Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments
Search

News for nerds, stuff that matters

Slashdot Log In

Log In

Create Account  |  Retrieve Password

A DS In Every Pot

Posted by Zonk on Tue Apr 18, 2006 01:39 PM
from the converting-them-one-handheld-at-a-time dept.
Portables (Games)
At last year's GDC Nintendo President Iwata made the claim that the company was reaching out to everyone, in an attempt to expand the gaming market. They were planning to appeal to hardcore gamers, folks who used to play games, and folks who have never played a game in their lives. At the time, it sounded like a tag line. Today, I have impressions from three titles which suggest they've got what it takes to make us all into gamers. Hardcore players can sink their teeth into Metroid Prime Hunters, and have one of the most intuitive FPS experiences ever to come to a console. Folks looking for some nostalgia can enjoy Tetris DS, blockstacking like it's 1985. Even your grandmother can try Brain Age, proving to her bridge club that even though her license says she's 80 she's got the brain of a 20 year old. Read on for my impressions of three titles that give powerful evidence to support Iwata's grand claim.
  • Title: Metroid Prime Hunters
  • Developer/Publisher: Nintendo
  • System:DS
If you're a PC FPS player, Hunters is precisely your cup of tea. Nintendo has taken the frantic energy of a Quake 3 match and miniaturized it on your DS screen. Hunters is, in reality, not a 'real' Metroid game. It's essentially a shooter based in the classic Nintendo world. While the GameCube and GameBoy games concentrate as much on exploration as action, Hunters is all about shooting for the kill. This focus is obvious in the dirt simple control scheme. You use the joypad to move, the touchpad to aim, and the right shoulder button to fire. You can drop into ball mode and switch weapons with icons on the touchscreen, and to jump you doubletap with your stylus.

What results from this fusion of simple control and Metroid trappings is nothing less than a grown-up shooter on a very small console. Single-player mode has sort of 'mini-Metroids' scattered around a small part of the galaxy. You head into an area, explore, fight a boss, and move on. It's not much compared to some of Samus' other epic adventures, but it is a good way to learn the controls. Despite the size of the single-player missions, they also manage to fit in some nice puzzling.

If you're wifi connected, you can get your ass handed to you by the thousands of people waiting to personally destroy you online. Just like with Mario Kart, the system just works, resulting in a lightning fast asshanding that will leave you wondering why you opened the DS's lid in the first place. There are numerous maps to play on, and many other bounty hunter personas available to change things up from the normal Metroid experience. Online play is wicked fast, with smooth framerates aiding in the sense of speed and danger.

Folks who dislike FPSes will not like this game, and even folks who enjoy the Metroid Prime titles on the GameCube may be turned off by the game's unrelenting speed. Quake 3 really is the best PC comparison I can draw, and being fragged moments after you've spawned is not out of the question. PC gamers who have avoided console shooters may actually be the real winners here, as you're going to find a lot to love in the 'touchpad look' system they've come up with.

I see this title as not only a great game in the here and now, but a preview of what's going to be possible in the DS's future. The control scheme and graphics (which simply should not be possible on a Nintendo handheld) speak of far-off games that will keep the hardcore coming back again and again to Nintendo's twoscreened juggernaut.

  • Title: Tetris DS
  • Developer/Publisher: Nintendo
  • System:DS
Like Metroid, Tetris DS is a new take on a classic Nintendo title. Unlike Metroid, this new title recaptures much of the flavour that obsessed moms across America in the mid-80s. It's not a remake so much as a refresh, with many new modes and ways to play a game we never really put down.

The vivid displays on the DS play gracious host to the new game. Your first impressions of Tetris DS will be of crisp imagery and bright sound. The game manages not only to be a small shrine to the blockstacker itself, but almost every classic Nintendo title. The Mario theme accompanies the Standard mode, while a Metroid background scrolls past in Catch mode. The only drawback to this is that, if classic Nintendo isn't your cup of tea, the music is going to get grating sooner rather than later.

The sheer number of modes can be intimidating at first. Besides the original game (playable both by yourself or vs. other people wirelessly), there is Catch (a strange mode that has you creating four-squares while flying through a Metroid level), Push (a competitive classic Tetris mode), Mission (which has you completing specific objectives), Puzzle (which has you complete a screen with specific pieces), and Touch. Touch is the only mode that takes advantage of the touch-screen, and requires you to move block around in a tower of Tetris pieces. You break down the foundation of the tower, eventually freeing the trapped balloons at the top of the heap. Touch and Push are very fresh experiences, requiring you to use Tetris thinking in lateral ways. Catch is kinda funky, and I didn't get as much out of it.

Even if you're playing the classic game on your cell phone every day, this game is well worth experiencing on the DS. Like all Wifi-enabled DS games, it's seamless to fall into an online match, and the polish level displayed here is going to please every puzzler you know. Nintendo hit it right on the money with this one: Not too much newness, just enough to keep you interested. The only real complaint I have is the title's price. Thirty dollars for the cart is enough to ensure that not everyone that gets a DS will end up with this in their library. Which is a shame; The ubiquitous presence of Tetris for the original GameBoy was one of the pivotal moments in classic gaming. (Or so says my mom.)


  • Title: Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day
  • Developer/Publisher: Nintendo
  • System:DS
The 'not a game' titles available for the Nintendo DS just keep coming. Nintendogs and Electroplankton are obvious examples, but Brain Age manages to slip into that category through the backdoor; It's a game that's also good for you. Brain Age is basically a series of mental exercises designed to give your grey matter a work-out. Lateral thinking isn't the name of the game here: Speed is what matters. One hundred arithmetic problems fly past, and you have to solve them as quickly as you can. Count the number of syllables in the sentence, but do it quickly. The 'easiest' task they'll put to you is forcing you to read snippets from classic works of literature. Reading the Brontes for speed is a new experience, and one which will definitely stretch your prefrontal cortex.

All of these simple games are intended to be completed on a daily basis. You do one or two each day to 'Train Your Brain', and after finishing up the game assigns you a 'brain age'. The younger the better, with 20 being as low as you can go. The amusement factor of the game doesn't sound very high, but the presentation sells it with gusto. The floating head of Dr. Kawashima (the man whose research the game is based on) is a very personable character, turning the DS sideways makes for a different feel to the game, and the cheerful attitude of the interface is hard to ignore.

I have some minor complaints with the title, but they don't detract at all from the enjoyment of the title. Specifically, the handwriting recognition can get a little confused at times. Even a few extra seconds writing out a '9' will seem like forever when you're on the clock. Similarly, I found the voice recognition would occasionally spaz out. I particularly had trouble getting the game to understand me when I said the word 'blue'. Be sure to enunciate your words so that the game understands you.

Those minor quibbles aside, the package is a great, simple, time-waster. For folks not used to playing games this is the perfect setup. Brain Age offers a series of discrete, approachable tasks that only have to be completed once or twice to feel that you've accomplished something. If you play daily, you only have to invest about 10 minutes to get your stamp from the Doctor. If you want to play more, for American audiences a Sudoku game was added. I don't play myself, but I'm told by accomplished players that it's a challenging set of puzzles. They're also convenient, allowing you to write down your guesses on the side of a box before committing yourself to an answer.

While Tetris and Metroid are great games, I'm most impressed by the reaction I've seen from non-gamers sitting down to Brain Age for the first time. There's a smile they get, and a light in their eye. When I talk to them about it, there's an understanding there about games and gaming that wasn't there before. That's the reason President Iwata gave away the title at his GDC Keynote; It's a subversive recruitment tool. You may not get your grandmother playing Unreal Tournament, but Brain Age can be a starter experience for an entire new multi-generational crop of gamers.
+ -
story

Related Stories

[+] New Super Mario Bros. Review 248 comments
In the "everything old is new again" spirit of the 21st century, there have been many bad remakes, remixes, and 'reinvisionings'. The gaming industry is especially guilty, with endless sequels and a lack of imagination being oft-discussed elements at developer get-togethers. Despite all this, it does appear you can go home again. Nintendo has competently revived the series that made it a household name in the U.S., with New Super Mario Bros.. A classic 2D platformer with plenty of new tricks, Mario comes bounding to the DS with a focus on what he does best. New Super Mario Bros. is not going to make you rethink what is possible in a game; It's not going to make you cry or change your life. It will, however, make you smile. Read on for my impressions of the pudgy plumber's newest adventure.
[+] Cellphone Gaming Market Lacks Pull 54 comments
The Washington Post reports that, despite the best wishes of executives, the cellphone market has not yet taken off the way companies like Jamdat may have hoped for. From the article: "McAteer said the phone interface that consumers access when downloading games -- which usually lists only game titles -- is one of the biggest reasons behind the slow growth. As a result, the games that tend to sell best are those with instant name recognition among consumers, such as Pac-Man or Tetris"
[+] Review: Nintendogs 257 comments
The unique elements of Nintendo's Dual Screen handheld have led to titles with very different gameplay. Warioware Touched and Kirby Canvas Curse typify the ways that Nintendo wants game designers to begin thinking about using their hardware. There are still new directions that Nintendo wants to push gaming, though, and they're not content to sit back and let others find the path. Non-game games, then, are what seems to be in store for the DS. Titles like Electroplankton, the music-making system, and the tamagotchi-esque Nintendogs are intended to bring non-gamers into the fold with interactive software that they can enjoy but aren't necessarily games. In the spirit of the non-game games, then, read on for my non-review of Nintendogs.
[+] Review: Animal Crossing and Electroplankton 117 comments
When is a game not a game? Because it's software designed to run on the Nintendo DS, Electroplankton and Animal Crossing: Wild World are packaged and sold as traditional games. Despite that, they don't have many of the elements we normally associate with games; Electroplankton has no measure of progress, and Animal Crossing is more Sims than SimCity. Neither of them have a win condition. While they may not be your normal Friday night rental, both of them are potent tools for having fun. Read on for my impressions of these distinctly different titles.
[+] Casual Gaming the Real Next Gen? 80 comments
The Guardian Gamesblog wonders aloud about the ramifications of casual gaming; could it be that the wave of casual and mobile games is the real next generation of gaming? Author Keith Stuart interviews Matt Spall, of UK studio Morpheme, for an insider's perspective. From the article: "People buying the DS to play Brain Training, and Nintendogs are probably not even aware of Metroid or Advance Wars which kind of suggests this might be a one-way street — the hardcore aren't likely to buy these 'ultra casual' titles in great numbers, because they're fairly simplistic, and don't offer a great deal of depth for a hardcore player. Hopefully though, some people who would never normally play games now own DSs, and may 'graduate' to more advanced titles over time. Having said that, the fact that the DS market can support things like Electroplankton, which can keep anyone charmed for ages, is already encouraging."
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

A DS In Every Pot 50 Comments More /

 Full
 Abbreviated
 Hidden
More
Loading... please wait.
  • They'd have a lot more takers if they included pot with every DS.

  • RE: (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Alex P Keaton in da (882660) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @01:46PM (#15151531) Homepage
    In all seriousness- Older people who live in retirement villages are ridiculously similar to college students. (My grandfather was in one)
    You have people who have massive amounts of time, and excited about sitting on the couch and enjoy TV. (Of course not all older people or college students are like this)
    My grandfather's place had a dorm feel to it. I could very easily picture the "oldsters" playing video games.
    • And with my luck, I'll still live right across the hall from the guy with the huge stereo and no taste in music.

  • Only thing missing: (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ZombieRoboNinja (905329) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @01:49PM (#15151562)
    A DS tactical RPG, a la Final Fantasy Tactics.

    Seriously, FFT:DS would be an incredibly good idea. A whole extra screen for data readouts? Touchscreen movement rather than awkward scrolling over terrain and through menus? All combined with the awesome portability of FFT:Advance? Sign me up!
    • For turn-based tactical fun, try Age of Empires II for the DS [gamespot.com].

      Dunno why they didn't give it a differant name than its PC RTS cousin.
    • Um... Advanced Wars DS anyone? I loved Final Fantasy Tactics. it's still one of my favorite games. But FFTA was such a let down, i don't have much hope for any other sequels. Advanced Wars however has some awesome gameplay across the entire series, and the plots while hokey are kind of endearing (if you ignore the bizarre overtones romanticizing warfare). Anyway, brilliant game play. No customization like you would in an FFT game, but the strategy elements are definitely more interesting.
    • How about a good RPG, period?

      Not to troll, as I own a DS and love it, but there hasn't been a single good one out for the system yet.

    • A DS tactical RPG, a la Final Fantasy Tactics.

      Don't mention it or they might release another drekfest like FFTA! (Warning: Rabid FFT fanboy who hates Squarenix for releasing a sequel which lacked everything that made FFT great)

      What I'd like to see would be an X-Com for the DS. The interface could very much take advantage of the two screens and, let's face it, there hasn't been an X-Com for too long. And no, I'm not talking about Interceptor or the hideous abortion that is Enforcer. Just a remake of the

  • Well (Score:5, Insightful)

    by voice_of_all_reason (926702) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @01:53PM (#15151596)
    It might've helped if they lowered the price of a DS shortly before announcing that a better, cheaper version was going to come out soon. Anyone who got one for christmas got totally hosed.

    • Re:Well (Score:4, Funny)

      by Babbster (107076) <aaronbabb&gmail,com> on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:15PM (#15151778) Homepage
      "Hosed" is exactly the right word! The "old" DS design completely sucks - so badly in fact that you can't even really play games on it. Is it even compatible with the newer DS games coming out? And getting it as a gift in December really blows. That might be worst of all since everyone knows that the best part of gaming is waiting six months or more for new hardware!

      I'm pretty sure the above is sarcasm...
      • Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with it nonetheless -- picked it up in Nov or so for myself, actually. $150 with Mario included, and I've loved the new Castlevania and Resident Evil remake. But the backlight limitation is really noticeable, especially with Resident Evil. I mean, they made sure to scan the bar code on my DS when I bought it -- a discount for those who purchased the original would result in amazing PR, especially since the people who would take advantage of it are their most valuable custo
    • "Anyone who got one for christmas got totally hosed."

      Bitch all you want, I've thoroughly enjoyed playing with my DS since launch. If you want to waste your time waiting for the latest and greatest, that's your choice, but it's still silly.

      At what point would you have gotten an old one? If they announced the new one two years ahead of time? Three? If Nintendo announced the forthcoming NES-101 back when they were still pushing ROB, would you have cooled your heels for the entire NES era?

  • Grandmother (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 18 2006, @01:53PM (#15151602)
    Even your grandmother can try Brain Age, proving to her bridge club that even though her license says she's 80 she's got the brain of a 20 year old.

    I have no idea what "Brain Age" is, but wouldn't the Bridge Club get a better idea of her mental faculties based on how she, you know, plays Bridge?

  • DS has revitalized my gaming (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Frag-A-Muffin (5490) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @01:54PM (#15151609) Homepage
    [Disclaimer: I'm a Nintendo whore]

    However, recently i haven't been playing as many games as I used to. I actually own Metroid Prime Hunters, Tetris DS, and Brain Age comes out today and I'm going to go pick it up tonight.

    The thing with the DS is variety. And by variety, I don't mean 10 different kinds of FPSes. These are truly DIFFERENT games. It's not just these titles, things like Nintedogs (as mentioned in the summary) and Kirby's Canvas Curse that has brought me back to my handheld. They keep managing to release games that are actually interesting. The last few months, I'd saying my gaming has been split like so: 95% DS, 5% PC (CS, FarCry)

    (I cancelled my WoW subscription, not because I don't love it, quite the opposite. I love it too much :) )

    Maybe I'm just getting old? Oh well. As long as I keep getting my variety of games, I'll be happy. Probably why I'm most excited about the Revolution, just like a lot of others seem to be. I can't wait.

    The gaming industry might be in decline, but Nintendo is showing that it's more resilient than the gaming industry as a whole. (Past AND present!)

    • Re:DS has revitalized my gaming (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Queer Boy (451309) * <dragon.76NO@SPAMmac.com> on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:05PM (#15151699)
      The gaming industry might be in decline

      It's not in decline at all, it's just not experienceing exponential growth like it has, but in the world of Wall Street if your growth isn't insane you may as well be dead. For example, Microsoft has never made money off of the XBox and Nintendo made a huge chunk of change off the Gamecube. Because Microsoft sold a few hundred thousand more than Nintendo, somehow Microsoft is a "winner" and Nintendo was the "loser". Voodoo Economics at their best.

      • ...It's not in decline at all,...

        I thought the march sales numbers were like 25% lower than year ago numbers? That's a decline isn't it? :)

        Anyways, you're absolutely right about Nintendo actually making money vs. MS and Sony. The important thing about all these numbers is this:

        March saw lower sales vs. a year ago. However, Nintendo posted profits WAY above what they expected. The shares have been soaring as of late.

        That in a nutshell tells me that Nintendo is doing something right, and they're actually expa
      • Because Microsoft sold a few hundred thousand more than Nintendo, somehow Microsoft is a "winner" and Nintendo was the "loser"

        I don't know where you got the whole winner/loser ideal in terms of Nintendo and Microsoft, but from a business standpoint Microsoft is much bigger and more diversified. Microsoft might lose money in Xbox, but their incredible market share in software as a whole pegs them a lot higher than the "video game company" that Nintendo might get labeled as. Microsoft has more media expos

    • Brain Age comes out today Have you checked your local EB? The already have used copies from all the ones that Nintendo has given away..

  • Funny thing is (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Rowan_u (859287) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:04PM (#15151694) Homepage
    Funny thing is, I got almost the exact opposite multiplayer impression from my time spent reviewing Metroid Prime: Hunters on the DS. It's really nothing like Quake 3 or Unreal at all. The difference? amount of health. It takes a lot of whittling to bring down a fully charged bounty hunter in this game. Also, the weapon affinities and alternate forms add layer upon layer to the strategy of your typical deathmatch. Check out my multiplayer play rating at The Game Chair for the full story. [thegamechair.com]
  • I hope not. My brain was foolish when it was 20. At 80, I hope it's *much* wiser.

  • Just Got Mine (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Antimatter3009 (886953) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:15PM (#15151781)
    I just bought a DS this past weekend along with Castlevania and Advance Wars. I also wandered into a Best Buy and played a bunch of the free demos from their download center and have tried a few of my friend's games. I must say that so far, this is shaping up to be the best console purchase I've made, especially for the $200 total I spent on it with two games and a couple accessories :)

  • Tetris DS online... love it (Score:4, Interesting)

    by dividedsky319 (907852) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:24PM (#15151866) Homepage
    When I first got Tetris DS, I bought it on somewhat of a whim... I knew there wasn't really anything too special about it, it was still the original tetris... just made a little prettier.

    But once I played it, first I was amazed by the controls. The speed of playing just couldn't happen the same way on the original game boy... the feel of the d-pad and buttons just feels right.

    And once online gameplay was put into the equation, I was blown away. I've totally fallen in love with Tetris again, and I hadn't played it at all in probably 15 years. I forgot how simple, yet addictive, a game it is. I never realized how great multiplayer Tetris could be.

    600 wins online later, I realize it's the best 34.99 I've spent in years...
  • Chicago Tribune review located here [chicagotribune.com], registration semi-required, etc. etc. Reviewer's email address is at the bottom of the article, DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!

    ----

    Nintendo plays with YOUR MIND
    `Brain Age' is for gamers who aren't all thumbs

    Playing "Brain Age" is like taking the SAT all day long. If that sounds like your kind of fun, you'll love this new game for the Nintendo DS.

    You'll solve more than 100 logic and memorization problems. Writing your answers on the DS' touch screen and speaking int

  • 1. DS Lite. Not gonna buy the current DS, the screen is bad.

    2. Adventures and RPGs. Many of them.

    3. Personal organizer software.
  • I'm 25 and I love my DS as does my wife. Haven't broke down and picked one up for her yet...might after the Lite comes out...sort of a hand me down ya know ;)
  • If i'm playing the game in public somewhere i don't want to have a voice recognition task pop up in the middle of a sequence. Playing video games on my DS in public is fine, but i don't want to be like those guys on the blue tooth cellphone headsets wandering down the street talking loudly to themselves.
  • Maybe .doc as well. That way it could capture a slice of the ebook market.

  • This is probably a shameless plug (Score:3, Informative)

    by GweeDo (127172) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @03:14PM (#15152280) Homepage
    I will go ahead and do it though. If you have a Nintendo DS (or are just interested in them) and using the WiFi Service (WFC) I would like to invite you to check out WiTendoFi.com [witendofi.com]. We are a social website dedicated to helping you find people to play against and share information in unique ways.

    Here are a few things we have to offer:
    • WiFi Cards to quickly share your info
    • Metroid Prime Hunters Stat tracking/comparisions
    • Animal Crossing Turnip Watch
    • Tournaments for multiple games
    • Full Message Boards
    • IRC Chat
    • Custom sigs for other forums to show your "stuff"
    • It is free, free, free
    So, I hope this plug wasn't too shameless, but it seemed relevent to the topic at hand.

    • Re:Grandmothers? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by PhoenixFlare (319467) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @01:59PM (#15151650) Journal
      Seriously, who over the age of twenty is going to buy a DS?

      Many more people than you think.

      These are kids' toys we're talking about.

      It's whatever you convince yourself it is. Those of us that aren't worried about being "mature" or scared of some bright colors and cuteness are quite comfortable with Nintendo and their "kids' toys".

      Marketing can only do so much,

      You keep thinking that. Meanwhile, Nintendo's laughing all the way to the bank :)
      • Agreed on all accounts. I own a ds. Plan to buy a lite when its out, give mine to my lady, if i like it. I own a handful of DS games (which is alot, since they are small and I have big hands). I play all the latest FPSes, etc. But my DS gets the most play time of any console I own (and I own 9 from 4 different makers). Nintendo has done a good job at selling me games and hardware. And i'm 23. Almost everyone I know has a DS now. And we're all 20somethings. Its good clean fun, like in the 80s :)
        • Hmm... I'm a 21-year-old woman, and I own a DS. Oddly enough, in my travels to and from work, I don't think I've ever seen anyone UNDER 20 carrying one, and plenty of guys that I've played Mario Kart with on the bus have got to be at least 30. Admittedly, I live in an area dominated by game companies (especially EA, which has a studio near my usual bus route that specializes in PSP/DS ports), so there are a lot of adult professionals around who are interested in games, but even so. For games that are sup
    • I'm 36 and waiting for the DS Lite to hit the market. I need the brighter LCD screen since I went blind on the pre-SP AGBs testing Atari Anniversary, Nicktoons Racing, Driver 2 Advance, Backyard Hockey and DBZ: Buu's Fury when I worked as a lead tester at Atari. Of course, if Nintendo brought out a DS adapter for the GameCube, that would be sweet!

    • Re:Grandmothers? (Score:5, Informative)

      by gorbachev (512743) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:21PM (#15151830) Homepage
      "Seriously, who over the age of twenty is going to buy a DS?"

      Seriously, you're showing your age. Seriously.

      Here're some facts from this century:

      Average age of a gamer is 30. 19% of gamers are over the age of 50.

      More stats from the Entertainment Software Association via The Pixelantes: http://pixelantes.blogspot.com/2005/11/who-are-the se-video-gamers-anyway.html [blogspot.com]
    • Seriously, who over the age of twenty is going to buy a DS?

      Seriously? I'm 34 and waiting for the DS Lite.
      My brother is 30 and already has a DS (he will buy a DS Lite).
      My fiance's brother (future brother-in-law) is 29 and has two DS's.
      My step-mother is 62 and already has a DS.
      My dad's PhD advisor (they've been friends for 30 years) has two DS's. Don't know how old he is, but I think he knows Methusela personally...

      These are kids' toys we're talking about.

      You mean in the same way that Lego bricks are kids t
    • As a nintendo stockholder(yes, for real :P though buying at 52 week highs isn't the smartest idea in the world...) I say you are clearly missing something. Everyone loves good wholesome Nintendo fun that you can only get with Nintendo's fine products. Yes, look for the NIntendo seal of quality at fine retailers everywhere!

    • what? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by gcnaddict (841664) <gcnaddict @ g m a il.com> on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:18PM (#15151804)
      uhh... neither? You must be a PSP fan :P (just kidding :D Please dont hurt me, mods!)

      Seriously, this is more a game review than an ad. Zonk played the games and wrote a review for each saying why certain people would like each game. It's not an ad.
    • I'm going to have to agree with you on this one. This struck me as pure marketing disguised as a game review. How come we haven't seen as many PSP game review, eh? For what it's worth, i own neither and plan on continuing that trend into the forseeable future.
    • I don't gain any insight from it, it's not entertaining, it's not informative, it's a push for Nintendo. Or am I missing something vital?

      You're missing something vital. People always ask this kind of thing when there's some kind of positive review on Slashdot. Positive reviews can happen when a reviewer likes the product they're reviewing, not just when the reviewer is a shill. This kind of review can actually be useful to some of us because we get to learn more details about a product that we can then c

    • Re:Paid ad or free ad? (Score:4, Funny)

      by Guppy06 (410832) on Tuesday April 18 2006, @02:57PM (#15152146) Journal
      The news is that Zonk, Slashdot's resident rabid Xbox fanboy, actually made a pro-Nintendo post.
    • With the fracas over hidden stuff in San Andreas? Probably never.

      The Mario people are probably as legendary for perversion as the disney people. Just think of all the crazy shit that's locked up in the Super Princess Peach rom.
        • Castlevania and Ninja Gaiden are the only 2 games that ever drove me to hysterical, crying fits as a little kid. And I had game genie codes for infinite lives -- they weren't much help :(

          Still, I hold actually beating the Grim Reaper as a tremendous feat. Like getting all the cheats in goldeneye and finishing Blaster Master.
      • The infinite rotation only works in single (if i recall correctly). Once you're past lvl 10 or so, the pieces might as well just start on your highest brick in the middle, since they fall so fast. At the real high levels, i use infinite rotate to plan my next piece. Its not 100% pure tetris, but it is sure a helllll of a lot of fun.
    • Don't use the stylus - that's what the thumb button on the wrist strap is for.
    • Its like the developers were sitting around scratching their heads on how to use the touch screen and picked the worst control scheme imaginable. Is there some law that requires all DS games to use the touchscreen? Just because its there doesn't mean you have to use it, especially if you don't have good reason to.

      I don't know - the thing about using the touchscreen for aiming in Metroid is that it gives you a level of control on par with mouse-look on a PC FPS. That's not something you can attain with a no

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest © 1997-2009 Geeknet, Inc.