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Joystiq Review: Trackmania DS
Trackmania DS is a game that wants to be friends with everyone. It's an arcade racer, but one that tries to cater to the wider audience of the DS through the implementation of other genres, like a Puzzle mode and even rally racing. The problem with trying to include all of these things is that the core component suffers, and in this case, the racing could have used a little more TLC.%Gallery-37398%
TrackMania DS dated for North America, published by ... Atlus?
Lucky old Europe got TrackMania DS last week, but North America will have to wait for its version, which has just been announced for March 17th. As if North America waiting four months longer than Europe for a game wasn't already bizarre enough, you should hear who's publishing it: Atlus. Yeah, the same Atlus that is far more closely associated with dungeon crawlers and RPGs.Whoever wants to localize it, we'll be welcoming the twisty brilliance of TrackMania DS with a great big hug. Not only does it contain over 100 tracks and an insanely great track editor (check after the break for a video of this at work), but almost all of the early reviews are glowing. Could it be? A racing game on Nintendo's portable that actually works and isn't Mario Kart DS?%Gallery-37398%
Trackmania DS is not Touchscreenmania
It seems like a pretty bold move to make a DS racing game that doesn't use the stylus to control an onscreen steering wheel, but then it's a pretty bold move to make a DS version of a PC racing game. According to Trackmania DS producer Dan Fletcher, the team felt that touch controls "do not fit" for driving.That's not to say that the stylus has no place in Trackmania. The one aspect of the game that is perfect for touch control -- the editor -- uses it awesomely. In addition to the basic stylus control used to place tracks, Trackmania DS also features a "free draw" mode that lets players draw tracks directly!
Blood Bowl Teaser Trailer
We're really happy to see a little more info about Blood Bowl after such a long hiatus on its news. Despite the fact that it isn't wholly original (it was a board game after all) it is of a genre that the 360 in general hasn't seen a whole lot of and plus, orcs make just about everything better.Being a bit more serious though, the trailer really doesn't show much; but how much is there really to show off in a turn-based strategy game? True, the game does have a real-time option, but we already have Madden for that and it just seems to be a betrayal of the game's roots. And just like certain other highly anticipated games, we're still waiting on a firm release date. %Gallery-15958%
The Last King of Africa moves from Paradise
We're all going on a holiday to Syberia in the near future, and it looks to be a rollicking good time. If that wasn't enough, creative prodigy Benoit Sokal is back to offer DS owners an even greater holiday destination -- Paradise. Well, it used to be Paradise, but the original PC adventure title is being ported to the DS as Last King of Africa. Hang on, a port? Of an adventure game? That sure shows these guys a thing or two. You'll be taking up the point-and-click reigns of Ann Smith, daughter of King Rodon. Unsurprisingly, she is struck down with amnesia on her way to visit her pop, and must journey within fictional African country Maurania to unravel her own mystery.The first screens are in, and apparently the game has been seriously reworked for the DS -- even the story and dialogue itself has been streamlined. This is pretty good news, considering the original wasn't particularly well-received compared to Sokal's other work.Last King of Africa is vaguely scheduled for a release at this end of this year. It's another addition to the growing adventure library on the DS, which is nothing but pointy, clicky awesome.%Gallery-25468%[Via press release]
First Trackmania DS screen is appropriately Trackmanic
4 Color Rebellion has just posted the first official screenshot of Trackmania DS, and it seems to be in line with our expectations of Trackmania -- continuous, looping tangles of brutally insane track, as designed by people who have no business designing racing tracks (us).For a DS racing game, the graphics look pretty great. Trackmania's look has always had a surreal simplicity about it, which works well for the graphical limitations of the DS, and allows a pretty racing game to be made. And as long as we're not bound by physics or common sense in the track designs, which apparently we are not, we're pleased.
Runaway series to continue on Nintendo systems
The Runaway series of adventure games recently made its first steps onto consoles via a DS port of Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle, which actually isn't out yet, and a planned Wii port as well. As revealed at GDC, developer Pendulo Studios is going one step further for the next installment, called Runaway: A Twist of Fate. From the outset, this latest game is planned as a PC/Wii/DS release. There are no details or real screens (for any platform) from the new game yet, but based on the latest concept art, it's all dark and gritty and stuff. Quite a contrast from the beach-party look of Runaway 2. The most important thing is that it's an adventure game on the Wii.[Via NeoGAF]
Trackmania DS confirmed
Typical. For absolutely ages, you wait for a decent "serious" racer to appear on the DS, and then two candidates come along in the space of days. Codemasters whipped the covers off of Race Driver: GRID on Tuesday, and now Focus Home Interactive has confirmed that a DS version of ace PC racer TrackMania is in the works. We are so not complaining about this.Because user-created circuits are what elevated TrackMania to greatness in the first place, the DS version will ship with an extensive track editor -- FHI's press release mentions "hundreds of different design blocks." Will we be able to exchange these online, though? That's something the press release doesn't discuss, but the teaser trailer after the break may have provided us with a clue -- check out which word pops up nine seconds in.
Trackmania rolling onto DS?
A GoNintendo reader spotted a video on YouTube of what appears to be a version of TrackMania running on the DS. Another reader spotted a mention of the game on TrackMania publisher Focus Home Interactive's Game Connection page. TrackMania is a series of awesome PC racing games, focusing on user-created tracks. We're calling this a rumor, because it has yet to appear on FHI's actual web page, and a YouTube video out of nowhere is not exactly an official announcement. This could be homebrew, or some other game, or just treachery. It seems like a distinct possibility, though. Focus Home Interactive recently announced another PC to DS port, Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle, for one, and building tracks with the touch screen seems like a natural. Too bad racing on the DS doesn't seem quite as natural. We're also a little concerned about the possibility of sharing tracks. TrackMania's community is basically the whole reason the games are awesome. If the DS doesn't have a robust system in place for uploading and downloading new tracks, then ... bye, TrackMania DS.[Via GoNintendo]
Runaway: Dream of the Trailer
One shouldn't run away from this latest trailer for Runaway: Dream of the Turtle. In fact, one should embrace the footage as they would a relative returning home from a long journey abroad or their favorite brand of hot sauce going on-sale at the local supermarket. We were happy to hear the title was making its way to North America and are ever-impressed in the way the game is shaping up.%Gallery-9671%
Runaway 2 screens stare back into you
Okay, so for the most part Runaway 2 looks great. The art in the backgrounds is beautiful, and we're genetically unable to hate on a new adventure game. We're total jerks, however, and had to point and laugh at this screenshot, because, despite the high quality of the rest of the game's art, the character models tend to look like cel-shaded Poser models with caveman faces. It's totally unfair and mean for us to draw attention to that!To make up for it, we'll point out that Runaway 2 has what might be the prettiest inventory screen we've seen on the DS. The color in the background image is wonderful. Hooray for occasionally great art design!
Runaway 2 won't scare you off
The recently-announced DS version of Runaway 2 is looking pretty spiffy -- and that's a good thing, since it's apparently set for the end of this month. So soon? At least, according to Jeux France; other sources we've seen indicate early next year. And really, considering the holiday glut, early next year may be better, but we'll keep an eye on this one regardless, because the expanding visuals are certainly an interesting idea.%Gallery-9671%
Runaway 2 finds an American home [update 1]
What was that about adventure games? Asked and answered, it would seem. Focus Home Interactive is bringing the DS version of the adventure game Runaway: Dream of the Turtle to the U.S.The game follows Brian and Gina, a couple who just survived a bunch of crazy stuff (in the first Runaway, obviously), as their vacation turns into-- what else-- an adventure. Apparently the story picks up soon after the first game and ends in a cliffhanger that resolves in the as-yet-unreleased third game. We're getting ... the middle.Runaway 2 on the PC earned some wildly mixed reviews, ranging from a score of 100 all the way down to 40. So it's either great or terrible, or somewhere in between.[Update: Screens can be found here.]
Pro Cycling Manager gives gamers "something different"
Focus Home Interactive and Cyanide revealed a new game today, offering "something different" for PSP gamers. Pro Cycling/Tour de France 2007 is heading to both PC and PSP, and will offer players all the fun of ... bicycling. Yes. From the press release:"The PSP™ version is being specifically designed to take advantage of the features of Sony's® PlayStation Portable handheld system. The real-time simulation aspect of the game is enhanced and the game sets a faster pace than its PC brother. With careers lasting up to five seasons, unique gameplay modes which include time trials, sprints and optimized race lengths, Pro Cycling/Tour de France 2007 on PSP is a lean, mean portable dream. Players and cycling fans will love the 20 official teams and their star cyclists, and will experience the most thrilling Tour de France ever, available for the first time on PSP!"While I can't personally say I'm excited, it certainly does provide something different for PSP players.
