You might have noticed that there was a conspicuous hole in our look at some of this year's most exciting games. Whither Diddy Kong Racing, you asked, tear-streaked faces turned up to the sky as you shook your fists in rage and dismay. Okay, maybe we're a little dramatic, but it was missing, and here's why: we wanted to take some time to get intimate with Diddy Kong without the pesky interference of so many other droolariffic games.
After Rare went to the dark side, we never thought we'd feel the shining spotlight of their love again, but it looks like they've come crawling back for a piece of the DS, and all may be forgiven. Even though Diddy Kong Racing DS is an enhanced port of the (beloved) N64 game, the mere fact that it's happening makes it a contender for this year's single most interesting game.
Just when you thought everything had been done with Romance of the Three Kingdoms .... Sangokushi Taisen DS brings elements of the Chinese historical novel to card-based battle action, which is apparently a match made in heaven from the success the arcade version has enjoyed in Japan. The DS game, which is slated to have WiFi multiplayer functionality, is due out in Japan next month. Dates for other regions have yet to be announced, which makes us sad after seeing some of the lush screens. The rest of us need to throw down with vast armies, too!
When Chris Kohler starts thinking aloud, panic shoots through the interlaced tubes of the 'net and spreads like a virus. And now look what you've done, Mr. Kohler. You've made the Pokefans cry.
The story: Kohler noticed that in the blitz of press releases regarding Pokemon Diamond and Pearl in the U.S., local multiplayer was mentioned, but not the WiFi play that had Pokemasters everywhere drooling. And lo did the speculation begin -- and a legion of sites leaped onto the bandwagon with full force.
But take heart! Nintendo confirmed to GameLife that WiFi play would in fact be preserved for the U.S. releases of Diamond and Pearl, so everyone is free to take a breath and untangle their twisted knickers, for all is well with the Pokemon. Now all you have to worry about is waiting for April.
Pokemon: Diamond/Pearl is, beyond doubt, the most anticipated release in the American market for the wonderous and fancy DS. Despite runaway sales in Japan and critical success, however, Nintendo has remained extremely tight-lipped about its eventual release date, with nothing more than a "TBA 2007" showing up in their catalogs.
The latest Nintendo Power, however, seems to have mention of a Spring release; those trusty soldiers at NeoGAF seem to have their heads on straight. Furthermore, Nintendo's official Pokemon website is now claiming an April 22nd release date, and despite Nintendo's penchant for delaying games till all nine eight planets align, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. We won't lie ... we want this game, stigma be damned. The Pokemon franchise, if nothing else, has repeatedly demonstrated engrossing gameplay and attention to detail, and the new Wi-Fi trading system just makes it all the sweeter.
Wanna know what else? Nintendo Power gave the upcoming Phoenix Wright: Justice for All a 9 out of 10. Awesome. If David didn't mention that you have to love Phoenix Wright to come work here, then consider this an amendment of epic proportions.
[via GoNintendo]
[Update 1: Trusty commenters. More information from Pokemon.com added, and fixed a typo.]
Sure, if you want a solid group of individuals with whom to play on Tuesdays, our Game Night has you covered. But what about the rest of the week? What to do when the Kefkas and Metal_Links aren't available? Have you ever found yourself standing around on campus or at the subway, studying bags for the telltale outline of a DS case? Well, the helpful folks at Left Bracket have come up with a clever solution -- DS buttons! Select buttons for the games you want to play online, apply to jacket, backpack, etc., and let the WiFi hookups roll in.
Sets of five buttons are available for $12, and you can create a custom set that coincides with games you own.
Much to the surprise of, well, just about every person we come in contact with on a regular basis, we still play Animal Crossing: Wild World. Perhaps we aren't alone though, because word on the street is that Nintendo is issuing out another free goody to celebrate the launch of some game called Zelda on the Wii. We're going to be keeping a close watch on this situation due to our continued support for the game and love of all things free.
For those who would like to join us, the time to log into Wi-Fi Connect is during the week of November 17th through the 24th. Upon connecting, players will receive the rare gift enclosed in a letter, which will be patiently awaiting them in their mailbox outside of the house. It's totally legit information, originating from the 210th volume of Nintendo Power magazine.
The Pokemon website has updated and provided us with more information on some of the Wii/DS connectivity of the title. Now, the page mentions a need for software on the DS, yet does not tell if this software will be included with the Wii game, downloadable from the Wii, one of the DS games, or need to be separately purchased. Personally, we're assuming it'll be downloadable, but the article does make mention of it acting much in the way Wi-Fi does in Pokemon Diamond & Pearl.
The site also mentions that you can bring some of your Pokemon from Pokemon Diamond & Pearl into the Wii game through the use of 'coliseum mode.' This allows you to bring 6 of those Pokemon into the game and persistently record their battle information through Pokemon Battle Revolution.
We offer this one with a cornucopia of salt, because it may turn out to be one of those father's-brother's-friend's-cousin-said sort of deals, but it's just so delicious that we can't keep it to ourselves. An "anonymous reader" apparently tipped UK site Cubed3 that there are many reasons behind the delay of the Wii's Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and some of them are quite interesting. Such as the fact that the game may include some sort of amorphous DS connectivity. The tipster also indicated that online play was being added. DS connectivity? Could be interesting, if true. We'll keep you posted.
Here's good news from Europe for a change -- last week saw the release of the Opera Browser for the DS. The browser, which has two viewing modes, retails for €39.99 (or about £30). And hey, you got it before the U.S. and not too long after Japan. So if you're reading today's news about delayed games from the comfort of your couch with DS in hand, know that you have some small bonus.
For those of you in Europe who picked one up, how's it working for you? Give us your impressions. And we're surprised we haven't yet heard about any filtering services, but we're sure they're coming ....
Featuring more than 20 classic board, card, and party games, Clubhouse Games allows gamers to play alone or take things online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connect service and is the latest entry in Nintendo's Touch Generation line of games. Released in Europe as 42 All-Time Classics, the gameplay of both titles is identical. Featuring plenty of gameplay and a budget price, Clubhouse Games has plenty to offer. Is what it offers worth the price of admission, however?
IGN - 80%: "The entire package is about casual, portable pick-up-and-playability when you've got some time to kill. That being the case, the variety on offer here is simply staggering. The fact that Nintendo's poured so much energy into ensuring everything is solidly entertaining - with particular props going to the multitude of mulitplayer and online options - just sweetens things further."
Cubed3 - 80%: "Whilst games like Billiards border on the unplayable you will cherish that cart next time you are stuck in a tunnel on the way home from work/uni/college/school and can pull out your DS for a quick game of blackjack or solitaire. Or to see if you can finally get 3 strikes in a row for the bowling mission. It this is a highly personal choice for any gamer as strictly speaking these games are nothing new; but in terms of affordability, replayability and downright fun we feel it's worth it."
Nintendo Power - 70%: "If you plan on playing with your friends, it's indespensible; if you'll be going at it alone, there's a fair amount to do but you may lose patience with the scoring and lack of single-player variety. [Nov. 2006, p.87]"
The points made that many of these games can be played for free via several different online outlets is certainly a valid one, however with the convenience of clumping all these games together for a small price, along with Wi-Fi Connect support, we certainly feel the package is worth the price. What about you, fine reader?
A game that combines Dragon Quest with Nintendo into a board game for the DS, Itadaki Street has not received a street date or price in Japan yet. However, we do know the game is to support both local and Wi-Fi Connect gameplay modes through two different multiplayer gametypes. Exact details on how the game will play, through single-player and multiplayer, are not known as of this time.
So, we know that Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl sold more copies in one day than the number of plant cells in an oak tree. Certainly, the game must have blind, fanboyish loyalty excellent gameplay to warrant such sales! One of those silly "bilingual" people over at IGN got their hands on a copy, and relates his experiences accordingly.
Though the basic gameplay remains the same, he makes special note of the addition of Wi-Fi battling and trading. The system appears to be streamlined and effective, and more importantly, it gives you twenty-something year old Pokemon players a way to actually trade and battle without publicly humilating yourselves.
In the video embedded into the post after the break, we get a demonstration of the new title's Wi-Fi features in action. Should shed some much-needed light on the new feature for all you Poke-fanatics out there. Gotta catch 'em all, right?
The site for Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis over at nintendowifi.com has launched and in the process reveals some of the specific features that will utilize the Wi-Fi functionality of the title. In being able to design and upload/download custom-created levels over the service, Nintendo will include unlockable templates, some including hidden characters.
Players will only need to use the touch-screen to do everything from drawing platforms and bridges, to including elevators and enemies in these templates. Upon successfully creating a level, the player may save it then log onto the Wi-Fi Connection service to either upload the map for their friends to download or peruse their friends' created maps.
It's the picture that has everyone frothing -- but Nintendo's not giving up the details just yet, despite rampant speculation about precisely how the two Nintendo platforms will hook up. Will it be a whirlwind romance or a true partnership?
Here's what we know -- the Wii will serve as a "download station" for the DS. And we have the image from Nintendo's site. The translated text mentions Pokemon, and though our Google translation is weak at best, it seems that you can pull Pokemon off the DS and onto the Wii. What for? We're not sure yet. And what will a "download station" provide, anyway? Will the DS be able to handle Virtual Console titles?
Connectivity is nothing new when it comes to Nintendo. Eventually, we'll be able to connect enough Nintendo platforms to build a giant stompy robot, so it's not at all surprising that the Wii and the DS will have a special relationship. As for theories, we are firmly behind the PinkSquiggle Technology mentioned at the Ars Technica forums. And we'd still like a pony.
Just when you thought everything had been done with Romance of the Three Kingdoms .... Sangokushi Taisen DS brings elements of the Chinese historical novel to card-based battle action, which is apparently a match made in heaven from the success the arcade version has enjoyed in Japan. The DS game, which is slated to have WiFi multiplayer functionality, is due out in Japan next month. Dates for other regions have yet to be announced, which makes us sad after seeing some of the lush screens. The rest of us need to throw down with vast armies, too!
When Chris Kohler starts thinking aloud, panic shoots through the interlaced tubes of the 'net and spreads like a virus. And now look what you've done, Mr. Kohler. You've made the Pokefans cry.
Much to the surprise of, well, just about every person we come in contact with on a regular basis, we still play Animal Crossing: Wild World. Perhaps we aren't alone though, because word on the street is that Nintendo is issuing out 
We offer this one with a cornucopia of salt, because it may turn out to be one of those father's-brother's-friend's-cousin-said sort of deals, but it's just so delicious that we can't keep it to ourselves. An "anonymous reader" apparently tipped UK site Cubed3 that there are many reasons behind the delay of the Wii's Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and some of them are quite interesting. Such as the fact that the game may include some sort of amorphous DS connectivity. The tipster also indicated that online play was being added. DS connectivity? Could be interesting, if true. We'll keep you posted.
Here's good news from Europe for a change -- last week saw the release of the Opera Browser for the DS. The browser, which has two viewing modes, retails for €39.99 (or about £30). And hey, you got it before the U.S. and not too long after Japan. So if you're reading today's news about delayed games from the comfort of your couch with DS in hand, know that you have some small bonus.
Featuring more than 20 classic board, card, and party games, Clubhouse Games allows gamers to play alone or take things online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connect service and is the latest entry in Nintendo's Touch Generation line of games. Released in Europe as 42 All-Time Classics, the gameplay of both titles is identical. Featuring plenty of gameplay and a budget price, Clubhouse Games has plenty to offer. Is what it offers worth the price of admission, however?
A game that combines Dragon Quest with Nintendo into a board game for the DS, Itadaki Street has not received a street date or price in Japan yet. However, we do know the game is to support both local and Wi-Fi Connect gameplay modes through two different multiplayer gametypes. Exact details on how the game will play, through single-player and multiplayer, are not known as of this time.
So, we know that Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl sold more copies in one day than the number of plant cells in an oak tree. Certainly, the game must have 
The site for Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis over at nintendowifi.com has launched and in the process reveals some of the specific features that will utilize the Wi-Fi functionality of the title. In being able to design and upload/download custom-created levels over the service, Nintendo will include unlockable templates, some including hidden characters.
It's the picture that has everyone frothing -- but Nintendo's not giving up the details just yet, despite rampant speculation about precisely how the two Nintendo platforms will hook up. Will it be a whirlwind romance or a true partnership?
