In addition to re-confirming the long-rumored second Xbox 360 price cut, a Best Buy ad circular for the week beginning September 7 has revealed yet another Nintendo DS Lite color — Metallic Silver.
The new color will carry a standard retail price of $129.99 and palette-wise, looks exactly the same as the DS featured in the previously released Guitar Hero: On Tour hardware bundle. Sans Guitar Hero, of course. Expect an official announcement soon, most likely by next week.
A new entry in Konami’s beloved Suikoden RPG franchise is slated to hit the Nintendo DS, according to the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu. Entitled Suikoden Tierkreis, the game is said to be around fifty percent complete and as shown the magazine scan above, features 2D backdrops mixed with 3D character sprites.
Battles will make use of the touch screen for inputting commands. All in all, it looks like a traditional RPG set in the Suikoden universe. Let’s hope a stateside release is on the cards.
Time to mark those calendars. Square Enix today sent word that the dual-screen edition of its fabled RPG classic Chrono Trigger will ship to retailers across North America on November 25. A release in Europe will follow in 2009.
An enhanced port of the original, Chrono Trigger DS has been retooled to take advantage of the DS’ touch screen functionality. Although the core game remains the same, new additions include a number of bonus dungeons a la Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls and an Arena mode.
Even though it’s not a full blown remake, there’s no doubt that Chrono fans everywhere (including us) will be picking this up. Who knows, if sales take off, maybe it’ll finally convince Square to continue the series.
The NPD Group has released its hardware and software sales figures for the month of July. In the hardware sector, overall sales were down compared to June, but up from the previous year.
Nintendo emerged as the clear victor, pushing 555,000 Wii and 608,400 DS units. Sony’s PS3 shifted 224,900 units, a sharp decline from the previous month’s figure of 405,500 units. Despite this, it still managed to best the Xbox 360, which sold 204,800 units throughout the duration of July.
As for software sales, NCAA Football 09 took first place, with Wii Fit managing a close second and Activision’s DS title Guitar Hero: On Tour a not-so-distant third.
The full hardware and software sales breakdown can be found after the jump, courtesy of NPD. more »
SEGA today announced its lineup for Games Convention 2008 in Leipzig. Making their first playable and public debut during the event will be Samba De Amigo for Wii and BioWare’s dual-screen RPG Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Potentially even more alluring, though, is a “world premier” from Headstrong Games that will be announced at the start of SEGA’s showing.
In addition, SEGA plans to show off already released wares like Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Beijing 2008 and Space Siege. Meanwhile, folks gathered at the business center will be given a sneak peak at offerings from Platinum Games, The Creative Assembly, and Headstrong Games. more »
The wait is finally coming to a close. Publisher Electronic Arts today sent word that Will Wright’s ambitious life sim Spore has gone gold and is being shipped off to manufacturing in preparation for its September 7 launch date in North America. In addition to the PC and Macintosh release, the Nintendo DS title Spore Creatures and Spore Origins for mobile phones will be available on the same day as well.
“We are so excited to finally get Spore into the hands of fans and players,” said Lucy Bradshaw, executive producer of Spore at Maxis. “The Maxis studio has had an absolute blast creating Spore, but the fun is just beginning. The most engaging stories are truly the ones people create themselves, and we can’t wait to see how players not only craft and explore the Spore universe, but hear what stories they have to tell as a result.”
For those looking to get an early start on creating their Spore creatures, be sure to download the freely available creature creator demo.
Publisher Atlus has sent over a handful of new screenshots from Image Epoch’s Nintendo DS strategy RPG sequel Luminous Arc 2.
Touting local and online multiplayer support over Nintendo WiFi Connection, multiple endings, a redesigned user interface, Luminous Arc 2 is slated for a November 18 release in North America. Bundled in a special oversized box, each retail copy will include a collectible soundtrack CD containing selected tracks from the game.
Independent developer NoWay Studio has announced that its Nintendo DS first-person shooter title C.O.R.E. will launch at an unspecified date in October.
Inspired by best-sellers like DOOM and Half-Life, the game promises a “gripping” single-player campaign set in the futuristic time period of 2028, along with ten multiplayer arenas. The multiplayer aspect supports up to four players locally via a single cartridge, featuring a variety of classic gameplay modes, such as “Capture the Flag,” “Team Arena,” and “Free For All.” more »
Folks who pre-order upcoming Nintendo DS title Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia from Konami’s Japan-only KonamiStyle e-store have the option of purchasing a special edition bundle package, including the game, a two disc original soundtrack, and a commemorative leather bound notebook (pictured above). All in all, it’ll set you back 8,410 yen, which roughly equates to around $80 in dollars.
For those of us not fortunate enough to live in Japan, online retailer Play-Asia is currently taking pre-orders, but be prepared to pay top dollar — $119.90.
There’s no word on if Konami is planning to offer a similar bundle in the states. However, they did offer pre-order incentives with Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin, so it’s certainly a possibility.
Puzzles? Adventure? Mix the two and you get Electronic Arts’ latest DS title, Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure. An EA casual initiative, Henry Hatsworth features five exotic worlds in all, sprawled across over 30 levels.
Described as a “incredibly unique game” by executive producer Scott Walker, the adventure side of gameplay takes place entirely on the DS’ top screen, with players exploring levels and defeating opponents on a 2D plane. Puzzle activities, on the other hand, are displayed at the bottom screen. Completing puzzle combinations will net players power ups, health, and energy on the adventure side.
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure is scheduled for a 2009 release exclusively on Nintendo DS. Keep in mind that it is a working title and as such is subject to change.
