The Newest Nintendo – DSi
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Posted on June 10th, 2009 by
Nintendo knows when they have a good thing going. They have dominated the handheld gaming market for many years, often with progressive upgrades rather than trying to build up an entirely new user base with each new handheld machine. This spring, they have released the newest upgrade to the DS line of handhelds, the DSi. By removing the Gameboy Advance slot, they have clearly staked out an attitude of looking towards the future rather than the past. Beyond that significant hardware reduction, there are numerous software improvements that make it a larger leap forward than the leap from Nintendo DS to the DS Lite.
As a big fan of boardgames as well as role-playing games, it was with a bit of excitement that I set out to take a look at the recent Atlus title, Dokapon Journey. My knowledge of Japanese games is limited, so I can’t tell you anything about previous incarnations (if any) of this title. Unfortunately, what I can tell you is that the game was a disappointment. There is the making of a somewhat interesting boardgame in the vein of Talisman, Return of the Heroes, and other sorts of RPG/adventure boardgames, but it fails to provide much in the way of meaningful decisions. The interface, graphics, and even the backstory are all reasonably well done, the gameplay simply results in nothing more than a kind of Candyland with lots of chrome.
Some may argue it should only be placed in the “God Game” genre, but I think of Populous as one of the best, very early examples of Real-Time Strategy. Published in 1989, three years before Dune II, four years before Warcraft, and five years before Command and Conquer, Populous had strategic depth but also made players think on their feet to respond to what the computer was doing in real time. I remember fondly my college days where I was raising and lowering the LEGO shaped landscape so that my followers could create large dwellings in order to reproduce and fuel my divine wrath towards the opposing deity and his followers. Amazingly, this icon of my early PC gaming days has returned in the form of a strategy game on the DS. I am admittedly looking at the game through rose colored glasses of nostalgia, but it is one of the top retro games I have played on the DS.
Modern technology is wonderful. If you were to tell me 10 years ago that I’d be able to download software to my console that let me aim my controller at my TV in an effort to give vegetables a superior haircut, I’d have said you were crazy. I’d have been interested, but still thought you were crazy. Here I sit today having downloaded the the unique game, Bonsai Barber, onto my Wii. It is a lighthearted game based around grooming friendly vegetables who visit your barbershop. Using standard barber tools and your Wiimote, players attempt to fix hairstyles to match patrons’ preferences. Do a good job, and they’ll tell their friends, begin to schedule appointments, and even start to send you virtual postcards to let you know they’ve been thinking of you. The game is different and has potential, but is it worth the 1000 point download?
Spring is in the air, and Nintendo has just released a new color of the DS Lite to match. When I first saw photos, the bright spring green color cried out to me (Half my wardrobe, and often my hair, is green.) Conveniently released a week before Mother’s Day, the new DS Lite comes with the Personal Trainer: Cooking cartridge and a nice floral patterned canvas carrying case. At first glance, it looks like a great Mother’s Day present for my wife, until I realized that it might come across as a glorified cookbook. I’ve been married long enough to know better than to get my wife a cookbook for Mother’s Day. Perhaps I have a better idea…
Almost a year ago, Wizards of the Coast revealed the newest version of their popular role playing game, Dungeons and Dragons. This fourth edition of the game (known as 4E D&D) was designed to be easier to learn, faster playing, and better balanced. I’ve been playing the new version for about a year and my conservative favoritism has blossomed into a positive enthusiasm for the new system. If you haven’t taken a look at the new version or haven’t ever tried D&D before, now is your chance. Wizards of the Coast has just released everything you need to get started as a free download! Read on to find out the details…
101 in 1, the name says it all. This title, published in the US by Atlus, is a large collection of games all on one cartridge. As a budget-priced title, this makes it one of the cost effective titles around in terms of price per game. But are the games worth even that much? Well, some are and some aren’t. Where you stand on each of those categories determines if this game is right for you.
Nintendo has taken going green to new heights. No, I don’t mean Luigi is now the company spokesperson, they’re now recycling games! They’ve taken the old GameCube game, Mario Power Tennis, and reprogrammed it to work with the Wii controllers. How well does it work? Pretty darn well. Read on for more details.
In a week or two, Atlus will be coming out with the US release of TrackMania DS.
