Though we try to keep our praise of public property vandalism to a minimum, there are some instances when we can't help but clap in our seats, humorless, like Orson Welles in Citizen Kane. This week's edition of The DS Life is one of those instances, our subject being a magnificent bit of street art spotted in Darmstadt, Germany and photographed by Joachim S. Müller. Say ten Hail Marys and bring yourself past the post break for the photo.
If Europeans feel their food has lacked variety and flavor this week, they've only themselves to blame. Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? was a bit of a failure with consumers, despite our predictions of great things for the title last week, so don't come moaning to us when your beef bourguignon goes awry! Only the UK showed a mild appetite for the non-game, pushing it to 19th. New International Track & Field, meanwhile, didn't even get close to any chart.
Still, it's not as though Euro consumers Can't Decide What to Buy -- most top tens are filled with the usual suspects, at least until next week, when Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift and Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword arrive on our fair shores. Until then, scour all manner of charts past the break!
Never, ever, ever, ever rule out the power of Kawashima. We're going to have that tattooed across our foreheads, because despite us slyly noting Brain Training's slow decline in the Euro charts these last few weeks, the blighter has bounced back mightily -- bugger.
Next week could be interesting, mind. Were we gambling types, we'd put good money on Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? (which twoof the Fanboy team have already purchased) and My Weight Loss Coach doing pretty well, what with their angle on training and self-improvement (and Europe's baffling collective urge to improve itself). And what of New International Track & Field? Well, as much as we'd like it to do well, we can't see it leaving much of a dent. I mean, a track and field game starring famous characters and mascots from the franchises of a major gaming company? El-oh-el! It'll never work.
Everybody knows that Europe is frequently treated like a second-class citizen of the gaming world, and one of the best examples of this is Etrian Odyssey, which was finally released in Euroland last week, a whole damn year (and then some) after it arrived in the States. Predictably enough, it's not appeared in one European chart during its opening week, but are we surprised? Are we heck. Anybody with a serious interest in Etrian Odyssey would have already imported the game, completed it, and be looking forward to importing the second title. In fact, this sort of makes the European release feel futile; you have to wonder why they even bother in the first place. Oh, woe, woe.
It's not as though much else is selling on our beloved handheld, either -- even though the Spanish charts weren't released in time for this week's update, the current charts are worryingly low on DS software. Hit the break to see what we mean.
DS software is feeling the strain in Europe this week as big names on other consoles continue to shake things up. This week it's the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Codemasters' Race Driver: GRID that have mostly disrupted the standings (note: the DS iteration didn't appear in any charts), forcing Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training to actually drop out of the UK top ten for the first time in several months (though the polygonal prof has still performed respectably in Ireland, Holland, and Germany).
That aside, it's mainly all about Mario where DS games are concerned. The plumber has sprinted, jumped, and karted his way into a number of Euro charts, and it was also nice to see Phantom Hourglass rise back into the UK top 30 (it's currently 28th). Next week, we'll see if European folk have the stomach for an Etrian Odyssey (yes, the first one), though we suspect that LEGO Indiana Jones is more likely to register high on the chart.
Make the jump for this week's full rundown of numbers from Europe!
Chalk this one up to functional German engineering. Our wunderbar friends can now look forward to Clever DS, an upcoming puzzle game featuring a bunch of wacky science experiments. Apparently based on the popular German television show Clever (featuring Dr. Boning and magical helicopters), the overall gameplay involves using various items in the correct methods (even combining stuff MacGyver-style) to solve puzzles.
Items featured include lasers, hot air balloons, mirrors, see-saws, boxes, balls and magnets. You can arrange these elements together to form chain reactions, not unlike those awesome Rube Goldberg machines. We'll let you know if this crazy DS contraption will be available anywhere outside Germany, because frankly it sounds rather intriguing. Even if the boxart is incredibly creepy.
Yeah, that's right: we're number one! Take that, world! It's just a shame that us Europeans can't also be the best in the category of buying totally rad games, because things aren't looking too hot for DS software right now -- even Brain Training is showing signs of tiring this week, and we all know how longthat has been knocking around.
Other than that, this week is only really notable for Grand Theft Auto IV's continuing dominance and Wii Fit's dramatic plunge. Truth be told, we think those new DS Lite colors might just be arriving in the nick of time -- the PSP benefited from a boost in sales when it received a fresh lick of paint in Japan, so maybe the same will happen here.
Didja hear? Doctor Who is back from the future to save the DS in Europe! Hurray!
Haha. Not really. In fact, even though Top Trumps: Doctor Who is the only new Nintendo DS game to appear in a European chart this week, it still only managed a risible 33rd spot in the UK. Still, that should keep you David Tennant fans happy, and we even included a shot of Dave to aid your celebrations. Aren't we nice?
Aside from that, it's the usual tiresome faces, which means lots of Professor Kawashima and ... actually not so much of Mario and Sonic. Yep, there's no doubt about it: the pair's Olympics game is slowly dropping off the pace, appearing in only two top tens this week.
As usual, hit the break to peruse the charts, though please accept our profuse apologies for the lack of an Irish top ten.
Hey, you! No, not the guy on the next screen along with the muffin -- you. That's right. You a European? You are? Great! So let's hear it: why have we just checked the latest European charts and found that Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney charted absolutely nowhere? If yours truly can summon up the the effort to scour the high street give his credit card details to an online retailer, you can do the same! No wonder Capcom seems to be thinking twice about releasing Trials and Tribulations here.
You know things are going badly for sales of DS games in Europe when Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games doesn't get a look-in in most European charts.
The launch of numerous big titles in the last few weeks (Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, and now Grand Theft Auto IV) has seen more and more software for the handheld slide ominously down the charts, and this week only the two Brain Training games register consistently high positions.
So hey, we figure that the DS needs a hero to save it. Somebody who's smart and savvy. Somebody who won't stand down, even in the face of immeasurable odds. Ladies and gentlemen, we present you with Apollo Justice, ace attorney and star of next week's DS releases. Series continuity be damned, we want a high position for this! Spin past the break for lots of European chartage.
Back in March, Dutch website Nintendo Only claimed that Europe would be receiving a trio of new DS Lite colors on May 1st, including the (previously Japan-only) Ice Blue model, a mysterious green version, and the quite gorgeousJapan Post red DS Lite.
Alas, May 1st came and passed without incident, but now the exact same models mentioned by Nintendo Only have appeared in the database of a German retailer ("hellblau" is "light blue," while the others are obvious), complete with listings for red, green, and turquoise (?) styli. Oh, and there also appears to be serial numbers -- serial numbers make everything look more official.
Suddenly, this same speculation is looking far more credible, and we're way too excited again. Skip past the break for the full listings.
Flower service Fleurop in Germany is suggesting something other than the usual bouquet and pleasant card for your mom this Mother's Day. It would seem they're teaming up with Nintendo to suggest your mom get some good old Brain Training in. And buy some flowers, of course.
For 199 Euros, customers can get a nice floral arrangement with a DS Lite and Brain Training. Sadly, we have no idea what DS Lite model consumers will be getting in this bundle.
For a continent that gave the world tiramisu, Audrey Tautou, and the Renaissance, Europe sure does disappoint us at times. Yep, it's another week of gray, predictable drudgery when it comes to sales of DS software.
All you truly need to know is that More Mario & Dr. Kawashima's Olympics Training sold really, really well, and almost everything we care about didn't. Except for Animal Crossing: Wild World, which popped in to the German top ten, and Mario Kart DS, which secured eighth place in Ireland, and fifth in Germany. So maybe the world isn't all that rubbish, after all. And if you really believe that, we advise you go and rent Eurotrip.
Apparently, a listing for Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen has shown up on the USK (or Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, but we're sticking with the easier, shorter name), Germany's classification board. Not satisfied with just knowing the title exists in their database, we hit the USK's official website to see it with our own eyes and found this listing for the game.
The chances that Europe will receive this game just increased, but we're curious about one thing. Just why isn't the game listed as Dragon Quest IV? It merely says Dragon Quest: The Chapters of the Chosen. Odd, if you ask us.
Featuring charts from across the region, Another Week in Europe documents the buying habits and quirky tastes of a whole continent of DS lovers.
It's business as usual for the DS in Euroland, where Brain Training and Mario & Sonic have once again ruthlessly harvested the wallets of gullible (probably non-DS Fanboy-reading) consumers. We would love to suggest that this madness will end soon, but Brain Training has been around these parts for almost two years now, while the for-real Olympics will surely only boost people's interest in assaulting their DS's poor touch screen. In a word: gah.
More pleasingly, there's been a mini-renaissance for (of all games) Mario Kart DS. Sales of the game rose in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Sweden, and we're pinning this sudden rebirth on the success of Mario Kart Wii, which continues to run down the opposition at an alarming pace. Then reverse back over it, just to make sure.
More charts await your attention past the break, though we're sorry to say that the Spanish top ten is taking a siesta this week (see what we did there?). With any luck, it'll be back next Saturday.
DS software is feeling the strain in Europe this week as big names on other consoles continue to shake things up. This week it's the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Codemasters' Race Driver: GRID that have mostly disrupted the standings (note: the DS iteration didn't appear in any charts), forcing Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training to actually drop out of the UK top ten for the first time in several months (though the polygonal prof has still performed respectably in Ireland, Holland, and Germany).
You know things are going badly for sales of DS games in Europe when Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games doesn't get a look-in in most European charts.
Flower service Fleurop in Germany is suggesting something other than the usual bouquet and pleasant card for your mom this Mother's Day. It would seem they're teaming up with Nintendo to suggest your mom get some good old Brain Training in. And buy some flowers, of course.
For a continent that gave the world tiramisu, Audrey Tautou, and the Renaissance, Europe sure does disappoint us at times. Yep, it's another week of gray, predictable drudgery when it comes to sales of DS software.
Apparently, a listing for Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen has shown up on the USK (or Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, but we're sticking with the easier, shorter name), Germany's classification board. Not satisfied with just knowing the title exists in their database, we hit the USK's official website to see it with our own eyes and found this listing for the game.
Featuring charts from across the region, Another Week in Europe documents the buying habits and quirky tastes of a whole continent of DS lovers.
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