nintendo
New Nintendo DSi
October 9, 2008
Nintendo just can’t stop can they!! A new DS is about to be released, known as the ‘DSi’.
There are a few new features added to the DSi which include bigger screens (17% bigger to be precise), top and bottom. The ability to play back music with improve audio capabilities, and save data onto an SD card, and you can also take photos with the built in 3 megapixel camera.
The camera has a maximum resolution of 640 x 480, which is a decent size for such a small console. Gamers will also be able to download games which will be known as DSiWare and can be stored on an SD card. The Opera browser which is used on the Wii, will be built into the DSi as standard. Some of the DSi ware will be free, but others you will have to buy using, you guessed it, Wii Points. The points values will be set 200, 500 or 800 depending on what it is that you want to buy.
Continue reading »Wii In High Definition?
October 5, 2008
The word is out that Nintendo could be releasing a new version of the Wii in 2011. This version would enable people to play true high definition (HD) games on the Wii, will have an increased hard drive and will still carry the name Wii.
It’s not that long ago that I covered the talk of there being a Wii 2 on its way and now some more speculation has come to light.
Continue reading »Taking Handheld Gaming Seriously
August 12, 2008
Zath: Portable handheld gaming is something that I’ve never really got into myself despite being a big fan of various types of gaming, back in the early days I never ended getting a Game Boy - there was always some other expensive gaming hardware to buy, usually PC-related that my money went on. Even to this day I’ve still not embraced portable gaming with either the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, or even with games on mobile phones - perhaps I’m too much of a purist? Anyway, with that in mind, this post is a guest post written by Daniel Johnson who covers a wide variety of gaming commentary on his website; Daniel Primed - if you’ve not already seen it, I’d suggest you taking some time out and read some of his thoughts on gaming - he has a lot of quality content such as How Does it Feel to Play a Video Game?!
The portable gaming space has been continuously growing in size since hitting the mainstream with the Game Boy in 1989 (1990, PAL) and now, in 2008, this market has gained equal footing with the home console market, representing the strongest area in growth in the industry. Despite biding well with a good chunk of the market, portable games still remain an after thought for both developer and media alike.
Continue reading »Wii 2 On It’s Way!
August 6, 2008
Yes that’s right! Nintendo are currently working on Wii 2.
There’s been no date as to when Nintendo are thinking about a release for this, but I can’t see it being in the near future, not for a few years yet at any rate.
The Nintendo Wii has been a massive hit throughout the world, so why would they decide to make a new one when the Wii hasn’t even reached its full potential yet?
Continue reading »E3 Matters (Family Gamer)
July 21, 2008
Zath: “The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was one of those annual events that as a gamer I always wanted to attend - it was basically the largest conference of the gaming industry with hundreds of stands at the LA conference centre, if you liked games then this was the place to be. However, last year saw the whole event scaled back and moved to several smaller venues as it was starting to cost the industry exhibitors huge amounts of money which it couldn’t justify.
I can understand why it’s had to happen, but in a way it’s a still a shame that E3 as an event on that scale no longer happens, I kind of liked the idea that the gaming industry could command such an event….well perhaps in actual fact it couldn’t!
So with a smaller E3 venue and the number of visitors having been scaled back, has E3 lost some of it’s shine? Are the big companies still using this event to make their big announcements of what we can expect in the coming year? - It would seem there’s still plenty going on though as the Family Gamer, Paul Govan now explains in his syndicated article below…”
Continue reading »Trauma Center: Under the Knife
July 17, 2008
I generally like games that are not classed as “normal”, hence I have a Nintendo DS and a Nintendo Wii. So when I saw Trauma Center: Under the Knife at a knock down price I had to pick myself up a copy.
The angle the game comes from is that you are a young doctor fresh out of med school starting work in his first hospital. You then proceed to go to work on progressively more difficult surgical operations. These start easy, clean wound A, drain lump B, remove huge piece of glass imbedded in man’s pumping heart and sew the gaping bloody wound it leaves before he dies from blood loss C.
You know, fairly routine every day stuff. The learning curve is slow to start with and there’s an almost step-by-step walkthrough on how not to kill a man with a piece of surgical equipment. But don’t worry, you will!
Continue reading »Mario Kart DS
July 6, 2008
Fans of the Mario Kart franchise will not be let down. This is a pixel perfect copy of Mario Kart 64 with some added goodies. The nostalgia of Mario Kart snaking came flooding back when I played this game - it made me want to dig out my N64 and have a blast on Goldeneye.
If you have played any of the Mario Kart games before you will know the score; oversized cartoon characters racing around in strangely undersized vehicles shooting turtle shells at each other and using “magic” mushrooms to boost you about. People who have not played Mario Kart before do not be afraid. It is easy to pick up and play and will keep you busy for hours.
Continue reading »Metroid Prime Hunters
June 15, 2008
A first person shooter on the Nintendo DS? My first thoughts were “Small screens + low graphics x no mouse = shockingly bad game”. I should learn to keep my thoughts to myself. After watching some gameplay of Metroid Prime Hunters, I bought this game to check the graphics were as good as they looked. I was astonished at the quality and smoothness this game displays. The environments are a little claustrophobic but the texturing and environment are rich with detail.
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
June 7, 2008
My friends laughed when I told them I’d bought Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for my Nintendo DS. “Kiddies game” they said and warned me about a lot of text chat spieled of by Manga looking characters while needing a walkthrough to really advance through the game.
Nintendo DS - Top Games
May 27, 2008
After inheriting a cheap Nintendo DS with “Mr Myagies Brain Breaker” (long story, wont boar you) I set about trying to find myself some cheap games that I actually wanted to play. “Easy task” I thought, “The DS has been out for ages” I said, “cheap second hand stuff will be kicking about everywhere” I told my missus.
How wrong could I have been. Even the dodgy second hand stuff from the dreaded eBay was gonna cost me at least 1 nights beer money. There had to be a solution!? Ok it’s an old solution, but make sure when you do buy a game that it is one of the Nintendo DS’s top games!
Continue reading »
