Animal crossing
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DS Daily: What's your favorite WiFi game?
According to our Game Night polls, Mario Kart DS is probably the most universally popular DS game -- or maybe it's just the one more people have. But what's your favorite? Which DS game really makes you want to get in there and fight it out online? Do you like fragging in Metroid Prime Hunters, or the versatility of Clubhouse Games? We'd love to hear about it.
Today's most held in place video: Hori Play Stand DS Lite video review
CheapyD over at CheapAssGamer.com has put together a really nice little video review about the Play Stand DS Lite from Hori. We were dubious at first, but after watching this review, we've ordered one ourselves from Play-Asia, to the tune of fifteen bucks.This little sucker will make playing games with one hand a snap, and it also looks swanky as well. Cradle your DS Lite in some goodness, and wait patiently for the SimCity DS game to come out. It has the ability to hold the DS Lite horizontally and vertically, so basically any of your games will look sweet in its plastic and foam goodness.Nice work, CheapyD. Now we'll wait patiently for this to arrive so we can pimp out Animal Crossing: Wide World as it was meant to be seen.
Animal Crossing banned from Japanese school
Vinnk from 4 color rebellion, when not covering Nintendo, spends time in his other life as an English teacher in Japan. From that life comes this quirky anecdote of his school outlawing Animal Crossing (Doubutsu no Mori, locally).We understand outlawing gaming in school, but why specifically Animal Crossing? Turns out, some school officials have been checking the link history found in the computer lab and found that kids were spending a lot of time looking AC-related sites and not studying.With what else those children could be looking at -- porn, flash games and Joystiq come to mind -- is Animal Crossing the premiere threat? Sure it promotes mass violence and filthy lifestyles, but couldn't officials just set up a firewall or turn the internet off? Leave Tom Nook out of it.
Animal Crossing forbidden in Japanese school
Animal Crossing: Wild World seems to be quite the popular game in Japanese schools as recently, a writer for 4cr who is also a teacher in the country, heard an announcement over the loud speakers at the school he works in telling all teachers and students that the game had become forbidden within its walls. The cause of the blacklisting of the game? Well, turns out that the students who were going to the computer labs for math or what have you were using the internet-enabled computers to search for tips and tricks on the game, throwing up a red flag with the administration.What's interesting is that the announcement banned the game in school, not the use of the internet. Oh well, we're sure that won't last once the kids learn what the internet is really for ...
Fuzzy-wuzzy Animal Crossing toys
Last night, we were rambling around in one another's towns and now look -- Animal Crossing toys. There are a lot of jokes that could be made about the placement of one's hand with a Tom Nook puppet -- and after all, he is a bell-hungry monster -- but we're gonna just grit our teeth and let those slide. We're guessing these are tie-ins for the Animal Crossing movie recently released in Japan. There are also clocks, if that's more your style.[Via GoNintendo]
Details on Sim Crossing
Er, we mean Sims Wii. We can't help but compare it to Animal Crossing, though, both in look and gameplay, since there's a very definite fusion effect going on here. EA's taking a cue from a winner, though, and obviously looking to appeal to Japanese audiences.Many thought that Sims Wii might incorporate Miis, but that isn't the case. The character design is similarly simplified, with a focus on the facial features of the childlike characters. And rather than resorting to thought bubbles or the pee-pee dance, these new sims will use those detailed faces to demonstrate their changing moods. Animal Crossing's influence permeates the way this Sims is to be played, as well -- you'll build everything, from residences to business, and don't forget the landscaping. That's totally okay with us, as the building was always the best part of the Sims series.If you didn't catch the trailer awhile back, it's included after the jump. This ain't the Sims you've played before ....
Animal Crossing mafia makes an offer you can't refuse
While upon playing Animal Crossing: Wild World, one might feel indebted to a Mafioso in Tom Nook as you work off a debt, running errands for him and perhaps fearing the impending doom that awaits you at the bottom of a deep river should you neglect those duties, the reality is that Animal Crossing is very much without that 'old world mob' flavor. Leave it up to folks to try and reverse that, though. With a slogan like "you hit me, we hit you," one would feel that performing the general run-of-the-mill mob tasks demanded from such a criminal organization could very well be performed in the game, however due to the nature of the game, we feel that waking with a horse's decapitated head is far worse than the likely scenario of decimated trees and hole-filled lawns throughout the town that one would suffer should they cross this mafia. Still, it's an original idea and for a game like Animal Crossing: Wild World, we're glad for every, and any, excuse we get to play it on a regular basis.
Animal Crossing: The Movie
There are few things more uplifting in the world of online games than Nintendo's Animal Crossing. We can't help smiling whenever we hear that theme tune. In Japan, where the DS version of AC has patterned the floors of three million households, Tom Nook and pals are leaving town and are headed for the big screens of Japan's movie theaters. Doubutsu no Mori: The Movie will be showing in cinemas across the nation as of December 16th. Tickets are already on sale at our local convenience store. We should go to see the movie on Day One, really, but we have a fishing contest to attend. Shame. Seems the nation's future generations of forest-dwelling fishermen and fisherwomen are all mad for it, though: Doubutso no Mori: The Movie Japanese TV commercial 1 Doubutso no Mori: The Movie Japanese TV commercial 2Doubutso no Mori: The Movie Japanese TV commercial 3
Wii Sports gift available in Animal Crossing
And the Wii-related gifts in Animal Crossing: Wild World just keep rolling in! This time it's a set of bowling pins to commemorate Wii Sports. We're just glad it wasn't, say, a replica of Mitch, the Mii who keeps popping up in our one-player Wii Sports games, complete with stringy hair and creepy mustache. [Thanks, Roddie!]
Wii Zelda gift in Animal Crossing
Not too long ago we helped spread the word that Nintendo would be delivering a special gift to Animal Crossing: Wild World players in celebration of the launch of the Wii. If you are one of those lucky players able to log on, you would have found a letter similar to that pictured above. Plus, you already have your super sweet present sitting in a special place. For the rest of you, we won't ruin the surprise. If you are a Zelda fan, this gift will light up your day. [Thanks notawesome!]
Your Week in Nintendo - 11/6/06 - 11/12/06
Welcome to a new feature at DS Fanboy -- where we recap the stories you don't want to miss. Top stories are chosen based on relevance and reader support. For the week beginning Monday, November 6th and ending Sunday, November 12th, Your Week in Nintendo brings you: 5) Elite Beat Agents arrivesAt last, the Elite Beat Agents are here to set things right. It's been one of the year's most anticipated titles, and now we can barely take time away from playing it ... unless, of course, we're talking about it. 4) Two great tastes Just in time for the Wii launch, Nintendo drops a gift from Twilight Princess into Animal Crossing: Wild World, though it won't be revealed until the 17th. 3) The debate rages onThis time, it's not the fanboys arguing about the merits of the DS and the PSP -- it's Sony's Dave Karraker comparing the media hub that is the PSP to Nintendo's handheld gaming system. Who knew being about the games could be so wrong?2) Things are looking good on the DSNew footage from Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker had fans stumped -- it looks so good, some mistook it for a Wii title! It's good to be reminded that it's not all about stylus-based fun with the DS. Nintendo's innovate handheld is powerful, too. 1) Apple v. Nintendo -- fight! Our favorite handheld dukes it out with the MacBook Pro for the title of Time magazine's Gadget of the Year.
Japanese software sales chart, Oct. 2-8: The Gundam Strikes Back
The last time a PSP title was this high in the Japanese software sales chart, it was SD Gundam G Generation Portable, and it was the fastest-selling PSP game to date. And now it's Gundam Battle Royale's turn at trying to upset Nintendo's DS games, which Andrew predicted more than a month ago. Is the guy psychic or something? 1. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2) - 263,897 / *NEW* 2. Pokemon Diamond (DS) - 254,080 / 1,074,127 3. Pokemon Pearl (DS) - 212,193 / 980,881 4. Gundam Battle Royale (PSP) - 64,986 / *NEW* 5. New Super Mario Bros. (DS) - 40,114 / 3,233,793 6. Zaidan Houjin Nippon Kanji Nouryoku Kentei Kyoukai Kounin: KanKen DS (DS) - 38,799 / 84,091 7. Minna no Tennis (PS2) - Sony - 32,962 / 416,507 8. Final Fantasy III (DS) - Square Enix - 30,418 / 781,713 9. Brain Training 2 (DS) - Nintendo - 26,600 / 3,288,248 10. Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS) - Nintendo - 22,787 / 3,305,244 While Gundam Battle Royale's sold less than half of what SD Gundam G Generation Portable (155,634) sold in its first week, it was still enough to capture the fourth spot. It seems the Japanese eat up these Gundam games faster than my fat uncle Johnny at Thanksgiving. Has Sony finally found its PSP cashcow? Hmmm.
Beware who visits your town
While the atmosphere and gameplay in Animal Crossing: Wild World is universally accepted as being family-friendly, sometimes people just need their dirty fix. So they teach their inhabitants language most foul and let them loose, out into the wild, for other, unsuspecting Wi-Fi users to welcome them into their town with open arms. Such an instance happened to one of our readers. John was minding his business, likely paying off his mob debt to Tom Nook by fishing or digging for fossils, when he was asked if he would enjoy a mysterious feline visitor in his town. A mystery junkie by nature, John decided he would allow it. Sure enough, the "mysterious" actually meant "disgustingly foul-mouthed." Check after the break for the snapshot of what the cat said.
Japanese software sales chart - Aug. 21-27: Our darkest hour
We all knew something had to give with the pending release of Final Fantasy III. One of the games in the top 10 had to go, and unfortunately, that game just so happened to be Gundam, which was the only PSP game in the top 10.1. Final Fantasy III (DS) - 503,051 / *NEW2. New Super Mario Bros. (DS) - 65,556 / 2,901,2643. Rune Factory (DS) - 42,210 / *NEW4. Brain Age 2 (DS) - 41,784 / 3,073,1955. Cooking Navi (DS) - 37,326 / 384,0456. Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2 (DS) - 30,504 / 430,9347. Mario Hoops 3 on 3 (DS) - 30, 355 / 233,7628. Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS) - 30,023 / 3,149,1309. Brain Training for Adults (DS) - 22,866 / 2,736,15010. English Training (DS) - 17,465 / 1,401,669Yeah fellas, you read that right; every single damn game is for the Nintendo DS. Where does the PSP go from here, I don't know. But I'll stress it again, Sony absolutely has to get some software out that will compete with what Nintendo is putting out an an alarmingly regular rate. (Via GAF)
Japan software sales chart, Aug. 7-13: The DS kicks back
Another week, another software sales chart. Let me just say, I find it insane the Nintendo DS has games selling this crazy. Honestly, what is the deal here? Does Nintendo package a hit of crack in every box or something? This week, seven out of 10 games belong to the Nintendo DS.1. New Super Mario Bros. (DS) - 117,706 / 2,731,934 2. Tamagotchi Shop 2 (DS) - 66,564 / 334,875 3. Melty Blood: Act Cadenza (PS2) - 64,980 / *NEW* 4. More Brain Training (DS) - 59,585 / 2,985,432 5. Cooking Navi (DS) - 57,257 / 290,960 6. Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS) - 44,201 / 3,077,295 7. Brain Training (DS) - 38,954 / 2,688,146 8. SD Gundam Generation G Portable (PSP) - 36,592 / 192,227 9. Fist of the North Star Pachislot (PS2) - 33,951 / 116,507 10. Kirarin * Revolution: Kira Kira Idol Audition (DS) - 33,332 / *NEW* As you might have noticed, New Super Mario Bros. reclaimed the top spot, knocking off Gundam, which spiraled down to the eighth spot. Wow, what a drop. Gundam was the fastest one-week selling PSP game ever, but I don't think it's going to break any more records with its extreme drop in sales. I had a DS and really liked it, but, after awhile, there weren't really any games that interested me, so I sold it. But now with all these games selling so well, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm missing out on something here. (Via PSP Advanced)
Japanese software chart, 22-28 May: Mario madness
Giving his competitors a veritable butt-stomp, Mario finds himself at the very top of the Japanese software sales chart this week -- nearly 900,000 people donned their rose-colored glasses and marched out of a store with a copy of the portly plumber's retro adventure. [DS] New Super Mario Bros. [DS] Brain Training 2 [DS] Brain Training for Adults [PSP] Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable [DS] Tetris DS [PS2] Kimikiss [PS2] World Soccer Winning Eleven 10 [DS] English Training [DS] Animal Crossing: Wild World [PS2] Jikkyou Powerful Major League
Nintendo losing their Touch (Generations)?
If Nintendo's desires are realized, it won't be too long before the image of Grandpa hunching furiously over his DS Lite and murderously screaming "Blue" joins that of the bespectacled nerd in the ranks of uninformed gamer stereotypes. In an effort to reach out to those who would normally shy away from electronic devices and their confusing beeps and boops, several forthcoming and readily available DS games have recently been shoved under the Touch Generations banner. The range highlights Nintendo's popular "non-games", titles that are meant to be approachable by any person, regardless of their previous gaming experience.In North America, games like Nintendogs, Brain Age and Sudoku Gridmaster seem to gravitate towards the label quite naturally, but it seems that the selection differs significantly from that of other regions. Anthropomorphic neighbour sim, Animal Crossing: Wild World, slots right in with Electroplankton in Europe, but the choices of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Trauma Center: Under the Knife seem to fit in less comfortably. The latter two titles are far more traditional, with linear stories, clear conditions for success and failure and, in the case of Trauma Center especially, a more pronounced difficulty level that requires intricate stylus strokes--lest your patient's internal organs become reduced to a bloody mush (technical term). In other words, all the stuff that the mythical casual gamer doesn't want.The Japanese selection is almost the exact opposite, filled with English trainers, dictionaries and travel guidebooks. If you looked up "game" in one of those dictionaries, you'd likely find a description far removed from most of these titles. It raises an interesting question, then: What constitutes a game that, according to Nintendo's mantra, anyone can pick up and play? Is it a game that almost exclusively relies on intuitive touch screen controls? Or is it something with simplistic gameplay mechanics? Perhaps it's not even a game at all. Nintendo's pretty clear about the kind of people they're chasing with the DS and the Wii, but things seem less vivid when it comes to matching specific games with specific audiences. With games being such unique and often personal experiences, it's doubtful that the line between hardcore and casual will ever become especially obvious.
Japanese sales charts, April 17-23: Hello, Mother
Several new releases are sitting pretty in the Japanese charts this week, with newcomers holding the top three spots. Mother 3, described by Famitsu as the "Most Wanted" game in Japan back in March, unsurprisingly rocketed to the top with over 200,000 sales; a spinoff from the popular Dragon Quest VIII is in at number two, after selling 127,500 copies.The ten bestselling games in Japan for the week ending April 23:1. Mother 3 [GBA]2. Dragon Quest: Shounen Yangus no Fushigi na Daibouken [PS2] 3. Final Fantasy XI: Aht Urhgan no Hihou [PS2]4. Brain Age 2 (Kahashima Ryuuta Kyouju Kanshuu: Motto Nouo Kitaeru Otona DS) [DS]5. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai [PSP]6. Okami [PS2]7. Brain Age: Train your Brain in Minutes a Day (Kahashima Ryuuta Kyouju no Nouo Kitaeru Otona DS Training) [DS]8. Animal Crossing: Wild World [DS]9. DS English Training [DS]10. Pokémon Ranger [DS] The corresponding hardware sales (cumulative sales for 2006 in brackets):
Beneath the surface of Animal Crossing
Kudos to 1up and Nadia Oxford for posting a truly excellent article that examines how the personality traits of Animal Crossing players are reflected (and distorted) in their endearingly constructed and personalized towns. The findings point to something quite sinister, with many suspicious objects and design choices littering each of the four towns that the author pays a virtual visit to. As with anything overly cute and seemingly free of worry, there's just something not right about these towns. Take for instance, the many mysterious and seemingly innocent holes that litter the landscape in one town. "I asked about the holes, and No. 1 assured me that they were his roommate's doing -- maybe he was digging for a mole cricket and didn't bother to fill them in. I answered in the affirmative...but, unbidden, an image came to mind of the town ablaze, its screaming animals attempting to flee the inferno, only to be barred by a man-made moat."Or how about the subject that, in real life, often works in the presence of children, and yet has a town overrun with foul-mouthed citizens donning considerably rude articles of clothing? It's interesting to note the differences and similarities between the player and their in-game representation, especially in this case where said representation is an entire, socially (dys)functional town. Games such as these often allow us to express ourselves in ways which suit our personality, but also in ways that don't. With no real repercussions to worry about, we can often get away by acting out of character or trying an approach that we'd normally attempt to avoid. How do you and your Animal Crossing denizens match up?
What does your Animal Crossing town say about you?
Like other virtual sandboxes which foolishly let us have some degree of control, living in an Animal Crossing town means that that town begins to take on aspects of our personality. With the wireless capabilities of Animal Crossing: Wild World, it's easier than ever to see what crazy dreamscapes your friends have built and to get an extra insight into the workings of their minds.This 1up article does just that, looking at a few different towns along with the horrors and delights that lie in store. Whether you prefer mixing red wallpaper with orange carpet, you've collected an entire museum's worth of fossils, or you prefer to go au naturel and let weeds flourish, you might find yourself reflected in one of these secret lives. Either that, or there's an internet quiz meme waiting to be born.
