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60-587: Tetsuya Takahashi , the game's creator, wanted to make Shulk a more likable and sympathetic protagonist than those seen in most Japanese role-playing video games . Takahashi thought that because JRPGs take such a large emotional commitment to finish, the more pessimistic and cynical main character type makes the player detest them. The character has received a mixed reception from video game publications . Although he has received recognition for his vision and convictions among his friends, he has also faced criticism for lacking personality. Tetsuya Takahashi , creator of

120-410: A better overall experience. Giving the console an 8.8 out of 10, IGN concluded that "the additional controls and increased processing power set the system up nicely for the future, and if you're late to the 3DS party, you've got a back catalogue that features not just some of the best handheld games in recent years, but some of the best games full stop." As of December 31, 2016, 9.94 million units of

180-519: A fantasy game by others at Squaresoft. While at Squaresoft , Takahashi realized that the company intended to focus on the Final Fantasy series, and that sequels to the Xenogears series were becoming unlikely. He then decided to leave and start his own software development company. In October 1999 he left Squaresoft to start a new company, Monolith Soft , together with Hirohide Sugiura. Following

240-417: A meeting about the game Soma Bringer , Takahashi imagined what a game would be like where the world was actually the body of a "giant god". Takahashi attempted a more "mature" writing style for the game, and said he expects to continue in the same vein in the future. The game references both Japanese and Western RPG styles, referring to the western style in some cases "without thinking about it". In this way,

300-405: A mixed reception from critics. According to Katharine Byrne of Nintendojo , Monolith Soft's handling of Shulk's previously revealed ability to glimpse into the future is one aspect that deserves special recognition. She also noted that the players are given a careful and nuanced analysis of Shulk's challenges in coping with these visions, and the themes behind this capability are deeply embedded into

360-559: A more "senior feel" to them. During his portrayal of Shulk, he made a particular effort to highlight his innocence. Shulk debuted in Xenoblade (2010) as the game's primary protagonist , portrayed as favoring "brains over brawn". He lost his parents 14 years prior to the game's events during an expedition for the Monado, a powerful sword that only a select few can wield. Shulk lives in Colony 9, one of

420-683: A new game for the Wii U in September 2012. It was later revealed in the January 2013 Nintendo Direct under the tentative title X, and shown further at E3 2013 . For E3 2014, it was announced with the title Xenoblade Chronicles X . New Nintendo 3DS The New Nintendo 3DS is a clamshell design handheld game console produced by Nintendo , originally released on October 11, 2014 in Japan and rolled out to all major global markets by September 25, 2015. It

480-687: A playable party member. Outside of the Xenoblade Chronicles series, Shulk has been featured in Nintendo's crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2014). Shulk reappears in the series' 2018 entry Super Smash Bros. Ultimate . In November 2014, it was announced that Shulk would receive his own amiibo figure, which can be used in conjunction with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS , Wii U and Ultimate , Super Mario Maker (2015), Yoshi's Woolly World (2015), and Xenoblade Chronicles 3D and 3 . Shulk received

540-424: A potion at thanks to Shulk's almost overly positive outlook, faith in his allies, and will to overcome obstacles. Engadget ' s Kat Bailey stated that she is a fan of Shulk and said that "It's not that his voice actor is better than average, or the fact that he's on a roaring rampage of revenge. It's that he has real friends." According to the book EDGE Special Edition: The 100 Greatest Videogames (2015) , Shulk

600-524: A pre-launch television commercial that featured J-pop performer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu . 230,000 units were sold in its first two days of availability. The New Nintendo 3DS and its XL variant were first released outside Japan—in Australia and New Zealand, on November 21, 2014, with the smaller model only available in white. In Europe, the New Nintendo 3DS was first made available online on January 6, 2015 in

660-508: A slightly refined design, featuring colored face buttons resembling the Super Famicom 's and PAL version Super Nintendo Entertainment System 's color scheme. The New Nintendo 3DS's screen is 1.2 times the size of the original Nintendo 3DS, while the screen of the XL variant is the same size as its predecessor. Some models are produced with an IPS screen for the upper display, but some still retain

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720-400: A society despite both coming from nearly blank states. Like Tidus, Shulk wants humanity to be free from people who force their ideals on others, resulting into the creation of a new status quo. Tetsuya Takahashi Tetsuya Takahashi ( 高橋 哲哉 , Takahashi Tetsuya ) (born November 18, 1966) is a Japanese video game designer, writer and director. Takahashi worked at Square in

780-507: A software toggle. The standard New Nintendo 3DS features interchangeable front and back plates; 38 different designs were available at launch in Japan. The XL variant does not allow use of these plates, instead having a couple of fixed metallic designs. The internal specifications of the device have also been updated, including additional processor cores, an increase to 256 MB of RAM , and near field communication support for use with Amiibo products. The Japanese model also included

840-526: A special white "Ambassador Edition" bundle, exclusive to Club Nintendo members, with a charging dock and two face plates included. On January 14, 2015, Nintendo announced that the new systems would be released at retail in North America and Europe on February 13, 2015. In Europe, the New Nintendo 3DS was available in black or white, and its XL variant in Metallic Black or Metallic Blue. In North America,

900-430: Is an orphan who yields a legendary sword and carries an otherworldly power, but "he's not a cocksure, reckless, or headstrong teenager." They stated that "he's an unusually thoughtful and compassionate youngster, brave but not foolhardy, with a poise beyond his years." Conversely, some reviewers complained of him being too plain. Destructoid reviewer Jim Sterling complained that Shulk lacked personality, stating that he

960-698: Is letting you rep Xenoblade , but I’m afraid I’m not really feelin’ it.", while Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek also criticized him by calling Shulk "as not too shabby, but being overshadowed by the rest of the Smash 4 roster". In Student Independent Projects Historical Studies 2017: Human Freedom: Existential Philosophy in Video Games , Anthony J. Eisner from University of Newfoundland compared Shulk with Tidus from Final Fantasy X , seeing both as messiah figures who find their purpose to fight in their video games and protect

1020-473: Is restored to her Homs form, and she and Shulk look forward to meeting the people of their boundless new world. Optional side missions cover smaller quirks in Shulk's personality, such as a distaste for vegetables and fear of caterpillars. In August 2014, a handheld port of Xenoblade Chronicles , titled Xenoblade Chronicles 3D , was announced for Nintendo's New Nintendo 3DS system, with Shulk reprising his role as

1080-559: Is the fourth system in the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld consoles, following the original Nintendo 3DS , Nintendo 3DS XL , and Nintendo 2DS ; notably it is the first with hardware improvements. Like the original 3DS, the New Nintendo 3DS also has a larger variant, the New Nintendo 3DS XL . Improvements upon the previous models include upgraded processors and increased RAM , an analog pointing stick (C-Stick), two additional shoulder triggers (ZR and ZL), face detection for optimizing

1140-471: The Xeno series, Xenoblade Chronicles , and Shulk, states that his primary motivation in creating Shulk was to make a more likeable and relatable protagonist than in most Japanese role-playing video games . Xenoblade featured a prolonged, four-year development cycle dating back to 2006, with Takahashi stating that although the game went through many changes, the overarching plot following Shulk remained largely

1200-507: The Circle Pad Pro add-on. Some games, such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D , are specifically optimized for the upgraded hardware, and exclusive to New Nintendo 3DS with no support for prior models. In March 2016, Nintendo began to release SNES titles on Virtual Console for New 3DS; they support a "Perfect Pixel" mode, which allows the games to be played pillar boxed with square pixels rather than in their original 4:3 proportions. Like

1260-668: The FCC lifted its information embargo regarding regulation details performed in September 2014 on the standard New Nintendo 3DS model, suggesting Nintendo of America did indeed consider releasing the smaller standard model at one point. On August 31, 2015, at the GameStop Managers Conference in Las Vegas , Nintendo of America confirmed that the standard New 3DS system would launch in the region on September 25, 2015, with an Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer -themed bundle including

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1320-592: The Unity engine would support New Nintendo 3DS. The New Nintendo 3DS was first announced during a Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation streamed on August 29, 2014. The New Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL were released in Japan on October 11, 2014; the regular-sized version was made available in black and white-colored versions, while the XL was made available in metallic black and metallic blue versions, with additional limited edition designs. Over 38 different face plate designs were available on launch in Japan, which were showcased in

1380-476: The autostereoscopic 3D display, an included 4 GB microSD card and built-in NFC , as well as minor design changes (such as colored face buttons, and the availability of face plates for the smaller-size model). There were also software improvements such as support for HTML5 in its web browser. The New Nintendo 3DS received positive reviews from critics; although criticized for certain aspects of their design (such as

1440-505: The microSD slot placement), the consoles were praised for their improved performance, additional control options, and better 3D image quality. In the July 2017 lead-up to the release of the New Nintendo 2DS XL , Nintendo confirmed that production on the standard-sized New Nintendo 3DS in Japan had ended. The XL model remained in production until July 2019. The New Nintendo 3DS family features various changes from prior models. The systems feature

1500-438: The system software of the New Nintendo 3DS is otherwise identical to that of the original 3DS, offering online features such as Nintendo Network for multiplayer and online gaming, Nintendo eShop for downloading and purchasing games, and StreetPass and SpotPass . The web browser was updated to include HTML5 -based video playback support. On Japanese models, a content filter is active by default which can be disabled with

1560-523: The 1980s working with Nihon Falcom . Takahashi worked on Final Fantasy VI , including the design of the Magitek armor from the opening scene of the game. He also was the graphics director on Chrono Trigger . In 1995 he married his Squaresoft coworker Kaori Tanaka, better known by her pen name Soraya Saga . Originally submitted as a potential plot for Final Fantasy VII , it was made into its own project after being judged too dark and complicated for

1620-573: The 20th anniversary Virtual Console release of the original Pokémon games. The model is bundled with both Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue , Charizard and Blastoise -themed faceplates, and a downloadable HOME Menu theme. In August 2016, a Super Mario 3D Land New 3DS bundle with two faceplates was released in North America as an exclusive to Target and Walmart . Nintendo released black- and white-colored New 3DS models with Mario -themed designs in North America in November 2016; for Black Friday ,

1680-454: The 90s as a graphic designer and graphic director, participating on some of their most well-received titles such as Final Fantasy V , Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger , before directing and co-writing Xenogears . He left Square in 1999 to co-found Monolith Soft , where he would develop the Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles series with Namco and Nintendo respectively, being

1740-511: The Circle Pad. Aspects of the devices' designs were noted; IGN felt that the face plate options on the regular-sized models added a level of personalization to the console, but that "[while] face plates will take off with younger gamers in particular, these accessories could just as easily end up in the bargain bin faster than you can say Limited Edition Perfect Dark Zero Xbox 360 face plate." Nintendo's decision to exclude this feature from

1800-526: The SD card wirelessly using any system with SMB client access, like PCs. The new systems continue to use the same AC adapter as the DSi , DSi XL , and other devices in the 3DS family; like the Nintendo 3DS XL in Japan and Europe, and for the first time in North America, an AC adapter is not included with the console and must be obtained separately. Aside from minor adjustments to reflect its hardware design differences,

1860-484: The XL model was released in Metallic Black and Metallic Red (renamed "New Black" and "New Red"). Special The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate -themed variants were also released at launch in both regions. 335,000 units were sold during its first week of availability in Europe and North America. Only the XL model was originally released in North America; although Nintendo did not rule out

Shulk - Misplaced Pages Continue

1920-411: The XL version was also considered odd. Wired felt that the new locations for the power button, card slot, and stylus holder were "inconvenient". Critics also felt the switch to MicroSD cards and the relocation of the SD card slot to the battery compartment would make manually transferring data from the previous 3DS models trickier; GameSpot lamented on the difficulty of unscrewing the rear cover off

1980-479: The XL, citing "stubborn screws and a panel that practically refuses to detach". Nintendo's decision to not bundle an AC adapter with the new models was criticized, particularly in the case of first-time 3DS owners. GameSpot felt that the New Nintendo 3DS XL was "the best handheld Nintendo's ever made", and recommended it to first-time 3DS owners. In regards to existing 3DS owners, the new systems were recommended to those showing interest in its exclusives or wanting

2040-400: The ability to pay for software on the Nintendo eShop using prepaid FeliCa -based transit cards such as Suica . Controls on the new systems were expanded with the inclusion of a pointing stick on the right hand side of the device, referred to as the "C-Stick", and additional ZL and ZR shoulder buttons, allowing for functionality equivalent to the Circle Pad Pro add-on peripheral released for

2100-429: The brand and emphasized the importance of introducing these characters to an audience unfamiliar with RPGs. In English, Shulk is voiced by Adam Howden . He was given instructions on how to portray Shulk, largely that he should have a neutral English accent, which was intelligent, "not posh ", and fierce when necessary. Howden was never given a full script of the game so he could more realistically sound surprised at

2160-500: The carryover of its "Arts" customization mechanics from Xenoblade Chronicles , made him a strong choice to play as. However, USGamer felt that Shulk "can be a tricky fighter" due to the Monado's Arts being accompanied by kanji , and suggested that non-native speakers should first practice utilizing the Arts in order to become familiar with each one. Jeremy Parish of Polygon criticized by stating as "sorry, Shulk. It’s nice that Nintendo

2220-479: The character's ability to "resonate with the player". Ultimately, Takahashi went in the opposite direction, making Shulk's positive interactions and words of encouragement a focus of the game. Takahashi tried to make Shulk react to in-game events as much as he thought game players would react to them. Nintendo 's team of debuggers , the " Super Mario Club ", assured Takahashi that he was on the right track for his goal. Takashi stated that in Xenoblade Chronicles , there

2280-425: The console, game software, two faceplates, and an Amiibo card. The bundle was priced at $ 219.99. A second The Legend of Zelda -themed XL bundle, the "Hyrule Edition", was also announced as a GameStop exclusive for release on October 30, 2015. It was priced at $ 199.99. In January 2016, a special Pokémon -themed New Nintendo 3DS bundle was announced for release in North America on February 27, 2016, to coincide with

2340-488: The design of the C-Stick itself, however; GameSpot felt it was "surprisingly responsive" and IGN drew comparisons to the similar pointing stick sometimes found on ThinkPad laptops , but felt that while good for occasional functions (such as camera control and aiming in third-person games), it would not function well for more intense use cases (such as first-person shooters ) due to its size and lack of grip in comparison to

2400-404: The effects to compensate. The sensor is also used as an ambient light sensor for automatic brightness adjustment. Both systems' bodies are slightly larger than their previous iterations, with the XL variant weighing slightly less than the previous 3DS XL. The system's game card slot, stylus holder, and power button were re-located to the base. The hardware wireless switch was also replaced by

2460-527: The executive director of Xenoblade since the first entry in the series. He is married to Soraya Saga , who also worked with him at Square Enix, as well as on Xenosaga and Soma Bringer . Takahashi is one of the founders of Monolith Soft, senior director and chief creative officer at the company, as well as part of its board of directors. Takahashi was born on November 18, 1966, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in video games in

Shulk - Misplaced Pages Continue

2520-405: The future for the better, while uncovering the Monado's origin and hidden capabilities. With the current universe threatened with death, Alvis asks Shulk to remake the universe as its new god. Shulk declines and wishes for a world without gods, where everyone can decide their own fates. In the new universe, the survivors of Bionis and Mechonis build a new settlement and live peacefully together. Fiora

2580-506: The game is designed to appeal to fans of "text-based" JRPGs and western RPGs at the same time. Minor localizations were made for the American and European release, as well as bug fixes and game balancing. Originally Takahashi tried a more traditional turned based combat system, but he later incorporated a battle system where the protagonist can see into the future as a gameplay mechanic. Takahashi and Monolith Soft were revealed to be working on

2640-547: The game's plot twists, but was informed of the story progression shortly before he would have to voice it so he would not sound baffled. In Japanese, Shulk is voiced by Shintarō Asanuma . Having not played the character on a regular basis for many years, Asanuma admitted to feeling anxious. Furthermore, he stated that he believed he had evolved during the previous ten years, acquiring voice acting skills and altering his breathing pattern. He thought that he had purposefully adjusted several aspects of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to give it

2700-551: The main character. In Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected (2020), an epilogue campaign added to the Definitive Edition release of the game, Shulk assists his friend Melia in retaking Alcamoth, the capital city of the birdlike High Entia race. Shulk, along with Fiora, appears in Xenoblade Chronicles 2's "Challenge Mode" downloadable content (DLC) (2017), where they are playable as "Blades" — side characters directed during battle. An older version of Shulk appears as one of

2760-476: The new systems were also noted, making the device's operating system more responsive and providing modest performance enhancements for existing games such as Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate . The incorporation of the Circle Pad Pro's additional shoulder buttons and secondary analog stick into the devices were praised, along with their potential for use in ports of games from home consoles. Opinions were mixed on

2820-420: The old twisted nematic screen for upper display. There is no known correlation between model number or production date and display type. Nintendo has also not publicly addressed the discrepancies in production. A new feature known as "Super Stable 3D" improves the quality of the systems' autostereoscopic 3D effects by using a sensor to detect the angle that the player is viewing the screen at, and adjusting

2880-472: The overall story, making it more than just a clever fighting technique. Phil Kollar of Game Informer said that the voice acting gives this game a significant advantage over the typical stereotype-heavy JRPG, even though the characters may not deviate from well-worn tropes. He said that throughout the narrative, Shulk has the potential to come across as cloyingly hopeful or whining at different moments, and Xenoblade skillfully avoids that usual issue because of

2940-565: The playable party members in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 's Future Redeemed (2022) story expansion. Set between the events of Future Connected and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 , Shulk joins Xenoblade Chronicles 2 protagonist Rex in founding the Liberators, a rebel group that opposes the Moebius, who threaten the newly-merged world of Aionios. Nikol, the son of Shulk and Fiora, also appears as

3000-420: The possibility of a release of the regular New Nintendo 3DS in the future, Nintendo of America representative Damon Baker explained that they did not want to confuse consumers, and that the face plates were not enough of a reason for the smaller-sized system to be released in North America. A social media campaign emerged that called upon Nintendo of America to release the model in North America. In March 2015,

3060-479: The previous models, all the 3DS games and downloaded software are region-locked (DS cartridges remain region-free). Due to its difference in size, peripherals designed to fit the shape of the original Nintendo 3DS cannot be used with the new system. Game data can be transferred from a previous 3DS system to a new system, either manually or wireless, though data from new systems cannot be transferred to older systems. On April 13, 2015, Unity Technologies announced that

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3120-493: The previous models. These additional buttons are backward-compatible with games programmed for use with Circle Pad Pro. Unlike the previous models, which used standard SD cards , the New Nintendo 3DS line uses Micro-SD cards for data storage, which are stored alongside the battery behind the device's rear cover, which needs some screws to be removed in order to access the Micro-SD card slot. Data can also be transferred to and from

3180-665: The registration of a credit card, intended to prevent children from visiting mature websites. As with the DSi, DSi XL, and previous 3DS models, the New Nintendo 3DS family remains compatible with all games released for the DS , DSi , and 3DS (excluding games that require the use of the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot). Some 3DS games have improved performance and/or graphics on the new systems due to their upgraded hardware. The C-Stick and ZL/ZR controls are backward compatible with games that support

3240-433: The same. Takahashi believed that the more negative and jaded JRPG main character type leads the player to resent them due to the emotional investment required to complete such long games. Takahashi worked with anime writer Yuichiro Takeda on Shulk's creation, with Takeda feeling that the easiest way to make Shulk likeable would be to make him a silent protagonist . However, Takahashi rejected this idea, feeling that it hurt

3300-406: The two models were sold at US$ 99.99—a price only $ 20 higher than that of the 2DS. In July 2017, Nintendo confirmed, in the lead-up to the release of the New Nintendo 2DS XL , that production on the standard-sized New Nintendo 3DS in Japan had ended. The XL model had halted production in July 2019. Reviews of the New Nintendo 3DS line were positive. Critics felt the new "Super-Stable 3D" system

3360-517: The two remaining Homs settlements, where he works as an engineer and studies the Monado. The story follows his quest to defend his homeland from the Mechon after they attack Colony 9 and kill his childhood friend and love interest Fiora, during which he succeeds Dunban as the Monado's wielder. The Monado allows Shulk to glimpse the near future. The game follows Shulk's quest to stop the Mechon and avenge Fiora and his struggle to understand his visions and change

3420-482: The writing and voice acting. Hope Pisoni of Paste stated that one of the main features of Xenoblade Chronicles is the narrative centered around Shulk's visions. She went on to say that he has a power that lets him see the future and uses it to stop the deaths of his friends and allies. Tom Regan of VG247 said that many may recognize the game's protagonist as "that weird naked guy from Smash, " but stated that there are more JRPG cliches than you can shake

3480-554: Was little more than a "vanilla reactionar[y] with only vague snatches of individuality," and otherwise blended into the rest of the cast too much. Similarly, Jason Schreier of Kotaku referred to Shulk as a "personality-less, unequivocally bland warrior" who "makes other JRPG heroes look like Marlon friggin' Brando. " In comparison, Shulk also received a mixed reception in Super Smash Bros. series. Heavy , TechnoBuffalo and GamesRadar+ felt that his Monado, particularly

3540-558: Was no character design artwork; instead, there were costume drawings for the characters' outfits. This meant that they had to construct CG character models to match the costume ideas. Furthermore, the only artwork produced featuring those characters were altered versions of the CG models; there was no concept art. During the interview, Co-producer Genki Yokota stated that Shulk debuting in the Super Smash Bros. series helped to attract new eyes to

3600-447: Was successful in improving the consistency and viewing angles of the device's stereoscopic 3D effects, especially in games that require use of its gyroscope. An IGN writer noted that "the constant swaying and occasional jolt of my morning train commute has only very occasionally shattered the new systems' stereoscopic spell, and even then, the system quickly adjusts and snaps back into focus". The improved technical specifications of

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