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Professor Layton and the New, Low Price
Here's a puzzle for you, and we think you'll find it to be an absolute humdinger: if you haven't already purchased Professor Layton and the Curious Village, then why not? There are several different answers to this brainteaser, but you'll have to go past the break to find them.Anyway, Level 5's gorgeous adventure is now available at Target for $26, a minuscule price to pay for what is easily one of the best DS games of 2008 so far. Also in Target's bargains line-up this week: Brain Age 2 (for $17), Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day (also $17) and, um ... Petz Bunnyz 2 ($26 too much).%Gallery-12504%
DS releases for the week of March 3rd
Look sharp, DS owners -- there are a couple of solid choices competing for your funds this week. Our own beloved Shiren is wandering onto shelves alongside the Eco Creatures, and that's not all that's hitting stores. For gamers still wrapped up in other great recent releases, there may be some tough choices ahead. Time to start that stack of games that you'll still be working through by December!For our friends in Europe -- we sure hope you happen to be Dora the Explorer fans .... Anno 1701 Bubble Bobble: Double Shot Chicken Hunter Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest Homie Rollerz Imagine: Figure Skater Let's Ride! Friends Forever Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer Ninja Reflex Petz: Bunnyz
DS releases for the week of February 25th
Unfortunately, not every week can be last week, but maybe you'll find something to interest you in this latest crop of releases, especially with the wide variety of titles hitting shelves across regions today. From the latest Naruto title to Soma Bringer's debut in Japan, it's an unusual week for DS games. Be sure to let us know what interests you! Brain Assist Bratz: Super Babyz Bubble Bobble: Double Shot Disney Friends Fantasy Aquarium by DS Mazes of Fate DS (for real this time?) Naruto: Ninja Destiny Petz Wild Animals: Tigerz Spitfire Heroes: Tales of the Royal Air Force
Ubisoft trademarkz more Petz
While we tend to scoff at Ubisoft's Petz series, we suppose if they're making some little kid out there happy, they can't be all that bad. Still, the blatant exploitation of the license along with the unnecessary use of the letter "z" just rubs us the wrong way.Ubisoft has recently trademarked "Monkeyz" and "Dinoz," meaning that we can probably expect more Petz games on the horizon. While the company's choice in animals is definitely getting better, unless these games are like Dino Park Tycoon, we're just not interested.Are you hoping that "Slothz" or "Alienz" will be Ubisoft's next trademark? How about "Piranhaz" or "Robot Dinoz?" Vote in the poll after the break and let your opinion be known.
Five games to buy for people you hate
Gaming sites are inundated with holiday gift guides at the end of the year, listing the best and most popular games that everyone pretty much already has (or knows about). Well, we're not going in for that this year. Our gift guide will help you find the best gifts in categories the other sites won't cover -- because we just made them up.Do you just love handing out the most horrific holiday gifts? If you're the kind of person who actually tucks sticks and coal into the stocking of a loved one on Christmas Eve, then this list is for you. It's all about the worst of the worst, the bottom of the barrel -- the games you would shudder to find on your own shelf, or worse, tainting your DS. Before you ask -- yes, we do love to see you cringe and suffer at the horrors we spring on you. Aren't we sweet?
Adopt Petz Catz 2 for ten bucks
Sure, it's third-party pet-sim shovelware, but if you're looking for a cheap Christmas gift to throw at the preteen brats in your family, look no further! For today only, Amazon has Petz Catz 2 on sale at a discount price of $9.99. Slap another $15+ item onto your order, like a copy of Final Fantasy 3 for yourself, and you can even take advantage of the online shop's Free Super Save Shipping.Ubisoft actually put together some adorable commercials for Catz 2 and other games in the Petz series. Nom nom nom past the post break for those short videos.
DS releases for the week of November 19th
What's a gamer to do this week, with both Mario Party DS and Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings on the table? Sometimes, we just have to make the tough decisions ... and it looks like Great Auntie Ethel might not be getting a present this year during the holidays.What, you didn't expect us to choose between the games, did you? Baby Pals CSI: Dark Motives Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings Godzilla Unleashed John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland Mario Party DS Petz: Hamsterz Life 2 Strawberry Shortcake: The Four Seasons Cake
DS releases for the week of November 12th
Hmm, with all the games out this week, it seems like there should be something that really gets our hearts pumping. Maybe it's WordJong. After all, we liked it, but nah, that's not really an incomparable thrill ride. Cooking Mama 2? Just doesn't seem like it. We can cross off Baby Pals and all the Petz and Horsez games, too. It's right there, on the tip of the tongue ... what could it be?Oh yeah: Contra 4. At last, dear friends, it's here! Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Baby Pals Contra 4 Cooking Mama 2: Dinner With Friends Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: Imagination Invaders Impossible Mission Jenga Monster Jam Need for Speed ProStreet Orcs & Elves Petz: Catz 2 Petz: Dogz 2 Petz: Hamsterz Life 2 Petz: Horsez 2 Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Strawberry Shortcake: The Four Seasons Cake Super Fruit Fall Ultimate Mortal Kombat WordJong WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008
Ubisoft is serious about Petz
Throwing even more resources into their casual initiative (which has so far produced games that range from the excellent to the execrable), Ubisoft has acquired Japanese developer Digital Kids. In addition to having a company name that is really hard to search for, it looks like Digital Kids is responsible for part of the Petz series of pet simulators, including Hamsterz Life.For what it's worth, Hamsterz Life is the only game in which virtual hamsters will carry on conversations with you in English, rather than responding in the manner of an actual pet. That sort of makes Hamsterz Life less like other Petz games and more like Seaman. IGN called it "weird, off-the-wall, funny, and home to several enjoyable bits of off-kilter gameplay." So, maybe, if Ubisoft must continue releasing these Petz games, it's for the best if they choose Digital Kids to do it.
Ubisoft fourth quarter sales pushed up by warfighters, turtles
Leading to the obvious conclusion: Ubisoft needs to somehow combine the gritty realism of the Tom Clancy franchise with the anthropomorphic antics of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Politically charged yet irresistibly adorable properties like Tom Clancy's Splinter Shell and Tom Clancy's The War on Terrapins are sure to tap into hitherto untapped fountains of marketability and financial prosperity. Not that Ubisoft is currently in dire need of money, mind you. Gamasutra's detailing of L'Ubi's most recent financial report suggests that the publisher is already exceeding analyst expectations by exchanging one type of green for another.The company's fourth quarter sales saw an increase of 37% to $267.5 million, largely instigated by the one million unit success of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 on Xbox 360, as well as the TMNT film-based game which dragged in 1.1 million units in its eight platform-wide net. Sales for the full 2006/2007 fiscal year stand at $923.4 million following a jump of 24.4%, with earlier titles such as Red Steel, Rayman: Raving Rabbids, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas and Petz being key contributors.Ubisoft expects profitability to increase further in the coming year by supporting new-gen consoles and expanding their presence in "the casual market on the Wii and Nintendo DS systems." Oh! We've yet to add casual games into our bubbling cauldron of cross-franchise success! So, that'll be Tom Clancy's Krang Age, then?
More Petz for your DS
Remember when we said that everybody wants a piece of the virtual pets pie? We weren't lying and now Ubisoft plans to extend their Petz franchise. Not only will you have cuddly Catz and Dogz, you will now have Horsez and, get this, Hamsterz Life. I guess Barbie's Horse Adventures isn't enough anymore. Want more? Released this September is Dogz Fashion for GBA. This, obviously, concentrates the most on prizes. Now you have to give your animals baths and such. Best thing about this new line of Petz, in our opinion, are the hamsters. They always did smell a little funny and now you don't have to, um, smell them.
