http://www.ps3news.com PS3 NEWS - PlayStation 3 News - PS3News - PS3News.com - PS3 Games - PS3 Hacks - PS3 Homebrew - PS3 Linux Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:53:49 CST en http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-echoes-of-time-hits-spring-2009/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-echoes-of-time-hits-spring-2009/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:53:49 CST PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-echoes-of-time-hits-spring-2009/
Press Release: Wii and Nintendo DS Owners Unite! Square Enix Announces FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time for North America

The Latest in the Franchise Breaks Down the Walls between Handheld and Console Platforms

LOS ANGELES (December 1, 2008) - Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: Echoes of Time™ will be released for both Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ in Spring 2009.

Players can choose to play alone or with friends, whenever and however they like in FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time. Arriving simultaneously on both Wii and DS, this latest entry in the FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES series introduces a new concept in multiplayer gaming, enabling users of either Nintendo platform to adventure alongside each other for the first time.

Maintaining the intuitive control scheme of FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Ring of Fates® and enhancing the gameplay experience with an integrated system that allows players to switch between the single and multiplayer modes in-game, FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time is set to take multiplayer gaming to new heights as it brings together Wii and DS users from around the world next spring.

Story

A triumphant return from a monster-infested forest marks the completion of the 16-year-old hero's coming-of-age ceremony. However, the hero's joy is short-lived as a young village girl is found to be afflicted by a mysterious illness known as "crystal sickness." Determined to obtain the cure, the hero steps out of the secluded village for the first time, only to discover a world in which crystals are merely artifacts of the past and no longer exist...

Features

* Play anytime, anywhere with anyone! Multiplayer connectivity reaches new heights in FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time, where players can team up or compete with friends and players around the world!
* The intuitive control scheme introduced in FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Ring of Fates returns, now adapted to Wii for double the action
* Players can switch between single and multiplayer modes within the gameworld itself, giving them two great gaming options in one integrated experience
* A personalized hero can be generated from a choice of the four familiar races of the series; Clavats, Lilties, Selkies or Yukes. Players joining from the Wii can also introduce their Miis to the world of FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES
* Create and customize materials, armor and equipment for characters with tailored appearances and abilities - no two heroes will be the same!
* A vast selection of quests provides hours of fun, even after completion of the main adventure

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/ffcceot.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America, and Europe.

Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises - FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 46 million units worldwide - under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/from-the-abyss-hack-n-slash-rpg-announced-for-nintendo-ds/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/from-the-abyss-hack-n-slash-rpg-announced-for-nintendo-ds/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:52:30 CST PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/from-the-abyss-hack-n-slash-rpg-announced-for-nintendo-ds/
In this parallel universe players will be able to explore the vast world of Rubenhaut through a unique world creation engine exclusively created for the game.

Press Release: THE NINTENDO DS IS NOT JUST A CONSOLE FOR GIRLS, DADS, OR MOMS!

In "From the Abyss", the player will fight huge monsters with swords, spells and special abilities! A fast paced & action packed game for gamers!

The game also features an intuitive control scheme, lavish artwork, and an engaging 2 player co-op battle system.

Key Features:

- Explore your own unique Abyss!
Every time you start a new journey the game will randomly generate a custom world for a unique experience each time!

- Customize your character!
Distribute skill points that will define your character's powers and destiny. Will you go the way of the sword or be a powerful spell caster?

- Capture your enemy's soul!
Steal the enemy's techniques and use them to turn the tide in battle!

- Co-op Mode!

Wirelessly connect with a friend and fight together to defeat the Demon Lord of the Abyss!

About the game

Genre: Hack 'n slash
Platform: NDS
Publisher: Nobilis
Developer: Sonic Powered
Release date: Q1 2009
Official website: www.from-the-abyss.com]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-blood-of-bahamut-for-nintendo-ds-details-available/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-blood-of-bahamut-for-nintendo-ds-details-available/ Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:40:04 CST PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-blood-of-bahamut-for-nintendo-ds-details-available/
To quote: The game's Official site promised over 130 missions for the game without specifying anything about beast count.

In the interview, Yokoyama said to expect over 10 main beast types. With variations in place, there may be up to 150 types. The variations include different target areas for your attacks.

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As suggested by the trailer (above), you'll also be facing off against smaller enemies. Those, Toriyama revealed, are small enemies that have been summoned by the beasts. You'll end up facing off against the smaller enemies while you fight the main beast, with no transition between the two fights. One thing you'll have to consider is how to stop the main beasts from summoning the small enemies.

Finally, the two shared a few details on the game's storyline. As previously revealed, Blood of Bahamut takes place in a world where people have come to live on the backs of giant slumbering beasts. Upwards of 100,000 resided on the back of Gigant, the beast that's shown in the trailer at the official site. Once the beasts rose from their slumber, people attempted to flee, thinking that they couldn't defeat the beasts.

The game features seven heroes who rise up during this time of despair. They may not necessarily be friendly towards one another though. The seven come from different giants, meaning they're of different races and countries, and their thinking and goals are different.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-acekard-flast-cart-running-on-the-nintendo-dsi/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-acekard-flast-cart-running-on-the-nintendo-dsi/ Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:52:16 CST PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-acekard-flast-cart-running-on-the-nintendo-dsi/
To quote: This is a lab work, it works ONLY in LAB. Even though we can go this far, it is almost impossible to make a commercial product.

There is a major problem that can't be resolved, at least for now. It seems DSi did many sanity checks to make sure there is no more fcards.. we will keep researching and good luck to all.

BTW: We assume there are more than one modes on DSi, we still haven't found any way to access the SD card slot in origin DS mode.

2dge0VGOugQ]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/chinatown-wars-to-feature-almost-the-entire-map-from-gta-iv/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/chinatown-wars-to-feature-almost-the-entire-map-from-gta-iv/ Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:05:23 CST PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/chinatown-wars-to-feature-almost-the-entire-map-from-gta-iv/ magazine recently got their hands on Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS and discussed map details.

It appears as though the game will feature a similar map as GTA IV, though without Alderney.

To quote: Even though many people believed that Chinatown Wars would develop only in the Chinese neighborhood the game uses nearly the whole map that appears in GTA IV.

The districts that appear are: Dukes (Queens), Bohan (Bronx), Broker (Brooklyn) and Algonquin (Manhattan).

The only neighborhood from GTA IV that doesn't appear is Alderney (Jersey City).]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/gta-chinatown-wars-delayed-slated-for-spring-2009-release/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/gta-chinatown-wars-delayed-slated-for-spring-2009-release/ Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:11:42 CST Starlight Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/gta-chinatown-wars-delayed-slated-for-spring-2009-release/
At a press conference today, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed GTA IV DLC's delay rumors stating that it may arrive as late as Spring 2009.

Zelnick also stated that Chinatown Wars isn't scheduled to be released in the first quarter of the 2009 fiscal year (January 2009) as initially expected, but will arrive within Q2 2009, which ends in April.

More to come on this as it's available!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-bmds-homebrew-in-action-on-the-nintendo-dsi/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-bmds-homebrew-in-action-on-the-nintendo-dsi/ Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:15:05 CST PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-bmds-homebrew-in-action-on-the-nintendo-dsi/ reported on the initial news of the Nintendo DSi being hacked.

Today, a new video is available showing homebrew running on the brand new Nintendo DSi courtesy of A252 via YouTube.

To quote: The famous Homebrew of Yasu now run on DSi.

PS: Take that Nintendo!

This is the site of the author of the Nintendo DSi exploit. Video below:

hxEinMflYWA]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-confirms-r4-dsi-incompatibility-issues/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-confirms-r4-dsi-incompatibility-issues/ Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:42:20 CST PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-confirms-r4-dsi-incompatibility-issues/
This news does not come as a shock to most, and was suspected by many Nintendo DSi owners who reported on it last week.

To quote: Nintendo has confirmed to MCV that today's reports claiming that SD-card based piracy hardware the R4 will not work with the upcoming DSi are correct.

The platform holder was not able to confirm whether this is a deliberate feature of the newly redesigned handheld. However, judging by recent history it's not unreasonable to presume this is the case.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-video-nintendo-dsi-is-hacked/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-video-nintendo-dsi-is-hacked/ Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:30:24 CST IanJ Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-video-nintendo-dsi-is-hacked/
The video shows a bounding box on the upper screen showing the text "Yasu software Hello World!". The touch screen appears to be unused and shows just a white screen. There is no mention on how the hack has been performed, or from where the exploit is running (slot-1 flash cart? SD card? Wi-fi?), hopefully more information will follow soon.

If this is indeed real, it is surely fantastic news and means that the DSi has been exploited in just 3 days after retail release, with this hack hopefully being the stepping stone to greater things.

You may want to take this one with a grain of salt, and don't go jumping up and down until we hear more information on this hack and it's limitations. Stay tuned!

uaKxWSENwGo

Yasu has in fact made a post on his Web site (linked above) regarding the video, but it is unfortunately in Japanese. A rough translation posted by Lemming on the GBATemp board states:

"He says that he borrowed his friends one and was able to perform the hack. He didn't say how he did it, but says that he did the the same way every thought it might be able to be done...

He also says something about not being sure if he wants to disclose how he did it due to a boom...

He says that the DSi's are all sold out now in Japan. He wants to buy his own to do further testing to make sure the hack works on all DSi's. He mentions creating a custom firmware"]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-sells-out-in-japan/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-sells-out-in-japan/ Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:30:09 CST wicked insanity Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-sells-out-in-japan/
The initial allocation of 200,000 retail units has sold out in four days, with most of the sales coming from pre-orders.

TechRadar notes that an additional 100,000 units are set to ship to stores in Japan over the next week or so. The site also notes that eBay is rife with scalpers offering the new DSi for practically double the cost of the Japanese recommended retail price.

Nintendo has yet to announce a firm release date for the Nintendo DSi in territories other than Japan.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-unboxed-and-dissected-true-innards-revealed/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-unboxed-and-dissected-true-innards-revealed/ Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:11:16 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-unboxed-and-dissected-true-innards-revealed/
As previously mentioned, differences include slightly larger LCD screens, refined stereo speakers and the DSi CPU, which includes the 'TWL' revision stamped on it with a 2007 date.

The original Ninwtendo DS/DS Lite CPU was dated as 2004, with revision stamps 'NTR' and 'NTR B' respectively.

Those interested can check out all the dissection photos on their site linked above. Enjoy!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dsi-blocks-nintendo-ds-flashcards-from-operating/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dsi-blocks-nintendo-ds-flashcards-from-operating/ Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:02:01 CDT Starlight Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dsi-blocks-nintendo-ds-flashcards-from-operating/
If you have a CycloDS, G6 DS Real, M3 DS Real, Supercard DS One, iTouch DS, FCard, NCard, M3 DS Simply, U2DS, R4 DS and EZ Flash V don't expect any of them to work.

It seems the DSi blocks both auto boot cards and ones that boot from the menu. If it's auto boot it crashes and while the others show up in the menu, but once selected come up with an error.

Bad news for pirates, good news for Nintendo and bad news for legitimate homebrew. But how long till they bypass it?]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/sears-ad-reveals-special-edition-ice-blue-and-mario-red-ds-lite/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/sears-ad-reveals-special-edition-ice-blue-and-mario-red-ds-lite/ Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:46:22 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/sears-ad-reveals-special-edition-ice-blue-and-mario-red-ds-lite/
According to the listing, Sears will be offering two new DS bundles as follows: One bundle includes an Ice Blue DS, a similarly colored case, and a copy of the original Brain Age. The other packs a Mario Red DS emblazoned with the Italian plumber's iconic "M" and a copy of New Super Mario Bros.

Nintendo had not responded to requests for comment concerning the bundles as of press time. It should be noted that after the metallic rose DS's special-edition run in November, Nintendo opted to add the hue to its burgeoning rainbow of standard-edition SKUs by the following May.

The Sears flyer lists the bundles as $149.99 each.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-of-australia-out-to-catch-nintendo-ds-pirates/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-of-australia-out-to-catch-nintendo-ds-pirates/ Sat, 25 Oct 2008 21:50:27 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-of-australia-out-to-catch-nintendo-ds-pirates/
The hand-held Nintendo DS is expected to be one of the biggest-selling toys this Christmas, with company officials predicting sales of 750,000 by the end of the year.

But with legitimate game cards costing up to $70, there are reports of a boom in parents buying pirated gaming software that allows users to play games that have been illegally downloaded from the Internet.

Greg Arthurton, director of marketing at Nintendo, said the company was taking steps to protect its intellectual property.

The company has sent cease and desist letters to backyard operators in Australia who are selling equipment that allows users to play pirated games.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-an-awesome-nintendo-ds-commercial/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-an-awesome-nintendo-ds-commercial/ Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:23:54 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-an-awesome-nintendo-ds-commercial/
The video's caption simply reads as follows:

"THATS how you make a decent Nintendo DS commercial"

Video is available below..

Enjoy!

279673]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-gta-chinatown-wars-details-from-edge-magazine/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-gta-chinatown-wars-details-from-edge-magazine/ Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:00:44 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-gta-chinatown-wars-details-from-edge-magazine/
EDGE Magazine interviewed Rockstar Games VP, Dan Houser on what to expect for this winter's forthcoming GTA debut on Nintendo DS, Chinatown Wars. The interview revealed a few new snippets of information about the game.

- Pedestrians will act the same as they do in GTA IV. You can find them talking with each other, buying snacks and items at newsstands, and will even take out an umbrella when it's raining.

- Characters on foot will look exaggerated "for the very simple reason of being able to inject them with character when viewed from above". Looking at some of the previously released screenshots, you'll notice characters on foot are not in proportion (larger) to the environment around them (cars, etc).

- The game will feature an assisted driving system to help make driving a little forgiving.

- Wanted levels can be reduced by knocking police cars off the road, however destroying them will increase wanted levels. Alderney will not be featured in this version of Liberty City .

- Although the game is isometric, the y-axis will be taken into consideration, therefore weapons cannot be fired over a certain height.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/koei-announce-monster-racers-for-nintendo-ds/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/koei-announce-monster-racers-for-nintendo-ds/ Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:31:36 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/koei-announce-monster-racers-for-nintendo-ds/
Up to four friends can compete in race tournaments. "Monster Racers will feature Wireless DS Single-Card Download Play and Wireless Multi-Card Play. Players can also download courses and share their race times via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection," said Hisashi Koinuma, KOEI's producer for Monster Racers.

Press Release: Monster Racers utilizes side-scrolling platform-style action to create a racing experience that everyone can easily learn and enjoy. For first time in the genre, challenges will use the player's skill in controlling speed and reaction time, in fun and familiar settings.

Throughout each race, players will gather power-up items while avoiding obstacles such as "icicles", or "meteors". With a wide variety of courses and monsters, players can choose which monster is best suited for each race.

Up to four friends can compete in race tournaments. "Monster Racers will feature Wireless DS Single-Card Download Play and Wireless Multi-Card Play. Players can also download courses and share their race times via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection," said Hisashi Koinuma, KOEI's producer for Monster Racers.

Developed by KOEI Co., Ltd. Monster Racers comes to North America and Europe in 2009.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-sega-vs-capcom-to-be-revealed-at-tgs-2008/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-sega-vs-capcom-to-be-revealed-at-tgs-2008/ Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:19:53 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-sega-vs-capcom-to-be-revealed-at-tgs-2008/
The game is described as a "hybrid RPG-fighting game" coming out on the Nintendo DS in Q1 2009 with a "likely" PSP port later in the new year. SEGA is apparently heading the game's development alongside Dimps.

Capcom however will take on the role of supervisor. Anonymous did not have any knowledge as to who would make up the character roster, but did mention that Rockman and Sonic's presence were a given.

To quote: Earlier today, I received word from an anonymous source that both Capcom and SEGA are set to unveil a cross over title during the Tokyo Game Show festivities dubbed, "SEGA vs. Capcom: Great Clash Generation."

The game is described as a "hybrid RPG-fighting game" coming out on the Nintendo DS in Q1 2009 with a "likely" PSP port later in the new year.

SEGA is apparently heading the game's development alongside Dimps. Capcom however will take on the role of supervisor.

Anonymous did not have any knowledge as to who would make up the character roster, but did mention that Rockman and Sonic's presence were a given.

We'll find out if this rumor holds any truth later this week, TGS is set to begin Thursday, October 9th.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/confirmed-nintendo-dsi-software-is-region-locked/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/confirmed-nintendo-dsi-software-is-region-locked/ Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:36:05 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/confirmed-nintendo-dsi-software-is-region-locked/ rumors since it's initial announcement, today Nintendo has issued a statement to CVG to clarify the confusion over the region-based restrictions on the new DSi.

To quote: "DSi software (software that is only compatible with DSi) is region locked, eg: European DSi software can only be played on European DSi consoles," a Nintendo spokesperson has told CVG.

They confirmed that this means BOTH download-able games and future DSi-only cartridge-based games would be region locked.

"Nintendo DS software however is region free so you can play any DS software on DSi from any region. You can also browse the Internet on your DSi wherever you are in the world and exchange your photos with friends from around the world."

This follows a statement from NOA exec VP Cammie Dunanway saying: "I believe that just as you can currently buy a DS in Japan and use it here in the U.S., that you should be able to do that with DSi," as we reported this morning.

Nintendo went on to explain to CVG: "DSi is region locked because DSi embeds net communication functionality within itself and we are intending to provide net services specifically tailored for each region. Also because we are including parental control functionality for Nintendo DSi and each region has its unique age limit made by different independent."

So there you go - DSi-only titles will be locked. Standard DS software won't be. But how many of the DS' future games will be DSi-only? That's the next question...]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/japanese-psychiatrists-want-nintendo-ds-game-pulled/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/japanese-psychiatrists-want-nintendo-ds-game-pulled/ Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:13:42 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/japanese-psychiatrists-want-nintendo-ds-game-pulled/
The game in question is a first person shooter that takes place in a psychiatric hospital in which various human science projects come after you and you must blow them away. The opposing group are concerned that the game may encourage prejudice against psychiatric patients.

To quote: The Japanese Association of Psychiatric Hospitals has reportedly asked Gamecock Media Group's Interchannel to pull the Nintendo DS game "Dementium: The Ward" from distribution.

"Dementium" is a first person shooter that takes place in a -- you guessed it! -- Psychiatric Hospital where various human science projects come after you, and you BLOW THEM AWAY.

Association advocates claim they're concerned that the game will "encourage discrimination and prejudice" against psychiatric patients. Are they crazy?]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-nintendo-dsi-may-be-region-locked-cant-play-mp3s-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-nintendo-dsi-may-be-region-locked-cant-play-mp3s-1/ Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:29:42 CDT takavach Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-nintendo-dsi-may-be-region-locked-cant-play-mp3s-1/
First up came a question regarding region locks on the Nintendo DSi handhelds. And Reggie's answer? "To be honest I don't know for sure, I will look into it." He added that he thinks that the device will be region locked, purely on the fact that the downloads for the system are region based.

Man, I am going to be so damn disappointed if I can't play my copy of Tingle's Balloon Fight on there. Especially after the trouble I went to to get it!

Nintendo has said they will look into it for us, so we'll keep on it sometime in the coming weeks.

Another question was a simple one: The DSi can play music, so can it play MP3s? And the answer is "no, it plays the AAC format. It's an easy conversion."

That may be true, but let's face it, MP3s have the run of society; are people going to be eager to have to switch their music before loading it to the DSi?

And there you have it.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-ds-lite-vs-dsi-7-changes-you-should-take-note-of/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-ds-lite-vs-dsi-7-changes-you-should-take-note-of/ Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:55:24 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-ds-lite-vs-dsi-7-changes-you-should-take-note-of/
Camera - While 2 cameras have been added, only one is visible while playing your games (the other is on the backside). This camera subscribes to the apple webcam mentality that you should ALWAYS have a lens pointed at you.

Finish - The DS Lite had a slightly shiny glossed finish, while the new one seems to be a bit more matte. Maybe this will mean less greasy fingerprints!

Power button - The DS Phat had the power button on the face. The Lite went with the power slider on the side of the system. It looks like the new DS is bringing it back to the old school and putting a power button on the face of the unit. It looks like it doesn't stick out at all so it is probably pretty hard to hit accidentally.

Screen - Although it's tough tell in pictures because the systems aren't to scale, the new DS screen is .25 inches larger diagonally. The resolution remains the same.

Inputs - The new DSi has ditched the gameboy advance slot in favor of an SD card slot. Children with old games cry while hackers rejoice.

Online Store - The new DS will feature an online store ala iphone and PSP. This will be a great way for Nintendo to increase their revenue by having children 'accidentally' run up their parents credit cards buying them crazy poke-mans.

Size - The DSi has been working out and trimmed down 12% of its size. WiiFit Mobile confirmed?

Finally, according to Nintendo's U.S. Press Conference company president Reggie Fils-Aime stated that the DSi will not be arriving in the US until "well into" 2009. The primary reason for this being simply that the DS Lite is still in great demand, and Nintendo sees little reason to introduce a new piece of hardware this soon.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-announced-slimmer-camera-downloadable-games/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-announced-slimmer-camera-downloadable-games/ Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:23:32 CDT Tidusnake666 Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-dsi-announced-slimmer-camera-downloadable-games/ HERE, and to follow-up with some more details:

Following up on an earlier rumor of a new DS coming to market, Nintendo announced the Nintendo DSi at a news conference in Japan.

The new and revamped DS unit, which includes a 3 megapixel camera and a web browser, is set to go on sale in Japan on November 1st for 18,900 yen (about $180). No word on a US release yet, but there's a Nintendo press conference scheduled tomorrow where we're sure they'll have more details for those of us across the Pacfic.

The DSi will also be slightly smaller and have a larger screen than the current DS Lite, and will include additional photo editing software, built-in memory for saving picture and game data, and an SD card slot.

The SD card slot will allow easy transfer of photos and data from the DSi to the Wii (and other SD card-enabled devices), while the built-in memory will help store a new wave of downloadable DS games that will be able to be purchased through the Wii Shopping channel, as well as a brand-new online shop accessible via the DSi. Wii Points will be renamed "Nintendo Points" when the DSi launches, and downloadable DS games (as well as the current and upcoming crop of Wii downloadables) will be available for purchase using these points.

However, the DSi is missing one big thing - the GBA cartridge slot. While GBA games aren't as commonly played anymore, games such as Guitar Hero: On Tour made use of the GBA slot to accomodate special add-ons to the DS hardware. The SD card slot looks to offer a replacement, however, this means that certain games that require expansion peripherals will not be usable on the DSi.

We'll follow up with more DSi news as it comes in. We can already tell that plenty of kids will be asking for one this holiday season!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-nintendo-dsi-presentation-and-line-up-unveiled/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-nintendo-dsi-presentation-and-line-up-unveiled/ Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:50:08 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/video-nintendo-dsi-presentation-and-line-up-unveiled/ HERE of a new Nintendo DSi video available. Courtesy of wiiitalia via YouTube, the caption reads as follows:

"Brand new console "Nintendo DSi" - Presentation and Line up 2008/2009"

Video is below, and remember guys everyone can Post News which gets auto-copied to the Forums under your username, giving you +1 Post Count (and saves us time from reposting what you did in the Forums) :p

w5qKkkFKp5g

Nintendo DSi Features:

- 2x 3.25-inch screen
- 17% bigger DS Lite
- A 3-megapixel camera & webcam met resolution 640x480
- SD slot instead of GBA slot
- Onboard memory
- 12% thinner than the DS Lite
- Opera browser
- Download games called DSiWare
- Better audio]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dragon-quest-ix-set-for-a-march-2009-release-in-japan/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dragon-quest-ix-set-for-a-march-2009-release-in-japan/ Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:35:41 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dragon-quest-ix-set-for-a-march-2009-release-in-japan/
The game, which has been dubbed "Japan's biggest title for 2009", will be shown at this years TGS but won't be playable. Pricing has yet to be set.

To quote: DQIX has endured somewhat of a rocky path before arriving at this final release time frame. The game was originally announced back in late 2006 as being due for a 2007 release. That was later pushed to 2008 as the game saw some changes to its battle system from the originally announced action-oriented system to classic-style menus.

Recently, in interviews with the mainstream media, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada said that a Dragon Quest game would make it out around the new year. He was either misquoted, or he was referring to another Dragon Quest game (or, just maybe, Square Enix celebrates New Years in March).

DQIX will make it to the Tokyo Game Show this year, but only in non-playable form. Square Enix will hold a stage show for the game, sharing the first details following a long period of silence.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-photos-of-new-nintendo-ds-lcd-screen-spotted/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-photos-of-new-nintendo-ds-lcd-screen-spotted/ Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:01:27 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-photos-of-new-nintendo-ds-lcd-screen-spotted/ Nintendo DS, and today some photos of the new Nintendo DS console's upgraded screens have been spotted on the Chinese site Yukawanet, linked above.

In the picture below, the revised screen is the one on the right side... which has a slightly larger width of 3.25 inches, in comparison to just 3 inches for the one on the left.

According to their watermarks, the origin of these 'spotted' photos is another Chinese Web site, namely TGBus.com.

More details as they are available, and check out the link above for additional photos!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-nintendo-ds-to-feature-built-in-camera-and-music-playback/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-nintendo-ds-to-feature-built-in-camera-and-music-playback/ Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:20:24 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-nintendo-ds-to-feature-built-in-camera-and-music-playback/
To quote: Japanese video game maker Nintendo Co Ltd plans to launch a new model of its DS handheld machine that can take pictures and play music by the end of the year, the Nikkei business daily said on Sunday.

The move would pit the top-selling portable game gear with Apple Inc iPod and camera-embedded cellphones in general.

The price for the new machine, which will also be equipped with advanced wireless communications functions, is expected to be below 20,000 yen ($189) in Japan, compared with 16,800 yen for the current model, the Nikkei said.

The Wii game console and DS have been Nintendo's twin growth engines, helping its share price to grow more than three-fold over the past three years.

The DS far outsells Sony Corp's rival machine, PlayStation Portable (PSP), globally.

But in Japan, the PSP's unit sales exceeded the DS's in five consecutive months through July, according to game magazine publisher Enterbrain, in a potential sign of slowing momentum for the current DS model.

Nintendo officials were not immediately available for comment.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/7th-dragon-segas-mysterious-new-rpg-revealed/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/7th-dragon-segas-mysterious-new-rpg-revealed/ Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:21:26 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/7th-dragon-segas-mysterious-new-rpg-revealed/
Titled 7th Dragon, this new fantasy RPG is set in the world of Eden, a world that is ruled in large part by seven dragons and their massive armies of dragon minions. The lands that are ruled by the dragons grow a special flower which sucks the life out of the land. When the whole of the planet is covered in these flowers, mankind will become extinct. The only hope for survival for mankind is to hunt down and defeat the dragons.

7th Dragon combines overhead exploration with party-based battles. During the overhead sequences, you travel through the land, visiting different continents, islands and republics. You move about on an overhead 2D map that's shown on the top screen. Meanwhile, the bottom screens houses a world map that's updated in real time to show how much of the world is controlled by dragons and how much by humans.

Battles take place from a side perspective, and feature big-headed version's of the game's characters engaging in party-based fights against large dragon foes. Your party consists of four members, but aside from that details on the battle system are a bit lacking at the moment.

Players will be able to freely create their own characters. You can select from a variety of character types, including fighter, mage, rogue, knight, samurai, healer, and princess (princess?). It also appears that you can freely select skills when creating your party members.

7th Dragon will see its full unveil at the official 7th Dragon Web site on the 26th. Sega will be hosting a teaser movie on that day, so those who are interested in this latest in fantasy RPG gaming should be sure and check back.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-first-screens-available/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-first-screens-available/ Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:46:47 CDT Starlight Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-first-screens-available/
The magazine reveals that the game will have a cel-shaded look and action will be viewed from an isometric perspective. Some details:

- True GTA game - sandbox gameplay, open-world environment, gritty crime narrative.
- M-rating
- Isometric camera angle
- Cel-shaded polygons w/ black borders
- good touch-screen implementation - 'tasteful' minigames, streamlining interface
- UI based on a PDA - hub for email, contacts, map, music player, GPS, stat-tracking
- stats uploaded to Rockstar Social Club website via Wi-Fi
- finger-sized icons
- missions designed for shorter periods of play, arcade quality
- aiming with control pad, auto targeting with R button
- subtle autosteer
- if you fail a mission, you can jump back to the action sequence
- chain gun, flamethrower
- good portion of Liberty City is modeled in the game (different routes than console games)
- no probems with load times, draw-in or frame rate
- lots of pedestrians, cars, etc on screen
- Wanted system - objective is to disable police cars any way possible
- real-time weather effects, 24-hour day/night cycle
- lots of radio stations to listen to (more instrumentals than vocals)
- 800,000 lines of hand-optimized source code (hey, the people like the info, right?)
- no details yet on multiplayer/Wi-Fi features

More screenshots can be seen at the link at the top of this news article!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-officially-announces-metallic-silver-ds/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-officially-announces-metallic-silver-ds/ Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:22:08 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-officially-announces-metallic-silver-ds/
The Metallic Silver DS Lite is hitting North American store shelves in a standalone package on September 7. Following its debut, the new color will be featured in a series of print ads with actress Liv Tyler.

To quote: Sept. 2, 2008: NINTENDO DS FANS HAVE A HOT NEW COLOR FOR THE FALL - METALLIC SILVER

In some venues, silver is the color of second place. For Nintendo DS™, silver is No. 1. Starting Sept. 7, Metallic Silver joins the Nintendo DS color palette. The new Metallic Silver version makes a nice addition to any tech collection, whether you're a gadget hipster or fashionista. Watch for the Metallic Silver DS to be featured in the new upcoming Nintendo DS print ad featuring actress Liv Tyler.

Millions of people around the world, from core gamers to new players, have discovered Nintendo DS. Some like to play traditional games like New Super Mario Bros.™, Mario Kart® DS or The Legend of Zelda®: Phantom Hourglass.

Others use it to train their brains with Brain Age®: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day or solve puzzles with Crosswords DS. With a library of more than 600 games in every conceivable genre, there's a game or experience for everyone.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/menudo-xmblite-ps3-style-xmb-comes-to-nintendo-ds/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/menudo-xmblite-ps3-style-xmb-comes-to-nintendo-ds/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:03:38 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/menudo-xmblite-ps3-style-xmb-comes-to-nintendo-ds/
MenuDo XMBLite is currently a BETA build only, however, soulanger stated that a release is planned for sometime this month.

To quote: Thank you guys for the warm thanks and hugs. Again this only a one man person. And yes August is the release. :)

Video is below, enjoy!

oyanE7Tx5fg]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-of-japan-files-lawsuit-against-r4-distributors/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-of-japan-files-lawsuit-against-r4-distributors/ Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:26:51 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/nintendo-of-japan-files-lawsuit-against-r4-distributors/
If you're not aware, the device - coupled with a MicroSD card - allows users to load unsigned code onto their Nintendo DS, in addition to unauthorized copies of DS titles - otherwise referred to as ROM images.

Nintendo says the R4 cart is causing "immense monetary harm" to software companies, obviously due to its ability to run copied ROM images.

Capcom, Square Enix, Namco Bandai, SEGA, and Altus are just a few of the companies standing behind Nintendo in the suit, which has been filed in the Tokyo District Court under the Unfair Competition Prevention Law.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/e3-2008-gta-china-town-war-details-released/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/e3-2008-gta-china-town-war-details-released/ Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:25:58 CDT wicked insanity Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/e3-2008-gta-china-town-war-details-released/
"This is a game that will deliver a rich, fast-paced and intense 'Grand Theft Auto' experience that will be truly unique to Nintendo's handheld platform," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games.

"Rockstar Leeds, along with the team at Rockstar North, has built upon a decade of progressive design on Grand Theft Auto, and has created something fundamentally fresh and immersive."

China Town Wars will have an all-new story line and take advantage of the DS touch screen. The storyline will focus on the Triad crime syndicate.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/interview-with-mike-mccartney-on-skate-it-for-nds-and-wii/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/interview-with-mike-mccartney-on-skate-it-for-nds-and-wii/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:16:40 CDT wicked insanity Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/interview-with-mike-mccartney-on-skate-it-for-nds-and-wii/
IGN AU: What has become of San Vanelona? How different is the city than it was in Skate?

Mike McCartney: Skate It's story begins shortly after the events of the original Skate game. A series of comical and somewhat tragic disasters have hit the city and all of your favourite locations from San Van have been re-invented giving them an all new feel, with new lines and areas to discover.

IGN AU: Have you had to reduce its size or introduce load times between areas now that you're on Wii?

Mike McCartney: Developing for the Wii is definitely different than developing for other HD consoles (X360 and PS3). Skate It is a new game designed specifically for the Wii and NDS, maximizing on the unique engine and controls of each platform. We're very excited about what we've accomplished with the hardware. The gameplay design is different from the original Skate, but we'll get into more of those details later on.

IGN AU: How much of the setting is 'design by necessity'? I.e. it made sense to remove pedestrians and vehicles to free up processing power, and thus the concept for the ghost city/skater's paradise was born.

Mike McCartney: Honestly, the disaster concept was initially just a cool story idea that we really got excited about. When we were initially discussing this idea it just felt like a really interesting way to allow us to keep San Vanelona in the game but present it in a fresh way.

IGN AU: Skate was revolutionary in terms of its controls, and Skate It looks like it will be a very natural step forward for those mechanics. We know how the basic trick mechanics work, but how about for slightly more complex tricks like 360 flips and the like?

Mike McCartney: As you might have seen in some of the videos we have put out for the game the core philosophy with the Wii version of Skate It is that the Wii-Mote is your skateboard. That means whatever you do with the Wii-Mote should be echoed to some extent with your skater's board. For example, lifting your Wii-Mote up in the air performs an Ollie; twisting and lifting your Wii-Mote in either direction performs Kick Flips and Heel Flips; and finally rotating your Wii-Mote in half or full circles in either direction performs Pop Shuv-Its. The more complex tricks are combinations of these core motions. So if you know the basics it's a very gradual and logical progression to learn something like a 360 Flip which is just twisting the Wii-Mote and then performing a full 360 degree rotation. All of the other more complex tricks are just various combinations of twisting, rotating and lifting in various directions.

On the NDS version we always knew that we wanted to utilize the stylus and touch pad to give the gamer total control over their skateboard. On the top screen is your skater and the level you're skating in. On the bottom screen is your skateboard. A simple swipe of the stylus from the bottom to the top of your skateboard performs an Ollie. A swipe from the bottom to the top diagonally will perform either a Kick Flip or a Heel Flip. Finally quarter circle swipes in either direction from the bottom of the board will perform a Shuv-it or Front Side Shuv-it. To perform more complex moves it's as simple as knowing those basic gestures but prefacing them with a small swipe from off the skateboard to on the skateboard.

IGN AU: How easy has it been to come up with a natural-feeling set of motions for the tricks?

Mike McCartney: Working with the Nintendo Wii and its motion controls, we knew that the success of our game would be dependent on the control scheme. We actually invested about 3 months of pre-production strictly on exploring control schemes. We didn't want to make the game unless we felt we could deliver on the controls. Our initial designs were honestly pretty "ambitious". We used a lot of gestures that were quite complex or that required quite a bit of physicality. Not surprisingly, we started to realise by the 3rd or 4th iteration that simple gestures work best on Wii, and that you need to keep things very "un-physical" if you expect people to perform the gestures often. It sounds really obvious, but I'm very glad we had the opportunity to try out various designs before we settled on our current design.

The current design was born out of a statement that someone on our team made one day during a meeting. "The Wii Remote Is Your Skateboard" made such perfect sense to us that we had the entire trick set designed in about 2 or 3 days. The concept is really simple, mirror the motion of the skateboard during the tricks on the Wii Remote.

IGN AU: Have you had input from any pro skaters in terms of control or feel?

Mike McCartney: We're lucky on Skate and Skate It as we have a bunch of lifelong skateboarders on the team so we always have that authenticity check when we need it. For Skate It we had these skateboarders try out the controls and provide feedback as we tuned and refined the design. We are also extremely lucky that we have great relationships with our pro skaters. Rob Dyrdek and Danny Way have both played the game and gave us some great feedback on how to improve things.

IGN AU: We really loved the structure of Skate - the way the objectives worked and the fact that the game focused on skating, as opposed to gimmicky platforming on a skateboard. Will you be offering something similar in Skate It?

Mike McCartney: Absolutely! The Skate franchise is all about delivering an authentic skateboarding experience. You'll see this in Skate It with our great physics based skating engine, intuitive and fluid controls and a deep and rewarding career progression.

IGN AU: How do you think the game's visuals compare with Skate?

Mike McCartney: Both the NDS and the Wii versions of Skate It are really their own games and with that in mind they both have their own looks. With the Wii version we felt that we had a little more flexibility to stylize things in particular we wanted to make the skateable objects in each of the levels a little more obvious. With the NDS version we wanted to make a kick ass looking NDS game with full 3D graphics and I think you'll agree it's one of the best looking NDS games out there.

IGN AU: What was the rationale behind going with the colour coding for the ledges, ramps and rails in the game?

Mike McCartney: When we started developing for the Nintendo platforms we were very excited as it gave us license to stylize the game in a way that is additive to overall gameplay, but also uniquely Nintendo. As you've noticed in Skate It, we've used colours to help make skateable areas more visible to the gamer. In the original Skate we found at times curbs or ledges would creep up on us and cause us to bail unexpectedly. So what we're going for on the Wii version is making sure nothing in the world creeps up on the game in that way.

IGN AU: How will Balance Board compatibility work? Do you think that's going to be the ultimate way to play it?

Mike McCartney: We're really excited about the Balance Board in Skate It! At the core you can carve by leaning left and right on the board. Performing manuals are done by leaning forward and backward on the board. I'm really happy to say that it doesn't end there. You can perform all 30 tricks from the original Skate as well by applying varying degrees of pressure to the board in various locations on the board. You can also play the game with the Wii Remote and Nunchuck. So there's really three great control options, Balance Board, Wii remote only or Wii remote and Nunchuck. All three ways are fun for different reasons.

Right now my favourite way to play is with the Wii Remote on its own, but the Balance Board is quickly becoming a favourite among the team. At the end of the day we wanted to make sure we left it up to the gamer to choose how they want to play the game, and with three great ways to play I think we've succeeded.

IGN AU: We'd love to see this game go online - is that something you're planning?

Mike McCartney: Our main goal for Skate It has been to bring authentic skateboarding to the Nintendo consoles. With respect to the Wii, our focus remains the core gameplay experience, so we do not have plans for online at this time.

For the NDS version we are supporting Wi-Fi multiplayer as well as single and multi card gameplay.

Enjoy!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/piracy-in-korea-r4-triumphant/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/piracy-in-korea-r4-triumphant/ Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:10:02 CDT Starlight Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/piracy-in-korea-r4-triumphant/
In line with this, PSP has its fair share of action, as does the Wii. Getting the little white box chipped in Yongsan generally runs the owner about 50,000 Won (just under $50 USD), and the going price for pirated games is 10,000 Won per disc.

It should be noted that the majority of those who pay for these copied discs are a very inexperienced and casual crowd of foreigners from the West - English teachers, soldiers, and students, mostly - who are unaware of the fact that they can download them from the net and burn them at home (or don't want to bother with doing so), which is exactly what the vendors are doing. For obvious reasons, said vendors don't share this information with customers.

Beyond this small group of foreigners, however, piracy on platforms other than DS is rather limited to the hardcore. This is likely a result of the fact that DS is the first platform in Korea, either home console or handheld, that has attracted a diverse audience made up largely of individuals who were never interested in games before.

PSP succeeded in breaking a bit of the ice, but DS really blew things wide open, and piracy quickly followed, spreading to all areas of the user base.

Nintendo, however, has shown itself determined to fight piracy the whole world over, and perhaps nowhere more fervently than in Korea. As widely publicized, NOK teamed up with the Korean government some time back to combat the R4 onslaught, and though a measure of success has reportedly been seen, the view from the street tells a different story.

Yongsan has been the company's main target in the real world, and as a result, shopkeepers are constantly on the lookout for undercover reps posing as customers.

Many shops have been busted in this way, but retailers have quickly banded together and adapted their tactics so as to avoid getting caught. A little caution evidently goes a long way, because the R4 is still available from virtually any game retailer in the entire district.

On the Internet, popular Korean sites for DS downloading are constantly in the crosshairs, and a number have been successfully shut down. As is the way of things in this day and age, though, they tend to pop up again elsewhere in no time flat, resulting in a situation where little real progress, if any, is ever made.

In Korea and all over the world, the real results of Nintendo's efforts remain to be seen. However, in light of the company's efforts to halt piracy here, and with the aforementioned attitude of the Korean public in mind, an interesting question presents itself:

If Nintendo somehow succeeds in stamping out piracy on its platforms to any meaningful extent, will Korean gamers simply flock to other systems on which the practice is more feasible, or will they fork over the cash to stick with the Big N?

With the current situation in mind, it seems unlikely that such a day will ever come. If and when it does, however, we may be able to see just how much Nintendo's products actually mean to gamers in Korea.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dragon-quest-ix-coming-this-year-agito-xiii-may-be-cancelled/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dragon-quest-ix-coming-this-year-agito-xiii-may-be-cancelled/ Mon, 26 May 2008 00:36:47 CDT Starlight Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/dragon-quest-ix-coming-this-year-agito-xiii-may-be-cancelled/
Game Watch have posted an article that gives us more in-depth details on what was said:

- Wada says Dragon Quest IX is coming this fiscal year, but the game still doesn't have a release date. He also said the DS is a great choice for the game, and thinks it may sell up to 10 million copies.

- Wada says that due to 3 billion yen in losses, the company has cancelled a "revolutionary mobile development". The project is rumored to be Final Fantasy Agito XIII or Parasite Eve 3.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-final-fantasy-iv-debut-trailer-available/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-final-fantasy-iv-debut-trailer-available/ Sat, 24 May 2008 19:58:41 CDT Starlight Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/new-final-fantasy-iv-debut-trailer-available/
The video, courtesy of Eurogamer, is available HERE or linked above.

Enjoy All!]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-new-nintendo-ds-colors-heading-to-europe-this-june/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-new-nintendo-ds-colors-heading-to-europe-this-june/ Tue, 20 May 2008 18:51:26 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/rumor-new-nintendo-ds-colors-heading-to-europe-this-june/
A third color dubbed Ice Blue is listed on the site as well, but that color has already been released in Japan, so it's not entirely new. All color variations are pegged for a June 13 on the site.

As per usual, Nintendo has yet to officially announce any of the new colors. Either way, GAME has quite the track record on breaking information regarding new hardware bundles, so we would be hard pressed not to believe them.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/guitar-hero-on-tour-bundles-coming-in-june-1/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/guitar-hero-on-tour-bundles-coming-in-june-1/ Fri, 09 May 2008 20:18:47 CDT IanJ Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/guitar-hero-on-tour-bundles-coming-in-june-1/
The bundles will include a Nintendo DS, Game and funky guitar appendage for slot 2.

So far 15 songs have been confirmed.
* Do What You Want - OK Go
* All The Small Things - Blink 182
* Spiderwebs - No Doubt
* Are You Gona Be My Girl - Jet
* We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
* All Star - Smash Mouth
* Breed - Nirvana
* Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
* Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
* This Love - Maroon 5
* Heaven - Los Lonely Boys
* Helicopter - Bloc Party
* China Grove - The Doobie Brothers
* Rock and Roll All Nite - KISS (cover by Line 6)
* What I Want - Daughtry

Head over to Joystiq for some more pics in the link at the top of this story.]]> http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/neods-v0-1-0-neo-geo-emulator-for-nintendo-ds-out/ http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/neods-v0-1-0-neo-geo-emulator-for-nintendo-ds-out/ Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:32:50 CDT PS3 News Nintendo DS http://www.ps3news.com/NintendoDS/neods-v0-1-0-neo-geo-emulator-for-nintendo-ds-out/
Note that a DLDI compatible flash card is required. Additional installation and usage instructions can be found in the included readme file.

Download: NeoDS v0.1.0

Currently emulated:

* M68000 cpu (cyclone)
* Z80 cpu (DrZ80)
* All forms of NeoGeo protection/encryption
* Graphics
* ADPCM audio
* PSG audio

Not emulated:

* FM audio
* Raster effects
* Multiplayer
* Some timings are not that accurate

FM audio has already been done in jEnesisDS, so it is possible in theory. It will be hard to squeeze it into NeoDS, as both the ARM7 and ARM9 are pretty busy. But I will try. Most of the graphics in NeoDS are drawn with textured quads. Emulating raster effects using this method would require more polygons per frame than the DS is capable of (as far as I can tell). It may be possible to emulate raster effects using the DS 2D hardware, but there are lots of reasons why this would be difficult.]]>