Poké-fans in Europe may remember last year when during their Pokémon journey in Pokémon Platimum they discovered they couldn't play the slots like they could in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. It seems this trend continues with Pokémon SoulSliver and HeartGold as well, though this time instead of simply picking up coins a new minigame called "Voltorb Flip" replaces the old slots.
This is due to EU law that has been brought in about the promotion of gambling, in particular that of promoting gambling to under-age children. With the newer laws Nintendo would have to accept a higher age raiting on the series or remove Game Corner, so it's understandable they have taken the latter option.
Voltorb Flip is described as "minesweeper meets picross" by Nintendo Official Magazine's Chris Scullion:
You're presented with a 5x5 grid consisting of 25 squares. Behind each square is either a number or a Voltorb. If you reveal a number that multiplies the number of coins you've earned in that round. So if you get a '1' your coin count stays the same, get a '2' and it doubles, get a '3' and it triples. If you uncover a Voltorb though, you lose all your coins for that round.
Those who have fond memories of losing hours to minesweeper on their Windows PC's may be pleased with this news, though it's a blow for Game Corner fans. Still, at least this time European Pokétrainers can do something other than check slots for spare change in the hopes of winning the likes of Dratini this time!
[source officialnintendomagazine.co.uk]
Comments 39
I wonder if this game is going to be in the American version too. This sounds like fun
Or better yet maybe BOTH mini games could be in the US version!
I want to play that! It sounds way easier than the slots (which I suck at most of the time...).
Well as long as there is an alternative that's not so bad.
Minesweeper! Yes! =D
Definately sounds more enjoyable than playing slots.
I'm glad they replaced the slots, instead of just getting rid of them. I really hope America gets slots and this. That would be great.
That doesn't sound like mine sweeper, it sounds like that world one bonus game in Yoshi's Island where you would keep flipping tiles until you quit or uncover a Kamek, in the latter case you lose all tiles you opened so it becomes a matter of how many tiles do you dare to turn. The tile flipping minigame in NSMBW seems strange because there is no need to judge when to quit and there is no way to know ahead of time which tiles form a pair either (like in the YI memory game where it shows you all tiles at the start and you get that one chance to memorize them) so it's just dumb luck with no strategy at all.
Isn't that still gambling, or am I missing something?
These completely replace the slots in the American version too, guys.
I'm still sad that Euro game will lose the slots, but this time they did the right thing, replace the games instead of just remove them.
@XD375: Source?
If the US game gets the minesweeper game instead of the slots, they would seem to take one step towards actually discouraging gambling.
Oh well, they gotta do what they gotta.
Greece overreacted a bit about the whole gambling situation, so yeah.
No fair; they get an easier-fun game instead.
@KDR_11k. From the full source article:
You can tell which squares have coins and which have Voltorbs by using the numerical clues at the end of each row and column
However, from the description of the clues it sounds like there is still some element of luck.
Oh please bring this to the US! I am so tired of just buying coins for ridiculous amounts because the slots are so boring!
Voltorbsweeper? Sounds fun, I never was a big fan of the slots, anyway...
Sounds waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than playing the slots.
This I still do not understand. Light-hearted slot machines are banned in games, and yet near enough every program on ITV and C4 is sponsored by FoxyBingo, King.com, 888Ladies, William Hill Casino and etc, and gambling sites are advertised in near enough every ad break throughout the day. Surely the latter is doing much, much more to encourage children to get into gambling than a slot-machine minigame in Pokémon. And where does it stop, anyway? If Needlemouse has a Casinopolis-style Zone are the EU going to rip it out for the sake of the children? It's beyond idiotic.
At least this time they gave us something different to play this time, but still. If the slots aren't pulled from the US version, I'm importing.
i dont know if you consider this a "source" but serebii.net states that all regions outside of japan will be missing the slots.
Well, at least it's better than nothing, though I'd still rather have the slots. I heard the slots in HG/SS were especially fun, and I want to see if that's true. Now I just might have to import one version and buy the other right here!
Personally, I considered the slots in Diamond to be something really boring that I would slog through exclusively to win some TMs, but like Raylax said, it does make me worry about the fate of those awesome casino levels in the Sonic games.
@Iz2010
Serebii.net, the website that revealed this info originally.
@LegendofPasta99 and Raylax: The less we talk about the casino's levels in the Sonic games, the better. If Europeans gets overreactive enough, they'll sue Nintendo and Sega butts off for Sonic 2 and 3 casino's references on the Virtual Console and be force to pull them off the Virtual Console.
So, is this just to keep the age rating at 3+?
Does Super Mario Bros. 2 on the VC have a higher age rating? Because that has a slots game too, and so does Sonic 2 and probably many other games.
Also, I know it shouldn't be a big deal in the 21st century, but it's nice to see there's a female writer here now
@ Raylax
When was the last time anything in life seemed logical and fair? XD
And, btw guys, all versions outside of Japan are getting this minigame instead of the slots.
Nooo....... The slots were fun, but this voltorb game sounds OK.
I hate Minesweeper.
Guess I'll have to buy my coins.
Eh, I've never really liked the slots.
I hated the fact they took it out in Platinum, but minesweeper sounds a lot more fun than just pushing a button so I'm glad with this.
They could've at least has both, but I guess if it stops less young kids being influenced to gamble, then I can't complain.
Were the slots in the Australian version of Platnum?
I never liked the slots, but I don't think remakes should get rid of content. The slots in Diamond and Pearl were big improvements, anyway.
Sounds like an improvement over those boring gambling games.
If there's actually a strategic element then I think this would be better. I was terrible at slots and I ended up losing more than winning.
Damn it, wasn't it already enough that they took poker and blackjack from my Harvest Moon DS? Not that it really matters. HGSS will still be awesome~
Hahaha.
I'd be fine with Minesweeper instead of Slots anyway. It was a blueberry to get coins at the game corner's slots :l
the slots were fun...
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