Over the past few months, gaming enthusiasts have come to understand that casual games are a dominant force in the market and that these types of games have the staying power that is needed in the video gaming industry. The incontrovertible success of casual games – much to the dismay of longtime videogame fans – has caused a heated debate. Will the videogame market eventually become dominated only with games that a player can pick up and play? As Zelda and Mario change from hardcore to “bridge” games, will they eventually be tweaked to the point at which no challenge will be presented to the player at all? And finally, as Japan continues to ignore traditional games such as Metroid, will developers try to cash in on simple titles?

Brain Age, Wii Sports, Wii Fit. These are titles that appear to be more “mainstream” and, therefore, can draw in a significant number of videogame newcomers. Professor Layton is another of these casual games, and, unsurprisingly, it has done remarkably well in the Japanese market. In fact, two games in the series have already been released in The Land of the Rising Sun, and one more is in development. As much as videogame loyalists appreciate hardcore games, Professor Layton deserves an equal chance, as it is a charming puzzle game, which suffers only from a few, but noticeable flaws.

The game begins with Professor Layton and his protégée, Luke, traveling to the village of St. Mystere after receiving a request to investigate a certain situation. Following the death of Baron Augustus Rheinhold, an extremely wealthy man, a mystery erupts. At the reading of Rheinhold’s will, a “Golden Apple” is mentioned. The person who discovers its hidden location will reap a huge reward – Rheinhold’s entire estate. The Golden Apple is an enigmatic item. No one quite knows exactly what this object is and ultimately, no one is able to find it. Professor Layton, in the meantime, believes that the Golden Apple possesses an underlying connection to a grander mystery. As a result, Professor Layton and Luke head off to St. Mystere, determined to unravel the entire mystery.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village is best described as a point-and-click puzzle adventure. Most of the time, you will be exploring the many European-like settings on the touch screen in search of hidden puzzles and hint coins that will aid you in your puzzle-solving bouts. The most surprising aspect about the whole game is how well the puzzles are interlaced into the storyline. Most developers usually follow a safe approach, thus it is both a surprise and a delight to see a game not falling victim to conformity. A tap of the stylus is needed to travel from place to place and to converse with the locals of St. Mystere – whom, by the way, always have some puzzle in store for you to attempt to solve. Only in a handful of situations will you be forced to solve certain puzzles in order to progress. This is probably the best approach, as some may find unraveling all of the puzzles in the game to be a bit challenging.

Japanese software sales (3/24 – 3/30)

Posted on 17 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, News, Wii | 0 comments

01./00. [PSP] Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom) – 880,000 / NEW
02./01. [NDS] Pokémon Ranger: Batonnage (Pokémon) – 106,000 / 348,000
03./00. [NDS] Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Bandai-Namco) – 49,000 / NEW
04./05. [WII] Wii Fit (Nintendo) – 42,000 / 1,794,000
05./00. [PSP] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion: Lost Colors (Bandai-Namco) – 34,000 / NEW
06./07. [WII] Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo) – 34,000 / 1,524,000
07./00. [PS2] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion: Lost Colors (Bandai-Namco) – 30,000 / NEW
08./02. [WII] Deca Sporta (Hudson) – 29,000 / 94,000
09./04. [NDS] SimCity DS 2: From the Past to the Future (EA) – 25,000 / 74,000
10./08. [NDS] Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi wo Yobu Cinema Land (Banpresto) – 19,000 / 54,000

Source

Famitsu info, MK Wii review score

Posted on 17 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, News, Wii | 0 comments

King Story (Wii)

– flat world map
– Release date estimate – Summer 2008

Trauma Center 2 (DS)

– Sequel to TC1 DS
– Release date 7th Aug (Japan)

Valkyrie Profile (DS)

– 3 pages
– Interview with Katou, the coproducer of VP Lenneth and SO1 PSP
– Gameplay systems revealed: Multi-story System, Magic Crystal System, Mutial Assist System
– More story pics, all isometric

AWAY Shuffle Dungeon (DS)

– In the coming months Famitsu will show how the game has changed since it was first revealed
– 95%

Mario Kart Wii (Wii, Nintendo): 10 / 9 / 9 / 9 – (37/40)

Source 1, Source 2

Nintendo Power review scores – 7.5 for Okami?

Posted on 17 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, News, Wii | 6 Comments

Mario Kart Wii (Wii) – 9.0
Battle of the Bands (Wii) – 7.0
The World Ends With You (DS) – 9.0
Teenage Zombies (DS) – 7.0
Puchi Puchi Virus (DS) – 7.0
Okami (Wii) – 7.5
N+ (DS) – 7.0
Summer Sports: Paradise Island (Wii) – 3.5
Minicopter: Adventure Flight (Wii) – 6.5
Rondo of Swords (DS) – 6.5
Castle of Shikigami III (Wii) – 7.0
MLB 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars (DS) – 6.5

I’m extremely surprised about Okami, to be honest. Previews of the game have sounded promising, and I know most people who played it on the PS2 were impressed.

Weekly savings

Posted on 17 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, News, Wii | 0 comments

Best Buy

Alvin and the Chipmunks (DS) – $19.99

Circuit City

Alvin and the Chipmunks (DS) – $19.99
Kabookii (Wii) – $19.99
Paws & Claws: Pet Resort (DS) – $19.99
Wii Zapper – $19.99

First day sales in Japan

Posted on 17 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, News, Wii | 0 comments

NDS Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 – 30,000 (50% sell through)
NDS Lux-Pain – 8,000 (20% sell through)
NDS Tetsudou Seminar: JR-Hen – 3,000
WII Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga – didn’t make it (<1000?)
WII Tomb Raider: Anniversary – didn’t make it (<1000?)

Source

The Number One Fighting Videogame Franchise Returns To The Virtual Ring With WWE® Smackdown® Vs. Raw® 2009

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AGOURA HILLS, Calif. – March 28, 2008 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) today announced that WWE® SmackDown® vs. Raw® 2009 is in development for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Wii™ videogame console, Nintendo DS™ and mobile devices. Joining the immensely successful World Wrestling Entertainment® roster of WWE SmackDown/SmackDown vs. Raw licensed videogames, which have shipped more than 37 million units worldwide since 1999, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is expected to begin shipping to retail outlets worldwide this fall.

“The ambitious cross-platform launch of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 last year yielded tremendous growth for the franchise, as we delivered multiple gameplay experiences across seven platforms and greatly expanded our audience of WWE videogame fans,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “With dynamic new features and the extension of our gameplay experience through downloadable content, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 will bring more console, handheld and wireless gamers together to enjoy the virtual world of WWE.”

“We are tremendously excited about the next groundbreaking release in the billion dollar WWE SmackDown vs. Raw videogame franchise,” said Nelo Lucich, vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific. “Downloadable content, innovative experiences with tag teams and a new Create-A-Finisher feature, along with significant annual improvements across all platforms, combine to bring the sports entertainment experience to new heights and gratify our long-time fans, casual gamers and franchise newcomers alike.”

Japanese hardware sales – (3/17 – 3/23)

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DS Lite 65,055
Wii 62,404
PSP 59,833
PS3 12,874
PS2 9,990
Xbox 360 1,407

Source

EGM rumors, review scores and more

Posted on 17 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, News, Wii | 0 comments

Rumors

– Tecmo Bowl coming to both the Wii and DS.
– Disney asked Warren Spector to create a Mickey Mouse Mario-killer.
– Traveler’s Tales to make games (plural) based on live-action Akira movie.

Review Scores – Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl: A, A-, A- [Game of the Month]
Okami: A, B+, A
Opoona: C, C+, C+

Review Scores – Nintendo DS
Lost in Blue 3: B-, C, D+
The World Ends With You: A-, B, A-
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer: B+, A, B

Coming in the June 2008 Issue
– Feature on the “sweetest” games you haven’t heard of yet, including Capcom’s Dark Void.

Sonic Chronicles
– Random battles, turn-based
– Allocatable skill points
– Branching dialog paths
– Dialog close to Mass Effect system
– Core story has a single outcome

Source

EA Announces Madden NFL 09 Official Ship Date and Special Collector’s Edition

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Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that Madden NFL 09 will be available in retail stores in North America on August 12, including a special collector’s edition in celebration of the 20th anniversary of one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will be the ultimate interactive NFL experience – featuring full versions of both Madden NFL 09 and the all-new NFL Head Coach 09, exclusive classic Madden NFL gameplay, and an extensive library of exclusive bonus video content.
“The Madden NFL franchise has a rich history, and we’re proud to be celebrating it with this definitive video game package,” says Peter Moore, president of EA
SPORTS. “Featuring two deep and innovative new standalone games, as well as a host of exclusive bonus content, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is the ultimate interactive offering for both long-time Madden NFL fans and anyone who enjoys football on Sundays. I can’t think of a better way to get your NFL fix than to enjoy everything that’s unique about both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09, and then connecting and sharing content from both.”
Whether you prefer to make your moves on the field, from the sidelines or in the front office, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition has something for every football fan. Madden NFL 09 will feature the most immersive gameplay, the richest online offerings and the most comprehensive feature depth in the history of the franchise, while NFL Head Coach 09 has been reinvented to provide a unique new NFL experience by allowing fans to be in total control of their favorite franchises. The two games offer unique experiences and then can even interact with one another with gamers being able to import their user-designed plays from NFL Head Coach 09 and put them into Madden NFL 09 to create customized playbooks for complete control on the field.