The Wonderful 101 Message Board older than one year ago

A portion of a Dtoid review...

The Wonderful 101 is one of those rare games that keeps getting more and more fun the more that you play it. If you have the dexterity to handle the controls and the patience to deal with a few momentum-killing platforming/puzzle bits, you're in for a heck of a time.

Full review here

A portion of an ONM review...

Even Platinum fans will be surprised by this. Played with patience and a willingness to learn, this isn't just the most surprising game on Wii U - it's the best.

Full review here

I couldn't help myself from blurting out "Nice shoes!" when Hideki Kamiya stood up to shake my hand. Look at them. Is it any wonder why I had to give them props? Read more...

A portion of a Vooks review...

Its flaws are minor, but The Wonderful 101 is one of the greatest exclusives that the Wii U has right now, and a game that shouldn’t be missed by any self-respecting Wii U owner.

Full review here

If you follow Hideki Kamiya on Twitter, you might expect him to be an excitable, fast-talking conversationalist in person. He's pretty much the opposite. In fact, when he sat down for an interview at PAX last week, the man responsible for beloved action games Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe and Bayonetta barely even raised his voice.Read more...

A portion of an NWR review...

...you’re looking at a package that you’ll remember fondly for many years to come. No one said that a journey can't have some rough edges, but when it leads straight to Kamiya's heart, that’s not always a bad thing.

Full review here

Following info comes from Kamiya...

- "don't be worried, it's a 100% pure action game"
- Unite Morph was inspired by a picture book he saw when he was a kid
- this book was called "Swimmy", in which lots of little fishies come together to form a big strong fish
- Nintendo didn't like the idea of an all-star cast of Nintendo characters
- design philosophy is "Crash and Build", since working off a blueprint doesn't work for him
- Wonder-Giant is one character design that didn't make it into the final game
- Kamiya would make Wonderful 101 posters to help excite the staff and push them forward
- one unite morph has a bazooka blasting guys at a t-Rex
- one portion had characters come together to form a bridge
- Nintendo concept art of Peach, Luigi & Yoshi as the bridge with Mario walking over them
- this is when Nintendo decided against the idea
- the Unite Morph was not originally a drawing a mechanic, but was triggered by something else.
- conversation system was introduced in the second prototype
- trigger for Unite Morph was originally based on selecting icons
- character designs, when finished, were placed on a board for all the devs to see
- Kamiya didn't want a typical protagonist vs. antagonist plot,
- the protagonists face their own personal problems
- the script helped to determine elements of the game that needed to be created
- Kamiya believes the essence of Platinum Games is reflected in The Wonderful 101
- Kamiya publicly asked Nintendo to release arcade versions of Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong on the Virtual Console Arcade
- Kamiya met Miyamoto for the first time while he was complaining to Nintendo about releasing Donkey Kong or Mario Bros. on virtual console
- Kamiya is looking for fan ideas for a sequel to The Wonderful 101, if it should ahppen
- Kamiya would love to make Viewtiful Joe 3 and Okami 2 if he acquires permission from Capcom
- secret characters revealed

Link

Read the rest of the story...

We've already talked about The Wonderful 101's website opening, but that was just the teaser. Now you can hit up the full site, which really has an awesome presentation. One of the better game sites I've seen in awhile!

A portion of a VideoGamer interview with Hideki Kamiya...

VG: Given how 101 looks, it's somewhat of a surprise that it's far more aimed at someone who's familiar and comfortable with games than someone's who's not. Who did you think it would appeal to, and who was it aimed at?

HK: It was originally aimed at me... [laughs]. When I make games I never really think about who I'm targeting the game for. I just want to create something that's fun and enjoyed by the audience. I still enjoy, even at this age, superhero themes and transformations. It was just pure creating something that I like and incorporating these other things into the game.

VG: I guess that would also prevent it from ever being a game that could cross platforms too?

HK: With the availability of the two screens, games that were made for the Wii U can't simply be ported across to Sony or Microsoft platforms. We feel that 101 is tuned up very finely for the Wii U.

VG: You were very vocal on Twitter about the marketing on 101 and how Nintendo wasn't approaching it correctly. Do you still feel that way?

HK: [Laughs]. Now I'm very grateful for Nintendo as they're very much pushing 101 forward. Just speaking personally, 101: the game style, the characters, it's all very new - there's no precedent or prequel to the game so there's always that worry in the back of your mind whether users will be a bit too cautious and might not have the courage to play the game and pick up the game. No matter how much we market it, that worry will always be present.

VG: Are those fears less now that the majority of review scores are positive?

HK: Yes, there are many users out there who use reviews when picking up a game, and yes, of course, reviews are important. At the end of the day what's most important for me is what the actual users who pick it up feel about the game. For example, the reviews for Viewtiful Joe and Okami were very good at the time, but whether it lead to high sales... it's not necessarily the case. I don't think just because there are high scores for 101 that it links to the sales. I still have that concern

VG: What was your take on the initial audience reaction (to Bayonetta 2)? A lot of people seemed to be very upset it was Wii U only...

HK: Obviously with the Nintendo partnership Bayonetta 2 was always going to become a Wii U exclusive title. From a personal standpoint I want to make a game that's going to be enjoyed by the audience, so when Nintendo offered to support us and the Bayonetta franchise - which was on the brink of disappearing - I was extremely happy for it survival as we were able to release a second one for the people who enjoyed the first.

In that sense, I was very surprised at the user response when they found out it was Wii U only.

PAX-goers will be the first in North America to get their hands on Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, Nintendo said today in an announcement of its activities at the expo less than 10 days away. Read more...

Platinum Games' Hideki Kamiya has a new video game out. It's not getting perfect scores or perfect reviews. Yeah, like he cares. Here's one of video game's most expressive game designers brushing off criticism as only he can. Read more...