ea-playground
Latest
New DS trailer blowout!
The non-disclosure agreements have just expired on what was shown at last week's Nintendo of America Media Summit; naturally, within seconds the Internet has become flooded with information about new games. Rather than post each trailer individually, we've decided to embed the newest DS trailers from this event into one roundup post-- because we're Bloggin' Cowboys! Above, obviously, is a new trailer for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. Check after the break for brand new material on Mario Party DS, Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings, EA Playground, Professor Layton, and Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker.
Joystiq's hands-on with EA Playground
Joystiq's Zack Stern recently got a little hands-on time with both the DS and Wii versions of EA Playground, and the results are mixed. While he reports that a few of the games seem pretty fun -- skateboarding and dodge ball are standouts, as we could have predicted (and did!) -- but some of the others seem to lack the depth necessary to keep players interested. The biggest downfall, however, comes in that the cart doesn't offer download play; each player has to have a copy of the title in order to participate in multiplayer bouts. Now, we understand that EA is in this gig to make money, and we can't blame them, but not only is download play one of the handheld's best features, but it also serves as a fantastic marketing tool. Invite a friend over for some multiplayer, get them hooked, and watch as they pick up their own copy of the game. In fact, that's pretty much Nintendo's entire marketing scheme in a nutshell, and download play helps rather than hinders. The specific problem here, as Stern states, is that EA Playground seems like the sort of title that will fare much better in multiplayer than in single player over the long run. So unless you happen to really love the idea of playground-style minigames, or you have several friends who plan on picking this one up, it just may be a game to skip. %Gallery-7376%
EA Playground, home of spitballs and skateboards
We haven't seen too much of the DS version of next month's EA Playground until now, and we think we know why. While the game certainly doesn't look bad, we're seeing some repetitive aspects in the minigames that seem less than appealing. Can't we shoot spitballs from another location or something? Only time -- and the final game -- will tell. One thing's for certain, though: the skateboarding looks like it could be fun. We may prefer getting our dodge ball fix elsewhere, however ....%Gallery-7376%
In DS-land, playground comes to you
EA likes to swim against the tide. In the era of exer-gaming, they're making a game that's all about sitting on your ass while pretending you're at the playground for a fun-time experience. Obviously, it will sell ten million copies -- after all, it's on the DS, and we all know what that means: profit.Admittedly, EA Playground is a My Street-Wii Sports mashup, and since it's aimed at younger gamers, it's an easy target. The bold, bright visuals and odd character models don't do much for us, but maybe that's okay -- it's not for us. But a mini-game collection with a casual stab at story-telling doesn't sound nearly as engaging as most DS fare, and we can blow into the microphone in a million different ways if we are so inclined. We'll keep an eye on this one, but at first glance, we're not terribly impressed, and we like games largely aimed at younger players.[Via Joystiq]
EA reveals completely original idea: sports-based minigames
Tell us if you think this sounds like a good idea for a Wii game: a collection of easy-to-play minigames based on casual sports! EA Playground is EA's attempt to fill the only hole in the Wii's lineup that absolutely doesn't exist. At least it features different sports than Wii Sports: tetherball, RC racing, and dodgeball, that we know of.EA is emphasizing "local multiplayer parties" for this title (by not putting it online, probably) and a "storyline" based on collecting stickers for your sticker book. Also it has graphics, basically. Things appear onscreen. The attractiveness or visual quality of those things are for you to decide. EA Playground will also be appearing on DS, with its own exclusive minigames.[Via Joystiq]
