Nintendo DS

[Pierrot le Fou]

Anyone else gotten it? Any suggestions for games? So far I have やわらかあたま塾 and that brain training game (the second one, with the yellow on the box), but I need something a little more non-brain intensive. I was thinking of getting Castlevania, or Mariokart DS, or potentially Children of Mana.

Anyone who's picked up some DS games, do you have any suggestions?

I want:
- Relatively easy Japanese (as in playable by an elementary school kid)
- Entertaining SINGLE-PLAYER gameplay (as nobody I know near me has one)
- Preferrably using some innovative touch-screen gameplay

GBA games would work as well, I s'pose. So please, give me some suggestions.

[jindojim]

I've always wanted to own a Shiba Inu...so I want the DS just to play Nintendogs. But somehow I can't imagine you playing that game. :P

[Chinpokomon]

Nintendogs was actually suprisingly good.

However, Famicom Wars DS was my favorite investment.

[Pierrot le Fou]

Please explain to me about these games you recommend. For instance, Nintendogs doesn't strike me as a game, so much as a tamagochi. Someone else recommended Elektroplankton to me -- sounds like an aquarium. What is the GAME like?

[Angelyne]

I haven't played any Japanese DS games, so I can't comment on the language difficulty, but...

The Mario Kart for DS is the best Mario Kart ever made, IMO. If you've ever enjoyed a Mario Kart game, I highly recommend it. And given that this game is pretty easy to figure out (plays exactly like any other Mario Kart game), I doubt there's much of a language barrier.

I also thought Castlevania was worth the money.

[Chinpokomon]

Please explain to me about these games you recommend. For instance, Nintendogs doesn't strike me as a game, so much as a tamagochi. Someone else recommended Elektroplankton to me -- sounds like an aquarium. What is the GAME like?

Nintendogs- You can interact with your dog in the following ways:
Speech (teach him to do tricks), Playing with toys (throw a frisbee, etc), walking with him (you can go to the park to practice frisbee, or the gymnasium to practice agility), and you can also wash him.

The competitions are what I like. There are 3 types. Obedience, Disc, and Agility. Obedience is where he has to do judge specified tricks.
Disc is self explanatory
Agility is jumping over barriers and going through tunnels and such.

You win the contest, you get money. You get money, you can buy new dogs, upgrade your house, etc.

Actually, while it was fun for a few days, I have 0 desire to play it right now.


Famicom Wars - You have different military units (infantry, tanks, airplanes, boats, etc), and you have to take out the enemy military units. Depending on who you choose as your "general" you get different powers when they "break".

Your generals can also level up and get different bonuses (cheaper to produce units, etc)

This is what I was playing before FFXII. I highly recommend it. They have a stealth bomber for cryin' out loud!

[Pierrot le Fou]

What's the input system like? Is it Real-Time Strategy like Starcraft or somesuch? And do you use the pen, or the control pad? And is it infinitely replayable, or does it get boring after you beat it? These are the types of things I wonder about.

[Decade]

I kinda wanna get both the PSP and the DS, but I hear the DS is like way better.

Mario kart, if not just cause mariokart kicks ass then for the online play you can get.

That's my best recommendation at the moment.

[rush]

Give Worms Open Warfare a try. I have it for my PSP and it kicks ass. Advance Wars/Famicom Wars is another good one.

[NERD]

Famicom Wars, better known as Advanced Wars in the States, is a turn-based strategy game. There is the main campaign which follows a storyline as you command different army from different nations against a mysterious nation called Black Hole. Once you are done with the main campaigns, you can play different maps with multiplayer mode or against the A.I.

I have Advance Wars 1&2 for GBA, both of which I can highly recommend. I've finished the main campaign at least three times for both, yet from time to time go back and play it again. If you did turn-based strategy, it's awesome.

Have no idea if it uses the touch screen though. If you want a game that utlizes the touch screen, high replayability, then Wario Ware for DS got some great reviews.

[Trump]

From what I understand, most people who have the PSP think it is a decent system, but was quite horribly designed from a human factors standpoint.

If you believe my brother (digital arts major) it is exactly how NOT to design something. It has to do with physical design and not the electronics inside.

[rush]

From what I understand, most people who have the PSP think it is a decent system, but was quite horribly designed from a human factors standpoint

It's ok. It definately could have been better, design wise.

If you like shooting games, give Metroid Prime Hunters a try. I hear that Sonic Rush is pretty good, too.

[Angelyne]

Not only does the PSP design suck, but its advertisements are terrible. They should fire the idiot who thought it was a good idea to use talking clumps of pubic hair in the PSP commercial.

[Chinpokomon]

What's the input system like? Is it Real-Time Strategy like Starcraft or somesuch? And do you use the pen, or the control pad? And is it infinitely replayable, or does it get boring after you beat it? These are the types of things I wonder about.
It's turn based strategy.
You can use either the pen, or the control pad. I use the pen, as it's more convenient, usually.

I've beaten it once, and "Difficult Mode" got unlocked. I'm currently working through that.

There are also different types of games, like Survival mode, where you try to get through 11 battles while only using a certain amount of cash, or turns, or time. There's combat mode, where you actually control your troops in real time, and shoot bullets at your enemies. Just like the atari version.

There are also unlockable maps, costumes, generals. I think the replay value is definitely there.

[Vic_Rattlehead]

Heres the games you SHOULD get.

Castlevania DS - Pretty much like Aria of Sorrow!
Sonic Rush - Has that old sonic feel back in the game...and it's fast as hell!
Advance(Famicon) Wars DS- Awesomely fun to play, quite addictive.


As for Nintendogs...it's ok ..I enjoyed it for about a month then just got bored having to wait entire days before I could take the dog for another walk or whatever.

mario and Luigi - Partners in time is also mandatory.

Then save your pennies for "the new super mario brothers" and the new zelda game..


ohh/..ohh....get the worms game too!! :O

[Pierrot le Fou]

Okay, I have scoured far and wide for the Castlevania game, with no luck. I'll have to go and find Famicon wars, and I s'pose this mario-luigi game (is it like a standard Mario game? does it use the touchpad?), here's to hoping I can find them somewhere.

After waiting all this time to be able to find a DS Lite to buy, I'm now quite disappointed that I can't find the bloody games I want for it. Hrmph.

[NERD]

Mario and Luigi Superstar is more like the Mario RPG if you ever played it for SNES. It's a GBA game, been out for quite awhile.

[Pierrot le Fou]

THere's a mario paper RPG 2 or something for the DS as well, I wonder if that's any good?

[NERD]

Mario And Luigi:Superstar Saga was released as マリオ＆ルイージRPG in Japan, and Superstar Saga has a sequel, Partners in Time. You might be referring to that one, though I have no idea. SS is for GBA, PiT for DS. Also, there's a new Super Mario Brothers game coming out for DS in May. You might want to check that out as well.

[Pierrot le Fou]

I suck at gaming. Hardcore. It was much easier when I played these all in English, months to years after they were released in Japan, meaning that I could look on the internet for straightforward reviews.

[NERD]

Heh, well, that sucks, doesn't it? I'm pretty sure there's plenty of people who'd rather be in your shoes...

I never went to Famitsu's webpage, but I know it is one of the better known, if not respected, gaming magazine in Japan. You might want to try that.

[BigJDiesel20]

Not only does the PSP design suck, but its advertisements are terrible. They should fire the idiot who thought it was a good idea to use talking clumps of pubic hair in the PSP commercial.

Well for me the PSP design doesn't suck its quite good the only problem for me with the PSP is games. I have 3 games right now Ridge Racer, DarkStalkers and Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition. I love the first 2 even though my hand starts hurting after 6 minutes of playing DarkStalkers. But after i bought Midnight Club 3 i havent bought any more games becaue i freekin Paid $40 for a Highly watered down version with longer load times and bad frame rates insted of following my gut and buying the PS2 version.

The only thing that they need to Build a fun orignal games around the technology of they system insted of porting PS2 games and watering them down. The only thing i been doing with my PSP is using it as a MP3 player,UMD player, and watching Digital Videos i put on it. the only game im waiting for Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core

I love playing my Nephews DS. I like playing puzzle games on it but i just couldn't pay 30 or 20 bucks for a puzzle game. But i like some of the other games like Mario Kart, Zelda, Metrod. Well when i get a better job that pays more money i might get a DS too.

[Trump]

I love the first 2 even though my hand starts hurting after 6 minutes of playing DarkStalkers.

Case in point... the design is crappy.

[akitaka]

I've seen commercials of this game in particular, and though I don't have a DS, I still find it intriguing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83uuFTuMHp0&search=adult

A brain-trainer for adults?

"...woah..." (/neo)

[Pierrot le Fou]

Uh, I have exactly that game. My 脳年齢 (brain age) was 34.

[NERD]

It seems like every DS owner in Japan has that game.

[akitaka]

(shoots himself for unattentiveness)

Though it may be on the older side of DS releases, "Touch! Kirby" is a simple, yet neat little game that is stylus-controlled.
If you've played most other side-scrolling games (such as the mario series), it's kind of like that, only the control method makes it somewhat interesting.

Overall, though, I'm biased in that Famicon Wars is a must-have. The GBA version was addictive enough; a good friend of mine would probably have to cut my hands off if I ever got a hold of his copy.

[NERD]

I loved Advance Wars 1&2 for GBA, but haven't heard much stuff about Advance Wars DS. If anyone played the DS version, what do you make of it? Better than the GBA ones, worse, or about the same?

[Pierrot le Fou]

Okay, that sounds like a must have.

In やわらかあたま塾 (flexible-brain cram school), I was playing against two of my Japanese acquaintances, after consuming far too much beer, and despite the inclusion of a 言語 (language) category, I beat them both twice in it even with that handicap. I wanted to brag.

And why the Hell isn't Castlevania in any stores here? It's driving me nuts! Anyone have the title of the game in Japanese? I know it's あくま something (akuma-something)

[NERD]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlevania#Game_list

There are Japanese titles for all Castlevania games.

[akitaka]

悪魔城ドラキュラ (akumajou dracula), as found on the Japanese Konami page. Either the GBA or DS version(s) are up to you; the same friend that I spoke about earlier is a totall fanatic of the series, and amongst side-scrollers, it's very good.

edit: NERD wins.

[BigJDiesel20]

Case in point... the design is crappy.

My hand cramps when i play my Nephew's DS also. Well i guess i just have big hands.

I wish the buttons on both of them were a little bigger too.

[Artie]

Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan is a great game :D

[Pierrot le Fou]

Okay, as stated many times, please explain what the game is about/what the control method is/how much Japanese is necessary/why it's fun. Stating game names for me to buy is nice and all, but I don't really know what type of game it is so I don't know whether it'd actually interest me...

[Artie]

Ah, sorry.

Um, in Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan you don't really NEED to speak japanese to play it, only if you want the story (though, the cut scenes themself tell you whats going on).

It's a rythmic game. You are a cheer squad and you help people situations. You can fail or pass depending on how you do.

This is a very stylus heavy game, you use it for EVERYTHING. You "poke" to the beat of the song (which, is J-rock). I really enjoyed it, and it has very good replay value.

You have Easy, Normal, Hard, Extra Hard (in this level, you have girl cheer leaders).

For anything else, here:

http://ds.ign.com/objects/746/746980.html

I think they have some videos of it in action as well.