Posts from the News Category at DS Fanboy

Nintendo DSi cheap* at Renchi

Posted Nov 18th 2008 4:30PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News, Imports, Sales

* cheaper.

Read into this what you will, but Renchi has slashed the price of a Japanese Nintendo DSi by $50 or, as its press release states (because it sounds more impressive), 17%. You can now pick one up there for $249.99. Fifty bucks is a generous cut, and makes the idea of buying a DSi a little more palatable. Unless you've already bought one for more than that, which just makes it annoying. Sorry.

For the record, Play-Asia and YesAsia still have the systems advertised at the laugh-out-loud price of $300. We'd wager that those sites will follow Renchi's example soon.

Gallery: Nintendo DSi

[Via press release]

Still undecided over importing a DSi? Head here for our hands-on impressions of the console. Note: article also contains cat pictures.

Kingdom Hearts DSi at least kind of real

Posted Nov 18th 2008 1:00PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Imports

Remember the ridiculous rumor a while back about the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days DSi bundle? It's true. Well, the part that you'd expect to be true is. Square Enix has just announced that in February, a special "Kingdom Hearts edition" DSi system will be released. They have yet to reveal the color or the design of the system.

The other part of that old rumor, that the special Kingdom Hearts system will include a Game Boy Advance slot, was not mentioned in this announcement. Even though someone accurately predicted the existence of a special edition DSi for this game, we don't think the rest of it will come true. The existence of a limited-edition portable console bundle for a Square Enix game is a pretty safe prediction.

Thanks to the screenshots sent out with the story, we can confirm popsicles in the new game. CONFIRMED.

GTA: Chinatown Wars has large map, obligatory microphone gimmick

Posted Nov 17th 2008 3:00PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will feature around three-quarters of the Liberty City map seen in Grand Theft Auto IV. That's according to a preview in Spanish magazine MarcaPlayer, which stated that Broker, Bohan, Dukes, and Algonquin (all of which are highlighted in yellow above) will be playable, with only Alderney missing. GTA IV's map might not be the biggest in the series, but this is further evidence that Rockstar is squeezing every last drop of juice from the DS.

Also bound and gagged in the trunk of MarcaPlayer's preview were a few new details. While the action plays out on the top screen, the touchscreen lets you control your PDA (which contains the map and mission goals), GPS (on which you can mark destinations to find the shortest legal route), and radio.

As you explore the city (with the help of a camera that can be swiveled 360 degrees), new landmarks and venues you discover are marked down on your map, and you'll see lots of nice little touches, such as trains that pass over the city. You'll also be able to whistle into the microphone to hail a cab; they just couldn't resist, could they? And now we wait!

Gallery: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

DS releases for the week of November 17th

Posted Nov 17th 2008 1:00PM by Alisha Karabinus
Filed under: News

From big name releases like Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades to kids' games, at this point, the releases just aren't going to slow down. Everyone wants a piece of the holiday pie, even -- or perhaps especially -- in a flagging economy, but that just means a few agonizing decisions over what to buy. What will win for you this week?

Bolt
Cradle of Rome
Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades
Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams
Imagine: Ballet Star
Imagine: Movie Star
Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine
Luminous Arc 2
Metal Slug 7
Need for Speed Undercover
Petz Catz Clan
Petz Monkeyz House
Petz Rescue: Endangered Paradise
Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party
Robocalypse
Rune Factory 2
Skate It
Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff
Tomb Raider Underworld
Tony Hawk's Motion/Hue Pixel Painter
Ultimate Band
Winter Sports 2: The Next Challenge

Continue reading DS releases for the week of November 17th

First screens and video from Blood of Bahamut

Posted Nov 17th 2008 11:00AM by Alisha Karabinus
Filed under: News, Video, Screens

After that glorious concept art revealed for Blood of Bahamut, we've been hungry for more of Square Enix's latest, and since the website has updated, we're happy as pigs in piggy poop. Not only do we have the first two non-scanned shots of the game in our gallery below, and the first trailer after the break, but the official website has more action shots, as well as a beautiful downloadable wallpaper that features the aforementioned concept art. If Square Enix is trying to whip us into a froth for this one, well, it's working. Not that they have to do much to get us going.

Gallery: Blood of Bahamut

Continue reading First screens and video from Blood of Bahamut

A little Moon footage to tide you over

Posted Nov 16th 2008 4:06PM by Alisha Karabinus
Filed under: News, Video

Moon may be delayed, but that doesn't mean Renegade Kid is going to make you suffer without getting peeks at the game. Not only did we recently get to check out a batch of new screens, but they've released a combat-heavy new trailer, too. With all the pretty, pretty lights in this footage, we kinda felt like we need a glow stick and a pair of very large pants in order to get the full effect.

Gallery: Moon

Atlus announces world-changing RPG My World, My Way

Posted Nov 14th 2008 11:00AM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Video

Atlus has officially revealed the RPG, My World, My Way, that was previously spotted on the ESRB database. As suspected, it's a localized version of Global A's Sekai wa Atashi de Mawatteru (The World Revolves Around Me), and it sounds totally hilarious and great.

My World stars Elise, a princess who tries to impress a handsome adventurer by going out on her own adventure. Her greatest asset is her own selfishness: she can use "Pout Points" (seriously) to alter the environment, add and remove monsters, and change other aspects of the game to her advantage. She also has a slime pal who can mimic monster abilities!

This game looked interesting before, and now the Atlus Effect is totally working on it. This is aided by an actual, measurable Atlus effect: we can already tell from the website and the announcement email that the localization is really clever. We will be following it closely as it approaches its February release!

Ignition brings the Lux-Pain in March

Posted Nov 13th 2008 6:30PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Screens

Last month, Ignition Entertainment announced that they (and not Marvelous's BFF, XSeed) would release Marvelous's adventure game Lux-Pain in North America. Today, the company sent out a press release confirming the deal and officially setting a March release date.

Lux-Pain stars Atsuki, who is implanted with a power called Lux-Pain that allows hiim to see and purge an evil mind-controlling worm called "Silent" from the bodies of infected humans. Atsuki will search various locations around Kisaragi City, perform autopsies on dead Silent worms (seriously), and use the Lux-Pain power to search for Silent in living people before it reaches their hearts and kills them.

We're always ready for more graphical text adventures, and Lux-Pain sounds like it has an interesting enough premise. The art is quite nice as well -- and, according to Marvelous, the music must also be.

Gallery: Lux-Pain

Mario & Luigi & A Japanese Release Date

Posted Nov 13th 2008 3:09PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News, Imports

February is the month of love and romantic obsessions, and next February is also the month that Mario & Luigi 3 will ship in Japan. Coincidence? WE THINK NOT. AlphaDream's quirky RPG will launch there on February 11th, complete with morbidly obese Toads and (what we guess will be) the usual irreverent dialog.

We're no clearer on a North American date, with "2009" still the closest official estimate we have, and that's barely an estimate but a statement of the bleeding obvious. So let's grasp a straw, shall we: previous Mario & Luigi titles came out in the States first, so maybe there's a sliiiiiiight chance that the same will happen in this case, and Nintendo will suddenly spring a January release on us? Sigh, a blogger can dream, right?

Gallery: Mario & Luigi 3

Take-Two CEO says to expect GTA: Chinatown Wars between Feb and Apr

Posted Nov 13th 2008 1:47PM by David Hinkle
Filed under: News

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick dropped a bomb on all of us anxiously awaiting the DS installment in the Grand Theft Auto series, GTA: Chinatown Wars. Speaking at the BMO Capital Market conference today, Strauss pushed the release of the DS title back into Take-Two's second fiscal quarter, which goes from February through April. That means we're a few short months away from getting down and dirty with GTA on our DSes!

So, who's ready to clean up the streets of Chinatown?

Gallery: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

[Via Joystiq]

Shonen Jump spills Blood of Bahamut details

Posted Nov 13th 2008 11:30AM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News, Imports

Square Enix launched one of its beloved countdown sites recently, but was beaten to its own reveal by Shonen Jump magazine. The mystery game, as seen in this blurry screenshot, is Blood of Bahamut, an action RPG with four-player local co-op play and 2D sprites on 3D backgrounds. Oh, and it looks a bit like Shadow of the Colossus, though that's more of an observation than a criticism. We're not going to sling mud at any game that is inspired by Shadow of the Colossus, because Shadow of the Colossus is freakin' brilliant.

Anyhow, Shadow, sorry, Blood of Bahamut will feature two protagonists, Ibuki and Yui, who live in a city constructed on the back of a giant. On paper, that sounds great -- they'd get lovely views and lots of fresh air, for example -- but their giant keeps getting attacked by other hefty enemies, who they have to ward off. And to think the agent said such good things about the neighbors.

Ruliweb has the full scans, but we also recommend feasting your eyes on this exceptional concept art.

[Via Final Fantasy Union; Thanks, Darryl!]

Nintendo goes trademark crazy, Picross 3D and others heading west?

Posted Nov 12th 2008 6:00PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News

Nintendo recently filed a veritable smorgasboard of DS-related trademarks in Japan. How many is a smorgasboard? In this case, it's forty. All but three of the terms are preceded by either "DS" or "DSi," and the mind can only boggle at the potential of some of these: DSiMovie, DSiMusic, DSiMail, DSArcade, DSBook, DSCreator, DSLive, and DSPhone were among the names that excited us the most. A full list is after the break.

Siliconera dug all of these up from the Japanese trademark database, along with a couple of other interesting tidbits, including potential English names for Tomodachi Connection (in which players get to be friends with Mii versions of Miyamoto, Reggie, and Iwata!) and Ritai Picross (Picross 3D), which we definitely wouldn't rule out for a western release.

Obviously, none of these might mean a single damn thing. Companies indulge in trademarking all the time, simply to protect future ideas. Time, as always, will tell.

Gallery: Picross 3D

Continue reading Nintendo goes trademark crazy, Picross 3D and others heading west?

Delightful deal on bundles at Amazon

Posted Nov 12th 2008 11:00AM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News

If you're in the market for a new DS Lite for yourself or a lucky giftee, you may want to have a look at this Amazon deal. From now until November 15, if you purchase a DS Lite and one of a selection of games, the game's price will be knocked down to $4.99.

The eligible games include, among others, Millionheir, Flash Focus, Cooking Mama, Clubhouse Games, and both Brain Ages. It's clear that these selections were chosen with the "expanded audience" in mind, and consequently, this deal is a great way to get someone started with the DS.

Oh, and if you want a second $5 game, today's Deal of the Day is The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

Valkyrie Profile: Localization of the Game [update]

Posted Nov 11th 2008 2:30PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News

Valkyrie Profile: The Accused One shipped in Japan just a few days ago, racking up 80,000 sales in its first week and finishing in second place in the charts (to, um, Grand Theft Auto IV).

With a triumphant Japanese launch under its belt, Square Enix is now turning its attention to us, and has opened an understated teaser site to announce the localization and release date of the game in the U.S. As previous evidence has hinted, it'll be known as Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume in North America, and will release on March 17th. Is the DS the greatest system for RPGs since the SNES or what? That's rhetorical, because it clearly is.

Also, the beautiful Japanese boxart would be welcome here, if anybody from Square Enix is reading!

[Update: A Square Enix press release informs us Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride will reach the States on February 17th! Too. Much. RPG. Goodness.]

Gallery: Valkyrie Profile: The Accused One

[Via Siliconera]

The Chase, a new platformer sprinting to DS

Posted Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News, Screens

Chibi characters and an excessive use of pink may put you off the idea of liking The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity, but we'd advise against making snap judgements in this case. Despite first appearances, this is a platformer that has more in common with Yoshi Touch & Go, Kirby: Canvas Curse and Mister Slime, rather than being a vanilla run-and-jump formula.

The plot, which is also peculiar for a game of this ilk, introduces Felix and Felicity, who are both rushing across town to meet up for a romantic rendezvous. This is where a little player assistance is required. Specifically, you'll have to grab your stylus and draw the paths that Felix and Felicity will take on the touchscreen, all in the name of lurve. A dwindling clock and the threat of bad weather means you'll have to be quick, but NPCs with quirky advice on love will assist you on your journey.

Currently, The Chase is scheduled for a February release -- a Valentine's Day release would seem appropriate!

Gallery: The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity

[Via press release]

Next Page >

Name	Date
Bleach: Dark Souls	Oct 6
Legend of Kage 2	Oct 6
Crash: Mind Over Mutant	Oct 6
Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals	Oct 6
My Japanese Coach	Oct 14
Korg DS-10	Oct 14
Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2	Oct 14
FIFA Soccer 09	Oct 14
Populous	Oct 14
Rock Revolution	Oct 14
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia	Oct 21
Theresia	Oct 21
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows	Oct 21
Away: Shuffle Dungeon	Oct 21
Tornado	Oct 21
Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon	Oct 21
What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver	Oct 21
MySims Kingdom	Oct 28
Ninjatown	Oct 28
Game Reviews »

The story	More like it
Bury the Shovelware: Wiffle Ball	BTS
Show and Tell: One Dedicated Community	Show and Tell
Gaming to Go: Kirby Canvas Curse	Gaming to Go
Vicarious Visions talks Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades	Features
DS Fanboy Review: Kirby Super Star Ultra	Reviews
All Features »

Man escapes prison in a cardboard box, MGS style Sony: Half of PS3 owners also have a PSP Chatpad coming to Europe November 28th	Ask A Beta Tester: AABT's greatest hits, part 2 Guessing at early sales numbers for Wrath Championship Gaming Series folds
Video: The Afro Samurai beatbox Metacritic roundup: Left 4 Dead A handy 360 SKU chart for holiday shopping	Mgestyk Fusion marries Wiimote and PC in interesting new way Ultimate Shooting Collection targets December release Bruiser and Scratch finally hits WiiWare in December
Nintendo DSi cheap* at Renchi Gaming to Go: Professor Layton and the Curious Village Kingdom Hearts DSi at least kind of real	Sony: Half of PS3 owners also have a PSP Sony's Koller 'very interested' in Guitar Hero game on PSP Sony fined $18.5 million in patent infringement case
DirectX 10 Age of Conan upgrade coming in next update Download: Spore v1.03 Patch Review: Left 4 Dead	Ryder Cup Team Visits White House, Hear Bush Watched 'Every Minute' of Play Good Friend Mark O'Meara Says Tiger Could Be Back as Soon as February Michael Jordan to Join Justin Timberlake Next Year in U.S. Open Challenge

Nintendo DSi cheap* at Renchi

Kingdom Hearts DSi at least kind of real

GTA: Chinatown Wars has large map, obligatory microphone gimmick

DS releases for the week of November 17th

First screens and video from Blood of Bahamut

A little Moon footage to tide you over

Atlus announces world-changing RPG My World, My Way

Ignition brings the Lux-Pain in March

Mario & Luigi & A Japanese Release Date

Take-Two CEO says to expect GTA: Chinatown Wars between Feb and Apr

Shonen Jump spills Blood of Bahamut details

Nintendo goes trademark crazy, Picross 3D and others heading west?

Delightful deal on bundles at Amazon

Valkyrie Profile: Localization of the Game [update]

The Chase, a new platformer sprinting to DS

This Month's New Games

Popular on DS Fanboy

RESOURCES

RSS NEWSFEEDS

Featured Galleries

Most Commented On (14 days)

Recent Comments