Source - hackaday

So this past Sunday my wife and I were perusing our Sunday paper with our adult beverage of strong-ass 8 o'clock coffee when my wife pulls out the Best Buy circular. To my surprise I hear her exclaim "DS Download Stations now at all Best Buy locations."

Looking at our DS units stored permenantly on the living room coffee table (one pink and one silver) our goal became clear: we must storm our local Best Buy with the intent to seek out a possible DS Download center and test out Brain Age. Our level of success was not guaranteed to be 100% since the ad also specified oxymorinically "May not be available at all locations." but we had to try.

We stopped at a few locations first since we had a full day's worth of errands to run, but soon we arrived at our Best Buy to find our trek was not in vain. Tucked neatly away into the Gamecube display was none other than the DS Download Station of lore complete with demos for Brain Age, Mario Kart DS, and a demo video for Metroid Prime. I (being the foolish absent-minded person that I am) of course left the house without my DS so while my wife was busily gagueing her brain's age I began my inspection of the station itself.

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IGN has reviewed a very different kind of stylus for the Nintendo DS, heres an excerpt from the review:

While there's no arguing with the momentum Nintendo's latest handheld has gained, the company is showing no major end to its attack. Not only did Tetris DS and Metroid DS release in the last month, Nintendo also launched the DS Lite, a system upgrade in Japan which is rumored to hit states later this summer. Sales have been through the roof, and import shops around the world are reporting low inventory based on huge Japanese demand. In short, the Nintendo DS is priming to be one of the most successful systems in videogame history, with the end nowhere in sight.

It is natural, therefore, that DS fans would want the best gaming experience possible. Luckily, there's a new contender in the world of comfort, as Prime Global Enterprises has released a new alternative for stylus users, appropriately named the Comfort Stylus. The Comfort Stylus isn't specifically a DS stylus, rather it's an alternative for all digital users. The companies' site boasts that the stylus can be used for PDA or DS, fitting comfortably on either the user's finger or thumb for different experiences. Our own DS boards have been buzzing about the stylus since Nintendo's new system debut, so we thought it was high time for us to give it a play through as well. We are pleasantly surprised.

So, as a final wrap-up to this somewhat bizarre review, can we really recommend a hunk of wire and rubber to gamers everywhere? You bet we can. The stylus is relatively cheap at $5.99, with shipping around a buck. The control is well worth the change, and though there isn't really anywhere good to stick the thing while not in use it's still worth the hassle of carrying around a single stylus in your DS pouch or pocket. I personally would love to have the option of a premium product, offering thicker wire and metal endings with the standard stylus tip for a $9.99 price, but as it stands the Comfort Stylus is still leagues above any alternative. Don't get suckered in by random 3rd party stylus packs. If you're truly serious about your game, the Comfort Stylus is the only option.

Read the full review here --> http://uk.gear.ign.com/articles/701/701023p1.html

Check out the screenshot via Comments ...

IGN has reviewed a very different kind of stylus for the Nintendo DS, heres an excerpt from the review:

While there's no arguing with the momentum Nintendo's latest handheld has gained, the company is showing no major end to its attack. Not only did Tetris DS and Metroid DS release in the last month, Nintendo also launched the DS Lite, a system upgrade in Japan which is rumored to hit states later this summer. Sales have been through the roof, and import shops around the world are reporting low inventory based on huge Japanese demand. In short, the Nintendo DS is priming to be one of the most successful systems in videogame history, with the end nowhere in sight.

It is natural, therefore, that DS fans would want the best gaming experience possible. Luckily, there's a new contender in the world of comfort, as Prime Global Enterprises has released a new alternative for stylus users, appropriately named the Comfort Stylus. The Comfort Stylus isn't specifically a DS stylus, rather it's an alternative for all digital users. The companies' site boasts that the stylus can be used for PDA or DS, fitting comfortably on either the user's finger or thumb for different experiences. Our own DS boards have been buzzing about the stylus since Nintendo's new system debut, so we thought it was high time for us to give it a play through as well. We are pleasantly surprised.

So, as a final wrap-up to this somewhat bizarre review, can we really recommend a hunk of wire and rubber to gamers everywhere? You bet we can. The stylus is relatively cheap at $5.99, with shipping around a buck. The control is well worth the change, and though there isn't really anywhere good to stick the thing while not in use it's still worth the hassle of carrying around a single stylus in your DS pouch or pocket. I personally would love to have the option of a premium product, offering thicker wire and metal endings with the standard stylus tip for a $9.99 price, but as it stands the Comfort Stylus is still leagues above any alternative. Don't get suckered in by random 3rd party stylus packs. If you're truly serious about your game, the Comfort Stylus is the only option.

Read the full review here --> http://uk.gear.ign.com/articles/701/701023p1.html

Check out the screenshot via Comments ...

Famitsu have posted screens of the new Portable Tv Adapter for the Nintendo DS,

Check em out via Comments ...

Famitsu have posted screens of the new Portable Tv Adapter for the Nintendo DS,

Check em out via Comments ...

Source Slashdot

Retrogaming with Racketboy has a piece looking at some of the console-defining titles we miss from that little white box. From the article: "Phantasy Star Online - Sega was one of the main pioneers in online console gaming. While they had modest online offering with both the Genesis and Saturn, the Dreamcast was the first of their consoles to have online capabilities built into the stock machine. The Dreamcast came standard with a 56k modem and also had a (expensive) LAN/Broadband adapter available as an upgrade. Phantasy Star Online paved the way for Sega's groundbreaking online network and for later networks like XBox Live. ...

News from Lik Sang

Unlikely battles seem to be bread and butter of crossover titles like Capcom Vs SNK 2. The nagging uncertainty about who will come out victorious when Beat'em Up universes clash, led renowned Japanese toy manufacturer High Dream to release a series of very poseable deluxe figures to honor legendary heroes of both Capcom's Street Fighter and SNK's King of Fighters. These fantastic sculpts feature great detail, a fine paint-job and over 24 (!) points of articulation. New in stock is the second production run of Ryu, Ken, Kyo and Iori, which were quickly sold out due to ultra-high demand upon their initial introduction to the Japanese market. From prototype to final product, you can see the immense amount of dedication that went into these high-quality figures. Please click on images for a larger view.

Each of the Beat'em Up characters comes with several accessories, like replaceable hands, weapons, headbands, belts, flames and such. These incredible figures are ready for display right out of the box and stand approx. 18 cm (7 inches) tall. Now it's Ryu's Hadoken vs Kyo's R.E.D. Kick, let them battle it out right in your gaming room!

Stage an up-to-now unthinkable encounter, a tag-team fight with both Street Fighter and King of Fighters heroes letting loose dynamite supers, battling side by side! Finally, Iori will be able to show why his last name translates to "Eighth God" in Japanese, facing martial artists from an arena quite different than his. A situation like that is a long way from Neo Geo days indeed. These awesome figures capture all the glory of both Beat'em Up series, offering a more tangible way to have the fighting celebrities around.

Explosive on-screen action personified got modeled here into one superb line of Action Figures, which come very close to their in-game counterparts. Shipping within 24 hours for just US$ 19.95 each, these are perfect for both Beat'em Up fans and figure collectors and sure will spice up your gaming dojo or Street Fighter/KOF shrine good. ...

More than two years after Top Gear Rally appeared on the GBA, developer Tantalus has announced that a new instalment in the series is currently in development for the Nintendo DS.

Top Gear: Downforce is a top-down racer with 3D models and "robust vehicle physics." More excitingly, you'll be able to place hazards on the track using the DS's touch screen, and take part in wireless multiplayer races.

"We loved the original Top Gear on N64, and of course our rally title on GBA was a big success," said Tantalus bigwig Tom Crago, who clearly didn't read our review.

"This time around we’re attempting something completely different. We want to create a racing game that feels perfectly at home on the DS platform, something built from the ground up to exploit the cool features of the hardware."

Top Gear: Downforce is slated for a late 2006 release, with more details set to be revealed at E3. ...

More than two years after Top Gear Rally appeared on the GBA, developer Tantalus has announced that a new instalment in the series is currently in development for the Nintendo DS.

Top Gear: Downforce is a top-down racer with 3D models and "robust vehicle physics." More excitingly, you'll be able to place hazards on the track using the DS's touch screen, and take part in wireless multiplayer races.

"We loved the original Top Gear on N64, and of course our rally title on GBA was a big success," said Tantalus bigwig Tom Crago, who clearly didn't read our review.

"This time around we’re attempting something completely different. We want to create a racing game that feels perfectly at home on the DS platform, something built from the ground up to exploit the cool features of the hardware."

Top Gear: Downforce is slated for a late 2006 release, with more details set to be revealed at E3. ...