505 Games Announces European Release Date
Milton Keynes, UK 31st March 2009 – 505 Games today announced that the highly anticipated next chapter in the Mama Brand, Gardening Mama will launch on 1st May across Europe. Developed by Cooking Mama Ltd, Gardening Mama will be available exclusively for Nintendo DS.In Gardening Mama, players must dig soil, plant seeds and harvest crops to turn their simple plots into a garden paradise. Strong performance unlocks rare plants, fruits and vegetables, as well as ornamental objects such as swings, benches, flower pots and garden gnomes for decoration. There are over 28 different plants to unlock and grow with a host of fun and accessible mini games and if that’s not enough there is even wireless multiplayer for up to 4 players.
Gardening Mama is from the same developer as the Cooking Mama series of games, the original of which has gone on to ship over one million copies and counting. The accessible and colourful nature of this quintessentially Japanese series has made the eponymous ‘Mama’ an instantly recognisable favourite amongst casual gamers and Japanophiles alike.
Some old/new screenshots:
This week’s Nintendo DS Demos
As most everyone who owns a Wii knows, the Nintendo Channel gives DS owners the ability to try out demos of upcoming and recently released DS games. But who really has the time to go through all of the new demos that become available every week? And what about non-Wii owning DS holders? Do they get to know how the games are? Well, now they do. Starting this week I’ll be “reviewing” the new DS demos that come out so you don’t have to bother playing the crap, and can get right into trying out the things that are worth trying out.
This week I’ve taken a look at TrackMania DS, Monsters vs. Aliens, Rhythm Heaven and Gardening Mama, and found myself surprisingly happy at the quality of the titles. Most of them anyway…
GDC impressions/Punch-Out!!
– In Punch-Out!!, fighters flash red, internet message boards are exploding
– Punch-Out!! is great, but it’s very similar to the first game
– Bozon wishes there were 40 fighters, but there are 14
– Bozon describes the game as a “popcorn game”
– Chose to do Punch-Out!! again which is fine
– Craig glad they made a classic Punch-Out!!
– Not surprised about limited amount of fighters since animation is in-depth
– Beautiful, has great animation
– Daemon didn’t like the motion controls at all
– Next Level Games coy about online features
– Cut-scenes are like comic book panels
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
– People are flaming up the message boards (wanted Zelda Wii)
– Doesn’t seem to really do anything new
– Bozon hopes they put in d-pad controls but they probably won’t
– Navi icon replaced with spirit sparkles where you’re pointing
– Bozon thinks it looks like a fun game
– Matt would love to see a new Wind Waker on Wii
– Will be out later this year
Let’s CATCH: This is a sports game in which players control “cartoony” avatars that play outdoor catch. Characters engage in topical conversation (e.g., piano lessons, astrology, UFOs, hectic schedules) while tossing the ball, and sometimes discuss dating and romance (e.g., “I know that he and I could never really be together” and “I’ve decided to never think about chasing a married man again”). In a “Bomb Catch” mini-game, players scramble to get rid of a bomb before it explodes; the character holding the bomb when it goes off is knocked to the ground.
LEGO Battles: This is a real-time strategy game (RTS) in which players can explore landscapes, build civilizations, and send “Lego” troops into battle. Presented from a bird’s eye view, battle sequences can involve small boats/pirate ships shooting cannon fire at each other; Lego knights dueling with swords; and tiny soldiers walking toward and stopping in front of pirates, skeletons, and alien-like creatures. Laser sounds, sword swipes, and alien screams are occasionally heard during combat. Some cutscenes depict slapstick behavior, such as a pirate that stumbles when his drink is replaced with a crab, and a Lego character that is referred to as a “space babe.”
Videos
Beyonce Plays Rhythm Heaven
2009 GDC Special – Zelda: Spirit Tracks
2009 GDC Special – Virtual Console Arcade
The Conduit Video 2
Guitar Hero Metallica – Behind the Scenes 1
Don King Boxing Video 3
Tokyo Beat Down Info Video
Bonsai Barber Info Video
Go Play Lumberjacks Teaser Video
Digest Video
Demos (Expire 4/5)
Rhythm Heaven (no expiry date)
Person Trainer: Cooking Lasagna Demo
Gardening Mama
Monsters vs. Aliens
TrackMania DS
Austin will be providing you folks with impressions of the Nintendo Channel demos later tonight!
“[Kimi to Boku to Ritai will release in North America] Pretty soon. The localization has been a little difficult even though the game itself doesn’t have a lot of text. Once you start playing it, Ritai should feel intuitive, because the motions are very simple. But I was afraid that people would be put off by such a new concept, so the tutorial is quite detailed. There’s a lot of explanation provided to avoid any possible confusion. And there’s lots of different languages to work on, like German, French and Spanish as well. But it should finish development next week. After that, it’s up to Nintendo of America to set a release date.” – Kenji Eno
I’m glad to see that Kimi to Boku to Ritai is being localized and that the game will be available soon. The game definitely has an interesting concept.
“…what you’re seeing is this average business model, the typical business model of, say, the five to six year generation of hardware is just not valid anymore. The Wii is a very approachable, accessible platform that’s going to interest gamers for years to come.” – Marc Franklin, Nintendo’s Director of PR
I’m pretty happy that the Wii will be around for some time. Especially with Wii MotionPlus coming, I see no reason to rush through this console generation.
