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Rumor: Novels on their way to European DSes
The techno-literary world is abuzz over Kindle, Amazon's handheld electronic reading device which is quickly gaining popularity in the small circle of people who love books, aren't afraid of computers, and have $400 in disposable income. According to a recent Nintendo investor report, European DS owners might be able to ride the e-book wave this coming winter -- the tentative release date for the tentatively titled DS Novel.Details about the game are non-existent, though DS Fanboy speculates that it's an English language version of a Japanese title which allows the user to peruse over 100 complete books. We hope to hear more about this later in the year -- the thought of being able to sit down with our favorite editions of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" without all the fuss and muss of ink and pulp fills us with anticipation.
NES/GB/GBC emulator handheld is powered by the Sun
No, friend, that's not a hip gadget from the new, unfortunately titled James Bond film -- it's a very real, very sexy handheld MP4 player capable of running old school Nintendo emulators using solar power. It also plays MP3's, stores e-books (which it can then read aloud to you, a consideration for our illiterate friends), records audio and displays images, all for a cool $123.32.Here's the best part -- it also has a USB port to connect with other portable devices and share the solar energy it has collected, like a mama bird feeding a regurgitated bolus to her young. That's right, not only can it play your favorite games from the 8-era, it's also an Al Gore-approved renewable energy source.
DS RPG Rondo of Swords coming stateside in April
We'd wager that most of the gaming world has no idea what a Rondo is (aside from those who study classical music, or those who have enjoyed the tasty beverage of the same name), and that even fewer people have heard of a strategy/RPG called Ituwari no Rondo, which was released for the DS in Japan last year. No matter, Atlus will be educating us uninitiated Western heathens when a localization of the game (retitled Rondo of Swords) hits American shores (and invades our dust-caked DSs) on April 15.We're hoping that this seemingly immersive RPG will serve as a beacon of hope in the middle of a a less than impressive 2008 release schedule for the DS, which includes highlights like Aquarium, Fantasy Aquarium, Petz Bunniez, and of course, Garfield Fun Fest. Regardless, you can bet that we'll be holding our breath between the year's Arbuckle-free titles.[Update: Yeah, we told you about this a couple days ago, but can you really blame us? The word Rondo is just so infectious, we just can't stop saying it! Rondo. Rondo. Rondo Calrissian.]
Phantasy Star Universe set for PSP, but with nerfed multiplayer
It was so exciting at first to read that Phantasy Star Universe is headed for the PSP. Developers have theorized before that a PSP MMO might be worth trying, and PSU is the perfect candidate because of its small-scale group battles and its pick-up-and-play approach. At first, it looked like this would finally be the big break!Or not! Sega has announced a Japanese PSU port for the PSP, but its multiplayer features are only ad hoc -- meaning it works over a local wi-fi connection between PSPs, not over the internet. So they've taken PSU, stripped out the "Massively" and "Online" parts of "MMO," and ported it to the PSP.Bad form, Sega -- bad form. Looks like we'll be waiting a bit longer for an MMO-on-the-go that isn't a cell phone game meant for 'tweens. Maybe NCsoft is PSP MMO fans' only hope.
Details for UX490N handheld show up on Sony's site
While Sony's apparently yet to get official with it, the company has let slip a user guide and marketing materials for its hereto unheard of UX490N handheld, which thankfully provide plenty of details on the device. Like the most recent model introduced in Japan, this one packs a 1.2GHz Core 2 Solo U2200 processor, although it drops the SSD storage down to 48GB from 64GB. Otherwise, you can expect the usual 4.5-inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, along with 1GB of RAM, Intel GMA 950 graphics, and built-in support for AT&T's EDGE network, among other densely-packed features. What's more, it seems that Sony will also be offering the handheld in a VGN-UX490N/C model, which throws in a Bluetooth GPS receiver and an extended battery. No word on a price or release date just yet, but we're guessing those details should be coming before too long.[Thanks, benz145]
Poll results: Playing favorites
In the midst of our celebration of all things Zelda, we asked you to choose, once and for all, your favorites from the franchise (up to, but not including Phantom Hourglass). It was a hard fight, but as many might have guessed, Ocarina of Time snatched the console title away from A Link to the Past. The handheld fight was a little closer -- skip on past the break to see the results of that wrestling match -- but votes were very much weighed in favor of two of the five titles, whereas votes on the console games were more spread out. The final results might not have been too surprising when it comes to the winner, but the fact that every single game got at least a few votes certainly is. Now that's the mark of a good franchise!
Is Apple working on a multi-touch-based Newton successor?
This one is purely in the realm of rumor, folks, but AppleInsider is now reporting the tantalizing detail that Apple is currently working on a multi-touch-based successor to its Newton handheld. As the story goes, Apple has actually had a "small team of engineers" working on the project for the past 18 months, during which time they were occasionally forced to put the project on hold in order to help get the iPhone out the door on time. Now, with the iPhone out of the way, AppleInsider says it's "full steam ahead" on the "modern day Newton." Delving even further into the rumor mill, AppleInsider says the device will about 1.5 times the size of the iPhone, and sport a 720x480 display that fills nearly the entire surface of the unit (no surprise there). What's more, it seems that the device is intended to compete as much with UMPCs as with PDAs (something the original Newton's already taken a shot at) and, if the rumors are to be believed, it could be released "sometime in the first half of 2008," with a possible announcement as soon as MacWorld in January. [Image courtesy of audiopollution/AppleInsider]
Ben Heck's NEStari is twice the fun
You just can't put this guy down. Just when you think he's had his full share of soldering injuries and heatsink frustration, Benjamin Heckendorn goes and builds the NEStari, a flavorful combination of NES and Atari 2600 in a convenient, portable package. The story is half the fun, but short of it is Ben had a NES-on-a-chip lying around and a spare Atari Flashback 2 chip, but only a single 3.5-inch LCD, so he decided to make a nice, fat portable that can load both NES and Atari cartridges. Sure, the DS lite kids may laugh, but you can always bludgeon them with this monstrosity, while playing gaming classics that far surpass the Pokemons of today. Well, at least Ben can. He's not going to be making any more of these, since the hack wasn't exactly easy to pull off. Hit up the read link for the step-by-step and even some video of the NEStari in action -- if you can get it to load.
Square Enix CEO calls PS3 and Xbox 360 "over-engineered"
The CEO of Square Enix had some strong words about the state of console development recently. Speaking with the Financial Times about the company's recent decision to develop Dragon Quest IX only for Nintendo's DS system, Yoichi Wada believed certain consoles were "over-engineered for today's gaming environment," saying "there are too many specs." The CEO provided elaboration, stating "you also need a high definition TV, a broadband connection and a deep knowledge of gaming," and clarified that in "a year or two" the consoles would fare better when they are not as "mismatched."We'd have to disagree, only because we're a part of the hardcore category of gamers that are always thirsting for faster and better hardware. Broadband has been a staple of our diet for the last ten years and most of us already have an HDTV in our living rooms, if not a second one for the bedroom. But Mr. Wada's statements were made about today's global gaming consumer, and we'd have to agree that in a year or two, the PS3 will likely come down in price and become more accessible to those that (still) haven't yet adopted to HDTV or broadband technologies. Again, Mr. Wada was elaborating on recent decisions for the company to focus on handheld development due to their widespread appeal and market share (units sold). As always, we'd like to invite your thoughts and comments on Mr. Wada's recent statements as they pertain to our console of preference. Should the PS3 have been watered down, so as to cater more to a global audience immediately (aka, those without broadband or HDTV's right now)? One could assume that in doing so, the price point would be lower, making the entry a lot easier to swallow for non-hardcore types. Along that line of thought, a second and third assumption can be made in that PS3 sales might have been higher and third-party support might be increased due to the system's affordability and widespread appeal. What do you think?[Via DS Fanboy]
EA announces casual games branch
Electronic Arts today announced the formation of a new development branch to nestle beneath it's massive corporate umbrella: EA Casual Entertainment. The group will focus on creating "highly accessible games" that jump right to the fun, leaving all those pesky tutorials, backstories, and other distractions in the dust. Casual Entertainment will develop and publish games for consoles, handheld devices, mobile phones, and the PC. The group is working on new franchises to be unveiled in the future. EA has already found success in casual games from its 2001 acquisition of Pogo.com. The portal is now one of the dominant forces in casual entertainment, making EA's new studio a virtual money printing machine.
WoW goes mobile on the OQO!
No, this isn't the wireless property that we saw Blizzard hiring for recently. This is a completely seperate thing. The OQO is a "uPC" (ultra-portable computer) that you can take anywhere for wireless on-the-go access. "Cool," you say. "But what does it have to do with WoW Insider as opposed to going on one of your sister blogs like EngadgetMobile?" Not only is it cool new tech, but the OQO can run World of Warcraft -- and surprisingly well, considering!Check out part one:
PSP remains leader of EA handheld revenue
Sony's handheld continues to drive profits to mega-publisher EA. According to Pocket Gamer, PSP games generated $258 million last fiscal year. In comparison, DS games only managed to generate $104 million. Similar figures were revealed last year, when EA admitted that they'd rather focus on Nintendo's handheld than Sony's, calling it a more "fun" system.Although PSP sales make the largest portion of EA's handheld revenue, the company may spin the fact negatively. While $256 million is a sizable figure, it represents a 28 percent loss compared to last year. On the other hand, the DS platform seems to be gaining momentum for EA, as it has shot up 149 percent. We don't care too much about these numbers, though. As long as EA continues to make good, original games for our platform, PSP gamers have nothing to worry about.
Rip into the R-Zone! Or ... not.
Tiger Electronics, creator of inexpensive handheld games like Electronic Bowling (admit it, you hid one in your Trapper Keeper), have had plenty of hits and misses with their products over the years. One of their flops was the R-Zone X.P.G. Xtreme Pocket Game, a handheld gaming machine released in 1995. The games were craptastic, the design a little too clunky, and the red-on-black graphics were tolerable only if you closed your eyes and jabbed the corner of your sockets with your pinky. But hey, gotta try and oust the Game Boy, right?The R-Zone was released in three versions during its lifespan: one with a traditional layout pictured above, a souped-up (and enlarged) model with a color screen, and a version with a headset and flip-down screen for your right eye that just-so-happened to hit store shelves a year after the Virtual Boy. And we thought hardware ganking was unique to this century!Take a look at the original R-Zone Headset commercial after the break. Ready to rip into the R-Zone?Neither are we.
OQO confirms Model 02 delays, EV-DO modem to blame
While OQO has certainly had its share of ups and downs over the past few years -- from us calling the Model 01 the "heavyweight champion of vaporware," to literally having a market segment spring up around the devices -- things looked to be headed decidedly up with the release of the 3G-capable Model 02 at the start of the year. But as always with the San Francisco company, the transition between announcing a product and actually shipping it is proving to be a little difficult. With shipping delays stretching to 16 weeks, an OQO rep recently confirmed the problem and pointed the finger of blame: "All orders with Sprint and Verizon customers are on hold while some issues are ironed out with the WWAN product line." Engadget pal Boy Genius says his experience bears that out -- his commercially-purchased Model 02 has no software support for the supposedly-present Sprint modem, and to make it worse, the unit he received is covered in nicks and scratches, more evidence of hiccups along the OQO production line. Although we enjoy talking to the guys over at OQO, it sounds like they really need to get their ducks in a row with the Model 02. Peep the full Boy Genius rant with photos of his nicked-up Model 02 at the read link.
DS Daily: Casual games
The above is a photo from EA's Sharon Knight's opening keynote at the Women in Games conference, and it nearly comes complete with an implied question: do women love their PCs, their Wiis, their DS Lites and Phats, and their phones? Lately, the industry seems keen on making sure we know that women just love casual games, and when one combines that fact and the above slide, we can't help but wonder ... are the DS and the Wii branded with the idea that they're filled with nothing but casual games?Certainly most of us have run into that attitude among the various fanboy communities; here, especially, we're frequently hit by that particular brand of troll what seems determined to convince everyone that the PSP is the only real handheld for anyone over the age of 12, and sales figures be damned. But forget all that -- overall, do you feel that most of the games on the DS casually-oriented? It's a handheld, after all, and part of the idea of a handheld is that it is casual. But does the DS go beyond that? Should it? After all, it's not just women who are playing casual games ....
DS Daily: The move to portability
Are you a longtime lover of handhelds, or new to the party? Personally, this blogger wasn't much of a handheld gamer until the PSP and the DS rolled around, because handhelds just weren't comfortable. With this generation, however, handheld gaming seemed to take a huge step up in everything from ergonomics to gameplay and graphics. Others, of course, are lifelong handheld devotees; to them, a gaming collection just isn't complete without some sort of portable device. How would you classify yourself?
DS Daily: The other guys
We're guessing that you're probably a little into the DS, since you're here and all. But that doesn't mean you can't dabble with the other guys -- specifically, the PSP. Are you rocking handhelds on both sides of the fence? We know some of you just like to collect consoles (gotta catch 'em all!), but others enjoy having options when it comes to handhelds. How about you? Are you Nintendo-only, or do you also have a PSP? But don't stop at the what -- give us all the whys, too. We crave them.
DS Daily: Toward handheld dominance
We've found that the amazing levels of awesome offered by the DS have led us to lean more toward handheld gaming than we did before. The DS is just so versatile (moreso even if you homebrew), and we never run out of games to play. In fact, we could use an extra ten hours or so a week just to dedicate to working on that stack of shrink-wrapped DS games! So we thought we'd ask if it was just us. Does the DS dominate your gaming experience, or do you spend more time on a console (perhaps this one)? If you owned handhelds in the past, do you play more or less often now than you did before the DS?
10 things to hate about the PSP and DS
Why spread the love when you can spread unbiased hate? Portable gaming site Modojo has released a list of 10 things to hate about the PSP and DS, sharing the slander equally between the two. The DS loses points for quirky games, boxy system design, friend codes, a flimsy d-pad, and half-assed touchscreen implementation. The PSP gets trashed for the analog nub, load times, price, firmware updates, and dead pixels.Sounds like a good start to us. How about adding "poor battery life" for the PSP and "mysterious cracked hinge" for the DS? Any other flaws worth mentioning about the systems?
The art of reduction
Videogame creation is a combination of art and technical skill. It's easy to look at next-gen titles on Xbox 360 or PS3 and marvel at the miracle that is their existence, but many gamers ignore the difficulty and special challenges that come from making a portable game. There is a special art of reduction that comes from a developer trying to make a game that can be enjoyed on the go. To act as a sort of reminder of some of these challenges, I thought I'd highlight a few.
