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Topics - NWR_Karlie

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TalkBack / Activision Acquires Bizarre Creations

« on: September 27, 2007, 12:39:00 AM »

The U.K. based developer Bizarre Creations, with franchises including Project Gotham Racing, are now a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14481

Activision Acquires U.K. Game Developer Bizarre Creations

Activision Enters $1.4 Billion Racing Genre Market, Representing More than 10% of Worldwide Video Game Market

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sep 26, 2007: Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATVI) today announced that it has acquired U.K.-based video game developer Bizarre Creations, one of the world's premier video game developers and a leader in the racing category, a $1.4 billion market that is the fourth most popular video game genre and represents more than 10% of the total video game market worldwide.

This acquisition represents the latest step in Activision's ongoing strategy to enter new genres. Last year, Activision entered the music rhythm genre through its acquisition of RedOctane's Guitar Hero franchise, which is one of the fastest growing franchises in the video game industry.

With more than 10 years' experience in the racing genre, Bizarre Creations is the developer of the innovative multi-million unit franchise Project Gotham Racing, a critically-acclaimed series for the Xbox® and Xbox 360®. The Project Gotham Racing franchise, which is owned by Microsoft, currently has an average game rating of 89%, according to GameRankings.com and has sold more than 4.5 million units in North America and Europe, according to The NPD Group, Charttrack and Gfk.

Bizarre Creations is currently finishing development on the highly-anticipated third-person action game, The Club, for SEGA, which is due to be released early 2008. They are also the creators of the top-selling arcade game series Geometry Wars on Xbox Live Arcade®.

Bizarre Creations and its games have won numerous industry awards including: Best Racing Game for Project Gotham Racing 2 from the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA); the Industry Grand Prix Award from Develop; MCV's UK Development Team 2006 award; Best Racing/Driving Game from IGN; Game of the Year from OXM and Gamespy for Project Gotham Racing 3; and IGN's Best XBLA Game for Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.

"Activision continues to grow and drive greater value for our shareholders by broadening our portfolio and entering new gaming categories with strong global appeal," said Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO of Activision, Inc. "Bizarre Creations is the leading independent developer with a proven track record in developing highly successful and influential original properties, especially in the racing field. They are one of the most innovative and creative studios in the industry, and we are very excited to welcome this talented creative team to Activision."

Mike Griffith, President and CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc., added, "Bizarre Creations will play an important role in our growth strategy as we develop an original new intellectual property for this important racing segment, expand our portfolio in other genres and utilize their proprietary technology for cross platform development."

Martyn Chudley, Managing Director of Bizarre Creations, said, "Our goal at Bizarre Creations has always been to do all we can to nurture our creative and passionate teams, who excel at and enjoy what they do. Activision's independent studio model will continue giving us creative freedom to build exciting new brands. Their financial support and marketing prowess will also enable us to build upon the commercial success that we currently enjoy, and take the company - and our games - to an even higher level."

Under the terms of the acquisition, Bizarre Creations will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision and the company's management team and employees continue with the company as their teams start to develop two new AAA titles alongside their current projects. The 160-person development studio is located in Liverpool, England. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Activision expects that its first game from Bizarre Creations will be released after fiscal year 2009.

TalkBack / Pokemon Download at Toys "R" Us

« on: September 24, 2007, 04:35:05 AM »

The special Pokemon Manaphy, not usually found in the Diamond and Pearl DS games, will be available from hotspots this Saturday.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14463

For the first time in the US, a Pokemon download will be available from hotspots in Toys ''R'' Us stores. To get the legendary water Pokemon, Manaphy, you will need a DS with an English version of Diamond or Pearl with at least the first Pokedex obtained, meaning you can't buy a copy of the game at the store and immediately start downloading. Also, you must not have more than two Wonder Cards. Selected Toys ''R'' Us stores across the US will have the Pokemon for download between 12pm and 3pm on Saturday September 29th. Manaphy can be received through the Mystery Gift menu.

Previously, the only way to obtain this Pokemon was to transfer the egg from a copy of Pokemon Ranger. The special version of Manaphy that will be sent to your game has the red scarf as a held item, as in the television series, as well as an exclusive Cherish Ball and unique moves.

More instructions for the downloads are available http://www.pokemon-games.com/portal/_img/news_manaphyposter.jpg>here and the full list of participating stores should be available on the Pokemon Games website soon.

Thanks to former staffer Josh Hogan for the tip!

TalkBack / London Games Festival Returns

« on: August 24, 2007, 11:25:33 AM »

The London Games Festival, a week of activity related to game development and music, is returning this October. Now with a "Games Fringe" to encourage exhibitions from everyone.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14292

LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL FRINGE CALL FOR EVENTS

22nd August 2007 – This year’s London Games Festival (LGF) is bigger and better than ever before! With over 40 events taking place all over the capital, the festival is aiming to bring both core gaming fans and a more mainstream audience together between 22nd – 26th October in celebration of the games industry.

In addition to events from large publishers and hardware manufacturers, London Games Festival will include a number of exciting events exploring aspects of interactive entertainment as culture, creative form and new markets. The fringe is designed to recognise that many computer games and most digital play falls beyond the scope of the games industry.

The Fringe will reflect a spectrum of activity: independent game development and distribution, participatory community play, the future of game design, artists’ games, live action role-play, augmented reality games, casual games, interactive storytelling and more. The Fringe will involve performance, exhibitions, master classes and seminars, participatory workshops and, of course, opportunities to play.

The London Games Fringe is open to anyone who wants to get involved. The festival is looking for people who are keen to create their own events under the ‘London Games Festival Fringe’ umbrella and will support these satellite events through online and print promotion, marketing support, partnerships and venue space. These may be seminar events, street games, performances or exhibitions.

London Games Fringe events listed to date include: Play / time Game Lab – a week long ‘game lab’ developing new concepts and ideas, Sense of Play – a game design symposium and Head Trauma – a cinema based ‘Alternate Reality Game’ in association with London Film Festival.

TalkBack / Touch Detective 2 1/2 Website Launched

« on: August 24, 2007, 10:35:00 AM »

Begin your pointing and tapping with the Touch Detective 2 1/2 promotional website.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14290

The "Official Touch Detective 2 1/2" website launched today. Presented with the artwork the game is known for, Detective Mackenzie roams a corridor.

Behind a series of doors in a hallway there are screenshots, game details, character descriptions, and wallpapers for download. The latest trailer is also available.

Touch Detective 2 1/2

The game is due to be released this fall.

TalkBack / Activision Announced Shrek: Ogres and Dronkeys

« on: August 24, 2007, 08:22:53 AM »

Just a short message to let you know the fourth Shrek game for DS arrives this fall.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14288

ACTIVISION ANNOUNCES SHREK®: OGRES AND DRONKEYS™

EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE NINTENDO DS™

Santa Monica, CA – August 24, 2007 – The Shrek® family of games is growing with the announcement that Shrek®: Ogres and Dronkeys™ is due this fall from Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI). Shrek® & Fiona’s energetic triplets will appear along side Donkey & Dragon’s playful offspring, the dronkeys, exclusively on the Nintendo DS. This game will give handheld gamers the chance to train, play and explore with their mischievous new friends on wild adventures throughout the hilarious world of Shrek®.

Shrek®: Ogres and Dronkeys is being developed by WayForward Technologies, is rated “E" (Everyone – Comic Mischief) by the ESRB and will be available in fall 2007.

TalkBack / Metroid Prime 3 Coming to a TV Near You

« on: August 24, 2007, 06:19:01 AM »

The television commercial is ready, but watch it here if you can't wait.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14286

Keeping up with the same theme and sound of the other Wii ads, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is presented in much the same way however this time our businessmen have taken the game into airports. People demonstrate the game and the Wii remote and nunchuck controls with their arms held hight and the crowds behind them.

The bounty hunters can be found below.

TalkBack / Nintendo Happy Again About NPD Numbers

« on: August 24, 2007, 06:00:46 AM »

Nintendo's official announcement about the NPD numbers and claim Wii for the home system with the most new titles per month.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14285

DID YOU KNOW? NINTENDO MOMENTUM PAYS NO HEED TO INDUSTRY PRICING SHIFTS

Aug. 23, 2007

Wii™ emerged as the month’s best-selling video game system of any type in the United States and achieved its highest weekly sales rates since December, despite pricing shifts in the industry, according to the independent NPD Group and internal Nintendo figures. Wii and Nintendo DS™ remained the two best-selling video game systems in the United States, with Nintendo hardware outselling all other systems – combined.

But behind every great game platform are a lot of great games—and that’s certainly evident from Nintendo’s momentum:

* Nintendo remained the top U.S. game publisher for the sixth consecutive month.

* So far this year, Nintendo titles claim six of the industry’s top 10 best sellers, including the top three: Pokemon® Diamond (overall No. 1) and Pokemon® Pearl (No. 3) for Nintendo DS, and Wii Play™ (No. 2) for Wii.

* Nintendo DS, with more than 300 titles available, has the largest game library for any current generation system.

* Wii has added new titles (averaging nine per month since launch) at a faster rate than any other new home system.

* Including an ever-increasing library of classic titles available for download on the Wii Shop Channel, American owners of Nintendo DS and Wii will have a combined selection of nearly 800 games to choose from by year end.

* Nintendo expects momentum for both systems to continue, given the Aug. 20 launch of Brain Age™ 2: More Training in Minutes a Day for Nintendo DS and the upcoming Aug. 27 launch of the hugely anticipated Metroid® Prime 3: Corruption for Wii.

For more information about Nintendo, please visit www.nintendo.com

TalkBack / Manhunt 2 Confirmed For US Release

« on: August 24, 2007, 05:52:54 AM »

Manhunt 2 now approved with M rating for a North American release on October 31st.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14284

Manhunt 2 Receives "M" Rating ESRB rating assignment clears the way for October 2007 North American release

Manhunt 2 Receives "M" Rating ESRB rating assignment clears the way for October 2007 North American release

New York, NY - August 24, 2007 - Rockstar Games today announced it will release Manhunt 2 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo in North America on October 31, 2007. This announcement follows the submission of a modified version of Manhunt 2 to the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), who has now rated the title "M" for Mature for ages 17 and older.

In June, Take-Two was compelled to suspend the release of the horror title when the ESRB issued an AO (Adults Only) rating.

"Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we're glad it can finally be appreciated as a gaming experience," said Sam Houser, founder and executive producer of Rockstar Games. "We love the horror genre. Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans will love it."

"Manhunt 2 is an extraordinary game, and we eagerly anticipate its release in North America," added Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two.

TalkBack / Wing Island Flying To Europe

« on: January 26, 2007, 01:18:07 AM »

This Wii game arrives in Europe on March 23rd.

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT AND PREPARE FOR THE FLIGHT OF YOUR LIFE!

-WING ISLAND LAUNCHES ACROSS EUROPE ON WII-

26th January 2006, Get ready to take to the skies with the ultimate aerial adventure! Wing Island will allow you and your friends to hone your flying techniques as you soar through the clouds as an ace biplane pilot, performing death-defying stunts and exciting tricks along the way with ease. Wing Island soars across Europe on Wii on 23rd March 2007. Wing Island is published by Hudson and distributed by Nintendo.

As the first flying game for the dynamic Wii Console, Wing Island is like no other flying game out there. Using the Wii’s ground-breaking motion sensitive controls, players can feel as if they really are flying their plane. The use of the Wii Remote allows players to achieve maximum precision whilst flying, combined with a more realistic feel. By simply tilting the controller left or right, you can turn the plane in the desired direction by angling the remote up or down gamers can easily change height. Quick turns can be easily achieved by waving the remote’s tip to the left or the right. Acceleration and breaking is equally simple to control with quick bursts of speed controlled by quickly thrusting the remote forward or backward, whilst more steady speed is achieved by pressing up or down on the D-pad. Not only is this a simple and intuitive way to control the game but it also brings an all-new level of fun and excitement to the game, regardless of your previous gaming experience, as your movements control the plane.

In the main Story mode, gamers progress by completing each mission and unlocking new locations. The game’s single player missions set the player a number of fun tasks to test their flying skills ranging from food drops to extinguishing forest fires and taking photos of assigned objects. Players earn different ratings for each mission based on time, accuracy and damage to the planes. This in turn influences points, bonus points, and money awarded for each of the 27 missions. Earning money in turn allows players the opportunity to tune and repair their plane and even buy one of seven completely new planes. During each mission the player has the opportunity to fly solo or in a formation of five dependent upon which mission they are involved in, therefore enabling the player to experience the best of both flight methods.

‘Wing Island’ is centred around three different, exotic cartoon islands inhabited by wacky cartoon animals who will help players complete the tasks they are set. The first island is the smallest and houses ‘Wing Inc’, where the first few missions take place. The second location becomes available after completion of the initial missions and presents more challenging terrain across which to navigate. The third and final island has a large city built on it and is by far the most challenging to navigate across.

If the idea of completing missions doesn’t appeal to you then select Free Mode where you can fly freely around the islands in the game without constraints of time. At any point in the mission players can also try and break their own records to show off to their friends in the Single Player Competitive Mode. There are three options in this mode: score attack, where players must pop balloons by ramming them with a spike on the plane, time attack where they must race through numbered gates and also Plane Tail which allows you to pop balloons tied to your opponent,

If a bit of extra competition is what you’re looking for why not go head to head against a friend to prove yourself a flying ace, or perfect your skills by taking on Wii in Two Player Mode. As in Single Player Competitive Mode, this mode also contains score attack and time, as well as Plane Tail.

The super-exciting ‘Wing Island’ flies into stores across Europe on Wii on the 23rd March 2007 at an estimated retail price of around 49 Euros (approximately £34 in the UK). The Wii console is available across Europe priced at 249 Euros (approximately £179).

Click onto www.Wii.com for all of the most up to date official information on Wii.

TalkBack / Record Wii and DS Sales in Europe

« on: December 13, 2006, 09:30:43 AM »

325,000 units in two days makes Wii the fastest selling home console in history and DS breaks its own records with 515,000 sold last week.

Wii CAME, Wii SAW AND Wii CONQUERED!

- Wii sells out across Europe with 325,000 units sold in two days –

13th December 2006 – Wii made its highly anticipated debut across Europe on Friday 8th December, with thousands of people desperate to get their hands on Nintendo’s new console. As the must-have product for the festive season Wii was an instant hit. Attracting vast crowds and selling out in stores all over Europe in just a matter of hours, a breathtaking 325,000 units were sold in the first two days making it the fastest selling home console in history.

Demand for Wii has been so great that shops all over Europe had large queues forming outside for up to three days before the launch and hundreds of shops opened their doors at midnight on launch day to allow gamers to get their hands on Wii. After just one weekend on sale, shops across Europe sold out of Wii consoles and daily shipments are now arriving across Europe to replenish stock.

The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess, proved to be a favourite for avid gamers, with 240,000 copies snapped up over launch weekend in Europe, representing 74% of all hardware purchasers. Wii Play was also a big hit with over 50% of people buying the game (which includes a Wii Remote) along with their Wii console.

Laurent Fischer, Marketing Director for Nintendo Europe commented: “Wii has become an overnight success in Europe with people of all ages rushing out to get their hands on the console. Even at this early stage it is clear that Wii is delivering on its promise to expand the gaming market, with a uniquely diverse audience all keen to experience the sensation for themselves. For those who were unable to buy Wii during the launch weekend, rest assured more stock is already on its way and we are doing everything possible to ensure that a steady supply of Wii units is shipped to stores across Europe throughout December and into 2007."

Commenting on the launch Tim Ellis, Head of Games, HMV UK said: “"The demand for Wii has been truly amazing, and the official launch at our Oxford Street store was one of the biggest events we've ever staged there. HMV has received a huge amount of customer pre-orders - beyond anything we've ever seen before, including from family shoppers as well as dedicated Nintendo gamers. This suggests that while Wii is obviously one of the must-have items this Christmas, it also has the potential to appeal to a huge mainstream audience over the longer-term."

Wii mania in Europe follows the phenomenal success of Nintendo’s console in the Americas and Japan, where over a million units have been sold in just three weeks. In the Americas, where the console launched on the 19th of November, 600,000 consoles were sold in the first 8 days from launch. The Japanese launch saw similar success with around 400,000 units being shipped to stores for launch day and selling out during the first morning on sale. After just a few days of sales in Europe the Wii seems to be achieving similar success.

While Wii enjoyed a hugely successful launch Nintendo DS also had a record-breaking week, with 515,000 units sold across Europe last week, which is not only the highest weeks sales since the console’s launch but also the most any console across all formats has ever sold in a week! Nintendo’s handheld phenomenon has taken Europe by storm since its release in March 2005, with over 8.5 million consoles now sold across Europe.

TalkBack / Wii Sells 50,000 in First Day

« on: December 08, 2006, 10:10:58 AM »

For the first twelve hours of launch, Wii keeps up one unit sold per second.

Wii STRIKES UP 50,000 SALES IN 12 HOURS

- One console sold every second since launch -

8th December 2006 – Within just 12 hours of going on sale, the much anticipated launch of the Nintendo Wii console has reached new heights of success with 50,000 units sold. The staggering figure translates to one unit sold throughout the UK every second, since the very first sale at the star-studded midnight store opening at HMV on London’s Oxford Street.

David Yarnton, General Manager, Nintendo UK says; “We are delighted with the amazing response to Wii and that people of all ages and gaming experience are embracing the way that we are turning the industry on its head. With so many units sold it is great to see that people will be enjoying Wii with their families this Christmas. We are doing everything we can do to meet demand throughout Christmas and the New Year period."

TalkBack / Happy Wii Day, Europe!

« on: December 08, 2006, 02:31:35 AM »

It's time! Find out what happened at the Nintendo sponsored midnight launch in London early this morning.

I've been writing for what used to be PGC since before the GameCube was launched. That time around I saw all of the pre-release material but didn't actually make it to the launch. That made this Wii launch my first, so it was exciting to go to cover the event even though I won't be buying one yet, mainly due to time constraints in the coming year.

Media were called to check in at 10pm that night. At this time people waiting for the Wii had been there for at least twelve hours. The earliest in fact arrived Tuesday evening. Earlier in the day two hundred wristbands were given out to people waiting, same as the number of Wiis that were available to people who hadn't pre-ordered. Names and photos were also taken down, and these would be matched up on the night to ensure that no one could steal a place. Due to the launch chaos in the US, Nintendo organized as much as possible to ensure a safe and fun launch for everyone, and to ensure that the event wasn't shut down by security. Around one quarter of the people waiting were behind a barrier in front of the store, and the rest were waiting from a door at the side of the building, trailing around behind it.

I collected my press pass from Nintendo and went back around to the front of the store to wait for something to happen. It was planned that sporting celebrities would arrive at 11pm, then the store would open and everyone could go inside to watch them play Wii Sports on stage, and finally at midnight the first Wii would be sold. While waiting I saw that David Yarnton, General Manager of Nintendo UK, was there to see how the launch would go. Of course it wasn't to schedule, and the Wii bus finally arrived around half an hour later than planned. Off the bus stepped Ian Wright - former footballer, Nell McAndrew – former Lara Croft model, Ricky Hatton – boxer and Pat Cash – former tennis player.

This is where I first experienced the paparazzi. They are very angry people, and rather rude actually. No wonder they're disliked, they were shouting and screaming for the sports stars to look at their camera, yelling for the Nintendo's own camera crew to get out of the way. It's surprising that they actually had time to take any photos. I managed to find a spot fairly near to the front squished in among the photographers and snap a few blurry pictures, but they quickly moved the celebrities into the store and drove the bus away.

They kept everyone waiting outside while they set up and let their own photographers take some photos, then they let the press in through the side. I dashed up the blue and white lit pathway to the stage to get a good spot for when they started playing. I got a place right at the front and here they had Nell McAndrew and Pat Cash compete in Wii Sports Tennis, then Ian Wright and Ricky Hatton for several rounds of Wii Sports Boxing. The Miis were designed to resemble Nell McAndrew and Pat Cash.

The first person in the queue was then brought up to the stage and introduced. It was announced that the first Wii would go on sale in five minutes time so everyone wandered over to the checkout area.

After the first Wii was handed over, the rest of the consoles were quickly sold. Nintendo UK claimed this morning that they were sold out in almost sixty seconds.

That was the Wii launch. There were midnight sales at other stores around the country but due to the Nintendo support this one had the most publicity. Today, Wiis are continuing to be sold everywhere so let's hope that some more arrive soon! My photos from the event can be found in the European Wii Launch event.

TalkBack / English Training Annouced for Europe

« on: September 04, 2006, 05:35:06 AM »

English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills joins the Brain Training games.

WHO SAID THAT LEARNING A LANGUAGE WASN'T FUN?

-Improve your English with the Nintendo DS-

4th September 2006 – Improve your English skills in a simple and fun way with English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills when it launches across Europe on Nintendo DS on 13th October 2006. It is perfect for anyone who hasn’t had the time, money or self-confidence to go on a course.

Following the recent success of Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain?, English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills is the latest title in Nintendo’s innovative Touch! Generations range – a selection of software that will appeal to people of all age groups, irrespective of gaming ability or experience. In addition, the title has been rated for difficulty under the TOEIC® testing system. For more than 25 years, the TOEIC test (,Test of English for International Communication™) developed by ETS, has been used by academic institutions, companies, and government agencies worldwide to measure the business English proficiency of nonnative speakers.

English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills successfully combines the innovative gaming functions of the Nintendo DS with a strong and effective educational learning tool – providing the perfect way to learn English without the hassle of attending classes. The Nintendo DS touch-screen is used to test writing skills and users are given various dictation exercises to transcribe into English using the stylus and touch-screen. After they have completed the task, the written phrase is analyzed and mistakes in spelling and grammar are then highlighted. The Nintendo DS’s voice-recognition function is also utilised when users are asked to read specific phrases aloud.

Depending on performance, users get ranked and all progress is recorded onto a progress chart through the game’s in-built calendar, allowing users to keep track of their development and see their improvement over time. Tests include English Training Competition, English Word Test Competition and Dictation Race Competition. The title also allows players to wirelessly share a demo version of English Training with other DS owners.

English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills goes on sale across Europe on 13th October 2006 at the estimated retails price of around £20.

Click onto www.nintendo-europe-media.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo.

TalkBack / Pink DS Lite to be Released in Europe

« on: August 23, 2006, 11:04:35 AM »

On the 27th October 2006, DS Lite will be monochrome no longer.

TURNING AUTUMN PINK!

- Nintendo announces Pink Nintendo DS Lite to launch across Europe -

23rd August 2006. Sleek black and white may have been the must-have look this summer, but now it’s all about pink as the hugely successful Nintendo DS Lite turns pink this Autumn. For those who want a more vibrant handheld console, the Nintendo DS Lite Pink will be available in stores across Europe on 27th October 2006.

Following the successful launch of the Nintendo DS Lite - the lighter, brighter redesign of the Nintendo DS - in June 2006, over 5 million consoles have flown off the shelves across Europe. But if black and white are just not colourful enough, the new Nintendo DS Lite Pink will be the perfect accessory to brighten up those dull autumn days.

Nintendo DS Lite Pink will find a happy home in the most stylish of bags and is perfect for those on the go. Team it up with one of Nintendo’s Touch! Generations range - a selection of innovative software designed to appeal to people of all ages and gaming experience.

If a little exercise for the brain is what you are looking for, join over half a million people around across Europe training their brain with Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? Have that puppy you’ve always wanted with Nintendogs, that has now sold a staggering 3 million copies across Europe. Or maybe you fancy creating your own world? Live a relaxing alternative life and make new friends with the hugely successful Animal Crossing: Wild World. You will also soon be able to brush up on your English skills with English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills and surf the internet through your Nintendo DS with the Nintendo DS Browser.

Prepare for the pink invasion, as the Nintendo DS Lite Pink launches across Europe on 27th October 2006 at the estimated retail price of around £100.

For all the latest information on Touch! Generation titles please visit www.touchgenerations.com. Click onto www.nintendo-europe-media.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo.

TalkBack / DS Opera Browser Announced for Europe

« on: August 08, 2006, 02:23:24 AM »

The Internet and your DS unite on the 6th October 2006.

TOUCH-SCREEN INTERNET IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND

- Nintendo DS connects with the Opera web browser-

8th August 2006 – Since November last year Nintendo users have been enjoying simple, safe and free Nintendo Wi-Fi connection service* which to date already has approximately 1.7 million unique users. Now Nintendo is expanding its service offering to include an internet browser from Opera Software, optimised to run on the Nintendo DS. The Nintendo DS Browser launches across Europe on 6th October 2006.

The Nintendo DS Browser is a convenient web browser, which enables Nintendo DS users to surf the web, check and send emails, bank and shop online and even communicate with their friends in live chat. The Nintendo DS Browser features a built-in history function allowing users to bookmark their favourite sites and it has a fast start up time making it quick and easy to connect to the internet, at home or away. Nintendo DS owners can use the browser to connect to Wi-Fi environments at home, a public Wi-Fi hotspot or one of Nintendo’s free Wi-Fi hotspots.

By using the unique interface of the Nintendo DS, users can effortlessly surf the web as if they were using a keyboard and mouse. The stylus can be used to activate hyperlinks and click around pages. For typing in URLs and filling in complicated information users can employ an onscreen digital keyboard and the console’s handwriting recognition system.

Web sites can be viewed through the Nintendo DS Browser using two main modes. Overview Mode shows the complete web site on one screen and areas which are highlighted will enlarge on the other screen. It also features Opera’s Fit-to-Width Mode where web sites will be adjusted to fit inside the two Nintendo DS screens, eliminating the need for horizontal scrolling.

The Nintendo DS Browser will be available as a standard DS cartridge. To allow image or multimedia-heavy web sites to load quickly, it will come bundled with a Memory Expansion Pack, which boosts the system’s power. This pack fits snugly into the Game Boy Advance socket on the Nintendo DS and comes in two versions. One version is for the classic Nintendo DS and a smaller version is available to fit the slimmed down Nintendo DS Lite.

Parents who wish to have more control over the internet sites their children access can set passwords required to activate the browser. In addition, Nintendo has partnered with Astaro to provide the option of a parental control which acts as a proxy filter to block inappropriate content.

Connect to the limitless possibilities of the internet using your favourite hand-held games console. The Nintendo DS Browser launches across Europe on 6th October 2006 for the estimated retail price of around £30.

TalkBack / DS Lite Success in Europe

« on: July 11, 2006, 11:03:30 AM »

Over 200,000 DS Lite units sold in the first ten days and total DS sales now over 5 million.

NINTENDO DS LITE A FLY AWAY SUCCESS

Total sales of Nintendo DS reach over 5 million in Europe

11th July 2006 – In its sleek new form, the Nintendo DS Lite hit stores across Europe on 23rd June, and since then has been snapped up by eager customers, with more than 200,000 units sold in the first ten days - proving the Nintendo DS Lite is the must have console of the summer!

The successful launch of Nintendo DS Lite and the huge success of Nintendo’s range of Touch! Generations games has secured Nintendo’s lead in the handheld market, with total sales of Nintendo DS now over 5 million in Europe.

“Nintendo DS has introduced thousands of new people to gaming and will continue to expand the gaming population due to its ability to appeal to both gamers and non-gamers. During Nintendo DS Lite launch weekend, retailers across Europe said that they had never seen such a vast array of different people buying the product, everyone from business men to young women to grandfathers!" said Laurent Fischer, European Marketing Director, Nintendo of Europe.

Nintendo’s Touch! Generations range, a selection of innovative software designed to appeal to people of all ages and gaming experience, is also a big hit across Europe. Following the recent launch of Nintendogs Dalmatian & Friends, total sales of all Nintendogs software has now reached a staggering 3 million in Europe. Animal Crossing: Wild World has seen similar success, selling over 600,000 copies, as well as maintaining fourteen straight weeks in the top ten all format software chart in the UK since it launched at the end of March. There are also over 250,000 people across Europe now training their brains with Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain?

With many more Touch! Generations games launching this year, including the just launched Big Brain Academy, Nintendo DS will continue to be the main driving force behind the expansion of the video game market this year.

The Nintendo DS Lite is available now in black and white priced at around £100. For all the latest information on Touch! Generation titles please visit www.touchgenerations.com. Click onto www.nintendo-europe-media.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo.

TalkBack / Buena Vista Games Announces E3 Lineup

« on: May 08, 2006, 04:31:30 AM »

Several Wii, DS and GBA titles on show.

Buena Vista Games Strengthens Self-Publishing Business, Unveils New Video Game Lineup at 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo

E3Expo 2006 BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2006--Buena Vista Games, Inc.:

-- Portfolio Includes Console and Handheld Titles Based on New Intellectual Properties and Franchises from The Walt Disney Company

-- Spectrobes, Turok and Desperate Housewives: The Game to Make World Premieres

Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG), the interactive entertainment arm of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), today announced its largest and most diverse lineup ever of console, computer and handheld video game titles to be showcased at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), May 10-12 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Booth No. 1024 in the South Hall.

With a broad portfolio of video games that appeals to a wide audience, BVG's portfolio includes titles inspired by major theatrical releases, popular and award-winning television shows and new intellectual properties.

"Buena Vista Games' 2006 portfolio features the most diverse and extensive product mix to date, with titles based on the rich movie and television brands of The Walt Disney Company and new original properties that we look to build into evergreen franchises for the future," said Graham Hopper, senior vice president and general manager, Buena Vista Games. "We continue to strengthen our self-publishing business with compelling new games that have broad entertainment appeal across all audiences and all major markets worldwide."

For console game players, BVG will showcase a broad range of titles including Turok, an FPS game set on a mysterious planet that is based on the Classic Media comic book license; Disney's Chicken Little: Ace in Action, based on the "super hero movie within a movie" of the box office hit film "Chicken Little"; Disney's Meet the Robinsons, inspired by the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures' futuristic computer-animated film; Lumines Plus, the first console extension of the highly popular Lumines puzzle franchise; and Disney's Kim Possible: What's the Switch?, the first console game based on the hit Disney Channel franchise.

For Windows PC users, Desperate Housewives: The Game, based on the award-winning ABC/Touchstone Television series "Desperate Housewives" will be available for game play for the first time.

BVG's strategy for its kids games portfolio is focused on three endeavors in 2006 -- the launch of the Disney on the Go brand; new efforts in handheld preschool learning games with the launch of Disney's Little Einsteins for Game Boy(R) Advance; and migrating handheld franchise hits to the console for sophisticated gameplay in a family-safe environment with Disney's Kim Possible for PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system.

BVG will showcase handheld games for all major handheld platforms (the PSP(TM) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system, Nintendo DS(TM) and Game Boy Advance). The company's handheld portfolio will include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, based on the upcoming summer blockbuster movie; Spectrobes, a new original title being developed in Japan; Lumines II, Every Extend Extra and Meteos: Disney Edition, action puzzle games from Q ENTERTAINMENT; and games based on popular Disney Channel properties including "Hannah Montana," "Little Einsteins," "American Dragon," "Phil of the Future," "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," "That's So Raven" and more. Also, BVG will present new titles for young girls based on the Disney Princess franchise including a game based on the upcoming DVD release of "The Little Mermaid."

Along with its self-publishing business, BVG continues to work with its licensing partners on phenomenal games based on Disney and Disney-Pixar properties. THQ Inc. will showcase Disney-Pixar Cars and Bethesda Softworks will show Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow in their respective booths at E3.

Disney's Meet The Robinsons Disney's Meet the Robinsons, based on the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures animated film, is a time-traveling action/adventure game. Players will experience the adventure as Wilbur Robinson, helping him chase the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical robotic hat Doris through multiple timelines in an attempt to thwart their evil plans. The game weaves in and out of the film's plot, expanding the Robinson world and offering an all-new adventure. Wilbur will have a host of gadgets at his disposal as he battles enemies and solves puzzles while pursuing Bowler Hat Guy and trying not to alter the future.

Platforms: Wii(TM), PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance

Release Date: 2007

Disney's Chicken Little: Ace in Action Inspired by the "superhero movie within the movie" finale of Walt Disney Pictures' box office hit film "Chicken Little," Disney's Chicken Little: Ace in Action features Ace, the superhero alter ego of Chicken Little, and the Hollywood versions of his misfit band of friends: Runt, Abby and Fish-Out-of-Water. The crew of the intergalactic Battle Barn faces off against Foxy Loxy and her evil Amazonian sidekick, Goosey Loosey, who have an evil plan to take over Earth. Battle evil alien robots through multiple levels across the solar system and combat your foes in one of three distinct game play modes: Ace on foot as a soldier, Runt as the driver of an armored tank, or Abby as the pilot of a spaceship. The original Chicken Little and his friends Abby, Runt and Fish we know from the film are featured in cut scenes throughout the game.

Platforms: Wii, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS

Release Date: Fall 2006

Spectrobes An original concept and new intellectual property from Buena Vista Games, Spectrobes introduces two junior Interplanetary Patrol officers named Rallen and Jeena who learn of strange, prehistoric creatures called Spectrobes that possess special powers. These Spectrobes hold the key to defeating a vicious and merciless force, known only as the Krawl that threatens to destroy the galaxy. The two heroes embark on a mission to save their galaxy -- to do so they must excavate, awaken, train and collect all the Spectrobes they can and battle to defeat the Krawl.

Platform: Nintendo DS

Release Date: To Be Announced

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, based on the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures' film, is a swashbuckling third-person action/adventure. Players will engage in game play that reflects the cunning world of the film franchise -- with an abundance of disloyalty, humor and revenge. Players embark on a daring adventure while sword dueling and hunting for hidden treasure in the quest for the legendary Dead Man's Chest.

Platforms: PSP system, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance

Release Date: June 27, 2006

Meteos: Disney Edition Meteos: Disney Edition is a new version of the popular galactic action puzzle title Meteos featuring beloved Disney characters.

Platform: Nintendo DS

Release Date: Fall 2006

BVG will also showcase upcoming handheld titles including for the Nintendo DS:

Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long, Attack of the Dark Dragon Disney's Kim Possible: Global Gemini Hannah Montana That's So Raven: Psychic on the Scene Disney's The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Tipton Trouble

Games for the Game Boy Advance include:

The Cheetah Girls Phil of the Future W.I.T.C.H.

Licensed Games

Disney-Pixar Cars Published by THQ, Cars, the video game, is a high performance interactive experience in the open world created in the film, challenging players to relive the excitement created by Lightning McQueen and his friends. Fans will discover unique characters and environments inspired by the film with more than 10 playable characters and 30 races and mini games to choose from. The game features a fully immersive recreation of all major environments introduced in the movie, including Radiator Springs and Ornament Valley, which will offer distinctive racing experiences to players while maintaining the artistic style of the film. Platforms: Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, Xbox(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube(R), Nintendo DS, PSP system, Game Boy Advance, Windows PC and Mac

Release Date: June 2006; Xbox 360 and Wii versions -- Fall 2006

TalkBack / Revolution Name Announced!

« on: April 27, 2006, 07:24:37 AM »

The real name for Nintendo's next console is...

The new name for the console tentatively named Revolution is "Wii". Pronounced "we", the name was chosen for being easily memorised, pronounceable by people all around the world, and not needing abbreviation.

The mysterious Nintendo statement and logo are below. Expect to find out more as E3 creeps ever closer.

Wii

Introducing … Wii.

As in “we."

While the code-name “Revolution" expressed our direction, Wii represents the answer.

Wii will break down that wall that separates video game players from everybody else.

Wii will put people more in touch with their games … and each other. But you’re probably asking: What does the name mean?

Wii sounds like “we," which emphasizes this console is for everyone.

Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.

Wii has a distinctive “ii" spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the image of people gathering to play.

And Wii, as a name and a console, brings something revolutionary to the world of video games that sets it apart from the crowd.

So that’s Wii. But now Nintendo needs you.

Because, it’s really not about you or me.

It’s about Wii.

And together, Wii will change everything.

TalkBack / Animal Crossing: Wild World in Europe Today!

« on: March 31, 2006, 02:39:20 AM »

Now you can chop down trees and fish in another part of the world.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF ANIMAL CROSSING: WILD WORLD TAKES JAPAN BY STORM AND LAUNCHES IN EUROPE TODAY

31 March 2006 – Today people across Europe will be settling down to enjoy a second life as Animal Crossing: Wild World launches across Europe. Japanese sales of Animal Crossing: Wild World have rocketed past the 2 million mark, continuing the success of the Nintendo DS and reaffirming Nintendo’s position as leader in the handheld market. From the makers of Nintendogs, which itself has sold approximately 6 million units worldwide, Animal Crossing: Wild World utilises Nintendo’s newly launched Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service, allowing Nintendo DS users to play each other across the globe.

Animal Crossing: Wild World, offers gamers entertainment without restrictions as they are given the freedom to live the life of a new resident in the world of Animal Crossing. Players must explore their new town, take part in daily chores and make friends with their animal neighbours, all of which is set in real time using the Nintendo DS’s internal clock. The touch screen provides a new level of interaction within the game, such as hand writing letters and designing complex patterns for clothes.

One of the key features of Animal Crossing: Wild World on the Nintendo DS is the multiplayer gameplay, this makes use of Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection service, which already has over 1 million unique users worldwide since it launched in November 2005. Players can travel to friends’ towns via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or Wireless Multi Card Play providing the opportunity to meet new characters and exchange rare items. Building friendships while visiting can also entice a creature to move to the player’s town. These two multiplayer modes give players the flexibility to choose how and with whom they play Animal Crossing: Wild World.

This ‘feel-good’ title seems to have inspired dedicated gamers around the world as Animal Crossing websites and online communities have sprung up across the globe, paying homage to the world of Animal Crossing.

Animal Crossing: Wild World is available across Europe on the Nintendo DS from 31st March 2006 for the estimated retail price of around €40.

Click onto www.nintendo-europe-media.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo. Click onto www.nintendowifi.com for further details on the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Service and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection public WiFi hotspots.

TalkBack / WiFi Hotspots at UK Retailers From Today

« on: March 22, 2006, 04:03:27 AM »

Over 500 stores will have Nintendo DS Download Stations for demos.

Nintendo UK and BT Openzone roll out Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection hotspots to retailers

Nationwide retail rollout sees installation of over 600 hotspots offering free Nintendo Wi-Fi connection access and downloadable game demos to all

22 March 2006 – Nintendo UK and BT Openzone have today announced the roll out of over 600 BT Openzone / Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection hotspots to retailers across the UK and Ireland. The hotspots will provide retailers and their customers with simple, safe and free access to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service.

In addition and to coincide with the release of Animal Crossing: Wild World on Nintendo DS, over 500 of the Wi-Fi enabled stores will also offer anyone the chance to download playable demos of current and upcoming Nintendo DS titles via Nintendo DS 'Download Stations' attached to their Nintendo DS interactive units – again absolutely free. The roll out commences from today and all 607 stores will go live by summer 2006.

BT Openzone / Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection hotspots and Nintendo DS 'Download Stations' will be located in GAME, Gamestation, HMV, Toys R US, Smyths Toys and other selected independent retailers across the UK and Ireland. The installation of these hotspots will add to the 7,500 hotspots which gamers already have access to across the UK, thanks to Nintendo's partnership with Wi-Fi providers such as BT Openzone.

Games initially available to download include one level demos of Polarium, Meteos and the chance to meet Shigeru Miyamoto's nintendog 'Pic'. Upcoming downloads in April and May include playable demos of Pokemon Link, Trauma Centre: Under the Knife and Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? Other Nintendo goodies downloadable to your DS will include special items for Animal Crossing: Wild World and a very special Metroid Prime: Hunters movie. New content will be added and refreshed by Nintendo on a monthly basis so there's always something new to experience.

To access the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service at a retail location all you need to do is walk into a store with your Nintendo DS console and any Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection compatible game, turn on your console and choose the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection option from the game's main menu.

To download demos via 'Download Stations' it's just as easy – turn on your Nintendo DS console and on the system menu tap the 'DS Download Play' button. The download will remain available and playable on your Nintendo DS console until the power is turned off.

Commenting on the rollout David Yarnton, General Manager, Nintendo UK, said: "Nintendo are once again leading the way in bringing a significant, groundbreaking service to UK retailers and their customers. Nintendo has revolutionised Wi-Fi video gaming, removing all of the negative aspects whilst retaining the fun and diversity it offers and now anyone can join in with the one million other people across the globe currently enjoying our service. The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service truly offers the mass market a great opportunity to fully embrace Wi-Fi."

Chris Bruce, General Manager of BT Wireless Broadband, added: "The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service is already proving extremely popular with users across the world. From our point-of-view, it's a strong proof-point that Wi-Fi is becoming mainstream. We'll really see Wi-Fi coming of age this year and this agreement is taking BT Openzone even further into the high street and retail parks by giving gamers access to Wi-Fi in an easy and accessible format at the point-of-purchase."

Nintendo's wireless gaming service has hit an all- time gaming record of 1 million unique users, in less than four months in operation. The 1 millionth user was a player in Japan, who logged on to play Animal Crossing: Wild World.

Click onto www.nintendo-europe.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo.

TalkBack / Pokémon Link in Europe in May

« on: March 13, 2006, 10:50:22 PM »

The same game as Pokémon Trozei, out in Europe on the 5th of May.

PUZZLE YOUR WAY TO FREE POKÉMON!

All the greatest Pokémon characters in one place

14th March 2006 – Get set to experience a whole new dimension to the world of Pokémon, as Pokémon Link! the all-new slide action puzzle adventure launches exclusively on the Nintendo DS. Providing an exciting new addition to the Pokémon series, Pokémon Link! is available across Europe on the 5th May 2006.

Featuring over 380 characters from the Game Boy Advance Pokémon video game series, Pokémon Link challenges players to line up four of their favourite Pokémon icons in a row as they drop onto the game screen. Using the Nintendo DS’s stylus and touch screen, players must move the icons horizontally or vertically to join up four of the same type. Once a line is formed ‘Link Chance’ occurs and the icons are cleared from the screen and collected in the players ‘Link List’. By strategically moving Pokémon into certain formations, players can obtain higher scores with a ‘chain reaction’ where icons falling into cleared spaces create further ‘Links’. To help form chains, for a short time after a successful link, a link of three Pokémon instead of four will clear, followed by a link of two.

Further to the sliding puzzle mode, an all-new adventure mode brings this exciting and unique new Pokémon world to life. Fans must guide secret agent Lucy Fleetfoot through this world on a mission to rescue stolen Pokémon from the evil organisation, “Phobos". In this epic adventure she will encounter Pokémon of all shapes and sizes from every previously released game.

For a chance to battle against friends, players can make use of the Nintendo DS’s wireless functionality in ‘Link Battle Mode’, or join forces with them in ‘Pair Link Mode’ to challenge the game’s high score in a co-op. Pokémon Link also allows players to compare scores with those of their friends through the games “Ranking Stats" facility. What’s more, rare Pokémon are much more likely to appear in multiplayer modes, making this a must for the dedicated collector.

By using the ‘Download Play’ function of the Nintendo DS, players can enjoy Pokémon Link with their friends, even if they do not own a copy of the game! ‘Pokémon Link! Mini’ allow players to enjoy battle and pair Link modes with just one game card.

Pokémon Link! also features an ‘Espionage Mode’, which works in a similar way to ‘bark mode’ seen in Nintendogs. Players can create an ‘Agent Card’ featuring their nickname and message. When passing another DS in ‘espionage mode’ the agent cards will be traded. Collecting these cards also increases the chance to find rare Pokémon.

With four exciting modes to experience and new and exciting visuals, Pokémon Link! will appeal to young and old Pokémon fans alike when it launches across Europe on the Nintendo DS from 5th May 2006 for the estimated retail price of around £30

Click onto www.nintendo-europe-media.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo.

TalkBack / Online Webchat with Shigeru Miyamoto

« on: March 09, 2006, 06:13:22 AM »

Submit your questions now for Shigeru Miyamoto to answer in a web-chat at www.webchats.tv

On Friday 17th March, Shigeru Miyamoto will be taking part in a webchat on the website www.webchats.tv.

Questions may be submitted to him from the website starting from now, and you can watch him answer as many as he can on the 17th.

It is expected that he will answer questions about the Nintendo DS and the latest DS games including New Super Mario Bros.

TalkBack / PREVIEWS: Metroid Prime: Hunters

« on: May 20, 2005, 09:50:38 AM »

Learn more about Metroid Prime Hunters from our hands-on time with the final build. Massive preview update!

Last updated: 03/01/2006 by Daniel Bloodworth

Representatives from NST detailed how Hunters evolved from its early demo form at E3 2004 to its final state today. They had wanted to implement online gameplay from the start of the project, but the original schedule for the game placed it on release lists months before Nintendo WiFi Connection would be up and running. However, after E3 2005, the feedback was "too much to ignore," and the team was given the extra time to make online happen.

The single player adventure features an entirely new story that takes place between Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Samus is sent outside of the jurisdiction of the Galactic Federation's own forces to investigate a telepathic message broadcast that was intercepted by the Federation. The message regards a series of powerful crystals scattered across multiple planets, and Samus is instructed to collect them to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. Other bounty hunters have also learned of these crystals and seek to acquire them for their own reasons.

As in previous demos, Metroid Prime Hunters has a variety of control schemes using either the stylus or face buttons, and NST recommends that players experiment with the different variations and sensitivities to find the control scheme that suits them best. In addition to the touch screen buttons to switch to missiles or use your character's alternate form (such as the morph ball), you can also change beams, or switch to the scan visor. Interestingly enough, Samus starts the game with her basic arsenal intact: morph ball, bombs, missiles, and charge beam.

Samus's ship serves as a base where you can change settings, save, or move locations. As you are exploring, you will sometimes receive messages from the ship, alerting you that another bounty hunter is in the vicinity. You'll battle these other hunters throughout the game, and they can steal crystals that you've acquired, retreating to another planet or area that you'll need to locate in order to retrieve the crystal. Once you've removed all of the major artifacts from an area, a self-destruct sequence will activate, and you'll need to move quickly through new routes in order to escape in time.

Multiplayer features include download play as well as multi-card and online play. The additional bounty hunters are unlocked in multiplayer either by defeating them in the adventure mode or by defeating a friend who uses that character in multiplayer. Each of the new hunters has a unique alternate form and unique weapons. Any player can acquire any of the weapons as power-ups during matches, but if you use the weapon your character is most familiar with, it will be more effective or have extra functionality. You can group into teams, so finding combinations of characters that work well together can give you an advantage as well.

Friends can be added to your list just like in other Wi-Fi Connection titles: either by playing with that friend over a local connection or by exchanging friend codes. However, Hunters also introduces the rivals system. You can add a rival either by setting your DS to Rival Radar and hoping to pass to another Hunters player on the street (just like Bark Mode in Nintendogs) or you can add players you've connected with online to your rivals list. You can then check your rivals' stats to see who's getting more kills, etc.

Setting up a multiplayer game in Hunters is a lot more open than in Mario Kart DS. After you decide whether to play worldwide or with friends, you can choose from a list of games waiting for players, view the details on each game, or create a game yourself. If you decide to host a game, you will be able to choose from a number of different rules pertaining to the mode you want to play, you will choose the arena, and you will be able to decide whether or not to allow friendly fire between teammates. Once you've chosen a game, you'll enter a lobby with the other players where you'll be able to chat with people on your friends list, either by text or by holding down the X button to activate the microphone like a walkie-talkie. Once each player has settled on the character they want to use, the host can start the game at any time, no matter how many players have joined. After the match, you'll reconvene briefly to look at the scores and smack talk a bit.

There are seven modes of play to choose from in multiplayer.

Battle is a standard deathmatch in which the player to get the most kills in the time limit wins.

Survival is a stock match that continues until one player is left standing.

Prime Hunter is sort of a game of tag. The first player to get a kill becomes the Prime Hunter, and his power will drain continuously unless he kills other players. If another player kills the Prime Hunter, they will become the new Prime Hunter, and whoever has carried the title longest at the end of the match wins.

Capture has you grabbing a crystal and returning to your base. However, once you have the crystal, you are prohibited from changing into your alternate form, making you a slower target.

Bounty is a variation of Capture.

Defender requires you to control a certain section of the map longer than your opponents, king of the hill style.

Nodes is similar to Defender, but with multiple rings scattered throughout the environment that you have to take control of.

Part of the robust online system of Metroid Prime Hunters is each player's Hunters License, which tracks tons of stats including kills, wins, streaks, favorite weapons/characters/stages, lucky stages (where you get the most wins), time played, distance covered, etc. After playing Mario Kart DS online, the Hunters designers were fed up with players dropping out of games, so they added connection history to the stats, so other players can see how often you stay connected to the games you start. Brilliantly, this rating only counts when players power-off their DS systems in the middle of a game, not when they lose a connection based on technical problems. Your Hunters License is further expanded if you log into the Wi-Fi Connection web site, allowing you to compare your scores to those of friends and rivals. You will even be able to browse your friends' friend lists to see if anyone else you know is playing the game, although you will still have to contact that person directly for his or her friend code.

Last updated: 05/20/2005 by Jonathan Metts

The E3 demo is only set up for four-player wireless gameplay, but PGC has learned that the single-player mode of Hunters is well into development and is going to be more faithful to the series than you might think. The adventure spans several planets and has some of the exploration and upgrading elements of past Metroid games, but it's also infused with the bounty hunting theme that is prevalent in the multiplayer mode.

The story is essentially about Samus competing among other bounty hunters to retrieve a set of artifacts, which are scattered among the different planets. You travel among planets with your ship, although the player can't control it directly. Each planet is its own unique world to be explored, though it's unclear whether the level design will follow the pattern of the GameCube's Prime games. Instead of mutated native species for bosses, you'll face off against one of the rival bounty hunters already being seen in the multiplayer mode. If Samus wins, she'll win one of the artifacts. If she loses, the game continues on, but the other bounty hunter will take the artifact and flee to another planet, so Samus will have to track him down and defeat him for good.

As for upgrading, there probably won't be new movement upgrades in the tradition of the series, but there are a total of eight weapons to be found, and it seems that once you find them, they are in your inventory permanently. So the weapon upgrades do seem to work as usual in that respect. A big difference, however, is that Samus can only carry two weapons (plus her trusty power beam and missiles) at a time, and the rest are stored on her ship. Different areas and enemies will call for particular weapons, so there is some strategy and perhaps puzzle-solving involved in choosing the right weapons for the job. You can return to the ship to switch out weapons, of course.

Metroid Prime Hunters is still being billed as a multiplayer-centric title by Nintendo, but this new information should give hope to Metroid fans looking for a fix on the DS.

Last updated: 05/17/2005 by Mike Sklens

Metroid Prime: Hunters, in development at NST (although Retro may be involved, as their logo graces the title screen), has seen a lot of changes since both the 2004 Electronics Entertainment Expo and the release of the “First Hunt" demo. By now, most gamers know the basic idea. Samus will square off against some of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. Nintendo has stated that Hunters will focus heavily on Samus’s offensive capabilities, meaning there will probably be little to no exploration in the game.

The E3 2005 demo includes three modes. Bounty Mode is the Hunters version of capture the flag. Hunter Battle is a classic style deathmatch, and System Hack is a variation on king of the hill.

The System Hack mode, which is similar to Halo 2’s “Territories" game, sets up an arena similar to a game of king of the hill. The difference is that there are three "hills", which are really data access points that must be hacked, which takes several seconds during which you are quite vulnerable. Players must step into and control an area of the map. Once they have done this, they start accumulating points. After controlling one "hill", it’s possible to grab the other two, thus increasing the rate at which points rack up. The winner is the player with the most points at the end of the match.

The other bounty hunters all have their own special abilities, including special morph forms. First there is Noxus, who can transform into a spinning top with a blade arm attack. Spire can change into a spike covered ball capable of damaging others and climbing walls. However, unlike Samus’s spider-ball from the Metroid Prime series, Spire’s ball is more like the spider-ball from Metroid 2 in that it can climb any wall. Kanden morphs into a larva and has the ability to drop tail segments that will home in on his foes. Nintendo promises that three more bounty hunters will be revealed later. It’s pretty safe to assume that some of them will have to be unlocked in the final version of the game.

As far as looks go, Hunters has improved quite a bit since the First Hunt demo released with the Nintendo DS. The framerate has improved and there are tons of particle effects now. The team at NST has been focusing on these improvements quite a bit. A four player game will have tons of projectiles, bombs, explosions, and characters flying all over the place. Samus’s 3D model has received a makeover and looks much better now. The game’s new levels and characters are also more colorful than the First Hunt demo would lead players to believe. Regarding the interface, the touch screen now looks more like a visor, though gameplay is still displayed on the upper screen. There is also a “Headshot!" callout on screen that pops up when you pop off an opponent's head.

Hunters also adds new weapons to the Metroid universe. One of them lobs balls of magma. Another can be charged to freeze opponents, but it is different from the Ice Beam in Metroid Prime. A third weapon behaves like a shotgun. Each bounty hunter has an affinity for a certain weapons in the game, and will play better when using that weapon. Also, each bounty hunter starts with a different default weapon. The default weapon has unlimited ammunition, but universal ammo pickups are used to refill other armaments. The charge function acts like a secondary fire for each weapon. For example, missiles are homing by default, but they can be charged up to become (non-homing) super missiles. The final version of the game will include more weapons and levels. Some of these levels are designed for liberal use of the morph forms.

Currently, Metroid Prime: Hunters supports four players over a local wireless connection, and does not offer an online mode. However, the game’s AI bots are devilishly intelligent. When Hunters is finished, it will have lots of options to customize the multiplayer matches. Players will be able to set variables such as time and kill limits. There’s no word yet on whether or not the game will keep detailed statistics.

More on the single player modes will be revealed later. Unfortunately, it’s looking like the game's single player will be little more than arena battles against AI opponents, but NST may come out and surprise us with something more in the vein of Retro's Metroid Prime adventures.

Last updated: 05/11/2004

The graphics of this title are startlingly similar to the GameCube version. The bottom screen is the main screen for the game and shows the action in first person mode. It is played using the touch screen, with the stylus or a finger the bottom screen is used for camera rotation, aiming and firing, and to transform into a morph ball. The game uses the same artwork, graphics, sound and architecture from Metroid Prime for GameCube so retains the look and feel of the series.

The upper screen of the DS is used for area maps. The game also uses the wireless networking function for four-player connectivity.

TalkBack / Opera Browser Confirmed for Nintendo DS

« on: February 14, 2006, 10:07:12 PM »

It'll come on a DS card and you'll be able to browse the Internet in double!

Giving gamers two windows to the Web: The Opera Browser for Nintendo DS™

February 15, 2006: Opera Software today announced that it will deliver the World Wide Web to Nintendo DS users in Japan. In Opera's agreement with Nintendo, Nintendo DS users will now be able to surf the full Internet from their systems using the Opera browser. The Opera browser for Nintendo DS will be sold as a DS card. Users simply insert the card into the Wi-Fi enabled Nintendo DS, connect to a network, and begin browsing on two screens.

Earlier this year, Nintendo reported that 13 million Nintendo DS systems were sold to consumers around the world within just 13 months of its debut in November 2004. Nintendo DS combines unique dual screens, touch screen, voice recognition and wireless and Wi-Fi communications capabilities. According to an independent market research company in Japan, Nintendo DS has become the fastest selling video games machine to top the 6 million sales mark in Japan in just over 14 months since its Japanese debut, breaking the old record held by Nintendo's Game Boy Advance.

"The incredibly popular Nintendo DS is already Wi-Fi enabled to support real-time gaming, so adding Web browsing capabilities was a natural evolution for this device," says Scott Hedrick, Executive Vice President, Opera Software. "Gaming devices are growing more advanced and a great Web experience is becoming a product differentiator for gaming manufacturers. Opera is excited to work with Nintendo to deliver a unique dual screen, full Internet experience on Nintendo DS."

With an on-screen keypad and stylus, users can easily navigate the Web from their Nintendo DS with PDA-like functionality. Based on the same core as the Opera desktop browser, Opera delivers superior speed and rendering of Web pages on the Nintendo DS.

“Within just five seconds of turning on the system, the Nintendo DS is already fully operational. This makes it the ideal device to enable people to swiftly obtain the latest information from the internet, wherever they are," says Masaru Shimomura, Deputy General Manager of Nintendo’s R & D Department. "Opera exceeded our expectations with its user friendly interface, quick access to all your favorite sites, ease of use and, most importantly, in making the best use of the Nintendo DS system’s unique double screens and touch screen features. Opera is an important partner for Nintendo in our efforts to further expand the users of the Nintendo DS."

Nintendo Co., Ltd. held a presentation today in Tokyo, Japan, to announce updates for the Nintendo DS. Information on the availability of the Opera browser DS card has not yet been announced.

100

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Ty the Tasmanian Tiger

« on: September 02, 2002, 12:44:07 AM »

PGC's resident Australian is Ben, not Ty. But in this game Ty is wandering the Outback.

The first thing that hits you is that everything about the game is set in Australia, with areas, accents and animals to match. I played a level set at the Great Barrier Reef. You play as Ty, who was raised in a bilbies (an Australian animal) and thinks he is the last remaining of his species. When finds out his family has been trapped in another world called the Dreamtime, he goes on a quest to bring them back.

Walking Ty around a level, he leaves white paw prints on the bare ground. His main weapon is a boomerang, quite effective for taking down enemies. There are nice effects such as hitting the arrows directing you through the level, as this will make them shake. The L button centres the camera and brings up a target, useful for making sure of a hit but only for close targets as the boomerangs cannot be thrown very far. On land you can use the boomerangs and bite enemies. The red gems around the level are fairly easy to collect as they are picked up when you are close them. The gems also show the path of the level.

There was a lot of swimming through the area, which is quite large, and when underwater the boomerangs cannot be used. Instead, “aquarangs" are acquired with the help of your platypus friend who also teaches you to swim. These can be used to hit switches to open gates and hit underwater animals. Enemies underwater include sharks swimming around that snap at you and alligators that lay mines. Throwing boomerangs at the mines will make them explode but they hurt Ty if he is too close. The X button dives and pressing A makes swimming faster. Many different animals guide you through the levels and offer their help, and all are based on the animals found in Australia. The controls underwater are quite easy: the control stick spins Ty for facing different directions and then tapping A moves forward. The Y button is a context-sensitive action button, used when an exclamation mark appears above Ty’s head, for example to swim into tanks.