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GB Review: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS)

Solomon Lee — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:42:14 -0500

Echoes of Time is a fun hack n slash multiplayer game. The game improves upon its Ring of Fates predecessor with a greater emphasis on multiplayer combat and teamwork. Though the Wii version leaves much to be desired, the game is still a solid title on the DS to be enjoyed with friends. Square Enixs efforts to allow both DS and Wii players to connect and play together are admirable, but one that definitely needs to be tweaked concerning the Wiis control scheme. Echoes of Time should keep fans happy for some time until the arrival of the upcoming Wii title, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Ring of Fates was Square Enixs follow-up to their Gamecube title: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. After receiving fairly positive reviews, Square has returned to tweak the multiplayer features with a greater emphasis on combat in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time. Though the gameplay is similar, the ability to play with your friends over a Wi-Fi connection on both the DS and Wii versions is a welcome addition to the series. Echoes of Time combines the best of Ring of Fates and its Crystal Chronicles Gamecube brethren into a fun, light-hearted RPG for both casual and experienced players.

The story tells the tale of a young hero who reaches his or her sixteenth birthday. According to village customs, every young villager participates in a special ceremony by defeating hordes of monsters in the dark forest that surrounds the village. The victorious are crowned with a glowing crystal found in a forest clearing guarded by Sherlotta, a fellow villager. However, a village girl falls gravely ill on the brink of the villages celebration that sends the hero on a mission to acquire the items needed for a cure.

Combat in Echoes of Time is similar to the earlier Ring of Fates DS title. You can attack, pick up and drop and jump in the open field in battle. There are four tribes are available: Clavats, Yukes, Selkies and the Lilties. You can engage the enemy with standard attacks, charge attacks (powerful attack that leaves you temporarily vulnerable) or magic attacks by acquiring various spells. This time around, you can either grab your friends or partner up with the A.I. to form a party. At the start, you can customize your party with as many warriors, mages or tribe kinsmen and kinswomen as you like. Towns and villages hold save crystals with most locations situated around a trotted path on the world map. A diary is kept by the main character that contains the chronology of events and adventures throughout the game.

You can assign different tactics for your A.I. party members in battle that includes Protect Yourself, Do Your Best, Just Follow Me and Go Nuts With Magic. You can add and drop party members at the Adventurers Guild in town prior to your quest. For multiplayer coop, you can team up with your friends via Nintendos Wi-Fi connection. You can easily communicate with your party members with a communication panel that features phrases like Attack Together, Ill take this one and Hit it. Phrases are customizable with a total of twelve phrases available for you to create your own unique message.

Echoes of Time allows you, just like its predecessors, to pick up and drop items, barrels and enemies at will. This is necessary on various quests to solve puzzles and unlock doors. Fighting enemies helps not only to gain experience but also helps you to acquire materials to place custom orders in town. By doing this, you save lots of money that would otherwise be spent on scrolls and materials at Custom Fabrications.

Visually, the game has polished character designs and detailed environments. After a short run, the Wii version is essentially a ported DS game. The graphics are only slightly improved with a rather mediocre control scheme using the Wii remote. Between the Wii and DS version, the latter is preferable as Echoes of Time was originally designed with Nintendos handheld in mind. The soundtrack is soothing and accompanies the game quite well with its light hearted and relaxed musical tunes.

Regrettably, the A.I. party members are more trouble than they are worth as they will often miss platform jumps, fall into lava pits and stand around idly while your enemies are attacking you. Echoes of Time shines in the multiplayer aspect as the single player adventure mode is very short-lived. Regarding the portability and the convenience to play with your friends, both Wii and DS owners can connect online with one another for quests. However, I personally recommend the DS version as the Wii online interface to join other quests is not very user-friendly at all.

Dragon Quest IX Pushed Back In Japan

Zach Lott — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:14:16 -0600

Originally scheduled for a Japanese release on March 28, Dragon Quest IX has been delayed until July 11, according to Joystiq (via NeoGAF).

It seems like Square Enix discovered some major bugs in the game's code and delayed the game as an emergency precaution, since they have been advertising the game heavily throughout Japan, which has traditionally been where the series sells the most units.

There's still no news on a North American release date, but we'll keep our eyes peeled. Could there be an announcement at E3, perhaps?

GTA Chinatown to be "Far Bigger" than PSP GTA Titles

Zach Lott — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:47:52 -0600

The Grand Theft Auto games have been known for their massive worlds, and according to Rockstar Leeds president Gordon Hall, that isn't going to change with Chinatown Wars, the upcoming portable GTA title for the DS that is going to be even bigger than the PSP's Liberty City and Vice City Stories games.

Chinatown Wars is much bigger than anything we have ever done before [in terms of scope]: more odd jobs, deeper missions, and more moments of over-the-top action," Gordon said in a recent issue of Nintendo Power according to Nintendo Everything. "We have a huge interaction with the Rockstar Social Club, a massive [narcotics trafficking] game that would stand alone on its own. The list goes on and on; this thing is huge. We are very proud of all of the PSP games we have made, especially the two GTA games, but this game is far bigger.

It's also worth noting that the game's map is supposedly as large at that of GTA IV's, which could easily make this the largest handheld game yet. It'll be hitting retail shelves on March 17.

NeoGAF strikes awesome again. Prototype Thread.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:09:44 -0600

In the interest of not ripping off other people's work please visit the link. In the interest of getting people interested in clicking the link: You'll find prototypes of Microsoft's 360 (pictured above), several Nintendo systems throughout the years including the quashed fruits of their abandoned collaboration with Sony, lots of Sega stuff, some NEC stuff, many Sony prototypes, and well... since it's a thread, assumedly much more in the future. Many of the things are garish, gaudy, or naked, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying a glimpse of what may have been. Think of it like a box of Christmas presents that you'll never get to enjoy.

GB Review: Chrono Trigger (DS)

Solomon Lee — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:07:45 -0600

Chrono Trigger is still an exhilarating RPG to play - this is no small feat considering the game was released thirteen years ago. The compelling characters, intriguing storyline, solid battle system and unforgettable musical score makes Chrono Trigger DS a worthy addition to any RPG fans gaming library. The Wireless Play mode and extra dungeons are a nice addition but nothing special. The game warrants the buying price alone for the simple reason that its Chrono Trigger and that it retains the title as one of the greatest RPGs in gaming history.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Chrono Trigger has long been revered as one of Squaresofts (now Square Enix) most epic RPGs that graced the SNES system. The game was produced by the Dream Team with credits given to Hironobu Sakaguchi, Masato Kato, Akira Toriyama and Yasunori Mitsuda. Shortly after a mediocre PSX port, Final Fantasy Chronicles, fell short of its mark with its dreadful loading and slowdown issues, no announcements were made for any potential re-releases. After a long seven year waiting period, Square Enix has revisited one of their most critically acclaimed RPGs that features touch screen controls, a brand new dungeon, an extra ending and a brand new Wireless Play mode.

Chrono Trigger tells the tale of Crono, the unspoken hero who meets Marle, the spunky, tomboy-ish princess at the Millennium Fair. After browsing through various attractions, he travels through time to rescue Marle after a scientific experiment goes awry. As one might expect, he is soon thrust on an epic quest to save the world and rewrite history along the way. Crono teams up with many allies: Lucca, a childhood inventor friend, Frog, a silent but noble swordsman, Ayla, a brash tribal leader, Magus, an optional ally who is an enigmatic figure, and Robo, a machine from the distant future. Each character is equipped with unique abilities and tech skills used effectively to destroy wave of enemies and large bosses.

The game utilizes the Active Time Battle system. From the start, you can select either an Active system (enemies are free to roam and attack during your turn) or the Wait system (enemies are frozen giving you ample time to choose your attacks). Most enemies are visible on screen (with exception to those hiding or waiting for an ambush) with no random battles. A new dual screen mode is featured in Chrono Trigger DS that clears the screen of menu clutter from the original game. Attacks and tech abilities can be selected by using either the stylus with touch functionality or the standard DS controls. Rather than holding down A or B, Crono runs by default instead of walking. In the DS mode, enemies are segregated by text boxes on the lower screen that are roughly divided to show their name and relative positions. Though the DS stylus control scheme is appreciated, most will end up sticking to the tried and true control scheme.

New features in Chrono Trigger DS include an extra ending, a monster training arena, and the inclusion of two brand new areas: Lost Sanctum and the Dimensional Vortex. The Lost Sanctum, found in two separate time periods, is a rather mediocre addition that fails to add anything valuable to the overall storyline of Cronos journey through time With respect to the Vortex, it offers a satisfying dungeon romp filled with monsters, new items and new spoilers that fills the gap for a few mysteries from the original SNES game. Accessible at the End of Time warp gate is the Arena of the Ages, known otherwise as the monster training area. You can send your monster to battle against NPC foes in a Prize match or online with a friend via a Wi-Fi connection in an Inter-dimensional battle. Prizes are awarded for victories that vary depending on the entrance fee paid before battles in the pit begin. Conversely, you can train your monster by giving it an item and sending it to a specific era on its own. Once that is done, you can return to it at a later time to check its boosted stats.

On the visual front, the game sports familiar environments, sprites and special effects from the SNES original with cut scenes ported from the PSX version. Chrono Trigger DS doesnt push the DS to its graphical limits but is still acceptable nonetheless. The dialog has been revised for the more modern gamer; thus replacing parts of the original script. More than a decade after its release, famed composer Yasunori Mitsuda was re-enlisted by Square to manage and oversee the games soundtrack prior to its release. With credits attributed to Nobuo Uematsu as well, the music still sounds as epic and inspiring as it did from its original heyday.

The biggest disappointment comes from the lack of multiplayer co-op. Training your monsters in the Arena of the Ages and Wi-fi battles with your friends is largely a forgettable ordeal. The Dimensional Vortex and new areas to explore are a nice addition but theyre nothing special compared to existing worlds found within the game. However, Chrono Trigger is still an RPG masterpiece that should be enjoyed by hardcore and casual role-playing fans worldwide.

Toys "R" Us in Times Square Opens Dedicated Nintendo Department

Zach Lott — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:42:40 -0600

It's been four years since the launch of DS and two years since the launch of the Wii, but it seems like neither system is showing any signs of slowing down when it comes to the sales charts, and that's never been more apparent, as the Toys "R" Us in Times Square has opened an entire department dedicated to everything Nintendo.

MarketWatch has an article up about the new department, which is around 1,000 square feet and is located on Level One of the store. It features a slew of Wii and DS demo stations along with a gallery containing images from throughout Nintendo's history.

"What we've been seeing all year long is the expansion of video game fun to people of both genders, and all ages and tastes--there's literally something for everyone," said Nintendo's Cammie Dunaway about the partnership. "But in recent weeks, Nintendo products appear to be appealing to even more people, as every form of fun is being measured against a price tag. And that's what makes this experience in Toys"R"Us so compelling--all the fun and information is available right at your fingertips."

This is just further proof of Nintendo's unprecedented success this generation, and it's hard to imagine that Nintendo has turned things around on the console front in just two years. Sony and Microsoft can't even begin to compete with Nintendo at this point, and that's a shocker considering how dead Nintendo appeared to be at the end of the last generation.

However, it seems that Nintendo's plan to ensnare the mainstream has worked beautifully, even if it has disillusioned some of their existing fanbase. It doesn't matter, though, because they're laughing their way to the bank.

Battle of Giants Dinosaurs Pounds Into Stores

Tim Grube — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:13:15 -0600

Ubisoft announced today that Battle of Giants Dinosaurs has shipped to retailers nationwide and is available exclusively for the Nintendo DS. Developed by Ubisoft Quebec, Battle of Giants Dinosaurs will allow players to choose from 25 unique dinosaur species, explore and conquer a variety of terrain maps and fight against other dinosaurs.

Key features:

Choose your dinosaur
Select between 25 different species including ravenous predators, cunning scavengers, horned territorials, mighty tanks and peaceful herbivores.
Challenge other dinosaurs!
Experience an exciting and accessible combat system based on dexterity that rewards speed and accuracy, not luck, in battle.
Fully customizable dinosaurs
Unlock and equip your dinosaur with special attack and defense features.
Add spikes, feathers and bones to your dinosaur and then change their color and stripe patterns!
Three exciting game modes!
Play solo in Adventure and Quickmatch or take on up to six of your friends in Multiplayer Tournament!

Battle of Giants Dinosaurs is rated "E for Everyone and has an MSRP of $29.99.

Nintendo DSi Announced, 2009 North America Release

Tim Grube — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:07:34 -0500

It was promised to be announced and it is finally here. Nintendo unveiled the next unit in the DS line, entitled Nintendo DSi, via a press conference in Japan this morning.

It will feature a three megapixel camera positioned on the back bottom left side as well as a camera centered on the front, a slimmer body, and a new interface.

Nintendo also revealed that the unit will not integrate any GameBoy Advance slot into the Nintendo DSi - a fact that should not surprise those who have fantasized about possible DS redesigns. Instead, the company will insert an SD Memory Card slot so gamers can easily bring in their videos and music, as well as a place to store their downloaded items. The company will also introduce the first DS Internet browser, which you can use to purchase items directly from the new DSi store utilizing Nintendo Points (formerly Wii Points).

The Nintendo DSi will launch in Japan on November 1 for ¥18,900 ($178) with both white and black finishes as well as 1000 free Nintendo Points until March 2010. Other releases are set for a 2009 release. Expect a more "exact" date very soon here in North America. Pictures at the jump.

WiiWare: Bomberman Blast Visuals

Tim Grube — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:58:53 -0500

Bomberman Blast is shaping up quite nicely and today Hudson Soft released nine screenshots for your viewing enjoyment. Bomberman Blast will be a digital download on WiiWare and features 8-person online multiplayer.

Launch Gallery: Bomberman Blast

(9 images)

New Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Screenshots

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:44:45 -0500

Activision and Treyarch are hard at work on the next Spider-Man game entitled, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and today we were treated to three new screenshots. Peep them below. The title is expected to be released late October on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, and PlayStation 2.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(3 images)

Monster Jam: Urban Assault Debut Trailer

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:35:39 -0500

Activision is almost set to release Monster Jam: Urban Assault and today they released the debut trailer showing off some of the visuals and gameplay. The game is due out in stores October 28 for the Wii, PSP, DS, and PS2.

Bioware Considering Mass Effect DS

Zach Lott — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:07:17 -0500

Are you interested in a DS version of Mass Effect? So is Bioware, as Miles Holmes, lead designer for Sonic Chronicles, has spoken to Eurogamer about the possibility of new iterations of several of Bioware's key IPs hitting the DS, stating that the company is interested in "basically anything that reinforces the franchises."

Holmes also said that Bioware has "a lot of big plans for Mass Effect" and that "a DS version would be an awesome way to keep interest alive." He also pointed out that Bioware's handheld division's current role is to reinforce major title releases and that they plan to have the capacity to work on three projects at once in the future. That should lead to plenty of interesting announcements once Bioware decides what they want to work on.

Rumor: Silver DS Lite To Hit US In September

Zach Lott — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:08:01 -0500

Here's a story for those of you who are obsessed with having yet another color of the DS Lite: 1up is reporting that the metallic silver DS Lite may become available in the U.S. on September 7.

The rumor originated from Kotaku, who received a blurry picture from an anonymous employee showing the street dates for three products, including the silver DS Lite, which has been available in Europe and Japan for a while now. Kotaku has since received word from various readers claiming to be GameStop employees that the store will be the exclusive seller of the new DS Lite.

We'll let you know if this becomes official in the coming weeks.

E3 2008: Dragon Quest IV Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:56:27 -0500

Check out the new screens of Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen for the Nintendo DS.

Launch Gallery: Dragon Quest IV

(5 images)

E3 2008: Final Fantasy IV Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:47:53 -0500

Launch Gallery: Final Fantasy IV

(6 images)

E3 2008: Izuna 2 Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:22:55 -0500

Atlus has revealed new images of Izuna 2 on the Nintendo DS.

Launch Gallery: Izuna 2

(5 images)

E3 2008: Call of Duty: World at War Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:15:25 -0500

Check out these new images of Call of Duty: World at War on the Wii and Nintendo DS.

Launch Gallery: Call of Duty World at War

(11 images)

E3 2008: Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars Announced

Tim Grube — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:05:20 -0500

The folks over at Rockstar Games today announced the development of Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars for Nintendo DS.

"This is a game that will deliver a rich, fast-paced and intense 'Grand Theft Auto' experience that will be truly unique to Nintendo's handheld platform," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "Rockstar Leeds, along with the team at Rockstar North, has built upon a decade of progressive design on Grand Theft Auto, and has created something fundamentally fresh and immersive."

The game is set to be released in Winter of this year.

E3 2008: The Sims 2 Apartment Pets Screenshots

Tim Grube — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:22:43 -0500

Launch Gallery: The Sims 2 Apartment Pets

(5 images)

E3 2008: Duke Nukem Trilogy Announced

Tim Grube — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:01:14 -0500

Deep Silver and Apogee Software today announced an agreement to co-publish the Duke Nukem Trilogy episodes for the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP in North America and Europe.

"We were seeking a strong global publishing partner to herald the eagerly-anticipated return of Duke Nukem," said Terry Nagy, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Apogee. "We have indeed found that partner in Deep Silver."

"Since we launched the Deep Silver label, we've aggressively pursued the best properties to bring to market," said Dr. Klemens Kundratitz, CEO of Koch Media. "Apogee has produced some of the greatest franchises in the history of gaming, none of them more popular than Duke Nukem."

Deep Silver is exhibiting at the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit on July 14 - 17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in the Showcase Pavilion, Booth #401.

E3 2008: Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game

Tim Grube — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:29:25 -0500

Ubisoft announced today that it will publish Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game, for Wii, Nintendo DS, PC and Mac this September. The game is currently being developed by Ludia and is said to allow players to experience the show's high-pressure kitchen and dining room challenges as a faithfully rendered 3D Chef Ramsay watches their every move.

"I had a great time doing the voice for my own animation, said Gordon Ramsay. "Being in a video game is a new experience for me and I'm very pleased with the results.

After executing the three phases of an order preparation, cooking and service Chef Gordon Ramsay will score each meal. As they progress through the game, players will be rewarded with access to recipes from Chef Ramsay's own repertoire.

"Hell's Kitchen has everything a great video game needs: pressure, excitement and intense competition, said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft North America. "We are very excited to be bringing the intensity of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and the Hell's Kitchen experience to the virtual world this fall.

First Chrono Trigger DS Trailer

Zach Lott — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:20:13 -0500

The Japanese trailer for the recently announced DS remake of Chrono Trigger is now available:

Things are looking good. The game is expected to hit store shelves by the end of the year.

Chrono Trigger Announced For DS

Solomon Lee — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:10:48 -0500

Square Enix has officially announced that Chrono Trigger is coming to the DS. The game will feature an "all new dual-screen presentation and touch screen functionality" in addition to the inclusion of a new dungeon. Chrono Trigger for the DS is set for release this holiday season.

Those that wish to visit the site can do so here.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 Hits Store Shelves

Zach Lott — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:41:25 -0500

Strategy fans rejoice, as Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2: Grimoire of the Rift, the sequel to 2003's original Tactics Advance, hits store shelves today.

Boasting new jobs and races, a new clan system, and enhanced gameplay mechanics over the original, the game has seen generally positive feedback from the gaming press and is designed to appease fans of the original while appealing to those new to tactical RPGs.

You can pick it up for $39.99 on the DS.

GameStop To Offer FREE Rare Pokemon Download

Zach Lott — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:56:34 -0500

If you've been waiting for a chance to snag a rare, event-only Pokemon for your copy of Pokemon Diamond or Pearl, now is your chance, as GameStop is going to offer a free download of the legendary Pokemon Deoxys.

Those interested in downloading Deoxys can bring their DS with a copy of Diamond or Pearl to GameStop from June 20-22 and June 27-29.

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 Ships!

Tim Grube — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:20:01 -0500

Namco Bandai Games announced today that Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 has been shipped to North American retailers for Nintendo DS.

Based on the popular virtual pets, gamers can run over a dozen shops with adorable Tamagotchi pals. Team up with fan-favorite Tamagotchis: Violetchi, Mametchi, Memetchi or Kuchipatchi, and get behind the counter of more than 12 different stores.

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 is a great way to teach the responsibility of running a business in a way that everyone can enjoy, said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at NAMCO BANDAI Games America. Its fun mini-games, distinct art style and atmosphere will bring a smile to anyones face.

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 is rated E for everyone by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Warlords, Sudoku Coming To XBLA

Solomon Lee — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:34:14 -0500

Kotaku has reported that Warlords and Buku Sudoku will be making its way to Xbox Live Arcade this week.

Both titles will be available this Wednesday for which Warlords and Buku Sudoku will cost 400 and 800 Microsoft Points respectively.

GB Review: Plushees (DS)

Eric Jonathan Smith — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:23:16 -0500

Plushees: cute but deadly... fun?

A simple glance at the cute-yet-frightening boxart of Plushees for the Nintendo DS and you might be tempted to group it with the multitude of low quality kids' games that have suffocated Nintendo handhelds for years. However, despite its appearance as a stuffed animal themed minigame collection, it manages to overturn poor expectations with simple and light goal-oriented gameplay. Plushees, despite its inadvertently unsettling exterior, is actually a solid choice for the right age group and may very well captivate budding gamers of the eight-and-below set.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Plushees' premise is simple: through the power of imagination or dark magic, stuffed animals have come alive and are naturally in need of love and companionship that only you can provide. To do this you must purchase plushees carnival-style with tickets earned from the game's two main modes, Arcade and Plushee Play. It will take a lot of play, as the 25 plushees you can purchase in the Plushee Store cost anywhere between 200 and 1000 tickets and run the gamut from monkeys to dragons.

Arcade mode consists of four games, Alley Ball, Ka-Plinko, Pop-A-Loon, and Whack'a Troll. These easy-to-understand pick up and play games are generally accessible to anyone and will be effortlessly consumed by the younger crowd due to their uncomplicated stylus control. Kids should have no trouble flicking the ball for points in Alley Ball, placing the disc to drop through the pins in Ka-Plinko, or tapping the screen with the stylus to pop balloons in Pop-a-Loon or fend off Shrek look-alikes in Whack'a Troll. Though none of these games complex, you will earn a couple dozen tickets or so in each session so even in short bursts you get a sense of progress and accomplishment towards buying new plushees.

Once you earn the plushee of your dreams you can use it in the game's other major mode, Plushee Play. Plushee Play includes four games: Simon Says, Jump Rope, Hide-n-Seek, and Butterfly Catch. Simon Says is like the memorization game of its namesake, only in this iteration you select which plushee acted out the correct command that either you or the computer selected. In Jump Rope you can make your plushee hop in time in two ways, either by tapping it in time or by drawing prompted patterns on the touchscreen, the latter of which is more frantic and fun. Hide-n-Seek might be more accurately likened to a game of tag and features your plushee as it runs around trying to hug other plushees by choosing the correct icon of the other plushee on the touch screen. Butterfly Catch is somewhat broken, as it is very difficult to perceive the depth of the butterflies your plushee is chasing around the screen; luckily, the game is lenient and you don't have to be too close to catch them. You earn points instead of tickets in this mode, but earned points can be converted into tickets, so these games still have incentive to be played. While the games in Plushee Play are a bit deeper than the arcade games, the arcade games still have a simple, general appeal that these lack.

Plushees' presentation is adequately cute. The stuffed animal cast isn't overly sweet, but certainly sport a classic soft, rotund look. When the game uses 3D environments, such as the one used in Hide-n-Seek, it's very simplistic but adequate. Special mention must be made of the techno track in the music selections: this trance-like tune is catchy but seems hilariously out of place given the game's context. The game also features a multiplayer option should you find another player with a Plushees game card.

Of course, given that Plushees is about earning stuffed animals and playing games with them, it certainly won't be appropriate for an older child who has already been introduced to a franchise like Pokemon. While some of the games are generally fun and somewhat addictive, such as Alley Ball or Ka-Plinko, the subject matter of the other modes might only be appropriate for children age eight or younger. But, given the straightforward goal-based nature of the game, Plushees still manages to stand out in a kids' market overcrowded with licensed games of questionable quality - and at only $20, Plushees is even easier to recommend to parents confused by the overwhelming mediocre choices available to young gamers.

Atlus Announces Izuna 2 For DS

Zach Lott — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:15:46 -0500

Last year saw the release of Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja for the DS, which resurrected the obscenely niche roguelike genre to produce a humorous and quirky dungeon crawler. The game was divisive among critics, with those that either loved the game's dialog and punishing old-school feel or those that felt that it was too hard and fundamentally not fun to play.

However, the game did well enough to earn a sequel, as Atlus has announced Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns for the DS. The game will include more dungeons, items, etc. and will feature a new TAG system, which will allow players to bring two characters into a dungeon to execute special "TAG" attacks. The game is dated for July 22.

Hit the jump to check out screens from the game.

Konami Ships Off a Bevy of New Games, MGS Collection Included

Shiva Stella — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:36:40 -0500

Konami confirmed this morning that the company has shipped three new games nationwide, headlined by Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection for the PlayStation 2.

The collection retails for $29.99 and includes the original PlayStation's Metal Gear Solid (as a PS2 disc), MGS2, and MGS3 with package artwork by series artist Yoji Shinkawa. You can view order details here if you're interested.

Following The Essential Collection comes Diary Girl for the Nintendo DS--the game functions as a PDA-lite and "provides girls of all ages the ability to interact with friends through their own customizable avatars, as well as organize a calendar and address book in their own password-protected electronic journal." Sounds spiffy.

And remember, ladies: it's not a game, it's a "lifestyle accessory". I'm going to keep that in mind any time I buy anything. Diary Girl retails for the standard $29.99.

And finally, add Lost in Blue 3 for the Nintendo DS to the list.

In Lost in Blue 3, players guide one of two stranded characters, each with their own personal history, through exotic locales on a mysterious island while surviving the elements to stay alive. Players can work alone or cooperatively with other characters to gather food, explore the island and hunt dangerous wildlife. Completing one character's storyline will unlock the storylines of two additional characters, allowing players to explore the island in different ways, experience new storylines, and uncover different endings.

Lost in Blue 3 also retails for $29.99.

New FFCC: Ring of Fates Gameplay Footage

Solomon Lee — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:37:43 -0600

Square Enix has unveiled a new trailer for its Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates. The game is set for release this month for the DS.

You can view the video below.

Wii Review Bonanza, or: Your Wii is Sick - Must be Something you Played

Eric Jonathan Smith — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:25:13 -0600

Kneel. Place hands on either side of the ceramic-like object. Wait. A sudden urge takes you, spewing the remains of a previous ingestion. You glance at what was just created; between the remains of what were once good ideas you see those extra things you tacked on that seemed like a quick fix at the time but ultimately caused their own regurgitation. You lament at the pain you caused yourself, but deep down you can feel that the pain is still there.

So what have you been eating? Or in this case, what have various developers been feeding the ceramic bowl in question, the Wii? Their own regurgitation, that's what - and a little bit of Nintendo's own leftovers for good measure. The Wii is the one that's sick, suffering from delirious spells of minigame collections, shoddy ports, forced motion control schemes, and God knows what else.

A little examination is in order. Five case studies have been prepared, each a different opinion of how Wii software appears. Some of it isn't too pretty but fear not, we might even discover a cure. So lean back, relax, and try not to throw that Wii remote into the tv.

CASE STUDY #1: AUTO MINIGAME SUFFICIENCY SYNDROME

Subject: Namco Museum Remix

PROGNOSIS: Sudden ingestion of too many minigame collections causes repetition, boredom, and possible suicide in large doses.

A certain kind of bug that especially has a tendency to bite the older and wiser is nostalgia. It can be a pretty nasty little sucker, causing previously sane and logical men and women to do foolish things like pine for dated graphics and simpler gameplay styles. As the years have gone by, once bustling arcades have forever shut their doors and the game consoles of yesteryear require a type of mouth-to-cartridge action bordering on fellatio to get the games working.

Namco's Museum series of arcade home conversions are some of the first treatments that should come to mind when considering ubiquitous, readily available classical cures. After all, every system under the sun absolutely needs multiple versions of Pac-Man on it, right? Namco has now made sure that the Wii is no exception and has released Namco Museum Remix, the Museum containing the nostalgic classics and you guessed it the Remix consisting of Wii-specific minigames.

However, it's not a good sign when a classic compilation makes you wax nostalgia for older compilations. That's not to say that Namco Museum Remix has any large, glaring faults: it is by all means a competent product, even if you have to roll around Pac-Man in lieu of a standard menu interface, which can be slightly annoying. But no, as with any other compilation, its success or failure hinges on its selection of games, and Namco Museum Remix drops the ball a bit. Sure, it has standard classics in Xevious, Mappy, Dig Dug, and Pac-Mania (you know, that are available on most of the other collections) but trades in Galaga for its inferior predecessor Galaxian (dear God, why?) In the games that no one ever wanted to play section, there's Cutie-Q (a poor Breakout clone) and Super Pac-Man and Pac & Pal, two rather poor sequels to the original. At least it offers Gaplus (Galagas sequel) as a sort of cruel consolation prize.

If this somewhat mediocre selection of its past was all Namco offered in Museum Remix, this collection would be DOA. Luckily, they put a slight bit of effort in its resuscitation: the titular Wii-specific "remixes" of other classic titles. Unfortunately, they aren't enough to keep this one alive for too long. However, they did get the nostalgic feel down pat! Feel like playing the rollercoaster minigame from Final Fantasy VII? Play Galaga Remix! How about Whack-A-Mole? Then Gator Panic Remix is for you. Granted, Rally X Remix is a rather fair version, as are Pac Motos (a Pac-infused version of the original bumping off the edge game Motos) and Pac 'n Roll. But the problem is that these suffer the same shallow fate as other Wii minigame collections, and in the few minutes that you'll be done with them you're then left with merely the arcade collection.

Diagnosis? The entire weight of Namco Museum Remix will rest on how much you like the classic arcade games included. Considering the selection isn't all that great to begin with, the weight will likely fatigue the classics in a relatively short amount of time.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

She'll eat the monkey.

CASE STUDY #2: PORTROENTERITIS

Subject: The Sims 2: Castaway

PROGNOSIS: Patients suffering from contact to shoddy, careless ports from other systems suffer from: shattered belief in console's viability, fatigue, and indigestion.

One of the oldest epidemics in videogamedom is that of the port. Whether it was arcade to console, PC to console, or vice versa, the word port has connotations of mediocrity and for good reason: many ports are sloppy, rushed, stripped down versions of the original. Even in more modern times, ports retain that sloppy, rushed feel when they stray from the hardware they were built on. Unfortunately, this has been a lazy way for developers to cash on the Wii's success.

One such wave that has plagued nearly every piece of gaming hardware to ever exist, past, present, and future is The Sims. Popular with 15-year-old girls of all ages, The Sims is an omnipresent choice with casual gamers, and logic would successfully conclude that it should end up on the Wii.

The premise is simple: after constructing your Sim on a yacht, something bad happens and he or she washes ashore on a mysterious, deserted island with nary a volleyball around to keep as company. Obviously a tropical island is a terrible place to be lost, so it's up to you to guide your Sim to his/her ultimate goal of getting off the island alive. And to be perfectly honest, the interface in which you'll be accomplishing this works fairly well; with the Wii Remote acting superbly as a pointer in lieu of a mouse, navigating menus isn't all that hard.

Too bad the menus themselves looked like they were ported from a higher resolution without the proper tweaking. The entire game really looks very simple and to be frank, boring. You could choose to stay on the island for as long as you wanted, but when it looks that dull, why would you? Jagged edges are more reminiscent of the graphical hell that was the 32/64-bit era more than a tropical Eden.

But, this is a simulation at heart, and that gameplay still works. The Sim will have to collect resources to survive with the help of monkeys (of course) and eventually should have a decent little living space set up. There are also various goals that you can find scattered across the island that will give you some objectives amidst the rather open-ended (if not mundane) tasks.

Diagnosis? Not as bad as it could have been. Wii Pointer functionality works well amidst the poor resolution and the gameplay experience isn't a complete throwaway. More hardcore gamers, stay away (if the name wouldn't make them do so already).

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

My, Soulcalibur. You look as beautiful as you play.

CASE STUDY #3: MOTION SICKNESS

Subject: Soulcalibur Legends

PROGNOSIS: Prolonged exposure to poorly implemented Wii waggle controls can lead to: madness, frustration, and nausea.

Having new ways to control games means that there will be new ways for developers to screw up their implementation. Even after decades with a pretty standard diagonal pad and any number of supporting buttons, some still couldn't get it right. Poor control is absolutely killer to a game's success and probably the worst blight it could have.

Enter Soulcalibur Legends. A spin-off of Namco's eternal (also, a mere shadow of its former self) fighter, Legends tells the story of Teutonic Knight Siegfried Schtauffen and his dealings with Soul Edge, the evil blade. Yeah, it's a fighting game story. What the hell do you want from me?

Though it may have been built ground-up for Wii, it plays nothing like it. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it was built ground-up to be a cheap cash-in. Siegfried and the other Soulcalibur heroes you command all control by swinging the Wii Remote as you would their weapons. It's a good enough idea in concept. In execution, it's abysmal. Controlling attacks in this manner is ungodly unresponsive and makes you question whether simple button presses would have been better. Considering this is a central gameplay mechanic, this is inexcusable. There is no way that Legends could be an adequate action title due to this flaw alone.

The game is also cringe-worthy in the visual department. In some aspects, especially the environments, it looks like a launch title for the PlayStation 2. That might be forgivable, but the level designs are as monotonous as the enemies you fight. Character models fair a bit better, because they are based around the designs from Soulcalibur II, if not taken wholesale from it. Legends also suffers from the tired design choice of "defeat every monster in the room before you can move on". Please.

I found myself looking more at the menus and the art in the story sequences because, well, they are actually rather decent, and not just in comparison to the game itself. I'd be tempted to say that the menus are the best part of the game. When all is said and done then, the most hardcore of Soulcalibur fanatics will be able to eke something out of this game though I wouldn't go so far as to call it enjoyment. The controls are just too poorly implemented for anyone with more than a merely casual interest in the franchise.

Diagnosis? Highly contagious, and not in the good way. Contagious in that it will creep up on your brain and soul and make you regret every penny and second spent on it. Unless, of course, you're just a hardcore and gullible fighting game fan - those people are crazy.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Okay, so it's not the sexiest thing on earth. Maybe you can dig it.

CASE STUDY #4: THE MYSTERY BUG

Subject: Smarty Pants

PROGNOSIS: ???

Sometimes even the best doctors can get baffled. True to that, every once in a while a game will come up that makes you question why it was necessary to be in videogame form. Was it really easier to play Monopoly on a TV than on a board (Hint: no)? Much of the experience of such a famous and standard board game rests on handling those gaudy bills and tapping your piece of choice past go. In other words, the actual game could sometimes be boring, but having it physically in front of you kept you from falling asleep.

EA's Smarty Pants dares to go into this territory. It is a trivia game, not unlike the old board game pursuits of old. Each of its cavalcades of questions ranging from pop-culture to history has a multiple choice selection. There are a few different modes, including ones for both single remote and multiple remote setups, suitably nudging itself into party game territory.

So. That's it. That's Smarty Pants in a nutshell. Sure, there's some sort of dancing thing you have to do with the Wii Remote, but we'll not mention that any more for its own sake.

Is there a benefit to having a trivia game on a home videogame console? From my own experience, I'd have to say yes. Smarty Pants is actually fairly well presented, with voiceovers and decent sound effects that make it seem more like a game show than just a trivia game. The group mode, which requires multiple Wii Remotes, each acting like a buzzer, manifests this presentation style. As with anything trivial, in a group setting you'll likely find yourself shouting out the answers, as much as you may regret this in your memory later on. The fact that Smarty Pants is capable of this is something positive in and of itself.

Diagnosis? Smarty Pants is hardly a wonderful title, but it's not necessarily a throwaway. If you really want to play a trivia game on the Wii, it's a decent enough choice. But, uh, you know, you could buy a copy of Trivial Pursuit for less.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

I can't even tell what's bleeding.

CASE STUDY #5: NO MORE TEARS

Subject: No More Heroes

PROGNOSIS: Exposure to games designed for Wii from the ground up may cause: enjoyment, fun, laughter, and world peace.

"Will you do it with me?"

If any of the above games had asked you such a question, I hope by now youd have learned to at the very least understand the risk factors involved; simple precautions will keep your Wii from being subjugated to possible infection.

However, another game asks this favor, a game so dirty yet so clean, some would say downright filthy in content yet nearly spotless in design. "Will you do it with me?" If you're privy enough to hear those words uttered by Travis Touchdown, by all means, accept. Travis is the star of No More Heroes, a game with the distinction of being the near opposite of the Wii flu - it is a coherent, focused, original title using the Wii Remote in a startlingly effective manner.

The premise is straightforward but with spry delivery that never takes itself too seriously. Travis is essentially both a dork and a loser and while drowning his sorrows at a bar he runs into a mysterious woman named Sylvia who promises him he can be the world's top assassin all he has to do is off the rest of the world's top-ranked assassins. Naïve Travis of course accepts the offer, with his prime motivation being to sleep with Sylvia. Your prime motivation to play the game will likely be to see what outrageous and foul-mouthed things will come out of the mouths of Travis and his co-stars.

The game's structure is built around going after each of the 10 assassins. To get to each, Travis must pay Sylvia a fee, which he can earn by doing sidejobs like lawn mowing (seriously) and minor assassination gigs all within the façade of an open-ended environment and setting for the game, Santa Destroy. This environment is one of the game's faults because jobs and assassination gigs must be selected at specific locations before they can start, thus the free-roaming world really serves no other purpose than to add the filler of travel. Still, it is ultimately a minor issue.

How the story and gameplay unfold within each of the 10 main assassination missions is, in a way, underwhelming yet satisfying. Combat may appear simple at first, as pressing A controls Travis's attack, but Wii-specific moves come in the forms of finishers and grabs. If an enemy is near death, an arrow will appear on-screen, prompting you to move the Wii Remote in its direction for a super-violent finisher. Travis cuts his enemies into pieces, with blood and guts as exaggerated as his own persona. Later it is not uncommon to dismember entire groups of enemies at once, causing the entire game to slow down, ludicrous in its fulfillment. Travis also has a number of wrestling moves that are controlled by moving both the Remote and Nunchuk and do add a bit of variety. After every successful finisher, Travis also has a small slot wheel that can serve to make him even more powerful than he already is, providing temporary invincibility and the like.

No More Heroes is by no means a cure for the Wii's blues the game is not perfect. The aforementioned faux open-ended structure along with somewhat repetitive combat (the finishers never get old, however) and the fact that the assassin bosses take from dozens of hits to hundreds to defeat can sometimes sometimes leave a foul taste. But it lasts for but an instant in the presence of the rest of the game as a whole. Its language and bloody style may put some off, but if you're into that sort of thing, your Wii could really deserve the pleasure of doing it with Travis.

Diagnosis? While not a panacea, No More Heroes is certainly the type of original, short term treatment that the Wii needs in larger doses. A must-buy for anyone who needs a good action title for any system.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Spore Release Date Announced: 9/07/2008

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:37:54 -0600

After something like a 42-year development cycle and 100 gameplay presentations from Will Wright, Spore finally has a release date.

Via a very brief teaser video posted on the Spore website, EA has announced a confirmed release date of September 7th, 2008 for the PC, Mac, and Nintendo DS.

"The wait is almost over," Chief Designer Will Wright said in a press release. "We're in our final stages of testing and polish with Spore, and the team at Maxis can't wait to see the cosmos of content created by the community later this year."

The seven months until release gives plenty of time for conservative, religious, and parents groups to get up in arms about the "pro-evolution" content of the game.

Assassin's Creed DS Gameplay Footage: I Feel Asleep

Aaron Dunlap — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:52:41 -0600

Since its announcement, Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles has been kept pretty close to Ubisoft's maternal chest, odd for a game that could conceivably be such a big deal.

Well here's some gameplay footage. Do not watch while operating heavy machinery.

I guess the minigame shown near the end to pick pockets looks pretty interesting. It appears you scratch out the screen to reveal the contents, then have to drag the thing you want out of the pocket like a medieval game of Operation.

Nintendo Announces New Cobalt/Black Look For DS

Aaron Dunlap — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:42:04 -0600

Beginning February 10, a newly colored Nintendo DS (Lite) will go on sale. Creatively called "Cobalt/Black," the new scheme is a combination of cobalt and black. The brief press release stretches a little far to say it's "like a black t-shirt with a splash of color," but it does look kinda nice.

Believe it or not, this is the seventh color iteration the DS Lite has seen, after Polar White, Coral Pink, Onyx, Crimson/Black, and a limited-edition Gold/Metallic Rose version.

Nintendo sure knows where the money is: colors. Nearly ten years after the original GameBoy had launched and was technically inferior to more recent products like Sega's Game Gear, they launched their "Play It Loud" campaign with the technically identical GameBoys now coming in a handful of '90s-appropriate neon colors, and they sold millions.

Since then, they've tended to release their portables in a small number of colors at first then slowly trickle out new colors one by one. I suppose they did that for the GameCube, too. "Limited Edition" Platinum, huh?

Remember the first GameBoy Advance? One of the launch colors was called Glacier, which implies blue, but it looked purple. That was fun, carrying around a purple portable with no backlight. The GameBoy Color was purple, too.

What was I talking about? Oh right, a blue and black DS Lite. There's another picture after the jump.

Call of Duty 4 Best Game Ever

Shiva Stella — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:53:29 -0600

More good news from Activision this morning, as the company has confirmed that Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare "was the #1 title in units worldwide for calendar 2007, according to The NPD Group, Chart Track and The GFK Group." Larry Hyrb's blog also lists the game as the #1 360 title on Xbox Live (based on unique users).

Here's the rundown on the game's rewards so far:

More than 18 perfect score reviews
More than 40 combined Editors' choice, Game of the Year awards (US)
Nominated for 10 Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences awards (including Game of the Year)
GameBump's own Best Shooter of 2007

"We're very excited about this achievement especially given so many competitive titles this year," said Will Kassoy, senior vice president, global brand management, Activision Publishing, Inc. "Consumer and critics agree that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is one of the best games ever created and further establishes Call of Duty as one of the premier brands in the industry. This ground-breaking game and franchise continue to establish new standards by which all other action games will be judged."

The game has also sold more than 7 million copies worldwide.

Ubisoft's Early 2008 Release Schedule

Tim Grube — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:53:07 -0600

Way down deep in the recent press release showing the 2007 earnings for Ubisoft, they unveiled their 2008 title release schedule which includes a few notable titles. Peep the full list below.

Fourth Quarter (January March 2008)

Anno 1701
Assassin's Creed
Brain Challenge
Petz® : Bunnyz
Chessmaster® The Art Of Learning
Csi: Crime Scene Investigation: Hard Evidence
Dark Messiah Of Might And Magic: Elements
Dragonquest® Monster: Joker
Imagine(Tm) : Figure Skater
Final Fantasy Revenant Wings
Final Fantasy Crytal Chronicles® : Ring Of Fates
Lost(Tm): Via Domus
Maths Play
Miami Nights: Singles In The City
Nitrobike
No More Heroes
Puppy Palace
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas 2
Real Soccer 2008
Settlers 6 Add On
Silent Hunter®: Wolves Of The Pacific U-boat Missions Add On
Petz®: Wild Animals: Tigerz
The Dog Island
Totally Spies Totally Party
Victorious Boxers Challenge

PlayStation 4 Development Farther Along than We Thought?

Shiva Stella — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:37:45 -0600

Though the dust has yet to settle on this current generation of consoles (all three have only experienced one holiday season together on store shelves), rumors of next-generation development inevitably spring up here or there.

Popular German site, Gamefront, is reporting that Sony (Japan) is currently seeking a software engineer to work on backward compatibility for the PlayStation 3 and an un-named next-generation system (which as far as we know would be the PlayStation 4). The engineer would implement and improve emulation of PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP (also for PS3) for this next-generation hardware.

If one believes the rumor then PS4 development must be much farther along than seems reasonable, as all three companies have expressed a desire to extend this generation's life-span as long as possible (remember that ten-year mark that Sony set for the PS3?)

One would also have to believe that it'd be a great bonus for the PS4 to feature backwards compatibility all the way back to the original PlayStation, taking advantage of Sony's extensive lineup throughout the years. Of course, it's just as likely that this is a mistranslation blown out of proportion.

The rumor follows a recent Microsoft rumor regarding the Xbox 3.

You can check out an image of the job listing text here.

Japanese Gamers Care About Content, Not the Money

Shiva Stella — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:21:09 -0600

According to a report on the Dow Jones Newswire, a recent survey has "discovered" that Japanese gamers "care more about the games they want to play than price," as a poll of 3,422 gamers on kakaku.com claims that 49.2% say their primary concern in choosing a new console is that it be "compatible with the games they absolutely want to play."

Here are some figures for those who like numbers.

43% wish to buy the most popular console
6.1% are mostly concerned about price
25% own a Wii
25% own a DS
10% own a PlayStation 3
10% own a PSP
3% own an Xbox 360
28% hope to buy a Wii next
27% hope to buy a PS3 next

I can only assume that 0% are interested in buying an Xbox 360 as their next console, as a figure wasn't given for Microsoft's unit. Maybe they're saving up for a DS or PSP in a new color?

Anybody surprised by this at all?

Nintendo Updates US Release Schedule for 2008

Shiva Stella — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:00:56 -0600

Nintendo has updated its Wii/DS release date list for the US market covering the first half of 2008, and while some of the hottest games lack a specific date, it's better than nothing. Happy highlights are in bold. Take a gander below. As usual, all dates are subject to change at Nintendo's merry whim.

See the whole list after the jump.

Wii

Jan. 7: Kidz Sports Ice Hockey from Destineer
Jan. 8: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law from Capcom
Jan. 15: SAMURAI WARRIORS: KATANA from KOEI CORPORATION
Jan. 15: Furu Furu Park from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 21: Endless Ocean from Nintendo
Jan. 22: One Piece: Unlimited Adventure from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Jan. 29: Bomberman Land from Hudson
January: No More Heroes from Ubisoft
January: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Hard Evidence from Ubisoft
Feb. 8: Kawasaki Jet Ski from Destineer
Feb. 11: Go Diego Go!: Safari Rescue from 2K Play
Feb. 12: WWII Aces from Destineer
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 18: MX vs. ATV Untamed from THQ
Feb. 25: Agatha Christie And Then There Were None from DreamCatcher Games
Feb. 26: Baroque from Atlus USA
Feb. 26: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors from Square Enix
Feb. 27: Kidz Sports Soccer from Destineer
Feb. 27: London Taxi: Rush Hour from Destineer
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore from Konami
February: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 from Ubisoft
February: BALLOON POP from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March 3: Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed from THQ
March 9: Super Smash Bros.® Brawl from Nintendo
March 10: Worms: A Space Oddity from THQ
March 25: Okami from Capcom
March 25: OPOONA from KOEI CORPORATION
March: MiniCopter: Adventure Flight from Aksys Games
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Obscure: The Aftermath from Ignition Entertainment
March: Target: Terror from Konami
March: Nitro Bike from Ubisoft
March: Emergency Heroes from Ubisoft
March: HEAVENLY GUARDIAN from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March: Rebel Raiders from XS Games

April 15: Castle of Shikigami III from Aksys Games
April: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
April: Wild Earth: African Safari from Majesco Entertainment
April: THE MONKEY KING-THE LEGEND BEGINS from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
April: Super Pick Ups from XS Games
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: BlastWorks: Build, Trade, Destroy from Majesco Entertainment
May: King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga from SNK Playmore
May: THE DOG Island from Ubisoft
June 8: Wonderworld Amusement Park from Majesco Entertainment
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: Ford Racing Off Road from Empire Interactive
June: Cooking Mama Cook Off 2 from Majesco Entertainment
June: Rygar: The Battle of Argus from Tecmo, Inc.
June: DeBlob from THQ
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel from Nintendo
Spring: Major League Baseball® 2K8 from 2K Sports
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Summer: Deca Sports from Hudson
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Active Life: Outdoor Challenge from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Wii Fit from Nintendo

Nintendo DS

Jan. 21: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin from Nintendo/Intelligent Systems
Jan. 21: Mazes of Fate DS from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
Jan. 22: Mega Brain Boost from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 24: Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 24: Fantasy Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 29: Pet Pals: Animal Doctor from Majesco Entertainment
January: N+ from Atari
January: Barnyard Blast from DSI Games
January: Command & Destroy from DSI Games
January: Miami Nights: Singles in the City from Ubisoft
January: Brain Challenge from Ubisoft
Feb. 4: Paws & Claws: Pet Resort from THQ
Feb. 5: Homie Rollerz from Destineer
Feb. 5: Nanostray 2 from Majesco Entertainment
Feb. 10 (street date): Professor Layton and the Curious Village from Nintendo/LEVEL-5
Feb. 12: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney from Capcom
Feb. 12: New Zealand Story Revolution from Ignition Entertainment
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 19: Spitfire Heroes: Tales of the RAF from Destineer
Feb. 19: Zoo Tycoon II from THQ
Feb. 25: Bratz: Super Babyz from THQ
Feb. 26: Bubble Bobble Double Shot from Ignition Entertainment
February: My Horse and Me from Atari
February: M&M'S® Kart Racing from DSI Games
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Insecticide from Gamecock Media Group
February: Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery from Ubisoft
February: Assassin's Creed Altair's Chronicles from Ubisoft
February: Petz® Wild Animals: Tigerz from Ubisoft
February: Puppy Palace from Ubisoft
February: Real Soccer® 2008 from Ubisoft
March 1: Project Exile from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
March 3: Let's Ride: Friends Forever from THQ
March 4: Diary Girl from Konami
March 4: Go Pets from Konami
March 4: Disney Friends from Disney Interactive Studios
March 4: Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest from Majesco Entertainment
March 8: Plushees from Destineer
March 8: River King: Mystic Valley from Natsume Inc.
March 8: Harvest Moon DS Cute from Natsume Inc.
March 11: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix
March 11: Lost in Blue 3 from Konami
March 11: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
March 25: Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo, Inc.
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Drone Tactics from Atlus USA
March: Double Sequence from DSI Games
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Myst from Empire Interactive
March: Naruto: Ninja Destiny from Tomy Corporation
March: Petz® Bunnyz from Ubisoft
March: Imagine Figure Skater from Ubisoft
March: Commando from XS Games
April 15: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys from Ignition Entertainment
April: Super Dodgeball Brawlers from Aksys Games
April: Rondo of Swords from Atlus USA
April: Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft
May 5: Crosswords DS from Nintendo
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 8: Organize It from Summitsoft Corporation
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: Winx Club: Mission Enchantix from Konami
May: Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles from Aksys Games
May: Garfield® Fun Fest from DSI Games
May: 1 vs. 100 from DSI Games
June 8: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness from Natsume Inc.
June: Shining Stars® from DSI Games
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: PipeMania from Empire Interactive
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Sid Meier's Civilization® Revolution from 2K Games
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Spring: The World Ends with You from Square Enix
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Tamagotchi Connection®: Corner Shop® 3 from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Bangai-O Spirits from D3 Publisher of America
Q2: PREY THE STARS from KOEI CORPORATION
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time from Nintendo
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness from Nintendo

First Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:22:20 -0600

If you've played through Assassin's Creed you might have been wondering how Ubisoft could shrink that entire visual package to the Nintendo DS and pass go.

Well, wonder no more. Here are some interesting shots of Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles on the DS. It looks like many of the game's mechanics will be present - pickpocketing, eavesdropping, roof-top leaping, etc - but apparently cut-and-pasted icons have been added to the GPS. At the very least, the game should prove entertaining.

View media at the jump.

New Condemned 2: Bloodshot Trailer

Shiva Stella — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:42:48 -0600

Monolith has published a new trailer of its Condemned 2: Bloodshot, which you can think of as a harsher, grittier, meaner, and bloodier Condemned with a touch of an "I'm bad-ass because I do all the dirty work you can't handle" attitude that I'm not particularly fond of. Guess I'll just have to trust Monolith not to let me down with the sequel.

Condemned 2 releases for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 11. You'll be paying $60.

Videogames to Blame for Child Obesity?

Akshay Masand — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:12:55 -0600

Steve Easterbrook, the chief executive of McDonalds UK, has recently blamed videogames for child obesity. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Are videogames really to blame? It seems kind of silly and stupid of a company such as McDonalds, which makes its money stuffing the mouths of children (see above), to blame the gaming industry and counter-culture for unhealthy eating habits.

It must be the games that have been climbing the sales charts lately - I bet Call of Duty 4 is responsible for thousands of pounds gained over the holiday season, not those Christmas cookies.

Bomberman Land Gone Gold

Solomon Lee — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:06:07 -0600

Hudson Entertainment has announced that Bomberman Land for the Wii and PSP as well as Bomberman Land Touch! 2 for the DS have both gone gold respectively. The games are scheduled to ship to North American retailers on January 29 with a price tag of $29.99.

Check the link to visit the official site.

GB Review: Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends (DS)

Shiva Stella — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:06:44 -0600

Mama's Posse: Prepare to get served.

Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends offers up most of the same simplistic, addictive gameplay that fans of the series love with a few twists, namely multiplayer action and new recipes. It's a great title for short gaming sessions, definitely tops the cutesy chart, and boasts those same adorable visuals and step-by-step cooking minigames that fans are familiar with. However, Mama's latest expedition feels more like an extension of the original rather than a true sequel and certainly isn't for the traditional hardcore gamer (it's also incredibly easy), but if you're into food and light gameplay (and especially if you haven't played the original) then it's a go; otherwise it's a rent, if that.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Cooking Mama 2 is yet another easy, pick-up-and-play title from Majesco and is centered around cooking for your Mama; to up the ante the company added new recipes for a total of 80 delicious dishes for the player to experiment with beginning in "Cook with Mama" mode. This mode provides the traditional Cooking Mama experience, featuring every possible step you can imagine in the creation of each of the 80 dishes. Players progress step-by-step via completing recipe minigames, ranging from cracking eggs, stirring ingredients, grilling meats, pouring various liquids, and peeling apples to folding crepes, setting the oven (yes, setting the oven is a minigame), and blowing into the DS mic to cool off food.

You do everything from scratch in Mama's kitchen, but unfortunately you've done it all before.

If you're feeling especially creative you'll occasionally have the opportunity to decorate your dish for presentation to Mama, but most of the minigames are straight-forward and relatively quick: stir this, cut that, sprinkle this, fold that, stick it in the oven and viola - dish #whatever is served. If you screw up a step there's no need to worry as Mama, ever your protector, will step in and "correct" the recipe (an expensive feat in the real world), although her flaming devil eyes seem to suggest otherwise. If Mama approves of your dish she'll reward you with either a bronze, silver, or gold medal and the option of saving your record for the dish in a diary that you can decorate with a "seal" (an icon) and keep forever in digital memory. If the overall gameplay sounds too simple and easy, it is, and this is a definite fault when you're really re-playing the original.

If you tire of cooking for Mama you can switch to the "Let's Cook!" mode and start prepping dishes for your childhood friends with very discriminating tastes (I'm not accustomed to children actually knowing what rice rolls and crepes are; in fact I'm not accustomed to children demanding any food but cookies and candy, but apparently Mama's little friends boast a bit more class). Spilling ingredients, burning the food, forgetting to blow on your dish's contents as you're preparing your stew/sauce, or failing to correctly prepare the lobster/shrimp/etc within the time-limit will result in a ruined dish as Mama declines to cover for you when you're showing her up in her own kitchen, so any major mistake means a do-over. If you're successful in whipping up delightful treats for Mama and pals, however, you'll unlock new recipes and accessories for decorating your very own Mama. If you've ever looked at your mother and wanted nothing more than to give her a make-over but couldn't without getting slapped, Mama is a perfect substitute. You can also renovate the kitchen (change the clock, cabinet, counter, or window sill color) if you're in the mood

The third and final mode, "Cooking Contest," is Office Create's newest addition to the series and features multiplayer, ad-hoc gameplay (that is, you can play with up to two other friends assuming you all possess a DS unit and a copy of the game). I'm at a loss as to why a game this graphically simplistic couldn't include infrastructure/online cooking matches that would have justified the purchase of Cooking Mama 2 for those who already own the original, but alas, the option was left out. The "Cooking Contest" mode also features solo challenges for those who prefer to compete against their past records.

While there are very few faults to be found in Mama's latest culinary adventure (other than it's essentially the same game as the original), its controls are sometimes a smidgen too sensitive or delay the action (I always have a hell of a time pouring liquids, and once you stop prematurely you might as well give up, as you won't be able to stop pouring fast enough after you start again to prevent the contents from overflowing). There are also some recipes that have way too many steps; some of these steps are so incredibly simple that it's actually easier and makes much more sense to combine them as their separation actually distracts from the gameplay.

Cooking Mama 2 is a charming game with adorable visuals and cute, looped music that pairs nicely with its simple style and quick gameplay sessions, but its baffling lack of online multiplayer along with few gameplay options and the fact that Cooking Mama 2 is essentially Cooking Mama 1 all cost it some major points. If you're curious it's worth a look, though.

Publisher: Majesco
Developer: Office Create
Release: Nov 13, 2007
MSRP: $29.99
Everyone | Ad-hoc play

Some Curious Imagery for Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy Fans

Shiva Stella — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:44:45 -0600

Our friends over at Gamefront have posted new magazine imagery of several hot titles currently being developed in Japan, which you can view at the links below. I'm beginning to wonder what Square is doing to my precious Kingdom Hearts (excluding KH2) series...

Third Bomberman Live DLC On Its Way

Solomon Lee — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:34:32 -0600

Hudson Entertainment has announced the third update for Bomberman Live with the Bomb-Up Pack 3 coming to the Xbox Live network.

Quoth from the press release, the new add-on pack features the following extras:

Ten New Characters - With new characters like "Shinobi Bomb" the ninja and "Bomb2-D2" the robot, players can customize their in-game Bomberman in even more new ways.
Two Additional Levels - New arenas include "Cavity Land," a sugary sweet candy land, and the industrial "Robot Factory." Both levels allow users to select any gimmick to use.
One New Game Mode - In "Friendly Fire," there's no place to hide as you race to get the most frags. Players start with the "power bomb" power-up and hard blocks are replaced by holes, leaving nothing to stop explosions, except Bombermen!
Two New Leaderboards - Gaze down upon the Bomberman masses from atop two new ranking systems on the Xbox LIVE network. The new leaderboards will track performance on both a weekly and an all-time basis for the new "Friendly Fire" game mode.

The Bomb-Up Pack 3 will be released on December 26 for 250 Microsoft Points.

Nintendo Facing 'Planning Problems' Due to Wii Shortage

Shiva Stella — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:56:39 -0600

Nintendo is reporting that it is having problems "planning for the coming months" (one can only assume they mean advertising campaigns, game development, and manufacturing) due to a crazy demand for its Wii console and DS handheld.

Said Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, in a recent Reuters interview: "The level of demand we are facing complicates all of our future business planning. All of that becomes a much tougher exercise until we have supply and demand curves that intersect."

Regarding certain retailers who get it in their heads to bundle the Wii with games that nobody wants yet has to buy in order to get the Wii (I hate you people), Fils-Aime commented that "Retailers have already been given feedback that we are not big fans of that. We think it masks some of the price advantage we have versus our competition and, frankly, the consumer should decide what they want."

When asked if Nintendo was in fact threatening such retailers, Fils-Aime responded, "We don't have to remind retailers of the strength we have right now. We are simply making an observation and that reinforces our point quite nicely with retailers."

New WorldShift Screenshots

Solomon Lee — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:32:38 -0600

Black Inc. has published new screenshots of WorldShift for the PC. The release date for this title has not yet been announced.

Hit the link to view more images.

New Sega Superstars Tennis Screenshots

Solomon Lee — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:07:40 -0600

Sega has released a slew of new screenshots of Sega Superstars Tennis for the PS2, DS, Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3. The game is scheduled for a Spring 2008 release.

Check the link to view more images.