GamerNode: Latest Nintendo DS News

No touch screen feature for Guitar Hero DS

In what can only be described as very questionable judgment, Vicarious Visions, developers of Guitar Hero DS, have opted against use of the touchscreen for the game. According to Wii News:

Unlike in Ubisoft's guitar simulator Jam Sessions, which has players using the stylus to strum on-screen strings, Guitar Hero DS won't use the touch screen as a primary input at all, revealed design manager, Adrian Earle.

Then, there may be a silver lining to this cloud. The exclusion of touchscreen functionality might indicate that there will be a bundled peripheral of some sort to fill the gap. Maybe we'll end up with a twisted Frankenstein's monster of a DS controller, with a grafted on fret board and some other method of strumming the thing. Then again, probably not. We'll see come 2008.

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Nintendo squashes Metroid Dread rumors

Rumors of the phantom DS game "Metroid Dread" ran rampant after an in-game easter egg in Metroid Prime 3 was discovered. Using Samus' scan visor players can find the encoded message "Experiment status report update: Metroid project ‘Dread' is nearing the final stages of completion."

Just in case you didn't know, Metroid Dread dates back to 2005, when the title was "accidentally" leaked to the public as a 2D Metroid sidescroller for DS.

So like most fans of the series I say to myself "By Odin's beard! I get to play a throwback version with the old school game play that originally made this series popular? Only this time I get to use two screens at once? And perhaps even a touch screen? This is too good to be true!"

Then I curse the ground I stand on for being right... apparently it real...

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Dragon Quest IX delayed till 2008

According to IGN, Japanese Nintendo DS owners will be feeling a little lonely this year since Square Enix announced that Dragon Quest IX has been delayed till 2008. Originally planned for release this year, the reason for the delay is the usual, "needing extra time to make a game that will better satisfy players."

Even though it's guaranteed there will plenty of other DS games that'll be released for the holidays, Dragon Quest fans will have to wait even longer for #9. The demand is certainly present since Dragon Quest VIII became the fastest selling Japanese PlayStation 2 ever.

Not much information about the game has been released recently, only that it will feature turn-based combat and up to four player co-op multiplayer on Wi-Fi. In the meantime, U.S. Wii owners can expect Dragon Quest S...

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Ninja town trailer is confusing...yet alluring

I've got to be honest: I have absolutely no idea what's going on in this trailer. From what I can gather, this game is about semi-amorphous ninjas who in all likelyhood fight each other. The prospect of a baby ninja fighting a businessman ninja does make me a little happy though, so I can't complain about the weirdness. In a strange way, it kind of resembles a cross between Kung Fu Chaos and Teletubbies. I await further information with nearly bated breath.

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Final Fantasy CC: Ring of Fates intro trailer

I don't know if anybody else is as excited about this game as I am, but you all should be. The original Crystal Chronicles may be one of the most tragically overlooked games in a while (and for good reason, it was nearly impossible to find all of the functional equipment needed to play). However, when it did work the experience was nothing short of magical, and one of the best cooperative games of our time. So if you take out the hassle and leave in the the fun, that's one tasty proposition for those of us who know what it's like. And if you never got to play it, just trust me: it'll be worth the money of you and your friends (especially if it's single-cart multiplay).

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Guitar Hero III DS confirmed

In an interview between CNET and Charles Huang, Co-founder of RedOctane, it was confirmed that Guitar Hero III will be heading to the Nintendo DS. Despite no release date yet, Huang disclosed that the game will be "a very unique experience just like Guitar Hero was on consoles".

"We are working on that. We're exploring a lot of things. We're hoping to really bring the experience to the DS and to do some very, very different approaches. We're working through a lot of engineering issues with Nintendo. This will play probably unlike any other DS game that has come out, and at this stage, that's all I'm afraid we can talk about until we have the engineering paths laid out with Nintendo."

RedOctane is also exploring the possibility of custom DS peripherals for Guitar Hero III, "That is definitel...

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Viva Piñata going to the DS. Yay!

Viva Piñata could have very well been a game developed for Nintendo -- the cute animals, soothing gameplay and general appeal to the non-shooting crowd made VP a tremendous hit - on the Xbox 360. But now, game history will right itself and finally make this cute game available for Nintendo.

The port to the DS will not be a stripped down version, but the full working game with some minor improvements and tweaks to make it playable for the dual screen wonder.

This must be the day for fuzzy photos because here's one that was taken at the Comic Con event yesterday showing some of the screen action:

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DS Wine Game... you know, for snobs

In yet another bizarre move from Japan and EA, out comes Sommelier DS (Pronounced [Suhm-uhl-yey] for anyone that cares), a Japan only game that teaches gamers/users/crazy people how to tell the difference between a Pinot and a Zinfandel, and to make you an expert in all things wine.

Now I know what you're thinking, and it's probably along the lines of WTF? But apparently there's a market for would-be wine snobs in other countries. Although I can't help but wonder how classy you'd look whipping out your svelte DS lite to tell your date that her duck would go better with a Chardonnay.

Hell, if you did that in America in a fancy enough place, you might get booted out, or at least a disapproving sniff from the snooty waiter.

Where will we draw the lines on DS peripherals and software? A game o...

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Sonic RPG coming to the DS! Bioware in charge

SEGA announced that notable RPG developer BioWare has signed on to develop a brand-new, exclusive RPG for the Nintendo DS starring our favorite blue guy -- Sonic the Hedgehog. There's no other news about the game itself other than the game carries a 2008 release date.

Considering the near spotless track record BioWare has when it comes to crafting awesome RPGs, I really have nothing to worry about for the new game.

Ray Muzky, CEO of BioWare, stated, "As huge fans of Sonic ourselves, we're committed to delivering a truly amazing story-driven experience within the Sonic universe, focusing on capturing the character's broad appeal and placing him in a completely original adventure."

Back in September 2006, BioWare announced the formation of a new handheld gaming division and that their debut ga...

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RBI Baseball comes to Japan in September

Do you remember the classic game Famistar back when it was released in 1986? Well, you probably don't, unless you were living in Japan at the time.

What you probably do remember is the NES classic RBI Baseball that was released in the U.S. (same game, different title).

Famistar (or RBI Baseball) is to be released on the DS in Japan on September 27th.

The modes will include Famistar, Dream League, and Network Multiplayer.

The Famistar mode is just like an exhibition mode in a regular baseball game. Dream League is sort of like a lighter version of a franchise in MLB 2K7.The Network Multiplayer mode will allow for one-catridge play as well as being able to play on the Internet via Nintendo Wi-Fi.

There is no word on a possible U.S. release for the title as of yet, but all true NES fans will b...

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Not for kids: new survival horror game for the DS

Following the release of Eidos DS game, Touch the Dead, GameCock Media Group has announced a survival horror game of their own, entitled Dementium: The Ward.

Developed by Renegade Kid, Dementium will also be experienced from a first-person perspective, and the publisher says that it will be "one nightmarish experience" that will "set the bar for mature handheld games."

The setting is an abandoned hospital, "frozen in time." The unfortunate protagonist wakes up there and is confronted by a slew of horrifying creatures. His weapon? Screenshots say, "flashlight."

The game looks to follow the Silent Hill route of storytelling and exploration, and that is not a bad thing at all.

[via gamespot]

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Flash game N coming to DS and PSP

The casual portion of the gaming industry has been experiencing much growth as of late. Even internet flash games are now being ported over to home and handheld consoles. The latest in this trend is N, a game that stars a tiny ninja who performs basic run-and-jump action while collecting gold.

The DS and PSP ports will be entitled N+, and will include some bonus features not found in the original. Wireless competitive and cooperative play, level editor with wireless sharing, and online leaderboards will enhance the experience of the original.

The game is due to release in November of this year. If you'd like to find out what all the buzz is about, logon here for a look at the game.

[via kotaku]

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Fly high with DS stations at airports

The tedius task of waiting at airports is not something anyone looks forward to, (except for you folks who like to watch new fliers get lost) but to ease some mental anguish, Nintendo has partnered up with American and Delta Air Lines to provide Nintendo DS download stations at major airports.

Some of the preliminary locations include New York's Kennedy International, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Cincinnati's Northern Kentucky International with more to come.

These DS hotspots will offer game demos such asBrain Training, Beat Agents, Cooking Mama and Tomb Raider: Legend. In addition, the games will be rotated out for fresh new ones periodically. Note that you can only store one demo at a time and once you turn off your DS, the demo is gone. So one handy trick is to...

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Trashed DS selling in Japan

So, you think that getting a Wii or an Xbox Elite is hard? Well, try this on for size -- in Japan, the Nintendo DS has become so scarce that a store in Shibuya Japan is displaying a used DS that is so poor and beat-up looking, that only the most desperate of DS hunters would buy it. And you know what? It's probably already sold by now.

The sorry looking DS is selling for 10,000 yen, which amounts to about 83 bucks over here in the States. The store offering the DS has it on display in its display window and gives the gory details of the DS this way:

- No box- No instruction manual- No stylus- No strap- No AC adapter- Scratches on case - Scratches on screen

The only thing missing from the details about this DS is if it works at all. But considering the condition this DS is in, waiting for the ...

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Iwata wants more DS game sales in America

If you think Nintendo is slacking and resting on its laurels because of its success, you'd better thing again. Satoru Iwata, President of Nintendo, voiced his extreme disappointment with the performance of Nintendo of America regarding its sales of certain DS games. Basically, what this amounts to is a kick in the pants for NoA President Reggie Fils-Aime to stop basking in the glory of the Wii's success.

In a transcript of an earnings conference call made this week to Nintendo investors, Iwata put the screws on Nintendo of America by complaining, "When I received a report from the U.S. that they sold 1 million Pokémon Diamond & Pearl already, I asked them, 'why did you sell only 10,000 Brain Age last week, when Europe sold through 30,000?' This is a typical example of how I communicate with...

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Special DS Zelda case mod for $350...or more

Do you think the new 360 Elite is hot? Well, there's something out there that just may eclipse the stealthy looking Xbox; the Nintendo DS Lite Legend of Zelda special mod edition. Now before everyone rushes out to their favorite game store to purchase one, the particular model we're speaking of is a one-of-a-kind item that was caringly modded and manufactured by morpheon mods.

The rare and beautiful Zelda DS mod is painted in a rustic gold, has a custom metal crest on the cover, led lighting to accentuate the features, a matching gold colored charging stand and some really cool looking styli painted in the colors of the Master Sword. The Zelda DS Lite seems to be creating quite a stir on eBay where the bidding has already reached the asking price of $350. Part of the proceeds will be donat...

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Remake of Final Fantasy III almost made it to Sony...

One of the recent joys for gamers is the re-release of Final Fantasy III for the DS. The "new" version has upgraded graphics, new 3D models and the power of the DS backing gameplay. Portable Final Fantasy games -- it doesn't get much better than that, RPG fans. But one little known fact has just surfaced -- the game platform FF III was originally supposed to be on.

Hiromichi Tanaka, producer of FF III, said, "Originally we were planning to release the game on PlayStation 2 but Nintendo wanted us to release it on this new platform (the DS)." The big switch happened when a fierce bidding war between Sony and Nintendo started over the rights to publish the remake.

And as they say, the rest is history...but a PS2 version in the future wouldn't be such a bad idea either, Sony. (nudge, nudge)

[via...

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Wii at 5.84 million units sold, DS at 40 million

Nintendo released a financial report today detailing its hugely successful sales figures in recent months. According to the report, the Wii has sold 5.84 million units since it was released back in November. The DS is also stomping the competition with an amazing 40 million units sold.

As far as software goes, New Super Mario Bros. (9.5 million sold) and the brain training series (12 million sold) continue to be the most wanted titles for the DS.

It doesn't look like Nintendo's sales will be slowing down any time soon. Oh, and did I mention that 23 out of those 40 million DSs were sold during this year alone?

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Nintendo to make first appearance at TGS in years

The Tokyo Game Show and Nintendo aren't usually mentioned in the same breath because of the company's longstanding policy of not having a booth during the large game industry event. But things are changing as Mario and Company have decided to make their first appearance at the convention since 2001.

Kotaku says, "Multiple, highly placed insiders confirm that [Nintendo] will be in attendance [at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show], which is one of the reasons why TGS is four days this year instead of three."

Why is Nintendo attending this year after such a long absence? Industry watchers believe that the huge success of the DS and Wii is partially responsible for the company's new outlook on things. Nintendo is riding on an enormous wave of popularity and is most likely making an effort to be more appr...

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Phantom Hourglass coming in June, sorta

Could Phantom Hourglass be coming to the DS this June? According to the latest issue of Famitsu, yes... in Japan. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass has a release date of June 23 in the Land of the Rising Sun. That's just over two months away for those of you keeping score at home.

Hopefully, this means that the game will see an American release sometime before the holiday season. As for Europe and the recent luck they've been having, hopefully our friends across the water will get the game this year. Hopefully.

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