PALGN has come to the rescue and is giving you a quick summary of everything you will see on store shelves come February 24th. So, without delay we present our Nintendo DS launch guide.
(Please note that we have only included titles / hardware which is available from day one of the Nintendo DS launch.
Nintendo DS Hardware:
Price:$199.95
The Nintendo DS is Nintendo's next handheld. It is seperate from the Gameboy Advance and has two screens, one which is a touch-screen. This brings new and exciting possibilities to the table. The Nintendo DS comes with two stylus's for touching the bottom screen and a demo copy of Metroid Prime: Hunters.
Over 3,000,000 Nintendo DS's are now available worldwide. (significantly more than the N-Gage ever sold) The Nintendo DS is one of the boldest moves Nintendo has ever taken, in an attempt to crush the PSP.
The Nintendo DS is available for $199.95 (or cheaper at certain retailers) and the games retail from $69.95 - $89.95 depending on the publisher.
The Nintendo DS also comes bundled with Pictochat, which is a chat program which is embedded into the actual hardware of the Nintendo DS. The DS does not play Gameboy or Gameboy Color games but it is backward compatible with Gameboy Advance games.
The price for the Nintendo DS is amazing considering the incredible technology built into it and we predict that the demand for the Nintendo DS will exceed the intial shipment so get in fast! We guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Super Mario 64 DS:
Price: $69.95
Genre: Platformer
Super Mario 64 was a revolution when it was released nine years ago. The Nintendo DS version isn't as much of a revolution this time around but there is no doubting that Mario 64 definitely stands the test of time.
Super Mario 64 DS has new levels, a new storyline and a new recreation room which showcases the full capabilities of the Nintendo DS. The recreation room isn't just a quick add-on, it is a addictive mode that some people will spend more time in than the adventure mode.
The adventure mode is huge and one of the biggest games ever released on a handheld. Completing the game in its entirity will take a plethora of your time. There is simply no better game to pick up on February 24th, except maybe...
Warioware Touched!
Price: $69.95
Genre: Party
If there was one game which benefitted the most from the Nintendo DS hardware it is Wario Ware. The entire game is basically controlled through the stylus and the quick-fire mini games return.
Wario Ware Touched! is a brilliant game which truely showcases the capabilities of the Nintendo DS, it uses the stylus to its maximum capabilities and even uses the in-built microphone in the Nintendo DS.
There are plenty of unlockables and more quick-fire mini games than ever before so this game is guaranteed to stay in your Nintendo DS for a long time. We just hope their aren't any bugs in the game, like the Japanese version.
Ping Pals:
Price: $69.95
Genre: Party
Remember when the Mega Drive II was released and it came with Alex the Kidd in it? Now imagine that SEGA actually released that same game and stuck a $69.95 price tag on it. This is pretty much the same thing that UbiSoft are doing with Ping Pals.
Ping Pals is a chat-program which is pretty much the same as Pictochat. There are a few variances in the games, but the largest difference has to be that Ping Pals costs $69.95, whereas Pictochat is embedded free in the Nintendo DS. We strongly suggest that you spend your $69.95 on a better game, as we doubt many other people are going to have Ping Pals anyway.
Spider-man 2
Price: $79.95
Genre: Action
Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a Spiderman can. Spider-man 2 is a completely new title from Activision that is tailored to take advantage of the Nintendo DS's capabilities. The game is still based on the movie, but contains new moves for Spider-man as well.
Unfortunately the game is 2D wheras the upcoming PSP version will be in full 3D but the game still looks great and any Spiderman fan will be pleased with this addition to the franchise.
Spiderman is one of the only action titles available at the launch of the Nintendo DS so we think that it should be very popular with action game fans, and from what we hear, the game is actually pretty decent.
Sprung
Price $49.95
Genre: Dating Simulator
Sprung is the cheapest Nintendo DS launch title and because of this it is likely it will sell in large quantities. We're really happy that the game will be launching at a cheaper price point.
So what's it all about then? Sprung is a dating simulator, no it is not the new name for Feel the Magic XX / XY It is another, completely different dating simulator from Ubisoft.
We do feel it is our duty to inform you that the reviews out of America have been less than favourable for Sprung, and the budget price point can often indicate the quality of the game at hand.
Zoo Keeper
Price: $69.95
Genre: Puzzle
We know this is really why you brought the Nintendo DS, No, we're being sarcastic. Despite our sarcasm, Zoo Keeper is actually quite an entertaining puzzle game that should keep most people happy for many hours.
We do expect that Zoo Keeper will be one of those titles that drops in price quickly though, and with many other arguably better titles available at launch, we cannot see too many people picking this up.
It is however, important to note that Zoo Keeper is the only puzzle game for the Nintendo DS at the moment, and for a while it will be the only puzzle game available, so anyone looking for a puzzle game will have no choice but to go for Zoo Keeper.
Asphalt Urban GT
Price: $69.95
Genre: Racing
With Ridge Racer DS being bizarrely omitted from release schedules, the only racing game available is Asphalt Urban GT. It's not a brilliant racing game, but is is significantly better than the N-Gage version (but did anyone actually play that version aside from myself?)
Reports from America indicate that Asphalt Urban GT doesn't use the Nintendo DS touch-screen as much as other titles. Still, the game features pretty good graphics, good longetivity and addictive game play.
Those with more patience will want to wait until Ridge Racer DS comes to our shores, but if you cannot wait then pick up Asphalt Urban GT, and you won't be too disappointed.
There are a few titles missing from this list that are extremely obscure omissions. PALGN was really expecting Feel the Magic to make launch, as well as Ridge Racer DS and the Urbz. The lineup is rather small, but we hope with this guide making the decision which game/s to buy is a little easier.
PALGN will have more information on the Nintendo DS and the PSP as soon as it becomes available. Stay tuned for many Nintendo DS updates in the coming weeks.
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