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Nintendo's MP3 player
What started as a late rumor out of Leipzig has now been confirmed -- for Europe, at least. That's right, the long-discussed, much-rumored Nintendo MP3 player add-on is about to become a reality. There is a lot, however, that's still up in the air, like whether or not the new device will be able to handle video files as well. The DS add-on is apparently similar to the Play Yan, released only in Japan, which currently performs the same function as the as yet unreleased Nintendo player -- it serves as a bridge between the handheld and an SD card, which is used to store media. The Play Yan handles video, but will Nintendo's player? We hope to have that information soon, as well as a concrete release date. And maybe word of a North American release. And perhaps confirmation of the price, which is rumored at about 30 euros ($40). And a pony. We've always thought a pony would be a great addition to the DS Fanboy offices. The adapter will work for both the DS and the DS Lite, as well as GBA SP and GB Micro. That's something we do know. Hurray! How well will it work? We can't speculate on Nintendo's player, but dedicated reader Franky Digital sent us a link to his blog, where he helpfully broke down the process of upgrading his DS to do the same thing.
USA Today checks out next-gen systems
USA Today, a respected and widely-read newspaper, recently took an objective look at the next-gen lineup of systems. While they summarize each system into fairly short "blurbs," a majority of the piece centers around wondering who will end up on top after the dust is settled. The piece points out several key factors such as Sony's choice to go Blu-ray, as well as Microsoft's year-long head start in the market.The content is somewhat lacking in speculating on where Nintendo will be at through all of this, but we at The Fanboy don't see this as being such a bad thing. Even after Nintendo's failure to provide launch date and price info for the Wii at Leipzig, buzz surrounding the system is still strong.
Wii rumors: a compilation
The last time we hit you guys with a compilation of rumors, we figured it would be the last post of its kind. With Leipzig around the corner and everyone looking at it to reveal price and launch date for the Wii, the days of rumors and their detailed compilations being available over the mass of tubes we call the 'internet' looked to be over.Since we all were undoubtedly disappointed with Nintendo's unwillingness to compromise at Leipzig by giving us the juicy information we needed, now we have a fresh, new compilation to present. A compilation of Wii rumors stemming from the month of August. Funny how Nintendo managed to not give up the information we sought and instead presented us with that much more to speculate on and fine-comb through with magnifying glass firmly clutched in our shaking, sweaty hand. She's a crafty one, that Nintendo...[Thanks Matt!]
Wii impressions from LGC
One of Moz La Punk's readers was on-hand at Leipzig with one mission: get their hands on as much Wii as possible. That's right, the reader craved Wii and did their best to make sure that the majority of their time at the show was spent within close proximity to it, holding the Wiimote and engaging in some gaming. They got their hands on a plethora of games at the show, including the two main titles for Nintendo: Battalion Wars 2 and Mario Strikers Charged. The reader's take on the demo for Elebits reads:"No one may have knew it, but this wás a new demo. Unlike the E3 demo, this time you could hunt Elebits in the garden next to the house. It also contained a new orange Elebit with wing-like ears, used for the little creature to fly. The developers also integrated a weight-limit, so not everything could be thrown around. Instead, every time something was shot, the weight was shown. Objects up to about 2 kilogramms could be lifted. The house also contained several electronical devices which could be opened by collecting enough Elebits to activate them. A dishwasher even contained differently coloured versions of the blue Elebit, as seen in the CG trailer with the Elebits dancing. The controls were simple, as A activated the beam, the Wiimote was used to aim and look around and the analogue stick moved the player character." Head on over here for the rest.[Via Go Nintendo]
MS talks Live Anywhere achievments
Are you and your Xbox 360 itching frag your obnoxious PC-loving cousin and his competition weighted mouse? Microsoft UK Third-Party Account Manager Steven Blackburn told a Leipzig crowd that MS will lure you to the blood feud with special online-only achievements designed to hype the Live Anywhere service. Start talking smack now because the the first truly cross-platform title, Shadowrun, hits early next year with plenty more to follow.[Via Xboxic]
EuroGamer: MS pwned Leipzig
EuroGamer discusses Microsoft's dominance at the Leipzig Game Convention. Choice quotes: "The PR victory scored by Microsoft here cannot be underestimated. The power of the company's spin machine continues to leave the rest of the games industry in awe even after an entire console generation of experience" ..."There is a very clear winner, and a very clear loser, in the Leipziger Messe this week, as 150,000 consumers are currently finding out - and hundreds of press types have already discovered. The winner is Microsoft." Being European, these guys make a big deal out of Microsoft cornering the soccer market. However, 1up reports that MS may have..gulp..exaggerated (normally a Sony trademark) the extent of that coup (It looks like Pro Evo/Winning 11 and FIFA are "exclusive" only until the Konami and EA can finish developing them for the PS3). Was Sony's lack of a response due to calm knowledge that MS was over-selling its football shut out, or just their usual "Riiiiidge Racer" corporate buffoonery? [Thanks Charch & Lorul2]
Castlevania: PoR gameplay footage
First we brought you the trailer -- now we offer a look at the actual gameplay of this exciting Castlevania title. Watch closely to see both characters in action. Anyone else simply dying to get their hands on this? Whips and spells and portraits, oh my!
DS as language tool
In Leipzig, Nintendo announced a new DS game designed to teach the user English. Wunderbar! The game is due in Germany on October 13th.While the possibility seems obvious, Nintendo has not announced any plans to release games geared at other languages. Here's hoping, however -- how convenient would it be to study language on the go with a DS? Whether you're using the DS game to brush up on a language you already know, or delving into something new, the opportunities here are vast. But instead of going into that, Ninty was careful to distance the DS from education, stating that the handheld would not turn into an educational tool. And why not? So long as the games continue to be fabulous, what's wrong with educating the masses in a fun and portable way?Let us know what you think!
TF2 shows its class(es)
We rounded up some GC coverage for you just yesterday, but this Team Fortress 2 video deserves a spot right here on the front page. We know how you hate having to add a whole step to the process by clicking on external links. You demand simplicity, and rightfully so. Thus, here's the video for your viewing pleasure, right on the main page. The game has a really great cartoony quality, reminding us all that not every next gen game has to be Crysis to look amazing. Honestly, we find ourselves at a loss to pin down our favorite class. The Demoman, with his twice exploding time bomb? The super speedy Scout? Then again, the Engineer's auto turret is pretty freaking sweet. How about you? What's your favorite?
LGC wrap-up: How did the DS do?
Note: This editorial is the opinion of David Hinkle and does not represent the opinion of DS Fanboy, Joystiq, or Weblogs Inc. Leave it to the PSP guys to be immature and bait us into an all-out fanboy war. Especially one they cannot ever hope to win. While we'd like to be the more mature blog, without a response to such a heinous act of defamation would show weakness, and you know we are anything but that. So what made these guys think the PSP had such an excellent show?
New trailer for Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
The latest installment in Konami's long-running Castlevania series is looking pretty tight, but it's the new gameplay additions that get us excited. Not only do we get twice the vamp-hunting goodness, but the potraits in the castle act as portals, allowing Jonathan and Charlotte to take the fight to new dimensions. Now that's dedication.
Kicking back with Winning Eleven 2007
There are some great previews coming out of Leipzig, and GameSpot has a look at Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 that compares the game now with the build available earlier this year at E3. The control scheme for this forthcoming DS title seems very similar to older versions. The DS's left trigger feints, the right trigger is for a dash, and the d-pad moves your player. The Y button shoots, and the X, A, and B buttons all perform various passes. For anything more complicated, a series of buttons is required. Further, they report the game seems to be playing faster now than at E3, and the movement and graphics seem to be improved. Unfortunately, for the purpose of the preview, only the single player mode was activated, but GameSpot reports the following menu options: world tour, network, Konami Cup, original team, and training. Sounds like a bevy of options for the soccer fan with a DS.
The winner of Leipzig? PSP
NOTE: This editorial is the opinion of Andrew Yoon, and does not represent the opinion of PSP Fanboy, Joystiq or Weblogs, Inc.Every video game convention, there's a "winner" of some sorts. It's pretty safe to say that the Nintendo Wii "won" the last E3, proving that waving around our hands can be fun. Not only did the Wii prove that the control scheme works, there was an amazing list of exclusives, from Nintendo's own Mario to third party efforts, like Red Steel. Nintendo wowed the crowd at E3 because of the amazing quality and potential of the games for its system.Did Nintendo pull the big win at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany this year? No. Did Microsoft? No. Sony took the win for this year's show, but not because of a great showing of PlayStation 3 goods (there were none at the show), but because of Konami's absolutely excellent lineup of upcoming PSP games. Yes, you heard me right: PSP "won" Leipzig.
Guild Wars Nightfall arrives Oct. 27
NCsoft and ArenaNet have announced that both the standard and collector's editions of Guild Wars Nightfall will be available Oct. 27. If you can't wait that long to begin exploring the new continent of Elona, the pre-release bonus pack ships in three weeks.Achtung! For those of you attending the Games Convention in Leipzig this weekend, be sure to check out the final rounds of the Guild Wars Factions Championships.See also: New Guild Wars Nightfall trailer
Up close with BWii
The newly-announced Battalion Wars 2 is playable in Leipzig, and the initial opinions are positive. Graphically, the game sports little difference from the prior GameCube version, but word is that the controls for BWii are smooth and the gameplay is interesting enough that the game manages to feel new and fresh. It's not all roses, though -- IGN reports, after their time with the game, that a few of the maneuvers feel a little awkward, but from their short time with the game, these bumps didn't seem insurmountable. Apparently, BWii will offer several online multiplayer modes, but all that is confirmed at this time is a four-player Capture the Flag. In tanks. Or maybe even in boats. Oh yeah.
NFS Carbon details and screens
Leipzig has caused a slow and sure trickle of news and finally we're able to report on some information specific to Need For Speed: Carbon on the Wii. With a trio of surprisingly lovely snapshots and controls similar to that of Excite Truck, we're very excited for this latest installment in the series. Also, the player will be able to slow down their car by pulling the Wiimote toward their body.The presenters noted that the graphics weren't anywhere near what they wanted them to be, concentrating fully on the game's controls at the present time, but we think things aren't looking too shabby as they are.[Via NeoGAF]
Leipzig: DS games overview video
In this small snippet of footage for already-released and upcoming games for the DS from the Leipzig Games Convention, we see titles such as Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis and Hotel Dusk: Room 215, which has players looking for a lost friend during the late seventies in Los Angeles. With some stylish noir overtones and an interesting story, it's clearly our pick for best game of the bunch in this video.
Europe gets Wii pricing ... sort of
In an interview in Leipzig, Bernd Fakesch, head of Nintendo's German operations, let slip an important detail about Europe's Wii. He said that the console would cost -- are you ready for it? Less than 250 euros!Doesn't that sound familiar? Yeah, we thought so. The only real newsworthy bit from this interview was rather off-the-cuff: Fakesch said pricing "has not been decided" yet. My, cutting it a little close, aren't we?[Thanks, Adrock!]
Sony reveals screens of PSP-PS3 connectivity
I know you've all been waiting to see some hot PSP-PS3 prawn. And Sony Europe has finally come through by unveiling images of the two systems finally doing the deed during the Games Convention 2006 in Leipzig.Does anyone else find the color choice of the systems interesting, too? It reminds me of a little PSP ad in Amsterdam that caused quite the stir not too long ago. Just look at the PSP's arm (see USB cable) clutching the throat of the cowering PS3. Yeah, you probably think I'm reaching, eh? Yeah well, I can almost feel the racial overtones emanating from the image like a hot pancake sitting on the frier.Oh Sony, will you ever learn?(Via Spong)
Leipzig Games Convention roundup
In case you've missed it, or if your slavish devotion prevents you from checking other websites, below is a roundup of Microsoft related news from the Leipzig Games Convention. GC is a pretty big deal in Europe so, there's plenty of stuff to see. Microsoft unveils new peripherals, Vision Camera Settlers of Catan on Live Arcade? Wha? Long promised Lost Planet multiplayer vids Sweet videos of HL2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. Microsoft nabs FIFA and Pro Evo 6 exclusivity A healthy selection indeed. May they help our American friends make it through a tedious workday, and our European friends settle in for the evening.[Via Joystiq]
