Nintendo is looking to cash on in online play for some upcoming games. Considering the fact that their online service is almost non-existent, this is pretty surprising.
Dubbed “Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Pay and Play”, the service will allow users to subscribe to a game to play online. No pricing was announced, but subscribe sounds like a monthly fee per game here. No games were announced for using the feature either. To avoid confusion, titles that support Pay and Play will have a red icon on the box instead of the current blue Wi-Fi Connection icon.
Seriously, this is one of the dumbest moves Nintendo could make. You take what’s essentially a non-existent online service with extreme clunky friend codes and want people to pay for it? No thanks. I’ll stick to the free online play on the PS3 and Xbox Live. At least with Live, I’m getting a decent service for what I’m paying.
Just in time for the Holidays, Nintendo is releasing two new DS Lite bundles with cool colors in the US. The new Gold edition comes with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, while the Metallic Rose Nintendo DS comes with the “Best Friends” version of Nintendogs.
The glimmering Gold edition of the Nintendo DS shows the world your passion for excellence and grandeur, since it comes bundled with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass — the year’s biggest hand-held adventure game — and is emblazoned with the series’ signature Triforce logo. It’s a shiny nugget that any gamer — girl or guy — would be proud to show off.
For those looking for a different kind of dazzling color, the new pretty-in-pink Metallic Rose edition puts a futuristic sheen on your color
scheme. It’s bundled with Nintendogs, the acclaimed puppy-interaction software that lets players select, train and play with their own canine companions. And the hardware comes accented with a distinctive pink puppy paw print.
If you don’t have a DS, or just want a cool new looking color for yours, you can pick these starting November 23rd at a retailer near you.
In case the plethora of colors available for Nintendo’s killer handheld, Europe will be getting a silver version on October 12th.
Nintendo DS has become Europe’s best-selling games console, with over 14 million sold to date and in many markets across Europe it is the fastest selling handheld games console in history. Strong sales are being maintained even in traditionally slow sales periods in the video games industry’s seasonality and this is being seen with software as well as hardware.
Activision just sent over a press release letting us know of a new Shrek game for the Nintendo DS. The new title, Shrek: Ogres and Dronkeys, scheduled for release this fall, will feature Shrek & Fiona’s energetic triplets who will appear along side Donkey & Dragon’s playful offspring, the dronkeys.
This game will give handheld gamers the chance to train, play and explore with their mischievous new friends on wild adventures throughout the hilarious world of Shrek®.
Shrek®: Ogres and Dronkeys is being developed by WayForward Technologies, is rated “E” (Everyone – Comic Mischief) by the ESRB and will be available in fall 2007.
I’ve been a fan of the Shrek movies, but the games just haven’t been that much fun. Maybe this one will turn it around.
Worms 2: Open Warfare looks like good old fashioned Worm slaughter, always good for a laugh on your handheld. I especially like the intro video and wouldn’t mind seeing some Worms short videos kind of like Spy vs. Spy, that could be real entertaining.
Nintendo was sandwiched in the middle off E3 with the second press conference from the three console manufacturers. And just how did they do? There were some new game trailers and some new games/controllers announced (click here for more in depth coverage).
So what did everyone here at Loot Ninja think of the press conference? Read on to find out.
drunk pandas: With Nintendo, I was expecting a lot of games, since there is a great lack right now. The great Reggie-nator showed up some videos of Super Mario Galaxy (with a release date), announced Mario Kart for the Wii with online play, showed off the wheel for Mario Kart, and announced the Wii Zapper accessory. I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed by all of this. The Wii, for many people, has been lacking quality titles to really give a reason to play the system.
Square has a huge lineup scheduled and there are quite a few different tactical games scheduled to hit the handhelds but this one is my favorite by far and here is why…
Here’s a new trailer for Jackass: The Game coming for the PSP and PS2 in September and the Nintendo DS in October.
Everyone gets a good laugh out of watching Jackass, but I’m not sure how much depth the gameplay will have here. I can see it getting pretty boring after a short while.
That’s right, Mortal Kombat is coming to the Nintendo DS, complete with MK Puzzle Fighter and wireless multiplayer gameplay (there’s a one-up on the Wii version).
Mortal Kombat has long been my favorite fighting series, and having the classic gameplay on a handheld console is fine by me. There have been versions in Midway Classics games previously, but no full standalone versions. The addition of MK Puzzle Fighter is a plus, although there are much better puzzle options out there to suit your needs.
From the press release:
Ultimate Mortal Kombat combines the visceral thrills of the classic Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and the addictive puzzle action of the Puzzle Kombat component of Midway’s best-selling Mortal Kombat: Deception® in a single DS-friendly package. With new record-keeping capability, and Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection multiplayer, players will be able take UMK anywhere for fighting action on the go.
Contra 4 has been announced for the Nintendo DS and boasts to have new game play elements and coop play. This being Contra’s 20th anniversary I have big expectations for this new iteration of blowing up Aliens. It is slated to utilize both screens on the DS, which should be nice for levels that are similar to the waterfall level in the original or the tunnels.
From the press release:
Contra 4 takes place two years after the events of Contra III: The Alien Wars. After saving earth from invasion by Red Falcon, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean are confronted with a new extraterrestrial menace: the terrifying Black Viper. Joined by hard-boiled mercenaries Mad Dog and Scorpion, the warriors must once again wage war against an entire army of invaders.
A first for the series, Contra 4 introduces a grappling hook accessory that lets players grab onto elements of the environment directly above them. Whether using it to avoid oncoming dangers or attack from a strategic vantage point, the grappling hook allows for new combat situations and dramatic set pieces that underscore the game’s adrenaline-soaked pedigree.
Contra 4, which still hasn’t been named, is scheduled to hit stores by the end of 2007 and I can only beg Konami to speed it up as soon as possible. A suggestion would be to hide in the original version in there some how, maybe as unlockable item, that would be sweet.
We're like Spaceballs... we're making Loot Ninja everything. Coming soon we'll have hats, shirts, hoodies, possibly banana hammocks if one Editor has his way...
Check out the shirt prototypes here and the hats here
Nintendo was sandwiched in the middle off E3 with the second press conference from the three console manufacturers. And just how did they do? There were some new game trailers and some new games/controllers announced (click here for more in depth coverage).
That’s right, Mortal Kombat is coming to the Nintendo DS, complete with MK Puzzle Fighter and wireless multiplayer gameplay (there’s a one-up on the Wii version).
Contra 4 has been announced for the Nintendo DS and boasts to have new game play elements and coop play. This being Contra’s 20th anniversary I have big expectations for this new iteration of blowing up Aliens. It is slated to utilize both screens on the DS, which should be nice for levels that are similar to the waterfall level in the original or the tunnels.
