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Messages - MegaByte

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4076
TalkBack / Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day Released
« on: April 17, 2006, 07:41:57 AM »
The latest Japanese craze finally comes to the US, with a low price tag.

NEW NINTENDO SOFTWARE LETS PLAYERS EXERCISE THEIR BRAINS    


Thumbs Get a Rest as Gray Matter Gets a Workout    


REDMOND, Wash., April 17, 2006 – Nintendo's ability to appeal to younger generations with innovative, imaginative and inspired video games takes a mature twist today, as the company launches its creative vision for consumers of all ages. Brain Age™: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day for Nintendo DS™ is designed to keep people's minds active with fun mental workouts that incorporate the user-friendly voice-command and touch-screen capabilities of Nintendo DS. Brain Age also includes more than 100 sudoku puzzles.    


"Adults with little or no video gaming experience don't have to worry about complicated button mashing," says Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales & marketing, whose Brain Age is 30. "Brain Age is just the latest example of Nintendo's commitment to creating software for a broad range of consumers with varying levels of experience."    


Brain Age is the U.S. version of the popular brain-training software in Japan that already has sold more than 2 million units. The title provides an entertaining and engaging way for Nintendo to reach out to a broad audience, including seniors and baby boomers (who began turning 60 in January).    


Brain Age can be a part of an overall regimen for keeping the brain active, says Dr. Elizabeth Zelinski, dean and executive director of Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California.    


"Nintendo's Brain Age should be just one element of an active lifestyle that includes mental stimulation, exercise and a good diet," Zelinski says. "Brain Age is a great way for people to keep challenging themselves."    


Brain Age challenges cognitive abilities with exercises like memorizing words, counting and tracking people as they enter and exit a house, and drawing lines to connect letters and numbers in alphabetical and numeric order.    


Nintendo continues to push the boundaries of video games. The company broke new ground with noncompetitive game play in Nintendogs™, fused music and art with Electroplankton™ and now introduces brain-training exercises with Brain Age, which appeals to consumers of all ages. Launching April 17, Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day is rated E for Everyone and is expected to be priced as low as $20 at retailers throughout the United States. For more information about the title, visit www.brainage.com.


4077
TalkBack / RE:Tetris from the Top: An Interview with Henk Rogers
« on: April 06, 2006, 08:43:02 PM »
That was my thread :-p

4078
TalkBack / RE: REVIEWS: Pokemon Trozei
« on: March 31, 2006, 04:26:33 AM »
No, tetra is not Russian for four, it is Greek.

4079
TalkBack / REVIEWS: Pokémon Trozei!
« on: March 30, 2006, 06:15:33 PM »
Find out exactly what a Trozei is and what makes this puzzle game worthy of its exclamation point.

Pokémon Trozei borrows from earlier puzzle games such as Yoshi’s Cookie, Zoo Keeper, and Wario’s Woods, as well as including elements of the Pokémon universe.  The word “Trozei" is probably inspired by the term “Tetris."  In both cases, the word was made up, and both specify the goal of the game, clearing out parts of the playing field.  The game’s release comes at a time when it could easily be overshadowed by the much better known puzzle game, Tetris DS.  However, Pokémon Trozei is a different animal altogether and shouldn’t be dismissed.    


Not only does the game deviate from the standard Pokémon RPG formula, it also includes an entirely new cast of characters.  As the story goes, the Phobos Battalion is an evil organization that has recently been stealing Poké Balls.  Since the sheer number of stolen Poké Balls would make it impossible for secret agent Lucy Fleetfoot to carry them all, she has the Trozei Beamer, a device that transports Pokémon to safety by satellite if they are aligned in a straight line row.    


The game field is made up of two connected five-by-five grids, one on each screen.  Pokémon fall from the top of the top screen to land on the stack, beginning at the bottom of the bottom screen.  The game makes excellent use of the touch screen.  Fans of Zoo Keeper are likely to find the interface somewhat familiar.  The stylus is dragged from a piece in the direction of desired shifting.  Similar to Yoshi’s Cookie, entire rows can be shifted left, right, or down, with the pieces wrapping from one edge of the screen to the other.  Pokémon drop in a manner more like Wario’s Woods or Meteos.  Additionally, shifting pieces down brings them to the top of the screen to fall down again, instead of appearing immediately on the other side of the stack.  Due to this notion of gravity, pieces can only be shifted up by one block, and they will only stay shifted long enough to complete a match, after which pieces will fall back down again.    


Tying gameplay to the storyline, the bottom screen is the scanner region of the Trozei Beamer.  A Trozei is completed when four Pokémon of the same kind are aligned in a horizontal or vertical line on the bottom screen.  Upon matching, the Pokémon disappear and any Pokémon that were above them fall into the newly vacated area.  Once a Trozei has been completed, the player has a “Trozei chance."  This means that only three Pokémon in a row are required to obtain a Trozei.  Matching three will continue the Trozei Chance, after which only two Pokémon in a row are required to form a Trozei.  After each Trozei, players have one to two seconds to form more Trozeis, or the Trozei Chance will end.  Players can shift Pokémon in and out of Trozeis, and the game will specify which are ready to be cleared.      


Normally, Pokémon of the same kind are required to complete a Trozei; however, Ditto acts as a wildcard Pokémon and can form a Trozei with any Pokémon.  Ditto will fall into the playing field anytime a larger than required Trozei is made.  This means matching five Pokémon instead of four to start, four or more for three, and three or more for two.  Ditto becomes absolutely essential in capturing all of the rare Pokémon, since not enough of these Pokémon appear in the playing field to obtain a Trozei by themselves.  Sometimes only a single rare Pokémon will appear in the playing field during an entire game.  In addition, rare Pokémon automatically disappear from the playing field at varying speeds, some almost immediately after falling into the field.  However, these Pokémon will remain in the field as long as a Trozei Chance is active.    


Each level has a specified number of Pokémon to clear.  Once this threshold is reached, players will have a final Trozei Chance.  If the player can manage to clear most of the Pokémon from the field, a bonus will be added to the score.  Fans of Tetris Attack/Panel de Pon/Puzzle League may appreciate the way that combos are formed after the collapse of cleared Pokémon.  However, the game’s pace is much faster than that type of game, particularly at higher levels.  Thus, making combos and clearing the screen is easier and generally requires much less planning.    


The game boasts two single player modes (Adventure and Endless) and two wireless multiplayer modes (Battle and Pair).  Endless mode provides an endless set of levels, each of which has its own Pokémon to be cleared.  In Adventure mode, players work through the story of the game, collecting Pokémon from storage facilities as well as battling the six generals of the Phobos Battalion.  Interspersed within Adventure mode are several practice levels, which are small puzzles that test whether you can completely clear the field of Pokémon.  At higher levels, the number of cleared Pokémon required to complete the level increases, as well as the number of types of Pokémon per level.  Some levels are also more difficult than others due to the sets of Pokémon that are used.  Pokémon with similar colorings can make it more difficult to distinguish between them.  Completion of Adventure mode leads to the unlocking of slightly different game modes.    


During battles, gameplay changes slightly.  Generals may use a “Jammer Flash," which turns all Pokémon into silhouettes for a short time.  This effect can be counteracted with a Trozei.  Generals may also use Jammer Balls, placing them in the field from the top or side, or by swapping a Pokémon for it.  Jammer Balls can only be removed by lining them up with a Ditto.  Trozeis stun the generals for a short time, during which they will not attack.  One of the more frustrating things done by generals is increasing the Remaining Pokémon meter when nearing completion of the level, thus extending the game.    


A serious attempt was made at multiplayer mode.  In Trozei Battle, players play the game normally, and completing Trozeis sends Pokémon from one player’s set to the other player.  Whoever’s screen fills up with Pokémon first loses.  Completing battles allows players to increase their “Agent Rank."  In Pair Trozei, players again play the game normally, but play together to reach a high score.  Completing Trozeis on one DS reduces the number of types of Pokémon on the other DS, thus making the game easier.  Some rare Pokémon are found only in multiplayer mode, making play essential for 100% completion.  Pokémon Trozei also supports download play.  Friends without the game, but with a DS can download Pokémon Trozei Mini, a demo version of the game that includes multiplayer capabilities.  An improved transmission system over previous DS games allows simultaneous distribution of Pokémon Trozei Mini to several DSes.  The game will also notify you if it finds other DSes in Pictochat mode, and will allow you to reboot into Pictochat so that you can tell friends to enter download mode in order to send them the game.    


Not much about the game has a real Pokémon feel, as even the art and music are quite different from the standard Pokémon fare.  However, thanks to the Pokédex, one of the core aspects of Pokémon, “gotta catch ‘em all," is still present and provides some replay incentive.  For puzzle game fans, Pokémon Trozei is a great addition to the genre.  Pokémon Trozei should be available from DS download kiosks, so I would highly recommend that you try it out.

Pros:
       

  • Fun and addictive
  •  
  • Several single and multiplayer modes
  •  
  • Download play


  •        Cons:
           
  • Doesn't feel like a real Pokémon game


  •                Graphics:  6.5
           The game features an art style unlike any previous Pokémon game.  The cutscenes have a similar design to Gennady Tartakovsky cartoons such as Dexter’s Laboratory and Star Wars: Clone Wars.  In-game graphics feature simple ball-shaped sprite renditions of each Pokémon.  There’s nothing very fancy here, but that’s not terribly surprising given that it is a puzzle game.

                   Sound:  6.5
           The music has a very moody style, well suited to the art style of the game.  The varied music sets a good pace to each level, becoming more intense as the player nears failure.  The tunes are somewhat catchy, though quite simple, and they may become repetitious after a little while.

                   Control: 10.0
           It’s hard to mess up control in a puzzle game, but the touch screen makes control very intuitive and precise.  This game is perfectly suited for the Nintendo DS.

                          Gameplay:  8.0
           While I can’t help but compare this game to a plethora of other puzzle titles, the gameplay itself is still quite original and fun.  There is a great satisfaction in watching the entire field of Pokémon collapse in sequence.

     


           Lastability:  8.0
           A puzzle game by nature has a lot of replay value since you can always try for a higher score.  Pokémon Trozei has gone a step above the standard with its Pokédex.  Full completion of the game will require players to catch all 386 Pokémon, not an easy task.

     


           Final:  8.0
           Pokémon Trozei is simply a great puzzle game both for casual and serious play.  While it may not be remembered in the same way as Tetris and Dr. Mario, Pokémon Trozei brings enough to deserve its own seat at the table.      


    4080
    TalkBack / REVIEWS: Sonic Riders
    « on: March 30, 2006, 05:58:42 PM »
    Can Sonic Riders propel the franchise out of the pit of mediocrity?

    As many have pointed out, it is odd that racing games based on the speed demon that is Sonic never capitalize on his inherent ability to use that speed, either putting him in a go-kart, or just lacking speed (Sonic R).  This time, Sonic and crew use Back to the Future-like hoverboards called Extreme Gears; however, this fact doesn’t detract from the idea behind the game itself.  Think of it as a hoverboard racing game first and as a Sonic game second.    


    For those looking for a racing game such as F-Zero GX, this is not the game for you.  This game is more along the lines of the SSX or 1080° series, though it still maintains the speed and spontaneity of F-Zero GX.  In fact, in many respects, Sonic Riders isn’t that far from Kirby’s Air Ride.    


    The story begins with the Babylon Rogues’ theft of a chaos emerald from Sonic and friends.  Again, Dr. Eggman is behind some unknown dastardly scheme, and Sonic joins the EX World Grand Prix in order to uncover the mysteries behind the Babylon Rogues and Dr. Eggman’s plans.  Sonic Riders introduces three new characters to the Sonic universe.  Jet the Hawk, Wave the Swallow, and Storm the Albatross comprise the mysterious Babylon Rogues and are experienced Extreme Gear riders, top ranking in Dr. Eggman’s EX World Grand Prix.    


    Gameplay revolves around the Air system.  Air powers the Extreme Gear, and running out of air will result in the player having to run around the track on foot.  Some tracks include air stations that can refill your tank at the cost of stopping completely.  Air boosting is similar to F-Zero GX in that it generates a boost but uses up your air meter.  Additionally, characters can perform attacks while air boosting.    


    Just like in a snowboarding game, stunts can be performed and are rated, though the stunt system is not as robust as a dedicated boarding game.  Performing stunts adds air to the air meter, but failing a stunt reduces speed.  It is not immediately obvious what constitutes a good stunt, and it is difficult to land smoothly.    


    The novel aspect of this game is turbulence.  When exceeding a certain speed, riders leave a wake of turbulent air behind them, which can be ridden by other riders.  Riding turbulent air increases your speed, and the vertical portions of the turbulence allow riders to spin off of them and perform tricks.    


    Cornering is very reminiscent of Kirby’s Air Ride.  Holding down a shoulder trigger slows down your rider while charging him or her up for a speed boost after the trigger is released.  This scheme makes turning a precise matter that is easy to mess up until you get used to it.  Braking is also performed by the trigger buttons.    


    While the game tries out interesting new gameplay mechanics, it unfortunately doesn’t fully succeed.  I can’t help but think that this game is a candidate for Nintendo’s ideal of simplified controls.  The controls are what you would expect from a racing game, but the control itself doesn’t have the type of responsiveness that a casual or non-gamer can just pick up and enjoy.  Sonic Riders takes a while to get used to, eventually moving from a flat-out bad game to an okay one, though still not great.  Crossing standard racing with snowboarding looks fun in practice, and the game does have its fun moments.  Overall the controls just aren’t as polished as they should be.  The game's difficulty is due to poor design, rather than being intentional and integrated with the game (which would denote good design).    


    The speed of the game is excellent, nothing like the plodding of Sonic R.  However, some of the course designs do not seem to have been designed with this speed in mind.  The courses can be confusing to navigate until you have played them a few times, and that confusion can lead to frustration.  Unfortunately, the AI knows the tracks very well, making it difficult to keep up with computer-controlled leaders.    


    Sonic Riders includes a handful of special items; most of them are related to the ring-containing TV screens common since the inception of Sonic, though some contain attacks.  There are also plenty of shortcuts, which are accessible to various characters depending on their body types.    


    The game consists of several modes: free race, time attack, grand prix, story mode, mission mode, tag mode, survival race, and survival battle.  While the first three modes are standard fare for a racing game, the inclusion of mission mode is a nice addition.  Several special multiplayer modes are included, adding to replay value.  In tag mode, the race is two-on-two and team members share an air tank.  In survival race, players must carry a chaos emerald through a specified number of gates.  In survival battle mode, players attack each other until only one racer remains.    


    Sonic fans are likely to enjoy the game despite the gameplay.  Several unlockable characters are included, as well as a board shop to allow players to purchase new gear using rings they have collected during races.    


    I had high hopes for Sonic Riders.  Even though it isn’t a 3D adventure game, I had hoped that it would pull Sonic console games out of their rut.  My hopes were left unmet.  Sonic Riders tries to do something new with racing but in the end doesn’t deliver a polished package.  This game is definitely one to try out first before making a purchasing decision.

    Pros:
           

  • Unlockables likely to please Sonic series fans
  •  
  • Varied single and multiplayer modes
  •  
  • Turbulence is an interesting concept


  •        Cons:
           
  • Huge learning curve
  •  
  • Questionable balance between racing and boarding game mechanics
  •  
  • Overall quality inconsistency


  •                Graphics:  7.0
           The graphics in Sonic Riders are very inconsistent.  The intro movie uses a hand-drawn anime style and is quite well done.  Parts of the story are told using pre-rendered 3D graphics of a quality I hope to see in real-time on next-generation consoles.  Much of the texture work is good, while some of it is a pixelated mess that I would expect to find on PSone, not GameCube.  The polygon work is nothing special, not too bad, but it could be better.  Overall, the courses are bright and shiny, similar to the other GameCube Sonic releases, except that the camera works well.  The game does look better in motion than still, thanks to blur effects.  The sense of speed is helped by the fact that the game runs at a solid 60 fps.  The game also supports Progressive Scan mode, for true 640 x 480 resolution.

                   Sound:  7.0
           The music consists of a decent mix of synth rock present in recent Sonic console games as well as more ambient tracks.  The voicework in Sonic Riders is something we’ve come to expect in Sonic games, that is, not great.  Lines are repeated way more than they should be.

                   Control:  4.0
           Sonic Riders simply does not control as you would expect.  Lying somewhere in between a racing game and a boarding game, the control is frustrating at times, particularly in regards to cornering.

                          Gameplay:  5.0
           While the ideas behind the game are sound, in practice, the game exhibits a number of large gameplay detractors.

     


           Lastability:  7.0
           The game has quite a few unlockables, and racing games can always be replayed in order to achieve better times.  The bigger question is whether players will be compelled to get them all.  Variety in the multiplayer modes is also nice.

     


           Final:  6.0
           Sonic Riders has taken the all-too-familiar path of mediocrity.  It seems the developers were unable to strike a proper balance anywhere in the game, and the end result is another disappointing Sonic game full of compromises.      


    4081
    Nintendo Gaming / RE:Tetris DS marathon
    « on: March 28, 2006, 03:06:38 PM »
    Yes, the other modes as well as the nostalgia factor make the game worth it.  It's only classic Tetris that was broken.

    You can spin the blocks indefinitely unlike what 31 Flavas said, in offline mode.  I believe they still lock after a time in online mode.

    No, this was not a Photoshop, and although I consider myself good at Tetris, that really had little bearing on my ability to do what I did.

    There is another thing that I consider broken about the game compared to classic Tetris: not only can you spin forever, but the way certain pieces rotate allows you to actually climb back up the stack!

    Other things that don't necessarily break the game but make it much less of a challenge include the ridiculous number of next blocks, the ability to hold a piece, the fact that all blocks start at the same orientation, and the fact that blocks start off of the top of the screen.  They put in options for Ghost Piece and Hard Drop, so I don't know why they couldn't have put in other options.

    4082
    Nintendo Gaming / Tetris DS marathon
    « on: March 24, 2006, 08:41:19 PM »
    One of the broken gameplay mechanics included in Tetris DS was the ability to rotate pieces forever.  Because of this, endless mode really is endless... there's nothing holding you back from playing other than tedium.  Yesterday, I began a Tetris marathon.  I found that after I got 999 lines, the line counter maxed out.  I decided to try and max the score counter next.  At this point I had about 3 million points, so this didn't seem like a big deal.  Unfortunately, I found that this counter continues past 9,999,999.  Since I'd like to play other games on my DS, I didn't want to attempt 100 million, since that would take days or weeks.  I decided that I would then try to max out the level counter instead to see if they programmed it properly.  After approximately 10 hours of play, I finally reached level 999, and the counter did hold.  I finally killed my game after over 10,000 lines and 26.7 million points.  My reward: stronger thumbs (?)

    Photos: http://nintendoods.com/stuff/Tetris%20DS/

    4083
    Podcast Discussion / Planet Trivia Results for 3/24/2006
    « on: March 24, 2006, 06:37:22 PM »
    Cyan edges out FierceDeityYS for another victory.  And he didn't even FAQ them all.

    -----QUESTION WRITERS-----

    Stan Ferguson: 1-2 (2)
    Jonathan Metts: 3-4 (2)
    Evan Burchfield: 5 (1)
    Karl Castaneda: 6-8 (3)
    Vincent Anderson: 9-12 (4)
    Aaron Kaluszka: 13-30 (18)

    -----QUESTIONS-----

    Q1: What third party licensee was the first to release a NES game without Nintendo’s Seal of Approval?
    A1: <Mumbo> tengen

    Q2: In Secret of Mana, what is the element of light?
    A2: <Cyan> lumina

    Q3: Which three major actors from the movie recorded original dialogue for the console versions of Spider-Man 2? (one line)
    A3: <FierceDeityYS> tobey maguire, kirsten dunst, and alfred molina

    Q4: By what codename was Beyond Good & Evil known for years before its full unveiling?
    A4: <Cyan> project bg & e

    Q5: In Trauma Center: Under the Knife, what must Dr. Derek Stiles do to perform the Healing Touch?
    A5: <FierceDeityYS> draw a star

    Q6: In Naruto: Clash of Ninja, who is the only all-new character you can unlock?
    A6: <Mumbo> Rock Lee

    Q7: Where do the Killer 7 go to assassinate Trevor Pearlharbor?
    A7: <Rimmer> Dominican republic

    Q8: Mother/EarthBound creator Shigetsao Itoi has appeared in what animated movie by Hayao Miyazaki (Japanese Version)?
    A8: <Mumbo> my neighbor totoro

    Q9:  In Skies of Arcadia: Legends, what is the name of the lost continent which used to bask in the glow of the Silver Moon?
    A9: <FierceDeityYS> Soltis

    Q10:  What Punch-Out opponent hails from an island in the South Pacific?
    A10: <Mumbo> king hippo

    Q11: For whom do you work in Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
    A11: <Cyan> interpol

    Q12: In what Super Nintendo game can your character only have half of a body yet still be able to move?
    A12: The Incredible Crash Dummies

    Q13: In Startropics, the magic of which constellation is always on your side?
    A13: <FierceDeityYS> southern cross

    Q14: Which Pokemon was the focus of the episode that caused thousands of Japanese children to have epileptic seizures?
    A14: <fudge> porygon

    Q15: Which two Nintendo published SNES games had special editions made for video game championships?
    A15: Star Fox, Donkey Kong Country

    A16: In Pokemon Trozei!, which two Pokemon does Lucy Fleetfoot keep as assistants?
    Q16: <Blaster> aipom, manectric

    Q17: In Super Bonk, pressing X causes Tiny Bonk to yell what word?
    A17: <Sunbun> rage!

    Q18: In Mario Kart DS, the bullet bill in the final version replaced what item from the demo version featured in retailers?
    A18: <Blaster> chain chomp

    Q19: At GDC, Nintendo announced a partnership with two companies to bring games from other consoles to their Virtual Console service.  What are the parent companies of these two companies?
    A19: <TMW> konami sammy

    Q20: IBM partnered with Nintendo to create a Shockwave Mario game as part of a contest where you could win a Nintendo 64.  What was the name of the game/contest?
    A20: <Sunbun> mario net quest

    Q21: What current US Senator is found in NBA Jam: Tournament Edition?
    A21: <TKnHappyNess> Hillary Clinton

    Q22: In what Game Boy puzzle game do you play a blob that throws blocks at matching blocks in order to reduce a pile?
    A22: <Cyan> flipull

    Q23: Why is Mario afraid of the Super Mushroom at the end of Donkey Kong for Game Boy?
    A23: <Cyan> he thinks its a poison mushroom

    Q24: What two phrases are spoken using digital audio in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 for Game Boy?
    Q24: <TKnHappyNess> Cowabunga, Pizza Time

    Q25: What GBA game, based on a franchise originally appearing on the PC, features a green rabbit with a gun?
    A25: <Sunbun> jazz jackrabbit

    Q26: The commander-in-chief of the Cornerian Defense Forces is a reference to an album by what band?
    A26: <Cyan> beatles

    Q27: How did Dan Forden upgrade his famous phrase when he arrived on the Nintendo 64?
    A27: <FierceDeityYS> toasy 3d!

    Q28: Michael Martin and his family are responsible for the addition of what Nintendo game "feature"?
    A28: <Cyan> the epilepsy warning at the beginning

    Q29: A demo of what Nintendo DS game was made available only to Nintendo of Europe website VIP members?
    A29: <FierceDeityYS> wario ware touched

    Q30: What option do you unlock for beating minus world in the Famicom Disk System version of Super Mario Bros?
    A30: <Sunbun> takes player back to title screen with stage select and hard mode

    -----RESULTS-----

    Cyan 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
    FierceDeityYS 1,2,3,4,5,6
    Mumbo 1,2,3,4
    Sunbun 1,2,3,4
    Blaster 1,2
    TKnHappyNess 1,2
    Rimmer 1
    fudge 1
    TMW 1

    4084
    Podcast Discussion / RE:Planet Trivia Results for 3/3/2006
    « on: March 03, 2006, 11:36:32 PM »
    In that case, how about the Zelda Game Watch (not Game & Watch)?

    4085
    TalkBack / RE:Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix Availability
    « on: February 27, 2006, 12:56:57 PM »
    Well, my order shipped today.

    4086
    TalkBack / Taiko Drum Master 8 to Include Super Mario Bros. Theme
    « on: February 24, 2006, 04:00:23 PM »
    Mario, Luigi, and Bowser cha-cha to your Tata.

    Taiko no Tatsujin 8, the latest in the series of Taiko Drum Master arcade rhythm games, is coming soon to Japan.  While chock full of the latest J-Pop hits as expected, the surprising revelation is that Namco is including tracks from video games by Nintendo, Square-Enix, Taito, as well as their own.  The headlining track is the Super Mario Bros. theme, which plays complete with 8-bit Mario, Luigi, and Bowser jumping on screen.  “A Slime and Me" from Dragon Quest 2 is also featured.      


    Ten J-Pop tracks chosen by fans last November are included in the game as well.  Taiko no Tatsujin 8 can be played by one to two players and will release in Japanese arcades sometime in March.  There is currently no word on a US release.


    4087
    TalkBack / RE: Opera Browser Confirmed for Nintendo DS
    « on: February 15, 2006, 01:58:52 PM »
    I wonder if games will be able to use this extra RAM like on the N64, or whether Nintendo would allow it.

    4088
    TalkBack / RE:Opera Browser Confirmed for Nintendo DS
    « on: February 15, 2006, 01:05:00 PM »
    Looking at the released photos, I'd say that PGC itself is compatible with the browser, not just PGC Pocket.

    4089
    TalkBack / RE: Datel Reveals MAX Media Player for DS
    « on: February 13, 2006, 01:21:48 PM »
    Yeah, Shecky, I just picked up an M3 NDS/GBA movie player.  They have SD and CF variants.  Of course, that itself is ~$90...  

    4090
    TalkBack / Datel Reveals MAX Media Player for DS
    « on: February 13, 2006, 12:23:06 PM »
    The unofficial PSP add-on comes to Nintendo DS, bringing 4GB of media playing capacity

    Recently, Datel released a 4GB hard drive for the PlayStation Portable.  Now, a version for Nintendo DS is in the pipeline.  The MAX Media Player uses a DS card to load the player software and an oversized GBA cart, which wraps around the back of the DS and contains a microdrive, to store media.  Like the PSP version, the microdrive is 4GB in size.    


    The MAX Media Player software will feature a file browser and includes support for MP3 audio, video, and JPEG images.  Also mentioned is the ability to “activate executable programs."  Whether this refers to homebrew applications is unknown.    


    The unit is powered by the GBA port, so no extra batteries are required.  Files can be transferred to the HDD unit from PCs over a USB connection.  Media Manager software is supplied, which will re-encode video and resize images in order to make them work with MAX Media Player.  The HDD unit supports USB 2.0 for faster transfer speeds.    


    Similar to their GameCube discs, Datel likely reverse engineered the game system to produce their own DS cards, releasing what will be the first third-party solution to not require pass-through hacks.  In the UK, MAX Media Player is set to release at £129, though the price for the US will likely be comparatively cheaper.  Currently, Datel expects to release the device around the end of March.


    4091
    TalkBack / RE:DS Lite Details
    « on: February 09, 2006, 03:31:50 PM »
    If you search the FCC site, you can actually find pictures of other Nintendo stuff including the old DS design... it uses the same crappy plastic.

    4092
    TalkBack / Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix Availability
    « on: February 07, 2006, 04:40:53 PM »
    Supplies limited.  Act now... or wait until April.

    Production of Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix was temporarily discontinued ahead of last year's holiday season.  Throughout the last few months, shoppers have found it nearly impossible to find this game in stores.  Depending on whom you asked, length of the discontinuation ranged from "some time next year" to "indefinitely."      


    Now, Nintendo has sent out official word about the reintroduction of Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix.  The game will be restocked in stores some time in April, though a specific date is not yet known.      


    However, by calling Nintendo directly at 1-800-255-3700, interested individuals may preorder the game to be shipped directly from Nintendo.  After calling the number, press 0 to be routed to a Customer Service Representative, and ask about the availability of Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix.      


    Preorders of the game are expected to ship in late February or early March.  The cost is $49.99 plus tax (in certain states) and shipping charges will be waived.


    4093
    TalkBack / RE:FBI Nabs Nintendo Pirates
    « on: April 14, 2005, 06:14:12 PM »
    Quote

    Originally posted by: PGC NewsBot
    "The New York raids are just the latest in a long line of criminal actions that Nintendo is currently supporting."


    So, Nintendo supports criminal actions?  Interesting.


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