Original Wii game developed by: Prope (under Yuji Naka)
Wii U & Nintendo 3DS versions developed by: Kadokawa Games (no involvement from Yuji Naka)
Published by: Kadokawa Shoten (Japan) / NIS America (NA/PAL)
Platform: Wii, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS
Release Dates: April 2, 2015 (JP) / November 10, 2015 (NA) / November 13, 2015 (EU)
Genre: Aerial Combat Action (Adventure) Game
Multiplayer:
StreetPass: Yes (unlocking bonus islands)
New Nintendo 3DS enhanced: Unofficially yes (runs at 30fps on N3DS vs 20-ish fps on an old 3DS apparently))
Famerate:
Wii version: 60fps
Wii U version: 30fps
3DS version: 20~ish on a regular 3DS, 30fps on New 3DS
Off-TV Play on Wii U: Yes
Supported controllers on Wii U: Wii U GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Classic Controller (Pro)
Supported controllers on Wii: Wii Remote
Wii U eShop download file size in blocks:
Japan: 2715 MB (2.7GB)
West: 4346 MB (4.3GB)
eShop demo available:
Japan: yes (3DS-only)
NA & EU: no
Languages: Western version includes a new English dub but also comes with the original Japanese audio
Western SKUs:
Many still don't know so I think it's worth highlighting:
the Wii version is actually a very different game from the Wii U and 3DS version. Yuji Naka and Prope's original vision is captured and realized in the Wii game. The Wii title is a straight up action game all about the sensation of flying around. This was actually completed in 2011 but publisher Kadokawa wanted a 3DS port, too and held off on releasing the Wii game. The 3DS port was developed not by the original developers at Prope but by Kadokawa themselves (without Yuji Naka's involvement) and, due to the very different control interface, ended up as a heavily redesigned game with a more Action Adventure style exploration focus that only resembles the original on a basic level.
Here, have some quotes straight from the horse's mouth:
NintendoUK: Rodea the Sky Soldier was originally in development for the Wii before shifting to Wii U, and if fans purchase the Limited Edition set they’ll actually receive the Wii disc as a special bonus. Please could you tell us a little more about the Wii version and how it differs from the final Wii U release.
Jin Hasegawa: The key point about the Wii version is the direct flying action experience that players can enjoy with one Wii Remote. With the sense of speed where players can’t even take a breather, it’s almost as if players can experience something similar to an arcade game. The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions are an adventure flying action game that players can take their time with and enjoy. With keeping the refreshing feeling of flying through the skies, similar to the Wii version, we have incorporated the fun of exploring the world and elements that allow the player to enhance Rodea and make him more powerful.
Yuji Naka: The Wii version’s biggest element is the fact that players can freely fly through the skies directly with the Wii Remote. Since it’s a control that nobody has ever experienced before, some may hesitate at first, but once they get the hang of it, players will be able to feel the freedom of flying through the skies and experiencing unity with Rodea to the fullest. The loading time is also short so players will be able to play the game at a brisk tempo. Also, in the Wii version, there is a bonus element where up to four players can race each other. Definitely try playing with your friends and family.
In the Wii U version, there are various hidden elements that were not included in the Wii version such as customising Rodea. It’s recommended for players who want to take time and play the slowly and carefully, finding everything. Also, the Wii U GamePad always displays the heroine on screen, so she’ll talk to Rodea from time to time. It definitely adds more to the player’s adventure. Though she might be a little noisy at times. Of course, since it’s Wii U, players will also be able to enjoy high-res graphics.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VIDEO COMPARISON
BlazeHedgehog covers visual and gameplay differences between the two versions in this video. It's very well done and explains the differences quite well, I think. It's short and well made so go watch this!
I put together a comparison video for the Wii U version versus the Wii version, if anyone in this thread doesn't have the game and is interested in that sort of thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZd5CGZJRdU
I still don't get it. So the Wii U game is not just the Wii game in HD?
- The Wii game is the original, how Yuji Naka envisioned it, played with the IR pointer of the Wii Remote (no Nunchuk, you play with JUST the Wii Remote). A more straightforward, arcade-y action game. There are even 2D bonus rooms. And, more importantly, the Wii version is the only one that includes a multiplayer mode for up to four players!
- The Wii U and 3DS game are different from the Wii version, played with sticks and buttons, more leaning towards action adventure-y exploratory gameplay. They both lack the multiplayer mode from the Wii original.
- The Wii U version is a port of the 3DS version. They're the same game.
- Story, characters and setting are the same across all versions
How can I get my hands on the Wii version then?
The Wii version is only available with first print physical copies of the Wii U game. No other way of getting your hands on it. It's not on the eShop. You won't get it with a digital Wii U eShop purchase of the Wii U version. Also, if you buy the retail Wii U version, you can't even buy it without the Wii game included at all (until they make a second print run - if that ever happens). So no need to panic.
Does the Wii game come in its own case?
No, sadly not. In Japan, the Wii version came with its own case, manual, disc. In the West, we'll get the Wii disc inside the blue Wii U game case along with a reversible cover for the Wii version (which then clashes with the blue case).
Pics courtesy of
godofcookery
(features the bonus items from the NISA store-exclusive Limited Edition
"Also I just noticed you get a manual for the Wii game as well. (typical bw w/ nothing of note in it)." -godofcookery
Here are some impressions from the Import OT:
All thanks to based ImportHawk and rjc571. Behold:
i've played the 3ds version extensively by now (got to the end of the game). i've also had a little bit of time with the wii game and the wii u game (just the first two levels). what sort of surprised me was that the level design was somewhat the same but the structure between the two versions is actually pretty different. it would be more accurate to say the 3ds version is a sort of remake of the wii version in a way the 2010 goldeneye game was a remake of the 1997 goldeneye game.
the wii u version supports the gamepad, classic controller pro (and i think standard classic controller if that's the case?), and the pro controller. the structure of the game is such that you are encouraged to explore the levels and find different places in the level for power ups and collectible coins. the wii version is only controlled by the wii remote. by that i mean no nunchuck controls. you point at the screen and hold b and that's where rodea will start walking. you make him fly by pressing a. because of the way it controls, the levels are a lot more narrow, and the point of the game is more along the lines of getting through a level right. coins in this version are locked in secret 2d rooms that can only be unlocked if you have enough gravitons (those yellow bits), and aren't hidden around on the actual level.
yeah the wii game plays more like a mario game or a sonic game. rodea's tail indicates the amount of damage he can take while in the 3ds/wii u game he has a health meter. little power ups are found around the levels and they're what let him zoom around. guns and other upgrades are per-level and disappear when the level's done. i assume this encourages the player to keep abilities for better paths forward, in the 3ds/wii u version, the extra abilities are always selectable from the touch screen or the d-pad and don't disappear after a level is done. i think this is to encourage replayability of previous levels.
By the way, the Wii version is FUCKING amazing! I haven't finished it yet (only on chapter 15), but that's mainly because the replay value is off the charts. I keep coming back to the levels to find all of the hidden medals, get S rank times by finding new speedrunning routes and techniques, and S rank gem collection by chaining together huge combos. The controls are fast and precise, and along with the lush visuals and beautiful soundtrack, make the simple act of flying around immensely satisfying. This is easily one of the best third party games on the Wii (and maybe even best Wii games overall!).
i finally had some time with the wii version and... yeah i probably prefer it overall. i think it feels like a good sega-made dreamcast game. the one thing that irks me about the controls is the lack of nunchuck support - i get that yuji naka was sort of on this wii remote-only kick for a couple of years but i feel like this really could have helped with the camera controls, even to the point where rodea could at least jump. that said, the game does a pretty good job of staying behind rodea for the most part and keeping the action moving forward. just started world 3.
if the wii version is a long-lost dreamcast game, the wii u version is like a long-lost n64 game. i don't mean that really negatively, but it has more sensibilities with a 1990s collectathon platformer. and it's actually pretty remarkable at how a few tweaks to the overall game system can make a game feel extremely different. of course, the level design is not the same either, but this is a difference i like. it feels like some thought went into how the game was changing and they worked to find solutions. gravitons have way more utility here - in addition to getting extra lives and stringing together a long flight chain, they can activate a special murder attack and serve as a reserve flight meter. and of course they can refill your flight meter if you're in the sky. because the collectibles are hidden around the world and because there are rewards tied to them, i feel more inclined to collect them. i'm aware of bonuses for doing really special stuff in the wii version too, but this is more upfront about it. i don't know. i still like the slower-paced exploration game.
About the New 3DS framerate:
You'd think so, but the New 3DS video definitely shows it running at 30 fps (I even played it back in VLC in slow motion to confirm), and it was definitely 20 fps max when I played the demo on my old 3DS, as well as in other videos of the game such as
this one.
The new 3DS video shows it running at 30 fps. I can take some screencaps in VLC to prove it, if you want. This is a huge improvement over the old 3DS version which is capped at 20 fps.
Proof of framerate
Here are four consecutive frames which I grabbed from a video of it running on the old 3DS.
http://i.imgur.com/qrintfX.png
http://i.imgur.com/FlGhz0P.png
http://i.imgur.com/25pZQ93.png
http://i.imgur.com/oFHU7oS.png
Notice how the in-game time counter increases by 0.05 each frame? That is because each frame takes 0.05 seconds (i.e. 1/20th of a second) to draw. The clock goes up by 0.05 every single time a new frame is drawn, so the game draws 20 frames over the course of a full second.
Now I'll show four consecutive frame grabs from the new 3DS video
http://i.imgur.com/Zo3n8bN.png
http://i.imgur.com/9YWdeLD.png
http://i.imgur.com/bvgXbEX.png
http://i.imgur.com/eSsamp7.png
Here, between the first frame and the second frame, the in game clock still increases by 0.05, and again between the second and third frames. However, between the third and fourth frames, the in game clock does not change, even though the rest of the frame changes. The pattern:
Frame 1: increase clock by 0.05
Frame 2: increase clock by 0.05
Frame 3: don't increase clock
continues throughout the entire video, so there are 30 frames drawn in the time it takes for the timer to increase a full second. (The timer goes up by a total of 0.1 for every 3 frames drawn, so this equates to 1 second for every 30 frames drawn.)
Wii Screenshots
Nintendo 3DS Screenshots
Wii U Screenshots
Here's some gameplay of the Wii version (JP), exploring the controls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYVPeJtq88g
Here is more gameplay of the Wii version (JP), this time of Chapter 2, playing for real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nJC6kHmh1U
48min of Wii (JP) gameplay with 60fps playback! (the game is 60fps! :O)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ETGI-vRRnA
NEW: Multiplayer footage of the Wii version! (JP)
http://kotaku.com/rodeas-multiplayer-is-kinda-like-sonic-adventure-2s-bat-1700540196
English Wii gameplay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rKd1mUjbuQ
Official English Wii introduction trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uulPFRsmDeE
Here is gameplay of the Japanese Wii U version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmdc4jIbJNA
12min English Wii U gameplay (Nintendolife)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvhI3i5T1LI
Rodea Import OT
Details on buying the official soundtrack (CD and digital)
Nintendo UK Developer Discussion with Yuji Naka + Jin Hasegawa
NUK: What advice would you give to those playing Rodea the Sky Soldier for the first time?
Yuji Naka: In the Wii U version, you start in a state where Rodea himself has low abilities. So by patiently powering Rodea up little by little, please help Rodea to grow. In the Wii version, you will need to shake the Wii Remote, however there’s no need to move it intensely. The key is to have the pointer always set in the inside of the screen and shake lightly.
Jin Hasegawa: For everyone including those of you who have decided to purchase the game, and for those who are still on the fence, please close your eyes and picture this: When you’re a child, did you ever want to try flying in the great, blue sky? I’m sure you probably thought that idea was impossible somewhere along the line and gave up as you became an adult. Rodea will grant that wish that you had during your childhood.
