For people longing to play new demos via the Nintendo Channel, the frustration continues. All we saw on the channel today was the return of two demos that we never really missed in the first place (we're looking at you, Carnival Games and Crosswords DS Wordsearch).
Nintendo also extended the availability dates on three of the existing demos, probably because offering three new ones would have been too satisfying (/bitter). The good news is, you have another week to try out Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 and Contra 4 if you haven't done so already.
Click past the break to see yet another underwhelming list of demos.
For those of you looking to play something brand new this week, you're out of luck. Instead, Nintendo offers us a chance to catch up with some demos me might have missed in the past, allowing folks to download these up until next week. So, if you missed out last time, get on it!
With Trauma Center 2 and Contra 4 on the Nintendo Channel's demos list, you may wonder why exactly we're unimpressed. Perhaps it's because there's nothing new offered this week, unless you count the reappearance of certain demos on the list as "new." We don't.
To see why we're thoroughly uninspired, check past the break for the full list of "been there, done that" demos.
It's Monday again, which means it's time to check out what the Nintendo Channel has in store for DS demos. Like last week, we don't get much in the way of new stuff to play on our DS, but it's not about quantity here, it's about quality. And, this week's lone demo has that in spades:
It's Monday, which means the Wii's Nintendo Channel is due to unleash some new DS demos for us to enjoy. Following last week's offerings isn't easy, that's for sure. Actually, it might be impossible. We're talking about one of the most awesome DS games available, after all.
So what's available this week? Head on past the break for the details.
It's Monday, again. Usually, we'd frown and mope about all day, what with it being the beginning of another week of tirelessly blogging and all, but Mondays are turning into more of a celebration for us. We get new gaming content every week on this day!
Nintendo has updated the Everyone's Nintendo Channel on the Wii to include some sweet demos this week, so if you're in the mood for something new to play, you'll find it here. Aside from last week's demos, you'll also find several new ones. Head on past the break for the list of new demos available.
This week was a bit of a let down in terms of demos -- then again, it's hard to follow up the excitement of Arkanoid. It seems like Nintendo didn't even try, though. While we were interested in the demo the first time around, Cake Mania 2 already had its heyday. Then, there's Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, which we can't help but be underwhelmed by. Last and maybe least, the only other new demo is from Crosswords DS, which now offers the wordsearch game in addition to crossword puzzles. We guess beggars can't be choosers.
Since things always look better in list form, check out the full list of demos available for download after the break.
We've gotten a little developer insight into Guitar Hero: On Tour before, but a new video on the Nintendo Channel delves even more into the brains of the Vicarious Visions team. If you want to know things like how the idea for a handheld Guitar Hero came about (besides the fact that Karthik Bala thinks there are no good portable rhythm games), or were curious about the decision to use a DS peripheral with only four buttons, this video will answer all your burning questions.
The developers seem more than happy with their final product, so hopefully On Tour lives up to everything they're promising. In any case, playing the game while whitewater rafting seems like a bad idea.
The best part of it all is that we've ever-so-kindly put the video right here for your viewing pleasure. So, don't even bother firing up that Wii of yours and just check out the video above.
The Wii's Nintendo Channel, then. It's enjoyed a somewhat shaky start if you ask us, particularly where DS demos are concerned. Although we love occasionally receiving bite-size portions of games such as Arkanoid, most demos are ... well, to be frank, they're old. Not just regular old, either, but Jesus and his pet triceratops trekking across the ravaged plains of Pangaea old.
The situation is especially grim in Europe, where Tetris DS (original release date: April 2006) has just joined a list that includes (amongst others) the ancient likes of Big Brain Academy, Brain Training, Mario Kart DS, 42 All-Time Classics, and Sight Training. Needless to say, we've only downloaded a small handful of games since the service debuted. To us, a demo of Brain Training is about as useful as a plasticine climbing frame.
Then again, maybe we're being overly critical, grumbly bastards. Maybe some of you good people actually get quite a lot of use out of the service. So we thought we'd throw this issue open to you, our beloved readers, and ask: how often do you use the Nintendo Channel demos?
Grab a box of Kleenex or, if that's not an option, your shirt's sleeve. You see, we just went to check out the new DS demos available for download on the Nintendo Channel and found only one: Arkanoid DS. No, no, that's not the sad part at all. The sad part is what happened when we downloaded the demo.
Upon getting it onto our DS and booting the demo up, we prepared for a wonderful time with our imported paddle controller, as it's been sitting on our work space's desk for a couple weeks now while we anticipated the release of Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme. But, after booting up the demo, we found the title only supports two control schemes: stylus and d-pad. Talk aboutd'oh!
What will this mean for the final build of the game? Will it also not include support for the paddle controller? It looks like that will be the case, but what about Space Invaders Extreme? Should we expect the same fate for that title?
There's only one new demo available on the Wii's Nintendo Channel, but it's a title we've been wanting to try for a long time. If you guessed Space Invaders Extreme, well, we wish. It is the next best thing that Taito and Square Enix have to offer, though: Arkanoid DS. Should you happen to be unfamiliar with Arkanoid, we have to ask -- where have you been the last twenty years? In all seriousness, we're sure you've encountered this Taito classic in some form or other, which involves breaking blocks pong-style.
We have our DS-Fanboy-branded scientific lab monkeys trying out the demo as we speak, so we'll be sure to deliver some impressions soon for those of you without Wiis.
The other games available are essentially the same from last week. Here they are in list form:
When we heard about Disney's sequel to the firstSpectrobes title, Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals, we were interested in what innovations the game would bring. Of course, that "innovation" turned into only more of what the first game presented, as the game adopted the model of providing fans of the first game with more and more of what that title offered. Likely, it'll work, because in these kind of games, folks are usually looking for just that.
Anywho, check out the new trailer above. It not only shows off the new bad guy you're supposed to hate, but also a good deal of CG. So, what do you all think?
Nintendo has added a new set of DS demos to the Wii Nintendo Channel, which in general is a happy development. However, the particular titles that Nintendo has chosen to advertise may not be of interest to you, with one possible exception. Without a doubt, the highlight of this week's offerings (online until June 8) is a Worms: Open Warfare 2 demo. Try it out right now, and if you like it, you can pick it up for $10 at Gamestop!
We're personally interested in the Cake Mania 2 demo, but other than that, it's Disney's show. If this were TV and you were 12, that would be great, but in terms of DS game content? Not so awesome. Hit the break for the full, fully underwhelming list.
Training, training, training. That's all us Europeans and Aussies want, right? Day in, day out, there we are, blurting "blue" into our handhelds like obedient farmyard animals, and being told that we're doing it wrong and that we're thuddingly simple. We know this happens, because the sales charts tell us so, and now the first DS demos on the local Nintendo Channel (released on all PAL consoles today) reflect the self-improvement obsession that has swept many PAL countries.
So, instead of getting demos of totally rad, new games such as Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (which is what the U.S. got), we get four training games (only one of which came out this year) from the seven titles available, and adverts for Nintendogs and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The only bright spot? A couple of tracks from Mario Kart DS, and a Picross demo, but those are hardly fresh titles.
We're not usually the types to look a gift horse in the mouth, but there's a stunning lack of variety on display here, Nintendo. Hit the break for the infuriatingly vanilla list.
When we turned on our Wii earlier to check and see if the recent habit of providing us with new DS demos every week would continue, we stumbled upon something very odd. You see, this week's new DS demos are, in fact, the first set of DS demos that released alongside the Nintendo Channel. Just now, they don't have an expiration date attached to them.
For those of you with a bad memory (or no desire to click links), the list of demos available has been placed past the break.
With Trauma Center 2 and Contra 4 on the Nintendo Channel's demos list, you may wonder why exactly we're unimpressed. Perhaps it's because there's nothing new offered this week, unless you count the reappearance of certain demos on the list as "new." We don't.
There's only one new demo available on the Wii's Nintendo Channel, but it's a title we've been wanting to try for a long time. If you guessed Space Invaders Extreme, well, we wish. It is the next best thing that Taito and Square Enix have to offer, though: Arkanoid DS. Should you happen to be unfamiliar with Arkanoid, we have to ask -- where have you been the last twenty years? In all seriousness, we're sure you've encountered this Taito classic in some form or other, which involves breaking blocks pong-style.
Nintendo has added a new set of DS demos to the Wii Nintendo Channel, which in general is a happy development. However, the particular titles that Nintendo has chosen to advertise may not be of interest to you, with one possible exception. Without a doubt, the highlight of this week's offerings (online until June 8) is a Worms: Open Warfare 2 demo. Try it out right now, and if you like it, you can pick it up for $10 at Gamestop!
_thumbnail.png "Defenders of Law, Inc: Crime in Willburg (PC Screens)")
