Comparison: Rodea the Sky Soldier (Wii vs. Wii U)

[@BlazeHedgehog]

If you check the video description, I've added a link to the review. I'd just paste it here, but KZbin has blocked copy/paste functionality in the comments section.

[@alder613]

Is the Wii version still bundled with the Wii U version?

[@BlazeHedgehog]

***** If you find one with the red "Free Bonus Game!" sticker on the outside, yes.

[@alder613]

Really?

[@SuperPiposaru]

Thanks!

[@Robowil]

Yuji Naka himself even said "Please play the Wii version"

[@charizardoreo]

I want to but it's pretty hard to find a copy

[@ratchet2266]

hnn its on sale on germany rn 5€ for wii u new go to mediamarkt.de they might ship to you

[@imgomes6425]

​@@charizardoreothe Wii U Bonus Edition comes with the Wii version and a reversible cover art. 😉

[@suprgaming1540]

At the beginning, I actually thought the footage on the right was the Wii U version.

[@tino9117]

me too

[@velvetcrowe1399]

It's gorgeous on wii, but the wii u version is just sad and ugly imo.

[@av4d]

It's really sad that the WiiU version is the one advertised. The Wii version is an arcade styled fun game that's a cross between Shadow and Nights that's surprisingly fun! The WiiU version is just awful...

[@MalachiCo0]

So basically what I'm hearing is "Get the Wii version"

[@Caparzoshow]

+MG Dragon OR he can mod his wii and not pay a cent :P

[@smbmadman1]

+Battlefield 1942 Argentina ....................................

[@benjaminm.860]

As long as he can find an ISO he can play it no problem with the USB Loader GX homebrew app.

[@UnlicensedOkie]

I found a first run version that included both at my local GameStop for around $10

[@abyssary8796]

Or you could pirate the iso.

[@The_Admiral_Angel]

Thank you so much for clearing this up. I beat the Wii version (I'm trying to 100% now), and I really must say that the Wii version is the superior one. I feel bad that Kadokawa really had to mess up Yuji Naka's and Prope's intended version of the game. Everyone's clearly thinking that the Wii U version is the "definite" version since reviewers never got a copy of the Wii version.

[@rexthesheep]

Holy crap, Kadokawa completely screwed Yuji Naka and Prope on this one. I almost feel bad wanting to give them my money just so I can play the Wii version. By the way, great video! I'd like to see more stuff like this.

[@Supersquigi]

Kadokawa has a horrible track record handling it's producers and creators.

[@reversalmushroom]

It's a shame what happened. Yuji Naka probably lost a whole lot of money on this.

[@andrada9506]

thats fucked up

[@lucylu3342]

5 years later and now Balan Wonderworld...

[@FLASHTHEF0X]

The Wii one looks incredibly better.. Wow. The Wii one looks fine overall, if it had been released for its time it probably would have been received decently.

[@Keldorek]

It's sad to see Naka-san so maligned in the reviews of this game, and there's often precious little acknowledgement that Naka's game is so clearly superior to what was released.

[@THEmuteKi]

I am genuinely astounded at how bad the WiiU version looks, there's nothing to it graphically.

[@patyos2]

Its basically a 3ds port that was meant for a small screen .....

[@Netherman14TheHellblazer]

@@patyos2 But there are a lot of 3DS games that look good, Dream Drop Distance is one of those examples.

[@UltraHealthyVideoGameNerd]

Thanks for this, I saw an ad for this game in Japan way back in 2010 or 2011 and forgot all about it until recently. I was trying to find it on the Wii and had no luck until I learned it had ended up on the Wii U. Thankfully there is a release with the Wii version enclosed as well

[@GrabShiny]

I know it's 5 years later, but I'm playing the Wii version for the first time just now. Bought this game at launch and I'm a bad gamer and never got to it. I always knew the Wii version was better, but this video helped clear up what really made it better. On chapter 15 now. I struggle with the camera at times, but still enjoying it.

[@azzypics]

If Wii U is compatible with Wii, why the hell wouldn't Kadokawa just sell a Wii game in Wii U box?

[@BlazeHedgehog]

That is one of this game's greatest mysteries.

[@OMA2k]

Azune Konpeki : I guess they can't just do that because Nintendo might release in the future a non-backward-compatible Wii U, in the same fashion as the latest versions of the Wii, which are not compatible with GameCube games. But what they could do is just release the Wii version of the game as standalone.

[@BlazeHedgehog]

OMA2k There are a lot of Wii U games that still use the Wii remote. They still had the option to use it and they didn't.

[@acronmd]

BlazeHedgehog I'm guessing since it was a 3ds port they had to actually use effort in order to get wiimotes so they didn't do it

[@faristhewanderer6571]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you learning the differences

[@MarinLeaf]

The Wii U version is still pretty fun in a weird way. It's pretty different, but not really bad at all.

[@TehJellyLord]

I finally found a copy of the Wii version of this game. I’ve never played either version, but I always felt bad for not buying the game to support Yuji Naka. It’s sad that his indie endeavors never saw much success. I’m just glad I’ll be able to play the game after all these years.

[@AceFondu]

Picked this up today at my local game store. Didn't know before I got it that it would come with the Wii version in it, SUPER glad I got that version now lol.

[@baadbwoy4381]

Nice comparison thanks

[@CHMernerner]

They did really dirty on well made game

[@UitraSyko]

I actually know 2 of your Patreon supporters. I might jump in as well

[@rosilinathedragon4382]

this video has been made a permanent memory in my brain for years now and I don’t know why but I ain’t complaining since it’s honestly a really good video

[@kevinvu5432]

also I believe the covers should switch. Wii U's bright cover fits wii's version. and Wii's darker tone fits the Wii U's paper design.

[@wyattboone6144]

Wow this game actually looks really enjoyable on Wii

[@cetrata1993]

Even yuji Naka himself told people to play the woods version.

[@Netherman14TheHellblazer]

So basically, this is an SA1 scenario. where you have the original release of a game, that looks ten times better and more impressive graphically, and then the game gets a re-release that is graphically downgraded too much to the point it's actually disappointing.

[@supersync4026]

Basically.

[@AlphaZeroX96]

Isn't gameplay and features more important?

[@jhkuno88]

Lmao. The GC version of SA has much better graphics....dvmb beach

[@StiffAftermath]

Rodea wii is bloody amazing and so much fun! It is like Sonic in the air! Feels really great! We need more coverage of this hidden gem!

[@ThePreciseClimber]

The Wii U version is PURE EVIL. The only pro I can think of is that it makes you appreciate the Wii version more.

[@thomasalvarenga2839]

I will admit I like some of the changes added to the 3ds and Wii U versions, except that stupid flight meter!

[@rogermandala4943]

I've played the Wii version, and it's a lot better than the Wii U version. Controls are better, the graphics fit together better, (The Wii U had good character models, but bad textures and models for everything else.) And it just felt better in general.

[@pczajkowski9]

As I just bought Rodea The Sky Soldier Collector's editon.. just because it's 2 games for 2 platforms and the box art is amazing... Thank you for this as damn. I know which one I'm playing first then.

[@Plainsville]

This was a great video! Nice job.

[@MoKVidel]

thanks for having such a nice head-to-head comparison. i was looking for exactly this. sad to see that the wii u version is so bad :(

[@vespenevapor1348]

off topic, voice reminds me of curtis armstrong's character from american dad.

[@7411y]

Christopher, Keith, Nolan? Props on getting him to support you, didn't know his middle name was Keith though

[@wboeren1]

So burn the wii u version in a satanic ritual and cherish the wii version.

[@MoonSarito]

The biggest mistake of this game was not porting the Wii version to the Wii U and 3DS and making a completely different and bad version for those consoles.

[@lukaheylo]

The Wii version is one of my favorite Wii games, I love the controls and graphics, the story isn't bad too. It's a shame Kadokawa ruined it...

[@zerarch77]

I'm so glad I bought a first-print copy of the Wii U version... for the bonus disc and reversible box art that let me pretend only the Wii version exists.

[@love2grovel72]

lol saw this video right after i bought the wii u version on the eshop. at least it was only 5 bucks

[@katgoubeaux7671]

I quite agree with your review. I bought rodea the sky soldier because it looked interesting and, from some trailers, looked like it had a pretty cool story line. Thankfully I happened to buy the one that had both wii and Wii u versions (I have a wii u). I tried the wii u version and couldn't even get past the first and second levels hardly. It was really challenging, and not the type of challenging you want. I tried the wii version and liked it lot better. On the wii u version, I would give it a 4/10. It had a pretty unique story line and none of the characters were really annoying, except for one kid at the beginning, but the graphics were dull, slow, and the game was hard to control. The wii version is 8/10, with like I said of the positives for the wii u version minus the negatives.

[@brianescobedo1272]

I just bought this off if someone for 10 bucks and found out yesterday it had the Wii version. Honestly I'm satisfied. I really enjoyed the 3ds version. I picked up this copy because I have the 3 DS version of Sonic Racers transformed and I enjoyed the Wii U version best out of the Vita 3 DS and the Wii U. So I kind of had the same idea with rodea.

[@PFBM86]

"Rodea is one of the few Wii games to use the pointer in unique in interesting ways..." DERRRRRRRP no it's not, there are literally dozens of great Wii games that feature excellent pointer implementation.

[@BlazeHedgehog]

+PFBM I don't even know what to say to a comment like this, because I can't actually point out just how much you misunderstood what I had to say without it sounding rude.

[@Snatte]

+BlazeHedgehog It's ok to sound rude when dealing with absolute morons.

[@BlazeHedgehog]

Sissel Too many people on the internet are rude about dumb, insignificant stuff. There's no reason to contribute to the negativity.

[@samusaran181818]

I've been interested in this game for a while. As a side note, I was a big fan of Knights, when I was a kid :) Now I really want the Wii version of this game LOL This game also reminds me of Gravity Rush, which I love! Thank you for the comparison video!!!

[@segagirladventurespico]

Cool game I never heard of it till I came across it by accident on fb market. The Wii version hard to find . Only seen Wii u and 3ds. Thank u for the video

[@SHlNOBl3]

nvr heard of this game til now, looks good....the wii version i mean

[@Zetswe_Nox]

So funny thing I work at GS and most people think the Wii version is a sound track bones disk. We do have a listing for the Wii game it 2.99 as of now but the second I saw it then this video on my break I got it right away and yes both cuz why not.

[@tino9117]

poor Yuji Naka

[@damightybenstein]

I picked up my copy earlier today, because I know that the Wii version of the game is going to increase in price dramatically over the next... oh wait, on a few ebay listings, it already has gone up a bit.

[@9Tailsfan]

Wow graphics wise. The 3ds version looks a little better . Control wise the 3ds also makes use of the built in gyroscope. FYI it's in the game settings . If I remember right it's set to normal by default . You can adjust the gyroscope sensitivity .

[@tonyquispe1734]

How long will the limited edition be on for?

[@BlazeHedgehog]

+Tony Quispe I think it's all first-run copies of the physical version of the game, but to be honest, I'm not 100% sure on that. There should be a red sticker on the outside of the case just like the one in the video that says something like "Free Bonus Game!"

[@BlazeHedgehog]

+Tony Quispe I think it's all first-run copies of the physical version of the game, but to be honest, I'm not 100% sure on that. There should be a red sticker on the outside of the case just like the one in the video.

[@RtardD2]

If you should happen upon it preowned then the version that includes the original Wii Rodea has an extra compartment inside the box to hold the second disc- I own it and this was the only way I was sure that it included the extra game when I bought it.

[@kaapusan]

This was a well-explained comparison. Thanks.

[@-Masterklutz-]

really? its been 1 year since this came out? I found a copy packaged with the wii version in my EB games yesterday. bought it cuz I wanted to try it. I already started the wii u version thinking it would be better. Ill probably play them both though

[@thongchat457]

Now that why they took down the Kemono friend Original Director out from his project and then remade the project it self

[@elfidge1]

Dolphin has a story similar to this: dolphin-emu.org/blog/2015/11/12/rodea-releases-for-WiiU-3DS-and-Wii/

[@Overbound]

Why the heck would a game designed for the 3Ds have trouble running on a WII U?

[@BlazeHedgehog]

+Overbound Game Studio Differences in CPU architecture. It's never as easy as just copying and pasting code. But that also means they did almost zero optimization.

[@Overbound]

I suppose, they must have been very lazy. You'd think having the low texture resolution and poly count of a 3Ds game would mean it could run at 60fps.

[@EbonMaster]

+Overbound Game Studio Unlikely. Lazy game devs are largely a myth. Likely rushed or something for some reason.

[@Overbound]

EbonMaster I didn't say it was the game devs, could have been the publisher.

[@BlazeHedgehog]

EbonMaster Lazy developers are a myth, but there DEFINITELY exists financial reasons why a developer might put in less than the required amount of effort.

[@neoarcadezr]

the wii ver looks waaaaaaay better

[@LuluGrande_]

Thanks for the video! Now I know what game to pick

[@sudacagamer]

great video but the game doesn`t run at 60fps, not even close in fact, it runs at an almost steady 30fps though

[@Malouco]

You saved me from buying a shitty version.

[@ikaraiden4368]

Am I the only one here that actually enjoyed the Kadokawa version (I have it on 3DS)

[@ClovesnSpice]

i got this for christmas it had both games in it

[@diffuselemur9499]

It looks interesting and I'd like to play the wii version. But I'm not sure if it's a game I would like.

[@ikaraiden4368]

DiffuseLemur9 Give it a shot I personally enjoyed the game and I have the 3DS version

[@temshop5757]

so its sonic adventure DX all over again

[@thomasalvarenga2839]

Does anyone know if Prope is still around, I feel that this game killed Yuji's company.

[@PBNinja]

They made Legend of Coin for the Japanese arcade.

[@ABlob]

The 3DS version seems to have much brighter textures (compared to the Wii U version, not the Wii version).

[@9Tailsfan]

I can confirm that . I have the 3ds version . It does look brighter then the Wii U version .

[@StiffAftermath]

The Wii version gets me excited to play it! Looks really fluid and fun. The WiiU version...ehn..I really don't care to play it. Looks sluggish and pretty below average. Nothing very exciting there. The Wii version it is!

[@justoneguyisright]

+steph des Same here. The sad thing is, reviewers will think that the Wii U version is the definite version since the Wii version is limed unfortunately :(

[@StiffAftermath]

Yeah! Talk about under-selling the superior product! Sad but at least it came out! I'm just glad I got a copy. Loving it so far! Really great, intuitive game.

[@codezero7981]

the only benefit of the Wii U version is that it runs at 720p, everything else is better on the Wii.

[@GenerationZ313]

I really wished I bought the game it was on sale for $20 and I hesitated.

[@Digiflower5]

This was cool, I just found out about this. Thanks, glad I got it picked up :D

[@jacklazzaro9820]

0:13 What the heck kind of Saturn controller is that?

[@BlazeHedgehog]

That's a Microsoft Sidewinder. That photo was taken for the announcement of a Japan-only Sega Saturn subscription service for the PC that let you play an emulated version of NiGHTS (among other Saturn games). If you've ever heard of the Saturn emulator GiriGiri, Sega bought it to use for that subscription service. It was pretty short lived, as far as I've known.

[@jacklazzaro9820]

BlazeHedgehog, thanks. I've never heard of GiriGiri, nor do I get caught up with PC games. But, the information was useful.

[@LonelymoonChronicles]

A very useful video, thank you!

[@BalsticMaker12]

Sad, indeed. But, Rodea is still pretty lucky. The Wii U version isn't made worse with evil microtransactions, right?

[@BaoZakeruga]

Hmm very good to know and very informal. Thanks :)

[@killingspeerx]

the game for the Wii just needs to have the WiiU's graphic then it would be perfect

[@theobserver4214]

killingspeerx No, the Wii U graphics are actually worse than the Wii version

[@MEDZFactor]

Rodea reminds me of Locke the superman.

[@Ednilane]

Loved everything about the Wii rather than the Wii U version... but that Wii remote... ruins all for me T_T

[@damienthonk1506]

I mean, it's a Wii game. l'm not sure what you expected.

[@Ruko]

Say hello to the rarest Wii U game (till they remove the Wii game).

[@AquaFan1998]

The 3ds game is viberant link the wii

[@billfusionold9647]

I wish I had the Wii version!

[@spite8387]

damn shame what they did to this game. Too bad Prope couldn't get Nintendo to publish the Wii game. We will never get a sequel to this brilliant game. Blame Kadokawa.

[@myoubouhcorp7570]

The Wii version is a really cool game, the WiiU version is a very poor game. It's the best exemple to show people how only some things can destroy a game.

[@Chocoburger]

They should have ported this to the PS3 with Move support instead. Too bad.

[@leehyatt76]

man, i can't find the wii version anywhere!

[@bubcentral23]

Lee Hyatt it's on eBay. loads of copies.

[@silveraxel510]

I'm here because they're taking this game off the wii u and 3ds eshop:/

[@monhoj8778]

I'm here after the balan mess

[@CEAONtheCeaon]

I'll be sure to check it out on Amazon

[@justoneguyisright]

+CEAON I'm probably going to buy the Wii version of this game first as the gameplay and graphics seem to be better than the wii u version.

[@justoneguyisright]

***** Ah :( I found a link to an iso file of the game but it's now taken down unfortunately.

[@BitTripBeat]

+just one guy Kickass is your friend on this one

[@justoneguyisright]

+BitTripBeat Thnx. Sorry I replied late.

[@brrnay]

+BitTripBeat thanks man.. wih i could've supported it but i'm not paying sixty or more for a terrible port just to get the wii version. thanks for your comment though, bc i wouldn't have thought to look it up..

[@ninezerom]

I feel pretty bad for Yuji Naka. Regardless of your opinion of him as a person, he usually puts his heart and soul into a project he's passionate about. Part of why he left Sega was because he was rarely allowed the chance to really do what he wanted to do. Now that he's let off the leash he's made some very creative and interesting games. Rodea is one of those games, but it's hampered by a low budget, a strenuous development cycle, multiple releases of varying quality, and the misfortune of being on a previous generation console in a time where specs and techs are everything. While I personally didn't think Rodea (on the Wii) was an amazing game (hardly a good one), I do think the concept is ingenious! It's a much more simple and unique way of allowing the player to properly fly in a 3D space, and lends itself to being more accurate, therefore being faster. But it's a game that's built on the undeniably silly premise that players want to explore a very uninteresting world, when the core game has more going on. It's built over a perpetual bottomless pit, with platforms and random islands placed an unnecessary distance from each other. The controls are simple, but can also be a bit archaic as it gives the player unnecessary limitations (I get that flight is essentially a really big jump, but why am I not given a regular jump to make movement along the ground more serviceable. The other buttons aren't doing too much anyway). The controls and camera can often get in the players way, and ruin their accuracy as they can easily get stuck behind something, or caught inside of something, or have the ridicule aim at something they had no intention of aiming towards. It has a ranking system that rewards the player for doing everything as fast as they can, and getting enough of the games "coins" which are generally found along the way which discourages exploration. It consistently hampers freedom by sticking the player in combat sections, and takes away control by putting them in on rails sequences, where they just have to sit and watch the game play itself. And it's in game chatter, which there's no way to turn off, and focus on a story which isn't the least bit interesting really turns the game into a pretty drab experience. I mean if you really think about it, the story is almost EXACTLY like Shadow's. Robot from the past has amnesia, and as he goes on a quest in the future to save the world, he gains his memory back. But for every moment the game bores me and frustrates me, it has a moment that it excites me and encourages me to move forward. The most enjoyable parts of the game were when I would fly over vast fields, and climb up mountains that went high into the sky. They really made me feel like I was flying into the air and soaring into the sky. I could explore and cruise through the landscape, and dispatch enemies and get to other parts of the map at high speeds. It made it so that the challenge wasn't flying at something so that I wouldn't fall and die, but finding things to fly to, just so that I could stay in the air. It aided exploration as it encouraged me to look around for something to aim at, and facilitated the accuracy and controls, as there were no tight corridors to move through, no specific platforms or things to land on, and more opportunities to gain height and speed. I wasn't discouraged to make movements in these areas, since I knew there was a safe place for me to land, making stuff like a jump unnecessary, and made the simple controls much more helpful in keeping attention. I think it would have made more sense to challenge the player with things like bottomless pits, tight corridors, and less things to aim at in later levels to increase the tension, increase the difficulty, and test the player's skills and mastery of the mechanics. Rodea definitely has those moments where it goes from an okay game to a brilliant one. It's a game that DESPERATELY needs a sequel, and yet given the games poor reception in Japan, and growing poor reception in America, I don't think it will. This is the concept I think has the potential to become one of the better games of recent years, but I don't think that'll happen, and thinking that way really upsets me. I can only hope that Yuji Naka will get a chance to make at least ONE sequel, as i think there are a lot of things that could be expanded upon and tweaked. Anyway, good comparison video. And I'll be taking a look at the review lickety split

[@omareidah792]

so, what about the 3DS version ?

[@BlazeHedgehog]

+Olimaru I ain't paying $300+ for a 3DS capture kit

[@ObjectionBigot]

+Olimaru It's identical to the Wii U version but with worse framerates, draw distance and textures. Don't even bother with it.

[@ganonvslink1000]

+BlazeHedgehog Send me the 3ds copy and I'll record it.

[@BlazeHedgehog]

ganonvslink1000 Don't have it, don't really want it. :P

[@omareidah792]

+SquareOliver oh shit i was really excited about it :( what have you done yuji...

[@gocarlos987]

Parece legal o game

[@whiteknight5100]

And this is why modern gaming communities suck. You pay 60 bones for 2 different versions of the game which both play natively on your Wii U console. So far the biggest complaint is graphics. I applaud both games and the different styles they bring to the table..

[@XxAngiexXRPI]

+White Knight 5 I think both games look fun in different ways. I just hate the "holding your hand part" of any game

[@chaotika693]

I got the wii version in 2021:)

[@Rex-lg6co]

They could've just used the gyro…

[@idontlikeyou247]

so basically they fucked the game up

[@wolfie23288]

Awesome!

[@Heimdall66]

Comparing Gravity rush with Rodea is comparing for example A expensive and luxurious restaurant french Dinner (Gravity rush) vs a Mc Donalds breakfast cheap meal (Rodea).

[@MrVariant]

lol so a newer game has worse performance and control issues. This is as bad as grandia 2 on ps2.

[@MrCashoos]

Oh yeah such a disgrace that it's ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to get to play Rodea on the Wii, if only there was a way to play extremely rare games without having a real copy of said game... Guys I get that you KZbinrs can't endorse piracy and console modding but come the fuck on don't play on being so innocent, this is one of few cases were piracy is 100% justified. For anyone interested on getting the ISO file google for Vimm's Lair, the site is 100% legit, you can do your own research on its reputation a see for yourself.

[@makhyusnimakhyusni401]

this and balan wonderworld ruin yuji naka

[@ABlob]

The Wii version is a dang good game, go play it if you like the Sonic Adventure games. But the Wii U version and the 3DS version, the ones he didn't make, yeah... Especially if someone popular is misinforming the masses of what Yuji Naka did, it'd be terrible if someone would do such a thing. :////

[@DjStiv3]

soooo, its gravity rush, but lame

[@BlazeHedgehog]

+DjStiv3 Incorrect.

[@DjStiv3]

BlazeHedgehog lol staying up in the air for a limited time & flying around, going to where youre looking... very similar gameplay. Even has a target in the center for where youre aiming. The premise is the same. Gameplay very similar. Its like mario and rayman or something, theyre both platformers with differences. Or the old, cod vs bf.

[@BlazeHedgehog]

DjStiv3 Okay, well, for starters, Rodea technically predates Gravity Rush, given that this game was originally announced in 2010 and finished in 2011 (you'd know this, because I say it in the video). Second of all, they really, REALLY aren't similar at all. By your definition, Superman 64 is like Gravity Rush. Don't be so superficial about a game I'm pretty sure you've never played. Your comparison about how it's "like Mario and Rayman" is dumb. The comparison I'd make would be Mario and Prince of Persia, personally -- people have technically called Prince of Persia a platformer, but it's really nothing like Super Mario Bros. at all. Though, by the way you apparently judge things, maybe you WOULD say that Prince of Persia is "like Mario, but lame." Doesn't mean you'd be right , however.

[@DjStiv3]

BlazeHedgehog i was comparing, i know GR came after it, however it was in development hell so who knows when work began anyway, announce date and release date are too far apart. GR released 2012... HOWEVER work began as a ps3!! title in 2008 so HA lol Rayman and mario are closer than PoP, i mean really. I doubt you mean these newer games, but if you mean older ones then maybe. (but it seems you dont know about the older ones though) if you did you would know PoP started life as a platformer. In which casenyou could say they are a bit similar. And superman 64 can be said the same for this game, one other thing they have in common is they are both dull and lame.

[@BlazeHedgehog]

You are a child with a child's opinions.