news via slashgear

Good news for all of you PS3 owners out there. I’m sure you could use some good news after shelling out as much money as you likely did and got so little for it. Anyway, on to the good news.



A piece of software called BRDGen has been released that is capable of copying, or even modifying PS3 games. Oh, and you can copy Blu-Ray movies as well.

This could potentially turn around the poor sales of the PS3. Though I’m not sure Sony would condone the use of this software, it might give people an excuse to buy it. Just imagine if you could actually modify your PS3 games. Add levels, new weapons, who knows? I’m not sure how well that would actually work, but it’s a nice thought.

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news via pocketgamer

The release date for Disney's Spectrobes game is getting closer, and we've managed to get our hands on one of the character cards that will extend your playing experience come March.

You'll get four cards free when you buy the game, and other packs will be available for purchase in the shops.

You'll want to get your hands on them – or swap them with your mates – because by placing the card on the DS' touchscreen and then tapping the numbered holes in the correct order, you'll be able to unleash more spectrobes into your game.

There are 500 types to collect in total, although you'll be able to uncover most within the game itself. You can customise them with various in-game items too.

In the example above, our card will provide a Grildragos Drafly, which is the most evolved form of the Grilda spectrobe (each spectrobe passes through three stages).

To input it into your game, you simply have to tap the sequences of holes – from 1 to 7 in this case – using your stylus and the game will recognise the spectrobe you've unlocked and add it to your in-game library.

Spectrobes is released globally on 16th March. Click 'Track It!' to be alerted when we review it, and check out previous Spectrobes screens and stories.

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news via pocketgamer



No one ever seems to have a good word to say about the men from the council. They're either increasing our taxes, setting up road calming humps, or fining us for putting envelopes into our paper recyling sack (by mistake, we didn't mean it!).

If it was a Ninja Council, we assume the level of compliance from the local population would improve somewhat.

The first Naruto on DS (the previous two titles being GBA games), we don't imagine the latest in the manga spin-off series involves going around cleaning up graffiti or dealing with noisy neighbours. Instead, you'll work your way through 60 missions using a fluid attack system that enables you to combo the jutsu techniques from over 20 characters.

Plot-wise, headstrong ninja-in-training Naruto Uzumaki and classmates Sakura and Sasuke will be doing their best to learn the importance of friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, and beating crap out of their enemies – all under the watchful eye of their teacher, Kakashi.

And after you've attempted to battle your way to the top as your favourite character from the TV show, you'll be able to relax with your friends via the four-way multiplayer battle mode.

Due a 2007 release in the US, there's not yet a confirmed European publisher for Naruto: Ninja Council 3. Let's just hope it can repair the damage to handheld ninjitsu's reputation following the lamentable Shinobido on PSP, which we reviewed earlier this week.

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news via pocketgamer

Most of us at Pocket Gamer are supposedly grown up, which occasionally makes us wonder if we should put childish things away. Then a box set of Futurama or perhaps Family Guy will beckon us into their warm embrace, and we may as well be 14 again.

Fair enough, you think – but surely SpongeBob SquarePants is a step too juvenile? So my guilty secret is out. If I'm honest, I actually enjoy the antics of Bob of the spongey pantaloons, Patrick Star and Eugene Krabs.

Whether that enthusiasm will transfer to the latest SpongeBob SquarePants game remains to be seen, however. There have been plenty of previous game examples – mainly on the GBA, but a couple on DS – and they haven't been too impressive. In fact, most have been downright pants.

This time, as the 'and Friends' part of the title informs us, Bob and Pat will be joined by their Nicktoons chums in the battle against an evil spirit from the Ghost Zone, who plans to destroy their island paradise.

So as well as the SpongeBob SquarePants dudes, you'll be able to choose playable characters from some ten other Nicktoons series, including Danny Phantom, The Fairly OddParents and Jimmy Neutron. There'll also be an option to play through the game in a co-operative two-player mode.

Not surprisingly, the action itself will be strictly of the 2D action platforming and exploration variety, as you make your way up the dreaded volcano, disposing of various cartoon villains as you go.

Until we hear more about why this game will be different from previous examples, we'll not be too excited. But perhaps there's still time to get some good news from publisher THQ: SpongeBob SquarePants and Friends: Battle for Volcano Island isn't due for release until June.

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news via nintendojo

Long before Mario got a fresh New paint on DS, an actual sequel to Super Mario World was released; and yet, many things about Yoshi's Island -- from its place in the Mario universe to the visuals and gameplay -- made sure that it was separated from the rest of the series. Having been a cult classic for a decade, Yoshi's Island finally has a real sequel. Forget Yoshi's Story, Yoshi's Island DS is what fans have been waiting for.

visuals

The soft, hand-drawn pastels of the original return in the DS follow-up, but the intoxicating beauty of the first game seems to have been muted in the transition to a handheld. Perhaps subtle details are too hard to convey on a smaller screen; or it may have something to do with the visuals resembling a cartoon as opposed to a child's drawing. Whatever the case, the storybook charm that made Yoshi's Island so memorable did not arrive intact.

That isn't to say the game is ugly. Far from it, in fact. The worlds, while familiar settings from the first game, are vibrant and colorful. Even more attractive is the complete lack of any permanent heads-up display. This cleanliness combined with two screens for the field of play creates a strong sense of freedom within each level. Just because the visuals aren't quite up to snuff with one of the best looking games on the SNES doesn't mean it isn't nice to look at on its own merits.

audio

Developer Artoon managed to capture most of the original's visual experience, but the music was not so lucky. The intensely hummable music of Yoshi's forbear has been replaced with mediocre and forgettable tunes from the annals of Satuday morning television. This isn't altogether new for a portable game, but the series pedigree had set the bar incredibly high. Rounding everything off are the typical Yoshi grunts and yums that Nintendo has been using since Yoshi's Story. In short, nothing here hasn't been heard before or is worth hearing again.

gameplay

Yoshi's Island DS doesn't stray too far from the core gameplay that fans loved. The saddled dinosaur still jumps and floats through levels, swallowing enemies and using them as egg ammo against other opponents. Even the world maps are the same as Yoshi's last outing, complete with spinning level portraits. Were it not for one crucial addition, Yoshi's Island DS would feel like more of an expansion pack than a real sequel.

In the past, Baby Mario had exclusive dibs on the Yoshi ride, but now a few more infants have joined the fight for that spot. Baby Peach, Donkey Kong and Wario take turns in the saddle, each of which have unique abilities. Peach can use her umbrella to float upwards with gusts of wind, Donkey Kong can climb on vines and Wario can use his magnet to move platforms and suck up coins. Naturally, it is sometimes necessary to switch between the babies to overcome obstacles and progress through the game, but sometimes it comes down to preference. For instance, eggs thrown while Donkey Kong is riding explode on impact, while Baby Mario's got a knack for the ricochet.

Other than Yoshi's increased babysitting duties, not a lot has changed. This isn't a problem, however. Like New Super Mario Bros., originality is forgone in favor of fundamentally solid platforming gameplay. Nintendo was founded on this type of gameplay, and Artoon has shown that they've done their homework. It starts out simple enough, but the difficulty level spikes starting with the fourth world. Hardcore vets who love the first game should be in heaven, but tykes may get frustrated that they haven't developed the motor skills to complete the game. Though the levels get a good deal harder, the bosses at the end of every castle are almost always pushovers; but they're fun to vanquish nonetheless.

Developers have tangled with the dual screens on more than one occasion, particularly the space between them. This dead area provides a problem for games like Sonic Rush and Metroid Prime Pinball, wherein the two screens represent one continual space. Likewise is the case with Yoshi's Island DS, where sometimes platforms and enemies disappear within the vacuum. For much of the game, Artoon makes use of this area, hiding extra lives among other bonuses within it. The real pain comes with the auto-scrolling levels, where the progress is forced and the player's only hope is luck or clairvoyance. Otherwise, level memorization is the only answer, and one that players shouldn't have to swallow.

multiplayer

N/A

Overall

Many were skeptical when it was announced that the developer of the ill-recieved Xbox franchise Blinx: The Time Sweeper were at the helm of the Yoshi's Island sequel. Yet, it looks like that their worries are put to rest with the resounding quality of the end product. Fans should be content ...

news via kotaku

I just heard back from Neal Mueller and Chris Grubb, the two guys who brought along DS's on their climb up Mt. Everest. It's pretty cool how this works: I send my questions to a contact in New York, who then sends them on to the Base Camp on Everest. When Mueller and Grubb are back in camp they answer the questions, then shoot back their responses in the opposite direction.

I tried to ask the best questions that you guys sent me. So here goes--Mueller did the answering this time around:

Where are you now?

We are in the country of Nepal on the South side of Mount Everest. We are about 35 miles from the nearest town, Namche, and only connected to this town by a dirt walking trail used by Sherpas, tourists and yaks. We are writing to you from Mount Everest Base Camp where we are spending some time between acclimization climbs up the mountain. We only have access to email while at Base Camp, so while we carry with us and play the Nintendo DS systems up on the mountain, all of our contact with the outside world comes while we're resting and recovering at Base Camp.

Have the extreme temperatures been a problem with your DSs?

The systems have performed extremely well, even in the extreme conditions. When the systems get very cold, there is a slight flicker of the screens and the battery life is dramatically decreased (this is an issue with any battery powered electronics in extremely cold temperatures). These issues are easily resolved, however, by storing the DS systems in our sleeping bags with us at night, or by warming them up in clothing pockets next to our bodies before each playing session.

Does the Wireless play seem to work for you in tent?

The Wireless play works very well when two people are in the same tent. We usually share a tent up on the mountain and always eat in the same tent, so this is the most common scenario for when we choose to play against each other. We have run into some issues with Wireless play between tents, but we believe that it is due to the metal alloy poles used as part of the tent structures and not due to a limitation on the range of the machines.

What games did you guys bring with you?

We brought Mario, Metroid Prime, Madden Football and a multi gamepack that has a number of smaller games contained on the same cartridge.

Do you have a favorite yet?

Our favorite at the beginning of the trip was Madden Football because it is a multi-player game and has excellent graphics and funny voiceovers from Madden. After several dozen Madden games we looked into Mario64 a bit more and loved the depth of the game. We've been racing for the past couple of days to see who can rescue the Princess first... a noble challenge.

Have you had a lot of time to play during the climb itself? I would imagine you would be pretty bushed at the end of each day.

During the climb, we spend almost the entire day climbing, preparing food and melting snow and ice into water. You're right that there isn't a lot of time and that we're completely beat at the end of each day, but we can't imagine a better way to get our minds off of our aching bodies than an intense game of Madden Football! During rest days at Base Camp, we have time to explore the 15 levels in Mario and really get into the games to a much greater extent than we're afforded while on the mountain.

Any plans for planting a DS at the peak?

A pretty funny idea. We could leave a system for the next gamer that makes it to the peak. In reality though, every ounce that you can save in your pack on summit day increases your chances of making it to the summit and we're already looking for ways to cut even more weight from our packs. We are planning on bringing the systems to the South Col, however, which is above the "Death Zone" and at an altitude where life is impossible to maintain for more than a few days at a time.

How do you recharge the DS? Do you have a hand crank or solar panels?

We run everything off of solar power at Base Camp, including charging the DS systems when the batteries are getting low. We had a scare yesterday since it had been cloudy and snowing for two days and hadn't been able to charge the systems, but we woke up to sun this morning and were able to get everything fully charged again to survive another string of bad weather if necessary. I like the hand crank idea, but it would be tough to use the touch screen while concurrently charging the batteries... maybe a foot crank though?

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news via vggen



Atlus’ ever-expanding library of quirky, Japanese-flavored games has grown a little today, as Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja is now available for the Nintendo DS. In the game, you play as a female ninja, Izuna, who angers the gods, getting a town cursed in the process, and must find a way to right those wrongs. We’ve included the oh-so-brief press release below:

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA — FEBRUARY 20, 2007 — Atlus U.S.A., Inc., a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, today announced that Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja has shipped to North American retailers and is in stores now!

Finally, a dungeon RPG strong enough for a man… but played as a hot chick! Bust out those nunchucks and get back to the old school, hardcore, monster bashing we all grew up on! See if you have what it takes to conquer the impossible levels and gruesome bosses. After all, does it get any better than the feeling of cold steel at the palm of your hands?

Here's just a taste of what's being said about this eagerly-awaited title!

“Izuna is a retro-esque action-RPG that stays true to its heritage of fast-paced gameplay, while injecting a much-needed dose of humor along the way, something that is often in short supply in RPGs.” ~GameAlmighty

“ The joy is in the witty comedy. It's not just that the lines are funny, but that they seem completely out of place in this Japanese dungeon RPG. It acts almost as a spoof and is a welcome change to a genre filled with the same stories year after year. ”
~Nintendojo

Izuna Key Features:

* Deep, challenging labyrinths that change every time you enter!
* Use Talismans to cast spells or power up your equipment!
* Customize and power up your weapons, which gain strength over time! ...

news via vooks

In an interview by GameDaily, Spin Master Perrin Kaplan talks about the Wii, its online features, third party support and the GameCube. Kaplin talked about how in the upcoming months between January and June, there will roughly be 27 games coming too Wii and that’s not including the oldies scheduled for the Virtual Console.

Perrin then went on to discuss the Wii's online services stating that "“Some of that friend code stuff (for online game play) is really built for the mass consumer, not just the gaming world…" she then she had this to say "I think we feel pretty confident about our position; at the time online comes [to the Wii] I think people will be pleased with it." After that she talks about how the "hardcore" gamers aren't happy with anything and can't have it come fast enough.

She also talked about how the Wii's third party support is the best Nintendo has seen since the SNES. Why are all the 3rd parties jumping onboard the Wii train? "I think they’re inspired by the remote and I think they’re inspired by the simplicity and fun of what it is we’ve been able to do, and I’m sure out of that comes some learning. We all learn from each other."

Probably the most interesting part of the interview would be the fact that Perrin tells us that the GameCube is discontinued. Yes, you read right, the GameCube is officially dead. Nintendo aren't planning to build any more GameCube consoles and after what is in their current inventory is sold, that’s it, no more Cubes unless you find one second hand.

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news via hexus

Play as 14 different characters

In Mario Party 8, a whimsical ringmaster has invited Mario, Peach and the rest of the crew to his carnival. Mario Party 8 keeps the surprises coming with minigames that draw upon the Wii Remote's motion, pointing and button control in a variety of ways. Players always know how to jump into the action by watching an animated tutorial that shows how to use the Wii Remote.

Following tradition, Mario Party 8 takes the social, strategic game play of board games and adds breaks for quick, action-oriented minigames. In the main mode, players travel across six boards in search of Stars, landing on spaces that are helpful (example: giving coins) or a hindrance (example: sending Bowser in to mess with the player). Several variations for these boards tweak the main goals to enhance game play for solo sessions, two-player games and three- to four-player games.

In addition, Mario Party 8 includes four more minigame-infused kinds of board games, such as Tic-Tac Drop, where players earn the right to put the next mark on the board by winning a minigame.

Check out these new screenshots!

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