Hey, guess what? You can buy Super Smash Bros. Brawl on Amazon today (and today only) for $25.99!
What a minute -- why are we posting about a Brawl deal on DS Fanboy, of all places? Because, friends, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Amazon is offering up nine Nintendo deals today, which (if our guesses are correct) includes five DS games.
Since all of the said games are published by Nintendo you might own most of them already, but if not, they're games that are definitely worth getting for cheap. So, all you stingy folks that are able to order from Amazon.com should check past the break to see what Gold Box sales are in store for you today.
Remember that haaauuuuge list of Japan's 500 highest-selling games of 2007? Well, sorry, but you'll have to forget them all. Yep, every last one of 'em. That's because we now have a new list which is also claiming to feature the 500 best-selling games of 2007 in Japan. This one has been compiled by Enterbrain (the original was from rival data-gatherers Media Create), and it's ever so slightly different.
The good news is that, despite the origins of each list being different, the overriding message is still the same, and that message is: DS rules all yaaay. Both lists agree that Wii Sports was top dog, but the top DS games have been jumbled about. Now, for example, it is the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers games that are top of the DS pile, while Mario Party DS drops to second. The changes are subtle, but definitely exist. Hit the break to see the top ten DS games!
With Nintendo dominating both the console and handheld markets, their key franchises have installments on both platforms. Focusing on the DS, which key franchise do you believe has the best entry? Phantom Hourglass?
It would probably be New Super Mario Bros., for us. That game is pure Mario Bros. fun. But, what do you all think? Of all the entries in Nintendo franchises on the DS, which one is your favorite? Pokémon Diamond & Pearl? Let's hear it!
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.
It goes without saying that all of the DS Fanboy team are colossally (some would say inexplicably) popular. However, despite the fact that we're swimming in chums, here's something not a lot of us have: DS-owning friends who will play games against us on a regular basis. Like, in the flesh.
What about you lot? Do you have a large crowd of friends who are equipped with a DS and regularly indulge in local multiplayer? Or are you like most of us, sadly limited to battling over Force Gems and taking out tank units with strangers from afar?
Last week there were a bunch of Wii deals in the Sunday ads. This week, though, there are a handful of DS games with slashed prices instead, all from Circuit City:
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for $17.50 (Sunday and Monday only)
Cooking Mama for $9.99
Sonic Rush for $9.99
Namco Museum for $9.99
Pokemon Emerald (GBA) for $9.99
Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis (GBA) for $9.99
With the exception of Phantom Hourglass, you have the whole week to mull over these sales, which are available both online and in stores. Anyone plan on picking up one of these games?
We're convinced that nobody finishes absolutely every game they buy, so which titles in your collection have you not yet completed? Do you have plans to return to them, or is your gaming schedule (or, heavens forbid, life) just too crammed right now?
Personally speaking, this blogger must be a good 80% through The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, but I suspect it was another blasted visit to the Ocean King's Temple that finally put me off. I've had my copy for around a year, and now it simply sits on my shelf, sneering at me. For shame.
Hey, who doesn't know how awesome Shigeru Miyamoto is? Your grandmother? Shove her to the ground. Seriously, the man is a legend and your grandmother's frail, aged bones need to recognize that.
Miyamoto himself received top honors, as he accepted his time in the spotlight and thanked everyone by stating that he was happy to "get an honor like this, it makes me glad to have worked so hard over the past thirty years. This is going to sound a bit like a lie, but it's like a dream. That said, I didn't think five years ago that I'd be making Wii Fit. I thought I'd be making more Mario and Zelda."
Well, if there's someone who should be used to accepting awards, it's him.
If you still haven't picked up Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, then what's taken you so long? Actually, never mind that -- we've no time for excuses, and neither have you. RadioShack is selling Link's brilliant, award-winning adventure (and officially Famitsu's game of 2007) for just $19.97, but supplies are limited, and will be gone once the sand runs outsoon.
Bear in mind that this is an in-store offer only, so you'll have to troop over to your local RadioShack. It's totally worth it though, because aside from some (cough) slight repetition in the use of dungeons, Phantom Hourglass is a fine, fine way to spend 20-odd hours. And hey, if someone here does get a copy, yours truly might actually have an opponent for Game Night!
Lists: they're freaking well everywhere. Lists of the best games, of the worst games, of the worst boxart, of games to watch, of the best NES games, of the most kid-friendly games, lists of the greatest lists.
But what's that? You want more lists? You're insane! But Famitsu hears you! The venerable Japanese publication just published its top games of 2007, based on the magazine's review scores, and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (the game that collects gongsandawards like they're going clean out of fashion) romped to top spot, thanks to its near-perfect 39/40 score.
The DS had other representatives in Famitsu's top 25, with Kousoku Card Battle: Card Hero (12th), Itadaki Street (21st), Gyakuten Saiban 4 (24th) and Final Fantasy IV (25th) all making their presence felt. Go past the break for the entire top 25, and join us in marveling at the Xbox 360 doing something right in Japan.
Starting today until March 16th, preowned media retailer SecondSpin is offering customers free shipping and 20% off its used items. Unlike GameStop and Electronics Boutique, SecondSpin sells every game with the manual and box, so you won't have to worry about receiving an incomplete package. All you need to do to take advantage of the deal is use this coupon code: TWENTY314.
SecondSpin has too many available Nintendo DS and GBA titles (450+) for us to list, but we've put together a short tally of games that you might want to pick up.
Nintendo DS:
Custom Robo Arena - $13.79 $11.03
Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney: Justice for All - $12.99 $10.39
Scurge: Hive - $10.39 $8.39
Spectrobes - $14.99 $11.99
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - $26.99 $21.59
True Swing Golf - $9.99 $7.99
GBA deals:
Final Fantasy IV Advance and V Advance - $14.99 $11.99
Gunstar Super Heroes - $7.99 $6.39
TMNT - $14.99 $11.99
If you don't see anything you're interested in, SecondSpin updates its inventory every day, so check back again tomorrow!
It only seems like a fortnight ago that we partied long into the night over quietly celebrated The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass scooping an award from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Wait -- it was only a fortnight ago! And it already has another award to its name!
This time it's a Game Developers Choice Award for Best Handheld Game of the Year, which Zelda clinched over Puzzle Quest: Challenge of The Warlords, Phase, Contra 4, and the iPod version of Peggle. Time to expand that trophy cabinet again, Nintendo!
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has bestowed the award of "Best Handheld Game" upon our favorite adventure game of 2007 starring a kid in a green tunic with a fairy flying around him, Deal or No DealThe Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Congratulations to Nintendo! The DS adventure joins Super Mario Galaxy as the entire Nintendo contingent of this year's Interactive Achievement Award winners, with the rest of the awards, going to, you know, Rock Band and Portal and the other Xbox stuff that got all the other awards last year. We're just glad to see a familiar name or two on the list. As it turns out, good gamesdid come out on the DS in 2007!
It's something we've talked about a few times but still don't understand -- what does it take for the best-selling game system in the world to get a little attention? Alright, alright, we're over it. And at least the Game Developers Choice awards have a special handheld category, and we're extraordinarily pleased to see Contra 4 glowing brightly on the list. It's probably not going to win, but we're happy to see we're not the only ones who love beefy dudes with weapons.
Maybe this time next year, we'll see some DS games breaking out of handheld-only categories, since there is so much complete awesome slated for the system in the coming months. We can't be the only ones who think DS titles can go toe-to-toe with their console brethren. In the meantime, check out the nominees for best handheld game after the break.
2007 is almost over, and the end of the year brings joyous tidings of List Season. It's the time for taking stock of the last 12 months of gaming, and trying to make sense of it by putting things in numerical order. Join DS Fanboy for our best-ofs, worst-ofs, and other categories-ofs.
We cranked up our review quotient in 2007 (and hope to do even more in 2008!), but we still can't review everything that comes out, to our chagrin. We wouldn't have time for anything else! However, we did try to hit a wide variety of titles this year, from the biggies like Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and Phantom Hourglass, to some smaller titles, like WordJong and Duck Amuck. We even worked to review some more off-the-wall things, like the Nintendo Fan Network at Safeco Field -- you know, in case you happened to find yourself in the Northwest with a hankering for a day of DS and baseball.
Hey, guess what? You can buy Super Smash Bros. Brawl on Amazon today (and today only) for $25.99!
Remember that 
Last week there were a bunch of Wii deals in the Sunday ads. This week, though, there are a handful of DS games with slashed prices instead, all from Circuit City:
We're convinced that nobody finishes absolutely every game they buy, so which titles in your collection have you not yet completed? Do you have plans to return to them, or is your gaming schedule (or, heavens forbid, life) just too crammed right now?
Hey, who doesn't know how awesome 
If you still haven't picked up 
Lists: they're freaking well everywhere. Lists of the 
It only seems like a fortnight ago that we 
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has bestowed the award of "Best Handheld Game" upon our favorite adventure game of 2007 starring a kid in a green tunic with a fairy flying around him, 
It's something we've talked about a few times but still don't understand -- what does it take for the best-selling game system in the world to 
2007 is almost over, and the end of the year brings joyous tidings of List Season. It's the time for taking stock of the last 12 months of gaming, and trying to make sense of it by putting things in numerical order. Join DS Fanboy for our best-ofs, worst-ofs, and other categories-ofs.
