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Nintendo UK mag promises Animal Crossing deets
Animal Crossing is coming. This is a fact. What form it will take when it does arrive is a deeper mystery. Somebody at the UK edition of the Official Nintendo Magazine knows the answer to this, damn them, and they aren't afraid to shout about it.The above image (art from Animal Crossing: Wild World on the DS) appears on the "Coming Next Month" page in the latest issue of the mag, and was dutifully scanned and internetalized by a Go Nintendo reader for all of us to speculate about. "It's been a while," reads the accompanying caption, keeping us on tenterhooks. "It's time to revisit an old friend. How's your village doing these days?"All of which is very exciting, but by the time the next edition of Official Nintendo Magazine appears (August 1st), we may have already heard more from E3. Either way, we'll know something about this game soon. Prepare your Golden Shovels, everybody!
Another exhaustive list of Japan's best-sellers of 2007
Remember that haaauuuuge list of Japan's 500 highest-selling games of 2007? Well, sorry, but you'll have to forget them all. Yep, every last one of 'em. That's because we now have a new list which is also claiming to feature the 500 best-selling games of 2007 in Japan. This one has been compiled by Enterbrain (the original was from rival data-gatherers Media Create), and it's ever so slightly different. The good news is that, despite the origins of each list being different, the overriding message is still the same, and that message is: DS rules all yaaay. Both lists agree that Wii Sports was top dog, but the top DS games have been jumbled about. Now, for example, it is the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers games that are top of the DS pile, while Mario Party DS drops to second. The changes are subtle, but definitely exist. Hit the break to see the top ten DS games!
EA tips Nintendo to do MMO
Are home consoles ready to support a successful MMO? EA Mythic creative director Paul Barnett thinks so, but reckons that the hegemony enjoyed by World of Warcraft could be an obstacle. As Barnett puts it in his interview with CVG: "It's very hard [...] when almost everyone has only ever played one of these games and it dominates their thinking."We'd probably agree with that analysis, though we're not so sure about this bit: "I think probably the best chance of someone doing [the first successful console MMO] is Nintendo."Backing Nintendo to break new ground is usually a safe bet, but let us not forget how Satoru Iwata wasn't thrilled by the idea of a Nintendo MMO back in February; we can't imagine his position on the matter will have deviated much since then. As much as we all crave an Animal Crossing MMO, we're just not sure if soccer moms and Leroy Jenkins are ready to be united.
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 5/5-5/11
There's no new DS software in the top of the charts to report this week, but that doesn't mean Nintendo's little handheld didn't completely clean house. In fact, nineteen of the top thirty were DS games, showing how gluttonous the dual-screened portable can get when it comes to sales. Some old favorites also popped back up around the bottom, including Brain Age 2, Animal Crossing, and the original Taiko Drum Master DS.Hardware continues to be a struggle, though. That doesn't mean the DS is doing poorly, because it's not; sales for the handheld even jumped up almost 10,000 units since last week. However, since the PSP and Wii have been doing so well lately, it's hard for Nintendo's handheld to compete: PSP: 89,884 Wii: 67,308 Nintendo DS: 51,228 PlayStation 3: 8,054 PlayStation 2: 7,464 Xbox 360: 1,298 We have no doubt that the DS will be on top again soon enough, but until then, you can check out the satisfactory software numbers posted after the break.
Nintendo provides game-playing training down under
Nintendo is an odd company. While we won't argue the merits of doing something like this, we will argue that Nintendo could've used some new games. Confused? So are we, so let's break it down.Basically, Nintendo is conducting an hour-long "beginner's class" with Animal Crossing: Wild World and Nintendogs, in the hopes that they can show people how great their really old games are. In all seriousness, we imagine the classes will mostly revolve around introducing the device to skeptical folks, as well as the ease of using the stylus on the touch-screen. It all takes place at ACMI, Screen Pit Room, Federation Square, Flinders Street Melbourne, so if you're anywhere near there this Thursday between 6:00pm – 7:00pm, show up and take some pictures. Then send those pictures to us!
Another Week in Europe
For a continent that gave the world tiramisu, Audrey Tautou, and the Renaissance, Europe sure does disappoint us at times. Yep, it's another week of gray, predictable drudgery when it comes to sales of DS software.All you truly need to know is that More Mario & Dr. Kawashima's Olympics Training sold really, really well, and almost everything we care about didn't. Except for Animal Crossing: Wild World, which popped in to the German top ten, and Mario Kart DS, which secured eighth place in Ireland, and fifth in Germany. So maybe the world isn't all that rubbish, after all. And if you really believe that, we advise you go and rent Eurotrip.
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 4/14-4/20
Something caused a Phoenix Wright sales revival, and we suspect it was the Gyakuten Meets Orchestra concert (which was also a Gyakuten Kenji hype event). Both the first and second Gyakuten Saiban games for the DS ended up in the top thirty this week.Newcomer We're Fossil Diggers (a second-party effort by RED Entertainment that actually sounds really fun, at least to the dinosaur lovers in us) deserves all the glory, though. Debuting at third place, this unique piece of software did rather well for itself in its first week.Besides the same old games that have been showing up in the charts for the past few weeks, the other notable is Square-Enix's dull-sounding bookkeeping game. It seems like a rather niche title to end up in the top thirty, but who knows -- maybe a lot of Japanese folks are getting ready to take the Level 3 Bookkeeping exam. Or, maybe they just can't resist a game by the beloved Squeenix.To see all the placings and numbers for yourselves, just click on past the break.
Shadowbane dev studio to create MMO for the Wii
Here's a weird Venn diagram for you: those of you who remember Shadowbane with fondness and also love the Nintendo Wii will be totally excited about this piece of news. Stray Bullet, the Austin, Texas MMO developer, have announced that they're working on a new MMO. At the same time, they've posted a few openings on Gamasutra's JobSeeker board, one for a Senior Programmer for an un-named Wii project, and the other for a Gameplay Programmer for an MMO project. Neither posting mentions the other, but chances are, they're for the same project. Really, there's no bad time for wild speculation, so let's get the ball rolling! We're envisioning, obviously enough, actual hack and slash combat with the nunchuk and wiimote. Maybe crafting might take on a whole new dimension with the use of the motion-sensing abilities of the Wii. Maybe it'll be a massively Mii experience! Whatever's coming down the pike, we'll keep our ears to the ground for more info. With this on the way, can the Animal Crossing MMO be far behind? Hey ... what're the odds that this is the Animal Crossing MMO?
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 4/7-4/13
In a strange turn of events, there's only one new DS game in Japan's top thirty this week, and that's Oshiri Kajiri Mushi's Rhythm Lesson DS. In case that title doesn't ring a bell, you may know it better as "that butt-biting bug game." If there's one thing we've learned from this bug, it's that biting is serious business. Despite Japan's love for DS software and quirky rhythm games, though, Oshiri Kajiri Mushi only debuted in the eighteenth spot. Perhaps butt biting is even too weird for Japan?In hardware, the DS fell behind the PSP once again. Yet, there's already signs of the Monster Hunter hype beginning to dwindle, as the PSP sold 35,000 less units than the week before. Will the new brown model that comes out next week help the PSP keep a wide lead, or will the gap start to narrow again between the two handhelds? We're looking forward to finding out!To see the Japanese placings and numbers, just check after the break.
Japan snaps up 100,000,000 DS games
In what is yet another statistical landmark for the DS in its homeland, the data gatherers at Media Create have revealed that Japanese consumers have purchased their 100,000,000th Nintendo DS game.* Considering the handheld itself hit the twenty million mark only last November, we calculate that to be ... a pretty good attachment rate! In total, 922 titles have appeared in the region, 21 of which have been million-sellers. Hit the break for the top ten best-selling games to date. * Rumors that the 100,000,000th game sold was Bangai-O Spirits are yet to be verified, and are suspected to have originated at popular Nintendo DS blog "DS Fanboy."
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 3/31-4/6
Sony dominated the first (and last) five in the top thirty software chart, but aside from that, everything else was Nintendo. The DS had fifteen games to represent it, but even if you added up the sales numbers for all those games, the total wouldn't come close to what Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G sold in its second week.Pokemon Ranger: Batonnage was once again the best-selling DS game, but newcomer Tottado! Yowiko's Deserted Island Life (which is about famous Japanese comedians being stranded on an island) did well, also. In hardware, the DS was crushed for the second week in a row by the PSP, which had its sales boosted by Monster Hunter and Star Ocean 2.Hardware: PSP: 120,964 Nintendo DS: 55,190 Wii: 44,618 PlayStation 3: 11,303 PlayStation 2: 10,423 Xbox 360: 1,452 To see the software listings, just check after the break.
Want to hear every K.K. Slider song?
At once? Then click the play button on the video above. But, be warned that this is ... well, it's weird. Frankly, we don't understand why someone would do this. Sure, we want to hear every K.K. Slider song too, but we don't want to listen to them all at once. [Via Go Nintendo]
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 3/3-3/9
Japan loves Doraemon, and it shows. Not only did the manga-based robot cat have a successful DS baseball game, but now a game based on the manga itself debuted in the top ten. Soma Bringer was still the top dog for the handheld, though, selling a total of 68,000 copies in two weeks. Are numbers like these high enough to motivate Monolith Soft to bring the game to English speaking markets? Well, we certainly hope so, but that remains to be seen.As for hardware, the DS stayed in third place again last week, but wasn't too far behind the PSP: Wii: 57,068 PSP: 53,924 Nintendo DS: 48,658 PlayStation 3: 21,008 PlayStation 2: 10,429 Xbox 360: 2,891 The numbers and placings for software are listed after the break, so if you're curious, just click away.
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 2/25-3/2
The DS dropped to third in last week's hardware sales, as the PSP inched its way to first. (In case you haven't been keeping track, Wii sales have been above those of the DS for quite some time, but the PSP and DS keep flip-flopping for the week's best selling portable.)Hardware: PSP: 73,706 Wii: 64,535 Nintendo DS: 51,922 PlayStation 3: 13,520 PlayStation 2: 10,986 Xbox 360: 2,282 In the software chart, though, Nintendo's portable dominated once again. There were fourteen DS games to hit the top thirty last week, three of which made the top ten. Most of note is the new release Soma Bringer, a game that many of us outside of Japan have been coveting. It debuted in fourth, and was the top seller for the dual-screened handheld last week.Meanwhile, Professor Layton 2 and Animal Crossing slipped back into the top thirty, while Harvest Moon and Etrian Odyssey II managed to remain in the top ten. Check after the break to see a whole lot of DS games in boldface.
Witness the greatest Animal Crossing cosplay ever
We're a bit torn between whether the above image is horrifying or brilliant. On the one hand, someone clearly drew massive eyebrows on this poor animal, whose uncanny likeness to Animal Crossing's resident musician K. K. Slider is certainly no fault of his (or her?) own.On the other hand, someone did look at this dog, and realize that with the slightest modification they could create a most excellent cosplay. In either case, consider us in awe. Now all he/she needs is an adorable guitar, and a puppy-sized stool. But we suppose the poor thing's been through enough already.[Via DS Fanboy]
K.K. Slider cosplay is simple, massively effective
Why, we'd recognise those Norman Lamont eyebrows a mile off! This is either: The actual reason that Photoshop exists. The best use of a marker pen and a dog ever.* The cheapest (yet also the most brilliant) cosplay we've seen this side of, um, Dr. Kawashima. It could possibly be all three -- we're just not sure. Somebody get this animal a guitar already.* Don't draw on your pets, kids. It's not cool.
Promotional Consideration: Resident Evil Crossing ... 4!
Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out.Many of the commercials for Nintendo-published DS titles in Japan or Korea follow the same formula -- alternating shots between in-game clips and reactions from the player, typically a celebrity. It's an effective approach, as game and system sales can attest, but what happens when a bored video editor decides to mess with the recipe, replacing the cheerful game scenes from a Korean Animal Crossing ad with much more violent footage? Follow us past the post break to find out!
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 2/11-2/17
The DS reclaimed second place for hardware, managing to inch past the PSP on this week's chart. A bunch of new releases helped the handheld's sales, as fifteen of the top thirty games last week were DS titles. Hardware: Wii: 78,583 Nintendo DS: 62,362 PSP: 59,645 PlayStation 3: 17,637 PlayStation 2: 11,266 Xbox 360: 2,198 The top contender for the dual-screened portable last week was the Japanese dating sim, Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side 2nd Season, which beat everything except Smash Bros. and Wii Fit. Meanwhile, After-School Boy and Doraemon Baseball were knocked out of the top thirty, but remained in the top fifty (along with Rune Factory 2). Overall, though, it was a great software week for the DS. If you want to see why, check out the numbers after the break.
Nintendo dominates list of most annoying game characters
Nintendo might well have created some of the most enduring characters of all time, but it's more than capable of concocting annoying ones. At least, that's the message we drew from Cracked.com's list of video game characters that inspire rage -- of the fifteen personalities listed, around half appear in Nintendo games.While we wouldn't normally post about such lists, there's very little room for complaining about many of these choices. Time and again, Slippy's utter ineptitude has seen us launching spittle-flecked rants at our screens, Waluigi possesses a voice akin to nails on a blackboard (though this blogger will admit to finding him useful in Mario Kart DS), and Tingle is annoying for reasons that should need no explaining whatsoever.The only unfair inclusions we can see? The Dog from Duck Hunt, and Animal Crossing: Wild World's Mr. Resetti, whose bluster we actually find entertaining. Not that we're cheats.[Via Digg]
What is the greatest canine in gaming history?
Tough question for some, easy question for the DS Fanboy staff: it has to be K.K. Slider! Come on, people! Any other idea is lacking any kind of reasonable evidence to support it, in light of Slider's diligence to his job (he never misses a Saturday night show!) and his knack for sticking it to the man. Not to mention how great the little guy looks on a bath towel!Actually, maybe we're willing to entertain some of the entrants. Like, the dog in Duck Hunt, for example. He's a pretty important mutt in the gaming world, so we can understand his inclusion. Oh, and Link's wolf form in Twilight Princess is another good addition. And let's not forget the Nintendogs themselves!What do you guys think? What are they missing in this list? What were you surprised to see? Who should win?[Via Go Nintendo]
