Animal Crossing is a game that I really want. Hopefully living in the big city, there will be lots of other people walking around with a DS and Animal Crossing in it, so I can visit their town.

Chris

http://gba.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/m...html?fromint=1

Nintendo DS Games -- Hands-On Impressions (NDS)
The Big N gives us our first full experience with its upcoming two-screened wonder.
By GameSpy Staff | Oct. 9, 2004


We just got back from Nintendo's Gamer's Summit in Seattle where the company allowed us some hands on time with the DS system and its games. Here's a glimpse at the games that we got to play on this unique (and extremely cool) machine.


Asphalt Urban GT

This was probably the least exciting game shown at the event. It wasn't all that impressive, graphically, and it really didn't take advantage of the DS' unique functions. It's an racing game that features licensed vehicles such as Lamborghinis, Hummers, VWs, Audis, and more as well as wireless play with up to four people. Multiplayer modes include standard races, a championship mode, and the two player Cop Chase, where one player (the cop) pursues the second player (the not a cop).

The race takes place on the DS' top screen in full 3D, and the lower screen shows a 2D, overhead map of the track. Other than the separate map screen, Asphalt Urban GT looked like it would be right at home on the GBA. Perhaps it would have been a bigger deal had Ridge Racer not been on display.


Band Brothers

This game was also referred to as Jam with the Band in some of Nintendo's literature, but on the demo floor, it was called Band Brothers. Who knows what the final name will be? Regardless of what you call it, this music game plays very much like Nintendo's recently released GameCube title, Donkey Konga except instead of hitting drums, you're using the DS' stylus to poke at the notes on the touch screen. The game itself looks rather plain, but the menus have a funky, Woodstock-inspired look about them. And we're talking about the 1969 Woodstock concert here, not one of those phony recent ones (we're also not referring to Snoopy's feathered friend, either).

In addition to the touch screen capabilities, Band Brothers also uses the DS' wireless capabilities in a jazzy way. If you're within range of other people playing the game, an unlimited number of people can play at once, each "playing" a different instrument. It's like a virtual orchestra. Even if you just have one copy of the game, up to eight players can wirelessly connect to it and play in an eight piece band.

Feel the Magic: XY/XX


This bizarre game from Sega was created by the same team that made the hardcore PS2 hit, Rez, and boy, does it show. Like Rez, it has a simplistic graphic style that oozes with funky style. In this case, all the characters are seen in silhouette. The gameplay can best be described as WarioWare with a plot. You're a guy who has just bumped into the girl of his dreams, and you attempt to win her heart through a series of bizarre mini-games.

The demo we played was very brief, but during our short time with it, we used the DS' stylus to urge live goldfish out of a man's stomach, knock scorpions off of the young lady's back (be careful not to hit her accidentally), and fight off charging bulls (by rapidly tapping the screen). There was even a mini-game that requires you to blow into the DS' microphone. So if you plan on playing Feel the Magic during your morning commute, expect to get some odd looks.

Madden NFL 2005

It looks like the DS will be getting its yearly dose of Madden like any other good system. The game was plays in full 3D, and it looks very impressive for a portable system. Wireless play is a given, of course, but now you have the added luxury of selecting your plays from the touch screen, so that your opponent won't know what to expect. During the actual game, the bottom screen is filled up with a bird's eye view of the field, with both teams represented by the classic "X"s and "O"s. Hopefully there's a secret code that allows you to play as the alphabetic teams in full 3D.

Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt

This is the demo of Metroid Prime Hunters that will be included with the Nintendo DS system. Fortunately, Nintendo has rethought the game's control scheme since it was last shown at E3. It's still played by holding the system in your left hand and the stylus in your right. The D-pad controls forward/backward movement and strafing while the stylus and touch screen control looking around. Much like using the popular keyboard and mouse FPS setup. The big problem with the E3 build of the game was that you shot by double tapping the screen with the stylus. Now, firing is handled by the left shoulder button, and the double tap causes Samus to jump. This is much more natural feeling when you play.

The highlight of the demo was obviously the multiplayer deathmatches with should give early DS adopters plenty to do with their new system. Everything ran incredibly smoothly and looked terrific. The only potential problem we see with the game right now is that holding the system in one hand and tapping the screen with the other tends to throw your hands off balance. We found ourselves resting the system on a table to play after our hands grew tired.


Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits


The Mr. Driller demo was brief, but it's already one of our most anticipated games for the system. After releasing the original Mr. Driller for PS1, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Color, we figured that Namco had abandoned the series in the U.S. (several sequels were released in Japan). This action/puzzle game has you leading Mr. Driller himself (real name: Susumu Hori, son of Namco's classic character, Dig Dug) down into center of the earth by drilling away at multi-colored blocks. By strategically making the blocks fall onto like colors, they form combos and disappear. Since you must grab oxygen capsules as you dig, it's a race against time and the falling blocks that won't think twice before crushing you.

The main action in Drill Spirits takes place on the lower screen where you can use the stylus to point Susumu to where you want him to drill (although we found using the old fashioned D-Pad to be faster and more accurate). The top screen shows a giant (and presumably evil) drill that's burrowing down after you. If you waste time, the drill will catch up to you, and it's game over. This was the only mode available in the demo, but Namco promises new modes and multiplayer battles with up to four players in the final product.


PictoChat

This simple chat program is built into the Nintendo DS hardware. If you turn on a system with no game, you'll be taken to it. Up to 16 people can chat at once, by using the stylus to either select letters from an onscreen keyboard or by simply writing what you want to say. For those of you who are artistically inclined, you can even draw pictures to send to your friends. Since you can also copy someone's message and edit it before sending it back, we played a few heated games of Wireless Tic-Tac-Toe. We suspect that PictoChat will be best utilized in a classroom where students can hide the system on their lap as an easy way to goof off and cheat on tests. But you didn't hear that from us, OK?


Ping Pals

Ping Pals was jokingly referred to as "The PictoChat that you pay for." And although it is indeed a chat program (for up to 16 people), it has plenty more features than the freebie PictoChat. In Ping Pals, you create a cartoony avatar and play a variety of solo and multiplayer mini-games. These games earn you points to deck out your avatar with thousands of different items. There are even rare items that you'll find at the Item Shop on specific dates or at certain times of day. You may even get a little surprise on your birthday. Adding to the community aspect of the game, you can even trade items with your friends.

Pokémon Dash


Dash felt more like a DS tech demo than an actual game. In it, you repeatedly (and rapidly) ran the stylus over the touch screen to make Pikachu run along a race course on the top screen. By changing the direction of your rubbing, you control Pikachu's direction and lead him to several checkpoints before reaching the finish line. It was kinda fun, but it felt like it would eventually end up being a mini-game in a larger Pokémon title.


Ridge Racer DS

Ridge Racer looked outstanding on the DS. It really felt like playing the PS1 classic on a handheld unit. The game features 20 racetracks scattered around three different locations including the city from Ridge Racer and the Northwest course from Ridge Racer Revolution. Up to six players will be able to race against each other at once. Namco was boasting about the true analog steering allowed by the DS' touch screen. The screen was filled with a steering wheel that you could use the stylus (or even your thumb) to move. It's a neat gimmick, but we were having some difficulties controlling the car with this method. Perhaps it will just take some practice playing this way.



Spider-Man 2

Just in time for the movie's DVD release, this new DS title will be released. It's one of those snazzy "2.5-D" games (yes, I hate the term, too) along the lines of Klonoa (yay!) or The Cat in the Hat (shudder!). This means that the game features full 3D graphics, but the gameplay is classic 2D stuff. There are large levels and plenty of bad guys for Spidey to beat up or snare in his web.

The DS' touch screen has been put to use as a management tool for Spider-Man's special moves. Old web head has eight special moves in all (most must be unlocked) that are activated with the right shoulder button. To switch between the special moves, you simply tap the move's icon on the lower screen. During boss fights, there are touch screen minigames as well. For example, during the fight against Doc Ock on the runaway train (you remember that from the movie, no doubt), Doc will periodically stop his standard attacks, and the game shifts to Spidey's point of view. Now, evil Otto begins tossing debris at you, which must be deflected by hitting it on the touchpad. This one is shaping up to be much better than a movie-licensed launch title should be.

Sprung


This game, known for only the briefest of moments as Crush, is a bizarre dating sim, a genre that has been popular for years in Japan, but hasn't really been seen in the U.S. In the short demo that we played, two characters (a guy and a girl) were talking to each other, with one on each of the DS' two screens. In an unexpected twist, you controlled the girl's conversation by choosing from a list of remarked that ranged from innocent conversation to rude remarks to something that equated to "I want you. Take me now!" The guy would react accordingly, although being a nice guy; he was a bit put off by the "take me" remarks. Eventually, the girl's friends would show up, and you'd begin talking to them about other boys and whatnot. That's pretty much all there was to the demo, so it'll be interesting to see how the full game shapes up.



Super Mario 64 DS

As the only first party title available for the DS on launch day (unless you're counting PictoChat and the Metroid demo, it's a pretty safe bet that if you're buying the system on November 21, you'll also be getting this game (which was formerly known as Super Mario 64x4. And you have good reason to. It is, after all, an enhanced port of the classic N64 launch game. And do we mean enhanced. In addition to the multiplayer mode Nintendo showed us at E3 (which wasn't playable in this demo), the single player adventure has been reworked a bit as well.

Strangely enough, you begin the game not as Mario, but as Yoshi. As you progress through the game, you find the plumber, his brother Luigi, and the maniacal Wario, and then gain the option to play as them. Since the character all have different moves and specific stages to play through, you can find hats that allow you to transform into the others for a while. Believe me, it was quite weird playing as "Mario" as he was making Yoshi noises.

There are also new power-ups like the mushroom that makes Mario grow. Troublesome obstacles like rolling boulders are no match for giant Mario. The Power Flower grants new powers to each character -- inflating Mario into a balloon, coating Wario in metal, turning Luigi invisible, and letting Yoshi breathe fire.

And the changes don't stop there. There are new stages, and 30 new stars to collect (bringing the total up to 150). When you tire of the main game, there are dozens of mini-games based around the four characters. We especially enjoyed playing Luigi's card games, where he's dressed like a Vegas card dealer while Toad serves drinks in the background.

The DS' touch screen not only shows a 2D map of the current stage, but you can use your thumb on the screen to simulate an analog controller. Like Ridge Racer, though, this was pretty difficult to get the hang of.


Tiger Woods PGA Tour

Along with Madden, EA is bringing Tiger Woods to the DS. The game is played in full 3D on the top screen, while the bottom shows an overhead view of each hole. When you go to hit the ball, the stylus allows you to make a perfect swing. It really feels natural. There are six courses to choose from, and wireless multiplayer is a given. All players shoot at once, making the game go by much faster than it normally would.


The Urbz: Sims in the City


Given the immense popularity of The Sims, it should come as no surprise that EA is bringing its spinoff, The Urbz to the DS. EA mainly showed off how the game takes advantage of the DS' touch screen. The game itself is played on the top screen, while the lower screen keeps all of your goals within eyeshot so you don't have to interrupt the action to see what you should do next.

You can also paint you own pictures on the touch screen and hang them in your house. EA was especially proud of the pet creation system, where a mini-game involved using the touch screen to cut into a hunk of amber to gain the material needed to clone a pet dinosaur. Because, you know, dinosaurs are the "in" pet with hip, young city dwellers nowadays. Another mini-game (this one rooted a bit more in reality) involved slicing up sushi. There are nine mini-games in total that you'll play as you explore the 25 separate locations in the five areas of the city.


WarioWare, Inc. DS

If you haven't played WarioWare for GBA, go play it now. Bask in its pure wonderfulness. The collection of five second long mini-games is about as addictive as games get. Factor in the warped sense of humor, and you have a classic for the ages. Now imagine playing all new whacked-out mini-games using just the DS' touchscreen.

Tickling a man's armpit, drawing Japanese symbols, carving a statue out of a block of marble, scratching Wario's back, aiming a urinating statue so that it's "stream" extinguishes a fire, and rolling a snowball to complete a snowman. That eats up a good 30 seconds of gameplay. If you like the bizarre, this is the DS' killer app.


Yoshi's Touch & Go

If you're a hardcore gamer from the NES days, Yoshi's Touch & Go can best be described as Gumshoe with Yoshi. If you have no idea what that sentence meant, here's the deal. In this game, you don't control Yoshi (or Baby Mario, who's riding on the dino's back). Instead, Yoshi in constantly moving, and you use the stylus to draw clouds on the screen to help him avoid obstacles.

The demo began with Baby Mario falling (with a parachute, so don't worry) from the sky. As he fell on the top screen, you saw hazards coming towards him on the bottom screen. You must quickly draw a circle of clouds around enemies to that they can't hurt the plumber to be. Additionally, you can draw paths of clouds to direct Mario's descent so that he picks up coins as he falls.

Eventually, Mario reaches the ground, where Yoshi catches him. Now, with Yoshi running along the bottom screen, you must keep him out of harm's way by drawing bridges over pits. You also use the stylus to aim Yoshi's eggs at enemies to defeat them and to collect coins.

Although some games were certainly more exciting than others, it became very clear that the DS is a system ripe with possibility. We're really looking forward to seeing what companies will do with the DS' touch screen and wireless capabilities (wow, we can't wait for Mario Kart DS. And with the $150 price tag, it definitely seems worth it.



I guess Gamespy doesn't want people linking to their photos, so I couldn't include the photos in this story. You will have to click on the link to see what the screens look like.

Chris

I disagree, the case with consoles is different because there was a real price war. It is different for handhelds. The only time the GBA dropped was because there was a new system coming. I wouldn't expect a price drop for a very long time.

Of course with Sony this time around things may be different. However, all sources point to the DS being significantly cheaper so it will be the PSP chasing the DS for a competitive price point, if at all.

I was hoping that when they said they put in an optional control scheme it would be one that didn't use the stylus. I really don't know if using the stylus to play FPS will work. Actually one of my main concerns is how do you hold the unit and play with your left hand while using the stylus in your right. Sounds difficult. Maybe one of the more popular accessories will be a hand strap like on a professional camera.

Ugh... I think the stylus is a neat concept, and good for games like animal crossing where selecting things is half the battle, but are all games going to incorporate the stylus now? I really don't want to have to pick up a stylus in the middle of an FPS or action game, and these games where you use your thumbs on the touchscreen make me cringe thinking about the fingerprints it'll leave.

I also don't think this stylus control scheme is a good idea, and hope they give an alternate way of controlling Samus.

Yoshi's Touch & Go struck me as kinda stupid at first, but the more I thought about it the more interesting it seemed. Especially quickly drawing bridges and whatnot.

I'm glad to see they are including the PictoChat program for free, but I imagine that would have been cooler when I was still in school. I'm the only one of my friends that owns a GBA and I'm sure I'll be the only one who gets a DS.

I just hope it doesn't go this way


But with the fair price, it shouldn't.

I heart my virtual boy.

And hopefully, no headaches.

MY EYES!!!

Thanks for the opinions, Josh Hinkle and tanman. I have gone from thinking the DS was a bad idea to being very interested in owning one.

my only concern is that the DS launches big but then due to lack of support will fizzle out, a la virtual boy; the whole concept still seems kind of gimmicky; only a handful of games will truly make use of the 2nd screen; and most other (let's say ridge racer for example), will just put in leftover stuff like time/track info, etc on there

Even if the second screen fails to be used in a innovative way the fact that the info/map is on the second screen makes gaiming so much better IMO.

Finally I racer where 25% is not sacrificed to speed, rpm, track info, etc. I'm really looking forward to games being able to utilize a full display area.

And with the number of games already on board, it will already have a library 10X as big as the VB, and thats before launch.

My concern as well. I'm looking through some of the games and a few seem to be made just as a touch screen gimmick instead of being made because they are quality games. The steering style in Ridge Racer looks terrible and games like I Would Die for You seem pointless.

Wario Ware looks to be putting it to good use and it is used well in Super Mario 64. However, I don't want it forced on me in every game either. I would much rather play Metroid without using it. This could turn touchscreen into a negative if its not used properly.

I've been a Palm OS user for years so I know games can really take advantage of it. Board games and card games are excellent with the touchscreen. Puzzle games like Bejewelled can be great as well. One of the best uses is real time strategy. Its much easier when you can quickly click on each group to assign them instructions.

I got the impression that the analog/touchscreen steering was optional and that you could use the D-pad to steer as well. Not clear on this.

I agree that at first, developers (Nintendo included) will be a little unsure as to how best use the new technology at their disposal and as a consequence will try too hard. You see that with every system. Remember full-motion video back in the day? Did you really need FMV in a puzzle game? In a racing game? No, but they crammed it in because they could.

The DS has more unusual features, so it's only natural that developers will go that much farther to try and justify their inclusion. That said, I think after a period of time they'll reign it in and use the two screens, microphone, touchscreen, connectivity and other aspects of the system in a more common sense way. So the examples you mentioned above will be implemented wonderfully, while something like an action game will use a more traditional control scheme with the stylus only used to select menu items, target enemies, etc. The up side is that the DS is a very versatile piece of hardware, and will allow for this transition in developer philosophy.

I believe there is something like 100+ titles currently in development, most of which are third party. I wouldn't worry about the # and quality of the games on the DS.

Not to bring the conversation down, but the only (tiny) thing still sticking in my craw is that it doesn't play GBC and GB games like the GBA does.

Would it be possible for someone to design an emulator cartridge that would fit in the DS cart slot, and then you could put an older GB game in the GBA slot? You'd think Nintendo would see the profit in that and do it themselves.

I'm sure I'll still be buying one for my wife for Animal Crossing.

I was thinking about that too. I would rather it play the whole library of GB games. But on the other hand I will probably still keep my GBA SP.

Well, with only one thumbstick, I guess there is no good way to control an FPS like Metroid...

Sure there is. Metroid Prime didn't use the second stick for locking. You had to hold the trigger to look around ala Goldeneye. The other stick just selected weapons.

Worked perfectly for that game with the auto lock on since it was more an adventure game than a traditional FPS.

http://www.joystiq.com/entry/2364826514861248/

Nintendo DS will be internationalist
Posted Oct 17, 2004, 2:09 PM ET by Ben Zackheim

An interesting tidbit has popped up on Gamecube Europe. Apparently, the Nintendo DS is going to be region-free. This will ensure that everyone will be able to play any DS game, no matter where it was developed. We’re not sure why Nintendo decided that the DS was the right product to introduce this feature, but you won’t hear us complaining.



News: DS Region Free!
By James - Oct 16th 2004 21:11
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Importers, it's the confirmation you've been waiting for...

Nintendo of America have sent this email to keen import gamers asking about whether the DS will be region-locked:

"Hello and thank you for contacting Nintendo,

It may interest you to know that the Nintendo DS will be a universal system that can be played anywhere on the planet. Further, it can play games purchased anywhere. Please note, however, that accessories purchased in different parts of the world may not be compatible with the Nintendo DS you purchase.

I hope you find this information useful!

Sincerely,

Nintendo of America Inc.

Mitch Crim"

As good a confirmation as you're going to get folks. Get importing!



I don't know if this has been mentioned!

Chris

I believe all the Gameboys so far have been region free.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

You are 100% correct. I'm pretty sure all handheld gaming systems have been region free.

Well Nintendo put out their flyer for the holiday season which proudly features the DS.

Couple things of note. I don't know if this is already old knowledge but it seems that it will be backlit instead of sidelit.

It also stated, ". . .and play all your favorite Game Boy Advance games in single player mode."

What does that mean exactly? I hope it doesn't mean that you won't be able to play games requiring the game link. The port on the DS looks the same as on the GBA so why wouldn't it work with multiplayer?