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Opera and the DS – surf the web!

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This is the coolest news I’ve read in a while: Opera (my personal browser of choice) is building a browser for the Nintendo DS.

In Opera’s agreement with Nintendo, Nintendo DS users will now be able to surf the full Internet from their systems using the Opera browser. The Opera browser for Nintendo DS will be sold as a DS card. Users simply insert the card into the Wi- Fi enabled Nintendo DS, connect to a network, and begin browsing on two screens.

This is very cool news, just in time for the DS redesign! Right now, the article only mentions users in Japan, but I can’t see any reason why we can’t expect this here in the states. I can’t wait!

Poor reporting

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I just read an article that makes me angry. The amount of mis-information and fear mongering is just amazing. The article starts out

We have an important warning for parents. Today marks the three-month anniversary of the launch of the Nintendo DS Wireless Connection. But Action News has learned this popular gaming system could put kids in harm’s way.

Huh? Right away, the red flags are going up. I assume they’re going to talk about the WiFi Connection. Sure, there is always the possibility of gaming with unsavoury people online, but Nintendo’s friend code system does a decent job of filtering those type of people out. So far, there are three games that use the Wireless connection (Tony Hawk, Mario Kart, and Animal Crossing) so right off the bat we’ve got some poor research being done:

It has built-in wireless capability. That allows kids to battle fellow Nintendo DS players across the room or across the world.

“They can play somebody they’ve never met.”

While this is technically true, my guess is that most kids aren’t playing with people they haven’t met over the WFC. I’m guessing most of these kids are playing with real life friends. (Let’s not forget that connecting to the WFC isn’t exactly simple. I’d say most kids under the age of 14 would struggle to get on without parental help). So what exactly is endangering the children? The super-horrible Picto-Chat!

Theresa’s 11-year-old daughter, Emily likes to doodle so she’s using the Nintendo DS Pictochat feature. Pictochat puts you right into a chatroom and let you send messages wirelessly – and on this day we are in one of Philadelphia’s many Wi-Fi hotspots.

Theresa Keel/Center City: “This screen name pops up and asks her what her name is and how old she is, and she answers.”
Emily Keel/Center City: “And I just felt a little scared and confused.”

This has happened to the Keel’s once before. But this time the screen name is so offensive, we can’t even show it to you.

“It frightened me. It really did.”

Wait one minute! Pictochat is not WiFi-enabled. At all. In fact, in order to chat with someone, you’d have to be in close proximity to the other DS your chatting with (about 60 feet). Unfortunately, this parent is so clueless that they have no idea what the technology in their child’s hands is capable of. All the mother has to do is tell her child to turn of the DS. If she was worried that they might be in danger, they could alert mall security and have them look for the scary person with the offensive screen name. But turning off the DS instantly severs any connection to the bad person. That’s all it takes. No one is “in harm’s way.” But of course the reporter couldn’t be bothered with the facts.

This is simply a case of not doing due dilegence with your research before you run a story. Sowing seeds of fear accomplish very little.

Even when we’re thinking of the children.

(via Digg. Slashdot, too.)

True Swing Golf, again

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True Swing Golf
Thanks to Bill, now I’ll have to rethink my feelings on True Swing Golf. He says it’s a blast. He also notes what other reviewers have pointed out – you can’t have a bad swing. That sounds like bad design. Maybe it is, but it isn’t a deal breaker:

Here’s the strange thing, though: it’s almost impossible to mishit a shot. Using the stylus on a regular shot always seems to result in a nearly straight outcome, no matter if you’re contacting the center of the ball or not. That sounds like an absolute deal breaker, and it should be, but course management, even with straight shots, is very challenging, and I can’t seem to stop playing. The effects of lie and slope are almost flawless, and in particular, it models shots to uphill greens better than any golf game I’ve ever played.

I like reading Bills reviews and he’s usually spot-on, so now I’m considering TSG again. Man, I wish my Blockbuster rented DS games!

Redesigning the DS

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Man, I come into work this morning and check my feeds before starting the day and gaming sites are abuzz with the quiet announcement by Nintendo, presenting the redesign of the Nintendo DS (from Nintendo’s Japan website. Here’s the Google Translation). Unfortunately I don’t have time to really dig deep into this, since I’m at work, but I must say I both excited and a bit disappointed. Excited because it looks shiny. Disappointed because the redesign doesn’t seem like that much of an improvement. Being the gadget whore that I am, I’ll probably figure out a way to get one of these anyway. I do like the iPod-white, so it’s got that going for it.

I didn’t notice (and didn’t take the time) to find out if this is States-bound. I would assume that it is. Can anyone confirm that?

More to come later.

Brain push ups.

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Someone who doesn’t follow the video game industry as closely as a geek like myself would probably be unaware of the fact that one of the most successful games right now in Japan is a simple game called Brain Training (I’d link the Nintendo Japan site for this game, but it wouldn’t do any good, unless of course you can read Japanese). In fact, it’d be inappropriate to call it a game. It is, in fact, anything but a game.

I just read this piece at Cabel’s Blog LOL (a new blog to me, on the feed list it goes) and it does a great job of both explaining what this game is and how it has taken hold in Japan. While I don’t know if this game will ever see the light of day here in the States (doubtful), I’d love to see games similar to this for us to play.

The whole article is great. Nintendo seems to be coming through on the promise to make games that everyone can play. As Cabel says:

… there are a lot of people who could play video games, but don’t, because the right software isn’t there.

I’d just add “yet” to the end of that sentence.

(There’s more Brain Training items at GameSetWatch)

Another double bogey

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I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m pretty excited about True Swing Golf for the DS. Having played (and hated) Tiger Woods I was really looking forward to TSG. Eurogamer had good things to say about it last year, but now things aren’t looking as peachy. Gamespot gives it a poor score and Modojo dogs it pretty bad, too. Of course, perrenial grade-inflater IGN.com gives it an 8.0, so there’s that. So what to do. I don’t trust many online reviews, but reading Gamespot’s pointed out that character progression is almost non-existent. That’s a bummer, it’s what I was hoping would be there. From the gameplay and graphics I really thought this would have some type of RPG elements, but it looks like there’s nothing there.

It’s unfortunate that the game is a stinker. I had high hopes, but I guess I’ll have to wiat.

We have seen the Future…

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… and the Future is Nintendo.

It may just be me (or the fanboy in me), but it sure seems like there is a lot of good press for Nintendo lately. Where to start? First the DS is going like gang-busters. The games and units are flying off the shelves. There’s a lot of reasons why, and Tim Rogers at Next Gen looks at some of those reasons. It’s quite simple why the DS is burying the competition – it’s the games, stupid! Sure, the PSP has that sa-wheet looking screen, flashy looks and sleek design, but there’s no games! If I wanted a portable video player (which the PSP does great) I’ll get a new iPod. For games, it’s the DS. I haven’t booted up my Xbox or Gamecube in almost a month because I’ve been DS’ing. It’s great stuff.

The Revolution is gaining momentum, as well. A lot of sites are already discussing the possible interface for the online component of the Revolution. There also seems to be a lot of buy-in and excitement from game developers for the new controller. I’ll say it again – if the new Zelda game can be enhanced with the new controller, I can wait. Release Twilight Princess with the Revolution. Even if they say they’re not going to do it, I would be an instant system seller. The Revolution seems to be on the cusp of something big. The Big N is aiming for a Thanksgiving release. It’s imperative that they have tons of units available. None of this “supply shortage” shell game. Just get systems into gamers hands.

I think the best stuff I’ve read lately was CNet’s interview with Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime. Read the whole thing. Reggie doesn’t pull any punches and talks some serious smack. Observer the name taking:

The DS is outselling PSP across the world. The DS is also generating huge buzz in the blogosphere. The fact is, we have a number of not only worldwide but even U.S.-centric million-unit selling games, and Sony doesn’t.

And

We will sell more units than Xbox 360 did here in the United States in our launch window. I mean, in December, we sold more GameCubes in the United States than Microsoft sold 360s, and Revolution will do better than that.

I believe the kids say, “Oh snap!”

Finally, the guys at FiringSquad (for hardcore gamers!) seem the most optimistic about the future of the Revolution, going as far as saying:

Nintendo is poised for a coup. As someone who not so long ago was dismissive of what the company can accomplish, I today firmly believe that they’re capable of taking the #1 position from Sony.

Nintendo for the win? I sure hope so.

(links from all over – Joystiq, Slashdot Games, Evil Avatar)

Links all around

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Here are a few links for you to finish up the weekend or start off a crappy Monday with:

The first two are Animal Crossing links Animal Crossing Community has been around for a while, but revamped their site with Wild World content. Nook’s Cranny is a decent place to go if you’re looking to trade Animal Crossing WW friend codes. And over at 4 color rebellion, there’s a nice little New Year’s gift from Nintendo.

If you’re looking for cheap games to pass the time during the winter, Circuit City is having another huge clearance sale.

Finally, on doctor’s orders, this poor kid had to stop playing his Playstation. Bummer!

It’s a wild world out there…

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So I’ve been playing Animal Crossing for a while now but haven’t mentioned it much past my friend code.

So what about it? Animal Crossing on the Gamecube was a game that I couldn’t explain why I liked. When you boil it down, it’s a game that has no purpose, no “ending” and nothing “manly” about it. The first time a buddy of mine saw me playing it he asked me how I could kill the residents of my town. The conversation went a little like this:

“What’cha playing?”

“Animal Crossing.”

“What’s that? Never heard of it.”

“Well, you’re this kid who moves into a new town populated by animals. You run errands for the animals and plant trees. You can go fishing if you want. Or you can do nothing. You do have a mortgage to pay, but you don’t have to pay that off, either. It’s pretty sweet.”

“Sweet? Sounds lame. Hey, can you shoot that cat?”

“Why would I want to do that? Mitzi (the cat’s name) is my friend. I just took her a shirt that Derwin (a duck in my town) just gave me to deliver to her. She hooked me up with this sweet wallpaper for my house. There’s no shooting, no punching, nothing like that.”

“What’s the point of playing if you can’t shoot anyone?”

“The point? I’ve got a house to pay for and I need to make some bells. I certainly can’t shoot anyone because then there wouldn’t be any one left to run errands for. I guess I could fish, but that’s not the best way to make money.”

“Right… Sounds fun. Wanna play some Turok?”

And so on. I don’t know why I played it so much. It was the first game my wife and I played together, so that had something to do with it. But I woke up early on Sundays so I could buy turnips from the turnip lady because that was the only time she came around. Was it my obsessive nature? What kind of game could get me out of bed? Explaining why it was fun was hard to do.

And so it is with Animal Crossing Wild World. It’s basically the Gamecube version with some added features and it’s still just as addicting. And I still can’t explain why. I’ll probably get to what I like and don’t like at a later time, but I will say that it’s a fun, pointless game.

Without any shooting.

DS Oddities

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While I am jamming away with some great DS games out right now, I’ve noticed there are some weird DS games, too. I was strolling the game aisles of Media Play, browsing the DS games when I came a across some games I hadn’t seen before. The first game that caught my eye was Elf Bowling 1 and 2. Elf Bowling? I see the obvious implementation with the touch screen, but let’s be honest here. How much elf bowling can one do? I remember when elf bowling was emailed to everyone in the country. I think that was the Christmas of 1999. I played it for like two lunch breaks. It was ha-ha, that’s funny, and then I was done with it. Why would anyone pay twenty dollars for a game that held my interest for fifteen minutes? Are people buying this?

The next odd one I saw was Whac-A-Mole which is another game I can clearly see the utility of the touch screen in implementing the game mechanics but fail to see the replayability of whacking moles. Will my DS start spitting out tickets I can redeem at Chuck E. Cheese? If not, I’m not interested. Now, if they included a stylus in the shape of a mallet, we might have something there.

These ponderings led to another thought. Remember Mark Rein’s comments about the Revolution controller? For those who don’t know, Rein (vice president and co-founder of Epic Games) commented that the Nintendo Revolution controller would lead to the development of a lot of gimmicky (read: crappy) games. (He was misquoted and/or misinterpreted by a lot of people who thought they heard him say the controller was gimmicky. He never said that. He said there would be a lot of crappy games built around it, for which he was pretty much spot on.) There will be a lot of forgettable, crappy games that use the Revolution’s new controller. Luckily, we don’t have to wait for the Revolution. We can see it now, with the DS. The touchscreen has a lot of possibilities and they are just now being developed. In the meantime, we get Elf Bowling. Wheee.

While thinking about the origins of Elf Bowling, I also realized that there also a lot of potential here. Elf Bowling, like so many games, has humble roots as a flash game. Games that put companies like Pop Cap on the map. Games I’d be willing to pay four or five dollars to download to my DS. I hope you see where this is going. With the run-away success of the Xbox Live Arcade, would it be that hard for Nintendo to implement a DS Wi-Fi Connection arcade? I’d love to download a version of Alchemy or Zuma to my DS. Oh, and lookie here! Those games were practically meant to be played with a touch screen. They were made for each other!

So while I’m content with Mario Kart and Animal Crossing, I look forward to what else may be in store for Nintendo’s little handheld.