DsLite
Latest
Japanese hardware sales: Lite on its feet
Taking a break from my usual posting routine, I embarked on a totally manly picnic today and quickly found myself gazing up at the sky and trying to spot familiar shapes in the clouds. A tortoise, a banana, a wolf and Optimus Prime all gently floated by, though none of those were quite as interesting as the Japanese sales chart for the week ranging from 20 March to 26 March which quite unexpectedly made an appearance. I quickly jotted the information down right before the cloud morphed into an uncanny Woody Allen. The ranking, according to number of units sold, is a follows: DS Lite: 119,986 Phat DS: 39,307 PS2: 34,169 PSP: 31,077 GBA SP: 5,627 GB Micro: 4,883 Gamecube: 1,458 Xbox 360: 1,415 Xbox: 117 GBA: 98 Before you whip out your calculators, let me break it to you bluntly: The DS Lite sold more units than everything else on the chart combined (and that's including our Phat friend). Coupled with the news that my DS Lite has finally embarked upon a journey across the ocean, it makes for a very happy Nintendo day indeed.Previous Japanese hardware charts: Lite get! (13 March - 19 March) Lite's out (27 Feb - 5 March) Once more, with feeling (20 Feb - 26 Feb)
DS Lite in May says EGM
An EGM scan pretty much confirms what we've all been thinking: The DS Lite looks set to launch on 21 May, the same day New Super Mario Bros. bounces into stores. Don't worry--the game will still work on the old DS![Via Joystiq]
EGM: DS Lite arriving in May!
The latest issue of EGM reports that the DS Lite is "due in May" on North American shores. The snippet coincides with 1Up's recent speculation, but does not contain further information that would validate this claim. Consider this a rumor — for now.
Kiosk Hunting: Here and there, but mostly there
When you ask DS Fanboy readers to do something for you, they don't waste much time. This is a valuable lesson I've now learned after putting out a call to you guys to let us know where and when you stumble across one of the many Wi-Fi tendrils of Nintendo's download station network currently spreading across the world. My online persona was buried beneath an avalanche of tips, comments and the usual death threats, but it has now surfaced and is ready to start compiling the information in an epic list that's sure to inspire a major motion picture. This is just the second part of our ongoing quest and I hope to keep adding new locations on a weekly basis.A big, slightly overzealous "thank you" to everyone that contributed to this round. If you don't see your highlighted area in the list, be sure to check back later in the month. A few brave souls have also added some new locations to the Frappr map--quite a feat given that working with that application is about as pleasant as a sturdy kick in the head. The format of this list is probably far from optimal, so please let me know how you'd like me to change it in the future. Also, the information from readers isn't always exact, but if you see that one Best Buy (or another store) has a download station in your region, chances are decent that others will have too. You'll know you're close to one by either recognizing a small banner and a DS set in wireless mode behind some plastic or experiencing a lightheaded sensation as Wi-Fi beams scramble your brains.Keep the details (we want street names!), pictures and experiences coming! The full list is but a click away.
New Super Mario delayed, DS Lite could be the culprit
According to the official website, the North American release of New Super Mario Bros. has been pushed back to May 21 (Sunday). The title will likely show up in stores early that week, quite possibly, alongside the new DS Lite. Indeed, 1UP speculates that the game was delayed in order to accompany the launch of the DS Lite in North America. It wouldn't be the first time Nintendo deployed the plumbers to help move new (or updated) system units — and if true, it won't be the last.
New Super Mario Bros. only compatible with DS Lite
In a statement issued today, Nintendo have confirmed that Mario's triumphant return to smashing bricks with his head and chasing after mushrooms in New Super Mario Bros. is poised to help usher in the North American launch of the DS Lite, perhaps to a degree that few gamers were expecting. New Super Mario Bros. will only be compatible with the DS Lite and will not work with the original machine. Nintendo's name-taking, posterior-assaulting marketing guru, Reggie Fills-Aimes, explained that players would be able to see why this decision was made."Players won't be able to see. On the original DS, I mean. The screens on the old system are simply much too dark, making the new Mushroom Kingdom almost impossible to navigate. We had always planned to make New Super Mario Bros. a premier title for the Lite and its superior screens, and what better way to make it exclusive to that system?"This lends more weight to the earlier murmurings of a Mario DS Lite bundle hitting US shores, though Reggie was quick to point out that the recent shortages in Japan may cause the system to launch a bit later than the game itself."New Super Mario Bros. should be out for a little while before the DS Lite, which is a great way of starting the marketing train rolling. The actual system won't take long to catch up though--two months at most."The Lite-only New Super Mario Bros. is currently slated for release on 21 March.[Update: Just in case you're reading this late, this story was an evil, bogus April Fool's trick. Shame on me.]
GDC: the Nintendo booth tour
At last week's GDC, Nintendo's booth commanded a significant percentage of the show floor. As one of the largest booths at the show, Nintendo had plenty of room for the faithful to converge and lust, as a group, over their newest creations. Namely the DS Lite and the Revolution. In the above shot, flanked by two flat panel video screens, was the Revolution. See that glow radiating from below? Yup, that's it. There was a steady stream of curious pilgrims waiting to get a first hand look at it.
Lite vs. Phat: Round Five
If you still needed convincing of the DS Lite's considerable improvements upon the original DS design, Shacknews has now posted their analysis of the Enamel Navy variant. Of course, you won't even bother reading it since you're clearly the most stubborn person in the known universe.As usual, the culprits behind the Lite's criminal allure are present and accounted for here: Brighter screens, more tactile buttons, a better stylus, sleeker trimmings and the ability to gather a wide variety of dirty fingerprints. It's interesting to note that the Enamel Navy unit looks almost pitch black in the photographs, though that may be attributed to weird lighting conditions and/or meteorological phenomena. See also: Lite vs. Phat: Round One Lite vs. Phat: Round Two Lite vs. Phat: Round Three Lite vs. Phat: Round Three and a Half Lite vs. Phat: Round Four
Super Mario DS Lite bundle pack spotted
According to potentially delusional listings on the EB Games and Gamestop websites, the DS Lite is set to barge into American homes with a startled Mario and Co. in tow. The online retailer seems to think that New Super Mario Bros. (at least we assume it's the New variant) will be forming part of a bundle deal with Nintendo's infinitely desirable DS redesign. Since we predicted this very event last week, we're naturally predisposed to put our worn stamp of approval on this bit of news.However, we find ourselves perturbed by some of the details on the pages that seem...less plausible. As wonderful as it would be to have this DS Lite bundle launch on the first day of May (about two weeks before the included game is meant to come out) for a mere $9.99, something tells us that this won't come to pass. Placeholder data? Maybe. Desirable product? Definitely.[Thanks yoshi!][Update: Some of our sharp readers have figured out these listings and pointed out out that the item in question is actually a Lite variant of a popular accessory pack. Still, our question about whether or not a DS Lite Mario bundle is something you'd want remains. Keep those comments coming!]
How to score a 2nd-shipment DS Lite in Japan: wait & run
Nintendo's dual-screened portable is in high demand over in Japan right now, and this video goes to show what lengths must be taken to obtain the redesigned DS in its Lite form overseas.Granted, it might be as easy (as presented here) as hanging out less than an hour before a Saturday morning store opening, but there's a lot more running involved after the doors open than might be first imagined.360 launch veterans are well aware of how many frigid hours might be required to get a taste of the next generation this fall (sans pre-orders), but how would you deal if the only unit left in stock were pink--if pink's not the way you swing? We eagerly await the day(s) when we can pre-order the next gen and be done with this retail-rushing nonsense.[Thanks, InfectedZero]See also: Official Yamato Damacy page w/a few more video formats you can use DS lite import pricing meets supply and demand Nintendo DS Lite second look [with lots of comparisons to the old DS]
New Castlevania DS game to be revealed soon
If a suggestively worded blurb at the back of this month's Nintendo Power magazine is to be believed, the next issue is set to unveil a brand new Castlevania game for everyone's favorite touchy-feely portable. Under the "World Exclusive" banner, the text reads: As mysterious as a new moon, the follow-up to one of 2005's best DS titles is a whip-smart adventure that you won't want to miss.Perhaps we just haven't been spending enough time outside, but those words instantly conjure up the loving image of an androgynous hero traipsing through a musty, upside-down castle and whipping evil bats to shreds. They also match up with Konami's previous promises that there would be another entry into the series following the spectacular Dawn of Sorrow, this time incorporating Nintendo's Wi-Fi service. Oh yes.Though the mag's mention of a moon might imply a sequel to the GBA's Circle of the Moon, would a port of Symphony of the Night be too much to ask for? If so, how about we suggest some other appropriate titles: Castlevania: Dirge of Despair Castlevania: Polka of Purgatory Castlevania: Elegy of Regret Castlevania: Waltz of Discontentedness Castlevania: Whine of Irritability Castlevania: Ditty of Unhappiness [Thanks Deep.Grave!]
Japanese hardware sales: Lite get!
After a few years of solid playing, we finally managed to collect all the Shines in Super Mario Sunshine. Upon doing so, the Japanese sales chart for the week ranging from 13 March to 19 March was spectacularly displayed on the screen amidst an explosion of flashing pixels and poorly animated Toad sprites. We didn't feel a bunch of numbers was an adequate reward for surviving all those precarious platforms, but we thought we'd share them just the same. The ranking, according to number of units sold, is a follows: DS Lite: 104,452 Final Fantasy XII Machine: 66,670 Phat DS: 32,105 PSP: 31,848 GBA SP: 4,290 GB Micro: 3,087 Gamecube: 1,318 Xbox 360: 1,039 GBA: 131 Xbox: 108 If you're still waiting for your import DS Lite to arrive, take note that there are now an additional 104,452 targets people to blame for that particular situation. Nintendo's redesign is literally flying off shelves and hitting people in the head, as it's just about 4,000 short of selling as many units as everything else combined. Our old friend the Phat is also doing well, eclipsed only by its sexier sibling and a Playstation 2 sales surge brought on by the release of a little game called Final Fantasy XII. Previous Japanese hardware charts: Lite's out (27 Feb - 5 March) Once more, with feeling (20 Feb - 26 Feb) Short-lived shortages (13 Feb - 19 Feb)
Iwata's GDC keynote to shed some light on Lite
After snooping around the ongoing Game Developer's Conference, the guys at DS Advanced have reported that Satoru Iwata's keynote tomorrow is likely to lay out Nintendo's plans for the American DS Lite launch. If their information is to be trusted, Mr. Iwata will be announcing both a firm release date and a price for that most desirable of handheld redesigns. The question of whether or not this turns out to be true should be answered in less than 24 hours from now.Of course, we can't let this one slip by without tossing in some of our own pompous and potentially embarrassing predictions: The original DS will be reduced in price to an attractive $99. The DS Lite will launch in June at the equally attractive price of $149.99. A classy black DS Lite will replace the Arctic Blue model in the US (because that one simply isn't attractive enough). New Super Mario Bros. will be bundled with either the Phat or the Lite in order to attract more buyers. Note: We also predict that our predictions won't be entirely accurate, so subscribe to them with caution.
Lite vs. Phat: Round Four
This week, Eurogamer joins in on the rather one-sided battle that is the original DS versus the swanky DS Lite. Their conclusions are strikingly similar to the ones shared by most sane people, in that Nintendo's revision boasts a more compact design, sleeker looks, a better stylus and much brighter screens."We never really complained about the old DS screen, but put next to its younger sibling it draws howls of derision. Really, howls - we're not showing it to girls any more, they hurt our ears."If you find yourself swelling with hatred and jealousy after reading the rest of the excellent article and realizing that your import Lite has yet to find its way to you (join the ever-growing club), at least find some solace in the fact that, unlike Eurogamer, you didn't opt for the Arctic Blue Lite. We're joking. Don't kill us, Blue fans. Seriously though, it's the worst one.(Yes, still joking.)See also: Lite vs. Phat: Round One Lite vs. Phat: Round Two Lite vs. Phat: Round Three Lite vs. Phat: Round Three and a Half
New DS Training games: Write a recipe on a postcard
Gamebrink brings word that Famitsu has updated their website with some information on three new Training games slated for the Japanese DS. In a continual effort to enhance the human race, Nintendo is now aiming their hugely popular and diverse educational series at the realms of writing, cooking and traveling.The first title allows you to improve your skills at writing Japanese characters which, if our Google translation is to be believed, leads to "elegant prose". We're particularly interested in this one because, quite frankly, our Japanese writing skills are anemic at best. Following that, there's an exciting cooking program that teaches you how to construct gourmet dishes via an entire virtual cookbook. With its inclusion of voice recognition, you can even have it turn the page when your hands are too busy strangling an uncooperative piece of dough. All our past efforts in the kitchen have ended in disaster, so we'll definitely be importing this one as well.Finally, we have an interactive travel guide of sorts that should give you a helping hand when you're trying to find the nearest tourist attraction in China, South Korea, Germany, USA, or Thailand. With each one of our overseas excursions resulting in disgraceful international incidents, we'd best buy this one as soon as it releases. Really, we'd be so much better off once Nintendo releases Everything Training. [Thanks mandarin!]
Warning: DS Lite may cause a slight case of riot
GoNintendo posted this video, which was originally uploaded via War Pipe forums' poster Kirbutashi, of a couple eager Japanese consumers letting their desire for the short-supplied DS Lite cause them to drop the gloves and engage in some fisticuffs. Honestly people, violence is never the answer. [Via the Warp Pipe Forums]
Japanese hardware sales: Lite's out
When we awoke from our dreamy slumber this morning, the Japanese sales chart for the week ranging from 27 February to 5 March was gently resting on the adjacent pillow, wrapped in a satin cloth and smelling of lavender. We immediately unwrapped the overtly feminine package and were pleased to find a brand new entrant into the wacky world of sales charts. The ranking, according to number of units sold, is a follows: DS Lite: 68,438 Phat DS: 49,118 PSP: 43,110 PS2: 25,778 GBA SP: 5,493 GB Micro: 3,213 Gamecube: 1,489 Xbox 360: 1,240 Xbox: 101 GBA: 98 The DS Lite makes a rather impressive debut this week, especially considering that it was only available for 3 out of the 7 days this chart accounts for. In other words, the DS Lite sold more units in the space of 3 days than any other of the consoles could manage in a week. Perhaps they simply weren't trying hard enough.Previous Japanese hardware charts: Once more, with feeling (20 Feb - 26 Feb) Short-lived shortages (13 Feb - 19 Feb) A surprise ending! (30 Jan - 5 Feb) [Thanks for the reminder, DownloadingData! Thanks for the image, Jason!].
Lite vs. Phat: Round Three and a Half
With some questions still lingering after his conclusive DS to DS Lite comparison video, Cabel has uploaded another informative video of Nintendo's smart redesign, this time examining how it handles monstrous GBA carts, how its thickness compares to other handheld devices and, of course, the insane brightness levels. He also hands down some pointers with regards to holding the DS Lite. Apparently, coddling it like a baby isn't the way to go about it. [Thanks Bbasya!]See also: Lite vs. Phat: Round One Lite vs. Phat: Round Two Lite vs. Phat: Round Three
Enamel Navy and Ice Blue Lites on display
You are online importer Lik-Sang and you've just had to tell your loyal customers that not only may they have to wait until April before they receive their DS Lites, but that they're going to have to pay an extra $30 in order to get them. Naturally, the best strategy you could think to employ would be to post glorious and tantalizing photographs of the product in question on your website and in doing so, incite violent riots and angry rantings on internet message boards.The full gallery of pictures can be found lurking behind the "Read" link. Try not to lose your cool, especially when you realize that Ice Blue is a bit crap.[Thanks xfiles.fan!]
Metal Saga DS scans frighten and confuse
Jeux France have once again used their wily ways to get a hold of some Famitsu scans, this time covering the recently announced RPG, Metal Saga DS. We've seen bits and piece of the wacky PS2 version currently being localized by Atlus, but nothing could have prepared us for the images depicted in these scans.We're not sure how it all works, but it does seem like you get to control a rather wise-looking dog, possibly in a strategic, turn-based battle against either a giant crocodile, a mad scientist or an elephant-shaped tank. We also spotted a cactus wielding a rocket launcher, a zombie and at least one menacing chicken. Needless to say, we're hoping Atlus also decides to translate this intriguing title.[Thanks mandarin!]
