Google Maps and MAR10 Day

Tomorrow is March 10, which is Mario Day (MAR10), so Nintendo and Google Maps have teamed up to replace the current location point with Mario in a pipe frame kart. With the latest Google Maps update, you can tap the "?" block in the bottom right corner to toggle this theme. This will be available for the next seven days. Google Maps is available from the Apple App Store for free [Direct Link].

Miitomo Shutting Down and the Future of Miis

Nintendo's first venture into mobile gaming was Miitomo, an app where you could answer a variety of questions and learn strange facts about your friends. It had a weird premise, but introduced new ways to customize your Mii character, which I found the most enjoyable. Unfortunately, Miitomo will no longer function after May 9, 2018, about two years after its launch. I was really hoping that this app would have some integration with the Nintendo Switch. For example, changing your Mii's clothes in Miitomo would change their clothes in the games your Mii was in. This never came to be. In addition, Nintendo seems to be leaving Miis behind. While Miis are technically present on the Nintendo Switch, they are optional and serve little purpose, possibly to leave the "Wii" name in the past. It's the end of an era for many, but I'm sure society will go on without them.

Nintendo Switch Online App

I've owned my Nintendo Switch for a few months now and I can safely say that it's probably my favorite modern gaming console on the market. Today, the Nintendo Switch Online app has been released on the Apple App Store. There doesn't appear to have any functionality, as the servers are going under maintenance, however, the app will integrate with Splatoon 2 and it's online modes. Nintendo Switch Online is available from the Apple App Store for free [Direct Link].

Apple May Be Causing Nintendo Switch Supply Issues

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple's strong grasp on component manufacturers may be causing supply issues with the Nintendo Switch. As many know, the Nintendo Switch has been very difficult to find and requires hopeful owners to be ready to purchase with a moment's notice. The Switch is in need of a steady supply of flash-memory chips, LCDs, and motors for HD Rumble. Let's hope both companies can work out a steady supply somehow.

Why the Nintendo Switch is a Game Changer

I've been playing with the Nintendo Switch for about a week now, and while I'm not prepared to do a full review on it yet, I do have to make this point clear. I know it's been said time and time again, but I have to reiterate it: the portability aspect of the Nintendo Switch completely changes the way you will look at big triple-A titles. With console games, I find myself not having enough time to commit myself to sit down, turn on the console, and play the game. You don't just play these games for short periods. Meanwhile, handheld games, specifically those on the 3DS, can be played in quick bursts, but often have clear limitations held back by the hardware. The Nintendo Switch solves this problem by putting console quality games wherever you go. No other console can do that. Now, you want to see all your favorite games on this system. Rocket League, Fallout 4, Overwatch, and so on. Games you'd like to have more time playing, but don't have the chance to. While many of these games likely won't be ported due to the technical limitations of the Switch, it's important to see how game developers will rethink their future titles. Local wireless play may soon be an alternative to online play even. I can only hope this becomes a reality.

Nintendo Switch Desk

First off, if you've never heard of Jonathan Morrison, definitely go check out his YouTube channel. He is one of my favorite tech channels out there. Today, he showed off a new desk design based around the Nintendo Switch. The result is gorgeous. Bright colors complement the Neon Joy-Con controllers of the system. There is perfectly placed and portioned Nintendo-themed decor. Even the wallpaper of the computer is perfectly themed. Words don't do this setup justice, so please check out the video below if you have time.

National Mario Day 2017

National Mario Day comes every March 10. Why? March abbreviated is "Mar" and 10 looks like "IO." Today, Nintendo is celebrating by partnering with the Starlight Children's Foundation to bring new gowns for hospitalized children. They feature designs of Mario and his companions. In addition, Nintendo is offering discounts on some Mario games.

Nintendo Switch and MacBook Pro

The Nintendo Switch uses USB-C as a charging port. MacBook Pro's newest model uses USB-C as a multipurpose port. So, one would think that the MacBook Pro would charge the Nintendo Switch when plugged into each other. According to Mike Murphy via Twitter, the Nintendo Switch actually charges the MacBook Pro. Furthermore, if the Nintendo Switch is turned off, the MacBook Pro will charge the Nintendo Switch.

Lol if you plug a Nintendo Switch into a new MacBook Pro, the Switch charges the laptop, not the other way around pic.twitter.com/YJhMct6fKO

— Mike Murphy (@mcwm) March 1, 2017

Nintendo Switch Released

It's been a very long journey but the day has finally come. The Nintendo Switch has been released in the east parts of America. And it certainly has an amazing launch title. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has gained unprecedented scores, earning perfect scores by nearly every major gaming publication. The Nintendo Switch marks Nintendo's pivot from their traditional ways and creating a new Apple-like style of continuity. It has the unique feature of being both a console and a handheld, all while playing fully-fleged console games. The Nintendo Switch officially launches at midnight on March 3 and is priced at $299.99.

Pokémon Go Adding Johto Region Pokémon

Pokémon Go, that one game that was popular for about a month, is receiving a long overdue update. So long overdue, that it may be too late to revive the once sensational game. What many Pokémon players don't know is that the 150 Pokémon available in the game aren't all of the Pokémon. These are just the Pokémon from the Kanto region, the setting of the original games. There are over 800 total Pokémon. Yeah, that brings new meaning to "Gotta Catch 'Em All." The Johto region, which will be added to the game, consists of about 80 new Pokémon. And while this is the largest update since the game's inception, I don't see it jumpstarting interest. The update will be coming later this week.

The Magic of Pokémon Games

There's no denying that Pokémon has made its place in society. Whether that was in 1996, when it wasn't cool to play video games, or in 2016, where it was cool to play Pokémon Go for two months. It's safe to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Pokémon Sun, the latest installment of the series. The story, the new mechanics, and the music. I continuously find myself listening to the game's soundtrack at school. But the icing on the cake was Pokémon Bank. Pokémon Bank is a step in the right direction for Nintendo, as it is the closest thing we've seen to a cloud-based storage system that is future-proofed. It essentially allows you to store all 802 Pokémon from all of the games online. That aside, it did get me to take a look at my old copy of Pokémon Diamond. This was the first Pokémon game I owned. I remember getting it because my friends were playing either Diamond or Pearl. I booted it up and found the various pocket monsters in their boxes. I think the fact that I named a Bidoof "Fat Racoon" proves I didn't understand the game at all at the time. But it was so cool to see my old partners from the Sinnoh region. I think that is part of the magic of the Pokémon franchise. It's been around so long, you don't just get to see your Pokémon evolve, but the entire series too.

Pokémon Go for Apple Watch Released

After confusion about Pokémon Go for Apple Watch's fate, Pokémon Go for Apple Watch is finally available for trainers. While the casual audience for the game has died down, this may reignite Apple Watch-equipped trainers. It definitely makes the game easier to play without the need to be focused on a phone. Pokémon Go is available on the Apple App Store for free [Direct Link].

Super Mario Run Releases on iOS

Today, Super Mario Run made its debut on the Apple App Store. The entire carousel of the App Store has been designed around Super Mario Run. After the success of Pokémon Go, it seems that Super Mario Run may be another money maker for Nintendo, combining the popularity and versatility of mobile games and the Mario intellectual property. Super Mario Run is available exclusively on the Apple App Store for free [Direct Link].

Stupid Mario Run: Nintendo's Patent-Pending Anti-Piracy Measure

With Super Mario Run coming out this Thursday, Nintendo is ready to line its wallets with another round of mobile in-app purchases. To unlock the full version of Super Mario Run, a $9.99 price tag is hidden in the in-app purchases section. But that's not why I'm writing this post.

Nintendo has made the facepalming decision to require Super Mario Run to connect to the internet continuously... to prevent piracy [Source: Mashable]. Piracy... on iOS? I would think the whole point of making a big deal of announcing your first Mario game on mobile at an Apple event would be to utilize the technologies Apple gives to you. A huge plus for developers on the Apple App Store is that they don't have to worry about piracy. Most iOS users don't know how to pirate. Meanwhile on the Play Store, piracy is completely rampant. Androids simply need an APK file of the app to get a free copy. Even games with advertisements will work without internet, which disables the ads. So, why would Nintendo want to burden iOS users with an anti-piracy feature? I'm not sure, but it's certainly making that $9.99 price tag look less appealing. And you're certainly not going to be able to use this app on a subway as advertised. School WiFi networks already blocked Miitomo, Nintendo's other game, so this will likely use up data.

The execution seems to be another problem. Having a continuous connection wastes data and battery life. Once every 24 hours maybe? Even the Xbox One had better anti-piracy tactics than this. I mean, get real. Am I going to have a valid copy of the game at the beginning of the day and by noon, it will be pirated? Are there enough pirates out there to justify having this continuous connection? While they're less common, iPod Touches will have no means of running this app since they don't have cellular data. Younger kids won't be able to play as their favorite Italian plumber because of an anti-piracy measure. I see the trending hashtag now: #MarioGate.

Am I over exaggerating? Maybe a little. How much data can this take up? Will this have an impact on my battery? I shouldn't judge this until we have some hard evidence to make an argument. But at the same time, is piracy a big enough of an issue to justify bricking Super Mario Run when you have no signal? For all we know, all this data checking if your app is pirated may mess up Nintendo's servers, just like Pokémon Go. In the words of George Santayana, "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it."

Pokémon Go and Starbucks

In hopes to reignite the hype for Pokémon Go, Niantic has made a deal with Starbucks, turning every café into a Pokéstop. In addition, there's a Pokémon Go Frappuccino. This news comes during the week we expect Pokémon Go to add about 100 generation 2 Pokémon. Pokémon Go was also just named the Breakout Hit of the Apple App Store for 2016. Also, Super Mario Run will be releasing next week. It is definitely a big week for Nintendo in mobile gaming.

Super Mario Run Release Details

Super Mario Run, a runner game from Nintendo similar to Temple Run, will be releasing on December 15. While the base game will be free to purchase, the full game costs $9.99 as an in-app purchase. Although this is cheap by Nintendo standards, most seem to think this is a bit too much given what we've seen. In addition, Nintendo believes Super Mario Run will outdo Pokémon Go. Unless they mean in revenue, there's no way the amount of downloads will exceed that of Pokémon Go, especially considering this is an iOS exclusive for the time being. Super Mario Run will be free when it releases [Direct Link].

Nintendo Switch

Today, Nintendo revealed their next-generation console, the Nintendo Switch, the final name for their NX console. Nintendo has a lot riding on this after the flop that was the Wii U. Switch is a hybrid between a handheld and a home console. In addition, it can play more third-party games, including The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. Unfortunately, the short, three-minute trailer we saw this morning will be the last thing we will hear of the Switch until 2017. I'd like to give my thoughts and impressions in a separate post.

Why You Shouldn't Work For Nintendo...

I find myself ranting more and more about Nintendo, how they handle their fans, and how they make business decisions. I could probably start an entire blog on that alone and still post everyday. However, most of this I don't post because it's so predictable by Nintendo at this point. However, when I saw this story (credit to Ohnickel via YouTube), I knew I had to write about this.

Sephazon, as he is known on Twitter, always wanted to work at Nintendo. He is very passionate about the games and characters that Nintendo has brought into this world. So, he went to get a job at Nintendo. After being interviewed in Seattle, where Nintendo of America's headquarters is located, he was hired as a Miiverse Community Insights Specialist.

My first day at @NintendoAmerica is Monday. My body is ready. pic.twitter.com/nnsugpYYpE

— Sephazon (@Sephazon) September 13, 2016

You can tell from his Twitter feed alone that he is the kind of person that Nintendo needs. Especially with how unaware Nintendo is of their fans, where they stand in the market, and even their own games at times. He even wears a Franklin badge from EarthBound on his business suit. Anyways, from here, Sephazon starts moving from the East Coast all the way over to Seattle, Washington over the time of a week. After this lengthy process, he was told that the position he was hired for was "no longer available."

Okay...

Yeah.

Seems about rig--

WHAT?!?!

Nintendo, you cannot treat jobs like amiibo! It's dumb enough that you can manage to cancel pre-orders on your products, but how do you let something like this happen. Especially, if they have to move by car across the country to get to your headquarters. Sephazon was very calm and respectful about the situation. He did delete the tweet about him not getting the job because so many people gave Nintendo hate for it, which they rightfully deserve. Even after all of this, he stated that he will continue to support Nintendo. I honestly hope Nintendo does feel the repercussions of this, because this is more than just a bad business practice. It's cluelessness and stupidity by a company.

Pokémon Go Plus: First Impressions

Pokémon Go Plus is the official accessory that complements the App Store phenomenon, Pokémon Go. It can catch Pokémon and obtain items from Pokéstops without opening the app. It can track distance for eggs and Pokémon buddies. When in range of a Pokémon or Pokéstop, the device will vibrate and light up. This is very convenient while driving. However, there are some drawbacks. Pokémon Go Plus will only function about 20 minutes without the app being open. Also, since the catch rate is random, Pokémon with very little CP will run away from you. Because of how many Pokémon you encounter, you go through Pokéballs fast and you'll quickly run out of Pokémon storage space. My biggest complaint is that you don't get any Pokécoins for registering the device. It costs $34.99 and the features don't make the most of that price tag. I would be much happier if they gave me 500 or 1,000 Pokécoins for purchasing the device. Overall, whether you like this product depends on how dedicated you are to Pokémon Go.

Pokémon Go: Appraisal Update

In an effort to keep Pokémon Go players satisfied while game mechanics are being fixed, Niantic updated Pokémon Go with an Appraisal feature. This allows the user to gain insight on their Pokémon's strengths and weaknesses. In my opinion, this isn't very useful to experienced players and is pretty uninformative to newer players, so I see this as just a filler update. I mean, my team leader called my CP 10 Magikarp "above average." Pokémon Go is available from the Apple App Store for free [Direct Link].

Yeah, that's right. Team Mystic for life.