Review: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (DS)

Genre: Adventure, Puzzle
Lead Designers: Akira Tago (Puzzle Master), Akihiro Hino (Producer), Usuke Kumagai (Lead Programmer), Jun Suzuki (Art Director)
Developer: Level-5
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo DS
Release Date(s): Nov. 27, 2008 (JP), Sept. 12, 2010 (NA), Oct. 22, 2010 (EU)
Rated: E10+ for Everyone 10+

Professor Layton is back and his latest adventure is just as odd and charming as ever. Layton and his apprentice Luke are thrust 10 years into the future, and in the future random people are still ready to solve all problems — not through violence or debate, but through puzzle solving.

The plot is just as quirky as ever and, as with the previous games, becomes absolutely ridiculous at the end. However, in The Unwound Future, the plot becomes more ridiculous earlier, with moments such as the professor building a gun out of slot machine parts and fending off the mafia by shooting them with coins. Older characters are introduced somewhat haphazardly and some plot points feel rather forced. However, there is a welcome amount of character development in this game as we find out more about Layton's past as well as Luke’s.

I have no idea how they keep coming up with puzzles for the Professor Layton games. I would think that they would have to start repeating themselves more, but Professor Layton and the Unwound Future has an even greater puzzle variety than the previous games. So when the waitress asks you to solve a stacking puzzle before she gets you your drink, you don't have to worry about seeing the same puzzle but with more objects when you talk to her again later; you end up with a slider puzzle or a visual puzzle instead. While I do miss having increasingly complex variations on a single puzzle idea, the variety more than makes up for that. This also eliminates the problem of simply being bad at a certain puzzle and getting stuck as it shows up more and more often.

There are, of course, the slider puzzles and mathematical tricks, but they tend to have a little twist on them that makes them feel new, such as having to solve a slider puzzle in a certain number of moves. To facilitate these sometimes more complex puzzles, the memo system has been redone so that you can use different brush sizes and colors on your memo overlay. Especially welcome is the addition of an eraser brush — no more clearing all of your written notes because you made one mistake. Another welcome addition is the Super Hint, which all but solves the riddle for you. It is available after you use up the other three hints and costs an additional two hit coins. So on those puzzles that you just cannot seem to solve, you now have a way out.

While the plot does feel contrived at times, the puzzles and just plain quirky fun of the character interactions more than make up for it. The addition of more animated, fully voiced cutscenes also adds to the experience and never failed to put a smile on my face. The game is great fun and I look forward to the next Layton game.

[Highly Recommended]

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This review is based on a retail copy purchased by the reviewer.

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Nintendo announces 3DS, 3-D capable DS successor

According to a press release on Nintendo's Japanese site, the company has just announced a successor to their Nintendo DS handheld, which has sold over 125 million units in the nearly six years of its lifespan. The new system, tentatively called the "Nintendo 3DS," will be a ... wait for it ... a 3-D DS!

The release specifically points out that with the new 3DS, "games can be enjoyed with 3D [sic] effects without the need for any special glasses," quite an exciting prospect considering the present ubiquity of polarized glasses in the 3-D media landscape. Additionally, even though the 3DS is set to "succeed 'Nintendo DS series' [sic]" (it's not a simple hardware revision like the DS Lite or DSi), the handheld will be able to play games from the Nintendo DS and DSi, though Gameboy Advance backwards compatibility (not mentioned in the press release) is almost certainly out of the question.

There has been some talk lately of evolving 3-D technology to not require those silly glasses, and the spurious spectacles are still a roadblock for many consumers (myself included) who remain hesitant to embrace 3-D technology. Whatever Nintendo uses in the 3DS has the potential to cause a paradigm shift in the way that 3-D is used in and outside games, much like the Wii has done to motion control in the gaming sphere. (Then again, it also has the potential to be really gimmicky. Again, like the Wii.) Nintendo is set to provide details about the handheld at E3 in Los Angeles this June.

[via Nintendo via Joystiq]

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Japanese man marries dating sim character. No, really.

The phrase "If you like it so much, why don't you marry it?" has never been more terrifyingly applicable. Recently a Japanese man traveled to a Guam church where he was able to – somehow – marry Nene Anegasaki, who is not a pretty young girl who he met at a bar, but instead a pretty young cartoon character who he met in Nintendo DS dating sim game Love Plus.

The newlyweds held a reception today to show slides of their wedding and (dialogue-tree-filled) courtship, which you can now view on Japanese video site Nico Nico Douga (EDIT: You'll need to log in to watch it – thanks to Yumeka for the link). You can also promptly slam your head into a pillow and cry for the state of humanity.

A few years back, some Japanese guys tried to put together a petition to convince the Japanese government to allow them to marry cartoon characters. Luckily their weak petition fell through, but now it seems like the author of the online message (who claimed that he would marry Mikuru Asahina if given the chance) finally has a ray of hope in the dark void that is his life. He can find consolation in knowing that another otaku has found happiness with his own virtual girlfriend, as he sits in his cramped apartment, crying himself to sleep because he will never have a meaningful interaction with a fellow human being in his entire life. (Some folks in the comments section of the Tiny Cartridge post might strongly disagree as they hug their body pillows and complain about the "tyranny of women")

The best part of the whole thing is that this is a character who thousands of other otaku have probably fallen in love with. Now that one guy has married her, is she off-limits to everybody else? Oooh, brutal! Maybe you guys will have to start widening your horizons a bit. Think outside the box if you know what I mean.

[via Tiny Cartridge]

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News Briefs - FUNi licenses, Best Buy, DSi, and more

So, I've been a little absent lately, mostly due to some personal stuff mixed with the phenomenal task of organizing and writing up the piles of stuff that I still have left over from Comic Con. (Note to self: don't take on so many articles that your coverage will only be complete a full month after the convention.) Since I haven't been up on my normal (i.e. non-Comic Con-related) news in the past few weeks, I've compiled all of the big articles that you might have missed into this post.

First off, FUNimation picked up a bunch of new licenses back in the middle of the month. Their new titles include Bamboo Blade, El Cazador De La Bruja, My Bride Is A Mermaid, Rin ~ Daughters of Mnemosyne, and three Gonzo shows: Blassreiter, the infamous Dragonaut, and the quite well-received Tower of Druaga. (Read Uncle Yo's reviews of Druaga and Mnemosyne for more info on the shows!) It's interesting that FUNi is continuing to license Gonzo shows left and right despite Gonzo essentially spitting in the face of American distributors by pushing out Druaga and Blassreiter directly through CrunchyRoll. Apparently FUNi thinks that Gonzo giving free promotion for a show is at least a little better than Johnny McFansubber doing it.

Speaking of CrunchyRoll, the website announced a couple of days ago that in celebration of "Global Shinkai Day," they will be streaming three of director Makoto Shinkai's works (5 Centimeters Per Second, Voices of a Distant Star, and The Place Promised In Our Early Days) on Saturday, February 28 for 24 hours only. I've yet to experience Shinkai's critically-acclaimed anime, so I'll definitely be taking advantage of that limited time offer come Saturday to watch 5 Centimeters Per Second, a movie that is unfortunately stuck in limbo, as no North American anime distributor has officially picked it up yet.

Best Buy is cutting down on their in-store anime selection due to the economic situation, but it's not all bad news for anime fans. Select stores will be holding 50% off sales, which will make that Haruhi boxset that you haven't bought yet seem so. much. jucier. ANN has a preliminary list of participating stores, but it's still subject to change.

For those of you who watched the Oscars, you might have noticed that when La Maison En Petits Cubes won the award for Best Animated Short Film, it was not a French animator who stood up to take the award. That's because despite it's extremely French name, Cubes is actually an anime, created by Japanese director and writer Kunio Kato. This marks the second Oscar win for an anime, and the first in the Animated Short Film Category. (Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away won for Best Animated Picture in 2003.)

Finally, on the video game front, Nintendo has announced a release date for the DSi, the third redesign of the bestselling DS platform. The system will launch in the United States on April 5, 2009 in two colors (blue and black) and for an MSRP of $169.99. It will sell millions and will top the NPD charts for months on end, despite the fact that it provides no significant gameplay upgrades to the DS Lite. Such is life in this Nintendo-world of ours...

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Review: Mega Man ZX Advent (DS)

Genre: Action, Platforming
Designer: Unknown (do you know who this is?)
Developer: Inti Creates
Publisher: Capcom
Console: Nintendo DS
Rated: E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

If you’re like me, then you probably fell off the Mega Man train a long, long time ago. Time and time again we found ourselves setting out as the Blue Bomber, tasked with defeating eight robot masters before taking on the evil Dr. Wily/Doppler/whoever only to have him slip away once more.

Sure, we had Mega Man Legends and Battle Network which helped mix things up, but all in all it seemed that the traditional Mega Man formula had finally run stale. Enter Mega Man ZX Advent, an ambitious little title by Inti Creates which builds upon the traditional formula while improving upon some features we didn’t even know we wanted.

Now, when I say ambitious what I mean is that this title sports everything from substantial voice acting, to an open world environment, to the ability to play as the robot masters you defeat. That’s right, instead of merely copying a power from your defeated foes you now have the ability to play as that character at any point in the game. Now, unsurprisingly, some of your alternate forms are quite gimmicky and are only usable in specific areas – while one in particular almost breaks the game. But, if it’s a choice between just playing as Mega Man and having the transformation ability, I’d choose the latter any day of the week.

Another thing you might have noticed from the list above is the open world environment. In between the various levels of the game you’ll find yourself back at the Hunter Base - an area where you’re free to run around and accept missions from other characters, buy items, or re-visit previous levels. Again, while this feature is an appreciated one, it also has its setbacks – namely a lack of substance. There are really only a handful of missions to accept and you quickly find yourself with more cash than you’ll ever be able to spend. It’s a step in the right direction and in future releases we’ll hopefully see a more fleshed out game world.

A traditional feature that does carry over from classic Mega Man is the difficulty. While it’s nothing impossible, I must say that quick saves and save states have spoiled me over the years. While the levels are longer than in previous Mega Man titles I’ve played, Advent does a good job of providing a challenge (especially the final level) without having you throw yourself against the game over and over to get it right. It’s a fine line between challenging and frustrating, and Advent seems to maneuver it quite well.

So, you blast your way through the game, defeat the disappointingly easy final boss, and find yourself staring back at the title screen once more. Normally at this point we’d hit the power switch and say it was a job well done - but Advent throws a bit more content our way in the post game. As you’d expect, you can battle your defeated foes once more, only now the game will reward you with medals for fulfilling certain conditions in the battle, such as using only a specific weapon or damaging the enemy at a certain time. While this is all fine and dandy, my personal favorite would have to be "Mega Man a," a mini-game which has you playing an 8-bit version of yourself in what feels like a classic NES Mega Man title. Oh, and if you manage to rack up all of the gold medals from the robot masters, you can use that 8-bit version of yourself in the main game.

There are really only a few constants in this world: death, taxes, and yearly Mega Man releases. The Advent series seems to have a lot going for it, and the various additions brought out in this game will hopefully continue to be improved upon in the inevitable sequels that are to come. For those of us who remember the Mega Man games as a lesson in traditional platforming action but have grown tired of the newer titles - this might be a good point to jump back in.

good.

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Club Nintendo launches in America

While it has been available in Europe for what seems like ages, Club Nintendo finally launched in North America today. The rewards program encourages you to register your Nintendo products in exchange for loot, which is a brilliant marketing campaign, but the launch has been a bit harsh.

If you can get beyond the bugs, crashes and errors, you'll be able to link your My Nintendo account to the Club, or create a new one with which to register and earn. Answering surveys for registered products nets you more coins with which drop on the less-than-outstanding rewards. For anywhere between 300 and 800 coins, you can grab yourself a sweet Wii Remote holder, DS game-case, or themed playing cards. If you're nostalgic, you could even trade your gold coins for a Game and Watch DS collection.

Further encouraging you to fill your DS and Wii library is the Gold and Platinum program. If you stick enough games in to your collection, you'll qualify for Gold and Platinum status, which earns you "special" prizes. How do you get in? Find out after the break.

"Gold or Platinum status is based on the number of Coins earned in a Club Nintendo year. Each Club Nintendo year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. If you earn 300 Coins during a Club Nintendo year you will reach Gold status. Earn 600 Coins during a Club Nintendo year and reach Platinum status!"

It doesn't seem too difficult to earn a lot of coin if you're an avid Wii or DS gamer, as the breakdown of earning coins offers a decent amount per product:

• Wii games = 50 Coins
• Nintendo DS games = 30 Coins
• Wii Shop Channel games and Wii Channels = 10 Coins

You can also earn additional cash for indicating your intent for buying a game or registering the product within a month of its release.

So if you're interested in grabbing some grab-bags, check it out at Club Nintendo. The Ani-Gamers staff will surely be suckered in to this marketing gimmick in order to earn rad free goodies as well, and we'll be back with reports on product quality for those who are curious.

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Nintendo announces DS revision (totally not an iPod Touch)

Now that most of you have probably manned up and bought your sleek little DS Lites, Nintendo wants to sweeten the deal (and fill their wallet) with the newest DS revision: The DSi will feature TWO cameras, one on the back of the top screen at VGA resolution and another next to the microphone, more along the lines of 0.3megapixels. The screens will now be slightly larger at 3.25 inches, and the device will be 12% thinner.

The new software capabilities will include SD cards compatibility (through a new SD card slot) and music playback. The DSi also comes with a currently-unannounced amount of internal storage. The most controversial change is the removal of the Gameboy Advance slot altogether.

Not only that, but Nintendo's rolling out new infrastructure as well. The DSi will have a web browser and the ability to send photos to the Wii Photo Channel. It will be able to connect online and download games directly over Wi-Fi from the "DSi Shop." Sound like another popular piece of electronics? Perhaps that's because Nintendo's Apple-inspired marketing and design team are just itching for some of that iWhatever action.

While Nintendo claims that this revision is a "third platform," we all know what they said about the DS when it came out and squashed the GBA. DS Phat and Lite owners reluctant to switch over should watch Nintendo warily so they don't get caught unawares by a surprise generational shift for the platform.

Finally, a Joystiq post confirms that according to Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime, the DSi will not be coming to the United States until "well into calendar year 2009." Too bad!

[via Joystiq]

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Studio Ghibli working with Level-5 on Japanese DS game

Japanese game developer Level-5 is celebrating its tenth birthday like you wish you could. It will be working with the acclaimed Studio Ghibli (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away) on a new DS game entitled Ninokuni. The game, apparently some sort of fantasy or RPG title, will use a "Magic Master" book (akin to D&D) containing information on all of the spells and powers the game has to offer.

Studio Ghibli will be exclusively in charge of character designs, so expect a strong yet innocent girl, a boy who wants to protect her, some sort of homely old lady, and lots of animals. Everywhere. Level-5 also wants to release the game on home consoles, preferably with different content from the DS version. There are currently no plans for a North American release, but let's hope that we get one soon after Ninokuni releases next year in Japan.

[via Japanator]

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Review: The Legend of Zelda - Phantom Hourglass (DS)

Genre(s): Action, Adventure
Designer: Eiji Aonuma (producer), Daiki Iwamoto (director)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Console(s): DS
Rated: E for Everyone

Nintendo's Legend of Zelda franchise has been through many iterations since its 1986 debut. In 1993, Link's Awakening became the first handheld Zelda, and 1998's Ocarina of Time was touted as Zelda's breakthrough into the 3D realm. In 2007, Zelda finally made its way onto the Nintendo DS, in the first ever touch-controlled, online Zelda, Phantom Hourglass. That's a lot of firsts, but it's clear after a playthrough of the game that it's also the first Zelda game in a while to really let me down.

Those who protested the cel-shaded "Celda" style of Windwaker (2002) will be disappointed to know that Phantom Hourglass continues the motifs of that game, right down to its story and visual style. Link is now living a peaceful life again, sailing the seas with Tetra and her pirate gang. Soon, however, they come across the infamous "Ghost Ship," and Tetra is attacked and kidnapped while within it. In order to save her, Link must team up with a fairy named Ciela and an unscrupulous sea captain named Linebeck.

Of course, the game pans out almost exactly like every Zelda you've ever played. There are magic stones, a mystical sword, and nine dungeons to complete. Luckily, this game takes a leaf out of Majora's Mask's book and creates a story that adds to the previous game rather than simply mimicking it. This time, you are riding in a boat with two other companions, and the plot ends up being much more about side characters and their personalities than any Zelda since Majora's Mask.

In terms of truly new additions, Phantom Hourglass relies heavily on touch control, to the point where the face buttons never actually perform any significant functions in the gameplay. Link moves toward wherever you point on the screen (a la Animal Crossing), attacks when you pull the stylus across the screen, and uses an item when you tap it on the top-right. That means an almost excessive amount of tapping, which makes one wonder why the face buttons aren't used more. While it's cluttered and hard to learn, I won't deny that it is a refreshing experience for longtime Zelda fans.

Puzzles, minigames, and even driving Linebeck's ship are all controlled by the touch screen, often to great effect. Phantom Hourglass even mixes up the format a bit with boss fights stretching across both screens, adding a surprising new dimension to the game. The other important addition is the use of the touch screen as an interactive map, where the player can take notes and draw pathways: a truly brilliant use of touch control.

The dungeons can often become too easy, a common complaint about the game. However, I didn't find many problems with the difficulty curve, since there practically is none. Instead, there is a sort of difficulty scatter-plot, without any real feeling of increasing difficulty. Exacerbating these problems is a massive, tiring central dungeon. Players will have to brave this terrifyingly long (and timed) fortress at least six times in the game, and since each run is linear, Link restarts at the entrance for every 10-to-20-minute run.

Phantom Hourglass also serves as a reminder that the DS has indeed reached a plateau when it comes to graphical capabilities. The game (rendered in full 3D) looks competent, but not spectacular, just as we have seen with previous first-party DS endeavors like Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, and Metroid Prime. Oh, and I just couldn't get over how downright UGLY Link's bug eyes look in this game.

Finally, Phantom Hourglass packs some multiplayer punch as well, including the touted online mode, the first of any Zelda title. The battle mode is fun, if it sometimes feels less like a Zelda game and more like a strategy game. Sadly, only two players can play at once, unlike the other prominent multiplayer Zelda, Four Swords. I sadly didn't have a chance to play the online component.

Phantom Hourglass is not the revolutionary move to the DS that Nintendo had hoped it would be. It uses the touch screen for nearly everything, and while sometimes this results in a cluttered interface, there are many, many moments when players will find themselves delighted by the brilliance of a puzzle or the ease of control in a certain area. Some may decry difficulty inconsistencies and dungeon design problems, but a charming storyline and fun puzzles make Phantom Hourglass a highlight of the Nintendo DS library and a worthy, if imperfect, successor to the Zelda legacy.

Graphics/Sound:		3.5		Overall: (3.0 stars)
Gameplay:		2.5
Design/Story:		3.5
Lasting Appeal:		2.5

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Review: The World Ends with You (DS)

Genre(s): Action, RPG
Director: Tatsuya Kando
Developer: Jupiter, Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Console(s): DS
Rated: T for Teen

The World Ends with You is the sort of game you’d expect to see at the end of a console’s life cycle. Much like the original Paper Mario or God of War II, the developer obviously knew all of the nuances of the hardware, and how to get the most out of them. Free from the constrictions of an existing franchise, Square Enix and Jupiter have cut loose and crafted a unique and engaging experience that challenges both your combat and fashion sense.

With TWEWY I definitely came for the extensive customization, but I ended up staying for the co-op play, if you can believe it. Being the turn-based strategy game junkie that I am, I have a deep-seated love for endlessly tweaking and adjusting my cast of characters between every encounter (my FF: Tactics game can attest to that). And while this isn’t a turn-based game, TWEWY delivers that customizable fix that I’ve come to enjoy so much. From the clothes on your back, to the food in your stomach, to the pins on your chest, everything here affects your characters either numerically, changes their move set, or gives them a special ability.

However, all of these fine details don’t amount to much if you can’t put them to good use. Luckily, the combat mechanics here will keep you engaged throughout by utilizing both the top and bottom screens of the DS. Up top you’ll be using the d-pad, or face buttons, to line up symbols in order to score hits on your opponent. On the bottom it’s the various motions of the stylus that dictate what actions you perform. Sure they both sound simple enough when they’re separate, but try controlling both at the same time and pretty soon you’ll find yourself setting up that auto-play feature.

Now, if you’re like me and can’t manage what feels like doing ten things at once, you could always play the game co-op. No, I don’t mean wireless co-op, I mean you and your partner sit side-by-side and each controls either the top or bottom screen. Sure there might be some arguments about skipping through dialog too quickly or what items to buy, but being able to devote full attention to both characters at once makes the game much more manageable at higher levels of play.

Aside from missing a true multiplayer component (no, the “local co-op” doesn’t count), TWEWY is a game perfectly crafted for the handheld mindset. The missions here never take too long and you’re always able to save on a whim. You can do as much or as little combat as you’d like since the encounters are by choice rather than at random. The game even gives an incentive for you to return by continuing to level up your pins while it’s shut off. Just like the fashion mecca it’s centered around, this game also never sleeps.

TWEWY was a total blast from confusing start to convoluted finish. Believe me, after the credits roll you’ll be just as bewildered as I was as to what on Earth just happened. But fear not, once completed you’ll be rewarded with a plethora of bonus content – including the ability to replay any day you wish to unlock extra swag and plot info. If you own a DS, put it to good use and check this title out! You have seven days.

Graphics/Sound:		4.0		Average: (3.9 stars)
Gameplay:		4.0
Design/Story:		3.5
Lasting Appeal:		4.0
Overall:		4.0

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Peggle bouncing onto DS

Last week at the Casual Connect summit Popcap’s CEO David Roberts announced that Peggle would be coming to the Nintendo DS. The project is managed by developer Q Entertainment, who has a solid track record in handheld development between Lumines (PSP) and Meteos (DS). Q and Popcap have also announced that the title will feature both new game modes and touch screen integration.

For those of you that haven’t already poured hours and hours of your life into this title, Peggle is a game that capitalizes on a simple premise: clearing orange blocks. Each level is littered with various dots and platforms, and it’s your task to take out the orange ones by bouncing tiny balls off of them. Think of it as sort of a mix between the arcade classic Breakout and The Price is Right’s Plinko. Check it out now on Steam, or later this year on XBLA.

[via IGN]

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Nintendo's Surprise Press Conference

Nintendo pulled a fast one on us today, holding a Japanese press conference that caught most of the American gaming press off-guard. And believe me, this "Nintendo Conference Fall 2007" contained quite a large amount of Wii announcements. Here they are in bulleted form for your reading pleasure.

• Monster Hunter 3, originally a PS3 title, will release on Wii, not PS3.
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl delayed until January 24, 2008 in Japan. The SSB Dojo changes its US release date to an ominous TBD.
• As previously mentioned, Brawl will feature Sonic as a playable character. In addition, the game will allow online co-op in Subspace Emissary mode.
• Mario Kart is set for a tentative Spring 2008 release window. Also, the game will include motorcycles.
• Wii Fit will release on December 1, 2007 in Japan.
• The Wii Vote (I'm assuming Everybody Votes) Channel will be updated with the ability to rank games you've played and search for new ones you're interested in.
• The Wii will be able to send DS demos to your DS using Wii Ware functions.
• First "Wii Ware" downloadable original games announced. Pokemon Bokujou (Pokemon Farm) allows you to transfer Diamond/Pearl Pokemon into a farm where you can raise them. A new Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles game from Square Enix, titled The Young King and the Promised Land, allows you to build your own country. A new version of Dr. Mario that includes Miis and 4-player online is also part of the service. Mojipittan Wii, a word puzzle game from Bandai-Namco, and Star Soldier R were also announced.
• You can play as your Miis in Mario and Sonic at the Olympics.
• Super Mario Stadium Baseball briefly announced. Trailers shown for Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart, and the new Crystal Chronicles

Anybody who can't find something that gets them a little excited in that list should be shot. Most of this has been predicted for a while, but in typical Nintendo fashion, they blew us away with how much they have given after such a long time of nothing at all. Going from no significant mention of Wii Ware to at least 5 titles coming out on the platform is a huge jump. Also, as I've been saying for months, the Wii is bound to start utlizing social networking fuctions. Well, here you have it, in the form of the soon-to-be-revamped Wii Vote Channel. Now, let's see if Nintendo can actually keep us interested in these new features, and not pull a "Friend Codes" on us. *crosses fingers*
[via IGN]

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Three Kingdom Hearts Titles Announced

You heard right. It's not quite Kingdom Hearts III, but Tetsuya Nomura, a video game director and character designer for Square Enix, has revealed information on not one, not two, but THREE new portable Kingdom Hearts games.

The first game introduced is Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days. This Nintendo DS game focuses on the character Roxas from Kingdom Heart's sequel game. The game takes place during the Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories timeline; when Sora has entered a deep sleep and before he enters Castle Oblivion. An interesting and new perspective to the game series is that this game will be multiplayer. This game has a preference which allows you to play with three other people and become one of the members of Organization XIII when you work as a team to complete missions. Tetsuya also hints that a new fourteenth member of the Organization will make an appearance, and that she is a female character.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep for the PSP introduces three new protagonists to the series. This is considered to be a prologue for the series, taking place ten years before the events of Kingdom Hearts, and focuses on the previous Keyblade master before Sora comes into the picture. The secret videos from Kingdom Hearts II and Final Mix + are previews to this game. The story is about three Keyblade apprentices, Terra, Ven, and Aqua (Earth, Wind, and Water), on their journey in search for a missing Keyblade master, Master Xehanort, and his apprentice.

Finally, Kingdom Hearts: Coded, for mobile phones, focuses on King Mickey after the events that occur in Kingdom Hearts II. Not much has been released about this game, but like most cell phone games, it may not be a great sucess for the Square team, but I could be wrong.

Well, Kingdom Hearts fans were thrilled after hearing this news, but there are a few things I need to mention. As of now, the games are only set to be released in Japan, but Square Enix plans to release this game in other countries for a worldwide profit. Also, all of these titles are tentative and may change before the final product is developed. That's all for now. I'll keep you posted when more Kingdom Hearts information arises.
[via Kingdom Hearts Ultimania]

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Dgamer: Disney gets in on the social networking scene

At Disney's E3 press conference, (yes they do have one) they announced a new social networking system for their DS titles called "Dgamer." The system will allow players to chat with friends, track high scores, and create and customize online avatars. Certain features will only be unlocked by playing certain games or beating certain challenges in said games.

The feature will be usable on DS, but players can also access their Dgamer account through the Dgamer section of Disney.com. The first game to utilize Dgamer will be Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Obviously, Dgamer will only be used in Disney-branded games.

Indeed, this does sound a whole lot like Xbox Live. In addition to that, it begs the question: If Disney can do it, why not Nintendo? With all of their other social networking features on the Wii, you would think gamers would get something like this.
[via Joystiq]

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Review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS)

Genre(s): Adventure, Puzzle, Visual Novel
Director: Shu Takumi
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Console(s): Nintendo DS
Rated: T for Teen

Phoenix Wright, known by the Japanese as "Gyakuten Saiban: Yomigaeru Gyakuten," is a cult hit DS game ported from a Gameboy Advance "visual novel." It tells a story in which the player may choose who to talk to, and at times what to say and do, but it progresses on its own path most of the time. This results in a lot of reading and not a lot of action, hence the term visual novel. (This is often seen in hentai or dating sim games)

You are Phoenix Wright, a rookie defense lawyer walking into his first ever case. Helped by his mentor Mia Fey, Phoenix must learn the skills needed to win court cases and prove his clients innocent. You will play through four levels from the original game, in which you can examine crime scenes, question witnesses, and collect evidence. There is also a fifth case designed specifically for the Nintendo DS, which uses touch screen investigation tools to find blood traces, fingerprints, and more. Phoenix meets friends and foes along the way, such as Mia's younger sister Maya, the dim-witted Detective Gumshoe, and ruthless prosecutor Miles Edgeworth.

Being that this is a visual novel, the plot is naturally the most important aspect. And this is the key to Phoenix Wright's success. It writes a serious and intelligent plot with unforgettable characters and an unexpected amount of humor thrown in. This is like reading a good book. What makes it even better is the ability to control said book. It also maintains a steadily rising level of difficulty, forcing the player to think more and more for each case.

While this game does not require the same level of smooth control that, say, a first-person shooter needs, it still does its own job well. The touch screen integration in the DS makes what was already an easy-to-use control scheme into something truly streamlined. No instructions are even needed, since the touch screen takes care of everything. Want to examine the scene? Simply tap the "Examine" button. Want to find and present evidence? Scroll through the pages, tap the evidence you want, and hit "Present." The touch control almost completely eliminates the need for scrolling through choices that you do not want to find the button you want to press.

Nevertheless, this control is not perfect. Because of the fact that each area you go to is just a background with you looking at it at a fixed spot, you need to select each scene you wish to go to. When selecting a different place to move to, sometimes you will find that there is a confusing heirarchy that determines where you can go from each place. (To get to the Evidence Room, you must go outside the Police Station, then go to the Guard Office, and then into the room) Also, since there can only be 4 places to choose from each time, there are sometimes areas that do not show up at all unless you go to a certain spot.

As you might guess, Ace Attorney is not a graphics-based game. However, that does not mean that it is not visually appealing. The game blends painted and colorful backdrops with anime-style, well-drawn and designed characters. (all 2 dimensional of course) They look crisp and vibrant on the screen, and each one is designed with such a vivid creativity that it is impossible to confuse any two. There are a few 3D sections in the last case, and these are definitely good looking, with fairly natural looking motions and designs. Music in the game is simple, but is very effective for its ability to stop, start, and change dynamically at the right moments, increasing the impact of many scenes.

Finally, Phoenix Wright, however interesting on the first playthrough, is not a game created for replay value. While the game pulled quite a few hours out of me, (I'll put it this way, I got Zelda a month before it and I was still playing this until nearly 2 months after I had beaten a 60-hour game of Zelda) it is still only good for one time. I will probably never play this again, since I already know the answers to all of the problems in the cases.

Most hardcore gamers will dismiss Phoenix Wright out of hand. It is more of a choose-your-own story books, and less of a traditional game. However, for those who have put their time into the title, this game is a really fun experience. Capcom has combined the intriguing plot of a good mystery book with the interactivity of a video game and the absurdness of an anime. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a great example of when games can show true intelligence and good writing.

Graphics/Sound:		3.5		Average: (3.5 stars)
Gameplay:		3.5
Design/Story:		4.0
Lasting Appeal:		2.5
Overall:		4.0

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