Nintendo News: Celebrities Have Fun with Metallic Rose Nintendo DS

Nintendo is making Metallic Rose a regular part of the Nintendo DS™ color palette with the help of some celebrity spokespeople. Starting Monday, May 19, America Ferrera and Carrie Underwood will be featured in commercials for the Metallic Rose version of Nintendo DS. Metallic Rose debuted in late 2007 as part of a Nintendogs® bundle and will be available as a standalone hardware system at retailers nationwide late this month. Liv Tyler also will appear in Nintendo DS commercials that feature the two-toned Crimson/Black version.

Nintendo DS continues to add new games and applications that make it the system of choice for moms on the go, longtime gamers, kids and travelers. The newly launched Crosswords DS, for instance, offers a fun, pick up and play experience for everyone.

According to information from the independent NPD Group, in the United States Nintendo DS:

* topped sales of 414,000 in April.
* has sold more than 19.6 million since the system launched on Nov. 21, 2004.
* has a library of more than 560 games.
* has 18 games that have sold more than 1 million units in the United States, including New Super Mario Bros.® that has sold more than 3.9 million copies.

Sonic Chronicles preview and screens

More screens here, preview here

Pokemon Platinum announced, due out on Nintendo DS Fall 2008

After being leaked in a few Japanese magazines over the past few weeks, Nintendo of Japan has announced that Pokemon Platinum is indeed real and on it's way to Pokemon fans this Fall. The game is simply an extension of Diamond/Pearl, much like Pokemon Yellow was back in the day.

A few tiny screens pictured below, as well as a link to the official Japanese website.


http://www.pokemon.co.jp/special/platinum/02.html

MySims Kingdom DS fact sheet, art, screenshots

Embark on a journey of discovery to explore and customize the MySims Kingdom!

DESCRIPTION
MySims Kingdom sets you on a story-telling journey of discovery and exploration to help King Roland and his subjects revitalize the Kingdom. Throughout this epic quest you will hear new stories from old and new friends alike, discover fascinating new lands and build to the limit of your imagination. Your MySims Kingdom experience for the Wii begins in The Capital, the land at the center of your story-telling. After you have met King Roland you can venture off into the vast lands beyond. Newly-added building options will help you accomplish your tasks. And in true MySims fashion, everything is customizable, allowing every creation within your world to have a signature look! MySims Kingdom…embark on your own journey of discovery & exploration!

FEATURES
• Epic Storyline—King Roland needs your help to revitalize his kingdom! Can you join forces with the other MySims to bring it back to its former glory?
• New Faces and Familiar Friends—Meet new MySims like King Roland. Then say hello to old friends like Ginny and Buddy who have both made career changes that will delight you!
• Travel to New Lands—Traverse the vast and varied lands of the kingdom, each with its own unique theme. Discover all the unique things to do in each while you help its citizens!
• New Building Options—In addition to houses and furniture you can now build many more contraptions that will help you finish your epic quest for the King!
• [NDS] A New Chapter to the MySims Kingdom Story – Help King Roland defeat the plans of evil in a far flung corner of the Kingdom. 9 new minigames to show your worth!

Screenshots here

Line Rider 2 DS screens

More screenshots here

ESRB confirms PictoImage for DS, Space Invaders for Wii

PictoImage is no surprise, considering SEGA filed a trademark for the name a few weeks back. But Space Invaders is news to me!

Crosswords DS Challenges Players to Fill in the ______ (6 Letters)

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mario’s parent company (8 letters). Letter-based puzzles (10 letters). Dual screen, abbr. (2 letters).

Today’s launch of Crosswords DS for the portable Nintendo DS™ video game system puts more than 1,000 crossword puzzles into the palm of your hand. Crosswords DS includes puzzles at multiple skill levels, so anyone from beginners to experts can give it a try. As you progress, the puzzles get bigger and more challenging. Because you write all your answers directly on the touch screen with your stylus, there’s no need for erasers – just write your new answer over your old one. Crosswords DS also includes a sophisticated hint system if you get stuck. Just tap the Hint button with your stylus and choose to receive another clue, reveal a hidden letter or solve the whole word.

“Crosswords DS brings crossword puzzles into the 21st century in a way that’s accessible to everyone,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “And because Nintendo DS is so light and portable, you can play it anywhere at any time.”

Crossword puzzles aren’t the only classic word games found in Crosswords DS. There are also more than 200 Wordsearch puzzles that let you hunt for hidden words amid a jumble of letters. For more word fun, you can turn to Anagrams and construct almost endless combinations of words from a handful of letters.

Crosswords DS, with its quick and accessible word challenges, is the latest in the Touch Generations line of Nintendo DS games. Previous games include Brain Age®: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day, Brain Age® 2: More Training in Minutes a Day and Flash Focus™: Vision Training in Minutes a Day.

Sonic Chronicles boxart

I like it. I'm personally not one for RPG's, but Sonic Chronicles is really appealing to me right now!

Sonic Chronicles footage!

Radio-Canada did an interview with BioWare, and the interview has the first video footage of Sonic Chronicles in action!

Radio-Canada a fait un entrevue avec BioWare, et l'entrevue a la premiere video de Sonic Chronicles en action!

Check out the first part of the interview here / Regarde la premiere parti de l'entrevue ici.
The second part is here / La deuxieme parti est ici.

So, how did I do with my French? / Alors, comment j'ai fait avec mon francais?

Guitar Hero: On Tour facts

Facts from Nintendo Power:

- Star Power is controlled by either blowing into the mic or press any direction on the D-pad.
- Power-ups are activated by double tapping on their icon in battle mode

Venues: Subway, Rooftop, Parade.

Songs:
- Do What You Want - OK Go
- All The Small Things - Blink 182
- Spiderwebs - No Doubt
- Are You Gona Be My Girl - Jet
- We’re Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
- All Star - Smash Mouth
- Breed - Nirvana
- Jessie’s Girl - Rick Springfield
- Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
- This Love - Maroon 5
- Heaven - Los Lonely Boys
- Helicopter - Bloc Party
- China Grove - The Doobie Brothers
- Rock and Roll All Nite - KISS (cover by Line 6)
- What I Want - Daughtry

Fans Can Actually Become a Pokémon with Two New Nintendo DS Games

Online Sweepstakes Accompanies Latest Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Adventures


NOTE: Multimedia available below

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For more than a decade, fans of Pokémon® video games have caught, trained and battled Pokémon. Now Pokémon fans will have the chance to experience life from a Pokémon’s point-of-view with Pokémon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness, two new games available this week for the top-selling Nintendo DS™. Furthering the spirit of exploration, Pokémon fans are invited to an online sweepstakes where they will have the chance to uncover their very own treasure – a prize package filled with Pokémon and Nintendo goodies.

Between April 23 and May 21, Pokémon fans can visit www.PokemonMysteryDungeon.com, where they will be able to enter the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers online sweepstakes for a chance to win one of two Pokémon-inspired prize packages, including a limited-edition Pikachu® Nintendo DS, a Wii™ console, a high-definition television and assorted Pokémon video games, including Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness, and more great Pokémon merchandise. For Pokémon loyalists looking for even more adventure, the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Web site is home to an online scavenger hunt where players will be tasked with discovering hidden icons to get access to an exclusive Pokémon wallpaper, giving their computer some extra flair.

“The new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series delivers the most transformative Pokémon experience yet – the chance to become a Pokémon character,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Both new and returning players will relish the opportunity to embark on an endless journey through randomly generated dungeons on their Nintendo DS and discover their own hidden treasure through the online sweepstakes.”

In this new pair of epic adventures, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon players are transported to a secluded land inhabited only by Pokémon. After taking a personality test that determines which Pokémon best represents their own personalities, players will experience their adventure and explore the land as an actual Pokémon. In the course of their journey, players are charged with discovering why they’ve been turned into a Pokémon, all the while trying to thwart a Pokémon bent on stopping time and plunging the world into darkness.

Pokémon players in need of assistance have a great new way to call for help using the Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection. Rescue friends in trouble, or send out an SOS Mail if you are in need of rescue! You can even receive friend rescue-notification e-mails on your PC or cell phone so you always know when a friend is in trouble.

To satiate Pokémon fans looking for new adventures at every turn, the games feature randomly generated dungeons that make every mission unique. And with more than 490 Pokémon populating both games, players are sure to find their favorite Pokémon, giving them limitless options when forming their teams in preparation for their next journey.

The new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon titles are exclusively available for the Nintendo DS system. The compelling storyline and enhanced graphics of these new Pokémon titles provide even more reasons for Game Boy® Advance owners to upgrade to Nintendo DS.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness for Nintendo DS are rated E for Everyone. For more information about these new titles, visit www.PokemonMysteryDungeon.com.

More than 175 million Pokémon games have been sold worldwide. For more information about these games, visit www.Pokemon-Games.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.5 billion video games and more than 430 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario™, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

About Pokémon USA

Pokémon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia, which includes licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, an animated TV series, the Pokémon Trading Figure Game, home entertainment and the official Pokémon Web site. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendo’s Game Boy® and has since evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokémon was introduced in North America in 1998 and today is one of the most popular toy and entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.

Four games that go green

Yes, today is Earth Day! The day to appreciate the Earth, and nature. As you all know, Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol was an eco-friendly game, but there are a whole bunch of other games that have gone green. GamerTell has grouped the 4 best eco-friendly games. You can check them out below.

Link

Spider Man: Web of Shadows announced for Wii, DS

Wow, another Spider Man game? Haven't we seen enough of these already this generation? Any readers fans of the previous Spider Man games?

Boggie Bug DS Lite headset

Coming soon to Europe in either black or white.

Guitar Hero: On Tour bundle boxart

EA Announces Zubo - A New Children's Video Game Exclusive to Nintendo DS

riginal Nintendo DS Game Features Collectable Characters in a Music-based Rhythm-action Adventure

GUILDFORD, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2008--The EA Casual Entertainment Label today announced the development of a new wholly-owned, original intellectual property, created for 7-11 year old boys and girls. Zubo(TM) is a music-based rhythm-action game featuring a unique set of characters that is scheduled to ship worldwide later this year, exclusively on the Nintendo DS(TM) handheld system.

"Zubo represents the culmination of a dedicated incubation project, which specifically sought to develop a new videogame property for boys and girls under 12," said Harvey Elliott, Head of the EA Bright Light studio in Guildford, UK. "The team here has designed a rich, immersive and, above all, enjoyable experience -- one that will live in the schoolyard, at home or on the move."

Players enter the world of Zubalon to help the colorful and zany inhabitants, the Zubos, defeat an evil force which is bent on world domination. Players can befriend the Zubos they meet along the way, feed and nurture them, help them gain skills and strength, and assist them in their battles with the enemy, the dastardly Zombos.

A key element to Zubo is music, which is intrinsic to Zubalon from its tuneful plant life through to its currency of musical notes. The player will use the music to drive the battles forward, synchronizing their stylus action and tapping in time with the musical beats to win!

With 55 Zubos available to find and recruit to a player's squad, plus a wealth of interactions and mini-games, and the world of Zubalon to explore, Zubo offers a deeply rewarding Nintendo DS experience.

Zubo is developed by EA Bright Light studio in Guildford, UK and it will be available on the Nintendo DS this autumn.

Ninja Gaiden DS '1UP Show' review

Disney Interactive Studios’ Original Franchise Continues with Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals for Nintendo DS

More screens of Spectrobes 2 here

LONDON, England. — (March 19, 2008) — Details of the next game in the highly popular anime-inspired, sci-fi action/role playing game series Spectrobes have been uncovered. Disney Interactive Studios today announced the name of Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals, the sequel to Spectrobes, one of the most successful third-party Nintendo DS™ games of 2007 with more than 1 million units shipped worldwide.

Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals for Nintendo DS continues the story of Rallen and Jeena, interplanetary patrol officers who discover, excavate, awaken and train mysterious fossilised creatures known as Spectrobes and then use them to battle enemies. The story surrounds the origins of mysterious portals that lead to distant dimensions.

Developed by Kyoto, Japan-based Jupiter Corp., the studio behind Spectrobes, Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals has a wealth of new features, including an entirely new story; a new three-dimensional perspective; a map to assist with exploration; new excavation and battle features; more creatures; and the debut of an online battle system utilising the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals also includes DGamer, Disney Interactive Studios’ innovative new technology that provides a fun, connected online game community for Disney video game fans. Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals is currently planned for a Autumn 2008 release.

“Spectrobes has become an international sensation,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “By continuing to build on its enthralling story, unique gameplay features and memorable characters, Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals will continue to thrill fans. This second game is part of our plan to expand the series in the coming years.”

The game is being overseen by Disney Interactive Studios’ Tokyo office.

“With Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals, we’re working with Jupiter Corp. again and ensuring the series adheres to its defining features while capturing new elements of anime style and storytelling,” said Kentaro Hisai, producer, Disney Interactive Studios, based in Tokyo. “Spectrobes was a major success last year and we look forward to continuing the series.”
In Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals, players can take on the role of either Rallen or, for the first time, Jeena. Jeena uses her research and technological skills so the duo can solve puzzles and complete their missions.

For more information about Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals, log on to www.spectrobes.com/beyondtheportals.

Guitar Hero: On Tour, Guitar Grip officially announced for Nintendo DS

Today, Activision, Red Octane, and Vicarious Visions have announced new details about Guitar Hero: On Tour for Nintendo DS. Guitar Hero: On Tour plays like a traditional GH game, however it only has 4 fret buttons, instead of 5. The DS version of Guitar Hero will use a peripheral called the "Guitar Grip". You insert the grip into the GBA slot of the DS Lite, you slide your hand in to a strap on the back of the peripheral and use a special guitar pick stylus to play. It's hard to explain, so check out the video and screens. Guitar Hero: On Tour is slated for a worldwide release this Summer.



More info here (IGN)

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift announced for NA

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix™ interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that the latest entry in the IVALICE ALLIANCE™ series, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS® A2: Grimoire of the Rift™ is set to transport players to the fantastical world of Ivalice on June 24, 2008.

Embark on a journey through the vibrant world of Ivalice this summer with FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift. As the third entry in the Ivalice Alliance series, this follow-up to the 2003 Game Boy® Advance release brings the popular tactical franchise to the Nintendo DS™ for the first time. FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift will introduce newcomers to an engaging turn-based, grid-oriented battle system as they make new discoveries alongside the hero in this lighthearted adventure. Long-time fans will enjoy exciting new content and enhancements, including polished game mechanics, intuitive stylus control, and new jobs and classes.

“FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift makes the tactical RPG genre accessible to fans who may be unfamiliar with the grid-based battle system,” said Director Yuichi Murasawa. “While maintaining the classic functionality of the much-loved gameplay, this newest release boasts upgrades that enable a more engrossing and fulfilling tactical RPG experience.”

STORY
School is out for the summer, but mischievous Luso Clemens must first face detention to make up for his misbehavior. Alone in the library, he stumbles upon an ancient book with magical powers that summons him to the mystical land of Ivalice. Warped into the middle of a battlefield, Luso joins Cid and his clan to set off on an adventurous journey looking for a way home.

- FEATURES Explore the fantastic world of Ivalice and join forces with famous heroes from FINAL FANTASY® XII – Vaan, Penelo and Al-Cid
- All-new content and enhancements, including polished game mechanics, new jobs, new classes, and a new clan system that enrich the Ivalice experience for fans and newcomers alike
- The North American release will allow players to command characters in battle and navigate through menus all with a tap of the stylus
- Witness vibrant and colorful visuals in dual-screen presentation, made possible by Nintendo DS
- Increased replay value with up to 400 available quests, allowing players to immerse themselves in a multi-faceted storyline

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift is not yet rated. Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift will be available at North American retailers for the suggested retail price of $39.99 (USD). The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/ffta2/.