatever for guide work. *00:00* kind of worse. *00:00* And just driving across the world. *00:00* a super long time, thanks to the Switch. *00:00* I think Knockout Tour is gonna be the mode. *00:00* He'll put on skate videos like when we hang out for our few days in December and just watching things and he's like once you start skating, you see lines everywhere, like where you can grind and do tricks and just do the whole thing. *00:00* because we haven't had a Mario a new Mario Kart game in so long. *00:00* I'm not saying there will be esports teams for Mario Kart World, but I am saying that the speedrun community for this game and whatever categories they come out of. *00:00* In a way, Mario Kart A, because the game was like so solved, like, it can be difficult to like wanna play that with people like me that have been playing for *00:00* so long, even though I don't really take the game that seriously. *00:00* And a lot of that comes down to knockout tour, just having that inherent, like exciting factor to it. *00:00* But the the the rest of the the sauce here in the game actually also makes it one of the best type of launch and to show off all the features of the system. *00:00* And I'll skip a little bit and this is people don't know what they want until you show it to them. *00:00* how we did it. *00:00* And sure, we were in Discord, but if we could just hop in a game chat session and I could pull up your video feed, right? *00:00* Like, it may not be like, you know, Meavers, because I'm a big Meavers guy. *00:00* Your hopes. *00:00* kind of confident like it's time. *00:00* Yeah. *00:00* 3D Mario ish and it's three D Donkey Khan, which is all you had to do to sell me. *00:00* We'll we'll get there. *00:00* It let us adjust and then it set up this moment where it was like, oh wow, there is so much more to this game than meets the eye. *00:00* the core Nintendo appeal of like digging into new mechanics. *00:00* You know, people are feeling some type of way. *00:00* And that alone gets me excited, right? *00:00* I my joke with my friends was that they last of used a Donkey Kong. *00:00* like it's gonna be so good. *00:00* proper trailer. *00:00* That implied that she was the companion with you the whole time? *00:00* Um, not that Oddrock was Pauline. *00:00* It's got that like almost Disney princess vibe to it. *00:00* At the very end of the direct where they close off with that shot of DK and Pauline falling down a one of those sinkholes and she's like *00:00* It to me it felt like so much more compelling than anything that Mario has attempted. *00:00* They'll be part of her arc. *00:00* we had traditional Nintendo text boxes for everything. *00:00* Now, I have always liked the new design. *00:00* Um but I was there's a the face he makes when Pauline pops out of the rock *00:00* He cannot break the mold of an ape, as if he is bound to the laws of of real nature. *00:00* The one thing that I really wish could change in Bonanza is the fur. *00:00* default pants um to the tie and his fur and th and and the way his face stretches and morphs. *00:00* like that because uh it looks good. *00:00* Because yeah, like speaking, as I said, I have been mixed on the design and it was something that took some time for me to adjust to because I uh I I mean *00:00* I generally really like Donkey Kong feeling like kind of his own thing, like detached from Mario, because that's kind of like what he was. *00:00* and, you know, he's just staring him down and then is just completely unaffected, maybe potentially because of how dopey he is. *00:00* Especially by including Pauline, I think seeing him and Pauline interact in this way, it really *00:00* Yeah, I I think the old design had the potential to I I think, you know, one thing that I was seeing a lot at the time when people were were really talking about this that bothered me. *00:00* Want to move away from what Rare did. *00:00* With Pauline kind of like as the bridge having, you know, re-emerged as a Mario character and Mario Odyssey and all these spin-offs now, I think it makes perfect sense what they're doing at this point. *00:00* from the pedigree of Donkey Hong Country in all of those games to even 64 a little bit, like it has its own flavor of movement that *00:00* the speed running, that desire of like freedom of movement, kinetic energy and things like that. *00:00* But also there's like limitations to what you can do at times. *00:00* It can feel unintuitive at times, but once you figure out what the limitations are and how to work around them, then like the game like really begins to open up. *00:00* You don't need to have a ledge like you would normally be, I don't know, wall bouncing into a dive over top, a backwards dive back over a ledge like you would in Super Mario Odyssey. *00:00* person that is playing in that gameplay footage is just like spamming the roll button over and over again. *00:00* You can like kickflip off a chunk. *00:00* Jumping out and it looks like Donkey Kong just does a kickflip and discards whatever is barely left of his little ice chunk and lands on the ground. *00:00* It's so good. *00:00* It's so it's so seamless. *00:00* I mean transformations on their own are super cool and exciting, but the fact that you they're so different from one another and then you can seamlessly *00:00* Transition in between them, you can start out as a zebra running down a path, super speed, leap off and then turn it and get the glide out and like *00:00* Nintendo game design that they've been pushing towards, in my opinion. *00:00* I don't know that the zebra is like in the snow world, but when we see shots of the snow world, we see these zebra NPCs and they're wearing like winter coats. *00:00* With the whole destruction and like digging thing, the children yearn for the mines, man. *00:00* what they emphasized in how all these moves can be used to just seamlessly chain together and really emphasizing how you interact with enemies to like like you're saying chain reactions. *00:00* But in this game, you slap the ground and there's a sonar effect that will show you things of note inside walls that are nearby. *00:00* And part of one aspect of the skill tree is you can like increase the range of your hand slap sonar. *00:00* enemy and it uh uncovers a wall and you find a secret. *00:00* in Bonanza, but I think we're seeing a lot of elements that are leading me to believe that, you know *00:00* potentially break out of because like not collecting every last thing and not holding on to all my consumable items for that one moment, for that one final boss fight where I I need them like *00:00* When I learned for myself to break out of those habits, it made these types of games so much more enjoyable. *00:00* so cute and they also have perks and abilities that augment different aspects. *00:00* Put Chunky Kong in this game. *00:00* how the game feels in your hands and that's where a lot of the variables come in. *00:00* There are battle challenges. *00:00* Uh it seemed pretty neat. *00:00* and all that stuff. *00:00* uh having those kinds of things in games and yeah I think the implementation *00:00* like two captains going at the same time. *00:00* And people were very unsatisfied with that, having just played a really amazing co-op mode in Pikmin 3. *00:00* one of the developers emphasized was like, especially Miyamoto loves like turning games into creation tools, which then, you know, perhaps more recently evolved into Mario Maker. *00:00* a paint mode and stuff like that. *00:00* It's weird to think that you you can beam it to a Switch 1 when the multiplayer mode is like using the mouse mode. *00:00* It's a bad idea. *00:00* Well I have my own one more thing, which is that hidden nugget, but if you want to talk about the end of the direct, I can save it for the next one. *00:00* Animal Crossing and Splatoon development running concurrently, you know, between we're getting a Splatoon spinoff. *00:00* I don't know if you feel the same way, but like just in the content that we've seen of Bonanza, like it it really feels that way. *00:00* Yeah, that's gonna be a pretty rich interview series, I think. *00:00* You know, those renditions and Mario Kart are so good. *00:00* to get this on. *00:00* Yeah, it's kind of surprising that it's not yeah, it's good marketing for the game too. *00:00* The find folks can find you on the internet at WIZ-awat on YouTube. *00:00* I think the best way to find it is to search at WYSISTISI. *00:00* or go over to maxfrequency. *00:00* Oh yeah. *00:00* And when thinking about Nintendo this year, I was like, who should I have on? *00:00* Wiz of what? *00:00* Yes, I do. *00:00* Uh, but then Wiz decided to uh get a switch two. *00:00* So, I did say, for the record, for the haters, I was not going to pre-order a Switch 2. *00:00* I do have a brother who is a sick freak and needed to get a switch to by any means necessary. *00:00* What he ended up doing was he pre-ordered two units and uh so he got one from he got them both online. *00:00* Up until the late hours of the night on those online pre-orders. *00:00* And uh yeah, so he ended up with two of them, one from like Walmart and the other from Target. *00:00* And so, yeah, I was like, I'm not gonna worry about this. *00:00* Do I think it's like a worth an $80 game? *00:00* For Switch 1, I just was like on the day of, I was like, yeah, I think I'll get this. *00:00* So really it's just let the market decide. *00:00* Nintendo reported selling 3. *00:00* pretty accessible should you want one, which I find I find encouraging along with the sales success so far. *00:00* And so I went to a few targets today in hope of finding one and I I was unsuccessful. *00:00* Which is the fastest, biggest console launch in the history, uh surpassing whatever the PlayStation equivalent was and previous Nintendo consoles, which is fantastic. *00:00* There will be Metaphor Refantasio, a Shadow Drop of Pokemon Coliseum on GameCube NSO, Death Stranding Director Cut S. *00:00* We'll see, I guess, but for posterity's sake. *00:00* People like your wife, my girlfriend, even. *00:00* Now I'm starting to think like after this Donkey Kong direct, like this might be the like big Nintendo game of the entire year, which I was not *00:00* that you were like hooked on it. *00:00* I know you're a big fan of movement and 3D platforming. *00:00* Yeah, I think like so I think where it like really surprised me, right, is when Mario Kart 8 came out *00:00* But uh my copy of Mario Kart 8 for Wii U was bought in New York City. *00:00* majority of tracks that we got in the booster course. *00:00* having it feel like super cohesive. *00:00* awesome thematic way and like with the tour tracks specifically like they change it up on like every lap but instead of like *00:00* Putting phone game course on big game TV does not work because they weren't designed around the eight mechanics and *00:00* off of it. *00:00* Besides all that, I did not anticipate, like, getting back to that point about like just autopiloting every course. *00:00* You are basically are magnetized to Rails. *00:00* complaints about like the straight lines or whatever being boring because there's like so much stuff that you can do while you're in the chaos of the pack and grinding on stuff. *00:00* And I was like, no, no, no, no, no. *00:00* Then I go and watch videos on, you know, YouTube will recommend like, oh, here's how you wall ride. *00:00* You could go about three different ways and eventually all get to the end. *00:00* side routes within routes within routes of all these tracks. *00:00* Right. *00:00* Pretty decent for Mario Kart. *00:00* some form of a competitive scene. *00:00* maybe more of a serious ranked mode that is like gets you racing on the tracks more often, potentially, because the way it's set up right now is like *00:00* That's like one thing where I think the game could be improved. *00:00* so much to it as well. *00:00* So it's like in a way fun for everybody in a way that like some of the most exciting uh Nintendo games are with *00:00* combination, casual play, and high skill ceiling. *00:00* Uh and ironically, like a Mario Kart is the racing game, right? *00:00* I think because they took the time with this Switch 2 launch and let this game start it as a Switch 1 title and move to Switch 2, like they've had time to create *00:00* I never would have imagined an open world skateboard game inspired version of Mario Kart that totally with with this knockout tour battle royale fusion type energy to it. *00:00* Like I didn't know I wanted that. *00:00* If you ask almost anyone that is like super plugged in, everyone's saying the games need to like be crazy. *00:00* They don't want to be held back anymore by the Switch. *00:00* With the flow of information as it is, like so fast paced, like they they certainly were *00:00* that one sky temple level, they're like, do you want to see how to do this that crazy trick everyone's doing? *00:00* Yes, this is great. *00:00* Let's just say I'm hoping DK is going to be treated much better in the future than how he has most recently. *00:00* The you call this a hindsight observation now, but like when I said that in that moment, like I was honestly feeling like *00:00* so much more developed than like what I felt I feel was like initially led on because between the trailer, which you can really only show so much, and the treehouse footage *00:00* A little gold nugget that we have a tasty golden banana nugget. *00:00* Now, to me that says Pauline was in the game, but I never took that to be like as a companion character or like she was going to be with you the whole time. *00:00* In some of the previous renders, I think Oddrock was there where Pauline was in the *00:00* So that might be more of a hindsight observation. *00:00* Like I wanna once we get back to the surface, DK, I just wanna sing with you or something like that. *00:00* By the end was like pretty wholesome on its own. *00:00* anyone really has an opinion about when they decide to do VO or not. *00:00* Some of their attempts, particularly with Zelda and Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, I've seen a lot of people mixed on the execution, but *00:00* In the direct that was like maybe a little bit awkward, and it was like when they're having their confrontation with *00:00* We get to hear more of it, but I I'm not unhappy at all with what we're getting. *00:00* To the spirit of the original cabinet art for Donkey Kong from the arcade game and being inspired by that. *00:00* I don't know. *00:00* the void co cons and Pauline is kind of like stumbling through like she doesn't feel like super confident in like exactly what she's saying and she's kind of stumbling a little bit which is *00:00* Pauline fully voice acted and then have next to Donkey Kong, who's just making ape noises, because Donkey Kong is a is a gorilla. *00:00* You know, a different design. *00:00* His eyes shoot out like a Looney Tune who would be like gawking at a character or something. *00:00* Th lasting hang up, I would say. *00:00* Or or you know, like a uh GMTK Mark Brown video of like design from like a graphical perspective and an art direction perspective. *00:00* Donkey Kong in his own games, like in Tropical Freeze, it looks fantastic in its own way. *00:00* He didn't often get super silly, but when he did, it was like the break in the in the character that was like very entertaining for me personally. *00:00* in the um in the opening to returns where you know all the animals are getting hypnotized and the the tikis are coming into DK's hut to hypnotize him. *00:00* The Smash Brother character reveals. *00:00* was like people were comparing side by side the new design with like his Mario Kart 8 design. *00:00* with his uh previous design. *00:00* Told me, yes, this makes sense. *00:00* Does have a heft and feel and and those five cons do feel different. *00:00* what I would say the core moveset of the game, which is how Donkey Kong moves and then how Donkey Kong moves with objects that he's holding. *00:00* Do a roll attack, jump off, and then ground pound, and then roll into an enemy and punch an enemy into a wall, explode the wall, and then jump onto an enemy, climb up this big hulking *00:00* crocodile head and tear a chunk out of its head and throw it at something else. *00:00* building off of each other and flowing into each other seamlessly and that is like super important and so anything to just keep players you know *00:00* Punch this enemy and the enemy flew back, hit the wall, and because the enemy was made of a certain material, it exploded in the wall. *00:00* It's definitely a responsive game, and I don't mean that in the like game feel of it. *00:00* This is very reminiscent of that to me, where you can grab a piece of the earth, but you could throw it at an enemy. *00:00* It's not for free. *00:00* Obviously this is a sandbox with the different worlds that you're running around and doing things. *00:00* And he jokes about the zebra basically uh never skipping like a leg day. *00:00* Oh, what what are those movies? *00:00* I mean it is It's so interesting. *00:00* Since everything is destructible, what does that mean for solving the puzzles, the platforming? *00:00* And that banana then will do things later on. *00:00* And I well tell me, because I feel like it's something I'm not gonna know until I play it. *00:00* The kids will absolutely love that. *00:00* You know, maybe I don't want to dig everywhere and find all the collectibles. *00:00* like wasting a bunch of time pounding away at every wall, you know, you just go around, activate your sonar ability, and that's how you find these collectibles. *00:00* So this is like, you know, this is something they've been building on since Breath of the Wild, where, you know, the concern is, you know, you typically design games to protect the player from themselves. *00:00* But it's like it's like the like I said, the big challenge is like how do you get players to naturally do that without, you know *00:00* That's probably part of the intentional level design. *00:00* little people. *00:00* You're not gonna I maybe we'll see like hats and stuff, but you're not gonna put give DK a shirt. *00:00* And you know, surf turf and just we pick up chunks out of the ground. *00:00* To get this next skill that I want in my tree, which will then let me have that bigger, wider sonar or what have you. *00:00* Um it is so strange for a Donkey Kong game though, isn't it? *00:00* Additional effects and like a skill tree. *00:00* You're telling me I get 2D Donkey Khan and my 3D Donkey Kong? *00:00* Like there's clearly homages to Donkey Young Country. *00:00* taking just those two examples and then what I know about other games where they surprise and delight, like the end of Odyssey with its uh surprise final final-ish area, um, if you can really call it an area world level, whatever. *00:00* The nineteen nineties and K-Rule is coming back. *00:00* at the game awards that year. *00:00* People were speculating on what it could be. *00:00* Dixie is the additional partner character, and a lot of people were were suggesting that um the final character would have been like a new primary character in place of Donkey Kong. *00:00* They could probably I'm sure the people have modded that in at this point. *00:00* uh this would be kind of the mode. *00:00* But it also just looks like a more engaging co-op mode for that second person. *00:00* technical demands on on the Switch exploring these huge Pikmin 4 environments. *00:00* of the materials. *00:00* controls on the switch to you you can you can mold and shape these Donkey Kong sculptures and make whatever you want and um whatever you want it *00:00* Yeah. *00:00* You know, we got we can we gotta use this mouse mode for some creative game. *00:00* DK looking uh art pieces. *00:00* I mean that amiibo is like isn't it like $30 now? *00:00* Which is true. *00:00* Another thing we'll see down the line. *00:00* A lot of Bethesda and and Retro Gate uh Retro Studios X developers uh really recommend their channel. *00:00* people that are very familiar with Donkey Kong having talked to a lot of people that worked on Tropical Freeze and Returns. *00:00* DK Bonanza is being developed by a new team that was spun off from the Odyssey team. *00:00* Across Nintendo, you know, when we were talking about Animal Crossing earlier, it made me think, hmm, you know, could there be *00:00* I totally forgot about that. *00:00* such incredible leadership in Nintendo and such a like there's so much like foundational knowledge running through these teams that if you're able to, you know, *00:00* And I think there's just a lot of things lining up that really makes me think that this is true. *00:00* It would pretty exciting time. *00:00* And I'm curious what context it may be, but there are some songs, there are more songs with lyrics than I thought, not just the rap, but there's more *00:00* David Wise and Crank Hercope and doesn't seem like they are involved unless they are under heavy NDA, which is interesting. *00:00* But I mean, like, yeah, I've been listening to the Mario Kart soundtrack and those it *00:00* It's gonna be great. *00:00* leading up to the game, which just did not really appeal to the masses from from my like it just didn't seem like it uh *00:00* you know, revealed that much about the game that we didn't already know. *00:00* It's honestly still sinking in what all the possibilities are. *00:00* The developers wanted to keep Pauline a secret until the very launch of the game and marketing was like *00:00* It has so much like inherent appeal to it. *00:00* But I am cooking on a lot of different things right now, including, like you mentioned, I've got a Donkey Kong Bonanza part two. *00:00* That's probably gonna be up next week. *00:00* YouTube essays myself, which I have uh I am working on some more for over there. *00:00* Belabor that point here at the end of the show. *00:00* And part of this is because, A, I just want to talk to Wiz. *00:00* And but that didn't necessarily I I want to make it clear what I was trying to say in my hater manifesto, which was mostly complaining about like the marketing, was that *00:00* Yeah, so then I got to try it for myself and play some Mario Kart, which like I think we can talk a little bit about Mario Kart, but I was just really su like *00:00* Yeah, then um, you know, I got to try it for myself. *00:00* In addition to the changes that they made to the gameplay, like I actually think I'm gonna be playing this Mario Kart game way longer than *00:00* any other Mario Kart game in the past. *00:00* Do what you wanna do and if it's a badness decision, if Nintendo has made bad decisions like they're gonna pay for it in the future *00:00* I mean, we're gonna talk about the Donkey Componanza Direct, that's obvious. *00:00* product box, whatever. *00:00* Um there's nothing announced for November or December. *00:00* I mean, Sakurai has delayed a game before, that's not new, but I also think given the fact that it sounds like Switch 2 was supposed to be last year and has actually been pushed to this year, I I I'm not worried about Kirby Air Riders. *00:00* And then we'll see more of it the closer we get to it. *00:00* Yeah. *00:00* I think um I mean Animal Crossing is very exciting. *00:00* When before I had it, I was thinking to myself, I really wish there was like one more big holiday game, and the Hyrule Warriors game just did not do it for me. *00:00* Mario Kart World. *00:00* And I've so I wrote that in my notes and now I'm seeing videos and other people talk about it. *00:00* Based on like the amount of time that we've been playing it, I feel like I was just autopiloting Mario Kart every time I played. *00:00* In Mario Kart 8, like you have like the new mechanics, like the gimmicks being like anti-gravity and what all the whatever stuff from Mario Kart 7. *00:00* So it just feels like I it's it'll be interesting to see how I feel about it over time, I think. *00:00* fresh for a longer time than eight did, which is like really exciting to me. *00:00* And so it came out on my birthday. *00:00* Just to get a feel for the courses and like unlock Rainbow Road, just do the things. *00:00* So my good friend Michael, who has been on the show before, Michael Ruiz, Mike, he's a skater. *00:00* In the past, Mario Kart alternate routes were typically just shortcuts, and maybe like the closest would be Yoshi Valley, where *00:00* Heart rates, we're all shouting. *00:00* And to your point about like you know past Mario Kart games, for a lot of those shortcuts, like you need a mushroom typically *00:00* $40 for a whole new continent filled with more retro tracks, more new tracks, all interconnected. *00:00* It's there's a lot of people selecting random on the core selection screen because it's a it guarantees you on a three laps. *00:00* Like I was hugely obsessed with F099 when that came out in 2023, I believe. *00:00* exactly what we've come to expect. *00:00* Really, like you said, invest yourself in reaching the skill ceiling because it is equally viable to just play normally *00:00* You know, it's it's very popular. *00:00* video talking about like put when we first got the first drop of the switch to that teaser trailer *00:00* get go absolutely nuts with all their ideas. *00:00* a younger audience in a way that I feel like is kind of unusual. *00:00* thinking about how people are gonna share all the strats on like how to like maximize the skill ceiling and just playing readily into that and it and it just *00:00* If you wanted to show me a trick. *00:00* before the Bonanza reveal and announcement, uh before that April direct *00:00* I totally agree. *00:00* kinda has some glaring fundamental flaws to it and doesn't add any new content and it's a full price release. *00:00* my fondest attachments to a video game world is Donkey Kong Country of all time. *00:00* Until the game's out. *00:00* Koizumi energy and design from both gameplay and just like the general Donkey Khan approach. *00:00* Because that aired at a time where I'm like opening my eyes in the morning. *00:00* Which is he he then sent me someone made a box art of that, which was pretty funny to see. *00:00* From them, so from Nintendo in a in a Mario sense, I guess. *00:00* in the new art. *00:00* His face is just so stretchy and animated, like it it embraces the rule of cartoons. *00:00* It embro it's in they're embracing the cartooniness of it. *00:00* Um, you wouldn't see a real gorilla walking around like that or a real ape or what have you. *00:00* and express beyond that. *00:00* And so that is really interesting when you try to bring Donkey Kong kind of potentially closer into the Mario world. *00:00* just almost effortlessly go anywhere, especially with the climbing, because you know it's it's looking like you can just climb wherever you want. *00:00* There's like little things that I saw that gave me the country vibes, which was like there's like one shot of DK just like rolling. *00:00* through a little path on the ground. *00:00* In the retro games. *00:00* was really selling me was going a little bit further back to the treehouse. *00:00* addictive nature of past Donkey Kong games, but also with its own like additional layers that are like super exciting. *00:00* Yeah, I wrote down that it looked highly kinetic and responsive slash reactive. *00:00* What you do impacts the world quite literally with Donkey Kong in this case, but then *00:00* circumvent like a lava pit and your ice chunk is melting as you're going over the lava pit and then *00:00* double jump off of it. *00:00* I'm I'm working on a little piece right now that is talking about some of this stuff. *00:00* Yes, absolutely. *00:00* There's a a guy on YouTube, Tri. *00:00* In like a goofy over the top sense, especially when they introduce them in the video. *00:00* Yeah, so this was a thing that I was pretty concerned about when we first learned about the game. *00:00* So like one element, one wrinkle of that is like there's a there's this like like the sonar ability. *00:00* maybe playing into like their spontaneous urges to just like, you know, fixate on like, I gotta collect every last thing before I move on. *00:00* Stronger punches, more health, the sonar thing. *00:00* So that probably has some like replay value of coming back when you're stronger and can punch through. *00:00* Worth it. *00:00* uh cranky as like the final playable character. *00:00* So one thing that people were theorizing was Funky Kong, which ended up made it into the Switch version. *00:00* People were were wishing for King K Rule to pop up in a fake Donkey Kong costume. *00:00* And so you're right as Kinkey Ruled dressed up as Donkey Kong and he is like the primary character. *00:00* One thing that I always think about is way back in the day, I remember watching my brother and his girlfriend at the time playing Galaxy Two in that mode, with the little Luma behind him stunning and *00:00* it it varies whether it's it feels like it really earns its way in. *00:00* Conversely, I I'm thinking about Pikmin 4 right now, where Pikmin 3 had a r at least on the Switch, I'm not sure if the Wii U version was like this, but on the Switch, they had a pretty robust co-op system where you have *00:00* mold and shape. *00:00* these objects. *00:00* That I I uh wasn't the end, but I was just kind of surprised at the game share support and like how robust it is. *00:00* But um I'm not familiar I'm not sure if you're familiar with this creator, but they go by Kiwi Talks. *00:00* Yeah, that's cool. *00:00* by other ma than like, you know, staffing up these teams and letting them do more. *00:00* I was worried about this game potentially not really like feeling like Donkey Kong, but I'm seeing a lot of the passion there for the series. *00:00* Really being able to knock things out of the park by, you know, letting their heavy-hitting teams produce like even more games like this. *00:00* Like if that like like you said, if that brings us Mario next year, that is absolutely insane. *00:00* here in a couple of weeks and I actually had the thought I was like, oh, is this game gonna come out while I'm out of town? *00:00* It it really lines up like they're going heavy on, you know, I don't want to say it in a cynical way, like nostalgia farming, but *00:00* No, we have to show this because it is like the cornerstone of tying the entire series together and it's like *00:00* 20 years of waiting for a new 3D Donkey Kong game after DK64, one of my all-time favorite childhood games. *00:00* The good and proper kind, you know what I'm saying? *00:00* Little thingy that I'm literally editing today, hoping to put that out as soon as possible. *00:00* Technically, I loophole. *00:00* I didn't see enough to get excited to pre-order. *00:00* Struggling to get one later. *00:00* Before really quick before the the switch to stuff you shared with this this with me before the show, which is apparently the rumor mail *00:00* last minute like let me just show up to GameStop or whatever. *00:00* It makes some sense for there to be a proper direct, and I don't think they've ever skipped a summer direct showcase of some sort, so *00:00* What was I I listened to the clip of him talking about it and it's he seemed like pretty confident in all of these. *00:00* Paper Mario Origami King moment and just drop a standalone trailer for that and not even bother talking about it in a direct, which would be very strange. *00:00* So when I wrote I wrote a big piece about I turned it into a video too, actually, but like my thoughts and impressions on the switch to direct from a *00:00* game that I would think that they would be rushing not rushing but prioritize getting out as close as possible to the start of the console's life would be Animal Crossing again given its success on the Switch. *00:00* And uh I totally see it. *00:00* In my head, the thing that stands out the most about this game, and to be clear, I've only played Grand Prix and um knockout tours. *00:00* On Wii U, I played it a ton. *00:00* Nice, nice. *00:00* potentially with the booster course DLC, I think the game got worse for me because I don't really like the *00:00* The assets feel scaled up, not necessarily like redone in the eight art style. *00:00* But it just seemed crazy to me to do that like right out of the gate, knowing that they're gonna like charge for more DLC or whatever. *00:00* I did not anticipate at all like the finesse that they were going to put into these mechanics. *00:00* You can you can almost ignore it, but once you like start digging into it, like the skill ceiling is so ridiculously high. *00:00* much of the parkour stuff. *00:00* Super easy to try to go trick onto a rail or whatever and then just completely overshoot it or completely just slide off of it. *00:00* We're all at the same starting point. *00:00* Like you see lines everywhere uh in that skater sense. *00:00* And all that stuff. *00:00* a new world with X amount of tracks that are all interconnected. *00:00* Something new. *00:00* Do you want to do that? *00:00* Um, you know, this is an iterative cycle for Nintendo. *00:00* a huge leap in the games. *00:00* more youthful development team that is injecting a lot of ideas that are very appealing to *00:00* Not just uh watch you on my screen, but watch you. *00:00* I mean let's just be real Wiz. *00:00* Long enough, as far as I'm concerned, the Switch generation was rough to be a Donkey Kong fan. *00:00* I'm I will say I was torn on the game at first, but now that we know more about it, I am *00:00* I wanted DK to get the full treatment and not the just like, oh yeah, you we're trying to build up interest for Donkey Kong. *00:00* in what we saw of the gameplay, like they really you know they just instead of *00:00* over elaborating on everything off the rip, they really just gave us the time to let the big tonal shift courta sort of sink in. *00:00* I think that's in a general vibe. *00:00* And a big thing with the Donkey Kong over the last couple of years, like you've been saying, is this redesign or really old design redesign. *00:00* Like graphics versus art direction. *00:00* Forever. *00:00* so fluffy and animated just right. *00:00* resource thing because if you look closely at the fur, the fur just does not hold a candle to the tropical freeze fur. *00:00* Is that, you know, sometimes in order to get like a really cool movement system, obviously in order to get the player to use that sort of stuff, you need good level design. *00:00* In this Donkey Kong game, I'm not really getting the that vibe. *00:00* go wherever you want. *00:00* is an element that adds so much expressive flow to the game. *00:00* showing the most basic gameplay possible to like kind of get people on board and be like, you can like punch through walls, you can dig holes and and climb objects. *00:00* That is like to me is I'm gonna I'm gonna anger you for a sec, but like that to me is like the Odyssey difference versus Galaxy. *00:00* where it is so the momentum and the seamless nature of everything is just that is like the next level of *00:00* To kind of explain the mechanic for people that may not know, there's these elders in the game. *00:00* Ancient looking animal guys, there's a gorilla, there is a zebra, and there's an ostrich elder. *00:00* Required they will be. *00:00* In Odyssey, there were moons everywhere. *00:00* There's also some other elements. *00:00* Hopefully, you know, these enemies are purposely being laid down in many different areas as they are in this direct where you punch over *00:00* uh Mark Brown GMTK put so succinctly. *00:00* It it really is like what you make of it. *00:00* Soft sand to probably diamonds or something. *00:00* bring back chunky. *00:00* what young designers are really into right now. *00:00* These feel like really good opportunities to surprise and delight, like the little 2D sections in Odyssey or in Mario Wonder with all the the Wonder Sea transformations. *00:00* the uh all the iconography of the crocodile designs on the um on the ones that you can like destroy. *00:00* Like that, oh my gosh. *00:00* Like my first thought obviously is the galaxy mode, right? *00:00* And yeah, so it's funny that it's in DK here. *00:00* But turns out, you know, with this probably like with this physics uh or you know whatever the system is for the destruction of the world, like that makes sense in order to like sculpt *00:00* Well, I have a little nugget of information and theory. *00:00* And he says he so he has a lot of industry contacts at this point *00:00* So that if this is true, this is big news and if we can extrapolate that *00:00* Feasting. *00:00* I know, right? *00:00* Except for, and this ties in pretty well with what you were just saying, with growing up on DKC and and this love for Donkey Kong. *00:00* rappy lyrics to it, just like an energy to it. *00:00* Even some ARMS kind of vibes when I pause and think about it, like that arms theme, the *00:00* I find these types of Nintendo games in the modern era, the ones that, you know, are focused on the sandbox design, really freaking interesting. *00:00* That I do know a little bit about. *00:00* Sweet. *00:00* That's probably the direct. *00:00* While I hate the idea of $80 games, what I love about this generation so far is the virtual game cards. *00:00* Should happen, it makes some sense, but uh the YouTuber beat 'em ups is claiming there will be a a direct in July that will we're gonna say this here for posterity. *00:00* Because um, I mean that is a demographic of its own that becomes a must-buy for maybe not the most hardcore Nintendo heads, but like *00:00* The continued success, it will still sell gang besters to shear arm, sir. *00:00* Cider. *00:00* That's like it the the parkour mechanics for Mario Kart World, it just kind of like almost puts that to shame in my mind because *00:00* It in that sense, like at that level, it is like highly addictive for me to want to just get a little bit better each time. *00:00* Combine that with and maybe you can speak to this because I've been talking for a bit, but combine that with the world design and how when you're playing like knockout tour *00:00* This is like your wheel the wheels in your brain just start spinning of it is okay *00:00* Or if you played Tetris, like the not the game Tetris effect, but the the the term Tetris effect where like you just see Tetris, Tetraminos everywhere, and like how do things fit, right? *00:00* You start seeing the opportunities everywhere in the game. *00:00* That I think this is gonna be exciting and when you think about the potential for DLC, I think I think everyone believes the logical assumption will be *00:00* Like one thing that was super funny was like seeing some of the like negative reaction early on. *00:00* element to the Battle Royale type style that gets everybody like really pumped up and involved and the stakes are higher in a more like seamless way. *00:00* And so I th I think it all works like super well. *00:00* This is a quote from Steve Jobs, which is uh I'll paraphrase it a little bit, but it's quote, some people say give the customers what they want, but that's not my approach. *00:00* And um I think they're gonna do a very good job with Donkey Khan as well. *00:00* insanely creative during the Switch generation. *00:00* past like the me where like Miyamoto's not as involved as he used to be. *00:00* increases like the natural like community outreach because of the depth of the game. *00:00* uh go game chat. *00:00* You said it's gonna be funny, quoting you to you. *00:00* couple years, like you start to realize, oh yeah, they are gearing up. *00:00* I I was like, whoa, this is not my Kong. *00:00* And that has me pumped. *00:00* I'm really curious what you think about this because of your uh affinity for Super Mario 64. *00:00* Bit digging chunks out of the ground and using that to augment your moveset even more. *00:00* it there's this push and pull with the player in the world that seems like soup seems super fun. *00:00* To then, like you said, augment your movement. *00:00* I forget, I actually forget the term that they use. *00:00* Those let you buy where is it? *00:00* Core ones. *00:00* I think there could be some some plot subplot going on where, you know, maybe Void Kong is reviving an ancient evil from *00:00* The co-op mode in that is it's called pebble pitcher. *00:00* Oh come on. *00:00* There's one part of this that I won't say, because it could be potentially spoilers, but the last part of it is 3D Mario is still on the way. *00:00* that part will be fine. *00:00* I uh if they do anything even if they do anything even remotely close to what they've done in Mario Kart World, uh we are going to have some of the greatest Donkey Kong music. *00:00* And renditions of Donkey Kong music, I think, on our hands here. *00:00* lyrics to the music and I'm getting like a a persona vibe. *00:00* Yep. *00:00* even if it doesn't meet like whatever absurd e expectations that have been built up in my mind over the last *00:00* Um like Chancellor Palpatine, like, do it. *00:00* just accessibility perspective. *00:00* uh Witcher 3, that's actually kind of logical. *00:00* Notable la uh absence of like the games that we already know about, which was which would be um I mean I Metroid Prime, yeah, but *00:00* Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprison Imprisonment has a winter date. *00:00* So having it hit next year would make a ton of sense from like th the business goals and scheduling perspective. *00:00* The time just flew by, man. *00:00* But I think Knockout Tour stands out and primarily because it's like the Mount Wariofication of Mario Kart. *00:00* Because like obviously it's only been a couple weeks now. *00:00* Yes. *00:00* This is all not all skill based, like high skill based, but the good like the good stuff is skill based. *00:00* The the the the it's just so dynamic. *00:00* Yeah, and it's it's been really interesting just observing the reaction to the game because I don't know if you've seen this, but um *00:00* It is perfect from the single player to multiplayer to the range of skill and movement abilities, the different modes, online support, like *00:00* We're cooking. *00:00* Dreadcon and Con Bonanza, okay? *00:00* To me, and uh uh maybe I missed more leaks, but after the Bonanza stuff was revealed in April with all the trio stuff and like the *00:00* It just looks like a game that's gonna have really great movement and like kinetic energy and fun. *00:00* But I really liked that the more aggressive, um, kind of brutish angle on him because *00:00* And his Mario Kart 8 design is like not at all indicative of what they've been able to do with the character in the past with his *00:00* Well, yeah. *00:00* It's so like a it's so uh it's there there's like a almost Savannah looking level in this. *00:00* Because Nintendo typically they they don't often make that a big focus of their of their core pillars. *00:00* This feels like a really good opportunity for them to just do whatever they wanted to do again outside of the constraints of whatever maybe the world design that they have before. *00:00* Alright. *00:00* But I don't think the world's prepared for what uh people are about to do with Donkey Kong artists, is all I'm gonna say. *00:00* Amiibo support? *00:00* It's cool. *00:00* But it feels like there's some experimentation while also leaning on the classics here, but all of it sounds *00:00* Because low-key, the music app, is one of my favorite perks of having the NSO subscription. *00:00* It's been a a very strange turnaround coming off of like you know, we had that Mario Kart direct. *00:00* 2026. *00:00* W would I spend eighty dollars for myself for a Mario Kart game? *00:00* It is very exciting for everyone. *00:00* Like that's a perfect time capsule nugget because you know a month later was Bonanza's reveal and now two months later we have this direct that *00:00* Yeah, sure. *00:00* And I think that was I think that was probably the right call in hindsight because, you know, it let us as Donkey Kong fans *00:00* The big character reveal was leaked ahead of time. *00:00* Like the villains and other ape characters and animals may be speaking like an animalese gibberish that has then words on top of it that like where you can just read. *00:00* What really caught my so I watched the direct again before hopping on the call with you just to like get really fresh uh impressions. *00:00* Video gamey or you know, Bugs Bunny can do all sorts of stuff, or Daffy Duck can get shot in the face and Bill just spins around his head, right? *00:00* So the most vital piece of Donkey Kong lore is movement. *00:00* A really enticing reason beyond just I need X amount of moons to move on to the next level. *00:00* The kind of like the back chunk. *00:00* Supplemental features to be so fleshed out and thought of and included *00:00* It's like the little brother mode. *00:00* And Metroid Prime 4 beyond. *00:00* way reduce the friction to like designing your homes. *00:00* And at least in that setting with my friends, you know, you can play the game and not do all that stuff, and you will still have fun. *00:00* Sh did people thought the the iPhone was gonna be just uh a iPod with a phone in it. *00:00* Or later. *00:00* Where I think that really shined was with those uh chunk jumps and turf surfs, like using a chunk of the earth. *00:00* Like, what on earth is happening? *00:00* Get players into the mode for the best experience for them. *00:00* Good outfits. *00:00* Uh game chat online with Switch Two and with a Switch One in the same room. *00:00* The last thing that I wanted to talk about from the direct, because I feel like we've covered all the the ground from these 17 minutes. *00:00* So the handle, I I recently soft launched a second channel. *00:00* I went to the midnight launch for Switch 2, which we're going to talk about Switch 2. *00:00* Then August is Kirby Forgotten Land Enhanced Edition. *00:00* Parts of parts of the approach I've been kind of mixed on. *00:00* And so I just wanted to get the vibes overall, how we're feeling. *00:00* It makes me laugh. *00:00* how big a presence that she has, like as her as her own character. *00:00* And he's he makes faces, he expresses emotion. *00:00* Sure, yeah. *00:00* There you you st you still had to like get to the spot. *00:00* But you shoot lyrics at enemies and the words pop up on screen and they're like *00:00* A part of like a speedrunning strat where like in one hand is a Joy-Con that you're doing everything with, and the other hand is mouse mode to like shoot things. *00:00* Um poor amiibo collectors that like now have to go to a theme park multiple times to get them all. *00:00* Don't do that, Nintendo. *00:00* But the DK wrap is in there. *00:00* Yes, I am a hypocrite, but let me explain the circumstances. *00:00* Oh, did you? *00:00* Be positive for the community in channeling that like community approach that is so strong in the in Nintendo. *00:00* Yeah, I I mean at the very least, uh they've been giving Donkey Kong more love now than he has in a long time. *00:00* The So for the idea here for this direct, it's it was about 17 minutes. *00:00* Yep. *00:00* Whoever was like, we should let them get outfits for both Donkey Khan and Pauline. *00:00* Probably a xenoblade has a skill tree. *00:00* This is more than I thought. *00:00* I mean Nintendo loves loves this kind of stuff dating back super far with like Mario Paint and stuff. *00:00* It's just beaming it's beaming a video version of of the game, right? *00:00* C C Y. *00:00* Yeah, I have I uh it's been a while since I put a traditional upload out. *00:00* That's right. *00:00* Uh yeah, that I felt the same way. *00:01* Once you understand the mechanics of wall riding, grinding, jump boosting, bouncing off things, like once you see it. *00:01* I think I always think of Koopa Tropa Beach in 64, that ramp. *00:01* I think is the the PS5 one. *00:01* Let's let's touch on this. *00:01* That leaning into your own playstyle thing, I mean, I think that's a perfect. *00:01* And that that was cool. *00:01* And presumably, like we've been talking about, like it looks like the uh Super Mario Odyssey team is making this. *00:01* Yeah, for sure. *00:01* I love Don't you for having me? *00:01* With the greatest CG trailer Kirby's ever seen. *00:01* With like singing, somber tone, a gray cast over everything. *00:01* Uh there was some box art put out and Nintendo official websites went up. *00:01* I'm not like I don't have strong opinions about how it's being done. *00:01* Clearly like by design. *00:01* And um so yeah, I think this is gonna be a pretty expressive game that says a lot, both in its voice acting and in its character animations and things like that. *00:01* Dude, look at the freaking uh enemy designs in this game, dude. *00:01* Dude, it's oh man, it's so strange. *00:01* Yeah, well I also saw a lot of people that didn't bother with the digital the online pre-ordering, which seemed to be the biggest problem. *00:01* Uh is it hot? *00:01* And so it was just like my enthusiasm for Mario Kart just kind of declined over time. *00:01* It really feels like a it's not infinite, but an infinite canvas of driving opportunity. *00:01* But with you, some other guys in our Discord, general social media, just pickups from what I've seen, uh, this direct has convinced a lot of people, it seems. *00:01* two completely different paths that work for their intended games. *00:01* Yeah. *00:01* This game awesome. *00:01* Engaging with that. *00:01* Yeah, so um this is pretty big deal in my opinion. *00:01* All aboard the hype train, everybody. *00:01* Notorious Switch hater. *00:01* YouTube Essiist Extraordinaire. *00:01* The w uh any percent hazy maze caveless, in fact, world record. *00:01* And you can customize the tie. *00:01* It's interesting. *00:01* You want to jump over to Donkey Kong? *00:01* We'll get to the all the good stuff. *00:01* But you could take the currency in the game, various forms of currency. *00:01* It's great. *00:01* It kind of reminded me of Dreams on PlayStation. *00:01* The movement tech. *00:01* Yeah, and that's fine. *00:01* I'm so excited to see all of the faces and animations and expressions and cutscenes with him because he feels even though he is not saying something per se, he is saying something with *00:01* It does remind me of Odyssey, like the surprising amount of things that you could do with Cappy and then movement and jumping off of that. *00:01* So it looks like they're trying to improve there. *00:01* I forgot about that. *00:01* There will be links to those channels and videos of some of those are out by the time this episode comes out in the show notes, which you can check out in your podcast player. *00:01* I should have brought my switch to the Switch 2 midnight. *00:01* It's truly exciting. *00:01* Also, how do we get New Donk City if we don't have a new Donk? *00:01* Like you have to be engaging with the world and gathering energy and all that in order to do some of these crazier moves, but it's so seamless. *00:01* They just announced it in their app like one day. *00:01* I've got another video that is coming up on the second channel after that, which I'm also crunching on. *00:01* So yeah, it's been it's been a hot minute and yeah, I just feel like over time it just kind of lost the sauce for me in a way. *00:01* And I was gonna bring this up in the Donkey Kong talk, but I think it fits here, which was um I was thinking about *00:01* I think it's wild that we have Mario Kart and then obstensibly a 3D Mario game a month later. *00:01* Opinionated design about Donkey Kong. *00:01* Everyone should go check out try. *00:01* Now, please, Nintendo. *00:01* It just works hand in hand with the mouse and the and the physics there to sculpt some unhinged *00:01* I uh I hope that they put these Switch 2 game soundtracks on the NSO app sooner rather than later. *00:01* And that was all in-game shared w open world. *00:01* They're cooking over there. *00:01* But I mean, if this is not Koizumi, then holy cow, they have another ace up their sleeve in their dev team. *00:01* But just in the Donkey Khan models, Donkey Khan and Tropical Freeze, his fur is such a *00:01* You can just bash more earth with it and uh break more things because you have basically a hammer now. *00:01* It's clearly a callback to Super Mario 64, 64 DS, where you can play with Mario's face, right? *00:01* It is crazy. *00:01* Everyone everyone peel into banana station. *00:01* And I I never thought that that was gonna do anything. *00:01* It doesn't like stickers are bad enough, but you're you now you're puncturing the box like just ugh whatever. *00:01* So they're this is claiming that Animal Crossing would be out next year, which God help my bank account if that's the case, because I gotta buy another one of these things for my wife. *00:01* And so you could extrapolate that, oh, maybe Pauline is this odd art. *00:01* Just please have very good outfits. *00:01* Um, I don't know. *00:01* Officially. *00:01* This is gonna be the mode, guys. *00:01* It's just super exciting, I think, for I th and like you don't even need to *00:01* I want Nintendo kids to be having the same experiences that I had growing up on different platforms. *00:01* I am I am pretty impressed with it. *00:01* Maybe you can DK artist your face. *00:01* And when we all sat down, they all, and I did too, but we wanted to do the grand prize first. *00:01* It's like par for the course. *00:01* Give me a vibe check. *00:01* It doesn't even feel I keep forgetting that. *00:01* Um I would love like the Mario Kart World soundtrack needs to be on there. *00:01* I don't think you and I have played together yet. *00:02* Alright. *00:02* I'd like like we said with the Mario Kart earlier, they seem to be leaning into as much as uh as much as possible with all of the Switch support. *00:02* We've gone too far. *00:02* It seems it seems absurd, doesn't it? *00:02* That's gonna aquatic ambience. *00:02* Uh summer direct news is flowing in, which is just so funny, 'cause we sat down to do this 'cause we're like, all right, they're not gonna do one. *00:02* Like, because you have these mechanics, like, I don't I don't feel the *00:02* But then when I saw Knockout Tour in those directs and in the Treehouse tour streams, I was like, nah, that's what I want. *00:02* I think like why that is is obviously like a B for B situation where every single aspect is *00:02* And then obviously the Mario Kart World teaser in that initial teaser, and everyone was like, oh, what have they done? *00:02* It's so many options and it's so seamless. *00:02* Oh my gosh. *00:02* It was like the Spike Awards. *00:02* But I love that it is so soon that that is such an exciting thing. *00:02* And uh yeah, big, big DKC1 retrospective that is in the editing phase now. *00:02* 5 million Switch 2s within the first week or the first four days, something like that *00:02* And I'm used to games like say like skating games where *00:02* And I explained what it was to them and they're like, I don't know about that. *00:02* When a console is revealed, usually developers show off at least one racing game, right? *00:02* I don't d how did you feel about the opening like the song? *00:02* But yeah, then the concern is like what about people that want like tried and true level design, especially like *00:02* Yeah, I don't have a ton of experience with these kinds of co-op systems, but I see the value in them. *00:02* I'm not saying like a t a world tournament or anything. *00:02* Or uh well, you know what? *00:02* And so like the X factor is the destruction. *00:02* So you have the skill tree, you have the outfits, which I think are gonna be a blast. *00:02* I love ARMS music. *00:02* Yeah. *00:02* It's been ten years, I think. *00:02* I did. *00:02* And so we went at the midnight launch at the Nintendo store. *00:02* That's we've been playing Switch games for so long. *00:02* This is this is good. *00:02* Okay. *00:02* The the soup superb. *00:02* Oh yeah. *00:02* Hot cider. *00:02* So yeah no I think it's great. *00:02* Um one of my big I guess my hang up with the game is like *00:02* There are these puzzle rooms where like you have to maybe destroy the environment in a certain way to navigate through it. *00:02* The two donkey I was like, ah making me jealous. *00:02* All I'm gonna say. *00:02* Yep. *00:02* net forward slash mfp dash forty nine. *00:02* The people that aren't watching are engaged because you're getting close to the gates and people are being knocked out, or just barely cutting through. *00:02* Yeah, clearly part of her arc. *00:02* Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head with the idea of it of the two designs working for two different types of games. *00:02* And so that like bugged me. *00:02* This is is what I said earlier. *00:02* Where is the K-Rule art version in this art style? *00:02* I know my girlfriend was like, oh, this is like too expensive for me. *00:02* And in that in my mind, that game is gonna be infinitely better simply because it you know it will support mouse mode. *00:02* Oh man. *00:02* Yeah, or I think later, I wrote it down at like a minute twenty-eight in the direct. *00:02* And just No, I watch these back to back, but it just felt so stiff. *00:02* Yeah, man. *00:02* Um I think the skill points and outfits are gonna be *00:02* It was it was so shit. *00:02* We chatted for a long time. *00:02* Even though and I'm I say that as a huge DK head. *00:02* So when Pauline was in the game, we just didn't know. *00:02* That was like a a very awesome experience for them. *00:02* So the mouse the mouse is here to stay for sure. *00:02* You gotta love amiibo. *00:02* So if you look at what's on the calendar, there's a slot for September, November, and December. *00:02* It's Donkey Kong time. *00:02* So I've still I've still felt surprised when she burst out of the rock. *00:02* Do you remember those? *00:02* There were, you know, nine bajillion of them. *00:02* It is so funny to me. *00:02* Right. *00:02* Okay. *00:02* The P the PS5's a little different with supply chains and COVID at the time, but this feels like almost the ideal slash perfect launch from a *00:02* You in a I think to you a surprising way. *00:02* It's so the first time that I played it was actually the Saturday after it came out. *00:02* Yeah. *00:02* Just from his pedigree within the. *00:02* Sure. *00:02* I think he's a little triangle little animated. *00:02* That's not something I ever imagined. *00:02* But in Pikmin 4, they opted out of that probably because of the *00:02* And Wiz is a big Donkey Kong fan. *00:02* And that is like what is so amazing about that track is like every lap is different in a like *00:02* It feels like I'm playing like Burnout 3 on PS2 and there's red arrows everywhere like telling me where to go. *00:02* And uh yeah, people I Oh man. *00:02* Did you see that? *00:02* That's what I'm looking for. *00:02* They say analog stick. *00:02* So there's plenty of Donkey Kong love from Wiz coming your way. *00:02* I did not pre-order the switch to. *00:02* Um like the pre-order process was the worst part of it, but getting the console has been, I think, easy. *00:02* Yeah. *00:02* It's very it if if you look at like what Nintendo has been doing with Donkey Kong, you like within the past *00:02* So the direct starts in probably the weirdest, like the least way that I thought this direct would start, um, with basically like an anime in *00:02* The fur is next level, right? *00:02* His videos are very fun. *00:02* Like as you go deeper, it would get stronger, right? *00:02* So like there could be so much more. *00:02* This is fun. *00:02* There will be a link in the show notes. *00:02* Uh, you go over to Wizawet on YouTube there and check that out. *00:02* Uh and then instead they gave us a Donkey Kong Bonanza direct shortly after Switch 2 launch. *00:03* And then um two things happened. *00:03* But we can get into that. *00:03* So it's that's what's such a bummer about it. *00:03* I mean, I think my point is just that, you know, in keeping the game alive, for me it made the game *00:03* So I feel like it's all fair enough for a casual group, but then if you want to be competitive, you can be. *00:03* Like it's been so awesome to have something where like my girlfriend is like excited to play with me. *00:03* Like it's it's only developing more over time in and like there's the potential to just add like *00:03* Um I think this is Nintendo doesn't like to talk about their developers. *00:03* Like everything they're doing is for a reason. *00:03* Uh if we're getting a 3D Mario within any time within the next year or two, like, oh my gosh, we are *00:03* I'm gonna be very excited for the interview series that will inevitably come out for this game. *00:03* I on principle, I really hate the idea of $80 games, but I think with what they did actually, this might be a hot take. *00:03* Exactly. *00:03* Probably a direct, knowing Sakurai and the like how good he is at those. *00:03* It does, though. *00:03* And so for that Saturday night, I invited friend, I was inviting friends over to play the new Mario Kart. *00:03* Like we're trying to figure out these tricks and grinds. *00:03* Is a phenomenal game and I loved the like 30 hours I put into it. *00:03* I mean, I guess the last thing I want to say about Mario Kart, and this is probably something that we are going to see, we can talk about this and how it relates to Donkey Kong as well. *00:03* It's sandbox and um Course Clear. *00:03* The I like to move it move it with the little uh Oh, oh, uh Madagascar? *00:03* I don't know how heavily you want to get into this, but like you have like a skill tree where you can upgrade certain abilities and unlock new ones. *00:03* I haven't played a xenoblade. *00:03* Donkey Kong, and it was Cranky Kong. *00:03* And I think you're working on another bonanza video that will probably go there. *00:03* And that's tough being an influencer. *00:03* It looks the outfit stuff looks amazing. *00:03* Co-star mode. *00:03* Oh my gosh. *00:03* I I'm I'm not happy with this. *00:03* Oh, wait, was that for the pat the PAX thing you were telling me about? *00:03* And so it kind of diluted the experience in my opinion. *00:03* And we switched to n uh knockout tour and everyone, it clicked immediately for everyone. *00:03* So I'm I'm curious how they balance. *00:03* Free the chunk. *00:03* You can go read about it on the blog. *00:03* And I in a strange way, like I feel like Mario Kart World could have like *00:03* And I think that's like ideal for a game like this. *00:03* Like they're for they've talked about wanting to future proof the system. *00:03* But I love what they're doing with all the characters and the story. *00:03* Voice acting's in the game. *00:03* But the I so that's like the art direction side of it, right? *00:03* Everything serves a purpose. *00:03* Like it's it feels like a celebration of the series. *00:03* Yeah. *00:03* It's always a good excuse to talk to Wiz. *00:03* Do what you want. *00:03* Forgot about that. *00:03* And so yeah, I think for me personally, I mean, I already have the system now, but *00:03* We did this the other night when I played with some of the guys in our Discord *00:03* Yeah, vibe check is just I think when we first saw it, it was a shock to the system because as a Donkey Kong fan *00:03* The let's talk about those Bonanza Powers really quick since they fall in movement. *00:03* I it's a big possibility. *00:03* We gotta keep using the word chunk. *00:03* You know, just you're getting ready to know. *00:03* So yeah, it it looks sick. *00:03* Like a lot of them absolutely were. *00:03* Like it just it just seems like a super fun game. *00:03* And the last thing that I want is to be forced to dig all the time. *00:03* And uh what and and they said and more. *00:03* You've lost me. *00:03* Choo choo. *00:03* Thumbnail King. *00:03* As someone who counts Donkey Kong as one of their all-time favorite Nintendo series. *00:03* I don't and to that's not to say I think they're overdoing it in this game. *00:03* Uh the double jump. *00:03* I was looking at that earlier. *00:03* Uh the zebra is so unhinged to me. *00:03* They look like cool ways to introduce new movement um in a time-limited scale. *00:03* And one thing that people were going back to was like, so we had Donkey and Diddy. *00:03* I've it's are you going bonanza? *00:03* Super Mario 64 aficionado. *00:03* A big fan of the old Nintendo. *00:03* Because I was like, you know, big Wii U head. *00:03* And so in conjunction with that, because this is like a new era of Nintendo, like we are *00:03* Yeah, man. *00:03* They are like distant cousins from the con universe. *00:03* I've like, oh, I'm behind it. *00:03* And I think their intention I'm not sure if they're if the *00:03* And it it's almost like a very basic prototype of this mode *00:03* Which is only like I can't believe this game is three weeks away. *00:03* Yeah, I think it'll be there. *00:03* They've basically turned Mario Kart into a 3D platformer. *00:03* And that was where I was like, I could see the potential, but I I need to see like, what are you doing for me as a Donkey Kong fan, as opposed to like *00:03* Now, Tropical Freeze has superb art direction in the level design, in the characters, everything is cohesive. *00:03* And it got me thinking, so I went back and watched a couple of Tropical Freeze trailers. *00:03* Once you roll into an enemy, it gives you like an explosive boost and acceleration. *00:03* I don't know if you feel the same way, but I kind of thought these would be like platforming puzzle rooms, and while there are platforming challenges, *00:03* You can do that anywhere. *00:03* What I thought was it s seems far more interactive. *00:03* Secret embargo thing. *00:03* And then you combine the fact that every single track is interconnected in some way. *00:03* So yeah, I think it's a good addition. *00:03* Who needs a whole direct? *00:03* I am your host, Max Roberts, and I have the honor and privilege of being joined once again by Wiz of Wood. *00:03* And one of the tidbits that came out right after the Direct was there were these demo kiosks popping up at Targets, Walmarts, Best Buys around the country. *00:03* We will see this at a AGDQ or whatever. *00:03* It's an and the graphics are great. *00:03* It's definitely sandboxy, right? *00:03* Now, am I biased? *00:03* They didn't stop to ask whether or not they should. *00:03* Exactly. *00:04* Like with your friends, for instance, like my girlfriend was feeling the same way. *00:04* And so it it really feels like they're trying to do something like additionally special that we haven't really seen before. *00:04* But I feel like he wasn't shining as much in his appearance in Mario games as he was in his own games. *00:04* I don't know. *00:04* I don't know if you remember this, but like there was a big controversy where like *00:04* But any last bonanza thoughts before the game's out here in a few weeks? *00:04* I'll put that here. *00:04* Like because like there's undoubtedly like potential issues. *00:04* Yeah, so I'm honestly not sure. *00:04* Um I remember Breath of the Wild being a huge deal. *00:04* Overall, just to in totality, from pants *00:04* Chips turn into gems so you can buy more gems. *00:04* There's homages to the arcade game. *00:04* Hey, soon spinoff. *00:04* This is clearly the jungle beat team in some way. *00:04* Like I never would have imagined I mean the outfits I could imagine, but like with their *00:04* That's what we'll call that. *00:04* They're there. *00:04* And a lot of people have been wondering what does this mean for 3D Mario? *00:04* So I'm curious where that if uh probably boss music maybe. *00:04* Yeah. *00:04* And you know in a single player game like this, they're hold they're still holding stuff close to their chest. *00:04* Don't feel bad about doing what you want to do. *00:04* So I ended up I had to make a decision. *00:04* The things that have windows are drag and drive, everyone's favorite, so I suspect that would be at the direct. *00:04* That game is it hits the spot. *00:04* Everywhere. *00:04* Banana banandium gems. *00:04* I don't know how to feel about this. *00:04* Um and I, you know, I know Donkey Khan had a cartoon. *00:04* Like you didn't just like throw some throw fireball and a moom pop out. *00:04* The stronger punches is interesting because not just from a damage perspective, but there's also seems to be like a level of toughness in material in the game from like *00:04* The best thing ARMS gave us was its theme song. *00:04* The release date for Metroid Prime 4, according to London, is out now. *00:04* It's gonna be or town or city. *00:04* It's so good. *00:04* That was so expressive. *00:04* And Nintendo's big presence at this at the video game awards was *00:04* And then it's just point and shoot your bits and wave your little star around. *00:04* Get that option. *00:04* Yeah, it's like the bullets. *00:04* And I think that adds a uh *00:04* But I mean to your point about knockout tour, like *00:04* And I think that's part of what makes uh Super Mario 64 really engaging is like *00:04* But anyway, he speed ran Odyssey in like an hour and fifteen minutes, and that helped kill time so much because I just got to watch him, you know *00:04* But No, I don't I don't think we have. *00:04* Um big strong man, tiny little girl moving across you know, this world. *00:04* But I saw a little people being a little bit mixed. *00:04* And I remember at that time before we knew that Cranky was like the final playable character. *00:04* And so Yeah, I and there was like so much going on with this game that like *00:04* Oh my gosh. *00:04* Yeah. *00:04* So like we need as much Mario Kart slash console time as possible. *00:04* That's a good idea. *00:04* But it doesn't scale up well. *00:04* And Mario Kart World is not like that at all. *00:04* Like I just kind of bought I bought into the idea that this odd rock was your companion and Pauline was in the game in some capacity. *00:04* So I I think they look cool. *00:04* We did. *00:04* I think getting an Animal Crossing in twenty twenty-six is huge. *00:04* That doesn't sound like Mario Kart. *00:04* The potential for it is just so high. *00:04* I think that's super smart. *00:04* Additionally, you use your sonar. *00:04* And, you know, players don't like you said at the beginning of this, players don't always know what they want. *00:04* Yeah, it's it's gonna be a good time. *00:04* Oh yeah. *00:04* And you know, in me saying that, I *00:04* This is Donkey Hone 64, 65, whatever you want to call it. *00:04* Pauline, at the very least, Pauline is fully voiced. *00:04* But the next part of the direct was focused on like the *00:04* And so, you know, I feel like the and they even emphasize the fact, like, yeah, you can destroy the entire level if you want to. *00:04* It's funny how like what we've seen of Donkey Kong is like, you know. *00:04* It is. *00:04* And so like I'm just anticipating like, oh my gosh, what are they gonna do? *00:04* Like, oh my gosh, it's gonna be nuts. *00:04* And to do that, in your your video that you just mentioned, my thoughts on Switch 2. *00:04* And then I just wanted to kind of go through it beat by beat because the direct was organized fairly well. *00:04* And I I think it actually it would be a really great case study. *00:04* I'm almost getting like you can really *00:04* So it's it looks like they just want you to get in there and play with the systems and react. *00:04* Like I can I can imagine how it could go right or wrong, but I I can't judge that one yet, I don't think. *00:04* Yeah, I did. *00:04* But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. *00:04* Which is like I I'd I'm I'm generally not a pre-order guy either way. *00:04* However, what I do want to say is that *00:04* I mean Nintendo actually is throwing their own little tournaments, but *00:04* I I per I personally will probably not be using it that much, but when I saw game chat I was like *00:04* They even say in the direct chain chain reactions, and that was at the part where they were like, *00:04* And so Donkey Kong can only punch through so much of a the level of a materials before you would have to level it up, which I think *00:04* Chunky Kong is a rare champ. *00:04* This is pretty sweet, but also I'm assuming this is music in the game. *00:04* Yep. *00:04* I mean, I guess I did with Wii U over time. *00:04* And so if you want to bring Donkey Kong potentially into the Mario world in a more cohesive way *00:04* There's just like so many layers to it. *00:04* The turf surf is going to be the best move in the game, bar none. *00:04* It's it's gonna be good. *00:04* I figure we could stretch that into a podcast, and we shall do so. *00:05* And I was just in my bed, asleep, not given, not care, not with a care in the world *00:05* I need I need more convincing. *00:05* D does that sound enticing to you, that direct? *00:05* So that would be that would be strange to omit that unless they want to do a uh *00:05* So obviously Mario Kart and all of the enhanced editions. *00:05* But this adds so many like *00:05* Uh our task is to read things that are not yet on the page. *00:05* Pauline is the sidekick. *00:05* So I think that's actually a good point. *00:05* And it's good, but it's so constrained to that design and character. *00:05* Oh, I've seen that guy. *00:05* But it's RPG. *00:05* It is m partially a rumor, so you gotta take it with a grain of salt. *00:05* That is the handle. *00:05* So the reason I mention the second channel, besides, you know, the things is you have the *00:05* Well so it's interesting is *00:05* That seemed to be the go to well don't go to GameStop Strap. *00:05* I think it was a twenty fifteen game around this time of the year when it came out. *00:05* And so we did all the Grand Prix. *00:05* And like, do we jump? *00:05* Like especially with the transformations, like *00:05* So like you just stumble across a moon or whatever, but *00:05* Please. *00:05* Chunky Kong has to be in this game. *00:05* And a lot of people were thinking that a new Mario paint was like a lock. *00:05* But you know what? *00:05* So he kind of ruined half of my plan there. *00:05* And walked out to Target. *00:05* I think I almost think they they would show it regardless. *00:05* He put up a video about that. *00:05* Yes. *00:05* And then I think the Korean website uh uploaded the ROM files that showed the real box art, which includes this young Pauline. *00:05* Banana chips, uh, which is great, or coins or whatever they're called. *00:05* I'm trying to think of a Nintendo game, a core Nintendo game with a skill tree. *00:05* This is this is maybe a little off topic, but I remember when Tropical Freeze was coming out and um they had yet to reveal *00:05* I'm pictured in the corner, like red eyes glowing out of it, or or you know, uh *00:05* So that could slip into January, February. *00:05* You need a mushroom to get into that little cave. *00:05* He's down in a challenger. *00:05* And this is a good little brother mode or or kid mode, like you know, if my k if I was letting my kid play games at this age. *00:05* I don't uh I mean I fully believe like a Mario Maker 3 will come out with mouse mode and probably like a *00:05* Um I did like that they included the *00:05* I would I would I would be using your music app all day while I'm working, shuffle those 200 songs. *00:05* Um there you go. *00:05* But I did see multiple Switch 2 consoles, both on the floor and signs saying that we have them in the back, which I find really encouraging because *00:05* That was so so dumb. *00:05* And this is like the platform for them to *00:05* And so I was see I was seeing like a little bit of that. *00:05* Obviously, we don't know how it feels. *00:05* Like I'm telling you, this is what I'm saying about these younger developers. *00:05* Because I have a a you know an almost three-year-old child, so it's fun to dress up. *00:05* Like this mold and 3D modeling type of thing. *00:05* Um, I'm sure if it wasn't gonna be DK, it was gonna be some other game where they one of their first thoughts was like *00:05* But I went with a friend who had the pre-order there, and everyone in line brought their Switch one, and I was the dummy who was like, oh. *00:05* His one of his units was late, the the target one. *00:05* But what are you gonna do? *00:05* But I feel like the the kind of feeling that I'm getting right now, I kind of said this in my *00:05* But anything that they do that is going to like *00:05* And it has been we've waited *00:05* I mean, I've loved three D Donkey Khan since I got a banana yellow cartridge in a garage sale, you know, flaws and all. *00:05* So and and it's it's it's just fun. *00:05* While he does look like a cartoon, he is designed, right? *00:05* Exactly. *00:05* And so all you Not necessarily like how it works technologically, but like *00:05* Or gyro. *00:05* We can just have a Donkey Kong direct. *00:05* And I thought, I'll have Wiz of Wood. *00:05* And second, I was like, ah, this man says he's not gonna get a switch to. *00:05* I I feel like, especially with my focus on Nintendo stuff, it's just it doesn't make sense for me to just not have it at this point. *00:05* And that's not to say that like the games weren't like *00:05* And so like with that quote specifically, like *00:05* So like it was a big shock and *00:05* I've been behind the new DK design from the get-go. *00:05* It's not just because they *00:05* But one thing that is really compelling about the country games, the I I'll say the snutch trilogy, because this isn't exactly the case in the *00:05* They love seeing that number go up, man. *00:05* We were about we were about three to five people away from the cutoff point of getting that super limited collector's edition, which was a little bummer. *00:05* Like that I I that's what I assume it'll be. *00:05* It looks really, really good, especially on like a big OLED TV. *00:05* This is not my Kong. *00:05* Right. *00:05* But he just looks like I actually think this is a really good example of *00:05* This was a big concern of mine. *00:05* I like Naked is one of them for Donkey Kong. *00:05* The back chunk of the direct probably, quite honestly, had the most surprises for me, just because I didn't expect all of these *00:05* Do I have to do this? *00:05* And eight, you know, lasted obviously *00:05* And I don't know, it's so wholesome like *00:05* I think there was like maybe one line *00:05* So I'm really curious what you think about this like core moveset that they're showing off. *00:05* I mean, they're all hilarious, but the zebra one in particular just did something to me. *00:05* Oh yeah, yeah. *00:05* And everyone knows that the game doesn't matter if your character doesn't look good. *00:05* But yeah, like I I'm gonna I'm gonna keep going back to this. *00:05* As long as I can put him in an outfit *00:05* It's oh my gosh. *00:05* Like this direct absolutely changed my mind in like a very positive way. *00:05* They're cartoons. *00:05* I think um the interesting thing about this game *00:05* Like you and I have talked about this at length, with the sandbox versus the more linear goal-based levels. *00:05* I don't know if this is gonna happen in the game, but *00:05* Everybody, here you go. *00:05* And I I feel like I'm seeing that in Mario Kart Worlds where, you know *00:05* It just the dynamic between her and DK is like *00:05* There's the one scene with the owl boss where who like smashes a banana. *00:05* I was just watching one of his videos earlier. *00:05* But what I can do is I can follow the level d level design and *00:05* I think conversely, like this one's looking pretty decent. *00:05* Which just feels like so Yeah, there's so many questions there. *00:05* They feel out of place. *00:05* The power lines, the rails, the boosts, the the the the enemies, how you bounce off of them. *00:05* Like there's a social feel to the game that is pretty sweet. *00:05* They've done it, they've tried the Zelda um multiple times, and uh to varying degrees of success. *00:05* Ever like the destruction and the core movement feels like it it is *00:05* And like *00:05* They grew up with Minecraft. *00:05* WYSI-STIZZY. *00:05* But thank you all so much for listening. *00:05* When I was thinking about this summer, normally every summer I have guests on to talk about one or two of the big summer events. *00:06* Oh my gosh. *00:06* But he he can't leave the constraints of his physical body. *00:06* And he also is like not as expressive as like a cartoon character. *00:06* I think we might, man. *00:06* And Reggie was wearing a Metroid pin and people were so pissed. *00:06* This game should be caught this game should cost $100, so. *00:06* Um or the inverse where they sell a ton of them but no one can get them and we have kind of a *00:06* Uh and I've I've been a big game chat defender from the start. *00:06* So that is and this direct just amplified and confirmed all of those thoughts and ideas and feelings. *00:06* And I feel like it might be a *00:06* What is the second channel like name? *00:06* The Wii U's mightiest defender. *00:06* So anyway, Wiz does all of those things. *00:06* Uh very sick. *00:06* And I was playing online with friends a lot. *00:06* And it is Tour's fine on the phone. *00:06* So is it gonna stay fresh the entire time? *00:06* Do what? *00:06* He's been a skater for a long time. *00:06* Can I just say can I just say one thing really quick? *00:06* I felt like the presenters were really focused on just *00:06* So it's like, yeah, this is like the big challenge. *00:06* Well, it's a little bit later in the direct. *00:06* So I I don't know if you like felt as cool about co-op mode as I did, but *00:06* Oh no. *00:06* I mean, I know they pulled out like the obvious heavy hitters *00:06* Like the persona battle music always is usually kind of like has a high energy and momentum to it but has some sort of hip hop *00:06* And so we were talking about it, and yeah, I mean I made my decision that I wasn't gonna pre-order *00:06* And I was just my position on that is like just *00:06* That this era of Nintendo is transitioning to a younger, like *00:06* I hadn't even considered that. *00:06* Gems turn into skill points. *00:06* So you it's like *00:06* Like d am I gonna start playing this game on the go? *00:06* As for me, you can just go over to maxfrequency. *00:06* The circumstances were very unconventional. *00:06* Like you you mentioned um *00:06* We're gearing up for the big DK revival. *00:06* A tasty golden nugget. *00:06* And just seeing what was happening, I was like, what the heck? *00:06* I was like, I I was ready to shed a tear. *00:06* Clearly they've been playing Tony Hawk. *00:06* What we've seen is these *00:06* And then you've got DK Artist. *00:06* Might even be up by the time this podcast goes up. *00:06* Yeah. *00:06* Was it a PAX or something else? *00:06* It is a perfect launch game. *00:06* How are you feeling about that? *00:06* Like they've clearly chosen this um *00:06* You could aim it and throw it. *00:06* There are a lot of younger devs in the Odyssey team that grew up playing the DKC games and wanted to make one. *00:06* Like, I mean, with Donkey Kong, so much of it is tied to *00:06* But then for you specifically. *00:06* And just because it's not playing like *00:06* I mean that was the guy behind Jungle Beat who gave us all of the different *00:06* I've got a nugget. *00:06* Oh my gosh. *00:06* I think what is what was tricky about it is *00:06* If if Donkey Kong don't move good, is it even Donkey Kong? *00:06* Yeah, there's one shot where you have like a ice chunk and you're using it to *00:06* You can upgrade that and so instead of *00:06* And so I think this is something that they're just continually iterating upon. *00:06* Could be gyro. *00:06* It's just a different feel. *00:06* Super expressive. *00:06* I have a lot of feelings. *00:06* Like I was saying earlier. *00:06* So you can't necessarily destroy a whole level the first time you get there because you may not be powerful enough. *00:06* And, you know, with this being the iterative generation on the Switch and *00:06* Just just give it to us. *00:06* It's a great time. *00:06* At least having played Tropical Freeze on Wii U and having played DKC Returns on Wii *00:06* The other like feature *00:06* There is one more thing. *00:06* And like even if it is like mostly just what we know now, I don't know, man. *00:06* Or a banana. *00:06* There, I got a banana themed pun in there. *00:06* I think he holds a world record somewhere. *00:06* Is she gonna change her mind with the new Animal Crossing? *00:06* I played some with the boys the other night. *00:06* And I wanted to to pull on that a little bit because *00:06* Uh yeah. *00:06* But I didn't see a lot of people talking about that. *00:06* I'm going to assume it feels good in the hand. *00:06* I'm wondering if you're getting the zebra in the winter world and like *00:06* But also it's it's Marty from uh *00:06* They do the developer interviews with uh *00:06* And he's heard a rumor that I'm going to quote him directly. *00:06* Are you bonanza for bonanza? *00:06* I need to see more from Nintendo. *00:06* And it was it was pretty easy to get a Switch 1 from my perspective at launch. *00:06* Uh and that was on May 30th of 2014. *00:06* These are not the Donkey Kong jungle environments that I grew up in that is like *00:06* Like, this is not big ape energy coming in. *00:06* Yeah. *00:06* I uh in my notes here the challenge rooms, the runes. *00:06* I don't know. *00:06* And it's I I I'm taking a a last minute trip. *00:06* I mean, I guess to better answer your question, as far as me being excited for this, like if this *00:06* So I'm super pumped. *00:06* And that's saying a lot because Mario Odyssey was like *00:06* But he shoots out in surprise. *00:06* We have chunk jumps. *00:06* And so *00:06* I think we touched on this a little bit, which was one of the big questions is who is making this game *00:06* When you have uh the a library of some of the greatest video game music of all time, like *00:06* So I'm super hype at this point. *00:06* Got some stuff. *00:06* It is very addictive. *00:06* You'd be surprised at how long we can stretch our conversation about 17 minutes of gameplay footage and explain and explanations, but *00:06* But d so were there more leaks that like in *00:06* Like, have you noticed they we've got the gators, like the skeletons? *00:06* However, *00:07* How hilarious would that have been? *00:07* Take us back to the city. *00:07* But the whole time I was like, guys, like *00:07* And I think part of it is like *00:07* And so within that, then they can do things that are fun, dynamic, and expressive and and *00:07* But I'm honestly not feeling as concerned as I did before, particularly because of *00:07* I mean you could so DiddyCon and DixieCon are in the game, for sure, along with Cranky. *00:07* The uh *00:07* Like, I think that, you know, this makes perfect sense. *00:07* Do I want to keep this Switch 2 that is liter it was sitting in the corner of my room in the box? *00:07* And that's not like give me credit. *00:07* Yeah. *00:07* It just I was just sitting there like *00:07* Mm-hmm *00:07* So DK makes animal noises, you know, because he's he ape. *00:07* And so it is different, but all it is like reminiscent of the like *00:07* So there's these skills that you can upgrade, but then *00:07* And oh my goodness, I'm I'm excited for these. *00:07* Pikmin 4 environments are the levels are way bigger than anything we saw in the series prior. *00:07* Um *00:07* So *00:07* It's so good. *00:07* That is a good theme. *00:07* It's it's like putting it *00:07* I've got a nugget for that later. *00:07* And that was leaked ahead of time, which I I really wish it wasn't. *00:07* I watched it as a kid, um, but this is at a different level. *00:07* That is great. *00:07* Minecraft. *00:07* So you're gonna you will give him pants. *00:07* It seems so much more in depth, and I actually could see this being *00:07* And so I love *00:07* And I was like, well. *00:07* Um, and you can tell, but m *00:07* And so I don't even feel like I'm good at *00:07* So it's just chaos. *00:07* And that is so interesting because that is *00:07* Pauline, how's she gonna be mayor? *00:07* And *00:07* Yeah. *00:07* The kids and so *00:07* Settle the lawsuits, whatever you have to do. *00:07* Um Chunky and the Kremlings, perhaps? *00:07* That's what I tried to *00:07* Dude, also as like an influencer person, like, I mean, there was a lot of discourse about like, oh *00:07* September and October were nothing. *00:07* I it's exciting and I want to play more *00:07* A Gran Turismo, a Forza, like here are our graphics, here are good. *00:07* And so that kind of tells me that like *00:07* So I imagine you're gonna want to be changing your outfit regularly and uh *00:07* I remember when I was working on the big Pikmin retrospective, that was one thing that *00:07* This is *00:07* So I can't I'm not gonna talk about it until it's up. *00:07* And so *00:07* Yes, they have, and it's *00:07* Like some people even pictured like the clickwheel with the rotary, and so like you can extrapolate that out and see how it works. *00:07* Yeah. *00:07* Yep. *00:07* W-I-Z-Z-Y-S-T-I- *00:07* But *00:07* It is *00:07* I think I think I just need to I I won't know until *00:07* Course Clear. *00:07* It's called the hand slap. *00:07* Free, my boy. *00:07* Um poor collectors. *00:07* I I'm so excited. *00:07* That's technically winter. *00:07* And *00:07* Um *00:07* It's *00:07* Right. *00:07* Dude, his gold belly alone. *00:07* That like there is *00:07* If you search uh *00:07* That's a that's a deep the hardest I don't know. *00:07* Nintendo announced, at least as of recording, that uh we haven't heard of a proper summer full direct. *00:07* And that was March 9th of 2025. *00:07* It sounds *00:07* I'm glad that they're doing it and I know people have been kind of mixed on *00:07* So we had the movie, which was *00:07* You can ride it like a skateboard. *00:07* It's good. *00:07* That's all we need. *00:07* You do have a Donkey Kong Country retrospective in the works *00:07* I've been derailed by a major HDMI capture issue, but I will not *00:07* Technically. *00:07* And we will see a speed run through this game, and it will blow our minds. *00:07* It didn't sound like that to them. *00:07* Um it's pretty wild and super great momentum out of the gate. *00:07* I don't know if you want to take the reins on that, but I could just I could go on for a bit. *00:07* It is. *00:07* I mean, there was I can say *00:07* This is what they're doing. *00:07* So that's your skill tree like. *00:07* But one thing that was so funny that like I wish happened so bad was *00:07* Um *00:07* Yeah, to be *00:07* How better to you know really capitalize off the switch? *00:07* Tell me, how did this happen? *00:07* Oh my gosh. *00:07* Um *00:07* It's so obviously Koizumi inspired. *00:07* See, I I don't even I don't even know. *00:07* I have a lot of feelings on this. *00:07* Um not only can you just game share with another Switch 2 locally, you can game share over *00:07* Yeah. *00:07* It's great. *00:07* So I definitely would think *00:08* The game sold way more than they thought they wanted to make more money. *00:08* And so coming into this new one, like I was not convinced at all that it like *00:08* Where before I would have been like, this is great animation. *00:08* It almost looks like feather. *00:08* Like this is yeah, I really think this is a big thing. *00:08* And so this one, there's just so many more variables to it, especially with like the mouse mode and the copying of the *00:08* I'm going bonanza, man. *00:08* Oh, go ahead, Wiz. *00:08* And I've seen it in other reviews and things. *00:08* And whenever we hang out, like at some point *00:08* I'm so happy that they're *00:08* Yeah, clearly. *00:08* And you know what's so weird? *00:08* Madagascar. *00:08* Um so you can have no pants and no tie or just the tie. *00:08* Now the rumor mill says there will be one in July. *00:08* Just another tease, maybe a gameplay trailer or something. *00:08* I was like, this will be a great way to just have a *00:08* Yeah. *00:08* Like, it's that adds an extra layer of charm to everything, more so, I think, than if *00:08* And obviously that is all in preparation of this game, right? *00:08* Thank you. *00:08* They're down. *00:08* That is like something that I hope players can *00:08* Well it wasn't the end of the direct, wasn't my one more thing. *00:08* And then we have Bonanza in July and the m Super Mario Party Jamboree upgrade slash DLC pack. *00:08* Nope. *00:08* It's it is Mario Kart, uh, with loot boxes, you know, on the phone with *00:08* And so they they both are Donkey Kong, but they're both *00:08* You know what just came to me? *00:08* I guess we're not really going in order, but it's only 17 minutes. *00:08* So using the mouse *00:08* Thanks, Nick. *00:08* Like *00:08* There's gotta be a banana pun in there somewhere. *00:08* So definitely check that out. *00:08* That's what I'm working on. *00:08* And it's not even like it's not even like *00:08* I had no time ironically the first two days of the Switch to even like set it up and play *00:08* Like I like *00:08* Yeah, on Great Block Ruins. *00:08* You know, Nintendo feels like the only company that *00:08* That is uh interesting rabbit. *00:08* But then also what *00:08* Things blew out of the wall. *00:08* It's more so like focusing heavily on like *00:08* This is using a similar idea, mouse mode to control a cursor. *00:08* And until next time, adios. *00:08* And I'm like, oh. *00:08* Like *00:08* Um *00:08* So like *00:08* The Course Clear levels. *00:08* So he put one up about Bonanza *00:08* So smart. *00:08* Side scrolling stages, like guys, guys. *00:08* Like they're um Yes. *00:08* I don't know. *00:08* Oh my gosh, so good. *00:08* It's super smart, seamless, and it's usually easier if the game's on there, it's easier than going to YouTube or something. *00:08* I know it's like WYSI, but I don't know the handle for it. *00:08* net, see my writing and all the other podcasts. *00:08* And there's this upper tier and echelon of of skill and movement and *00:08* And it's like, okay, I like I see what you're doing. *00:08* This is the one thing because I have talked about how I I am mixed on the design. *00:08* Because you're fully engaging with the systems on display. *00:08* Um *00:08* He'll be sitting there playing two player one player with each hand and explaining the game in immaculate detail. *00:08* This was just I had some friends who were going up to visit family. *00:08* It looks fun *00:08* It's fun to have *00:08* The *00:08* You brought them up. *00:08* Like those people were like, I want to do more crazy monkey designs. *00:08* I that is gonna make each playthrough unique and then you know *00:08* And then a teaser for Animal Crossing. *00:08* Um it sounds alright. *00:08* Bring us back to city folk. *00:08* Like we need to see *00:08* You know, the hand slap has been in past Donkey Kong games. *00:08* This is more like, oh, I need more Banantium gems. *00:08* Could be. *00:08* He's great. *00:08* There's just s an infectious like *00:08* Let's give people a port of DKC returns that *00:08* Like it was like *00:08* Like *00:08* So it's like Donkey Kong sculptures basically where you can add and *00:08* Uh it's the week after I get back. *00:08* Oh, it's already popping off. *00:08* And then he just lets out a big grin. *00:08* The power of CG *00:08* And that I think is gonna once people like get the game in their hands, like I think they're gonna feel that and it's *00:08* Free chunky. *00:08* Um it could also be this year. *00:08* And so *00:08* I think it has a much higher likelihood of staying *00:08* It's that Mario Kart chaos, right? *00:08* Because this is so clearly *00:08* He's like, yeah, look what they did to my boy. *00:08* Like I kind of wish there was *00:09* You know, look how they massacred my boy. *00:09* He is a design. *00:09* Oh my god. *00:09* Oh my god. *00:09* And so I this might be a hot take too. *00:09* Uh I wrote down actually that *00:09* He doesn't stretch and animate. *00:09* And so that just *00:09* But more responsive of like *00:09* And *00:09* We can do it. *00:09* So *00:09* So *00:09* Okay. *00:09* It almost looks like looks like feathers on him. *00:09* That is a meme moment for sure. *00:09* Why would you staple anything to uh *00:09* The next *00:09* Twenty. *00:09* Our our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. *00:09* You gotta have the prequel. *00:09* It's like, oh, it's *00:09* Uh assuming it is in-game music, I'm curious where in the game *00:09* Target one, for sure. *00:09* Like that's what you want. *00:09* And I was asleep. *00:09* Like going back to the more *00:09* Yep. *00:09* So I think that's pretty smart and engaging in that way *00:09* I I'm going bonanza. *00:09* Wiz. *00:09* How does one end up with a switch two after not planning on getting one at *00:09* It's pretty sweet. *00:09* Like I could actually see what you're doing. *00:09* And now I will say the as we get into this, like *00:09* I think like *00:09* You can *00:09* So that *00:09* Go ahead. *00:09* Uh I had him on the show last year, you know, I didn't even look it up. *00:09* Yeah. *00:09* I wanna that's what I wanna hit on. *00:09* So they last of used it. *00:09* Like Mario Kart *00:09* And do you fair you know, I think the item and the rubber banding is all *00:09* There's no stamina system like Breath of the Wild and *00:09* Absolutely. *00:09* You know what I'm saying? *00:09* Yeah. *00:09* Like, I'm all for that. *00:09* This will be a very interesting perspective to talk about the summer direct. *00:09* And so *00:09* And so um Nintendo did a very good job here, I think. *00:09* He has a whole section of a theme park. *00:09* That game will look great. *00:09* They showed three of them. *00:09* His gold belly alone is so convincing. *00:09* Just as a pure joke, I would have I would have made that up. *00:09* Yeah. *00:09* Was it twenty fourteen? *00:09* It's it's a blast there. *00:09* You continue. *00:09* Like that that would be a good example pairing, I think, just the way they're approaching Donkey. *00:09* I'm I'm cutting the audio. *00:09* It's just we're all observing the same thing. *00:09* Yeah, yeah. *00:09* When I saw that you could get an outfit for her, just as the computer, I was like, pfft. *00:09* Um I don't know. *00:10* Now we know that Pokemon Legends ZA is October. *00:10* Say it's *00:10* Dude, we're gonna *00:10* Not the Nintendo Ask, yeah. *00:10* I haven't explored the open world single player like part at all. *00:10* So like clearly we're all honing in on *00:10* But then if you want more video essays like the *00:10* He was like uh as I'm sure you were as well, just *00:10* They look so good. *00:10* Um for sure. *00:10* Target one. *00:10* And there were quite a large amount of people that were just like *00:10* Like that *00:10* That was the first time me playing with uh with pals and *00:10* Yeah. *00:10* It uh I've I've been looking up this joke. *00:10* And I'm just *00:10* Like I think people will do some sick stuff with it. *00:10* Well I mean *00:10* We actually didn't see any camera support, so maybe that's a *00:10* Like I wouldn't you I wouldn't be surprised if like *00:10* And but what what was interesting about it is like *00:10* The spinning top, frenetic. *00:10* Like, uh I don't know if you noticed this, but um so like *00:10* The absolute chaos of the items. *00:10* It's actually like *00:10* We gotta explain the deep lore. *00:10* You know what I'm saying? *00:10* And you can throw Lanky and Tiny in two, but *00:10* He *00:10* So like *00:10* Like in this game you can punch a wall and there'd just be a banana there *00:10* And so it's a it's super challenging to *00:10* I don't know. *00:10* And yeah, so. *00:10* It just popped in my head. *00:10* But in this direct, they were like, oh yeah. *00:10* Yeah. *00:10* But they've always been fairly *00:10* Yeah. *00:10* Like, I'll be honest. *00:10* And I mean, when you see *00:10* Um *00:10* They want you to react to the world while the world reacts to you. *00:10* So give me the nugget. *00:10* Hey Wiz, how's it going? *00:10* So um *00:10* Kirby Air Riders had a 2025 date. *00:10* And those games can be great. *00:10* So this was *00:10* I just find that nugget *00:10* This isn't for me, but *00:10* The time trial community is going crazy right now. *00:10* And it is. *00:10* Like I *00:10* Thank you so much for coming on the show, man, to talk to me. *00:10* There is the the *00:10* And *00:10* So I don't know. *00:10* So we all drove over and watched *00:10* And like that to me is like that was like the perfect amount of just *00:10* There already is going to be a Pokemon presents in July, so *00:11* And that's like my one *00:11* So *00:11* Yeah. *00:11* It's *00:11* How are you feeling about the music they played in this thing? *00:11* We can't break the embargoes like Donkey Kong breaks terrain. *00:11* So skip ahead if you don't want the direct spoiled for you. *00:11* I assume there are more. *00:11* This game, this game too *00:11* It's it's so bad. *00:11* This is this is I'm so serious about this. *00:11* I'm curious how *00:11* Like the y these young this is *00:11* And *00:11* And *00:11* But like the problem is most of the booster pack is too recorded. *00:11* Retro Studios does a phenomenal job. *00:11* I think everyone will get the picture *00:11* Um *00:11* So *00:11* And, you know, when you have like *00:11* So I'm hopeful for that. *00:11* And I think that *00:11* And so it may not be perfect. *00:11* So you can you can get that classic feel. *00:11* Um *00:11* I that I've I did *00:11* You you mentioned the other night *00:11* I I flew to New York City for that one. *00:11* Like once the first time we did it. *00:11* Um *00:11* I was like *00:11* Just *00:11* I need like and this is *00:11* And *00:11* But so *00:12* I think uh *00:12* And *00:12* Bye-bye. *00:12* Yeah. *00:12* So I don't know if the game is *00:12* And so you're able to just. *00:12* Really excited about that. *00:12* I mean *00:12* I think *00:12* And *00:12* I I love the idea of it, so I was here for more. *00:12* Give the golden nugget to me. *00:12* Oh, can I *00:12* Dying to see that *00:12* It's *00:12* It looked like. *00:12* It's Marty. *00:12* Um *00:12* Gran Turismo *00:12* So we at least have *00:12* Um *00:12* And so *00:12* It seems *00:12* Um *00:12* I didn't look up the last time you *00:13* Um *00:13* But the outfits just look *00:13* And I *00:13* This is what *00:13* Um *00:13* They *00:13* And *00:13* Uh *00:14*