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DS Lite case has that 50's feel with modern functionality
Doesn't this look like one of those big purses from back in the 50's? Maybe a purse someone might sell Avon out of? It reminds us of the crazy town in Edward Scissorhands for some reason. But, upon opening it up, we're shown that it isn't all looks with this case. There are compartments for cartridges, the unit itself, as well as any accessories on would need.
Our keynote reactions: Let us tell you them [update]
Eric Caoili: Unlike last year's E3 press conference -- in which titles like Yoshi's Island 2, Star Fox Command, and Elite Beat Agents were debuted -- there wasn't much new software shown for the DS at today's event that'd make us throw our arms up in celebration.Seeing The Hylia's Mike "TSA" Damiani take the stage to demonstrate The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass brought a smile to our faces, but there wasn't anything demonstrated that we haven't already seen in previews or import impressions. Though casual titles made an appearance, the only items that perked our brows were Vision Training's US localization and hints of Cooking Navi receiving the same treatment. Disappointment-ton? That's what it looks to be, so far.JC Fletcher: The best part of the DS coverage, I thought, was when Iwata started talking about Cooking Navi. But it turns out not to have been an announcement; he just really likes Cooking Navi. The whole DS presentation was like that: underwhelming. Reggie mentioned Brain Age 2 for a fraction of the time he should have spent talking about it. Nintendo really undersells that here. Even when he said that it outsold Brain Age in Japan, that's not telling the story. It outsold most things in Japan. It was enormous, and it was just a footnote over here. Baffling. Meanwhile, an unproven nongame is the focus of Nintendo's Wii presentation and massive hype. Not really presenting a unified front, are they?David Hinkle: Things didn't go so well for Nintendo during the keynote and especially for DS fans. They focused heavily on the Wii, which sucks for us because we wanted to see more. Phantom Hourglass? There are plenty of videos of that game already, seeing as how it was already released in Japan. Aside from that, no new colors for us. No software outside of a small mention of Brain Age 2. And Vision Training coming to the U.S. was good news, but what about Cooking Navi? Overall, I concur with my colleagues. I was underwhelmed.Alisha Karabinus: Sorry, guys, better late than never. While you were all sweating out and waiting for DS announcements that didn't come, I was suffering at the dentist. So even if you're underwhelmed by the keynote, I promise you had a better time than I did!As a serious DS devotee, I am disappointed at the lack of DS news. Brain Age 2, Phantom Hourglass ... these are great, and I will buy them both and hug them and squeeze them and all, but where's the new stuff? Just because the DS outsells everything but food doesn't mean we only want to hear about the Wii. That tide can turn. Throw us a bone here, guys! Where are our colors? Where are our new games? Where's my Cooking Navi? As a cooking enthusiast, I have lusted over that forever and it only gets namedropped? Lame. But hey, it's a Nintendo keynote, so frankly, I can't say I expected anything else. Reggie and co. are great to watch when they're doing their thing, but the information is often a little thin. Maybe we'll see some cool DS announcements over the rest of the show. Maybe.[Update: Added statements from Latey McTardypants (Alisha).]
Rumor: Enamel Navy no more?
The morning's whisperings, hushed under raucous E3 speculation, indicate that the Enamel Navy DS Lite's days could be numbered. Supposedly, Nintendo will be halting all production of the Japan-and-China-only version of the handheld by the end of the month. We don't favor its termination, but considering Nintendo's recent introduction of two new tints to the DS Lite line, Metallic Rose and Gloss Silver, trimming the number of available colors might be in the company's best interest. Expect to see import and auction prices for this endangered edition shoot up to the heavens.Farewell, Enamel Navy! We hardly knew ye.
Everyone on the Internet should buy Spelling Challenges
Well, this is a start to solving the Internet's problems. Next up: Learning the Difference Between "Your" and "You're" Challenges!We've received some screenshots of Crave's Spelling Challenges and More!, the spelling-based game show game with over 25,000 words to spell. We can see a sort of Jumble-style anagram game called "Mish Mash" and a "Bomb Blast" game that gives players a limited time to pick out a correctly spelled word from a group of horrible mistakes.The game uses a very simplistic, clean presentation that we find appealing. Not every educational game needs a charismatic floating head.%Gallery-4721%[Via press release]
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games screens
Everyone's eager to see what Sonic and Mario's first collaboration will look like, right? Well, here it is! The DS version, anyway. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games looks pretty okay! We don't really know what else to say about it. It's in 3D, and includes, at the very least, long jump, archery, hammer throw, and some kind of track event.Sonic and Tails are participating in the manner of the ancient Olympians-- nude. We don't know if they've covered themselves in olive oil as the Greeks did, and we hope we never find out. We hope nobody ever finds out.%Gallery-4700%
Poll results: Do you play with friends in person?
While our original poll topic title might have placed a few dirty thoughts into your head, we assure you we never meant to do so. What surprises us, though, is the fact that many of you apparently seem to enjoy playing your DS in the actual physical company of your friends. Why does that surprise us? We don't have any friends.We could probably make some if our cruel overlords let us out of our cages every now and then, though.
It's a Wonderful World of fresh screens and concept art
When we finally are able to pry loose the cartridge for It's a Wonderful World from its plastic case, we imagine the world will be wonderful. Birds will sing, the skies will part and the sun will shine down onto us exclusively. We'll laugh as we walk down the street and a band will trail behind us, just a few steps, playing that famous song. It will surely be a great day.But, until then, guess we'll just have to settle for a few screens and some concept art.
Kururin Doughnuts randomly appears on Gametrailers with English subtitle
Is Kururin Doughnuts getting localized? You probably don't remember this as the donut-starring platformer with bonus dessert recipes that we highlighted back in March. It was released in Japan last week, and now some gameplay footage has appeared on Gametrailers.The mere existence of the video on Gametrailers isn't conclusive proof of anything, since undeniably Japanese clips of Stock Trader Shun, Let's Try Fortune Telling DS, and our favorite, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan, were uploaded on the same day. But what piqued our interest was the subtitle given to the game: Enchanted Pastry. It's not just a translation of the Japanese subtitle, Okashi na Recipe (Recipe for Sweets)-- so where did Gametrailers get it? Either they made it up or there's a US trailer involved. Or something else. Enjoy some video after the break![Via Game|Life]
Touching is good at Safeco Field
The Seattle Mariners baseball team is trying a new pilot program at Safeco Field that lets fans watch replays and live feeds of the game, answer trivia questions, and even order food from the relative comfort of their sticky bleachers. Sound interesting? Oh, we forgot one detail: all of this uses the DS.For a $5 fee ($30 for 10 games), access to the Nintendo Fan Network software is granted. Two download points in the stadium broadcast the software wirelessly. We're glad to see Nintendo getting some mileage out of that baseball team they bought. They've certainly got our interest with this context-sensitive non-game. We want to go to a baseball game now.[Thanks, Dave and Matt!]
Animal Crossing styli to help Tom Nook pay for his hot tub
Hey, a thing with Animal Crossing characters on it! Must buy! Seriously, Nintendo did a bad thing by making a game full of super-adorable characters and then designing it such that players are required to interact with these characters on a daily schedule. Then, when you see Tutu or whoever on a toy, you feel more compelled to buy it because you've formed somewhat of a relationship.We recognize this manipulation, but it still works. We may have to buy that Snowman stylus. We love the snowman.
Duh: Apollo Justice is the new attorney
When it was revealed that Capcom had another trademark under its belt, we all knew it was the name of Gyakuten Saiban 4's new lawyer. Now, we actually have confirmation of such. Machine translation isn't the best, so it's kind of hard to extract any more information from the piece.Of course, look for more on the game from this week's E3.[Thanks, Zachary!]
Help decide which handheld gets Disgaea
A couple of readers wrote in to us informing of a poll over at NIS America's site. The poll, which asks if you own a copy of any Disgaea game, also asks if you own a Sony PSP or Nintendo DS. We assume this is a poll to gauge whether or not the title would reach more gamers if it was on the DS or the PSP, but, considering that, the poll in and of itself seems a tad dumb to us. [Thanks, JBGUY2K and Aaron!]
User-created content in N+
Metanet just announced the winners of their SUBLIME (Submit Unique and Brilliant Levels to Metanet Event) competition, in which they asked fans to do their work for them design new levels for the DS, PSP, and XBox Live Arcade versions of N+. 29 user-created levels made the cut for the DS version, including "Endless Flight?" seen above. User-created levels on the retail cartridge? So awesome.In addition to the honor of having their level in the game, winners get a free copy of N+. As cool as this contest is, we hope it isn't a substitute for an in-game level editor.[Via GameSetWatch]
Namco Museum screens are as new as Namco Museum screens can be
We've seen countless releases of the Namco Museum collections over the years. We remember feeling quite special about the Playstation versions-- they were the real versions of real arcade games! At home! But now the Namco Museum series is, itself, old. How old?Valkyrie no Densetsu (1989) was eight years old when it was released on Namco Museum Vol. 5. The original Namco Museum Playstation game is eleven years old. In other words, Namco Museum is now older, in relative terms, than a game that was old enough for Namco Museum.Speaking of the Playstation editions, the new Namco Museum DS has something not seen since those days: an actual museum mode, in the form of a trophy collection and music player, as well as scanned instructions and flyers. Relatively newer features include bottom-screen maps and hints for Galaga (?), Xevious, and The Tower of Druaga. Of course, the most exciting relatively-new thing is Pac-Man Vs., which, now that it won't require so much of a financial outlay, we may actually try with another person.%Gallery-4650%
Find painting zen on the DS
Mercury Games is planning to release a series of Ertain's non-competitive DS games in the West as "Zen Games." The first game scheduled is something that recently popped up at the Renchi sale, in its Japanese incarnation as Kokoro wo Yasumeru Otona no Nurie DS. It'll be called Paint by DS here, and its user interface appears to have undergone a cosmetic makeover. Since it obviously has the same pictures, we assume that the minigames and puzzles are still there as well.We were pretty interested in the Japanese version (as some of you seemed to be), so we're pleased to have the chance to check this out whenever it comes out in the US. It'll be out in Europe on the 24th of August.[Via Game|Life]
Nintendo's DS Lite orders food, shows replays at Safeco Field
Those looking for a little more interaction at Safeco Field this season need only bring their DS Lite and a few extra bucks. This season, Nintendo is trialing the Nintendo Fan Network at the home of the Seattle Mariners, which enables onlookers to "order food and drinks, watch the live television feed of the game, access stats and scores, and play trivia from the comfort of their seat." The quietly introduced pilot program has brought several kiosks to the park, which uploads a program to the DS Lite and enables the WiFi-equipped handheld to take part in the bonus festivities. Eventually, the Big N hopes to expand the system into other stadiums, but for now, Mariners fans can get in on the action for $5 per game, or $30 for ten games.[Image courtesy of Flickr]
What a horrible summer not to be going to Comic-Con
NECA, the company responsible for the awesome Castlevania figure prototypes, has a new Simon Belmont figure on the way. It's a somewhat more faithful sculpture of Simon as he appeared in the first Castlevania on the NES. Unfortunately, only 1,000 units will be produced, and it will only be available at the San Diego Comic-Con.We totally want this, and we are all about pixel art, but we must say that this figure, with its rounded edges and inexact paint job, looks a little more like a cookie to us than an action figure. Which actually gives us an idea! [Via NeoGAF]
A DS Lite dock and a photo of a depressed dog
Japanese manufacturer Sakurado combined into one device two useful features: a cradle to charge your DS Lite with and a photograph of a disconsolate golden retriever. If his doleful eyes and floppy ears become too much for your frail heart to take in, you could always drop another snapshot into the picture frame instead, but you'd first have to endure the pitiful whines of a puppy who's been punished unjustly.The fused dock and photo stand is available at select Japanese retailers for about 1,420 yen (approximately $11.50), offered in white, navy blue, light blue, pink, and black variations. Interestingly, the charging stand uses the DS Lite's adapter for power, rather than its own proprietary plug. Check past the post break, empty leash in hand, for a comparison image of the cradle's various colors.
DS Daily: Machismo
Ever lie about what you're playing? Say, for instance, you're playing Pokemon, which is widely regarded among the non-gaming population (and certain contingents of the gaming population) as for babies, and you, as a non-baby, are asked what's in your DS by a friend. Do you say something distinctly un-baby-like, like Brain Age or the tough-sounding Tank Beat? Or do you stay true to yourself and happily announce that you're training your new Wurmple? Are there other situations in which you consider lying? If, for example, you are playing Brain Age and you're accosted by a gamer friend who hasn't joined the non-game revolution? Or if some bloggers survey their audience and you're playing something that you don't think is appropriately cool?
Call of Duty 4 coming to the DS
A particularly war-torn cat has managed to leap from the confines of its bag, letting loose with it word that the Call of Duty franchise is coming to the DS. Hot on the heels of rival franchise Brothers in Arms, Activision's Call of Duty franchise is another FPS making its first debut on Nintendo's handheld. Judging by the screens we've seen, along with who's actually developing it (n-Space), we've got high hopes.IGN has an interview with producer Sam Nouriani, who has confirmed the game has been secretly in development for quite some time now. He also confirms that the storyline of the DS game runs along with that of the console versions, but does not have you playing as the same characters. As for the rest of the interview, Sam confirms some on-rail segments and tells us to expect all of the wonderful things the franchise has brought to consoles to appear on the DS.
