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National Geographic gets into gaming
Taking a break from merely educating the world about bees with tiny radios and environmental dangers, National Geographic has announced that it is getting into the video game biz. The educational institution has formed a new game division shockingly called National Geographic Games, which will be focused on delivering educational titles across all platforms, including PCs, consoles and handhelds. Some early fruits of this venture have already fallen from the tree, including Herod's Lost Tomb on the iPhone, as well as Namco Bandai's National Geographic: Panda for the DS. The division is also working with Sony on National Geographic: Africa, with future projects including Rain Forests and Greencity also in the works. The division describes each of these efforts as offering "entertainment with substance," though whether or not that will keep players from tuning out after they get bored of ogling topless natives remains to be seen.
DS releases for the week of November 10th
Lots of games out this week that may have dropped off your radar, like Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff and Populous DS. If you like a wide variety of games, this one may be tough for you: there's a lot of different things out this week, and unfortunately, they all cost money. That one always gets us in the end.Europe is just now getting Dementium: The Ward? We'd feel bad, but you guys also have Flower, Sun, and Rain this week, so mainly, we're just jealous. Amazing Adventures: The Forgotten Ruins Avatar - The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno Call of Duty: World at War futureU: The Prep Game for SAT Guinness World Records: The Videogame Hello Kitty Daily My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr National Geographic Panda Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Pony Friends: Mini Breeds Edition Populous DS Sally's Salon Six Flags Fun Park Star Wars The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff TrackMania DS Winx Club: Mission Enchantix WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals
Namco bundles DVD with National Geographic Panda
Namco Bandai just dished out a press release about upcoming National Geographic Panda. With the game hitting U.S. retail shelves this fall, the prospect of playing with virtual pandas on your DS is not the only enticing aspect panda fans should be focusing on. All copies of the game will come packaged with a DVD titled Secrets of the Wild Panda. What is Secrets of the Wild Panda? Well, it's an hour-long special produced by National Geographic on the subject of, you guessed it, panda bears. So instead of just being a DS game full of cute pandas to play with, it also holds some educational value, as well.%Gallery-20748%[Via press release]
E308: Namco Bandai's Panda game dated for U.S.
The first English-language screens of Namco Bandai's National Geographic Panda have emerged from E3, as well as a North American release window of this fall. We also received a smattering of gameplay details, listed beneath the almost unforgivable title of "It's PANDA-MONIUM!"According to these, the aim of the game is simply to rear your own Baby Panda or Giant Panda (you can tickle and play with them via the touchscreen, as you would a Nintendog), keeping them fed, clean, and happy during their time in Panda Park (which, incidentally, changes depending on whether you play at day or night).To do this, you'll get a daily allowance which can be used for panda food or toys (such as ... gherkin-shaped see-saws?), and as you play more, further Baby Pandas will gradually begin to "move" into Panda Park, which is probably just Namco Bandai's way of avoiding the whole panda sex thing. Probably for the best.%Gallery-20748%[Via press release]
National Geographic Pandas are no slackers
We simply can't fault Namco Bandai's inspired decision to develop a game based on panda bears. When it comes to pandas, there is no universal divide in opinion (as there is with dogs and cats) -- everybody is a panda person. That kind of popularity can only be gained from being extremely cute and extremely rare.Launching in Japan on July 31st, purchased copies of Panda-San Nikki (National Geographic Panda) will probably be anything but rare. That's because this game is freakin' adorable, as the latest screenshots in our gallery demonstrate. There are more pandas on see-saws, pandas trying to roll on a ball, pandas using a slide, pandas in hats -- in fact, Game Watch reckons there are over 800 animations (pandamations?) on display here. We always thought these wonderful creatures just sort of sat around, but they seem to be rather active!%Gallery-20748%
Say 'awww' to these new National Geographic Panda screens
Seriously, if there was anything that could melt the heart of the most cold individual, it's images of a panda bear playing with a beach ball. And, we have just that, in our gallery below, courtesy of Namco Bandai. We have to say, that with each new National Geographic Panda screen we're exposed to, our desire for the game grows. We just want to take care of cute little panda bears. Is that so wrong?%Gallery-20748%[Via press release]
Listen to J-pop and roll a panda
We're oddly fascinated with the upcoming, uh, panda simulation game, National Geographic Panda. Well, it's called Panda-San Nikki in Japan, but in North America it's important to tag an environmentally-conscious magazine to the title. That way, gamers can save endangered wildlife while riding the bus to knitting college. Everybody wins!Adhering to the recent Nintendo trend of browser-based demos, Namco has set up a virtual DS on their official website so you can actually play the game (no see-saws ... yet). Sure, gameplay consists of making one single swipe to roll that big cutie over, but it's addictive. Turn the sound up and enjoy the happy.Follow this link, and hit the pink box to start up the DS demonstration. Several areas of the site are blanked out, so we're sure to see some new interactive content coming soon for this unique title.%Gallery-20748%[Via Siliconera]
Namco reveals National Geographic Panda and Digimon World Championship
Today is a very happy day for us here at DS Fanboy. We had no idea that pandas on see-saws would be making their way to our country. Back when we saw the scans showing the Japanese game, we thought it was much too quirky and original to be released over here. Oh how glad we are to be wrong.So, what is the game, exactly? National Geographic Panda and it will release this fall. The game has you interacting with panda bears at Panda Park. Mistreating the bears will cause them to leave your park, whereas nurturing them and making sure they're having fun means new pandas will come to your park and stay. Sounds great to us!The other game Namco announced in the press release we received is Digimon World Championship. The new game will feature over 200 kinds of Digimon and will feature Wi-Fi support for battling online. Those of you familiar with the Digimon series of games should know what to expect here. No word on a release window for the game.Check out our galleries below for screenshots of both these games.%Gallery-20748%%Gallery-20750%[Via press release]
