While the article focuses more on Nintendo's newest electronic gadget the Wii, it does have some interesting tidbits of info for the DS-loving folk out there. Like the fact that each and every employee at Nintendo is technically worth $2.5 million each. How does one come to this figure? Well, you simply take Nintendo's $8.26 billion in revenue, divide by its 3,400 employees and you'll come up with the figure.
That's simply amazing, especially when you compare it to two of the world's top companies in Google and Microsoft, where each employee is worth $994,000 and $624,000 respectively.
The Sims 2: Castaway Stories, the new tropical island-themed entry in the series, may be heading to DS. Gamefly, the online rental service, has the game listed on its site. According to the listing, it's due for an October 11th release.
It's a shame this is coming out in October, as this would make a great summer title. Who wouldn't want to sit on the beach, stylus in one hand, cocktail in the other, designing the perfect holiday island paradise?
The stylus should suit the series perfectly; getting that beach furniture in just the right spot should be a cinch. As well as the usual Sims fare, there will also be a story mode wherein you'll be able to guide your character through life's various challenges; don't be surprised if there's a whole heap of romance in there, too.
Posted Mar 30th 2007 11:15AM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: News
Though EA announced MySims for both the Nintendo DS and the Wii, we haven't spotted many previews for the handheld version like we have with the console's. Looking at the screenshots Jeux-France posted earlier today for MySims DS, we're a little worried about where EA plans to take the game.
We understand that MySims will have to be pared down for its portable adaptation, but the limited character customization options on the DS seem bare-bones compared to what we've seen on the Wii. Also, the media released for the Wii's MySims features the cartoonish characters in a range of activities -- hosting parties, playing in fountains, and eating spaghetti dinners at the neighborhood restaurant. These DS screenshots show the Sims strolling through empty streets and exploring lonesome piers. How depressing!
We're hoping that EA won't wait too long to reveal screenshots of MySims DS that better resemble the Wii version's cheerful attitude. As it stands now, the handheld game looks like it has more in common with REM's music video for Everybody Hurts. Jump past the post break for a preview of the bleak neighborhood.
Posted Mar 28th 2007 9:30AM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: News
Once embittered rivals, Mario and Sonic were at each others' necks during the 16-bit console wars, both of them vying for the Top Mascot prize that awaited the victor at the end of the battle. Tensions eventually eased between the two combatants and their respective companies, and after years of respectful neutrality, Nintendo and Sega are making their friendship official with a game that joins both franchises.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will be released during the holiday season this year for the Nintendo DS and the Wii. Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Tails, and the rest of the extended casts will be competing in events set in arenas modeled after the venues of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Hisao Oguchi, Sega Corp.'s President and CEO, had nothing but praise for the project: "For the first time, two of the world's greatest games' characters come together to compete in the world's greatest sporting event and we couldn't be more excited." While we can't imagine anyone from the Mario troupe besting Sonic at the 100m run, the blue hedgehog might have trouble with swimming competitions if he has to stop and replenish his air supply with bubbles too much.
This might not receive the same fanfare as a Sonic appearance on Super Smash Bros. Brawl would, but maybe this is just a hint of what's to come from Nintendo and Sega? There's not much at the video game's official site yet, but head over there to check out forum discussions and sign up for email updates.
Reader Arun wrote in to us with the above image, showing us a use for that old Wii wrist strap. Sure, it's not strong enough to support someone playing a bout of Wii Sports: Bowling with all of their energy (see: playing like an idiot), but we're fairly certain its role as a strap on the DS Lite is just fine. We wonder what other kinds of straps people are using on their DS and DS Lites ...
How many of you out there have used your old Wiimote wrist strap on your DS?
During the Q3 2007 Preliminary Financial Results Conference Call for Activision, CEO Mike Griffiths has confirmed that Guitar Hero is headed to Nintendo platforms. Now, he doesn't confirm which platforms, instead choosing to be vague in his confirmation. Mike goes on to say "The key difference in our strategy versus the prior cycle, is that in addition to full support on Sony and Microsoft platforms, we will aggressively target the Nintendo platforms consistent with our multi-platform strategy and Nintendo's expected growth. In fiscal 2008, we will double our offerings on the DS and the Wii, including Spider-Man, Shrek, Transformers, and Guitar Hero."
One would think that he meant Guitar Hero would be headed to the Wii and the DS would receive the company's other franchises, however it isn't beyond possibility. Look at Elite Beat Agents and tell us that Guitar Hero couldn't work in a similar fashion on Nintendo's handheld. It could work, right?
Coming in at over 50% of platform sales for the Month of December, Nintendo's handhelds and consoles kicked butt all over Europe this holiday season. The information comes via Chart Track, who also say that Nintendo's DS was the top selling platform for all of 2006. For those with a keen eye, this means that Nintendo's dual-screen handheld is the top-selling game system in every major gaming territory (with the other two being the US and Japan, natch).
How many of you in the region picked up a Nintendo product over the holidays?
First we had a Wii being played on a GBA SP, now we have it on the DS Lite. It seems hooking the Wii up to strange screens is all the rage now. With the brighter screen, the DS Lite is obviously the best choice for playing your Wii on an almost completely useless, tiny screen. Still though, as we said with the GBA SP, it at least makes for a cool video. Check it out past the post break.
The website for Nintendo Korea has gone live, expectantly chock full of info on the DS Lite and its Brain Training games. They do a good job of introducing the DS and going over its many features. There's even a commerical or two for you to watch. Overall, the site is very easy to navigate, although barren of Wii-related items at the moment.
According to a post at German gaming site Game Front, Imagineer has announced they intend to develop games for Nintendo's dual-screened handheld. The company has some experience in the cell phone market, so the transition shouldn't be too difficult. They have a total of seven titles in the works, currently, and plan on releasing their first in March.
We can't say we've had a chance to play any of their cell phone-based titles ourselves, but what about you guys? Have any of you out their played any? Good things to say, or bad?
Nintendo is headed to the Korean game market in 2007, deciding to release their first ever Korean language consoles in the Wii and DS Lite. The DS Lite will arrive first to the region on January 18th, followed by the Wii late next year. This isn't the first time Nintendo's products will be available in the region, however.
Earlier, Nintendo's games and consoles were available to Korean gamers through a distributor, although they were only available in Japanese. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata says they "plan to actively support Korean game software developers who have great expertise in developing online games and support their advances into foreign markets."
In looking to bring the fun and quirky Flash-based game to Nintendo's gaming systems, inXile Entertainment is hoping to exceed the success of the game on the internet. They plan on releasing the adaptation by spring including some sort of multiplayer aspect, but one must ask exactly what they are planning on doing to justify the cost of the title beyond that?
Considering one could just access the student-created application online whenever they want, why would DS and Wii owners, in their right mind, purchase inXile Entertainment's adaptation? Also, considering that the Wii browser's free trial starts very soon, why wouldn't Wii owners just play it that way?
November is often the best of times and worst of times for gamers. Good in the sense that we are given precious fuel in the form of several top-notch games, bad in the way that we can't pay our utility bills for the month as all funds had been diverted towards gaming. It's really a vicious cycle as upon buying all these games, we have to wait until we can pay our electric bill to play them or, which often is the case this time of year, we just go over to a friend's house and perform a hostile takeover on their gaming rig.
With the release of two new consoles this November, along with countless high-profile, AAA titles, it's no surprise that we spent a total of $1.7 billion. In the interest of creating a post that is both smooth and less-filling, we've gathered the top sellers and placed them into convenient bullet points:
Console Sales (units)
DS: 918k
PS2: 664k
Game Boy Advance: 661k
Xbox 360: 511k
Wii: 476k
PSP: 412k
PS3: 197k
Software Sales (units and sales grossed)
Gears of War: 1 million -- $61.5 million
Final Fantasy XII: 896k -- $49 million
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: 412k -- $20.2 million
Despite all the hubbub about these new consoles, the Japanese public has still grown in their desire for the DS. Given an increase in DS owners by almost 27% since last year, the handheld has managed to sway 6% more of the DS-lacking public into wanting one. This proves that despite all the high-tech wizardry that these new consoles are capable of, the great games and portability of Nintendo's DS is still valued highly by the Japanese public.
This, of course, doesn't mean the same is destined for other territories. How about you, though? Now that the Wii is out, has your DS been neglected?
Scientific Journal and National Geographic are teaming up with Destination Software to create games based on National Geographic's films. The first project, which is a DS game based on March of the Penguins, is set to release later on this month. The other, possibly higher-profile project, is a game on the Wii and DS based on Sea Monsters, which is not to release until 2007. The film deals with extinct aquatic animals, so we honestly do not know what to expect in the way of gameplay at this point.
While the article focuses more on Nintendo's newest electronic gadget the Wii, it does have some interesting tidbits of info for the DS-loving folk out there. Like the fact that each and every employee at Nintendo is technically worth $2.5 million each. How does one come to this figure? Well, you simply take Nintendo's $8.26 billion in revenue, divide by its 3,400 employees and you'll come up with the figure.
The Sims 2: Castaway Stories, the new tropical island-themed entry in the series, may be heading to DS. Gamefly, the online rental service, has the game listed on its site. According to the listing, it's due for an October 11th release.
During the Q3 2007 Preliminary Financial Results Conference Call for Activision, CEO Mike Griffiths has confirmed that Guitar Hero is headed to Nintendo platforms. Now, he doesn't confirm which platforms, instead choosing to be vague in his confirmation. Mike goes on to say "The key difference in our strategy versus the prior cycle, is that in addition to full support on Sony and Microsoft platforms, we will aggressively target the Nintendo platforms consistent with our multi-platform strategy and Nintendo's expected growth. In fiscal 2008, we will double our offerings on the DS and the Wii, including Spider-Man, Shrek, Transformers, and Guitar Hero."
According to a post at German gaming site Game Front, Imagineer has announced they intend to develop games for Nintendo's dual-screened handheld. The company has some experience in the cell phone market, so the transition shouldn't be too difficult. They have a total of seven titles in the works, currently, and plan on releasing their first in March.
Nintendo is headed to the Korean game market in 2007, deciding to release their first ever Korean language consoles in the Wii and DS Lite. The DS Lite will arrive first to the region on January 18th, followed by the Wii late next year. This isn't the first time Nintendo's products will be available in the region, however.
In looking to bring the fun and quirky Flash-based game to Nintendo's gaming systems, inXile Entertainment is hoping to exceed the success of the game on the internet. They plan on releasing the adaptation by spring including some sort of multiplayer aspect, but one must ask exactly what they are planning on doing to justify the cost of the title beyond that?
November is often the best of times and worst of times for gamers. Good in the sense that we are given precious fuel in the form of several top-notch games, bad in the way that we can't pay our utility bills for the month as all funds had been diverted towards gaming. It's really a vicious cycle as upon buying all these games, we have to wait until we can pay our electric bill to play them or, which often is the case this time of year, we just go over to a friend's house and perform a hostile takeover on their gaming rig.
Despite all the hubbub about these new consoles, the Japanese public has still grown in their desire for the DS. Given an increase in DS owners by almost 27% since last year, the handheld has managed to sway 6% more of the DS-lacking public into wanting one. This proves that despite all the high-tech wizardry that these new consoles are capable of, the great games and portability of Nintendo's DS is still valued highly by the Japanese public.
Scientific Journal and National Geographic are teaming up with Destination Software to create games based on National Geographic's films. The first project, which is a DS game based on March of the Penguins, is set to release later on this month. The other, possibly higher-profile project, is a game on the Wii and DS based on Sea Monsters, which is not to release until 2007. The film deals with extinct aquatic animals, so we honestly do not know what to expect in the way of gameplay at this point.
