An Idea Whose Time Has Come

There's just no use fighting it.  It's time for our website to undergo some changes.  For several years there has been one man with his finger on the pulse of the gaming industry.  One man whose ability to predict the future borders on prescient.  That man is Michael Pachter.

Oh, but you're one of the ultra minority that still doesn't believe in Michael Pachter, eh? You've got your head so far in the sand you haven't yet beheld the brilliance of Michael's predictions, eh?  Well, buckle your safety belts cuz I'm about to drop a heavy dose of spray-tanned reality on you!!

August 2008: Pachter predicts Nintendo Wii will cut price.
Sometime later: Nintendo Wii cuts price.
BOOM! Predicted!

June 2010: Pachter predicts PS3 will cut price.
Sometime later: PS3 cuts price.
BAM! Predicted!

September 2011: Pachter predicts XBox 360 will cut price.
Sometime later: XBox 360 cuts price.
KA-POW!! Predicted!

Still don't believe me?  Pachter says Nintendo is doomed.  Don't agree? Well, roughly one billion years from now, our sun will begin transitioning to a red giant.  At that time, the temperature on Earth will be so high all organic life will cease.  What's Nintendo gonna do then, huh?? HUH?!? DOOMED!!!!!!

Our only hope as a species is that Pachter predicts a way to migrate to some other solar system.  I say we begin giving Pachter his due now.  Come, follow us into this new era, at the PachTemple!!

Snowman Link

So, we've gotten a decent amount of snow up here in Buffalo, NY.  Not an insane amount like some areas, but a few feet.  As of today, the temperature is starting to rise and the snow is starting to melt.  The sun was out and there was virtually no wind.  This all made for perfect snowman-building conditions!  So, my wife and I took this Sunday afternoon and got on the ol' boots and gloves and gave it a try!  We used some old Halloween costume accessories to give our creation a personality and thus Snowman Link was born!

We expect to see him as a playable character in the next game.  Enjoy!

The Rainmaker is You

So, this week we got news that the white knight known as XSEED was stepping up, once again, and publishing Pandora's Tower for the North American territory.  I have a somewhat personal connection with the idea of Pandora's Tower being released in North America.  Way back in April 2012, I ran a series of articles and investigative journalism concerning the likelihood of such a release (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3).  The long and short of that situation is I had a GameStop manager and his employees telling me Pandora's Tower was in their system for a North American release.

The famous (and awesome) Operation Rainfall was kind enough to pick up our story (link) and even make follow-up reports on it.  However, when I tried sharing this story with bigger Nintendo sites like GoNintendo and Nintendo World Report, they mostly shook their heads politely and said I wasn't a credible enough source to run the stories themselves.  GoNintendo ran the first one and that was it.

A few weeks later, a NinTemple site visitor contacted us saying he heard a similar confirmation at his GameStop over 1,000 miles away.  We ran that story.  Then, unfortunately, that seemed to be the end of the discussion.  No major sites really followed-up after that and the hopes of a North American release for Pandora's Tower started to fade quickly.  By the beginning of 2013, the general opinion was so bleak that Jonathan Metts of Nintendo World Report commented Pandora's Tower had "no hope" of a NA release.

Well, shortly thereafter, we all got word straight from XSEED that the game would be localized under their efforts!  Huzzah! "Sage is vindicated!" said some.

But, this story is not about me (well, sure, most of this article is but the overall story is not!).  In fact, realistically, our contribution to this drama is more about faith than fruitful leads. And the entirety of this story is more about democratic action and rewarded faith.  These three great games, Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower, the three games most synonymous with Operation Rainfall, were too good to be ignored and those of us who participated in Operation Rainfall knew that.  We had a feeling action was worth taking because the cries for these games shouldn't be ignored and ultimately would not be ignored. People had been saying since November 2011 that games like The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword were the Wii's "swan song."  They had no faith that all the great games of 2012, and now the third game in the Operation Rainfall trio, would be released.

But, now, in just a few months, I'll be able to look at my shelf of games, and see tangible proof that our faith was rewarded.  So maybe, in the future, we can look back on rocky experiences like this and say "hey, sometimes it does all work out.  Have a little faith!"

Wii U site chat happening now!

Got a Wii U and want to talk about your experience with it? Come in to the chat and lets chat?

Site Chat in 30

I'm gonna be playing some Mario Kart 7 tonight.  You joining me??

Site Chat Tonight @ 8PM EST

Wednesday's Chat will happen at the usual 8PM EST start time.

Why not come on over and hang out with us?

Nintendo is having a Wii U event Tomorrow Morning

These places will be having the Nintendo Wii U event and at these times.

For the North American event it will take place at 7:00 am PST/10:00 am EST on this site. http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu

For the European event it will take place at 3pm UK time on this site. http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/nintendo_direct_47764.html

Finally there is going to be a Japan Wii U even that takes place a few hours before both of these. At 3 am EST on this site it will air. http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/index.html

I will likely be in the chat during all of these and seeing what is happening and getting as much info as I can about the Wii U so if you can stop on by the chat.

Wednesday, Sept 12's Site Chat

Hey all,

The Site Chat for Wednesday September 9th will commence at the usual 8PM EST time.  I will unfortunately not be able to join because I will (fortunately) be at a concert I'm very excited to go!

So, have fun without me.  Maybe play Monster Hunter Tri with Maxi. =)

6PM Site Chat TONIGHT!

What's new? What's old?

Tell us all about it at tonight's Site Chat.  6PM EST!

Site Chat Tonight!

The Wednesday Site Chat will be held tonight at 8PM EST.  Why? Because it's Wednesday!

What have you been playing lately? Why not come by the chat at 8:00 and tell us all about it!

Site Chat @ 6PM EST

Whaddya say? Site chat at the usual time?

See ya at 6PM EST.

Site Chat Tonight!

The usual Wednesday evening Site Chat will commence at the usual 8PM EST time.

Sadly, I will not be joining the chat until after midnight, if at all.  Some friends and I will be attending a minor league baseball game and some sort of festival deal.  But, try to have fun without me! =P

Site chat at 6pm EST

Well with the release of The Last story in America we can talk a bit about that int tonight's chat which starts in 30 mins. See you all in the chat tonight.

Site Chat in 15 Minutes

Wednesday's Site Chat will commence in just a few minutes.  Will you be there? I sure hope so!

Site Chat Tonight!

6PM EST is the time for a NinTemple.com site chat.  That is, if it's Sunday.

Is it Sunday?

IT IS!!!!!

See you there.

Game Night Wrap-Up and Video

Sunday's Game Night was a great success.  We played some Brawl as planned and one participant (TheWon) was kind enough to capture the footage and edit it into this sweet video.  Go check it out and give his youtube account some love!

LINK: TheWon's NinTemple Game Night Highlights

After Brawl, we even managed to sneak in some Monster Hunter Tri fun.  While playing with Maxi and Kathrine I even managed to meet my first HR 999 ever! It was pretty cool picking his brain about his many, many MH3 adventures.  So, "Tahquil," cheers to you, sir!

Site Chat and Smash Bros Tonight!!

Sup, Brawlers?

Tonight's Site Chat will be accompanied by a Super Smash Bros. Brawl Game Night starting at 6PM EST.  There are no brackets or anything, just playing for fun.  So as soon as enough interested people enter the room, feel free to start walloping each other!

PeeeeeKaaaaayyy StaaarrrStorrrrrmm!!!!

Site Chat and Mario Kart Wii TONIGHT!

Hey gang,

The usual Wednesday Site Chat will be accompanied by a Mario Kart Wii Game Night this evening starting at around 8PM EST.  There are no brackets or anything, just playing for fun.  So as soon as enough interested people enter the room, feel free to start racing!

I'll probably be a little late, but I'll make up for it with extra Blue Shells later ^_^

Upcoming Game Nights!

This is happening!  Since they finished so closely in the game voting we'll have a Game Night for the first and second runner-ups.

Wednesday, July 25th: Mario Kart Wii
Sunday, July 29th: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

We'll see you there!

Monster Hunter Tri Game night later tonight @ 6pm EST

Later today, as voted by you in the recent poll, we will be having our Monster Hunter Tri game night! We will be using the Greed 4, Gate 27 area for our hunts since it is out of the way. I will probably be in the chat an hour early before the hunts. I go by "Elipsia" in Tri now.

If you want you can leave your in-game name in the comments so we know you are here for the game night when you show up in game.