When they started taking preorders for Guitar Hero: On Tour, RedOctane revealed a second package containing not just the game and controller, but also a case decorated with a flame-enhanced version of the game's logo. That case is now available for preorder independent of the game, at a $16.99 price point. More choice is always better, but this seems like a strange option. Why not buy it and the game together and save yourself seven dollars?
You can then put that money into a five-pack of official pick styli! Alternately, if you aren't concerned with savings and would rather eschew the flames case in favor of something classier, you can get an identical case with an embossed black Guitar Hero logo. It's the more subdued way to carry your tiny fake guitar.
Read: Pick Stylus 5-pack
Read: Flames Carrying Case
Read: Emboss Carrying Case
Tomy, who you're more likely to know for their involvement withNaruto than a sports title, is releasing a pretty sweet baseball game in Japan this July. It's called Major DS and, aside from just being a baseball title (enough for this sports fan), it has great appeal in its unique control scheme. As you can witness in the video above, pitching and batting is handled by utilizing the stylus on the touch-screen. It looks like MLB Power Pros is getting a run for its money soon ...
Any sports fans think Tomy is on to something here with Major DS? We're wondering how import-friendly it is, ourselves.
[Update: you just get one! Blue or orange. I am a sad slime.]
There just aren't enough Slime products for us. The hundred bajillion or so that currently exist fail to completely cover every aspect of our lives. Square Enix is working to make sure that we never have to not look at a Slime again, starting with the outside of our DS Lite.
For just $7, you can get one of two adorable Slime styli that fit into the Lite just like the normal ones, with one important difference: a pleasantly vacant little Slime peeking out from the stylus slot. Preorders are set to ship in July, just in time (we think) for the Dragon Quest IV remake.
Just yesterday, we were talking about some of the worst offenders in stylus-based controls, so it's only fitting that today, we should discuss the best. But let's not focus on the obvious answers. With adventure games, for instance we expect good stylus controls; point and click isn't difficult when your method of input is a pointer with which you click things. What are your favorite other games that use primarily stylus controls? Elite Beat Agents and Ouendan come to mind; while it seems like the stylus would make rhythm games ridiculously easy, these games manage to keep it fun and challenging while presenting a great interface. We're also fond of the punishing brutality of Trauma Center, which made us swear the first time we sewed bad stitches and got lectured about it. The recent NInja Gaiden: Dragon Sword boasts stylus swordplay that is unstoppable. But that's just the tip of a very large iceberg. For as much as we complain about bad stylus controls, so many games do it well.
The touchscreen is awesome for certain types of games. Adventure titles, for example, really benefit from the DS's stylus controls.
There are some instances, though, in which the stylus just seems forced, as if the developers added in these controls simply because their game was made for the DS. Most of the time, fortunately, these games will have d-pad options also, but sometimes they don't.
Have you run into any games where the stylus controls were clunky and unnecessary? If so, which titles are the worst offenders?
The item hasn't been produced yet, but Nippon Ichi has released a preview image of a totally adorable bonus, which we expect will be handed out to people who preorder Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon. It's a stylus in the shape of the series' well-known mascot/punching bag/exploding projectile, a Prinny. Another drawing gives us an idea of what the final item will look like, and suggests that there will be another Disgaea item made for the DS -- some kind of dangling charm thing. And in addition to news about adorable pseudo-penguin styli, Dengeki has a ton of new screens!
What would you have to do in life, we wonder, to be reincarnated not just as a Prinny, but as a piece of plastic shaped like a Prinny? And how would you earn your way back into the world -- would it be as simple as never scratching the screen?
We're willing to bet that, at one time or another, most DS owners at least temporarily misplace a stylus. If you don't have another one handy, that means you've got to wing it ... but what sort of makeshift objects can you use without damaging that precious screen? From a finger to riskier objects, we're sure DS lovers everywhere have used a stylus alternative at least once, and we'd love to hear what you chose.
Someone is willing to gamble a significant amount of money on the idea of a shrunk-down Guitar Hero on the DS. BD&A, who make officially-licensed Nintendo hardware cases and accessories, will produce accessories for Guitar Hero: On Tour, meaning that they think the product is non-wacky enough (or lovably wacky enough) to sell -- and sell other stuff.
Two listings at Gamestop hint pretty strongly at their initial products: a $10 DS Lite Guitar Hero Stylus and a $20 DS Lite Guitar Hero Ruby Red Kit, which comprises "a glitter case, 2 system wraps, and a cleaning cloth." We assume they mean a DS Lite/Guitar Grip case that is glittery, and not a case for your glitter. They're saving that for Guitar Hero: Rip Taylor Edition.
We don't know why you would need 50 New Super Mario Bros. styli. Maybe you want to give them out as party favors. Maybe you live in an octopus family. Or it could be that your habit of chewing on your touch pens ruins them within minutes.
Whatever the reason, this is totally your chance to buy 50 New Super Mario Bros. styli in plastic eggs. NCSX, in an effort to clear out their warehouse, has marked the package down from $130 to $95. We suppose you could buy them individually for $3.95, but what are you going to do with just one stylus? Ridiculous.
While spending a little time with Professor Layton and the Curious Village recently, I discovered something -- when not actively using my stylus, it seems I have a habit of putting it in my mouth. I don't really chew on it, but rather, just hold it there with my lips. The stops and starts in Layton meant that I was often not doing much with it, but just studying the screen, which gave me the opportunity to realize where I was putting my poor stylus. Here's hoping I'm not alone in this weird habit ... am I?
If you like to have cartoon cows on stuff, chances are you're a Harvest Moon fan. You'll probably be thrilled, then, to see this Harvest Moon DS Travel Kit, which is rife with the things. Not only do you get a cow-spotted DS Lite cover (with weird interchangeable panel things), the set comes with a cow-adorned strap and a spotted stylus featuring the friendly face (and the rest of the head) of one of the series' trademark ruminants.
Made to tie in with Island of Happiness, this kit comes out on April 1st -- even though Island of Happiness isn't out until June -- at a price of $19.99
You can dress up your DS Lite in frilly bows and baby outfits all you want, but it'll never reach its full cuteness potential without this Mashimaro case. Accessory distributor Nuri Tech has brought the Korean character to the states, offering the protective, decorated shell for $19.99. To promote the new product, Nuri Tech is throwing in a DS Lite Strap Touchpen and a set of screen protectors with each order starting today until April 1st. This is in addition to the stylus pen that comes with every Mashimaro case!
Unfamiliar with the chubby, expressionless bunny? He has a few Flash animations floating around, but here's a quick description: "In a quiet, small, and peaceful town in the forest, our Mashimaro is always causing trouble here and there in the forest with his little pot belly full of guts, witty spontaneous responses, and playful manner. He may seem a little prankish at times, but he adds a bit of flavor and puts smiles and cries into a boring life in the forest."
Yes, this is just the accessory you need to put "smiles and cries" into your boring life. Peek past the break for more photos of the DS Lite case and bonus stylus pen.
We were looking over the reviews that have come in so far for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and we were thinking about how that franchise rebooted itself on the DS. Now, it didn't really need a reboot, nor is it 100% a reboot in the normal way we think of reboots, but it did take an established franchise and retool it for another platform. Now, whether it was a good retooling or a bad retooling remains to be seen.
But, we were wondering what other established franchises could use a reboot in this manner? What about a Crazy Taxi game on the DS that has you controlling an interactive steering wheel on the touch-screen or only turning with the shoulder buttons? What about a Sims game that allows you to control them only by barking commands through the microphone? How about a Space Channel 5 game redone with Ouendan controls?
Trying to get my game on while experiencing the real-life version of Imagine: Babyz (only cuter and without the z) has opened my eyes to something: too many games require the use of both hands! I can read while cuddling the child, so why can't I sit around with my DS? Oh, sure, I can play a few games, but too many require both hands, which means they're going to sit on my shelf for a while.
Why's this important? Well, it's really not, at least for me -- I'll survive -- but when reader Zack wrote in to tell us about his uncle, it made me pay particular attention. See, Zack's uncle only has full use of one hand, but he loves his DS. Zack wrote to us asking that we ask you for your recommendations on games that require mainly stylus input. Of course, he knows the obvious titles, like the Ace Attorney series ... what he's looking for are more obscure titles. Even homebrew games will work! So start your day off by doing something nice: recommend your favorites, and help out a fellow gamer.
The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handheld and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at dsfanboy dot com.
Like many other three-year-old boys, Kristopher divides his playtime among toy cars, toy trains, and toy things with buttons and lights. When his dad's iPhone isn't available for him to appraise with his tiny, curious fingers, he flips open his Nintendo DS Lite, a hand-me-down from his mother (she now owns a newer edition/color).
Of course, we don't expect to entertain you with just photos of some kid and his DS -- no, we have something much more hilarious planned for you! Jump past the post break and into Kris's crib!
Just yesterday, we were talking about some of the worst offenders in stylus-based controls, so it's only fitting that today, we should discuss the best. But let's not focus on the obvious answers. With adventure games, for instance we expect good stylus controls; point and click isn't difficult when your method of input is a pointer with which you click things. What are your favorite other games that use primarily stylus controls? Elite Beat Agents and Ouendan come to mind; while it seems like the stylus would make rhythm games ridiculously easy, these games manage to keep it fun and challenging while presenting a great interface. We're also fond of the punishing brutality of Trauma Center, which made us swear the first time we sewed bad stitches and got lectured about it. The recent NInja Gaiden: Dragon Sword boasts stylus swordplay that is unstoppable. But that's just the tip of a very large iceberg. For as much as we complain about bad stylus controls, so many games do it well.
The touchscreen is awesome for certain types of games. Adventure titles, for example, really benefit from the DS's stylus controls.
We're willing to bet that, at one time or another, most DS owners at least temporarily misplace a stylus. If you don't have another one handy, that means you've got to wing it ... but what sort of makeshift objects can you use without damaging that precious screen? From a finger to riskier objects, we're sure DS lovers everywhere have used a stylus alternative at least once, and we'd love to hear what you chose.
Someone is willing to gamble a significant amount of money on the idea of a shrunk-down Guitar Hero on the DS. BD&A, who make officially-licensed Nintendo hardware cases and accessories, will produce accessories for Guitar Hero: On Tour, meaning that they think the product is non-wacky enough (or lovably wacky enough) to sell -- and sell other stuff.
While spending a little time with Professor Layton and the Curious Village recently, I discovered something -- when not actively using my stylus, it seems I have a habit of putting it in my mouth. I don't really chew on it, but rather, just hold it there with my lips. The stops and starts in Layton meant that I was often not doing much with it, but just studying the screen, which gave me the opportunity to realize where I was putting my poor stylus. Here's hoping I'm not alone in this weird habit ... am I?
If you like to have cartoon cows on stuff, chances are you're a Harvest Moon fan. You'll probably be thrilled, then, to see this Harvest Moon DS Travel Kit, which is rife with the things. Not only do you get a cow-spotted DS Lite cover (with weird interchangeable panel things), the set comes with a cow-adorned strap and a spotted stylus featuring the friendly face (and the rest of the head) of one of the series' trademark ruminants.
We were looking over the reviews that have come in so far for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and we were thinking about how that franchise rebooted itself on the DS. Now, it didn't really need a reboot, nor is it 100% a reboot in the normal way we think of reboots, but it did take an established franchise and retool it for another platform. Now, whether it was a good retooling or a bad retooling remains to be seen.
Trying to get my game on while experiencing the real-life version of Imagine: Babyz (only cuter and without the z) has opened my eyes to something: too many games require the use of both hands! I can read while cuddling the child, so why can't I sit around with my DS? Oh, sure, I can play a few games, but too many require both hands, which means they're going to sit on my shelf for a while.
_thumbnail.jpg "Dragon Quest IV")
