BLOG FOR VIDEOGAMES.COM

Nintendo announces the stateside release of Phantom Hourglass.

 The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass has shipped in Japan, and we in the United States have been waiting patiently to find out when we’ll officiallly be playing the first touch-screen and online capable game in the Legend of Zelda series. Nintendo of America has finally revealed that the game will launch in the US on October 1st. People who register the game and their DS on Nintendo’s website will receive a special bonus: a Quill stylus.

“Since 1987 The Legend of Zelda franchise has sold more than 52 million units worldwide,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “The Legend of Zelda:
Phantom Hourglass stays true to the richness of the console Zelda franchise while introducing new controls that allow veterans and first-time gamers to become fully immersed in the adventure.”

 

 

Full Article on This Link…

The Japanese version is out…and it makes us want the English version really bad. 

 

June 29, 2007 - Earlier this week my long awaited package from the usual import house arrived. After spending a short couple of seconds shredding the envelope into unrecognizable confetti, I held in my hands the long-awaited, premiere Legend of Zelda Nintendo DS adventure, just released in Japan a few short days prior. It didn’t take long for me to crack open the shrinkwrap, pop open the case and stick the cartridge into a freshly charged Nintendo DS system.

Full Article on This Link…

Nintendo’s latest handheld sales are soaring above the competition in the Land of the Rising Sun.

The DS Lite is continuing to sell phenomenally well in its home country of Japan. For the week ending June 24, the portable sold 163,888 units, reports game-industry research firm Media Create.

These figures are almost three times as many as sold by the console in second place–Nintendo’s other offering the Wii, which clocked in at 65,582 units sold. Sony’s PlayStation Portable came in third with 32,984 sold, followed by the ageing PlayStation 2 at 11,962.

The two most expensive consoles in the country were next, the PlayStation 3 first, outselling Microsoft’s Xbox 360 by almost three to one with 9,581 to the 360’s 3,369.

Full Article on This Link…

Highly interactive touch-screen games available on the go.

Midway Games Inc. (NYSE:MWY), a leading interactive entertainment industry publisher and developer, today announced that Touchmaster, the collection of classic tabletop touch screen games, has shipped to retailers nationwide. Touchmaster consists of 23 addicting games that utilize the unique touch screen format of the Nintendo DS and is now available for a U.S. MSRP of $29.99, exclusively for Nintendo’s wildly popular handheld game system.

“The pick up and play arcade style gameplay of these classic Touchmaster games make them perfect for Nintendo DS,” said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. “People have been enjoying the tabletop Touchmaster touch-screen games since 1996 and now they can play games like Mahki, Mah Jongg Pairs or Solitaire whenever and wherever they choose.”

The 23 games inside Touchmaster are separated into three categories, Cards (Solitaire Classic, Power Cell, Uplift, plus six more), Skill (Hot Hoops, Trivia, Word Search, plus four more challenging games) and Puzzle (Crystal Balls, Mahki, Mah Jongg Pairs and four more puzzlers). For a complete list and full game descriptions go to the official Touchmaster website, http://touchmastergame.com/.

As part of the launch of Touchmaster, Midway is also bringing back the Midway Tournament Network to allow gamers to use their Nintendo DS wireless connection to compete in tournaments, post their high scores, and compare personal bests with their friends.

Full Article on This Link…

Legendary role-playing game developer working on a Sonic title for 2008.

UK, June 21, 2007 - Mark this one up as something totally unexpected - BioWare and SEGA have announced they’re collaborating on an exclusive role-playing game for Nintendo DS starring Sonic the Hedgehog.

BioWare is best known for its console RPGs such as Jade Empire as well as Knights of the Old Republic for Xbox. The company was first noticed by gamers for its work on the Balder’s Gate PC series.

Full Article on This Link…

The bad news: yes, this limited edition DS Lite is available in

Japan only. The good news: unlike the rather awesome special edition, Pikachu-embossed, yellow DS Lite we reported on a while ago, you don’t actually have to ask for an application to buy this one. Hence, this puppy is far more import-friendly.

 

It’s being released by Square Enix to celebrate the launch of the multi-coloned ”Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates”, which is due to hit shelves in

Japan on August 23. ¥21,840 (approximately $177 / £88 / €130) will bag you a console and the game, and for our money it is not that bad-looking as special edition DS Lites go - besides, nothing will ever beat this for sheer repulsiveness.

 

Full Article on This Link…

THQ will bring Games Workshop’s sci-fi universe to DS, PSP this fall with Squad Command.

Earlier this year, THQ announced it had signed on Vigil Games to bring the Waaagh!! invasion to the massively multiplayer online scene with an as-yet-unnamed Warhammer 40,000 MMOG. To help humanity prepare for the oncoming horde, THQ announced today Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command, a portable turn-based strategy game that centers on the conflict between the Imperium of Man and the malevolent race known as the Chaos. Squad Command will ship for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable this fall.

On both handheld platforms, Squad Command will feature single-player and multiplayer modes. The single-player campaign follows the Imperium’s Ultramarines over the course of 13 missions as they fend off Chaos forces.

Full Article on This Link…

Matt Casamassina from IGN posted a while back that he had played Halo on the Nintendo DS. It didn’t take too long before this was debunked as strictly a rumor and was burned into vaporware. However, in IGN’s Wii-k in Review podcast for 6/15/2007 (ie: last nights) Mr. Casamassina brought it up again, and had this to say:“It’s a real game… we’re going to lay down some ownage next week or soon afterward by showing you guys that it is a real game.“

Full Article on This Link…

Square-Enix confirmed today that Heroes of Mana is coming to the Nintendo DS in Europe this Autumn. Heroes of Mana breaks away from the traditional action RPG experience, and plans to deliver a Mana game that will offer real-time strategy gameplay.

Let’s face it… after Dawn of Mana it may be hard to get excited about a new Mana game, but first and foremost what gives us hope is that the game is being developed by Brownie Brown (of Sword of Mana fame). Granted, Sword of Mana isn’t regarded as one of the best Mana games, but it was a decent game.

Full Article on This Link…

DS Wi-Fi gets an international workout.

Japanese game magazine juggernaut Famitsu recently reported on its website that there have now been over 10 million Diamond and Pearl Pokémon trades between Japan and North America.

According to IGN AU’s translator, the news piece reads as follows:

“The spreading rings of Pokémon worldwide! Pokémon swapping counts over 10,000,000 between Japan and America.

Swapping of Pokémon over national borders!

Pokémon from the Nintendo DS software ‘Pocketmonster Diamond Pearl’ has reached over 10,000,000 swapping counts between Japan and America using the Wi-Fi connection’s Global Trade Station (GTS).”

Full Article on This Link…

A couple of new Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass trailers have hit the web showing what we could expect in terms of gameplay. In the first trailer trailer, the main focus is on how to command link to attack enemies. Link can attack not only forward, but his signature spin attack is easily performed with a simple circular motion.

The second trailer showcases the boomerang and how easy it is to guide your throw to activate switches that may be out of reach. 

Which hall of famers got their mug on the box?

Today 2K Sports announced football legends John Elway, Jerry Rice, and Barry Sanders will all be gracing the cover of the upcoming All-Pro Football 2K8. Included in the game will be a roster of over 200 other retired football stars, each with their trademark playing styles.

Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway owns the record for the most game-winning or -tying scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Barry Sanders was a running back with 15,296 career rushing yards, achieved with the help of his patented juke and spin moves. Jerry Rice is considered one of the greatest wide receivers in football history.

Full Article on This Link…

Slide the DS to control the latest Nintendo hero.

Stylus not enough control for you? Then you’ll want to pick up Nintendo’s newest DS game. The latest issue of Famitsu has the first word on Slide Adventure: Mag Kid, a new DS game that will make use of a bundled “slide controller” peripheral.

The slide controller plugs into the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot and, laying beneath the system, looks somewhat like a stand. As you slide the DS around on a table, the controller picks up your movements. This is how you move the main character about the overhead fields of play.

The main character in question is the Mag Kid of the title. This peculiar circular creature has special magnetic properties which makes things attach to him. You’ll have to use this special power to solve puzzles that take place about a house.

Mag Kid has a few special moves that make use of the slide controls. Sliding the DS in an enemy’s direction makes Mag Kid ram into and paralyze the enemy. Paralyzed enemies can be attached to Mag Kid, giving him, depending on the enemy type, special powers, including lasers and fire breath. Finally, when you’ve lost interest in your support crew, you shake the DS to release them.

Full Article on This Link…

Pokémon Company CEO chats with GameSpot about Diamond and Pearl, why making a game multiplatform dilutes quality, and why Nintendo will win the console war.

As president and CEO of The Pokémon Company, Tsunekazu Ishihara has seen “Gotta catch ‘em all” turn from a marketing slogan to a capitalist edict for many a young gamer.

Ishihara produced the first two Pokémon titles, Pocket Monster Aka and Pocket Monster Midori, which were released in 1996 in Japan for the Game Boy. Since then he has seen the series’ success spread around the world, eventually yielding a trading card game, a TV animation series, and movies.

The latest two titles, Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, have been out in the US since April 22, and will be released in Europe July 27. Today, Pokémon is the second most successful video game franchise in the world, second only to the Nintendo mascot himself, Mario.

GameSpot caught up with Tsunekazu Ishihara on a whirlwind visit to the UK to promote the two latest titles at the Nintendo Wii Flat in London.

GameSpot UK: Pokémon has been an incredibly long-running franchise. Why do you think it has managed that longevity when many other series have been forgotten?

Tsunekazu Ishihara: I think perhaps the continued success is due to the fact that every time we create a new game there’s always a new surprise, something new to discover, and a new element of fun. That’s something that we always try to have in mind when we evolve the game. For example, every time there is a new iteration of the game, a new region and therefore new Pokémon are discovered.

If you look at what’s happening at the moment, there are many intellectual properties that have made these crossovers between TV, movies, and games, and I think have applied similar methods [with the Pokémon brand]. So, we have to continue to look at new ways and ideas so that we don’t get left behind or snowed under by these copies. So we have to keep topping ourselves.

Full Article on This Link…

A real new color!

While the DS has quite a few color variations over in Japan, one category has been notably overlooked: rainbow colors. Where’s the orange? Where’s the green? Why do we have two pinks but no red?

Nintendo will be taking care of one missing color variation with a little help from that most catchcable Pokemon of them all, Pikachu. Set for sale via the Japanese Pokemon Center starting 7/20 is the Nintendo DS Lite Pikachu Edition. The system is yellow and includes a matching stylus. Pikachu’s face is printed on the bottom right corner of the cover.

Full Article on This Link…

It’s coming to DS this fall and we’ve got first info and screens.

Tomy and D3Publisher today announced that they will be releasing Naruto: Path of the Ninja for Nintendo’s uber-popular handheld this fall. The title marks the “first role-playing game for Naruto in North America,” according to the companies. Path of the Ninja will feature additional content and scenarios not seen in the Japanese build of the game.”The Naruto RPG games have proven to be very popular in Japan,” said Mark Shinohara, executive vice president, Tomy Corporation. “The upcoming RPG title for North America will bring a completely new style of gameplay to Naruto games, and the fans will love it!”

“We are really looking forward to bringing Naruto: Path of the Ninja to North America,” said Careen Yapp, vice president of licensing and business development, D3PA. “Some of the best elements from all the Japanese Naruto RPG releases will be utilized to create an exclusive and unique game that no one has ever seen!”

 

 

Full Article on This Link…

Nintendo’s free wireless service reaches milestone; Animal Crossing: Wild World and Mario Kart DS proving enduringly popular.

More than 200 million gaming sessions have been played worldwide over Nintendo’s wireless gaming service, by more than 5 million unique DS owners, reports Nintendo.

Of the 62 DS games that can be played over a wireless connection, the five most popular globally are Animal Crossing: Wild World, Mario Kart DS, Metroid Prime: Hunters, Pokemon Diamond, and Pokemon Pearl, says the company.

According to NPD figures, the DS was the top-selling game system in April in the US, with more than 470,000 units sold–roughly 16,000 a day.

The Nintendo Wi-Fi service was launched in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2005. Users can connect to other gamers worldwide to play a variety of games over the Internet.

Full Article on This Link…

Silver and a less pinkish pink join the lineup.

June is looking like another hot month for the DS over in Japan. We know this because first, every month is a hot month for the DS in its home territory. And contributing to the system’s sales this particular month will be two new colors, the first additions to the lineup in over three months.

Nintendo will release Metallic Rose and Gloss Silver to Japan on 6/23, the company announced today. At a glance, the two colors resemble the previously released Noble Pink and Crystal White, but take a closer look in our gallery below and we think the differences should be clear.

Full Article on This Link…

New campaign mode to add depth to cult Xbox Live Arcade shooter.

Vivendi Universal has officially announced that it’s bringing the excellent Xbox 360 Live Arcade shooter Geometry Wars to Wii and DS this Autumn, along with a new mission mode and multiplayer.

Coming to Nintendo consoles under the guise of Geometry Wars: Galaxies, this latest instalment has plenty of exclusive features, including a campaign mode which sees you travelling between solar systems to take out the enemy ships. Alongside this new mode are new weapons, enemies and gameplay types.

Galaxies is also the first Geo Wars to feature a multiplayer, which includes a co-op mode, hot-seat battles and a traditional versus mode - which is all extremely exciting. Plus, if you buy both versions of the game you can use a Wi-Fi link between your DS and Wii to unlock new content.

Full Article on This Link…

Toy line take on LucasArts’ sci-fi series compiled, revamped for new systems; 360 and DS versions in the works as well.

Before Traveller’s Tales can bring Lego Batman to gamers, it has one more tour of duty in George Lucas’ Star Wars trilogy. LucasArts today confirmed recent retailer product listings and announced Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga for the PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, and DS.

As the name implies, The Complete Saga will collect the first two Lego Star Wars games to provide a full path through the six Star Wars films in one package. However, the game isn’t just a straightforward port of the first two Lego Star Wars games.

Traveller’s Tales is promising new characters, features, and levels for the game, including a re-creation of Episode II’s flying car chase sequence with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in pursuit of bounty hunter Zam Wessell. Levels from the original Lego Star Wars game will also be altered to include features from the sequel, and the DS version in particular will be all-new, “developed brick by brick from the ground up.”

Full Article on This Link…