Author Topic: DS Revelations in Nintendo Power (Read 15277 times)

Bloodworth · « **on:** March 25, 2005, 08:12:16 AM »

Nintendo Power talks online and shows off new titles.

Nintendo Power Volume 191 features a big DS blowout with more details regarding online plans for Nintendo DS, new games shown off for the first time, and several developer interviews.

The online announcement echoes Iwata’s GDC speech, with one important distinction: Nintendo is partnering with GameSpy to set up the wireless network for free, global online play. GameSpy is set to deliver development kits to developers before E3, and it’s noted that developers currently working on local wireless modes will find it easy to expand to online. Animal Crossing is the only confirmed online title, allowing you to visit other villages across the globe.

Several new games are unveiled for the first time, and a few more previously unknown titles have sneaked into release lists.

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is coming from Majesco as a “fast-paced” turn-based strategy game. Wi-Fi support for four players is mentioned, but it’s not clear if that refers to true online play or local wireless.

Zoo Tycoon is revealed for the first time. It doesn’t appear to be radically different from the PC titles, but the developer interviewed continually raves that the game’s management-style wouldn’t be possible on consoles or handhelds without the touch screen. He also says that, while it’s based on the first PC title, the game will be a unique experience for fans of the series.

Namco is planning Shogun Warrior, the system’s first RTS, utilizing touch-screen commands. Interestingly, skirmishes, sea battles, duels, and sieges are played out through mini-games, and the game will feature a 16-player wireless mode.

Snowboard Kids DS will be an all-new title, and the developer has spent a lot of time analyzing the good and bad aspects of the previous games. There will be more of a focus on tricks with speed and shot rewards. Graphically, they are steering away from the super-deformed look with a slicker art style.

Although no screens or info accompany it, Katamari Damacy is listed as an upcoming Japanese release. PGC staff are salivating for details on control and plans for the US.

These are the more significant points, but there are a lot more details, screens, and interviews in the latest Nintendo Power, Volume 191.

Knoxxville · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2005, 08:42:14 AM »

....there was something good about Snowboard Kids?

Avinash_Tyagi · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2005, 08:57:29 AM »

Excellent...everything is proceeding according to plan.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:17:15 AM »

"Animal Crossing is the only confirmed online title"

What about Mario Kart? Arrgh! I can just see Nintendo releasing Mario Kart Offline and then like two weeks later releasing Animal Crossing Online. Mario Kart is THE Nintendo game people want to see online. It would be insanely retarded to release it as an offline game in the SAME YEAR online games debut on the DS. It be just flushing a killer app down the toilet.

Bloodworth · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:21:57 AM »

They actually didn't even mention Mario Kart.

Darkheart · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:23:17 AM »

Quote
Snowboard Kids DS will be an all-new title, and the developer has spent a lot of time analyzing the good and bad aspects of the previous games. There will be more of a focus on tricks with speed and shot rewards. Graphically, they are steering away from the super-deformed look with a slicker art style.

Yep just like i thought they are going with a more realistic style. There was that advertisement bout the game around a month ago with a sillohette of a realistic child with a snowboard that said SBK coming 2005.............I didn't want to believe that this was happening. The part I loved about snowboard kids was the fact that it was toony. That allowed for a random giant pan falling out of the sky and flattening all of the other contenders. Please dont ruin my fav N64 series with realistic graphics and physics.

Karl Castaneda #2 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:25:14 AM »

On the whole Mario Kart situation, my guess is that they want to make sure the online content is dynamite before releasing any information. Because it's THE online killer app, they can't half-ass it. Mario Kart Online could possibly be part of their E3 presentation.

Bloodworth · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:27:50 AM »

This should give an idea of where they're going with SBK
http://www.atlus.com/sbk.htm
I linked it in the article too.

LandStalkerRyle · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:51:50 AM »

"....there was something good about Snowboard Kids?"

Well, yeah there was. It was a fun game to play. Of course it doesnt beat a game like SSX, but still fun regardless.

Polemistis · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2005, 10:28:07 AM »

OMFG!!! AOE II !?!? BLOODY SWEEEEET !!

Thats a nice move to bring it to the DS ! I been playing the conquerors's expansion online for like 5 yrs now haha. There is an older audience that plays the PC game so hopefully it will trigger some older ppl to pickup the DS. I'm sure as hell gonna spread the word around about this now ! GG.

Don'tHate742 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2005, 11:05:38 AM »

I have a feeling that at E3, we are all going **** our perverbial pants. I think Nintendo didn't mention Mario Kart online, because they need something to woo the croud away from anything the PSP has. They are most likely going to surprise us with many online DS titles not that I think about.

Mario Kart Online isn't the killer app. SuperSmashBros. is the killer app. How many copies did it sell on the cube? Crazy. If they launch this with online capabilities and 2 level (2 screen) platform design, I think we have a winner.

Tanookisuit · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2005, 11:26:44 AM »

I agree. I've been dying for a two-tiered Smash Bros sequel since I first heard about the DS. If they made it, and threw in an online 8-player mode, I'd be so psyched.

gally · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2005, 11:37:35 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Knoxxville
....there was something good about Snowboard Kids?

Yes. I loved Snowboard Kids 2 especially. The cartoony atmosphere and eccentric levels (haunted house, outer space, etc - various places you'd never expect to SNOWboard), combined with the Mario Kart-esque weapons made it great fun.

I'd love to see it come back. I'd probably end up playing it at work or during long downloads.

As for the new art style, truth be told I liked the original art style better. It was more distinctive and new. But I'm assuming most of the cartoon antics will still be in there even with this new "slick" art style. I hope so at least. I don't want to see too much realism.

nickmitch · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2005, 12:11:58 PM »

Snowboard kids kicked tremendous ass and anyone who doesn't know that missed it.

Jonnyboy117 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2005, 02:19:43 PM »

Sorry this report came so late. When it broke over the weekend, we could never find reliable scans of the magazine or anyone we trust who had received theirs. So as soon as Dan got his issue, we posted what everyone else had known for several days. We are always super-committed to bringing you accurate information. Sometimes it means reading news on PGC a couple days later than at other places, but when you read something at PGC, you'll always know that it's true. I personally think that's more important than speed, but of course we try to be as fast as possible also.

Cleon_I · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2005, 06:49:36 PM »

I can testify to the fun-ness of SBK. For those who haven't played it, it's like SSX with items, or maybe Mario Kart with snowboards and tricks. The original game and its sequel had a very quirky Japanese feel (as illustrated by Shinobin, the Ninja snowboarder, characters with noses as long as their legs, and an item that drops pans on everyone's heads...) but was nonetheless a solid multiplayer party game.

WuTangTurtle · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2005, 08:03:22 PM »

whoever thought of attacking fellow snowboarders with pans is a genious, lol. I loved that game it was so quirky it worked. Before i even bought the DS i have been acking for this game, and now I have even more games i want for the DS! Now if only we could get a Command and Conquer, War Craft, or Star Craft game.

Aussie Ben PGC · « **Reply #17 on:** March 26, 2005, 01:05:10 AM »

Snowboard Kids was an awesome, awesome game. I liked Tommy, the tubby kid who always had a hamburger in his hand. And Slash always had a band-aid on his nose. I think I played this game far too much. But man, it was great - you got to turn people into snowmen and snowboarded against a Ninja down a mountain filled with cherry blossoms.

Windrunner · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2005, 05:49:28 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: PGC NewsBot
Nintendo Power talks online and shows off new titles.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is coming from Majesco as a “fast-paced” turn-based strategy game. Wi-Fi support for four players is mentioned, but it’s not clear if that refers to true online play or local wireless.

This line scares me

A lot

Like.. I may need to be held...

NotSoStu · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2005, 11:55:25 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Windrunner
Quote
Originally posted by: PGC NewsBot
Nintendo Power talks online and shows off new titles.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is coming from Majesco as a “fast-paced” turn-based strategy game. Wi-Fi support for four players is mentioned, but it’s not clear if that refers to true online play or local wireless.

This line scares me

A lot

Like.. I may need to be held...

You're not alone..... I need a hug. That was my first real PC game, I don't want them to make it something besides an RTS.....

;_;

KDR_11k · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2005, 10:49:39 PM »

That was my first real PC game,

And you dare to call yourself a gamer?

I'm hoping for a port of Total Annihilation but I doubt that'll happen. TA was and still is the reference for good RTS user interfaces. Screw Blizzard and their selection and queueing restrictions!

Don'tHate742 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 27, 2005, 02:05:39 AM »

Screw Blizzard?! *Gasps*

What are you saying?! How could you not have fun playing Starcraft? Especailly with the Fat Albert Mod?! hehe

KDR_11k · « **Reply #22 on:** March 27, 2005, 06:04:03 AM »

I can't have fun playing Starcraft because it's a war against the interface, not the enemy. You have to develop many different techniques to compensate for that awful GUI and some strategies (e.g. flying a building over your defense force) even exploit that POS interface.

Gamefreak · « **Reply #23 on:** March 27, 2005, 07:55:12 AM »

Oh heck yeah KDR.

Man I just got through playing a match of Total Annihilation myself. The UTASP mod (brings the number of units up to the max of 512 and rebalances the game) is freaking sweet. Plus it updates the AI so they actually fight well and build all the different types of units.

TA's interface was God back in 1997 and even today not a single RTS even comes close.
Plus the way the game works is just so great... Look at modern RTS game's aircraft and then look at TA's... owned.
Look at the way TA's units can fire while moving... owned.
Look at the awesome physics... owned...

And the game still looks great, and it plays great too. And there is so much stuff to download for it... If you go to TAMEC there are thousands and thousands of maps, and if you go to TA FanSite they have a unit archive of pretty much ever downloadable unit made... almost 3000!

Man TA rocks.

Anyway, since Gamespy is doing online we at least know lots of developers will actually use it. If it was just Nintendo they would just say... Well the DS is capable do it if you want. But I know Gamespy will actually try to encourage companies to use online.

Not only that the fact that Gamespy is in charge of a universal DS service means we'll see more "American" trends like voice chat and automatic matchmaking and all that PC/Xbox type stuff that Nintendo's probably never even heard of.
Something the PSP doesn't have...

Don'tHate742 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:19:17 AM »

Um....I have a confession....I never even headr of TA *ducks*.

I'm interested now. I've always been a fan of Blizzard, but if you say it's that much better, then it has to be. Plus, moving while firing is a much needed tool that all RTS's should implement.

GameFreak -- your point about Gamespy "americanizing" the online DS service is a good point that I hadn't really thought about. GameSpy has a nice selection of features, and I hope even more are added.

Come to think of it.....what would you want from an Online Service? I'd like....

::: Chat: not exactly voice chat, but IM instead. Voice chat would be nice too though.

::: Friends List: Something akin to Xbox Live

::: Avatar and custom preferences

::: MatchMaker and Tournaments

::: SSB Online

Anything else I didn't mention, maybe updates (though I hate the idea)?

News:

Author Topic: DS Revelations in Nintendo Power (Read 15277 times)