type as me

Yes, it does mean that my lightsaber swinging has to be a bit more restrained, and any battles with rogue Jedi and Rancors are going to be a little subdued, but it's the best way to play!

Mega Updates Post!

It was once said that with great power, comes great responsibility (or something), and with a games convention, comes lots of news. With the Leipzig Games Convention in progress, many companies have been releasing information about their upcoming titles.

Here are a few of the things that have caught my attention:


Black and Pink this September in US

Yoshi's Island 2 Screens

Midway Press Conference

Lunar Knights Hands-On Update

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass new screens

Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 Gameplay footage

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Trailer

Marvel Trading Card Game Screens

English Opera Browser Screens

New Chronos Twins Screens

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: March of the Minis screens

Final Fantasy III Playtest

Charlotte's Web Screens

Nacho Libre Screens

New Star Fox Command Screens

Tomb Raider Legend Screens

Steel Horizon Screens

Need for Speed: Carbon Video and here!

Tomb Raider Legend video

Tony Hawks: Downhill Jam video

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand relax!

Some interesting developments - a lot of links, and not much to add! Laziness, yes, but I now have to go and try out my new Barnet FC top! Marvellous.

Nintendo® The Official Magazine have reported that Nintendo-Europe have announced a new schedule for the release of a whole host of DS games. This list is as follows:

NINTENDO DS SOFTWARE

Madden NFL 07 (EA) Aug 2006

Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long (Buena Vista Games) Sep 2006

Brick’em All DS (Digital Bros) Sep 2006

LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (Lucas Arts/Activision) Sep 2006

Bratz: Forever Diamondz (THQ) Sep 2006

Super Fruit Fall (System 3) Sep 2006

Tennis Masters (System 3) Sep 2006

Sudoku Mania (ZOO Digital) 8 Sep 2006

FIFA 07 (EA) 29 Sep 2006

42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo) 29 Sept 2006

Hardcore Pool (ZOO Digital) 29 Sep 2006

Alexandra Ledermann (Ubisoft) Q3 2006

Asphalt 2 Urban GT(Ubisoft) Q3 2006

Catz (Ubisoft) Q3 2006

Over The Hedge (Activision) Jun/Jul/Oct 2006

Beetle King (Digital Bros) Oct 2006

Deep Labyrinth (Digital Bros) Oct 2006

Guru Guru Naget (Digital Bros) Oct 2006

My Vet Practice (dtp) Oct 2006

The Little Mermaid: Special Edition (Buena Vista Games) Oct 2006

Labyrinth (Digital Bros) Oct 2006

Biker Mice From Mars (Game Factory/K.E. Media) Oct 2006

Cartoon Network Racing (Game Factory/K.E. Media) Oct 2006

Disney's Chicken Little 2: Ace in Action (/Buena Vista Games) Oct 2006

Avatar: The Legend of Aang (THQ) Oct 2006

Ages of Empires II: Age of Kings (Majesco/THQ) Oct 2006

Dino Master (Majesco) Oct 2006

Contact (Marvelous/Rising Star Games) Oct 2006

New Zealand Story Revolution (Rising Star Games) Oct 2006

Y’s Strategy (Rising Star Games) Oct 2006

Spyro – The Legend (Vivendi) Oct 2006

Scooby Doo! Who's Watching Who? (THQ) Oct 2006

Crash Boom Bang (Vivendi) Oct 2006

Barnyard (THQ) Oct 2006/Feb 2007

Nintendo DS Browser (Nintendo) 6 Oct 2006

English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills (Nintendo) 13 Oct 2006

Asterix & Obelix XXL 2 "Mission Wifix" (ATARI) 13 Oct 2006

Warlords Champion (D3P) 13 Oct 2006

The Sims 2 Pets (EA) 20 Oct 2006

Strawberry Shortcake (Game Factory/K.E. Media) 20 Oct 2006

Sudoku Master (Nintendo) 27 Oct 2006

Actionloop (Nintendo) 27 Oct 2006

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend (Eidos) Oct /Nov 2006

Open Season (Ubisoft) Oct/Nov 2006

Superman Returns: The Videogame (EA) Autumn 2006

Bionicle Heroes (Eidos) Autumn 2006

Death Jr. and The Science Fair of Doom (Konami) Autumn 2006

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (Konami) Nov 2006

Lunar Knights (Konami) Autumn 2006

My Frogger Toy Trials (Konami) Autumn 2006

Steel Horizon (working title) (Konami) Autumn 2006

Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex (Konami) Autumn 2006

Xiaolin Showdown (Konami) Autumn 2006

Monster Bomber (Digital Bros) Nov 2006

Monster Puzzle (Digital Bros) Nov 2006

Super Black Bass Fishing (Majesco) Nov 2006

Marvel: Ultimative Alliance (Activision) Nov 2006

Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (Activision) Nov 2006

Kim Possible Global Gemini (Buena Vista) Nov 2006/March 2007

Cooking Mama (Digital Bros) Nov 2006

Need For Speed: Carbon (EA) Nov 2006

Spongebob Squarepants and Friends: Creature from Krusty Krab (THQ) Nov 2006

Impossible Mission (System 3) Nov 2006

Mech Assault Phantom War (Majesco/THQ) Nov 2006

Nacho Libre (Majesco/THQ) Nov 2006

Happy Feet (Midway) Nov 2006

Over The Hedge – Hammy Goes Nuts (Activision) Nov 2006

Spider-Man: Battle for New York (Activision) Nov 2006

Eragon (Vivendi) Nov 2006

Panzer Tactics (working title) (CDV) 1 Nov 2006

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team (Nintendo) 10 Nov 2006

Mario Slam Basketball (Nintendo) 10 Nov 2006

Point Blank (Namco/Bandai/ATARI) 10 Nov 2006

Arthur & the Minimoys (ATARI) 17 Nov 2006

Flushed Away (D3P) 24 Nov 2006

Star Fox Command (Nintendo) 24th Nov 2006

Totally Spies! 2 Undercover (Namco/Bandai/ATARI) 24 Nov 2006

Harlem Globetrotters World Tour (ZOO Digital) 24 Nov 2006

Princess Natasha: Student-Secret-Agent-Princess (ZOO) 24 Nov 2006

Uno/Skipbo Compilation/Uno Freefall (ZOO) 24 Nov 2006

Shrek Smash 'N' Crash Racing (Activision) Dec 2006

Touching Detective (Digital Bros) Dec 2006

Yoshi’s Island 2 (Nintendo) (provisional title) 1st Dec 2006

March Of The Penguins (ZOO Digital) 1 Dec 2006

Nintendo DS Lite Pink Edition Q4 2006

Alex Rider Stormbreaker (THQ) Q4 2006

Guilty Gear (Majesco/THQ) Q4 2006

Rayman Raving Rabbids (Ubisoft) Q4 2006

The Settlers (Ubisoft) Q4 2006

Star Wars Lethal Alliance (Ubisoft) Q4 2006

Charlotte's Web (SEGA) Winter 2006

The full details can be found here.

They also confirm that the Pink DS Lite is coming to Europe. My girlfriend will be happy...

A few updates today.

Final Fantasy III

IGN reports that Square Enix has set a release date for Final Fantasy III. The RPG will be released in the US on the 14th November, and will cost around $40.00 (source: Famitsu).

From IGN, details of the game are as follows:

Final Fantasy III takes place in a world thrown out of balance when an earthquake pulls protective crystals from the earth. To restore order, four adventurers must find the crystals and fight a battle against darkness. The game comes to the DS with remodeled 3D graphics and a touch screen interface. Players can communicate with others and uncover hidden dungeons, quests, and items using a Wi-Fi connection.

Brain Training Wins Award

Gamespot have reported that Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (known as Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day in the United States) has won Edge Magazine's annual award for innovation in gaming. Apparently it was a near unanimous decision.

The Nintendo rep who picked up the prize said that Brain Training represented the different direction in which the company is headed, one which aims to expand the market and ultimately benefit gaming as a whole. Robertson, summing up the success of the grey-cell-testing game, said that "only Nintendo could make mental arithmetic this year's 'must have' [title]".

Want A Pink DS For £4.50?

If you have a DS Lite, but fancy giving it an appearance change, then Japanese company Gametech are selling 4 different silicon protectors. The protectors come in Black, Blue, Pink, and White, so if you have a DS Lite, and you fancy sprucing it up, these may well be your answer!

Atlus, the company behind "Trauma Centre", release their new DS title "Touch Detective" in October 2006 (US).

Nintendo® The Official Magazine have new screenshots, which can be found here.

The game looks lush, and is made up of four episodes. You control Rina (or Mackenzie - there seems to be a bit of confusion about this. Rina is the name of the heroine in the Japanese version of the game, which is known as "Osawari Tantei"), who must solve each mystery by talking to people, and searching for objects. Not doubt there will be lots of puzzles to solve too. Throughout the main game, the top screen is only apparently used to display a picture of Rina/Mackenzie. She will, however, give you clues via speech/thought bubbles and expressions. To me this seems a waste, but then, what else would you use it for?

The official site can be found here, and the details of the game are as follows:

GAME SUMMARY:

After her father unexpectedly passes away, Mackenzie inherits the family business: a renowned detective agency in a fantastic world of mystery and intrigue. With the aid of her investigative assistant Funghi and her faithful servant Cromwell, Mackenzie sets off to prove herself worthy of being called... the Touch Detective!

FEATURES:

* Gather evidence, talk to witnesses, and use items to further the investigation!
* Four bizarre cases! Find a missing person, track down a stolen dream, and more!
* Touch-screen, dual-screen puzzle-solving that takes full advantage of the Nintendo DS!

The Japanese site is here, and it gives a good impression of the style of the game (complete with a wierd mushroom fella - presumably Funghi - that you just can't catch!). A video taster can be found here (eventually...)

Sadly there is no confirmed UK release date yet.

Ubisoft have announced details of a new Star Wars game for the DS. Star Wars: Lethal Alliance is set to be released in December, on both the DS and Sony's PSP. Although both games are being developed by Ubisoft, the two versions of the game will differ in many ways.

Gamespot state:

Although Lethal Alliance will appear on the DS and the PSP at the same time, the two versions weren't made by the same developer: Ubisoft's Montreal division handled the PSP game, while the publisher's Casablanca studio produced the DS version. Each game will be tailored to take advantage of its host system, but Ubisoft didn't say how.

Along with the story mode, there will be a mutliplayer feature too, although Ubisoft have not yet released details of this.

In an interview with Gamespot, Bertrand Helias (Senior Producer) stated that:

The game takes place just a few months before Episode IV. You will play a Twi'lek mercenary named Rianna Saren. The game marks her first appearance in the Star Wars universe. Early in the game, she is recruited by the alliance to infiltrate Empire-controlled planets and ultimately steal the plans of the Empire's most powerful weapon: the Death Star. I suggest gamers watch the beginning of Episode IV again to understand the link between this game and the saga.

The full interview can be found here.

Sources:Gamespot and Nintendo® The Official Magazine

Natsume have released a flight sim for the DS. The creators of "Harvest Moon: DS", bring you "Freedom Wings". The story and details are as follows:

It was the age of aircraft. Due to the necessity of travel between the great many islands of the South Sea, aircrafts were the main choice of transportation. Some flew for adventure...Some flew for wealth...For whatever the reason many took to the air.

And there were those that used aircraft to prey upon them...

The government had to put a stop to these evil pirates. They selected the world's top pilots and set up the Air Patrol Association (A.P.A) in hopes of making the skies safe once again.

* Innovative combat system – beginning players can use AI COMBAT where the system will help lock on and fly the various planes or experienced players can use the MANUAL COMBAT where they control all the action!
* Use the Touch Screen to control your plane, lock-on to various enemies or plan your flight path!
* An assortment of aircraft to purchase!
* Upgrade your plane with new parts and weapons!
* Tons of missions and submissions to complete!
* Up to 4 players can play in the ultimate dog-fight!

It doesn't look too bad, but with the lack of WiFi, I can't see it competing with the likes of StarFox Command, or the forthcoming DS Air.

There are screenshots below, and a teeny tiny clip can be found here




Pictures from Natsume

The lastest top 10 for DS games in the UK has been released. The chart looks like this:

DS Charts
1. (1) New Super Mario Bros.
2. (2) Dr Kawashima's Brain Training
3. (3) Cars
4. (5) Animal Crossing: Wild World
5. (4) Big Brain Academy
6. (6) Nintendogs: Dalmatian & Friends
7. (7) Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
8. (9) Zoo Tycoon DS
9. (10) The Sims 2
10. (8) Mario Kart DS

Not a great deal of change from last week...

source: Nintendo® The Official Magazine