Nintendo DS Thread

[godzillasushi]

CS is crap. There I SAID IT. Never have I seen a game so hacked in all my days. Least amount of fun someone could possibly have. Halo is at least a complete game and not some crappy add-on that everyone started playing because Quake 2 couldn't get the job done. Halo is quality 100% of the way. I don't care who you are, you can't dismiss the fact that PC games too open-ended for any sort of tightly sealed game. Your probably getting hacked right now Fawst, and your not even playing CS.



(K1DD1nG!1!!!)

[Fawst]

lol nice Well, the good news is that I play on a server where mods drop hackers like a bad habbit. Also, I play the Gun Game mod moreso than the typical defuse/rescue game. More deathmatch oriented, and SO much more satisfying to knife players. Especially when you triple level in one round and get "star power," sprinting around twice as fast as normal, shooting sparks everywhere and with the Star Theme from Mario Bros. playing

[Pacino86845]

Fawst I've also been keeping Castlevania in mind... I haven't played either, but they've both received stellar reviews for the DS. I'm debating getting Dawn of Sorrow myself. Maybe after next month's paycheck.

[MonkeyM666]

So has anyone played the new Zelda yet??

[Pacino86845]

Nope, it's released in just a couple of days, right? I probably won't get to play it until I get to an English-speaking country... apparently it'll only be available in German or French out here.

[MonkeyM666]

Well I got my hands on a copy and I must say that I'm impressed. The graphics are very impressive for the little DS, and it's by far the best use of the DS's controls I've seen to date (Trauma Centre comes close though). The characters are lively, they all seem familiar with each other in the Zelda universe and it works well as there’s a vibe of ‘word of mouth’ in the games interactions. Link as a character has been developed further and although he may be cuter, I like him a lot more. There are little things that give him personality like doing too many spins makes him dizzy and fall over. There's even a cut scene where Link is shaken around a whole heap by another character and then he is given a prize. Link holds it above his head with the champ music ringing like usual but he's all dizzy and falling over, and the music follows this deviation from the normal character. I really like these little touches as it makes the whole world more loveable and believable.

I’m really enjoying it so far, but I can see that the boat travel will become a pain (like in Wind Walker). Fighting is strange to start with as you don’t use any buttons, the whole thing is done via the touch screen, but very enjoyable once you get the hang of it. It’s a perfect sequel for WW and I hope that this cartoon Zelda stays on the DS and the real Zelda stays on the Wii.

Currently I’ll give it an 8.5/10 but I’ll fill you all in further when I get through it more.

[LaDracul]

Well, since Konami hasn't said anything about releasing the "NANA" games in the US, there is one from UBI SOFT that has a portion of the DS game coming out... (Well, not a real portion, just an aspect.)

"Imagine-Fashion Designer", a girl game where you don't just design clothes, you have to make your clients happy as well. (Sadly, there are no chibis in it. )

Really, Konami, if you can release Diary Girl (Which is really a PDA system), "Winx Club", endless DDR variations and that shyte "Brooktown High" game you tried to pass off as a date sim, you should just meet with VIZ and get these games over here because a lot of us don't read hirigana/kanji or have that much to spend on imports.

[Pacino86845]

Well I got my hands on a copy and I must say that I'm impressed. The graphics are very impressive for the little DS, and it's by far the best use of the DS's controls I've seen to date (Trauma Centre comes close though). The characters are lively, they all seem familiar with each other in the Zelda universe and it works well as there’s a vibe of ‘word of mouth’ in the games interactions. Link as a character has been developed further and although he may be cuter, I like him a lot more. There are little things that give him personality like doing too many spins makes him dizzy and fall over. There's even a cut scene where Link is shaken around a whole heap by another character and then he is given a prize. Link holds it above his head with the champ music ringing like usual but he's all dizzy and falling over, and the music follows this deviation from the normal character. I really like these little touches as it makes the whole world more loveable and believable.

I’m really enjoying it so far, but I can see that the boat travel will become a pain (like in Wind Walker). Fighting is strange to start with as you don’t use any buttons, the whole thing is done via the touch screen, but very enjoyable once you get the hang of it. It’s a perfect sequel for WW and I hope that this cartoon Zelda stays on the DS and the real Zelda stays on the Wii.

Currently I’ll give it an 8.5/10 but I’ll fill you all in further when I get through it more.

Thanks for chiming in dude... but did you already have to steer the boat? I'd heard that the stylus control was supposed to improve over the frustrating controls in WW.

[MonkeyM666]

The way that it works is that you draw on your seachart where you want to go and the boat just follows the course you set. You, as the player, just look around at stuff... use the canon when you get it ... that kinda thing. It's a good system and fortunatally there's already shortcuts around the ocean. Golden frogs... that's all I'll say but they help heaps and it's a nice eddition that comes forth quite early in the game.

EDIT: Actually going around the ocean is pretty fun. There are enemys and uncharted islands all over the shop. It's a really nice feature of the game. One problem that I'm having is that the bosses so far (second boss) are too easy.

[Pacino86845]

I don't for the life of me understand what's been happening with the language packs on the new DS game releases here, but thank god, thank GOD, Phantom Hourglass has the 5-in-1 language pack, which means I can play it in English. Just when I feared that all new releases were going to get the "German-only" treatment, THE game I've been waiting for comes in English!! YAY!!

Now, has anyone played Worms 2: Open Warfare? THAT game is only in German or French over here, but I can wait 'til my next trip home before getting it. It looks like good fun, but I've never played any Worms game before. The strategy aspect is very appealing...

[Pacino86845]

Yes, just started playing Phantom Hourglass!!!

YAY!! First impressions are that the game kicks ass!!

The graphics and stylus controls are great, though I still have a bit of trouble with the slash attack. The spin, poke and target attacks are ok for now, no problems there.

I'm not a hardcore Zelda gamer, so I don't know how it compares to the others, but this is definitely one of the best DS games out there. Still haven't had to steer the ship, but I think that part's coming up soon...

[MonkeyM666]

Oh it comes up soon. There's not much dicking around in the opening parts of the game. Personally I LOVE the boomerang and how it operates. Brillant use of the controls.

Enjoy it Pacino, it's mighty good gaming.

[MonkeyM666]

Dementium: The Ward. A game that I'd never even heard of until tonight. Very interesting sounding and may well be a must buy for the new year.

Quick review from Gamespot

Appropriately scheduled for release on Halloween, Dementium: The Ward is from start-up developer Renegade Kid and a first-person survival horror game set inside a derelict hospital. We were thoroughly impressed with the game's first showing at the E3 Media & Business Summit earlier this year and are pleased to report that a recent session spent playing a near-finished version didn't disappoint either.

Quite who you're supposed to be in Dementium: The Ward isn't clear. The game starts with you waking up in a blood-soaked hospital room where the only items of interest are a key to the door and a notebook in which someone has scrawled the words "Why did you do it?" You're free to erase that somewhat disturbing message and use the notebook yourself, which is extremely useful because there are a number of puzzles in the game that involve memorizing sequences of letters or numbers. Other useful items that you'll find within minutes of waking up include a flashlight and a nightstick. The flashlight not only looks great as you use it to explore the hospital's darkened corridors but can also be used to scare off swarms of harmful cockroaches. The nightstick is used for melee attacks, of course, and although you'll be getting your hands on plenty of firearms later in the game, it's a great way to conserve ammo.

The cast of Michael Jackson's Thriller video makes a surprise appearance.Early on in Dementium: The Ward, you'll find that ammunition for your first 9mm pistol is plentiful, as are the bottles of pills that can be used to restore your health. Both of these commodities become scarcer as you progress through the game, and by the time you're an hour or so in, you'll probably be wishing that the protagonist was the kind of guy who never leaves home without a backpack. Regardless of how many ammo boxes and pill bottles you find early on, there are definitely going to be times when you're frantically searching for more. This is because the amount of ammo that you can carry is very limited and because you can't save any pills for later use whatsoever.

Because none of the enemies in Dementium: The Ward are able to pursue you through doors (of which there are loads, though many of them are locked), one of the best ways to get by a lot of them is simply to run past them into the next room. But this isn't always as easy as it sounds, and with plenty of puzzles that need to be solved, this definitely isn't a game that you're going to get through without taking some time to explore your surroundings. Figuring out the most efficient ways to kill enemies is crucial in some cases. For example, the zombies with gaping holes in their chests can be killed with a single bullet to the heart, but it'll take at least three bullets anywhere else on their rotting bodies to take them down.

Other enemies that we've encountered in Dementium: The Ward to date include floating heads that scream as they fly toward you, legless torsos that use their arms to claw their way along ceilings before attacking you from above, and large maggotlike creatures that rush at you across floors, walls, or ceilings while making a particularly annoying noise as they do so. We've also defeated a number of the game's boss characters and found the encounters to be enjoyable, as well as varied. Depending on what weapons and ammo we had available to us at the time, we found those encounters quite challenging. Dementium's arsenal boasts a shotgun, assault rifle, sniper rifle, a powerful revolver, and even a particularly nasty-looking medical instrument. It's worth mentioning, though, that it's possible to miss out on picking up certain weapons if you don't make a real effort to get your hands on them. For example, we ended up playing through the first boss battle without a shotgun that would've made it much easier simply because we hadn't yet figured out the combination to a gun-cabinet padlock when we stumbled on the boss in question. Initially, Dementium's corridor and room level designs are quite linear, but as you progress, the levels become more labyrinthine in nature, so taking the time to explore them is important.

This guy really doesn't like you pointing your flashlight at him. If you're thinking that Dementium: The Ward sounds like it might have a lot in common with the early Resident Evil games, you're not too far off. It's worth mentioning that the game definitely has its share of Silent Hill-style creepiness as well, though, thanks in no small part to its sound design. As you navigate the hospital's darkened corridors, you'll almost always hear nearby enemies (as well as freaky white-eyed little girls singing) before you see them. There are also plenty of ambient noises, including hospital equipment and a storm raging outside to keep you from getting too comfortable. The optional audio of your constantly beating heart is also a nice touch because it really adds to the atmosphere and also lets you know how your health is without you having to actually look at the indicator on the touch screen.

Dementium: The Ward has come a long way since its impressive debut at this year's E3, and we're very much looking forward to getting our hands on a finished copy of the game. Expect a full review soon.

[stereosforgeeks]

Yeah I've been reading it about that for a bit. It definitely has my interest piqued. The problem is I only play DS games when traveling so I don't work through them quickly.

[Pacino86845]

Dementium looks like it's doing a decent job of pushing the DS's 3D capabilities to the max, but I have sort of an aversion to playing any FPS on the portable system... I mean, those sorts of games are all about the "immersive" environment, they just seem so dinky when you're holding the screen in your hand, no? It looks really well made, but maybe it isn't the kind of thing I look for in the system.

The problem is I only play DS games when traveling so I don't work through them quickly.

I have the same issue really, and yet I've already got my eye on another game: Worms 2. HAS ANYONE PLAYED THIS!?

[MonkeyM666]

My money is on that it's exactly the same as the other games. You have teams spread all over a map, you choose a weapon in turn based competition to destroy the other team.

[stereosforgeeks]

My mom is going to get my grandmother a DS for Christmas with some Brain Age. Gramma has been having problems with the memory lately and can't knit or bake very much anymore so she doesn't have many other hobbies.

Does anyone else have any ideas as to good games for an 80+ year old woman?

[godzillasushi]

My mom is going to get my grandmother a DS for Christmas with some Brain Age. Gramma has been having problems with the memory lately and can't knit or bake very much anymore so she doesn't have many other hobbies.

Does anyone else have any ideas as to good games for an 80+ year old woman?

http://zone.aintitcool.com/viewtopic.php?t=64468

Made by old people for old people.

[stereosforgeeks]

My mom is going to get my grandmother a DS for Christmas with some Brain Age. Gramma has been having problems with the memory lately and can't knit or bake very much anymore so she doesn't have many other hobbies.

Does anyone else have any ideas as to good games for an 80+ year old woman?

http://zone.aintitcool.com/viewtopic.php?t=64468

Made by old people for old people.

Not quite what I had in mind sushi.

[LaDracul]

My mom is going to get my grandmother a DS for Christmas with some Brain Age. Gramma has been having problems with the memory lately and can't knit or bake very much anymore so she doesn't have many other hobbies.

Does anyone else have any ideas as to good games for an 80+ year old woman?

I believe they released "Flash Focus", which is supposed to improve hand-eye coordination.

[stereosforgeeks]

I believe they released "Flash Focus", which is supposed to improve hand-eye coordination.

I was thinking about that one. I am curious if she would get too easily frustrated however.

[godzillasushi]

Now wasn't there a Pac-Man that let you draw your own guy? That would be fun. Even Tetris. They have Tetris im sure.

[stereosforgeeks]

Now wasn't there a Pac-Man that let you draw your own guy? That would be fun. Even Tetris. They have Tetris im sure.

Yeah There is a Tetris definitely. As for a Pacman you draw I am unsure of that. There was a game where you draw your character though.

[LaDracul]

Now wasn't there a Pac-Man that let you draw your own guy? That would be fun. Even Tetris. They have Tetris im sure.

Yeah There is a Tetris definitely. As for a Pacman you draw I am unsure of that. There was a game where you draw your character though.

"Drawn to Life"...I'm not sure if it's by Namco, who own Pac-Man.

[Pacino86845]

Ok I'm just gonna toss this question out there 'cause I'm confused about this issue:

My Nintendo DS was bought here in Europe, so it runs on 220V, but I would like to take it with me when I go home for the holidays. The system itself doesn't appear to "adapt" to the different power standards, so does anyone know what would be the easiest way to charge my DS's battery in North America?

[stereosforgeeks]

Ok I'm just gonna toss this question out there 'cause I'm confused about this issue:

My Nintendo DS was bought here in Europe, so it runs on 220V, but I would like to take it with me when I go home for the holidays. The system itself doesn't appear to "adapt" to the different power standards, so does anyone know what would be the easiest way to charge my DS's battery in North America?

get a plug adapter?

[Pacino86845]

Yeah I guess that's the best solution... what do those things go for? [/has no clue about r-tarded power standards, damn Europe!!]

[stereosforgeeks]

Yeah I guess that's the best solution... what do those things go for? [/has no clue about r-tarded power standards, damn Europe!!]

I have no idea as I have yet to visit anyplace where I would need them. I think they are very reasonable, however.

[MonkeyM666]

Yeah I guess that's the best solution... what do those things go for? [/has no clue about r-tarded power standards, damn Europe!!]

Yep, that's the best option... I have a Japanese DS, with a UK plug and I now use it with an adaptor in Australia. So it does work.

As for games for oldies... Brain Training 1 and 2 are very safe bets for older gamers.

[Theta]

So, anybody hear what Nintendo moved on the DS front Thanksgiving week?

Yeah, 653,000. You read that correctly. Apparently Thanksgiving week was Nintendo's best week ever in terms of sales. They're officially doing better than in the NES/SNES days!

[godzillasushi]

So, anybody hear what Nintendo moved on the DS front Thanksgiving week?

Yeah, 653,000. You read that correctly. Apparently Thanksgiving week was Nintendo's best week ever in terms of sales. They're officially doing better than in the NES/SNES days!

Well there's a lot more 12-year old girls interested in gaming now then there was back then.

[Wolfpack]

Everyone get ready...for the competitive eating video game.

Perhaps it's a good idea to play Wii Fit after playing this game.

[LaDracul]

Apparently, Ubisoft (Which makes a lot of bizarre games), has decided to put in "My Weight Loss Coach" for their "My Coach" series.

Nothing on their site, but that is kinda good news...

[Cha-Ka Khan]

So should I buy one? I bought a Gameboy Advance a couple years ago, before they released the v2 model with the brighter screen. I like that the DS plays older Advance games, and you get that snazzy bright screen.

[Cha-Ka Khan]

So, um.... is that a "no" then?

[Pacino86845]

What compels you to get it?

It's a pretty neat toy, but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone who already plays on their console/computer on a regular basis... unless you're a dude "on the go."

Are you on the go, Cha-Ka?

[Cha-Ka Khan]

Are you on the go, Cha-Ka?

That's how I ride, baby.

What's compelling me to get it is the substantial upgrade in screen quality going from the old Advance to the new DS. Also, my daughter plays it a lot, and she'd probably like some of the games (like Nintendogs) on the DS. Big expense though, for such a small unit. I'm just wondering if it's worth it.

[Pacino86845]

Who can tell you if something is worth it? How long do you expect this DS to last? How often would it be played?

It is a lovely little device... the screens are a tad on the small side for my taste, and I really don't play with my DS *too* much. Still, there's an amazing library of games available for it, plus it's very ergonomic, plus I am totally digging the stylus controls. I play stylus games as much as possible.

[monorail77]

I love the idea of the DS and what few games I've played have been fun. I gotta say, though, I'm kind of overwhelemed by DS. I barely have time to play my collection of fabulos Wii games, so I tend not to gravitate to DS as a first choice. Plus, there are so many games available, its hard to know which ones are worth getting. And the games available that look good are very deep. There are some seeminlgy all-consuming RPG and RTS games for DS that look great, but I'm afraid that I don't have the time or energy to commit to them to get the full bang out of them. Perhaps I'm just afraid of commitment in general? That'd suprise my wife I bet, after 14 years of marriage, but I digress.

Anyway, DS is very cool. I wish I had more time to research games and get in to them, but there it is. I did enjoy playing Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney on the bus during my commute for while though.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Who can tell you if something is worth it? How long do you expect this DS to last? How often would it be played?

Look, *I* don't know! Mr. Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all... I didn't expect some kind of Spanish Inquisition!

Hehehehe....

[LaDracul]

I saw that yet again, Koei was planning to possibly release a girl game. This one is called "That's QT" for the DS where you're the kitty cat suited owner of a clothes store who tries to get a leg up on Japanese street fashion from her customers.

My problem with them is they kept saying they'd release the dating sim "Angelique" in the US and so far, nothing. I just want them to stop making "Dynasty Warriors" games for a while and make this happen!!!

That's QT

[King Psyz]

ATTN: POKEMON DIAMOND & PEARL NERDS!


GET YOUR ASS TO MAR... I MEAN TOYS R US BEFORE 4PM TO DOWNLOAD DARKREI[SIC] IN THE US

[Wolfpack]

One more month until E3 and we find out what the 3-DS is like.

[TheButcher]

A New Mario Game for 3DS - Nintendo's new portable platform will soon be home to its legendary mascot.

[TheButcher]

From IGN:
Kid Icarus Soars on the 3DS

Kid Icarus Uprising: Masahiro Sakurai Responds

The legendary designer on online play, content balance, weapons, AR and the importance of humour to the series.