Crusader Videos

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DS Headset

DS headset headed to stores next month

Earpiece-microphone combo to be used for voice chat in Pokemon games; online retailer pegs a $14.99 price point for new peripheral.

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot

Posted Mar 15, 2007 5:10 pm PT

The official Nintendo DS headset.

With next month's DS releases of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl supporting online voice chat between players, Nintendo today confirmed that it would produce a new headset for its portable system that would facilitate that feature.

While a Nintendo representative would only confirm the headset as being released roughly alongside the new Pokemon games, the online store of retailer GameStop has a product listing for the headset specifying an April 23 shipping date with a $14.99 price tag. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are both expected to ship April 22.

Sony's PlayStation Portable Japan Shipments Trail DS

An article from Blooberg.com

By Pavel Alpeyev

March 14 (Bloomberg) -- Sony Corp., the world's biggest maker of game consoles, shipped 5 million PlayStation Portable machines in Japan by the end of January, lagging behind Nintendo Co.'s DS handheld devices by about three to one.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s spokesman, Satoshi Fukuoka, gave the PSP shipment numbers in a phone interview today, confirming an earlier report by the Nikkei newspaper. Both the DS and PSP went on sale in Japan in December 2004.

Nintendo, the world's biggest maker of handheld players, has shipped 14.4 million DS units in Japan by the end of 2006, the Kyoto-based company said, giving its latest available figures.

Sony Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer is facing declining profit for the group because of losses at the game unit on costs related to the PlayStation 3 and slower-than-expected PSP sales. The company is losing market share to Nintendo's DS, which attracts users with the help of a touch-sensitive screen and games that let them play Frisbee with virtual pets.

Wii sales in Japan totaled 1.69 million units as of Feb. 25, compared with 700,747 for PS3, according to Enterbrain Inc., a Tokyo-based research firm. Consumers are attracted to the Wii's price, at half that of the least-expensive PlayStation 3, and a wireless controller that can be swung like a bat or tennis racquet during play.

PlayStation 3 production snags created supply problems during the holiday shopping season, forcing Sony to concede market share to the Wii. Sony is relying on sales of Bravia TVs and Cyber-shot cameras to make up for losses at the game business.

Wider Loss

Tokyo-based Sony in January forecast losses at the games unit to exceed its October forecast of 200 billion yen ($1.7 billion) for the year ending March 31, because of price cuts to fend off the Wii. The loss will be less than 250 billion yen, Sony said.

The company cut the price of the PS3 in Japan after consumers there complained the player was too expensive compared with players from Nintendo and Microsoft Corp. The PlayStation 3 includes a Blu-ray DVD player that allows users to watch movies in a high-definition format, in addition to playing games.

Both the Wii and PlayStation 3 were introduced in November as competitors to Microsoft's Xbox 360, which was released in 2005. The Wii's $250 price tag compares with $499 and $599 for the PlayStation 3. The Xbox 360 sells for $299 and $399.

Spectrobes Press Release

For those of you who don't know what this is, it's a game similar in some aspects to pokemon. You find and raise creatures all the while traveling throughout the galaxy, this game is release and on the Nintendo DS platform.

The press release:

BURBANK, Calif. - March 13, 2007 - The wait has finally ended for one of the most anticipated original Nintendo DS video games ever. Spectrobes, the anime-inspired action roleplaying game from Disney Interactive Studios, is now available at retail stores worldwide. Already well known and eagerly awaited among its target audience, Spectrobes is poised to become a global phenomenon as players experience the engaging single-player story, tournaments, code input card system, and full-featured online community.

Utilizing all the features of the Nintendo DS, Spectrobes includes a compelling story that takes players to planets throughout the galaxy. Using the stylus, button controls, and microphone, players will experience gameplay that includes exploration, excavation, awakening, and battle. Extending beyond the single-player experience are a Wi-Fi feature that allows the player to download new content and access results online, and a local wireless feature that offers the opportunity to trade with or battle other Spectrobes players.

"The anticipation for Spectrobes has been overwhelming. The game's innovative features, compelling fiction and addictive gameplay have generated a tremendous amount of excitement among consumers of all ages," said Craig Relyea, Vice President of Marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. "Like KINGDOM HEARTS, we expect Spectrobes to be an important game franchise for the company for many years to come."

Spectrobes follows the story of two planetary patrol officers, Rallen and Jeena, who embark on missions as they travel throughout the Nanairo planetary system collecting mysterious fossilized creatures known as Spectrobes. The Spectrobes hold the key to defeating the merciless Krawl from achieving their goal of galactic domination. Players will search seven planets to find and acquire fossils and minerals. Once a fossil has been located, the player will delicately excavate the fossil from the ground using the stylus on the touch screen to access a variety of tools from different-sized drills to an acidic solvent that melts away debris. When dust particles cloud the specimen, players can clear the surface by blowing on the microphone.

Once fossils are obtained, they are awakened in Rallen's spaceship laboratory using an instrument that relies on the player's voice. Maintaining the correct volume and pitch will awaken fossils to become Spectrobes. (If players prefer to remain silent, they can carefully blow on the microphone, creating varying sounds that result in a more challenging but equally rewarding result.) As creatures are obtained and awakened, they'll be nurtured with minerals in an incubation room to evolve into stronger creatures. The player will then need to select two powerful Spectrobes to accompany Rallen into epic battles against the enemy Krawl.

Code Input Cards

Included in each Spectrobes game is a pack of four translucent lenticular code input cards, perfect for collecting and trading. Once players unlock the special ability in the game, they can fit a code input card over the Nintendo DS touch screen and use the stylus to consecutively tap numerical holes in the cards, unlocking new content, which includes creatures and minerals. Along with inclusion in game packages, additional trading cards will be available through various promotions.

Wireless Modes and Tournaments

Once awakened and trained, Spectrobes are powerful creatures that can be used by Rallen to not only battle against the Krawl, but also take on other players and their creatures locally via wireless gameplay. Players can trade content with others, enter a one-on-one battle with a friend, or participate in an organized tournament. Tournaments include 3 to 16 players with one player serving as the "matchmaker." The "matchmaker" determines how many rounds of battle will be required, pairs combatants, and determines final rankings based on reviewing each participant's results.

Downloadable Content and Online Community

Players can also earn the ability to download content such as creatures, custom parts, minerals, and videos through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. By logging on each week, players will obtain and accrue points that can be traded in for content. Also, once connected to the Internet, the Nintendo DS will generate a personal Planetary Patrol badge number that can be synchronized to each player's profile page on the Spectrobes web site. Once connected to their game results, players' profiles will include information about their Spectrobes creatures, armor, and weapons. In addition, a leaderboard on the web site will track the top scores from several special sequence battles in the game, allowing players to show their success to a global audience. Players can also view their friends' profiles by accessing their created names. By completing specific accomplishments in the game, players can also earn "badges" to showcase on their online profile.

Developed by Kyoto, Japan-based Jupiter Corporation, Spectrobes is rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and has a suggested retail price of $29.99.

For more information about Spectrobes, please visit: www.spectrobes.com.

About Jupiter Corporation

With headquarters in Kyoto, Japan, Jupiter Corporation designs and develops interactive entertainment software and publishes video game titles licensed by Nintendo. Jupiter's motto is "Let's Play! Let's Smile!" and they continue to push boundaries with innovation and creativity. For more information, please log on to: www.jupiter.co.jp/company.

About Disney Interactive Studios

Disney Interactive Studios is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self-publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, Calif., and has four internal game development studios around the world including Avalanche Software, Fall Line Studio, Propaganda Games, and Climax Racing. For more information, please log on to: www.disney.com/videogames.

Gamespy partners with Nintendo!

In a recent deal, gamespy has partnered with nintnedo to enhance online play! Since the release of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection nintendo was on it's own. But now witha centralized hub, this could mean the end of friend codes and trouble getting on the server. As in the words of borat, Great Success

Source- Joystiq

Aonuma reflects on Zelda

The following is an article from gamespot.com

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was almost the last-ever Zelda, Nintendo's manager of software development, Eiji Aonuma, said. Speaking through a translator, he told how the previous game, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, hadn't been hugely popular in Japan, although it had been reasonably well received in the West. One of the reasons for this was that the Japanese market in general was moving away from games, he said, and this was well publicised and known as "gamer drift."

So, to make a successful game that would appeal to this disenchanted audience and continue his beloved Zelda series, Aonuma said, "We needed a new style of gameplay to breathe life into the market."

Eiji Aonuma poses for photos before his talk.

Aonuma was speaking at the Game Developers Conference in a talk titled "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Reflections in the Hourglass." The event was hugely popular, and before he started the talk, Aonuma posed for photos and signed autographs while a long line of attendees filtered in hunting for seats in the hall.

The company found that Wind Waker's cartoon-like graphics were alienating the lucrative teen audience in North America, who would look at games of that style and think they were for kids, he continued. With the Japanese market in the midst of the dreaded gamer drift, and the North American market much stronger, Nintendo decided to give the US what it wanted--a realistic Zelda. He said, "We had to make a game that met expectations of fans in North America. If it didn't, it could mean the end of the franchise."

The decision was also made for Link to have the ability to turn into a wolf. "This kind of disruptive breakthrough was just what we needed for the staff to change their way of thinking."

But still, the game needed something more, something to make it truly innovative. It was around this stage that Aonuma was talking to Nintendo senior managing director Shigeru Miyamoto, who told him something along the lines of, "It's as though the Revolution (later renamed the Wii) was designed just for Zelda! Why don't you try making a Zelda for the Revolution?" In the end, believes Aonuma, the kind of direct control offered by the Wii Remote was exactly what was needed to breathe life into the game.

So the decision was made to bring the game to the Wii. "Creating a launch title was a first for the Zelda franchise, and we had no idea what a challenge it would be," he told the audience.

The company also felt strongly that it did not want to disappoint all the GameCube owners who had been waiting patiently since the game's announcement back in 2002, so it decided to push the game back to 2006 to be able to release it on both formats.

Developers experimented with switching to a first-person session for Twilight Princess' combat sequences with Link's sword movements being controlled by moving the Wii remote. However, it soon became apparent that there was a fundamental problem with this idea. "Link is left-handed, so when a right-handed player swings the sword, it felt awkward...so we abandoned the idea." In the end, the problem was partly resolved by flipping the world laterally to make Link right-handed.

Aonuma said he realised that the game was a success when, "I saw some of our female employees swinging a sword to defeat a huge monster. Then I was convinced Zelda had been reborn."

He also filled in some gaps on the upcoming Nintendo DS version of the series--The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. There will be a Wi-Fi-enabled battle mode nicknamed Wi-Fi Hide and Seek. The game is a Pac-Man-style chase, with two players taking on red and blue versions of Link.

Players must pick up "force gems" to see the positions of the phantoms on the board. However, carrying these also has a penalty--they will slow the player down, making it easier for the player to be caught. The other controls the phantoms, using the stylus to move them around to chase Link and hopefully bring him down. Aonuma commented, "The more you play, the more you get to experience the other player's habits, so it's very addictive."

Super Paper Mario Gameplay Videos

Gamespot currently has 3 videos showcasing the gameplay of SPM. Videos may be viewed here:
http://www.gamespot.com/wii/rpg/superpapermario/media.html