DS News

November2012

  • News Wii U Shifts 400K Units in Début Week

    It's "essentially sold out of retail"

    Nintendo's revealed its sales results to incorporate the Wii U launch and the Black Friday festivities, with NoA COO Reggie Fils-Aime weighing in with the company's perspective in an interview with CNET. Nintendo's total hardware sales — according to internal data — hit around 1.2 million units in the U.S.,...

  • News Japanese Import Ban on R4 Cartridges Becomes Law

    Only years too late

    So, R4 cartridges. These are the devices that allow gamers to circumvent the security measure on a DS to run custom code — often referred to as homebrew — and illegally download copies of games. While the former reason often provides the grounds for defence of these cards, there are also a lot of people who used them to...

    • DS
  • Review Thundercats (DS)

    Thundercats, noooo!

    Perhaps we were foolish to get our hopes up about Thundercats. It is a licensed game, after all, and while that's not a universally bad thing, it should by this point at least make us think twice. Then again, it's Thundercats! The original cartoon is an enduring classic, the recent reboot was surprisingly good, and the...

  • News CyberConnect2 Confirm Interest In Solatorobo Sequel

    The quest for a new adventure has begun

    CyberConnect2 boss Hiroshi Matsuyama has revealed at a Namco Bandai event in Barcelona that his company would love to do a sequel to Solatorobo: Red the Hunter. Matsuyama was questioned about the possibility of a sequel, in which he expressed his desire for a new title and confirmed that they are already...

October2012

  • Podcast NLFM Episode 23: Revenge of the Halloween Hootenanny

    Best served as cold as a corpse

    Grab your bluntest instruments and aim for the head because NLFM has risen from its grave for the third annual Halloween Hootenanny! More spooky, more sinister and more deathly, this episode is best listened to in a dark castle dungeon while eating raw pumpkins. Failing that, anywhere else will do. 1. Masanao...

  • News Pokémon Comic Gives You Even More Black & White 2

    Patience with those page turns, young Trainer

    Pokémon Black and White 2 has now been in Western stores for a couple of weeks, and we have little doubt that quite a few of you are still building super effective teams at this very moment. Many of you are undoubtedly veterans of the Pokémon scene and know the intricacies and tricks of the game, but...

  • Review Jewel Master: Cradle of Egypt 2 (DS)

    Is history repeating itself?

    In these risk-averse times, publishers are increasingly relying on sequels to existing IPs to ensure that they turn over a profit. The problem doesn’t stem so much from a dearth of creativity in the industry, but rather as consumers we have a horrible habit of sticking with what we know. Much like the video game...

  • News Knock Yourself Out With This Exhaustive Pokémon Black And White 2 Infographic

    Everything you needed to know, and possibly more

    Nintendo UK has published a staggeringly comprehensive infographic for Pokémon Black and White 2. Rather than waste our time coming up with witty commentary, we thought we'd merely replicate the entire thing for you below. Enjoy.

  • News Pokémon Black and White 2 Catches a Strong UK Chart Début

    Both versions in the top five

    Pokémon Black and White 2 may be getting played on a lot of 3DS systems at the moment, but we shouldn't forget that it probably represents the last big hurrah for the humble DS. It's a big release for fans of the series that Nintendo no doubt hopes will perform well, and early indications in the UK charts are certainly...

  • News Pokémon Video Game Autumn Regional Championship Details For North America

    Your journey to Victory Road begins this weekend

    It's just a little over a week since Pokémon Black & White 2 released across the US, and already the Pokémon Video Game Regional Championships will take place this weekend. That's right fellow trainers, the Championships begin in North America this Sunday, October 14th. The Autumn Regionals are...

  • News Thundercats Let Loose On DS October 30th

    Feel the magic, hear the roar

    An official trailer for Thundercats has finally put a release date in place for the DS action epic. The game had previously been scheduled for a North American release September this year, but was pushed back a month. The side-scrolling action game follows the first six episodes of the rebooted Thundercats series where...

  • News Activision Releases New Trailer For Transformers Prime

    Planes, trains and Autobots

    Based on the award-winning animated television show produced by Hasbro Studios, Transformers Prime lets you play as your favourite Autobot character and embark on an action-packed adventure to save the earth from the evil Megatron and his new secret weapon. Get a preview glimpse of the Wii U version in the video below,...

  • News PETA Targets Pokémon Black & White 2 in Latest Campaign

    Opportunism or a fair moral case?

    Last year, with the arrival of Super Mario 3D Land, PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — launched a campaign against Mario, on the grounds that his Tanooki suit encouraged the wearing of furs. It was a widely criticised move, as it disregarded the sheer fantasy of obtaining the suit from a...

  • News Hotel Transylvania Coming To Europe On Nintendo DS And 3DS

    Embark on a spooktacular journey with Hotel Transyvania this Halloween

    Avanquest Software Publishing has today announced the release of Hotel Transylvania for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, with a release date of October 26th 2012 for DS and November 9th on 3DS across Europe. The game is being released to tie in with Sony Pictures Animation’s...

  • Review Pokémon Black and White 2 (DS)

    Pokémon used Sequel! It’s super effective!

    It's fitting that the franchise typically relied upon to sell Nintendo handhelds is also the swansong that bids farewell to the mighty Nintendo DS. The enormously popular Pokémon series graces the highest-selling handheld console of all time for one last hurrah and the result is nothing short of...

  • Review Learn With Pokémon: Typing Adventure (DS)

    SEMI-COLON COMMA WOOBAT

    It would be very easy to dismiss Learn With Pokémon Typing Adventure as ‘just another Pokémon spin-off’, or even worse, an ‘edutainment game’. Yet in fact, the title conceals a rather addictive addition to the Pokémon franchise, bundled with a nifty Bluetooth keyboard and stand. As with most Pokémon spin-offs,...

September2012

  • News Pokémon Black and White 2 Designed for Dedicated Trainers

    "Let’s open up the complexity of Pokémon for people who want it."

    The Pokémon series is one of the most serious in gaming, with world championships and resources for Trainers that are reserved for the most dedicated and skilled. One trend with the most experienced players is to dig down into the games and understand the hidden stat values for...

  • News 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors Gets A Reprint

    With new cover art to boot!

    To celebrate the newest installment in the Zero Escape series, Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward, Aksys Games is reprinting 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors with redesigned cover art. Ben Bateman, who served as an editor on the game, explains the last minute change. For “Zero Escape” we wanted to create a...

  • Feature Diamonds in the Rough - Dementium: The Ward

    Worth a scare

    Whenever we look back at a console’s lifespan, the first thing we nearly always do is remember the good stuff. We remember the Marios, the Zeldas, the hordes of Pokémon, and maybe even the odd Kirby game depending on your level of pink puff-ball persuasion. But we’re often so caught up in remembering what’s great that we very...

  • News Ever Wonder Why Pokémon Black And White 2 Isn't On The 3DS?

    It's all about the numbers, baby

    When you're trying to sell as many units as possible of your latest console, you might assume that its simply best practice to ensure that all your strongest games are released for that system. Common sense, right? Not quite. Take Pokémon Black And White 2, for example. It's coming out on the Nintendo DS and not...

  • News More Playable Titles Announced for EB Games Expo Sydney 2012

    Pokemon Black & White 2 playable, special appearances announced

    The team at EB Games Australia has announced the next string of playable games and presentations that can be experienced at its October expo in Sydney. We can't help but feel the event still needs a bit of Wii U in there, however, as only Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 has been confirmed...

  • News Mythical Pokémon Genesect to be Distributed to Black & White 2 Early Birds

    Worth it for the Techno Blast move

    Pokémaniacs all around the world now have only a month to wait until Pokémon Black & White 2 hits stores in North America and Europe, as well as some AR zapping fun with Pokémon Dream Radar on the same date. Nintendo is upping the ante further to encourage early adopters of the DS sequel, through a Wi-Fi...

  • News Diamond Trust of London Now Available to Buy

    Limited numbers, so don't wait too long

    Diamond Trust of London, which is actually called Jason Rohrer with Music by Tom Bailey: Diamond Trust of London, is notable as the first successfully player-funded DS title. As we reported back in May, Diamond Trust of London hit its Kickstarter funding target, meaning that game designer Jason Rohrer was able...

August2012

  • News Pokémon Hits North American Cyber League Summer Showdown

    Over $5,000 in prize money up for grabs

    Pokémon Black and White has been added to the roster of games at this year's North American Cyber League Summer Showdown, due to take place on Saturday September 8th at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The tournament has a $10 admission fee (to cover the cost of hiring the venue), with an...

  • News Escape The Virus: Shoot 'Em Up! Infecting NA DSiWare August 30th

    Going viral

    Escape The Virus: Shoot 'Em Up! has already made its European debut but publisher Teyon has today confirmed that North American players will be able to download the DSiWare shooter from 30th August. It will cost 200 DSi points. From the horse's mouth: Escape the Virus, an action puzzle series, is back with totally new game-play modes...

  • News No Sequel From The World Ends With You Teaser

    The end of the world?

    A week ago we brought you the news that Square Enix had launched a teaser website that strongly suggested a project related to DS title The World Ends With You, which was enough to get some people rather excited about a potential sequel. As the countdown on the site continued a worrying story spread around the web that this was...

  • News Pick Up Keldeo For Free in Pokémon Giveaway

    Off to the shops with you

    Pokémon Black and White 2 is getting ever closer, and we can expect the hype machine to continue kicking into gear. One tactic seems to be to remind you that you should really still be playing the original Pokémon Black and White, and one way to get you back into the action is to run a legendary 'mon giveaway. Between...

  • Hands On Learn With Pokemon: Typing Adventure

    Gotta type 'em all

    On Saturday, Nintendo Life was lucky enough to get a sneaky preview of Nintendo and Genius Sonority's most bizarre upcoming release, Learn With Pokémon: Typing Adventure. The version we demoed was the Japanese version, Battle & Get! Pokémon Typing DS, complete with the Japanese Bluetooth keyboard add-on. The aim of Pokémon...

  • News Square Enix Teaser Looks Awfully Like The World Ends With You

    Don't forget to take a breath

    Video games are a funny business, as some titles that don't necessarily achieve record-breaking sales or popular acclaim often become something else: critically-acclaimed titles with a legion of devoted, loving fans. These are often titles that won't necessarily grab the attention of the majority of gamers, but become a...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Finishes Second in UK Charts

    Letting Sleeping Dogs lie

    New Super Mario Bros. 2 hit UK stores last Friday, and today's all-format chart shows the plumber's latest platforming adventure making its debut at number two. While we may instinctively wonder why it didn't make it to number one, that placing actually matches the performance of the original New Super Mario Bros on DS. It...

  • News Learn With Pokémon: Typing Adventure Taps Into Action on 21st September

    European typing woes solved

    So you can't type very well, a state of affairs entirely intolerable in the modern day and age, and it's something that has to be resolved promptly. You're also a big fan of Pokémon, and just wish there was a way to improve your typing and indulge your favourite hobby all at once. Well, the dream is a reality, as Learn...

  • Feature DS Games We Want on Wii U

    Two screens, only much bigger

    Seven years and over 150 million sales have passed since Nintendo surprised the world by releasing its dual screen handheld back in 2004, introducing true touch screen gaming to the masses for the first time. The concept proved such a success that Nintendo has now implemented it in its next home console, Wii U, via a...

  • News Pokémon World Championships Results Are In

    All hail Trainer Rizzo

    After worldwide heats and the occasional unpleasant controversy, the Pokémon World Championships finals have taken place in Hawaii, with a new group of champions securing a prestigious trophy and scholarship prizes. With over 30 countries represented, it was undoubtedly a hard-fought contest, with six division champions...

  • News Nintendo Confirms Its Holiday Hits in North America

    Paper Mario, art, freaky formees and a famous professor

    We've already brought you the disappointing news that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is pushed back to 2013 in North America, but we do have details on some games that most assuredly are confirmed for 2012. In fact, looking at the schedule suggests that Luigi may have been given a breather so that...

  • News 3DS Hardware Dominates Japanese Charts

    Demon Training has a modest start

    We already know that 3DS XL and New Super Mario Bros. 2 have been able to boast of big launch sales in Japan, but we now have access to the full charts for a wider picture. The Enterbrain software figures (via Andriasang), show that six of the top ten games are found on Nintendo systems, though Demon Training only...

  • News Matte Red and Matte Blue DSi Models Hit North America This Week

    Why wait?

    The 3DS XL may have arrived in Europe and Japan merely weeks after it was announced, but it's got nothing on the new Matte Red and Matte Blue DSi systems hitting North America. Set to start hitting stores this week, the colours look remarkably similar to the 3DS XL equivalents, suggesting that Nintendo may have had a bulk discount and...

  • News Check Out This Beautiful Okami Papercraft

    Godly beauty

    We've seen some impressive game-related art over the years, but surely if two games are ideally suited to artistic recreations they're Okami and Okamiden. Both of these titles were designed to actually look like watercolour paintings in motion, but one set of artistic creations opts for a different approach. The attached image (click...

July2012

  • News Female Ace Attorney Production Hits the Stage in Japan

    Take that!

    Japanese theatre company Takarazuka Revue is currently readying a musical spin-off production of Capcom's Ace Attorney franchise, which will be held in January 2013. The show will be made up of an all-female cast complete with plenty of hair gel, and will be performing its second production based from a Phoenix Wright game, the first of...

  • Feature Olympics Fever on Nintendo Systems

    Button mashing for gold

    If you’ve been living in a cave and isolated from the world for the past couple of weeks, then you may not have been bombarded with coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games. It’s now well under way, and thousands of athletes are running, cycling, swimming and more in the name of winning a shiny gold medal. None of the...

  • Feature Nintendo Life Presents... Colors! 3D Artwork

    Because art is beauty

    Ever since Nintendo introduced the touch screen on the original DS, it was clear to artists that there was plenty of potential to produce art without the need to dig out a canvas and materials. The Art Academy series was a high-profile example on DSi that scratched that itch, as well as being titles that helped to attract yet...

  • News Take a Look at These Nintendo DS Testing Machines

    Plastic breach

    Readers of a nervous disposition, turn away now — the following images of Nintendo DS testing may prove disturbing. Nintendo has published its 2012 Corporate Social Responsibility report, which contains several images of portable console torture. The report shows off some of the vigorous tests that Nintendo hardware goes through to...

  • News Infinite Interactive Hint at More Puzzle Quest

    The big tease

    If you like puzzles, questing and DS, then it's more than likely that you enjoyed the appropriately named Puzzle Quest on DS, or possibly its sequel. These titles generated a fair bit of buzz when released, while fans may regard them as providing some of the most addictive and compulsive puzzling on the handheld. The good news for...

  • News Nintendo Financial Results: Console and Software Sales

    How are they all doing?

    Earlier on today we brought you the headline news that Nintendo reported a financial loss for the first quarter, which was very much expected. Despite some pre-results whispers, Nintendo didn't adjust its projections for returning a profit this financial year, showing a degree of confidence in the process. The financial...

  • News Get a Double Helping of Cooking Mama With New Combo Packs

    Well done

    Sometimes just one serving isn't enough. Majesco understands that, so it's pulled together a few Cooking Mama double-game packs for Wii and DS. They're currently only announced for North America. For starters there's a pair of DS appetisers. Mama’s Combo Pack Volume 1 is a stew of the original Cooking Mama and Camping Mama: Outdoor...

  • News WayForward is Making a Hotel Transylvania Tie-In Game

    Such a lovely place

    To coincide with the upcoming release of Sony Pictures Animation's animated comedy Hotel Transylvania, GameMill Entertainment has announced a 3DS / DS game of the same name. Don't look so terrified — WayForward is on development duties. We're promised a wide variety of locations, puzzles and boss battles, but that's about all...

  • Feature Batman's Nintendo Adventures

    Holy topical feature, Batman!

    Today sees the launch of The Dark Knight Rises in UK and North American theatres, amongst others, and it's become a cultural phenomenon, dominating the thoughts of Batman geeks and film lovers alike. We figured that you'll see the word 'Batman' wherever you go, so we might as well wrap it up in our favourite...

  • News Catch a Special Porygon in Pokémon Black and White

    You know you want to

    Recently we told you all about the updates and improvements to Pokémon Global Link, such as a new Global Trade Station or the Icy Cave area, for just two examples. Now, courtesy of our friends at Eurogamer.net, you can get yourself a special version of one of the original 'mon. The special creature that you can claim is...

  • News Pokémon and 3DS Still Top of the Japanese Charts

    Happy days for Nintendo

    The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that we haven't reported on the Japanese software and hardware charts every week recently, mainly because very little has changed. Despite that, we thought that we'd share the latest results, as at the very least the software chart includes some interesting games that we're pretty...

  • News Pokémon Company Was June's Top Publisher in Japan

    We'll give you one guess why

    While game and hardware sales information can be limited or tough to get hold of for Europe and North America, we can always rely on Japan to bare all and reveal the movers and shakers in the country. One monthly chart that normally sees Nintendo nestling in top spot has had a bit of a shake-up today, though the news is...

  • News Adventure Time Collector's Edition is Full of Goodies

    Land of Ooohh?

    The snappily titled Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?! is on the way this fall, and some retailers are listing the collector's edition on both DS and 3DS, knowing how tempted us gamers can get by extra bits 'n bobs. At the moment Amazon.com and

  • News Rise of the Guardians Set to Protect the Holidays on Wii U

    Tying into Wii, 3DS and DS too

    Some things stay the same in every year's Holiday season: lots of money is spent on gifts and merriment, too much food is eaten, and a CG movie based around festive characters arrives in cinemas and theatres worldwide. One of these movies will be Rise of The Guardians from DreamWorks Animations, and we all know what...

  • News New Trailer for Adventure Time on DS and 3DS

    Mathematical!

    In March it was announced that the cult US cartoon series Adventure Time would be getting its very own DS and 3DS game, Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!. Two months later we heard that it would hitting shelves in North America 'late fall'. D3Publisher has now released a new teaser trailer, sure to make

  • News Enter the Pokémon World Tournament in Black & White 2

    Pokémon Black & White 2 comes with a few new features to boost it over its predecessor, with Nintendo recently talking more about the Pokémon World Tournament mode. Here you'll be able to take on gym leaders and champions from past games — Lance and Volkner both return — while using moves and battle tactics from Black and White 2. If...

  • Feature A Visual Guide to Nintendo's Handheld Revamps - Part Two

    Time for double vision

    Earlier this week we brought you the first part of our visual guide to Nintendo's Handheld Revamps, starting with Game Boy and going all the way up to Game Boy Advance SP. In terms of handheld console models, and despite the number of years covered, that only covered about half of the story; now we'll pick up with the first...

  • Game of the Month June 2012 - Pokémon Conquest

    Conquers all

    June wasn't a great month for game releases it must be said, but the long-awaited arrival of Pokémon Conquest netted it our Game of the Month award in June. A blend of Japanese strategy series Nobunaga's Ambition and Nintendo's beloved pocket monsters, it straddles the middle ground between the two RPG approaches, creating something...

June2012

  • News Pokémon Black and White 2 Hits the West in October

    7th for North America, 12th for Europe

    DS owners will be able to return to Unova in October when Pokémon Black and White 2 launches in the West. The sequel lands in North America on 7th October and follows in Europe just five days later on 12th October. As well as new Formes of legendary Pokémon, there are several new features in this sequel. At...

  • Review Pokémon Conquest (DS)

    Resistance is feudal

    Peanut butter and chocolate, Chris Farley and David Spade, Marvel and Capcom. Taking two great things and smashing them together is a long-standing tradition of the human experience. Now, in the year 2012, another legendary combination can be etched into the annals of history – Pokémon and Nobunaga’s Ambition. Pokémon is...

  • News Pokémon Conquest Reaches Europe on 27th July

    To arms!

    Monster mash Pokémon Conquest is already available in Japan, North America and Australia, but European fans can get in on the tactical action in a month when the game hits on 27th July. The combination of Pokémon and Nobunaga's Ambition favours a more strategic flavour of battle, teaming up monsters with Japanese warlords to unite the...

  • News Pokémon Black & White 2 Sells 1.6m in Two Days

    Still big in Japan

    Pokémon Black & White 2 landed in Japan on Saturday 23rd June and racked up an astonishing 1,618,621 sales across the country in its first weekend. It's the fastest-selling game of the year, the first 2012 game on any platform to pass 1m sales and the third fastest-selling DS game of all time. It's a big drop-off in sales...

  • News What? The Pokémon Global Link Website is Evolving!

    Hum the music

    Popular Pokémon destination Pokémon Global Link has just received a new lick of paint and brand new features, ahead of the release of Pokémon Black & White 2 later this year. The site now includes a Global Trade Station for observing Pokémon trades and new statistics for you to pore over, such as which country is home to the...

  • News Wreck-It Ralph Confirmed for Wii, 3DS and DS

    Not a surprise

    A little while ago we reported that Bowser would appear in Wreck-It Ralph, an upcoming Disney animated film. It's now been confirmed that Disney Interactive and Activision will collaborate on the game to accompany the movie: it'll be released on Wii, with separate versions for 3DS and DS. The game will be a side-scroller where you...

  • News A Very Short Pokémon Black & White 2 Teaser Trailer

    Blink and yo- oh it's already finished

    Are you ready for 20-something seconds of gameplay from Pokémon Black & White 2? Let's do this. Nintendo put out the most teasing of teaser trailers during its Nintendo Direct conference, but now you can watch it at your leisure to pick out the new gym leaders and areas that make up the sequel. The...

  • News Pokémon Typing Adventure Announced for DS

    Gotta type 'em all?

    Satoru Shibata's European Nintendo Direct broadcast had a few moments of charm and Nintendo quirkiness, none more so than the announcement of Pokémon Typing Adventure for DS, which arrives in September. It's Pokémon played by typing, just what we all expected. It will come bundled with a rather sleek wireless keyboard —...

  • News North American Nintendo Direct Set for Tonight

    Nobody's left out

    North America gets a Nintendo Direct presentation tonight, focusing on games for 3DS, DS and Wii. The show kicks off tonight at 9pm Pacific time/12am Eastern time. That's the same time as Europe's Nintendo Direct. You can watch it at the Nintendo Direct site.

  • News Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns European Release Date

    Start farming on 29th June

    A while back we reported that Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns 3D was on its way to PAL regions, which seemed more than likely considering the support that Rising Star Games had shown for localising the franchise in previous years. This well-known secret has now been confirmed through a press release, for Europe anyway,...

  • E3 2012 Every 3DS Game Announced So Far

    Plus three Pokémon DS games

    We're yet to have a genuine 3DS fix at this year's E3, with the handheld only having the briefest of mentions in the main press conference. It does have its own showcase lined up, but until that arrives we have full list of confirmed titles for you. Check them out below. 3DS:

  • News Some Club Nintendo Coin Values Will Change on 1st July

    Full details inside

    The number of Club Nintendo Coins you'll get for registering certain games will change on 1st July. For some games, the number will decrease; for some, it'll increase. If you want to see whether you should register those games now or wait until 1st July, check out our handy charts, straight from Club Nintendo. Page 1: 3DS...

May2012

  • News Nintendo Shares More on Pokémon Conquest

    Gotta get a perfect link

    Pokémon Conquest is set to hit North American stores on 18th June, rebranding Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition for those of us that don't fully appreciate the cross-over. As a spin-off developed by TECMO KOEI GAMES it's not enjoying the same attention as Pokémon Black and White 2, for example, but it may have enough to...

  • News Diamond Trust of London Hits Kickstarter Target

    A DS publishing landmark

    Recently we told you about the launch of Diamond Trust of London's Kickstarter campaign, as after a lengthy approval process game creater Jason Rohrer needed money to pay for the manufacturing of the DS game cards and packaging. For those that have pledged in the hope of getting their hands on the game, there's the good news...

  • News LEGO Batman 2 Trailer Comes Down Like a Ton of Bricks

    Visit Gotham City

    LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes for Wii and its 3DS counterpart are out in a month, which is more than enough time to watch this new trailer showing its open-world take on Bruce Wayne's home city. It's got all the things you'd want from a LEGO DC trailer — The Flash running fast, The Joker laughing maniacally and a pie calling on...

  • News DS Car Navigation Arrives in Japan

    Courtesy of Toyota

    A lot of modern cars have satellite navigation and as many buttons as Apollo 11, but Toyota has decided that perhaps the whole experience can be a bit more easy-going in the Japanese market, if a bit of Nintendo is thrown into the mix. The car manufacturer has created the Smart Navi car navigational system that uses a DS — and...

  • Talking Point DS Games Deserve Digital Distribution on 3DS

    Too good to ignore

    Not long ago, we brought you a feature on Bargain Bin DS Games, detailing some excellent games available for relatively little money. The response to the article highlighted how many little-known or under-appreciated gems the DS library has, as it seems to have been a platform that encouraged a lot of creativity from developers...

  • News Ben 10 and Friends Join Wii U Line-Up

    Omniverse us

    The Wii U announcements are coming thick and fast these days. Last week it was Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth and Cloudberry Kingdom; this week it's Ben 10: Omniverse. D3Publisher's next outing for the boy with multiple personalities will reach every current Nintendo format later this year, with development on the home console...

  • News Make Your Own Movies in Pokémon Black and White 2

    Frame and focus

    Pokémon Black & White 2 land later this year with all the gotta-catch-'em-all action you could want, but if you fancy taking a break from animal slavery you can always try your hand at animal acting with the game's new "Pokéwood" mode. The addition lets you create miniature movies using your Pokémon, picking dialogue...

  • News DSi and DSi XL Price Drops Announced for North America

    Dollars to donuts

    Nintendo of America has announced sizeable price drops for the DSi and DSi XL consoles. From 20th May the DSi console will cost $99.99 — down from $149.99 — while the XL will set you back $129.99, down from $169.99. 3DS remains at $169.99. If you haven't already picked up a DSi or DSi XL, this might be a good time. New Prices...

  • News Pledge to Diamond Trust of London's Kickstarter Campaign

    If you want to

    Diamond Trust of London — sorry, Jason Rohrer with Music by Tom Bailey: Diamond Trust of London — passed Nintendo's approval process recently and now sits on the verge of release. Before it gets there, though, there's the small matter of money, and that's where crowdfunding site Kickstarter comes in. Citing Nintendo's "large...

  • News Adventure Time on DS to be Released 'Late Fall'

    Time to get algebraic!

    In March we told you that cult-favourite animated series Adventure Time was coming to DS, as confirmed by tweeting creator Pendleton Ward. He said he was looking forward to working closely with Wayforward Technologies, a developer with an excellent track record on the system; suddenly DS became a lot cooler in its old age. The...

  • News Level-5 CEO Raises Possibility of Inazuma Eleven MMORPG

    Possible, but strange

    The Inazuma Eleven series is still relatively unknown outside of Japan. The first two DS titles have arrived in Europe, though only after a fair bit of waiting, while the third for the system, the series debut on 3DS and two Wii spin-offs are yet to arrive outside of Nintendo's homeland. We can safely assume, due to the volume...

  • News Mario Kart Wii Races Back into UK Charts

    Olympics still top of the podium

    The UK software chart hasn't been the most eventful or successful arena for Nintendo games recently, with 3DS and particularly Wii titles making only modest appearances. That trend continues this week, with the latest results from UKIE now available. Once again the highest flyer is Mario & Sonic at the London...

  • News Jason Rohrer's Diamond Trust on DS Finally Approved

    Publication details on the way

    All the way back in May 2011, creative game developer Jason Rohrer confirmed that Diamond Trust of London would arrive, courtesy of publisher Zoo Games, in late 2011. That period has passed, and Rohrer has confirmed in a blog entry that the title was held up by the 'Nintendo Approval Process'. This unconventional...

  • News Pokémon Conquest Details Revealed by Nintendo

    Lots of kingdoms to conquer

    Pokémon Conquest, a translated version of Japanese title Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition, is getting ever closer for gamers in North America. With the 18th June release date approaching, Nintendo has started to release details about the title and what 'mon fans can expect. With 17 kingdoms to conquer, and these being...

April2012

  • News UK Charts Bring More of the Same for Nintendo

    Not better, not worse

    In the coming weeks and months, it's safe to say that Satoru Iwata and the managerial team at Nintendo HQ will be monitoring the progress of UK sales, after telling investors that, for one, Mario's presence in the country is the 'smallest in the world'. It's too early for that to have changed, and the latest top 40 software...

  • Feature Nintendo Banks on Its Old Money Makers

    If in doubt…

    Nintendo is set to announce its latest financial results that will cover the past year, and it’s anticipated that, for the first time in its history, the company will record a yearly loss. It’s an obvious blow for Nintendo, particularly as the past five to six years have brought staggering success. Even the results for 2010-2011...

  • News UK Chart Results Are Less Than Golden for Nintendo

    Not flying off the shelves

    Each week we have two sets of charts to bring you. On the one hand Nintendo's Japanese hardware and software sales are always through the roof and dominating its competitors, while the UK software charts often give a very different impression. Regular hardware sales for the UK aren't provided, but this week's software top...

  • News The World Ends With You Follow-up Teased by Square Enix

    Not quite the end

    The World Ends With You is one of those DS RPG titles that may not be well-known, but is critically acclaimed and loved by its fans. It's a gem of the DS library, which makes the recent tease of a sequel from Square Enix music to our ears. As reported by Andriasang, Tetsuya Nomura — a key figure in The World Ends With You and the...

  • Feature Bargain Bin DS Games

    The best things in life are cheap

    With 3DS firmly established in the market for more than 12 months and the Nintendo DS entering what can be confidently called its twilight year, there is no better time to head to the (virtual or physical) bargain bin to nab yourself some overlooked DS gems to keep you entertained until 3DS releases pick up momentum...

  • News Shin Megami Goodness Coming to 3DS and DS in PAL Regions

    RPG fans rejoice

    Until now, some gamers in PAL regions have looked on enviously as their North American counterparts have enjoyed Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked on 3DS, an expanded and improved version of the DS original from 2009. There's good news as publisher Ghostlight, a specialist in bringing Japanese games to the PAL markets,...

  • News Namco Bandai Shouts "Thundercats, Ho!"

    Purring onto DS

    Cartoon reboot Thundercats is getting a DS game courtesy of Namco Bandai. The side-scrolling action platformer comes courtesy of Naruto Ninja Council developer Aspect Digital and is due out in August. As you defeat enemies as Lion-O you gather energy for the Sword of Omens: once you've hoarded enough, you can shoot a damaging beam...

  • News "Too Many Hurdles" to Ni No Kuni DS Translation

    Magic book blamed

    Level-5 and Studio Ghibli collaboration Ni No Kuni is getting an English release on PS3 in 2013, but its DS counterpart won't be leaving Japan. Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino explained to Famitsu (via Andriasang) some of the difficulties preventing the portable adventure reaching the West. The DS game comes with a large Magic Master...

  • News Titanic Mystery Sails Onto Wii and DS

    What else?

    Just recently, as some of you may be aware, the 100 year anniversary has passed for the maiden voyage and sinking of the RMS Titanic, a tragedy that has been re-told in television documentaries, a number of books and most notably in one of the most successful Hollywood movies of all time. The centenary hasn't completely passed gaming by,...

  • News First Pokémon Black & White 2 Footage Revealed

    Unova drill

    Japanese show Pokémon Smash led with the first gameplay footage of Pokémon Black & White 2 this past weekend, showing the newly frosty Unova in motion. In the trailer below you can see new areas, trainers, gym leaders and much more. It's pretty exciting. Pokémon Black & White 2 is due out in Japan in June, and we'll get it a...

  • News Miyamoto: "Angry Birds Would Have Been Better on DS"

    Still a fan, though

    Despite reports to the contrary, Shigeru Miyamoto is only human. Even the man at the top of Nintendo's creative pyramid isn't immune to the charms of iOS hit Angry Birds, admitting on a recent press tour his fondness for the game — with a catch. Speaking to press, Miyamoto said: What I like about Angry Birds is that it has a...

  • News New Trainers and Town in Pokémon Black & White 2

    All change

    Worried that Pokémon Black & White 2 is just a rehash of the original? New details from Coro Coro comics should put your mind to rest. The Japanese magazine has revealed B&W2 will feature new playable trainers, a new town and new gym leaders. Set two years after Pokémon Black and White, it's still set in Unova (Isshu in Japan)...

  • News Australia Rates Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition

    That's right

    No, not Pokémon Conquest — the Australian Board of Classification (who we love) has rated Nintendo's feudal Pokémon crossover under its original Japanese title Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition. The rating appeared earlier today and seems to guarantee a PAL territories release for the next Pok

  • News Pit and Pokémon Share Strong March Sales in Japan

    Not in the top spot though

    Pokémon Conquest — aka Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan — was the best-selling Nintendo title in the Land of the Rising Sun last month. The strategy crossover was released on 17th March, meaning it shifted 242,192 units in two weeks. In third place was Kid Icarus: Uprising, with 144,468 sales in the ten days...

  • News Let the Pokémon Conquest Trailers Begin

    Strategise open

    Yesterday's announcement of Pokémon Conquest — that's the English name for Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition — for North America now brings with it a brace of trailers. The first is the opening movie you can expect to watch on your DS come 18th June, while the other is an introduction to the gameplay mash-up of grid-based strategy,...

  • News Pokémon Conquest Heading to DS in June

    Japanese feudal warlords, anyone?

    Nintendo of America has revealed Pokémon Conquest is coming to the continent on 18th June. The translated version of Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition will arrive on Nintendo DS this summer, bringing a different form of strategy to the table. Update: Nintendo of Europe has responded to our email, saying: We have...

  • Review Inazuma Eleven 2 Firestorm (DS)

    Back of the net

    It’s time to save the world from aliens, but how? We could solve a lot of puzzles, blast enemies away with big guns, fly through space in an intergalactic warship or, alternatively, play football. In the universe of Inazuma Eleven 2 there isn’t a single problem that can’t be solved with a football – or soccer – match...

March2012

  • News More Black and White Kyurem Details Revealed

    Just our type

    Pokémon Black & White 2's legendary Black Kyurem and White Kyurem are Dragon/Ice type Pokémon, new cases spotted on Amazon Japan have confirmed. Black Kyurem stands 3.3 metres tall, while White Kyurem is a little taller at 3.6m. Both weigh 325kg — about the same as a robotic lawn mower. We expect to learn more about Pokémon...

  • News Adventure Time is Coming to DS

    Life in the old dog yet

    Just as the 3DS seems to be taking over from its predecessor, the DS reminds us all of its existence with an intriguing title on the horizon. Though not quite on the same scale as the announcement of Pokémon Black and White 2, confirmation of a game based on cult-favourite animated series Adventure Time, to be developed by...