SimCity
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SimCity + Wii = perfect match
During an interview with EA producer Takahiro Murakami, the man behind SimCity DS, C3 chatted with him about the Wii and what he thought about the console. Of course, the idea for bringing SimCity to the Wii came up, and Murakami was enthusiastic about the possibility of it happening. He seems to be of the mind that the Wii has everything a franchise like SimCity needs, stating "I think Wii is a great potential console for SimCity as well, as it is a franchise that can expand on gameplay, and not rely solely on graphic quality. It could also appeal to families by having features that teach children about building a city, or make full use of the network connectivity."We couldn't agree more and would love to see the franchise hit the Wii. What say you all?
SimCity DS footage, June release
Stills? We don't need no stinking stills! Show us some action! EA has released the first trailer for SimCity DS. If you've ever played SimCity then you know what you're in for, but it's interesting to see some arcade-style mechanics being brought into the mix. Blowing out fires with the mic, attacking the monster with the stylus. EA is sticking with an "around June" date for release. Sun, surf, sand and SimCity DS. Summer is going to be nice.After the break as an added bonus is the pretty spiffy Japanese commercial.
Fresh screens erected for SimCity DS
Our desire for SimCity DS has been something you've had to put up with for countless months now and, with the release of new screenshots on the web, we're sorry to say you will have to endure it that much longer. We can't help it! We want this game and we want it now. Next best thing besides playing the game, of course, is gawking over screenshots and licking our monitor. You don't have to follow that last step if you don't want to.So, head past the post break and get an eye full of some fresh screens.[Via digg]
Latest Sim City DS commercial erects buildings
Seriously, what else would you want to do in Sim City DS anyway? Erecting buildings is about as good as it comes in the Sim City series, so it's appropriate that the Japanese commercial, embedded past the post the break, should focus on that. And, like all other Japanese commercials, it's shorter than it should be. We want more footage, dagnabbit!
Open source SimCity in the works for OLPC's XO
Development is underway to create an open source version of the original SimCity for One Laptop Per Child's XO computer -- a.k.a. the $100 laptop. Apparently both Will Wright and EA are all for distributing a free version of the game (best thought of as an intro to programming for kids) with XO. OLPC currently aims to distribute 10 million of its laptops to children in developing countries by the end of 2008 -- with an end goal to distribute an XO to every child in underdeveloped nations around the world.An early build of SimCity is on display at OLPC's GDC booth.[Via OLPC News]
Save the City mode in Sim City DS revealed
Siliconera was lucky enough to get a copy of EA's SimCity DS recently and spoke about the game mode they've been sinking most of their time into the game's "save the city" mode. This mode takes the player and tosses them into a pre-built city that has just suffered a catastrophe (such as the pictured giant ape attack). The player is then charged with rebuilding the city back up. Other scenarios include UFO attacks and fixing traffic problems.The more we see and read on this game, the more we must have it. We can't be alone, can we?
DS releases for the week of February 19th
A lot of gaming goodness is about to be unleashed this week -- if we had to name this week for releases, we'd go with something clever, like Simbacube: Legend of the Unemployed-OMG Sim City DS in Japan!How's that for a name? Bit of a mouthful, but it's accurate. While we're struggling to decide where to spend cash this week, we'll surely have new Sim City DS info to tide us over, and that always makes for a good time. DS releases in the US F-24 Stealth Fighter Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja Meteos: Disney Magic Micro Machines V4 Trioncube
Today's most held in place video: Hori Play Stand DS Lite video review
CheapyD over at CheapAssGamer.com has put together a really nice little video review about the Play Stand DS Lite from Hori. We were dubious at first, but after watching this review, we've ordered one ourselves from Play-Asia, to the tune of fifteen bucks.This little sucker will make playing games with one hand a snap, and it also looks swanky as well. Cradle your DS Lite in some goodness, and wait patiently for the SimCity DS game to come out. It has the ability to hold the DS Lite horizontally and vertically, so basically any of your games will look sweet in its plastic and foam goodness.Nice work, CheapyD. Now we'll wait patiently for this to arrive so we can pimp out Animal Crossing: Wide World as it was meant to be seen.
Fresh Sim City DS screens
We know we aren't alone in absolutely needing this game, so upon scouring the intertron's many databases in looking for more information on the game, we stumbled upon these screenshots. Not the type of folk to keep them to ourselves, we'd like to share with you what we found. Machine translation tells us these images have to deal with the creation of a new town in the game.Head past the post break for more images.
DS Daily: How about EA?
It's no secret we're ten sorts of excited about the coming of Sim City DS, but despite the unabashed fun of city building, we know a whole lot of folks who aren't terribly excited about EA pledging to increase development for Nintendo. It's a tradeoff, it seems -- we want games like Spore and Sim City, but everyone loves to hate EA. Does it balance? Is it worth slogging through a bevy of less beloved EA games to get the gems that crop up? How do you feel about EA and Nintendo setting up as best good friends?
First footage of Sim City DS
The fine folks over at Gamebrink have something special in their hands. It's the first video footage of Sim City DS, the Sim City 3000 port for the DS slated to hit Japan on February 22nd. As of now, there are no plans for this title outside of Japan, however after watching the footage, which has been embedded past the post break, we're ready to assassinate any foreign diplomat as long as it ensures the game will arrive on our shores. Fighting off an army of invading giant apes with the stylus?! Hell yes we're down.[Via Joystiq]
SimCity DS footage to drool over
EA of Japan's upcoming SimCity for the Nintendo DS has been looking good, via screenshots ... now we have video to go with it. The goodness of SimCity combined with the uber-portability of the DS? The system seems tailor made for this game, what with the dual screens, the touch function, and the ... Nintendo-ness of making your own little tiny cities. Wrap this all up in a bundle with all the the different shades of the DS and you'll make a fortune. You hear that retailers? Please, feel free to steal from Joystiq's bag of ideas. What's hard to buy is that they haven't announced a US version yet. What gives, EA? [Thanks, J]
Sim City hits the road
These should be in every city -- mobile game advertisements. Especially when it's Sim City DS we're talking about here. This van is scheduled to hit five Japanese cities over the next few weeks: Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo and Tokyo. If you happen to be there, or know someone who is, check out the schedule and snag some pics!
A new look at Sim City
With this new barrage of Sim City DS images comes a nifty piece of information -- players will be able to trade certain city elements over WiFi. That does add an interesting spin to portable city building, and we can't wait to hear more about it. In the meantime, however, screens! Check 'em out after the jump, and maybe compare and contrast to some of the others we've posted.
New Sim City DS screens, no US announcement yet
Courtesy of NeoGAF, some new screens for the highly-desired Sim City DS, which is releasing in Japan next month, have hit the internet and caused many a DS Fanboy staff member to salivate uncontrollably. A game that is, in essence, just a port of Sim City 3000, we still find ourselves wishing for some city-building action on-the-go.What we cannot wrap our head around, however, is just why this game hasn't been officially announced for the states yet? Is it something we said, Japan? Perhaps we were too rough on you last night? We promise we'll be more gentle next time! It's just, we love you so much ...See also: Sim City DS screens and info New Sim City DS screens Will Wright in Sim City DS? [Via Joystiq]
SimCity DS screens for Japan, no stateside announcement
NeoGaf posted screenshots of the upcoming SimCity DS being released in Japan next month. Based on the so-last-gen SimCity 3000, we'd typically scoff at something not SimCity 4's equal, but Simcity DS does look and sound sweet. We understand that it takes forever and a day to translate and localize Final Fantasy. We're even OK with no release date set for Tingle's RPG. But why no stateside love for an American franchise, originally created by an American developer, who bears a striking resemblance to the "SimCity guide" in the screenshots? There's something seriously missing that we don't understand explaining why this game has no U.S. release announcement. It's not like there's something we silly Americans wouldn't "get" about the franchise. Nothings going to be lost in translation or go over our flighty little heads. We know SimCity and we do like it -- now just translate it out of Japanese and we'll be good to go.
2007: the year of the DS (again)
2006 was a banner year for gamers, particularly DS gamers. We've got it all: a rainbow of system colors, an incredible library of games, and powerful studios clamoring for a piece of the action. Our favorite handheld consistently rocked out, thundering over the competition -- all the competition -- for the entire year. The DS avalanche of awesome can't possibly continue at this rate ... and yet, when we look at the forthcoming year and the incredible parade of titles set for the year, it seems that the DS will, in fact, continue to dominate global gaming. And we're totally okay with that. Just so you know. If you're still scrambling to finish some of the titles from the latter half of 2006, play harder -- no matter who you are or what you like, you're sure to find at least ten games this year that are must-haves, and that's just among the games we know about right now. What's worse (or is that way, way better?) is that most of them are slated for the next few months. So run through Portrait of Ruin and put aside the hard rockin' Elite Beat Agents (your fingers will thank you for the break), and check after the jump for a few of the games that will drain your free time in 2007.
VC Friday: vampires and cities
To those in Europe: don't forget to check out today's Virtual Console updates, because there are some sweet games available now.SimCity (SNES) -- 800 pointsSuper Castlevania IV (SNES) -- 800 pointsBaseball (NES) - 500 pointsIce Hockey (NES) -- 500 pointsR-Type (TURBOGRAFX) -- 800 pointsSuper Probotector was scheduled for today, but we've heard it was a no-show. Not like you needed it today, not with that lineup! Planning on buying any of these? We definitely recommend Super Castlevania IV.
Sim City DS screens and info
Famitsu's packed with new goodies from Sim City DS that have us yearning for the game. And who can resist tiny Sim Santa and his cute little reindeer? The new stuff looks to largely concern Save the City mode, which thrusts the player into a real city and offers them challenges to solve, from earthquakes to snarled traffic and hey, even UFOs. Also -- and our loose translation may be incorrect -- it looks as though fires in your city can be handled by blowing into the microphone. But lots of fire stations can help prevent fires, so build carefully to avoid puffing away into the mic. Check out the screens after the jump!
SimCity, as it was never meant to be
It's doubtful that when Will Wright birthed SimCity he imagined the game one day playable in the palm of the hand, using a cell phone keypad. Nevertheless, EA Mobile Games has made it happen.For $1.99, SimCity will surely attract some impulse buys, but perhaps its legacy -- as the starting block for the Sim phenomenon -- is best kept with fond memories; or at least, a better suited platform. As with Geometry Wars, we just can't imagine that mobile SimCity is any good.
