Looks like we're batting 0 for 2 on news outside of the LA Convention center last week as another trusty reader, well aware of our fascination with all things Animal Crossing, sent us an email that was both informative and painful to read. Informative in the way that Mother's Day was another occasion where Nintendo let loose another holiday gift for all those Wi-Fi-connecting Animal Crossing: Wild World addicts out there and painful in the way that we failed to obtain it! His email reads:
"Hi there,
I'm not sure if this was something sent out over WiFi connection, but I opened my gates yesterday (Mother's Day) just in case.
A letter in my mailbox was waiting today. It reads:
"Buy low, sell high, and call your mom on Mother's Day. These are the keys to a regret free life. - Nintendo"
A dafodil was attached.
Just wondering if all the post-E3 stuff obscured this ostensible WiFi goodie. :-)"
Now, as awesome a reader as you are to let us know what we all missed, I must ask you just exactly where are the pictures man?! Hook it up!
Warios' upcoming title has made it into a recent Gamestop circular. The game, titled Wario the Thief, supposedly will feature Wi-Fi compatibility. Not much is known about the title besides the fact that it stars Wario and is a side-scrolling platformer, but we assume Wario will be attempting to steal something and, at one point, will drive a large pink cadillac.
This could change, however. Do we all remember the original debacle of Resident Evil: Deadly Silence featuring the Wi-Fi logo? Considering that, and the gameplay that doesn't seem very Wi-Fi-friendly, maybe we shouldn't put too much stock in this lone snapshot?
At least, according to the British Gaming Blog it will. Citing Famitsu, the usually reliable chaps say that Squeenix's upcoming and frighteningly gorgeous Final Fantasy remake will sport some sort of Wi-Fi gameplay. Online, cooperative slaying of beasts and smashing of ancient evils? Yes please.
Sticking to the topic of pointy-haired adventurers and magical princesses, Gamebrink has posted some new scans of Final Fantasy III in action. They're sure to evoke some nostalgia within you, along with the lingering desire to visit an optometrist. They're quite small and blurry.
Unlike the intimidating, oblong towers that litter the streets of Japan, the American DS download station is a more understated affair, consisting of not much more than a seemingly innocent white box and an aura of mystery. Thanks to an impromptu photographer, we can now view the wizard behind the curtain without fear of deadly reprisals.
Inside, a plain 'ole phat DS equipped with a special game card sits and contentedly waits for a fellow DS to connect and download a demo. When Nintendo decides that it's time for some fresh demos, only the game card in the transmitting DS needs to be replaced. Seems like a simple and efficient system, provided some crazy person doesn't bust open the box, take some pictures and run off with the unit.
Gamebrink has posted a review of Contact, currently the most anticipated DS title that doesn't involve a duo of energetic plumbers. Instead, you get an eccentric professor looking for the parts of his downed spaceship in an original RPG that supports Wi-Fi play. The article praises the game for its unique story, excellent presentation and varied locations.
I especially like how the game breaks the fourth wall right off the bat, having the professor communicate to you as the player on the other side of a mysterious portable device. The professor will quiz you about some of your favorite things at the start of the game, often sharing his own opinion regarding your answers. It's a cute little gameplay device that, according to the review, really boosts the immersion factor (often quite tricky for a portable game to get right).
The only qualm brought to light was the fact that the game's combat system comes across as a bit shallow. Still, if an RPG has enough personality and a great story to tell, it can often get away with such issues. It's when things are the other way around that you start having problems.
The English version of Contact should be out later this year, courtesy of Atlus.
Nintendo of Europe has revealed that any gamer who takes their copy of Nintendo's amazing Animal Crossing: Wild World online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi service will receive a letter direct from Nintendo including a special gift. The window of opportunity spans Good Friday on through the end of Easter day (this upcoming weekend). Considering Nintendo's pastgifts, this is sure to be one sweet surprise.
When you ask DS Fanboy readers to do something for you, they don't waste much time. This is a valuable lesson I've now learned after putting out a call to you guys to let us know where and when you stumble across one of the many Wi-Fi tendrils of Nintendo's download station network currently spreading across the world. My online persona was buried beneath an avalanche of tips, comments and the usual death threats, but it has now surfaced and is ready to start compiling the information in an epic list that's sure to inspire a major motion picture. This is just the second part of our ongoing quest and I hope to keep adding new locations on a weekly basis.
A big, slightly overzealous "thank you" to everyone that contributed to this round. If you don't see your highlighted area in the list, be sure to check back later in the month. A few brave souls have also added some new locations to the Frappr map--quite a feat given that working with that application is about as pleasant as a sturdy kick in the head. The format of this list is probably far from optimal, so please let me know how you'd like me to change it in the future.
Also, the information from readers isn't always exact, but if you see that one Best Buy (or another store) has a download station in your region, chances are decent that others will have too. You'll know you're close to one by either recognizing a small banner and a DS set in wireless mode behind some plastic or experiencing a lightheaded sensation as Wi-Fi beams scramble your brains.
Keep the details (we want street names!), pictures and experiences coming! The full list is but a click away.
For all you forum-frequenters out there, DS Fanboy reader Will (and we assume he is also a genius, because those are the types of people who read our site) has dropped an interesting link into our tip jar that allows Metroid Prime Hunters players to create an image for use in forums or on their webspace. The image updates every two hours and is perfect for forum signatures, compacting key information in regards to your WiFi experience into one handy little place for all to laugh marvel at. Props should be directed to KAAOSA at the Official Nintendo Nsider Forums for creating this awesome little utility.
A faithful reader writes us to tell of the process of embedding your Hunter's License information on your personal webspace, much like those with a Gamertag on the Xbo360 have been able to do since the console launched in November. Scrolling down after the jump will display proof of such as you'll be able to see Shorties' Hunter's License displayed. You'll first want to gain your GSPID, which can be easily accomplished by going through the brisk tutorial found here.
One of our UK-based readers sent us one of the first bits of information to help in our ceaseless quest to locate all the DS download kiosks in the world ever.
"I found a DS demo kiosk in HMV on Oxford Street in London. It was demoing Mario Kart DS and had a crappy times new roman a4 print-out that gave instructions on how to download demos from the kiosk. I followed em and sod all happened.
I went back 2 days later, and they changed the kiosk to an Animal Crossing demo with a new shiny sign that said you can download demos. I tried again and it worked. All they had was Polarium, so I grabbed that and finished the demo on the train ride home..."
And our progress on the American front? Not so good. Nintendo seems to have hit a delay in rolling out their kiosks, with the Nintendo Store in New York being the only US location thus far to be bathed in Wi-Fi goodness. Nintendo's own Download Station page promises that the units will start showing up in early April, however, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled and your DS powered on.
If you spot one, let us know what your experience with it was like! Tell us what games you tried! Send us a picture! Or update this Frappr map that one of our swell readers created! And make obnoxious use of exclamation marks!
[Thanks Butch, Sean and D. Short!]
[Update: Thanks for the submissions so far! Just make sure you give us enough details on the location--states are rather large, after all.]
Our friends at Famitsu managed to attend a GDC seminar entitled "The Zen of Wi-Fi: A Postmortem of the Wireless Features of Nintendo DS" and, as most journalists are prone to do, quickly converted their experience into an informative article. Unfortunately, being of Japanese origin, said wonderful article had to be put through an internet translation service before we could make any sense of it. Curse our bizarre Western tongues!
Regardless, the most interesting bit of news to emerge from the conference is one directly involving the universal language of numbers. According to Takao Ohara, amusingly dubbed as the "Ohara your husband person" of Nintendo by Google's linguistic trolls, there are currently 40 Wi-Fi DS games en route for release. He also made an effort to point out that the forthcoming Winning Eleven (Pro Evolution Soccer for the Europeans and soccer hooligans among us) was one of them, shortly before pulling his shirt over his head and doing an energetic backflip.
The Nintendo Wi-Fi service is certainly taking off with gusto--and this from a company that once claimed gamers weren't interested in all those online shenanigans. We all make misteaks mistakes, right?
[Thanks Terrell!]
[Update: Here's a link to the Famitsu article - now translated by actual humans! Thanks CTU Kyoto!]
If a suggestively worded blurb at the back of this month's Nintendo Power magazine is to be believed, the next issue is set to unveil a brand new Castlevania game for everyone's favorite touchy-feely portable. Under the "World Exclusive" banner, the text reads:
As mysterious as a new moon, the follow-up to one of 2005's best DS titles is a whip-smart adventure that you won't want to miss.
Perhaps we just haven't been spending enough time outside, but those words instantly conjure up the loving image of an androgynous hero traipsing through a musty, upside-down castle and whipping evil bats to shreds. They also match up with Konami's previous promises that there would be another entry into the series following the spectacular Dawn of Sorrow, this time incorporating Nintendo's Wi-Fi service. Oh yes.
Though the mag's mention of a moon might imply a sequel to the GBA's Circle of the Moon, would a port of Symphony of the Night be too much to ask for? If so, how about we suggest some other appropriate titles:
The keyword that was bandied about during Satoru Iwata's speech at the Game Developer's Conference was "disruption". Through the DS, Mr. Iwata illustrated how Nintendo was disrupting the mechanistic game industry by creating new and unusual games, some which may not even have been considered as games if Nintendo hadn't pushed the idea that maybe, just maybe, exercising your brain was just as fun as exercising your trigger finger.
Brain Training formed a large part of the presentation, with Iwata providing some background info as to how the game came about and how successful (1,7 million units sold) it's been ever since Nintendo and floaty-head Dr. Kawashima put their heads together. Getting people together was an equally important topic, with Iwata noting that simplicity and ease of use was a priority with the Nintendo Wi-Fi service, no doubt a contributing factor to its rapid growth rate that has surpassed even Xbox Live (though to be fair, the latter and very different service isn't free and requires a larger initial investment).
To round off the DS part of the conference, Nintendo showed off some footage of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a brand new and cel-shaded adventure for Link and his eternally in peril princess pal. We were instantly enamored by this one, but we're still quite disappointed that no new information regarding the US launch of the DS Lite surfaced. Oh well, E3 should tell us how accurate wildly incorrect our predictions were.
For more coverage on Iwata's keynote, check out Chris Grant's ramblings over at Joystiq by clicking the "Read" link.
Everything old is new again. Nintendo brings the classic epic of plummeting blocks and tight squeezes to the DS with brand new modes, Wi-Fi play and cameo appearances by some old friends. For the most part, it looks like Tetris DS has succeeded admirably at balancing the new with the nostalgia.
Gamespy (90%) loved the online play, the retro NES visuals and the new modes, but thought less of Puzzle Mode and the ability to infinitely spin pieces.
"Whether you're playing it online though Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection or with a bunch of friends who are next to you, multiplayer makes the normally awesome Tetris even more awesomer. If, in fact, awesomer were a word." (Sadly, it's not.)
IGN (90%) really appreciated the new additions to the established gameplay. "And you haven't lived until you've played ten player Tetris complete with rotation-freezing lightning bolts and piece-shifting banana peels flying between the systems."
Gamespot (75%) complains about the infinite spin and the lack of "pure" Tetris mode, but concedes that local multiplayer is a blast (but online multiplayer is "poorly realized"). "But still, it's Tetris, one of the most popular and significant puzzle games ever, and some of the magic that put it in such a venerable position still manages to shine through."
1up (90%) says that despite all the new modes, the game is still just a solid rendition of Tetris . "But at heart, it's simply Tetris, on the go, with online multiplayer and a highly polished presentation. And that makes it a must-have for anyone with a DS."
Though our own efforts at finding the DS download kiosks that were supposedly hitting US retailers this month have thus far been rather abysmal, those living in the UK or Ireland will soon have a much easier time when attempting to do the same. Nintendo has declared that over 600 new Wi-Fi hotspots will be installed in GAME, Gamestation, HMV, Toys R US and Smyths Toys shops, along with a smattering of smaller retailers.
Over 500 download stations will also be installed, with initial demos including Meteos and Polarium. Demos of Brain Age and Trauma Center: Under the Knife, some Animal Crossing goodies and a Metroid Prime Hunters video will follow shortly in April and May. Let us know when you spot one!
Warios' upcoming title has made it into a recent Gamestop circular. The game, titled Wario the Thief, supposedly will feature Wi-Fi compatibility. Not much is known about the title besides the fact that it stars Wario and is a side-scrolling platformer, but we assume Wario will be attempting to steal something and, at one point, will drive a large pink cadillac.
At least, according to the British Gaming Blog it will. Citing Famitsu, the usually reliable chaps say that Squeenix's upcoming and frighteningly gorgeous Final Fantasy remake will sport some sort of Wi-Fi gameplay. Online, cooperative slaying of beasts and smashing of ancient evils? Yes please.
Unlike the intimidating, oblong towers that litter the streets of Japan, the American DS download station is a more understated affair, consisting of not much more than a seemingly innocent white box and an aura of mystery. Thanks to an impromptu photographer, we can now view the wizard behind the curtain without fear of deadly reprisals.
Gamebrink has posted a review of Contact, currently the most anticipated DS title that doesn't involve a duo of energetic plumbers. Instead, you get an eccentric professor looking for the parts of his downed spaceship in an original RPG that supports Wi-Fi play. The article praises the game for its unique story, excellent presentation and varied locations.
Nintendo of Europe has revealed that any gamer who takes their copy of Nintendo's amazing Animal Crossing: Wild World online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi service will receive a letter direct from Nintendo including a special gift. The window of opportunity spans Good Friday on through the end of Easter day (this upcoming weekend). Considering Nintendo's 
When you ask DS Fanboy readers to do something for you, they don't waste much time. This is a valuable lesson I've now learned after putting out a call to you guys to let us know where and when you stumble across one of the many Wi-Fi tendrils of Nintendo's download station network currently spreading across the world. My online persona was buried beneath an avalanche of tips, comments and the usual death threats, but it has now surfaced and is ready to start compiling the information in an epic list that's sure to inspire a major motion picture. This is just the second part of our ongoing quest and I hope to keep adding new locations on a weekly basis.
For all you forum-frequenters out there, DS Fanboy reader Will (and we assume he is also a genius, because those are the types of people who read our site) has dropped an interesting link into our 
A faithful reader writes us to tell of the process of embedding your Hunter's License information on your personal webspace, much like those with a Gamertag on the Xbo360 have been able to do since the console launched in November. Scrolling down after the jump will display proof of such as you'll be able to see Shorties' Hunter's License displayed. You'll first want to gain your GSPID, which can be easily accomplished by going through the brisk tutorial found here.
One of our UK-based readers sent us one of the first bits of information to help in 
Our friends at Famitsu managed to attend a GDC seminar entitled "The Zen of Wi-Fi: A Postmortem of the Wireless Features of Nintendo DS" and, as most journalists are prone to do, quickly converted their experience into an informative article. Unfortunately, being of Japanese origin, said wonderful article had to be put through an internet translation service before we could make any sense of it. Curse our bizarre Western tongues!
Everything old is new again. Nintendo brings the classic epic of plummeting blocks and tight squeezes to the DS with brand new modes, Wi-Fi play and cameo appearances by some old friends. For the most part, it looks like Tetris DS has succeeded admirably at balancing the new with the nostalgia.
