Topic: RE: EA Makes DS Lineup Official

[NewsBot]

Madden, Tiger, and the Urbz will be ready for launch.

EA REVEALS MADDEN NFL 2005, TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR GOLF AND THE URBZ: SIMS IN THE CITY ON NINTENDO DS  

Redwood City, Calif., October 11, 2004 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed in-game details of Madden NFL 2005, Tiger Woods PGA TOURÂŽ Golf and The Urbz™: Sims in the City™ for the Nintendo Dual-Screen™ (Nintendo DS). Leveraging the handheld system’s distinctive features including the dazzling dual-screen design, each game boasts features that could only be experienced on the unique Nintendo console.  

“The launch of the Nintendo DS is a big event for game fans worldwide. We will be there with some of our most popular franchises,” said Frank Gibeau, Senior Vice President of North American Marketing. “Each of our games has been custom designed for the Nintendo DS, guaranteeing a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience.”  

Madden NFL 2005 is the deepest and most authentic handheld sports game ever.  Taking advantage of the unique Nintendo DS hardware feature set, Madden NFL 2005 gives players unprecedented control during gameplay. Gamers can now use the Nintendo DS touch screen to call plays, utilize the kick meter and select audibles at the line of scrimmage. The second screen also is home to Field Radar, which allows gamers to see where all 22 players are on the field while staying in the heart of the action on the other screen. Madden NFL 2005 breaks new ground by allowing players to go head-to-head in Madden NFL 2005 via wireless play. The game delivers unprecedented 3D graphics while featuring authentic NFL uniforms for all 32 NFL teams and player portraits for each NFL player. With a full season mode and fun game modes such as Situation Mode and 2-Minute Drill, Madden NFL 2005 for the  Nintendo DS delivers its signature level of depth in the palm of your hand.    

Developed at EA Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tiger Woods PGA TOURÂŽ on the  Nintendo DS retains the hallmarks of the series including legendary courses and world-class golfing. As with the hit version that inspired it, players will take on Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Jack Nicklaus and other golfing greats from past & present. Players create their golfer, develop their skills and step on to the green to challenge the masters on some of the world’s top courses including five licensed and one fantasy courses from the Tiger Woods series. However, unlike any past iteration, this innovative version of the game allows players to utilize touch screen technology to command control of their swing and position their shots like a pro. When they feel truly confident, players can fire up the multiplayer component to challenge up to four friends in wi-fi networked play. Then, see who’s the real master.

A spin-off of The Sims™, the most successful PC Game of all time The Urbz™: Sims in the City™ is being developed in Redwood City by the EA Maxis Studio in conjunction with Griptonite Games. Urbz aren’t typical Sims; they have a completely new look, attitude and outlook on life. Roaming through the rough-and-tumble city streets, Urbz are all about their friends, their pets and building their reputation. This highly-anticipated title will benefit from the unique Nintendo DS capabilities by offering players a touch-screen input and a multitude of in-game features that are not available in any other version of the game.  Exclusive features for the Nintendo DS include 24 objects, a unique touch-screen menu system, 5 minigames, 7 characters and 5 pet species that players can create with the special in-game ‘gene manipulator’.  

Madden NFL 2005 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Golf are rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and will ship under the EA SPORTS™ brand. The Urbz: Sims in the City is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and will released under the EA GAMES™ brand. These three titles will be available when the Nintendo DS launches.  

Rounding out EA’s line-up of Nintendo DS titles are GoldenEye: Rogue Agent™ and Need For Speed™ Underground which will ship in the months following launch.

[Mario]

3 titles at launch is impressive.

[rholder]

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3 titles at launch is impressive.

Yeah..uh, considering Nintendo is only releasing 1 full title...

/overall a decent launch though...

[Bill Aurion]

Yeah, only the best launch title ever...Remember that...

[Infernal Monkey]

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Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
Yeah, only the best launch title ever...Remember that...

Hmm? But Nanostary and Nintendogs aren't launching with the DS! ='D
It would of been nice if EA tried to launch something new and exciting on DS, but I guess not. Here's another Sims, another Madden and another Tiger Woods, everyone. Please look forward to another Need for Speed and another Sims and another Madden and another Tiger Woods soon.

[Ian Sane]

"Yeah, only the best launch title ever...Remember that..."

The best launch title ever... 8 years ago.

How can you even say that when you haven't played the game yet?  How do you know the additions and changes are going to be any good?  How do you know the loss of the analog stick isn't going to hurt the game?  Being interested in the title is one thing but it's rather early to declare it "best ever".

Oh and Super Mario World > Super Mario 64.

Anyway EA's launch lineup is exactly what I expected: generic.  It's the usual lack of anything new but I don't expect them to release anything like that.  I do find it odd that they're making a DS version of Urbs when the original hasn't even been released yet.  For all they know the Urbs could be poorly received.  Just because it's a spin-off of The Sims doesn't mean it's a for sure hit.  The Sims Online didn't have as big of an impact as they hoped.  If the Urbs bombs on the other consoles then they've got an instant DUD DS title.  Who's going to buy the DS version if they don't like the home version?  If EA takes a wait-and-see approach they don't have to take the risk of making the game or promoting it for nothing.

[Bill Aurion]

"How can you even say that when you haven't played the game yet? How do you know the additions and changes are going to be any good? How do you know the loss of the analog stick isn't going to hurt the game? Being interested in the title is one thing but it's rather early to declare it "best ever"."

I watched the 16 minute presentation of it...It looked FANTASTIC...And I've been pretty spot-on when it comes to me choosing games, so I'm not worried...

(Oh, and you can use the touchscreen as analog ^_^)

Gamespot impressions on minigames
16 minute presentation(at bottom)

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

The only times I wasn't spot-on were with Luigi's Mansion, StarFox Adventures, and Mega Man Anniversary Collection.

[Ian Sane]

"The only times I wasn't spot-on were with Luigi's Mansion, StarFox Adventures, and Mega Man Anniversary Collection."

I guessed Luigi's Mansion's shortcomings but was fooled by SFA and Mega Man Anniversary Collection as well.  Realistically though Mega Man Collection SHOULD have been good.  The PS2 version was so in a way we were half right.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I can thank "reputable" game journalism sites for not mentioning the Mega Man button-switch travesty, among other things...

Agreed.  MMAC SHOULD have been good.  I haven't touched it since the week I received it.

[rholder]

Hmm...While I'm not certain which sites you read or are referring to, I happen to recall a number of sites that said the buttons were switched. While they also said its something that can be dealt with, you can't say you weren't warned  

[VideoGamerJ]

DAMN IT EA, I WANT Command and Conquer for the DS

[KDR_11k]

As long as it's either Red Alert or Dune, I'd take it, but the main C&C series sucks.

[Nintendo]

Awesome Command & Conquer makeup!
I made one for the Nintendo DS boxart.

EA if you're listening we want this:

Port the N64 version for all we care, add double/touchscreen support with the PC's movies and wireless multiplayer support and you make the perfect game!

[KDR_11k]

The N64 got Tiberian Dawn, didn't it? I'd take Red Alert 2 over Tiberian Dawn any day. Red Alert 2 is geared much more towards multiplayer. Though Emperor is good,too.

[oohhboy]

Most modern RTS games including the old westwood one aren't up to par. Sure, they are all now rendered in 3d, but fundamentally, everything is stilll based on 2d squares. Rts have pratically stagnated for the last 8 years. Except for a couple of flashes of insparation like the Homeworld series, or the now defunt Cavedog series Total Anniliation It's all same old same old.

And don't even start about those empire RTS games.

Harpoon is 10 times more fun. The original one that is.