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Windows Embedded Standard 8 preview now available for download
We're guessing it won't get to a million downloads quite as quick as the Windows 8 consumer preview did, but Microsoft has now made another upcoming operating system available for download in "preview" form: Windows Embedded Standard 8. That OS is at the heart the company's big push into so-called "intelligent systems," which includes everything from digital signage and kiosks to manufacturing systems and medical equipment. As you might expect, the OS is also closely tied to Windows 8 proper, including the same Metro-style applications and what Microsoft describes as "all the key functionality of Windows 8." Additional details and download instructions can be found at the source link below.
Fire Emblem: Awakening's brand new, way Japanese trailer
Debuted during Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's latest Nintendo Direct address, the new trailer for Fire Emblem: Awakening on 3DS is -- dare we say? -- dramatic. Crafty YouTubers have already snatched the video and put it online, as evidenced above.
Portabliss: Pushmo (3DS eShop)
Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Pushmo. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to address Pushmo. I feel bad thinking that there's some hypothetical person out there who may not be playing Pushmo yet, simply because Joystiq hasn't put its seal of approval on it. I'm not being conceited, just worrying that such a thing is possible. Intelligent Systems' Pushmo is definitely one of the best games on the 3DS, and one of the best puzzle games released this year. It's this year's Picross 3D. And it's seven dollars.%Gallery-141347%
Rolling Western, more 3DS download games dated
If you've been waiting to try out Picture Lives, the build-it-yourself 3DS platform adventure thing I called "E3's weirdest game," you'll be able to do so in November. Nintendo announced the release window for the downloadable game -- now called Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! -- today as part of its 3DS info dump. That game will be $6.99 upon release. The Rolling Western, the action-tower-defense game about an armadillo cowboy, is now Dillon's Rolling Western, and it's coming in Q1 of next year. Pushmo is a new puzzle game that just came out in Japan, developed by Intelligent Systems, about pushing and pulling blocks in and out of the screen to solve puzzles. That's coming to North America in December. Finally, Swapnote is a messaging service that allows you to draw 3D messages, with pictures and sounds, and send them over the internet or StreetPass. Nintendo's going to regret allowing you to send filth directly to neighboring 3DS systems when this comes out for free in December. You can see footage of all four of these releases in the new Nintendo Direct video. That's a new thing Nintendo is trying -- a video in which the company just tells people about new announcements.
Nintendo announces another Fire Emblem DS remake
Andriasang noticed that Nintendo's official site for all things Fire Emblem was updated earlier today with an announcement for a new ... a kind of new entry in the classic strategy-RPG franchise. The game, which is set to release this year in Japan, is a DS remake of the 1994 SNES iteration of the series, Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo Hikari to Kage no Eiyuu (or Mystery of the Emblem: Hero of Light and Shadow). Don't try to reach back in your memory banks and remember the hours you spent playing the original game -- it was only released in Japan, so those hours likely don't exist. You can check out a cutscene-fueled trailer for the game posted after the jump. It's unclear whether this title will get a US release, though the DS remake of the original Fire Emblem came stateside last February, so there's a decent chance we'll get our hands on this one too.
Print your own copy of the unofficial Advance Wars board game
This is one of those cases where we really want to share something magical with you, but fear the tremendous weight the Joystiq Biomass carries will crush the life out of the magical thing in question. Still, though we don't want to bring Nintendo's attention to this, we couldn't not share this incredible, homemade Advance Wars board game with you -- especially since you can print out all the assets and start playing it with your fellow tabletop enthusiasts immediately. The name of the game is actually Skirmish Wars: Advance Tactics, but considering all of the art assets were straight yoinked from Intelligent Systems' series of turn-based strategy games, we don't actually think they're fooling anybody. Seriously, board game fiends -- grab this one while it's still grabbable. [Via GoNintendo]
Review: WarioWare D.I.Y.
Do you want a new WarioWare game, with the same kind of rapid-fire microgame play you've come to love since the first game? WarioWare D.I.Y. is that. If you want the world's easiest game design utility, WarioWare D.I.Y. is that. If you want the long-awaited Mario Paint sequel, WarioWare D.I.Y. is, surprisingly, pretty close. If you want a game about shaking up a bottle of root beer and using it as a firehose to extinguish a fire ... you'll have to make that one yourself. WarioWare D.I.Y. does for making games what the original WarioWare did for playing them. The series has always been about distilling the act of gameplay down to its simplest elements, so that a game can be learned and completed in five seconds or less. In this case, a simple, menu-driven interface, combined with the harsh time restrictions of the games, allows you to go from idea to full (but tiny) game in just minutes. %Gallery-83841%
WarioWare D.I.Y. intermediate tutorials: a micro-class on microgames
While you wait for the release of WarioWare D.I.Y., why not get your learn on? Following the beginner-level tutorials released last week, Nintendo has put together a series of intermediate guides to the microgame creation process. Study these and you should be able to hit the ground running, translating your ridiculous ideas to ridiculous games in no time. Actually, F.Y.I., D.I.Y. forces you through a tutorial when you first begin the game, so you'll be familiar with this material no matter what. But you might as well learn how it works now and start planning your game designs in advance!
Nintendo: WarioWare D.I.Y. getting two DLC microgames weekly, famous devs contributing
Meeting with Nintendo reps yesterday to check out the interoperability between WarioWare D.I.Y. for DS and WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase for WiiWare, we were informed that the publisher itself will be making two original games available for download each week after the titles launch at the end of March. Not only that, but there are plans to distribute D.I.Y. microgames created by "famous" game developers in the future -- which, of course, you'll be able to study the inner-workings of in detail using the DS version of the latest WarioWare. Think you should be both "famous" and a "game developer?" The trio of tidbits we jotted down is rounded out by word of contests Nintendo is planning to hold, in which specific microgame themes will be presented to the D.I.Y. community, it'll take submissions (for, say, a game based on your favorite food) and the best of the best will then be chosen and distributed by the Big N. Got that notebook full of (tiny) game ideas handy? %Gallery-86452%
ESRB: Dragon Quest Wars draws near
Right above Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (!!!) on the ESRB ratings page, a listing for Dragon Quest Wars reveals that Square Enix is considering a North American release for the DSiWare game.Dragon Quest Wars is a simplistic strategy game in which players control teams of four monsters, each trying to destroy the other teams or invade their bases (represented by a goal line). It's developed by Intelligent Systems, which makes it sort of a Nintendo/Square Enix collaboration. And it's got online multiplayer! It seems like a nice diversion while we wait to hear anything at all about Dragon Quest IX.
Fire Emblem: Savings Day
Have you thought about purchasing Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, but decided to wait until the price dropped to exactly $14.98? If so, today is the day you've been waiting for. Amazon, for its Deal of the Day, has marked down the tactical role-playing remake by 50%. It's a very cheap way to occupy like a million hours. A warning, though: if you buy it now and one of your friends challenges you to a multiplayer match, that person has probably been playing the game since February or so. You can expect a few seconds of humiliating punishment, is what we're saying. Have fun! %Gallery-8394%
Joyswag: Strategic double pack [update]
Update: Our contest has come to an end. Be sure to keep an eye on your email to see if you won! For our DS fans, we've got two strategy games up for grabs in our latest Joyswag giveaway: Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (ARV $30) and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (ARV $30). It's a pretty sweet combo, if we may say so ourselves, and should provide you with hours upon hours of distraction. So, check out the rules below to enter and best of luck to you! Leave a comment telling us what your favorite tactic is (examples: stealth, guns blazing, hang in the back and hope your team doesn't die, etc) You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day This entry period ends at 11:59 am ET on Monday, May 25 At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon ($30) and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift ($30) For a list of complete rules, click here
Square Enix announces Dragon Quest Wars for DSiWare
Square Enix has revealed the Dragon Quest Wars whose title was trademarked last month. Anyone expecting some kind of MMO tactics game will be disappointed, because while the new game does feature online play, it's nothing quite so grandiose. In fact, it's a 500-point DSiWare download.Dragon Quest Wars is an online-capable board game for up to four players. Each player creates a team of four classic Dragon Quest monsters and participates in "simple battles" against up to three other AI or player teams. The small game has some decent strategy game cred: it's being developed by Intelligent Systems, the Nintendo second party responsible for both the Fire Emblem and Advance Wars series. Dragon Quest Wars will be out in Japan this June.[Via 1UP]
WarioWare Snapped! and our inability to play it [update]
Update: Nintendo got back to us and had the following to say: "Facial recognition works best when the camera can properly see your face." We tried to drill them for more, but that's all we could get. So, try to play in an area with a lot of light, we suppose. Have you tried to play WarioWare Snapped! yet? We have, and we couldn't get past the camera calibration tool. The game says that our skin tone too closely resembles the color of the background. Considering our skin is a light peach and the walls are completely white, we're wondering what the problem is. Also, trying to use the game against, say, a dark blue background has been no help either. Have any of you had trouble playing the game, or has it all been smooth sailing?We've put word in to Nintendo and will be sure to update you as soon as we receive a response.%Gallery-48555% Got DSi on the brain? Check out our in-depth unboxing feature that shows off the handheld's features, and be sure to stay up to date on DSi-related info through our Nintendo DSi tag. And if you want to try and win one, we're giving away 3 systems right here!
Fire Emblem staff talk Shadow Dragon in conference call [update]
Update: Nintendo sent out new screenshots to go along with the conference call report. You'll find them in the gallery. Last night, we had the rare opportunity to take part in a conference call hosted by Nintendo, featuring members of the Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon team including producer Tohru Narihiro and directors Masaki Tawara and Masayuki Horikawa. The developers discussed the changes found in the new version of the ancient Famicom game and the motivations behind them, and answered questions from press about the new game and future plans. We've done our best to summarize the discussion without leaving anything out! The discussion began with an outline of the new features in Shadow Dragon: an enhanced tutorial system that "gets the player so they're ready to play" and get into the main game more quickly; a battle forecasting system, brought in from the second game, that allows players to predict the outcome of battles given the units involved; six difficulty settings; and mid-map save points. As the developers mention later, these changes are intended to increase the accessibility of the game. %Gallery-8394%
DS Daily: First Emblem
Fire Emblem's Western debut on the GBA was actually kind of a big deal, becoming one of the emblematic series of the platform. Since the series had never come out outside Japan, the GBA games were many people's introduction to Intelligent Systems' strategy series. The DS is an even more popular system with a more diverse install base, so the imminent Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon could end up being the first Fire Emblem for many more gamers. Will Shadow Dragon be your first foray into the non-Smashing life of Marth? Or, if you're in Europe, was it? If you're planning to jump into the series now, what attracted your interest? %Gallery-8394%
Fire Emblem: Stopwatch Deal
If you can't be bothered to go to a store to pick up Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (and we're not implying that you should have to), GameStop has a pretty attractive deal for you -- for the next day or so. As their Stopwatch Deal, they're offering free two-day shipping on orders of the strategy remake. Just enter the promotional code MARTH when you check out! In addition, preorders for Fire Emblem will receive a "Limited Edition, matted, 5 x 7, Fire Emblem art cell." Free shipping and free stuff? We love being incentivized to do things we were going to do anyway. %Gallery-8394%
DS Daily: 2009: The year of the DS (again)?
While pretty much everyone expected the DS to have another awesome holiday, it was still a surprise when the NPD Group announced that the aging system had broken an all-time one-month sales record in December, beating (everything else, obviously, and) even the Wii. The DS will have a killer software lineup in 2009, with awesome third-party games and Nintendo releases like Fire Emblem, Rhythm Heaven, and Pokémon Platinum, and will even see the launch of a new hardware configuration, which should boost sales. Do you think the DS's fifth year will turn out to be as successful as its fourth? And will anything outsell Mario Kart this year? %Gallery-36348%
DS Daily: Holiday rush, continued
Elebits. Moon. Big Bang Mini. Retro Game Challenge. Personal Trainer: Math (like it or not, it's a first-party release, and thus high-profile-ish!). The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity. Legacy of Ys. My World, My Way. Magician's Quest. Fire Emblem. Dragon Quest V. Puzzle Quest: Galactrix. Avalon Code. Blue Dragon Plus. We just went through Gamestop.com and culled genuinely interesting games coming out in January or February in North America. The list above represents a hasty gathering of quality games coming out in just these two months. Isn't the schedule supposed to slow down after the holidays? We kind of don't have a real direction for today's discussion topic, only general marveling about the next two months on DS. Even if some of this stuff gets delayed, the DS still has a lineup in January or February to rival or beat most fall/holiday lineups. Who plans to buy more in these two months than they did in late 2008? Who else is really, really overwhelmed?
Pokemon Platinum, Fire Emblem, tons more Q1 releases officially dated!
Nintendo has graced us with their customary infodump of the next quarter's DS and Wii releases, and by far the biggest news in terms of guaranteed sales: Pokémon Platinum has finally been officially confirmed for North America (not that there was ever a speck of doubt), and it's indeed coming March 22. Statistically speaking, you will probably purchase it. Also in first-party news, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon hits February 16, a bit earlier than Circuit City predicted. Personal Trainer: Math will be Nintendo's first DS release of the year on January 12. In third-party news, we're thrilled to see a January 6 release date for Retro Game Challenge -- except that according to the list, it'll be competing with Big Bang Mini. Atlus's My World, My Way is on its way February 3, with Legacy of Ys following on the 10th, and Trackmania on March 17. GTA Chinatown Wars has yet to be dated in this release, but we know it's March 17. And Monster Band from DreamCatcher: could it be Music Monstars? Is that just for us? Check the post break for the full list! %Gallery-25539%
