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New DS games announced for Japan
Gamespot reports that three new DS games have been announced for release in the Land of the Rising Fun, one of which we already knew about and two more which caught us complete unawares. The surprise was so great that we actually fell out of our chairs. Stranger still is the fact that nobody around here even has a chair. No, all DS Fanboy posts emerge from a comfortable hammock tied between two concrete pillars deep within an underground parking garage.It's a quiet place that allows us to enjoy games such as Shunkan Puzz Loop, a ported arcade Puzz-le game from the creator of Polarium. Scheduled for a March 2 release, the game has players erasing colored balls rolling down a spiral track towards the center of the screen. As any puzzle expert will tell you, the only way one can hope to eliminate evil balls is by firing good balls out of a cannon and aligning them in matching colored rows - this game does not break that honored tradition.The other game is set apart from the others in the sense that it's not so much a game and more like a utility that may actually prove useful at some point in your life, possibly even saving it when you're inevitably faced with German gangsters asking for directions. Arriving in Chinese, Korean, Thai, English and German versions, Tabi no Yubisashi Kaiwacho allows the user to understand different languages via translated text displayed on the screen and blasted through the DS' speakers. When it releases sometime in March, this title will totally teach you how to talk, man.
Rumor: Ragnarok Online coming to the DS?
Is the South Korean MMORPG, Ragnarok Online, on its way to the DS? That's the question being asked over at the official Nintendo forums, as new scans from a Japanese mag have surfaced and seem to indicate that yet another online RPG may soon be joining the expansive DS games library. Though there's nothing shockingly original about Ragnarok Online, what with its high abundance of fantasy landscapes and pointy hats, it's hard to deny the appeal of a fully fledged MorePeeGee in portable format. Of course, with the current status of Nintendo's Wi-Fi service, one has to wonder what sort of monthly costs would be involved and how things such as content expansions (perhaps via the GBA slot) and server switches would be handled. For all we know, this potential version of Ragnarok may be greatly simplified - cooperatively online as opposed to massively online. Does the idea of a MMORPG on the DS excite you, or do you simply flee in terror when faced with so many capital letters at once?[Via DSupdates]
Party in the PokePark
Though you may want to hold off on buying this until Monday (just to see whether or not there's a redesigned DS on the way), Walmart.com is trumpeting their exclusive new DS - The PokePark Nintendo DS, a gleaming blue beauty featuring Pickachu's well defined likeness and a PokePark logo. Previously limited to Japanese retailers, this version of the DS is now only limited to Walmart's online store for the princely sum of $129.82. Next week: How to make your own PokePark DS with an Electric Blue DS, some stickers and a highly marketable character![Thanks delerious!]
Return of the redesign mock-up
Back when the Nintendo DS was still called the Nintendo Nitro, the internet was on the verge of collapse due to the sheer volume of elaborate, fan mock-ups that were making the rounds, almost all of them incorporating some sort of blender attachment. The same thing happened before the Revolution was officially unveiled and now that the DS is rumored to be receiving a redesign, it's generating just as many all-singing, all-dancing prototype renders. Only sometimes, we kinda like them.Just have a gander at this one created by Yannis Bolman that was posted on the NGCFrance forums. Boasting an analog stick, a compact folding mechanic and GBA SP aesthetics, this may just be one of the best whimsical design dreams we've laid our almost fully decayed eyes on. The Touch Mode position looks like it may be a bit uncomfortable to hold, but then we've said the same thing after an extended session of Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt. Let's hope the real (and still rumored) redesign doesn't end up disappointing us. [Thanks Pikkewyn!]
PSP to DS: I finally beat you! Jerk.
In a turn of events that will undoubtedly send titanic ripples through the lives of avid Japanese hardware sales chart enthusiasts the world over (though given that particular hobby, it's not hard to do), the PSP has finally managed to get through an entire week without coughing and spluttering on the DS' dust. It seems that all that hard training finally paid off, as the PSP crossed the finish line with 133,000 units sold compared to the 91,000 units sold by its nemesis. Although, how proud one can feel about winning over an apologetic, disabled competitor is a matter up for debate.The guys at gamesindustry.biz also continue to fuel the continuing speculation that the current DS shortage has less to do with the ridiculously high demand and more to with a ridiculously sexy upcoming hardware redesign. Entering another version of the DS into the burgeoning sales charts will certainly be interesting, especially since the PSP and its current game lineup would be ill-equipped to deal with such a dual screen tag-team combo.
More DS art: Now in Pictomation
It seems our brief foray into the world of DS Pictochat art yesterday was less of a Livingstone-esque march into unknown territory and more of a brief stumbling through a creepy and confusing cornfield. Or something. Today's not a good day for metaphors. It's a good day to draw, however, as we feel strangely inspired after viewing NoBullet's page at deviantART and discovering his many Pictomations - animations painstakingly produced on Pictochat. It's not very often that we're truly impressed and in fact, we initially thought the forgotten feeling was indicative of an upcoming stroke, but this stuff simply must be seen and appreciated. We've got Shenmue's Ryu taking QTE revenge, Link fighting a Deku scrub, Samus blasting a couple of Metroids and, my personal favorite, James from Silent Hill 2 being stalked by Pyramid Head under the veil of (almost literally) inky darkness. There's even more good stuff after the link. Check it out![Thanks Ryudo!]
Mega Man ZX official website up
We've got to admit that we're awfully excited about the recently revealed Mega Man ZX, a brand new DS entry in the platforming series that forgets all that 3D nonsense and takes us back to that good 'ole 2D jumping through-the-boss-door gameplay we obsessively love. We seriously dig Mega Man and have gotten over the fact that he's actually not a man at all, but a little robotic thief that strips hilariously named enemies (Clown Man, we're looking at you) of their surprisingly useful powers. The official website is up now and, while not revealing much information (even less if you can't read the Japanese characters) does give you a glimpse at the new spiffy saucer-eyed character designs and the newly created Mega Woman. Girrrrrl power and all that. Anyone care to translate this for us? We'll pay you in Zeenies.[Thanks shiftup72!]
Harvest Moon DS bound for Europe
Good news for our farm animal loving European readers now, with farm animal loving European website Eurogamer reporting that the upcoming Harvest Moon DS (that game that's all about loving farm animals) has been confirmed for a European release by Rising Star Games. We're not sure what the game's all about, but we think it may cater to those with a love for farm animals. Naturally, you can expect the game to make full use of the DS' features, no doubt implementing a highly advanced cow milking simulation in the process. It won't be long before that becomes a fully fledged genre all on its own. Just you wait.
But is it art?
The connection between holding a stylus and holding a pencil is a fairly obvious one, though many would agree that the latter is more often involved with unpleasant things such as writing essays, ticking boxes in a Reader's Digest survey and, of course, stabbing people in the eye. To be fair, I did use my stylus for stabbing once, but I really can't be held responsible for my actions during a heated Mario Kart DS session. Perhaps if there was some game that allowed me to release my frustrations through artistic expression, some people wouldn't regret using homing shells so much.Apparently, there is one such a game - and we all have it. It's called PictoChat. The NDSart gallery provides a virtual wall to hang many of the masterpieces that have been created by avid touch screen artists. Instead of squeezing a sketch onto a single Pictochat screen, the pictures are segmented across the dual screens, photographed and then combined again. The work on display here is very impressive and could certainly be expanded by an online-capable PictoChat program that could allow you to save and send your drawings to friends. That is, provided they aren't still mad at you for attacking them with a stylus.[Via Infendo]
Nintendogs laps up awards
No human being can resist the obscenely cute charms of Nintendogs, undoubtedly the game most worthy of the "DS killer app" label. This fact can easily be proven by simply taking your DS for a walk down the street and showing the game to any random person you might encounter. The universal reaction? "Awww! Puppies are the bestest!"A word of warning: Should you encounter a person that does not react in the abovementioned way (perhaps they shrug or stare at you blankly), know that you are dealing with either a homicidal maniac bent on seperating you from your vital organs or a robot that, due to a freak time-travel accident, is wandering your neighborhood in search of its toaster father. Running would be a very good option at this point, as would reiterating that the New York Times, USA Today, Parade and Time Magazine (of particular interest to the robot) have all heaped praise on Nintendogs and its lifelike puppies. Other notable appearances in the media include: PC World: 2006 Innovation Award Associated Press: Best Game of 2005 BusinessWeek: featured on Best Products Entertainment Weekly: featured on The Must List Chicago Sun Times: featured on the Game Of The Year list FamilyFun.com: #1 on the Annual Video Game Toy Test That's a lot of awards to list off...which is probably why you'd be better off with running.[Via Joystiq]
Homebrew how-to hub
There are plenty of gamers out there who have taken an interest in the homebrew scene but, due to the high level of technical knowledge required, have found that diving into the world of custom games and DS modifications is often impeded by a fibreglass sheet covering the pool. Thankfully, there are altruistic people out there that are quite willing to shun social interaction in favor of creating epic tutorials aimed at assisting complete and generally unappreciative strangers.While this set of tutorials is far from encompassing everything homebrew has to offer, it does provide a fairly good jump-off point (see how I got back to the diving metaphor there?) and provides plenty of links to other helpful sites. You'll learn all about tricking your DS into downloading your custom code (via the DS Download Play option) and may eventually reach the point where you can emulate a version of Space Invaders, that epic saga of aliens being undone by their predictable patterns. Let us know how it goes![Via Tech stuff for the slacker]
Python wraps around the DS
Okay, here's one for the techies among us. Wait, is that an acceptable and entirely politically correct term to use? Techies? I hope I'm not offending anybody, since I'm honestly not implying that your skull is filled with microchips and compressed binary libraries. Not that there's anything wrong with having your head filled with that kind of stuff. Please don't haxx0r me.So, here's one for the technologically enthused among us: Python, that programming language of yore, can now be executed on the DS, thanks to some pioneering folks in the homebrew scene. What does that mean to you? Well, if you're an expert code wrangler, it means you can create some interesting new applications for the DS. If not, it means you can wait for someone to create interesting new applications, download them and show no appreciation whatsoever as you repeatedly complain about some new application you downloaded for your DS. It's a win-win situation!Warning: The link leads to a page rife with technical jargon, hooplah, buzzwords, microcosms and several lines of code. Proceed at your own risk.[Via gbadev]
Typo shame hits Castlevania
There is no clearer indication of human folly than the keyboard typo. Not content with exposing the shocking state of spelling affairs in the Mario Kart DS manual, we've now got our microscope aimed at Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. You see, no matter what kind of game it is, a keyboard and a human being will undoubtedly be involved at some point during its creation, with the latter most frequently causing the biggest problems. In this case, somebody's fingers didn't hit their intended targets and cobbled together this on-screen sentence:That Celia woman... Not only was she after me, shie tried to harm Mina too.Shie? Who? Hell? She? This makes no sense. Why is she, assuming that Shie is, in fact, a she, trying to harm dear Mina? Well, obviously the game is completely unplayable now. Thanks a lot for destroying the English language, Castlevania.[Thanks, Daniel S!]
Portable gaming's family tree
Apparently, the Nintendo DS is the illicit love child of the Tapwave Zodiac and the Game Boy Advance SP, conceived on an unexpected night of boundless portable passion sometime in 2003. We have to admit - that situation is a little difficult to picture and, to be even more honest, we think that attempting to do so any further will most likely cause irreversible psychological trauma. Well, more than we've already managed.Who do we have to thank for this unspeakable mental imagery? None other than Daveynin, the guy that drew up this interesting family tree of sorts that traces the origins of our favorite portable systems all the way back from the Milton-Bradley Microvision in 1979. It's an interesting look at the many gaming devices we've gone through (even some you've probably never even heard of) and is easy to follow due to gigantic and oh-so-helpful arrows. And who knows, perhaps by the end of this year we'll see some arrows coming out of the DS.And please stop thinking about handheld devices having sex. Just stop it.[Via Joystiq]
Europeans obsessed with DS
It's true. People in Europe simply can't restrain themselves from buying Nintendo's portable wonder. More than 3.5 million units have been sold, almost all of them to people with exceedingly cool accents. The top-selling game since October has been the infinitely lovable Nintendogs, followed closely by the shell-spinning Mario Kart DS which saw release in November. The games have sold 1.6 million and 800,000 copies respectively and respectfully.Of course, it's also noted that Animal Crossing: Wild World has yet to release over there, so one should expect another rise in sales and a fall in productivity to occur very soon indeed.
Homebrew RTS hits DS
For those of you into the homebrew scene - and don't think we haven't seen you mulling about in those suspicious trenchcoats - here's an intriguing little RTS that an armchair dictator developed as a proof-of-concept. It clearly has a long way to go before competing with the likes of StarCraft, but at least it has the control method down. By tapping on an unsuspecting worker unit or dragging a box around a group of them, you can order them to perform menial and unfulfilling tasks that serve no reason other than to expand your empire of evil and oppression. If anything, this should get you excited for the forthcoming Age of Empires DS game. If, however, you don't consider yourself a slave to capitalism (and good for you, by the way), it should get you excited about all the possibilities that can be found in the world of homebrew. This game isn't the only one that shows just how well the DS can handle real-time strategy games and first-person shooters, games that were mostly constricted to the PC until now. Now if only someone would conjure up a decent online instant messenger...[Thanks xfiles fan]
Happy New Year and so forth
To be completely honest, I've never really gotten the whole counting down, explosive jubilation, fireworks extravaganza ritual thing that comes before each new year."3! 2! 1! Hooray! It's tomorrow! That's never happened before!" But seriously now, DSFanboy hopes that you managed to survive 2005 intact and that you'll have a stupendously, ridiculously and altogether unbelievably good time next year. You've got your DS, don't you?
Another Electroplankton review
This one's from the crew at Go Nintendo and further strengthens what we already know - this is one trippy musical experience you simply don't want to miss. "Electroplankton is THE most surreal experience I have ever had with a game. It is the most relaxing, yet stimulating experience on the DS, and in ANY game yet."I've always thought that Burger Time was one of the more surreal games out there (giant hamburgers are quite terrifying), but it seems that some of the cute little amoeba things in Electroplankton can even top that. The Volvoice species, for instance, will listen intently as you speak into the microphone and will then repeat your voice back in different tones. You could essentially construct a little choir out of the variations on your voice while you think about the musical implications and what it must be like to have schizophrenia or a multiple personality disorder. This is exactly the kind of game that makes you go "Ahh...so THAT's what Nintendo wanted to do with the DS." Look out for our MetaReview once more sites get their hands on the game.[Thanks Kevin]
Phoenix Wright discontinued?
There's a nasty rumor going around that Capcom's hilarious text-based courtroom adventure, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, has been discontinued. This comes as a bit of a surprise, as the game was well received by critics and has enjoyed excellent word of mouth. It's still just a rumor, but our own in-depth investigation (we browsed the internet a bit) has turned up some grim evidence.Exhibit A: The game is no longer available at EBgames.com.Exhibit B: At Gamestop, it's "back ordered".Exhibit C: Phoenix Wright is mysteriously absent from the DS page at Capcom's online store.Exhibit D: The one-legged, one-eyed homeless man heard from a friend's sister-in-law's psychic aunt that this was going to happen. He gladly exchanged this information with us in return for a half-eaten Oreo. Do you OBJECT! to these claims of a Phoenix Wright scarcity? If so, give us some details on where you've seen hundreds of copies lining the shelves. If not, let us know if you've had trouble finding the game in your area.
Next DS Pokemon to venture online
While many see it as an enjoyable RPG romp with endless variety, Pokémon is in truth built upon far darker principles. The game is obviously representative of the greed in our hearts, our unending desire to garner vast material wealth and yes, our very need to catch...them...ALL. Well, I guess the games are pretty fun too.Those eagerly anticipating the forthcoming DS iterations will be pleased to learn that director Junichi Mysada has let slip some info about Pokémon Diamond & Pearl (the original Ham & Dilithium titles having been rejected earlier). He claims that his main goal is to make full use of the capabilities of the DS, including the microphone and online Wi-Fi connectivity. Shouting "I choose you, Pikachu!" into the mic whilst battling your friends online and robbing them of their precious pocket monsters? Sounds good to us.[via DS-x2]
