Deep within the recesses of the DS Fanboy labs, the SD version of the GBA Movie Player has been enduring poking, prodding and occasional squeezing for quite some time now, up until the point where failure to post a review would be deemed by many as inappropriate and downright offensive. Doubly so considering that said labs don't actually exist. Compelled by the logo prominently emblazoned all across this site, we mainly tested the device on the Nintendo DS and the DS Lite and were pleased to find that the device performs surprisingly well.
There is a caveat, however, one that should loom over your online purchase like an owl slowly circling a confused mouse, waiting for the opportune moment to swoop down and devour a furry feast. Once you look up and become aware of the bird of prey, you'll be better equipped to determine whether or not the Movie Player is worth your money. Ignoring it will only lead to disappointment which, going by this ill-conceived allegory, means you will get eaten by an owl. A big one.
Essentially, the problem with the GBA Movie player isn't a problem with the GBA Movie player at all. It's that thing it plugs into. As a media playing device, the DS is a bit crap.
Opera fanatic Jon recently got his hands on a prototype build of the Opera browser for the DS, scheduled for release in Japan on July 24th for around 33$ U.S. dollars.
Jon seems quite impressed with the early build. One can use "dual screen" mode, where the page simply occupies both screens at once; also available is a "zoom" mode, where the top screen shows a downsized overview of the entire page, and the stylus can be used to drag around a box to view things in actual size. He praises the intuitive interface, high compatibility, and sleek design. Here's hoping this thing can get here fast.
Siliconera has posted some of their impressions of Kaitou Rousseau (Phantom Thief Rousseau) and it looks like they really enjoyed their time with it. The piece even goes on to compare it to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, a game which any fine reader of DS Fanboy knows is amongst our most favorite things ever. The game centers around Elementary student, and master of disguise, Rousseau. One day his classmate crush Seine is kidnapped and he is forced to don many a mask to save her. It's not like he can just make up disguises on the spot, however.
You see, for Rousseau to even be able to use a mask, he must take pictures of people and animals, which are then used to form new disguises. It's then up to the player to try and draw whichever mask they need, which is then transposed onto Rousseau's face. Then, a grade on how accurately recreated the image is that has been slapped onto his face is given. The game has a total of 3 episodes playing out like interactive comic books.
While they eagerly await the release of the DS Lite this Friday, the fine folks at Eurogamer have taken it upon themselves to review Nintendogs: Dalmation & Friends and, in doing so, reevaluate the praise they heaped upon the game when it was first released. Though they still find it to be an innovative and remarkable achievement, they also discover that the repetition inherent in raising a puppy can be somewhat ... dogged.
Nintendogs certainly makes for an excellent showcase of the DS' technical abilities, but it's considerably less effective as a game. The interaction between polygonal puppy and player is amusing, even fascinating at first, but keeping your best friend happy soon starts to feel like a chore. And chores are never fun.
We already struggle to cram a few games into our hermetically sealed schedules -- a game that depends on you and requires constant attention doesn't quite fit in there. As a result, we now find ourselves in a situation exactly like the one Eurogamer is faced with. "The fact is, we haven't touched our original copy of Nintendogs for months now. As painful as this is to admit, our puppies are probably now completely, irretrievably mental and riddled with fleas. We're too frightened to boot up the game and find out, haunted by visions of their emaciated corpses being stripped to the bone by gargantuan rats (even though we know that Nintendogs cannot actually die on account of how much it would upset the kiddies)."
Poor Gonzo. If only your little puppy eyes could see my cold and uncaring heart.
We often consider ourselves to be the experts of touching, a label which has far more connotations than practical uses. Still, it has allowed us to become very intimate with Nintendo's latest portable, one that many would argue to be an open celebration of poking and prodding. In the above video, the esteemed and obviously mature Mark Slutsky explains why the DS has gained this reputation and why whipping it out in public is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
Only those boys over at Arstechnica could post a review so awesome, so comprehensive in its scope, that it could only be called a mega-review. They go through just about every nook, cranny, and caveat that the shiny new system has to offer, including a size comparison to a brick and a low-key Seinfeld reference. What should you know?
The battery isn't necessarily all Nintendo cracked it up to be. You'll only get around 6 to 7 hours on the brightest setting, though that can be significantly lengthened by lowering the veritable solar flare coming from your gaming device.
Dead pixels appear to be a problem, so be sure to check your unit before messing with it too much.
The outer coating is surprisingly scratch-resistant, despite the fingerprint-showing gloss. Good for sliding into your pocket.
It's sexiness rating is somewhere on the level of a young Catherine Zeta-Jones. That's REALLY sexy.
Bottom line: you should get one. Wait for the other colors if you must, but don't let this slice of portable heaven pass you by.
We don't usually talk about a game's review scores until it has a substantial amount of reviews under its belt. But, in this case we're breaking with tradition.
Afterall, this is the new Mario game we're talking about. You know, Mario. The one-and-only. Well, the game reviews have started to roll-in and you can color us cautiously excited.
GamesDaily provides a mammoth review and calls the New Super Mario Bros. "the best Mario game in over a decade." It gets a 4.5 out of 5. Over at IGN, the Nintendo boys say that, "there's an incredible amount of fresh, fun challenge to uncover in this revival." They give it a 9.5 out of 10.
Again, that's only two mainstream reviews out of many, but this looks like this could be the Mario game we've been waiting for.
Like many of you, I was forced to endure a torturous waiting period before I could even consider touching and otherwise inappropriately fondling a Nintendo DS Lite. After wrestling the package away from a disgruntled postal worker and slashing him it to ribbons with a few well placed knife strokes, I was finally able to grasp that which had eluded me for so long. A DS Lite--Enamel Awesome. I mean Navy.
Of course, I can't just tinker with this wonderful device and keep all my findings and thoughts to myself. That would be rude. Instead, I'll spend this weekend putting the system through its paces, informing you of its inherent dangers and in doing so, undoubtedly take so many comparison shots that you will become violently ill upon seeing them.
If you have questions about any aspect of the DS Lite, post a comment and let me know which parts of the system I should be putting under a magnifying glass or sticking a screwdriver into. I'll try and answer to the best of my limited and frequently embarrassing ability.
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.
If you still needed convincing of the DS Lite's considerable improvements upon the original DS design, Shacknews has now posted their analysis of the Enamel Navy variant. Of course, you won't even bother reading it since you're clearly the most stubborn person in the known universe.
As usual, the culprits behind the Lite's criminal allure are present and accounted for here: Brighter screens, more tactile buttons, a better stylus, sleeker trimmings and the ability to gather a wide variety of dirty fingerprints. It's interesting to note that the Enamel Navy unit looks almost pitch black in the photographs, though that may be attributed to weird lighting conditions and/or meteorological phenomena.
Metroid Prime: Hunters marks the return of Samus and the arrival of several new bounty hunters, each vying for victory in deadly online arenas. Judging by the initial batch of reviews, it would appear that the demo which introduced many of us to the DS for the first time has flourished into an excellent, platform-defining game. Yay!
IGN (90%) praised the game's presentation and online play, but were a bit annoyed by the game's lazy boss designs. "Metroid Prime Hunters is easily the best handheld first person shooter developed to date, even with its somewhat high learning curve and cramp-inducing control."
Gamepro (90%) loved the graphics and multiplayer aspects of the title, but thought that the touch screen aiming was a bit tricky when precision was required. "Although the single player game will provide you with hours of entertainment, the multiplayer in Hunters could be a game all unto its own."
Gamespot (86%) was particularly impressed by the controls, but not so much by the apparently linear level design. "The online action is smooth and lag free in our experience, and you're likely to find stiff challenges online against other human opponents." [Note: Gamespot has since taken down their review due to an error. We'll post their updated score as soon as they publish it. Thanks Adam! Another note: Okay, the review is back up and the score is unchanged. That was fun. Thanks Andrew!]
Gamedaily (80%) said that the lacking single-player mode was more than made up for by the excellent online component. "The game's controls take a bit of time to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, you'll realize NST has done an extraordinary job in bringing Samus to the Nintendo DS."
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."
G4TV has a video preview of the upcoming Metroid Prime Hunters, showcasing some of the other bounty hunters in the game, along with revealing a certain boss that Samus engages during her travels. While it's light on the content in regards to what's actually in the game (GASP!), all of the juicy multiplayer footage and cinematics should be enough to motivate you to head on over and check out the video.
It's almost here; who else is preparing to slam on some chumps? Which bounty hunter are you most looking forward to try?
The fine folks at Siliconera have posted a playtest of Sega and Treasure's Bleach DS: Souten ni Kakeru Unmei, a 2D fighting game based on the hugely popular anime. But really, we should have had your attention at "Treasure". As previous classics like Dynamite Heddy (that final boss still gives us nightmares), Silhouette Mirage and Astro Boy: Omega Factor have proven, Treasure is a developer that just knows how to do 2D games right.
The review in question seems to indicate that they haven't yet lost their touch, as the game features a solid fighting engine and relatively smooth online play through Nintendo's Wif-Fi service (it's the first Japanese 3rd-party title to do so). Also worth mentioning is the game's intriguing card system. At any point during the battle, you can select a card from a customizable deck on the bottom screen and temporarily influence the battle above, be it via an instant attack boost or disabling some of your opponent's moves. However, the article makes no mention of how difficult it is to use the touch screen in the midst of battle. We imagine that rapidly pressing face buttons and making selections on the screen at the same time may require an extra limb or two.
Still, it seems unlikely that fans of the show will be disappointed by the large character roster and the beautiful artwork. Siliconera notes that the level of Japanese understanding required to enjoy the game isn't too high and so, given that it doesn't look like the game is getting picked up for US release within the conceivable future, you're best off with importing it. It'll certainly go nicely with that Bleach themed Nintendo DS you stole in a daring heist last month.
[Update: Added another instance of the word "Japanese".]
What is this? Why, it's Nintendo's new music, sound, light, creation game for the Nintendo DS. At the time of writing, Electroplankton had an average composite of 80%. Most criticism is based on the fact that it's a music creator rather than a game. So if you dabble in recording or can get your Garage Band on, you might be in for a creative dose of foot-tapping joy.
Opera fanatic Jon recently got his hands on a prototype build of the Opera browser for the DS, scheduled for release in Japan on July 24th for around 33$ U.S. dollars.
Siliconera has posted some of their impressions of Kaitou Rousseau (Phantom Thief Rousseau) and it looks like they really enjoyed their time with it. The piece even goes on to compare it to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, a game which any fine reader of DS Fanboy knows is amongst our most favorite things ever. The game centers around Elementary student, and master of disguise, Rousseau. One day his classmate crush Seine is kidnapped and he is forced to don many a mask to save her. It's not like he can just make up disguises on the spot, however.
While they eagerly await the release of the DS Lite this Friday, the fine folks at Eurogamer have taken it upon themselves to review Nintendogs: Dalmation & Friends and, in doing so, reevaluate the praise they heaped upon the game when it was first released. Though they still find it to be an innovative and remarkable achievement, they also discover that the repetition inherent in raising a puppy can be somewhat ... dogged.
Only those boys over at Arstechnica could post a review so awesome, so comprehensive in its scope, that it could only be called a mega-review. They go through just about every nook, cranny, and caveat that the shiny new system has to offer, including a size comparison to a brick and a low-key Seinfeld reference. What should you know?
We don't usually talk about a game's review scores until it has a substantial amount of reviews under its belt. But, in this case we're breaking with tradition.
Like many of you, I was forced to endure a torturous waiting period before I could even consider touching and otherwise inappropriately fondling a Nintendo DS Lite. After wrestling the package away from a disgruntled postal worker and slashing 
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.
If you still needed convincing of the DS Lite's considerable improvements upon the original DS design, Shacknews has now posted their analysis of the Enamel Navy variant. Of course, you won't even bother reading it since you're clearly the most stubborn person in the known universe.
Metroid Prime: Hunters marks the return of Samus and the arrival of several new bounty hunters, each vying for victory in deadly online arenas. Judging by the initial batch of reviews, it would appear that the demo which introduced many of us to the DS for the first time has flourished into an excellent, platform-defining game. Yay!
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.
G4TV has a video preview of the upcoming Metroid Prime Hunters, showcasing some of the other bounty hunters in the game, along with revealing a certain boss that Samus engages during her travels. While it's light on the content in regards to what's actually in the game (GASP!), all of the juicy multiplayer footage and cinematics should be enough to motivate you to head on over and check out the video. 
The fine folks at Siliconera have posted a playtest of Sega and Treasure's Bleach DS: Souten ni Kakeru Unmei, a 2D fighting game based on the hugely popular anime. But really, we should have had your attention at "Treasure". As previous classics like Dynamite Heddy (that final boss still gives us nightmares), Silhouette Mirage and Astro Boy: Omega Factor have proven, Treasure is a developer that just knows how to do 2D games right.
What is this? Why, it's Nintendo's new music, sound, light, creation game for the Nintendo DS. At the time of writing, Electroplankton had an average composite of 80%. Most criticism is based on the fact that it's a music creator rather than a game. So if you dabble in recording or can get your 
