Bor Revolution has released a new Beats of Rage mod called Dante Must Kill, check out this and more at this link --> http://borrevolution.vg-network.com/ ...

Walter van Niftrik has released a new version of FreeSCI for the Dreamcast, you can download at the official site here --> http://freesci.linuxgames.com/dc/ ...

“Tohoku University Future Technology Collaborative Research Center’s Professor Ryuta Kawashima Presents Memory Training For Adults” is probably the longest game title I’ve seen in a long time, but this isn’t exactly a game. Rather, this software utilizes the handwriting and voice recognition features of the Nintendo DS so users can solve simple calculation and spoken problems. Working these simple problems will help to improve memory, should you “forget people’s names often” or “have left things behind recently.” Furthermore, a maximum of 16 players can compete in 30 question quizzes.

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/...050421/ndt.htm ...

In his keynote address to the Game Developers Conference 2005, Satoru Iwata laid out Nintendo's plans to not only appease its core audience but to introduce new types of experiences that gamers "may not even know they want."

At the fore of this charge is Electroplankton, Toshio Iwai's latest synaesthetic foray from the art world into the game world.

Well known and highly regarded as a studio artist - though not yet the most household of names - Iwai has been deftly blending light, sound and tactile interfaces in every medium, including games, for two decades.

"Players interact with musical marine life as seen through a microscope, which responds to the player's touch or voice commands"

Otocky, his first commercial title, was a Famicom Disk System musical shooter in precisely the same fashion as Rez, predating it by some 15 years.

Iwai was also the driving force behind Maxis' SimTunes (reborn from the ill-fated Super Famicom project Sound Fantasy), PlayStation 2's 'scribble performance' game Bikkuri Mouse, and a small handful of mobile phone and non-commercial WonderSwan works.

With DS, it appears that the hardware has finally caught up to where Iwai's heart truly lies, and Electroplankton is an accumulation of the interactive experiences he's been experimenting with in a gallery setting all his life, mass-produced and topped off with happy-face accessibility.

In it, players will interact with 10 different phyla of musical marine life (autonomous musical creatures being one of the most prevalent themes in his art) as seen through a microscope, each of which respond uniquely to the player's touch or voice commands.

The San-animalcule, for instance, act as simple trackers, responding with a sequential melody based on their position on the touch-screen.

While the Tracy and Luminaria follow the paths laid out by stylus strokes or by manipulating directional gates, all creating something between symphony and dissonance according to the actions of the user.

Others, like the Rec-Rec and Volvoice, allow for four-track beat-boxing and similar vocal interactions, and - in a fitting tribute to its publisher and to the hardware that first inspired the artist - the aptly named Beatnes allow you to lay down 8bit beats and effects over Mario's invincibility-star theme.

All footage of the game shown thus far points toward a highly engrossing and hypnotic experience, if a solitary one.

There's no word yet on wireless communication with, or accompaniment from, fellow plankton, and the package - as with Band Brothers - is rounded out with a free pair of headphones, leading us to believe that this is a title in which the explicit purpose is to lose yourself.

Accompanying the release of Electroplankton will be an exhibition of the game itself at the Laforet Museum Harajuku, creating a full circle - a lifetime of Iwai's collected gallery works, condensed to a game, and back to the gallery again.

Electroplankton is out for now for DS in Japan. A UK release date is yet to be confirmed ...

Following on from previous details of the console versions of The Sims 2, where we revealed Mario would be making some kind of appearance in the Gamecube version, we've now got our hands on three brand new DS screens.

Immediately noticeable, after the disappointment of the graphics quality, is how unique and easy to play this version should be thanks to DS's touch-screen and stylus.

Icons present themselves on the touch-screen allowing players to simply and speedily tap through to where they want to be, without the pain of cycling through menus as they would with console versions.

We expect this to be massively popular for DS, even if it doesn't look particularly dazzling. But as any gamer will tell you, it's the gameplay that counts not pretty graphics. A statement that applies as much here as it ever has done before.

The Sims 2 is due for release sometime this autumn ...

At least two Japanese publishers are already making games for the next-generation Xbox, says Famitsu. Both Sega and From Software are currently developing multiple games for the console. No details on any of the games were revealed.

From Software president Naotoshi Jin revealed in an interview that at least one of his company's games in development is slated to be a next-gen Xbox launch title.

When asked what genres will be represented in the From Software next-gen Xbox software library, Jin said given that his company is known for its mech games (including 2003's Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit), the company "could not leave these out of the lineup." ...

Of course, as usual we can’t speak to the validity of the photos in question (we wouldn’t be doing our job if weren’t at least a little skeptical), but it sort of makes sense for them to be using a Mac G5 as an alpha for the Xbox 360/Xbox 2’s dev environment kit, as the console is supposed to be running a tri-core version of IBM’s PowerPC processor. The G5 in question is also supposedly equipped with that ATI R420-based adapter and a paltry 512MB of RAM. It also makes sense that the stickers refer to it as the “Xenon”, since Xenon has been confirmed as the console’s codename. Real or not, some stickers slapped on a G5 is still not nearly as impressive as that Sony PSP dev system we saw before. ...

News from Lik Sang

Originally announced as one of the earliest titles for Nintendo's new glorious handheld, Tomy's next videogame instalment of the Naruto saga has finally been released. After excitement levels skyrocketed following the official notice in Japanese Shonen Jump Magazine some time ago, dedicated fans have impatiently waited for Naruto Saikyou Ninja Daikesshuu 3 to arrive on Nintendo DS. It's great to say that the game turned out to be a title which was worth looking forward to, spinning the tale further which began on past versions for GameBoy Advance, offering unique gameplay features and improved graphics due to the one-of-a-kind architecture of the NDS hardware.

All preorders for Naruto Saikyou Ninja Daikesshuu 3 have been cleared already and new orders are very welcome for only US$ 49.90, of course eligible for our Free Shipping Worldwide promotion!

Since the Naruto series began two and a half years ago, there have been almost 125 anime episodes, not to mention the 250+ manga comics, many games across GameCube, PS2 and GBA, plus the Japanese hailing it as the next Dragonball. No surprise then, that the three titles available for GameCube alone managed to sell a total of over a million copies combined. It's clear that if there's just one anime waiting to burst onto the world scene, it's Naruto, and this year the series finally hits America via Cartoon Networks Toonami line-up. Naruto arrives late 2005, but also worth noting is One Piece, starting in May.

In Naruto 3 for NDS you are watching the action on the top screen, while the stylus comes into play on the bottom one, allowing you to direct chakra (energy) and execute attacks. That's what we love so much about the Nintendo DS, you are freed from solely relying on buttons or pad to manage the in-game action. A simple flick of your wrist often feels more natural when facing the challenges you are presented with than it ever could with standard controls. Furthermore, players can perform dazzling fighting techniques like the fireball oriented Goukakyuu no jutsu by blowing into the system's built-in microphone. Switch between characters and watch their stats on the lower screen, where chakra and health bars are conveniently displayed. Prepare to meet all your favorite Ninjas, including Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru and Kiba.

Hidden Leaf village is again at the center of all things storywise and main hero Uzumaki Naruto keeps on doing his best to become the number one martial arts head honcho there. Now, you can also stockpile your trusty weapons and are not left to use just one at a time anymore. Light-footed Naruto is blessed with various fresh moves, he kicks off from walls to do a higher jump, is able to attack while squatting and (right out of a Matrix movie) can run vertically up walls, temporarily defying gravity.

Since an English edition sure can't be expected anytime soon, we definitely recommend getting the Japanese version now, which is simply a great game not only for passionate Naruto enthusiasts, but for anyone who can appreciate a novel take on fighting gameplay, which Naruto Saikyou Ninja Daikesshuu 3 for NDS certainly delivers with a refreshing twist.

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This page is currently for beta testers only and might screw your DS. Please report any problems.

What is it?
Currently it is a firmware patch that allow you to start from GBA cartridge without requiring a PassMe in the DS slot.
To be more exact, it contains a small fail-safe program that can be activated by holding SELECT+START+A+B buttons at startup which starts from GBA cartridge without initializing the system. After the fail-safe check is done, some bigger program is loaded that initializes the system and checks for the gamecode "PASS" or title "DSbooter" on the GBA cartridge and automatically runs from there unless the SELECT button is pressed. In all other cases, it tries to load the original firmware.
You can remove the patch again by running the update program again.

How do I get it?
You need to register to download it. But first, flash getID.ds.gba on a GBA flashcard and boot it using PassMe or WifiMe.
Follow the instructions on the display and note down the ID that is displayed and fill it in the registration form. It is not case-sensitive and these characters are the same: 1=I, 0=O, 8=B...
Currently, you need to register for each DS you own. This might change later.

http://ds.gcdev.com/dsfirmware/ ...