May 31st 2024.
It's hard to believe that it's been a whole decade since Mario Kart 8 was first released on the Wii U. And now, with the recent news that the game is celebrating its 10th anniversary, I can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the good old days. Despite being a Wii U game, the Switch version is essentially just a port, which makes me realize just how long it's been since I first played it. But what's truly remarkable is that even after all these years, Mario Kart 8 is still going strong and remains a beloved title among gamers.
As a parent, I can attest to the fact that Mario Kart 8 has been a staple in my household for the past decade. With its endless supply of tracks and the addition of DLC, it's provided endless hours of entertainment for my family. And in my opinion, it's definitely one of the best games ever made. Its success is a testament to the fact that good games will always sell, regardless of any other factors.
Moving on from the topic of Mario Kart 8, I must admit I didn't have much of a reaction to the recent PS5 State of Play event. It was held quite late on Thursday, which was inconvenient for many people. As a reader pointed out in Thursday's Inbox, it's unfortunate that Sony didn't put in more effort for the event. And as for the timing, it made sense for them to go first so they wouldn't look even worse compared to Xbox and Nintendo.
Speaking of Capcom, I've been thinking about what they'll do after they run out of numbered sequels to remake. Personally, I think it would be fun for them to take on more obscure titles. For example, a remake of the Game Boy game Resident Evil Gaiden, which featured Barry Burton on a boat, would be a welcome addition. And even though it would require a complete redesign, I would love to see a remake of Operation Raccoon City or Umbrella Corps. Anything is better than a remake of Resident Evil 5 and 6 in my opinion.
On a different note, I noticed that everyone seems to be talking about new Resident Evil games, which I'm sure are in the works. But what about Devil May Cry 6? The last game was a success, so it's surprising that there hasn't been any news about a follow-up. I, for one, hope they keep the game strange and silly, and avoid trying to make it more serious.
Lastly, I couldn't help but get excited when I saw that Limited Run Games is releasing a physical copy of the PS1 Clock Tower remaster, Clock Tower Rewind. As a fan of the original game, I'm hoping it reviews well so I can add it to my collection. And while we're on the topic of upcoming releases, I'm crossing my fingers for a new Astro Bot game and a port of Half-Life: Alyx for PlayStation VR2.
In other news, the recent report on US console sales shows that the PlayStation 5 is 8% ahead of the PlayStation 4, while the Xbox Series X/S is 13% behind the Xbox One. It's surprising to see that the next console from Xbox is doing even worse than the Xbox One, despite learning from their previous mistakes. And while Sony is still leading, it's a shame that they could've done even better if they hadn't stopped making games. It's a decision that I, and many others, don't understand.
10 glorious years have passed since the release of Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U. It's hard to believe that a decade has gone by, especially since the Switch version is essentially just a port. Despite my initial shock and feeling of aging, I can't help but congratulate the game for its enduring success. It truly is an evergreen title that has stood the test of time.
With the current DLC, Mario Kart 8 offers an incredible amount of tracks and great value for money. It has kept my family entertained for all this time and I firmly believe it is one of the best games ever made. Its success serves as a reminder that it's good games that sell consoles, and nothing else really matters in comparison.
As for the recent late night PS5 State of Play event, the Friday letters page wonders how it went. One reader is eagerly looking forward to the Clock Tower remaster and encourages others to join in on the discussion by emailing in. Speaking of remasters, I recently found out that the original Mario Kart 8 is 10 years old this week. Time sure flies, doesn't it?
I was also surprised to learn that the State of Play event started at 11pm, which means none of the letters featured today are from people who have seen it. This once again highlights the fact that PlayStation is now purely run as an American business. I can only imagine how inconvenient the timing must have been for our Japanese counterparts.
Despite the late start time, I was hoping for some exciting announcements, but it seems like this State of Play event will be quickly forgotten just like the others from the past two years. I agree with the reader from Thursday who suggested that Sony shouldn't have bothered with the event if they weren't going to put in any effort. It remains to be seen if they did in fact put in any effort, but it does make sense that they went first in order to avoid looking even worse compared to potential announcements from Xbox and Nintendo.
Switching gears to another popular franchise, I've been thinking about what Capcom could do after they run out of numbered sequels to remake. It would be interesting to see them take on more obscure titles like the Game Boy game Resident Evil Gaiden, which featured everyone's favorite character Barry Burton on a boat. I would also be curious to see remakes of games such as Operation Raccoon City and Umbrella Corps, or even the lightgun games. Anything is better than remakes of Resident Evil 5 and 6 in my opinion.
On the topic of remasters, I see that Clock Tower on PS1 is getting a physical release from Limited Run Games. The remaster, titled Clock Tower Rewind, is being developed by the talented team at WayForward. I'm eagerly anticipating GameCentral's review of the game before deciding whether to purchase the physical copy. Speaking of upcoming announcements, I'm hoping to hear news about a new Astro Bot game and a port of Half-Life: Alyx for PlayStation VR2.
In other news, US console sales from last month show that the PlayStation 5 is 8% ahead of the PlayStation 4, while the Xbox Series X/S is 13% below the Xbox One. It's mind-blowing to think that after the disaster of the Xbox One, the next console from Microsoft would do even worse. It's clear that the lack of games and the Game Pass subscription service not being a draw are major contributing factors. Sony's 8% lead over their previous console is also underwhelming, and it's frustrating to see them shift their focus away from making games. I can't help but wonder why they don't see the impact this has on their sales, and why they continue on this path despite it being a recipe for disaster.
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